At this moment, the more Rhett observed his surroundings, the more familiar everything seemed.
The pit he was in bore a striking resemblance to the ten-thousand-meter-deep trench in the Far North, back in reality.
Aside from the absence of a mysterious alchemical array, everything was eerily similar.
Though the two points in time were separated by ten thousand years, deep-sea environments are unlike those on land—ten thousand years pass in the blink of an eye here, and it's unlikely that such a span would bring about significant geographical or environmental changes.
Considering Heisenberg's current presence, it wasn't difficult to guess his purpose.
—It was most likely related to the soul passage!
As expected, Heisenberg's body trembled, as if the final straw had broken him. With a bitter smile, he said, "I didn't expect you to even know about that... Yes, today is the day to help him complete the final step: establishing the so-called soul passage..."
While speaking, Heisenberg's expression was complicated, and a silver disk appeared in his hand out of thin air.
Upon seeing this metal object, Rhett's pupils contracted, and his heart rate quickened. Yes, it was the same—the core of the array he had once seen deep in the ocean. This disk appeared to be the key to the soul passage!
Holding the silver disk in his hand, Heisenberg suddenly turned to Rhett and asked, "Since you're supposedly working for the Undead Patriarch, why are you telling me all of this? Have you betrayed him?"
"Hmph, calling him the 'Undead Patriarch' is only out of respect. That vile man destroyed my family! I'd gladly tear him apart!" Rhett wore a mask of anger and disgust, exhaling heavily before saying in a deep voice, "Hand over the disk. I'll take care of it for you."
Heisenberg hesitated, his fingers trembling slightly, unsure of what to do.
Rhett felt an overwhelming sense of urgency, fearing that Heisenberg might change his mind and take back the silver disk at any moment.
Although this was just a simulated world, studying the core of the array before it was fully constructed could provide invaluable insights into the secrets of the soul passage.
Two minutes passed.
Eventually, Heisenberg sighed deeply and tossed the silver disk away. "Forget it. I've always thought this thing was cursed. I was only doing this out of gratitude, but now…"
The disk flew through the water, leaving a silver streak in its wake.
Rhett reached out, anticipating the trajectory, a smile tugging at his lips—he was just about to catch the silver disk.
But in the next instant, disaster struck.
A vast pressure suddenly rose from the depths of the sea, accompanied by a terrifying yet familiar aura that enveloped Rhett's heart.
The smile on Rhett's face froze instantly as his heart raced. This pressure—this aura was so overwhelming and familiar... It was the Undead Patriarch!
"Could he have been hiding in the depths all along? What is this old schemer planning?"
In that brief moment, countless thoughts flashed through Rhett's mind.
The next second, an ancient face began to coalesce in the depths of the sea.
The face was formed from translucent gray mist, without a body—just a massive, weathered face about half a meter wide, expressionless and terrifying.
As soon as it appeared, it locked its cold, murderous gaze onto Rhett.
Rhett felt an immense force of soul energy engulf him, transforming into mental tendrils that sought to strangle him.
His face turned crimson as if he couldn't breathe. He immediately activated all the profound forces he controlled—Scattering Profoundness, Condensing Profoundness, Shattering Profoundness, Gravity Space, and Dissolution Profoundness. The elements of the earth twisted into complex patterns, forming a protective barrier around Rhett.
Yet it was useless. The Undead Patriarch's attack bypassed the five profound forces, striking directly at Rhett's mind, causing excruciating pain.
In a moment of desperation, Rhett remembered he still had one last card to play. With no other choice, he bit his lip and activated the Elemental Core in his mental sea.
The fused Elemental Core of earth and fire responded to its master's distress, releasing an even more mysterious and terrifying power.
The surrounding water trembled.
A dark, solid-colored spike materialized from above and shot downward, piercing the ancient face.
The spike, both unyielding and blazing hot, unleashed an immense power. The ancient face showed a massive hole where it had been struck, emitting an agonized, incredulous scream:
"Ah! Impossible! Elemental fusion... You've reached the stage of elemental fusion!"
