With the Demon Emperor and her daughter no longer interfering, Zhu Ziyang's group smoothly finished clearing the battlefield.
Sixteen Demon Whales, each over fifty-thousand years old, had their life force completely absorbed and converted by Zhu Ziyang. Ever since obtaining the Scythe of Resting Fate, his control over the power of death had become second nature. The conversion of life force into soul ring years had reached an almost perfect one-to-one ratio.
Thus, the Scythe of Resting Fate now bore nine crimson soul rings—a terrifying configuration that only existed in legends.
Zhu Ziyang was elated. Even though the artificially-augmented hundred-thousand-year rings could not provide new soul skills, the skills they originally contained had all been elevated to the level of hundred-thousand-year techniques. That alone was enough to satisfy him.
Aside from Zhu Ziyang's advancement, they also gained nine soul bones as spoils of war—five from the hundred-thousand-year whales and four from the ten-thousand-year ones.
"What a pity! These five hundred-thousand-year rings are wasted," Zhang Lexuan sighed as she watched the crimson rings dissolve into the sea.
"Not wasted," Zhu Ziyang replied with a faint smile, recalling the Will of the World. "After all, they return to heaven and earth."
"True enough, but it still feels wasteful to watch them vanish without a master," Zhang Lexuan said. "At least the soul bones remain, and the whale gel too. That's something."
"Yes," Zhu Ziyang agreed. "Among the nine bones, five are hundred-thousand-year ones. We're just missing a skull to complete a full set. As for the other four ten-thousand-year bones, two happen to be skulls. Quite the coincidence."
"Brother, Sister Lexuan, you've worked so hard," Jiang Nannan said warmly as she and Qian Lingyi approached under the protection of the Silvermoon Spiritfish King.
"Haha, it wasn't too bad," Zhu Ziyang replied with a grin. Then he turned to Lexuan. "Sister Lexuan, check whether your trial has been completed."
"Alright." Zhang Lexuan nodded and reviewed her seventh Red-level trial.
"Hey, Shuiyue, isn't it time to fulfill your promise?" Jiang Nannan asked, glancing at the Silvermoon Spiritfish King.
"Honored divine envoy, allow me to first return to my clan to settle matters. Then I will offer myself in sacrifice to you!" the Spiritfish King replied earnestly, without hesitation or excuse.
"There's no need for sacrifice," Jiang Nannan said with a gentle smile. "Do you see the little figure on my brother's shoulder? That is a spirit soul. You only need to become my spirit soul."
"Spirit soul?" The Spiritfish King looked confused, but no one paid it much mind, for Zhang Lexuan had already confirmed her results.
Her seventh Red-level trial was complete, granting her a level of soul power and extending all her soul rings by one thousand years. Her power rose to level 94. Though her rings remained unchanged—two purple, five black, and two red—she was more than satisfied. That configuration alone was astounding.
Once Lexuan absorbed her reward, Zhu Ziyang said, "Good. Let's return. Silvermoon Spiritfish King, leave these whale corpses to your people. With their flesh and blood, your clan will grow far stronger."
"Truly? You are too generous! Praise your greatness!" the King exclaimed in overwhelming gratitude, bowing deeply.
Zhu Ziyang chuckled lightly, then led the three women back onto the Moon God Shuttle, steering it toward the Spiritfish territory.
The Spiritfish King hurried ahead as well, eager to return and have her clan transport the whale remains quickly, lest other sea soul beasts—such as shark beasts with keen senses—be drawn to the energy-rich flesh.
On the Moon God Shuttle, after a brief word with the women, Zhu Ziyang entered the inheritance space of the godhoods. The two divine sparks awaited him.
As he entered, he saw the Angel God's and Rakshasa God's godhoods floating at the summit of the Path of Ascension, enveloped by gray-white currents. They seemed to be both examining and mending them. When they sensed Zhu Ziyang's presence, the currents circled once, then vanished into the temple.
"Xiao Bai!" Zhu Ziyang called as he stood on the steps.
"No need to shout, I know why you're here," Xiao Bai's voice responded.
