Chapter 498: Cooperation

At the rear, Long Ying, the leader of the nine-member team, stepped forward and said solemnly, "This esteemed one, your strength has already gained our recognition. Since we share the same goal, we can cooperate."

"I don't think there's a need for that," rejected Li Pin.

He issued a brief ultimatum. "Do you want to fight, or will you leave?"

Long Ying looked conflicted. He glanced at the eighty-eight Myths behind Li Pin, his mind reeling with struggle. He didn't want to risk his life here for the World Heart.

Even if they fought, Long Ying knew they couldn't win. It was better to let Li Pin's group and the Moon Goddess fight to mutual destruction and see if he could reap any benefits.

In the end, Long Ying waved his hand. "Let's go."

Leading his team, he quickly turned and left the scene.

Li Pin watched the nine of them leave. After they had all gone a certain distance, Li Pin turned his gaze back to the moon he was standing on.

"Are you still not coming out?" Li Pin said. "So many God Kings and Myths are hovering above the moon. Don't tell me you can't see them."

As soon as he was done speaking, a beam of azure light projected out and quickly condensed into the figure of a woman.

The woman, resembling an Astral Cultivator, possessed a nearly perfect appearance and was shrouded in a faint blue radiance. She exuded an indescribable sense of aloofness and divinity. She could evoke a sense of reverence from people just by standing there.

Those with weak wills would be bewitched by her appearance and aura at first sight, willingly offering everything, even their lives, for her.

She was the Moon Goddess, the strongest across the Three Domains.

If the Netherlord didn't have the invincibility attribute, even he might not be able to defeat this unparalleled powerhouse.

At this moment, the Moon Goddess looked puzzled. Her gaze kept shifting between Li Pin and his clones. After a while, the confusion on her face gradually faded, returning to its usual aloofness.

"Your race appears similar to humans, but humans do not possess this clone talent. From the information I have," said the Moon Goddess. "What race do you belong to?"

"Whether I answer that question or not is unimportant. What matters is that I want the World Heart," Li Pin said.

These words seemed to have incited a faint mental spirit fluctuation from the Moon Goddess. But it quickly subsided.

"I don't know where you learned about the World Heart, but... to my Moon Demon Imperial Clan, it is the cornerstone of our heritage. Without the World Heart, there would be no Moon Demon Imperial Clan. Therefore, unless the Moon Demon Imperial Clan faces extinction... we will fight for the World Heart to our last breath."

Li Pin was not surprised to hear this. He had already obtained information about the Moon Goddess from Fang Zhiqian and the others.

She was characterized by absolute rationality and calmness. She considered everything from the perspective of the Moon Demon Imperial Clan's interests.

"The reason I want the World Heart is to unite the Moon Demon Domain, the Celestial Barren Domain, and the Mortal Domain into one. I know the Moon Demon Imperial Clan was defeated by the Heavenly Demon Clan, who wields the Supreme Demonic Sword. This forced you to flee to the Mortal Domain and attempt to rise again. But... this plan of yours is destined to fail."

Li Pin continued, "Instead of pinning your hopes on the future, why not seize the present, eliminate the Heavenly Demon Clan, and restore the Moon Demon Imperial Clan's glory?"

"Unite the Moon Demon Domain, the Celestial Barren Domain, and the Mortal Domain into one?" The Moon Goddess's expression remained unchanged. "What is your purpose?"

Li Pin didn't beat around the bush. "It concerns my cultivation."

The Moon Goddess studied Li Pin silently. After a while, she said, "My analysis tells me you are telling the truth, but... this truth brings even more terrifying consequences. In my analysis, you would destroy everything for the sake of your cultivation, even if it meant the complete obliteration of the Three Domains into cosmic dust.

"As long as it advances your cultivation even slightly, you will not hesitate... To you, the living beings of the Three Domains are no more than insignificant ants, utterly unworthy of your concern."

Li Pin replied, "Aren't you the same when it comes to the continuation of the Moon Demon Imperial Clan?

"That is why you can understand my conviction and determination. You should also understand the consequences if you were to refuse me."

The Moon Goddess fell silent, pondering.

After a while, she said, "Based on my calculations, with my current summoning ability and all the forces I can ultimately mobilize, there is an over 80% chance of defeating you...."

"But in doing so, your plan would be exposed to everyone's view. The Moon Demon Imperial Clan would lose public support, and from then on, others would no longer unite around the Moon Demon Imperial Clan to resist the Heavenly Demon Clan's invasion.

"Ultimately, the Heavenly Demon Clan, born of the Supreme Demonic Sword's power, will unify the Three Domains. This would also achieve my goal, albeit slower and requiring more time and effort."

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

The Moon Goddess fell silent again.

After several breaths, she asked, "What do you want?"

She looked calmly at Li Pin. "You understand I will not agree to give you the World Heart. So, this is your rhetoric, used to interfere with my judgment. What, then, is your true goal?"

"It's still the World Heart." Li Pin smiled faintly. "Your guess is correct. My path of cultivation takes precedence over everything, and the World Heart is crucial to it.... Therefore, you can lend me the World Heart. When it is no longer useful to me, I will return it to you. In this way, we can avoid mutual destruction."