The soul-formed face appeared fragile under the influence of the fusion's power, becoming faint and weak, as if it might vanish at any moment.
Of course, this didn't mean the Patriarch was weak. His full power had not been unleashed—he had merely activated a contingency plan.
Even though this was just a fraction of his true power, it should have been more than enough to crush any Saint of this world. Yet someone had emerged who had surpassed the limits of the Saint realm, shattering his expectations!
"I had researched thoroughly... No one in this world should have reached this level, and yet here you are!"
The old voice was hoarse and furious, unwilling to accept that his plan had been foiled.
He knew full well that Heisenberg could never defeat this individual. If he himself were to fall, the soul passage would likely never be completed.
He forced himself to calm down, gathering his dissipating soul energy. His form shrank by half, and his aura weakened significantly, but at least he could remain longer.
Rhett smirked coldly. This battle had bolstered his confidence—so the Undead Patriarch wasn't invincible after all. With the power of elemental fusion, Rhett now had the means to confront him!
"Human, I admit you're strong. You've earned the right to negotiate. Tell me what you want, and I'll do my best to accommodate you," the ancient face said, fixing Rhett with an unblinking gaze. "So long as you don't interfere with my plans."
Heisenberg, meanwhile, wore a confused expression as he looked at the Undead Patriarch and hesitantly asked, "Were you… really using me all along?"
The Patriarch glanced at Heisenberg with disdain. "Hmph, after all my effort in nurturing you, you repay me like this? You ungrateful wretch. You deserve to die!"
With those words, a black wraith shot toward Heisenberg.
The water churned violently, and the air filled with a bone-chilling cold.
Heisenberg's face went pale as he realized he couldn't withstand the force coming for him. Despite knowing it was futile, he attempted to cast a Death Ripple, but when it collided with the wraith, it shattered like an egg hitting a boulder, offering no resistance.
As death's cold grip closed in, Heisenberg realized it no longer mattered if he had been used. What was clear now was the true nature of the being he had once trusted.
Regret surged through him.
Just as he stood paralyzed with fear, another explosion shook the depths of the ocean.
A molten-colored spike suddenly shot from an unknown angle, smashing into the wraith and disintegrating it completely.
Amidst Heisenberg's shock, Rhett's calm voice rang out, "Do me a favor, and let him go."
"You..." Heisenberg looked utterly disbelieving. He then cast a complex glance at Rhett before letting out a sigh.
The Undead Patriarch's ancient face wrinkled in anger, suppressing his fury. But acknowledging Rhett's undeniable strength, he grudgingly replied, "Fine... I'll honor your request. But you mustn't interfere with my plans anymore."
Rhett smirked coldly but didn't rush to agree. Instead, his curiosity piqued, he asked, "In your current state, do you really think you can complete such an enormous project? If you kill Heisenberg, who will help you finish it?"
"Heh, my methods are beyond your comprehension." The Patriarch chuckled coldly as the horns atop his head emitted a strange signal, like antennas transmitting a mysterious message.
Moments later, a figure approached rapidly from the depths of the sea. Covered in golden scales, the long, slender body cut through the water like a sword, moving with effortless speed. From the side, it looked like a golden needle darting through the ocean.
Rhett's eyes narrowed as he turned to look.
As the figure drew closer, a humanoid fish appeared before him. It had a long, golden dorsal fin and narrow eyes, standing over two meters tall. The creature's gaze held caution when directed at Rhett, and when it looked at Heisenberg, its expression was strangely complex.
A merman?
The Undead Patriarch had summoned a merman?
What was going on?
Rhett furrowed his brow in confusion, glancing between the merman and the Patriarch. Did the Patriarch expect a merman to help build the soul passage?
That seemed absurd…
But then again, Rhett realized he had never heard much about whether merfolk had any significant expertise in alchemy.
Even Heisenberg seemed perplexed as he stared at the newcomer, quickly recognizing it as a golden tuna merman.
The merfolk had first appeared around a century ago, and no one knew exactly where they came from. They had emerged from the eastern seas and swiftly seized control of most of the oceans.
