The Identity of the Soul BeastAside from the unresolved questions, Dai Yao also gained a lot. Under Qian Daoliu's vast pressure, Dai Yao's unstable soul power solidified completely, leaving him with no more worries. He could now absorb the soul bones that had been prepared beforehand.
Especially the Blue Silver Emperor Soul Bone; after absorbing it, Dai Yao's recovery ability will be further enhanced.
However, Dai Yao had no time to worry about these gains. He was panting heavily, sweat pouring down his face, and struggled to lift his head, looking warily at Qian Daoliu. He said in a deep voice:
"Senior, what do you mean by this? How do you know I possess the Asura Domain?"
Qian Daoliu looked at Dai Yao with a complex expression, then flicked his finger, sending a speck of light into Dai Yao's body. The fatigue and weakness he had felt earlier vanished like snow melting away. Feeling his body light and free, Dai Yao couldn't help but groan in comfort.
With Dai Yao's twin martial souls and the Asura Domain, this child might actually surpass Tang Chen and inherit the Asura God's position.
As an attendant of the Angel God, he was well aware of the Asura God's status in the divine realm; the Angel God he served was far inferior to the Asura God. Therefore, although Dai Yao was still a Soul Emperor, he treated Dai Yao with an attitude of equality.
Qian Daoliu slowly said, "I not only know that you have the Asura Domain, but I also know that you have twin martial souls."
Dai Yao's heart sank. Sure enough, the culprit behind the rift between him and Bibi Dong was the Hall of Offerings. But how did the Hall of Offerings know that he and Bibi Dong had concealed their identities as the 'Asura Emperor' so perfectly?
"Senior, how do you know these things?"
Qian Daoliu smiled and said, "Nothing is ever foolproof. By meticulously analyzing the details, we can deduce the secrets you are trying to hide."
"Alright, let's not talk about that anymore. I called you here today because I need your help with something."
Qian Daoliu laughed.
Dai Yao wanted to press Qian Daoliu for details on how he deduced his identity, but Qian Daoliu clearly didn't want to discuss that topic. He asked:
"Senior, I am merely a Soul Emperor. Is there anything you can help me with?"
Qian Daoliu chuckled and said, "Dai Yao, you don't need to be so respectful to me. Your status is far beyond your imagination. Do you know what the Asura Domain means?"
A thought struck Dai Yao, but he pretended not to know and asked:
What does it mean?
Qian Daoliu's tone was more complex, containing both envy and regret.
"The Asura Domain is proof of the Asura God's successor. Every genius who obtains the Asura Domain has the opportunity to inherit the Asura God's position."
"The Asura God is an extremely powerful deity, even in the God Realm. Therefore, the difficulty of inheriting his position exceeds that of ordinary gods. To this day, no one has ever succeeded. An old friend of mine also chose to inherit the Asura God's position. Back then, he and I were known as the two peaks of the Soul Master world."
"Since there has been no news for so many years, the challenge must have failed."
"However, your talent is far greater than that person's back then. In my opinion, if you choose to inherit the position of the Asura God, you have a very high chance of success."
Although Dai Yao already knew all this, he still showed just the right amount of shock. Releasing his Asura Domain once more, and feeling the chilling killing intent, Dai Yao said:
"I never imagined that the Asura Domain would hide such a secret. But Grand Elder, what does this have to do with the favor you want me to do?"
Qian Daoliu sighed and said:
"Yes, there is a connection."
"Our six-winged angel clan has worshipped the Angel God for generations, and those with exceptional talent have the opportunity to inherit the Angel God's position. In our six-winged angel clan, besides me, there is only one other person. But that child has the potential to inherit the Angel God's position."
"For some reason, that child is lurking in the Heaven Dou Empire, wanting to overthrow the Heaven Dou Empire and prepare for the Spirit Hall to unify the continent."
"And you've met her before; she's Xue Qinghe, the current Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire."
"It was him?"
Dai Yao feigned a gasp of surprise, feigning disbelief. No one could believe that the Crown Prince of the Heaven Dou Empire was actually an imposter from the Spirit Hall.
Qian Daoliu could not hide his sorrow. Because of his parents' feud, Qian Renxue had never experienced parental love since childhood, and at a young age, she had gone to the Heaven Dou Empire without hesitation. As a grandfather, he could not imagine how lonely Qian Renxue's life must have been in the Heaven Dou Empire.
He sighed softly and said:
"Yes, I want you to help her."
