Chinese animation: Starting with Bad Guys

Tianyu and Longjian nodded slightly, showing respect for this elder they had never met before.

"Lisa, could you tell me more about Elder Yuanzheng?" Tianyu asked softly, hoping to learn more about this potential ally.

Lisa's electronic voice responded: [Information about Yuan Zheng in the database is limited. It is only known that he is an elder under the Snow Queen, with a strength level assessment of Nebula Body. He belongs to the ranks of the strongest beings in the seven parallel universes, along with the Snow Queen and Hades.]

"Nebula Body? A supreme powerhouse?!" Huo Linfei's eyes lit up instantly, as if he had seen a savior. His voice rose with excitement, "As powerful as Hades?! That's wonderful! If we can persuade Elder Yuanzheng to help us, wouldn't there be a great chance of stopping Hades?! Earth is saved!"

A tremendous sense of excitement and hope instantly spread through Huo Linfei, Miao Tiaojun, and even Long Jian.

Hades' power was like a dark cloud, while Yuan Zheng's existence seemed to tear open a hole in the endless darkness, casting a dazzling guiding light.

They could almost see the scene of Yuan Zheng taking action and Hades' ambitions being shattered.

Just then, Qin Chuan, who had been silently observing, suddenly spoke, shattering their reverie. His voice was calm and even, yet it was like ice water extinguishing a blazing flame:

"Yuan Zheng's residence is in the uninhabited area on the border between Jinxiang Kingdom and Whale Shark Kingdom. The coordinates have been transmitted. Miao Tiaojun, go directly there."

Miao Tiaojun subconsciously responded, his hands already operating on the control panel. He then realized his mistake and quickly tried to salvage his position of "opposing Hades":

"I...I'm not listening to you! I'm doing this so I can see Elder Yuanzheng as soon as possible and ask him to come out of seclusion to deal with you!"

This weak explanation seemed utterly unconvincing under Qin Chuan's all-knowing gaze.

Following the coordinates provided by Qin Chuan, the Xuanwu spacecraft swiftly traversed the atmosphere of the golden planet.

Below lies an endless expanse of rolling yellow sand, with massive dunes resembling solidified golden waves stretching to the horizon.

The gale whipped up sand and gravel, making a faint scraping sound outside the porthole, making the whole planet seem desolate and magnificent.

Finally, the spaceship landed in a valley surrounded by desolate, barren sand dunes.

On one side of the valley, there is an inconspicuous, even somewhat dilapidated, cave entrance, as if it were a corner forgotten by wind, sand and time.

"This is it?" Huo Linfei looked at the harsh environment outside and the simple cave, his face full of doubt, his previous excitement waning considerably. "Elder Yuanzheng, a supreme expert, lives in a place like this? Underworld King, you're not lying to us, are you?"

He couldn't imagine that someone comparable to Hades would live in seclusion in such a harsh and barren place.

Qin Chuan did not answer, but calmly looked towards the cave, his deep eyes seeming to pierce through the rock and see what was inside.

Just as everyone was wondering, two figures emerged slowly from the cave, one after the other.

The person walking in front was dressed in a simple white robe, the hem of which fluttered gently in the dry, hot wind.

His face was gentle, his eyes clear and deep, and his hair and beard were all white, yet he did not look old or frail. Instead, he exuded a peaceful and serene aura, seemingly out of place in this harsh desert environment, yet strangely integrated into it.

Following behind him was a burly young warrior clad in golden armor, with a resolute expression. His sharp eyes and steady steps exuded a powerful aura.

[A highly compatible abnormal energy reaction was detected, matching the characteristics of a Super Beast Warrior.]

Lisa's notification sound rang out at just the right moment. She was naturally referring to the golden-armored youth.

"It's a new Super Beast Warrior!" Huo Linfei exclaimed in surprise, then looked at the white-robed elder with even greater fervor. "Then this must be Elder Yuanzheng!"

The flame of hope has been rekindled, and it burns even brighter than before.

They not only found Yuan Zheng, but also unexpectedly discovered a new partner!

Hope is just around the corner!

Huo Linfei, Miao Tiaojun, Tianyu, and Long Jian rushed out of the spaceship without waiting. The scorching desert air instantly enveloped them, but they didn't care.

Long Ying followed silently behind Qin Chuan, while Xuan Yizi, leaning on his cane, walked down slowly and steadily.

