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The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's voice, filled with humiliation and despair, had barely uttered the words "sacrifice" when Xuan Ming, without the slightest hesitation, nodded slightly to Zi Ji.
Zi Ji understood. Although she was still awed by Xuan Ming's methods, she immediately released the small, light-blue demon whale from its confinement.
The little demon whale, now free, let out a frightened whimper and instinctively fled behind the Deep Sea Demon Whale King to hide.
"Child!" The Deep Sea Demon Whale King saw its young released, and a look of disbelief flashed in its single eye. He abruptly looked at Xuan Ming, his voice hoarse and low, "You… you just let it go? Aren't you afraid this emperor will go back on his word?!"
He had originally thought that the other party would tightly control his child until he completed the sacrifice, or perhaps never release it at all!
Xuan Ming floated in place, his ice-blue eyes calm and unmoving.
"Go back on your word? You can try."
"Even if you go back on your word now and fight me to the death, or even by chance defeat me or escape, do you think your underage child can survive in this cruel ocean after your death?"
Xuan Ming's gaze swept over the small demon whale, whose eyes were filled with terror:
"You have dominated the seas for hundreds of thousands of years, growing by devouring others. How many enemies have you made? In the past, they feared your power, daring not to speak their anger. Once the news of your demise spreads, how will those sea Spirit Beasts, who were oppressed by you and your clan, and whose kin were devoured, treat your only offspring?"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's single eye contracted violently, and his massive body trembled slightly.
He knew better than anyone that every word Xuan Ming spoke was the truth!
His existence was a deterrent.
If he died, his clan, his descendants, would surely face utter disaster!
Those enemies hidden throughout the deep sea would swarm like sharks sensing blood!
Xuan Ming continued, his tone still calm: "As for your wife… if she senses your death, to save your child, she will inevitably rush back from her hiding place regardless of the cost. At that time, I won't even need to expend effort to find her."
He paused, looking at the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's single eye, which had completely lost its luster.
"So, whether I release it or not, it makes no difference to me. Going back on your word will only make your whole family die faster and more tragically."
"Now," Xuan Ming's voice carried a sense of ultimatum, "make the choice you truly won't regret. Will you fulfill your promise and sacrifice yourself to me, gambling on a future for your family? Or will you choose… to let hatred and destruction descend immediately?"
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King completely collapsed, his last shred of resistance crushed by this utterly cold reality.
His enormous head drooped weakly onto the sea surface, letting out a long, sorrowful sigh, filled with endless weariness and resignation.
"Human… you… are ruthless…"
He no longer even had the strength to be angry.
This human… was too terrifying. He not only possessed terrifying power and strange methods, but also a cruel mind that could see through people's hearts and control the overall situation!
He wasn't afraid of him going back on his word because he had already calculated all the consequences! He… had no choice at all.
Snow Empress and Ice Empress floated behind Gu Yuena, taking in everything that had just happened.
They watched Xuan Ming's calm, almost indifferent profile, watched him casually release the young whale, and watched him speak the cruelest words in the calmest tone, completely breaking the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's last psychological defense… The shock and complexity in the two women's eyes grew even more intense.
They suddenly realized that their previous judgment of Xuan Ming as "despicable" seemed somewhat one-sided.
He was not simply despicable or unscrupulous.
He was… absolutely rational and ruthless!
All his actions were based on the most effective logic to achieve his goals.
Capturing the young was to create an opportunity for negotiation, releasing the young was to reduce unnecessary trouble and potential backlash, and pointing out the consequences was to completely eliminate the possibility of the other party going back on their word.
He had no superfluous emotions, no cruel pleasure in slaughter, and no false benevolence.
Only precise calculation and ruthless execution.
This almost absolute control and precise strike at the human heart, more than mere power suppression, made the Snow Empress and Ice Empress, who were accustomed to straightforwardness and valuing strength, feel a chill from the bottom of their hearts.
But at the same time, they also had to admit that this method… was terrifyingly efficient.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King's huge single eye finally took a deep look at the young whale still trembling behind him, his eyes filled with reluctance and sorrow.
He knew this was the final farewell.
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King raised his head, his gaze passing over Xuan Ming and landing on Di Tian, his voice hoarse and heavy: "Di Tian… This emperor can sacrifice… but this emperor doesn't trust this human! This emperor wants you to swear by your name as the Beast God! Within your capabilities, protect my child to grow up safely! Otherwise… this emperor would rather perish body and soul than let him succeed!"
He didn't believe Xuan Ming's promise, but he knew that Di Tian, as the Beast God, highly valued promises and dignity.
This was the last, and perhaps only, insurance he could secure for his child.
Di Tian's golden dragon eyes gazed at the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, then glanced at the expressionless Xuan Ming, remaining silent for a moment.
