"Old fellow, you've been listening for long enough. Time to say something, wouldn't you say?" Nie Li looked at the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast bound in iron chains.
Hearing Nie Li's words, everyone was a little confused. Who was he talking to?
Just then, a deep voice rumbled from the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast: "Little brat, you actually want to kill me and take my Demon Spirit? Hmph, you're far too naive. As if you lot could manage that?"
The fact that the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast suddenly spoke had everyone startled, and they stared blankly at the creature.
It was the first time any of them had seen a Demon Beast speak human words.
Of everyone present, only
Nie Li calmly walked forward a few steps and looked at the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast with a composed expression. "Being trapped here by the Black Flame Imprisonment Sigil can't be very pleasant, can it?"
"What the hell business is it of yours whether I'm comfortable or not?" the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast snorted.
"Among the Demon Beast clans, the Heavenly Qilin is one of the most peculiar groups. They never have a single friend. The Heavenly Qilin inner core within their bodies is a treasure that every Demon Beast dreams of obtaining—other beasts would kill to slay a Heavenly Qilin and seize its inner core. You being trapped here must be because you haven't reached maturity yet and your Heavenly Qilin inner core hasn't fully formed. I wonder who locked you up here, intending to use you to cultivate the core?" Nie Li said, smiling faintly as he regarded the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast.
A flash of icy cold light passed through the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast's eyes as it looked down at Nie Li. "Human, what do you want?"
In its heart, the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast was completely shocked that Nie Li had seen through everything so clearly. It had no idea where this young man came from.
"I have a method that can help you break free." Nie Li gazed up at the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast, his tone persuasive. "Are you really content to stay trapped here forever? Then one day, just like livestock, you'll be slaughtered by someone and have your inner core ripped out?"
"Kid, did you just call me livestock?" the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast roared in fury, lightning crackling across its entire body.
"What's the difference between you and livestock right now? They keep you alive, and once you reach maturity and your inner core forms—boom—you get slaughtered!" Nie Li said with a slight smile at the beast's rage. He was deliberately trying to provoke it.
"Kid, I know what you're up to. You want to kill me and take my Demon Spirit too—how are you any different from those others? Why should I listen to you?" the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast snorted angrily.
"We do want your Demon Spirit, that's true. But we don't need to kill you. There's a compromise—if you're willing to form a Soul Imprint with my friend here, your physical body will automatically dematerialize into a Demon Spirit and enter my friend's Soul Sea," Nie Li explained.
Hearing Nie Li's words, the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast burst into hearty laughter. "Dematerialize into a Demon Spirit on my own? How is that any different from being killed? You cunning humans, trying to pull this trick on me—you must think I'm some fool!"
"There is a difference. If you're killed and your Demon Spirit is seized by force, then the moment your master dies, you'll naturally be annihilated along with him. But if you form a Soul Imprint and willingly dematerialize into a Demon Spirit, you'll retain your own consciousness. And once your master dies, you'll be free. Our human lifespans are barely a century at most—hardly a blink of the eye compared to the long lives of your Heavenly Qilin clan," Nie Li replied with a calm smile.
At Nie Li's words, the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast's body stiffened slightly, and its eyes shifted. There was indeed a certain temptation in what Nie Li said.
"Fine! I'll agree to your terms!" the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast said without hesitation.
"Then first, give me some of your blood," Nie Li said.
"What do you need my blood for?" the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast asked, its brows furrowing slightly.
"Without your blood, how can I form the Soul Imprint?" Nie Li replied casually.
The Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast paced back and forth, its voice cold with anger. "You're trying to trick me, aren't you? I've never heard of any Soul Imprint that could dematerialize a physical body!"
"Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean it doesn't exist. There are countless secret arts in this world—there's plenty you don't know about!" Nie Li said with a shrug.
"Don't think I don't see through you. You want to ambush me—well, I'm not giving you my blood, no way!" the Heavenly Qilin Demon Beast snorted. "Unless you can come up with another method!"