Chapter 244: Refusal 4

"R…eally?" Min looked up at Lia.

He knew it. Lia wouldn't be able to be without him. She had to rely on him. This was right. Min was still the superior one.

Lia saw Min's expression and a ridiculing, mocking smile appeared on her face.

"Of course. But obviously, you need to do what I say. You can still reign over everything and you can even destroy both worlds if you let me live."

Of course. Of course.

A crazed look now got ahold of Min. Yes. Yes.

Lia also just cared for her own life.

She only used everyone to make a deal with Min. This was what she wanted in the first place. To completely and utterly submit to him.

"Hahahaha…." Min's hoarse laugh caught everyone's ears on the battlefield who perplexed wondered why Lia still didn't kill Min.

Lia was taking her time with him. Min could still retaliate and stop her. They wanted to shout at Lia but stopped when her eyes met theirs.

Their breaths got stuck in their throats. It was only for a second but they could clearly see the expression Lia wore and it made them uneasy as if Lia was going to die, as if she had already come to terms with her death.

Yet why was that? Everything was going in their favour so why did Lia make that face? What did she want to do?

However, when Lia looked back at Min, her face was full of ridicule again, "So what do you say? You just need to obey me and everything, even your plans will belong to you again and you can see them coming to reality."

Min didn't know what Lia had planned but this sounded good. Too good but it didn't matter as long as he could continue living then it didn't matter if he was subject to Lia, soon he would show her to her place again.

"Let's get rid of heavens together. With our powers combined, not even heavens can withstand us."

Hearing this Min's eyes sparkled.

"That's right," Lia continued to coax, "It wasn't your fault what happened to me, I just finally realised it. It was heavens. You want to destroy them too right? If we get rid of both worlds, heavens will also disappear. We can challenge them directly. As long as you let me live and follow me then you can attain all of your wishes."

Min licked his lips, "Y…es."

"Good," Lia waved her corpses away and patted Min's head.

He looked at her, "L…let's destroy… heavens."

"Good," Lia coaxed again and helped Min stand up.

"Li-" Lia's allies called out to her but now Lia's lifeforce pressed them onto the ground.

She held up Min as she looked towards the sky, "Do you hear that? I know you're watching right now. Don't you want to have a talk?"

Min had no idea who she was talking to but greed filled his eyes when suddenly loud thunders tore through the sky and hammered into the ground.

"It seems like you're listening."

Then Lia tore through the air and said, "I have a sacrifice."

Woosh. A large portal opened in front of Lia.

With one last turn to her allies, Lia smiled before saying, "I'll be back," then she stepped through the portal with Min and disappeared.

The force that held everyone down also vanished and they ran towards the spot Lia was just a second ago, "Lia what are you doing? Where are you going? Just what are you thinking?"

But Lia could no longer hear them as she, for the third time, was greeted by the familiar and detested sight of the abyss.

Her clear voice sounded next to Min as she pushed him off the cliff, "You should know where we are, no?"

Lia jumped after him and dragged him to the spot where his statue stood. Min suddenly got anxious at this sight, his body trembled as he asked, "W-Why… are we… here?"

"Oh? I wonder," Lia didn't say anything else as suddenly a massive force collided on the abyss and forced both of them onto their knees.

But compared to Min who laid as flat as a pancake on the ground, Lia was able to withstand the pressure after having experienced it a few times. A loud voice vibrated in Lia's and also Min's head.

"You immortal dare to summon us?"

"Why not? You have been watching anyways trying to butt in, no?"

"You have become quite bold."

Although Lia still had to kneel, this time she was able to look at the sky instead of the ground and a loud laugh escaped her lips.

"Now heavens, you have listened to my conversation with him. What do you say?"

"You ought to know our thoughts," the sky bellowed angry at Lia's blasphemy.

"Of course, you want Min dead, if I keep him alive and even make him the Ghost King again, you won't be able to stop him because you can only interfere to a minimal extent. Just as you can't get rid of me."

This was all or nothing for Lia. Depending on the outcome, Lia was even willing to lay her life down, sacrifice it just like the old kings to hopefully forever stop the birth of kings that were subject to heavens' curel play of fate.

For a long time, heavens stayed quiet. Maybe even hours passed. Min was shocked as he stared at Lia who was unfazed. She could see what he thought.

