Unbeaten, With Minor Expectations

"I can," Jiang Mian said with firm eyes. "Even if this path is full of thorns, even if it seems hopeless, I can still walk it step by step."

"I hope so," the Dragon God Primal Core stroked its beard and chuckled. "My generation has successors."

"Kid, forge ahead towards your goal. The divine path ahead belongs to you. The Dragon God blesses you," the Dragon God Primal Core roared with laughter, causing the entire space to shake.

"Dragon God's blessing?" Jiang Mian raised his eyebrows, and the Dragon God Primal Core instantly transformed into seven beams of light, directly piercing into Jiang Mian's body.

The Di Tian's Inverse Scale on Jiang Mian's body resonated with the eight primal elements, all converging into one place.

Jiang Mian was momentarily blinded by the dazzling light. He felt as if he were lost in a vast ocean, his body immersed in waves of elemental energy.

Late at night, in the Evil Eye Forest.

Xie Yue lit a bonfire and sat opposite Xie Di. Xie Di, having somehow procured a roasted chicken, shared this brief moment of leisure with Xie Yue.

"Your fortune isn't bad either, kid," Xie Di mumbled around a chicken leg. "First, Bear Lord became your master, then a Deity took a liking to you, and with the Nether Empress guiding you with the same attributes, your path is much smoother than Jiang Mian's."

"You flatter me, senior," Xie Yue smiled. "I am far from comparable to Jiang Mian. His future achievements are beyond my imagination."

"Alas, everyone has their own path to walk. Walking your own path well is already a success," Xie Di smiled faintly, his crimson eyes gleaming under the moonlight. "After all, we are a few years older than you and understand more."

"Your knowledge is profound, senior, and not something a junior like me can match," Xie Yue clasped his fists respectfully. "Now that you are willing to help Jiang Mian, he will be like a tiger with wings."

"With Di Tian and that Silver Dragon King paving the way for him, I'm just a bonus," Xie Di chuckled. "After all, I don't have Snow Empress's looks. Can Jiang Mian really like something different?"

"It's not quite like that," Xie Yue wiped away nonexistent sweat from his forehead and smiled. "Senior Xie Di, how do you think I should proceed?"

"Your Martial Soul possesses both darkness and spirit attributes. As for the darkness attribute, the Nether Empress will assist. Regarding the spiritual power, I can offer a few words."

"There are only a few ways to enhance spiritual power. If you are willing, I have a secret technique here that can rapidly improve your spiritual power, though it comes with some side effects."

"Can it help Jiang Mian?" Xie Yue took a deep breath and asked. "I just feel that my current strength is too weak. There are many times I can't help Jiang Mian and instead become a burden, requiring him to take care of me."

"Are you two the best of brothers?" Xie Di glanced at the dejected Xie Yue and asked calmly.

"Yes," Xie Yue nodded affirmatively. "Jiang Mian and I are the best of brothers."

"Then that settles it," Xie Di chuckled. "Would a good brother let you charge into battle alone?"

"It's different," Xie Yue lowered his head and clenched his fists. "I want to help him."

"Having this intention is enough," Xie Di carelessly added more firewood. "After all, the enemies Jiang Mian will face in the future are unimaginably powerful."

"Can't I help him after becoming a god?" Xie Yue asked in surprise.

"His ambitions are too grand," Xie Di laughed. "If we can truly benefit from him and become divine beasts, then we can help him. Perhaps if I, Di Tian, and these human prodigies combine our strength, we might achieve that step."

"When did Jiang Mian tell you that?" Xie Yue had been following Xie Di and Jiang Mian all along; how could he not know that Jiang Mian had said such a thing to Xie Di?

"Kid, I am the number one in mental power in this era," Xie Di pointed to his brain and smiled. "I still have some tricks up my sleeve."

"A god among gods," Xie Yue swallowed. Xie Di could actually probe others' memories inadvertently. Such a skill was unheard of.

"The Great Thousand Worlds hold all sorts of wonders," Xie Di said. "There are many things you haven't seen, but you are still young. You will have opportunities to witness them slowly."

Xie Yue smiled faintly. He took off the eye patch wrapped around his eyes and quietly felt the cool night breeze caress his eyes.

"So it's the Mind's Eye," Xie Di, as the second-ranked among the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts, was indeed knowledgeable. He looked at Xie Yue's eyes with great interest and smiled. "I might already know which Deity has taken a liking to you."

"Which one?" Xie Yue pressed.

