Xing Tie: Wait a minute! How come Weng Xing has two saviors?

After she finished speaking, her figure blurred again, disappearing as if it had merged into the air.

Sai Fei'er didn't even hear Xia Die's apology for troubling her, nor Bai Mo's question about why she went to the Golden Grand Hotel for dinner.

For a good ten seconds or so, the surroundings were completely silent, with no sound except for the wind.

The scene that Xi Lian was expected to be brought to did not occur.

“Uh… Lord Bai Mo…” Xia Die had fully regained consciousness. She exchanged a glance with Bai Mo, and a genuine worry appeared in her beautiful eyes.

She knew perfectly well that even with the troublesome "touch and die" curse afflicting her, Sai Fei'er only took two or three seconds to transport her. But Xi Lian... more than ten seconds had passed, far exceeding the normal time!

"Lord Bai Mo, could it be... that something unexpected happened? After all, although Lord Sai Fei'er is fast, no one can guarantee absolute safety when facing the unknown realm of the dead." Xia Die asked with a worried look on her face.

Just as their hearts were slightly on edge—

The air crackled softly once more!

Immediately afterwards, a figure was roughly "thrown" out, staggered a bit before regaining his balance—it was Xi Lian!

However, at this moment, Xi Lian showed no fear or discomfort on her face, but instead wore a smug smile!

His mouth was practically stretched to his ears in a wide grin, and his eyes gleamed with a triumphant excitement.

And what about Saifeier, who was supposed to appear with them?

They've long since disappeared!

They vanished without a trace, not even a sound or a complaint, disappearing so cleanly and efficiently, as if afraid that something terrible might happen if they stayed even a second longer.

Bai Mo and Xia Die only heard Xi Lian pat her chest after she regained her footing, her tone filled with regret and remorse, as she whispered:

"The cat's tail feels so nice! But... sigh! What a pity!"

She was too fast, just a hair's breadth away... Her fingertips were almost touching them, but she still couldn't reach those furry ears! They must feel even better..."

Upon hearing this, Bai Mo and Xia Die instantly understood what had happened during those "long" ten seconds. They both silently mourned for the cunning demigod for a few seconds.

Until Saifei's figure completely disappeared.

Bai Mo, Xi Lian, and Xia Die finally calmed down and began to carefully examine the legendary ancient city of dragon remains—Stikosia.

An indescribable, chilling, and deathly feeling washed over me, as if it could freeze my soul.

They stood at the entrance to a wide but dilapidated wooden bridge. Contrary to their expectations, the surroundings were not pitch black, but rather filled with a faint, bluish light.

The most striking feature is the River Styx, which flows silently around the ancient city.

It was not a surging wave, but rather moved slowly like viscous mercury. The river surface was as smooth as a mirror, reflecting the eerie sky above, yet it did not exude any sign of life.

Above the sky, there were no familiar stars, only a huge, awe-inspiring moon radiating a cold, moonlit glow.

Its light was not silvery-white, but a desolate halo with a faint bluish-purple hue.

It poured down the cold, merciless moonlight, illuminating the entire desolate city and the colossal, mountain-like dragon skeletons scattered everywhere with crystal clarity.

The dragon bones were deathly white, intertwined with the moonlight, creating a magnificent yet chilling scene.

Xia Die stared blankly at the cold moon, at the silent remains of the dragon and the crumbling buildings under its light.

In her eyes, which were always misty and hazy, a faint, almost imperceptible sadness, stemming from the instinct of life, was revealed.

This is the end and final resting place of all life, and the intense aura of death resonates subtly within her, stirring a certain power deep within her.

Chapter 104 *Sobbing* Little Polycia couldn't protect the spirit her sister sent...

"Little Bai Mo, what are you doing?"

Xi Lian's ever-light and cheerful voice suddenly rang out, breaking Xia Die's reverie and that moment of sorrow.

Bai Mo raised his hand, his fingertips shimmering with a faint light, clearly preparing to open a Hundred Realms Gate.

Bai Mo paused, turned back to look at Xi Lian with some confusion, and said matter-of-factly, "Sister Xi Lian, is there even a need to ask?"

"Of course, we should just open a door leading directly to the very center of the city. Are you really planning to walk there step by step? This place looks quite large, and who knows what kind of strange things might be going on there."

“But, little Bai Mo,” Xi Lian walked to Bai Mo’s side and shook her index finger in front of him.

"Don't forget the real reason we came to Stikosia! We're not just here to help Xia Die find the 'Spark of Death,' but also to help her explore the meaning of death and life!"

And we also need to address those little questions you have, right?

