Zhongli gazed at the three storage soul guides on the table, his eyes betraying no emotion.
"You are quite thoughtful," he remarked.
Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen finally let out a sigh of relief and returned to his seat.
This indicated that Zhongli had accepted these "gifts."
For the Sun-Moon Empire, which had been without a god since ancient times, this was a very positive development!
Even if they could not secure a "covenant" from this individual, they would at least ensure he harbored no ill will toward the Sun-Moon Empire.
What the Sun-Moon Empire feared most was not that this Martial God would refuse to support the empire, but that he might be "influenced" by the Douluo Three Kingdoms and turn against them.
If the opponent were a Titled Douluo, or even a Limit Douluo, he would still be no match for the vast machinery of the Empire.
But this was no ordinary opponent, not a Titled Douluo, nor a Limit Douluo, but a god, a being powerful enough to alter the fate of the Douluo Continent!
As Jing Hongchen sat down, the two exchanged pleasantries for a while, discussing the customs and traditions of the Sun-Moon Empire, as well as some notable events.
Jing Hongchen did most of the talking, with Zhongli occasionally nodding in acknowledgment.
When Jing Hongchen brought up the matter of the crown prince's broken leg, a faint glimmer of light flickered in his eyes.
On his way to Liyue, Jing Hongchen had heard that the deceased from Shrek had been resurrected by the Sea God, Tang San.
If a god could effortlessly bring the dead back to life, could they not also regenerate severed limbs?
Compared to resurrection, restoring a lost limb seemed far simpler.
The earlier small talk about local customs had merely been a prelude to this topic.
The true purpose was to gauge Zhongli's stance.
If successful, it would be a cause for celebration.
If not, it could simply be dismissed as a casual conversation over tea, with no harm done.
"I truly don't understand. Are those people from Shrek so foolish that a single misstep could lead to their downfall?"
"Perhaps they are simply accustomed to their lofty status," Jing Hongchen mused inwardly, though his expression remained neutral.
"What happened to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince is truly unfortunate," Zhongli remarked with a nod.
Jing Hongchen paused, waiting for Zhongli to continue.
When no further words came, he couldn't help but twitch his eyes slightly.
Please, say more!
It is indeed a tragedy that someone like Crown Prince Xu Tianran must spend his life confined to a wheelchair.
But you are a god... A mere wave of your hand could...
"Let it be. If it is meant to happen, it will. If not, there is no need to force it," Jing Hongchen thought to himself, recalling Xu Tianran's instructions.
The goal was simply to test the waters, not to provoke the other party.
Just as Jing Hongchen was about to stand up and bid farewell, Zhongli glanced at him and spoke calmly, "There is a Soul-Devouring Knife in the Star Luo Royal Auction House. If the curse within it can be resolved, this knife will become a weapon capable of helping people regenerate broken limbs."
The Soul-Devouring Knife, also known as the Life Guardian Knife, is composed of the essence of life energy.
If one were to fuse with the Life Gold, it would become nearly impossible to die as long as the head remained intact!
Under its influence, regenerating severed limbs would be a trivial matter.
Upon hearing this, Jing Hongchen was stunned.
Indeed, when dealing with someone like Zhongli, one must approach with reason and seek his sympathy.
Any attempt to force the issue could lead to dire consequences.
As a ninth-level soul engineer, Jing Hongchen was well-versed in the ranking of soul tools.
The ninety-ninth-ranked engraving knife on the list was none other than the Soul-Devouring Knife!
He had never imagined that the Soul-Devouring Knife could serve such a purpose!
Since Zhongli had mentioned it, he must be confident in his ability to resolve the curse. Once that was done...
Jing Hongchen stood up, bowed deeply to Zhongli, and said, "Thank you for your guidance, Lord Martial God. I express my gratitude on behalf of His Royal Highness the Crown Prince!"
The Soul-Devouring Knife, Jing Hongchen was determined to obtain it!
Without hesitation, Jing Hongchen expressed his thanks respectfully and took his leave.
He would immediately rush to Stra Luo City to secure the Soul-Devouring Knife at the auction!
This Soul-Devouring Knife had been sitting in the Star Luo Royal Auction House for a long time, unsold, until it was eventually purchased by Huo Yuhao during the competition.
After Jing Hongchen departed, Zhongli stored away the three storage soul guides on the table.
After a moment of contemplation, Zhongli picked up Xu Tianran's storage soul guide and examined it carefully.
As he had suspected, Xu Tianran's gift was far more generous than his father's, or rather, his father's gift!
This explained why Jing Hongchen had delivered the gift on behalf of the couple without disclosing its contents.
Suddenly, Zhongli "saw" an item within the storage soul guide that made him frown in slight confusion.
Without delay, Zhongli retrieved the item and examined it in his hand.
It was a crystal-clear green "stone," no larger than a thumb, seemingly included alongside the materials for the soul guide.
Rocks hold memories, and this green "stone" was no exception. It carried memories of its formation and its discovery by humans.
More than three thousand years ago, it had been a large green "stone." But one day, a human shrouded in dark energy split it and polished it...
The more Zhongli delved into the memories of the "stone," the more his eyes twitched.
What a coincidence...
This "stone" was actually a remnant of the "Life Gold"!
The Life Gold—it was, in fact, a fragment of the Life Gold, an aggregate of life energy!
Even though it is only the size of a thumb, the life energy it contains far surpasses that of several Tianmeng.
In the original timeline, Electrolux once mentioned that a million-year-old soul beast like Tianmeng could only condense a single fragment of Life Gold, no larger than a tear!
This gives an idea of just how much life energy is concentrated in this thumb-sized piece of Life Gold.
"Is this Xu Tianran's gift?"
Zhongli opened his mouth slightly, as if he were about to say something.
The very thing that could help Xu Tianran stand again had been in his possession all along, yet he had given it away...
After a moment of contemplation, Zhongli divided the Life Gold into two pieces. One piece was no larger than the tip of a little finger, while the other was only slightly smaller.
He kept the larger piece of Gold of Life for himself and left the smaller one in the storage soul guide for future use.
This substance, being an aggregate of life energy, had numerous applications.
Using it solely for healing injuries would be a waste.
If he were to construct the undead plane in the future, this Life Gold would play a significant role.
"What a pleasant surprise..."
At the same time, in the Star Dou Great Forest.
The Star Dou Great Forest is not far from Shrek City. When Shrek City and even Shrek Academy were destroyed by the "Gods," Di Tian, Lord Xiong, and other ferocious beasts watched from a distance.
They witnessed the power of a mighty deity and also the arrival of the Sea God, Tang San!
This is why, even after the destruction of Shrek City, the powerful soul beasts did not make any unusual moves.
Compared to a god, Shrek was insignificant and inconsequential!
"My Lord!"