Xu Tianhao had no intention of paying attention to the noisy Tianmeng Ice Silkworm beside him, turning his gaze toward Electrolux.
"Elder Yi, since you've already sensed the other party's existence, has the other side sensed your presence as well?"
His expression was exceptionally serious, with a hint of imperceptible gravity hidden in his eyes.
The current situation was already complex, and the anomalies surrounding Qiu Hetian were shrouded in mystery.
If Electrolux's existence was exposed prematurely, many of his plans would become ineffective.
After all, Electrolux was currently only a remnant Soul; even with the gold of life constantly nourishing and repairing him, he couldn't withstand excessive consumption.
Hearing this, Electrolux's lips curled into a calm and gentle smile: "That isn't the case. I am currently concealing my presence, so the other party has no way of detecting me."
"However, if I were to rashly use my abilities in front of them, my presence would leak, and it would likely be impossible to hide from them again."
Electrolux was once a Holy Necromancer who had shaken the world.
Even as a remnant Soul, his control over his own presence had long since reached perfection.
As long as he didn't use his abilities, hiding from another remnant Soul was not a difficult task.
Hearing this answer, Xu Tianhao nodded slightly, his heart easing a little.
As long as Electrolux wasn't exposed, there was still room to maneuver.
He thought to himself that although all signs pointed to the remnant Soul inside Qiu Hetian being the long-fallen Rakshasa God Bibi Dong...
But since they were in the dark while the opponent was in the light, this information gap was their greatest advantage.
As long as he held onto this advantage, Xu Tianhao would have more room for manipulation and planning.
Moreover, he had a bold guess in his heart.
If Qiu Hetian's true identity really was Huo Yuhao...
Then everything would be even more interesting.
Given the hardships Huo Yuhao had endured—his mother's tragic death, the cold indifference of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, and the injustices and prejudices of Shrek Academy...
The hatred accumulated in this youth's heart was likely more intense than anyone else's in this world.
His hatred for Shrek and the White Tiger Duke's Mansion had long since seeped into his marrow, becoming an eternal enmity.
If that were truly the case, Xu Tianhao could completely hide behind the scenes and watch coldly.
Using Huo Yuhao's immense hatred for Shrek and the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, he could let both sides check and consume each other.
Meanwhile, he could reap the benefits like a fisherman, achieving his goals without lifting a finger.
This was undoubtedly the most secure and advantageous situation for now.
Thinking of this, a meaningful smile unconsciously played on Xu Tianhao's lips.
He looked at Electrolux and said, "That's enough."
"We remain hidden in the shadows while the opponent is exposed; there will be plenty of time and opportunity in the future to slowly uncover the whole truth."
Electrolux also smiled slightly, his eyes showing approval of Xu Tianhao's strategy, and spoke slowly:
"As fellow remnant Souls, I am now being continuously nourished and repaired by the gold of life, and my Soul power is steadily recovering."
"In this state, I believe I should be a few notches stronger than that tattered remnant Soul of theirs."
He didn't explicitly say he far surpassed the other, yet every word radiated strong confidence.
This undoubtedly put Xu Tianhao's mind at ease.
This also meant that if one day Xu Tianhao had to face Qiu Hetian head-on in a life-and-death struggle...
Electrolux would be fully capable of contending with that Rakshasa God remnant Soul, never falling into a disadvantage or becoming a weakness.
Feeling the confidence and protection provided by Electrolux, a wave of genuine gratitude welled up in Xu Tianhao's heart.
With a tone full of respect, Xu Tianhao said in a deep voice, "With Elder Yi overseeing things, this Disciple naturally has no worries and can act freely."
Just as the two were deep in conversation and planning for the future, the completely ignored Tianmeng Ice Silkworm grew frantic.
His round body wriggled incessantly, his slender silkworm legs gesturing wildly, and his voice, tinged with urgency and anxiety, hurriedly cut in:
"No, Tianhao, don't just talk to each other! Listen to me! I have an absolutely brilliant plan!"
