The Snow Empress frowned slightly and gently shook her head before speaking:
"I don't know either. From the very moment we were sent out of that small pocket space, I could no longer sense their presence. If nothing unexpected has happened, they should now be within the Undead World."
The worry in Xu Jiujiu's eyes was completely undisguised. Beside her, the Ice Empress let out a sigh and spoke somewhat dazedly:
"That brat Shuyan causes a huge commotion every single time he shows up. My poor little heart can barely take it anymore. At first, I thought I was pretty powerful, but now I'm starting to feel like I'm the weakest one here…"
The Snow Empress's expression turned somewhat inscrutable. After a brief pause, she spoke again:
"Let's wait nearby for a while. Once they finish handling matters over there, nothing should go wrong."
The Ice Empress and Xu Jiujiu exchanged a glance and nodded in unison.
…
Meanwhile, on the other side—within the Undead Demi-Plane.
As the small spatial domain constructed by Bibi Dong using the foundation of the Rakshasa God's divinity merged into the world, a bewitching purple light suddenly shot into the sky. The black-red land cracked apart inch by inch, while countless undead creatures seemed to sense something and began howling madly toward the heavens.
In the distant, gloomy sky, several massive bone dragons took flight. Their sharp, piercing roars echoed across the empty world, traveling far and wide—faint responses could even be heard from afar.
Two figures descended from the sky, finally landing atop a barren mountain peak.
Shuyan coughed violently several times. Every meridian and bone in his body felt as though it had been torn apart, the pain unbearable. Although the power Elyx had used was his own, it still required Shuyan's body as a medium. Despite Shuyan's already monstrous physical strength, enduring such terrifying energy was still pushing him far beyond his limits.
Fortunately, deep within his Sea of Consciousness resided the Gold of Life. Vast, continuous life energy poured forth and was rapidly absorbed by his body, quickly alleviating his injuries. In just a short moment, his bones began cracking and popping loudly. Under Bibi Dong's astonished gaze, Shuyan coughed twice more, braced himself against the rock wall beside him, and struggled to stand.
"There seems to be some other unknown existence within your body," Bibi Dong said slowly. "An injury that would normally leave an ordinary soul master immobilized for days has already recovered nearly fifty percent in you—at such a terrifying speed."
Leaning against the rock wall, Shuyan let out a breath and forced himself upright.
"A matter of fortunate encounters," he replied softly. "Nothing more than luck."
Bibi Dong chuckled lightly, her gaze drifting toward the dim horizon. The frigid, sinister energy permeating the surrounding space had no effect on her at all—instead, it made her feel refreshed and at ease. That long-lost sense of freedom lifted her spirits. She turned back to Shuyan and said:
"Pass my thanks to that old man. He truly is an extraordinary figure. This world suits my tastes quite well."
Shuyan nodded. After exchanging a few quiet words with Elyx within his Sea of Consciousness, he refocused and said:
"Elder Yi said that, as a sign of sincerity, he has granted you authority to freely enter and exit the Undead Demi-Plane, as well as control over undead creatures. Your highest level of authority is the same as mine."
A flicker of surprise passed through Bibi Dong's beautiful eyes. Just moments earlier, she had indeed felt her level of control over this world increase significantly.
She smiled and shook her head lightly.
"Not bad. However, before the Rakshasa God's divinity fully fuses with this small world, even if I leave this place and return to the Douluo Continent, my strength will be greatly suppressed. I might not even be able to exert power at the level of an Ultimate Douluo."
Shuyan froze slightly. He looked toward the purple light flickering in the distant sky, disbelief flashing through his eyes.
"Why… is that?"
Bibi Dong shot him a sideways glance and replied jokingly:
"You think I want this?"
"For reasons I don't fully understand, ever since entering this world, the Rakshasa God's divinity has been trying to break free from my control. The origin of this world is also pulling at it. That old man behind you probably anticipated this long ago. This trip of mine—one could say I've suffered a tremendous loss."
"This…"
Shuyan didn't know what to say. Before he could speak, Bibi Dong chuckled softly and continued:
"But this works out just fine for me. Don't set your sights on the Rakshasa God's divinity anymore. I can tell you very clearly—you are not suited to inherit it. However, on the Douluo Continent, there still exists a godhood far more suitable for you than the Rakshasa God."
"The reason you're unsuitable is simple. Inheriting the Rakshasa God requires a corresponding vessel. First, a powerful evil martial soul—such as my Death Spider Emperor and Devourer Spider Emperor. Second, extreme negative emotions. And third… the final point I mentioned earlier."
"Back then, I was chosen by the previous Rakshasa God because my heart was already filled with hatred, and my martial souls themselves were highly special."
"Later, during the divine trials, under the influence of Rakshasa divine power, I became increasingly obsessive and unhinged. My emotions spiraled toward extremes, to the point where I even harbored thoughts of annihilating the entire continent."
"From this alone, you can see how bizarre and cruel the Rakshasa God's trials truly are. This is why every Rakshasa God throughout history has been twisted and mad. What kind of divine trial creates what kind of god. Think about it—if a warped first-rank god were to cast down new trials, would they not be even more distorted and agonizing than the ones she herself endured?"
At this point, Bibi Dong let out a faintly desolate smile before continuing:
"If I hadn't been blinded by the Rakshasa trials back then, would everything that followed have turned out completely differently?"
"I'll never know the answer. The Rakshasa God's trial is a form of inheritance, but it's more like a cycle. Every trial-bearer experiences nearly the same fate, and in the end, all of them choose to fall…"
"Moreover, even without a god manipulating things from behind the scenes, the Rakshasa God's divinity itself is formed from all the evil thoughts in the world. From the moment one possesses it, both body and mind are constantly eroded, until they become the perfect vessel for it."
Bibi Dong exhaled softly. She turned, raised her head, and gently patted Shuyan on the shoulder, speaking each word clearly:
"By the time I awakened, it was already too late. Everything I cared about—I can say I destroyed it with my own hands. From that moment on, I resolved to completely destroy the Rakshasa inheritance. Your arrival has truly given me an opportunity."
"Considering the situation as a whole, I'm willing to place my bet on you. And I'll tell you one more thing—the plane itself is being eroded. I once spoke with the plane's consciousness, and what it told me was dire. It only strengthened my resolve."
"Rather than letting the Rakshasa God's divinity benefit them in the future, I'd rather shatter this so-called cycle myself—and allow it to persist in the world in another form."