Ye Wen was indeed a bit strange. Even for Heaven's reaction speed, this was excessive, wasn't it? That bastard named Caine had only been dead for a few minutes, and now there was follow-up personnel arriving? Or was it that a large number of people had arrived initially, and Caine was merely a vanguard?

Within mere seconds, Ye Wen dismissed that possibility, as the newcomer exuded a familiar aura that slightly alerted Ye Wen.

"It's that guy!"

Turning back, he instructed the few people looking at him with curiosity, "I'm stepping out to meet a friend. You all wait here for me. If any enemies arrive..."

Chris jumped in immediately, "Leave it to the disciples!"

Ye Wen paused to consider. Chris had already cultivated his Dou Qi back to the peak of Purple Dou Qi, his physical body had been tempered by the Absolute Domain, and he had even mastered the Ultimate Strength.

While he hadn't reached the level of Complete Ultimate Strength, nor had he cultivated the Great Universe Power which could grant an additional special ability, his overall combat strength still surpassed Zhang Ling's.

As long as the reinforcements sent by Heaven weren't Archangels like Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael, Chris would have a fighting chance, sufficient to ensure the safety of this group.

Moreover...

He glanced over at the Jade Qilin, which was lying there sleeping with its eyes closed, paying no attention to anything. This divine beast's strength should not be insignificant, and it certainly wouldn't stand idly by if real danger arose. Thus, Ye Wen didn't need to worry excessively here. Besides, he wouldn't stray too far; if anything happened, he could rush back in an instant.

"Master will be right back!"

Before the words fully left his mouth, his figure had vanished. Zhang Ling, nestled on the sofa, grumbled, "Since Master mastered the Profound Universe, he's become increasingly elusive!"

Chris chuckled, turning to look at Zhang Ling, "Are you alright?"

"Nothing serious. Master's Purple Lotus healing effect has always been excellent!" The warm, gentle sensation inside her had disappeared, but so had the pain that made her frown. Right now, Zhang Ling only felt a bit weak, and she sensed that using the Great Universe Power again in the short term might not be advisable.

Chris noticed this as well and immediately warned Zhang Ling, "If no enemies arrive, fine. But if they do, you are not to act!"

Zhang Ling offered no reply. Though her expression remained neutral, Chris had known her long enough to understand her nature. He knew she hadn't taken his words to heart, so he continued, "Your 'Fantasy Materialization' ability, while miraculous and potent, isn't without limits. You used those Demonic Eyes today; if Master hadn't been here, you might have been seriously injured now. Don't do that again in the future!"

After speaking, Chris stopped addressing Zhang Ling and found a spot to sit down by himself. He looked up unexpectedly to find Mino staring at him with a chin-cupped, curious gaze. "What?"

"You like her!"

It was stated as a certainty, not a question.

"Ah?" Chris was momentarily stunned, then he let out a wry, helpless smile, shaking his head gently. "I only see her as a sister..."

"Such a conflicted man. I thought with a figure like yours, you'd be a very straightforward fellow!" Since Chris wouldn't admit it, Mino didn't press further. Instead, she sat on the floor, leaning against the Qilin—the Jade Qilin opened its eye and glared at her, but Mino acted as if she hadn't noticed, casually grabbing a furry throw blanket and wrapping herself up tightly.

Compared to the others who could completely ignore external temperatures, Mino was relatively closer to human. In this snow plain where the cold made human survival impossible, even if she was stronger than ordinary people, her strength had its limits, and she still felt the chill.

Seeing that Chris wasn't pressing the issue, Mino sat there quietly for a moment, then turned to glance at Zhang Ling, finally shaking his head with a bitter smile and closing his eyes to pretend to nap.

Meanwhile, after leaving the cave, Ye Wen walked directly into the howling blizzard. His eyes, faintly emitting a seven-colored glow, ensured his vision was completely unimpeded, and he arrived precisely before his target.

"Lucifer, what are you doing here in this Forgotten Land?"

The Forgotten Land, the Frozen Tundra, and the Burial Ground of the Gods all referred to this region. To the Heavenly Pantheon, this area was the final resting place of their former enemies. Thinking about how the Odin Pantheon hadn't been wiped out by the Heavenly Pantheon or the Olympian Pantheon, but instead perished due to a ridiculous internal conflict just when they needed to unite to restore their glory, the Heavenly Pantheon found such a group utterly laughable.

Ye Wen had similar thoughts when he first heard about it, but he promptly tossed the matter into a corner of his memory, too lazy to recall it further.

Lucifer seemed slightly surprised to see Ye Wen here, but the fluctuation in his expression was extremely subtle, almost imperceptible, and he quickly regained his composure. "That question seems rather misplaced coming from you!"

"No, now is the very appropriate time for me to ask that question!" Ye Wen mused internally. "The mistress of this desolate place has become my disciple's future wife. It is perfectly appropriate for me, as an elder, to intervene on behalf of the junior!"

"Oh?" Lucifer chuckled. "Although I don't understand how you reached that conclusion, I have no intention of getting entangled with you over this meaningless issue... I am here to see if there are any surviving Odin Gods!"

