Chapter 1361

One Punch Man.

"The flame still lacks something...? What is Bai E planning?"

Yuanzǐ Wushi tensed instantly; if this power to summon meteors at will is not yet his limit, then where is Bai E's ceiling? After four hundred million fire seeds, couldn't he summon a small planet at will?

"Um… probably intends to strike the core layer of the scepter; Laigushi's records show multiple attempts by him to attack the core layer, each ending in failure," Tong Di licked the lollipop in his hand, "a string of data in the computer to rebel against the computer itself and its user. The probability is still too slim, especially since Laigushi is a genius with absolute control over the scepter."

"But if Bai E succeeds and the scepter's core layer is destroyed, Weng Falosi… along with Bai E himself would vanish. His actions are driven by a strong self‑destructive intent," the driver knight's cold electronic tone echoed in the room.

"But 'mutual destruction' was the best outcome Bai E could achieve at that time," Fleis the Flash said lightly, "If it weren't for Bai E fitting the 'Destruction' model so well with the Iron Curtain, Laigushi could have discarded that data and re‑simulated. However, Laigushi severely underestimated Bai E's will, turning Recreation of the World into endless delay, and as the delay dragged on… variables from beyond the heavens appeared."

——

"Do you still remember her, the Ka'... of the Unfated Dawn?"

"Xia Die, all sighs pour from her fingertips; all consolations are blocked by her hand; all death embraces the bosom; all wailing is swallowed in her palm."

"Speak, if KefaLe eternally remembers: how many pairs of wings have you shattered for her, how many blossoms extinguished, how many butterflies reduced to ash? The fragrant moonlight flows into the River of Darkness—how have you brewed it into golden poison wine, laying the foundation for your futile savior feast?"

"It is you, the savior cloaked in sheepskin, who should become the sacrificial offering! The ugly beast, the hypocritical eyelids cannot hide the surging poison fire; those spear‑like horns are born to slay friends and kin."

"Then treat the corpse bones as a sumptuous meal; the fresh sweetness will convince you: 'After all, I know nothing of the slaughter blade.'"

……

The 2,003,432nd Eternal Return.

"Even the most radiant sun has places it cannot illuminate. Moreover, the proud sun you bear is both chilling and blinding..."

"Such a sun… likely cannot warm the netherworld of the afterlife."

In Stikokisia's attic, Ka'... slowly pushed open the door and walked toward Xia Die.

"Golden blood… stems from 'Destruction'. We have long lost… the right to crave warmth. Only… nurturing the flame can melt… that desperate future."

The man's voice held no ripple, broken and intermittent. The last glimmer in his eyes vanished, leaving only the white ash after the firewood burned.

Xia Die, without turning her head, asked, "May I ask: how many fire seeds do you now bear?"

"24,040,000…1,100…83 pieces."

"…It's truly too heavy. No wonder you've become this: a broken deity… a sorrowful firewood."

"It doesn't matter… I will bear it," Ka'... extended a hand, "as long as you hand over the fire seed of 'Death'."

——

Dragon Clan.

"This way of speaking… Bai E is becoming more like a Fire‑Stealer," Kaisa shook his head regretfully, "Yet even so, the first thing he did when facing Xia Die was to try to persuade with words, to obtain the fire seed peacefully rather than by killing."

Kaisa finally understood why the Fire‑Stealer had that attitude toward Sai Fei'er, allowing Sai Fei'er to toy with him repeatedly. It wasn't that he couldn't see through Sai Fei'er's tricks, but that he truly didn't want to strike his former companions.

Even with only a one‑percent chance, he wanted to try to fight for it.

"But the number of fire seeds keeps stacking upward; now Bai E, bearing over twenty‑million, has already become like this, and there are still over three hundred million more… how did he manage that?" Confused, Chu Zihang's usually expressionless face also briefly showed a hint of compassion.

Based on his past experience, Chu Zihang regarded Bai E's containment of fire seeds as another form of "blood burst".

As the fire seeds increase, his power continually grows, but his flesh will eventually collapse under the relentless scorching—more accurately, his body should have already collapsed, yet he has been propping it up with sheer will, barely making it this far.

Even so, over thirty million ages have passed less than a tenth.

"Do you think he altered his flesh by some method?" Kaisa suddenly asked.

"Hmm, perhaps he borrowed that summer's Alchemy to reshape his body into the pale, hollow, lifeless form of a Fire‑Stealer," Chu Zihang shook his head slowly, "Otherwise, we cannot explain how he survived three tens of millions of ages. Without taking such a risk, this feat beyond myriad miracles would be impossible."

——

"Allow me to refuse. As a Demigod of 'Death'… I cannot watch you stride into a fate harsher than 'Death' with my eyes open," Xia Die lowered her head, averting her gaze.

"If so, past, present, and future… will never again have… superfluous death."

Xia Die paused, seemingly surprised by Bai E's words: "Superfluous death… indeed, you are not the Bai E I know, sir."

"Please turn back, and do not bring your absurd and unjust fate to fruition. This way, at least my netherworld… can still be your fragrant bed."

"Finally, at last…" Qinshen slowly materialized from Ka'...'s hand, "It seems avoiding sword clashes is truly a fantasy."

"…Truly heartbreaking," Xia Die's voice was as light as a sigh, "I know I am not your inferior, having fallen countless times under your blade—yet please understand, even so, my resolve is not to be underestimated. Even KefaLe cannot shape all things at will, nor can it dictate the fate of all living beings. No one can bear the scales of life and death alone, not even a deity."

"Precisely for this reason, I chose to conquer the trial at the end of the long arduous journey, and take up the authority of 'Death'…"

Xia Die slowly raised her left hand, and in an instant a chilling, bone‑tingling aura spread outward from her, violet blossoms continuously blooming at her feet, expanding in a blink into a sea of flowers.