"How did you know all this?" The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles finally voiced the question that had tormented her.
Clearly, she couldn't make sense of it herself.
"What exactly are you referring to? The invasive species, or the Archon War?" Elliot asked in return.
"All of it."
"You really are greedy, aren't you? Fine, I'll let you die with a bit more clarity."
"First, he knew long ago that you were an invasive species. I don't know when exactly, but he simply knew."
"Second, everything he said about the Archon War—those were his deductions."
Hearing the Lord of the Netherworld's words, The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles froze for a moment.
"Impossible! There's no way he could have guessed all of it correctly!" she snapped in disbelief.
"With your experience confined to that miserable island, how could you possibly match his insight? He saw through your little schemes long ago—he simply lacked the strength to challenge you then."
"You have no idea how much effort we spent to seize this vessel, how long we've contended with him. Compared to that, your petty tricks are laughable."
The Lord of the Netherworld's tone dripped with mockery as he spoke.
Seizing this body had cost them every ounce of cunning—a process forged through countless karmic burdens. After eight previous lives of failure, they finally understood: brute force against Elliot was useless. His willpower was unbreakable. No matter how many times they attacked, they could never breach his mind.
So, in the ninth life, they chose a different path—deception.
Allowing him to hear their voices when he removed the mask was intentional. Revealing that the Abyss would be devoured if captured was another calculated move, meant to heighten his sense of urgency.
In truth, the Abyss had already been ensnared by karmic debt the moment it invaded Elliot's body. Early on, they had forced the Abyss to corrode his flesh, driving him to remove the mask—thus planting the idea that "removing it allowed him to hear the voices of karmic debt."
Even the comfort he felt near Wuwang Slope had been carefully orchestrated.
They were in constant struggle with Elliot's mental strength. The slightest easing of their control would make his mind relax, giving him that overwhelming sense of relief. But that sensation wasn't bliss—it was merely his mind returning to its natural state after being strung too tight for too long.
The reason they invested so deeply in this ninth reincarnation was simple—this was their best chance to kill The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
A thousand years of war had filled the world with countless souls, and the Lords of Resentment had begun to stir once again. Revealing the [Karmic Debt Resonance] had been deliberate, meant for Elliot's ears.
Had they not done so, he would have intervened in the Archon War—and drawn the Sustainer's attention far too soon.
They could not allow that.
Everything they had done—all their plotting, all their patience—had been for this very day.
To kill The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!
The birth of karmic debt came from the lingering hatred of gods buried beneath the earth. And that hatred was not directed toward Morax, who had sealed them away.
It was toward the one who had orchestrated the war itself—The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!
Those gods had once lived in peace, their lives harmonious and full. But the war shattered that peace, crushing everything they cherished. Most of them had once loved humanity, even cherished them. But war destroyed it all.
They were forced to slaughter one another. Their followers, too, met bloody ends.
They saw their people die at the hands of their enemies—enemies who fought not out of hatred, but necessity. Because that was war: kill, or be killed.
And so they hated.
They hated the war.
They hated the ruler who began it—The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
Their hatred festered beneath the surface, seeping into the world and afflicting mankind. Yet in truth, they never meant to harm humanity. They simply could not reach the Sustainer. With nowhere else to direct their rage, they could only unleash it in this primitive, destructive way.
But Elliot—this one extraordinary vessel—became their hope for vengeance.
They provoked him, suppressed him, and drove him to grow stronger. Only when Elliot reached his full potential would they have a chance to destroy the Sustainer.
For this single moment of revenge, these karmic debts had hidden for a thousand years.
Now, they had succeeded.
They had seized Elliot's body.
They had created the Netherworld.
And they now stood before The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles.
"It's time to bring this to an end, Sustainer of Heavenly Principles."
The Lord of the Netherworld's voice carried the fury of millennia. At that instant, it finally erupted.
Like a god, he slowly spread his arms. Instantly, every soul within the Netherworld seemed to awaken. They no longer drifted aimlessly—they surged toward him in a massive torrent.
One by one, they merged into his body, channeling their hatred, their rage, and their endless sorrow into pure, unending power.
The thousand-year Archon War had claimed countless gods and their followers. But it was humanity who suffered most—tens of millions dead, perhaps more. It was, after all, the toll of a thousand years of bloodshed.
In those war-torn times, living past thirty-five was considered a long life. Only in Liyue, untouched by conflict, could the elderly live to seventy or eighty. Elsewhere, such longevity was so rare they were revered as living immortals.
Liyue's peace had been carved from blood and stone—won through the power of Morax and the Adepti.
An overwhelming flood of souls poured into the Lord of the Netherworld, until at last, only three lonely spirits remained adrift.
They were the souls of Guizhong, Marchosius, and Orobashi.
With a wave of the Lord of the Netherworld's hand, they were cast out of the underworld and given physical form. In an instant, Guizhong and Marchosius became human once more, returning to the mortal world.
But Orobashi lingered.
"Why aren't you leaving?" the Lord of the Netherworld asked, gazing at the serpent's soul.
"I refuse to go. I will become part of your power. I want my share in killing The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles!" Orobashi's voice burned with fury.
"You're not needed," the Lord of the Netherworld replied. "You were deliberately saved by that man. If you stay, it will be difficult to explain."
"I believe my people can survive on their own. Rather than return to Watatsumi Island, I'd rather become part of your strength. I am grateful for what that noble one did for me—but now, please deliver my apologies to him. Tell him this was my choice alone."
Hearing Orobashi's words, the Lord of the Netherworld fell silent.
Then, the serpent's soul surged forward, merging into his body.
In that moment—
The ruler of the world was replaced.
The Sustainer of Heavenly Principles' eyes widened, her brow creasing.
She knew the worst had come to pass.
Even before arriving, she had foreseen this possibility. Elliot's earlier attack had startled her—but this… this was beyond anything she had feared.
She steeled herself, every nerve alert, ready for the Lord of the Netherworld's strike.
Having absorbed all the souls, he slowly lowered his hands. His head turned slightly, crimson eyes gleaming beneath his white hair.
Then, in an instant, he vanished—his body dissolving into a gust of wind.
The Sustainer's pupils shrank in horror. Panic flared within her as a translucent cube appeared in her hand. But before she could act, five fingers rested gently against her face.
"Farewell, ruler of the old age."
The Lord of the Netherworld's hand pressed against her cheek, and a crimson light flared across her body.
In the next instant, before her stunned eyes, she dissolved into countless glowing particles—dispersing into the air, carried away by the wind.
"So this is what vengeance feels like…?"
Gazing up at the empty sky where she had vanished, the Lord of the Netherworld lifted his head slightly.
"How truly empty..."
A soft breeze swept through, gently brushing against his white hair.