Failed Verbal Persuasion

Her gaze passed over the bars, landing gently on Doria, filled with a mother's deep expectation. "But Doria, you must live on. You are the future hope of our Sea God Island, the successor chosen by the Lord Sea God. No matter what happens, inheriting the Sea God's position and passing on the Sea God's glory is what you should do most."

These words were filled with the sense of farewell.

The Sea Maiden Douluo had no goodwill towards the Spirit Empire, but at this moment, her maternal love for Doria and her sense of responsibility for the inheritance of the Sea God overwhelmed all personal likes and dislikes.

All she wanted was for her child, whom she considered her own, to live a safe and peaceful life, and to go further and achieve greater things.

Looking into the resolute yet gentle eyes of the Sea Maiden Douluo, Doria understood that she could not change the decision of this elder who was both a teacher and a mother to her.

She could only nod vigorously.

······································

The tender whispers between Doria and the Sea Maiden Douluo have temporarily come to an end.

Just then, Gu Yuena, who had been observing coldly, suddenly spoke up.

Her voice was cold and direct, sounding exceptionally clear in the silent space. "Where did you guys come from...?"

This question was not Shi Xing. It had been lingering in the minds of Gu Yuena and Tang San for a long time.

Since their "return," this world has undergone too many inexplicable upheavals. But the biggest variable, besides the mysteriously resurrected Dragon God, is these people who shouldn't exist at all.

Their talent was beyond comprehension; their appearance was so perfect it was almost unreal; even more bizarrely, they seemed to have made a pact to emerge in almost the same era, creating a "golden age" that overshadowed even "reborn" figures like Tang San.

Their Martial Soul were unprecedented, yet each one was ridiculously powerful.

All of this is absolutely bizarre!

The Sea Maiden Douluo and the other captured Sea God Island Soul Master all looked bewildered, not understanding what Gu Yuena was talking about.

Bo Saixi remained silent with her eyes closed. To her, Doria was the chosen successor of the Sea God, and that was enough. As for her other origins, they were unimportant and beyond her ability to investigate.

Doria, who was directly called out, first blinked her large, clear eyes, a perfectly measured look of confusion on her face, but the corners of her mouth still maintained their sunny and cheerful curve, as if she had heard some nonsense:

"Huh? What are you saying? That's weird." Her voice carried a natural, innocent charm. "I don't understand at all!"

However, when Doria looked up and met Gu Yuena's amethyst eyes, her gaze held a mixture of provocation and amusement.

Gu Yuena rarely encountered an "abnormal person" who seemed to be able to communicate normally, so she naturally didn't want to let him go easily.

Ignoring the other person's feigned ignorance, she continued to press, her tone becoming even sharper. "Cai Wenji, Pei Qinhu, Xiao Qiao, and all those geniuses from the Spirit Hall Empire... what exactly is your relationship with them?"

She continued, "Don't play dumb. I know there's some kind of special connection between you two!"

"Back in the Star Dou Great Forest, the person who attacked me with a knife, wasn't that Kai? If I remember correctly, he should have joined the Spirit Hall Empire long ago. Why would he suddenly appear in the Star Dou Great Forest to help Cai Wenji is clearly not on the Spirit Hall's side?"

These words were like a boulder thrown into a calm lake!

Most of the prisoners in the dungeon, who were not from Sea God Island, instantly turned their gazes toward Doria with suspicion and uncertainty.

Only the few Douluo from Sea God Island still held absolute trust in Doria, glaring at Gu Yuena, believing that she was deliberately sowing discord and framing their hopes.

Seeing that Doria didn't answer, Gu Yuena continued, "And that so-called ' Contract Cultivation Method '." Gu Yuena's voice carried a cold, penetrating force, "How long has it been since the Spirit Hall Empire issued this method? The Star Dou Great Forest immediately reached a cooperation agreement with the Spirit Hall Empire, and it was even Cai Wenji who personally took the lead in agreeing to promote it."