At the very least, humanity had come to know a bit about them—golden tuna merfolk were one of the rarer types, known for their intelligence. Though physically weak, their speed gave them a significant edge.
The Undead Patriarch, noticing their confusion, turned his gaze to Heisenberg and said meaningfully, "Don't you recognize him?"
Heisenberg stepped back cautiously. "How would I know him? Does he have anything to do with me?"
The Patriarch let out an eerie laugh. "Since you've been doubting whether I ordered Tymos to betray you, I've brought him here myself. Tymos, tell him—was anyone else behind what you did to Heisenberg?"
As he spoke, the Patriarch gestured to the golden tuna merman.
This sudden revelation left both Rhett and Heisenberg utterly speechless.
"What... What did he just say? This merman is Tymos? The once greatest Saint of the continent?" Rhett's mouth opened slightly as he stared at the shimmering merman, at a loss for words.
Heisenberg's reaction was even more pronounced. His eyes widened in shock, and his hand trembled as he raised it. "You… You're Tymos?"
The golden tuna merman met Heisenberg's gaze in silence for a moment before sighing deeply. "Yes, I once held that identity. But now, I am nothing more than the Undead Patriarch's servant."
With that confirmation, Heisenberg's turbulent emotions finally settled.
His breathing gradually steadied as he shook his head with a bitter smile. "What does it matter anymore… None of this means anything now… It's all too late."
"Hand me the soul array, Heisenberg. I will help the Patriarch construct the soul passage. The two of you... should leave," the golden tuna merman said calmly.
The Undead Patriarch wore a satisfied smile as he glanced at Rhett. "So, what do you think? Even without Heisenberg, I can still complete the soul passage now."
"Oh? And if I refuse to give you the array?" Rhett responded coldly. "You think this merman, who hasn't even reached the Saint level, can finish such a massive project, even if his alchemical knowledge is advanced?"
The atmosphere grew tense once again.
The Undead Patriarch's voice dropped menacingly. "I advise you not to make this difficult. Don't think I can't find other ways to descend upon this world. If you push me too far, it won't end well for you."
"Hmph, you're welcome to try!" Rhett retorted defiantly. This was all just a simulation, after all—what did he have to fear?
Rhett's resolute stance made the Undead Patriarch feel as though he was dealing with a hedgehog—uncooperative and difficult. Silently fuming, he began reconsidering his plans.
Finally, the Patriarch took a deep breath and spoke, "I'll ask you one last time: is there truly no price that will stop you from interfering with my plan?"
Rhett paused for a moment, sensing he had pushed the Patriarch to his breaking point. Continuing to escalate the situation might be unwise.
"I need to know everything about the soul passage," he demanded, his voice low but firm.
The Undead Patriarch sighed inwardly and, after a moment's thought, responded, "The soul passage is simply a means for me to collect the souls of the deceased. It won't threaten the safety of your world. Rest assured… there's no conflict of interest between us."
"And you don't think this will affect the natural cycle of reincarnation in our world? If all the souls of the dead are drawn to the Underworld, aren't you undermining our very foundation?" Rhett voiced a long-held suspicion. He had always wondered if the concept of reincarnation existed in this world—whether there was such a thing as past lives or future lives. Now seemed like the perfect opportunity to find out.
"Reincarnation? What is that?" The Undead Patriarch seemed genuinely puzzled by the term, shaking his head. "A soul is merely the spirit that lingers after death. If it's strong enough, it can continue to exist independently. If it's weak, it dissipates quickly, just like a body. There's no such thing as a 'next life.'"
"Besides, not all souls can pass through the soul passage and enter the Underworld. Only a small fraction of extraordinary individuals qualify. The majority of souls will continue to decay in your world."
Rhett maintained a neutral expression and asked, "Then what do you need so many souls for?"
"In the Underworld, souls serve a multitude of purposes, much like your world's condensed elemental matter. It's a complicated subject—one that would take too long to explain." The Undead Patriarch answered.