"Because… I seek revenge!" The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's voice boomed, seething with boundless fury.
"Revenge?" Mu Chen murmured, narrowing his eyes.
"Yes," the Demon Whale King growled, its single eye blazing with grief and hatred. "My father, my mother, my grandparents, even my kin—all of them were soul beasts who had surpassed 100,000 years. My mother alone reached 300,000 years, but my father, my grandparents… they all perished when they tried to survive their 200,000-year tribulation.
"Some transformed into human form out of desperation, seeking to escape the ordeal, but they were hunted down by soul masters. Others simply withered away, unable to endure. My mother, out of her love for me, gave up the opportunity to transform into human form. Instead, she tried to break through her 400,000-year tribulation—and died.
"Her death is etched into my memory. The cries of my kin as they fell, one after another… they haunt me. Do you think I want to live alone? I isolated myself in this ocean to escape the agony of watching my descendants die, unable to surpass their limits."
The Demon Whale King's massive body trembled slightly as it continued. "Many of my kin could have become Beast Gods. They could have lived, they could have ruled alongside me. But no! Because of the selfish human gods, we were torn apart forever.
"I should have had a family, a happy life. Everything was taken from me by them!"
The waves around the Demon Whale King roared violently as its emotions surged. "I hate them! I hate the human gods! If what you say is true, Mu Chen, then swear to me! Swear on your Martial Soul that when you ascend to the Divine Realm, you will restore the path for soul beasts. Give us back what was stolen!"
Mu Chen remained silent, conflicted.
To agree to the Demon Whale King's condition was to declare war on the gods of the Divine Realm. Restoring the path for soul beasts would disrupt the current order and challenge the interests of powerful human deities.
The Demon Whale King's voice broke through Mu Chen's hesitation. "Human, don't be foolish. You are powerful, but you are not yet a god. If I decide to flee, no matter how strong you are, you will never catch me. And without my death, you will fail your Eighth Trial. Is that what you want?"
Mu Chen clenched his fists. Deep down, he knew the Demon Whale King was right. This was its territory—the vast, endless ocean. If the Demon Whale King abandoned the fight and chose to hide, Mu Chen's current strength would not be enough to track it down.
"Fine." Mu Chen exhaled deeply, his expression resolute. "I, Mu Chen, swear on my Martial Soul, Chaos Sword, that when I ascend to the Divine Realm, I will dedicate myself to restoring the path for soul beasts to ascend as gods."
"Thank you," the Demon Whale King said, its voice unexpectedly soft.
"Don't thank me," Mu Chen replied. "We're just… trading favors."
The Demon Whale King turned to Xiao Bai, the Demon Shark Queen. "After my sacrifice, my corpse will be yours. Do not waste it."
"Understood," Xiao Bai said solemnly.
The Demon Whale King let out a low rumble, almost like a sigh. "To think that after striving my entire life, I would fall to this. But so be it. Let my death serve as my final act for the sea."
Suddenly, a soft golden light appeared at the center of the Demon Whale King's brow.
"Sacrifice…"
The word echoed through the minds of all present. Xiao Bai, Yu Si Nuo, and even the distant figures of Xiao Wu, Hu Liena, and Zi Zhenzhu watched in shock as the Demon Whale King's immense power began to gather.
The golden light grew brighter, its radiance spilling across the ocean. It bathed Mu Chen's Chaos Wings in its glow, and tendrils of energy split off, drifting toward Xiao Wu, Hu Liena, and Zi Zhenzhu.
"Brother?"
"Mu Chen?"
"Dear?"
The three women stared in astonishment as the golden energy entered their bodies, their soul power rising rapidly.
Mu Chen glanced briefly at the Demon Whale King, whose gaze seemed softened, almost nostalgic. It was strange, seeing such humanity in the eye of a creature who had ruled the seas for a million years.
"Even though it hates humans," Mu Chen thought, "it sees the greater good in helping us now."
The power surged for nearly ten minutes. By the end, the ocean had turned golden, its glow visible for hundreds of miles. The Demon Whale King's body, once brimming with unimaginable power, now looked frail—like an ancient, withering titan.
"Mu Chen," the Demon Whale King spoke, its voice weaker now. "Your soul power has reached Rank 99—the limit of this world. But without becoming a god, you cannot surpass this boundary or obtain your tenth soul ring. My soul ring… cannot go to waste."
"You have a solution?" Mu Chen asked, his brows furrowing.
"Yes," the Demon Whale King replied. "I am not merely a soul beast—I am a half-god. Watch."
With that, the golden light around the Demon Whale King's body condensed and began to coalesce into a singular form. Slowly, the light shrank, becoming more and more compact, until it took the shape of a golden core—a divine beast's inner pill.
Mu Chen stared, stunned. "An… inner pill?"
"Take it," the Demon Whale King rasped, its massive eye beginning to dim. "With this, you will have a 99-year soul ring, and more."
The golden core floated toward Mu Chen, glowing softly. The Demon Whale King's body finally went still.
"Farewell… my family… my kin. I am coming…"
With those final words, the great king of the seas was gone.
Xiao Bai swam forward, her tone reverent. "You may not understand, Mu Chen, but the Deep Sea Demon Whale King was more than a ruler. He was the King of the Ocean, the leader who united us all. He fought for our survival against humanity's greed, and he sacrificed everything to give us hope for the future."
"His legacy will not be forgotten," Mu Chen murmured.
"Do you know why his eye was blind?" Xiao Bai asked suddenly.
"Wasn't it pierced by the Seagod?" Mu Chen asked, puzzled.
"That is only part of the truth," Xiao Bai said. "When the Seagod first ascended, many sea soul beasts resisted, unwilling to be ruled by a human. The Deep Sea Demon Whale King led us in rebellion. His eye was blinded as a warning to all who opposed the Seagod's rule."
Mu Chen's expression turned solemn.
"The other sea kings—like me—can only claim titles attached to our species. But he was called Deep Sea Demon Whale King, a title that symbolized the recognition of all sea soul beasts. H
e was our leader, our king.
"And even in death, he remains the eternal King of the Sea."
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