Shu Yan thought for a moment, then decided to answer honestly.
"Neither, actually. My relationship with Elder Qian is… rather special. Strictly speaking, it's a form of inheritance."
A flicker of interest appeared in Bibi Dong's eyes as she chuckled softly.
"Oh? Do tell."
Shu Yan took Xu Jiujiu's hand and continued,
"For various reasons, Elder Qian eventually joined the Star Luo Royal Consecration Hall, becoming the empire's hidden Grand Consecrator. His cultivation has reached Rank Ninety-Eight, but his lifespan is nearing its end. That was why he told me about the existence of the Jialing Pass ruins."
"However, please don't misunderstand, Senior. The current Star Luo Empire is no longer ruled by the White Tiger Dai Clan. The imperial lineage now belongs to the Star Crown Xu Clan. Jiujiu is my lover—and also the Princess of Star Luo."
Bibi Dong's gaze moved back and forth between the two of them as she smiled faintly.
"So, childhood sweethearts?"
Shu Yan was a little surprised, but he nodded.
"You could say that. I'm an orphan. I grew up in a welfare institution in Star Luo City. After awakening my martial soul at six, I stayed by Jiujiu's side."
Hearing his answer, a trace of emotion surfaced in Bibi Dong's eyes. She murmured absentmindedly,
"So that's how it is… That's not bad at all. If only he had possessed talent like yours… perhaps everything would have turned out differently…"
Shu Yan: "?"
He was momentarily confused—then stunned.
It seemed the rumors about Bibi Dong being hopelessly sentimental weren't entirely wrong. Yu Xiaogang had followed Tang San and ended up dead, yet she was still reminiscing about the past. Shu Yan honestly didn't know how to judge that.
As if sensing his thoughts, Bibi Dong's expression twisted slightly before returning to normal, though her tone grew colder.
"I no longer have feelings for him. If anything remains, it is only hatred."
"Yu Xiaogang, Tang San, all of them—if I could, I would make them experience the same pain and pride I once endured. Unfortunately, even after recovering for ten thousand years, I still cannot condense a physical body, nor can I repair the shattered Rakshasa God armor. I can't even leave this tiny area of Jialing Pass…"
Watching her rapidly shifting emotions, Shu Yan didn't know what to say. After a long pause, he carefully spoke.
"Senior… if possible, could you tell me about what happened ten thousand years ago?"
Bibi Dong glanced at him, then smiled calmly.
"What do you want to know?"
After hesitating briefly, Shu Yan asked tentatively,
"For example… everything that happened between you and the Angel God afterward?"
Bibi Dong looked at him with an amused gaze, though the smile sent a chill down Shu Yan's spine. Just as he was about to speak again, she continued.
"If history books removed their slander of Spirit Hall and their blind glorification of Tang San—the so-called Sea God—the truth wouldn't be much different from reality."
"To save Xue'er, I gave everything to block the final strike of Tang San's Asura Demon Sword. My life ended there. Xue'er survived, but her godhood shattered, and she could never again reach the Title Douluo realm."
She let out a self-mocking chuckle.
"But gods aren't so easy to kill. My Rakshasa God position wasn't destroyed. Because of it, my divine consciousness was preserved. The Rakshasa God is born from the world's malice—so long as evil exists, the Rakshasa God will not perish, and neither will my divine will. Still, having lost my divine body and most of my artifacts, my recovery has been agonizingly slow."
"Even though ten thousand years have passed outside, for me, it only meant stabilizing my divine consciousness."
"As for Xue'er…"
"To be honest, by the time I awakened, Xue'er had already passed away. The surviving Angel Legion buried her remains beside me. But over these years, I've sensed a trace of her divine will within the Angel God armor and the Angel Sacred Sword she left behind. If nothing goes wrong, she may awaken again someday…"
Shu Yan could feel the sorrow and regret in Bibi Dong's eyes. Ten thousand years of torment had worn away her former divine pride, leaving her calmer—almost gentle—radiating a warmth like that of an ordinary mother. She was utterly different from the Bibi Dong of Shu Yan's past memories.
"Please don't worry, Senior. Back then, the Angel God merely lost her godhood and divine power, which shortened her lifespan. Her spiritual force had already transformed into divine will. With the nourishment of the Angel God armor, she will surely awaken one day."
