"A type of existence that allows soul beasts and soul masters to coexist and support each other." Zhu Ziyang smiled faintly. "I can tell you clearly—if you become my soul spirit, then you can accompany me to the Divine Realm and become an immortal god!"
"Really?" The Demon Empress still had doubts. After all, the concept of soul spirits was difficult for a high-level soul beast like her to accept.
"Whether it's true or not, I believe you can judge that for yourself." Zhu Ziyang said, "I have no reason to lie to you. After all, your life is already in my hands. If I truly wanted your soul ring and soul bone, I could just kill you. Why bother going through all this trouble to deceive you?"
"That's true." The Demon Empress gave a bitter smile upon hearing that.
"I'll give you some time to think it over. After I retrieve the Fallen Scythe, I hope you'll make the right choice." Zhu Ziyang wasn't in a rush. Now that the Demon Empress was already like a fish on a chopping board, her fate was up to him. Still, he believed she would make the right decision. After all, what creature could resist the allure of becoming a god?
Zhu Ziyang exited the Heavenly Stem God Sealing Formation but left Snow Empress inside. Compared to a lifeless soul ring, he far preferred a sentient and living soul spirit.
As soon as Zhu Ziyang stepped out, Zhang Lexuan and the two Lightbringers immediately surrounded him. Zhang Lexuan anxiously checked him over to ensure he wasn't hurt before breathing a deep sigh of relief. "Ziyang, how did it go? What about the Demon Empress?"
"Very smoothly." Zhu Ziyang smiled. "The Demon Empress is currently trapped in the God Sealing Formation. As long as the formation remains active, she can't stir up any trouble. So we don't need to worry about her. Now, Zhang Weiwei and Beimonstan, stay here and guard the area. I'll head down into the Demon Empress Valley with Sister Lexuan to retrieve the Fallen Scythe."
"Understood!" Zhang Weiwei and Beimonstan immediately replied.
"Sister Lexuan, let's go!" Zhu Ziyang said, and he and Zhang Lexuan leapt into the valley.
Inside the Demon Empress Valley, aside from the majestic palace that stood in the center, there was nothing else—not even a loose stone. Their goal was crystal clear, so they didn't hesitate and headed directly for the grand and towering palace. The Demon Empress Palace was majestic and extravagant—comparable, even superior, to the imperial palace of the Star Luo Empire.
"So this is the Demon Empress Palace? The aura of death here is so dense!" Zhang Lexuan marveled in front of the palace doors. "But despite being heavy and oppressive, the death aura isn't eerie or terrifying. That's so strange."
"Heh, this is the purest form of death energy, emanating from the Fallen Scythe. Naturally, it's incomparable to the corrupted death aura controlled by Evil Spirit Masters." Zhu Ziyang felt extremely comfortable. This pure death energy seemed to welcome his arrival, pouring into his body. He could sense his Stillness Fate Ending Scythe resonating with joy.
"Ohh!" Zhang Lexuan nodded. Her eyes fell on the palace gate. "Shall we go in?"
"Yes." Zhu Ziyang nodded. His Stillness Fate Ending Scythe appeared in his hand. Death energy wreathed the blade, and when he lightly touched the palace gate with it, the doors slowly creaked open.
Seeing this, Zhu Ziyang smiled and led Zhang Lexuan into the palace.
The interior was simple. The grand hall was empty save for a central platform with nine steps. At the top was a scythe embedded in the ground. The scythe was entirely gray, its material indiscernible. The blade and handle were the same length, joined together by a brilliant white Other Shore Flower—so vibrant amidst the sea of gray.
The scythe looked exceedingly plain, with none of the grandeur expected of a divine weapon. If anything, it resembled a common harvesting tool. At least, Zhang Lexuan couldn't see anything divine about it.
But Zhu Ziyang was different. The moment he laid eyes on it, his heart skipped a beat. The Other Shore Flower mark on his brow began flashing uncontrollably, as if cheering and rejoicing.
The Fallen Scythe—Death God's weapon. A true divine artifact!
