Fighting: Practice makes it real, start with a poisonous body.

"That's not the case." Shennong slowly shook his head. The Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda remained suspended, and the ancient aura flowing around the pagoda firmly blocked Gu Yuan's domineering aura from three feet away.

A cold glint flashed in the old man Shennong's cloudy eyes, and his tone was steady: "But I'm really a little worried about entrusting all the key items to you..."

Your cruelty and inhumanity have long been known throughout the Central Plains. You even used your own daughter as a tool, wantonly extracting her lifeblood. Such ruthlessness and callousness are rare even in the entire history of the Dou Qi Continent.

Now that we have reached a cooperation agreement, although it is nominally an equal and mutually beneficial relationship, if all the core elements for resurrecting the Pure Lotus Demon Saint are handed over to you to control,

If you back out halfway through, or cause trouble during the resurrection ceremony, or even join forces with the Pure Lotus Demon Saint to attack our human race after her resurrection, wouldn't we have no chance to retaliate at all?

The old man Shennong's words accurately struck at the hidden worries in everyone's hearts. The elders of the Pill Tower and the powerful figures of the Central Continent Alliance nodded in agreement, and their gazes toward Gu Yuan became even more wary.

They were already resistant to this cooperation. If it weren't for the imminent threat of the Son of Dragon and Phoenix, and if it weren't for the fact that the blood of a billion compatriots had been shed, they would never have stood shoulder to shoulder with such a butcher whose hands were stained with the blood of innocent people.

The concerns raised by Shennong at this moment were worries that none of them had ever voiced.

In an instant, the atmosphere high in the sky became heavy again, with the two sides subtly confronting each other, and it seemed as if invisible lightning was colliding in the air.

Upon hearing this, Gu Yuan snorted coldly, and then the murderous intent and chill in his eyes receded like the tide, replaced by a knowing indifference.

He glanced at the old man Shennong and asked in a calm tone, "So what do you want?"

Shennong's reaction was not unexpected by Gu Yuan.

He knew full well that his reputation was already rotten to the core, and that it would be truly foolish for the human race's higher-ups to be completely unprepared for him.

Even if he was overconfident in his own plans, he knew that in such a cooperation that concerned the survival of the race, the other party would inevitably put forward corresponding constraints.

Instead of feigning anger and refusing, which only increases the chances of things going wrong, it's better to listen to the other party's demands first... As long as it doesn't touch on his core goal of resurrecting the Pure Lotus Demon Saint, a little compromise is fine.

After all, the most important thing now is to obtain those three fragments of the map and gather all the necessary pieces. As for the rest, once the Pure Lotus Demon Saint is resurrected, everything will be up to him...

"Resurrecting the Pure Lotus Demon Saint is the only way to save humanity right now. It is an inevitable trend that I cannot stop, nor do I have any such intention."

Shennong slowly withdrew some of the holy power he had poured into the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda. The pagoda shrank slightly, returning to the size of a palm and hovering in his palm, but the heavy, mountain-like pressure still lingered.

"However, we must decide the location for resurrecting the Pure Lotus Demon Saint!"

"Yes! We must decide where the resurrection takes place!"

Xiao Yan, who was standing to the side, suddenly realized what was happening. He endured the sharp pain in his chest, stepped forward, and echoed in a deep voice.

Gu Yuan is cunning and extremely scheming. If Gu Yuan were to choose his resurrection location, he would surely set up a trap in advance or choose a secret realm that would be advantageous to him, at which point the human race would be completely put at a disadvantage.

Only by firmly grasping the resurrection location can we ensure absolute safety to the greatest extent possible, and also take advantage of the terrain to restrain Gu Yuan with the power of the Xuanhuang Linglong Pagoda!

As Xiao Yan finished speaking, the powerful figures of the Central Continent Alliance, including the Fire Cloud Ancestor and the Two Immortals of the Flower Sect, chimed in: "That's right! We must choose the location, otherwise this cooperation is out of the question!"

"Gu Yuan, you have lost all credibility. We must have a backup plan!"

"..." The words of the crowd surged toward Gu Yuan like a tide, making the already tense atmosphere even more strained. It was as if if Gu Yuan made the slightest refusal, the two sides would immediately break off their mask and start another big battle.

However, to everyone's surprise, facing the crowd's relentless pressure, Gu Yuan showed no anger or hesitation. Instead, he slowly curled up a meaningful smile, which was unbelievably refreshing.

"Alright, you can decide the resurrection location!"

"what?"

A hint of surprise flashed in Shennong's eyes, and his hand, which had been tightly gripping the Heaven and Earth Xuanhuang Pagoda, loosened slightly; Xiao Yan also frowned, and his vigilance not only did not decrease, but became even stronger.

Gu Yuan's reaction was too abnormal, so abnormal that it was unsettling.

They thought Gu Yuan would argue his case, but they didn't expect him to agree so readily without even a moment's hesitation.

Gu Yuan's behavior seemed incredibly honest, while their constant pressure and wariness made them appear petty.

Many people looked embarrassed and puzzled as they looked at Gu Yuan.

"What? Surprised?"

Gu Yuan took in everyone's expressions, and the mocking smile on his lips became even more pronounced.

He spoke coldly: "Alright, I know what you're doubting. Do you think I'd be so kind as to actually run errands for you lowly mainlanders? Don't flatter yourselves."

Everything I have done has always been for the survival of the ancient race. It is undeniable that our interests are completely aligned in the fight against the Dragon-Phoenix Child.

If the son of the dragon and phoenix truly unifies the continent, after the destruction of the human race, I will be the next to suffer!
Therefore, I don't need to resort to any tricks when it comes to resurrecting the Pure Lotus Demon Saint.

If he can successfully resurrect, he will naturally shield us from the Dragon-Phoenix Child's advance. This will be a win-win situation for me and for you all.

Gu Yuan shrugged, his tone seemingly sincere, but a strange glint appeared in his eyes: "Instead of speculating about me here, you should think about how to cooperate with me to complete the resurrection ritual."

After all, the longer the delay, the more dangerous humanity's situation becomes, doesn't it?

Xiao Yan and the others exchanged glances, and they had to admit that what Gu Yuan said was not without reason.

The threat posed by the Dragon-Phoenix Child is real. If internal strife continues, it will only result in mutual destruction, with the Beastmen reaping the benefits.

For a moment, many people hesitated, and while their wariness had not completely disappeared, their gazes toward Gu Yuan were less confrontational.

The old man Shennong squinted, staring intently into Gu Yuan's eyes, trying to catch a trace of a lie, but in the end he only saw a bottomless indifference.

He pondered for a moment, then finally made his decision, saying in a deep voice, "Alright."

Since you say so, I'll believe you this once. The resurrection location will be within this Pill Domain... under the guard of the Xuanhuang Exquisite Pagoda! (End of Chapter)