Although the Golden Seal Monarch was a spirit entity, it lacked the cunning typical of humans.
When the Golden Seal Monarch said something, it meant exactly that.
Jiang Chen pondered for a moment before nodding. "If you wish to break free from this Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain, your power would need to awaken to a level beyond the mountain itself. But you know as well as I do that your spirit body was born from the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain. No matter how high your awakening reaches, you can never surpass the mountain's own level. That's a paradox. Theoretically, you can never break free from the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain. Unless—"
"Unless what?" the Golden Seal Monarch asked eagerly.
"Unless you receive outside help. Or, the master of the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain willingly abandons it, allowing you to absorb the entire mountain and become the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain yourself! In other words, the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain becomes you!"
"You mean, I would completely merge with the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain?" the Golden Seal Monarch asked.
"Roughly speaking, yes. But the original master's will controls you—how could you possibly merge with the entire mountain?"
The Golden Seal Monarch's face fell at these words, and he sighed in a mutter. "So… I have no hope of breaking free after all? I can never obtain the freedom I desire?"
"I don't recall saying that exactly," Jiang Chen said with a bitter smile.
A sudden gleam of light shot from the Golden Seal Monarch's eyes. "Then what are you saying?"
"I'm saying there are two paths. First, the original master's will no longer controls you, giving you hope to merge with the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain so the two become one. Second, you receive outside help."
"The original master's will no longer controls me?" the Golden Seal Monarch repeated in a murmur. Then his face broke into a look of joy. "Human, if you pass the test and I hand over the Magnetic Core, you become the master of the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain. Wouldn't that mean the original master's will no longer binds me? And wouldn't that mean I'd have hope of merging with the mountain?"
"Theoretically, yes. But once I've refined the Magnetic Core, the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain will be my treasure. If you want to absorb it, I'm afraid I wouldn't be willing to part with it."
"Unwilling? Why?" A fierce glint appeared in the Golden Seal Monarch's eyes.
"You know as well as I do that at my meager third-level Spirit Realm cultivation, my strength is insignificant. This Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain is my most essential protective treasure. Why on earth would I give it up?"
The Golden Seal Monarch let out a cold laugh. "Aren't you afraid I'll simply swat you dead?"
"You can't swat me dead. Your actions are governed by the original master's will. Since my answer satisfied you, you may only use thirty percent of your strength for the next strike. At thirty percent, I have a chance of surviving. According to the rules set by the original master, I can then refine the Magnetic Core. Once I've refined it, I become your new master. And with a single thought from me, I'll hold your life and death in my hands."
The Golden Seal Monarch was frustrated. He realized that going around in circles, he'd ended up trapped in his own trap.
According to the rules embedded in the original master's will, that was indeed how things stood.
The human's answer had satisfied him, which meant the next attack could only use thirty percent of his power.
If he violated this rule, the Golden Seal Monarch would automatically disintegrate, and who knew how many ages it would take before he awakened again.
"Human! Just abandon the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain and let me merge with it. I swear on my honor—I will protect you for a thousand years. For that millennium, I will be your servant! A thousand years should be more than enough for you to grow, wouldn't you say?"
The Golden Seal Monarch had thought it over and found what he considered a reasonable compromise. In his eyes, this was already a tremendous concession.
The smile remained on Jiang Chen's face, but he shook his head mildly. "I cannot give up the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain. Moreover, even if I agreed, it would take you at least a thousand years to complete the merger. So even if you swore that oath, you wouldn't be able to protect me during that time. And I have no interest in waiting a thousand years for you."
"Human, don't push your luck! Aren't you afraid we'll simply destroy each other? If I defy the master's will and kill you, the worst that happens is I shatter into pieces and fall back into slumber, only to awaken again someday. But once you're dead, there's no coming back!" the Golden Seal Monarch threatened.
"You make a fair point. But I can also guarantee this: no matter how many times you awaken in the future—even a hundred thousand times—you will never encounter anyone like me again. Only I can help you break free from the Yuan Magnetic Gold Mountain and obtain the freedom you desire. Before me, those who came here couldn't do it. After me, those who come here won't be able to do it either. If you don't believe me, we can gamble on it."
Jiang Chen had seized upon the Golden Seal Monarch's psychological weakness.
The Golden Seal Monarch was momentarily stunned.
Those copper-bell-sized eyes fixed on Jiang Chen. With just a few steps forward, that massive body could crush the human flat beneath its foot.
There was absolutely no doubt about that outcome. Not a shred of suspense.
Yet the Golden Seal Monarch looked into the Yuan Magnetic Mirror and saw no fluctuations whatsoever. That meant the human was not lying.
If the human had lied, the Yuan Magnetic Mirror would have produced violent ripples.
But now the mirror sat perfectly calm. What did that mean?
It meant that every word the human had spoken was true—not a single lie. Even the Yuan Magnetic Mirror couldn't find a single flaw. Even the Yuan Magnetic Mirror endorsed his words.
Kill the human?
The Golden Seal Monarch had always been violent. Since the ancient era, he had slaughtered countless humans who had come to this place.
But at this moment, he wavered.
Because his dream of freedom had never been so close to reality. Never before had he seen such hope of liberation in anyone who had stood before him.