The Land of Buried Gods was perpetually shrouded in a gray haze.
A pervasive atmosphere of deathly silence, chilling cold, and decay permeated the surroundings.
Everywhere one looked, colossal divine corpses, bones exuding immortal energy, and tombs radiating sacred light could be seen, some as large as mountain ranges.
Those who died here were, without exception, divine beings who had once fought against the darkness, all meeting tragic ends.
The Moon Goddess was the sole exception.
She had attained enlightenment through the moon; as long as its light persisted, her soul would endure. She was currently struggling to hold on.
As she sensed the aura of the Moon Goddess Ring growing closer, the slumbering Moon Goddess opened her luminous eyes, her face beaming.
Finally, the one she had once dismissed as uncarvable dead wood, the little simpleton, seemed to be rushing to her rescue.
However.
The sudden appearance of the ghostly face and its pronouncement instantly caused the Moon Goddess's expression to change drastically. She felt as if she had plunged into an ice cave, her entire body turning cold.
"Why are you here? No, this is merely a wisp of your residual soul. So, you've been secretly monitoring the Land of Buried Gods all along. What are you scheming?"
The moment she saw the ghostly face, the Moon Goddess realized something was amiss. There had to be a conspiracy.
And Ji Mo coming to save her was likely a lamb walking into a tiger's den, a voluntary trap.
"Fishing!"
The ghostly face revealed an expression of immense triumph, no longer bothering to conceal anything. "It took me great effort to finally deal with the Great Immortal Void. That fellow's origins are mysterious, his talent heaven-defying, and his background unfathomable. I determined that he must have accomplices behind him, so I set a trap to lure him in. I never expected that after years of patient waiting, I would actually catch a big fish."
The Moon Goddess was astonished and cursed, "So, you used me as bait?"
"What else? Back then, the Great Immortal Void and you joined forces and nearly succeeded in killing me. If I hadn't intended to use you, do you think you would still be clinging to life? You would have been ruthlessly destroyed long ago, your beauty turned to dust. And your Moon Goddess Ring, I deliberately let you give it away, all to lure the big fish into the net."
The ghostly face gazed at the panicked Moon Goddess, displaying the smugness of a true schemer.
To toy with the astute Moon Goddess in the palm of his hand, to set her up, and then to catch a big fish – it was truly a sense of accomplishment.
The joy of a cunning strategist was truly exhilarating.
"He knows nothing. He's just an innocent who was deceived by me. Please, let him go."
The Moon Goddess blamed herself immensely, feeling she had implicated Ji Mo.
"This fellow is called Ji Mo, and he's even clamoring to avenge the Great Immortal Void. Innocent? Besides, have you forgotten what I am? In my eyes, all living beings are merely leeks, pigs in a pen, food that can be harvested at will. His taste should be quite delicious."
The ghostly face's voice was incredibly cold, devoid of any emotion.
To him, no matter what, Ji Mo had to die.
The Moon Goddess gritted her teeth. "Tian Tu, have you truly resolved to become a lackey of the darkness, a cold-blooded butcher? Both you and I are gods, capable of dominating our domains and possessing long lifespans. Are you still not satisfied?"
The ghostly face sneered. "So-called gods are merely slightly stronger ants. Countless bloody facts have long proven that all resistance is futile, the most idiotic and foolish of actions. Since that is the case, why not recognize the situation and embrace the darkness to avoid being harvested? Darkness is eternal. Only through corruption can one achieve immortality. This is my most sensible choice. In this era, I will become the Master's sharpest cleaver, harvesting you blood-food."
Gazing at the ferocious and utterly deranged Tian Tu, the Moon Goddess was speechless.
Tian Tu was beyond redemption. His methods were extremely cruel. If Ji Mo fell into his hands, he would likely wish he were dead.
Hum!
Sacred radiance surged from the Moon Goddess. Her serene face was tranquil yet stubborn. Her moon-white veil billowed with brilliant clear light, igniting the bright moon she was within.
The once dim and lusterless full moon once again shone brightly, its multicolored halos illuminating the endless gloom.
"What, are you going to fight to the death? Although I am merely a wisp of divine thought, in your current state, you are no match for me."
Tian Tu's face was filled with disdain.
This was his territory. Any divine being who fell here would be at his mercy. Moreover, the Moon Goddess was now a candle in the wind, posing no threat whatsoever.
"Ji Mo, don't come in. Stop immediately, flee."
The Moon Goddess was acutely aware of her current predicament. She was not trying to fight Tian Tu to the death.
Instead, she was warning Ji Mo and simultaneously guiding him, illuminating the path for his escape.
As long as Ji Mo had not truly entered the Land of Buried Gods, there was still a chance to escape.
Tian Tu did not obstruct her. Instead, he revealed a meaningful, sinister smile.
After Ji Mo was sucked in by the energy vortex, he entered a special, hazy gray area.
Here, one could not see their hand in front of their face, unable to discern east from west. The surrounding wind howled, mixed with the sounds of ghosts wailing.
Anyone else would likely have been paralyzed with fear on the spot.
Their flesh and blood would have been cut by the chilling wind, and their souls shattered by the ghostly sounds.
Ji Hanhan was also someone who had seen grand scenes. He remained as steady as an old dog. His body was indeed strong, and he suffered no damage.
Just as he was contemplating how to break through his current predicament, a light flashed in the distance, and a bright, clear moon appeared faintly.
Then, a soft, gentle voice, broken and intermittent, drifted over: "Ji Mo, don't... stop..."
Ji Mo looked towards the light and vaguely saw the Moon Goddess's blurred figure. He waved in response, "Miss Moon, wait for me, I'm coming to save you."
He resolutely strode towards the direction of the moon.
"Oh, how enviable! I never thought this kid was so devoted. To save you, he's disregarding everything."
Tian Tu deliberately uttered a teasing voice.
As for Ji Mo hearing something different from what the Moon Goddess said, it was naturally because he had secretly tampered with it.
"As the saying goes, it's easy to find a priceless treasure, but hard to find a devoted lover. Most hypocritical beings in the world only speak of living and dying together, never parting, but in reality, when disaster strikes, they fly their separate ways. All vows of love are bullshit. This fellow Ji is different. For the girl he loves, he disregards life and death. Truly rare!"
Tian Tu sighed, his intention being to disrupt the Moon Goddess's state of mind.
"Nonsense."
The Moon Goddess naturally did not believe these ghostly words, but she personally saw Ji Mo truly disregarding everything, his gaze incredibly firm as he rushed towards her, indeed disregarding his own life and death.
Moreover, he had loudly called her Miss Moon and vowed to save her.
At this moment, even a goddess was unsettled.
The Moon Goddess called out again, urging Ji Mo to flee, and used the moonlight to illuminate the entrance, reminding Ji Mo to escape quickly.
But Ji Mo was unwilling to leave and ran towards her with unwavering determination.
Plop!
Suddenly, Ji Hanhan's feet slipped, and he fell into the water.
Before he could even struggle, he instantly sank, swallowed by the depths.
"Stop shouting. Your little lover is finished. Even a god would be finished in this vast expanse of water." Tian Tu revealed a smile of successful conspiracy.