Upon hearing these words, the Orc King froze for a moment, disbelief spreading across his face. His entire body trembled, and he shakily extended a mutilated hand, saying, "No, it's impossible... Why would the Savage Blood Beast God abandon its people... is it because of our failure?"
"Can we not be given another chance? I am willing to bear all the blame, but the orcs cannot fail!"
The white dove gazed at the determined face of the Orc King and let out a long sigh.
"Sigh…"
"I am not from the faction of the Savage Blood War God. I serve under the Radiant Phoenix God, representing peace as the Dove of Harmony."
This statement was not only for the Orc King but also for Rhett and the other Saints. The white dove gracefully placed a white-feathered wing on its chest and gently waved it, expressing its goodwill.
The other Saints, sensing no immediate threat, felt their internal struggles ease significantly and began to watch the scene unfold in peace.
"Dove of Harmony?"
The Orc King stood still, his mind clouded with confusion as he mumbled to himself.
After a moment, clarity returned to his eyes, and he anxiously asked, "Then what about the Savage Blood Beast God?"
The white dove flapped its wings, conjuring the majestic head of a fierce beast before speaking softly:
"The Savage Blood Beast God has relinquished its claim to this world, transferring authority to the Radiant Phoenix God. My mission here is simple: to retrieve the remaining descendants carrying the essence of the Savage Blood Beast God and to foster peaceful cooperation with the beings of this world."
"Give up the invasion. The Savage Blood Beast God no longer has the power to invade. Peaceful coexistence is the true path of civilization. Come with me, return home…"
"No! Since this is not an order from the Savage Blood Beast God, I will never obey!" the Orc King roared in defiance, his chest heaving with rage. His mind, filled with boundless fury and battle intent, surged as he prepared to make a final, desperate attack with the last of his life force.
"Sigh... As expected from one who awakened the Ice Bear God's essence, that stubbornness is so similar..."
The white dove shook its head, sighing once again. Seeing that words had failed, it waved its wing, sending a gust of wind that struck the Orc King's very core.
In an instant, what remained of his life force was extinguished.
In the next second, a thin, snow-white beast soul drifted from the Bearman Chieftain's body and, with a swift motion, flew into the giant beast head in the white dove's grasp.
As the beast head vanished, the white dove turned its attention to the surrounding Saints. It bowed gracefully, raising its wings in a gesture of respect, and spoke in a very humanlike manner:
"Greetings, mighty beings of the Elemental World. I'm sure you've heard my words just now. My visit here carries no ill will but rather great goodwill and a sincere purpose for cooperation."
A voice filled with doubt echoed from above: "How can we trust you? Your world has brought us thousands of years of war, costing us countless lives and resources!"
"That's right. The suffering your world inflicted cannot be resolved with a simple offer of peace," the Ice Queen added calmly.
In truth, if not for the dove's aura of magic and peace, she would have already been radiating killing intent.
The white dove showed no anger, merely shaking its head with a bitter smile. "You may not know, but in the Beast God World, there are actually two major factions governing everything—the Savage Blood Beast God and the Radiant Phoenix God."
"The Savage Blood War God is brave and warlike, eager to invade any newly discovered world to plunder its resources. In contrast, the Radiant Phoenix God advocates for peace, preferring cooperation and mutual benefit."
"For countless ages, the two factions have competed, never gaining the upper hand over one another. For certain reasons, we can never truly engage in full-scale war against each other."
"As a result, we made an agreement—whoever discovers a new world first has the right to decide its fate."
"Unfortunately, the Savage Blood War God's followers were the first to discover your world. Though the Radiant Phoenix God attempted to negotiate, it was all in vain."
"So, from the very beginning, the Radiant Phoenix God had no intentions of invading your world. Please don't misunderstand."
After this explanation, the battlefield fell into a temporary silence.
Everyone's faces showed signs of contemplation, their eyes flickering as they mulled over the truth of the dove's words.
Feigning hesitation, Rhett spoke up after a brief pause, "Does this mean that from now on, the Savage Blood War God will no longer attempt to invade us?"
"I can guarantee that will never happen!" The white dove patted its chest confidently. "Firstly, the distance between our two worlds is now vastly greater than it was millennia ago. The Beast God World can no longer send large armies across the void. Those capable of traversing the void to reach here are few in number, and the Savage Blood Beast God no longer has the strength to invade. Secondly, the Radiant Phoenix God has struck a deal with the Savage Blood War God, transferring full authority over this world to us. With that, the possibility of further war is nonexistent."
Hearing this, the Saints' skepticism began to fade, though they remained cautious, unwilling to be easily swayed by mere words.
The white dove, noticing their continued wariness, sighed and brushed its forehead with a wing. It knew earning their trust would take more time…
The situation once again seemed to stall.
Suddenly, Rhett stroked his chin and spoke decisively, "I believe its words. For the past few millennia, there have been no reinforcements among the orcs, and their strength is far weaker than the records from ten thousand years ago. If they had the ability to continue invading, they would have sent more forces long ago. It's clear they've lost the capability to continue their campaign."
The white dove turned toward Rhett, its eyes filled with admiration. It lifted a wing in a thumbs-up gesture and said, "A wise human indeed. No wonder you are the strongest among them!"
"You flatter me," Rhett responded courteously, then shifted the conversation, "But I'd like to hear more about the cooperation you mentioned earlier. What exactly do you have in mind?"
"That, of course, pertains to your world's elemental essence!" The white dove fluffed its feathers confidently. "You may not know, but the infinite void contains many worlds, each unique in its composition and resources. Over the ages, the Radiant Phoenix God has always sought mutual benefit through cooperation between worlds. Your world happens to be rich in elemental essence, something scarce in ours. If we can build a partnership around this, it would be ideal."
