Chapter 180: The Silver Dragon King
Di Tian led Furina and Neuvillette to the shore of the Lake of Life and stopped in his tracks.
"This is the place." He turned to look at the two, his tone calm yet carrying a trace of complexity difficult to detect. "Please wait a moment."
With that, he faced the lake, its surface as smooth and tranquil as a mirror, and knelt on one knee, his posture reverent and deferential:
"Sovereign, I have brought them."
The surface of the lake remained calm, as if nothing had happened. But in the very next second, a female voice—ethereal and clear, yet brimming with dignity and authority—drifted slowly from the depths of the lake:
"Mm. You have done well, Di Tian."
The voice paused, and its tone softened slightly: "No need to kneel. Rise."
"I thank the Sovereign." Only then did Di Tian stand and step aside, lowering his head and standing in solemn silence.
The owner of the voice spoke once more, this time with an added note of unquestionable majesty in her tone:
"Aside from Di Tian, the others are to withdraw first. I wish to speak with this human girl, and the dragon beside her... personally."
"Yes, Sovereign!"
Bear Lord, Bi Ji, Zi Ji, and the other Savage Beasts responded in unison, displaying no dissatisfaction whatsoever—or rather, even if they harbored any, none dared to show it at this moment. One after another, they turned and swiftly retreated from the vicinity of the Lake of Life.
Once all their auras had completely faded away, the originally calm lake surface began to ripple.
At first, there were only faint, gentle undulations. Gradually, the ripples grew denser and more frequent, and the water's surface at the heart of the lake began to bulge upward. A silver figure slowly emerged from the lake's depths.
Silvery-white hair cascaded down like a waterfall. Violet eyes were as deep and profound as the starry cosmos. Her figure was tall, slender, and graceful, her aura coldly elegant and noble. She stood there quietly upon the surface of the lake, her robes stirring without any wind, a faint halo of light enveloping her entire being—beautiful beyond any mortal thing.
Furina recognized her at a single glance—wasn't this the complete form of Gu Yuena from Douluo Dalu 3?
But a thought instantly flashed through her mind: The Silver Dragon King actually dares to appear directly?
Logically, she shouldn't dare reveal her true form right now. What was before her eyes was either a portion of her spiritual body or a projection she had condensed.
The Silver Dragon King's gaze first fell upon Neuvillette, lingering for a moment, before shifting to Furina. Those violet eyes were as deep as the abyss, as if they could see through all falsehood and illusion.
Furina did not shrink back. Instead, she stepped forward, offered a slight bow in greeting, and wore an easy, composed smile on her face:
"Greetings to you, Silver Dragon King. I am the Pope of the Church of the Water God—and the Water God herself—Furina. We meet for the first time; please guide me kindly."
She turned sideways and gestured toward Neuvillette beside her, introducing him: "This is my Water God Church's Water God Envoy, Neuvillette. The Water Dragon King among the Seven Elemental Dragon Kings, holding the authority of the Water Dragon. Naturally, not one of those Elemental Dragon Kings you know."
Neuvillette inclined his head slightly, his bearing elegant and aloof: "My respects, Your Excellency. I am merely accompanying Lady Furina in the capacity of a bodyguard and am not responsible for specific matters."
The Silver Dragon King nodded slightly. She had long since taken in the entirety of Furina's exchange with Di Tian and the others through her First-Class Deity-level spiritual power and naturally understood Neuvillette's role.
She slowly parted her lips, her voice ethereal and cool, yet carrying an authority not to be ignored: "Speak, little girl."
Her gaze slowly swept over Furina, as if able to see through all her secrets:
"You carry the aura of the Goddess of Life upon you, as well as the aura of a Water God. Your own aura is also very strange... not like that of a pure human. What exactly have you come to me for?"
Furina inwardly sighed in admiration: Truly sharp.
She smiled calmly. She liked this straightforward style. All those winding, convoluted, scheming theatrics were far too tiring and far too much of a waste of time.
She took a step forward, raising her head to look directly into the Silver Dragon King's violet eyes, confident and forthright:
"Have I not already said? I have come only for the sake of cooperation."
"Cooperation?" The corner of the Silver Dragon King's lips curved up faintly, but that smile carried a hint of coldness. "There are many kinds of cooperation. Which one are you speaking of?"
She paused, and her tone suddenly sharpened:
"Furthermore—this cooperation you speak of—is it you yourself who wishes to cooperate with me, or the two gods behind you? Is it that true Water God of yours? Or is it... the Goddess of Life, one of the five great God Kings of the Divine Realm?"
When she uttered the three words "Goddess of Life," her tone clearly grew heavier, and a complex glint flickered through her eyes.
There was wariness, vigilance, and a trace of deeply buried hatred.
Furina's heart tightened.
She understood the Silver Dragon King's wariness toward the Goddess of Life. Although the Goddess of Life was not adept at combat, no matter what, she was still an existence at the God King level. Not to mention, her husband was the God of Destruction, a God King second in strength only to the Asura God.
The Silver Dragon King's distrust of her was only to be expected.
Furina shook her head, her tone resolute: "Not them. The latter two are, for the time being, unaware of this matter. It is only myself who wishes to cooperate with you."
She looked straight into the Silver Dragon King's eyes and enunciated every word clearly: "Are you truly content to remain within the Lake of Life, quietly nursing your wounds, watching the territory of your soul beast tribes shrink smaller and smaller, watching them gradually die out, watching the Divine Realm grow stronger and stronger, while you yourself can do nothing at all?"
These words, like a sharp blade, pierced straight into the very bottom of the Silver Dragon King's heart.
The Silver Dragon King fell silent.
Within those violet eyes, complex emotions churned—anger, unwillingness, suppressed endurance.
A moment later, she let out a cold snort, but her tone was no longer as sharp as before: "Hmph! You speak of cooperation, and so I should cooperate? On what grounds should I trust you? And what bargaining chips do you possess that could move me?"
She lifted her chin slightly, a touch of haughtiness in her tone: "Just because you know of my existence? Know that I am recuperating in the Lake of Life? Know the matters of the Dragon God?"
Furina smiled.
That smile was unhurried and completely at ease, carrying the confidence of one who held everything within her grasp: "No, of course not. How could I possibly come to negotiate with you using such meager bargaining chips?"
She paused, then enunciated each word, clear and forceful: "The bargaining chip I intend to use—is the Golden Dragon King."
The Silver Dragon King's body went rigid in an instant.
Her eyes widened, and that perpetually calm, unruffled countenance finally showed cracks.
She drew a deep breath, struggling to restore her composure, but the hint of urgency in her voice betrayed her: "The Golden Dragon King? You know where he is?"
The corner of Furina's lips curved upward, her smile deepening:
"Of course I know. In the Divine Realm."
She looked directly into the Silver Dragon King's faintly trembling violet eyes, her voice soft yet brooking no doubt: "Cooperate with me, and I can take you to the Divine Realm. I will also help you deal with the Golden Dragon King."
"What do you think...?"
The lake surface remained tranquil. A gentle breeze brushed past, stirring layers of fine, fragmented ripples.
The Silver Dragon King was silent. Those violet eyes gazed deeply at Furina, as though trying to see through her entire being.
After a long, long while, she finally spoke slowly:
"...You have quite the nerve."