"I can indeed reach the Boundless Realm now," Ling Ye continues. "But the Boundless Realm that Ye Tian achieves by condensing the power of the world will still be slightly stronger than mine."
This outcome is already set in stone—it cannot be changed. In the final battle, the villain and the protagonist will face off in a decisive clash. Both will give their all, but in the end, the villain will fall just short. By the slimmest of margins, the protagonist will triumph. The villain will perish, while the protagonist will be left seriously injured.
It is inevitable.
"Then… are we really going to lose?" Zhuge Qingchan asks, a hint of frustration in her eyes.
"After I die, the world will fall into chaos. Do you think… he can hold back the storm?" Ling Ye asks in return.
"No! Of course not," Zhuge Qingchan replies firmly. She has thought about this for a long time.
"Tell me your thoughts," Ling Ye says calmly.
"In all the heavens and worlds, people fear you, but they respect Ye Tian," Zhuge Qingchan explains. "But their respect for him is not true respect."
"If he didn't have the strength of the Boundless Realm, no one would take him seriously. His Heaven and Earth Alliance would, at most, be a powerful faction."
"The world respects only his power, not the man himself."
"But their fear of you… is deeply rooted. It can never be erased."
"So, once you die, chaos will erupt across the heavens and the worlds."
"The fear that has been suppressed in everyone's hearts will vanish along with you."
"If Ye Tian possesses true Boundless strength, he might be able to quell the turmoil."
"But if he doesn't… then he will be nothing more than a pawn in the chaos of the universe."
Zhuge Qingchan lays out all her thoughts.
Ye Tian stands in the light, visible to all. The more light he has, the more he radiates.
But Ling Ye is different. To the world, he is the darkness—unfathomable and terrifying.
If Ye Tian lacks the power to shine, it will mean nothing to the world.
But Ling Ye is different. No matter what he does, the world will always fear him.
Perhaps that is why so many people wish to eliminate him—because they want to rid themselves of that fear. The fear of Ling Ye.
"I once swept across the heavens and slaughtered billions. Why are you still on my side? Don't you think I'm a villain?" Ling Ye asks.
"If you hadn't pacified the world, countless wars would have raged for years, and billions of innocent lives would have been lost—including my Spirit Race," Zhuge Qingchan replies.
"Besides, between you and your enemies, it has always been a contest of strength."
"The victorious become kings; the defeated are nothing more than bandits. The winners live, and the losers die. What place is there for notions of good and evil?"
"The world fears you and hates you. But the truth is, the world wants to be you."
"There is no true good or evil—only people trying to replace you while maintaining their own reputations."
Hearing this, Ling Ye smiles faintly. "For someone so young, your understanding is profound."
Zhuge Qingchan presses her lips together. Ling Ye's praise makes her feel… unexpectedly happy.
Since childhood, she has always been alone, bullied and isolated. She had no great power, no strong backer. In the Spirit Race, she endured endless humiliation.
So she chose to immerse herself in books, finding solace in knowledge. It was her only companion.
Because of that, she developed a mind sharper than most.
"So, my lord, you cannot die. Only you can keep this world from descending into chaos," Zhuge Qingchan continues. "Many forces, countless powerhouses from across the Chaos Universe, are watching this battle. They are all waiting for your fall. The moment you die, they will rise."
"I will die," Ling Ye says lightly. "In the final battle, Ye Tian is unbeatable."
"But…" Zhuge Qingchan frowns.
Must the world truly be thrown into chaos?
She cannot shake the feeling that Ye Tian is unfit to rule the Chaos Universe.
Even if he attains the Boundless Realm, that alone does not make him a king.
The universe is vast and unpredictable—mere strength is not enough to control it.
A hint of frustration appears on Zhuge Qingchan's delicate face. If Ling Ye is certain to die, then what is the point of anything?
Wouldn't all their efforts be meaningless?
But then—she suddenly recalls something.
Just moments ago, Ling Ye spoke about rebirth.
Could it be… that Ling Ye intends to—
"Lord Demon! Are you planning to face the final battle… and then be reborn?" Zhuge Qingchan asks in astonishment.
Ling Ye smiles faintly. She is not foolish.
"But… but how could Ye Tian allow you to be reborn? He will make sure to annihilate you completely, body and soul," Zhuge Qingchan protests, frowning again.
For rebirth to occur, at least a fragment of the soul must remain. How could Ye Tian possibly allow that to happen?
Then, suddenly, everything clicks into place.
Ling Ye mentioned that this is not the rebirth of the soul, nor the cycle of reincarnation.
Could it be… that there is a third method?
A fusion of both rebirth techniques?
Is that why Ling Ye asked her to find a way?