Chapter 609: Alliance Marriage

Asina went home in high spirits.

A moment later, Lei En returned alone to the Furnace Sanctum, and upon entering saw the Titan Elder seated again on that tall stone chair, but without studying the giant scriptures nor maintaining the massive furnace beneath the hall floor, his face was contemplative.

He heard footsteps, looked up and saw Lei En, and his face instantly broke into a smile.

"Lei En, come quickly."

Suolim produced, from somewhere unknown, a full set of tables and chairs forged from Titan blue iron, sized for human bodies and in the Empire's popular style; tea sets and snacks were placed on the table, and he warmly invited, "Let's sit and talk."

Lei En was a bit startled by the favor.

He was a powerful demigod, possibly stronger than his teacher, capable of standing shoulder to shoulder with the late Augulevi Master, the topmost mortal world champion.

"Elder, you are too kind."

Lei En sat down honestly at the table, facing the Titan Elder.

Suolim, looking like an imposing middle‑aged man, had gold hair loosely draped, short beard, bronze‑like skin, wore only a plain white robe cinched at the waist with a belt, exposing his sturdy arms and legs.

Anyone who saw him could feel a god‑like aura.

An ordinary person might not even be able to stand steady before him.

Lei En couldn't help but use his Soul Eye to quietly observe the Titan Elder opposite him; unsurprisingly, it was similar to his observation of the Holy Soul Wizard—the other's soul shone like a blinding sun, and even though a vague veil separated them, the terrifying great power could still be felt.

Now it no longer backfires as it once did.

He cannot see the soul's details, but can roughly gauge the other's emotions from its color.

At this moment, the Titan Elder's soul glowed a calm white tinged with a hint of pale green, indicating he was very pleased, as if there were some happy news.

Lei En relaxed, as long as there was no malice it was fine.

Suolim, like a hospitable neighbor uncle, personally poured two cups of tea, one floating toward Lei En.

"Thank you," Lei En said softly.

"Drink quickly," Suolim introduced, "This is the Green Rock produced by the Elf race, only a few pounds per year, a delicacy reserved for high‑ranking elf royalty. I don't have much on hand; I occasionally take a sip, and it tastes best when hot."

The Titan Elder lifted another cup of tea and downed it in one gulp, his hearty manner resembling that of drinking alcohol.

Lei En mimicked him, the scalding tea sliding down his throat.

"How does it taste?" Suolim asked cheerfully, a hint of expectation in his eyes.

"Um..." Lei En clicked his tongue; indeed it had a distinct flavor, as if a fresh forest scent, yet he couldn't describe it. In his previous life he had little interest in tea, never discerning quality, no matter how expensive, and would have preferred a bottle of happy water for more refreshment.

Elf tea was even more bland and tasteless, nothing discernible.

He decided to be honest: "It's too bland."

"Hahaha..." Suolim burst into laughter, his voice shaking the entire Furnace Sanctum, pointing a finger at Lei En and exclaiming, "Not bad! Really not bad..."

"If you had spewed out a flood of compliments, I would have already kicked you out," the Titan Elder waved his hand, gathering the tea set and water, and laughed, "This tea truly is an elf delicacy, a pound worth a fortune, causing many elves to scramble. Yet only the refined elves can appreciate it; to us it's too bland, no different from water."

Lei En let out a silent sigh of relief.

Fortunately his Soul Eye vaguely guessed this was a test by the Titan Elder; otherwise he might have insincerely offered a few flattering words.

Suolim produced another crystal bottle, "Try this."

Lei En took it, looked inside; the palm‑sized bottle held a pale‑blue liquid, resembling seawater.

Upon closer inspection, it was not ordinary seawater but diluted plasma, emitting bolts of lightning when agitated, like a storm inside the bottle. If the bottle were shattered, it would likely release a five‑ring Electric Blast Orb.

His scalp tingled; could this thing be drunk?

He met the Titan Elder's gaze, clearly expected to drink it himself, so he forced himself to twist the cap and gulp it down.

A spicy rush traveled down his throat, roiling his stomach, spreading through his whole body.

Lei En endured the discomfort, keeping his mouth shut.

Yet after a few seconds he could no longer hold back; the thing was too intense, a violent aura surged upward to his crown, and involuntarily he opened his mouth, spitting out a blue energy like lightning sparks, erupting from his nostrils, eyes, and ears.

