"Perhaps." Xue Di sighed. "You always manage to say things that are impossible to refute."
"I already knew about the Extreme North matter—Bi Ji sent a message earlier." Xue Di changed the subject. "Thank you, Rongrong."
"Well, mutual benefit." Ning Rongrong smiled. "As for the Abyss passage issue, it actually has something to do with me. If it hadn't been touched, it probably wouldn't have caused trouble for another ten thousand years."
"Xue Di, I have a question for you. The Ice God's Palace in your hand—it's a super-divine artifact, right?"
Silence. Xue Di remained quiet for a long time before nodding. "Yes, a super-divine artifact. However, it's not one meant for combat. It's similar to a storage space, but it can hold living beings."
"That's also the reason I was able to bring most of the soul beasts from the Extreme North away."
The Ice God appeared on Douluo Continent roughly during the era of the Dragon God. If her guess was correct, perhaps the purpose of this Ice Palace was to give the soul beasts a slim chance at survival.
She just didn't know whether that slim chance was meant for the Abyss passage or for the soul beasts who, unable to become gods, might later face extermination.
The Ice God had already fallen. These truths would probably never have a witness again.
"Xue Di, I can help treat your injuries. Though I can't guarantee complete recovery, restoring your overall combat power shouldn't be a problem." Ning Rongrong studied Xue Di for a long while.
"Right now, I only want to ask one question: have you seen her?"
"I have." Xue Di sighed. "The Kindness God King left no inheritance. Regarding the Divine Realm being unable to interfere in the mortal world, she did mention some things. I'm not sure if it's exactly what you want to know."
"The isolation of the Divine Realm happened at the same time as the sudden increase in the Golden Dragon King's strength."
"You're certain?" Ning Rongrong's heart sank.
Xue Di nodded solemnly:
"I would never joke about something like this. However, the time when I saw the Kindness God King was before Bi Ji learned from you that the Divine Realm could no longer interfere in the mortal world and told me about it."
"The Kindness God King hoped I could investigate whether it had anything to do with the Douluo plane, but I declined using my injuries as an excuse."
"As for the Abyss, they can only wait until the Golden Dragon King is dealt with before sending anyone down."
"Ning Rongrong, do you understand what I mean?"
"Inference…" Ning Rongrong's elegant brows furrowed tightly.
What Xue Di meant was that part of what she said was her own deduced conclusion.
But the Divine Realm's inability to interfere in the mortal world occurring at the same time as the Golden Dragon King's sudden surge in power—this was impossible not to ponder deeply.
"Do the ferocious beasts of Star Dou Great Forest know?"
Xue Di shook her head at the question. "I didn't tell them. After all, this is still uncertain."
"Moreover, Gu Yuena may not lack the idea of exterminating all humans—it's possible that such thoughts are merely being amplified."
"What about Di Tian? No news at all?" Ning Rongrong took a deep breath, skipping over the topic. Xue Di was still a soul beast after all; discussing this was somewhat sensitive.
Xue Di shook her head again. "None. There has been nothing all along."
"Ning Rongrong, I have no defenses against you. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to call it trust." Xue Di sighed helplessly. "As for Gu Yuena, I advise you to be careful."
"I understand." Ning Rongrong replied. "What is your strength right now, roughly?"
"Second-level god. If not for the special nature of the Abyss Holy Monarch's super-divine artifact, in pure combat power, I might not be inferior to that projection in the Extreme North."
"I see." Ning Rongrong nodded in response. "Can you still contact the Kindness God King now?"
"No. The divine sense has vanished."
Ning Rongrong nodded at the answer and didn't ask further. After helping Xue Di with the treatment, she left Star Dou Great Forest.
Bing Di watched Ning Rongrong depart, then turned her gaze to Xue Di, whose injuries had mostly healed. She asked in confusion:
"Xue Di, do you really completely trust Ning Rongrong? She's still a human after all!"
"There's no need to completely trust her." Xue Di's clear eyes looked toward Bing Di. Seeing the evident puzzlement on her face, she sighed softly.
