The Brainwashing Attempt by Old Turtle

Old Turtle listened to Gu Qijue and shook his head with a derisive laugh. "Humans really are selfish."

Gu Qijue replied coolly, "Of course. You beasts have only just evolved intelligence. Given enough time, you'll be the same."

Old Turtle said gravely, "You're making an enemy of every living thing on Star Blue Continent. Do you really think you'll survive?"

"I don't care. If you make an enemy of me, I don't mind sweeping away every living thing on Star Blue Continent before this planet is destroyed."

Gu Qijue said indifferently, "Besides, if I'm one with this Main Star-Sucking Tree, I can control it and stop it from absorbing Star Blue Continent's core in the future. Yet you want to kill me to eliminate any future threat. Do you really think I'm some kindhearted saint with no temper?"

Old Turtle was left speechless by his words.

Thinking it over, that was indeed the case.

If Gu Qijue was one with the Main Star-Sucking Tree, he could stop it from absorbing the planet's core.

Why kill him?

No, no, no...

Old Turtle suddenly came to his senses.

He looked toward the enormous black cocoon at the top of the tree and said, "Black Dragon Emperor, you're mistaken. See that black cocoon up there? A terrifying creature is gestating inside it. It can't emerge unless it drains the core of Star Blue Continent.

"And you might not be able to control this Star Absorbing Tree. Before that black cocoon matures, it might not be able to pull its tendrils back from the core, either."

Gu Qijue listened without being moved and said, "Even if you're right, why does destroying this Star Absorbing Tree require my death? Besides, are you sure it has to drain this planet's core before it can emerge?"

"Well..."

Once again, Gu Qijue's words left Old Turtle speechless.

Gu Qijue sneered. "Don't think you can brainwash me. I, Gu, can die, but we'll see whether you're strong enough to kill me. Trying to talk me into suicide is a pipe dream."

Old Turtle could no longer find a reason to argue. He smiled wryly. "Fine. It doesn't matter anymore. If you want to kill me, then go ahead! I'll say it again: only if you die and Mu Yuxin destroys this tree can we eliminate the threat for good."

"You made me the enemy of the world with one prophecy. You deserve to die!"

Gu Qijue had never intended to spare the old turtle. He asked, "Any last words? I'd like to hear them."

Old Turtle said, "I hope you leave yourself a way out. Don't kill Mu Yuxin just yet."

"That depends on my mood."

With that, Gu Qijue squeezed his hand from afar.

With a bang, the bubble surrounding Old Turtle burst.

Old Turtle died instantly inside it.

Gu Qijue roused his dragon soul and devoured him.

Boom—

Unexpectedly, the moment he finished devouring him,

Old Turtle turned into an immense stream of warmth that burst straight through the barrier of the Seventh Order, advancing Gu Qijue to the Eighth Order in one leap.

At the same time, terrifying black flames ignited within Gu Qijue's heart.

With each thump, his heart underwent a world-shaking transformation.

A mysterious space visibly opened up inside him, filled with terrifying Black Flame.

It was a violent space where Black Flame alone ran rampant, burning everything to ashes.

Hiss!!

Huolin Nana saw the terrifying Black Flame erupting around Gu Qijue. She sucked in a sharp breath and retreated from him as quickly as she could.

"This guy... got even stronger?"

At that moment, black flames and black lightning intertwined around Gu Qijue, turning into an extremely violent Black Thunder Flame.

The aura alone made Huolin Nana's hair stand on end.

Several minutes later, the Black Thunder Flame that Gu Qijue had released slowly receded into his body.

But the Twin Dragons behind him had now become a single black thunder dragon. Alongside the Flame Black Dragon, they both breathed out lightning and Black Flame, looking utterly terrifying.

"What a freak. The Hall Master was absolutely right not to make an enemy of him."

Huolin Nana, watching from nearby, was trembling with fear.

"I never imagined that old turtle contained so much energy..."

Gu Qijue slowly opened his Blood Eyes, utterly surprised.

Only then did Huolin Nana dare to approach him. "Congratulations, Director Gu. Your strength has reached new heights."

"What did you think of my conversation with that old turtle?" Gu Qijue asked, watching Huolin Nana with a faint smile.

"What do you expect me to think? If it's true, then as long as you leave my Snow Bear Empire a way to survive, I, Huolin Nana, will follow you and fight against the whole world."

Huolin Nana sat beside him and took a bite of a Star Fruit. "I believe you can resolve this perfectly."

Gu Qijue smiled faintly. "You've only met me once, yet you trust me so much. That's surprising."

Huolin Nana shook her head. "I only believe in the strong. A true powerhouse can change the fate supposedly revealed by a prophecy. If you weren't strong, I wouldn't believe a damn thing you said."

"Practical. I like that."

Huolin Nana's personality really appealed to Gu Qijue. "You're almost at the middle stage of the Eighth Order, too. Hurry up and eat!"

"What do you like about me? My personality, or me as a person?" Huolin Nana asked slyly.

Gu Qijue didn't answer. He continued devouring the Star-Sucking Monsters.

When she got no response, Huolin Nana pouted and fell silent. She wolfed down the fruit without caring about her appearance, eating each Star Fruit in just a few bites.

In the Bermuda Sea Area, beneath a deep-sea canyon.

"What's going on? Is that old turtle dead?"

"It can't die just like that. Otherwise, our plan will end here."

"Use the altar to resurrect it!"

Three vast, terrifying voices shook the surrounding sea for countless miles.

Beneath the deep-sea canyon stood an enormous altar.

The altar was gray all over and emanated a primeval aura.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Just then, three enormous tendrils pressed down on the altar's three corners.

Hum!!

A moment later, dazzling light blazed across the entire altar, piercing through the depths of the sea.

More than ten minutes later,

the light vanished.

The altar, which had been empty, now held the old turtle, who looked around in confusion.

"How... am I alive again?"

Its memories were still stuck at the moment of its death.

"Who killed you?"

A vast voice boomed, shaking Old Turtle to his core.

"Ah! Esteemed seniors, did you bring me back to life?"

Hearing the voice, Old Turtle was utterly shaken. "It was Black Dragon Emperor. I was careless. I never expected him to be so powerful, but he's definitely no match for you three seniors."

He had never imagined that the three seniors were so mighty. They could even bring him back to life after he died. They were simply invincible.

"Don't go and get yourself killed again. I'll take his life myself in seven days."

With that, the vast voice faded, and a waterspout swept Old Turtle away.