Conditions of the Deal

"Of course not."

Old Supreme Kai shook his head, his white beard swaying along with the motion.

Yet, his eyes never left Jiang Che's face.

"I just need to confirm—have you truly become that existence from the legends?" He raised a hand to touch the ancient emblem on his chest, his fingertips tracing the mottled patterns in silence, as if summoning a memory from the distant past.

"That thing from the legends?" Jiang Che laughed dismissively, his tone mocking and tinged with arrogance.

His laughter echoed through the vast hall. "Are you talking about the Super Saiyan God?"

Old Supreme Kai nodded, the light in his eyes deepening until it was nearly bottomless.

In an instant, he seemed to revert into that ancient deity capable of spanning millennia.

He remained silent for a long moment, as if weighing the importance of his next words, before asking slowly, "You have heard of that legend as well?"

"I know a little."

Jiang Che spoke lightly, his gaze fixed on the starry sky outside the hall. "Legend says that only a righteous Saiyan who understands a specific transformation method can become a Super Saiyan God. Red hair, red eyes, and power far exceeding that of a normal Super Saiyan."

He lowered his voice as he spoke the final words, as if afraid of waking something that lay dormant.

A flash of uncontrollable surprise crossed Old Supreme Kai's eyes; his brows furrowed involuntarily, and his mouth hung open for half a second before he managed to close it.

"To think you even know this..." he muttered, his gaze burning with such intensity that it felt as if he were trying to pierce right through Jiang Che.

As he spoke, his palm tightened subconsciously, his knuckles giving a soft click.

"Enough, let's not talk about this for now." Jiang Che abruptly cut the topic short, his tone turning sharp.

He shook his arms and took a step forward, the stone floor trembling slightly beneath his feet.

"You want me to transform? Fine—but I have a condition."

As he spoke, he stared fixedly into Old Supreme Kai's eyes, without the slightest hint of evasion.

"A condition?" Old Supreme Kai's face darkened, his brows knitting together in clear displeasure. "You are merely a human, yet you dare to bargain with me?"

Though he was hunched and his movements carried the weight of age, he released a divine aura in that moment that made the very hall seem to constrict.

"Why wouldn't I dare?"

Jiang Che remained calm, a familiar, troublesome confidence tugging at the corners of his mouth.

He paced slowly as he spoke, circling halfway around Old Supreme Kai before continuing in a measured tone: "You are a Supreme Kai... that is true. But do not forget, the one standing before you now is an existence capable of erasing the entire universe with a mere wave of his hand. Tell me, why would I fear you?"

He stopped and tilted his head slightly, his arrogance practically overflowing.

Old Supreme Kai froze, the dense web of wrinkles on his face twitching in response.

He opened his mouth, his lips trembling for a long time, but he could not utter a single word.

His chest heaved violently, and he instinctively took half a step back, his fingers trembling slightly beneath his sleeves.

This brat was far too insolent.

Yet, he had to admit that Jiang Che was not wrong—the scene that had appeared in the crystal ball, the youth seemingly enveloped in red flames, possessed an aura that could easily tear through the galaxy.

When he opened his eyes, it felt as though he could see right through you, even across the vastness of space.

Truth be told, this fellow already possessed the qualifications to threaten a god.

Old Supreme Kai took a deep breath, sensing a faint bitterness in the air.

"State your condition, then."

He sighed helplessly, his voice dropping.

As he spoke, he raised a hand to rub his brow, the wrinkles on his forehead deepening.

"I want to learn Unlimited Instant Transmission."

Jiang Che did not beat around the bush, laying his condition out plainly.

He stood firm, hands in his pockets, his tone devoid of any hesitation.

"What?" Kibito Kai couldn't help but cry out.

He instinctively took two steps forward. "Unlimited Instant Transmission? That is a technique that only Lord Supreme Kai and I can use. How could you..."

Before he could finish, he saw Jiang Che tilt his head calmly, his expression one that brooked no argument, as if all counter-reasons were invalid.

"I didn't say I couldn't," Jiang Che interrupted, his voice calm and forceful. "I want to learn that teleportation of yours—the kind that can reach any corner of the universe at any time."

He pointed toward the sea of stars outside the hall, his fingertip tracing a gentle arc. "I want that kind of true freedom."

Old Supreme Kai remained silent for several seconds, his fingers tapping against the top of his staff, producing a dull thud-thud sound.

The candlelight flickered, dragging his shadow out long across the floor.

His gaze returned to Jiang Che's face, scrutinizing every detail from the corners of his brows to the edges of his lips, not missing a single nuance.

It was as if he were trying to look past the youth's skin and into the deepest parts of his heart.

After a long while, he finally spoke, his voice sounding as if it came from the bottom of a well. "What exactly do you intend to do with this?"

He stopped tapping, his staff striking the floor with a finality that kicked up a puff of dust, which danced like tiny specks in the light.

Jiang Che's expression remained calm, his tone as cool as a mountain stream: "I have my own uses for it."

He turned slightly, the hem of his robe sweeping past his knees and stirring up a light breeze.

"Besides, it's just a technique. It shouldn't be a big deal for you, right?"

His gaze was not intimidated by that scrutiny, and a faint, elusive smile still lingered at the corners of his mouth.

"You make it sound so easy."

Old Supreme Kai shook his head, his white beard trembling along with the motion.

He pointed a finger toward a faded mural on the wall, which depicted countless stars and divine figures cloaked in flames, rendered in rough, ancient strokes.

"This is a skill passed down by the gods of old. How could you possibly learn it just because you want to?"

As he spoke, his expression held a hint of nostalgia, and his grip tightened on his staff.

"So, you're not going to teach me?"

Jiang Che narrowed his eyes, his smile vanishing as impatience etched itself onto his face.

He flicked his sleeve and turned to leave, his movements crisp and decisive, stirring up the fallen leaves on the ground. "Forget it, then. I won't demonstrate the transformation. I'm leaving."

Before his words had even faded, he was already stepping onto the stone stairs, the crisp clack-clack of his footsteps echoing through the great hall.

"Wait a moment!" Old Supreme Kai grew anxious, nearly turning to chase after him.

He slammed his staff against the floor, the dull thud resonating throughout the chamber.

Forced to yield, Old Supreme Kai leaned forward and shouted at Jiang Che, "Fine, I agree."

He let out a long sigh, clearly having compromised.

Jiang Che's footsteps halted, and he turned with elegance, the tip of his shoe tracing a semicircle on the ground and kicking up a layer of dust.

He looked back at Old Supreme Kai, a hint of cunning playing at the corners of his mouth—a smile that seemed bright as sunshine, yet sharp as a blade.

"That would have saved us so much trouble if you'd said so earlier."

He laughed lightly, his tense shoulders relaxing significantly.

Kibito Kai stood to the side, his mouth hanging open in shock, his eyes wide as saucers.

He stood frozen, his throat bobbing as he swallowed hard, his hand instinctively tightening around the hilt of his sword.

He could never have imagined that Old Supreme Kai—the god who would only teach you if he were in a good mood—would actually agree just like that.

The great hall fell into an eerie silence, with only the crackling of candle flames, making the atmosphere feel all the more peculiar.

"However, I have a condition."

Old Supreme Kai's expression shifted suddenly, a flash of craftiness crossing his face.

He tilted his chin slightly, his white eyebrows arched, his eyes flickering in the candlelight with an inscrutable meaning.