Meanwhile, in Xu Qingjia's Sea of Consciousness, the open Book of Life and Death remained on Na'er's page. Passages of text kept appearing, recounting the girl's daily life.
Xu Qingjia had no taste for spying. He only wanted to determine what level of activity would alert the Silver Dragon Reverse Scale, though he had no means of countering it.
The core of Black and White Impermanence was the position of underworld ghost marshal bestowed by the Book of Life and Death's Divine Investiture. However, because his power of faith was in short supply, he had used the aura of the Netherworld to shape them. Besides, the aura of the Underworld within his divine domain was already extremely similar to netherworld energy.
Yet more than half a minute passed without anything unusual happening.
Over the past few years, Xu Qingjia had accumulated considerable experience through his experiments. Aside from the day of his Martial Soul Awakening, releasing his domain in his room had never attracted her attention. Today was no different. Apart from the time he opened the ghost gate and connected the Douluo Continent to the Netherworld, neither Electrolux nor Black and White Impermanence had subsequently attracted her notice.
"Looks like it has to be pure Netherworld energy."
Or perhaps a god-level aura similar to that of the Netherworld.
Anything below god level probably would not even catch the Silver Dragon King's eye.
Too weak. She had no interest.
Xu Qingjia returned his attention to reality.
"Rise."
"Thank you, my lord."
The two figures, one black and one white, stood before Xu Qingjia just as they had in life. They seemed to have already adapted to their new identities.
"Yue Guan, Gui Mei." Xu Qingjia called their names.
"I've seen your names in history books. Former elders of Spirit Hall, loyal to Pope Bibi Dong, both ultimately killed by Tang San."
"Yes." Both lowered their heads, looking exceptionally respectful.
After an unknown stretch of time, their consciousness had awakened from a haze, and knowledge they had never encountered flooded their minds. Memories of their lives became clear, scene after scene, and only then did they realize they had been dead for countless years. Now, a godlike being had actually plucked them out of the world of the dead, allowing them to return to the mortal world with new identities and in more powerful forms.
The debt of being remade, coupled with these godlike methods, filled them with awe and reverence for the lord before them.
Xu Qingjia said, "Tell me what you really think."
With perfect coordination, they answered in unison, "Our debt to you for remaking us is greater than the heavens. The past is behind us. We brothers swear to serve you faithfully unto death."
The usual faint smile lingered in Xu Qingjia's eyes as he propped his chin on one hand and studied them.
Such oaths meant little to him.
Their souls were bound entirely to the Book of Life and Death. Everything they possessed came from it, and he was fully capable of forcibly controlling them. Even if they harbored ulterior motives, they could never conceal them from him.
"So loyal?" Xu Qingjia tilted his head slightly and smiled. "Even if I sent you to your deaths one day? Aren't you afraid I'll discard you as cannon fodder, just like Bibi Dong?"
"..."
Having their past abruptly laid bare left both men silent.
Yue Guan raised his head. An unusual expression flitted across his bewitching, sinister face, as though he were lamenting or reminiscing. "We brothers only gained another life because you remade us, my lord. If you did that, you would merely be taking back what belongs to you."
"If that happens," Gui Mei said, "then that is simply our fate."
"Heh." Xu Qingjia chuckled. "I'm not like your former boss. Do your work well, and I will remember both your merits and your faults. Under me, even dying won't be so easy. I hold a strand of each of your true spirits. Even if you burn yourselves away completely, those strands can still bring you back to life."
It was a form of immortality.
Only, they would remain bound to him forever.
"Yes." Both bowed their heads respectfully.
They felt a little relieved, while their awe of his godlike abilities deepened.
"As for your past," Xu Qingjia continued.
"A mortal blood feud, the man who killed you-can you really let go of it so easily?"
"I can't." Yue Guan answered without hesitation, pure hatred filling his sultry voice. "Had I known how things would turn out, I should have killed Tang San outright the first time I saw him."
"But the past is gone," Gui Mei said, his voice filled with helplessness.
"Even if we can't let go, we have no choice."
