Baize refused to give up. His expression serious, he spoke in a deep voice.
The instant he saw Ling Xiao, his innate intuition only strengthened his conviction.
He knew the movements of the heavens above and the geography below. Though he couldn't see through Ling Xiao's fate, his remaining intuition told him this Golden Crow was no ordinary bird.
Ling Xiao fell silent—not because he was considering the offer, but because the system had presented him with another choice.
[The conflict between the Witch and Demon Clans has reached a critical moment. Please make the following choice.]
[Choice One: Agree to Baize's proposal and unite the Ten Thousand Races. Reward: Pangu's inherited cultivation art—Nine-Turn Profound Art!]
[Choice Two: Refuse Baize and stay cautious, taking no action. Reward: the art of creating clones, One Breath Becomes Three Pure Ones.]
The moment this choice appeared, Ling Xiao hardly hesitated.
System, I choose the second option.
He hadn't planned to go out in the first place. Why offer him a choice when they were practically giving it away?
The Nine-Turn Profound Art was certainly powerful, but it wasn't much use to him. That technique focused solely on cultivating the body; it was tailor-made for the Witch Clan.
He had a primordial spirit, so this kind of body-cultivation technique wasn't all that important to him.
They thought one Nine-Turn Profound Art would tempt him into emerging?
Too bad for them. He was a Crow with principles.
If he said he wasn't going out, then he wasn't going out.
"Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao, have you made your decision? If you agree, I, Baize, will assist you with all my heart and strength!"
Seeing that Ling Xiao hadn't spoken, Baize sweetened the offer.
Everyone in the Primordial World knew that Baize knew the movements of the heavens above and the geography below. He was a great auspicious omen, a spirit blessed with immense fortune.
Ling Xiao came back to himself and smiled. "Fellow Daoist Baize, my Golden Crow Clan has no intention of uniting the Ten Thousand Races. You should look elsewhere."
Baize's expression shifted. He looked troubled, and his gaze flickered. "Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao, in my heart, you're the only suitable choice. If you refuse, I truly don't know who else to approach."
At those words, Ling Xiao let out a meaningful smile.
"As far as I know, there are others more suitable than us. For instance, our fellow Daoist Kunpeng of the North Sea. Did he refuse you as well?"
Baize was about to speak, but Jimeng, who had been silent all this time, beat him to it.
"Not exactly. We split up to approach—"
"Jimeng!" Baize blurted out, glaring fiercely at the teammate who'd just thrown him under the cart.
Ling Xiao's smile deepened. Just as he'd expected, Baize and the others had a backup plan.
"My two fellow Daoists, that's all there is to say. Please, leave."
He didn't want to say another word and showed them the door.
"Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao, hear me out. In my heart, you really are the most suitable one to lead the Ten Thousand Races."
Baize spoke helplessly. It sounded like an excuse, but it was truly what he thought. Otherwise, he wouldn't have come all the way to the Sun Star in person.
Jimeng shrank his neck, knowing he'd broken his word and said the wrong thing.
But he couldn't be blamed, either. When Ling Xiao had asked his question, he'd kept looking at Jimeng, as if directing it at him. Before he knew it, the words had slipped out.
All he could say was that Ling Xiao had hinted at the answer and lured him into a trap.
"Fellow Daoist Baize, there's no need to explain. Whatever you think has nothing to do with me. We of the Golden Crow Clan won't emerge from seclusion."
Ling Xiao spoke firmly. He had no plans to emerge, and what Baize and the others thought had nothing to do with him.
Baize sighed in disappointment and shot Jimeng a resentful look. If Jimeng hadn't blurted that out, he felt there might still have been a chance.
Seeing this, Ling Xiao decided he ought to say a little more.
"Baize, don't be discouraged. Though we won't emerge from seclusion, I can offer you a few suggestions."
"Please, go ahead, Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao."
Baize rallied himself somewhat, though he would have preferred Ling Xiao to take the lead rather than offer advice.
"In my view, it's not just my Golden Crow Clan or Kunpeng. The other great powers could also unite the Ten Thousand Races."
"And they'd be more suitable than us."
Ling Xiao spoke slowly, ready to broaden Baize's horizons.
Baize looked doubtful and asked, "May I ask who you mean, Fellow Daoist Ling Xiao? Most of the innate great powers are now in seclusion. Who would be willing to step forward?"
"There is someone. It all depends on how you approach them," Ling Xiao continued.
"You could try Mount Buzhou."
"Mount Buzhou?"
Baize exclaimed in surprise. Mount Buzhou was home to so many great powers.
Just as he was about to press Ling Xiao for more, Ling Xiao shook his head.
"That's all I have to say. Go."
Baize hesitated, wanting to ask more, but in the end he held his tongue and took his leave.
"Fellow Daoist Three Crows, we'll take our leave."
"Safe travels."
Ling Xiao and the other two watched them go.
"Third Brother, I don't quite understand. Why couldn't we agree to Baize's proposal?" Di Jun asked, puzzled.
He couldn't understand why they couldn't accept such a good opportunity. If they united the Ten Thousand Races, they could enjoy boundless fortune.
What a wonderful thing that would be!
"Big Brother, have you forgotten? Third Brother can foresee the future. He must have his reasons for doing this."
Tai Yi spoke up, trusting Ling Xiao without reservation.
Ling Xiao glanced at them both. Tai Yi's way of thinking was fine, but Di Jun's was a little dangerous.
It seemed he really wanted to establish the Demon Clan. Ling Xiao could understand that. If Di Jun didn't, then he wouldn't have been born with the fate of a natural sovereign.
Still, the idea was dangerous.
He had to reeducate him.
Thinking this, Ling Xiao spoke.
"Eldest Brother, Second Brother, I know you don't quite understand why I refused Baize."
"Uniting the Ten Thousand Races and contending for supremacy over the Primordial World would certainly be a fine thing, but these are not ordinary times."
"Now that Hongjun has become a Sage and begun preaching, many great powers will appear in the Primordial World in the days to come. Some may even possess power that transcends the mortal world."
"When that happens, even if we control the entire Primordial World, we'll still be no more than ants in their eyes."
"No way! Is it really that terrifying?" Di Jun and Tai Yi exclaimed, stunned.
"Don't be fooled by how powerful the Witch Clan is now, or how fierce the Twelve Ancestral Witches are. In the eyes of an existence like Hongjun, they're no stronger than ants."
Ling Xiao continued, reshaping Di Jun and Tai Yi's worldviews.
"Contending for supremacy over the Primordial World is just an illusion. Even if we truly rule the whole world, so what? Nothing is certain."
"Only the cultivation of our own strength is real."
"Our goal should be to cultivate diligently and become existences like the Sages!"
Di Jun and Tai Yi stared blankly, suddenly remembering the day Hongjun had become a Sage. His might had pressed down upon the Primordial World, reaching everywhere. He stood high above, beyond description. Before him, every living being was like an ant.
Thinking of it that way, compared with uniting the Ten Thousand Races and leading them against the Witch Clan, staying home and cultivating in peace seemed far more appealing.
Just as Ling Xiao had said, even if they ruled the entire Primordial World, what would it matter? Could it guarantee they'd become as powerful as a Sage?
If not, then in a Sage's eyes, they'd still be ants—just slightly bigger ones.
"Third Brother, we understand!"
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