"Something that allows a Spirit Beast to coexist and help a Spirit Master!" Zhu Ziyang said with a faint smile, "I can tell you clearly, if you become my Soul Spirit, then you can follow me to the God Realm and become an immortal God!"
"Really?" The Demon Empress was still a bit skeptical. After all, the existence of a Soul Spirit really made a high-level Spirit Beast like her feel wary!
"Whether it's true or false, I believe you can judge for yourself." Zhu Ziyang said, "I have no need to lie to you. After all, your life is already in my hands. If I wanted your spirit ring and Spirit Bone, I wouldn't need to go through such trouble to deceive you. Wouldn't it be quicker and more convenient to just kill you?"
"That's right!" The Demon Empress showed a bitter smile when she heard Zhu Ziyang's words.
"I'll give you some time to think. After I retrieve the scythe of the dead, I hope you can make the right choice." Zhu Ziyang was not in a hurry. The Demon Empress was already like fish on a chopping board; how to deal with her was entirely up to his thoughts. However, he believed the Demon Empress would make the right choice. After all, no living being could resist the temptation of becoming a God!
Zhu Ziyang walked out of the Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation, but left the Snow Empress inside. Compared to soulless inanimate objects, he was more willing to obtain a flesh-and-blood Soul Spirit.
Seeing Zhu Ziyang walk out, Zhang Lexuan and the two light powerhouses immediately surrounded him. Zhang Lexuan nervously felt Zhu Ziyang's body up and down, and only after confirming that he was not injured did she let out a heavy sigh and say, "Ziyang, how was it? Where is that Demon Empress?"
"Very smoothly!" Zhu Ziyang smiled and said, "The Demon Empress is currently in the Ten Heavenly Stems God Locking Formation. As long as the great formation is still there, she won't be able to cause any trouble, so we don't have to worry about her. Now, Zhang Weiwei and Beimonstan, you two stay here and guard. Sister Lexuan and I will go to the Devil Emperor Valley at the bottom of the valley to search for the scythe of the dead."
"Understood!" Zhang Weiwei and Beimonstan immediately replied.
"Sister Lexuan, let's go!" Zhu Ziyang said, and then directly took Zhang Lexuan and jumped into the Devil Emperor Valley.
In the Devil Emperor Valley, apart from the Devil Emperor Palace standing in the center, there was nothing else, not even a single broken stone. Zhu Ziyang and his companion's goal was very clear, so they did not stop at all and went straight to the magnificent Devil Emperor Palace. The Devil Emperor Palace was extremely luxurious and grand, even surpassing the Star Luo Empire's imperial palace that Zhu Ziyang had seen.
"Is this the Devil Emperor Palace? What a strong aura of Death!" The two stood in front of the Devil Emperor Palace gate, Zhang Lexuan exclaimed, "But although this aura of Death makes people uncomfortable, it doesn't have a gloomy or terrifying quality. How strange."
"Hehe, these are the purest auras of Death, emitted by the scythe of the dead. Naturally, they cannot be compared to the Power of Death controlled by those Evil Soul Masters!" Zhu Ziyang felt very comfortable. These pure auras of Death seemed to cheer his arrival, rushing into his body. He could feel his Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe cheering.
"Oh, oh!" Zhang Lexuan nodded, then her gaze fell on the Devil Emperor Palace gate and she said, "Shall we go in?"
"Mm!" Zhu Ziyang nodded, the Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe appeared in his hand, followed by the Power of Death swirling around the blade. The blade gently touched the Devil Emperor Palace gate, and in an instant, the Devil Emperor Palace gate slowly opened.
Seeing this, Zhu Ziyang's face showed a smile, and then he led Zhang Lexuan into the Devil Emperor Palace.
The furnishings in the Devil Emperor Palace were very simple. In the empty main hall, there was only a high platform in the center. The high platform had nine steps, and on top of the high platform was a scythe inserted diagonally. The scythe was entirely gray, and its material was indistinguishable. The length of the blade and the handle were equal, and at their connection point was a dazzling white other shore flower, so striking amidst the Rich gray.
This gray scythe was so simple, showing no trace of a divine weapon's style. Instead, it looked like a farm tool used for harvesting grain. At least, Zhang Lexuan did not see anything extraordinary about this scythe.
But Zhu Ziyang was different. The moment he saw this scythe, Zhu Ziyang's heart involuntarily skipped a beat, and the other shore flower mark on his brow flashed uncontrollably, as if cheering and celebrating.
The scythe of the dead, the weapon of the God of Death, a true divine artifact!
"Ziyang, you go. I'll guard you!" Zhang Lexuan said, looking at Zhu Ziyang's reaction.
"Good!" Zhu Ziyang nodded, then quickly ascended the high platform in a few steps, arriving before the scythe of the dead. Without hesitation, he immediately reached out and grasped the handle of the scythe of the dead.
