Chapter 158: Douluo’s Specialty—Sudden Fatherhood

The so-called "Fierce Beast Conference" was essentially a debriefing where Wang Rui reported to his direct superior. Previously, this was Di Tian, but now, it was highly likely that the one secretly listening (crossed out) paying attention to the agricultural drama from afar was the biggest shareholder and backer—Life Goddess. After all, she had gifted a Golden Ancient Tree and forced Tang San to retreat.

This conference was attended by the fierce beasts who held influence among the soul beasts, and it involved summarizing recent work progress in the Star Dou Forest, updates on its construction, resource reserves and consumption, as well as key projects for the near future.

The meeting atmosphere had to be harmonious, equal, serious yet lively. Any form of oppression by dominant species against weaker ones was strictly prohibited. The fundamental principle emphasized was that status should be determined by "contributions to the overall soul beast community" rather than individual strength.

However, this reform was progressing rather unsuccessfully. Some soul beasts had "survival of the fittest" engraved into their very bones and struggled to accept such a change. Fortunately, compared to Di Tian, everyone present counted as "the weak"—which at least leveled the playing field.

In other words, Wang Rui was trying to hammer the seeds of civilization into the bones of these wild beasts in a rather brute-force manner.

What is Civilization?

Civilization is order.

Both humans and high-ranking soul beasts possess intelligence. So why was it that humans were able to establish order and civilization while soul beasts could not?

The fact that they were natural enemies was irrelevant. It was true that soul beasts hunted and devoured one another, but weren't humans just as ruthless, if not worse, to their own kind?

To some humans, other humans were even more insignificant than a wolf viewed a sheep.

Golden bone artifacts, enshrined to deities and gods, were made from human remains.

Countless wandering spirits on battlefields roamed aimlessly, lost between life and death. Those at the power pyramid's pinnacle feasted upon their own kind's flesh and blood.

An invisible wheel crushed bones into dust, yet the spark of human civilization never ceased to burn.

The Three-Eyed Golden Lion had pondered this question for a long time—why could humans of the Douluo world establish a civilization while high-ranking soul beasts, despite possessing intelligence on par with humans, could not?

Part of it was due to the laws of the Douluo world suppressing them. The other reason was that soul beasts were inherently strong, whereas humans were weak.

Weakness forced humans to unite for survival against the environment. Soul beasts, being naturally powerful, never had that necessity.

Thus, Wang Rui took it upon himself to become the external force that would compel soul beasts to unite.

He wanted the fierce beasts to clearly understand how the overall resources of Star Dou had increased. Simply doing the work in silence would never be enough—if no one knew what he had accomplished, who would willingly follow him? In that case, his efforts would only be stolen by others.

More importantly, he aimed to encourage discussions, collective decision-making, and shared efforts. He wanted the fierce beasts to gradually develop the awareness that "they were part of a larger soul beast community, and only when the community and the forest thrived could they themselves benefit."

It was a slow, gradual process—like boiling a frog in warm water.

From this perspective, the United Fierce Beast Conference held in the Star Dou Core Zone wasn't all that different from human meetings. However, considering the high illiteracy rate among attendees, the meeting was considerably more tedious, monotonous, and sleep-inducing.

Luckily, it was only held once every thousand years.

Of course, the timing wasn't precisely fixed at once per millennium. Soul beasts didn't have an acute sense of time, and those at the level of fierce beasts could sleep away hundreds of years in a single nap. But roughly speaking, the interval remained consistent.

In recent millennia, fierce beasts destined to attend the conference would sense an inexplicable call when the time approached and would instinctively head toward Ark City in the Star Dou Core Zone.

The one who supposedly controlled the fate threads of all his subordinates—the Emperor Auspicious Beast—insisted he had no idea how this worked.

The Real Purpose of the Conference

At its core, the Fierce Beast Conference was Wang Rui's way of conducting roll calls and exerting control over his subordinates. While his Eye of Fate could see from afar who had died and who hadn't, summoning them in person provided a clearer view.

Introducing newly promoted fierce beasts, redistributing territories, announcing new discoveries by Beast Sect, and recruiting test subjects were all just side tasks.

Attendance was entirely voluntary. Yes, attending meant being burdened with annoying tasks. However—

If a soul beast chose not to show up, they could kiss any support from the Fierce Beast Mutual Aid Group goodbye. No one would come to their rescue if human soul masters attacked them. And they certainly had no right to envy other soul beasts who received Emperor Auspicious Beast's protection during tribulations or those who, even after failing to transcend a tribulation, were given a second chance at life.

"We absolutely do not bully any soul beasts. :)"

Moreover, the artificially created martial soul project and the new contract system Wang Rui presented at the conference were far too tempting for any soul beast to ignore.

This time, most of the attending fierce beasts could sense a major shift in power.

For the past ten thousand years, Di Tian had always sat at the center of the long conference table, with Bi Ji and the Auspicious Beast seated at his sides.

But this time, the Auspicious Beast sat in the center, with Di Tian and Bi Ji flanking him, both watching the other fierce beasts like hawks.

Anyone with a functioning brain understood what that meant.

As for those who were slow on the uptake, well, by the end of the meeting, every single one of them had a sudden enlightenment—a true medical miracle! How delightful.

No soul beast qualified to attend had a cultivation below 200,000 years. Thanks to Wang Rui's years of effort, Star Dou now had far more than just ten fierce beasts. Including those who traveled from other soul beast communities, there were over thirty fierce beasts present.

And that wasn't even counting Tianyu's offspring—who had enough cultivation but lacked sufficient combat strength—or the sea soul beasts and extreme north soul beasts who had yet to establish official relations with Star Dou.

If human nations learned of this number, panic would ensue. After all, a 200,000-year soul beast was equivalent to a Rank 95 Title Douluo. If these beasts were to enter the battlefield, they would form an overwhelming force.

However, such calculations were flawed.

If a Rank 95 human Title Douluo died, human society could produce several replacements within two centuries. If a fierce beast of the same level died, it might take over a thousand years to replace them—if at all.

In short, Wang Rui's fear of insufficient firepower would probably never go away in this lifetime.

The Second Conference and an Unexpected Encounter

Even after the meeting adjourned, the fierce beasts with territories farther away didn't immediately leave the Core Zone.

In three years, Star Dou would host another conference—one with an even larger scope.

This next meeting would include not only core Beast Sect members and all soul beasts with cultivation over 100,000 years but also every soul beast with the potential to break past the 100,000-year barrier.

And so, as Wang Rui and Di Tian once again ventured to the Extreme North to retrieve the reincarnated Snow Empress—no, the Snow Lotus—Wang Rui's mind was still preoccupied with work arrangements. He resembled an overworked corporate employee crushed under deadlines.

The difference? Corporate employees had bosses cracking whips over their heads, while Wang Rui's immense workload was entirely self-inflicted.

He was so absorbed in his thoughts that he barely noticed their surroundings after stepping through the spatial gate Di Tian had opened.

A raging blizzard swept over them, making the Three-Eyed Golden Lion's nose itch.

He sneezed—sending out a spray of sparks—

And was immediately tackled by a small, snow-white loli.

(End of Chapter)