"Oh? Then tell me, why am I here?" Zhu Ziyang laughed.
"You've come to ask whether these two godhoods can become inheritances, haven't you?" Xiao Bai replied.
"Then answer—can they?" Zhu Ziyang asked, his smile tinged with expectation.
"That question is poorly put," Xiao Bai explained. "There is no essential difference between a godhood and a god position. A god position is simply a divine inheritance left willingly, while a godhood is what remains when a god dies suddenly without leaving such a path. What you should ask is how to unlock the inheritance of a godhood."
"Uh…" Zhu Ziyang rubbed his forehead. "So?"
"So, my answer is this: the Angel God's godhood can be given directly to that girl, Qian Lingyi. Her bloodline and powers closely match the Angel God's. She has a ninety percent chance of awakening the trial."
Xiao Bai's words fit perfectly with Zhu Ziyang's thoughts. As a descendant of the Qian Clan, no one was more suited than Qian Lingyi to inherit the Angel God's position.
"As for the Rakshasa God," Xiao Bai continued with a sigh, "its damage is too severe. I don't recommend passing it on. I can sense Xiao Cai's and Xiao Hong's helplessness within it, and I finally understand why they abandoned their godhoods together ten thousand years ago."
"Xiao Cai? Xiao Hong?" Zhu Ziyang blinked.
"Yes, the original Shura God and Rakshasa God. Those were their nicknames," Xiao Bai explained.
"Like you're Xiao Bai?" Zhu Ziyang asked with mock seriousness, resisting the urge to laugh.
"Er… something like that," Xiao Bai admitted awkwardly, quickly changing the subject. "The Shura and Rakshasa Gods were among the Eight Great Kings of the God Realm, jointly maintaining order across the cosmos. Shura represented reason, Rakshasa represented emotion. They complemented each other, balancing one another. If one faltered, the other would inevitably suffer."
"Then if the Rakshasa God's position has fallen to second-class, what of the Shura God?" Zhu Ziyang asked with a wry look.
"Exactly," Xiao Bai said gravely. "When the Rakshasa God's origin was damaged during the great calamity, its position fell to first-class. The balance between reason and emotion was broken. Xiao Cai was swayed by emotion, while Xiao Hong lost her sense of fairness. Though once husband and wife, they became enemies.
Both chose to relinquish their positions, unwilling to be shackled as mere puppets of their godhoods."
"The original Rakshasa and Shura Gods were married?" Zhu Ziyang exclaimed. To learn divine gossip was a rare privilege indeed.
"Surprised? Among the Eight Kings, there were four divine couples. It was in harmony with the cosmic principles of yin and yang, the balance of soul and star," Xiao Bai replied, unfazed.
"…Fine," Zhu Ziyang muttered. "Go on."
"Ten thousand years ago, they allowed Tang San to inherit both the Sea God and Shura God positions, while tacitly approving the killing of the Rakshasa God's successor. Likely, they did this to reduce the Rakshasa God's influence on Shura. Keeping one top-tier god was wiser than letting both corrode each other.
But this was only a temporary solution. If the Rakshasa God's position cannot be restored, future Shura inheritors will still fall under imbalance, becoming puppets of destruction."
"So you don't recommend giving this Rakshasa godhood to anyone?" Zhu Ziyang asked, catching Xiao Bai's meaning.
"Correct. Unless it can be restored, letting it return to the God Realm would only harm Shura further."
"In short, it would be a negative influence, right?" Zhu Ziyang mused.
"If you wish to counterbalance Shura with a weakened Rakshasa, you'd be better off repairing Rakshasa first," Xiao Bai warned. "For an unbalanced Shura God is easier to oppose than one in perfect harmony—because in absolute rationality, even the Sea God's existence is considered a stain, a crime."
"If it were so easy to repair Rakshasa, it wouldn't have lasted until now," Zhu Ziyang said dismissively. "Forget it. Leave the Rakshasa godhood here with you. Give me the Angel God's."
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
40 early chapters available on Patreon: [email protected]/facficmax10