Sea God Island, Sea God's Light Altar periphery.
The smoke of gunpowder has not yet cleared, and the air is filled with sadness, blood, and the burnt smell of Soul Power. Sea God Island, which has just experienced a tragic defeat and lost High Priest, is shrouded in an almost despairing silence.
The only four remaining Sacred Pillar - the new High Priest Coral Douluo, as well as Sea Swallow, Sea Turtle Douluo, Conch Douluo, together with Mu Yun who had just experienced a bloody battle and whose breath had not yet fully recovered, gathered in the temporarily cleared space in front of the altar.
Everyone's eyes were focused on Coral Douluo, who had just struggled out of grief. His face was still pale, but his eyes had forcibly gathered a hint of "perseverance" and "heavy responsibility."
She had put on a plain white robe with light golden ripples embroidered on the edge, which symbolized that she was relieved of the responsibilities of Sacred Pillar and shouldered a greater mission. What she held in her hand was Sea God Scepter, which was delivered by her predecessor High Priest before her death, and its light was slightly dim at the moment.
"Everyone," Coral Douluo's voice was a little hoarse, but it rang clearly in everyone's ears. Her eyes swept over Sea Swallow, Sea Turtle Douluo, Conch Douluo, and finally landed on On Mu Yun, "High Priest gave us a chance to breathe at the cost of his life, and entrusted the important task of guarding the holy land and completing the oracle to me... and all my colleagues. In this time of crisis, we have no way out, and we can only have a chance of survival by working together."
She took a deep breath and looked at Mu Yun, with a kind of "heavy" trust and "firm" support in her eyes. "Elder Mu, the top priority is to help you complete God Trial as soon as possible. Only if you obtain the complete inheritance of Lord Sea God and further strengthen your strength, can I, Sea God Island, truly have the confidence to fight against the deep sea and stabilize my faith.
From today on, all Sea God Island resources will be given priority to your God Trial. Sea Swallow, Sea Turtle Douluo, Conch Douluo and I will take turns protecting you. And we will do our best to help you understand Sea God's Light. We... will help you complete God Trial as soon as possible. This is the legacy of High Priest and the hope of Sea God Island in the future."
Mu Yun looked at the "new" High Priest who was "accepted at the critical moment" and could not hide the fatigue and sorrow between his brows, but insisted on arranging everything. He had mixed feelings in his heart. There was sadness for High Priest's death, anger at the fierce flames of the deep sea, and confusion about the future, but more, is a heavy sense of responsibility of being entrusted and needed. He clasped his fists heavily and said in a calm voice, "Mu... will live up to High Priest's trust, Coral Douluo...High Priest and everyone's trust! I will do my best to pass God Trial as soon as possible!"
"Okay." Coral Douluo nodded slightly, and then began to arrange various aftermath and defense matters in an orderly manner. Although his voice was soft, it carried an unquestionable decisiveness. Sea Swallow, Sea Turtle Douluo and Conch Douluo silently accepted the order and began to execute it. Although the atmosphere was still solemn, a temporary new leadership with Coral Douluo as the core seemed to be struggling to regroup amidst the ruins and grief.
Deep sea, Demon Empress Palace
Completely different from the sadness and deathly silence shrouded in Sea God Island, Demon Empress Palace is filled with a violent, restless but uncertain aftertaste of victory. The main hall is built of dense obsidian and giant beast bones, and the dim light floats, reflecting Demon Empress's huge dark purple body is entrenched on the bone base. Her purple pupils are slightly opened and closed, breathing in rich dark purple demonic energy, repairing the few tiny burn marks left by Sea God Scepter on the body surface. Her breath is as deep as an abyss, but with a trace of unnoticeable doubts.
Kraken is lying quietly on the left front side of the bone base. The body of Blue-Ringed Octopus, which is more than 300 meters away, looks eerie in the dim light, with calm ice-blue eyes. Tieshan and Mo Yuan stand further below. Although they are injured, their auras have quickly stabilized because they have just been replenished with pure energy, and the ferocity after the fierce battle remains in their eyes.
There was no figure of Di Tian in the hall. The Beast God from Star Dou Forest performed the earth-shattering "Dragon God Claw" above the clouds. After inflicting fatal damage to High Priest, it was as abrupt as when it appeared, tearing apart the space without any regrets, and left straight away.
Only the remnants of the domineering dragon's power that made the space sting faintly, and a shallow and subtle space crack next to the bone seat that was slowly being eroded and erased by the abyss's demonic energy, proved that the co-lord of the land Soul Beast had briefly arrived and left a decisive blow.
The silence lasted for a moment, until the last trace of scorch mark on Demon Empress's body completely disappeared. She slowly raised her double pupils, her eyes like cold probes, piercing Kraken below, her voice could not detect joy or anger, but it carried an unavoidable question:
"You are quite capable." Demon Empress spoke, and every word seemed to carry the pressure of the deep sea. "You can even invite Di Tian, and let him use 'Dragon God Claw' to do such sneak attacks. I remember that the old black dragon's eyes are high above the top, and he has always been indifferent to matters in the deep sea. When did he become the knife in your hand?"
Kraken's tentacles flicked soothingly, as if they were adapting to the water flow. His ice-blue eyes met Demon Empress's scrutiny, and his voice was steady. "Your Majesty, you praise me too much. I'm not that capable to drive Di Tian. It's just... I made a deal, and he just happened to have a reason to take action."
