Murky Waters

Just moments ago, they had been shouting about killing and fighting.

Now, he was openly offering amnesty.

These wild rogue cultivators were immediately stunned.

But after a moment's thought—

Perhaps, maybe, possibly, this path was not so bad!

After all, to them, the Innate Dao Lord who presided over a Dao lineage within the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty, unweathered through countless calamities, was already one of the foremost Great Divine Ability Users in the Primordial Great World.

If they could rely on such a Dao Lord, their path of cultivation would undoubtedly become far smoother.

Even if that Innate Dao Lord thought little of them—

The Eighteenth Prince was still the Dao Lord's own son and might even become the master of the Wei River or even the Huai River Water Palace in the future.

He could be considered a powerful patron.

Still, the pig-headed god-demon remained uneasy, its eyes darting incessantly.

After all, it had been the first rogue cultivator to attack the Eighteenth Prince.

There was no guarantee the Eighteenth Prince would not hold a grudge.

The other two True One Realm great cultivators more or less shared that concern.

Having spent many years within the divine dynasty, the Eighteenth Prince understood their misgivings with the slightest turn of his thoughts.

Though he still felt somewhat displeased,

he stepped forward and said in a deep voice,

"If you are willing to help me seize the Water God's Golden Seal,"

"I am willing to swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao."

"Not only will I let bygones be bygones regarding today's events,"

"I am also willing to recommend you for the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty's heavenly official ranks."

"You shall enjoy the dynasty's fortune."

In a remote, dilapidated palace, Zhou Yuan watched this spectacle through the perspective of a puppet. Resting his chin on his hand, he murmured,

"What a silver tongue."

"This Eighteenth Prince and that True One Realm great cultivator from the Tianshui Divine Dynasty are both deeply calculating."

"In just a few words, they have swayed the minds of three True One god-demons."

First, pressure them with power.

Then, tempt them with profit.

Finally, use an oath to the Heavenly Dao to dispel the last of the three True One Realm god-demons' concerns.

If his guess was correct,

those three god-demons were likely about to submit.

But...

Zhou Yuan's gaze deepened.

Pure divine light flickered endlessly around the bamboo staff in his hand.

"How could I possibly let you pass this trial so easily?"

A thought stirred within Zhou Yuan's sea of consciousness.

Changes suddenly erupted in the scene.

Upon hearing that the Eighteenth Prince was willing to swear an oath to the Heavenly Dao and write off all past grievances,

the scales in the hearts of the three True One Realm rogue cultivator leaders had already tipped.

They were about to speak and withdraw from the contest for the divine seal.

But at that moment, a Heavenly Human Realm god-demon with thick brows, large eyes, and an air of righteous integrity suddenly stepped out from among the rogue cultivators.

"My lords, please wait."

"Please hear me out."

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Dozens of gazes immediately converged upon this audacious Heavenly Human Realm god-demon.

Yet this Heavenly Human Realm god-demon showed no fear whatsoever.

"My lords, do you know that if we blindly trust the words of these Tianshui Imperial Dynasty cultivators this time, none of us will live much longer?"

"Impudent!"

"How dare you spout such nonsense, boy!"

The True One Realm Old God from the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty had instinctively felt that something was wrong the moment he heard this cultivator speak.

His beard and hair flared as he roared. It was as though divine thunder had exploded in the air.

With a wave of his left hand, a Xuanming Treasure Bead radiating an aura capable of freezing heaven and earth shot toward the speaking Heavenly Human Realm god-demon's face with lightning speed.

He intended to kill him in a single blow.

But this Heavenly Human Realm god-demon had abruptly spoken up and even raised the matter of life and death.

Naturally, the three True One Realm rogue cultivators would not simply watch him perish into ashes.

"Why must you be so hasty, Dao Brother?"

A sigh rang out in the void, gentle as spring rain.

Then, specks of green light flashed. Dozens of Spirit Woods sprouted from the ground within the Water Palace, forming a wooden wall in the blink of an eye.

When the Xuanming Treasure Bead struck the wooden wall, it was actually sent flying back.

