Ye Wen wasn't incapable of grasping the idea. He had long known that many of the divine races in this world originally hailed from other realms; one could only say this plane was relatively high-level, and its environment suited these divine beings, which is why they eventually congregated here. But that didn't mean they would abandon the 'territories' they had already fully occupied.

Of course, Earth was a special case, which is why the Celestial Court paid it less heed. Yet, even so, there were still dedicated personnel assigned to monitor it, watching for any cultivators who might ascend from Earth.

The Olympian race was, after all, one of the larger powers in this world, and holding sway over several worlds wasn't unusual. It was just that Ye Wen had never considered things from that angle, which is why he appeared somewhat astonished.

However, in a flash, he understood: if this weren't the case, how could Apollo have failed to find his most beloved sister? With this realization, everything clicked into place.

What troubled Ye Wen was this: if Athena could discard Artemis's true body in another world, could the supposed reincarnation of the Moon Goddess also have been cast into another dimension? Wouldn't that be far too troublesome?

After voicing his concern, Athena seemed to pause, perhaps thinking of something, or perhaps Ye Wen's expression was simply too amusing. She took a few breaths before regaining her composure: "Rest assured, it's not that complicated. Both Artemis’s true body and the Moon Goddess's reincarnation have been deposited by me in a single world... Hmm, it seems I've let slip a bit more than intended!"

Ye Wen couldn't feel happy about this. True, he had ascertained the location of the Moon Goddess, but it seemed to hold little practical significance. Perhaps that was why Athena had revealed it so casually.

In essence, this entire affair had become thoroughly entangled, and the problem Ye Wen faced now was quite simple.

Two choices: gather all of Artemis's divine consciousness and resurrect her directly—Ekaterina would then become a mere memory fragment of Artemis.

Or... ignore everything, caring neither if she lived nor died—currently, if Ye Wen didn't intervene, Artemis was highly likely to perish. Apollo, that clueless brute, in his reckless rampage, could very well end up killing his own sister.

Two choices, one or the other! It appeared simple, but it was precisely these binary choices that were the hardest to make. Ye Wen pondered for a moment, deciding to set the matter aside for now; he had other things to discuss with Athena.

"Oh? You have other matters? Could it be you've changed your mind and are willing to be with me?" Athena’s beauty was exceptional even among the goddesses of Mount Olympus. If she truly decided to **a male... few people with normal orientations could possibly resist her charm.

Ye Wen also struggled against it, but thankfully, his mind remained clear. He knew that if he succumbed today, this woman would consume him down to the very bone from this day forward. At best, he would become a man dependent on her existence; at worst, he would likely become a complete slave.

"Don't you need an ally?"

Athena's eyes seemed to flash brightly for an instant, but it was so fleeting Ye Wen wondered if he'd imagined it.

"I believe I have already found a very suitable ally, and your presence here today suggests you are willing to stand in the same camp as me again, are you not?"

Ye Wen's last remark had made Athena realize that her schemes and calculations had been seen through by this Easterner. However, she wasn't angry; rather, she felt that only a man like this was worthy of her expending so much effort to court.

If, by the end, this man still couldn't grasp the situation, Athena might well toss Ye Wen into a corner without a second glance—a person as dominant as her would never spare a thought for someone weak, whether weak in martial strength or intellect.

"I am merely an intermediary!" Although, from a strategic standpoint, Ye Wen felt aligning with Athena was a very suitable choice, it didn't mean he would declare his allegiance immediately: "The one who wishes to cooperate with you is someone else!"

Athena didn't seem the least bit surprised, or perhaps she was simply adept at hiding her emotional shifts: "Oh?"

"The King of the Fallen Angels... Lucifer!"

The name and the title alone were enough to imply a great deal. Athena, being as intelligent as she was, didn't need things spelled out too clearly.

Indeed, the moment Ye Wen uttered that name and title, Athena instantly understood the full implications of the statement: "Is that so... It seems there’s going to be quite an eventful affair brewing in the West as well!"

Withdrawing her gaze from the distance and fixing it back on Ye Wen, Athena walked directly up to him, extending her slender, pale hand to rest upon his chest: "Then... you can convey to that King of the Fallen Angels that I am extremely interested in cooperating with him!"

Ye Wen greatly admired Athena's ability to make such a swift decision. This was the caliber of person capable of achieving great things; so many men could not be this decisive, yet this woman could.

"However, this cooperation comes with a prerequisite..."

"What prerequisite?"

Expecting Athena to set certain terms, Ye Wen could even guess that these terms would boil down to just a few possibilities!

As anticipated, Athena immediately stated the condition Ye Wen considered most probable: "I want you to kill Apollo!"

