Soon, Dian Jiuzhi slowly descended, his body floating down like a god descending from the heavens. His feet touched the ground gently in front of High Priest Wan Dao, his expression calm, composed—and sovereign.
"This Divine Regent offers his sincerest apologies to Lord Wan Dao and the other honored High Priests for his earlier rudeness. I hope you will grant me forgiveness."
His voice was steady, filled with divine authority.
He had declared it.
He now called himself the Divine Regent.
Without hesitation or hesitation, he had claimed the God position of the Boundless Divine Kingdom. Not by rite, not by inheritance—
But by sheer force.
The Ancient True Gods - the High Priests, remained silent. Their gazes lingered on him, unreadable. Deep thoughts stirred in their divine minds as the words of their Lord echoed once more within them.
The revival of Dian Rahu had failed. That much was undeniable.
But in the end… the Boundless Divine Kingdom had still gained a God.
Not the same one.
Not the one they had hoped for.
But a True God nonetheless.
And that changed everything.
"Since the Boundless Divine Kingdom has gained a God," High Priest Wan Dao finally said, his tone flat and indifferent, "then there is nothing more to discuss."
With those words, he turned away—his robes billowing in divine wind—as he took to the skies.
One by one, the other High Priests followed, ascending with silent steps of light, vanishing into the heavens.
Behind them, the great hall remained.
And in it, a stunned crowd stood frozen—
Still trying to comprehend what had just taken place.
They had all believed that Dian Jiuzhi would be punished for what he had done—that the High Priests would intervene, strip him of his stolen divinity, or at the very least, rebuke him before the eyes of the world.
But instead… they did nothing.
No scolding.
No punishment.
Not even a word of disapproval.
Yes, Dian Jiuzhi had always been the Divine Son, destined to one day inherit the mantle of True God and become the next Divine Regent of the Boundless Divine Kingdom. But that inheritance was meant to come in time—after his father's revival, after a rightful passing of power. That was the path everyone expected.
And yet, he had thrown it all away.
He had stolen the God Source, disrupted the sacred ritual, and caused the revival of Dian Rahu to fail completely.
A disgrace.
A shame so deep that none could speak it aloud.
Where would their kingdom hide its face when the truth spread across the Divine Realms?
What would the other Divine Kingdoms say?
What would the gods think?
Anger burned in many hearts, but even so—none dared act.
Because the power now radiating from Dian Jiuzhi was undeniable.
It was overwhelming.
It was greater than what Dian Rahu had once possessed at his peak.
This should have been a day of celebration.
A new God. A powerful protector rising from their ranks.
But no matter how they tried to frame it…
It just didn't feel right.
"Brother! What is the meaning of this?!"
"Why didn't you revive our Lord God Father?!"
Among the many furious and confused faces in the hall, one voice rang out clearer, louder, and more heartbroken than the rest—Dian Xiang, the younger brother of Dian Jiuzhi.
The crowd immediately turned toward him, stunned by his outburst.
"Answer me, Brother!"
Dian Xiang's voice trembled with both sorrow and rage.
God or not, this was the man he had looked up to his entire life—
The one he believed to be the gentlest, most devoted person in the family.
Yet today… that man had committed the unthinkable.
"Answer me! I want to hear it from your own mouth!"
"..."
"You talk too much."
Dian Jiuzhi's voice was cold, his expression void of the warmth he once carried.
Without offering a single explanation—
Without a flicker of hesitation—
He simply raised one finger.
In the next instant, a beam of golden divine light shot forth—so fast, so sharp, that not a single soul in the hall could react in time.
"BOOOOMMMM!!!"
The godly force struck Dian Xiang in the shoulder with terrifying precision, tearing straight through flesh and bone.
His body was flung across the hall like a broken doll, blood spraying in an arc as he slammed into the wall with a deafening—
"BOOOMMMM!!!"
The crowd gasped. Some cried out.
But Dian Xiang didn't rise.
He didn't move.
"Prince Xiang!"
"Little Xiang!!"
Several elders of the Boundless Divine Kingdom snapped out of their stupor, their eyes wide with panic as they rushed forward to the fallen youth. Their footsteps echoed across the silent hall, each step filled with urgency and disbelief.
They knelt beside Dian Xiang, their hands trembling as they examined his body.
"You… you!!!"
One of the elder's voices cracked as he pressed his hand to Dian Xiang's chest, trying to stabilize his shattered aura. But the moment he reached the boy's profound vein, his expression twisted in horror.
The young prince was still alive—barely.
His life force was weak, but with time, it could be healed.
But his profound vein…
It was partially destroyed.
Though Dian Xiang's cultivation had not dropped immediately, the damage was permanent. In the years to come, as his peers progressed and surpassed him, he would remain stagnant—trapped in a shell of power that could never evolve.
He had not just been injured.