They've even stopped pretending.

Upon hearing this, the expressions of many prisoners in the dungeon who were not from Sea God Island became even more subtle.

Faced with this accusation, which was practically pointing a finger at her, Doria's innocent smile finally faded a little.

She clicked her tongue softly, her gaze towards Gu Yuena carrying a condescending, speechless expression.

"I didn't expect this," she said, her voice still clear but sharp, "That you actually have a brain?"

This sudden and extremely insulting taunt made Gu Yuena's face turn ugly, and a chill ran through her body.

Doria, however, seemed oblivious to her reaction and continued, "But only now am I belatedly realizing the problem..."

She shook her head, her sea-blue hair swaying as she spoke, a look of almost pity and regret on her face. "This brain, it seems there's no difference between having it and not having it, right?"

Those most affected were the people of Sea God Island in the cell behind Doria.

Sea Horse Douluo, Sea Maiden Douluo, Sea Spear Douluo... all the powerful figures on Sea God Island stared wide-eyed, their faces filled with extreme shock and disbelief.

They looked at the girl they had watched grow up, the girl they had poured countless hopes into, the girl they regarded as the future successor of the Sea God, who was now speaking words they couldn't understand at all, yet which made them deeply uneasy.

That sunny, cheerful, Goddess of Kindness, and innocent Doria...

Does it really exist?

"Doria... you... what are you saying?" The Sea Maiden Douluo's voice trembled, filled with disbelief and despair.

The child she had always cherished now seemed so unfamiliar.

Bo Saixi finally opened his eyes again, his deep gaze falling on Doria, for the first time carrying a scrutinizing and solemn expression.

The successor chosen by the Sea God... Could there be a secret hidden behind him that even the Sea God himself may not fully know?

···················

Gu Yuena trembled with rage at Doria's undisguised contempt and mockery, her amethyst eyes practically spitting out dragon flames.

But she forcibly suppressed her boiling anger and sense of humiliation, because she knew that anger was pointless at this moment.

She took a deep breath, her voice hoarse from trying so hard to control herself. "What... what are you people?"

In her eyes, whether it was Cai Wenji, Kai, or those young geniuses from the Spirit Hall Empire who had passed the Divine Trial and were about to become gods, none of them could be considered normal human beings!

Faced with Gu Yuena's questioning, Doria simply shook her head.

Instead of turning her gaze, she looked again at the people of Sea God Island behind the bars, whose expressions were shocked and whose faith was wavering, especially the Sea Maiden Douluo.

At this moment, her eyes regained the clarity they had when they first met, yet they also possessed an indescribable depth and tranquility.

"So," she began, her voice no longer frivolous, but carrying a strange, soul-penetrating gentleness and power, "Would you like to join us?"

Chapter 301 Talk-no-jutsu Fails

The Sea Maiden Douluo's voice trembled, breaking the suffocating silence in the dungeon. She looked at Doria, her eyes filled with the pain and confusion of betrayal. "Why... Doria, why did you do this? It was Sea God Island that raised you!"

The other Titled Douluo from Sea God Island around them also cast angry and questioning glances. They couldn't understand why this child, whom they regarded as their future and had poured countless efforts into, would stand on the side of the "enemy."

Doria did not shy away from the questions posed by her adoptive mother and mentor, nor from the anger around her.

She tilted her head and thought for a moment, her face showing difficulty, but ultimately she chose to tell the truth:

"Actually... I quite like Sea God Island." Her voice was soft, tinged with sincere nostalgia. "The sunshine, the beaches, the sound of the waves... and you."

These words made the Sea Maiden Douluo's heart clench.

"However, there's nothing I can do." Doria's tone returned to its usual calm, declarative tone. "From the very beginning, I've been a member of the Spirit Hall."

The answer was simple and direct, yet chillingly cold.

This implies that the entire process, from the initial encounter and growth to being "chosen" as the successor to the Sea God, may have been a meticulously planned arrangement.

