NOVEL WEB Chapter 12: 12.Pleasant Cooperation
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Gu Yue's eyes grew increasingly profound. She truly couldn't see through Bai Xu. Now that Tang Wulin had been mentioned, it seemed Bai Xu also knew the secret of the Golden Dragon King. Could he really peer into the past and future?
Noticing the silence of the group, Bai Xu continued, "To demonstrate my sincerity in cooperating, I'll offer an additional piece of information. After hearing it, if you feel it's inappropriate, we can part ways without conflict, as if we never met. How does that sound?"
"Go ahead," Gu Yue said solemnly.
"During the ancient Divine Realm War, the Dragon God split into two, with the Golden and Silver Dragon Kings each inheriting half. So, Gu Yue, do you know what happened to the Golden Dragon King after the war?"
"He was sealed in the Divine Realm," Gu Yue replied.
"Correct, the Golden Dragon King was sealed. But now, his Golden Dragon King core has appeared in an unknown young soul master in Eastsea City. This matter... doesn't seem simple at all!"
Gu Yue was stunned, as if a sudden realization had struck her. Something felt off—everything had happened a bit too coincidentally. At the time, she hadn't thought much of it and had decided to approach Tang Wulin first to observe him.
Bai Xu went on, "The core's presence here proves that the Golden Dragon King is dead, his essence now merged into a human. How did he descend from the Divine Realm to Douluo? And how was his essence sealed within a human? Without the Divine Realm's tacit approval... he couldn't have accomplished any of this."
Gu Yue frowned. "Are you suggesting this was all orchestrated by the Divine Realm?"
"Exactly. Think about it—how could Tang Wulin survive absorbing the Golden Dragon King's core? No one in Douluo Continent could achieve that. Silver Dragon King, use your brain. Given your and the Golden Dragon King's stature, who on Douluo Continent could withstand your cores? Without the protection of a higher power, the moment someone tried to absorb it, their body would collapse from the overwhelming force. Yet Tang Wulin remains unharmed, and the Golden Dragon King's core power is even sealed, allowing him to draw from it at will. The more you think about it, the more terrifying the implications become!"
At this point, Di Tian understood the underlying meaning. Tang Wulin had a powerful backer—one likely connected to the Divine Realm.
"But Tang Wulin... Tang... Could Tang Wulin also be related to that figure from twenty thousand years ago?" Di Tian asked.
"Finally, someone with a decent level of intelligence. Correct! Tang Wulin is the son of the Godking—Tang San!"
Gu Yue's expression drastically changed, her composure wavering as if she refused to believe it. "The son of a Godking? How is that possible?! You're just making wild guesses!!"
Bai Xu's playful demeanor faded. Still holding a handful of soil in his right hand, he said gravely, "I've said my piece. Whether to cooperate is up to the Silver Dragon King. Otherwise, we can go our separate ways and pretend this never happened."
Bai Xu had never let his guard down. The soil in his hand was his safeguard for Earth Escape. If things went south, he could instantly teleport up to 300 kilometers to any earthen location. The soul contract was merely a constraint by the Plane's Will—not entirely reliable.
The soul beasts fell into a prolonged silence. Gu Yue's face was grim, and the other fierce beasts wore bitter smiles. They found themselves believing Bai Xu's words more and more. To think all their efforts had been under someone else's calculation—it was truly laughable.
Bai Xu sat cross-legged on the ground. "I need an answer by tonight. Once the sun rises tomorrow, the offer expires."
He was forcing Gu Yue to make a decision.
Her heaving chest betrayed her inner turmoil. Her violet eyes flickered, and her breathing grew uneven. Until now, she had believed she held all the cards—the Golden Dragon King's appearance, her plans to infiltrate human society—everything was progressing smoothly. Even though part of her essence had split off, the overall situation was stable.
But Bai Xu had shattered that illusion. She was merely a puppet performing under the gods' watchful eyes.