"Looking for allies?"

Ye Wen understood Lucifer's underlying plan after a brief thought.

The Heavenly Pantheon had received news that an Olympian had appeared on the border battlefield, wielding a pair of blades allegedly sourced from the Forgotten Land, and was slaughtering mortals under Heaven's dominion. While this incident hadn't caused a massive uproar, it had piqued the interest of certain factions within Heaven.

Among them, Gabriel, one of the Archangels, became intrigued by the legend of the 'Heritage of the Gods,' a mythical treasure. He dispatched the four-winged angel Caine to investigate the situation, with orders to immediately send a squadron of angels to retrieve the legendary treasure should any clues be found.

Simultaneously, Lucifer also took note of the event, but his focus differed from Gabriel's. He wondered if someone obtaining an Odin God's weapon implied that some Odin Gods still survived in the world?

If the Odin Pantheon hadn't completely fallen but were hiding and gathering strength, they would be an excellent ally for Lucifer, who sought to break free from Heaven's rule.

Therefore, Lucifer secretly came to the snow plain, keeping himself well-hidden while investigating, hoping to find any remaining traces of the Odin Pantheon.

What he hadn't anticipated was that the four-winged angel Caine would be killed on this snow plain. What concerned Lucifer further was that he seemed to have sensed the aura of that Easterner—Ye Wen hadn't deliberately suppressed his presence, especially when fighting Zhang Ling and the angel, allowing some of his qi to leak out, which the cautious Lucifer detected.

Following this, Lucifer released a small portion of his own aura to see if Ye Wen would react, leading to their current meeting.

The two stared at each other for a moment before Lucifer broke the silence first. "It seems... that Olympian appearing on the border battlefield was also your doing! Ye Wen... I truly don't know what you are plotting!"

In a moment, Lucifer organized the limited information in his mind, arriving at a conclusion extremely close to the truth.

But why Ye Wen was doing this, and what he hoped to gain, remained unknown due to the scarcity of information. Fortunately, he could confirm now that Ye Wen likely posed no conflict to him.

Ye Wen smiled, making a casual wave. The howling blizzard in this expanse of heaven and earth instantly ceased. Lucifer looked up slightly; a great rift opened in the gloomy clouds that seemed destined never to dissipate, revealing the azure sky hidden beneath the dark canopy. The snow around them diminished rapidly until it stopped completely.

"It's easier to talk like this!" Ye Wen's casual wave held no specific technique; if described in terms of martial arts, it was somewhat similar to the Iron Sleeve Technique—a swing that felt like wielding a chunk of hard iron, full of force, impossible for ordinary people to withstand!

Ye Wen's move was simply terrifyingly more powerful; the resulting air current forcefully blew away the dark clouds overhead. If this strike landed on a person...

Lucifer was certainly discerning and immediately recognized the implications of Ye Wen's seemingly ordinary gesture. Recalling their previous encounter, he was certain that the Easterner had not exerted his full strength that day—though, admittedly, he hadn't either.

Ye Wen had guessed that Lucifer hadn't gone all out previously. If that were the case, the Fallen Archangel would carry a degree of arrogance during their conversation, which would be detrimental to meaningful dialogue. Thus, Ye Wen demonstrated a slight display of power to place them on equal footing before continuing the discussion.

Lucifer gave a light laugh, understanding Ye Wen's intent. Regardless, he definitely put away that trace of arrogance and answered Ye Wen's earlier question seriously. "Indeed, I had hoped to find surviving members of the Odin Pantheon here!"

"And then, when you rebel against the Heavenly Pantheon, have them share some of the pressure from Heaven?" If that were the case, it meant calculating that while Heaven and Olympus were engaged in a crucial battle, Lucifer would strike from the rear while the Odin Pantheon attacked the flank, plunging Heaven into an extremely unfavorable dilemma. This would significantly increase Lucifer's chances of success—only by severely wounding the Heavenly Pantheon could Lucifer completely escape Heaven's control without fear of retaliation.

"Exactly!" Lucifer admitted readily. Since Ye Wen was clearly not from Heaven, anyone who wasn't affiliated with Heaven could potentially be cultivated as an ally. If the Eastern Immortal Realm hadn't been so distant, Lucifer might even have considered bringing them into the fold.

Among the major powers in this world, the Buddhist Realm, Heaven, and the Heavenly Court were the three strongest. While Mount Olympus also possessed considerable strength, their overall power did not match these three. The Muslims were currently barely clinging to existence and would likely be annihilated by the Buddhist realm's War Monks, Bright Kings, and Dharma Protectors before long.

As for the Odin Pantheon... whether any survivors existed at all was questionable. Lucifer had initially considered approaching the Buddhist Realm and the Heavenly Court, but finding the feasibility too low, he settled on the Olympian Pantheon, which was more likely to clash with Heaven.

Of course, he could single-mindedly assist the Heavenly Pantheon in annexing Mount Olympus and then incite Heaven to attack the East, thus dragging the Heavenly Court into the conflict. However, this would take too long, and he could no longer afford the wait! Moreover, the longer it took, the greater the variables.