The emotions and resources poured into Sea God Island, viewed from a higher perspective, may simply be a form of exploitation.

"Traitor!"

"Shameless!"

The angry curses of the other Sea God Island Douluo rang out again, but Doria seemed completely unconcerned by the noise.

She simply turned her clear gaze back to the Sea Maiden Douluo and asked a question that seemed unrelated to the current situation, "Do you... have your own goals and ideals?"

The Sea Maiden Douluo was stunned, but then, her almost ingrained faith made her answer without hesitation and with unwavering determination, "Protect Sea God Island."

This was her lifelong unwavering belief, the source of all her joy and happiness.

What she missed most was sitting on the rocks by the sea, playing the flute, watching the blue-haired girl barefoot on the beach picking up seashells, leaving a trail of footprints that were quickly smoothed over by the waves, while the melodious and mysterious mermaid song drifted from the distant sea... That was the most peaceful and beautiful picture in her heart.

That's why Doria's "betrayal" caused her double the pain and made it even harder for her to accept.

After listening, Doria simply nodded slightly, her expression revealing neither agreement nor any other emotion.

Okay, my attempt at persuasion failed. It seems that professional tasks should indeed be left to professionals.

If it were their own mentally unstable Summoner, they might have already brought their teacher's IQ to the same level and defeated the opponent with their rich experience.

Ignoring the probing and angry stares from Gu Yuena and the others, Doria turned and prepared to leave the cell.

"Wait!" Seeing that she was really about to leave, the Sea Maiden Douluo panicked and hurriedly called out to her, "Where... are you planning to go?"

Doria paused, but didn't turn around. Instead, she answered honestly in an almost obedient yet distant tone, "I'll walk a little further away so I won't bother you."

Having said that, she didn't linger, but walked with light yet exceptionally firm steps toward the dungeon exit.

The figure, like a sea sprite, grew farther and farther away in the dim light...

········································

Pope Palace, Qian Xunji quickly learned everything that had happened in the dungeon, especially Gu Yuena's belated questioning and Doria's almost confrontational response.

He rested his chin on his hand, a distinct hint of speechlessness flashing in his bright golden eyes.

"Is this Silver Dragon King... really reborn with his memories intact?" he muttered to himself, his tone filled with an incomprehensible absurdity. "From the rise of the Spirit Hall to the emergence of these 'heroes,' she almost never deliberately concealed it... and she only realized something was 'wrong' now? Asking such a question, isn't her reaction time a bit ridiculously long?"

In his view, Gu Yuena (including Tang San) was unbelievably slow-witted.

Perhaps bound by their past experiences, they seem somewhat numb and misjudgmental about the earth-shaking changes in the world around them.

Just like at the beginning, he was overconfident in Tang Hao and Tang Chen's strength, thinking that they could defeat the Spirit Hall. Without even testing them, he launched an attack, but ended up suffering a crushing defeat and wasting two powerful allies from the early stages.

otherwise...

With his grandfather Tang Chen giving him special treatment, allowing him to slaughter the villains of the Slaughter City, Tang San's early Asura God Trial would have progressed significantly, instead of merely obtaining a weakened Divine Slaughter's Domain.

However, this minor incident did not affect the overall situation.

Qian Xunji was more concerned about another issue: Doria's identity was now semi-public in front of everyone on Sea God Island, so could her Sea God's Nine Trials still continue?

The answer is almost immediately, of course!

Why not?

He knew those gods all too well.

For the Sea God god, the heir's background, allegiance, and even true purpose are perhaps completely irrelevant at this critical juncture.

The important thing is that Doria now has the qualifications to inherit the divine position, and has taken the final step.

What the Sea God needs is a force and buffer that can immediately step in, share the responsibilities of the divine position, and especially stand on the side of the Divine Realm in the face of a huge crisis like the return of the Dragon God.

As for whether Doria is a member of the Spirit Hall or has ulterior motives, those are issues that can be "dealt with slowly" later.