Chapter 1558: Level nine agreement

"That was the cry of its own kind.

Only then did the Snow Wolf King see that the surrounding battles had all ended.

Its four level-eight subordinates had all been defeated and were now under the control of their opponents. Among them, the strongest three-headed, three-tailed giant wolf was already lying on the ground, barely alive, its beautiful fur covered in blood.

One advantage of the frozen tundra was that it rarely gathered dust.

The Snow Wolf King's ferocity immediately diminished significantly.

Though a level-nine lifeform was powerful, it didn’t mean it was alone, especially for a creature like the Snow Wolf King, accustomed to living in a pack. Part of its strength and reputation came from its companions.

Their strength was generally greater, especially on the tundra, where the overall number of mutated lifeforms might not be as high as in warmer, more humid regions. Moreover, numbers were relative—each region had its own unique lifeforms.

Under such circumstances, if the Snow Wolf King wanted to maintain its status, its subordinates were its reliance.

Why, among level-nine lifeforms, did the Snow Wolf King dare to actively stir chaos in Black Dragon City, while the Bear King could only watch from outside the city from time to time? The fundamental difference lay in the number of loyal subordinates.

Now, all its high-level subordinates had been subdued, fueling the Snow Wolf King’s anger but diminishing its ferocity.

It was unwilling to sacrifice its subordinates like this.

At the same time, it felt deeply uneasy at the strength of this human’s forces.

It knew its companions well. Though their strength paled compared to its own, they were among the best of their level—their speed, attacks, and coordination were all exceptional. Yet they had been subdued in such a short time, proving just how formidable their opponents were.

If these humans turned to surround and attack it… The Snow Wolf King didn’t believe they could kill it, but it also doubted it could defeat them. If it fought desperately for a decisive outcome, it might be able to kill them all, but what about itself?

The Snow Wolf King shuddered to imagine. How would the other level-eight lifeforms here treat it if it were severely injured?

They would kill it, devour it… That was likely what would happen.

So it was furious, but its will to fight had greatly diminished.

"Human, you are clever. Your subordinates are clever. But you must understand who you are facing!"

The Snow Wolf King lowered its body slightly, still adopting a ready-to-attack posture.

But anyone could hear the bluster in its tone.

This wolf king couldn’t bear to lose its subordinates.

Ye Zhongming slowly stood up, his arms feeling much better. He picked up Wind and Thunder. Due to his bloodline, his eyes were pitch-black as he looked at the Snow Wolf King and said, " I don’t want to let such a perfect opportunity to kill a level nine lifeform go."

With that, he waved his hand.

His meaning was clear—kill the defeated creatures.

"If you dare, I’ll slaughter all of you!" The Snow Wolf King’s fur bristled in rage.

"Hopelessly deluded."

Ye Zhongming shook his head and signaled his subordinates to proceed.

"Wait!"

The Snow Wolf King nearly roared.

Sharp blades were already pressed against the necks of the giant wolves.

The Snow Wolf King breathed heavily, its abdomen visibly heaving—clearly, it was in the throes of intense emotion.

"Name your terms."

Ye Zhongming fell silent.

Did he want to kill the Snow Wolf King?

Yes, he wanted to—very, very much.

Apart from in the secret realm, Cloud Peak had never slain a level-nine before. But as their evolution progressed, killing level-nine lifeforms had become part of the plan. Once Ye Zhongming resolved the matter with Talking Lady, the plan would begin—his path to nine stars officially starting.

But level-nine lifeforms weren’t easy to kill. Ye Zhongming, Xia Lei, Guangyao, Mo Ye, and many other core members had simulated the scenario countless times. Relying solely on Cloud Peak’s strength to kill a level-nine would come at a tremendous cost.

It was certain that core members would die—more than one.

They could defeat a level-nine without losing core members under the most favorable circumstances—perfect timing, terrain, and unity.

Achieving perfection was incredibly difficult. The intelligence of level-nine lifeforms meant they wouldn’t let Cloud Peak’s plans proceed smoothly, so the ideal conditions could hardly be met.

Cloud Peak, accustomed to achieving maximum gains at minimal cost, wasn’t lacking in courage—they simply weren’t used to heavy casualties among their own.

Of course, this was only a concern, not a deterrent. When the time came, they would act, ready to sacrifice.

Another prevailing belief among Cloud Peak’s core members was to wait for the Death King Trees’ awakening. Everything would become much easier once that creature evolved to level nine, leading the charge.

So Liu Zhenghong had now devoted all her efforts to advancing the evolution of that giant tree, determined to mold the Death King Tree into its desired form—a fully human body.

This was no simple task—it was extraordinarily complex. One misstep could lead to disastrous consequences.

Liu Zhenghong was working tirelessly toward this goal.

Now, Ye Zhongming had encountered an opportunity to face a level-nine lifeform, with absolute numerical superiority on his side. He truly wanted to try killing this wolf king.

He was prepared to sacrifice.

Because his Second Life ability had cooled down—he had one chance at resurrection.

But!

Ye Zhongming couldn’t guarantee that the sacrifice would be himself!

What if it were one of his companions? Yellow Ball? Yangos? Ice Bird? Jiubao? The female guards? Or even Red Hair or Xia Bai?

He couldn’t ignore these possibilities.

Moreover, though the surrounding mutated lifeforms were in chaos now, once the battle peaked, Red Hair would have to join the fight. What if the uncontrolled creatures turned on them? This wasn’t his chosen battlefield—what if unexpected dangers arose?

Neither the Snow Wolf King nor Ye Zhongming was an independent entity. Every decision had to account for their companions.

So when the Snow Wolf King said, "Name your terms," Ye Zhongming fell silent.

Perhaps this wasn’t the right moment for a life-or-death struggle.

…………………………………………………………