Now, Bai Xu possessed mysterious techniques and seemed to know even more about the Divine Realm, including the secrets of the Silver and Golden Dragon Kings. What about the Dragon God?
Thus, Gu Yue said, "Answer me one more question. If your answer holds, then we'll cooperate happily. If not, we'll go our separate ways."
"Speak."
"Do you know where the Dragon God Core is currently located?"
"The Dragon Valley—a pocket dimension."
Gu Yue's pupils contracted violently, her heart surging with shock. "You really do know!"
"Fine, we'll cooperate. You help the soul beasts secure a place to survive. What do you need from us in return? Cooperation is an exchange of interests."
"Provide me with resources—spiritual fruits, spiritual springs, anything that aids cultivation. That's all."
"Such an exchange would heavily favor us. Are you that confident in your techniques? Once mastered, can they rival a Godking?" Gu Yue questioned skeptically, retrieving half of a human body cultivation manual from her soul tool—a copy of Leng Jiuming's incomplete version.
"I need to rise quickly, and the gap in evolutionary paths gives me confidence. It's too early to say for sure, but you'll understand in time."
Gu Yue stood, and Bai Xu rose as well. Both wore solemn expressions. To Gu Yue, Bai Xu seemed omniscient, even knowing the Dragon God Core's exact location—worthy of the title "one who peers into the past and future." To Bai Xu, Gu Yue was a source of resources for rapid advancement. They locked eyes as they stepped closer, clasping hands firmly.
"Pleasant cooperation!"
In truth, the Plane's Will's words still needed verification. The hazy aura shrouding Bai Xu was the Plane's method of shielding him from Tang Hao's detection. If it faded, Bai Xu would be in danger.
The validity of this claim remained unconfirmed, but Bai Xu had no time to verify it. His human body's potential development far outpaced soul power cultivation. The Plane's Will had warned that its protection wouldn't last much longer. Bai Xu couldn't afford to gamble with his safety, so he sought help.
The opportunities from the Spirit Pagoda alone weren't enough—hence this transaction.
As Bai Xu departed, everything returned to normal. The soul beasts remained inactive, adhering to Gu Yue's original plan to infiltrate the Spirit Pagoda quietly, awaiting her eventual rise as its master.
Before leaving, however, Bai Xu left them with a final remark:
"As the leader of the soul beasts, the first thing you must solidify is your stance. Suppress the impulses buried deep in your Silver Dragon bloodline. Whether for humans or soul beasts, indecisiveness as a leader will only lead to ruin."
These words carried a pointed meaning. Only Gu Yue lowered her head in deep thought... unable to calm herself for a long time.
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The Next Day.
A knock at the door startled Bai Xu awake. Opening it, he was surprised to find Gu Yue standing there!
She strode into the boys' dormitory as if it were nothing, examining Bai Xu's room without regard for his shocked expression.
"How did you get in? This is the boys' dorm!"
Gu Yue replied softly, "Spatial element..."
Well, teleportation was just overpowered.
She continued, "I want to observe your cultivation. I'm very interested in that method of unlocking human potential."
Bai Xu raised an eyebrow. "Trying to steal my techniques? With your talent, do you really think it's possible? This method isn't suited for soul masters, let alone soul beasts!"
Ignoring him, Gu Yue pulled out a water-attribute immortal herb. "This is the Sea Nurturing Grass, rich in water elemental energy. Consuming it can purify a water-attribute soul master's soul power and even trigger a martial soul evolution."
She tossed it to Bai Xu. "Consider this our sincerity. If you need anything else we can provide, just ask."
Bai Xu examined the herb and grinned. "As expected of the Silver Dragon King—generous and bold. Fine, observe as much as you'd like."
Originally, Bai Xu had planned to pause his secret technique training to focus on soul power. But since Gu Yue insisted, he could show her the human body's "gates."
Sitting cross-legged on the bed, the three organs corresponding to Metal, Earth, and Water emitted faint glows. Utilizing the Five Elements' cycle, he ignited Heart Fire and Liver Wood, forming a diagram of mutual generation and restraint on his body for her to observe.
