Reason

Perhaps it sounded utterly unbelievable. Pluto was a dark, bloodthirsty existence, while Qian Daoliu's light had nothing in common with him. Logically speaking, Pluto's Exotic Energy could have existed in anyone's body but Qian Daoliu's.

But what the system had said that time reminded him: there was white within black, so there should be black within white as well.

Within the Mysterious Underworld Black Hole that devoured everything, there was a shining singularity. Within Pluto's cold heart, there was also his own love.

Then what about Qian Daoliu?

Even if he was brilliant and radiant, he naturally had his own darkness. That was the soil in which Pluto's Exotic Energy could lie hidden.

Moreover, he remembered Pluto once saying, "My heart is like a tree. The more a tree yearns for the light above, the deeper its roots must reach downward, into the soil, into the depths of darkness."

By the same logic, the brighter Qian Daoliu's own power was, the deeper Pluto's Exotic Energy could hide.

Furthermore, setting aside the fact that one embodied light and the other darkness, Qian Daoliu and Pluto did share certain similarities in how they acted.

For example, when it came to the bigger picture, neither of them would harm their own faction because of personal feelings.

In the original story, Bibi Dong devoured Qian Xunji. After discovering that she was the Rakshasa God's successor, Qian Daoliu knew Bibi Dong could not be touched. Once he acted, it would cause turmoil within Spirit Hall, so he forcibly suppressed the hatred of losing his son.

As for Pluto, when Gui Gu used Tian Yu to threaten him, he knew that letting Gui Gu go would be like releasing a tiger back into the mountains. That threat had to be eliminated. Therefore, he completely disregarded the fact that Tian Yu was still in Gui Gu's hands and intended to strike directly.

Moreover, Qian Daoliu was someone who believed in the spirit of chivalry. And although the Underworld was a bloodthirsty race, they were exceptionally polite—more polite even than Snow Empress's subordinates.

Most importantly, both Qian Daoliu and Pluto were powerful figures in their respective worlds.

All these factors ultimately led Pluto's Exotic Energy to choose to hide within Qian Daoliu's body.

Golden Crocodile and the others were all stunned by the sight.

"Th-this dark energy... what exactly is going on?!" Golden Crocodile cautiously extended his spiritual power to probe within, only to find endless darkness everywhere his gaze reached, as if he had fallen into a bottomless abyss.

Qian Renxue frowned tightly. The Alien Energy within her was filled with rejection toward Pluto's Exotic Energy.

Although the most fundamental Snow Empress's Faith within her Snow Empress Alien Energy had become her own, it was still ultimately light-aligned energy and naturally disliked Pluto's dark power.

Seeing this, Ao Zhan set Qian Renxue down and patted her shoulder. "Stay here. I'll go in and take a look."

Qian Renxue immediately grabbed his hand. "No, Brother Zhan! What if it's dangerous inside?"

"That's right, Little Zhan! It's too dangerous! You shouldn't go in." Golden Crocodile and the others also came over to persuade him.

"Don't worry. I know what this is, and I have a way to resolve it." Ao Zhan spoke to them with confidence.

Then he plunged headfirst into the black mist.

"Second Brother, this..." Azure Luan looked worriedly at Golden Crocodile.

Golden Crocodile sighed. "Forget it. Little Zhan has never done anything without confidence. Perhaps he truly has a way to resolve this."

The moment Ao Zhan entered the black mist, he felt an enormous pressure. He was very familiar with this force—it was the gravitational pull produced by Pluto's Exotic Energy.

"Heh, still as familiar as ever. System, lock onto Grandpa Qian's location."

"Yes!"

Ao Zhan smiled as the familiar force acted upon him, then gave the system the command to locate Qian Daoliu.

A moment later, Qian Daoliu's location appeared in Ao Zhan's mind. He followed that direction, and before long, he saw Qian Daoliu, whose eyes were lifeless and whose body radiated sorrow and loneliness.

However, Qian Daoliu no longer carried his former radiant aura. Dense darkness poured from his body. His golden hair had turned black, his golden eyes had become black pupils, and his eyes resembled Black Holes that seemed capable of swallowing all light and hope in the world.

Ao Zhan knew this was the effect Pluto's Exotic Energy had on him. Qian Daoliu was now trapped within Pluto's loneliness of endless ages.

Unlike Qian Renxue, Snow Empress Alien Energy itself was light-aligned. Furthermore, Snow Empress had never suffered any great setbacks in her life, so even when the Alien Energy erupted, Qian Renxue was not greatly affected.

But Qian Daoliu was different. Pluto's Exotic Energy itself was dark, and Pluto had endured endless slaughter and loneliness. Such experiences were simply beyond anything Qian Daoliu could compare to.

One had to know that Light Pluto had been sealed inside the Mysterious Underworld Coffin longer than Spirit Hall had even existed. It was only natural for Qian Daoliu to be affected.

Ao Zhan sighed. In truth, he could have stopped all this, but Pluto's Exotic Energy was ultimately a ticking time bomb. It was better to detonate it sooner, making it easier to control this power afterward.

Thus, after realizing that Pluto's Exotic Energy was very likely hidden within Qian Daoliu's body, he had guessed that the opportunity to awaken it would be letting him witness Qian Xunji's death.

After all, Pluto had once personally watched Phoenix burn to death before his eyes. Therefore, under overwhelming grief, Pluto's Exotic Energy would awaken in response to Qian Daoliu's sorrow and killing intent.

Of course, since he had decided to do this, he naturally had the ability to clean up the aftermath.

Ao Zhan placed his hand on Qian Daoliu's body, and a peculiar energy erupted. It was also Alien Energy, but not Miao Tiaojun's Alien Energy—it was his own.

That's right. Over the past four years, he had not stopped trying to reclaim his Alien Energy, and he had truly found a method—

Through his own faith and the system's help, he could draw Alien Energy from beyond the universe.

His Alien Energy was simply too immense, so he could only draw in a tiny amount at a time. But that was already enough!

"Grandpa Qian, wake up!"

Ao Zhan's Alien Energy entered Qian Daoliu's body, awakening him from the hundred thousand years of loneliness in which Pluto had been trapped.

"Little Zhan, why are you here? No, wait! How did I become like this?!"

Qian Daoliu, having just awakened, was somewhat dazed. But he quickly noticed the changes in himself. The dense dark power around him seemed to have erupted from his body, and why had his Soul Power changed from light to darkness?

What exactly was going on?!

Qian Daoliu hurriedly took out a mirror from his storage Soul Tool. Looking at his drastically altered reflection, he hastily summoned his martial soul as well. Yet the once-radiant Six-Winged Angel now emanated dark power, like a deathly messenger who had emerged from the abyss.

This completely shattered Qian Daoliu's composure.

"With this appearance, how could I possibly face the Angel God in worship?! How could I possibly serve as Spirit Hall's Grand Worshiper?!"

He knelt on the ground with lifeless eyes, unable to face this cruel reality.

Ao Zhan quickly said, "Grandpa Qian, please don't get agitated. Whether light or darkness, it is merely a form of power. Power itself has no inherent good or evil. As long as you use it on the righteous path, who can say you are in the wrong? Who says only those standing in the light can be heroes?"