Before me, probably the new human purgatory.

Countless snakes, big and small, venomous and harmless, were devouring each other. 𝘧𝓇ℯ𝑒𝓌𝑒𝑏𝓃𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘭.𝒸ℴ𝓂

A large snake was eating a smaller one, but its own flesh was being torn and devoured by a group of little snakes.

Often, before it could finish its meal, it perished first.

But this was not the end.

The dead snake’s body decomposed on its own, bursting into a dozen little snakes.

They were born and immediately started tearing and devouring each other, leaving only a puddle of flesh on the ground as a big snake passed by.

Countless snakes tore and devoured each other with no victors emerging.

Because as it was devouring a target, there were surely other wicked snakes attempting to devour it. Once the serpent cycle began, it would never end....

"Tsk, that’s utterly disgusting."

And Lu Ping’an, the cause of all this, looked disgustingly upon it.

He had completed the True Words, his eyes returned to normal.... and maybe the "Duke" appreciated his creativity and sense of humor, even bestowing upon him a Blessing.

After observing the effects, however, Lu Ping’an decided to act as if it hadn’t happened.

"...How are things?"

"Smother than expected, how did you come up with this idea...."

"I just followed the malice of the Abyss..... that Duke. Didn’t you see how much It appreciated me, even leaving me a little gift..."

Lu Ping’an’s words were not vain; all this inspiration had indeed originated from the punishment of the one-eyed Duke.

It was Didirona who used the True Words, invoking Its malevolence and punishment, resulting in Didirona’s body being shattered, with limbs and parts uncontrollably developing "self-consciousness."

Afterwards, through "Snake Transformation," it began to reintegrate its own flesh, transforming the scattered limbs into snake bodies and using bloodline suppression to forcibly unite other snakes, forming what is called "Thousands of Snakes United."

This was quite impressive, but the poison snakes that independently attacked Lu Ping’an seemed to still be "individuals."

Therefore, under higher authority’s control, they naturally could break free from Didirona’s forced control....

"We just need to wait patiently, waiting for Didirona to transform more of ’herself’ into snake bodies, just waiting to watch it bury itself..."

Lu Ping’an expected it to keep producing stronger venomous snakes, expected to transform more closely into a physical existence, expected it to become stronger!

"....Tsk, the Life system perishing due to ’Beastmaster’ backlash, finally feeding its own offspring, heh, that’s quite a Beast Tamer’s way to die."

Big Cat Kris made a cold joke that no one could understand or laugh at.

This indeed reminded Lu Ping’an that as a member of the Life system, some things still required caution.

But now, let’s appreciate the Doomsday of the great Snake King....

Countless venomous snakes were tearing and devouring each other. Didirona, the main consciousness of the swarm, had long since disappeared... perhaps in the belly of one of the snakes.

At this moment, with thirty percent investment opening the valve of life, Didirona could no longer hold on.

More venomous snakes were still emerging, but as soon as they entered the pit of snakes, they were immediately turned into feed.

New ones eating old ones, or old eating new, there was no difference for a spectator.

Tearing, evolving, being devoured... a simple and infinite loop of natural law unfolded before Lu Ping’an’s eyes.

Balls of snakes coiled around eyeballs, but this time it wasn’t for primal desires, but simply "Snake Swallowing Snake."

The swarm of snakes fell into an infinite thirst for hunger, and Didirona, turned into the consciousness of the snake swarm, also quite naturally, encountered the nightmare of eating itself.

How to stop? Who can stop? No one can stop.

For the snake swarm, the will of the one-eyed Duke was absolute. Didirona, in her complete form, might have been able to invoke the Duke’s True Words to resist or negate.

But now, even if Didirona still retained her capabilities and complete will, as soon as she dared use the True Words of the one-eyed Duke, a new round of Divine Punishment was guaranteed to arrive instantly.

"Is there a chance for her to be reborn?"

"None, she’s been thoroughly turned into your ’pet,’ and then she forcefully transformed into a snake. After two transformations, she’s completely detached from her previous Snake Shedding, now this is her only life...."

Such an answer was undoubtedly surprising.