After the outburst, a warm, soothing sensation spread, extremely comfortable throughout his body to his soul.

"So good!"

Lei En let out a long breath of electrified aura, feeling a bit light‑headed.

He suddenly realized his Lightning Affinity had risen a notch, making him more sensitive to the Lightning Element in the air. On the Soul World Tree, a new leaf sprouted beside the "Lightning Form" element, a brand‑new "Lightning Affinity" element.

It even had this benefit!

"Elder, what is this?" Lei En asked hurriedly.

"Lightning Essence," Suolim replied, "It's a kind of magical elixir I devised that can boost Lightning Affinity, but only the first few bottles work best; later ones have no effect, and the weak will only die faster if they drink it."

Lei En nodded.

Lightning Essence is very stimulating to drink, but not something ordinary people can endure. It requires a robust body; for those below the legendary tier, it's a poison.

"Can I exchange it for a primal crystal?" he asked, rubbing his hands.

If he got a few more bottles of Lightning Essence, gaining more Lightning Affinity, perhaps he could advance to a second Lightning Form.

"No need, I have plenty and can give you some," Suolim produced ten more crystal bottles, each filled with Lightning Essence. He poured one into his mouth, the raging lightning energy entering as if drinking wine, a few sparks flashing in his eyes, revealing a satisfied smile.

Lei En stared dumbfounded.

It turned out the Titan Elder treated Lightning Essence as a beverage, a personal hobby, no wonder it wasn't listed for exchange. When he originally sought Lightning Affinity, the elder hadn't offered it, clearly unwilling to give it away for free, and their relationship hadn't been that close.

Now that he's willing to hand out Lightning Essence, it shows their relationship is no longer comparable to before.

Lei En gladly accepted the crystal bottle.

These magical elixirs could fetch thousands of Gold Shields per bottle at auction, yet keeping them for personal use was more worthwhile. He opened a bottle of Lightning Essence, about to drink, saw the Titan Elder already sipping the third bottle, so he raised his crystal bottle and clinked it against the elder's.

Clang!

"Cheers," Lei En said laughing in Giant language.

Suolim paused, instantly grasped the meaning, and replied, "Cheers!"

The two drank the plasma in the bottles in one gulp.

Suolim's reaction was modest, but Lei En felt as if he had downed a massive jug of chili water; his face flashed green then blue, and after a few seconds a bolt of lightning spurted from his mouth. The reaction was better than the first drink, yet still extremely stimulating and heady.

"Ah!" Lei En burst into laughter.

Feeling his sensitivity to the Lightning Element had risen considerably, he immediately downed the third bottle, and a new "Lightning Affinity" leaf grew on the soul World Tree.

"Continue."

Lei En gulped down several bottles of Lightning Essence in a row, and when only three bottles remained, a third Lightning Affinity leaf appeared on the World Tree. No matter how much more he drank, after finishing the remaining Lightning Essence, the World Tree showed no further change.

"What a pity…"

He smacked his lips, savoring it endlessly.

Lightning Essence is not a strong liquor, but its peculiar aura is stronger for Lei En than any spirit; after downing over a dozen bottles, he already felt a bit dizzy. His soul is undergoing subtle refinement—not a negative effect but a positive one—so the Willpower of Truth did not render it immune.

With three Lightning Affinities, as long as luck isn't too bad, the next Soul Transformation should allow advancement to a Lightning Form.

Even without advancement, the power and resistance of Lightning spells have increased dramatically.

Lei En staggered to his feet and said, "Thank you, Elder."

Suo Lim drank four or five bottles and then stopped; his complexion did not change a bit, sitting steady as a mountain, he waved his hand and laughed, "It's nothing, it's rare to find someone to drink with me. Now we should get down to business."

"Alright," Lei En sat down again.

The Titan Elder asked, "What do you think of Axina?"

"Very good, very powerful."

Lei En's mind was unusually active and divergent now, habitually replying with an outdated catchphrase from his past life, then assuring, "Elder, rest assured, when Axina reaches the Prime Material Plane, I will look after her. With her strength, as long as she doesn't provoke a Holy Soul Wizard, no one can bully her."

He was speaking sincerely.

Don't think Axina losing to me means much, but she is a Titan Giant after all; her strength and defense alone rival any Saint Rank transcendent except Holy Soul Wizards. In a real fight, I can't claim victory, but at least surviving is no problem.

