"Sac... sacrifice?!" Zichuan nearly bit his tongue, his eyes going wide.
Sacrifice? A Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast voluntarily offering itself as a sacrifice? Wasn't that treatment reserved for chosen sons of fate like Huo Yuhao and cheat-code protagonists like Tang San?
And even then, it only happened after they had endured countless trials together, shared life and death, and built enough of a bond.
He was supposed to ask them to sacrifice themselves right off the bat? Would these Immortal Herb ferocious beasts, who had cultivated for a hundred thousand years and possessed exceptional intelligence, agree? Wouldn't they go berserk as a group and scatter him around as fertilizer?
Zichuan immediately grew uneasy. The "meal" smelled delicious, but wasn't it a little... too hard?
What if it choked him?
As Zichuan's thoughts raced, leaving him both excited and apprehensive, Du Busi, who stood in front of him, felt shock like an avalanche and tsunami crashing through his heart!
He had initially thought he had merely discovered a hidden paradise, perhaps containing some aged spiritual herbs.
Who could have imagined that the valley's strange flowers and exotic plants were all plant-type ferocious beasts that had cultivated for at least a hundred thousand years!
Terrifying existences capable of shaking the entire Soul Beast world with a stomp of their feet had now manifested together, bowed to the little disciple behind him—the six-year-old child he had picked up, who had awakened the Dual Heart Martial Soul—and addressed him as "Your Excellency," looking ready to obey his every command!
A divine inheritor?
A Dual Godhood Inheritance?
Du Busi abruptly turned and looked at Zichuan. This time, he examined him with incomparable care.
He saw the two ancient marks on Zichuan's forehead, which he had failed to notice before. They now glimmered faintly, radiating an aura so ancient that even his soul trembled.
He also recalled Zichuan's unbelievable Martial Souls, Soul Rings, domain...
In that instant, every impossibility seemed to have found its answer.
He was not merely a chosen son of fate... He was an inheritor who had long since been chosen by gods! An existence destined to walk the divine path!
No wonder! No wonder he could discover the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well! No wonder he cultivated so quickly! No wonder he possessed so many heaven-defying opportunities!
Du Busi's heart pounded wildly as indescribable ecstasy and excitement instantly washed away all his shock and doubts.
When he looked at Zichuan now, there was no longer even a trace of an elder's affection for a junior. Instead, his gaze was filled with immense pride, reverence, and the extreme exhilaration of I knew I made the right bet!
Had he found a treasure? No, he had found a god! He had found a sun destined to illuminate the Body Sect's future for eternity!
Why would the Body Sect ever fear decline? With a divine inheritor at its helm, not only could it surpass Shrek, it might even have a chance to ascend to the God Realm in the future!
Du Busi trembled with excitement. His rough face flushed red, and he nearly threw back his head in a wild howl.
But he was, after all, an old monster who had lived for more than a hundred years. He forcibly suppressed his excitement, took a deep breath, and slowly stepped aside from the position in front of Zichuan.
At that moment, he understood. This was not an occasion for him to stand in front. This was the moment of a divine inheritor.
He looked toward the noble purple-robed man at the front, Aromatic Silk Beauty, then at the other Immortal Herb ferocious beast incarnations radiating terrifying auras, before finally looking back at Zichuan. His expression was incredibly complicated, filled with pride, anticipation, and a trace of indescribable emotion.
The valley fell silent. Only the gurgling water where the Ice Spring and Yang Spring met could be heard, along with the dense spiritual energy flowing through the air.
All the manifested Immortal Herb ferocious beasts waited for Zichuan's response.
Feeling Du Busi's incomparably complex gaze, then seeing the spectacle before him, Zichuan's heart began beating faster despite himself. He took a deep breath and forced himself to calm down.
Now, the pressure was on him.
How was he supposed to accept this "meal" so that he could enjoy it without choking to death?
The valley was silent. Only the gurgling of the converging springs of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well could be heard, along with spiritual energy fluctuations that had nearly condensed into substance and carried the Immortal Herbs' excited emotions.
Zichuan stood beside Du Busi, facing more than a dozen Immortal Herb ferocious beast incarnations of different forms, each with a vast aura. His heart pounded in his chest.
He knew it was time for him to speak. The God of Destruction had set the stage for him and served the meal right to his mouth, but how he ate it, and how gracefully he did so, depended on him alone.
He took a deep breath, suppressing his unease. He tried to make his voice sound calm while carrying just the right amount of restraint and frankness befitting a "divine inheritor."
His gaze swept over Aromatic Silk Beauty at the front, then over the other eager Immortal Herbs, before he slowly spoke.
"Everyone... esteemed Immortal Herbs." He chose the form of address Aromatic Silk Beauty had used earlier, showing his respect.
"My name is Zichuan. As you have seen, I bear the inheritance marks of the God of Destruction and the God of Life."
He pointed to the marks on his forehead. He was not showing off; he was merely stating a fact.
"However, the path of inheritance is long. I have only just entered the path of a Soul Master. My Soul Power is merely level 20, and my Twin Martial Souls have not been fully developed. My strength remains shallow."
His tone was sincere, carrying the proper amount of a young boy's "frailty" and "longing for strength."
"The road ahead is filled with thorns, and powerful enemies surround me. I must grow stronger as quickly as possible, so that I may live up to the trust of the God Kings and to... this inheritance."
He paused. His gaze swept over the Immortal Herbs once more, and his voice became clear and firm.
"I came here presumptuously today in the hope of receiving the aid of my fellow cultivators."
His words were tactful, but their meaning could not have been clearer. He needed help, needed strength, and these Immortal Herb ferocious beasts of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, with their immense power and unique attributes, were the most suitable source of support for him.
As for what form that "support" would take... he did not say. But considering his "level 20 Soul Power," his "Twin Martial Souls," and the most direct method by which Soul Masters gained strength...
Du Busi, standing nearby, felt as though his heart was about to leap out of his throat!
His expression instantly became spectacular. His eyes widened, and he nearly could not stop himself from slapping the back of Zichuan's head. Brat! Do you even know what you're saying?!
You were openly hinting that a group of Hundred-Thousand-Year ferocious beasts should sacrifice themselves for you?! Did you think this was a market where you bought vegetables?!
Even if you were a divine inheritor, wasn't this just... way too damn direct?! Where was your shame?! No, this was not a matter of having thick skin or not. This was simply courting death!
Every muscle in Du Busi's body tensed in an instant. His Soul Power surged madly through him like a volcano on the verge of eruption.
He stared fixedly at the Immortal Herb ferocious beast incarnations across from him. If they revealed even the slightest dissatisfaction, even the faintest killing intent, he would unleash all his power without hesitation. Even if it meant grave injury or death, he would take Zichuan and fight their way out!
This brat was too reckless! He was practically dancing in a minefield!
Yet the furious rage, scolding, or even immediate attack he had expected never came.
The valley fell silent for a moment.
Then—
"Choose me! Your Excellency, choose me!"
A shrill cry full of urgency, even cracking slightly, shattered the silence.
It was the red-robed woman formed by the Infernal Delicate Apricot! She stepped forward, her fiery red eyes fixed intensely on Zichuan. Her chest rose and fell violently, as though she feared being a moment too late.
"I am the Infernal Delicate Apricot, nurtured by the Yang Spring of the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. My fire attribute has reached its ultimate limit! If Your Excellency takes me as a ring, you will surely gain supreme fire-controlling power and burn the eight wildernesses to ash! I am willing to sacrifice myself! Right now! Immediately!"
Before you continue