Chapter 138: Confidence

Zhai Guangyi only felt that he had been careless. Initially, he had been unconscious for six months, giving the Demon King ample time to investigate him. Moreover, during their first meeting, the Demon King had appeared as an infant, which gave Zhai Guangyi the impression that he posed little threat. He had assumed the Demon King couldn’t see through him, but now it seemed the Demon King had been acting all along! If the Demon King killed his True Body now, he could obtain the Unique Skill ‘World’ and ascend to become a Demon God. There was no need for him to go through the trouble of dealing with the Elven Divine Tree.

However, the Demon King had now expelled all his subordinates, indicating that he didn’t want others to know about his possession of a Unique Skill. Yet, a Unique Skill was a necessary condition for becoming a god. How could the Demon King, who had yearned for this for thousands of years, let such an opportunity slip? Zhai Guangyi was the Demon King’s best path to godhood—the shortest route.

“What does the Honored One mean by this?”

Zhai Guangyi did not confirm what the Demon King had said. He wasn’t playing dumb; he had already agreed to help the Demon King become a god. Logically, they were now allies, partners in cooperation. There was no need for him to scare himself. The Demon King’s target wasn’t him. He was betting that the Demon King genuinely wanted to cooperate with him, not trick him.

If this were a trick, the Demon King wouldn’t have needed to give him so much pure Soul Energy in the Arena earlier. That energy had been completely filtered, without a trace of impurity. Zhai Guangyi couldn’t even find a single memory from the original souls within it, showing just how pure this Soul Power was.

“This body isn’t your True Body, is it? I can still detect abnormalities in Soul Strength of this level.”

Lilith hadn’t realized Zhai Guangyi was hiding so deeply. She quickly grabbed Demon King Mephistopheles’ shoulder, using her actions to urge her father not to strike.

That the Demon King could perceive this level of detail was simply a testament to his prowess. His secrets couldn’t be hidden. Was it an Ultimate Skill or a Special Skill related to Appraisal? Zhai Guangyi had never obtained a higher-tier Appraisal Skill, so it was clear the Honored One possessed a Skill superior to Appraisal. For an ancient monster who had lived for over a thousand years not to have such abilities was something Zhai Guangyi wouldn’t believe. It seemed he had indeed been seen through.

“Indeed, this is not my True Body.”

The fact that the Demon King said this meant he had no intention of harming his True Body. After all, if the Demon King could see through it, it meant he had long had the ability to kill him. Yet, he was now being honest with Zhai Guangyi.

Zhai Guangyi had already agreed to help the Demon King deal with the Elven Divine Tree. Perhaps there was no need to keep his secrets too tightly hidden.

“Hahahaha!” As Mephistopheles laughed, the loose skin on his face began to tighten, becoming firm and radiant. His entire appearance visibly grew younger, transforming into a young man in his twenties in less than ten seconds.

“I’m delighted you’re willing to be honest with me. We are partners in cooperation, not in a hierarchical relationship.”

Mephistopheles now appeared as a cheerful and handsome young man, leaving Zhai Guangyi momentarily unable to adjust.

“Don’t mind it. This is a side effect of one of my Ultimate Skills.” Mephistopheles stood up, tall and imposing. His handsome, cheerful smile made it hard to believe he was the Demon King; he looked incredibly approachable.

“Aren’t you planning to kill me and become a Demon God directly?”

Zhai Guangyi wasn’t particularly interested in Mephistopheles constantly changing his appearance.

“I don’t know what your Unique Skill is, to be honest. I don’t like doing things without certainty,” Mephistopheles now spoke with a loud voice, as if he were naturally this straightforward.

“Then are you certain about killing the Elven Divine Tree?” Zhai Guangyi also disliked acting without certainty. He couldn’t imagine how the Demon King planned to use him against the Elven Divine Tree.

“Not certain either.”

In truth, Mephistopheles had no certainty regarding either Zhai Guangyi or the Elven Divine Tree. He couldn’t see through Zhai Guangyi’s Unique Skill, let alone guess what it was. His True Body should be that Spirit King Tree.

But Mephistopheles felt that investing in Zhai Guangyi would yield greater returns.

The Elven Divine Tree possessed a Unique Skill suitable for him. If investing in Zhai Guangyi could help him become a Deity, that would also be a viable method. Moreover, his seventh Princess seemed quite interested in him.

Rather than risking confrontation with a sudden enemy, it was better to focus on dealing with a long-prepared foe. The opportunity to confront the Elven Divine Tree had been in preparation for hundreds of years—there was no reason to suddenly change direction.

Thus, Mephistopheles chose to invest in Zhai Guangyi, to see if this Otherworlder with a Unique Skill could help him become a Demon God.

The Elven Divine Tree possessed more than one Unique Skill. If defeated, Zhai Guangyi might become a Deity with two Unique Skills. That was what Mephistopheles was willing to gamble on.

Hearing Mephistopheles admit his uncertainty, Zhai Guangyi suddenly felt this little old man was quite adventurous. With so many troops and so many Demigods, it was uncertain whether even half of them would return alive.

“Why did you choose to set out now?” Zhai Guangyi had just seen Mephistopheles in his Infant state a few days ago. At that time, Mephistopheles had said it wasn’t the right moment. Setting out immediately without any warning now seemed unscientific.

“For hundreds of years, I have been observing the Elven Divine Tree. Periodically, He releases a Unique Skill that covers all Elves worldwide, even affecting nearby Magical Beasts.

Many Magical Beasts, after being affected, mutate into monsters that devour other living beings, losing their sanity, consuming and growing frantically.

Not only Magical Beasts—a vast range of living beings become contaminated, not limited to a single area.

He releases it indiscriminately, driven by instinct, without considering the individual’s capacity to withstand it. Many Magical Beasts explode and die from being unable to bear it. I believe this consumes a significant amount of energy, making it a good opportunity to deal with Him.”

Zhai Guangyi understood this. The energy required to use ‘World’ was System Currency—not something readily available. Now that fewer people worshiped the Elven Divine Tree, the channels for obtaining supply were gone. He was relying on accumulated reserves, which would eventually run out. After all, this wasn’t a Skill that could be used solely with Magic Power.

However, as a Deity, the Elven Divine Tree had once created countless glories. Who knew how much savings He still had? What if there were billions, or if the Unique Skill was max-level? That would be impossible to deplete.

“You’re also gambling here. I don’t think He will consume much energy.” Zhai Guangyi shook his head. Mephistopheles had never possessed a Unique Skill, and calculating the energy usage of a Unique Skill as Magic Power was highly irrational.

“That’s just one aspect. We still have helpers.” Mephistopheles leaned comfortably on the Throne. At the mention of helpers, the corners of his mouth began to curl upward.