325: Chapter 319 The Advantage of Race

If a real fight broke out, even if he could kill the human before him,

this Physical Body he had just obtained would likely be completely destroyed.

Even his own Divine Soul would suffer heavy damage.

The gains would not make up for the losses.

A suffocating silence ensued.

The two stood in a standoff, neither making the first move.

Finally.

The Demonic Qi on "Liu Shengli" slowly receded.

His raspy voice broke the deadlock.

"You are strong."

"And your fire is very annoying."

He spoke bluntly.

"I don't like making losing deals."

As he spoke, he pointed to his chest.

"This Physical Body is very important to me."

"He is the breeding ground for me to survive in this world, and the resources for my advancement."

A greedy and cruel smile appeared on "Liu Shengli's" Face.

"Though his Divine Soul hasn't been extinguished, he is already a turtle in a jar."

"He is like a Medicinal Pill."

The essence blood and cultivation of a newly ascended early Nascent Soul stage cultivator is enough for me to slowly absorb for ten years."

"During these ten years, I will drain him bit by bit."

"Until he becomes a dried corpse."

Hearing such a horrifying method of cultivation, Chen Zhiwen couldn't help but feel a chill.

Treating a living person as nourishment to be slowly devoured.

This Strong Wind Ox Clan was indeed extremely evil.

"And so?"

Chen Zhiwen asked coldly.

"So, there's no need for us to fight to the death."

"Liu Shengli" spread his hands and proposed his terms.

"You take your path, and I'll take mine."

"Leave here immediately, leave the Artifact Refining Alliance."

"We will mind our own business."

"Let's act as if we never met tonight, how about it?"

It was a tempting proposal.

For most Cultivators, it was better to avoid trouble whenever possible.

Since the demon had no intention of attacking, leaving would be the best choice.

However, Chen Zhiwen was no ordinary Cultivator.

His ambition was to swallow the entire Artifact Refining Alliance.

If he allowed this uncertain factor to remain here, his plans could collapse at any time.

"Mind our own business?"

Chen Zhiwen sneered, his tone full of mockery.

"Fellow Daoist Ox Demon, you certainly have it all figured out."

"You want me to leave, so I just leave?"

"Wouldn't that make me lose a lot of Face?"

He took a step forward, the flames on his body growing more intense.

"Besides..."

"Are you really that comfortable letting me leave?"

"Aren't you afraid that the moment I leave, I'll spread the news across the entire Eastern Continent that the Alliance Leader of the Artifact Refining Alliance is being controlled by a high-level Yao Beast?"

"When that happens."

"Do you think those Righteous Path Sects, or the Wan Family and the Canghai Sect, will let you go?"

"They will skin you alive, refine you into Medicinal Pills,

or perhaps hang your rare Strong Wind Ox Clan specimen on the city walls for all to see!"

This blatant threat caused the atmosphere in the hall to tighten once again.

However, to Chen Zhiwen's surprise,

faced with such a threat, "Liu Shengli" did not fly into a rage.

On the contrary.

He actually split his mouth into a grin and laughed.

That smile was filled with an eerie confidence and composure.

"Fellow Daoist Chen must be joking."

Imitating human behavior, he straightened his somewhat messy collar.

Though the movements were still a bit stiff, they already carried some of the Alliance Leader's majesty.

"I, Liu, am the leader of a major power, the Alliance Leader of the Artifact Refining Alliance."

"Highly respected and admired by ten thousand people."

"You, an outsider Ten Thousand Swords Sect Cultivator, with nothing but words,"

"run out into the streets to slander me, saying I am a Yao Beast?"

"Do you think..."

"it is you who has gone mad, or the rest of the world?"

"What do you mean by that?"

An ominous premonition rose in Chen Zhiwen's heart.

"What do I mean?"

The smile on "Liu Shengli's" Face grew wider, eventually reaching almost to his ears.

"Since you don't believe me, then I'll show you."

"What a truly perfect parasitism looks like."

Before his voice had even faded,

a soft golden light suddenly lit up at his Dantian.

Immediately following,

an exquisite little Nascent Soul slowly flew out from the Baihui point on top of his head.

That Nascent Soul was only about an inch tall.

Its facial features were exactly the same as Liu Shengli's.

Though its expression was somewhat dull, the pure spiritual energy fluctuations it emitted were undeniable.

That was a genuine Human Race Nascent Soul!

But that wasn't what shocked Chen Zhiwen the most.

What was even more terrifying was that

as this Nascent Soul appeared, a wave of Divine Sense, like a ripple, slowly spread out in all directions.

Six thousand feet.

The strength of this Divine Sense covered a range of about six thousand feet.

While not particularly strong for a Nascent Soul Cultivator, it was certainly not weak.

