A black jade stone was embedded in the Pillar of Flesh and Blood, creating a tug-of-war.
However, the black jade stone had the upper hand. Although the Pillar of Flesh and Blood resisted, no matter how much it struggled, it couldn’t completely prevent its own flesh from being torn away and devoured by the stone.
At the same time, the material of the black jade stone had also undergone significant changes. On the surface, it now looked just like flesh and blood.
"It’s all good news for now." Qi Suian’s plan had succeeded.
His plan to use the Source of Profound Virus—another part of the Profound God—to drain the Profound God’s life force was a success.
Simultaneously, the suffix for the Source of Profound Darkness was no longer "Remnant" but "Evolving."
Once the Profound God’s life force was completely devoured by the Source of Profound Virus, the evolution would be complete.
As for the consciousness within the Profound God’s life force, it couldn’t be expelled in the same way as the one from the Source of Profound Virus.
Its essence was much larger. He could only consume a little and expel a little at a time. It was like eating and shitting simultaneously.
"But... the hidden dangers are likely significant," Qi Suian said in a low voice.
The consciousnesses he had forced out—from both the Source of Profound Virus and the Profound God’s life force—had not been destroyed. They had simply vanished.
If things went as expected, they would most likely take up residence in certain zombies.
He didn’t know if this was a good thing or a bad thing.
However, one thing was certain: even if they managed to live a new life, they would be defective products.
So, as long as Qi Suian could follow the Doomsday Game and leave this world for the next, he wouldn’t have to worry about these hidden dangers.
’Once I’m gone, why should I care?’
Qi Suian had never even considered staying behind.
What was so great about being the king of a small world? This was the first Doomsday World reached by the Doomsday Game, making it the easiest one.
In the reincarnator’s memories, the difficulty of subsequent Doomsday Worlds would progressively increase.
Most survivors wouldn’t be able to go on an unstoppable rampage. They could only eke out a miserable existence, an endless struggle until death.
Take the Doomsday World the reincarnator experienced before his death, for example. Any random nobody from there could probably come to Qi Suian’s zombie apocalypse and be on par with a Zombie Dominator.
After realizing this disparity, there was no way Qi Suian could remain content in this zombie-infested world.
If this world hadn’t been an apocalypse, Qi Suian wouldn’t have bothered pursuing power. He could have just coasted by, waiting for death.
But alas, there were no "what ifs."
Furthermore, Qi Suian wasn’t confident he could stay even if he wanted to. He was a "violator," true, but he was also bound to the Doomsday Game.
Once the Doomsday Game left, he would be forced to leave with it.
Therefore, all he could do was squeeze out every last bit of value.
"AI Brain, have you sensed anything... off?" Qi Suian asked suddenly.
He had a vague premonition, a sense of something.
Qi Suian couldn’t quite describe the feeling. If he had to, it was as if some heavenly treasure had descended upon the world.
However, these "heavenly treasures" were living things. If he could absorb them, the benefits to him would be immense.
[No changes detected. I recommend using your Celestial Fate: Profound talent as a starting point for investigation.]
As a module of the Tai Sui God, the AI Brain was only SSS-rank. The only thing that could allow Qi Suian to sense something it couldn’t was this talent.
As for the Profound Virus, it had been under the AI Brain’s constant surveillance and showed no issues.
"This is a first." Qi Suian’s expression was calm.
Of course, he wanted to head over immediately, but he simply couldn’t get away.
No one could guarantee that some unforeseen mutation wouldn’t occur here after he left.
’It must be the consciousnesses of these two.’ Qi Suian’s gaze fell upon the Pillar of Flesh and Blood and the black jade stone.
If anything could resonate with his Celestial Fate: Profound, it would have to be these two.
The consciousnesses he couldn’t deal with—he hadn’t even had time to properly reflect on it, and they had already landed and taken root.
’Looks like I have to find a way to speed things up.’
Qi Suian had no other choice.
He couldn’t leave himself, and sending the Tai Sui God wasn’t a reliable enough guarantee.
So, accelerating was the only option.
[I do not recommend acceleration. This may cause the consciousness within the Source of Profound Virus to be damaged or even annihilated.]
After all, the consciousness within the Source of Profound Virus was Qi Suian’s second consciousness, and it was already punching above its weight.
Proceeding step-by-step was fine, but if he accelerated the process, it would definitely be unable to bear the strain.
"It’s fine. The second consciousness is expendable," Qi Suian said calmly.
For him, the second consciousness was icing on the cake. The successfully evolved Source of Profound Virus, on the other hand, was a lifeline in a blizzard.
He knew exactly which one to choose.
Having once experienced the backlash of refusing a gift from the heavens, Qi Suian now understood that fortune and misfortune were two sides of the same coin.
If he dealt with it now, it could still be an opportunity. If he delayed, the disaster could cost him his life.
Given Qi Suian’s resolve, the AI Brain naturally didn’t argue. An assistant was an assistant, not a decision-maker.
"Besides, I never really needed a second consciousness in the first place. Even if it’s gone, it doesn’t really matter."
"I’ll do my best to preserve the second consciousness and prevent its annihilation. Repairing it afterward shouldn’t be much of a problem either."
"Even if its abilities can’t be restored, I can still forge it into a form of spiritual protection for myself."
---
"Ah, the consciousness of the life force." The consciousness of the Source of Profound Virus—or rather, Tang Jingren, the half-violator, half-survivor—spoke softly.
After inheriting everything from that violator, he had naturally begun to enhance himself using his own talent.
His talent was the SSS-rank Virus Monarch, a talent born from the combination of his own unique nature and Tang Jingren’s original "Primary Life Enhancement."
"To be scattered into so many pieces... it seems ’Celestial Fate’ shattered it."
"Carving us up with a dull knife... he kicked me and the life force out just like that."
"Before I deal with the violator, I have to find a way to devour ’Celestial Fate’ and the life force first."
Tang Jingren understood. Given how many people the violator had killed during the permanent event, it was impossible for him to match that power in a short time unless he reclaimed everything that was his.
But on second thought, he felt a sense of helplessness.
"’Celestial Fate’ is too strong. I should devour the consciousness of the life force first."
"It was originally stronger than me, but now that it’s been shattered into such tiny fragments, it probably can’t take over a survivor."
"At best, it can only choose a Rank-1 Mutated Zombie or a Rank-2 normal zombie."
"Once I completely devour the consciousness of the life force, with the support of the Doomsday Game and my SSS-rank talent, I should have a fighting chance against ’Celestial Fate’."
Tang Jingren didn’t consider charging in recklessly. In his former existence as the Source of Profound Virus—of the same origin as Celestial Fate: Profound—he had been able to resist some of its intelligence-debuffing effects.