"I'm not selfless, I'm just worried about others being used by him, becoming enemies of each other instead,"

Wang Junze explained calmly, as if seeing through Yang Hong's confusion.

If it weren't for the Dragon Turtle, Wang Junze would definitely not wait for others to come for fair competition. Instead, he would use his advantage to get a head start and continue to delve deeper into the Water Mansion. However, the more he interacted with the Dragon Turtle, the clearer Wang Junze became that he couldn't do that.

As the guardian of the Dragon Palace, it would be too easy for the Dragon Turtle to deceive others. Killing others would be a minor issue, but what if he turned against Wang Junze using the hands of the Maiden of the Sea and others?

With the Dragon Turtle's obstruction, obtaining the Dragon Palace legacy was already difficult enough. If he were to turn against the Maiden of the Sea and others, it would truly be a life-or-death situation!

However, if he turned the situation around by exposing the Dragon Turtle's intentions and joining forces with others to confront it, even if he couldn't ultimately obtain the Dragon Palace legacy, he could at least withdraw unscathed.

Moreover, by building this goodwill, whoever eventually got the legacy would owe Wang Junze a favor.

In just a moment, the Maiden of the Sea also entered the inner hall.

Pei Haoran was the slowest, taking nearly another hour to barely pass through the corridor, and he was covered in injuries, clearly exhausted and unable to proceed any further.

"It seems all the guests have arrived."

Even though Wang Junze exposed him, the Dragon Turtle didn't seem to mind. Instead, he took the initiative to speak again.

"It's rare to have so many guests visiting the Dragon Palace at once. I shouldn't be stingy, so let the guests take a look at the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault!"

With a gentle wave of his hand, a light screen appeared behind the Dragon Turtle, as if everyone was truly standing before the Dragon Palace Treasure Vault.

In an instant, the vault doors swung open, revealing a dazzling array of treasures.

Even Wang Junze, who had no particular desire for treasures, couldn't help but be moved by the sight before him.

So many!

Any one of these items could cause countless people to fight over it, and if someone could take all of them, the entire Nether Sea would be in an uproar.

"Whoever can obtain the Dragon Palace legacy, all these treasures will be theirs!"

The Dragon Turtle continued, "However, the Master of the Dragon Palace can only be one!"

This was no longer subtle provocation; it was directly laying the conflict out in the open.

"Not only that!"

The Dragon Turtle continued, "As the steward of the Dragon Palace, once someone obtains the legacy, I will also acknowledge the master. At that time… control over life and death will be at my master's discretion."

"…"

This statement immediately caused each person's heart to skip a beat.

It's one thing about the treasures, as they could be discussed and divided among everyone according to their needs. But… if obtaining the legacy also meant that even the Dragon Turtle would acknowledge a master, it would truly mean placing one's life directly in someone else's hands.

It's important to realize that the Dragon Turtle is also a Saint Realm Demon King. Killing others would be no challenge at all and would require no cost, allowing one to monopolize the Dragon Palace. Such a temptation was simply too great.

Even if one wasn't tempted, who could guarantee that others wouldn't have evil thoughts?

Just that one sentence made the trust Wang Junze had painstakingly established crumble instantly.

Of course, what the Dragon Turtle said might not necessarily be true.

But… what if it was?

"Can we still leave the Dragon Palace now?"

Pei Haoran carefully observed the others for a moment and suddenly asked.

"Of course!"

The Dragon Turtle's gaze fell on Pei Haoran, speaking kindly, "My master is merciful. The legacy of the Dragon Palace was originally left to select a successor, not for slaughter. If you do not wish to continue fighting for the legacy, you can naturally return the way you came with no hindrance."

"Brother Ye… should we retreat first? When our strength grows, we can find a way to return,"

Pei Haoran cautiously suggested, looking at Wang Junze again.

Among the four, he was the weakest. He had barely made it through the Bloody Corridor by risking his life and using up many protective treasures, having no confidence at all in competing for the Dragon Palace legacy.

Moreover, the Daluo Demon Hand on him hadn't been removed yet; if Yang Hong died here, where would he go to cry?

So, it might be better to go with the flow and withdraw from the Dragon Palace now, to ensure his own survival.

With Pei Haoran leading the way, others also developed a similar retreating thought. To survive in the Nether Sea, everyone had to learn to control their greed. Although the Dragon Palace legacy was tempting, one had to live to obtain it.

"Have we all forgotten why we came here?"

Seeing that others were willing to give up, Wang Junze suddenly spoke up.

Without waiting for a response, Wang Junze continued on his own, "Brother Yang, when you entered the Dragon Palace, it wasn't for treasure, right? If I remember correctly, your initial intention was to find a safe place to successfully break into the Divine Travel state using the Other Shore Flower."

"If that's the case, isn't staying here to attempt a breakthrough not a good idea? The spiritual Qi here is abundant, and as long as you don't delve deeper, there should be no danger. Isn't it the best place for cultivation?"

"Brother Pei, it's the same for you. Stay here to protect Brother Yang's breakthrough, and he will naturally remove the Daluo Demon Hand for you afterward!"

"As for the Maiden of the Sea and me, let's continue delving into the Dragon Palace to fight for its opportunities!"

"Trying to obtain the Dragon Palace legacy is easier said than done! But in such Ancient Ruins, as long as we keep pushing forward, there will always be gains," Wang Junze continued, "Of course, if there's really an opportunity to obtain the legacy, then let's rely on our own abilities."

"Moreover, didn't the Dragon Turtle elder also say we could exit the Dragon Palace at any time? If we truly sense danger, we can leave then."

This statement indeed moved the hearts of everyone present.

It must be said, Wang Junze's words did make sense.

With Yang Hong and Pei Haoran not contending for the Dragon Palace legacy, there was no longer any conflict of interest, and naturally, there was no need to worry about the person obtaining the legacy killing for profit.

In such a manner, what originally required trust among four people was reduced to just requiring trust between Wang Junze and the Maiden of the Sea, significantly lowering the difficulty.

The reason the Dragon Turtle could so easily cause retreat in a few words was because the four had their minds elsewhere and weren't truly united. But now, Wang Junze had offered a perfect suggestion for each person's situation, naturally winning them over again.

"Previously, it was said that in the Nether Sea, the word 'friend' is extremely precious."

Raising his head to look at everyone, Wang Junze spoke earnestly, "Since that's the case, why can't we trust each other again? Regardless of whether anyone obtains the Dragon Palace legacy, I believe we would all be worthy of the word 'friend' after this journey."

"Moving forward, we don't need to depend on anyone else; by joining forces, we can establish ourselves in the Nether Sea!"

"I, Mr. Ye, have said everything I needed to; how you choose… I leave to each of you to decide!"

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