"I said, the path for soul beasts to ascend to the Divine Realm has been completely sealed by the human gods," Mu Chen reiterated calmly.
"You think I'll fall for your lies?" The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's tone was disdainful.
"But deep down, haven't you already suspected this? Isn't that why you've been struggling all this time?" Mu Chen's confident smile and piercing gaze seemed to see through the Demon Whale King's very thoughts.
The whale king fell silent.
For nearly a million years, it had harbored doubts—why was it so much harder for its generation to ascend to godhood? Was there something fundamentally wrong with the process for soul beasts?
"I'll tell you the truth," Mu Chen said. "There once was a supreme god among your kind, the Dragon God, one of the six highest deities of the Divine Realm. Together with the other five supreme gods, the Dragon God founded the Divine Realm.
"In those days, humans and soul beasts alike could ascend to the Divine Realm. It was a harmonious coexistence among all races.
"However, that harmony didn't last long. Like any living beings, gods are territorial. Though the Divine Realm grew continuously under the six supreme gods' expansion efforts, the rate of new gods ascending far outpaced the realm's growth. Over time, this imbalance caused tension.
"Humans ascended far more rapidly than soul beasts, which eventually led to a major crisis. Some soul beasts noticed this and warned the Dragon God. But the Dragon God, ever compassionate and inclusive, believed that all beings were part of nature and deserved an equal chance to ascend.
"Likewise, the other five supreme gods, in their naivety, chose to ignore the brewing tension. They continued their policy of unrestricted ascension.
"Finally, one day, the friction erupted into full-scale war. The human gods, led by the five supreme gods, launched an all-out assault on the beast gods. This conflict became known as the Dragon God War.
"The war ended with the Dragon God and its nine dragon kings falling in battle. The humans emerged victorious, and the Divine Realm came under their rule. To prevent future uprisings, they destroyed all divine cores capable of granting soul beasts divinity, cutting off any possibility of their ascension.
"Although victorious, the human gods paid a steep price. To prevent further chaos and ensure their dominance, they sealed the path for soul beasts to ascend to the Divine Realm, permanently severing that connection."
"What?!"
"What?!"
"What?!"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King, Xiao Bai, and Yu Si Nuo all exclaimed simultaneously, their voices resonating so powerfully that the air itself trembled.
"Do you understand now, Deep Sea Demon Whale King?" Mu Chen continued. "Even if you devour me, Xiao Bai, and Yu Si Nuo, you'll never complete your transformation. Just when you think you've achieved 99%, another fraction will appear—1 in 1,000, 1 in 10,000, 1 in 100,000. No matter how much you struggle, you will forever remain at the peak of beasts, doomed to eventual death."
The Demon Whale King said nothing.
For countless years, it had believed that reaching 50% godhood was the halfway mark, only to find another fraction appearing before it. Over and over again, it encountered new barriers: 33%, 25%, 20%. It had never understood why it seemed destined to fail—until now.
Hearing Mu Chen's explanation, the Demon Whale King was struck with a sudden clarity. The truth was unbearable—its failure wasn't due to lack of effort but a system stacked against it.
"Despicable humans!" the Demon Whale King roared, its voice shaking the very ocean around them.
The Dragon God had treated humans and all races with fairness, yet the humans had betrayed that trust, waging war for their selfish gains. The bitterness of that betrayal filled the Demon Whale King's heart.
"You treacherous humans! You nearly deceived me," the Demon Whale King growled, its lone eye flashing with cold light.
"You don't believe me?" Mu Chen asked.
"Manipulation and deceit—these are the tactics humans excel at. Let me guess: you're trying to crush my will to ascend so you can defeat me more easily. Am I wrong?" The Demon Whale King sneered.
"I won't deny it," Mu Chen admitted. "Revealing the truth about the Divine Realm's history does serve my purpose. But everything I've told you is fact. And let's face it—you've lived nearly a million years. You've already suspected something was wrong, haven't you?
"Why else would it take you so long to make so little progress? Why else would it feel like ascension is perpetually out of reach?"
The Demon Whale King didn't respond. Mu Chen's words hit too close to home. For nearly a million years, it had been clawing its way toward godhood. Not for a year, not for a century, not even for ten millennia, but for nearly a million years. To hear now that all its efforts were doomed to failure—it was a bitter pill to swallow.
"Still, you cannot deny my words," Mu Chen pressed. "Unlike Xiao Bai and Yu Si Nuo, you are the oldest sea soul beast alive, with far more experience and wisdom. Tell me—haven't you questioned why it's so hard for soul beasts to ascend?"
The Demon Whale King remained silent, deep in thought.
"Have you never wondered why humans, with their fragile bodies, can ascend to godhood in as little as a century, while soul beasts—nature's true children—struggle endlessly?" Mu Chen asked.
The Demon Whale King's gaze flickered.
"Have you never questioned why humans face only the limits of their soul power, while soul beasts must endure endless life-or-death tribulations? Each time you overcome one, another is waiting just ahead. Why this endless cycle?" Mu Chen continued, his voice steady, his words piercing the Demon Whale King's very soul.
The once-sharp glint in the Demon Whale King's eye began to fade, replaced by confusion and doubt. Its proud aura seemed to waver as it mulled over Mu Chen's words.
Was it true? Was the endless cycle of tribulations not a natural law, but a man-made curse? Why was the path for soul beasts so much harsher than for humans?
For the first time in its
nearly million-year-long life, the Demon Whale King felt its will falter.
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