Di Tian suppressed the anger in his heart and glared fiercely. "Brat, if it comes to mutual destruction, it won't just be the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda that falls—your people behind you will perish too."
"Oh? You mean my father, Sword Grandpa, and Grandpa Bone?" Ning Rongrong's voice turned slightly cold. "After becoming a god, the dead can be revived. Di Tian, as a former first-grade god, you should know this well."
"You have nothing to threaten me with. Even with Bi Ji at Rank 99 and Xiong Jun at Rank 98 comparable to Rank 99, Kurumi and I can leave whenever we wish. You have no way to stop us."
"I have plenty of time to waste with you, Di Tian… Do you dare gamble that I can't contact the Divine Realm? Or that I have no connections there?"
"Or perhaps, bet that I can't become a god?"
"The Silver Dragon King… fled, after all. I hope you remember that, Lord Di Tian."
Di Tian gritted his teeth. Beside him, Bi Ji noticed that his condition was off—his soul power was chaotic, as if he was suppressing something.
"I'll go with you," Bi Ji said.
"Wait, Bi Ji!" Di Tian's expression changed drastically.
What was Bi Ji thinking?
The thing inside him could be removed with time. Even if these two had a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, escape wasn't impossible.
He had only been caught off guard earlier. Otherwise, these two brats wouldn't have had a chance.
"Di Tian, don't overthink it," Bi Ji sighed. "Ning Rongrong, was it? I can assume I was your target from the start, right?"
From the start?
Bi Ji's words stunned everyone present—except Tokisaki Kurumi.
"As expected of Lady Bi Ji. Not like a certain black dragon who's been fooled by Kurumi multiple times."
"You…!" Di Tian's face darkened. "Human, what exactly do you mean?"
"If you hadn't come, I wouldn't have sought you out directly. I still have some reservations, after all."
"But since you're here, there are only two choices: we fight to the death, or you compensate me for my emotional distress."
Emotional distress? What nonsense was this? Bi Ji and Di Tian slowly formed question marks above their heads.
"Last time at the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, my Grandpa Bone was so frightened by you that he couldn't sleep for days, lost his appetite, and kept worrying you'd come for him."
"So, I decided to return the favor," Ning Rongrong said flatly. "And just like that, you walked right into my trap."
As she spoke, a contract covered in terms floated out from her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, drifting slowly toward Bi Ji.
Di Tian wanted to stop it, but seeing Bi Ji shake her head, he held back.
"Lord Di Tian, as a first-grade god, you must understand what a soul contract is, right?"
Di Tian and Bi Ji fell silent.
After a moment, before Bi Ji could speak, Di Tian looked up, scrutinizing Ning Rongrong.
"You don't want her soul ring or soul bone. What do you want with Bi Ji?"
At first, Di Tian had assumed they coveted Bi Ji's soul ring—that Ning Fengzhi of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda might use it to advance his Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda to nine levels.
But the contract explicitly stated that Bi Ji would not be harmed.
"I have my uses, of course. Either way, Lady Bi Ji is now mine."
After a moment of silence, Bi Ji bit her finger and let her blood drip onto the contract.
Soon, the contract split in two—one half vanishing into Ning Rongrong's mind, the other into Bi Ji's.
With the contract sealed, Ning Rongrong nodded. "Lord Di Tian, I apologize for my earlier tone, but compensation is still required."
"Isn't Bi Ji the compensation?" Di Tian said darkly.
"Uh, you 'compensated' Lady Bi Ji to me via contract. I can't kill her for her soul ring or soul bone."
"Of course, if Lady Bi Ji willingly offers herself, that's allowed. That's not covered by the contract."
"Hmph, you cunning brat. Bi Ji, remember—never offer yourself."
Di Tian spoke gravely.
"Many transformed spirit beasts have sacrificed themselves due to human sweet talk. Humans are despicable. Be careful—think of your kin."
Bi Ji: "…"
Am I that stupid? Do I look like that naive Blue Silver Emperor to you?
I'm Rank 99. Why do you treat me like some clueless child?
Unlike that little rabbit whose eyes practically screamed she'd sell herself to that brat Tang San.
"Di Tian, I want a piece of Life Gold. Not too much—you decide the amount. But the skeletons of the Ice and Fire Dragon Kings are non-negotiable."
"Life Gold… Aren't you pushing your luck?"
"Call it what you want," Ning Rongrong didn't argue.
"Hmph, fine." Di Tian nodded.
"Then we'll meet again. Lady Bi Ji can come whenever, but the sooner the better."
With that, Ning Rongrong glanced at Tokisaki Kurumi, who had remained silent. "You can release Zafkiel: City of Devouring Time now."
Kurumi nodded.
Instantly, the surroundings shifted dramatically.
The scene turned black, then cracked apart like shattered glass.
"When did this—?!" Di Tian was shocked.
He hadn't even realized they were inside a domain this whole time.
"You could choose revenge. Though the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda is no match for the Star Dou Great Forest, we still have ways to deal with you. Mutual destruction benefits no one."
"That's all. Farewell."
As ripples flashed in Ning Rongrong's pupils, a dark portal appeared.
"Let's go, Father, Sword Grandpa, Grandpa Bone."
The three exchanged glances but obeyed, stepping through first. Ning Rongrong and Kurumi followed.
Once they left, Di Tian could no longer hold back, vomiting several mouthfuls of blood.
"That brat… What terrifying poison."
Bi Ji activated her healing skill, but her expression suddenly changed.
The invading toxin was corroding soul power.
Di Tian's face darkened. "To think I, Di Tian, would be reduced to this state one day."
"Bi Ji, my apologies," he said weakly.
"No. I think this might open a new path for our spirit beast kin."
Bi Ji thought of Tokisaki Kurumi standing beside Ning Rongrong.
"Perhaps. I've already given her what I brought from the Star Dou Great Forest. This conflict ends here."
"Return to the Life Spring and cut a piece of Life Gold as an apology. But Bi Ji, be careful at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda."
"Compared to Qian Daoliu, she… I can't see through her."
"Understood. I'll be cautious."