Underworld! Hell!
These two vast realms span across domains, where the Queen of the Underworld and his concubine are both diligently focused on their responsibilities. In the Underworld, Persephone manages her tasks with remarkable ease, her work never feeling overwhelming.
More often than not, both Persephone and Yan Mo turn their attention to the ongoing battles in Hell, which remains the most significant concern at hand.
Meanwhile, Hades is situated in the Pure Land of Ultimate Bliss. His soul appears to have separated from his divine body, gradually journeying deeper into the Underworld—a perilous choice indeed. One must understand that a soul detached from its divine vessel leaves the body in a vulnerable state. Should anyone choose to attack him during this time, his demise would be all but certain.
Because of this inherent danger, most gods would never opt for such a course of action. Even Zeus, in Olympus, would not dare to take such risks. Yet, Hades acts boldly, confident that in the Underworld, he is surrounded by beings he can absolutely trust—there are no gods or Underworld fighters who would betray him.
With a tremor, Hades' figure slowly emerged, floating before the World Tree. As if sensing his arrival, the dark purple leaves of the World Tree rustled, welcoming their master.
"Um."
Hades nodded slightly, allowing his soul to merge with the World Tree. In response, the tree transmitted a unique energy back to him, strands of light seeming to refine his essence.
Merging one's soul with the World Tree—or, indeed, the Kingdom of God—is an exceptionally risky endeavor. This integration facilitates a deeper connection with the Kingdom of God, but it poses a considerable risk: any harm to the Kingdom could result in severe damage to the soul.
The potential benefits are enormous, but so too are the risks. Nevertheless, Hades has never been one to hesitate or overthink.
Having confirmed his decision, he wasted no time. With his mastery over the laws of existence, his own power had reached a peak where short-term cultivation seemed pointless.
With Persephone as the Queen of the Underworld and Yan Mo as the concubine, the realm had maximized its potential. As for the Underworld's power, no further elaboration is necessary.
However, enhancing this power would require significant time and nurturing. The residual faith power? It speaks for itself. Unless the three artifacts of faith were recovered, no substantial improvement could be expected in the short term. While these goals are attainable, the speed of enhancement was insufficient to support Hades' ambitions.
Without reaching the Primordial level, he remains, in essence, an ant. The most effective course of action would be to start in the Underworld.
Hell cannot be directly integrated into the Underworld. Therefore, Hades resolved to change his approach, possessing absolute confidence in his strategy.
As his soul melded with the World Tree, waves of divine power surged over Hades' essence, causing him to emit a muffled groan.
In the next moment, an immense and overwhelming force emerged, each star glowing faintly—the radiance gifted by the gods of the Underworld.
Leading this celestial array were Hades, Persephone, and Yan Mo, all closely intertwined in their power. Alongside them were numerous deities, from the original God of the Underworld to various gods of Hell, scattered throughout the Underworld universe. As they grew stronger, they also refined their ultimate power.
But the most crucial development was yet to come. Hades slowly opened his eyes, allowing streams of light to radiate throughout the Underworld before fading from view, as if absorbing everything in its path.
Waves of energy unfurled, affecting all the deities within the Underworld in unique ways.
"Hades…"
Persephone lifted her gaze slightly, her voice soft. "You chose this path! But as expected of a concubine's husband, such a bold and confident decision!"
"Hehehe"
With a proud yet confident smile, Persephone added, "Then I, as your concubine, will ensure there are no surprises for my husband!"
Persephone prepared thoroughly, ensuring no unforeseen complications would arise in the banquet world.
Hades channeled strands of divine power, gradually integrating them into the World Tree. This action deepened the bond between them, allowing him to sense the World Tree's many transformations.
The World Tree had transitioned from a mere seed into a being that absorbed countless world sources. However, this accelerated growth came with a significant issue.
Hades uttered a word, and in an instant, divine flames descended upon the World Tree's source, causing it to tremble violently. Yet, the tree did not resist; instead, it surrendered to the flames, purging the accumulated impurities—this had been the primary obstacle in devouring the essence of the world.
As the World Tree expanded, it had amassed a considerable amount of impurities. These impurities were beyond even Hades' ability to eliminate—unless he integrated his own soul into the World Tree and utilized divine fire like the God-Killing Flame.
Once all impurities were eradicated, the process became simple and logical. With this cleansing, the World Tree underwent transformative changes, blooming with countless rays of light.
Earth, Water, Fire, Wind!
The four elements radiated a dazzling brilliance, finally merging with the World Tree. Until now, the World Tree had not genuinely integrated these essential elements.
With their incorporation, the Underworld was renewed, not only in its own realm but also in Hell.
"It's about to begin."
Persephone sensed the profound changes within the Underworld.
Earth, Water, Fire, and Wind had become integral to its essence, signifying that the Underworld now lacked no fundamental components.
While the Underworld had always been vast and complex, it had previously represented only death. Now, with the integration of these elements, it had truly transformed into a living entity.
Hades had contemplated this matter deeply, but his lack of confidence had held him back. This was a long and arduous journey—one that could take thousands of years. If any problems arose during that time, he would be unable to respond adequately.
Now, however, the power Persephone wielded in the Underworld was on par with that of a god king, and Yan Mo herself possessed similar divine authority.
Naturally, Hades felt no further hesitation.