Tang San had most likely already become a god. What could they do, even if they could not let go?
"Don't give up so quickly," Xu Qingjia said. "You may still have a chance to take revenge now."
"What do you mean, my lord?" Light kindled in their eyes.
"Learn some history first." Xu Qingjia took out three soul guidance phones and briefly explained how to use them.
The internet really was convenient.
"There's an empty guest room over there."
Xu Qingjia pointed toward a relatively secluded guest room that no one ever visited except the maids who cleaned it. It was neither particularly close to nor far from his Bedchamber.
"When you need to remain outside, stay there."
"Yes." Both nodded respectfully and floated over with their soul guidance phones.
Floated, rather than walked.
Their forms of existence had now changed completely: bodies shaped by the incense of worship, the forms of ghost gods.
Electrolux withdrew his gaze from Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo.
"Elder Yi, what do you think of their strength?" Xu Qingjia asked.
Electrolux said, "They have more or less reached the limit permitted by the laws of this world."
Xu Qingjia nodded lightly. "Then among the Federation's humans, they should rank around T1."
T0 consisted of beings like Yun Ming and Chen Xinjie: Quasi-Gods and Four-Word Battle Armor Masters with Divine Origin Realm spiritual power. Furthermore, the former possessed half a divine position, allowing him to unleash the combat power of a True God for a short time. The latter possessed the Sea God Helmet bestowed by Sea God Tang San, which contained the divine power of the ocean and allowed him to rival a True God briefly while at sea.
However, what Xu Qingjia valued more was their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Words appeared on the Book of Life and Death.
[Two Forms Stillness Domain (Black and White Impermanence version, 100% compatibility): Black and White Impermanence mobilize their energy and souls to form a special domain using the powers of yin and yang, life and death. It can immobilize everything within the domain. Through Black and White Impermanence's authority to hook souls and seize spirits, it exerts an even stronger effect on energy entities such as souls.]
Even their former soul skills had been transformed into abilities better suited to the positions of Black and White Impermanence.
A Black and White Impermanence version of Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo.
Black-
-and White Impermanence's fundamental ability is Soul Hook. If these two sacrificed themselves completely and accepted the Book of Life and Death's energy to the greatest possible extent, the Martial Soul Fusion Skill they unleashed might affect energy entities such as souls just as powerfully as Amorous Douluo and Ruthless Douluo's practically game-breaking Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
Xu Qingjia pondered this inwardly.
To him, these two cards could absolutely be called SSRs.
For the smallest cost-power of faith-they could deal damage far beyond this tier.
The positions of Black and White Impermanence truly were an excellent fit for Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo.
Two inseparable brothers, inseparable Black and White Impermanence.
"Elder Yi," Xu Qingjia asked, "is there anything you need?"
Xu Qingjia removed the Mermaid's Tears from around his neck and took out some treasures from the Sun Moon Crown that could nourish and repair spiritual power.
His resources ran deep.
Unfortunately, he had no supreme treasure like gold of life.
"No need." Electrolux declined and did not ask about the two men who made up Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo. "This fragment of my divine sense is fairly substantial. At present, I can absorb the energy of heaven and earth on my own to repair myself."
Xu Qingjia blinked and said, "Then I'll think of something later and see whether I can borrow a divine artifact related to the laws of life for you."
He remembered that the Yu Family possessed just such a divine artifact, Life's Benediction.
In the original story, Yu Guanzhi had tried to exchange that divine artifact with Tang Wulin for the Golden Dragon Spear.
"All right." This time, Electrolux did not refuse.
The little gray orb lifted the remaining phone, left through the window, and floated toward Chrysanthemum Ghost Douluo's guest room. "Someone is coming your way. I'll take my leave first. I'll guide your cultivation tomorrow."
"Someone's coming to see me?" Xu Qingjia was puzzled. It was already growing dark. Who would come looking for him?
Meanwhile, a sweet-smelling, soft little White-Haired Dumpling tiptoed out of her bedroom, looking as though she were sneaking off to steal something to eat.