Chapter 169: Negotiations (2)

When Su Chen heard Danba’s reply, he shook his head slightly. “That’s where you’re wrong. In theory, wiping out the Ferocious Race and taking over their territory to increase our own strength is possible, but that increase in strength is merely one of numbers; there’s no actual step up in quality. The Ferocious Race isn’t like the human race; you guys have innately powerful physiques and are the most fearless warriors, and even the Cliff Race is inferior. No matter how hard humans cultivate, we will always be inferior to you. This is a difference in fundamental life force quality that is impossible to make up with just a bit of cultivation. Fusing a human’s strength with that of a Ferocious Race individual at the same level is much better than combining two humans or two Ferocious Race individuals who are of roughly equal strength. I don’t need to explain this principle to you, right?”

Danba froze once again.

Every race had their own unique characteristics and irreplaceable attributes. The Intelligent Races relied heavily on their alliance and combination of strengths to drive back the Beast Race.

This was because no single Intelligent Races would be enough to handle the Beast Race.

Su Chen’s words weren’t illogical, but Danba still shook his head. “I admit that you are correct, but I also know that generosity is just a dazzling outer garment. Unless the entire continent is under the Beast Race’s assault, humanity will not be this generous to the Ferocious Race. Given that the Desolate Beasts are all currently hibernating, a Beast Wave of that size will most likely not appear for some time. As such, there is no basis for an alliance between the human race and the Ferocious Race given that humanity wouldn’t ally with the Ferocious Race merely to attack the Beast Race.”

“Why not?” Su Chen countered. “We didn’t in the past because we weren’t strong enough. But if in the future we do reach that point, what reason would we have not to counterattack?”

“Unfortunately, by the time that day comes, the Ferocious Race will probably have been wiped out by you, right? You think that the best outcome for us is to become humanity’s slaves,” Danba chuckled coldly.

Not everyone could harvest the fruits of victory in this kind of age.

The strength of humanity would never be easy for the Ferocious Race to deal with. That was the simple truth, and it wasn’t something that Su Chen could cover up with a glib tongue.

Even though the threat of the Beast Race was limited right now, Danba wouldn’t even think about challenging their dominant position because he knew that he would not be the one to reap the rewards.

In stark contrast, as the person who had invented all these new techniques, Su Chen craved this kind of a challenge because he was someone fated to stand at the very top, receiving worshipful gazes from all those around him.

Under these conditions, the negotiations between the two of them had no foundation to speak of. Nothing would come of talking and diplomacy no matter how much Su Chen tried to spin it.

Of course, if Su Chen were to admit defeat so easily, then he wouldn’t be Su Chen.

He said with a slight smile, “Then what if I add on another reason?”

“What?”

“That even if I give the Ferocious Race the ability to cultivate Origin Energy, I am still confident that the Ferocious Race won’t be able to surpass the strength of the human race,” Su Chen said.

Su Chen had given out a very simple reason. He was saying that although he wouldn’t allow the Ferocious Race to be stronger than the human race, it was fine to hand out limited strength boosters as long as that balance was maintained.

For instance, once Su Chen opened the way to reach the Light Shaking Realm without a bloodline, he could modify the technique for reaching the Qi Drawing Realm without a bloodline to suit the Ferocious Race. Even though the Ferocious Race would be able to cultivate to a higher realm, they still wouldn’t be stronger than the human race.

If it all took place like how Su Chen had described, it was actually quite likely to become reality.

“But what would be the point of that?” Danba asked.

Yes, what would be the point of that? The Ferocious Race still wouldn’t be the human race’s opponent in the end. So what if they were able to obtain a powerful cultivation technique?

If that was the case, it was better just to kill Su Chen right now and preserve the current status quo.

Su Chen replied, “Under normal circumstances, it wouldn’t have any point. But if you can’t kill me, then it suddenly holds immense meaning, doesn’t it?”

Danba’s expression grew serious.