She clasped her hands together, making a cute pleading gesture: "So...please promise me, okay? During this journey, try not to use your Hundred Realms Gate to cheat easily. Because the real answer is often hidden in the 'process'!"

Bai Mo frowned, trying to argue his point, "But... to explore the meaning of death, shouldn't we just find the Titan of Death, Cenatos, and ask Him face to face?"

As for those questions in my heart... I'll figure them out myself eventually.

He always felt that Xi Lian's suggestion was extremely inefficient.

Seeing this, Xi Lian could only sigh helplessly, shrug, and say in a seemingly casual tone:

"Oh, really? Alright then~ I was originally thinking of taking this opportunity to investigate this legendary city of the dead in person."

After all, they might be able to find some clues and the truth behind the 'fallen' ocean demigod, Hazel, along the way.

"After all, this is where she last disappeared... isn't it?" she said, glancing at Bai Mo as if by accident.

Bai Mo's expression changed instantly!

He immediately coughed twice, changing his tone even faster than the cold-faced little green dragon who would run away at the sight of Brother Dian Dao: "Ahem! Sister Xi Lian, but then again, always relying on the Hundred Realms Sect is ultimately not good for your health!"

Standing still for long periods can easily lead to weight gain! I admit I didn't think this through before, relying too much on shortcuts! We should explore this ancient city on foot, deeply understanding its... well, its philosophy of life and death!

Xi Lian immediately gave Xia Die a victory sign that said "Plan worked!?" before taking the lead and walking towards the deep and ancient gates of Stikosia.

However, when she forcefully pushed open that incredibly heavy door, which seemed to separate life from death—

The scene behind the door was not the deserted street or magnificent square that I had imagined.

Instead, they were... countless, translucent, faintly glowing... souls of the dead!

They densely filled every street and square within sight, and even floated among the dilapidated buildings.

These wandering souls seemed completely unaware of the intruders' presence, aimlessly and endlessly roaming and lingering in the ancient city.

They would occasionally brush past each other, muttering broken, indistinct words or sentences, repeating illogical and inexplicable fragments of conversation, creating a low, continuous humming background sound belonging to the dead.

Xia Die's pupils contracted slightly. She stepped forward, carefully sensing these spiritual entities, her voice tinged with surprise and confusion as she murmured to herself:

“These… something feels off. They don’t seem like unconscious reflections or echoes naturally generated by the River Styx…”

They seem more like... the souls of the truly deceased, retaining some traces of their lives?

Xia Die invoked the power of "death," and countless whispering souls flowed like fireflies at her fingertips before quietly dissipating into nothingness and sinking into the unseen other shore.

"Indeed, these people are not phantoms, but the souls of the real victims."

She spoke softly, her gaze seemingly piercing through the void, “They should have followed the River Styx to the end of the West Wind… to return to eternal rest. But now, they are stranded on the shallows of the Styx, hesitant to move forward.”

Xia Die turned around, her eyes filled with a deep worry. "Lord Bai Mo, Lord Xi Lian, I'm afraid... we must go deeper into the area to uncover the truth of all this."

Bai Mo didn't answer immediately. In his mind, system notifications flooded in like a tidal wave—

[Archived successfully: Soul "Kalim"]

[Archived successfully: Soul "Arya"]

No, this... counts as "death"? On the edge of the River Styx, right in front of the Titan of Death himself—he actually stole her "achievements" accumulated over thousands of years...?

Moreover, it was Xia Die herself who mobilized her authority to guide those souls over and hand them over to her sister, Polycia.

Before the soul could even warm up in Little Blue's hands, it was snatched away by his system without explanation.

This...this doesn't seem right, does it? Bai Mo inexplicably felt a guilty feeling, like he had snatched a child's candy and was now pretending nothing had happened.

I feel a little bad about Xia Die's sister, whom I haven't officially met yet...

"Little Bai Mo~, what are you daydreaming about?" Xi Lian's light voice drifted over. She had already walked a short distance with Xia Die and was now looking back at him.

"Oh, they're here." Bai Mo snapped out of his daze and quickly caught up.

Before me lay the still, lifeless waters of the River Styx, pitch black as ink, reflecting no light whatsoever, silently swallowing all light and sound.

A faint mist floated on the water's surface. Bai Mo subconsciously wanted to open the Hundred Realms Gate to cross this area stained by the River Styx directly—but was immediately stopped by Xi Lian.

"Little Bai Mo~, I already told you to use the Hundred Realms Gate less this time."

She blinked, a hint of slyness in her voice, "Don't forget, I'm still a priestess of Euronis, after all~?"

She took a step forward, gently raised her hands, and in an instant, the surrounding scenery began to blur and distort, like an oil painting that had been washed with water, with colors reverting and time flowing backward.

