Chapter 4233: Let's Negotiate
The entire first floor of the Heavenly Void Tower vanished, leaving the tower itself suspended, crystal clear, in midair.
Lin Moyu asked, "Is the Heavenly Void Tower normally like this?"
The Tree Sovereign shook its head. "I don't know, I've never seen this before."
Well, the Tree Sovereign was just a gatekeeper having no idea was normal.
Suddenly, a beam of iridescent light shot down from the Heavenly Void Tower and landed perfectly on the Tree Sovereign. Thunder rumbled from the Tree Sovereign as if some kind of shackle had just been broken.
An enormous surge of soul force erupted from within the Tree Sovereign, sweeping out in a hurricane. Lin Moyu was blown helplessly away; Fatty Girl, who was sleeping soundly, was also sent tumbling through the air.
The Ferry of Tribulation and the butler were both blown far off and found it hard to approach for a while.
A hole opened above the Tree Sovereign's head, as the space of the Heavenly Void cracked open and soul force from beyond began to pour in. Lin Moyu suddenly understood why the Tree Sovereign had hoped he could open all eight doors because, under the rules set by the master of the Heavenly Void Palace, the Tree Sovereign was the gatekeeper. Even after it had achieved the Chaos Realm, it was still trapped here serving as guardian; the tower itself was a shackle.
By unlocking the eight doors, Lin Moyu had set it free.
Now it could enter the chaos and obtain freedom.
But chaos is hardly a friendly place; while the Tree Sovereign had gained its freedom, it would also face new dangers. Lin Moyu could already sense the presence of chaotic beings from the passage.
The Tree Sovereign looked at Lin Moyu, "Thank you for helping break my shackles. I will enter the chaos now, but I will not forget my promise one day, when you seek me there, I will honor it." As it spoke, a piece of gleaming green heartwood split from the Tree Sovereign and flew into Lin Moyu's hand.
This was the Tree Sovereign's heartwood one of its most crucial possessions, like a dragon's pearl. In giving a piece to Lin Moyu, it was extending a promise; in the future, he would be able to use it to find the Tree Sovereign.
Lin Moyu bowed slightly, "Congratulations, Senior, on gaining your freedom. I wish you a safe journey."
The Tree Sovereign let out a gentle laugh. All its branches retracted in an instant and then stabbed into the spatial passage.
Wails echoed from the tunnel as the Tree Sovereign tore chaotic beings to pieces.
The ancient forest shook violently, every ancient tree drilling into the earth at once, the land rupturing around the Tree Sovereign.
The Tree Sovereign lifted itself from the earth, its mass of tangled roots finally revealed to Lin Moyu.
He was deeply shocked; the Tree Sovereign's roots were unimaginably vast by now. The entire forest, it turned out, grew atop those roots. Even the Tree Kings all sprouted from the Tree Sovereign's root system.
It could be said that the ancient trees and even the Tree Kings were just branches and offshoots of the Tree Sovereign.
They each had their own independent souls and lives, and yet were still subsidiary beings of the Tree Sovereign a rather unique existence.
Lin Moyu gave a wry smile. After fighting the ancient forest for so long, it turned out he'd been battling only the Tree Sovereign's appendages.
What kind of tree was the Tree Sovereign to have reached this point?
As the Tree Sovereign rose skyward, its form gradually shrank, then floated into the chaos tunnel.
Throughout, soul force howled; no one could approach until the Sovereign had fully departed and things returned to normal.
The ancient ground was left full of holes and scars restoring it would take some time.
With a thought, Lin Moyu unleashed billions of undead servants and sent them surging at the Heavenly Void Tower; the tower's restriction had now lifted, so anyone could enter.
The undead surrounded the first level of the tower inside and out, forming layer after layer of guards.
Their task was to encircle the tower and prevent anyone else from entering this gave Lin Moyu bargaining chips in any negotiation.
Of course, the Ferry of Tribulation and the butler could still try to force their way in. But if they did, it would mean open war with Lin Moyu.
Given Lin Moyu's temperament, he'd rather fight, even to mutual destruction, than back down.
If anyone wanted to profit at his expense no way!
Lin Moyu called out loudly, "Gentlemen, let's have a discussion."
The Ferry of Tribulation drifted over, a rough and somewhat hoarse voice echoing out, "I did not expect you to grow so fast."
Lin Moyu recognized the voice, replying calmly, "Is that you, Emperor Jin?"
After a few seconds' silence, the Ferry's voice answered again, "It is."
Lin Moyu felt a jolt of apprehension. Clearly, after the Kunlun Emperor had obtained the Ferry back then, something else had happened since.
Just then, the butler floated over too, his form shifting amid the Dao force. "You could say I'm about half the same as before, but not completely."
A cold snort issued from inside the Ferry. "Butler, you meddle too much."
The butler chuckled, "I am the butler it's my job to meddle. Am I wrong?"
The Ferry of Tribulation gave no response, tacitly accepting the butler's comment.
Lin Moyu realized the butler must know what happened, so asked directly, "What exactly happened inside the Ferry of Tribulation?"
The butler laughed. "Not much, really. Some lingering wills in the Ferry fused with the Kunlun Emperor. But it's still the Kunlun Emperor in control he's just grown a bit different from how he was at first. Of course, to most people, he's still the Kunlun Emperor."
A cold snort echoed from the Ferry, "Enough nonsense. Fellow Lin, I want to enter the Heavenly Void Tower. Tell me your terms I will try to satisfy them."
Lin Moyu responded, "Before that, keep your previous promise to me."
No matter what change had occurred to the Kunlun Emperor, what mattered to Lin Moyu was the fifth gemstone the Emperor had once promised that as long as Lin Moyu found the fourth gemstone, he would give him the fifth.
The presence in the Ferry went silent again, apparently troubled by Lin Moyu's request.
Lin Moyu's brow furrowed he sensed something was off.
The butler chuckled, "He does possess the Ferry of Tribulation, but the Ferry is special; not everything inside it is up to him."
"Enough!" the Kunlun Emperor roared, cutting off the butler.
The butler kept smiling, not the least bit offended.
The Kunlun Emperor finally said, "Fellow Lin, first let me apologize for this. I did obtain the Ferry of Tribulation, but it's a special vessel; my authority isn't absolute within it."
At this, Lin Moyu understood.
His tone grew cold. "So you can't give me the fifth gemstone after all."
As he spoke, Lin Moyu was already preparing to fight, but the Kunlun Emperor hurriedly said, "Not so! I have another way."
Lin Moyu said coldly, "Speak."
The Kunlun Emperor said, "I can give up the Ferry and let you take it for yourself if you wish."
Lin Moyu wasn't convinced. "Would you really give it up?"
The Kunlun Emperor replied, "I am only a step away from final transcendence. If you allow me into the Heavenly Void Tower, I promise I will leave the Ferry for you."
Lin Moyu thought for a moment, then said, "Hand over the Ferry of Tribulation now. Let me refine it before I let you into the tower. If you do not agree, I will take what's mine myself."
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