The Sun God Apollo was the most immediate obstacle in Athena's path. Only by removing and shattering this stone could her intricate plans truly set sail.

Wasn't the Holy War Game Ye Wen initiated precisely meant to engage Zeus and secure an opportunity to kill Apollo? This moment was, in fact, the optimal chance to slay Apollo, but Athena couldn't strike herself; doing so would mean openly defying Zeus. Therefore, she required an outsider to carry out the deed.

Her originally arranged 'love killing' was a suitable catalyst, but unfortunately, Ye Wen had been evading it, constantly skirting the edges of the pit she had dug, stubbornly refusing to jump in.

Athena was now out of options and decided to lay the matter bare: "You eliminate Apollo for me, and then we cooperate and take what we need!"

Lucifer might use the alliance with Athena to gain independence and autonomy;

Athena, in turn, might use this opportunity to eliminate all bothersome figures, perhaps even killing Zeus and Hera, ultimately aiming for the throne of the Olympian King.

As for Ye Wen? He would gain the development time he desperately craved. Athena could even promise that if she successfully became the Olympian King, she would never attack Mount Shu—though Athena was careful not to commit too strongly; she only promised not to attack Mount Shu, not that she wouldn't wage war against the Celestial Court.

Ye Wen could certainly pick up on this verbal sleight of hand, but as long as he secured his own sect's safety, there was no need to worry about the Celestial Court’s issues.

This wasn't to say Ye Wen lacked a 'sense of unity'; it was just that even if Athena made such a promise, it wouldn't be trustworthy. For massive powers like the various divine races, promises resembling treaties between nations, no matter how beautifully worded, were useless because promises are ultimately made to be broken!

But the promise between Athena and Ye Wen was different. Firstly, there was no inherent conflict of interest between Mount Shu Sect and the Olympian Divine Race. A presence like Mount Shu Sect would never contest the dominion over any territory. They sought only to cultivate quietly in a place rich in spiritual energy, beautiful in environment, and undisturbed—nothing more.

If one were to describe their ambitions, the ambition of sects was 'tranquility,' while these massive powers craved 'hegemony.'

Of course, if that day ever truly came, Ye Wen, being an Easterner, would inevitably join the war against any Olympian invasion. But neither of them would proactively bring up such matters—they were in a period of cooperation now, and such possibilities were unsuitable for discussion.

"Kill Apollo?"

This task was somewhat troublesome for Ye Wen, but by no means insurmountable! Ye Wen knew Apollo’s strength was considerable, but he trusted that Athena wouldn't make arrangements without thought. Therefore, if he were truly tasked with confronting Apollo, Athena would certainly create an environment favorable to him.

Now, things became somewhat simpler for Ye Wen; in fact, everything he had initially come to discuss with Athena could be distilled down to this single issue.

Agree to kill Apollo: resurrect Artemis, liberate Ekaterina, and successfully link Athena and Lucifer into an alliance.

Refuse to kill Apollo: Artemis’s fate would be ignored, and Ekaterina would remain in a paralyzed state—but if anything happened to Artemis, Ekaterina, as her reincarnation, would certainly perish too, as there was no logic for a clone to survive the death of the original body. Furthermore, the alliance between Lucifer and Athena might collapse, because if Ye Wen refused, the matter of Apollo might drag on. Athena might abandon her current complex scheming, awaiting the next favorable opportunity, in which case she would have absolutely no need to involve herself in the internal squabbles of the Western gods.

"Agree? Or not agree?"

Athena’s fingers gently traced circles on Ye Wen’s chest, the movement soft and slow, much like lovers sharing intimate secrets. Who would guess that these two were discussing matters concerning the fate of the entire Western pantheon?

In this moment, Ye Wen felt an absurd sense of holding the world in his hands, because he realized his decision directly impacted the future direction of two major divine races—three, if the Odin clan was included—and with Ye Wen currently representing the Celestial Court, the implications were even broader.

It could be said that one decision by Ye Wen would directly influence the future of the entire Immortal and Divine Realm. Ye Wen hadn't anticipated involving himself in the world's highest game of power in such a capacity.

"Truly... such immense pressure!"

"I believe only this way can I provide you with sufficient motivation!" Athena hadn't known Ye Wen for very long, but she had already figured out his temperament quite thoroughly. Moreover, following their previous confrontation, her grasp of his character had deepened.

She had discovered that Ye Wen possessed a nature where he absolutely would not exert himself unless pushed—relying solely on incentives was fundamentally impossible.

With a wry smile, feeling his own character had been completely mapped out by this woman, Ye Wen wondered if it was fortunate or unfortunate. However, Ye Wen was not one to vacillate indecisively; he had already made his decision deep down. With a long sigh, he settled the matter: "I agree!"

