Chapter 369

Ling didn't catch the hidden meaning in Texas's words, only feeling that the other party was warm and hospitable, which made her like him even more:

"Thank you for your concern, young friend, but there is nothing at the moment."

Oh no, oh no.

Texas's heart skipped a beat, and she suddenly had an inexplicable sense of foreboding.

Ling wasn't familiar with Shi Lei, so they had nothing to chat about. She ate two peanuts and got straight to the point:

"Mister Shi Lei, I have something important to discuss with you. Could we find a quieter place?"

The matter of the Great Beast is of great importance.

It's best not to let ordinary people know about this kind of information that is rarely available to them.

"Sure, please have a seat."

Since they were discussing that kind of thing, only Great Beast could participate. After taking her seat, Nian pulled Xi Ye, who had been keeping her head down, over and sat down next to her.

Miss Nian had already witnessed some of Shi Lei's methods several years ago, so there was no need to hide them.

With a casual gesture, he conjured a ring of solid Rock Constructs around the mahjong table, instantly enveloping the four of them inside. Furthermore, rock pillars rose from the ground, elevating the Rock House to a height of approximately 50 meters, thus preventing eavesdropping.

He didn't sense any energy fluctuations throughout the entire process, and nodded in approval when he saw that the man could easily use his supernatural powers.

To allow them to breathe, Shi Lei also installed a skylight inside the Rock House. The bright moonlight slanted down, becoming the only source of light in the room.

"Speak, what do you want from me?"

Ling looked at Nian, who then looked at Xi. Xi, meanwhile, lowered her head and stared at her chest, fidgeting and refusing to speak.

Seeing that his two younger sisters remained silent, Ling hesitated for a moment before taking the initiative to break the deadlock:

"Mister Shi Lei, are you aware of the true identities of us three sisters?"

The forging abilities of Nian, the World in the Painting, and the ability to summon Ink Specter are many times stronger than the Originium Arts of those infected with Originium-related illness.

But they are all dragons, so it's not surprising that they possess these abilities. Dragons represent limitless possibilities. It's perfectly understandable that they are a little different from other races.

Shi Lei knew that the three sisters were different from ordinary people, but since they didn't mention it, he wouldn't ask.

"I don't know, and I don't care about those things. If you want to say something, just say it; I'll keep it a secret."

"Actually..."

The information that he was the incarnation of the ancient Great Beast 'Dragon King' was provided by Nian. Ling believed his sister's information to be accurate and assumed that the other party was indeed the incarnation of the Dragon King.

"We three sisters are all incarnations of Great Beast. You should know that a thousand years ago, the Great Yan Dynasty mobilized the entire nation to hunt down the gods. Among them, there was Great Beast called 'Sui' who stood on the side of the Great Yan True Dragon. It assisted the capable and extraordinary people of the Great Yan Dynasty in killing or driving away other Great Beast."

For some reason, Sui, who had made the greatest contribution, was sealed away by the Great Yan. Its consciousness was fragmented into twelve pieces, and I, Nian, and Xi are three of them.

Good heavens, another Great Beast.

This time it's not the original body, but fragments?

Around the end of July, Shi Lei met four Great Beasts from the ocean, including ALTY, at the Obsidian Music Festival in Sistag, which was already outrageous enough.

He felt that these legendary creatures were like people who stayed at home for ages. They hadn't shown themselves in the world for so long, but when they did, they appeared in droves.

Could it be that there is some kind of law of mutual attraction among the Great Beast of this land?

Seeing that Shi Lei did not respond, Ling kept a close eye on his golden dragon eyes. At this moment, they were like a calm, still well, revealing no emotional fluctuations.

Shi Lei quickly realized what he should say, and gave a polite but slightly awkward smile:

"Um, that's... that's all?"

He breathed a sigh of relief and continued:

"No, there's more. I just thought I might have offended you by remaining silent just now. The seal on the Sui Beast has been in place for over a thousand years and is showing signs of weakening. We hope you can lend a hand and help suppress it."

Now Shi Lei understood.

The original bodies of these Great Beast fragments are about to break through the seal and need a powerful fighter.

After a moment's thought, he raised two key questions:

"There are two things I need to confirm. First, since the Sui Beast has just awakened from its seal, is it in a relatively weak state? Second, you just said that you are fragments of the Sui Beast's consciousness. If it awakens, won't you all be reduced to ashes?"

