After a long moment, the Demon Empress came back to herself from the Demon Lord's somewhat mad plan, looking at him with complex eyes.
Anyone who could conceive and successfully implement such a plan was truly an exceptional talent.
No wonder even the Killing God treated him with respect.
The Demon Empress composed herself. "You're just going to reveal all this so casually? This should be your greatest secret, shouldn't it?"
"But this plan has little value to you. To implement it would require an extremely long time,time you clearly don't have now."
Electrolux chuckled lightly. "Or have you changed your mind?"
The Demon Empress slowly shook her head. "You jest. I was just... a little surprised."
With that, her divine consciousness stirred, retrieving a dark red scroll from her storage soul tool. Her fingertip traced across its surface, inscribing part of the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array's information before handing it to Electrolux.
"This is part of the array's documentation." The Demon Empress's tone was solemn. "As agreed, this first portion is yours. The rest will be delivered after the battle with the Federation."
Electrolux took the scroll, nodded slightly, and opened it to read.
He had to admit, as a formation carefully prepared by the Abyss Saint Lord for the Holy Spirit Cult, setting aside its inhumane requirements, the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array was quite functional.
It simultaneously allowed one to become a deity, obscured heavenly fate, and devoured souls to elevate cultivation. Once activated, the array's controller could continuously use it to devour the souls of the dead within its range, continuously improving—even at the divine level, it remained useful. It was essentially an artificial mini-Abyss Plane with only devouring capability.
For the Holy Spirit Cult, this array was like an express ticket to the divine level. No talent, no bitter cultivation required—only enough death, enough souls, enough lives to fuel it.
It was cruel, but for the Cult, it truly was the best method.
"The Abyss Saint Lord really went to great lengths to break into the Douluo Plane," Electrolux mused inwardly as he put away the documentation.
With this partial information, disrupting the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Arrays would be easier. He could even study the array to find reverse-detection methods—so that even if the Cult set up the array elsewhere, they could detect it faster.
Of course, the most important thing was that through this exchange, he'd further solidified his current persona.
Putting away the documentation, Electrolux asked the Demon Empress, "Such an array doesn't seem like something humans could create. How did the Holy Spirit Cult obtain it? Did the Killing God design it for you?"
The Demon Empress was silent for a moment, then answered, "It's not something that needs hiding. Since you've shown such sincerity, I don't mind telling you. The Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array wasn't given by the Killing God—it was provided by another evil god we worship, combined with generations of our research."
Throughout its development, the Holy Spirit Cult had always yearned for an evil god's support. One day, during their prayers, they received it. Though they didn't know who that evil god was, they didn't care. And the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array was the path to godhood for evil soul masters, completed with that evil god's help.
Electrolux's gaze shifted slightly, but his tone remained unhurried: "Oh? There's no such thing as a free lunch,you surely understand that, Demon Empress."
The Demon Empress: "That evil god naturally had his own purpose. He had us offer sacrifices in exchange for his power. The Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array was essentially bought with countless souls."
Electrolux's gaze flickered.
Huo Yuhao had told him that the evil god the Holy Spirit Cult worshipped was the Abyss Saint Lord. Now it seemed this was how the Saint Lord had initially manipulated the Cult.
Seeing Electrolux fall silent, the Demon Empress narrowed her eyes. "Do you find it too cheap that mere mortal souls could purchase divine-level knowledge?"
"But that's how it is—as you can see, this knowledge is genuine, with no other hidden costs. You can use it with confidence."
The Holy Spirit Cult had begun researching the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array long ago. If not, the Tang Sect in the original and the current Spirit Transmission Tower wouldn't have found fragmentary records. The reason the Cult hadn't activated it before was twofold: first, conditions weren't right; second, they needed to repeatedly verify the array, ensuring there were no traps left by that evil god.
After all, it was a special array completed with an evil god's help. Though the Cult didn't care who that evil god was, their review of the array itself had never relaxed.
After years of research, the Cult's conclusion was: there were no other hidden costs.
Even when the Killing God later reviewed it personally, he'd only given a casual assessment—"usable, the array itself has no traps."
But this Demon Lord's remark about "no such thing as a free lunch" seemed to hint at something.
"No hidden costs?"
