Beneath the tower, the black flames had yet to die, but they writhed and struggled in vain like fiery serpents trapped in amber, unable to raise their former sky-swallowing fury.
The One-Qi Chaos Tower stood immovable. The chaotic luster flowing over its surface seemed capable of devouring all light and heat, firmly confining those black flames, powerful enough to burn mountains and boil seas, within a tiny space.
Muffled impacts and furious shrieks rose from beneath the tower. Each struggle made it tremble slightly and release a low hum, yet none could shake its suppressive power, which seemed to stem from the very dawn of chaos.
Mu Chen stood on the tower's eaves, his robes stirring gently in the lingering currents of scorching air. After his words, the commotion beneath the tower gradually subsided.
"Who are you?" A woman's icy voice, barely restraining her anger, rang directly through Mu Chen's mind.
Nine Nether's heart filled with disbelief. Not only had she been suppressed, but someone had laid bare her origins with a single remark!
That chilled her far more than simply being overwhelmed by superior strength!
"Who I am doesn't matter. What matters is that I've suppressed you here, and I have no intention of killing you," Mu Chen said. "Otherwise, suppression wouldn't be all you were facing right now."
"What do you want?" After a long silence, that voice sounded again, carrying a hint of cautious probing beneath its composure.
"How about we make a deal?" Mu Chen asked with a smile.
"A deal?" Nine Nether's voice dripped with undisguised mockery. "You crush me with force, then talk of making a deal? Human, aren't you being rather hypocritical?"
"Strength is the foundation of negotiation, not its purpose." Mu Chen remained unruffled, his tone as steady as ever. "If I lacked the strength to speak with you as an equal, how could there be any talk of a deal?"
"Right now, you're under my control, and I hold the advantage. By proposing a deal, I'm offering you a choice, not charity."
"You can refuse. I won't do anything to you."
"Heh, pretty words." Nine Nether's voice was cold, its derision entirely unconcealed. "If I refuse your deal, will you actually let me go?"
Might was truth. Those who were suppressed either submitted or perished. Where was this supposed third choice?
This so-called deal was nothing but pretty words the victor used to dress up plunder.
She was already prepared for even harsher suppression, or a prolonged ordeal meant to grind her will into nothing.
If there was no way out, she would self-destruct before letting this human profit from her!
Yet-
"Of course."
Mu Chen answered calmly, as though stating the simplest thing in the world.
Nine Nether's mockery froze.
The next moment, the chaotic Dao resonance enveloping her entire body receded like a tide.
The towering pagoda, which had loomed like a mountain suppressing heaven and earth, turned from solid to ethereal in an instant and rapidly shrank. Finally, it became a streak of light that sank into Mu Chen's palm and vanished.
The suppression was gone.
Freedom returned to her, abruptly and without any price.
Nine Nether even froze for a moment. Her enormous body, coiled within the scorched basin, instinctively stretched a little, and black flames began flowing over her again.
Though nowhere near as fierce as at her peak, they were unmistakably back under her control.
She abruptly lowered her head, her pupils blazing with black flames as she fixed her gaze on the black-robed youth beside her, who looked extraordinarily small.
This aura... the Heaven Transformation Realm?!
Freed from that strange tower's suppression, her spiritual perception no longer faced any obstruction.
She clearly perceived the spiritual energy fluctuations flowing around Mu Chen. Though far denser and more substantial than those of an ordinary Heaven Transformation Realm cultivator, they were unmistakably only at the Heaven Transformation Realm!
How was that possible?!
Absurd! Unbelievable!
She had been suppressed by a human at the Heaven Transformation Realm?
Yet the faint sluggishness she still felt when circulating her spiritual energy reminded her that everything that had just happened was real.
"You..." Nine Nether's voice rang out again, laden with suspicion and scrutiny. "You're only at the Heaven Transformation Realm?"
It was a rather foolish question, but the towering waves crashing through her heart left her unable to resist confirming this fact that overturned everything she knew.
