Let them offer their loyalty!-Chapter 1573 - 658: Zhao Ji: You’re Not Here Just to Show Off, Are You?

Noticing something odd in Guan Xiao's eyes, Qiu Tu cast her a suspicious glance, then knocked her head lightly, "What are you thinking about?"

If it were Shen Lingshuang, a young maiden, getting her head knocked, she'd most likely let out an "a-yo," then glare at him coyly and act cute.

But for a woman like Guan Xiao, it was a whole different story.

She let out an exaggerated "a-yo," then, taking the chance, collapsed into Qiu Tu's arms, saying, "Sir, you're way too rough. I can't handle it at all~"

After she finished speaking, she even threw Qiu Tu a seductive wink.

Qiu Tu: ....

Damn, this demon.

To be honest, among all of Qiu Tu's women, the most skilled at seduction was undoubtedly Guan Xiao.

After all, she came from the Political Department and had professional training. Whether it was seducing or teasing men, she was a master.

It's only because Qiu Tu had rapidly grown stronger, and his body along with it, otherwise, with Guan Xiao seducing him like this, he'd have died on her stomach sooner or later.

Thinking this, Qiu Tu knocked Guan Xiao's head again, then said, "Stop being such a tease here."

"I'm trying to talk business with you."

Hearing Qiu Tu's words, Guan Xiao immediately straightened up.

She emerged from Qiu Tu's embrace, then smiled sweetly and flattered, "It's your overwhelming charm that makes me lose control, Sir."

With that, she opened her Storage Treasure, took out the bottle Zhao Ji had given her, then bowed and handed it to Qiu Tu with both hands.

"Sir, Her Grace Zhao Ji asked me to pass this to you."

As she bowed, her chest naturally hung heavy, forming a tempting curve. Before coming to see Qiu Tu she'd intentionally undone a few buttons at the front, so her perky assets bounced right into his line of sight.

'This woman!! She definitely isn't planning to go home tonight!'

Thinking that, Qiu Tu forcibly suppressed his arousal, glared at Guan Xiao, and finally reached out to accept the bottle, carefully inspecting it.

Having just met Shu Xia, Qiu Tu instantly recognized Shu Xia's soul inside. He was stunned for a moment, then asked with some surprise, "Is this... Shu Xia's soul?"

Hearing Qiu Tu's question, Guan Xiao's beautiful peach blossom eyes lifted slightly, naturally exuding seductive charm.

She straightened up, smiled, nodded, and confirmed, "Yes."

Then she briefly explained the bottle. "Before I parted ways with Her Grace Zhao Ji, she gave this to me."

"She sent me a voice transmission at the time, saying this Treasure is called the 'Soul Collection Bottle.' Its effect is to collect and restore the fragmented soul and consciousness of living beings."

"Generally, as long as a being hasn't been dead for more than 12 hours, their soul can be preserved and even resurrected in this way."

Hearing this, Qiu Tu was shocked in his heart.

After all... resurrection is no simple matter.

Even though this world has gradually shifted from the 'material' to the 'spiritual', and the souls of Sixth Rank Deities and above are all bound to the 'Boundless Heart Sea', meaning—at least in theory—they have multiple chances at resurrection.

But... that's only in theory!

Normally, after a Deity falls the first time, they have a single chance to let their consciousness escape.

If they escape, they can expend some resources to resurrect themselves.

But if not—sorry... the Deity truly perishes; both consciousness and soul are destroyed.

Thereafter, that Deity will enter a long-lasting slumber.

At that point, the Deity is, for all intents and purposes, dead.

What gives them a sliver of hope for resurrection is the 'soul mark' they left in the 'World Origin' upon reaching Sixth Rank.

By the contract between Deities and the 'World Origin': if there are surplus resources, the World Origin will gradually nurture that 'soul mark' left by the Deity.

However, it takes an unimaginably long time for a sliver of a soul mark to regrow into a true 'soul.'

It might take a hundred, two hundred, even three hundred years.

And even if the 'soul fragment' is fully regrown, things don't just end there.

Even once the 'soul' is complete, it won't immediately awaken. It will continue to sleep within the 'World Origin.'

Only under special circumstances will the 'World Origin' partially awaken these souls.

For instance... when the world needs a Child of Fate, in eras of great upheaval, or when colliding with other worlds, and so on.

Even so, to avoid too many 'Deity Reincarnations' flooding in and throwing the world's order and Qi Yun into chaos, the 'World Origin' will usually wake them in order according to their ranking in the world.

This is why, even after Qiu Tu had met three or four 'Heavenly God Reincarnations', he had never encountered a full 'Deity Reincarnation.'

The queue for resurrected Heavenly Gods hasn't even finished; how could it be the turn of ordinary deities?

If it's so difficult for Deities who manage regional areas on behalf of the World Will to resurrect, it's even harder for ordinary beings—it's next to impossible.

Which shows just how powerful this 'Soul Collection Bottle' really is.

Thinking of that, Qiu Tu silently mused,

'Looks like... Zhao Ji has quite a stash of good stuff.'

'All treasures left before her downfall, or hidden away during her great escape, I bet.'

With that in mind, Qiu Tu again lowered his gaze to scrutinize Shu Xia inside the bottle, then opened his mouth to ask, "When Zhao Ji had you bring Shu Xia to me, did she tell you anything else?"