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Chapter 172: A Deception, Yet Not Quite
The God Realm's secrets that Neptune spoke of, along with the truth about soul beasts being unable to achieve godhood, nearly shattered the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's entire worldview!
For a moment, upon the sudden realization that all of its life's efforts would ultimately lead to an inescapable death, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King felt utterly disheartened.
As for suspecting Neptune of deceiving it, it wasn't a fool. It possessed its own judgment and could discern truth from falsehood. The intentions behind the rules set by the gods of the God Realm were simply too obvious.
Sometimes, if one didn't think about it, it was fine. But upon careful consideration, one could discover that those humans could casually cultivate for a few decades and actually contend with, or even slay, 100,000-year soul beasts!
It made the 100,000 years of a soul beast's cultivation seem like a joke.
Of course, while soul beasts were categorized by hundred-year, thousand-year, and ten-thousand-year intervals, this didn't mean they had actually lived for that long. It was merely a designation for their cultivation level. Honestly, if soul beasts could only rely on time to increase their strength, then no matter how many there were, it wouldn't be enough for all the Soul Masters to hunt. They would have gone extinct long ago.
For a soul beast to cultivate to 100,000 years, besides the simplest method of enduring through time, it had to devour high-energy treasures or possess extraordinary innate talent. Absorbing external energy for one day could equal several months for other soul beasts, thus accelerating their growth.
The disparity was stark when compared to humans, who could enhance their strength by absorbing soul rings.
Yet, even with soul beasts being so miserable, the gods of the God Realm still refused to let them off. After arduously cultivating for 100,000 years, they still had to endure the Heavenly Tribulation. The moment they broke through the 100,000-year threshold, before they could even rejoice, a bolt of heavenly lightning would strike them senseless.
Almost eighty percent of soul beasts, when attempting their breakthrough to 100,000 years, were instantly struck dead by the sudden Heavenly Tribulation. Those capable of enduring it were undoubtedly powerful soul beasts with extraordinary talent.
Yet, even such powerfully talented soul beasts were helpless when facing humans whose lifespans weren't even a fraction of their own. They could only be slain, their lifetime of cultivation transforming into a soul ring to boost their enemy's strength, allowing that enemy to continue harming their kin.
Why was the world so unfair?
Why were the countless years of a soul beast's efforts worth less than a few decades of a human's cultivation?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King used to ponder this question often but never found an answer.
But now, upon hearing the truth of the world from Neptune, it instantly understood.
Because this world was deliberately targeting them, the soul beasts!
But even knowing the truth, what could it do?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was utterly disheartened; it could barely protect itself. Even if it felt indignant, what could it do? Not to mention its inability to achieve godhood; even if it did, it would merely be an ant before the God Realm.
In this world, being a soul beast had no future...
Enlightened by this truth, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was like a salted fish that had lost its dreams. It ignored Neptune, turned its massive body, and was about to dive back into the deep sea...
Seeing his target about to leave, demoralized by his words, Neptune quickly spoke up, "Wait! Did you think I told you these secrets just to discourage you? What if I told you I have other ways to help you achieve godhood?"
"Are you serious?!"
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King abruptly turned its head, stirring up huge waves. But then it immediately denied the possibility, muttering, "No, impossible. The God Realm has decreed that beasts cannot achieve godhood. What method could you possibly have? And even if it were possible, why would you, a human Soul Master, help me?"
"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible."
Neptune, however, waved his hand and said, "I can't help you break through the God Realm's suppression to achieve true godhood. However, I can make you a god without a divine seat."
"How so?" The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King grew interested.
"The God Realm, like the Mortal Realm, has a strict hierarchy. The highest-level gods are the God Kings. Below them are the Major Gods, also called First-Class Gods. The Sea God is a Major God! Then there are Second-Class Gods, Third-Class Gods, and at the lowest level, God Officials without a divine seat."
Neptune explained, "As a Major God, the Sea God naturally has the right to take on subordinate gods. It's impossible for you to possess a divine seat, but after I achieve godhood, I can take you as a subordinate god and give you the position of a God Official..."
Of course, this was merely an excuse to deceive it. As a transmigrator, Ye Cheng couldn't care less about a divine seat in the Douluo World. His true objective was the Myriad Worlds!
Once he became the Sea God, his main body, Ye Cheng, might become powerful enough to shatter the God Realm even before the stipulated time for ascension.
By then, he would be invincible, and lifting the restrictions on soul beasts would be a simple matter. As for the godhood promised to the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, by that point, he would no longer care for the Sea God's divine seat. What would be the harm in giving it away?
As a sea soul beast, the true overlord of the ocean, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was actually the most suitable candidate to inherit the Sea God's divine seat.