Gu Yue's dark eyes fixed on Bai Xu's body, her pupils shimmering with multicolored light. Yet her expression grew increasingly troubled. She couldn't decipher the underlying principles—to her, it was just five interacting elements, nothing extraordinary.
But in terms of physical manifestation, Bai Xu's current strength allowed him to clash head-on with Tang Wulin's Golden Dragon Claw, despite lacking Tang Wulin's overwhelming bloodline aura.
He cultivated the entire body—life itself. Tang Wulin walked the path of bloodline. Their methods differed entirely.
"Metal's sharpness, Earth's perception, Water... corresponds to the kidneys. The kidneys are the foundation of innate vitality, the root of life, storing true Yin and harboring primordial Yang—the organs of water and fire," Bai Xu even explained proactively.
Gu Yue attempted to meditate as well. She had internal organs, but following the half-manual's instructions, she couldn't sense her body's true essence, let alone her vital energy.
By noon, she had made no progress and reluctantly gave up.
"Told you it wouldn't work. Otherwise, I'd have already taught Teacher Leng," Bai Xu said with a knowing smile.
Gu Yue frowned, shooting him a displeased glare before changing the subject. "The truth of your words last night still needs verification. I want to send someone to test Tang Wulin—see if someone tampered with the Golden Dragon King's seal or if a deity truly guards him."
Bai Xu sighed. "Who are you sending to their death?"
"Death? I just want to test the waters!"
Bai Xu facepalmed. "I thought you'd gotten smarter, but you're still this naive. If what I said is true, then the Plane's Master Tang Hao and Godking Tang San have left safeguards. Which of your subordinates can withstand a Godking's strike—even a mere mental imprint is still Godking-level!"
Gu Yue's mood soured. It felt like Bai Xu dismissed all her ideas as worthless.
"If we don't verify your claims, how can I trust you? What if you're deceiving the soul beasts?" Gu Yue muttered, her voice lacking conviction.
Bai Xu: "..."
Still doubting me?
Why aren't you this cautious with Tang Wulin?
"For now, stay inactive. They'll slip up eventually. But remember—never underestimate human emotions. In this game, the first to develop genuine feelings loses."
As Bai Xu watched Gu Yue leave, he couldn't help but reflect.
If Gu Yue followed the "original plot," well... he'd fulfill the contract and backstab her without hesitation.
He might even whisper a few "heartfelt" words from behind her back.
How touching!
Jokes aside, talk was cheap—action mattered.
The winter break was short, and Bai Xu had no interest in New Year festivities. He secluded himself to meditate, raising his soul power to rank 32 by the start of the new semester.
The Spirit Pagoda Academy buzzed with activity as parents dropped off their children. Most were familiar faces—longtime Spirit Pagoda employees—chatting about daily life and prodigies.
Interestingly, Zhang Wa was there too, calling Bai Xu "senior brother." It seemed Leng Jiuming had taken him as a disciple, making him Bai Xu's junior.
But the two rarely interacted, each focused on their own training.
Life was mostly peaceful, punctuated by occasional visits from Xu Xiaoyu or Gu Yue. The only major event on the horizon was the upcoming Heavenly Sea Alliance Tournament.
The tournament, hosted primarily by five coastal cities with others participating, was a grand affair.
Leng Jiuming had already explained his hopes for Bai Xu to compete in the individual tournament and aim for the championship. In Leng's eyes, Bai Xu had at least a 70% chance of winning.
"Rank in the top five, and I can pull strings to get you into Shrek Academy's outer court for a few years. Consider it gilding your resume before returning to the Spirit Pagoda. By then, you'll at least be a young Spirit Envoy at headquarters."
Despite the Spirit Pagoda's disdain for Shrek, its graduates were undeniably skilled. That experience would open doors.
Bai Xu agreed. For someone with no sense of belonging, it didn't matter which faction he joined. Life was tough either way!