Moreover, she has my protection, backed by Weizelan's Fu Kong Cheng; who would dare be so short‑sighted?

"I'm not worried about Axina's safety, and I'm not asking about her strength," Suo Lim said slowly, shaking his head, his expression a bit odd.

"Then what do you mean?" Lei En was bewildered.

"I mean, what do you think of Axina as a person?" the Titan Elder stared at Lei En with burning eyes, asking very seriously, "Are you willing to take Axina as a spouse?"

"Ah!"

Lei En jumped in fright, his mind instantly clearing.

He suddenly felt as if an old father‑in‑law were pressing him for a wedding date at the drinking table, yet the process hadn't even begun; even in a match‑making, one needs some time to get to know each other. He had only met Axina three times, and being asked so directly seemed rather hasty, didn't it?

Seeing his hesitation, Suo Lim's gaze sharpened.

"Lei En, you don't want to?"

"Um… it's not a matter of willing or not…" Lei En didn't know what to say; a great beauty was offered to him, and she's a Titan Giant, of course he would gladly accept. Yet there is no such thing as a free lunch; such a boon surely comes with a price.

Who knows what this Titan Elder demands?

He cautiously looked at Suo Lim; his soul eye saw only a hint of orange, indicating excitement and eagerness, with no hostility.

"What kind of problem is that?"

Suo Lim stared at Lei En, making him feel immense pressure, and while listening to the Titan Elder say, "Whether by giant standards or human tastes, Axina is a once‑in‑a‑lifetime earthly beauty, worthy enough for you; what more could you desire?"

"Elder," Lei En showed a troubled expression and frankly said, "I already have several spouses."

"That's fine," Suo Lim said indifferently, "It doesn't matter how many spouses you have; none of them can match Axina. I don't fear her being bullied—who would dare? Hmph…" A flash of danger crossed his eyes, his aura surged for a moment, making Lei En's heart pound.

Viola, Aoxiliya, and Emilyss—none of them are easy to handle.

This little pond had been calm, its few fish coexisting peacefully; if Axina were dropped in, it would be like a great shark—would the other fish even have a chance to survive?

Lei En remained silent.

Suo Lim continued, "Of course, in this world, powerful males often have many spouses; I understand that. If you can manage to keep them coexisting peacefully, as long as Axina isn't bullied, I won't cause you any trouble."

"Really? I don't believe it!"

Lei En chuckled inwardly but dared not show it, and curiously asked, "Elder, may I ask why you want Axina to become my spouse?"

Storm Giants' population has declined, urgently needing a boost in numbers.

The giant race suffers from innate gender imbalance, about four males to one female; each female Storm Giant is a rare resource, and most male giants remain bachelors their whole lives.

A female giant like Axina, possessing a once‑in‑an‑era talent and such beauty, surely many young giants adore her; not marrying her to an outstanding junior of the tribe, but making her a human's spouse, would make those Storm Giants furious.

Within three minutes, a large group of Storm Giants would rush over to challenge him.

"Lei En, you are admirable," Suo Lim nodded approvingly, "To stay calm at this moment justifies my high regard for you."

I'm just a bit cowardly, Lei En thought.

"The reason is simple."

Suo Lim smiled lightly, looked at Lei En, and said without concealment, "Lei En, I see great prospects for you and can sense your ambition. The Prime Material Plane will sooner or later become your domain; at least the Oriense Empire will fall into your hands, so I wish to forge a connection with you, taking it further. This might be the key step for Storm Giants to regain their glory."

Lei En felt a slight shock.

Obviously, this Titan Elder had conducted thorough investigations on him, perhaps starting years ago, and did not treat him as a mere trader.

He wants to marry him.

Axina is the sacrificial lamb.

Lei En did not deny his ambition and desire, meeting Suo Lim's gaze, "May I refuse?"

The Titan Elder did not get angry; instead, he smiled.

He saw at a glance that Lei En wasn't truly refusing but bargaining, which he had anticipated. He had never thought that a single Axina could sway Lei En; other conditions were already prepared.

Suo Lim sat upright, extended two fingers, and said, "First, if you agree, Axina will enter a soul contract with you. Second, I promise to intervene on your behalf three times; if you die, this promise transfers to your family's heir."

(End of Chapter)