Feeling the warmth emanating from the Netherworld Butterfly, Butterfly was slightly nervous. She whispered,
"Sacrifice..."
"I remember reading in the book that it's a ritual where the soul is offered along with the body.
Please forgive me, but I cannot accept such a thing."
"If you truly wish to advance with me, why not try the Soul Spirit Technique?"
"The Soul Spirit Technique is a technology created by my father."
Butterfly was always happy when talking about her father.
A normal sacrifice does indeed involve offering the soul along with the body. Not all soul beasts are like the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, knowing how to preserve the spiritual essence of a 100,000-year-old soul beast.
This is one of the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm's few unique skills.
Upon hearing "Soul Spirit," the Netherworld Butterfly tilted its head and asked,
"What is a Soul Spirit?"
"Is it the soul of a soul beast?"
Audrey, who was beside her, deactivated her psychological invisibility, and her clear voice rang in the Netherworld Butterfly's ears.
"Soul Spirit is a technology that can replace Soul Rings. It can completely preserve the soul of a Soul Beast and transform it into a completely new form."
"The Soul Beast will continue in another way. If you truly wish to become the young lady's power, I will personally initiate the Soul Spirit ritual for you."
Only then did the Netherworld Butterfly suddenly realize that there was another being beside Xia Die, whose undisguised dragon king aura terrified it.
In the Netherworld Butterfly's perception, there was no one where Audrey was, yet the other was standing there smiling at it.
This meant that the other's strength far surpassed its own, at least a true dragon beast over 300,000 years old.
"You, you are a dragon! So there are still true dragons living on the Douluo Continent!"
"Although I don't know what Soul Spirit is, it sounds quite good."
"Then please perform the ritual for me."
The Netherworld Butterfly didn't care about Soul Spirits or anything like that, as long as it could become Xia Die's Soul Ring.
Its race had lived on the border between life and death for a long time and had long since become indifferent to death.
Death is not the end, but merely the beginning of another boundless journey. The soul flows downstream along the River Styx, where it can reunite with family and journey together to its final resting place, awaiting rebirth to begin a new life.
In the end, all living beings find their final destination in the underworld; death is indeed unreasonable, forcefully dictating the end of all things.
Audrey acted decisively, having the Butterfly of the Underworld and the Butterfly of the Underworld stand together. Her immense spiritual power swiftly drew a soul contract ritual in the air.
After the ritual was completed, it emitted specks of golden light, which became the bond connecting the two parties to the contract. The Netherworld Butterfly immediately felt a new connection with the Butterfly of the Distant Realm.
This connection began to transmit a contract in the sea of consciousness, detailing the obligations that the contracted soul spirit and the contractor needed to fulfill.
If one agreed to this contract, they would leave their spiritual essence on it, signifying the establishment of the contract and the official start of the soul spirit ritual.
Without the slightest hesitation, the Netherworld Butterfly immediately left a wisp of its spiritual essence on it.
The specks of golden light from the magic circle transformed into a torrent of light, gradually washing over the Netherworld Butterfly's body.
Terrifying soul power was released from its body, and its body gradually dissipated, its soul and bloodline all surging into an orange-gold soul ring, the unique color of a soul ring for a ferocious beast soul spirit. The orange-gold soul ring quickly fused with the Butterfly of the Distant Realm, and the Butterfly of the Distant Realm's soul power increased faster than if it had consumed a celestial herb, soaring all the way to level thirty-seven.
Where the Netherworld Butterfly disappeared, a strange soul bone appeared.
It was a left arm bone, still holding a scythe in its hand.
The scythe's hilt was decorated with purple butterfly patterns, and the overall color was white and purple, with the blade shimmering with the power of death.
It was clearly a left arm bone with an external soul bone.
This soul bone actively merged into Xia Die's body, leaving a small purple butterfly tattoo on her left shoulder.
To put it simply, if Xia Die dressed more conservatively, she could still take the civil service exam, unlike Huo Yuhao, who probably didn't even qualify to be a teacher.
However, Xia Die didn't need to take the civil service exam; she was about to inherit the Netherworld Group and become her own boss.
"Life God's Test, First Test Completed."
"Reward: Life Affinity."
"Life God's Test, Second Test Begins."
"Explore the Netherworld, until you reach the end of all ends along the River Styx."
"Reward: New branch of the Ancient Tree of Life."
The Goddess of Life wasn't even pretending anymore.
Was this a Life God's Test or a Death God's Test?
What kind of Life God's Test sends someone to explore the Netherworld?
Even when Poseidon was in such a hurry to escape, he didn't set such an outrageous divine test for Tang San.