The most crucial point was

that this Divine Sense was clear, pure, and peaceful.

There was no trace of Demonic Qi mixed in, nor was there any of that violent, bloodthirsty scent.

This was the most standard, most pure Human Race Divine Sense!

"This..."

Chen Zhiwen's eyes widened, and for the first time, a look of uncertainty and suspicion appeared on his Face.

His heart skipped a beat.

"How is this possible?!"

"Not only can this ox demon summon Liu Shengli's Nascent Soul,

which shows it has completely mastered the spiritual energy circuits of this body."

"What's even more horrifying is..."

"this Divine Sense!"

Chen Zhiwen stared fixedly at the small Nascent Soul floating in the air.

"Though this Divine Sense only reaches six thousand feet, it is pure Human Race Divine Sense!"

"What does this mean?"

"It means that after occupying the Physical Body, it can actually perfectly simulate, and even perform, Divine Abilities that originally belonged to the Human Race!"

"It can even change the aura of its Divine Sense!"

Chen Zhiwen felt a chill run from the soles of his feet straight to the top of his head.

If this were the case, as long as this ox demon didn't proactively reveal its true form or use the innate skills of the Yao Race,

even if a Demon-Revealing Mirror were used, or a Soul Transformation Stage powerhouse stood before it,

they likely wouldn't be able to tell that a man-eating demon was hidden inside this shell!

This wasn't mere parasitism; it was a perfect replacement!

"Now."

"Liu Shengli" retracted the Nascent Soul and looked at the shocked Chen Zhiwen.

He spread his hands like a magician who had just finished a brilliant performance.

"Fellow Daoist Chen."

"Do you think that if the two of us stood before the world to argue,"

"people would believe me, the Alliance Leader with a pure aura,"

"or believe you, an outsider of unknown origin covered in sinister flames?"

The air in the underground treasure vault was as heavy as solidified lead.

A human and a demon faced off in this enclosed space.

Chen Zhiwen's gaze was locked onto the floating Nascent Soul.

A pure Human Race aura.

Flawless Divine Sense fluctuations.

Everything was telling him just how terrifying the camouflage talent of this otherworldly creature known as the "Strong Wind Ox Clan" was.

If it were really allowed to walk out of this Alliance Leader's residence and blend into a crowd,

likely no one would be able to see through its true form, except for those old monsters with special ocular techniques or heaven-reaching cultivation.

By then, if he tried to spread rumors outside, not only would no one believe him, but he might also be framed in return.

The situation seemed to have fallen into a delicate stalemate.

Chen Zhiwen took a deep breath.

He slowly concealed the flash of sharp light in his eyes.

Since force wouldn't work, he would change his approach.

A businessman can always find a point of mutual interest.

"Fellow Daoist Ox."

Chen Zhiwen's voice calmed down, breaking the silence.

He no longer dwelled on the authenticity of the other's identity but got straight to the point.

"You are using Alliance Leader Liu's body to draw nourishment,

even using it as a breeding ground for cultivation; this is the Karma between you and him."

"I have no deep connection with Liu Shengli; in fact, we could be considered competitors."

"As long as you don't interfere with my plans, I have no desire to meddle in your business."

Hearing this, the opposite "Liu Shengli" raised an eyebrow slightly.

The look of vigilance in his dark purple pupils lessened slightly.

He seemed to be weighing the credibility of Chen Zhiwen's words.

Seeing this, a faint smile played on the corners of Chen Zhiwen's mouth.

It was the smile of a merchant seeing his prey take the bait.

"However."

The tone shifted.

Chen Zhiwen took half a step forward, his tone becoming somewhat meaningful.

"You are, after all, of a different race."

"Human Race cultivation resources, whether they be techniques or Magic Treasures,

or even those rare Ores and Spiritual Plants."

"For your Strong Wind Ox Clan, most of them are likely useless external objects, aren't they?"

"Liu Shengli has been the Alliance Leader of the Artifact Refining Alliance for centuries; his net worth must be incredibly vast."

"Those things in your hands are nothing more than a pile of scrap metal."

"Why not..."

Chen Zhiwen's gaze fell unashamedly on the pitch-black storage ring on "Liu Shengli's" left middle finger.

That was the symbol of the Alliance Leader.

It was also where the finest Treasure Trove of the entire Artifact Refining Alliance was kept.

"Do me a favor and give me Alliance Leader Liu's storage ring?"

"In doing so, the grievances between us will be wiped clean."

"Not only will I keep your secret, but I can even be your first friend in this world."

Chen Zhiwen was certain that the reason the third floor of this treasure vault was empty was that all the treasures had already been collected into that ring by this greedy ox demon.

Faced with this request that was practically daylight robbery, "Liu Shengli" did not immediately lash out.