This was because among the Sea God's believers, sea soul beasts accounted for over ninety percent. Humans, on the other hand, were a minority. The ocean was filled with sea soul beasts, while humans were merely people living on islands, naturally far fewer than the soul beasts who called the entire great sea their home.
Normally, the power of faith from all living beings that the Sea God relied on to achieve godhood mostly came from the creatures in the ocean. Although some of them possessed less wisdom than humans, this very lack of distracting thoughts made their instinctual faith purer. They were the best believers!
"As for why I'd help you... you can just assume I've taken a liking to your talent," Neptune said. "To reach your current realm under the immense suppression of heaven and earth, even with some shortcuts, shows your remarkable aptitude. Bringing you to the God Realm would add another powerful general to my ranks."
"Are you satisfied with this reason?"
"I've explained my reasoning. Now, what's your answer?"
"Will you submit, or will you resist to the end?"
"To be frank, I've already reached the final trial of the Sea God's Nine Trials. And you are part of this trial: I must either subdue you or slay you."
"If, after learning the whole truth, you still choose to resist, then I will do everything in my power to slay you!"
"And in this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, you will gain nothing," Neptune stated calmly.
"..."
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King fell silent.
Before knowing the truth of the world, it would have been absolutely impossible to ask it to submit. It would have fought with all its might to kill Neptune, attempting to seize his divine seat and break through to godhood.
But now that it knew the truth, understanding that its fate would be the same whether it achieved godhood or not, it truly had to consider the olive branch extended by this human.
Finally, after long deliberation...
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King submitted.
Neptune was not surprised by its decision. After all, who would willingly die if they could live? Moreover, it wasn't a lone wolf; the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had a wife and daughter. Even for their sake, it couldn't afford to die so rashly.
Therefore, submission was the only choice.
PS: He's about to achieve godhood soon. Should Bo Saixi be taken? If so, she will be arranged to sacrifice herself, and the protagonist will resurrect her after achieving godhood. However, she will lose her memory from losing her soul rings and power... By the time she recovers her memory, she will have already been shaped by the protagonist.
If not, she will still be arranged to sacrifice herself. The protagonist will resurrect her after achieving godhood, and she will not lose her memory.
So, should she be taken or not?
Please comment directly in the chapter comments or review section.
Should Bo Saixi be taken?
Yes?
No?
(end of chapter)
The God Realm's secrets that Neptune spoke of, along with the truth about soul beasts being unable to achieve godhood, nearly shattered the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King's entire worldview!
For a moment, upon the sudden realization that all of its life's efforts would ultimately lead to an inescapable death, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King felt utterly disheartened.
As for suspecting Neptune of deceiving it, it wasn't a fool. It possessed its own judgment and could discern truth from falsehood. The intentions behind the rules set by the gods of the God Realm were simply too obvious.
Sometimes, if one didn't think about it, it was fine. But upon careful consideration, one could discover that those humans could casually cultivate for a few decades and actually contend with, or even slay, 100,000-year soul beasts!
It made the 100,000 years of a soul beast's cultivation seem like a joke.
Of course, while soul beasts were categorized by hundred-year, thousand-year, and ten-thousand-year intervals, this didn't mean they had actually lived for that long. It was merely a designation for their cultivation level. Honestly, if soul beasts could only rely on time to increase their strength, then no matter how many there were, it wouldn't be enough for all the Soul Masters to hunt. They would have gone extinct long ago.
For a soul beast to cultivate to 100,000 years, besides the simplest method of enduring through time, it had to devour high-energy treasures or possess extraordinary innate talent. Absorbing external energy for one day could equal several months for other soul beasts, thus accelerating their growth.
The disparity was stark when compared to humans, who could enhance their strength by absorbing soul rings.
Yet, even with soul beasts being so miserable, the gods of the God Realm still refused to let them off. After arduously cultivating for 100,000 years, they still had to endure the Heavenly Tribulation. The moment they broke through the 100,000-year threshold, before they could even rejoice, a bolt of heavenly lightning would strike them senseless.
Almost eighty percent of soul beasts, when attempting their breakthrough to 100,000 years, were instantly struck dead by the sudden Heavenly Tribulation. Those capable of enduring it were undoubtedly powerful soul beasts with extraordinary talent.
Yet, even such powerfully talented soul beasts were helpless when facing humans whose lifespans weren't even a fraction of their own. They could only be slain, their lifetime of cultivation transforming into a soul ring to boost their enemy's strength, allowing that enemy to continue harming their kin.
Why was the world so unfair?
Why were the countless years of a soul beast's efforts worth less than a few decades of a human's cultivation?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King used to ponder this question often but never found an answer.