Athena broke into a dazzling smile, her posture almost leaning into Ye Wen’s embrace, looking like any ordinary woman who had just heard the sweetest words in the world. Yet, the words that left her lips were far from gentle or lovely: "In that case, you go bring Ekaterina over, and then I will tell you where Artemis's true body is. After you take Ekaterina there, first locate the reincarnation of the Moon Goddess, and then bring them both to the original body. Following some procedures, Artemis can be awakened!"

"Procedures?" The moment Ye Wen heard that word, certain things sprung to mind, prompting a silent grumble: "It won't be something like a kiss, will it?"

"Rest assured, it won't be anything drastic!" Athena’s smile was awfully sly, virtually conveying: It will actually be something quite serious! This made Ye Wen deeply uneasy!

"Then, as for Apollo..." Ye Wen decided to change the subject to avoid spiraling into worry, but as soon as the question left his lips, he felt how idiotic it sounded.

Athena sending him to another world to find Artemis clearly implied luring Apollo there as well, so that he could be dealt with in the other world, preventing Zeus from noticing—if Zeus were fully conscious, he would surely detect if anything happened to Apollo, even in another world.

But now, Zeus was deep in slumber, making his senses far duller. Just to be absolutely safe, Athena decided to arrange Apollo’s demise in another world, ensuring it wouldn't rouse Zeus's suspicion.

As for suspicion? That was unavoidable. However, before an open confrontation, suspicion remained just suspicion. Athena didn't much care.

"But I must warn you of one thing first: the world you are about to enter... may present several inconvenient circumstances!"

"Oh?" Seeing Athena’s serious expression, Ye Wen knew this matter was crucial, perhaps key to the success or failure of this mission.

Indeed, Athena then revealed information that even Ye Wen couldn't easily dismiss: "In that world, you probably won't be able to fly using your own abilities!"

"What?"

Ye Wen was, after all, a Sword Immortal, accustomed to soaring high with a mere gesture. Now he was being told he couldn't fly in that world—come on, he was going there to find some Moon Goddess; without flight, wouldn't that be incredibly troublesome?

Athena ignored Ye Wen's visibly darkening expression and continued speaking on her own: "Furthermore, your power will be suppressed, especially abilities that project divine or demonic energy outwards—they won't be able to travel very far!"

Hearing this, Ye Wen suddenly understood what this implied: in such an environment, close-quarters combat would become the key to victory, which was precisely his strength.

As for Apollo, he might be affected even more severely, because his most prized ability—arrows condensed from his solar divine power—would be unusable, or at least severely weakened.

Ye Wen realized why Athena chose such a world. Moreover, a bow and arrow as a weapon often required specific environmental conditions. If Ye Wen chose a suitably advantageous terrain, Apollo’s signature skill would be effectively nullified.

Athena noticed Ye Wen had grasped the core of the issue, and a brighter smile bloomed on her face: "I hear your close-combat skills are very strong. I hope you won't disappoint me!"

Ye Wen felt those words carried a slightly different implication, especially given their current posture, but he couldn't voice it, choosing instead to interpret it as a normal expression of hope: "I built my current realm upon a foundation of close-quarters fighting arts!"

"That puts my mind at ease," Athena nodded, clearly satisfied with Ye Wen's reply: "But you must still be careful; Apollo is very powerful, after all!"

Ye Wen remained silent but nodded to show he understood. In his heart, however, he was quite confident—for Apollo, who had been accustomed to sweeping foes away with a mere wave of his hand since birth, an environment like that would put Ye Wen at a significant advantage, as he was far more acclimatized to that kind of flesh-and-blood grappling.

Apollo... would he even need to engage in such struggles? Ye Wen seriously doubted whether the Sun God would turn into a limp rag easily manipulated in that setting.

Having briefly settled the arrangements, Ye Wen immediately harnessed his sword light and flew back to the snowfield. He had initially thought this task would be simple: just pick up Ekaterina, meet Athena, and then travel to the other world together.

But when he saw Ekaterina lying there, he realized things weren't so simple. Staring blankly at the girl with a serene expression and a faint smile playing on her lips, Ye Wen didn't know how to begin speaking.

Conversely, Ekaterina, having regained some of her energy, looked at Ye Wen for a moment before seemingly realizing something and saying softly, "Let's go... wherever you need to take me!"

Ye Wen knew some things finally needed closure. He bent down and lifted Ekaterina into his arms, but as he leaned close to her ear, he still managed to say, "You will get better! You definitely will!"

She didn't speak, but her arms, barely able to move, wrapped tightly and resolutely around Ye Wen's neck, as if they would never let go.