"The genuine article," Mu Chen replied, gently flexing his wrist. Driving the One-Qi Chaos Tower at full power to suppress her had indeed consumed a fair amount of energy.
He reckoned another dozen or so rounds would exhaust his spiritual energy...
"Since you don't want to make a deal, I won't keep pestering you. Still, a word of warning: as you are now, you won't survive the heavenly tribulation. You'll only be throwing your life away."
Nine Nether's enormous body remained coiled, her wings of black flame drawing slightly inward. Her burning eyes stayed locked on Mu Chen without blinking.
She was utterly baffled, completely unable to understand the motives behind Mu Chen's actions...
"What exactly are you getting at?"
"You might not believe this, but if things followed their normal course, we'd end up on pretty good terms. I just don't want you throwing your life away. Getting you through nirvana afterward would cost me resources, too."
"...Is that true?" Nine Nether sounded doubtful.
Mu Chen, who had been planning to return after Nine Nether failed her tribulation, paused. Looking back, he saw the thoughtful look in her eyes.
Wait, I only said that offhand. You're actually thinking of believing me!
"Now that we've gotten onto this, you've piqued my interest. Listen closely..." Mu Chen simply began recounting some of the events involving Nine Nether in the original story.
He told the tale in an easy, flowing manner, then stopped abruptly at the part where Nine Nether successfully survived her tribulation, advanced to Supreme, and brought him into the Great Luo Heavenly Domain.
"What happened next?" Nine Nether had listened with keen interest. Seeing Mu Chen stop, she pressed him for more.
"I haven't dreamed the rest yet. We'll talk about it whenever I do," Mu Chen said. "But take all this only as a reference. I'm not that weak, and I don't know much about the real you."
"Ahem." Nine Nether finally came to her senses and solemnly adjusted her posture.
"Human, what deal were you proposing?"
"Oh? You refused to make a deal with me before, but now you're willing after hearing a story that might not even be true?" Mu Chen clicked his tongue.
Nine Nether dared to feel angry, but not to voice it. If I could beat you, I'd certainly teach you a lesson, human!
"I'll enroll at the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy and help you obtain the northern abyss dragon-kun blood essence, allowing you to complete your final evolution and join the ranks of divine beasts."
"In return, once your evolution is complete, you'll bring me into the Great Luo Heavenly Domain."
Mu Chen proposed his deal. He planned to clear the Northern Heavens Spiritual Academy dungeon first, then move on to the Great Luo Heavenly Domain, obtain the true spirits of the dragon and phoenix, and acquire One Qi into Three Pure Ones!
Nine Nether remained silent, considering it for a long time.
"I agree to this deal."
Her voice paused, then took a turn. Her avian eyes of black flame narrowed slightly as she cast Mu Chen a sidelong glance.
"But aren't you afraid I'll go back on my word after successfully evolving? If I change my mind then, what could you do?"
At that, Mu Chen merely gave a faint smile. Against the scattered embers of black flame still burning in the basin, that smile looked somewhat indistinct.
"Dreams may not match reality very well. Whether human or beast, different circumstances lead to different choices, and naturally, the eventual paths can end up worlds apart."
"But some things are probably real." As Mu Chen continued, an indescribable certainty entered his voice. "Pride, for instance. So I'm willing to take a gamble."
Meeting Nine Nether's gaze, Mu Chen spoke clearly, one word at a time. "I'll take a gamble and trust you!"
"If it fails," he said, "then I'll have lost my wager and misjudged a beast's character. I'll have no one else to blame."
Nine Nether fell silent once again.
This human before her truly seemed different from other humans!
"Mu Chen, was it? I'll remember your words for now."
"I, Nine Nether, swear upon my bloodline: if you obtain the northern abyss dragon-kun blood essence and help me evolve successfully, I will bring you into the Great Luo Heavenly Domain. I will never break my word!"
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