When Zariel declared that Anbaixiu had lost his mind, even Anbaixiu was somewhat surprised.
Anbaixiu asked, "Do devils of the Hells refuse invitations like this too? Kidnapping a goddess ought to be a splendid venture for you, wouldn't you say?"
Zariel's tone grew solemn. "Mortal, do you take deities so lightly? Blibdoolpoolp is a deity in possession of her own divine realm. Do you imagine a divine realm to be nothing more than a den to hide away in?"
In truth, Anbaixiu was largely in the dark regarding this subject. The knowledge granted to him by the Mistress of Mists, Leira, had touched upon the divine realm only briefly, describing it merely as a cozy haven required by all deities—a vital sanctuary to seal away strife and preserve one's true self.
"If locating the divine realm is the only obstacle, you need not worry on that count," Anbaixiu explained. "You need only lend a hand and seize this goddess after we tear open her realm."
His explanation caused Zariel to shake her head in sheer disappointment. "Mortal intellect... It seems even you possess no true understanding of what a deity is. A divine realm is far more than a sanctuary; it is the manifestation of a deity's exalted power.
"I know you possess a private demiplane and can govern the flow of time within it, do you not? That is merely the nascent seed of a divine realm. A deity commands everything within their domain. Inside your demiplane, time's passage answers to your will, and barring deities or anomalous beings like time dragons, no creature can resist it.
"Yet a divine realm is something infinitely superior to your meager space. Not merely time, but matter, natural laws, and all else exist beneath the absolute dominion of the deity."
Anbaixiu pondered in silence for a moment before remarking, "So a deity within their own divine realm becomes virtually untouchable. Even an intermediate deity would wield exalted might eclipsing all other gods who dare enter."
Zariel nodded. "Precisely. Every deity possesses their divine portfolio and their corresponding exalted might. What makes Blibdoolpoolp truly terrifying is not her raw power, but her thoroughly deranged, chaotic psyche. Were I to step into her divine realm without defense, I would instantly be reduced to a raving lunatic, stripped entirely of my faculty of reason.
"I am aware that you have been associating closely with Talos of late, so you ought to know full well that Talos threw wide the gates of his realm to the pantheon, theoretically welcoming any god to stroll inside. Talos is by no means the only greater deity. Were other mighty deities to unite against him, he would stand no chance—provided, of course, that they do not battle Talos within his own divine realm.
"Otherwise, even if a hundred Corellons were to march into Talos's Towers of Ruin, they would amount to nothing more than ash before his boundless thunder.
"Neither I nor Tiamat will ever agree to this ludicrous invitation of yours, because it is utterly impossible."
Zariel's concluding words drew a burst of laughter from Anbaixiu. He couldn't resist remarking, "A contract that even a devil dares not touch? Well, that is certainly an eye-opener."
Zariel remained unmoved, replying coldly, "Goading me with words is useless. I am a devil, not a brainless demon driven solely by slaughter."
Yet Anbaixiu countered, "In truth, you and I both know that even if a divine realm functions as you say, countless deities have fallen across the ages, among them mighty beings of resounding fame. A divine realm is undeniably formidable, but it is not absolute. So it is not that this cannot be done—it is merely that you do not dare, or perhaps that you are angling for a steeper price. Zariel, when you led your knights into Hell all on your own, did it never cross your mind that this was a divine realm under the dominion of devils?"
Fiery radiance blazed within Zariel's eyes. A crushing aura bore down upon Anbaixiu, causing his mecha body to creak and rattle under the strain.
"You are courting death, lich!"
This was the deepest agony of Zariel's existence, the dark past she found most intolerable to recall. Ordinarily, none dared utter a whisper of it. How dared this lich poke straight at her rawest wound?!
Anbaixiu displayed not a shred of fear, remaining entirely composed. "You constantly drape 'mortal, mortal' over your lips, yet when it comes to resolve, you fall short of a mortal. Zariel, live long enough, and who doesn't have centuries of agonizing misery behind them? As a lofty deity looking down from above, is raw strength the only thing elevating you above mortals?"
Anbaixiu's words stoked Zariel's fury even hotter. The scorching hellfire threatened to melt Anbaixiu's mecha plating. Yet in the end, the flames gradually receded, inflicting no true harm upon his frame or soul.
Zariel snarled viciously at Anbaixiu, "Lich, you rely on nothing more than Ao's decrees. One day, you will reach the threshold of mortality. The very moment you ascend to godhood, I will teach you the true meaning of regret."
The fates of Lolth the Spider Queen and Shar were known far and wide. Naturally, Zariel had no intention of repeating their blunders.
Anbaixiu, however, let out a sigh.
"You misunderstand me. This time, I did not speak to provoke your wrath or dull your wits—at least, not this time. I have already died once. I understand the value of life intimately, so I never wager with my own skin. Take this predicament: I could very well find a desolate ditch and bury myself deep beneath the earth.
"No matter how furious Talos becomes, he could cause me only trivial headaches—toppling my enterprise, harassing my friends, nothing beyond such petty measures. But to an immortal lich, time smooths over all things. If I retreat into my private demiplane—where one day inside equals a full year outside—and wait a few centuries or a few millennia, what difficulty is there in starting over?"