"Ziyang, go ahead. I'll stand guard for you!" Zhang Lexuan said, noticing his reaction.
"Alright!" Zhu Ziyang nodded. He quickly ascended the platform and approached the scythe. Without hesitation, he reached out and grasped its handle.
The moment he touched it, the entire palace shook. The death energy that filled the valley vanished without warning.
The flower mark on his brow flashed even more furiously—so bright it forced Zhu Ziyang to squint. Still, he resisted the blinding light and pulled the scythe from its pedestal, raising it above his head in triumph.
As soon as the Fallen Scythe was removed, gray death energy surged across its body and flooded into Zhu Ziyang. His body became a vessel for this divine death force. His Stillness Fate Ending Scythe appeared in his other hand without his control.
A burst of white light exploded.
Zhu Ziyang reflexively shut his eyes. When he reopened them, everything had calmed. The Fallen Scythe was gone. The aura of death had vanished. It was as if they had never existed. Only the Stillness Fate Ending Scythe in his hand now carried some indistinct transformation.
"What happened just now?" Zhang Lexuan asked in confusion. The white light had been too sudden; she barely avoided being blinded and missed what had occurred.
"It's nothing." Zhu Ziyang looked at his scythe thoughtfully, then smiled and put it away. He leapt off the platform. "It's over. Sister Lexuan, check whether your Red-Level Sixth Trial is complete."
"Already? That's it?" Zhang Lexuan was stunned. After sailing for six months across the sea, the task was finished in less than three minutes? The emotional whiplash was a bit much!
"What else did you expect?" Zhu Ziyang laughed, gently pinching her hand. "Feels a little unreal, right? Don't worry, you'll get used to it."
With that, he opened a space gate and brought Jiang Nannan and Qian Lingyi out.
"Brother, how are you? Are you hurt?" Jiang Nannan rushed over, full of concern.
"Haha, I'm fine. Check if your divine trial has progressed!" Zhu Ziyang laughed and pinched her cheek.
"Ah? You already completed the Death God's Seventh Trial? So fast?" Jiang Nannan was also surprised. But since she hadn't witnessed what happened, she wasn't hit with the same emotional gap as Zhang Lexuan. She quickly accepted it. "That's great! Let me check on my Moonlight Sixth Trial!"
"So this is the Demon Empress Palace?" Qian Lingyi curiously looked around at the grand, ancient architecture.
"That's right. This is it!" Zhu Ziyang said. "Lingyi, I'll leave this place to you. I'm going to receive my reward for completing the Death God's Seventh Trial and get the next one. If Sister Lexuan and Nannan finish as well, you can all wait for me here."
"Mm-hmm!" Qian Lingyi nodded obediently.
With her answer, Zhu Ziyang didn't hesitate. He silently chanted in his heart. A flash of light later, he disappeared from the Demon Empress Palace and reappeared at the 70th step of the Divine Inheritance Path.
"Congratulations on earning the Fallen Scythe's recognition!" Xiao Bai's voice rang in his ears. Strangely, Zhu Ziyang sensed a hint of joy in his tone.
"You sound quite happy!" Zhu Ziyang chuckled. "Can you tell me why the Fallen Scythe merged with my martial soul?"
"Do you know what the Fallen Scythe is made from?" Xiao Bai asked.
"What is it?" Zhu Ziyang blinked, naturally following his change in topic.
"The Fallen Scythe was forged from the main trunk of the Tree of Death," Xiao Bai said wistfully. "And the Tree of Death is the true body of the God of Death!"
"...Ah!" Zhu Ziyang instantly understood—Xiao Bai wasn't changing the topic, he was answering his question.
"The Fallen Scythe, in a sense, is a symbol of the Law of Death. Only by fusing it into your martial soul can your martial soul bear the weight of a divine law. Then, when you inherit the god position, the process will be much easier." Xiao Bai continued. "Since the original God of Death has fallen, the symbol of the Death Law should also evolve—from the Tree of Death to something new!"
"I understand now." Zhu Ziyang responded, his expression full of heartfelt gratitude.
(End of Chapter)
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