"Although she comes from a noble family, she is a pitiful child. She lost her father and mother when she was very young. And our six-winged angel clan has an irreconcilable hatred with Bibi Dong."
"Bibi Dong's heart is dead. What drives her to live is revenge. She wants to destroy our angel race and even the entire continent."
"Therefore, once she becomes a god, it will be a disaster for the entire continent. So, I want you to help that child, to help her resist the pressure from Bibi Dong. Your Heaven Dou Empire, help her complete the palace coup. You have close ties with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School in the Heaven Dou Empire, and the sect you founded is also quite powerful."
"Therefore, you are the best person to help her."
Upon hearing this, Dai Yao couldn't help but gasp.
Qian Daoliu had already predetermined his fate. Firstly, because of Hu Liena, he had fallen out with Bibi Dong, so he had no choice but to follow the High Priest's arrangements. Secondly, because of the inherent antagonism between the Asura God and the Rakshasa God, he and Bibi Dong could not coexist.
No matter what, Dai Yao only has one path to take.
However, they miscalculated one thing. His relationship with Bibi Dong was not simply one of subservience.
Moreover, he disliked this way of forcing him. If you want someone's help, why force them?
He snorted coldly, staring at Qian Daoliu with a cold gaze, and sneered:
"Your Excellency, if you want me to help you with something like this, isn't that rather unseemly?"
Qian Daoliu was taken aback and asked in confusion, "What did I do?"
Qian Daoliu's attitude puzzled Dai Yao. Could it be that Qian Daoliu wasn't the real culprit who revealed his identity to Hu Liena? But if not him, then who was it?
He carefully observed Qian Daoliu's expression. Indeed, if an old fox like Qian Daoliu were lying, he wouldn't be able to tell. But would a peerless expert like Qian Daoliu lie to him? Perhaps it was possible in other novels, but in the Douluo Continent, it was absolutely impossible!
Every strong person has their own pride.
Therefore, Qian Daoliu was not the real culprit behind the breakdown of his relationship with Bibi Dong.
Besides, who else would have the motive to sabotage his relationship with Bibi Dong?
Dai Yao couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
Seeing Dai Yao remain silent, Qian Daoliu also realized something was amiss and gave Dai Yao time to think.
Just as Dai Yao was troubled, suddenly, as if a flash of inspiration had pierced through all the fog.
Soul beasts, undercover agents, Bibi Dong, Hu Liena, the Asura Emperor... various clues kept connecting, and a smooth logical chain rapidly formed in Dai Yao's mind.
"So that's how it is! So that's how it is!"
Dai Yao finally learned everything and murmured.
"What's wrong, Dai Yao?"
Qian Daoliu frowned and asked.
Dai Yao snapped out of his shock and gave Qian Daoliu a deep look. He knew that Qian Daoliu was also kept in the dark, but Qian Daoliu's interests were aligned with that guy's. For Qian Renxue's ascension to godhood, Qian Daoliu would definitely not cause any trouble.
He took a deep breath and said:
"Your Excellency, this matter is of great importance, and I would like to go back and think about it carefully."
Qian Daoliu smiled. Although he was puzzled by Dai Yao's reaction earlier, he wouldn't force Dai Yao to talk about it. He patted Dai Yao on the shoulder and said with a word of advice:
"Before you leave, I have to tell you a secret. Bibi Dong inherited the position of Rakshasa God. Rakshasa God and Asura God are natural enemies. If you choose to inherit the position of Asura God, then there is absolutely no possibility for you and Bibi Dong to coexist."
"I hope you'll think it over carefully."
Qian Daoliu's words further confirmed Dai Yao's thoughts. Dai Yao nodded heavily, then turned and left.
"Fourth brother, see Dai Yao off."
After the temple gates opened, Qian Daoliu gave instructions to the Lion Douluo outside.
Lion Douluo glanced at Dai Yao and responded.
After the palace gates closed, Lion Douluo led the way, with Dai Yao silently following behind.
The Hall of Offerings is located deep within the mountains of Wuhun City. After exiting the Hall, one is greeted by lush forests. Stepping into the woods, a night breeze rustles through the trees, creating a chilling sound.
Dai Yao looked at the imposing figure of the Lion Douluo ahead and sneered:
"The voice I heard in the vault must have been yours, Lion Douluo?"
Lion Douluo's body stiffened, then he turned around as if nothing had happened, looking puzzled, and said:
"Kid, what are you saying?"