"Deal?" Demon Empress's purple pupils narrowed slightly, and the dark purple demonic energy rippled slightly, "In the name of my emperor? Or did you promise some benefits that I don't know about?"
"Your Majesty is aware of this." Kraken bowed his head slightly to show courtesy to the emperor, "Di Tian's action was naturally not without purpose. Using your name only provided enough 'weight' and 'reason' to make him believe that the matter was related to Soul Beast as a whole, not just the old grudge between Shenhai and Sea God Island. As for the conditions..."
It paused and seemed to be considering the words: "... It is a promise that at certain critical moments in the future that may involve the survival pattern of Soul Beast, or even deal with the pressure of the Divine Realm, our deep-sea forces will cooperate with some of his actions or will to a certain extent. Of course, everything is on the premise of not harming your Majesty's fundamental interests and deep-sea independence. This is more like a... limited strategic cooperation intention, rather than subordination."
Demon Empress listened quietly, and the sticky demonic energy around the skeleton slowly circulated, showing her inner balance. Di Tian naturally knew her strength and status. Being able to get the "intention to cooperate" from such a powerful being was undoubtedly an important card.
However, Kraken privately reached such an agreement involving the future with Di Tian in the name of "Demon Empress" without discussing it with her in detail in advance. This in itself also revealed the independence and unfathomable scheming of Blue-Ringed Octopus that was increasingly difficult to control.
"You said, let him believe that this matter is related to Soul Beast as a whole?" Demon Empress captured the key, "What did you say to him? Or... do you think that killing Sea God Island High Priest is related to Soul Beast as a whole?"
Kraken raised his eyes, and the ice-blue light looked particularly deep in the darkness. "Your Majesty, I must have seen clearly the battle between you and that High Priest. He just borrowed divine power and held an artifact to fight you at home. This certainly shows how powerful you are, but it also shows that the inheritance of gods is difficult to deal with."
Its voice suddenly became deep. "Your target is Sea God, but you have to go through some trouble to even keep his watchdog in the human world, let alone face him directly, and even the entire Divine Realm system that may exist behind him.
Although Di Tian is on land, his vigilance and hostility towards the Divine Realm will only be deeper than ours. Sea God Island is just the most conspicuous lighthouse. Destroying this lighthouse and weakening Sea God's most direct source of belief and inheritance in the world is not only to avenge your revenge six thousand years ago, but also to compete for ocean hegemony."
Kraken's tentacles tightened slightly, "This is shaking the cornerstone of the Divine Realm's rule over Lower Realm. It is showing another possibility to all the gods and people who covet us as a resource warehouse.
Di Tian As the co-owner of Soul Beast on land, what he saw may be exactly this. What happened to Sea God Island may not be a reflection of what may happen to Star Dou Forest in the future. A preview and warning of what will happen in any Soul Beast settlement. Supporting us may be weakening a potential enemy in advance for future land Soul Beast, or... creating a precedent for reference."
Demon Empress was silent. Kraken's words opened her deeper thoughts under the flame of revenge. Yes, her hatred was directed at Sea God, but her enemy was not just Sea God?
"So, in the name of my emperor, you persuaded Di Tian using the bait of 'shaking the foundation of the Divine Realm's order'..." Demon Empress said slowly, the coldness in his eyes a little lessened, and he thought more deeply, "The price is possible future 'collaboration'... This deal, it sounds like you made the decision for me."
Kraken responded immediately, with a lower posture. "Your Majesty, forgive me. Please obey the emergency. Under the circumstances, if you want to ensure that High Priest is killed in one strike and Sea God Island's last hope is cut off, a surprise attack of the level of Di Tian is not possible. A detailed report may miss the opportunity to fight."
Moreover, these "collaboration" intentions are vague, and the initiative on how to implement them and when to implement them is still in His Majesty's hands. What Di Tian is asking for may just be a gesture, a possibility of one more choice when certain unpredictable changes occur in the future.
True allies never rely on a piece of paper, but rely on common interests and enemies. Right now, our interests are intertwined with Di Tian, at least on Sea God Island."
Demon Empress stared at Kraken for a long time, so long that the demonic energy in the abyss palace almost stagnated. Finally, the scrutiny in her eyes slowly converged and turned into a bottomless depth again.
"That's all. Now that the matter has been settled and the results are in line with expectations, we will no longer hold you accountable for making arbitrary claims." Demon Empress waved his giant fin, and a pure deep purple demonic energy rolled up several Energy Orb that Kraken had presented before, and flicked two of them towards Tieshan and Mo Yuan, while he absorbed the remaining Devouring. "But remember, Kraken, there is no next time. There is only one master in the deep sea. Any major agreement involving the outside must be approved by the emperor."
"I obey your Majesty's order!" Kraken lowered his head, his ice blue eyes flickered in the shadows, and responded respectfully.
"The new High Priest, Coral Douluo... you seem to have some plans?" Demon Empress changed the topic and returned to the front.
"Yes, Your Majesty." Kraken raised his head, and his tone returned to his usual calmness and calculation, "She is one of ours. High Priest handed over the power to her before his death, which was the most ideal step in the plan.
Now Sea God Island is strong on the outside but weak on the inside, withered internally, with shaken faith, and the 'loyal minister' Coral Douluo is in charge... Next, it's time to gradually 'digest' it and help the elder Shrek complete his 'mission'."