"Let's get ready to return."
Su Wen held the Sea God's Trident, manipulating it a few times. The divine weapon appeared docile in his hands and showed no resistance.
It only recognized the Sea God. As for who the Sea God is, it didn't really care…
"When we return to the original timeline, I'll hand you over to Wang Dong'er. She will be your new master," Su Wen gently ran his fingers over the deep-blue metallic patterns of the Sea God's Trident as he pondered.
"Vmmm…"
The artifact let out a low hum.
"All ready!" Big Eye said confidently.
"The main three: protect Qian Renxue, develop soul tools, and advance the forging discipline, right?"
"Can you pull Ning Rongrong into the scheme as well?"
Su Wen's eyes narrowed.
That one controlled the Yin Yang Love Querying Valley, always lurking behind the scenes. The title of "Nine-colored Goddess" — he would reclaim that, sooner or later. How soon would depend on Big Eye...
"Let's give it a try." Big Eye was quite confident too.
"Alright!"
———
Ten thousand years later.
Su Wen inhaled the fresh air of the golden wooden cabin. His face was rather pale — not due to injury, but from severe exhaustion.
He quickly sat cross-legged, summoning Azure Luan to recover.
Meanwhile, within the golden old tree, Ah Yin sensed the disturbance. A beautiful figure in a pale-blue dress slowly appeared, brows pinched in worry as she looked at Su Wen. "What happened?"
"When we returned, Big Eye tried to alter a divine fate. Only changing the fate of a single god like Qian Renxue was manageable…but Master also added Ning Rongrong..." Snow Empress said, somewhat helplessly.
"The involved karma was terrifying. The backlash was severe, even a sliver of primal god-force in storage couldn't block it. Even Old Yi had to step in, but fortunately, everything's fine."
"Then that's good." Ah Yin breathed a sigh of relief, the worry in her blue eyes gradually fading.
Just moments ago, she had felt her heart lurch in sudden panic.
It was a little risky, but no real harm was done.
"Vmmm…"
She controlled the golden ancient tree and her own true body's golden vines, gently sprinkling faint golden dust over the lying Su Wen. Abundant life force filled the air, replenishing his depleted body.
"What's going on, what's going on?!"
The wooden door was slammed open.
A beautiful silver-haired girl barged in, her eyes fastened anxiously on Su Wen atop the bed. As fellow "contracted beasts", of course, all had sensed their master's distress.
After Snow Empress's explanation, she finally relaxed.
But then the entire atmosphere in the wooden cabin turned strange.
"You all go rest. I'll take care of Master." Gu Yuena coughed lightly.
"I'm not tired. Big Eye was the one drained this time; the rest of us are fine. I'm quite energetic. You should rest instead." Snow Empress said calmly, helping Su Wen wipe his cheeks with a towel.
"Better let me do it." Ah Yin said, "Now that I'm fused with the golden ancient tree, and this is my true body's core, I'm the most suitable to look after him."
"…"
The room turned awkward instantly.
The three girls stared at each other, none willing to leave.
"I'm the co-ruler of all soul beasts. You're ignoring my words now?" Gu Yuena said blandly.
"…" The stalemate continued.
"You don't really think I'd do something weird to Su Wen once you're gone, would you?!!" Gu Yuena glared at them angrily.
"Hard to say." Snow Empress shrugged.
"Yeah, right," Ah Yin agreed with a nod.
Gu Yuena: "…"
Where was the trust they agreed on?
Do even soul beasts no longer have basic trust between them?
In the end, though…
Snow Empress and Ah Yin couldn't win out over Gu Yuena's "intimidation." Though this soul beast leader had been reduced to a "contracted beast" like the others, her bloodline remained. And when the Dragon God's dignity came down seriously, no soul beast could resist.
Sunlight slanted into the wooden cabin.
Gu Yuena coughed twice, furtively looking around like a thief. Seeing the coast clear, the edges of her lips quirked up as she gazed at Su Wen—lying there, mostly recovered but still unconscious—her eyes full of greed and excitement.
Like a bear guarding a jar of honey.
"They should have all gone by now? I'll just steal a kiss—a little appetizer…" Gu Yuena took a deep breath, leaning down as her red lips approached Su Wen's.
"Squeak~"
The wooden door creaked open.
"Oh, I guess my timing's off…" Ah Yin hurriedly shut the door and darted off down the corridor.
Leaving behind only Gu Yuena, face crimson, practically steaming above her head... (It wasn't just that she got caught being "pervy," but the embarrassment of having just declared herself the one to dutifully care for Su Wen, only to instantly get caught "pervy" once the others left.)
———
God Realm.
"What a familiar aura!"
In the Angel Temple.
Mural carvings all around depicted radiant golden angels: some breathtaking beauties, others handsome men, all with six wings.
At the very center, high atop the hall—
A tall, snow-white robed beauty, gold-trim embroidered, slowly opened her golden eyes. Where her gaze swept, holy radiance spread, enlivening the grand temple.
Gentle, sacred, noble, pure.
Any positive word could describe her.
She had once been holy, emotionless. But now, a barely contained ripple flashed in her golden eyes.
"It's… you!"
"Uncle Su…"
Her lips parted gently.
She seemed lost in memory. After meeting Su Wen all those years ago, she'd learned the soul core technique, quickly advanced to Angel God; but after breaking with Spirit Hall, losing her grandfather, and Su Wen disappearing, she ascended to the God Realm early, hoping its resources would help her search.
But decades passed in the God Realm.
The continent cycled through countless eras.
Still, she never found a trace.
She sank into silence, avoiding contact with most other deities—not even familiar with the current state of the God Realm, just focusing on quiet cultivation.
But now, she felt that familiar presence again.
Not a god…
She didn't worry about how he survived.
She only cared—that she could finally see him again!
"Uncle Su, you left without a word last time. Xue'er still remembers…" Qian Renxue's cool voice carried a hint of grievance as her slender white fingers tightened, "This time, I definitely won't let you leave so easily."
With that, she turned into a beam of blazing light, bursting from the long-sealed Angel Temple.
Heading for the lower realm.
No one stopped her.
The God Realm guards could only gape—seeing she ignored them, they simply shut up.
God Realm isn't supposed to interfere with the lower realm?
Rules are made by the strong, to chain the weak.
Level-one gods are already the pillars of the God Realm; few are foolish enough to offend one…