The Old God from the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty looked gloomily at the being who had intervened.

"Does Dao Brother truly intend to fight my Tianshui Imperial Dynasty to the death?"

The Daoist dressed in an emerald robe gave a bitter smile.

"This young friend has spoken startling words."

"They concern our lives and deaths."

"Why not let him finish before making your judgment, Dao Brother?"

Having said that, the Daoist ignored the ugly expressions of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty cultivators and spoke gently to the Heavenly Human Realm god-demon.

"What do you mean, young friend?"

"Speak freely."

The Heavenly Human Realm god-demon stood in righteous dignity and said in a grave voice,

"My three lords, the people of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty are full of lies. Nothing they say can be trusted."

"The Tianshui Imperial Dynasty can barely protect itself. Joining it now would be no different from joining the Western Demonic Path at the end of the ancient era, would it not?"

"That is a path to death."

"You insignificant lesser god, how dare you discuss the imperial dynasty's affairs?"

The Eighteenth Prince was practically red with rage.

Where had this fool come from? Since when did he know that his own imperial dynasty was about to collapse?

The Heavenly Human Realm god-demon declared with certainty,

"The Tianshui Imperial Dynasty is already surrounded by the Myriad Races Alliance."

"Mighty figures above the Grand Unity Great Sage Realm from the various races are stationed in every direction, hemming in its territory."

"Even the Dao Lord Tianshui is being watched by other Innate Dao Lords."

"The imperial dynasty's situation is already perilous in the extreme."

After saying that, he fixed a stern gaze on the Eighteenth Prince.

"May I ask this lord, are my words true or false?"

"You..."

The Eighteenth Prince was just about to refute him.

But he spoke again.

"When the Eighteenth Prince entered the Wei River secret realm this time, he did not even bring a protector of the Grand Unity Great Sage Realm."

"Was it because he was unwilling to bring one, or because the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty is already so short-handed that it lacks the ability to provide protective measures?"

At those words that struck straight at their hearts, the Eighteenth Prince and the white-haired Old God from the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty both changed expression.

Even the three rogue True Ones had flickering gazes.

After all, facts spoke louder than words.

How immense was the strength of the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty?

Yet its Eighteenth Prince now had to lower his head and seek peace from several rogue True Ones like them.

Did that not indirectly prove that the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty's strength had greatly diminished?

"Therefore, I am certain that the Dao Lord Tianshui no longer has the strength to interfere in affairs here."

"Even if my three lords seize the Wei River Water God's Golden Seal, you will remain safe for the time being."

"If anything goes awry, you may also join the Myriad Races Alliance and seek its protection."

"Offering up the Water God's Golden Seal and the Eighteenth Prince would be a tremendous merit."

"You would surely earn the favor of the Alliance's Dao Lords."

The thick-browed, large-eyed Heavenly Human Realm god-demon cupped his hands toward the three True One Realm cultivators.

"Conversely, if my three lords join the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty now, your lives and deaths will be entirely in another's hands."

"Even with an oath to the Heavenly Dao, the power of an Innate Dao Lord is so vast. Could they not possess methods to circumvent such an oath?"

"Moreover, if the Tianshui Imperial Dynasty falls, are my three lords meant to be buried alongside it?"

"Bold indeed."

The Eighteenth Prince roared. He knew he could no longer allow this lesser god to continue speaking.

He decisively swung his Fang Tian Hua Ji Halberd. Surging waves swirled as a murderous aura churned through the area.

"Brat of the Myriad Races Alliance, how dare you babble here!"

Space boomed, and radiant clouds trembled.

"My lords, save me!"

This Heavenly Human Realm Divine Demon Cultivator cried out loudly.

The three rogue True Ones were still weighing the pros and cons.

In that brief lapse, the Heavenly Human Realm god-demon suspected of belonging to the Myriad Races Alliance was slain by the Eighteenth Prince.

"You..."

The three rogue True Ones wore dark expressions.

It seemed that what this lesser god had said might not have been baseless after all.