Seeing that the other party did not explicitly refuse, but instead confirmed the details, he couldn't help but feel a surge of joy:

"Mister Shi Lei, let me answer your first question. After the Sui Beast is freed from its seal, it will indeed fall into a very weak state. But this does not mean that the weakened Great Beast is easy to deal with. If you underestimate it, you will pay a very heavy price."

The second question, I'm sorry, I cannot answer. Admittedly, we are fragments of its consciousness. But after the Sui Beast awakens, it's difficult to give a definitive conclusion as to whether it possesses independent self-awareness and absorbs us as fragmented power, or whether it forcibly merges us into one at the moment the seal is broken.

Shi Lei nodded, indicating that he understood.

Since his transmigration, he has not fought against any of the Great Beast and does not know the specific difference in their strength.

According to Alty, twelve Great Beast infected by the Sea Creatures lurk in the Sea God Temple deep in the ocean.

As for how many of these Sea God Ishmarra remain, that remains unknown. No one can step into that forbidden area and escape unscathed with the information.

To resolve the Apocalyptic Crisis that Sea Creatures pose to the continent, Shi needs to find a weakened Great Beast to practice against before heading to the Sea God Temple.

See, here it is! Even without searching high and low, it came without any effort at all.

Just like wanting to sleep with a woman on Qixi Festival (Chinese Valentine's Day), you have to kiss her first. To resolve Sea Creatures's Apocalyptic Crisis, you have to get past the weakened Sui Beast first.

It seems that fate had already decided this.

Shi Lei would find it difficult to deal with 12 Sea Creatures Sea Creatures once. However, he had a pretty good chance of winning against a Great Beast that had just broken its seal.

"Was I the only one sealing the Sui Beast this time, or were there other helpers?"

If a righteous group can gang up on the enemy, there's no need to flaunt individual heroism. Even if those people are just cannon fodder using tricks to deceive the Sui Beast, it will still increase the final success rate.

"Mister Shi Lei, with the support of the soldiers of the Great Yan Dynasty and the experts of the Celestial Masters' Manor, we will communicate with the Great Yan court as long as you agree. They are currently having a great headache over the legacy issue of the Sui Beast. If there is a more reliable solution, they are unlikely to refuse."

At this point, Ling suddenly paused.

Because it was only then that she realized she had been overlooking a crucial element.

For most forces, sealing away the Sui Beast is more beneficial than harmful.

For the Great Yan Dynasty, resolving the internal crisis—one of its many internal and external troubles—would be more than a dream come true. Resealing the Sui Beast could allow the Great Yan to prosper for several more centuries.

For them, if the Sui Beast did not forcibly retrieve the twelve fragments when it was unsealed and when it was sealed a second time, then the brothers and sisters would retain their independent consciousness and enjoy a new life.

Although their strength may decline significantly at that time, it is still better than being wiped out by their original body.

For the people of the Great Yan, being spared the threat of national subjugation meant they could continue to thrive and multiply for hundreds of years.

At first glance, resealing the Sui Beast seems to benefit most people. However, the Dragon King's avatar, who contributed the most, will not benefit from it. Furthermore, there's a high probability that the Great Yan will see it as a new threat.

If you want Shi Lei to risk his life, you have to offer a reward that matches the difficulty of the task. Otherwise, trying to persuade him to help based solely on personal relationships is really wishful thinking.

It's true that she slept in her dreams for a hundred years, but she still understood some of the ways of the world:

"Furthermore, Mister Shi Lei, resealing the Sui Beast is no small matter and cannot be allowed to fail. Whatever reward you desire, just name your name. As long as we brothers and sisters can do it, we will do our utmost to satisfy you."

Shi Lei rested his chin on one hand, as if deep in thought:

"The reward... let me think about it."

"Okay, sure."

He now has an easy job and a leisurely life. Basically, he is living an ideal retirement life.

I am materially and spiritually well-off, and I really can't think of anything I want.

The pursuits of a person in this life are nothing more than money, power, and sex.

Shi Lei hates money the most. He never carries money when he goes out; if he does, it will deduct points from his Roleplay Value.

Quan, Shi Lei is now the lord of Liyue City. The number of people under Liyue City's command will only continue to grow.

Moreover, he's used to being lazy and prefers to immerse himself in his own space quietly reading. He usually delegates mundane tasks like management to others.

Color, that's a tricky thing to say.

Perhaps it was because Shi Lei's body underwent tremendous changes after advancing to the Archon Realm.

