Ao Gu and Feng Ling didn't respond.
They almost laid their cheeks against the scroll while they carefully studied every single word and character written down by Ji Hao, and discussing if any sentence would possibly contain a hidden disadvantageous clause that might injure their interests.
Nevertheless, the divine characters were magical, created by the world under its own will. As long as one's soul was powerful enough to take all the pressure given by the vast, mysterious natural power, one would be able to penetrate every single character with one glimpse.
Having studied for a long while, Ao Gu and Feng Ling finally nodded. They raised their heads and glanced at each other.
Ji Hao remained silent, holding his hands behind his body while quietly looking at Ao Gu and Feng Ling. He tried his best to make the conditions in the contract be as beneficial to the humankind and himself as possible. For facing the 'Blood Crown', who would soon arrive in this world, wiping out all non-humankind invaders, and even ensuring Si Wen Ming's throne after the coming great war, Ji Hao had considered it all.
Strength and power were always needed. Currently, Ji Hao had attained a mentionable individual strength, but he still needed an even greater power to face all possible dangerous situations that might occur in the future.
The dragon-kind and the phoenix-kind hankered after the divine thrones and came to Ji Hao. For what they wanted, they had to pay a certain price. They had always been aggressive to the humankind, and were used to taking benefits from them. But this time, they wouldn't be able to take any advantage out of Ji Hao.
They had to pay an actual price to earn an equal result. If Ji Hao were satisfied by what they provided, divine emperors from the humankind, the dragon-kind, the phoenix-kind, or even from other species, would have no different meaning to the humankind.
Therefore, the conditions he put forward were fairly clear, without any trap. This was the fairest, brightest, most selfless contract that Ji Hao had ever drafted in his life.
"The conditions are simple and clear." Ao Gu flicked his fingers on the scroll and looked at Ji Hao, saying slowly, "But, I don't quite feel the same way."
"This is clear." Feng Ling sounded just like Ao Gu. She shook his head at Ji Hao with an interrogatory look, and the special pride and scorn that belonged only to ancient creatures like herself, as she continued, "But, I don't understand, Emperor Hao. Why do you think you can bargain for conditions with us?"
With a dark face, Ao Gu said, "Emperor Hao, even though you have luckily received a natural edict and become the only divine emperor in the current world, in the end, you are nothing but a human marquis. Your territory is small, your people are poor, your military force is weak. You are weak, with no strong supporters…How dare you extort us like this?" While he was talking, an indescribably fierce sense of power silently pressed down on Ji Hao like the surging undercurrents in a bottomless ocean deep.
"Ao Gu, don't be angry. He's a child. He doesn't know how to behave properly yet." Feng Ling said while slightly shaking her head, "Emperor Hao, why don't we make some changes in these conditions? Such as, you will be the central divine emperor, while we take the rest four thrones?"
Feng Ling smiled, then warmly pulled a sleeve of Ji Hao's long shirt, which was made from a coarse cloth. She gently flattened a few wrinkles on it while continuing, "You shall not put forward any other condition either. We, the dragon-kind and the phoenix-kind, will help you to seize the throne, and in return, you communicate with the world and bring us the natural edicts to promote our people to the new divine emperors. How about that?"
Ji Hao looked at Ao Gu and Feng Ling, not knowing what to say.
They were the one who bared the road, but why were they accusing Ji Hao of extortion now?
Besides, the meaning of Feng Ling's words was pretty clear — 'Kid, you're not strong enough. If you don't do exactly what we said, you should be careful, because you might lose your throne.'
Back in the ancient era, ambitions dragon emperors and phoenix emperor did emerge. They led their army and marched to the sky, challenging the heaven. As descendants of Pan Gu, with their natural given powers and abilities, they never fell into a disadvantage when fighting against the heaven. On the contrary, they had gained small advantages several times.
Their previous achievements built their pride and arrogance.
They didn't even take the real ancient divine emperors seriously, not to mention Ji Hao, a young human being who luckily ascended to the throne…They were willing to run an equal communication with him, which was already the greatest respect they could show to him. But, how dare he put forward conditions?
Ji Hao gave a bitter grin and said, "Elders, you made me a little speechless. You're not…"
Ji Hao's polite tone suddenly changed, while the grin faded on his face. Fiercely and blandly, he continued, "You're not thinking about hurting me, are you? Elders, haven't you been thinking too much? Aren't you taking this as too easy a thing?"
The other six powerful dragons and phoenixes, who were forced to turn around their heads by the divine characters, looked at Ji Hao simultaneously. Eight powerful beings surrounded Ji Hao, and snorted scornfully and coldly.
The other beautiful phoenix lady pointed at the scroll in Ji Hao's hands and said in a frosty tone, "Ji Hao kid, we respected you, but you shouldn't push it. Destroy this contract and do what we said, then we will help you to ensure your throne. Otherwise…"
"Otherwise, your grandpa Ao Ku will let you know why the dragon-kind and phoenix-kind ruled the world back in the ancient time, while human beings could only cry under our feet!" Standing behind Ao Gu, another old dragon said with a weird tone.
Licking his mouth corner, Ao Ku continued proudly, "You don't want to watch your grandpa Ao Ku chop off your father's head, do you? You don't want to watch your father cry and scream in my arms either, do you? Hehe, I wonder if you have kids. If you do, your grandpa Ao Ku likes little human beings too!"
Ao Gu smilingly shook his head and interrupted Ao Ku, "Alright, alright, you're an ancestor now. Don't scare children with your follies of youth."
Ao Gu smiled and looked at Ji Hao, then sighed, "Emperor Hao…Ji Hao kid, you aren't qualified to bargain with us. So, you should better listen to us, like the old lady Feng Ling said. Hehe, phoenixes are more or less softhearted, but we, dragons, for the result we want, we won't be afraid to do anything."
Ao Ku laughed out loud. Looked around, he abruptly saw Shaosi on the nine dragons chariot.
Pointing at her, he laughed, "Ji Hao kid, this girl had your smell! Is she your woman? Haha, if don't do what we said… Haha, I will now give you a fantastic show!"
Ao Gu laughed aloud too, and so did the other two ancient dragons.
"Pah!" Feng Ling and the other three powerful phoenixes slightly curved down their lips.
Ji Hao narrowed his eyes, then grinned and responded, "The qualification to bargain? Is this enough?"
The Pan Gu bell suddenly appeared in Ji Hao's hands. He raised the bell and smashed it on Ao Ku's head.
Along with a thunderous howl which vibrated the air and forced the million warriors surrounding the nine dragons chariot to fly up, a big half of Ao Ku's head was crushed. He fell from above the clouds while crying and created a giant hole in the ground.