Above the Heavenly Pillar, a cold and aloof woman stood, dressed in red. The breeze brushed past her hair, making her appear especially forlorn, yet her aura was unmistakably that of a Mythic.

At that moment, Lingzhong appeared, saying helplessly, "No-Food, leave the Heavenly Pillar. It's bound to collapse. There's nothing more we can do. Why must you stubbornly hold on? What you're consuming is your Divine Domain!"

He was missing a head, looking particularly horrifying.

No-Food Goddess gazed at the pillar, a trace of youthful innocence lingering in her eyes. "I promised him that I would guard the Heavenly Pillar. The day it breaks will be the day I fall.”

Lingzhong looked at her stubborn expression and sighed softly. "Why must you fuse yourself with the Heavenly Pillar, binding your life and death to it? You are beloved by the world. One day, you might even step beyond the True God realm."

No-Food Goddess smiled sadly. "There's no chance."

"Why be so obstinate?" Lingzhong lamented. "The Heavenly Pillar is on the verge of collapse. It may not hold out for long."

No-Food Goddess calmly stared at him, her voice firm. "You should go. It's useless to persuade me."

Lingzhong persisted. "You... Why must you do this? Why cling to guarding the Heavenly Pillar for someone who doesn't exist? Someone who's just a figment of your imagination? You are the world's favored child. The disasters of your youth were merely trials imposed by the world. You had no one’s help but your own and the world’s. I went to Elder Fanxin. He said the one you've been looking for doesn't exist! That was merely a fantasy of your youth!"

"No!" Her gaze grew deep, and her voice sharpened. "I will fulfill the promise I made!"

She always kept her word. Anything she promised, she would see through, even if it cost her her life.

At last, she said, "Leave. If you take another step toward the Heavenly Pillar and disturb it, I won't spare you!"

Lingzhong sighed regretfully. "If you do this, you'll offend other Mythics. This pillar doesn't belong to you. You can occupy it for ten or even a hundred years, and others won't say much. But over a thousand years? That won't stand."

"So what if I offend them?" No-Food Goddess radiated an aura of supremacy over all under heaven. "As long as I'm strong enough, who would dare say a word?"

Lingzhong said no more and faded away, leaving her alone.

Just then, the Heavenly Pillar shook violently. No-Food Goddess's face turned deathly pale. It was as if the pillar were about to break!

Yet on her pale face, she forced a smile. "I knew it... I wasn't merely imagining things."

***

Qi Yuan had just visualized the Nine Heavens Primordial Thunder Corresponding Deity and was about to continue.

In the next moment, a familiar female voice entered his ears.

—If you keep visualizing, the Heavenly Pillar will break."

Qi Yuan was startled. "No-Food Goddess?"

That voice was unmistakably hers! He felt a mixture of emotions. Having once witnessed her fall, seeing her again filled him with complex feelings.

No-Food Goddess sent another voice transmitting, her voice faltering slightly.

—I'm atop the Heavenly Pillar. Come find me.

Qi Yuan recalled the matter of the Heavenly Pillar and decided to go see her. What if he really broke the pillar?

He proceeded to leave the Visualization Realm.

***

Seemingly sensing something, No-Food Goddess turned pale. In the next moment, a radiant smile blossomed on her face, like a flower in full bloom. After all, a familiar voice had just echoed right beside her.

Qi Yuan curiously gazed at No-Food Goddess. "Could it be that I didn’t reveal my identity during this time?"

He found it rather strange. If he had met her in the past, why didn’t she recognize him at their final meeting? Were timelines parallel?

No-Food Goddess asked curiously, "What identity?"

Qi Yuan examined her closely. Compared to their first meeting, she seemed slightly more youthful, but she was already at the Mythic realm.

"I mean, if I said we met once in the future, would you believe me?" he asked casually. "Also, no reclining chair? Fetch me one."