Ding! Host Commands Kirin Tribe to Submit, Reward 'Law of Earth' Enlightenment!

The will of the Ancestral Phoenix's remnant soul, under that heart-piercing remark, completely sank and nearly scattered.

In the depths of the Sea of Karmic Force, a brief, deathly silence fell.

The soul fire, representing the pride of the Phoenix Clan, had dimmed to the point of being almost invisible, leaving only a faint candlelight flickering in the endless darkness.

All the pressure, all the gazes, all of Yang Chen's will, devoid of any warmth, shifted in that instant.

They landed, precisely and unerringly, in that ancient, deathly silent darkness, upon the last remaining will that was still resisting.

The First Qilin.

That will, heavy as a primordial divine mountain, bearing the immeasurable merit of the Primordial World's earth, felt an unprecedented pressure at this moment.

This pressure did not come from an external attack.

It originated from within.

It stemmed from the very foundation of his own will, which was being dismantled inch by inch by Yang Chen's indifferent gaze.

That fool Ancestral Dragon only knew brute force and was driven mad by a few words. That crazy woman, the Ancestral Phoenix, treated pride as her sustenance, and what was the result? Didn't she obediently offer up her origin? They were both wrong. Only I understand balance and the pros and cons.

The Ancestral Dragon's dominance was shattered.

The Ancestral Phoenix's pride was broken.

Now, it was the turn of his wisdom and schemes.

He was not like the Ancestral Dragon who blindly believed in violence, nor like the Ancestral Phoenix who regarded dignity as everything. The First Qilin, as the ancestor of auspicious beasts who once walked the Primordial World, spreading good fortune and harmonizing yin and yang, was most proud of his balance and strategy.

He believed that all things had their price.

All disputes could be negotiated.

This was the foundation upon which he contended with the Dragon and Phoenix clans and stood as one of the protagonists of heaven and earth.

But now, his cherished wisdom made him feel a bone-chilling cold.

He could clearly "see" within Yang Chen's will, the Ancestral Dragon's remnant soul, just stripped bare, cowering in a corner. He could "smell" the incredibly vast and boundless life force emanating from the newly born Nirvana Fire within Yang Chen's True Spirit.

This monster was, at an unbelievable speed, converting the origins of his two old rivals into his own use.

If he waited any longer, he would face an ultimate monster that had merged the might of the dragon, the immortality of the phoenix, and was even more lawless.

He could not wait any longer.

A steady, heavy divine sense, carrying the encompassing aura of the earth, struggled to emerge from that mountain-like will, attempting a final struggle.

Yes, that's it. Reason with him, appeal to his interests. Make him understand that being my enemy is worse than being my friend. The merit of my Qilin clan is enough to help him shed some Karmic Force, this is a tangible benefit. As long as he has a shred of reason, he will choose cooperation. This is the best strategy to solve the problem.

"Fellow Daoist."

The First Qilin's voice, unlike the Ancestral Dragon's roar or the Ancestral Phoenix's shrillness, was deep and possessed a natural persuasiveness, as if expounding the ultimate truths of heaven and earth.

"Since the birth of my Qilin clan, we have governed the Primordial World, managed the earth's veins, suppressed malevolent energies, and borne immeasurable merit."

"The karma between you and me is not an insurmountable knot."

"If you are benevolent towards my clan, it will not be difficult for us to cleanse some of your Karmic Force with the earth's merit that my clan carries. In the future, when my clan reappears in the Primordial World, there will be ample rewards. This is a plan that benefits both parties, you, me, and the entire Primordial World."

"Why must you be so aggressive and leave no room for maneuver?"

His words were reasonable and full of temptation.

This was his final attempt as a wise being; he tried to pull this naked extortion back onto the table of "negotiation."

However, his response was an undisguised scoff.

Yang Chen's will, with a cat-and-mouse playfulness, boomed through the Sea of Karmic Force.

Drawing a pie? Drawing it to my head? Ridiculous. And what about a plan that benefits both parties and the Primordial World? Spoken beautifully. Unfortunately, I only care about whether it benefits me. Your merit is your bargaining chip. My fist is my principle. Let's see whose bargaining chip is harder or whose principle is greater.