"Elder Yuanzheng!" Huo Linfei shouted excitedly, his voice echoing through the empty valley. "We are super beast warriors from other parallel universes, here to stop Hades' return and maintain cosmic peace! Please help us!"

He spoke earnestly, placing all his hopes on this kind old man.

Miao Tiaojun quickly added, afraid of missing any opportunity to seize the moment: "And this new teammate! Come with us, we need your strength! Let's fight Hades together and protect the universe!"

The golden-armored youth was none other than Tai Lei.

He was slightly taken aback by the sudden invitation, then looked at his master Yuan Zheng with a questioning look in his eyes.

Yuan Zheng nodded slightly to him, his eyes filled with encouragement and expectation.

Thales took a deep breath, stepped forward, and declared in a loud and firm voice, filled with unwavering determination: "I, Thales, am willing to join you in the fight for freedom and peace!"

He already knew his mission as a super beast warrior from his master, and now was the time to put it into practice.

"Great!"

Huo Linfei was overjoyed and clenched his fist, feeling that the team's strength had increased once again.

He then looked at Yuan Zheng again, his eyes filled with the most fervent expectation, almost pleading, "Elder Yuan Zheng, you will definitely help us, right? For the peace of the universe!"

However, Yuan Zheng slowly shook his head, his gentle gaze sweeping over the young, expectant faces before him. His gaze held pity and helplessness, but even more so, a resolute determination:

"Children, your courage is commendable. You hold firm to your beliefs and run for justice in your hearts. I admire you greatly."

He paused, his voice still calm, yet it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer, "However, please forgive me for being unable to assist in the fight against Hades."

"Why?!"

"Elder Yuanzheng?!"

"Master?!"

Huo Linfei, Tianyu, Miaotiao Jun, Long Jian, and even Tai Lei, who had just joined, exclaimed in disbelief almost in unison.

Terry turned sharply to look at Yuan Zheng, his face filled with shock and confusion, which was completely different from the teachings he had received over the years!

Didn't his master always teach him to uphold justice?

Why did they choose to stand idly by when faced with the greatest threat to the universe?

What shocked them even more was that a scene of utter devastation and the collapse of their faith had occurred.

Yuan Zheng stopped looking at them and turned around, his gaze passing over the astonished crowd, calmly landing on Qin Chuan, who had just floated down from the spaceship.

Amidst the stunned and incomprehensible gazes of everyone, this highly respected elder solemnly bowed and clasped his hands before Hades, whom they regarded as their greatest enemy, performing an extremely solemn and respectful ceremony.

Yuan Zheng's voice wasn't loud, but it echoed clearly in the deathly silent desert air, each word like an ice pick piercing the hearts of the Super Beast Warriors:

"The ten thousand years have passed. I have lost the bet."

He straightened up, his gaze meeting Qin Chuan's calmly, as if completing an ancient and solemn ritual.

"From this day forward, I will keep my promise and will no longer obstruct Hades from unifying the seven parallel universes in any way."

These words were like a million bolts of lightning striking simultaneously!

Huo Linfei, Miao Tiaojun, Tianyu, Long Jian, and even Tai Lei, who had just joined and was still full of enthusiasm, were all struck dumb, frozen in place, their minds blank, as if even their breathing had stopped.

Lost? The bet? No more interference?

Their hope for salvation, the highly respected Elder Yuanzheng, whom they thought was the strongest being capable of confronting Hades, had actually already made a bet with Hades.

And he personally admitted defeat and promised not to obstruct Hades again?!

The shock of this dramatic reversal made them feel more powerless and desperate than any powerful enemy.

Their spiritual pillar, on which they relied, collapsed at this moment.

Thales was utterly unable to accept this revolutionary fact. He rushed to Yuan Zheng, grabbed his master's arm excitedly, and his voice trembled with immense confusion and disappointment:

"Master! What on earth is going on?! What bet? How could you... how could you admit defeat to Hades?! Didn't you always teach me to fight for freedom and peace? Hades is the one who brings war and enslavement! How could you yield to him?!"

He couldn't understand why his mentor, who had taught him faith and perseverance and empowered him to protect the weak, would make such a decision that went against his lifelong beliefs.

Yuan Zheng looked at his disciple, who was filled with confusion and whose faith was on the verge of collapse, and a deep, complex, and indescribable pity flashed in his eyes.

But he didn't explain; he simply patted Terry's hand, which was gripping his arm tightly. The hand was warm but carried a resolute strength.