But now, upon hearing the truth of the world from Neptune, it instantly understood.
Because this world was deliberately targeting them, the soul beasts!
But even knowing the truth, what could it do?
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was utterly disheartened; it could barely protect itself. Even if it felt indignant, what could it do? Not to mention its inability to achieve godhood; even if it did, it would merely be an ant before the God Realm.
In this world, being a soul beast had no future...
Enlightened by this truth, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was like a salted fish that had lost its dreams. It ignored Neptune, turned its massive body, and was about to dive back into the deep sea...
Seeing his target about to leave, demoralized by his words, Neptune quickly spoke up, "Wait! Did you think I told you these secrets just to discourage you? What if I told you I have other ways to help you achieve godhood?"
"Are you serious?!"
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King abruptly turned its head, stirring up huge waves. But then it immediately denied the possibility, muttering, "No, impossible. The God Realm has decreed that beasts cannot achieve godhood. What method could you possibly have? And even if it were possible, why would you, a human Soul Master, help me?"
"Rules are rigid, but people are flexible."
Neptune, however, waved his hand and said, "I can't help you break through the God Realm's suppression to achieve true godhood. However, I can make you a god without a divine seat."
"How so?" The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King grew interested.
"The God Realm, like the Mortal Realm, has a strict hierarchy. The highest-level gods are the God Kings. Below them are the Major Gods, also called First-Class Gods. The Sea God is a Major God! Then there are Second-Class Gods, Third-Class Gods, and at the lowest level, God Officials without a divine seat."
Neptune explained, "As a Major God, the Sea God naturally has the right to take on subordinate gods. It's impossible for you to possess a divine seat, but after I achieve godhood, I can take you as a subordinate god and give you the position of a God Official..."
Of course, this was merely an excuse to deceive it. As a transmigrator, Ye Cheng couldn't care less about a divine seat in the Douluo World. His true objective was the Myriad Worlds!
Once he became the Sea God, his main body, Ye Cheng, might become powerful enough to shatter the God Realm even before the stipulated time for ascension.
By then, he would be invincible, and lifting the restrictions on soul beasts would be a simple matter. As for the godhood promised to the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, by that point, he would no longer care for the Sea God's divine seat. What would be the harm in giving it away?
As a sea soul beast, the true overlord of the ocean, the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King was actually the most suitable candidate to inherit the Sea God's divine seat.
This was because among the Sea God's believers, sea soul beasts accounted for over ninety percent. Humans, on the other hand, were a minority. The ocean was filled with sea soul beasts, while humans were merely people living on islands, naturally far fewer than the soul beasts who called the entire great sea their home.
Normally, the power of faith from all living beings that the Sea God relied on to achieve godhood mostly came from the creatures in the ocean. Although some of them possessed less wisdom than humans, this very lack of distracting thoughts made their instinctual faith purer. They were the best believers!
"As for why I'd help you... you can just assume I've taken a liking to your talent," Neptune said. "To reach your current realm under the immense suppression of heaven and earth, even with some shortcuts, shows your remarkable aptitude. Bringing you to the God Realm would add another powerful general to my ranks."
"Are you satisfied with this reason?"
"I've explained my reasoning. Now, what's your answer?"
"Will you submit, or will you resist to the end?"
"To be frank, I've already reached the final trial of the Sea God's Nine Trials. And you are part of this trial: I must either subdue you or slay you."
"If, after learning the whole truth, you still choose to resist, then I will do everything in my power to slay you!"
"And in this battle, regardless of victory or defeat, you will gain nothing," Neptune stated calmly.
"..."
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King fell silent.
Before knowing the truth of the world, it would have been absolutely impossible to ask it to submit. It would have fought with all its might to kill Neptune, attempting to seize his divine seat and break through to godhood.
But now that it knew the truth, understanding that its fate would be the same whether it achieved godhood or not, it truly had to consider the olive branch extended by this human.
Finally, after long deliberation...
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King submitted.
Neptune was not surprised by its decision. After all, who would willingly die if they could live? Moreover, it wasn't a lone wolf; the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King had a wife and daughter. Even for their sake, it couldn't afford to die so rashly.
Therefore, submission was the only choice.
PS: He's about to achieve godhood soon. Should Bo Saixi be taken? If so, she will be arranged to sacrifice herself, and the protagonist will resurrect her after achieving godhood. However, she will lose her memory from losing her soul rings and power... By the time she recovers her memory, she will have already been shaped by the protagonist.
If not, she will still be arranged to sacrifice herself. The protagonist will resurrect her after achieving godhood, and she will not lose her memory.
So, should she be taken or not?
Please comment directly in the chapter comments or review section.
Should Bo Saixi be taken?
Yes?
No?
(end of chapter)