He understood the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's despair and unwillingness.
Finally, he slowly nodded, his voice deep and solemn: "Good. I, Di Tian, swear by the name of the Beast God, that after your sacrifice, as long as I still exist, I will do my best to protect your offspring, ensuring it is not bullied or slaughtered until it has the power to protect itself."
Having received Di Tian's promise, the Deep Sea Demon Whale King seemed to finally shed his last heavy burden. His massive body relaxed, and a hint of relief flashed in his single eye.
He gently nudged the young whale with his snout one last time, letting out a low, comforting whimper, then resolutely turned to Xuan Ming, and the deep purple sacrificial flames began to rise again.
However, just as the sacrifice was about to officially begin, Xuan Ming suddenly spoke:
"Wait."
The Deep Sea Demon Whale King froze, the sacrificial flames flickered slightly, and his single eye looked at Xuan Ming in confusion.
In Xuan Ming's ice-blue eyes, a hint of… fighting intent was now burning?
"Before the sacrifice," Xuan Ming slowly raised the Blood Spear in his hand, and the dark red Slaughter Domain slowly rotated around him, "first, fight me."
Not only the Deep Sea Demon Whale King, but even Gu Yuena, Di Tian, Snow Empress, and the others were startled.
Xuan Ming continued, his tone calm but undeniable: "I want to test how strong I am now."
His gaze swept over his Blood Spear, feeling the mental force of half-step divine consciousness within him, the evolved Slaughter Domain, and the deeper Colorless Domain.
"Others aren't quite suitable, but you, you're perfect."
A hint of astonishment first flashed in the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's huge single eye, immediately replaced by a long-suppressed fury!
This human not only forced him to sacrifice, but also wanted to use him as a tool to test his strength before his death?!
What an utter humiliation!
But in an instant, this fury transformed into a ferocious delight!
"Good! Good! Good!" The Deep Sea Demon Whale King repeated "good" three times, his voice filled with bitter hatred and madness, "Human! Since you seek death, this emperor will grant it to you! Even if I must die today, this emperor will make you taste what true despair is!"
Xuan Ming paid no attention to this, turning to Gu Yuena and the others and saying, "You all, step back."
Gu Yuena gave Xuan Ming a deep look, asked no further questions, and her silver-purple figure was the first to float backward.
Di Tian, Zi Ji, and the others immediately followed.
Snow Empress and Ice Empress exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes, but they also retreated as instructed, leaving the vast sea to the confronting man and whale.
They also wanted to see what kind of combat power Xuan Ming, who had absorbed the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's million-year spirit ring and whose mental force had reached the half-step divine consciousness realm, could unleash! Could he contend with this nearly million-year-old overlord of the ocean!
Once everyone had retreated to a safe distance, Xuan Ming stopped with the pleasantries.
With a thought, the ice fire divine crown on his forehead glowed!
There was no earth-shattering commotion, he simply took a step forward very calmly, while pressing his left hand down—
Extreme Ice · Absolute Freeze!
Buzz—!
An indescribable, ultimate chill, centered on Xuan Ming, erupted silently and suddenly! It was not ordinary low temperature, but an absolute zero that seemed to freeze even rules, even time!
Crack crack crack—!!!
Starting from Xuan Ming's feet, the sea surface for several kilometers in radius, along with the seawater thousands of meters deep below, instantly transformed into an enormous, crystal-clear, absolutely frozen Domain, harder than ten-thousand-year profound ice, within one-hundredth of a second!
The originally turbulent sea surface now became as flat and still as a mirror! Under the sunlight, it reflected a chilling gleam!
Even the Deep Sea Demon Whale King's massive, mountain-like body had its lower half firmly frozen within the colossal ice block by this sudden and terrifying freeze!
His power to stir the ocean was instantly suppressed in the face of this absolute freezing law!
"What?!" The Deep Sea Demon Whale King let out a roar of horror, his single eye filled with disbelief!
He struggled desperately, but the ice seal was extremely tough, and with his nearly million-year cultivation, he found it difficult to break free for a while!
In the distance, everyone who had retreated changed their expressions!
Snow Empress's ethereal eyes suddenly contracted, and she gasped in a low voice: "This… this power of ice seal…"
As rulers of the Extreme North Land, their control over ice was unparalleled! But at this moment, they could clearly feel that Xuan Ming's power to instantly freeze thousands of meters of ocean—its icy essence, its freezing intensity, its vast scope… was even… superior to theirs!
How was this possible?! He was just a human!
Di Tian and Gu Yuena also had a hint of surprise flash in their eyes.
Xuan Ming's increase in strength far exceeded their expectations!
This mental force of half-step divine consciousness had simply brought about a qualitative change in his control over the elements of heaven and earth!