Lu Ping’an chose to keep his distance. The super large snakes emerging from this mutual feeding looked increasingly dangerous... but judging by their frenzied actions, they had long since lost their basic sanity and were far from likely to become Didirona’s vessel.

"...Is it over?" The sight before them made Big Cat Kris a bit emotional and somewhat wistful.

Even as a Son of Destiny completely favored by the world, within just thirty to forty years reaching this step today, Didirona could be considered a genius. However, the constraints of the seven-layer Abyss prevented her from going any further.

"What, reminded of yourself?"

"..." Lu Ping’an was always on point with his remarks, but this time, Big Cat decided not to argue back.

She knew, to feel less irritated, she should bicker less with Lu Ping’an.

"...Meow." At this moment, Lu Ping’an’s "Sickle" seemed puzzled.

"Just keep this form to avoid getting involved..."

The deterrence of the True Words had already dissipated, but those influenced by it were doomed to have no future.

If the Snake King as a whole could resist the deterrence of the True Words, each individual snake within was destined to fall into endless gluttony.

Self-consumption was still ongoing, or else before being completely devoured, this would not end.

The Snake King Didirona meeting such an end indeed evoked feelings of lament and sighs.

"Meow!"

And at this moment, Ah Jiu chirped excitedly.

A faint dark light flickered on her body, signaling that the "Reward" promised by the Abyss was beginning to come through.

Not only offering rewards in advance, but also settling accounts immediately after confirming the task completion, it seemed that the Abyss was very satisfied with the "contribution" of Lu Ping’an and his companions.

After giving the snake pit one last silent glance, Lu Ping’an also chose to leave. But before that, he pondered and still made one attempt to connect...

"...Hey, it’s me. Are you still alive? If you are, do me a favor."

--------

-------

Even the Pit of a Thousand Snakes had its end, but by that time, there were probably not many snakes left alive.

The Snake King was destined to become history, but the Abyssal world continued.

When night fell again, when the sun rose once more, the Abyss would bring forth a new favorite, as if nothing had changed.

Yet in the quagmire, a small snake was swiftly slithering along.

"Damn humans, damn mortals..."

As it slithered, it continued spewing curses.

Clearly, it... or she was the remnants of Didirona, who had lost everything.

At the most desperate moment, it abandoned everything and scattered its consciousness, wisdom, and soul, allowing them to escape in all directions.

Perhaps, even if it successfully fled, it could never rise again.

Even if it did rise again, she would no longer be that Didirona.

But as long as it was alive, there was still hope...

"...Hiss, once upon a time, I was also a snake... another go... no, I still have an inheritance..."

Maybe, if really left to grow, and she began to take shape and restart her "inheritance," within a few years, decades, Didirona the Snake King might return to the Abyss.

But that assumes she is lucky enough, and someone isn’t careful enough...

"Hum!"

Suddenly, an ice pillar fell and transformed into an icy prison, directly pinning the unfortunate little snake in its center.

A man, a man holding an Ice Blade, silently approached.

"At first, I thought he was making an unnecessary move, but it turned out he was right..."

The man bowed his head, thoughtfully observing the feigning little snake in the cage.

The next moment, he laughed.

"So complicated emotions, stop pretending to be an ordinary animal... You guessed right, I can read minds."

The cunning hunter lifted the ice prison, shook it a bit, and teased the desperate "wild animal" within.

"...Ah, still a failure?"

Lei Huoren was referring to his objective of "hunting a lord," as per the normal path of the goddess of vengeance/righteousness, the more criminals he killed, the greater the benefits for himself.

If the little snake before him was still "Didirona," he might have been able to advance immediately after killing it... This was also the reward promised by Lu Ping’an before.

But now, this little creature seemed to be just a remnant of Didirona, or a newborn after two reincarnations; in Lei Huoren’s observation, it was absolutely "pure and innocent."

The profession path of the goddess of vengeance being powerful also had its restrictions; Lei Huoren’s certain profession would grow stronger after killing villains, but killing "innocents" would incur punishment, and killing such "pure and innocent" newborns... Lei Huoren did not want to bear that loss.

"Forget it, he might find it useful, send it over to him. Hopefully, he will treat Shuiyun better because of this...."

Lei Huoren, scratching his head because his sister had become a "hostage," felt increasingly helpless.