"Should we continue pretending? Transform into a human-like soul beast?"
Dai Yao stared into the eyes of the Lion Douluo and spoke slowly.
The two stared at each other, the night wind blowing fallen leaves between them. The Lion Douluo remained silent, his gaze fixed on Dai Yao.
After a long while, those golden eyes transformed into a pair of amber-colored beastly pupils. The Lion Douluo laughed, a laugh that sounded extremely eerie in the pitch-black night.
"How did you know? I didn't give anything away."
Dai Yao said calmly, "I've always been puzzled as to why Hu Liena knew my identity as the 'Asura Emperor'. The only possibility is that there is a powerful force that can unravel the truth from various details."
"However, the only place on the entire continent that can accomplish this is the Temple of Worship."
"Indeed, the High Priest has the motive to break up my relationship with Bibi Dong, but you overlooked one thing, which is the High Priest's honesty."
"The High Priest's candor made me suspicious. Would he really do such a thing? So I deliberately said a few ambiguous things, but the High Priest was completely unaware of them. Therefore, the High Priest is not the mastermind behind this."
"I started to deduce: who else would have the motive to make me lose Bibi Dong's trust?"
"I've offended quite a few people in the Spirit Hall, but none of them have the power to use the Hall of Offerings. Just when I was at my wit's end, I suddenly remembered something. That spirit beast hidden in the Spirit Hall, only it has the motive to make me lose Bibi Dong's trust."
The Lion Douluo looked at Dai Yao in surprise, never expecting him to deduce so much from such seemingly insignificant details. He couldn't help but ask:
"Then how do you know that the transformed soul beast is me?"
Dai Yao sighed and said:
"I never expected that a transformed soul beast could not only lie in wait in human society, but also become a worshipper of the Spirit Hall."
"Of the seven elders, the Grand Elder is the first to be ruled out. Secondly, on the day I heard that voice in the treasury, the Second Elder was far away at the Haotian Sect, so the Second Elder is also ruled out."
"Of the remaining elders, the fifth, sixth, and seventh elders are all weapon spirit masters. After each spirit beast transforms, its spirit is its original form, which must be a beast spirit. Therefore, these three elders can also be ruled out."
"The rest are the three offerings to Azure Phoenix Douluo and you, Lion Douluo."
"I am very familiar with Qingluan Douluo because I have seen him several times because of Feng Wutong, but I cannot conclude that Qingluan Douluo is not the transformed soul beast. Both of you are suspects, but there is one detail that makes me conclude that you are the transformed soul beast."
Dai Yao stared intently at Lion Douluo and said decisively.
"Oh? What details?"
Lion Douluo was very curious about what had caused him to expose himself.
Dai Yao said slowly, "Because the person who came looking for me was you."
Lion Douluo was taken aback, and after a long while, he said with a complicated expression:
"Fate is truly unpredictable; such a small detail exposed me. Truly a child of destiny..."
He paused here, his face instantly turning icy cold:
"But aren't you afraid I'll kill you here and bury this secret forever?"
Dai Yao smiled relaxedly and said:
"You won't, or rather, you dare not."
"Having remained hidden for so many years and become one of the most prominent figures in the human world, your importance to the soul beast race is extraordinary. If you were exposed because of me, the price would be far too high."
"Secondly, this is the Hall of Offerings. Although you are a level 97 Title Douluo, I am not someone to be trifled with. I can at least hold out against you for a few seconds. In that time, Qian Daoliu will arrive. How will you face the Grand Elder then?"
"In the end, didn't you want to make a deal with me? Since you need my help, why would you kill me unless you're in a desperate situation?"
The coldness on Lion Douluo's face vanished instantly, and he couldn't help but clap his hands in praise:
"What a chosen one! You even know my concerns. Now that you've revealed my identity, are you trying to use it to threaten me?"
Dai Yao's expression darkened.
Lion Douluo was right; he did indeed intend to use Lion Douluo's identity to threaten him. His desire to improve relations with Bibi Dong hinged on clearing up the misunderstanding surrounding Hu Liena, which required Lion Douluo as a witness.
But from the Lion Douluo's words, it seemed that he was not afraid of his threat.
"That's right. If you don't want me to reveal your identity, you'll have to do me a favor."
Dai Yao said solemnly.
The Lion Douluo laughed a few times, then stared coldly at Dai Yao and said, "You can't threaten me. I can tell you that you've revealed my identity. I will die, but you will suffer more than I do..." (End of Chapter)