Chapter 2315: Frostleaf's Deal

"All cultivators, deep down, wish to become more powerful, and I am no exception," Grand Master Shuangye said softly. "This devourer died at its peak, and its brain core is still vibrant. It's a rare specimen, one of a kind in the world, and I want to study it closely."

He had mentioned earlier that he liked collecting unique items.

He Lingchuan glanced at him.

Didn't Grand Master Shuangye already possess one himself?

Was one brain core not enough for him?

Shuangye continued, "This devourer was born in the Middle Ages, and within ten days of its birth, it devoured countless living beings from 'Aiyin City,' including even descendants of the Dragon Clan and over a dozen immortals. Because of this, it possessed power capable of overturning heaven and earth."

So, the ancient city that suffered the devourer's calamity was called Aiyin City?

He Lingchuan then followed up, "Why did the Ferry Ghost Mother choose this city to give birth?"

"In fact, Aiyin City at that time was a major city under the rule of the West Plains Dragon Clan, peaceful and prosperous. That's why many immortal sects also relocated their foundations there. Due to the Dragon Gods, the Dragon Clan's prestige reached its peak in the early Middle Ages; they firmly held human faith. If they had continued to thrive, humans would not have believed in Heavenly Gods."

He Lingchuan's brow twitched. So that was it.

If humans did not believe in the Heavenly Demons, it would be difficult for the latter to stir up trouble and provoke wars in the human realm.

Only when local deities declined or disappeared could foreign Heavenly Demons seize belief and cultivate followers.

It's still the old saying: when true gods vanish, false gods find their place.

"The attack on Aiyin City was a meticulous design. It is said that at that time, the West Plains Dragon Clan was away on a campaign, leaving only one white dragon to guard their home. All three dragon eggs preserved in the city were devoured by the devourer during the attack. This severely weakened the West Plains Dragon Clan."

The Dragon Clan's reproductive ability was already poor, and with the decline in the concentration of spiritual energy in heaven and earth, they lost three descendants in one blow.

"The surrounding immortal sects rushed to encircle and annihilate it, but the devourer still escaped Aiyin City, albeit severely wounded. That's when the immortals from Yuanshan capitalized on the final opportunity."

This differed slightly from True Person Qianhuan's oral records, but such ancient legends always have variations in detail. He Lingchuan smiled, "Since this devourer was so formidable, wouldn't giving its brain core to you just be causing trouble for myself?"

If this fellow got his hands on the gold core, would Wei'an City turn into a second Aiyin City?

The strangest thing was why Shuangye, with his cunning nature, would reveal everything. The more extraordinary the origin of the gold core, the less willing He Lingchuan would naturally be to give it to him.

"Since you know about devourers, you must have also heard that their power only surges within the first ten days after birth," Shuangye said with a hint of melancholy in his voice. "A devourer's power lies primarily in its body, not its brain core. Furthermore, over three thousand years have passed; even if some power remains in the gold core, how much could truly be left?"

He Lingchuan's gaze shifted slightly.

Yes, devourers can gorge themselves within ten days of birth, infinitely increasing their power ceiling. This is their golden growth period.

After that, even if their abilities continued to grow, it wouldn't be a leap-forward progression.

He Lingchuan had heard this secret from Mitian in the Panlong World, so he knew Shuangye wasn't lying.

He was born in the Demon Nest Swamp and consumed far fewer people than the gold core's original owner; naturally, the power he gained within ten days of birth was not as strong. Yet, that devourer lived for a very short time, while Shuangye, despite his origins, eventually ascended to the Grand Master's throne of the Northern Demon Kingdom.

How did a devourer reach this point? In He Lingchuan's view, Shuangye was far more terrifying than the owner of this gold core.

"You see, the Qixia Sect treated the gold core as a magical artifact, and each use consumed its power. It nourished this mountain peak and resisted your nation's power, but it's now almost exhausted," Shuangye said slowly. "No matter who obtains this gold core, even another devourer, and even if it can absorb the residual power within, it won't be able to make rapid progress. As the master of Cangyan, are you still afraid of this?"

He Lingchuan also smiled; he genuinely wasn't afraid.

Over a decade ago, if he had seen Shuangye, he would have taken a detour and certainly wouldn't have handed over the gold core. But now, with the world in turmoil and powerful immortals and demons emerging from Cangyan, which one could cause only minor trouble?

Except for Arch-Heavenly Demons and True Immortals, individual martial power is truly insignificant when faced with a nation of such scale.

"Then what use is it to you?"

"This devourer didn't live for long, but I have a way to observe its power growth process and its developmental experiences," Shuangye said, pointing towards the ground with a sincere expression.

He Lingchuan smiled, "Do devourers need to learn too?"

Shuangye said faintly, "Humans need to learn knowledge from their predecessors when cultivating. I suppose devourers are no exception, are they? It's just that they're different from humans; it's hard to find another of their kind."

By "their kind," he wasn't referring to ordinary Ferry Ghostlings.

He Lingchuan, however, keenly grasped a crucial point:

Devourers' growth also requires continuous learning, at least that's how it is for Shuangye.

After birds, beasts, flowers, and insects are enlightened by the Emperor's Dew, they naturally know how to cultivate. This is an innate talent written in their bloodline, a blessing bestowed by the Heavenly Dao. Only humans need to grope their way forward on their own.

Heavenly Gods, however, are not beings of the human realm. As so-called "divine offspring," devourers receive no favor from this world and can only advance through learning.

Furthermore, they are neither human nor Heavenly Demon, nor do they belong to the demon race, leaving them with virtually no kin.

So, how did Shuangye learn over the past hundred years or more?

The only subjects He Lingchuan could think of were humans.

His cunning maturity truly surpassed his teachers, proving to be even more formidable.

"Tell me about your offer."

The Blood Demon Cape on his shoulders cried out in He Lingchuan's ear, "Hey, are you really going to give him the gold core?"

Even it, a demon god steeped in bloodshed, found it inappropriate to hand the gold core over to a devourer, the Grand Master of an enemy nation.

He Lingchuan ignored it, simply reaching out to pour wine for Shuangye.

The stone slab he had carved out was large and flat, much like a round dining table in the countryside.

Shuangye and He Lingchuan were an arm's length apart.

If either of them reached out, they could grasp the other's shoulder.

If this scene had occurred over a decade ago, when He Lingchuan had just conquered the Yangshan Archipelago, it would undoubtedly have been his worst nightmare.

But now, it was his turn to consider whether to seize the opportunity and take down Shuangye. The thought was quite appealing.

Shuangye, however, seemed oblivious to He Lingchuan's calculations. Instead, he pressed his arms back against the stone, supporting himself, appearing very relaxed.

"Not long ago, two Heavenly Gods successfully achieved full divine descent on Fugu's experimental island. You know about this, right?"

He Lingchuan nodded, "I've heard a little about it."

Shuangye chuckled softly, "As expected of Emperor Jiuyou, your eyes and ears indeed extend across both realms."