Chapter 287: 167. The mastermind behind the scenes is actually her?!
The wind chimes swayed, emitting a tinkling sound.
The Ancient Goddess sat at the very center of the Divine Temple built of piled stones, with the serene sunlight falling on her jade-like flawless fair face, outlining a beautiful circle of contours.
"Who?"
In an instant, she opened her eyes and looked towards the entrance of the temple.
Above the Star Vault, a peerless and elegant youth with hands behind his back was walking on clouds towards her.
The gentle breeze knelt before him like a subject, lifting his black hair, kissing his robe, making him appear even more ethereal and out of this world.
"The Divine Child, His Highness? What is he doing here?"
The eyes of the Ancient Goddess, as cold and unmelting as a thousand-year-old frozen pond, couldn't help but ripple.
Not that she was surprised.
After all, from his birth, this Divine Child, His Highness, had been incessantly waging war on the battlefield of the three races, truly embodying the concept of 'killing as proof of the Dao.'
Therefore, regarding his reason for seeking her out without cause.
The Ancient Goddess subconsciously sensed something was off.
In the Immortal Court, there were only two people she truly dreaded.
One was the Immortal Emperor, and the other was this Divine Child, His Highness.
Since the Immortal Emperor was often in seclusion striving for a breakthrough to become the Dao Ancestor, the person she currently feared the most was this Divine Child, His Highness.
The Ancient Goddess pondered slightly, then got up.
"Ancient Goddess."
By the time Xu Yuan crossed the threshold, the Ancient Goddess had already composed all emotion, speaking indifferently, "I do not know what brings the Divine Child here, what urgent matter do you have?"
"Matter."
"..."
The Ancient Goddess imperceptibly furrowed her brows, for some reason feeling that the Divine Child before her did not seem like a Divine Child at all.
He lacked his previous cold-blooded ruthlessness and mercilessness.
Of course, this might just be her misconception.
"Divine Child, if there is nothing else, I may have to shut the door and bid you farewell."
The Ancient Goddess said softly.
"Haven't I already said it? Matter."
Xu Yuan replied with a faint smile.
"..."
The Ancient Goddess remained unmoved, her gaze coldly fixed on him.
"Divine Child, I respect you as the next Immortal Emperor, hence maintaining a friendly stance towards you, I hope you... don't go too far."
As her icy words dropped, through the vast sky above, tendril after tendril of cloud qi began to move like dragons and serpents.
Xu Yuan glanced at it, well aware that she was obviously angry and preparing to use the Celestial Array.
"Is the Goddess planning to use the Immortal Array against me? Casually utilizing the great Array of the Immortal Court against its members, the consequences... do you not understand them?"
His face did not show any signs of intense nervousness.
"..."
The Ancient Goddess felt a momentary heaviness in her heart, and her expression darkened as she asked, "What do you want?"
She had realized that he had come specifically for her.
However, she couldn't understand for the life of her where she had offended him.
Xu Yuan glanced at her.
Given the Immortal Arrays under the control of the Ancient Goddess, the threat to his plans was simply too great, and Xu Yuan could not possibly let her go under any circumstances.
Either she had to become one of his people, or she had to lose control over the Immortal Court's Arrays.
"It's simple."
Xu Yuan said with a smile, "You are the Goddess, I am the Divine Child, don't you think our titles match very well? Therefore, I believe that the title of Goddess should be more fitting."
More fitting?
The Ancient Goddess was initially stunned but then quickly grasped his implication.
"You?!"
Her complexion quickly turned red, her well-developed chest heaving rapidly like waves.
"This is outrageous!"
Just as the Ancient Goddess could no longer restrain herself and was about to activate the Array, Xu Yuan smiled again, "Why the haste, Goddess? If I truly came with ill intent and wished to coerce you, I would have simply taken action without informing you of my intent, right?"
The Ancient Goddess halted her incantation fingers, not knowing that the Xu Yuan before her was now a different person, who could not possibly subdue her before she activated the Array.
Half-closing her eyes, she finally said after a long pause, "Speak, Divine Child. But I advise you to think it through before speaking; although I'm not at your level, I am not so easily handled."
"This is a matter that would be of mutual benefit."
Xu Yuan, before coming here, had already planned for the possibility of her refusal.
He had no intention of forcing her, to begin with.
"Oh?"
The Ancient Goddess narrowed her eyes, "And how do you figure?"
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"I know the Dual Cultivation Skills."
Xu Yuan threw out a lure first.
"The Dual Cultivation Skills?"
A flicker of surprise crossed the Goddess's eyes before disappearing again.
"I did not expect that the esteemed Divine Child would also study such things," she said almost with a sigh, then shook her head, "Sorry, but I'm not interested in your Dual Cultivation Method."
"..."
Feigning slight irritation, Xu Yuan watched her and then slowly said, "Are you positively sure, Goddess?"
"Positive."
The Ancient Goddess spoke decisively, "Setting aside whether there is any use in the Dual Cultivation method at our level, even if it is useful, why doesn't the Divine Child use it on his own people instead of on me?"
"Because I have a favor to ask of the Goddess," Xu Yuan said casually, but his eyes held a sharpness like solidified swords.
"The Divine Child may speak plainly. With the Immortal Emperor in seclusion, the whole Immortal Court is under your command, I dare not disobey," the Ancient Goddess replied calmly.
Xu Yuan gazed into her eyes, enunciating each word, "The favor I ask is too great, I won't feel at ease unless the Goddess agrees."
As his words fell, an immense, invisible pressure descended upon the Ancient Goddess like a towering mountain.
"The Divine Child could also offer something else in exchange for my assistance," the Ancient Goddess said, her breathing quickening, a hint of shame and anger crossing her features, "rather than making a deal like this, so forceful and high-handed."