"Daughter of Destiny? Sign a contract?"
"That's right."
El nodded and explained to the bewildered girl,
"Sign a contract with me and come work for me."
"Although I could find someone else, a Daughter of Destiny would still be a better choice, wouldn't she?"
"At least your growth would go more smoothly. It'll save time and let me spite a certain someone while I'm at it!"
Seeing little Miss Huo still looking utterly lost, with only a question mark above her head missing, El sighed and decided to be more direct.
"Forget it. Let's put all that aside for now."
"Let's cut straight to the chase: what you can get, and what you'll need to give."
"We'll put a clear price on everything.
I'm not like certain people who only offer castles in the air and pay their bills with so-called glory and empty prestige."
"As my employee, every benefit you receive will be real and tangible."
He was a good boss, after all!
El lifted the girl's chin with one finger and spoke as casually as if he were chatting with a friend.
"First, the simplest and most important thing-power!"
"I'll pave you a great road leading to the heavens and give you the power to take your revenge with ease, leaving your enemies in everlasting regret and agony. You'll stand at the summit of the world, and for thousands, tens of thousands of years to come, people will sing of your name and your story."
"Huo Yutong."
"You will become a god."
Those lightly spoken words painted a broad, splendid road beyond anything ordinary people could imagine.
No, it was nothing less than a road to the heavens!
Huo Yutong's pupils abruptly contracted, and her entire body began to tremble faintly, from both excitement and fear.
A god-something the entire continent hadn't seen in over ten thousand years!
Yet coming from this mysterious boy before her, it sounded like a cabbage growing in a field, something he could casually pluck whenever he wanted.
If he was telling the truth, just how powerful, how terrifying, was the person standing before her?
Huo Yutong never considered the possibility that she was being deceived.
Someone who could command these two clearly extraordinary soul beasts couldn't possibly be so bored that he would come lie to a girl who had nothing.
Growing up in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, she had listened to stories about the original Shrek Seven Devils from ten thousand years ago.
Not to mention that, by blood, one of them was her ancestor.
Even when other children beat her, cursed at her, and bullied her, she could hear the title of the so-called "God of War" on their lips.
Become a god... No! I don't need to become a god. Even a Titled Douluo should be able to take revenge, right?
But none of that was the most important thing...
If I become one of those legendary gods, would I be able to bring Mother back to life?
All sorts of chaotic, even completely contradictory thoughts echoed and collided in the girl's mind before finally fading away, leaving only one thought in perfect clarity:
Bring Mother back to life.
A faint glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes.
As though he had seen what she was thinking, El spoke again:
"Second, after you become a god and help me defeat my enemy, I'll help you resurrect your mother..."
"I agree!"
Before El could finish, the girl had already blurted out her answer.
Huo Yutong even forced her aching, limp body halfway upright, kneeling on the ground as she clutched the sleeve of El's black robe, as though terrified that answering a moment too late would cost her this chance.
"As long as you can bring Mother back, I'll do anything!"
Please, me!
You really do have a head full of nothing but yourself.
Swallowing the words that had nearly slipped out, El gave a slight nod and uttered a single word.
"Fine."
He had known that once he mentioned Huo Yun'er, she wouldn't be able to resist.
He hadn't sent Di Tian to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion beforehand to intercept Huo Yun'er's soul for nothing.
"But we still need to make the terms clear."
"The price you need to pay is this: until your mother is resurrected, you must obey my commands and put me first in every matter of allegiance."
"No matter who the other person is, if they stand against me, you must stand on my side."
"That's... all?"
"Mm-hmm?"
She had been ready to listen carefully to the rest, only for Huo Yutong to discover that he had stopped speaking altogether.
She even felt as though she were dreaming.
Could there really be such a generous contract in this world?!
It was practically no different from getting everything for free!
Huo Yutong felt that even without a contract, anyone with a normal sense of morality would surely choose to repay such an enormous investment, wouldn't they?
She stared blankly at El's face, which, though youthful, was still exceptionally handsome.
In the stories Mother used to tell her at bedtime, downtrodden, bullied girls always met a hero who came to save them.
Mother, I think I've found my own angel...
"Okay, looks like you don't have any objections."
He waved a hand in front of little Miss Huo, who seemed possessed by the longtime vegetarian lady. Seeing that she was still dazed and unresponsive, El, the angel (investor), curled his lips and stood up, making Huo Yutong stumble as she clung to his sleeve and snapping her back to her senses.