Electrolux smiled. "Perhaps there are costs,just not visible from the same height and position."
The Demon Empress frowned, but to Electrolux's surprise, she nodded. "It's not impossible."
After all, after helping them complete the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array, that evil god had never granted them any equal or higher-level gifts. Though the Cult hadn't abandoned its worship—in fact, they respected him even more after the array's completion—he seemed invisible to them, only granting ordinary divine signs.
(Abyss Saint Lord: I gave you the array to get things done! And you want more freebies?!)
So the Demon Empress didn't believe the array was completely without ulterior motives.
Still—
"It is a viable path—the only viable path to godhood. We won't abandon it. But if you feel it's too risky and want to stop trading, so be it. The Holy Spirit Cult won't force you." The Demon Empress said casually.
The Demon Lord's words seemed to suggest reconsideration.
Electrolux shook his head: "You misunderstand. I'm not trying to end our cooperation. As you said, the array itself is fine—I don't mind using it. Besides..."
He gave the Demon Empress a meaningful look and smiled. "Even if there are hidden costs, with you leading the way, you'll help me find them."
The Demon Empress: "..."
So she was the one clearing the path?
One reason he was unwilling to use the array the Cult had prepared was to see what would happen to them first, wasn't it?
The Demon Empress took a deep breath, suppressing her frustration, and was about to speak when Electrolux continued, "Consider it a friendly warning. Since the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array itself is fine, if that evil god you worship does have a purpose, it's likely the array's product—the true deity born from it."
Electrolux paused meaningfully and said to the Demon Empress, "I thought you resembled a vessel before. Now... even more so."
With that, he left without another word.
The Demon Empress was utterly stunned.
Vessel—this was the second time the Demon Lord had called her that.
Last time, she'd convinced herself he might have an ulterior motive, even trying to sow discord. But now, it seemed that might not be the case.
"Last time, before knowing about the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array, he called me a vessel. But back then, my only connection to deities was the Sea God's divine persona. Could it be..."
The Demon Empress's expression darkened.
She knew Tang San wasn't dead.
After all, the Killing God was right there—she'd already inquired. As the Asura God, Tang San was still alive.
She hadn't been surprised to learn this. After all, the legendary Angel God's divine seat had shattered, yet she'd still lived on—just stripped of her deity status.
And according to records, Tang San held both the Asura and Sea God divine seats. Losing one wouldn't kill him.
Though the Divine Realm had vanished and no one knew where Tang San had gone, his connection to the Douluo Continent was clearly deep. Under these circumstances, could the Sea God's divine persona fragments be a contingency Tang San had left behind to return to this star region?
It was possible!
Whoever gathered the fragments and recondensed the Sea God's divine persona might be possessed by Sea God Tang San!
The "vessel" the Demon Lord first mentioned likely referred to her becoming the Sea God's vessel!
And the second time?
The Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array was gifted by the Cult's worshipped evil god, with no apparent tampering. The evil god seemed to have given it as a casual reward, asking nothing in return.
But if the evil god's goal was also to prepare a vessel for descent...
The Demon Empress's spine went cold.
Because she'd fully connected the Sea God's divine persona with the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array.
On its own, the array seemed fine, with no backdoors. But what if the backdoor was already on her—for instance, the Sea God's divine persona?
Similarly, the Sea God's divine persona fragments alone seemed fine. After all, they were shattered—even gathering all the fragments, without divine-level strength, they probably couldn't be repaired. And could someone who hadn't become a deity, holding an un-repaired Sea God's divine persona, truly become a vessel for Tang San's descent?
Even if possible, it would greatly weaken Tang San.
But when the Sea God's divine persona and the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array were combined, everything changed.
The Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array could make one a deity. And that deity, as planned, would be her—the Sea God's divine persona holder. First become a deity, then repair the divine persona—at that point, her body would be Tang San's perfect vessel for descent, his return without any loss.
A complete chain formed in the Demon Empress's mind.
Her fingers clenched, knuckles white.
Could it be that the evil god supporting the Holy Spirit Cult was actually Tang San himself?!
To return to this star region, he'd laid this great scheme in advance. Leaving behind Sea God's divine persona fragments, while secretly guiding the Holy Spirit Cult as an evil god, helping them develop the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array. When the array and the divine persona united, when she became a deity through the array and repaired the divine persona—that would be the moment of his return and possession!