After some thought, Shu Yan offered his reassurance.
Bibi Dong rolled her eyes at him lightly and said,
"Enough of these old stories. That fellow sent you here—he must be hoping you'll gain some opportunity, right?"
Shu Yan scratched his head and didn't deny it.
Bibi Dong scoffed.
"He really is greedy. Back then, seeing that he carried the bloodline of a Spirit Hall powerhouse, I used Rakshasa divine power to help him deal with the Blood-Red Nine-Headed Bat King. Nearly five hundred thousand years of its origin and life energy went entirely to him. And after more than a hundred years, he's still stuck at Rank Ninety-Eight. Embarrassing."
"Well…"Shu Yan hesitated, then spoke up for Elder Qian.
"The Evil-Dispelling Dragon Soul conflicted with the Bat King's evil origin energy, damaging his foundation. Treatment came too late, so he had no choice but to stop at Rank Ninety-Eight…"
Bibi Dong let out a cold laugh and said nothing more. Her gaze returned to Shu Yan, then shifted to the Ice and Snow Emperors beside him, curiosity flickering in her violet eyes.
"Soul beasts? And not ordinary ones at that."
"Your auras are similar, your bloodlines nearly identical. What intrigues me most is your relationship. Has the world outside already reached the point where humans and soul beasts can cooperate?"
The Snow Empress looked wary. A god was still a god—before one ascended, whether human or soul beast, all were ants in their eyes. Facing Bibi Dong's elegant yet languid presence, her confidence was frankly lacking.
Shu Yan gently tugged her wrist, signaling her not to speak, then explained,
"Senior, you misunderstand. The Snow Empress and Ice Empress follow me because we share the same goal—becoming gods. The inability of soul beasts to ascend is an iron law of the God Realm. You should know this better than I do. Moreover, in this era, that Sea God is still watching the Douluo Continent. Given his temperament, achieving godhood here…"
Before he could finish, Bibi Dong raised her eyes and smiled faintly.
"You know quite a lot. Should I praise you for being clever?"
Shu Yan shook his head and asked instead,
"Senior, are you truly willing to remain here forever, in these desolate ruins of Jialing Pass?"
Bibi Dong propped her head with one hand, frowning slightly.
"Do you think I want to stay here, bearing witness to past humiliation and failure? But reality is cruel. My divine consciousness cannot leave the Rakshasa God position. Over these ten thousand years, even when I tried to resurrect my former subordinates using divine power, the result was always the same."
"They can move near Jialing Pass, but once they exceed fifty li, their bodies collapse and their souls return here. At some point, this place became a wasteland—ten thousand years of accumulated resentment from the dead, combined with the evil energy I emit, turned it into an accursed land. Aside from the youngsters who occasionally come to worship their ancestors, I haven't seen a living soul in ages."
As Bibi Dong spoke, Shu Yan silently communicated with Electrolux in his Sea of Consciousness, who had been rudely awakened again. After a brief silence, Shu Yan suddenly said,
"What if I told you… I have a way to take you away from here?"
Bibi Dong froze, then narrowed her eyes with amusement.
"With just the two beside you? That won't be enough."
"Is that so?"
Shu Yan smiled faintly.
"The Snow Empress and Ice Empress aren't enough—but I may have someone else who can help."
"Elder Yi, please."
As soon as he spoke, Shu Yan felt a familiar wave of dizziness. When he regained awareness, he had entered that detached, spectator-like state once more.
Sensing the sudden change in Shu Yan's aura and the strange presence surrounding him, Bibi Dong slowly straightened. Her sharp gaze locked onto the "Shu Yan" before her, shock flashing openly in her eyes.
The next instant, gray energy swept downward as an ancient, authoritative voice echoed through the ruins:
"A god from another world… This old one greets you. I am Electrolux."
"The Saint God of Necromancy… the Calamity of the Undead—Electrolux."
"I believe your predicament is one I can help resolve."
"Saint God of Necromancy… such a high-level divine consciousness…"
Bibi Dong murmured instinctively, then suddenly realized something. Staring at Shu Yan's transformed presence, she asked coldly,
"You come from another plane?"