LRAB Chapter 24 Subduing Hyotei
Chapter 24 Subduing Hyotei
Although Hyotei knew that even if the Heavenly Tribulation was delayed by a hundred years, she probably wouldn't be able to survive it, she was unwilling to give up. After all, knowing is one thing, facing it directly is another. Who knows if she will find a way to break the deadlock in these hundred years?
"Heh," Jiang Che chuckled lightly, unconcerned by Bingdi's words. After all, in Bingdi's eyes, he was the reason why the Heavenly Tribulation had arrived ahead of schedule.
"Hyotei, what do you think of my talent?" Jiang Che asked, looking at Hyotei, who had a look of despair on his face.
"Heh! It's not bad, that's all." Hyotei didn't want to answer Jiang Che's question at all, so he just gave a perfunctory reply.
"Hyotei, don't act impulsively. I was asking you very seriously just now. What do you think of my talent? Do you think I have a chance to become a god?" Seeing Hyotei's absent-mindedness, Jiang Che had no choice but to ask again.
This time, Jiang Che also unleashed the Holy Sword of Light, and two 100,000-year soul rings appeared as well.
Ice Emperor raised her eyes, her diamond-like pupils sweeping over the ice dragon soul power and ultimate light soul power swirling around Jiang Che. She looked at the 560,000-year soul ring with five golden patterns and the four 100,000-year soul rings, and after a moment of silence, coldly said, "Exceptional talent, reaching the pinnacle of Title Douluo at such a young age, possessing an ultimate martial soul—the future is promising. But the path to godhood is so elusive; how many people across the entire Douluo Continent have ever reached it in the past ten thousand years?"
Having lived for nearly 400,000 years and witnessed the fall of countless exceptionally talented Soul Masters and Soul Beasts, she had long seen through the arduous path to godhood. Now, with the heavenly tribulation pressing down upon her, all that remained in her heart was despair and resentment.
Jiang Che stepped forward slowly, his soul power calm and restrained, devoid of any fighting spirit, only utter candor. Meeting the Ice Emperor's wary gaze, he spoke in a steady and firm tone: "I know you don't believe me, but look at me, a 22-year-old level 92 Ultimate Ice-Sealed Douluo, wielding an ultimate martial soul, and possessing opportunities and foundations far exceeding those of ordinary people. I dare to be certain that in this Douluo Continent, if anyone can step into the God Realm and achieve godhood in the future, I, Jiang Che, will surely be among them."
"You are now facing a heavenly tribulation that lasts for four hundred thousand years. The old wounds left by the tribulation three hundred thousand years ago have not yet healed, and your origin is damaged. On your own, you have no power to resist. When the tribulation comes down, the only way will be for your soul to be scattered, and not even a trace of your divine soul will be left."
Jiang Che's words struck at the deepest pain in Bingdi's heart. Bingdi's body trembled, and the luster on her armor dimmed slightly. She looked up at the increasingly heavy heavenly tribulation light curtain in the sky, feeling utterly powerless.
She is the ruler of the far north, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion who is famous throughout the continent, but she is still as insignificant as dust in the face of the Soul Beast Heavenly Tribulation.
"How could I not know? But so what? Soul beasts are born to undergo heavenly tribulations. They cannot escape or avoid them. Even if my soul is scattered, I, the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion, will never bow down to humans, much less become your vassal!" The Ice Emperor shouted fiercely, his eyes filled with the pride of a ferocious beast, preferring to die a glorious death rather than live a life of dishonor.
"I never intended for you to be my vassal." Jiang Che shook his head, his tone solemn. "I have a secret contract technique here."
"After signing the contract, you will not have to give up your life, nor will you lose your self-awareness. You will still be the proud Ice Emperor, only your physical body will be reshaped, and you will accompany me as a soul spirit. You can still control your own power and will still be the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion of the far north. It's just that you will live in a different way."
Jiang Che paused, then continued, each word striking a chord with the Ice Emperor: "You are unwilling to die like this. You have guarded the far north for hundreds of thousands of years, unable to let go of everything here, and even less willing to let your clan and your life end here."
"If your soul is scattered, all your obsessions will vanish into nothingness. But if you become a spirit, you can not only live on, but also cultivate with me. Through my path to godhood, you can reach heights that you could never attain in this lifetime, and even have the opportunity to ascend to the divine realm together and obtain eternal life."
