Stripped of all corruption and external forces, this was Neltharion's most fundamental life and power essence as an ancient black dragon.
Ekseltus did not hesitate and immediately began to clear the marks NZoth had left on the first two energy masses.
There was nothing to say about the Shadow Primordial Force; it was directly returned to Serakhen for the main body to absorb.
The mark of the Earth-Warder, however, was quite significant.
This was a backdoor left by the Titanss after reshaping Azeroth, essentially their stolen power of Azeroth?
A mortal obtaining this mark would more than suffice to be crowned an "Earth God" on Azeroth.
But Azeroth was deep, and a mortal who became a god with this mark would likely be driven mad by the burden of the earth and the whispers of the Old Gods within a few days.
Aobu himself had no use for it; it was tasteless to eat and a shame to discard. In the Emberglow Dragon's claws, this thing was truly a white elephant.
Before finding a way to eliminate this risk, it could only temporarily remain in the Divine Kingdom.
There was nothing to say about the black dragon essence either; it would certainly be returned to the reborn Neltharion.
Ekseltus enveloped this black dragon essence with divine power, and together with the new soul born from purification and fusion, he put them away.
His cold, vertical pupils scanned this desolate wasteland one last time.
As far as his gaze reached, only huge pits, cooled ashes, and some still wriggling tentacles and slime remained.
Mission accomplished. It was time to leave.
Space silently tore before him, and Ekseltus stepped in, disappearing from this place of exile.
———Divider———
Divine Kingdom Serakhen, deep within the Divine Palace, lowest level.
Aobu's main body was immersed in the molten lava of faith, with only a portion of his spine, his head, and two forelimbs exposed.
In the void before him, dozens of "screens" condensed from divine power floated.
These mirror surfaces were not physical but rather windows observing Azeroth.
Each mirror reflected similar scenes:
A hidden corner of Deepholm, the fringe of The Nexus, the depths of a lava river in the Firelands—
Undoubtedly, all were sites for Dracthyr egg incubation.
Aobu was not only ensuring their healthy growth but also studying how souls formed in mortal bodies.
A slightly self-deprecating thought flashed through his mind:
Am I, now, like an old man watching surveillance screens?
Ekseltus quietly landed on the edge of the lava pool.
He and the main body were connected in mind, no words needed.
He raised his dragon claw, and four energy masses floated out.
Aobu waved a claw, absorbing one mass, sending one deep into the Divine Kingdom, and fusing the other two together.
After dealing with these, the space of the Divine Kingdom rippled again.
Aobu's "Light" Incarnation led Onyxia and Nefarian into this core area.
Onyxia's scales were still dull, but the madness and confusion in her eyes had largely receded, replaced by a fatigue like recovering from a serious illness and a deep-seated bewilderment.
Nefarian, however, maintained his usual calmness, as this was not his first time in this place.
However, when he saw the fused mass floating in Ekseltus's claw, a complex light flashed through his red vertical pupils—it was his father's aura, yet so unfamiliar.
Without much small talk, Aobu's deep voice directly sounded, "This is your father—or rather, what remains of him after purification."
"He needs a new physical body as a vessel."
"That's simple," Onyxia immediately interjected, her voice tinged with eagerness, "Find a healthy black dragon egg! Father—"
He should return to the clan and continue to lead us!"
She looked at the black essence, her eyes very complex.
There was the relief of surviving a catastrophe, the confusion after being freed from brainwashing, and a deep-seated reverence.
Nefarian, however, shook his head slightly, observing Aobu's micro-expressions with keen eyes, "Mentor, that's not what you're thinking, is it?"
He lowered his head and pondered for a moment, then spoke with some disbelief, "Could it be that you want Father to reincarnate as a Dracthyr?"
Aobu nodded slightly: "Precisely."
"Why?" Onyxia blurted out immediately, her face full of confusion.
Aobu calmly stated his reasons:
"Firstly, as a new race, the Dracthyr need a wise, leadership-driven guide to help them shape their culture and foundation."
"This is not to deny their own capabilities, but to accelerate this inevitable process."
"Secondly, experiencing growth, emotions, and struggles in a mortal body will bring irreplaceable insights to Neltharion's future path."
"Thirdly, and most importantly, is the efficiency of growth." His tone took on a practical consideration, "Reincarnating as a black dragon, he would need four to five millennia of a long time to potentially recover to his past peak strength."
"However, reincarnated as a Dracthyr, with his extraordinary potential, he has hope of reaching the brink of deification within a millennium."
"By then, when he successfully ascends to godhood and becomes my subordinate deity, reshaping his body and returning to black dragon form will be effortless."
Nefarian listened quietly, the disbelief in his eyes gradually turning into contemplation, and finally, acceptance.
He understood his mentor's profound meaning:
This was not only giving his father a chance at rebirth but also bestowing upon him a new mission and a more efficient growth path.
His mentor's teachings made him understand that the pure increase in power was far less important than the transformation brought by experience and responsibility.
Onyxia looked at the newborn soul core, then at her elder brother, and finally, the resistance in her eyes slowly dissipated.
She lowered her head: "I—I understand. If brother also agrees, then I will follow your will."
She might not fully understand, but she trusted her brother and this deity who had pulled her back from the abyss of corruption.
Aobu said no more.
He extended a dragon claw, completely fusing the mixture in Ekseltus's claw.
Then, it transformed into a streak of light, injecting into a ready-made pitch-black Dracthyr egg.
The egg, after absorbing the streak of light, vibrated slightly, then returned to calm, emitting stable, powerful life fluctuations.
"Take it back and properly place it." Aobu handed this Dracthyr egg, which carried the rebirth of the King of Black Dragons, to Nefarian. Nefarian solemnly received it with his dragon claw, and Onyxia also moved closer, looking at the egg with complex eyes.
A moment later, the "Light" Incarnation led them out of the Divine Kingdom and back to the Pioneer Territory.
After handling Neltharion's rebirth, Aobu confirmed the status of each incarnation:
The "Light" Incarnation would later replace Ignis Scorrath and be permanently stationed in Dracofyrrassil;
Ignis Scorrath would travel to various parts of Azeroth, getting acquainted with various Wild Gods to solidify his identity, preparing fully for the future trip to Ardenweald;
After handling the two important matters of the Dracthyr and Deathwing, Ekseltus should have no other particularly urgent tasks.
He could go to Sendarra to consult the books left by the High Elf to strengthen his relatively weak divine power of knowledge.
After that, his attention turned to the fiercely ongoing War of Unification in ZulDrak.
Aobu's mind stirred, and the scene in a certain mirror instantly magnified:
A battlefield where frost and flames intertwined, Ital'ruk's banner stubbornly fluttering in the wind and snow, the battle lines jagged, the fighting exceptionally fierce.
Clearly, the battle had entered a stalemate.
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