"Then accept your welcome gift. It's also my first investment."
El opened his hand toward Huo Yutong. A little white silkworm wriggled inside an energy cage.
"A million-year soul beast with the mental attribute, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm."
"A million-year soul beast?!"
The girl, who had only just calmed down a little, covered her mouth in astonishment once again.
"Di Tian."
At El's command, a pitch-black rift abruptly appeared in the air above the empty space beside him.
A middle-aged man with black hair and golden eyes stepped out, dragging an enormous ice silkworm whose size was completely out of proportion to his own.
"Your Highness Huang."
Di Tian lowered his head and spoke with utmost respect.
Ever since calling El a young dragon at their first meeting, Di Tian had practically never raised his head in El's presence.
"Put that fat worm down."
He had told Di Tian again and again not to take that incident to heart, but the fellow simply wouldn't listen.
He had found it a little awkward at first, but after seeing this attitude so many times, El was growing numb to it.
Forget it. Whatever makes you dragons happy.
Meanwhile, the Scarlet King, who was keeping the Emperor Auspicious Beast from disturbing El while remaining vigilant of their surroundings, breathed a heartfelt sigh of relief when he saw Di Tian tear through space and emerge.
Who could understand the sense of security that came from being beside the Beast God?
Now he no longer had to live with his heart in his throat, terrified that something would happen to these two exalted troublemakers.
Meanwhile, on the other side,
after Di Tian withdrew the energy restraints on Tian Meng, allowing his entire silkworm body to move freely,
El lifted his chin and gestured lightly toward Huo Yutong beside him:
"As we agreed, you'll become her first soul ring and grant her a slot for a second martial soul."
These words were both instructions for the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and an explanation to Huo Yutong of what would happen next.
"Go."
Under Di Tian's golden-eyed gaze, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wriggled forward swiftly upon receiving his instructions and pressed his head against Huo Yutong's forehead.
A vast, almost terrifying wave of spiritual power spread from the point of contact between the human and the worm, instantly sweeping across a hundred-mile radius.
Within that area, all weaker creatures immediately fell into sleep as peaceful as a baby's, while even the somewhat stronger ones couldn't avoid falling into a stupor.
Probably only the few people (?) present were unaffected.
At that very moment, the sky suddenly darkened. A rumbling accompanied by an immense pressure drew the attention of El and the others.
A stream of gray air descended from the heavens.
The Holy Necromancer, Electrolux!
"He came, just as expected."
El's body instantly turned a translucent spectral blue, and layer upon layer of scales emerged.
Xeno'jiiva, Martial Soul Possession!
At his call, the purest, most pristine energy between heaven and earth surged madly toward his body.
Faced with this pull on energy, the gray stream hesitated for a moment, then finally turned toward El and burrowed into his body.
Giving the worried Di Tian, who stood beside him ready to intervene at any moment, a reassuring look, El closed his eyes and sank his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness.
"With sun and moon in hand, I pluck the stars; none in this world can rival me...
To think this old man's fragment of a soul would still encounter such fortune."
Enveloped in spectral blue energy, the figure, which had been so indistinct that it was on the verge of dissipating, stabilized and even began gradually becoming more solid.
"Such pure energy."
"It's of an extremely high order, yet has almost no properties or distinctions. It is the purest energy, belonging to the world itself."
"My name is Electrolux. I am a necromancer. Thank you, my friend."
How keen was Electrolux's discerning eye?
He could tell at a glance that the young man before him, who was helping stabilize his soul form, was not truly young.
Which of the two was the old relic was still up for debate!
For that reason, he did not speak to El with the air of an elder.
"You're welcome.
Besides, this help of mine isn't free."
El smiled and shook his head.
Electrolux's indistinct figure flickered before he spoke.
"That's quite all right. There is no kindness or assistance in this world that comes from nothing.
At least you stated your purpose outright. That candor alone already puts you above most people in this world."
"In return for helping me stabilize my soul form, if there is anything you need this old man's help with, you need only ask."
"However, I am only a remnant soul now, so the help I can provide is limited."
El narrowed his eyes slightly, and a rather subtle smile appeared on his face:
"Funny you should say that. I actually do have something right now that you can help with even in your soul form..."
Before you continue