73: Chapter 73 The Devil's Contract!

"3..."

But the countdown from his mouth rang out again, sounding like the death knell of the Grim Reaper.

"Human, do not think this Emperor is truly afraid of death!!!"

Aiolia's voice had already taken on a desperate rasp, but he was still feigning composure.

"2..."

Lu Yin knew that the more critical the moment, the less he could show any weakness.

The Phantom Assassin's blade was already pressed against his temple; the icy sensation made Aiolia's soul tremble.

"1..."

The moment the last number left his lips, Aiolia let out a scream that bordered on a breakdown.

"Madman! Wait!"

"I can let you inherit my position as the Sovereign of the Abyss!"

"The Sovereign's position?"

Lu Yin's countdown stopped abruptly, and an imperceptible smile appeared on his face.

The Phantom Assassin's blade remained pressed against his temple, the icy breath of death stagnating in the air.

"Why should I believe you?" Lu Yin asked, his voice cold.

Aiolia's soul fluctuations surged violently, as if he were weighing his options.

A moment later, a dark red contract rune slowly emerged within Lu Yin's sea of consciousness.

"I swear by the abyssal will, as long as you agree to coexist with me, I can pass the throne's inheritance to you."

Aiolia's voice carried an unprecedented solemnity.

"But you must promise not to destroy my soul after my inheritance is complete."

Lu Yin stared at the slowly rotating contract rune, which was inscribed with profound demonic script.

[Aiolia's Oath]

[Contract Subject: Lu Yin]

[Content: Aiolia will no longer attempt to possess Lu Yin's soul and will grant Lu Yin the right of succession to the Holy Demon Clan's throne. In return, Lu Yin will share 70% of his experience points with Aiolia until he reaches Level 10.]

"7% experience points? Right of succession?"

"This contract of yours is full of word traps."

"It seems your sincerity in wanting to live isn't very high."

Upon seeing the contract's contents, Lu Yin couldn't help but frown.

Simultaneously, the daggers in the hands of the two Phantom Assassins bit a few millimeters deeper into Lu Yin's flesh.

Sensing that Lu Yin was about to commit suicide again, Aiolia hurriedly spoke.

"Hey, hey, wait a minute! Listen to my sophistry first—"

"No, I mean, listen to my explanation first."

In his panic, Aiolia's tongue had slipped.

"Speak. If I am dissatisfied in the slightest, you know the consequences."

Lu Yin ordered the Phantom Assassins to stop, maintaining a posture of preferring to be shattered jade than intact pottery.

"This contract is absolutely fair. The throne of our Holy Demon Clan has always belonged to the capable."

"I have been sealed for three thousand years; a new Emperor has long since been born in the clan."

"Even if I return to the Abyss, I would have to fight for the throne again."

"The only difference is that my title still carries some lingering prestige, which can grant you an immediate 1% base of followers."

"As for sharing experience, that is a rule of the contract. Any content requires corresponding conditions to make an oath."

Aiolia's voice was filled with urgency, fearing that a slip of Lu Yin's hand would cost him his life for nothing.

But Lu Yin only gave a cold laugh.

"So, your so-called throne inheritance actually requires me to rely on my own strength to fight for it."

"Then why do I need your inheritance?"

"As for the 7% experience sharing... Aiolia, do you think I'm that easy to fool?"

Aiolia's soul stagnated slightly. This contract did indeed hide traps; the so-called 'right of succession' was nothing more than an empty promise.

And the 7% experience sharing would be enough to significantly slow Lu Yin's growth and give Aiolia enough time to recover his strength.

"Then... what do you think is appropriate?" Aiolia's voice weakened noticeably.

Lu Yin's gaze swept over the contract rune as he slowly spoke.

"First, the follower base must be increased to 3%. You must swear by the abyssal will to ensure these followers truly exist and are completely loyal to me."

"Second, the experience sharing ratio must not exceed 1%, and it only lasts until I reach Level 50."

"That's impossible!" Aiolia almost jumped.

"3% of the followers? Do you think the current Holy Demon Emperor is a useless freeloader?"

"Most of my former loyalists have been purged. Only a very small portion are still barely surviving in the Holy Demon Abyss."

"1% is already the limit of what I can perceive."

Lu Yin remained unmoved upon hearing this, only saying faintly.

"Then there's nothing to talk about. Phantom Assassin, do it."

"Wait!"

But in the next second, Aiolia's voice trembled with desperation.

"There are only that many followers, I'm absolutely not lying to you! Increase the experience sharing to 3%, lasting until Level 100."

"In exchange, I can tell you the location of an abyssal divine artifact. This is my bottom line!"

Lu Yin fell silent for a moment, seemingly weighing this condition.

An abyssal divine artifact, like the divine artifacts of the human race, was a supreme existence.

Each one possessed terrifying power.

If he could obtain one, it would surely allow his strength to increase by a massive margin.

Furthermore, Lu Yin could feel that Aiolia was nearing his breaking point; this was indeed his final bargaining chip.

"You're so persistent about Level 10... is it because you'll use my power to resurrect then?"

Hearing Lu Yin's question, Aiolia's teeth chattered.

"Otherwise? Should I just work for you like an ox or a horse for nothing?"

Lu Yin pondered slightly. Letting Aiolia resurrect did indeed carry a great risk.

However, by the time he reached Level 10, he would surely have become monstrous to a whole other dimension.

An Abyssal Demon Emperor... he truly didn't take one seriously.

"Alright, I understand."

Lu Yin nodded.

The life crystals were exhausted, so it was impossible for Lu Yin to commit suicide again.

He was also afraid that Aiolia would truly have a mental breakdown and choose to go down with him.

"Modify the contract content then."

With Lu Yin's consent, the contract rune in his sea of consciousness began to twist and deform.

The dark red characters rearranged and combined, finally settling into the new content.

[Aiolia's Oath (Revised)]

[Contract Subject: Lu Yin]

[Clause 1: Aiolia recognizes Lu Yin as the legitimate heir of the Holy Demon Clan, ensuring he obtains a 1% base of followers.]

[Clause 2: Lu Yin will share 2% of his experience per level with Aiolia; this clause persists until Level 100.]

[Additional Clause: Aiolia must immediately disclose the specific location of an abyssal divine artifact after the contract is established.]

[Sign the contract?]

Lu Yin stared at the rotating dark red rune in his sea of consciousness; every character radiated the unique aura of the Abyss.

He could even feel the resentment and anxiety deep within Aiolia's soul, like a trapped beast driven to the edge of a cliff.

He knew that this time, he had won.

But while victorious, he also knew...

The game of wits with Aiolia had, in fact, only just begun.