After making all the arrangements, Su Xingyu stood outside the temple.
"Patriarch."
Ye Dashan stepped forward and saluted with unwavering respect.
"Dashan, listen closely. Until I return, no matter what happens outside or what you hear from within, no one is allowed to step inside the temple," Su Xingyu said, his voice calm but firm.
"Yes, Chief." Ye Dashan's expression sharpened. His back straightened as he responded with conviction.
"Good."
Su Xingyu gave a nod of approval and turned to enter the temple.
Once he was inside, Ye Dashan barked new orders to the nearby captain. "Go to the guard corps. Bring me one hundred—no, two hundred elite warriors. Starting today, triple the patrol team around the temple. Run shifts around the clock. And from this moment on, no one is to approach within a hundred meters of the temple gates."
"Yes, General!" the captain shouted.
"Move quickly."
After the captain left, Ye Dashan glanced at the temple entrance, muttering, "Maybe I should just set up camp here. Would save me the trouble of running back and forth."
Inside the temple, Su Xingyu walked straight to the statue. Without hesitation, he pressed forward—and instead of being stopped by stone, his body passed through it like mist.
He entered a place of endless night.
The Dark Divine Realm.
Here, there was nothing but a vast pool of faith and a towering throne. Atop the throne sat the Dark God, His form cloaked in shadows and radiating a terrifying divine presence.
He was different now. Larger. More godlike. The once-towering figure had grown even further, now reaching a height of thirteen meters—an overwhelming sight, a true giant among gods.
Before Him, Su Xingyu looked no larger than an ant.
The dark god opened His eyes. With a slow, deliberate motion, He lifted Su Xingyu and placed him upon His chest. Then, as if embracing his chosen vessel, the deity merged Su Xingyu into His being.
[Deity Interface]
Name: Su Xingyu
God's Name: Lord of Darkness, King of Eternal Night
Godhead: Dark
Authority: Fallen
Divine Fire: Unignited
Divine Domain: Dark Domain
Divine Body: Uncondensed
Divinity: 1 (ready to condense a second point)
Extraordinary Traits:
Darkness Favors: Greatly enhances night vision and grants divine blessings in darkness. Intensity depends on level of faith.
Followers of Eternal Night: Humans, Semi-Metal Giants, and Orcs.
After subduing the Jackal Tribe, Su Xingyu's influence expanded rapidly. The Instrument of Rules elevated his followers' devotion, making them stronger and more devout.
Now, at last, the time had come—he had met the conditions to condense a second point of divinity.
Divinity was the essence of godhood, tied to belief, personality, and power. Most mortals, through immense effort, could one day condense it and begin the long road to divinity. But Su Xingyu, like all players, was an anomaly. The system had gifted them their first spark of divinity and pushed them past the mortal threshold.
They were gods—but still weak. Not yet fully ascended.
Their path to godhood was streamlined: condense divinity, assume divine authority, forge a divine body, then ignite the divine fire. And of these steps, condensing divinity was the most vital.
The more divinity one gathered, the closer they came to true godhood.
Now that Su Xingyu had reached the threshold, the system provided him the method to condense his second spark of divinity. That was why he had immediately retreated to the divine realm after settling tribal affairs.
But it wasn't without risk. For a god born of worship, the will of thousands of believers could drown one's original self. It was easy to become a reflection of the people's prayers, rather than staying true to oneself.
That was why Su Xingyu entered with his original consciousness—to retain his humanity.
He didn't want to become the god others imagined. He would become the god he chose to be.
Seated in silence atop the dark throne, Su Xingyu gathered his focus and closed his eyes. He began the sacred process.
From the pool of faith, divine energy surged forth like a great black dragon. It coiled upward and plunged into his body, a torrent of raw belief and power.
A massive black vortex began to swirl above the throne.
Outside, in the physical world, the statue within the temple began to radiate overwhelming suction, drawing spiritual energy from every direction.
"What… what is that?"
The guards outside stared wide-eyed as the sky above the temple twisted with dark, swirling power. Their legs nearly gave out from shock.
"Gurgle..."
Several of them swallowed hard, unable to tear their eyes away from the terrifying vortex.
Even Ye Dashan was caught off guard. But after a moment, he regained his composure and gave a sharp order. "Maintain formation. Stay alert. This is no threat. It's something greater—something divine. Keep your posts and protect the temple."
"Yes, General!" the guards responded, forcing their eyes away and resuming their patrols. But their gazes still wandered toward the sky, curiosity overcoming discipline.
The vortex was impossible to ignore. Soon, all of Eternal Night City had turned their eyes toward the temple.
In the city's meeting room, Ye San was reviewing documents when a messenger rushed in.
"Elder! The sky above the temple—"
Ye San looked up calmly, already prepared by Su Xingyu's earlier warning. "Don't panic. It's a divine miracle from our Lord. Go tell the people to remain calm and continue with their duties."
"A miracle! Yes! I'll spread the word immediately!" the messenger ran off, eyes gleaming with fervor.
Ye San simply returned to his writing.
The vortex remained for days.
At first, people watched in awe. But with time, their fear turned to fascination. Some even began gathering near the temple, using the dense spiritual energy to cultivate their strength.
Two months passed.
Then, with a deafening roar, the vortex above the temple vanished.
Everyone in Eternal Night City stopped what they were doing. As if guided by instinct, they all turned toward the temple, sensing that something had changed.
Inside the divine realm, darkness grew thicker and more profound.
On the throne sat a new being.
Su Xingyu's divine body had expanded to a towering twenty meters. When he opened his eyes, they radiated with deep cosmic truths, drawing in the gaze of all who dared look upon him.
The divine realm had grown as well—nearly ten times its former size. Dark energy surged through the air like a living tide. Any mortal entering this space would be torn apart and twisted into a creature of darkness.
Rising from the throne, Su Xingyu clenched his fists and gazed down at his hands, feeling the raw, divine power coursing through him.
He was no longer the same. A second spark of divinity now burned within.
And the era of Eternal Night had truly begun.