Kangcheng, Zhongzhou.

The underground world in the mine.

Intense, bright light shone from the top of the deep tower.

The next moment, Li Yu appeared out of thin air and stepped onto the carpet covered with the array once again.

Before the intense spatial fluctuations had completely dissipated, the Soul Master's voice rang out:

"Li Yu, your courage always exceeds my expectations."

Compared to before, the Soul Master seemed to have gained a deeper weariness, like a taut bowstring about to snap.

His deep golden eyes gazed at the returning Li Yu, his gaze lingering for a moment on the still pulsating, intense flames surrounding Li Yu. He said nothing, but instead expressed a complex sense of感慨 (gǎnkǎi, a feeling of mixed emotions, including admiration and a touch of melancholy).

"If it were me, even if it was an array set up by the person I trusted the most, I would never dare to step onto it so casually and without any precautions time and time again."

The Soul Master paused slightly, his gaze seemingly unconsciously sweeping over the spot where Huang Ya had been standing. A fleeting, elusive darkness crossed his eyes before he fell into a heavy silence.

A single instance of trust almost cost him his life.

The raging flames on Li Yu's body slowly subsided, and he looked directly at the Soul Master, asking in return:

"You've made the entire underground kingdom acknowledge my identity as the 'Lord of Humanity,' aren't you afraid that I'll raise my arm and lead them in rebellion?"

"Betrayal?" The Soul Master chuckled softly, shaking his head slightly, his tone carrying an almost absolute certainty:

"That's impossible, because they would not betray their god."

The Soul Master's golden gaze, almost tangible, pierced through the lingering energy glow that Li Yu had not yet completely dissipated:

“And I am the only one who can grant you this ‘divine right’.”

At that very moment, the Soul Master seemed to sense something different about Li Yu and was immediately startled!

He didn't even have time to pay attention to his weakened body. He immediately mobilized his energy, and his golden eyes suddenly narrowed! Instantly, golden light burst forth as he looked directly at Li Yu.

"you--!"

For the first time, the Soul Master's voice lost its composure and was filled with disbelief and horror.

He clearly saw that among the numerous golden threads linking Li Yu's fates, several new strands had appeared—

No, it's hundreds of strands, or even more!

They are all platinum threads that radiate pure and holy light!

These threads are not simply linked; they carry an almost fanatical aura of faith, like a gentle stream, continuously converging on Li Yu!

This situation can only mean one thing: there are ghosts, and a considerable number of them, who have come to regard Li Yu as a true god from the bottom of their hearts, and not merely as the "Lord of Humanity"!

The Soul Master's eyes were filled with shock, and golden light flashed intensely.

He clearly remembered that Li Yu didn't have these threads on her body just now.

The Soul Master never expected that Li Yu could achieve such a feat in the short time it took to be teleported away:

He not only ignited the flame of faith in the ghosts and made it burn fiercely, but also made the ghosts regard him as a god.

After the initial shock, an unprecedentedly complex emotion surged within the Soul Master's heart.

But what followed was an almost obsessive and profound acceptance.

The golden light in his eyes slowly faded, and his tense expression relaxed.

The words he wanted to say ultimately turned into a long sigh, as if a huge burden had been lifted, and he nodded repeatedly.

"Good, good, good!" The Soul Master's voice was deep.

As expected of the person he chose, she truly cannot be judged by conventional thinking.

The Soul Master's heart was filled with a surge of emotions: how much effort and how many years had he spent to establish the initial belief system in the core area?

And Li Yu, in such a short period of time, in that borderland that was considered barbaric and ignorant, achieved his initial goal, which he had painstakingly worked on, at an unbelievable speed!

Even the Soul Master couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration for Li Yu's extraordinary abilities.

This is only the underground world. If Li Yu were to go to the surface, to that vast world, and face those struggling to survive and yearning for redemption...

That seemingly ethereal Lord of Humanity may not be just a figure of speech.

In the unusually calm gaze of the Soul Master, it seemed as if he saw a vague yet possible future.

This finally made him decide that Li Yu's body and potential must be put to his use!

I want it now!

Li Yu looked curiously out of the deep tower, where rows of patrolling guards stood below, their eyes filled with absolute obedience to their master.

Those spectral ghosts seemed no match for such a large number of underworld guards.

The scene unfolding before his eyes brought a hint of mockery to Li Yu's gaze:

Humans die and become ghosts, but these ghosts claim to be human and eventually regard him as a god.

This cycle repeats itself endlessly in the underground world, absurd beyond belief.

What is the essential difference between ghosts and humans?

While Li Yu was lost in thought, the Soul Master suddenly turned around and spoke:

"Now that the troublemakers are gone, I think we can continue talking about the future."

'The real future!'

"Go ahead and tell me," Li Yu said calmly, waiting for him to continue.

The Soul Master did not answer, but instead took out a painting and slowly unfolded it.

The image above shows a girl with a bright smile and clear eyes.

Upon closer inspection, the painting depicts Huang Ya's younger sister, Huang Shasha.

Li Yu was taken aback, countless thoughts flashing through her mind in an instant, but her face remained calm:

"What's the meaning?"

"Judging from your reaction, you've seen her." The Soul Master hung the painting aside, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Huang Ya went to great lengths to hide her. I need you to return to the surface and bring her back to me."

He paused, then uttered something startling:

"Once you bring people here, I will transfer full control of the underworld, the realm of ghosts, to you. You will be the only god here."

"I'm afraid there's no such simple transaction in the world," Li Yu thought to himself as he looked at Huang Shasha's portrait.

There must be some hidden value in Huang Shasha that he has not yet seen, something that the Soul Master is willing to pay any price to obtain!

"Is a girl worth all this for? To hand over power to someone else?" Li Yu asked curiously.

"A girl?" The Soul Master laughed, but there was a sense of desolation in his laughter: "If lifespan is measured in years, then she is much older than you."

Li Yu was somewhat surprised to hear this. He hadn't noticed anything unusual when he was close to Huang Shasha, or even when she called him Brother Li.

Now, reminded by the Soul Master, he realized with a start that Huang Ya and the Soul Master existed in the same era.

Huang Ya had long since become a ghost, so he remained unchanged.

The Soul Master has gradually come to rule the underworld, and is now very old.

Huang Ya's younger sister, a human who has lived to this day, still retains the appearance of a young girl.

This is clearly not normal.