"In my long, long years, I once saw a book that recorded him. It stated that when the world was plunged into ultimate darkness, he stepped forward, absorbed all the darkness, and brought light back to everyone. However, he forever became a traveler in the darkness, unable to linger in the beautiful world of light."

"The Nether Nightmare God."

"The Nether Nightmare God?" Xie Yue suddenly shivered, as if an endless darkness had instantly surged into his body. Black mist continuously seeped from Xie Yue's seven orifices, suffocatingly dense.

Xie Di frowned slightly. He hadn't expected the Nether Nightmare God to have placed such a curse on Xie Yue. When his identity was truly revealed, the power of darkness would be forcibly injected into Xie Yue's body. While this would instantly boost Xie Yue's strength significantly, if Xie Yue couldn't withstand it, a fatal explosion was not impossible.

"This is like forcibly feeding someone," Xie Di sighed, praying silently for Xie Yue's safety.

The Nether Nightmare God acted this way to declare his ownership. If any other Deities interfered during his test, his efforts would be in vain.

"Ah!" Xie Yue let out a scream, finally swallowing all the black mist into his body. He trembled, his hands seemingly wanting to destroy everything around him.

"Has he gone mad?" Xie Di stood with his hands behind his back. As expected, the excessive influx of dark energy had clouded the boy's mind.

There was only one way to save him: help him digest the energy within his body.

Xie Di lightly smiled. He instantly moved forward, grabbed Xie Yue's head, and smashed it towards the ground.

Boom!

Xie Yue's head collided with the ground, kicking up dust. Blood immediately flowed from Xie Yue's nostrils. He roared in fury, broke free from Xie Di's restraint, and then lunged at Xie Di with flailing limbs.

Xie Di remained still, but Xie Yue's attacks only hit afterimages. Xie Di formed his hands into sword fingers and lightly tapped Xie Yue's glabella.

In an instant, the entire world spun. A massive eye suddenly appeared behind Xie Di, seemingly piercing one's soul and instilling fear.

"Ah!" Xie Yue clutched his eyes and knelt on the ground, moaning continuously as if fighting for control of his body against a terrifying entity.

"A teachable child," Xie Di twirled a strand of hair and smiled faintly. "I didn't expect him to wake up so quickly. I thought it would take more effort."

"Xie Yue!" Jiang Mian's voice suddenly echoed from the cave. The skin on his hands shimmered with scales, as if he were clad in an indomitable armor. Jiang Mian took three rapid steps and ran directly to Xie Yue's side, asking, "What's going on? What happened to Xie Yue?"

"Don't mind him," Xie Di pulled Jiang Mian in front of him and said calmly. "He's participating in a very crucial tug-of-war match."

"Tug-of-war?" Jiang Mian was confused.

"That's right, he's digesting the dark energy the Nether Nightmare God forcibly implanted within him using his own soul," Evil Emperor commented. "If Xie Yue were a level seventy Soul Ancestor, this dark energy might be easy to digest. But he's only a level fifty Soul King right now, so it's a bit dangerous."

"I doubt the Nether Nightmare God thought anyone could see through his divine position when he cast this curse on Xie Yue."

"No wonder," Jiang Mian muttered to himself. "I remember Xie Yue telling me that deity asked him to find him again at level seventy. It seems this is why."

"Oh, then I might have done more harm than good," Evil Emperor said, shrugging nonchalantly. "Now, it's just a matter of whether this kid is incredibly lucky."

"Xie Yue, wake up," Jiang Mian shouted. Suddenly, an idea struck him, and he unleashed the extreme dark energy he had just acquired from his body.

This actually had an effect. Some of the dark energy within Xie Yue began to surge outwards, forming a protective shield around him.

"This Nether Nightmare God is truly putting in a lot of effort for his successor."

Xie Yue's expression eased slightly. Jiang Mian continued to draw out the dark energy until Xie Yue completely regained control of his body.

"Jiang Mian." Xie Yue swayed precariously. Jiang Mian quickly rushed forward to support him, smiling as he said, "Don't worry, I'm here. No one can harm you."

Xie Yue suddenly gripped Jiang Mian's hand tightly, and he unexpectedly passed out.

"Is he alright?" Jiang Mian looked at Evil Emperor, asking with some concern.

"Don't worry," Evil Emperor said. "He's just exhausted. A couple of days of good rest will be enough."

"Exhausted?" Jiang Mian's lips twitched. Xie Yue had been flying over the sea for fourteen days, and he had vomited for all fourteen days. It was no wonder his body was weak.