The moment Zhu Ziyang grasped the scythe of the dead, the entire Devil Emperor Palace shook, and then the Power of Death that filled the Devil Emperor Valley vanished without a trace.
The other shore flower on his brow was flashing uncontrollably, and Zhu Ziyang's eyes were almost unable to open from the flashing light, but he still endured the dazzling brilliance, pulled out the scythe of the dead in one go, and raised it high above his head, striking a victorious pose.
The moment the scythe of the dead was pulled out by Zhu Ziyang, its entire body began to flow with gray Power of Death. The Power of Death surged like a swarm, rushing into Zhu Ziyang's body. Zhu Ziyang's body was occupied by this rich Power of Death with a special divine charm, and the Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe uncontrollably appeared in his other hand.
A white light suddenly erupted, and Zhu Ziyang subconsciously closed his eyes. When he opened his eyes again, everything had calmed down. The scythe of the dead had disappeared, and the aura of Death had disappeared. They seemed as if they had never appeared, only the Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe in Zhu Ziyang's hand seemed to have undergone an indescribable change that Zhu Ziyang couldn't explain.
"What happened?" Zhang Lexuan looked at Zhu Ziyang blankly. The white light just now was too sudden; she could only barely avoid the dazzling light but missed the most crucial event.
"Nothing." Zhu Ziyang looked at his Pacifying Life-Reaping Scythe, as if he had thought of something, smiled, put away his Spirit, jumped off the high platform, and said, "It's over, Sister Lexuan, quickly see if your Red Rank Six Trial is complete."
"It's over already?" Zhang Lexuan was a little bewildered for a moment. They had sailed from the Douluo Continent for half a year, but the matter ended in less than three minutes. This disparity was a bit too great! She needed to calm down!
"Otherwise?" Zhu Ziyang smiled and squeezed Zhang Lexuan's hand, saying, "Does it feel a bit unreal? It's okay, it'll be fine in a moment!"
With that, Zhu Ziyang opened the spatial gate and brought out Jiang Nannan and Qian Lingyi.
"Brother, how was it? Are you hurt?" As soon as Jiang Nannan came out, she immediately rushed to Zhu Ziyang, asking with eyes full of concern.
"Haha, I'm not hurt. Quickly see if your God Trial is complete!" Zhu Ziyang said, smiling and pinching Jiang Nannan's small face.
"Ah? Your God of Death's Seventh Trial is complete? That fast?" Jiang Nannan also expressed great surprise, but she had not experienced the process of Zhu Ziyang subduing the scythe of the dead, so the sense of disparity she felt was not as great as Zhang Lexuan's. She immediately accepted Zhu Ziyang's words and said, "That's great, let me see how my Taiyin Six Trial is doing!"
"Is this the Devil Emperor Palace?" Qian Lingyi, full of curiosity, looked around at their surroundings, examining the ancient and sturdy walls, she said.
"That's right, this is the Devil Emperor Palace!" Zhu Ziyang said, "Yi Yi, I'm leaving this to you. I'm going to claim the reward for the God of Death's Seventh Trial and the content for the God of Death's Eighth Trial. If Nannan and Sister Lexuan are finished, then you all wait for me here."
"Mm-hmm!" Qian Lingyi nodded, replying obediently.
After receiving Qian Lingyi's answer, Zhu Ziyang did not hesitate. He immediately chanted silently in his heart, and with a flash of light, he disappeared from the Devil Emperor Palace, appearing in the God Position inheritance ground, landing on the seventieth step of the Path to Godhood.
"Congratulations, you have successfully gained the recognition of the scythe of the dead!" Xiao Bai's voice immediately entered his ears. For some reason, Zhu Ziyang actually heard a hint of joy in Xiao Bai's voice.
"You seem very happy!" Zhu Ziyang chuckled and said, "Can you tell me why the scythe of the dead merged into my Spirit?"
"Do you know what the scythe of the dead is made of?" Xiao Bai asked.
"What is it?" Zhu Ziyang was taken aback and naturally followed Xiao Bai's topic shift to ask.
"The scythe of the dead is made from the main trunk of the Ancient Tree of Death," Xiao Bai's voice was filled with melancholy as she said, "and the Ancient Tree of Death is precisely the original body of the God of Death!"
"Ah, this!" Zhu Ziyang instantly understood that Xiao Bai was not changing the subject, but rather answering his question.
"To some extent, the scythe of the dead is a symbol of the Law of Death. Only when it merges with your Spirit, making your Spirit qualified to bear the Law, will it be easier for you to inherit the God Position." Xiao Bai said, "Since the first God of Death has fallen, it's time for the symbol of the Law of Death to change from the Ancient Tree of Death to something else!"
"I understand!" Zhu Ziyang replied, his face filled with deep gratitude.