"Impossible. The World Heart will never be lent out."

"It's not lending. You can bring it along and travel with me. While I use the World Heart, you can supervise to ensure I don't keep it for myself."

Li Pin glanced at the Dragon Hawk Squad, who had ostensibly left but were undoubtedly still monitoring the situation on the Moon. "You've sensed those God Kings and Myths, haven't you?

"I imagine you can guess their intentions. The situation has changed. Due to certain variables, this world has become unfamiliar. Hundreds, possibly two or three hundred God Kings and over a thousand Myths will emerge in this world. They will target Divine Equipment like the Reincarnation Shield, the World Heart, and the Supreme Demonic Sword. You cannot stop them."

"Two hundred and three God Kings and over a thousand Myths...."

The Moon Goddess glanced at Li Pin, then at the eighty-eight Myths behind him, quickly assessing the situation.

"You might be able to fend off the Dragon Hawk Squad and even me, but what about the dozens, possibly hundreds, of God Kings and Myths who will soon form teams to storm the moon? How long can you hold out?" Li Pin looked at the Moon Goddess. "Take the World Heart and come with me. This is the only way to ensure the survival of you and your Clan."

The Moon Goddess remained silent.

She could tell that Li Pin was speaking the truth. That was especially the case since she believed he would indeed choose to engage in a battle with her should she refuse.

No, he wouldn't even need to fight her. By simply leaking the news of the World Heart, he could attract countless covetous entities, utterly destroying the arrangements she had painstakingly established on the moon for centuries.

She had very few choices left.

"I need assurances," the Moon Goddess said.

Li Pin calmly replied, "Unless I die, the World Heart will undoubtedly belong to the Moon Demon Imperial Clan, and the Moon Demon Imperial Clan will surely continue to exist."

This assurance was undeniably compelling. But the Moon Goddess still felt that something was amiss; she just couldn't put her finger on what it was.

Li Pin slightly intensified his tone. "Trust is mutual."

"With you being the strongest God Monarch, bringing you along inherently entails greater risk for me, yet I am still willing to do it. I believe this demonstrates my sincerity."

Upon hearing this, the Moon Goddess realized that this was Li Pin's bottom line. Unless she summoned the Veritable God Monarch and all the God Kings and Myths from the Divine City to the moon for a battle to the death with Li Pin, he would no longer yield at this point.

"I need to make preparations," The Moon Goddess said.

"Very well, but you have one day. After one day, I want to see the World Heart," Li Pin demanded. "And I must take the World Heart to the Moon Demon Domain."

"Take the World Heart to the Moon Demon Domain?" The Moon Goddess showed a rare moment of strong emotion. "The Supreme Demonic Sword will guide the Heavenly Demon Clan toward the World Heart and destroy it!"

"There will be those who stand against the Supreme Demonic Sword and the Heavenly Demon Clan," Li Pin assured.

The slots for God Kings and Myths had almost all been filled. During this time, most people were focused on acquiring those few Divine Equipment to avoid being instantly killed by the Supreme Demonic Sword in its third or fourth phase. However, some chose to target the invincible Netherlord, attempting to seize the Supreme Demonic Sword from his hands.

The possibility of this succeeding was low, but if he could tip off these God Kings about the Netherlord's possible location, many would undoubtedly take the initiative to act and set an ambush.

The pioneers were different from the native God Kings of this world. They could reincarnate through countless cycles. For them, death merely meant losing the opportunity to break open the Divine Treasure World in this cycle.

Therefore, as long as there was even the slightest hope or opportunity to break open the divine treasure world, they would not hesitate to risk their lives to test it out.

The mindset of pioneers was best reflected in Fang Chunyang and Xu Anping's plan. They aimed to persuade the Netherlord to hand over the Supreme Demonic Sword using nothing but honest words. This was an absurd plan with a success rate of less than one percent. Despite that, they still decided to go through with it.

This was because failure bore no consequences. Whereas, if they succeeded, the gains would be unimaginably vast.

The Moon Goddess's tone carried a hint of emotional fluctuation. "Do you have other hidden forces?"

Li Pin merely smiled faintly without explaining.

Seeing this, the Moon Goddess refrained from further questions and turned away, disappearing from his sight.

Whether it was the pioneers or Li Pin, they were both extremely patient.

One day passed quickly.

When the Moon Goddess reappeared, she had changed into a new outfit.

Since they were heading to the Moon Demon Domain and carrying the World Heart would inevitably lead to battle, she was now fully clad in battle armor, resembling a Martial God.

"Take me to see the World Heart," Li Pin instructed.

The Moon Goddess nodded without saying a word.

The two quickly entered the moon. After passing through a layer of illusion-like scenery, an ocean stretching an unknown number of miles appeared before his eyes.

Gazing at the ocean, Li Pin was slightly startled. "This is...."

This was inner spirit power! He sensed a trace of inner spirit power within this ocean!

This world actually... allowed the existence of inner spirit power!?