"Jiang Mian, you got that thing, didn't you?" Evil Emperor asked, resting his chin on his hand.

"Mm." Jiang Mian nodded, and a beam of light flashed between his eyebrows. Evil Emperor's expression instantly faltered, but he quickly turned away, not wanting Jiang Mian to see his loss of composure.

"Now, you've taken another big step towards that goal," Evil Emperor said with a genuine smile. "We're getting closer to that goal."

"This Dragon God Primal Core is truly miraculous. My cultivation speed is already fast, but I never expected it to provide me with an endless supply of energy," Jiang Mian exclaimed.

Evil Emperor said, "Your current level is too low, which is why you feel it so strongly. What level was Lord Dragon God back then? The Dragon God Primal Core was merely a device to maintain Lord Dragon God's continuous Soul Power."

"Even twice my level wouldn't compare to Lord Dragon God's level back then," Jiang Mian said with an embarrassed smile. Ever since he absorbed the Dragon God Primal Core, all the Soul Power in the world seemed to be surging into his body.

Jiang Mian's current level had already reached an astonishing sixty-six, and it was still growing rapidly. It was estimated that in a few days, Jiang Mian would directly break through to level seventy. At that time, he would have to trouble Di Tian and the others again to help him obtain his seventh Soul Ring.

Moreover, Jiang Mian had already decided. For his seventh Soul Ring, he would choose the Deep Sea Demon Whale King in the deep sea that was about to transform into a dragon. Its Soul Ring was comparable to a million-year-old one. Back then, it was only with the secret assistance of the Asura God that it was barely killed. Such strength was worth Jiang Mian making a special effort for.

Jiang Mian also calculated the time. After obtaining his seventh Soul Ring, he would be in time for the Spirit Master Tournament. By then, as a Soul Ancestor, bullying those Soul Kings felt almost comical.

Tang San, you want to kill me, don't you? Come and kill me. I, Jiang Mian, am waiting for you.

Jiang Mian sometimes felt he was cheating, but even cheating wouldn't be as monstrous as him. Perhaps this was what it meant to have the heavens and earth align in one's favor.

Jiang Mian planned to take down the Star Luo Empire after the Spirit Master Tournament, merging it with the Heaven Dou Empire to form a unified realm.

When the Sun Moon Continent clashed with them, the two continents would inevitably engage in war. If Jiang Mian could lead everyone to godhood by then, this war would be a crushingly victorious one with no suspense.

Of course, dealing with the Star Luo Empire would require some effort. After all, that country revered martial power. Making them surrender to the Heaven Dou Empire was a pipe dream.

However, with the Spirit Hall backing the Heaven Dou Empire now, no matter how powerful the Star Luo Empire was, it would be like a lone tree trying to withstand a storm. Its demise was only a matter of time.

Jiang Mian didn't want to waste too much time in the Star Luo Empire, as he also needed to ensure there were enough personnel to participate in the war between the Sun Moon Continent and the Heaven Dou Continent.

If Zhu Zhuqing could become the Empress and surrender the entire nation, it would be most ideal. Jiang Mian would then nominate Qian Renxue as the supreme ruler of the world, and he himself would be the powerful minister and imperial tutor, second only to the ruler, which sounded incredibly exciting.

Perhaps Jiang Mian could even create an alliance, gathering all the strong individuals in the world, waiting for destiny, and directly ascending to godhood.

Hmm, what should the alliance be called? How about the "Great Love Alliance of Heaven and Earth"?

Of course, these were all future matters. Jiang Mian's current thoughts were like a fool's dream. It was best to take things one step at a time.

Jiang Mian gently placed Xie Yue on the ground, his hands radiating green light as he began to help Xie Yue recover his vitality.

"Xie Yue, you can't just sleep anywhere here," Jiang Mian said, continuing to treat him while also grumbling, "Wake up quickly, or they'll treat you like garbage later."

Evil Emperor stood by the side, chuckling silently. He could actually sense whatever Jiang Mian was thinking. What Jiang Mian had just thought was indeed what he had been hoping for.

Years ago, when he crossed the ocean to the Star Dou Great Forest to duel Di Tian, the world said Evil Emperor lost, but Di Tian was also severely injured.

However, what people didn't know was that in that unrecorded encounter, Evil Emperor was slightly inferior to Di Tian. Both were left severely wounded, and no true victor was decided.

Therefore, after hearing Jiang Mian's inner thoughts, Evil Emperor could calmly say, "I have cultivated for seventy-eight thousand years and have never been defeated. I have some expectations!"