Other people's divine tests involve drawing a target first, then shooting an arrow; the Goddess of Life, however, makes it shoot the arrow first, then draw the target.
Whatever Xia Die has to do, she adds a divine test during the process, saving effort and worry.
The Netherworld Butterfly within Xia Die's soul ring also heard that gentle yet boundless divine voice, and the entire butterfly was completely bewildered.
"A divine test of life?"
"Not a divine test of death?"
"This, is this right?"
Xia Die gently soothed the Netherworld Butterfly's emotions with her spiritual power, softly saying,
"I have not only death, but also life."
"I actually don't know why the Goddess of Life chose me."
The Netherworld Butterfly snapped out of its daze, realizing it had hit a hidden gem.
The young lady before it was not only the ruler of the Underworld but also the future goddess of life.
"No! I can't laugh yet! I have to hold it in! Wait a minute, it's too late. Forty seconds later!"
The Netherworld Butterfly now wanted to say that all-in betting was an art, and a gambler's gamble could win everything!
Precisely locking onto the heir to both the life and death divine positions!
Could other soul beasts do this?
It recalled its former enemies—the Light Bees, the Dark Hyenas, the Three-Winged Moths… all had vanished into the river of history.
The final victory still belonged to the Netherworld Butterfly!
Audrey stood beside the Netherworld Butterfly, tapping the orange-gold soul ring and saying,
"Can I take the young lady into the Underworld now?"
"Don't waste time."
The Netherworld Butterfly poked its head out from the soul ring, nodding gently, and said,
"Understood!"
"Get ready, let's go!"
The power of death enveloped the person and the dragon, then transformed into a dark purple ball of light, rushing directly into the spatial rift.
After the ball of light completely disappeared, the spatial rift began to heal, the power of death ceased to flow, and the world was slowly repairing the scar.
Adam and Roman appeared where the spatial rift had been, with the Shadow Cat still perched on Adam's shoulder.
"Is it closed?"
"Let's just guard it from outside."
Adam touched the spatial rift and felt a strong repulsion; it was estimated that the rift would completely disappear in about twenty minutes.
Roman noticed Adam's worry and smiled, saying,
"Don't worry." "
Xiaodie is half a Lord of the Underworld; the God of Death wouldn't harm her, especially with the boss watching over her."
Roman pointed to the sky, and Adam nodded, saying,
"Let's set up a barrier around here first."
"The Star Luo Empire and the Douling Empire have started a large-scale war again."
"Don't let them affect this place."
Adam and Roman disappeared from their spot, leaving only the spatial rift that was being continuously repaired by the world.
As the spatial rift shrank, the world, which had previously seemed to have a black-and-white filter applied, became bright again.
...
Xia Die and Audrey appeared in a strange space.
Countless faint points of light, like fireflies, streaked across the sky, heading towards an unknown distant land.
Upon closer inspection, each glimmer of light was a curled-up soul, human and spirit beast alike.
Whether by sea or land, all the dead passed through here on their way to the ultimate end of all ends.
"This is where our race lives! The boundary between life and death!"
"This is where the living linger, their last vestige of attachment to the mortal world, for one more step leads to the end of their destiny."
"Occasionally, souls become stuck here due to longing, and our race forcibly sends them to the underworld."
"Souls are not allowed to linger here; they will be worn down, and if the wear and tear is severe, they may not be able to recover even in reincarnation."
"In the next life, you can only be an idiot."
"Let's continue! Beyond here lies the true underworld,"
the Netherworld Butterfly explained, and then began to slowly advance along the direction of the drifting light.
Audrey wanted to follow, but was blocked by a swarm of Netherworld Butterflies.
The lead Netherworld Butterfly King, fifteen meters long and with a wingspan of thirty meters, said,
"Please do not proceed further, Your Excellency."
"The Netherworld does not welcome the living. You are not favored by the Netherworld.
Once you step into the Netherworld, you will be considered an enemy, and countless spirits will attack you."
"Please remain in this borderland between life and death. My race will warmly welcome you and offer you specialties from this borderland."
The Netherworld Butterfly also turned to look at Audrey at this moment, its gentle voice carrying a firm resolve.
"Sister Audrey, please let me proceed alone from here on."
"I can also feel that the Netherworld does not welcome the living, but it is welcoming my arrival."
Seeing the Netherworld Butterfly's resolute gaze, Audrey stopped, her emerald green eyes filled with relief.
She slightly lifted the hems of her skirt, bowed, and said,
"I understand."
"Then please be careful on your journey, Miss."
"If you encounter something insurmountable, please call upon the name of the Lord of Spirits."
(End of Chapter)
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