Chapter 163: Severing Life and Decay, Birth of the New God

“Or, why not just kill me outright and wait for the Divine Spark to reconstitute a new consciousness? Then I could enjoy a century of leisure.”

Xi Fu Lin frowned tightly without speaking, but Miss Vilyric couldn’t help curiously asking.

“So, what are those guys from the Abyss doing this for? To make sure the Earth Mother Goddess can never be sealed?”

“Who knows? I’m not familiar with them. It’s just mutual exploitation, each getting what they need. The apocalypse cannon activation is all on them; aside from retrieving the God-Made Beasts sealed in Aibus, I have almost no contact with that side.”

“Besides, if there’s a real problem with the technology from the Abyss, this game was likely set up a millennium ago.”

The Goddess casually crossed her arms, looking nonchalant about life and death.

“Alright, stop dragging your feet and make a decision quickly. Just so we’re clear, if I can escape today, I won’t be stopping the so-called slaughter you guys are talking about.”

“What do you really want, Withering?”

The situation had devolved into a tangled mess, even Xi Fu Lin appeared somewhat at a loss. It was as if she had been waiting for this very question, the blue-haired, gray-eyed goddess suddenly displayed that cunning and joyful expression she had when first meeting Vilyric in the illusion.

“Hehe, although the strong enemies came too fast and unexpectedly, your appearance, Life, is also a pleasant surprise. I have a proposal; care to hear it?”

“Let’s hear it.”

This time, the voice came from the Priestess.

Xi Fu didn’t oppose Vilyric this time; she took a deep breath and spoke deliberately.

“I want to sever the Divine Authority of Life and Decay, transforming it into two divine positions to counteract the destruction brought by the world’s malice.”

Though Vilyric and Little Dragon Daughter listened with confusion, Xi Fu Lin suddenly looked shocked as if she had figured something out.

“Withering, you…”

“Hehe, Life, don’t you feel even a bit unwilling? The malice cast down by the world has forcibly turned us into two sides. Even if the Abyss has played a hand, the instigator remains that unstoppable splitting at the beginning.”

“During the thousand years of being sealed, I’ve pondered. It’s not about right or wrong, but where we lost back then. I’ve come to realize that the Divine Spark of ‘Life and Decay’ itself is the greatest trap and contradiction!”

“So we need to separate, splitting into two truly independent entities. I’ve already collected most of the Divine Spark fragments, and with you, we can reach at least eighty percent or more. With sufficient life force to drive it, it’s enough to differentiate the laws and powers.”

“If the world is using this trick to set us up, then we’ll truly show it! All causes and karmas, the Earth Mother Goddess’s past will be entirely sealed by me as the disaster and decay, and the remaining part… you will become the new deity, the true Life Goddess!”

“In doing so, the original law of ‘Life and Decay’ will vanish, transforming into the powers of ‘Life’ and ‘Decay,’ making you a brand new existence untouched by karma. I’m curious to see how this damned world will cope with the long-awaited birth of a new god!”

Xi Fu Lin seemed a bit hesitant.

“Is this really your true aim? But if it comes to this, you…”

“Hah? Isn’t this exactly the result you all want? The evil god will be sealed forever, and now you’ll even get a new helpful Life Goddess as a bonus. Also, don’t think I’m sacrificing myself for you; it’s just the cycle of karma. This has to be done by your Life since we’re originally one. If you live, it’s equivalent to me living.”

Perhaps feeling her words were a bit too… the blue-haired, gray-eyed goddess slightly turned her head away and then took a step forward, extending her hand toward Xi Fu Lin.

“Come on, our fight against the world has just begun.”

Vilyric did not stop her.

Xi Fu hadn’t lied; she never lied. By this point, the Priestess finally understood what the Withering Goddess wanted to do.

She had never cared for any life; what she truly wanted to oppose was the formless, intangible, yet omnipresent power of the world.

Bearing half the burden of all karma and causes, using thousands of lives as a furnace, just to gain a chance… This was indeed unrelated to good or evil; it was a struggle unique to the divine and the world.

After a long silence, Xi Fu Lin’s shadowy figure finally clasped half of her hand.

Perhaps as Xi Fu said, they were originally one. Even with different personalities, the feeling of being wronged by betrayal filled their hearts.

The blue and gray spirals twisted into a intertwined dual-colored vine crown between the two identical figures.

This was the product of the Divine Spark of “Life and Decay” materializing in the present world.

“Zzz…zzzz…”

Electric currents crisscrossed, and the world shifted colors. The crown let out a mournful cry under the unbearable strain, as if two mighty forces were simultaneously tugging at its body. The radiance flowed outward, the originally muddled blue-gray colors gradually became distinct, with the side near Xi Fu Lin turning increasingly vibrant, while the Withering Goddess’s side dimmed.

At this moment, she smiled.

“Make good use of this opportunity; we don’t know what will happen next… but since that fellow named Vilyric exists, it means the path to the new god will likely be viable. Go figure out what happened back then; that’s my last request.”

“Good luck, Xi Fu… no, Xi Fu Lin.”

“Bang!!!”

The crown made of vines burst apart violently, transforming into two smaller items, one blue and one gray, which merged into their respective bodies, while the Withering Goddess’s once-blue hair instantaneously turned to a deep gray like her eyes!

“Rumble, rumble, rumble!!!!”

A thousand thunders suddenly erupted in the heavens, the chaos brought by the world’s rejection reached a peak at that moment!

Although Vilyric didn’t understand what all this represented, the target of the thunderous roar was clearly the gray-haired, gray-eyed, now “only a remnant of disaster and decay—Earth Mother Goddess.”

“Now’s the time, Vilyric!”

Xi Fu Lin’s determined voice seemed to overshadow even the thunder, and the prepared White Robed Girl initiated the parting spell.

“Prison of the Eternal Light!”

Countless threads of luminous energy surged from the artifact’s peak, as if they possessed self-awareness, layering upon each other, forming intricate, impenetrable patterns around the gray-haired, gray-eyed goddess. Then, the angles and lights interconnected, condensing into a transparent golden crystal that firmly sealed her.

Xi Fu made no resistance; she was already defeated, lacking both the ability and intention to fight back, only revealing a relieved smile, as if ending a thousand-year-long nightmare.

She closed her eyes, like a sleeping beauty encased in crystal, time frozen, never to move again. The winds settled, and the tumultuous storm clouds in the sky gradually dispersed.

“Sigh, finally it’s over; what a mess…”

Receiving a flood of chaotic information in one night, even the Priestess found her thought process lacking. At this moment, she felt a bit envious of her pet, who probably didn’t think about troublesome matters at all, just allowing everything to float in and out of left and right ears.

With a flick of her wrist, the seal formed by the 10th tier magic “Prison of Eternal Light” whirled and shrank, flying into her hand.

   

---