Ye Wen considered this. Lucifer seemed resolved now, unwilling to let any opportunity pass in his quest for success, even traveling here personally to confirm an alliance with an unknown party.

However, this also indicated that Lucifer was the type of person who either didn't act or, once committed, saw it through to the absolute best possible outcome—a personality somewhat akin to a perfectionist obsessive.

"A character worthy of respect but not particularly likable," Ye Wen judged internally. He then moved on to another question. "Are all of your subordinates willing to follow you?"

Such matters usually ended in either immediate success or complete failure due to leaks before the operation even began; prolonged entanglement was rare. Ye Wen wondered about Lucifer's methods of control over his subordinates.

Lucifer curled his lip, as if Ye Wen had asked an utterly foolish question, and didn't even bother to answer. Judging by his demeanor, he possessed absolute confidence in the loyalty of his troops.

"Very well! In that case, I might have some intelligence for you! Regarding the Odin Pantheon!"

"Oh?" Lucifer was indeed interested, and curiosity flared about Ye Wen’s connection to the Odin Pantheon. Surely, it wasn't that all the Odin survivors had fled East? Though, upon reflection, that wasn't entirely impossible.

Ye Wen looked at Lucifer, then held up a single finger. "The Odin Pantheon does have survivors, but currently, only one remains, and he is not a high-ranking God!"

Lucifer couldn't help but feel a wave of disappointment upon hearing Ye Wen's words. Although he hadn't held high hopes for this expedition, he still held a sliver of expectation. Now, hearing the reality, it was clear the Odin Pantheon could not be relied upon.

"Perhaps you think such an Odin God is useless now? Is that right?"

Lucifer showed a rare, bitter smile. "What use is a single low-ranking God? Forget it. Consider it a pleasant outing."

Saying that, he turned to leave, but then stopped, feeling frustrated. He cast one last look at the snow plain. "No wonder the Odin Pantheon shows no sign of resurgence. Even if not completely annihilated, having only one low-ranking God... it's almost the same thing!"

Ye Wen chuckled wickedly. "That's not necessarily true!"

"What do you mean?" Lucifer looked at Ye Wen strangely, unable to grasp the meaning of his words.

"I just want to tell you that the Odin Pantheon is not entirely incapable of being your ally!" Ye Wen had come to a realization: only by throwing this entire region into utter chaos could his Mount Shu remain truly safe.

If Lucifer's rebellion ended too quickly—whether he achieved independence or was crushed by the Heavenly Pantheon—neither outcome served Shu's interests. Therefore, Ye Wen needed to give Lucifer some leverage.

Regarding the Odin Pantheon, Ye Wen hadn't initially planned anything, but he realized he only needed the name of the Odin Pantheon; he certainly didn't need his disciples and his disciple's wife charging onto the front lines.

Lucifer's eyes brightened, though he immediately suppressed that flicker of excitement.

He couldn't completely trust Ye Wen's words. After all, Ye Wen had just told him there were no Odin Gods left, and now he offered assistance... unless...

"Could it be that you plan to participate under the banner of the Odin Pantheon?" Lucifer could only conceive of this possibility; no other scenario made sense.

Ye Wen was surprised by the speed of Lucifer's deduction, but reasoned that the man wouldn't have made such a decision unless he had reached a certain level of power. "Something like that... if necessary, I might even act myself!"

The implication of Ye Wen's intervention was not what concerned Lucifer most, but his final statement struck a chord.

If there was one issue plaguing Lucifer the most, it was the scarcity of high-level experts among his forces! On the side of the Heavenly Pantheon, not counting the Supreme Being, there were several masters among the Angel Legions, including Michael, Gabriel, and Raphael.

While he wasn't afraid of any of them individually, facing them all at once, he wasn't arrogant enough to think he could defeat them all alone.

If that Supreme Being intervened, he could engage that entity, but then there would be no one to deal with Archangels like Michael.

Although the Fallen Angel Legions were reputed to have the strongest overall combat strength, this referred only to the average level. In terms of top-tier power, it was only Lucifer. Heaven wouldn't allow another power comparable to Lucifer to arise within that legion, as it would become uncontrollable.

Now, Ye Wen offering to act meant he would gain an additional high-tier combatant—he didn't expect Ye Wen to fight the Supreme Being for him; just having Ye Wen help hold back Michael and the others while he dealt with the Supreme One would be more than enough.

He narrowed his eyes, seemingly judging the credibility of Ye Wen's statement!

Ye Wen glanced around for a moment, then suddenly asked, "By the way, I've always had a question I hope you can clarify for me!"

Lucifer paused. "What is it?"

"Is the head of the Heavenly Pantheon God or the God of Light?"

Although he didn't see the significance of the question, he answered Ye Wen. "God of Light was the former title; before that, it was called the Supreme God. 'God' is the title used on Earth!"

"Oh, I see!" Ye Wen nodded. "It's nothing major, just confirming the correct appellation to avoid mix-ups... wouldn't you agree, Mr. Angel, whose name I'm unsure how to address correctly?"