He leaned in close to Xu Tianhao, his round eyes full of pride, and said impatiently:
"Since the Rakshasa God was killed by the Sea God back then, it proves they are sworn enemies!"
"So, if we find a way to capture the Rakshasa God remnant Soul inside Qiu Hetian..."
"...and hand it over to the Sea God, wouldn't we be able to soar to success by latching onto the Sea God's coattails?"
"Then, with a Divinity's protection, we could walk tall across the entire Douluo Continent, and no one would dare provoke us!"
The more the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm spoke, the more excited he became, feeling his plan was perfect. His face was full of self-satisfaction as he waited for praise from Xu Tianhao and Electrolux.
Listening to this plan that the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm thought was brilliant but was actually incredibly naive, Xu Tianhao sighed helplessly.
He reached out and gently pinched the silkworm's chubby, soft cheek, his tone carrying a hint of disappointment.
"Are you stupid? How could you come up with such a whimsical idea?"
Xu Tianhao spoke slowly, analyzing word by word: "Sea God Tang San is a Divinity born on the Douluo Continent who eventually ascended."
"His roots, his power, and his stance are always with the Douluo Continent, whereas I am through and through a person of the Sun Moon Continent."
"Our Sun Moon Empire's future goal is to unify the entire continent, destroy Shrek Academy, and overthrow the existing continental order."
"Do you think Sea God Tang San, as the guardian behind the scenes of Shrek and even the Douluo Continent, would set aside his stance to support an enemy like me who is bent on subverting everything he protects?"
Hearing this, the silkworm's excited expression froze instantly, his round eyes wide as he stood dazed.
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm felt his brain couldn't process this for a moment and spoke blankly:
"Then... then what if we don't unify the continent or destroy Shrek?"
"Since the Sun Moon Continent has already merged with the Douluo Continent and been renamed the Douluo Continent, we are already one entity. There's no need to oppose Shrek."
His thinking was still naive.
In his view, simply giving up their original goals could exchange for the Sea God's protection.
This was a deal that couldn't be more cost-effective.
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm hadn't considered the complex entanglements behind continental disputes and power oppositions at all.
Xu Tianhao's face darkened instantly, his tone becoming heavier, helpless yet serious:
"If things were as simple as you say, there wouldn't be so many disputes and wars on this continent."
"You know nothing of Sea God Tang San's true nature, which is why you say such naive and whimsical things."
"I'll just ask you a few questions; think about them carefully." Xu Tianhao stared directly at the silkworm, his tone cold and sharp as he threw out his questions.
"If Sea God Tang San were truly as selfless and concerned for the common people as he appears on the surface..."
"...then why did Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang, who was like a mentor and father to him, end up dying of old age on the Douluo Continent with his lifelong ambitions unfulfilled, dying in depression?"
"Why has the Tang Sect, which Tang San founded and which once shook the continent, completely declined after only a few generations?"
"To the point where it's now inferior to even the lowliest eighteenth-rate families on the continent, completely marginalized?"
"Why did the long-standing and powerful Clear Sky Sect choose to live in seclusion and close its gates back then, shrinking back into a corner?"
"Why is it that in the once-glorious Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, aside from Ning Rongrong who ascended to become the Nine Colored Goddess..."
"...not a single complete Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda has appeared in the Sect for all these years, its Legacy gradually fading?"
"Why..."
Xu Tianhao's series of forceful questions each pointed directly at the core.
He laid out the secrets that the world had deliberately ignored and that seemed unrelated before the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm.
The silkworm's originally ignorant eyes gradually turned bewildered with each question, then were replaced by deep shock and fear.
He had never deeply considered these matters before, only viewing Sea God Tang San as a high-and-mighty, impartial god.
But after Xu Tianhao's analysis, those seemingly coincidental events, when connected, reeked of strangeness and conspiracy.
The more the silkworm thought about it, the more terrifying it became, and a cold sweat broke out on his back.
He stood dazed, unable to speak for a long time, his round body slightly stiffening.