Chapter 1299: You Set the Rules

Tragically, the Beast King clan, whom they revered as proud, god-like beings, offered no response when their various territories suffered devastating calamities.

I have always believed that for a cultivator, for anyone who strives and faces challenges on the Yingzhou Continent, trusting others is the most absurd notion. One's most steadfast reliance should always be on their own strength, continuously pushing themselves towards greater power. In contrast, only the weak-willed devote all their mental energy to the process of worshipping their beliefs."

"Regardless, there shouldn't be any shift in the pace of today's battle."

Xu Yang quickly realized that the hundreds of thousands of aquatic warriors had no intention of surrendering without the Crocodile King's consent. "It's rare to find such a cohesive team among beast warriors living in this environment," he thought.

Xu Yang, for a moment, seemed to have another idea. "Crocodile King, can you truly bear to watch your beast warriors continue to suffer? As long as I don't withdraw the totem's power, your warriors will possess no combat strength whatsoever, and their souls will be endlessly tormented. Their abilities are far too weak to withstand the pressure I exert. If this persists, I fear that all the beast warriors residing in this aquatic domain, with the exception of yourself, will endure permanent and irreversible soul damage. Is that truly the outcome you desire?"

The Crocodile King gritted his teeth, seemingly holding on with desperate resolve. All the other aquatic warriors in the region were in the same defiant state.

"Choosing to surrender to you would be akin to betraying the faith of the Beast King clan. Do you truly believe I would do such a thing?"

Xu Yang scoffed at the Crocodile King's thoughts and attitude. "If everyone shared your mindset, the Tiger King would not have chosen to submit to me. He surrendered precisely to protect his own clan's warriors, risking his downfall to hand over the Beast King clan's legacy within him. This inherited power holds an immense secret; only by gathering all parts of it can the true nature of the Beast King clan be unveiled. Your so-called faith is nothing more than a part of your memories, sealed within the Beast King's legacy power and specially manipulated by their strength. This is what transforms you, the so-called Ten King Guardians, into the Beast King clan's most devout followers. Have you truly not considered it? Since you acquired the Beast King clan's inherited power, has your strength undergone any fundamental improvement? The authority you wield comes solely from the Beast King's legacy itself. Should the Beast King wish to reclaim this power someday, it will become a ticking time bomb within you, the Ten King Guardians, leaving you absolutely no room to resist."

Xu Yang knew his words alone wouldn't sway the Crocodile King. With a gentle wave of his palm, he brought the core essence of the Tiger King's inherited power, previously held by Xiao Hua, into his grasp. He then remotely propelled this incredibly brilliant golden energy essence towards the Crocodile King.

"Carefully perceive the extent of the Tiger King's life force contained within this. Consider what it truly means when a powerful external legacy source is bound to your own life force. Is it a shackle, or a genuine blessing? Can you not make an objective judgment? And the Beast King clan you hold as the faith of your entire race – what benefits has this faith truly brought you? Neither you nor the aquatic warriors under your command, living in this lake, have experienced any significant increase in strength over the years, have you?"

Xu Yang was not deliberately attempting to brainwash the Crocodile King. With his power, he could have easily forced the Crocodile King to sever his physical connection to his portion of the inherited power's essence. However, Xu Yang chose not to, hoping instead to fundamentally awaken this lost race.

"No matter what else you wish to say, as long as this inherited power remains within me, I am bound to uphold the favor bestowed upon me by the Beast King clan. Only if you possess the strength to forcibly extract this power from my body can I then objectively view this matter as a third party. If you lack such capability, then please cease speaking and conquer me with your might." Xu Yang had truly not anticipated such stubbornness from the Crocodile King.

However, given the Crocodile King's stance, the problem suddenly seemed far simpler. All that was required was to employ coercive measures and completely subdue him, which would resolve all existing issues.

A smile touched Xu Yang's lips as he readily agreed to the Crocodile King's proposal. "Very well, I shall humor you. How many rounds do you believe your strength can endure against me? Set a limit for yourself; if you achieve it, I will concede defeat and lead my team away from this lake battlefield. If, however, you fail to meet your own expectations, I will not hesitate to unleash my power upon your physical form and forcibly extract the Beast King's inherited strength from within you."

The Crocodile King appeared quite pleased with Xu Yang's proposition. "Excellent," he declared, "then we shall set the limit at two hundred rounds. If I can endure your assault for two hundred rounds, I win!"

As the Crocodile King finished speaking, the aquatic warriors encircling them automatically and willingly retreated, creating an open space in the very center of the lake for the two to engage in their ultimate showdown.

Soon, waves of mist and water vapor automatically diffused outwards. Xu Yang, controlling the water-elemental power beneath his feet, returned to the center of the lake's surface. He relied on no protective cultivation techniques, instead compressing his power to one-tenth of its full capacity before locking his attack onto the Crocodile King.

"Haha, that old crocodile truly has no idea of his limitations!" The White Tiger youth scoffed, hands on his hips, a smug look on his face. "He actually fancies he can withstand two hundred rounds of our boss's attacks? I'd say two rounds are more like it!" This exchange, however, held a different meaning in the eyes of the Black Tortoise clone standing nearby. "What do you know, kid?" the Black Tortoise retorted. "If the Crocodile King hadn't agreed, he'd have no way to back down gracefully, and he would also drag down the hundreds of thousands of tribal warriors who follow him. If I'm not mistaken, from the moment that totem appeared above his head, the Crocodile King already understood very clearly that our boss was not an entity he, at his level, could possibly contend with. He had no choice but to compromise."