"We stayed in the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect for a period of time. I have a general understanding of her character. As long as she considers someone a friend, she usually won't stab them in the back."
"The co-ruler of soul beasts… the Silver Dragon King Gu Yuena gives me this feeling."
"She is extremely arrogant. If I had to choose between the two, I would rather trust Ning Rongrong than her."
"Why do you feel this way? Also, we're in Star Dou Great Forest right now. Xue Di, is it really okay to say such things?"
"They can't hear us. Haven't you noticed at all?" Xue Di blinked. "When Ning Rongrong arrived, she already isolated all the soul beasts' perception of this area."
"Huh? Really?" Bing Di said in surprise.
Xue Di rolled her eyes. "Bing Di, you didn't really think you could sneak attack Ning Rongrong, did you? Even I probably couldn't manage it."
"Tch, that little brat clearly got bitten by me." Bing Di said indignantly.
"And then snapped off a whole mouthful of teeth with a crisp crack?" Xue Di teased.
"Alright, stop talking about it." Bing Di covered her ears. "I know you god-level beings are powerful. I'm just a weak little Ice Jade Empress Scorpion. Feel sorry for me, Xue Di."
"Mm… honestly, your personality is quite similar to Tokisaki Kurumi."
"Don't. I'm nothing like that caged tiger." Bing Di retorted.
"Fine, let's drop that topic. What are you planning to do next? I probably won't be much help anyway."
"I'm afraid a divine war isn't far off." Listening to Bing Di's complaints, Xue Di murmured softly.
"Divine… divine war?"
Bing Di's beautiful eyes widened. "Are you serious, Xue Di?"
"Mm. The possibility that the isolation of the Divine Realm is related to the Silver Dragon King or Golden Dragon King is very high. It wouldn't be strange if the Divine Realm noticed something."
"At that time, they might send people to investigate. For the soul beasts, it could be a catastrophe…"
Xue Di didn't continue. She looked seriously at Bing Di. "No matter what, before the divine war begins, I will do my best to reach the first-level god level above rank 140."
"That way, the soul beasts of the Extreme North will have a high chance of surviving."
"Is it really that serious?" Bing Di's face showed unprecedented gravity.
"It's only speculation based on the current situation. The Evil and Kindness sides should remain neutral—but only on the premise that the Silver Dragon King doesn't touch the core interests of the Divine Realm, such as anything involving the Golden Dragon King."
"However, just as Ning Rongrong said, I also confirmed from the Kindness God King that Destruction and Asura harbor deep hostility toward the Dragon God."
Destruction and Life are husband and wife. The Life God King nearly fell while protecting the gods of the Divine Realm, and the Asura God King split the Dragon God in two.
"Bing Di, both you and I have entered the Dragon Valley. The resentment left in those dragon souls and dragon bones—can't you sense what kind of hatred is involved between the two sides?"
"Do you know why Ning Rongrong is in such a hurry to raise her strength?"
"Why?" Bing Di looked puzzled.
"Because without God King-level strength, one doesn't even qualify to participate in the game—not even me."
"But as for the soul beasts of the Extreme North, I can still do my best to preserve them."
"If Douluo Continent truly becomes untenable, then you and I can simply move to another planet to live."
"With my value as a first-level god, and considering the former Ice God belonged to the Kindness God King's camp, there is still a very high probability of making that happen."
Xue Di sighed at this point and continued:
"In a few days, we'll pack up and return to the Extreme North. Along the way, we'll take the ten-thousand-year soul beasts stationed in Tian Shui City—like the Titan Snow Devil Ape—and bring them with us."
"You're not going to help Star Dou Great Forest and Spirit Hall anymore?" Bing Di asked in surprise.
"The future is uncertain. For now, I won't get involved. I need time to recover the strength of my divine position and obtain the Ice God's inheritance—but in the end, I am not her."
"Understood." Bing Di nodded.
(End of chapter)