He had been crippled.
"Dian Jiuzhi… He's your little brother!"
One of the elders stood, his face twisted with righteous fury. He pointed a trembling finger at Dian Jiuzhi, his voice rising with every word.
"How could you—"
"BOOOOOOMMMMMMM!!!"
Before the elder could finish, a second blast of golden light tore through the air.
It struck him cleanly, piercing through his abdomen and bursting out from his back.
The Divine Limited Realm elder's defenses shattered instantly, his body flung backward like a ragdoll.
His left side was gone—ripped away by the divine energy.
Blood sprayed in every direction, painting the sacred floor with crimson.
His body slammed into the wall with a violent—
"BOOOMMMM!!!"
A pool of blood spread beneath him, the walls behind now smeared with red.
Silence fell once more.
The crowd trembled—not just from fear…
But from the realization that the man standing before them now was no longer the gentle Divine Son they once knew.
"It's Divine Regent to you—Divine Regent Boundless Rage!"
Dian Jiuzhi's voice thundered through the grand hall, shaking the very air with its authority.
Not only had he declared himself their new ruler—he had crowned himself with a title.
Divine Regent Boundless Rage.
His serpentine eyes swept across the room, glowing with a cold, oppressive light.
"Anyone else want to challenge my authority… or my power?"
His gaze bored into the hearts of gods and elders alike. One by one, they lowered their heads—not in agreement, but in submission. His power was absolute. His wrath… undeniable.
"Good."
A smirk curled at the corner of his lips.
"Then let us return to my kingdom."
He turned, preparing to take flight, his divine aura rising—
When suddenly, a voice rang out from the silence.
"Wait a moment, young Jiuzhi."
The speaker was Hua Fuchen.
All eyes turned to the elder, whose face was calm, but his gaze held weight. He stepped forward slowly, looking up at the newly ascended god.
In his heart, memories stirred.
Back then, before everything had changed—
Before Yun Che stepped into Hua Caili's life—
Dian Jiuzhi had been meant to marry her.
He would have become part of their family.
Hua Fuchen stood tall, his expression calm but tinged with quiet sorrow. He had no regrets—not about the choices he had made, nor about allowing his daughter to choose her own path. Her happiness meant more to him than tradition, alliance, or power. She was everything.
But still…
The pain lingered.
Dian Rahu had been more than a fellow Divine Regent—he had been a lifelong friend, a brother-in-arms since their youth. To witness that friend's soul denied its rightful return… not by war, not by fate, but by his own son—
It cut deep.
Yet even through that grief, Hua Fuchen extended a final gesture of goodwill. He looked upon Dian Jiuzhi, not as an enemy, but as a newly risen god—young, powerful, and dangerously unstable.
With steady breath, he spoke.
"Leave behind a piece of your Divine Soul—one that contains your Divinity," he said, gesturing toward the towering statue at the end of the hall.
"In case anything happens… it would give you a path to return. This is a tradition, a safeguard for all gods. Even your father did the same."
But instead of gratitude, or even acknowledgment—
All he received was scorn.
"You think I'll fall like that useless old man?!"
Dian Jiuzhi's voice echoed with mocking venom, his snake-like eyes narrowing as a twisted smirk played on his lips.
The words struck like a blade.
"YOU—!!"
Hua Fuchen's fury erupted instantly. The hall trembled as his aura surged to its peak, divine power radiating off him like waves crashing against the shore.
Ignoring the blazing fury of the Heart Paint Divine Regent, Dian Jiuzhi continued with his ruthless mockery, his voice laced with venom and disdain—even toward his own blood.
"That old man was a fool," he sneered.
"He barged into the depths of the Endless Fog chasing some phantom of heroism, only to be slaughtered by the Fog Monarch. He got what he deserved."
The hall fell into a chilling silence.
The words were sharp—cutting not just through memory, but through legacy. A father who had ruled, protected, and bled for his kingdom… dismissed by his own son as nothing more than a fool.
"You…!!!"
This time, it wasn't just Hua Fuchen.
The one whose fury now surged was Meng Kongchan, the Dreamless Divine Regent.
Dian Rahu had been his lifelong friend as well. He had died while aiding him—searching for Yun Che… no, Meng Jianyuan—his son. The guilt of that loss had never left Meng Kongchan's heart.
And now to hear Dian Rahu insulted by his own son…?
It shattered whatever composure remained.
But Dian Jiuzhi wasn't finished.
He turned to Meng Kongchan with a wicked grin, eyes glowing with madness.
"And you?" he spat.
"Aren't you the most pathetic of them all? Your own son was taken from right under your nose—and you couldn't do a damn thing to stop it."
"Heh… Some father."
Gone was the gentle Divine Son the world once revered.
In his place stood a god twisted by madness, power, and rage.
The atmosphere cracked.