Of course he understood what Su Chen meant.

If Su Chen used this as a bargaining chip to escape, then there wouldn’t have been any point. After all, as long as Danba killed his opponent, then everything Su Chen was saying would become meaningless.

But what if everything that Su Chen was telling him now wasn’t meant to negotiate safe passage in the first place?

If Su Chen could leave whenever he wanted and the Ferocious Race wasn’t able to do anything to him, then would the cultivation technique designed for the Ferocious Race still have any meaning?

Of course it would!

It would have tremendous implications!

If an opponent’s strength started suddenly increasing by leaps and bounds, you had no choice but to chase after them as hard as you could, even if you had to pay a tremendous price, even if you couldn’t ever catch up to that opponent.

You still needed to chase!

Even if it was just to prevent the gap from increasing even more, it still had meaning.

By increasing their own strength, they could decrease the difference in strength between the two groups. By making themselves more powerful, they would have more authority amongst the other races, and they might even change their relationship with the Spirit Race from being bullied to being the bully.

When you had no way of finding and exploiting an opponent’s weakness, submitting and receiving help from that opponent to spank another was a completely viable strategy.

If you couldn’t be the boss, then you might as well be the second-in-command.

The Ferocious Race were very brave, but they weren’t completely rigid in their thinking. They had been slaves of both the Beast Race and the Arcana Race in the past. Beneath their rabid dog-like courage and fierceness lay a “henchman” attitude that every good dog had.

As such, this was a strategy that they could execute.

Danba stared fiercely at Su Chen. “You have that much confidence that you can escape?”

Su Chen nodded. “Why don’t we use this opportunity to make an agreement?”

“What do you want to make an agreement about?”

Su Chen was just about to reply when Danba suddenly waved his right arm. “Attack!”

Whoosh!

Flying axes filled the air.

In that instant, countless Ferocious Race soldier threw their axes into the sky at Su Chen. There were so many axes flying through the air that their combined mass covered the sun and cast a shadow on the ground. The razor-sharp axes whistled as they flew, cutting through the air itself.

No one had expected Danba to suddenly attack at this moment. Shi Mingfeng’s expression changed drastically. “No!”

Danba stared intently at Su Chen.

Didn’t you say that you were confident in being able to safely leave?

Then let me see your abilities.

Clatter.

The sound of a crystal shattering could be heard.

As the axes collided with Su Chen, He Xu, and Night Demon, they seemed to strike stone statues. Their figures began to crack and eventually shattered into tens of thousands of crystal fragments which brilliantly refracted the sunlight.

“How unfortunate for my Mica Crystals,” said Su Chen as his voice floated through the air like a ghost’s. “Danba, you have not disappointed me.”

The voice seemed detached from a physical source.

“Where are you?” Danba howled.

Su Chen’s voice continued to float through the air. “As repayment for attacking me, Danba, I have left you a gift. I hope that you like it. Don’t you want to know how I am going to leave? I’ll show you right now; make sure to keep your eyes peeled.”

As he spoke, the pool of mud suddenly started boiling again, and the vortex reappeared.

“Flowerless Door?” Danba was stunned.

What did this mean?

At that moment, a few streaks shot through the air towards the Flowerless Door. It was Su Chen, He Xu, Night Demon, the white paper doll, and Shi Mingfeng. They were on a direct collision course with the door.

Were they trying to commit suicide?

Danba didn’t dare believe his eyes.

An instant later, the five figures disappeared through the Flowerless Door.

This time, however, no massive tentacle appeared from the Flowerless Door. Instead, the surface remained a calm, deep blue color with nary a ripple marring its surface.

As the five figures flashed through the Flowerless Door, it shattered, causing a sky-blue wave to spread through the pool.

An enraged howl followed the spread of this wave. “Su Chen, don’t run!”

A black hurricane blew in abruptly following this enraged howl.

“Demonic Lord? Damn!” Danba’s expression sank. He knew that he was in trouble now.