Was this really heavens? Was she always in contact with them? Was she the chosen one?

Of course, she wasn't.

Being chosen by heavens was equal to a death sentence. It was no blessing as people would love to believe.

"What is it that you want?" finally heavens answered. Them even considering Lia's words was a huge win for her.

"I want to make a deal."

"Insolence!" heavens shout roared down like thunder and drilled nails into every part of her skin yet Lia remained firm, "Wasn't it you who asked me just what it is that I want?"

Already talking to heavens was a miracle, rejecting them or even facing them to consider a lowly immortal's request was unthinkable, yet Lia dared to do any of this because she realised something.

And this something was tremendous. Heavens was weak. It wasn't as omniscient or powerful as it let everyone on it was. The fact was already proven the moment they first offered Lia help, even now answering her call.

They were afraid, just like any other existence, to be wiped out forever.

"Don't' forget that you are also under my mercy," just this one sentence of Lia's made heavens aware that she had already completely seen through them.

"What deal is it?"

"I will kill Min and not bring you heavens down. I will leave you be, but instead you will lift the curse and not interfere with our worlds as long as I'm alive and-" Lia determinedly looked at heaves, "You will without fail grant this one wish of mine."

Once again, heavens remained quiet for a long while.

"Speak, what is your wish?" until it decided to hear Lia out.

"It's nothing too big," Lia's smile widened as she told her wish and heavens growled.

"Impossible! Only one!"

"Then we don't have a deal. Min-"

"Wait," heavens' voice came quickly, "We will lift the curse and grant your wish, however, we will add one more condition."

Lia bit her lip. This already looked better than before but-

"You can still continue to be the Immortal King, however, half of your powers, to be exact the Ghost King's will be ours to take and you have no right to decide over your successor."

The first part was reasonable but Lia had no idea what heavens wanted to achieve with the second one. What ulterior motives they had, but that was ok for Lia. If the time came she could worry about it later.

"I accept."

"Very well. Rejoice immortal. Your wishes have been granted but do not forget it is not up to us when your wish will come true. It might take even hundreds or even 10000 of years depending on the will and skill. Maybe you will even die before then."

"That is ok," Lia was already happy heavens yielded.

"Then immortal, your trials have ended. The Immortal King you shall be for a future where we shall never meet again."

Yes, Lia also hoped she'd never had to be in contact with heavens again.

The pressure disappeared and Lia stood up. Min who had heard everything widened his eyes and held his head as Lia dragged him to the statue, "Min, what I offered you previously fell through. As you've heard I've got a better deal."

Min's heart leapt out of his chest, "No, you can'-"

"Well, '' Lia threw him against the statue and a wicked smile haunted Min, "I guess two years are around a day in the Immortal World. So how about half a year? For half a year I will watch and torture you personally and then you can suffer here for an eternity, just like I had to do."

Lia infused the statue with her power and lifeforce. Min wanted to run but Lia smashed him back against the statue.

"Now don't try to escape. I have endured this for 10 000 years, Min you can at least do this much to repent, won't you?"

Min couldn't believe his ears. He just didn't want to. Of course, what Lia previously told him was just a lie. Did Min have to beg and kiss up to Lia for forgiveness? But he didn't want to, he-

Min grabbed Lia's leg and clung onto it, "I'm sorry! I'm sorry, Lia, so please…. Spare me, please-"

But instead, Lia's cold laugh met him, "I really can't believe you'd actually step so low."

Lia activated the statue and doom appeared on Min's face.

"Oh Min, we will have a lot of fun here together."

She watched as the white, bright light of her lifeforce burnt excruciating pain on Min's body as he tried to escape. Over and over again, bit by bit, Min's skin, his flesh, his veins, every fibre of his body was dissolved like acid before it was reconstructed again. 

Again and again, followed by wails, desperate cries and howls full of anguish. Yet it was all just a blissful melody in Lia's ears. His eyes that darted to her pleaded for mercy but all hope was completely broken, washed away by devastation as Lia only gave him an eye smile.

"No...stop!!! STOP! JUST STO-" Min's mouth melted away as his body wriggled and wriggled to construct itself again.

Of course, Lia's life force was only sufficient for 10 000 years the exact time she spent in the abyss.

After that Min would die and nothing could save him anymore and with that Lia's revenge would be fulfilled.

Now, it was time to enjoy it.