He just looked at Chen Zhiwen coldly.

That look was as if he were looking at a fool.

"Friend?"

He sneered, his voice raspy and grating.

"Human friends are the least trustworthy of all."

"Besides."

"Why should I give you wealth for nothing?"

"Although I am not skilled in Artifact Refining, the Spirit Stones in this storage ring"

"are a universal currency."

"Those Ores can also be traded for a large amount of blood food."

"Do you take me for a fool?"

Being rejected to his Face, Chen Zhiwen was not annoyed.

Ask for the sky, and settle on the ground.

This was the norm in negotiations.

As long as the other party was willing to speak, it meant there was something to talk about.

However.

Just as Chen Zhiwen was prepared to throw out his next bargaining chip,

"Liu Shengli" suddenly made an extremely strange movement.

"Hoo—"

He took a deep, long breath.

His nostrils flared violently, as if he had caught a scent that made him extremely intoxicated.

Immediately after,

he stuck out a dark purple tongue covered in barbs and greedily licked his lips.

That appearance was exactly like a hungry wolf that had caught the scent of blood.

"I smell it..."

"Liu Shengli's" voice began to tremble slightly, a sign of extreme excitement.

He stared fixedly at Chen Zhiwen, his gaze no longer one of vigilance, but of blatant desire.

"On you..."

"there is the scent of a fourth-grade snow lotus flower!"

"That is a top-tier spiritual treasure of heaven and earth!"

"Even the slightest trace of its aura cannot escape my nose!"

"Take it out!"

"As long as you give me that, I'll give you as much of the trash in this storage ring as you want!"

Hearing the words "fourth-grade snow lotus flower,"

Chen Zhiwen's heart skipped a beat.

Deep in his eyes, an unmistakable tremor flashed for an instant.

That was one of his greatest secrets!

Months ago, in an extremely hidden ancient ruin, he had been lucky enough to obtain a fourth-grade snow lotus flower.

That was a treasure that could drive even a Late Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator mad!

To keep it secret,

he had not only placed it in a specially made jade box with multiple high-level sealing Talismans,

but had also hidden it in the deepest part of his storage ring.

Even a Soul Transformation Stage Divine Sense scan would not be able to penetrate those layers of Restrictions to detect even a fraction of it.

But this ox demon...

It had actually smelled it just by its sense of smell?

"How is this possible?!"

Waves of shock surged through Chen Zhiwen's heart.

But on the surface, he forced himself to remain calm.

Not even the expression on his Face changed in the slightest.

"Fellow Daoist Ox Demon."

Chen Zhiwen frowned, looking at the other party with a Face full of bewilderment.

"You must be mistaken, right?"

"A legendary divine object like a fourth-grade snow lotus flower, how could an early Nascent Soul stage cultivator like me possess it?"

"If I truly had such a treasure, I would have found a place to enter secluded cultivation to refine it long ago. Why would I come here to take risks?"

He was gambling.

Gambling that the ox demon was just bluffing him,

or that it had smelled some other similar Spiritual Plant scent on him.

However.

"Liu Shengli" didn't buy it at all.

He smiled arrogantly, his Face full of confidence.

That confidence stemmed from the absolute authority of his racial talent.

"Mistaken?"

"Hmph!"

"My Strong Wind Ox Clan are the darlings of the wind and the kings of scent."

"Our perception of the Spiritual Plants of heaven and earth is beyond the imagination of you humans."

He took a step forward, closing in on Chen Zhiwen.

"Never mind being separated by this small storage ring Restriction."

"Even if you hid it in a chaotic space crack, as long as the slightest bit of its aura leaked out, it could not escape my senses!"

"That crisp, icy, yet life-filled scent..."

"There is no mistake!"

Looking at the other's certain gaze,

the vigilance in Chen Zhiwen's heart was instantly raised to the maximum.

It seemed he could no longer hide it.

This Strong Wind Ox Clan's innate Divine Ability was actually so Heaven-Defying.

Sensing treasures through a storage ring—this was practically a mobile treasure-hunting radar!

Even a Soul Transformation Cultivator, relying solely on Divine Sense, could definitely not achieve this. "Is this a racial advantage?"

Chen Zhiwen was secretly alarmed.

Since he had been seen through, continuing to deny it would only make him look guilty and might even anger the other party, leading to the breakdown of negotiations.

"This thing is also of great use to me."

Chen Zhiwen calculated in his mind.

He had planned to save that fourth-grade snow lotus flower for when he would break through the Late Nascent Soul Stage Bottleneck in the future.

But now...

If he didn't show some sincerity, it would likely be difficult to get anything out of this ox demon.

Moreover, he had also developed a great interest in the "perceptive power" the ox demon spoke of.