"I know you may be unwilling to cooperate, but you must understand that the lives of your people hang on your every decision. I trust you will make the correct choice."
Duoluoze knew exactly what Lin Yun meant. His immediate priority was survival; cooperating with Lin Yun was the only path forward. If he refused, Lin Yun had a hundred ways to kill him right where he stood. He couldn't simply watch as his kinsmen were slaughtered.
Faced with the ultimatum, he could only nod.
"What is it you want to know?" he asked, his voice strained. "But if it threatens the survival of my entire race, I will never agree."
Lin Yun glanced behind him. Cao Yuze and the other disciples of the Red Ghost Sect stood at a distance, their caution evident. They dared not make a move. Cao Yuze had already clashed with Duoluoze and understood the terrifying extent of the creature's combat prowess. In a fair fight, Cao Yuze had no confidence he could defeat him.
Yet this powerful adversary had been utterly outmatched by Lin Yun, defeated with almost casual ease. In Cao Yuze's eyes, this made Lin Yun an equally dangerous figure. It was no wonder the Red Ghost Sect had placed such a high bounty on his head, yet he remained untouched. The man's strength had already surpassed a horrifying threshold. A sliver of admiration for Lin Yun began to grow in Cao Yuze's heart.
Because of this, he remained perfectly still, afraid that a single careless action might provoke a catastrophe.
However, not all disciples of the Red Ghost Sect were so disciplined.
One of them swaggered forward, his voice full of arrogance.
"You've gone too far, Lin Yun!" he shouted. "Yes, you saved us, but we fought in that battle, too! If there are secrets to be shared, you have no right to keep them from us! We have earned the right to hear what you have to say!"
The disciple strode forward as he spoke, but he had barely taken two steps when the cold steel of a sword pressed against his neck.
It was Zhou Damao.
"Ordinarily, I would have already killed you fools. We are, after all, enemies," Zhou Damao said, his voice low and dangerous. "But in light of our recent cooperation, I am willing to spare your life. However, if you dare take one more step, the nature of this situation will change entirely. I hope you are prepared for that. Don't come crying to me when you're dead."
As he spoke, his Origin Energy began to surge, proving his words were no empty threat. If any of them made a single rash move, he would not hesitate to kill them.
The disciple had been scornful at first, dismissing Zhou Damao's words. He couldn't believe the man truly had the nerve. But when his eyes fell upon the sword in Zhou Damao's hand, an inexplicable chill ran down his spine.
Cao Yuze's gaze was like ice. He wanted to retort, to stand against Zhou Damao's threat, but in this moment, all he could do was stand there obediently. He finally understood the truth: to the sect, they were nothing more than cannon fodder.
Meanwhile, Lin Yun had finally gotten what he wanted from Duoluoze—information about the Qiluo people.
No one knew from what era the Qiluo originated. But the ones Lin Yun saw before him had indeed existed within this tomb for a very, very long time. For ages past, they had remained in a deep slumber. Occasionally, a human or two might stumble into their dangerous domain, only to be swiftly dispatched by one of the few who had stirred.
But this time was different. According to Duoluoze, his people were awakening on a massive scale. For humanity, this was a dark and dangerous omen. The passage of time had brought about a terrifying shift.
This mass awakening, coupled with what Lin Yun had previously encountered in the Styx Dragon Palace, made him realize that situations that appeared simple on the surface were, in fact, harbingers of immense trouble—trouble that was currently beyond their power to solve.
"The Great One has fully awakened. He will not spare you humans so easily," Duoluoze sneered, his voice filled with contempt. "One day, all of you will pay the price for your arrogance and recklessness. So what if you let me live for now? You will soon understand the consequences of your actions."
It was clear from his tone that he didn't believe for a second that Lin Yun possessed the power to stop them.
Lin Yun merely met his taunts with a calm smile. Others might not grasp the severity of the situation, but he knew. This "Great One" that Duoluoze spoke of held an impossibly high status. This being was the grave challenge he would have to face next.
Previously, he might have worried about the potential fallout, but now, he had no choice. Even knowing the path ahead was fraught with peril, he could only grit his teeth and press on.
"No matter how powerful this Great One of yours is, you can tell him one thing for me," Lin Yun said, his voice like sharpened steel. "Humanity has no desire for conflict. But the Hidden Dragon Continent is our land, our home. If anyone wishes to steal our home from us, they will first have to ask for my sword's permission."
His words were resolute, his gaze unshakeable. It made Duoluoze realize that this human was not joking. It seemed that after so many years, the Hidden Dragon Continent was no longer the vibrant land of countless powers it once was.
"To think that you laughable humans would be the ones to win this continent in the end," Duoluoze scoffed. "Then again, it makes sense. You are not only ruthless toward us, but also to your own kind. But what a pity. Your luck has finally run out."
"The Great One is ready. What comes next is an all-out assault against all of humanity."
After speaking these words, Duoluoze charged at Lin Yun without a shred of hesitation.
Lin Yun was taken completely by surprise. The creature wasn't just attacking—he was trying to take them both down together in a final, suicidal blaze of glory.