"At that time, you will not only be able to defend the far north, but also escape the fate of soul beasts undergoing heavenly tribulations, and no longer need to fear the punishment of the divine realm. Isn't that better than throwing your life away in vain?"
Hyotei's body trembled violently, and a hint of wavering flashed in Huang Zuan's eyes. She stared intently at Jiang Che, trying to see the lie in his eyes, but Jiang Che's gaze was clear and full of sincerity, without a trace of calculation or contempt.
Having lived for nearly 400,000 years, she was not stupid and naturally understood that Jiang Che was telling the truth. With the heavenly tribulation approaching, she truly had no way out.
"Even so, why should I trust you? What if you suppress me and erase my consciousness after the contract is formed? Wouldn't I be at your mercy?" Hyotei's tone was still cold, but it lacked some of the decisiveness and had a hint of hesitation.
Jiang Che chuckled and raised his hand to condense a wisp of pure ice dragon soul power. Within the soul power, the contract patterns of the advanced Soul Spirit Technique slowly emerged: "My contract is an equal contract, not some master-servant contract. After the contract is established, you and I will coexist and prosper. If I perish, you will also be harmed, but your range of activity will be limited to a certain area around me."
"With my current strength, I can move forward steadily even without you. What I need is a partner, not a puppet that I have to be wary of at all times."
"Ice Emperor, your ultimate ice is connected to the origin of my Ice Dragon King martial soul. If we join forces, our strength will only increase exponentially. This is a win-win situation for both of us."
The oppressive force of the heavenly tribulation in the sky grew increasingly intense, the clouds churned, and the first lightning tribulation was already faintly visible. Ice Emperor could clearly feel the approach of death, and the despair and resentment in his heart surged even more fiercely.
Looking at Jiang Che's young yet exceptionally determined face, at his domineering and godlike aura, and then at her own impending doom, the scales in her heart gradually tipped.
Yes, rather than being scattered by the heavenly tribulation, it's better to take this gamble.
The human before her possesses extraordinary talent and profound opportunities. Perhaps he can truly lead her down a different path, help her escape her destiny, and even ascend to the realm of gods.
Hyotei remained silent for a long time, the chill emanating from her gradually dissipating. The ferocity and determination in Huang Zuan's eyes faded, replaced by complexity and hesitation. She spoke slowly, her voice carrying a barely perceptible hint of weariness: "What you said... is it true? An equal contract, I am still me, and I can still use your path to avoid the heavenly tribulation and gain a new life?"
A hint of joy flashed in Jiang Che's eyes, knowing that the Ice Emperor had finally been moved. He nodded solemnly, the contract lines on his fingertips becoming clearer: "It is absolutely true. I, Jiang Che, hereby swear that if I break this oath, may I be struck down by heaven and earth, and may my cultivation be completely destroyed."
As soon as he finished speaking, a terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the entire ice peak. The Ice Emperor's expression changed drastically, and he no longer had time to hesitate.
"Fine, I'll trust you this once!" Hyotei gritted her teeth and said sharply, "I agree to sign a contract with you, but if you dare to break your promise, even if it means we both perish, I will never let you get away with it!"
Jiang Che breathed a sigh of relief and immediately activated his soul power, guiding the patterns of the advanced Soul Contract to slowly spread towards Ice Emperor: "Don't worry, I will never let you regret your choice today."
The azure contract patterns and the icy blue light surrounding the Ice Emperor slowly merged without any repulsion. The power of the two extreme ice forces resonated with each other, and the power of the contract quietly took shape.
With the establishment of the contract, Hyotei is separating from her original body, and the Heavenly Tribulation seems to be slowly receding as if it can no longer sense Hyotei's presence.
Finally, after an unknown amount of time, a new Ice Emperor was born. However, this time she appeared not in her spirit beast form, but in her human form.
As the clouds of the heavenly tribulation dispersed and the light of the contract faded, the Ice Emperor's human form remained that of a charming twelve or thirteen-year-old. Her long emerald green hair cascaded down to her waist, and a few stray strands of hair were pinned to the ground by a small icy blue crown on her head, exuding the arrogance of the ruler of the far north.
Huang Zuan's eyes were cold and sharp. Her slender body was wrapped in a short skirt that was interwoven with ice white and emerald green. Diamond-shaped scales adorned her shoulders, and her emerald scorpion tail swayed gently behind her. A faint mist of ice surrounded her.
She looked up at Jiang Che, her clear voice carrying a chill: "The contract is complete. You'd better remember what you said."