Who knows how much time had passed?
Shen Hanyu slowly regained consciousness. Earlier, to clearly perceive the current peak level of his spiritual power, he had fallen into a semi-deep meditation.
To be able to remain so calm and composed in this kind of environment caused the trembling Tianmeng Ice Silkworm in his spiritual sea to nearly jump out in shock.
Comparing the way the two of them handled the situation, Tianmeng suspected for the first time that he might be a little too cowardly.
The Ice and Fire Dragon Kings discussed for less than half an hour before seemingly concluding, but they did not disturb Shen Hanyu and only gazed at him thoughtfully, lost in their own thoughts.
Just as Shen Hanyu had said, the two of them were already at the end of their strength. Although protected and sustained by the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, their dragon souls were only supported by remnants of divine consciousness. If they continued this endless slumber, they would have at most ten thousand years left.
Ten thousand years was not long for soul beasts; many long-lived soul beasts could sleep for thousands of years at a time, but for humans, it was enough for the world to change beyond recognition. No one knew what the heaven-favored human race might achieve in ten thousand years. The Ice and Fire Dragon Kings dared not gamble on it, nor were they willing to.
They did not fear death, but they could not accept the slow extinction of the dragon clan, or even the entire soul beast race. This was the conviction they had held as kings; even if they perished completely, they would strive for a sliver of hope and future for their kind.
And now, Shen Hanyu, this anomaly had appeared. In him, they saw a faint glimmer of hope.
They had seen gods who ascended from lower realms before. Most were the most outstanding talents of their worlds. Especially those who became gods from the Douluo plane, the weakest among them had reached the second-class god level, and some had even become first-class primary gods in the God Realm, second only to the five God Kings.
Every one of them had been astonishingly brilliant, yet compared to the Shen Hanyu before them, they were still lacking in both ideas and cultivation speed.
When Shen Hanyu awoke, this was the scene he saw.
The Ice and Fire Dragon Kings were looking at him solemnly, their hollow eyes filled with vitality, as if they had returned to the days when they followed the Dragon God in the God Realm, full of pride and vigor.
Shen Hanyu exhaled a breath of turbid air, slowly stood up, and said with a smile:
"It seems the two seniors have made a decision. So, can this junior's proposal be accepted by the two seniors…?"
The massive dragon heads of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings lowered. The Ice Dragon King spoke first:
"Human boy, Old Fire and I each have one question for you. If your answers satisfy us, then why not gamble once more with these broken bodies of ours?"
Shen Hanyu nodded and said:
"Please ask, seniors."
The two Dragon Kings exchanged a glance, and the Fire Dragon King spoke first:
"Boy, this king has lived for countless years and seen countless humans, some despicable, some noble and kind beyond measure. This king has only one question: if one day this world faces an unavoidable catastrophe, will you choose to do everything in your power to save all living beings, or will you choose to abandon them for the sake of the people and things you care about…?"
Shen Hanyu was silent for a moment, then said firmly:
"Saving all living beings under heaven has never been the duty of a single person. I will not abandon my own interests to save beings unrelated to me, nor will I shoulder this so-called responsibility in any way. If necessary, I will personally turn them into nutrients for my growth and end their suffering early."
The Fire Dragon King also fell silent for a moment, then burst into wild laughter. A savage light appeared in his eyes as he roared:
"You are like those people, yet far madder than they. Only someone like you is qualified to reach the pinnacle of this world, far better than those sanctimonious hypocrites. Boy, though your words are harsh, they suit my taste perfectly. You have guts."
Shen Hanyu remained silent and did not speak, his gaze turning to the Ice Dragon King, awaiting the next question.
The Ice Dragon King studied Shen Hanyu's expression, trying to find any flaw. Unfortunately, nothing in Shen Hanyu's demeanor revealed the slightest hint of falsehood.
Not finding what he had expected, a trace of surprise flashed in the Ice Dragon King's eyes, but he quickly spoke:
"You are a human who surprises me greatly. I must say, you are very much like her. My only question is: what do you seek to become a god for?"
A trace of madness flashed in Shen Hanyu's eyes. Without any hesitation, he said:
"For control and absolute freedom. I do not wish to be controlled by others, so I will climb as high as I can, to control everyone, to create a world, even if false, that is completely to my liking."
After a pause, Shen Hanyu continued:
"Humans have always been complex creatures, and I am no exception. My thoughts are influenced by others; I may even change myself for certain people. I cannot go against the instincts of living beings, nor resist the endless desires within my heart, nor escape the longing for immortality and happiness. I am a person both complicated and simple—many times, taking the next step is my only goal."
The Ice Dragon King nodded, then slowly raised his head and closed his massive dragon eyes. A voice that seemed to rise with the wind drifted over, yet it shook the ears like thunder:
"Boy, though our positions differ and our pursuits are not the same, I hope you reach the very end. You are excellent. Though I am reluctant to admit it, you are still the best choice for Old Fire and me… I rather look forward to seeing how you will deal with those gods who sit high above…"
As the words fell, the dragon souls of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings vanished instantly. On the silent and enormous dragon corpses, one blue and one red light suddenly flared. The left and right arm bones radiating powerful energy fluctuations flew directly toward Shen Hanyu.
No, to be precise, they crashed toward him.
The speed at which these two soul bones flew was faster than even some agility-attack system Spirit Saints using their Spirit Avatar, like two meteors streaking through the atmosphere…
Shen Hanyu's left arm had already fused with the ten-thousand-year Mysterious Sea Glass Beast soul bone, something he had once greatly regretted. The Fire Dragon King seemed to have noticed this as well.
Before Shen Hanyu could react, a pain that seemed to come from the very soul nearly made him cry out.
Looking down, his original left arm had been torn apart and burned to ashes. Blood flowed freely as if it cost nothing, the bones at the severed stump clearly visible. The ten-thousand-year-old left arm bone lay on the ground, still clinging to scraps of flesh and blood. The scene was momentarily gruesome…
The Fire Dragon King's mocking voice came from above, carrying deep indifference:
"Boy, don't think absorbing divine soul bones is some casual matter. The little pain of a severed arm isn't even an appetizer. This king was merely reminding you; there's much more for you to enjoy later…"
The corner of Shen Hanyu's mouth twitched, but he still said:
"Then this junior must thank Senior Fire Dragon King…"
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