Chapter 807: I

"This… this is far too precious!"

He Pingsheng took a deep breath and returned the bottom shell to the Xuanwu Demon Emperor's presence, saying: "I am deeply grateful for your kindness—already, I am indebted that you do not demand the top shell from me; how could I possibly accept such a priceless treasure from your clan?"

"I dare not accept it, sir!"

He Pingsheng was not being false; he truly felt accepting it was inappropriate.

Some things are not meant to be taken lightly.

"Ah…" The Xuanwu Demon Emperor waved his hand. "You only know half the story!"

"Long ago, my Xuanwu clan once produced a hermit immortal!"

"After that hermit immortal perished, his divine shell split into two pieces—one became the top shell, the other the bottom shell!"

"The top shell has been lost for many years, its whereabouts untraceable, but the bottom shell has always remained within our Xuanwu clan!"

"Though the bottom shell is precious, it cannot unleash its full defensive power. Moreover, every member of my Xuanwu clan is born with a divine shell—our defense is already invincible. Using this bottom shell is merely adding flowers to brocade; it serves little purpose!"

"Just take it!"

In the void, Kong Que, the Great Lun Mingwang, nodded and said: "He Pingsheng, when elders bestow gifts, one must not refuse. Accept what the Xuanwu Demon Emperor gives you!"

"Do not overthink it!"

"This item will be of great use to you!"

Hearing the Great Lun Mingwang speak, He Pingsheng no longer refused: "Very well… I will take the treasure for now. When my cultivation reaches Body Integration, I shall return it to your Xuanwu clan—then, I shall return both the bottom shell and the top shell together!"

For He Pingsheng, this was no problem.

Once his cultivation reached Body Integration, the Treasure Basin could strengthen it—turn one into two.

Giving a set to the Xuanwu clan would be no issue.

"Hehe… no need to insist; let fate decide!" With that, the Xuanwu Demon Emperor stepped forward and returned to the void.

He Pingsheng put away the bottom shell!

…

"Father… what do we do now?"

Tian Yao, speaking to Tian Jinpeng while fixing her sharp gaze on He Pingsheng: "We can't keep living in hiding forever, can we?"

Her purpose in coming to the Talent Assembly was to sow discord among the clans and eliminate He Pingsheng.

But now, He Pingsheng is still alive, while the Kongkong Crown Prince is dead.

"Perhaps…" Before Tian Jinpeng could speak, Tian Yao added: "Will the Kongkong Demon Emperor kill him?"

"Unlikely," said Tian Jinpeng. "Others may not know, but I do—this boy possesses a supreme-grade substitute doll!"

"Even if a Mahayana Emperor strikes him, He Pingsheng won't die!"

"Besides, the Xuanwu Demon Emperor must have seen He Pingsheng's future. If He Pingsheng were to die immediately, why would he go through the trouble of gifting a divine turtle shell?"

"Enough. I'll go speak with him again—see if we can reconcile."

Tian Jinpeng had run out of options.

Tian Yao said: "Reconcile?"

"Father… don't fool yourself. He Pingsheng won't reconcile with us!"

"Not necessarily," said Tian Jinpeng. "Right now, he needs us."

As he spoke, Tian Jinpeng tidied himself and walked toward He Pingsheng.

In a few breaths, he stood beside He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng glanced at him, his expression calm—no hatred, no emotion.

Tian Jinpeng admired He Pingsheng's composure. He took a deep breath, steadied his emotions, and said: "He Pingsheng… as fellow humans, I am genuinely pleased that our race has produced both you and Wang Dun!"

He Pingsheng said: "Say what you mean."

"Hmm!" Tian Jinpeng cut straight to the point: "Three days from now, the Stone Platform Stairway ascension begins. You still don't have a Wall-Breaker, do you?"

"And the rules have changed this year!"

"The Wall-Breaker must be from your own race. Our human race has only one Mahayana Emperor now—Duan Feihong!"

"If you agree, I'll erase all past grievances between us. I'll go fetch Duan Feihong right now—he'll become your Wall-Breaker!"

"What do you say?"

"He Pingsheng, don't answer hastily!"

"Think carefully—leaving your name on the Stone Platform Stairway isn't just personal glory; it affects your race's destiny!"

"Otherwise, the Phoenix Clan wouldn't go to such lengths to block your ascent!"

"Do you understand what I'm saying?"

He Pingsheng sneered coldly: "Don't even ask me to spare Tian Yao or you. Even if Duan Feihong stood here right now and knelt, begging to be my Wall-Breaker, I wouldn't accept!"

"I don't care about ascending the Stone Platform Stairway!"

"But you and your daughter must die!"

Tian Jinpeng's face turned pale: "You… you… He Pingsheng, our grudge isn't beyond resolution—why can't you let it go?"

"Correct," said He Pingsheng. "It isn't beyond resolution. Nor are you destined to die."

"But she…" He Pingsheng pointed at Tian Yao among the crowd: "Must die."

"If she and her clone both die and are delivered to me for me to see, I may spare you."

"Otherwise, you two should find a hiding place now—while I'm still in competition—and never show your faces again!"

"Or else… hehehe…"

Tian Jinpeng said no more—he turned and left immediately.

As He Pingsheng had said, the wisest course now was to find a hiding place.

Shhh…

The instant Tian Jinpeng turned, a pale golden light shot from He Pingsheng's hand, striking Tian Yao's body with lightning speed—*snap!

Talisman: Chain-Soul Curse Talisman!

"Ah…" Tian Yao screamed in terror: "Damn it! He Pingsheng, what curse have you placed on me?!"

But the next moment, she understood.

She felt the connection between her true body and her clone.

"Chain-Soul Curse Talisman… you placed this on me?!"

"He Pingsheng… how cruel you are!"

"How could you?"

"We're all human—do you have no mercy at all?"

He Pingsheng sat cross-legged on the square, eyes downcast, nose to heart, silent.

Tian Yao kept cursing bitterly, growing more vicious by the moment.

Then, a loud slap rang out through the air—*crack! —striking Tian Yao's face.

It was the Great Lun Mingwang who struck.

"If you make another sound, I'll crush you with one palm!" The Great Lun Mingwang stared coldly at Tian Yao.

Tian Yao trembled, fell silent.

Then, she and her father slunk away from the Stone Platform Assembly.

"Your luck is quite strong…" The Great Lun Mingwang descended from the void after the Tian family left and sat beside He Pingsheng.

He Pingsheng smiled: "I'm not just lucky…"

The Great Lun Mingwang clenched her silver teeth slightly, sneering: "Oh? Then tell me—what else is 'strong'?"

Her slender fingers pinched a tuft of flesh on He Pingsheng's arm.

He Pingsheng shuddered instantly.