"If I were to hunt a 100,000-year-old Soul Beast solely for a Soul Bone, it would be a devastating loss for your side as well," Lin Mu said calmly.
He wasn't concerned with the Soul Beast's well-being; he simply didn't want to waste the potential of such a creature.
Generally, a 100,000-year-old Soul Ring is more valuable than the soul bone itself, and hunting one wouldn't even guarantee him the specific left leg Soul Bone he required. Wasting several 100,000-year-old Soul Beasts just to find one specific bone was an inefficiency he couldn't accept.
Bi Ji's eyes were filled with deep skepticism. She didn't believe for a second that this man cared about the lives of her kind; the two clansmen who had been taken previously had indirectly led to the deaths of countless others.
"What exactly do you want?" Di Tian asked directly, cutting through the tension.
"A 100,000-year-old left leg Soul Bone." After a brief pause, Lin Mu stepped forward and offered a promise: "If you can provide a 100,000-year-old left leg Soul Bone with compatible attributes, I guarantee I will no longer hunt Soul Beasts for their soul bones."
Bi Ji was stunned. How could a human be so shameless? First, he had killed her kin, then the Scarlet King, then the Bear Lord, and now he had the audacity to demand a 100,000-year-old soul bone. It was outrageous! Even with her gentle nature, her chest heaved with suppressed fury.
"Di Tian, we cannot agree to this," Bi Ji urged. "We must eliminate him now, or he will inevitably threaten the very survival of the Soul Beast race."
Lin Mu completely ignored her glare, his eyes fixed on Di Tian. Since the Golden Eyed Black Dragon King hadn't attacked yet, it confirmed Lin Mu's suspicion: Di Tian had deliberately allowed the Bear Lord to be sold out.
After a long silence, Di Tian spoke slowly. "How can you be so certain I possess such a thing? A 100,000-year-old Soul Bone is of no use to me."
"If you didn't have it, I wouldn't have bothered coming this far," Lin Mu replied without hesitation. He was testing Di Tian's limits as much as he was searching for the soul bone.
"I know your kind has nothing but ill intentions," Bi Ji spat, her gaze hostile. "You humans hunt relentlessly for your own selfish gains. As long as people like you exist, peace is impossible."
Lin Mu remained entirely unfazed, retorting with cold logic: "Killing is killing. It is only natural for Soul Masters to hunt Soul Beasts. Haven't your kind slaughtered humans for food or sport? Stop being so childish."
Even Di Tian was momentarily taken aback by the bluntness, and Bi Ji found herself unable to offer a rebuttal. She had expected an excuse or an apology, but instead, he showed no remorse, perhaps even a hint of pride.
After a moment, Bi Ji regained her voice. "Our Emerald Swan clan has never provoked humans. What right did you have to attack my people?"
"It's simple," Lin Mu replied, silencing her with one sentence: "Kindness to the enemy is cruelty to oneself. Even if your clan is inherently 'kind,' by healing other Soul Beasts, you are indirectly harming humans by keeping their enemies strong."
Bi Ji stood frozen. She had always dreamed of coexistence, but Lin Mu's perspective made her feel like a hypocrite. Lin Mu didn't add that, from a long-term developmental standpoint, the Emerald Swan clan was actually a necessary part of the ecosystem.
Seeing Bi Ji beginning to doubt her own path, Di Tian interrupted. "I can give you a 100,000-year-old Soul Bone, but on one condition."
"Tell me first. If the price is too high, I'll stick to hunting."
"I require a portion of your Soul Power." Di Tian produced a mysterious, prismatic crystal, an energy storage device of unknown origin.
Lin Mu frowned. His Soul Power was potent, but not a unique treasure. Fearing a trap, he decisively refused. "Forget it. I'd rather take my chances in the forest."
"Do not be so hasty," Di Tian countered, dropping a bombshell. "The left leg Soul Bone I have is no ordinary 100,000-year-old piece. Its quality far surpasses that of Xiong Jun's."
Lin Mu's interest piqued. If it surpassed the Bear Lord's Dreadclaw bone, it was almost certainly a True Dragon Soul Bone. However, the fact that Di Tian would trade such a treasure for mere Soul Power was suspicious.
Bi Ji was equally confused. Why would Di Tian want a human's energy?
After weighing the risks, Lin Mu held out his hand for the crystal. Di Tian tossed it over. Lin Mu inspected it carefully; it seemed to be a simple storage vessel. Having condensed two Soul Cores, his reserves were massive. Giving away a portion wouldn't leave him vulnerable for his exit from the forest.
"I will provide the soul power," Lin Mu said firmly, "but only after I have the bone in my hand."
"No problem," Di Tian agreed instantly, tossing a radiant Soul Bone toward him.
Lin Mu caught it, his suspicion deepening. 'He was carrying this with him... did he anticipate I would come?' A chill ran down his spine.
To confirm his theory, he began channeling his Soul Power into the crystal while asking: "Last time, did you deliberately lead Xiong Jun to me and then abandon him?"
Bi Ji's expression changed drastically, her eyes wide with disbelief as she looked at Di Tian. She didn't want to believe it, but the Bear Lord's death had always felt strangely avoidable.
Di Tian remained expressionless. "For the survival of the Soul Beast race, sacrifices must be made."
Lin Mu wasn't surprised. To Di Tian, the Silver Dragon King and the Soul Beast race came first; comrades were secondary.
"The deal is done. I'm leaving," Lin Mu said. He returned the crystal and vanished into the trees without even pausing to inspect the soul bone.
Shortly after Lin Mu's departure, a silver-black figure shimmered into existence beside Di Tian. Di Tian handed over the prismatic crystal with the utmost reverence.
"Senior," Di Tian asked, his voice full of respect. "With your vast power, why can you not heal the Master directly? Why go through such trouble for the Soul Power of a human?"