"You really can't tolerate even the slightest loss, can you?" Ye Xishui curled her lips.
With her strength, it would still take a long time to craft this many Tier 9 soul tools.
Of course, in truth, Ye Xishui didn't really care about such matters. She wasn't short on time.
Hearing Qian Ran mention Long Xiaoyao, Ye Xishui felt a little uneasy. In her current appearance, even Long Xiaoyao hadn't seen her like this, yet Qian Ran, this young brat, had. This left her feeling conflicted.
Even though Qian Ran hadn't actually taken advantage of her, she still felt as though she owed something.
"Senior Ye Xishui, why don't we go for a walk? Maybe you can take a look around and see if there's anything here that could be improved. After all, this is your area of expertise," Qian Ran quickly changed the subject, afraid that Ye Xishui might start overthinking.
If she began dwelling on feeling guilty towards Long Xiaoyao, it wouldn't bode well for him.
Ye Xishui's attention was swiftly diverted. Clearly, Qian Ran's semi-plane held more appeal for her.
Ye Xishui could sense that the undead creatures in this world were generally not very powerful. However, they were numerous, with some rivals to Soul Douluo or even Titled Douluo-level beings among them. What's more, these creatures seemed to be continuously growing stronger.
The strength of creatures in a small world largely depended on whether the world was rich in energy.
After Electrolux's fall, this plane had lost its energy source, causing the growth of its undead creatures to stagnate. It wasn't until Qian Ran had placed a mineral vein from the system into this plane that the undead creatures began to grow again.
As long as Qian Ran continued supplying energy to this semi-plane, the creatures here could grow stronger alongside him.
"This world is incomplete."
Standing atop the highest point of the palace, Ye Xishui gazed into the distance. She saw that the world's edge was a void capable of devouring everything.
"The person who created this world was no more than a Demigod. This was already their limit," Qian Ran said lightly. After all, a semi-plane of the undead was not a complete plane and didn't even qualify as a basic small plane.
"Demigod…"
"You seem quite familiar with him. I'm really curious how you know so much," Ye Xishui said, giving Qian Ran a deep look. Qian Ran still had many secrets. These secrets weren't about his strength but were nonetheless incredibly significant.
They showed that Qian Ran had a broad perspective and could approach cultivation or tasks from a lofty vantage point.
Could Qian Ran be the descendant of some deity? Had some god sent him here to undergo training?
But then, what about the Enlightenment Tea in his possession? If the God Realm had such divine tea, it would surely incite a mad scramble for it. Ye Xishui didn't believe for a second that everyone who attained godhood was virtuous.
Many of the items Qian Ran had taken out would undoubtedly be rare treasures even in the God Realm.
Perhaps there was an even more mysterious and powerful force behind Qian Ran than the gods themselves.
Ever since Qian Ran had casually mentioned Electrolux and the concept of star systems, Ye Xishui had begun to speculate about this world. Their world was in the Douluo Star System, and Electrolux came from another star system. Beyond these two, there must be countless other star systems.
So, could the God Realm truly govern so many star systems? Perhaps, the God Realm's control extended to only a few select ones.
If that were the case, then there might be powers far stronger than the God Realm in existence.
After learning of this broader reality from Qian Ran, Ye Xishui had felt unsettled. In truth, she didn't care much about Qian Ran's background in the Spirit Pagoda; her real apprehension lay with the unknown.
Qian Ran couldn't be just an ordinary person—not with his knowledge of such hidden truths.
For Ye Xishui, it was often the things she didn't know that worried her the most.
Moreover, since she could acquire the resources she needed from Qian Ran through legitimate means, there was no need for her to attack him—at least not for now.
"That's one of my secrets. I know more than you think, including the origins of the God Realm," Qian Ran chuckled. The plots he knew from before his transmigration were his biggest advantage.
These alone were enough to help him cultivate a mysterious and powerful persona, which people like Ye Xishui found compelling.
Seeing the confident smile on Qian Ran's face, Ye Xishui grew even more convinced that he wasn't ordinary.
"Tell me about those things later. For now, I'm curious about Electrolux. Can you tell me about him and how you obtained this semi-plane?" Ye Xishui asked. Though she was also curious about the God Realm, she couldn't resist her current interest.
Her mind was already chaotic enough. Knowing too much before reaching a certain level of strength wasn't necessarily a good thing.
Electrolux was a Demigod and thus the closest being to her current level of cultivation. His experiences might offer valuable insights—especially since he was a Necromancer, a path similar to hers.
"Alright. Since you look so stunning today, I'll reluctantly tell you about him. But let's be clear: this is the last free story. If you want to know more in the future, it'll cost you. Of course, you can pay in rare metals. I could always use more of those," Qian Ran said.
He felt that he had already been more than generous to Ye Xishui. There was no reason to keep letting her leech off him. She wasn't his wife, after all. Why pamper her so much without a commitment?
"Fine." Ye Xishui gritted her teeth in anger. The good impression she'd just developed for Qian Ran immediately faded. Long Xiaoyao and others had gone out of their way to gift her treasures, and even Zhong Li, on his deathbed, had passed on all his evil cultivation techniques to her. But with Qian Ran, everything came at a price.
The stark contrast was unbearable for someone as proud as Ye Xishui. She even began doubting whether Qian Ran found her as attractive as he claimed. His sweet words belied his mercenary actions.
This guy!
Qian Ran was utterly unlike the sycophants she was used to. Unless she offered something of equal value, there was no way to get anything from him.
This man was truly…
"Speaking of which, Electrolux does share some similarities with you. He was initially a Child of Light but later fell into darkness," Qian Ran said, glancing at Ye Xishui. With her Bright Phoenix Martial Soul, Ye Xishui wouldn't have become an Evil Soul Master if not for Zhong Li's influence.
"Electrolux's plane was called the Sacred Magic Continent. Over there, many people practiced magic, with mages being the most powerful profession, similar to our soul masters."
"Electrolux was deeply devoted to the Light, but after being betrayed by his lover, Flora, hatred consumed him. Watching Perot and Flora personally behead his family members with blades extinguished the last flicker of hope and light in his heart. All that remained was boundless resentment and hatred. For revenge, Electrolux embraced darkness and fell."
"…"
Qian Ran summarized Electrolux's story for Ye Xishui, giving her a deeper understanding of his life.
"If I were him, I'd have done the same," Ye Xishui mused. Even the kindest Child of Light could turn to darkness after experiencing such devastation.
"No, no, no. You'd be even crazier than he was." Ye Xishui was already unhinged enough without anyone wronging her. If she were betrayed by a lover, she'd go far beyond Electrolux's actions.