"Merit? Ample rewards?"

"Stop drawing pies for me."

His voice was filled with contempt.

"I, personally, only believe in what I can get my hands on."

"Look, that phoenix fellow was much more sensible than you."

Yang Chen's will moved slightly.

Boom!

A primal dragon power, so overwhelmingly tyrannical that it could crush the ancient heavens, and another aura of Nirvana Fire, capable of incinerating all things while nurturing new life, erupted simultaneously from his True Spirit!

The two opposing yet equally terrifying forces did not clash.

They intertwined perfectly, forming a Sword of Damocles hanging above the First Qilin's will.

A cold, unquestionable will followed closely.

Actions speak louder than words. Let this self-proclaimed clever old man personally witness what strength is. What 'benefits obtained' are. Your wisdom is worthless in the face of absolute power. I don't want your submission; I want your despair.

"What?"

"Do you want me to personally 'pay a visit' and have a good chat with you about what 'benefits obtained' truly means?"

In that instant, the First Qilin's thoughts on "wisdom," "weighing," and "negotiation" were utterly crushed by these two forces.

No... Impossible! How dare he... He managed to fuse the origins of the Ancestral Dragon and the Phoenix Ancestor so perfectly! This isn't a threat, it's a demonstration! He's telling me he doesn't need my merit; he can just 'take' it from us directly! My wisdom... my calculations... what are they worth against this absolute, unreasonable violence of his? A joke! A colossal joke!

All his schemes became a colossal joke in the face of absolute, unreasonable power.

He had no doubt.

If he said even one more word.

In the next second, what he would face was this madman, unleashing a combined assault powered by the origins of both the Dragon and Phoenix tribes!

That wouldn't be judgment.

It would be complete annihilation, leaving not a trace!

Finally.

The will, as heavy as a divine mountain, trembled violently.

All the pride of bearing the merit of the Earth, all the wisdom of being the ancestor of auspicious beasts, transformed at this moment into a sigh filled with endless humiliation and unwillingness.

It's over... Everything is over. Dignity? Schemes? In the face of utter annihilation, they are all illusions. If I resist, he will truly erase every trace of my existence! I cannot die... The Qilin tribe cannot be extinguished like this... I... surrender.

He chose to submit.

Hummm--

A ball of earthy yellow light was forcibly stripped from the core of the First Qilin's colossal will.

Within that light, it seemed to contain the weight of the entire Primordial World.

It held the steadfastness of myriad mountain ranges, the pulse of countless rivers, the vitality of boundless plains, and the supreme imprint of the "Virtue of Bearing" law.

This was the foundation of the Qilin tribe.

It was their origin power, which suppressed the Earth and bore merit.

This ball of earthy yellow light pierced through the obstruction of the Sea of Karmic Force and, without the slightest hesitation, merged directly into Yang Chen's body.

A cold System prompt sounded in Yang Chen's mind, precisely synchronized.

[Ding!]

[Host has successfully forced the remnant soul of the Qilin tribe to completely submit with absolute strength, and they have voluntarily offered their origin!]

[Reward has been automatically converted to the optimal solution: Deep Comprehension of 'Law of Earth' x1!]

Boom!

The moment the origin entered his body, endless profound truths poured into Yang Chen's mind like a celestial river breaking its banks!

Law of Earth... Not bad. With the Ancestral Dragon's power, Nirvana Fire, and now this Law of Earth, my foundation is becoming increasingly robust. It's a perfect blend of offense and defense, with endless vitality. These so-called creditors are merely stepping stones for my growth.

At this moment, though his feet were on the peak of Kunlun Mountain, his senses extended infinitely.

He "saw" the veins of the entire Primordial World.

The subtle throbbing of each earth vein, lying dormant like a colossal dragon, was clearly presented within his perception.

He "heard" the breathing of the mountains and rivers, the rush of the rivers, the heaviness and vitality contained within every inch of soil.

Virtue of Bearing.

Carrying all things.

This was no longer an empty phrase; it had transformed into an almost instinctive control that he could wield at any time.

Yang Chen slowly opened his eyes. He looked down at his palm, as if he could see the entire Primordial Wo