“Tale, some paths you must walk yourself. Some truths you must see for yourself. Follow them. When you have experienced enough and witnessed the rise and fall and conflicts of other worlds, you will naturally understand the choice I have made today.”

He couldn't tell Thales that 100,000 years ago, he and Hades made a bet on this very land, using this third parallel universe as their testing ground to conduct a long experiment on whether "love" or "force" could bring true peace.

He couldn't tell Tyree that 50,000 years ago, he abandoned all force and, with the purest ideals, tried to influence the Golden Elephant Clan who enslaved the Whale Shark Clan at that time, as well as the Whale Shark Clan whose mentality gradually changed after their successful rebellion, through only benevolence, teaching, and non-violence.

What he gained was not lasting peace, but endless war, a cycle of hatred, and even a deeper darkness in which the Whale Shark Clan, under the leadership of the Whale Shark King, turned against and enslaved the Golden Elephant Clan.

His "love" appears so pale and powerless in the face of the desire to survive and the temptation of power.

He couldn't tell Thales that it was 50,000 years later, after witnessing rivers of blood and the complete shattering of his ideals of peace, that he had no choice but to use the force he hated most and was most powerful with.

Only by forcibly intervening with the absolute power of the Nebula, dividing territories, and suppressing conflicts could the current peaceful scene maintained by power be barely achieved.

This experiment, which lasted for 100,000 years, cruelly but clearly proved how pale and naive his ideals of "love can solve everything" and "trust can eliminate hatred" were in the face of naked reality and the desire to survive.

While Pluto's insistence on the view that "order needs power to maintain it" and "only a strong unity can bring relative peace" is cold and direct and deprives people of some freedom, it is, to some extent, closer to the true rules of this dog-eat-dog universe.

Some truths are too heavy, too dark; telling them directly would only destroy Thales's still-developing worldview.

Yuan Zheng believes that only when Thales personally goes to this vast and complex universe, witnesses with his own eyes the rise and fall and conflicts of other parallel universes, and experiences with his heart the state of existence under different beliefs, can he truly understand the universe.

Only then can he truly understand the difficulty of "choice," the undercurrents beneath the surface of "peace," and eventually understand the profound helplessness and tragic understanding of the laws of the universe behind his current silence, surrender, and seemingly unintentional choice.

Hope was shattered in an instant, replaced by deeper confusion, despair, and enormous questions.

Looking at Yuan Zheng, who calmly admitted defeat to Hades, and then at Qin Chuan, who seemed unfathomable and had already taken control of everything, Huo Linfei and the others felt that the road ahead was shrouded in darkness, and the once clear boundary between "justice" and "evil" had become blurred.

Meanwhile, Thales was plunged into immense chaos and pain as his faith completely collapsed. He looked at his silent and resolute master, and then at Hades, who represented darkness and power, completely unable to comprehend all of this upheaval.

His world faced its cruelest test on the very first day he joined the Super Beast Team.

The third parallel universe brought the Super Beast Team not the expected strong reinforcements and hope, but a more severe and cruel test concerning the very foundation of their beliefs.

The scorching heat of the desert made them feel a bone-chilling cold.

Chapter 62 The Eloquent Whale Shark King

Just as the Super Beast Warriors were shaken by Yuan Zheng's unexpected "give-up" and fell into unprecedented despair and confusion, a steady and rhythmic footstep came from the sand dunes behind them.

The footsteps were neither hurried nor slow, yet they seemed to tread on the intervals between everyone's heartbeats, carrying a cold rhythm that pierced through the scorching air.

Following the sound, everyone looked and saw a dark blue figure walking step by step across the scorching golden sand.

He was tall and muscular, exuding power. His face was cold and stern, as if carved by a knife. His eyes were like the boundless desert, deep and desolate, yet concealing a vortex that could devour everything.

Along with him came a sense of oppression that was completely different from Elder Yuanzheng's peaceful and compassionate demeanor, carrying a tangible weight that made Huo Linfei and the others feel as if they could hardly breathe.

The newcomer was none other than the Whale Shark King, one of the four guardians of the underworld and the one who guarded the third parallel universe.

The Whale Shark King's gaze first bypassed the heavily armed Super Beast Warriors, and with utmost respect, even a hint of fanaticism, fell upon Qin Chuan, who had been standing quietly by the sidelines. He bowed deeply, his voice low and powerful:

"Pluto, your subordinate, the Whale Shark King, has come to pay his respects."