"HOW DARE YOU!!!"
Meng Kongchan's aura exploded outward in a violent surge, shaking the very pillars of the hall. His divine power flared, and if not for the presence of his other son and the elders behind him restraining him with desperate cries, he would have already leapt forward—ready to strike down this ungrateful wretch, god or not.
Two Divine Regents now stood trembling with fury, restrained only by the thin veil of diplomacy and the chaos of a hall that had witnessed one of the most disgraceful ascensions in divine history.
"Am I wrong?"
Dian Jiuzhi's voice rang out again, thick with arrogance and unrestrained mockery. He swept his gaze over the furious faces of the Divine Regents, entirely unfazed, then turned his attention to the grand statue—the sacred effigy meant to hold a piece of his Divine Soul for revival should he fall.
He sneered.
"I am a god with Perfect Godhood… Who among you could possibly match me?"
His voice grew colder, sharper, each word like a blade cutting into the pride of everyone present.
"Leaving behind a piece of my soul, just in case I die? Hah. That's something only the weak would consider."
The hall, already tense, now trembled under the weight of collective rage.
His words weren't just aimed at Hua Fuchen or Meng Kongchan anymore.
They were aimed at everyone.
Every Divine Regent present—every being who had ever followed the tradition of preserving a soul fragment—was now publicly mocked.
"HMMM!!!"
A deep roar tore through the silence.
Divine Regent Qi Heng, who until now had remained seated, unwilling to involve himself in the chaos, finally stood. His expression was thunderous, his fists clenched so tight his knuckles turned white.
"You think you're strong just because you've become a god?" he snarled, his aura beginning to stir like a sleeping giant.
"Power without respect, without restraint… is just madness waiting to consume you."
He had planned to stay neutral.
He had hoped this would resolve itself.
But now, his dignity had been spat on—and that, he would not tolerate.
"Watch your mouth, young man."
Another voice rang out.
Star Divine Regent stepped forward, his face grim.
"You may have ascended, but you still stand among those who ruled long before you drew your first breath. Show some respect."
"He's right."
Moon Divine Regent joined him, his eyes gleaming coldly beneath the shimmering veil of moonlight that trailed his divine robe.
"There's a line between confidence and arrogance—and you crossed it the moment you opened your mouth."
Their divine auras began to swell, crackling with restrained fury. The very air in the hall grew heavy, as if the heavens themselves were waiting for a spark to ignite battle.
Dian Jiuzhi had declared himself a god.
But now, he stood surrounded by gods who had earned their titles over countless eons—and their patience was running thin.
The air was thick with divine pressure, so dense it felt as though the heavens themselves were being dragged downward. Tension coiled like a viper ready to strike, fury barely restrained beneath the surface of every god present.
And yet—
The man who had caused it all… stood at the center, completely unfazed.
Dian Jiuzhi.
They were gods, yes.
But so was he.
Newly ascended, freshly forged in divine power—yet he radiated confidence that pierced the heavens. His was not just any godhood—it was Perfect Godhood, something none of the others could claim. He knew the truth, and he wore it like armor.
"Come at me," he said, his voice low, cold, and laced with mockery.
"Just don't be all bark and no bite."
"YOU—!!!"
The cry was collective, a chorus of rage.
"BOOOOOOMMMMMMMMMM!!!!!!!"
The hall exploded in pressure as nearly every god present released their aura. The space trembled, divine walls cracked, and the ground beneath their feet threatened to rupture. Celestial formations flared to life just to keep the sacred hall from collapsing.
If not for their restraint, if even a single one of them had lost control, the weaker cultivators from their Divine Kingdoms would have been blown to bits.
The void itself was tearing at the seams, unstable and shrieking.
What had started as an uneasy gathering now stood on the edge of divine war.
Today, the relationship between the Boundless Divine Kingdom and the others had been irreparably scarred.
And just as the tension was about to erupt into open conflict—
"HALT!"
A commanding voice split the air like a divine decree.
The Chief High Priest appeared in a flash of golden light, his ancient figure emerging like a stone carved from time itself. Despite his aged appearance, the pressure that followed him was unlike any present—it was heavy, absolute, unchallengeable.
He had just returned from a private audience with his Lord.
As the divine air rippled around him, the other three High Priests appeared in unison, descending around him in a square formation. The moment their presence filled the hall, every god present—whether willing or not—bowed their heads.
The divine auras receded one after another, like tides drawn back by a greater force.
But the damage—physical and political—had already been done.
"Lord Chief Priest, it's not that we're trying to stir conflict,"
Star Divine Regent spoke first, his voice steady but edged with suppressed anger.
"But this Jiuzhi shows us no respect. We are gods as well!"
"That's right,"Moon Divine Regent added, standing beside his fellow regent, his tone sharp. "He's drunk on his newfound power, acting like he's untouchable now that he's ascended."