The Styx River receded quickly, and the streets returned to their untouched state. Although still damp and ancient, they were at least no longer filled with the aura of death.

Xi Lian chuckled softly: "See, this way we can get through it, can't we?"

The three continued forward, stepping into the area where time had been briefly reversed, and continued their journey deeper into the mystery of the birth of the Xia Die.

"...According to the whispers of those departed souls, I was born into this world alongside the dragon of 'death'—Polyuces."

Chapter 105 Enemies of Ten Thousand: King of the Underworld Speedrun, I will strike all living beings on the River Styx with an equal elbow strike!

Xia Die's voice was very low, almost as if she were talking to herself, "But why... why is there only a blank in my memory about that moment, about myself?"

A wave of confusion washed over Xia Die's eyes, making her seem less like the Golden Descendant who held the reins of death and more like a child who had lost her way home.

Bai Mo silently gazed at her. He knew the truth behind it all—in the previous reincarnation, Xia Die's past life had sacrificed her heart for her sister, enabling Polycia to ascend to the demigod realm.

Unable to accept her sister's death, Polycia disrupted the order of life and death, sacrificing her own divine demise to bring her sister back to life.

So what about this life? What should he do to prevent the tragedy from repeating itself? And is it possible for him to both obtain the spark of "death" and truly free Xia Die from the shackles of fate, allowing her to gain freedom?

“Lord Bai Mo, Lord Xi Lian,” Xia Die suddenly raised her head, her gaze becoming clear and firm once more.

"Stay with me and keep searching. Even if more and more questions arise, I must keep going... until the truth comes to light."

Just then, Bai Mo noticed Xi Lian, who had been quiet since earlier.

The angle at which she turned her face away was somewhat unnatural, and there seemed to be a glimmer of light in the corner of her eye that she hadn't had time to wipe away.

"Sister Xilian?" He frowned slightly. "Have you been crying?"

"W-no! I didn't!" Xi Lian, as if she had just received news from Ting Yun, hurriedly turned around, putting on an expression that said, "This girl is the cutest in the world." "A cute girl doesn't cry easily!?"

"Really?" Bai Mo didn't look away, and asked softly, "By the way, you've been gathering information nearby... about the passing of that ocean demigod... has there been any progress?"

"Not yet..." Xi Lian's voice lowered, and her gaze quietly shifted away from Bai Mo's face. "I... need more time?"

Her tone remained light and cheerful, but that fleeting dodge did not escape Bai Mo's notice.

Just as Bai Mo was about to ask Xi Lian what she was hiding—

A golden figure, as blazing as the sun, burst forth from the depths of Stikosia!

The figure was so fast it tore through the air, and wherever it passed, whether it was the surging black tide of creation or the lingering, whispering souls, they were all struck with an equal elbow.

"What, what is that?!" Xi Lian immediately seized the opportunity to shout loudly, successfully diverting Bai Mo's attention.

She slightly widened her eyes and pointed at the rushing golden light.

“Then…it seems…” Xia Die tilted her head slightly, a rare look of blankness appearing on her usually aloof face, “It seems to be Lord Wan Di?”

Before the three could recover from their shock and react, the golden figure had already charged out of the boundaries of Stikosia with unstoppable momentum, leaving behind only a pile of spirits that were knocked senseless and temporarily unable to take shape, and Black Tide Creatures that had collapsed to the ground.

“Wan… how could Wan Di appear in the Underworld?” Xi Lian rubbed her eyes in disbelief, her tone full of doubt. “Shouldn’t he be stationed at the front line of Suspended Peak?”

"Hmm..." Xia Die pondered for a moment, then offered a logical deduction.

"Perhaps it's because he possesses the blessing of 'immortality'? The deathly aura of the River Styx cannot corrupt him, which is why he can move freely here?"

"Alright," Bai Mo said, finally rubbing his forehead with amusement.

"There's no use guessing here. If I'm not mistaken, with Wan Di's unique 'passive talent,' we'll probably run into him again soon."

The three continued their journey into the deepest part of the city.

The surrounding scenery grew increasingly bizarre. Broken spires continued to tilt and pierce the gloomy sky, and a strange smell of metal and decay permeated the air, making them feel as if they had entered a forgotten, giant laboratory.

Finally, they met him in the center of a semi-ruined, yet still intricately crafted, circular hall.

The soul of an alchemist whose form is ethereal and almost transparent, yet who continues to laugh maniacally.

His laughter echoed through the empty hall, tinged with an indescribable obsession and longing.

"You...could you be descendants of Stikosia?" The spirit abruptly stopped laughing, its burning gaze fixed on the three.