Sacrifice

"Hmph! Anyone can talk big. Who knows whether you'll end up as a pile of bones?" Zi Ji sneered. She could not understand where Chen Xilin's confidence came from.

Zi Ling stepped forward and stopped before Chen Xilin.

"Let me introduce myself again. I am Zi Ling, Hell Demon Dragon King of the Hell Demon Dragon Clan! I have been watching you for a long time. I noticed you when you came to the Star Dou Great Forest as a Soul Grandmaster to hunt for a spirit ring. To be honest, This King does not have much time left. I want to sacrifice myself to you, but I need you to swear upon your spirit that once you become a god, you will revive This King. If you break your word..."

Chen Xilin said, "My spirit will shatter, my cultivation will never advance another step, and I will die on the spot."

Zi Ling said, "...Yes, that's what I mean. Is there anything you want to say?"

"Nothing much to say. This is an enormous stroke of fortune! With Big Sister Zi Ling's help, I'll definitely make those people pay the price!" Chen Xilin's grin was nearly reaching his ears.

"You have enemies?" Zi Ji asked. She had discovered something interesting. "Humans truly are strange creatures. Their internal strife is especially vicious. This King has heard a little about the forces on the continent. Tell This King who your enemies are. Let This King have a laugh."

Chen Xilin glanced at Zi Ji. Such a beautiful dragon, yet she spoke so bluntly?

"Spirit Hall, Clear Sky Sect, and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Those are all for now."

Zi Ji pondered for a moment after hearing that. "None of those forces are simple. Spirit Hall is the great enemy of our soul beast clan. Clear Sky Sect? That sect of hammer-wielding lunatics who enjoy slaughtering soul beasts? And the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan... tsk, tsk, none of them are easy to deal with. Then what do you think power is?"

Chen Xilin thought for a while. "Power is everything. Power is justice. Power is absolute. As long as I'm strong enough, there will naturally be great scholars to argue my case."

Zi Ling said, "All right, Sister, I'm about to begin. I don't know when we'll meet again. You must take good care of yourself. The matter of overcoming the tribulation can wait."

Zi Ji nodded and embraced her younger sister again, not knowing how long Zi Ling would be leaving her.

"All right, Chen Xilin. This King will become your Seventh Spirit Ring and grant you a Torso Bone. Since your body's endurance is exceptionally strong, you can completely withstand This King's spirit ring. Therefore, This King does not need to burn my soul to perform the most overbearing sacrifice for you. I will remain within your spirit ring and watch over you. If you violate our oath, then even if I have to burn my soul and trigger an explosion in the spirit ring, I will make you pay the price!" Zi Ling declared majestically.

After thinking for a moment, Chen Xilin said, "After your sacrifice, your soul doesn't necessarily have to remain in the spirit ring. You can separate your soul and reside in my Spirit Sea instead. That way, every time I come to the Star Dou Great Forest, you can reunite with Senior Zi Ji. If your soul enters the spirit ring, it should fall into slumber, shouldn't it?"

Chen Xilin's words stunned both Zi Ji and Zi Ling. This method of sacrifice seemed feasible as well. She would only give him her spirit ring and Spirit Bone, while her soul resided in his Spirit Sea.

"It's possible, but that is your Spirit Sea. Can you guarantee This King's safety?" Zi Ling felt that this method was indeed viable, and she could also observe whether Chen Xilin broke his oath.

"It's nothing more than adding another oath. It won't hurt anything. As my spiritual power increases, my Spirit Sea will expand, and your soul will naturally have something to rely on. Besides, you'll be able to keep watch over whether I break my word. It's a win-win situation!"

Chen Xilin's words moved Zi Ling. She had originally thought she would have to become a living-dead dragon for several centuries. Remaining in a hazy state of consciousness was an agonizing thing.

Immediately afterward, Zi Ji helped Chen Xilin complete the spirit oath. To be safe, Zi Ji also made Chen Xilin swear a Dragon Clan oath. Any oathbreaker would be beheaded by the Dragon Clan Law Blade.

Because Chen Xilin possessed the Dark Holy Dragon Spirit, he could barely be considered part of the Dragon Clan. That was why Zi Ji had thought of the Dragon Clan's oath.

Zi Ling said, "I'm starting now. Ah—"

An incomparably shrill dragon roar suddenly erupted from Zi Ling's mouth. The piercing sound seemed to make the entire Star Dou Great Forest tremble.

Beneath the Lake of Life in the Star Dou Great Forest,

A sleeping Black Dragon suddenly awoke! Most remarkably, the Black Dragon's eyes were golden.

"This is a sacrifice. A member of our Dragon Clan is making a sacrifice. Bi Ji, keep watch here for me. I'll go take a look. It seems to be the Hell Demon Dragon Clan Territory."

The Black Dragon instantly transformed into a middle-aged man. He wore black robes and had a handsome, resolute face, with a lock of golden hair hanging down beside his cheek.

"Beast God, I'll stay here. Please go without worry. I only hope nothing has happened on Zi Ji's side," said the woman in green beside the man in black, speaking respectfully.

Throughout the Star Dou Great Forest, there was only one who could be called the Beast God—the only Pure-Blood Black Dragon on the Douluo Continent, the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King with the Dragon King bloodline, Beast God Di Tian!

Di Tian shot directly out from the bottom of the Lake of Life and stood in the air, sweeping his gaze over the surroundings.

"Beast God!" The Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape saluted Di Tian. The Soft Bone Rabbit on the Titan Giant Ape's shoulder looked timidly at the black-robed man.

She had also lived for a hundred thousand years and knew more or less what was going on. Timidly, she called out, "Greetings, Beast God!"

Pure-Blood Dragon Clan members possessed bloodline suppression over most soul beasts. The Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python were better off, as they were ancient variants with rather high Bloodline Levels.

Di Tian had tacitly allowed them to remain around the Lake of Life. As the Beast God, he would naturally nurture talented Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, since they were all of the same kind.

"Mhm. Mhm? Where is that Soft Bone Rabbit called Ah Rou? Was she hunted by humans?" Di Tian suddenly noticed that one of the Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbits seemed to be missing.

The Soft Bone Rabbit before him was that rabbit's daughter. Her name seemed to be Xiao Wu.

"Mom transformed into human form and went to the human world," Xiao Wu said timidly.

"She went to the human world?" Di Tian muttered. He then transmitted his voice to the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python. "The two of you should cultivate properly and guard the Lake of Life. This is an important task. You must guard it for at least ten thousand years. If you do well, I will personally help you overcome two Heavenly Tribulations!"

"Thank you, Beast God!" The Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python bowed in gratitude.

Di Tian nodded, then headed toward the Hell Demon Dragon Clan Territory.

After Di Tian left, Xiao Wu jumped from behind the Titan Giant Ape onto his shoulder again.

"Da Ming, Er Ming, what did the Beast God just say to you?" Xiao Wu once again put on the air of a big sister.

Yet the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python, two immensely powerful Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, fell for it every time.

"Nothing much. The Beast God just told us to cultivate properly," the Sky Azure Bull Python said. "All right, Sister Xiao Wu, I'm going back underwater to cultivate."

Xiao Wu looked at the sky and whispered, "Mom, when are you coming back to see Xiao Wu? Xiao Wu misses you so much."

Di Tian arrived at the Hell Demon Dragon Clan Territory. He saw the Hell Demon Dragon King called Zi Ling sacrificing herself to a human.

Zi Ji was standing nearby, yet she did not stop her. What was going on? Di Tian could not make sense of it.