"Shendu, huh…"
Floating midair, Selene gazed at the gray reflective points on the crystalized ground, her expression showing a hint of interest.
"Whether I use him or not, releasing this top-tier representative of the Black Qi should further destabilize the world's balance and make it even weaker, right?"
Locking onto all the gray reflective points, Selene extended her right hand.
"Simulate—Gravity."
Soon, the solidified, crystalized earth beneath the reflective points loosened, and twelve octahedral 'small stones' were drawn toward Selene, hovering before her.
Each of the twelve symbols corresponded to a zodiac animal, and as she sensed the mysterious power contained within them, a slight smile appeared on Selene's lips.
With a casual wave of her hand, she cleared away the dirt, revealing an ancient-looking dragon statue, green and yellow in color, standing proudly before her.
"Wouldn't you agree, Shendu, one of the ancient Eight Demon Sorcerers?"
The dragon statue coiled in a circular form, its body twisting into a lifelike pose. The red glow in its eyes betrayed that it was no mere decoration.
Hearing Selene address him by name, Shendu, imprisoned within the statue, slowly opened his glowing red eyes, his voice hoarse and ancient as it echoed through the area.
"Where are Jackie and the others? And… who are you?!"
Though he longed for the twelve talismans floating before him, Shendu could sense that the woman standing in front of him was not someone he could easily challenge. After all, Shendu had battled the Eight Immortals and endured countless imprisonments; his cunning and intellect far surpassed that of his demon siblings.
"Enough with the act, Shendu. Even though you were locked up deep within Section 13, I doubt you didn't notice all the commotion outside. And surely, you understand your current predicament, don't you?"
Landing gracefully, Selene ignored Shendu's protests, gently tracing her hand along the intricate patterns of the dragon statue with a dominating presence.
"…What do you want?" Shendu asked, his voice low, as if grasping at a last hope.
"Your magical knowledge—everything you've gathered over the centuries," Selene responded coldly, pulling the dragon statue closer with a simple wave, her gaze locking with Shendu's glowing red eyes.
Shendu paused, thinking about how to play this situation. This woman was greedy, yes, but perhaps he could use that to his advantage. If he could trick her into returning even a portion of the talismans, he could revive himself and then, with his power restored, control the outcome.
"Fine… but it will require an exchange. I will need a few talismans as a deposit, and once I've fulfilled my end of the bargain, you can have the rest."
"Which ones do you need?" Selene asked, her tone betraying her overconfidence, as if already lost to her own desires.
"Rat, Horse, and Dog Talismans," Shendu replied smoothly.
"Deal," Selene said, pulling out the Rat, Horse, and Dog talismans. In Shendu's eager gaze, she appeared ready to place them into the grooves of the dragon statue.
But of course, Selene was well aware of Shendu's scheme. She wasn't a fool. She knew of Shendu's infamous reputation for betrayal—he never honored his promises.
The Rat talisman would allow Shendu to momentarily break free from his stone prison by animating his statue. The Horse talisman could remove all foreign powers affecting his body, nullifying the petrification curse. And the Dog talisman would grant him immortality, ensuring he could survive long enough to recover fully.
All these choices revealed Shendu's true intentions: to seize control.
As expected, this negotiation was nothing but a waste of time. It seemed that hoping for Shendu to bow to her overwhelming presence was futile.
"Enough games, Shendu—Shen Du," Selene said, her voice icy as she abruptly retracted the talismans and held up a different one, a green talisman engraved with the image of a sheep.
"Wait… how do you know my real name?!" Shendu's voice wavered in shock, and then desperation as he continued, "Don't you want the magical knowledge I've gathered over the millennia?"
Selene gave him a cold smile. "No need for that. I can retrieve it myself."
With a flick of her hand, the Sheep talisman began to glow.
"No, stop! I submit—" Shendu's pleas were cut short as his soul was forcibly pulled from the statue by the power of the talisman.
"Sheep talisman—Astral Projection!" Selene muttered. She then summoned a lower-level Honkai beast, stripped of all its instincts, and with a touch of malice, placed Shendu's soul into the creature's vacant shell.
"Enjoy your new home."
Turning back to the now lifeless dragon statue, Selene's eyes gleamed with ambition. The statue was exactly what she had been looking for.
Each Herrscher—beings like herself—had their own unique Honkai beast companion. Though Selene's original companion had been repurposed to create Sebas, the consciousness of her original beast still slumbered within her imaginary space, waiting for the right vessel.
This statue, once the embodiment of one of the Eight Demon Sorcerers, would serve perfectly.
She opened a portal into the imaginary space and carefully retrieved a small, glowing, purple-red energy sphere, cradling it delicately in her hand.
"It's time for your awakening," she whispered.
The energy sphere pulsed faintly in response to her voice before gently floating into the empty dragon statue.
With the transformation complete, Selene placed the twelve talismans back into their respective slots within the statue.
Humming softly, the statue began to emit a red mist, which coalesced around it, forming a cocoon-like shell.
Due to the complete revival of Shendu, one of the Eight Demon Sorcerers, vast amounts of Yin energy began to flow toward the cocoon, surrounding it in a dark, violet aura.
Satisfied with her work, Selene turned her attention to the distant battle between Jackie and Liwa, now raging over San Francisco Bay.
"Still not finished?" she muttered, annoyed.
"Never mind, I'll handle it myself."
With a swift motion, Selene began to levitate, giving one final order before she left.
"Honkai Legion, guard the embryo."