They don't need to eat, sleep, or breathe; they have completely transcended the realm of humanity.

Faced with the hints from Texas and Mudrock, Shi Lei had no choice but to play dumb.

He didn't want to hurt anyone's feelings, so this was the only way to maintain the status quo.

Even if the delicate balance is destined to be broken, let's wait until that time comes before making a decision.

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While Shi Lei was pondering his reward, Ling, sitting in his chair, secretly observed the other man.

He looks very young, but he has a maturity beyond his years that makes people feel inexplicably at ease.

No brand was found on the clothes, suggesting they might be custom-made. The color and quality are excellent, reflecting that the Dragon King has a certain pursuit of quality in his lifestyle.

If he were truly as capable as his younger sister claimed, making money on this land would be a piece of cake. Even if he didn't buy thousands of acres, he could easily afford a luxurious mansion large enough to house more than ten people.

But the Dragon King chose a warehouse hidden among the streets. This may not have anything to do with taste, but rather with some past experience.

Just like these Sui Beast Fragment, they might be hidden in landscapes or paintings. Living in a warehouse offers a sense of detached engagement with the world, close to the city yet far from its hustle and bustle.

Ling secretly pondered what the Dragon King needed.

These incredibly long-lived Great Beast typically regard money and wealth as worthless. Their preferences are rarely mainstream, but rather niche and unconventional.

If he doesn't want money, will he demand power?

If one were to ask oneself honestly, one might feel that the Dragon King might not be very interested in this. Although some of his brothers and sisters hold official positions, they are essentially still working for others. This feeling of being dependent on others is anything but carefree.

When it comes to women, the first person that comes to mind is Xi, who has a vague affection for the Dragon King.

Perhaps, this could lead to a wonderful marriage.

Although Mister Shi Lei did not reveal his true form, his majestic Golden Dragon Eyes could not be deceived.

He is a dragon, and Xi is also a dragon. It's easier for people of the same race to integrate, and there won't be any barriers between them.

Only...

Thinking of this, Ling turned his head to look at the very introverted Xi. At this moment, she was sitting opposite the Dragon King, her head lowered in timidity. Her whole body was slumped, her hands tucked between her legs, not daring to meet their gaze.

Oh dear, this silly little sister is so introverted.

Ling could sense that she had a subtle, unusual feeling for the Dragon King. But whether this love could blossom into something meaningful remained to be seen, and it would face a severe test.

No one on this land knows what will happen to their twelve fragments after the Sui Beast awakens.

Was it after it awakened that its consciousness was forcibly stripped away and returned to its original form? Or did the Sui Beast possess independent self-awareness and merely absorb them to enhance its power?

Ling was worried that when the Sui Beast was unsealed, it would forcibly reclaim the twelve fragments into its main body. If that were the case, they shouldn't have arranged their marriage so early. Otherwise, if Xi and the Sui Beast were sealed together, wouldn't that be playing a trick on the Dragon King?

Even if he didn't say it, he would feel extremely uncomfortable and there would be no more opportunities to cooperate in the future.

Ling wanted to bring the two together, but felt the timing wasn't right. If the Sui Beast was sealed away and the brothers and sisters were lucky enough to survive, then she, as the eldest sister, was willing to help her introverted younger sister find a match.

"I..."

Shi Lei is currently living a fulfilling life and can't think of any reward he needs, so he replied helplessly:

"Well, to be honest, I haven't decided what kind of reward I need yet. However, I can agree to help you seal the Sui Beast first. I can bring it up later when I've figured out the reward, okay?"

"Of course, I can make that decision. Even if I'm gone after the Sui Beast is sealed, I will still make sure Xiao Nian and Xiao Xi continue to fulfill their duties today."

Nian frowned, and muttered in a low voice:

"Pah, pah, pah, what are you saying? It's bad luck."

Ling was amused by her younger sister and let out a hearty laugh:

"Hehe, neither you nor I are within the Five Elements, so why should we believe in these superstitious things?"

After both parties reached a preliminary cooperation agreement, Shi Lei took the initiative to inquire:

"I'd like to ask, is sealing the Sui Beast really that urgent? It's the 27th of the twelfth lunar month now, and the New Year is just a few days away. I'd like to wait until after the New Year to make preparations, and then set off around April. Is that alright?"

Upon hearing this, Ling's pupils dilated slightly.

The Dragon King only needed such a short preparation time; could it be that he had a firm grasp on the sealing matter?