Zariel listened in slight confusion, asking with a frown, "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"What I mean to say is that over these past centuries, I have attempted to start over countless times. I sold away my most precious knowledge, yet lacked the courage to shoulder the consequences, ultimately casting aside the glory that should have been mine. I bowed to fate, choosing resignation and despair amid countless brushes with death. It was not that I disliked glory, but that I refused to bear the responsibilities tethered to it, deceiving myself into believing I was content with mediocrity.
"I spent centuries wandering destitute and adrift, ultimately lacking that defining spark of ambition. Thus I failed time and again, and started over time and again. But now I have realized that each destruction and reconstruction is utterly hollow. I remain forever just shy of my mark, consistently encountering troubles beyond my handling at the decisive hour, only to choose flight once more. So this time, I intentionally chose the most arduous path available. I will accomplish a feat no mortal can achieve, rather than bow my head to an unyielding fate as I once did.
"Put simply, you could say I have lived enough of that life. This time, I will stand atop the peak of this world, where neither mortal nor deity may dictate my undertakings ever again! Therefore, I would rather expend everything I possess to fight with all my might. Zariel, I am inviting you to take part in a story destined to be etched into the annals of history.
"I wish for you to be an actor within it, not a bystander. I hope you still possess that very courage from all those years ago!"
Having spoken his piece, Anbaixiu fixed his gaze upon Zariel. It seemed all that needed saying had been laid bare, and he merely awaited her final decree.
Zariel lowered her hand to rest upon the longsword at her waist, her fingers tightening about the hilt as though she might draw the divine weapon at any moment to cleave Anbaixiu's head from his shoulders.
In the end, the fiery blade cleared its sheath, yet it did not strike Anbaixiu. Instead, it plunged into the earth directly before him.
"Twenty million soul coins, and only of the finest quality. If you agree, take up this blade, and I shall lend you my power!"
Hearing Zariel's terms, Anbaixiu reached out without a moment's hesitation and drew the blazing longsword from the ground.
Hellfire surged from the blade, pouring into Anbaixiu's frame. In that instant, Anbaixiu felt a surge of magic of astounding magnitude—a hundred times more formidable than when he channeled the Golden Throne!
No wonder any passing deity could crush his soul with a flick of a finger. It was an insurmountable disparity in sheer power.
In astonishment, Anbaixiu murmured, "Is this... the power of a deity?!"
"Hmph. Have you tasted the difference? It is not too late to retreat now—though the soul coins must still be paid."
Anbaixiu brushed off Zariel's mockery, strapping the fiery longsword to his waist. In an instant, every trace of hellfire vanished from sight, and the hellish artifact turned dull and unassuming.
"Rest assured. In business, I have always stood by my word. I never default on a debt."
His calm reply stirred a ripple of sentiment within Zariel.
Many years ago, she had been just as mad as this lich. Driven by madness and fearlessness, she had led her knights deep into the fiery depths of Hell.
Alas, betrayal was her only harvest. Her sole path of retreat had been sealed off, and she was seized by the devils, tormented across countless ages.
Looking back now, perhaps she should never have left herself an avenue of retreat in the first place.
Death was not frightening; what was truly terrifying was carrying the bitter agony of remorse within one's soul for all eternity.
In that regard, this lich was stronger than she had been. At the very least, he had seen through the conundrum before defeat could claim him.
Zariel said to Anbaixiu, "I will pass along a message to Tiamat, though I cannot guarantee her assent. You have slaughtered far too many Astral red dragons, and she has kept careful track of that score."
Anbaixiu laughed heartily and responded with utmost generosity, "One million soul coins per Astral red dragon, considered both restitution and her hiring fee. Ask her what she thinks of the offer."
"One million per dragon? You truly are—" Zariel was about to remark on Anbaixiu's uncharacteristic generosity when she suddenly realized something was amiss. "Hold on. Sixty Astral red dragons... you intend to pay Tiamat sixty million?! My quote was merely twenty million! What is the meaning of this?!"
Zariel could hardly stomach such terms. Did that not imply her worth was lower than Tiamat's? She was the ruler of the First Layer of Hell, after all—how could she be cheaper than Tiamat?!
Anbaixiu, however, dismissed her outrage with casual ease. "That is precisely why I am asking you to carry the message. I gave you a quote of one million. If you manage to persuade her to settle for a hundred thousand, wouldn't the remaining nine hundred thousand per dragon be entirely yours? You are an Archduke of Hell. Stop thinking about slaughter and conquest all day long; your reputation is nearly indistinguishable from a demon's at this rate. Here is your chance: in this grand tale, do you wish to leave behind the legacy of a brilliant strategist who reaped a magnificent fortune, or be remembered by bards as a crude brute?"
Zariel's jaw dropped in disbelief. She had struck bargains with mortals on countless occasions, yet this was truly the first time a mortal had presented her with an opportunity like this.
Siphoning a cut while undermining Tiamat? Who could possibly resist such a temptation?!
Gritting her teeth, Zariel hissed, "Damn you... your tongue is truly steeped in honey and deadly venom! But I accept. I will see to it that Tiamat leaps headfirst into your snare as well!"
Chapter 452