"Elemental essence?" Rhett pondered aloud, taking a few magic crystals and elemental stones from his space ring and casually tossing them over. "Are these the kinds of things you're referring to?"
The white dove's eyes lit up at the sight of the gleaming crystals. It waved its wings, causing the magic crystals and stones to float in midair. Touching each one gently with its white wings and inhaling deeply, it wore an expression of pure enjoyment.
"Yes… I can feel the pure elemental power. These are genuine treasures, rare to find in our world at such a high concentration!" The white dove was visibly excited, its feathers practically standing on end as it exclaimed, "However many of these you have, we'll take them all!"
The other Saints looked at one another with odd expressions.
They watched as the white dove became ecstatic over what were, in their world, relatively low-tier magic crystals and stones. In their kingdoms, these "elemental condensates" were incredibly abundant.
Could these really be considered treasures in the Beast God World?
Clears throat Rhett suppressed his excitement, coughing twice to cut off the dove's enthusiastic ramblings. "Since you mentioned that each world is different, with its own unique traits, what can your world offer us in return?"
"We have plenty to offer!" The white dove coolly stashed the crystals and stones into its spatial equipment, its attitude noticeably friendlier as it said, "We've partnered with many worlds, collecting all sorts of rare items. But the most popular by far is the spring water from our world."
"Spring water?" The Ice Queen raised an eyebrow. "What's so special about that? We have plenty of water here. Are you suggesting your spring water can make people immortal?"
"Haha, not quite, but our spring water varies in quality. The highest-grade spring water is considered a sacred elixir for body enhancement. All of the orcs in our world drink it from birth, which is why they are so physically powerful! Through extensive testing, we've confirmed that other species can also drink the water without any issues, though the effects vary by species."
The white dove spoke proudly before emphasizing, "But no matter what, the results will amaze you."
"Seeing is believing. We've already shown you some of our goods. Shouldn't you demonstrate some of this spring water to show your sincerity?" Rhett asked, smiling.
"Ah… I came in a hurry, so I didn't have time to replenish my stock. I only have about ten bottles on hand, just enough for each of you to sample."
The white dove awkwardly replied, then waved its wing, sending out a dozen transparent bottles, each caught by the Saints with ease.
Rhett also received a bottle. Its surface was smooth like jade, resembling a piece of clear glass. Inside was a milky white liquid, thick with impurities that made it slosh like a viscous fluid.
The other Saints sniffed at the bottles, their expressions changing as they detected the potent energy within. They eagerly consumed the liquid, intrigued by its effects.
Rhett pretended to examine the bottle, sniffing it, but did not drink. Instead, he quietly stored it in his space equipment.
Noticing this, the white dove asked casually, "Wise human, are you not going to try it?"
Rhett shook his head. "No, it looks like a valuable item. I plan to give it to my son."
The white dove's gaze shifted slightly, and it looked at Rhett with a newfound respect. "A great father as well… Very well, next time I will bring more spring water."
Rhett smiled without saying more, waiting until the others finished their drinks. Their reactions matched the descriptions from his simulations—significant enhancements to the body, something impossible to find in their own world.
Enticed by the potential benefits, the attitudes of the other Saints softened considerably. They smiled as they discussed potential cooperation agreements with the white dove.
After some polite exchanges and introductions, both sides seemed to have reached a basic understanding. The white dove sensed that the time was right and said, "I appreciate your hospitality, but I must return immediately to relay the details of our potential cooperation."
"The void between our worlds is vast, and my journey here has consumed a great deal of energy. I need to conserve what little power I have left to ensure my safe return. So, I must take my leave now."
"Until we meet again."
As the words fell, a small rift appeared in the space above.
"Wait, you haven't told us how to contact you in the future…" Rhett called out, raising his hand.
"Just have the orcs blow the Phoenix Horn. Though I arrived quickly this time, it came at a great cost. In normal circumstances, it will take me about two years to travel between worlds. So, the next time we meet will be at least two years from now," the white dove explained as it prepared to leave. "Friends, next time, I will bring plenty of spring water and other goods. All you need to prepare are ample elemental condensates."
"Other goods? Can you give us an idea of what those might be?" Rhett asked with curiosity.
The white dove glanced at Rhett and chuckled. "I'll need to discuss that with the Radiant Phoenix God when I return. Honestly, before I came here… most of our faction didn't believe we could gain your trust, so we didn't make any concrete plans…"
"Alright, then we look forward to our cooperation. Hopefully, by the time we meet again, you'll have a mutually beneficial proposal ready. Of course, we'll be making preparations on our end as well," Rhett replied, shrugging.
"That's excellent. Peaceful development is the best path for coexistence and growth. I'm sure the Phoenix God will be overjoyed to hear this news when I return!" The white dove flapped its wings. "Friends of the Elemental World, I must go now. I can feel the constant pressure of your world's essence suppressing me. I cannot remain here much longer."
"Safe travels. We look forward to seeing you again," Rhett waved.
"Heh, encountering 'wind' in the void is no pleasant thing…"
The white dove laughed softly, leaving behind a new piece of knowledge before disappearing in a flash.
"Wait, I don't even know your name yet."
Rhett called out to the rapidly closing rift, reaching out a hand.
"Maxis… White…"
As the rift sealed shut, a faint voice echoed back.
In the next moment, the space returned to normal.
The air was filled with silence. The Saints exchanged glances, unsure of what to say.
Whoosh… Whoosh…
A cold breeze blew through. Rhett took a deep breath, scanning the faces of his allies before asking, "So, what are everyone's thoughts on the cooperation?"