The most powerful Old God, Y'Shaarj, was indeed dead, personally slain by the Titans. Although it possessed demigod-level strength, it did not have the unique resurrection mechanism of demigods.
Once dead, it was truly dead, with no hope of revival.
However, Y'Shaarj refused to die peacefully. Before its demise, its essence transformed into the Sha of seven emotions, permeating the southern reaches of Pandaria, causing the region to be plagued by Sha for centuries.
Without an optimistic nature, one could easily be corrupted by the Sha, becoming a puppet, a physical manifestation of emotion.
Because emotions are an inherent part of all living beings, even the weakest murlocs know what fear is, which means the Sha cannot be completely eliminated.
Among the Aqir scattered by the trolls, one faction followed the lingering aura of Y'Shaarj after its death, settling and taking root in the Dread Wastes.
This area was almost devoid of any wild creatures; anything that swam in the water, flew in the sky, or ran on the ground could not escape the Mantid's hunt.
Any creature of any race that ventured into this area would, at best, be severely wounded by a Mantid ambush, or at worst, be devoured on the spot.
Over time, the name Dread Wastes became widely known.
The most brutal punishment on this continent was not execution, but sending criminals to the Dread Wastes to fend for themselves.
The thought of being covered in insects, feeling one's flesh being gnawed away bit by bit, was enough to send shivers down one's spine.
Though the area now evoked fear, it was devoid of Sha, eerie but not sinister.
A squad of flying patrolmen spotted Arthas and his servant, screeching as they prepared to charge, their minds craving fresh flesh and blood.
Fear of the strong?
Sorry, none!
On the contrary, the flesh of the strong would only make them more powerful. If one Mantid died, there were thousands more; they were endless!
Sinestra was about to incinerate these crawling insects with a blast of dragon's Breath, but a gentle stroke on her head instantly calmed her.
She trusted her master, not only because of their intimate connection but also because she revered his power.
There was nothing like watching her master grow step by step from a young prince, to a hero, then to a king, and even the emperor of the entire world!
Now that he had reached the realm of a demigod, what lay beyond?
She dared not imagine her past self, constantly hiding, fearing both the dragonflights finding and killing her, and Deathwing finding her to force her to lay dragon eggs.
Now she was fearless, for she had a more powerful backer, her new master!
Arthas uttered a low murmur, attempting to communicate with the Mantid.
The Mantid, who had just been baring their fangs and mandibles, all froze in place. This ancient sound seemed very familiar, etched deep into their genes.
As a race of aberrations, they were meant to serve the Old Gods, their servants from the heavens!
"Hiss hiss My God!"
After receiving the command, the Mantid flew downwards, simultaneously releasing signals to prevent other kin from coming to contend for the spoils and angering the Great Old God.
This scene utterly astonished Sinestra. As a dragon queen, she was naturally very familiar with the Old Gods' servants.
After all, the Titans had tried to eradicate the Old Gods more than once, but without much success.
Ordinary means and power could not kill the Old Gods, and failing to kill them carried the risk of corruption, so they chose to imprison them.
If they could starve them to death, that would be ideal. If not, then they would trust in the wisdom of future generations.
Soon, a larger, stronger, and swifter Mantid warrior flew up.
Compared to the patrolling guards, its intelligence was higher, and it attempted to greet him.
"My Lord?"
"Have your Empress come to see me, servant. I am the great Old God Arthas. Go."
Arthas waved his hand perfunctorily. He knew nothing of Old God power, unless Old God power was given to him to absorb, then he could learn the abilities of the Old God system.
Wait, Old God power?
The thought flashed through his mind, and he looked towards the towering walls in the distant distance, where black and white furred Pandaren were still patrolling.
It seemed that beyond the walls lay the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, and within it, a Mogu palace. At the very bottom of that palace lay a remnant heart of the Old God Y'Shaarj!
If he could absorb that heart, wouldn't that mean he could also gain Old God power?
"Side Quest Updated: Covet Old God Power. (Optional)"
"Quest Objective: Enter the Mogu palace, seize and absorb the Heart of Y'Shaarj."
"Quest Reward: Acquire Void Power and Old God Abilities."
Side quests were always optional. Completing them offered rich rewards, but failing them was inconsequential, merely marked on the panel as a lifelong disgrace.
Acquiring the Heart of Y'Shaarj would not be simple. Firstly, the Pandaren were the first unavoidable line of defense.
Secondly, there were many Mogu palaces in the Vale of Eternal Blossoms, filled with countless traps.
Thirdly, there were many strange and bizarre races within, making the acquisition of the Heart of Y'Shaarj truly not simple.
Soon, the current Mantid Empress flew out from their Sacred Tree Palace. Though called an Empress, she was actually a multicolored Mantid.
Perhaps such coloration was considered beautiful by the Mantid, but adventurers who ate wild mushrooms knew that the more vibrant a mushroom, the more poisonous it was!
"My Lord? I am Empress Shek'zeer, the Third. Please forgive my audacity, but among the ancient deities we serve, there is no god named Arthas."
Had it not been for the whispers rising in her mind, a unique Old God method, she would not have come out to meet him.
She would have simply ordered her Legion to destroy the opponent!
What kind of audacity? To use the same Old God power as me?
"You do not need to know, you only need to obey orders."
Arthas acted very arrogantly, which was characteristic of an Old God.
What kind of creator is polite to his creations?
Shek'zeer felt confused. She was not certain if this was an Old God, but if not, then why the soul whispers?
Yes, these whispers could reach directly into the soul, thus making them impossible to stop.
Even with cotton in her ears, the voice would still appear in her mind, impossible to guard against.
After much deliberation, she still refused, but left a small opening.
"Forgive me, My Lord, but you do not possess the aura of an Old God. We cannot obey you. If you can demonstrate the power of an Old God, I will lead my people to pledge allegiance to you."
She couldn't afford to offend him, but there was no need to believe him either.
It was a contradiction.
For anyone else, a breakdown in negotiations would have led to deadly consequences.
But Arthas still left, and was even seen off by the Mantid Empress.
The Royal Vizier beside her couldn't help but murmur.
"Your Majesty, you just let that imposter leave?"
Slap!
Suddenly, a slap stunned the Vizier Mantid, who was second only to the Empress.
Only the Empress' cold voice was heard, "My Lord is not an imposter, merely his strength has not yet recovered. Watch your words. If there is a next time, you will be executed immediately!"