Divine Regent Qi Heng crossed his arms, his gaze burning.
"He's crossed a line no god should ever cross."
"There must be consequences."
Even Dreamless Divine Regent, though restraining his divine aura, could not hide the bloodshot rage in his eyes.
"He disgraced his own father and mocked every one of us. That cannot be overlooked."
"Please, allow us to beat some sense into this junior before he brings greater shame upon all of us,"Hua Fuchen said, his voice low but filled with fury.
The hall fell into tense silence again as all eyes turned toward the Chief Priest.
He looked around at the assembled gods, his expression grim and composed. On the outside, he was the image of solemnity and authority—his face unreadable beneath centuries of divine discipline.
But inwardly…
He was cursing every one of them.
"Beat some sense into him? Don't give me that bullshit—you all just want to gang up on him because you're pissed off and afraid he's stronger than you!"
He kept those thoughts buried, of course. His duty demanded restraint, even when patience wore thin.
Without a word, he raised his hand slightly—and in that moment, sent a silent, urgent divine message.
To his Lord.
Because what was unfolding before him was no longer just an internal dispute…
"Crack!!!"
Suddenly, a deep spatial rift tore open in midair, dark and radiant, as a majestic voice echoed through the hall—calm, powerful, and absolute.
"Since you're all so eager to spar… go ahead. Just don't go overboard."
"It's good to display your strength from time to time."
The voice of the Monarch carried the weight of royal decree. In a single breath, he had granted permission—not just for a clash, but for a reckoning.
The gods all fell silent, acknowledging the voice with a slight bow of their heads.
"Go."
The Chief Priest raised his hand and pointed toward the still-rippling spatial crack.
"Yes!"
The gods replied in unison, their voices ringing with battle-ready fervor.
One by one, they turned and bowed toward the direction the Monarch's voice had come from—paying their respects—then stepped into the crack in space.
Leading the charge was none other than Dian Jiuzhi, the gleam of madness burning bright in his eyes.
This was what he wanted.
A chance to unleash.
A chance to prove.
As more gods prepared to follow, a calm voice halted them.
"It will be dangerous beyond this point. You young ones will remain here."
High Priest Wan Dao spoke firmly, his divine sense scanning the hall as he noticed many disciples and juniors attempting to sneak behind their elders.
"Let the gods settle this matter."
The moment his words fell, no one dared take another step forward.
Reluctantly, they retreated, though worry remained in their eyes.
"Please be careful, Father."
Pan Buwang stepped forward, giving a respectful bow as he watched his father vanish into the crack.
"Father, don't go too far,"Meng Jianxi added, his voice quiet but clear.
"Senior Rahu fell… because he went searching for Brother Yuan."
His words were a solemn reminder, one that fell heavily as the Dreamless Divine Regent disappeared into the void—shoulders squared, eyes hard.
"Don't worry, Caili. I'm just going to knock some sense into him. I'll be fine."
Hua Fuchen offered a gentle smile to his daughter as he stepped toward the spatial crack.
"Be careful, Father!"
Hua Caili called out, her voice laced with worry, but she didn't stop him. She knew her father—once his mind was made up, nothing could hold him back.
One by one, the gods vanished into the crack in space.
As the final divine figure passed through, the rift sealed behind them, transporting them to an ancient battlefield—a forgotten plane that had once echoed with the clashes of true gods and celestial beasts. It was a place where no restraints were needed—where they could release their full might without fear of collateral damage.
Back in the grand hall, only two remained behind—High Priest Fairy Spirit (Ling Xian) and High Priest Six Laughs (Liu Xiao). They stood atop the high platform, gazing silently through the array of formations that High Priest Wan Dao had set up to observe the distant battlefield.
"How long do you think it'll take?"
Liu Xiao asked casually, stroking his chin as his gaze followed the flashes of divine power erupting in the far-off realm. Despite the distance and the countless barriers in place, his eyes—those of an Ancient True God—could see everything.
"No more than ten minutes,"Ling Xian replied calmly, her tone composed and cool.
But then—
She noticed something.
Liu Xiao had, with the practiced ease of a man who had done it far too often, pulled out a metal pan and a marbled piece of meat, clearly preparing to cook.
A single vein throbbed on Ling Xian's temple.
"Liu. Xiao."
Before the old man could even blink, a slender leg shot out with terrifying precision—
CRACK!
BOOOOOM!!!
Liu Xiao was launched like a kite caught in a hurricane, spinning through the air with a squawk of surprise, the pan still in hand.
"Wow! Granny Ling Xian, that was a perfect score!"
Hua Caili laughed brightly, giving the stern-faced priestess a thumbs up.
Ling Xian folded her arms, letting out a soft snort.
"Hmph."
The younger generation chuckled quietly among themselves.