A pact sealed, no regrets

Lie Shanhan stared intently at Gu Yuanqing: "What exactly do you want? As long as you let me go, I'll give you anything!"

At this moment, he could no longer maintain the calm and composure he had when he was first captured.

In that vast ocean, every day felt like an eternity.

Born into the Lie Shan Clan, Peak clan in the Demon Realm, he had faced various trials during his growth, but he hadn't felt this way in many years.

Gu Yuanqing chuckled and said, "Then hand over the cultivation Cultivation Method of your Lie Shan Clan. I've heard that the Lie Shan Clan's Immortal Demon Scripture is considered the best in the Demon Realm. If you give it all to me, I'll let you leave."

Lie Shanhan refused without hesitation. "That's impossible. Even if I die, I will never pass this technique on to an outsider."

The Cultivation Method of a clan are the foundation of that clan. If they are passed on to outsiders, they may be exploited, and someone may create a method to counter them. The consequences are self-evident.

Seemingly realizing his words were too harsh, Lie Shanhan added, "Besides, this method requires the bloodline of my Lie Shan Clan to cultivate. Only by observing the Dharma Form through the inherited treasures in my Lie Shan Tribe's Ancestral Land can one cultivate it. Teaching it to you would be useless."

Gu Yuanqing sighed softly, "Then tell me, what should I do with you? Since we've become enemies, taking your Law Treasure and then letting you go back would be like releasing the enemy. In that case, the only option is to kill you."

He gritted his teeth and said, "If you kill me, it will be an irreconcilable Deathlessness with Demon God Mountain. As the younger brother of the Divine Emperor, I will kill you even for the sake of Demon God Mountain's reputation. If you release me now, there is still room for negotiation. I can tell you the method of refining the Lie Shan Seal. Otherwise, even if you obtain this seal, it will be of no use to you."

Lie Shanhan's words were indeed correct. Of the several Dao Artifact he obtained from him, only the Lie Shan Seal was still unrefinable. This was because the seal was of too high a rank, and its power and Spirituality were too strong. Upon contact with his Divine Soul, the image of a god or Gods and Devils would immediately be reflected in his Sea of Consciousness, and Gu Yuanqing's Divine Sense could not leave an imprint on it at all.

only...

"Everyone knows that the essence of Dao Artifact is the Dao Principle Imprint. Even if I refine it, when it comes to actual combat, your Demon God Mountain can probably recall it in an instant. If that's the case, wouldn't I have wasted my time?" Gu Yuanqing chuckled.

Lie Shanhan said, "There's no need to worry about that. This treasure was left behind by our Lie Shan Clan ancestors. Even my royal brother cannot take it back."

Gu Yuanqing said calmly, "The Lie Shan Seal is in my hands. Refining it won't buy you my life. Don't even think about stalling any longer. This time, either I let you go, or I'll send you on your way."

Lie Shanhan, sensing a chilling murderous intent that made his entire body go cold, as if he were about to be killed at any moment.

"Wait! Let me think about it," Lie Shanhan called out.

"You have one last chance. Think it over before you speak." Gu Yuanqing looked at Lie Shanhan with a cold expression.

Sweat dripped continuously from Lie Shanhan's forehead. Indeed, even if he died, it wouldn't be considered a true death. His Avatar could still transform into his true self, only his Lifespan and cultivation were damaged, and his Dao Path was broken.

But as a cultivator, who would willingly choose such a path? Moreover, this is his true self, and even the true self and the Avatar are still distinct in one's mind. Unless absolutely necessary, why would he wish for his true self to be destroyed?

As time passed, Gu Yuanqing's murderous intent seemed to grow stronger.

Lie Shanhan was under increasing pressure; he was beginning to feel suffocated, and even his thinking was slowing down.

Finally, gritting his teeth, he said, "The method for refining the Lie Shan Seal requires one Myriad Demon Pill and a drop of True Phoenix Essence Blood."

Gu Yuanqing remained silent, his gaze turning icy as he looked at Lie Shanhan. The Outer Realm Heaven and Earth grew even colder, his clothes began to tear, and the wind whipping against his Physical Body left Dao Injury. His Divine Soul and Dao Principle Imprint began to feel pressure, as if a world was pressing down on him, threatening to crush him to pieces at any moment.

Lie Shanhan hurriedly added, "A Mystic Womb Heaven Crystal and a Clear Thought Heaven Stone —these few items are enough to help a Chaos Heaven Cultivator achieve the Deathlessness Realm. In exchange for my life, they are more than enough!"

Gu Yuanqing still hadn't spoken.

Lie Shanhan stared at Gu Yuanqing and said, "This is the limit. If you want more, even if I were willing, Demon God Mountain would never agree."

"Very well!" Gu Yuanqing reached out his hand, gathering his Vital Energy, turning the illusory into the real, and condensing it into a sheet of white paper that shimmered with a faint light. Using his Divine Soul as ink and his True Essence as a brush, he wrote with great skill, and in an instant, a Nether God Contract was formed.

He handed over the contract and said calmly, "Then sign the contract with your blood, and swear an oath with your Divine Soul, and I will let you leave."

Lie Shanhan took a look, his pupils contracted, and as Chaos Heaven Great Cultivator, he could naturally see the effect of this Blood Pact.

Gu Yuanqing asked, "What? You're unwilling?"

A thought flashed through Lie Shanhan. He took a deep breath and said, "Alright!"

Gu Yuanqing loosened his control over Lie Shanhan slightly.

Lie Shanhan pricked his finger, pressed the bloody mark, then shook his Divine Soul and recited an oath.

Gu Yuanqing was the same.

Not a single mistake, not a single poem, not a single post, not a single piece of content, all in one look!

As the oath was sworn, a gaze descended from the the Unseen, and the contract spontaneously combusted, turning to ashes. In the mind, a hoarse, emotionless voice seemed to say, "Contract complete!"

At this moment, Lie Shanhan sank again. As Lie Shan Clan, he knew more secrets about this world, but he never expected that the power of this Nether God could actually reach this domain.

Gu Yuanqing smiled and said calmly, "The contract is now in force, and there's no going back on it. Bring me the method for refining the Lie Shan Seal and the other items."

Lie Shanhan's Divine Sense collided with Gu Yuanqing's, and the method of refining was transmitted to Gu Yuanqing. Then, a fist-sized, oval-shaped stone of dark blue color emerged from Lie Shanhan Dao Principle Imprint and fell into his hand, which he handed over. The surface of the stone seemed to have ancient and mysterious symbols woven from unique textures formed by the torrents of time.

As Gu Yuanqing held it in his hand, he felt his thoughts become clear, his Divine Ability, and his connection with the Great Dao became more distinct.

"I don't have the rest on me. They will be sent to me when I return. May I leave now?" Lie Shanhan asked.

Gu Yuanqing chuckled, "No rush."

"You have sworn an oath to the Nether God, how dare you go back on your word?!" Lie Shanhan raised an eyebrow.

"Of course not, but we have guests coming from afar, so why don't you and I meet them first?" Gu Yuanqing said with a smile.

Lie Shanhan followed Gu Yuanqing's gaze and looked outside, but his power was suppressed, and he couldn't see anything in the distance.

Suddenly, with a loud boom, the entire Dragon Demon Realm trembled.

Lie Shanhan turned his head, his face grim, and said, "No wonder you were so eager to sign the contract with me; it turns out that the army of my Demon God Mountain has arrived."