Izanagi's scream did not echo in the air for long before it completely vanished.
In this world, no trace of Dusk or Izanagi could be found.
The power Ye Ling bestowed upon Dusk was the power of an Emperor. Izanagi's cultivation was merely that of a Saint, and he had not taken Dusk seriously at all. When Dusk attacked, Izanagi was completely unguarded, allowing the demonic energy to corrupt his entire being.
It was this negligence that led to Izanagi being corroded by demonic energy before he could even mount any defense.
Corroded by Emperor-level power far exceeding his own, Izanagi, no matter how many means he possessed, could not utilize them at that moment. He was ultimately consumed by the demonic energy, his soul scattered.
As for Dusk, having unleashed the power within him, his body could not withstand the high-level power that far surpassed his own. As the demonic energy devoured Izanagi, Dusk's life also reached its end, perishing together with Izanagi.
However, Dusk was merely an aggregation of the resentment of many Yin souls. Now that those Yin souls had reincarnated, Dusk should have long since dissipated into the heavens and earth.
It was his obsession and Ye Ling's help that allowed him to live until this day.
To perish together with Izanagi was already the best outcome for Dusk.
Ye Ling stood quietly in the air, seemingly mourning for Dusk.
After a while, Ye Ling looked towards the sky and said, "You have been watching this from the beginning, yet you only watched Izanagi die in the end. Did you intend to use me to eliminate Izanagi from the start?"
Moments after Ye Ling finished speaking, a holy light descended from the sky, and Susanoo, enveloped in flames, arrived in the mortal realm.
Susanoo looked at Ye Ling with a smile, clapping his hands. "As expected of Emperor Ye Ling, renowned throughout the three realms. With just a few minor tricks, you've killed that old fellow Izanagi. Truly brilliant!"
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am Susanoo, a high god of Takamagahara, and Izanagi's son."
Ye Ling observed Susanoo, who wore a smile, and surmised, "I suspect Izanagi made arrangements with you to prevent me from completely obliterating him if he were defeated. But he didn't expect you to betray him."
"Emperor is indeed wise, guessing the key point so quickly," Susanoo said with a smile. A stone tablet inscribed with runes materialized in his hand. "Indeed, that old fellow made arrangements with me. He intended to resurrect himself using this stone tablet, but unfortunately, his vital essence was devoured by me on the eve of his resurrection."
"From this moment on, there will be no more Izanagi in the three realms."
As he spoke, boundless hatred surged in Susanoo's eyes. He tightened his grip, crushing the stone tablet in his hand!
"That old man banished me from Takamagahara back then. Later, pretending I didn't know, he took me in under the guise of kindness, making me his slave and controlling my every move!"
"I have long wished to tear him limb from limb. Ye Ling, you killed Izanagi, and I must thank you properly. Otherwise, I would have had to wait even longer!"
"The longer Izanagi lived, the more pain I felt, as if I were being gnawed by ten thousand ants!"
Observing the undisguised hatred in Susanoo's eyes, Ye Ling raised an eyebrow. "Wait even longer? It seems you had a plan to eliminate Izanagi long ago?"
"Naturally!" Susanoo sneered. "The mortal Takamagahara was established by me, misleading Izanagi. And it was I who reported this secret to the Heavenly Court."
"Even if you, Ye Ling, hadn't acted, the Heavenly Court would have eventually sanctioned Izanagi for the matter of mortal Takamagahara. And I, having contributed to reporting Izanagi, would have been absolved from this affair!"
Hearing Susanoo's words, Ye Ling was somewhat surprised, but this matter was within his expectations.
The matter of mortal Takamagahara involved numerous deities.
As the founder of mortal Takamagahara, Izanagi would never allow its secrets to be leaked. Therefore, during his battle with Ye Ling, Izanagi would have tried to kill Ye Ling at all costs.
However, despite Izanagi's extensive preparations, he was the only one who came to the mortal realm. Clearly, someone had tampered with things behind the scenes, betraying Izanagi.
For the deities hidden in the shadows, there were two ways to conceal their identities.
They could either help Izanagi eliminate Ye Ling. If the plan succeeded, everything would remain as it was, with no changes.
Or, they could seize this opportunity and use Ye Ling to eliminate Izanagi!
In this way, with the death of Izanagi, the creator of mortal Takamagahara, the matter would be concluded, and no one would be able to investigate further. Thus, the hidden deities would be completely safe.
Joining forces to kill Ye Ling carried the risk of exposure. Compared to that, betraying Izanagi was much easier and safer!
Susanoo could easily trap and kill Izanagi with a little persuasion of the gods.
Even if the plan failed and Izanagi defeated Ye Ling, he could still achieve his goals through the Heavenly Court as originally planned.
As Ye Ling pieced together the intricacies of the situation, he couldn't help but regard Susanoo with a bit more respect, smiling. "I'm almost impressed by your schemes. To have endured under Izanagi for so many years, and to strike with such a decisive blow, it was executed beautifully."
"However, I am curious, why are you telling me all this?"
Susanoo smiled. "I merely wished to share some of my joy with you. And also to tell you one more thing: when Izanagi placed his vital essence on that rune tablet, I used an ancient secret art to exchange my body with Izanagi's."
"The Izanagi you killed was merely his soul. His body will be used by me… In other words, I have now stolen Izanagi's Saint cultivation."
"And you, Ye Ling, will be the first sacrificial offering after I achieve sainthood!"
Upon hearing Susanoo's words, Ye Ling burst into laughter. "So you've said all this just to kill me?"
"Naturally. Izanagi meticulously refined the Soul Returning Spirit Crystal for this day. That thing consumed nearly ten thousand years of Izanagi's effort."
"Although Izanagi is dead, that item still exists. It would be a shame to waste it if it's not used!"
As Susanoo finished speaking, he placed his hands together in front of his chest, forming a hexagonal crystal.
The crystal glowed with a sapphire light, distorting the surrounding space.
"Form the array! Soul Returning Domain!"
Susanoo released the Soul Returning Spirit Crystal, which rapidly plunged into the earth, piercing the Dragon Soul of the Land of Yang!
"Roar—!"
A piercing scream emanated from underground, followed by a sapphire pillar of light erupting from the earth, shooting straight into the sky.
The barrier that had risen around the Dragon Clan base immediately turned blue, with blue ripples appearing on its surface, like a calm sea, even showing fish swimming within.
Ye Ling glanced at the surrounding barrier, a hint of curiosity flashing in his eyes. He muttered to himself, "This barrier seems to affect souls, and not only that, it also influences various heavenly laws and great daos…"
"Is it called the Soul Returning Domain? Interesting…"
Under Ye Ling's gaze, Susanoo slowly walked into the blue pillar of light, being assimilated by the power within.
Soon, Susanoo dissolved into points of light, and then a colossal blue silhouette, identical to Susanoo, materialized in the air, looking down at Ye Ling.
Susanoo's silhouette stared at Ye Ling. "Ye Ling… Welcome to the Soul Returning Domain."
"In the final moments of your life, you will witness a miracle."