It was clear that the Void Mother had a strong will to survive.
After all, ever since she was created by the Goddess, she had been confined to this space.
Her days were spent eating and sleeping, living a rather comfortable life.
Occasionally, uninvited guests would stumble in, but without exception, they all ended up as her nourishment.
As for the Goddess… the Void Mother harbored no particular feelings toward her. She knew she was seen as a tool, and she accepted that role—she only needed to carry out the Goddess’s commands.
However, as a biological weapon crafted by the Goddess, this was the first time she had ever been humbled. According to the Goddess, she was supposed to be the most powerful race in this world, even surpassing the dragons.
The Void Mother cast a wary glance at Xia Lun, wondering just what kind of being he was… This human-looking figure radiated an aura like an utterly unpredictable monster.
“By the way, what’s your name?” Xia Lun suddenly asked the Void Mother.
She tilted her head. “Name? I think the Goddess called me Aina…”
“Then you can change it now,” Xia Lun said flatly. “Do you want to pick one, or should I?”
Beside him, Aina’s expression shifted slightly, as if recalling something.
“Hmm, you choose,” the Void Mother replied indifferently.
“Then let’s go with Buggy.”
“No!” The Void Mother let out a shriek even more piercing than when Xia Lun had punched her earlier. “I am the Void Mother, the Blade of the World Goddess! How can I be called something like that?”
“You don’t like it? I think it sounds nice.” Xia Lun seemed a little hurt by her reaction.
“Nice? That’s way too casual!”
After a moment of thought, Xia Lun suggested, “Then how about Voidy?”
The Void Mother: “…”
Was he trying to coax a child to pee?
Aina, standing nearby, flushed red but couldn’t hold back a laugh.
Xia Lun’s naming sense was as abstract as ever.
Back then, their child Aise’s name had been chosen by Aina herself.
“I am a being far superior to humans… not your pet,” the Void Mother hissed, her countless compound eyes swirling in agitation.
But Aina’s tone suddenly turned icy. “You are a pet.”
The Void Mother glared at her fiercely. She had her pride—if these two pushed her too far…
Xia Lun tightened his grip slightly, and a suffocating pressure made her immediately beg for mercy. “I-I was wrong! Don’t kill me… Waaah…”
Fine, she’d swallow her pride.
As a living creature, survival was the most important thing.
Dignity? The Void Mother had never learned what that was to begin with.
Aina slowly reached out and pressed a finger against the forehead of the creature who bore a resemblance to her.
“I’ll name you. From now on, you are Yisi.”
Yisi pouted, still not entirely satisfied with the name, but she didn’t refuse—after all, it was much better than what Xia Lun had come up with.
Suddenly, Yisi foamed at the mouth, her body convulsing violently before she collapsed unconscious.
Xia Lun finally released her, and her limp form crumpled to the ground.
“Aina, what did you do?”
Aina smiled ambiguously. “I overwrote the Goddess’s soul imprint… Now Yisi is your pet. You can do whatever you want with her.”
Xia Lun pinched his wife’s cheeks in exasperation. “Don’t say things like that. I don’t like it.”
“Wah… I’m sorry…” Aina knew exactly when to yield and when to stand firm.
Around them, the insectoid creatures began stirring again. These mindless drones, now without Yisi’s control—
But before Xia Lun could act, Aina’s overwhelming aura swept across the battlefield, pressing every last insect to the ground, trembling in fear.
The ones stunned weren’t just the insects—Xia Lun was too.
This was the first time Aina had ever revealed her power in front of him. For the first time, Xia Lun felt an insurmountable gap between them.
Even after his resurrection, with Aina’s help enhancing all his abilities… the chasm between them was still vast.
It was hard for Xia Lun to imagine that the gentle, delicate Aina he knew could possess such terrifying strength—suppressing these creatures with just her presence.
After all, unlike him, Aina hadn’t slacked off in her cultivation over the past thousand years… And to resurrect him, she had pushed herself to grow even stronger.
Aina retracted her aura and leaned against Xia Lun. “What’s wrong, dear? Did I scare you?”
“A little,” Xia Lun admitted. “But I’ll catch up to you someday.”
“Huh? Why? I’ll protect you from now on.” Aina cupped his face. “I won’t let you get hurt ever again.”
“No reason.” Xia Lun changed the subject. “Let’s leave first. Kalinda must be worried about us.”
Aina asked, “What about Yisi? Should we take her?”
Xia Lun shook his head lightly. “No need. Explaining her would be troublesome… You know the coordinates here anyway. We can come back anytime.”
Aina puffed her cheeks in annoyance.
He saw right through her.
…
Seeing Xia Lun and Aina emerge unharmed from the spatial array, Kalinda finally let out a sigh of relief.
Well, not entirely unharmed—Xia Lun was splattered with the green blood of insectoids, reeking of a pungent metallic scent.
Aina, on the other hand, was spotless.
“Are you two alright?” Kalinda hurried over, scrutinizing them carefully.
“We’re fine. Just ran into some monsters. I dealt with them and got out,” Xia Lun said dismissively.
“Eww—Xia Lun, you stink! Stay away from me.” Liyana pinched her nose in disgust. “Couldn’t you have washed up before coming out?”
Xia Lun rolled his eyes. The blood was deliberately smeared on himself to avoid raising suspicions.
Aina, of course, showed no such aversion, still clinging to his arm.
Once they stepped out, the spatial array behind them dissipated without a trace.
Kalinda studied Xia Lun thoughtfully.
Xia Lun tensed. Had she noticed something?
The creatures that appeared here were already beyond what ordinary people could handle, and the ones inside that spatial array must have been even stronger…
As expected of Wolund’s child. To possess such strength at this age—just like his father, a true genius!
Kalinda mused silently.