"If that's truly the case... Tang San, what a deep scheme you've laid." The Demon Empress murmured, her voice hoarse and cold.
In that moment, many things came to mind: she'd been rampaging through the seas, yet Sea God Tang San had never come to settle accounts with her. Even when she targeted his followers, nothing happened. Though he had several divine-level subordinates on the Douluo Plane, they'd never acted against her.
Perhaps, without realizing it, she'd become one of Tang San's pawns—which was why he'd been so indulgent.
Of course, she might be overthinking.
Tang San's goal might simply be to let someone holding the Sea God's divine persona become a deity and repair it. He didn't necessarily have to choose her—she just happened to be the one.
After a moment's thought, the Demon Empress gradually calmed down and shook her head.
"No, the timing doesn't match. Tang San and the evil god probably aren't the same person."
The Holy Spirit Cult had received the evil god's support far earlier than the Killing God and the others had appeared on the Douluo Plane.
At that time, the Douluo Divine Realm should still have been intact. Unless Tang San had foreseen the Divine Realm's troubles and laid contingencies in the lower realm in advance—that might barely explain it. But if he truly had such foresight, he'd have been better off planning for the Divine Realm's own disasters. What sense did it make to scheme in the lower realm for a "vessel"?
Logically, it didn't add up.
"Perhaps I'm being overly paranoid." The Demon Empress rubbed her brow, pushing her turbulent thoughts aside.
In her eyes, Tang San was certainly guilty of great crimes, but he was a righteous god,he wouldn't transform into an evil god to support the Holy Spirit Cult.
She'd simply connected two unrelated things and conflated two deities into one.
But in reality, the Sea God and the evil god were more likely separate beings.
"But no matter which truth it is, I can't use the Sea God's divine persona for now. If there really is a problem, I can't afford that risk." The Demon Empress's gaze darkened as she made her decision.
Regardless, she would never let her body become the vessel for Tang San's return.
As for the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array—she could continue to advance it.
After all, the array itself had no hidden backdoors. Even if the true goal of the evil god behind it was to have a deity as a vessel, that would be an open competition. When she truly stepped into the divine realm through the array, if he wanted to make a move, they'd settle it by strength.
This wasn't a conspiracy—it was an open strategy.
As long as she wanted to become a deity, she couldn't reject the Blood River God-Slaying Grand Array's temptation. And indeed, she couldn't.
So the Demon Empress wasn't concerned about that. What concerned her was the evil god's identity.
She hadn't cared before, but now things were different. If it wasn't the Sea God, then who was this evil god with his own agenda, supporting the Holy Spirit Cult?
Beyond that, there was another question: if a divine-level expert born in the mortal world could sense the risks of the divine persona, what about the Killing God? Did he think the Sea God's divine persona was truly safe—or did he simply not care?
Lost in thought, the Demon Empress also left the underground space and headed to her quarters.
Since she planned to temporarily abandon the Sea God's divine persona, she'd need to find it a suitable home. That would also let her observe from a third-party perspective whether the divine persona had any problems.
At the same time, leaving the underground space, a faint smile appeared on Electrolux's face.
The seed of doubt had been planted. Whatever the Demon Empress chose to discard, it would be a good thing.
Just as he was thinking this, Electrolux's steps suddenly paused. His gaze swept toward a nearby side street. The Holy Spirit Cult expert following behind also stopped, following his gaze—the street was empty.
"Sir, what are you looking at?" the man asked in a low voice, a hint of nervousness in his tone.
"Nothing." Electrolux withdrew his gaze, his tone flat. "Let's go."
He didn't explain, walking away at a steady pace. The man dared not ask further and hurriedly followed.
In the shadows, a dark figure silently merged into the alley's end, drawing a sharp breath.
"I didn't expect the Holy Spirit Cult to have a divine-level demon with formidable spiritual power. I need to inform Huo Yuhao as soon as possible." With that thought, Rong Lingji vanished into the darkness.
In the Extreme North, Huo Yuhao received the message and fell silent.
Talk about a case of the Dragon King not recognizing his own kin.
But it was understandable that Rong Lingji didn't know about Elder Electrolux's situation.