Two gods faced each other in silence—one standing on the river, the other atop Hundred-Years Hill. They exchanged glances, neither speaking a word.
The river wind howled. The mountain wind wailed. The early spring air was sharp enough to cut to the bone.
After a long moment, the Dragon-Keeper Lord slowly sank into the water. "You settle in on Hundred-Years Hill first—build yourself a mountain god temple. Later, I'll host a banquet to welcome you. Your hill's too desolate; people only visit to sweep graves during festivals. If you can't survive on incense alone, I can share some of mine."
Blaise Rift felt a wave of bleakness. The Dragon-Keeper Lord fed on blood offerings, so what he'd share would likely be the souls of suicides from the river. But Blaise was a vegetarian, and this hill had no fruit trees—only a lot of buried corpses.
"Better build the temple first. Once it's up, maybe some worshippers will bring fruit or vegetables as offerings. As long as they're not spoiled, I can eat anything..."
In Purple Thorn City, Quinn Shepherd stared at the Five-Thunder War Gourd, towering over five zhang tall, feeling a headache coming on. This massive gourd contained world-ending power—five kinds of thunderclouds. If it went off by accident, it’d be an extinction-level disaster!
"Cult Master, what should we do with the Five-Thunder War Gourd? Should we hide it?"
Members of the Cult of the Heavenly Demon circled the gourd, eyeing it warily. Quinn shook his head. "No place is safe for this thing. One slip and it'll unleash a storm of divine thunder—who knows how many people would die?"
He paced around the gourd, troubled. The Everpeace Empire had more than just this one Five-Thunder War Gourd—there were over a dozen similar Celestial Phenomenon Weapons, any one of which could destroy the country ten times over.
Suddenly, Quinn flicked his finger against the gourd. Everyone jumped in fright. Instantly, thunder rolled for dozens of yards around, and five kinds of divine lightning crashed down!
A barrage of lightning struck. Everyone was left crisped on the outside and tender on the inside, faces black as charcoal. The entire courtyard was obliterated—hundreds of bolts fell in a heartbeat, toppling walls and melting the ground!
Quinn spat out a mouthful of black smoke, thinking aloud, "Actually, this thing’s great for tempering the flesh. If you use the five thunderclouds to forge your body, you could train up in no time. We should haul it home—haul it back to the Holy Cult."
"Cult Master!"
Everyone’s faces changed. Elder Craftsman looked like he was about to cry. "If we bring it back to the Holy Cult and it blows, we’re all doomed!"
Quinn hesitated. "Wouldn’t it be a waste if the Holy Cult couldn’t put this treasure to use?"
Elder Craftsman quickly said, "It’s not a waste, not a waste at all!"
Quinn frowned, sighing, "This thing’s got all sorts of uses—you just don’t see the real benefits. Fine, I’ll keep it myself. Move it into my True Dragon Nest; I have big plans for it."
Everyone exchanged looks. Something as deadly as the Five-Thunder War Gourd, useful? It was more like keeping a deathtrap close at hand!
And in the Dragon Nest, with such a huge space, the thunder couldn’t vent outside. If the Five-Thunder War Gourd exploded, even a god would get fried by the five thunderclouds!
"Besides tempering the body, this Five-Thunder War Gourd is the perfect doomsday device. If I ever meet someone I can’t beat, I’ll just slap it and take them with me!" Quinn thought to himself.
The group worked together to cast the Five Ghosts Relocation Art, sending the Five-Thunder War Gourd into the True Dragon Nest, unaware of their Cult Master's dangerous intentions.
Quinn thanked everyone, summoned the Flood-Dragon King and Dragon-Qilin, and was about to leave for the Godsever Mountains when Serena Yunxiang hurried over. "Cult Master, the emperor is on his way—he’ll reach Purple Thorn City in seven days. Aren’t you going to wait for him?"
Quinn’s eyes widened in shock. “You didn’t tell him not to come?”
Serena Yunxiang shook her head. “You only said not to wait for him; you didn’t say he shouldn’t come. The emperor’s flying here with the Solar-Shooting God Cannon, burning through countless medicinal ores along the way. He’s in a rush…”
Quinn’s scalp tingled, as if he could already picture Emperor Evan sharpening his blade, ready to behead him.
“Go notify him—tell him there’s no need to come!”
Quinn spun and leapt onto the Flood-Dragon King’s back. Serena Yunxiang called after him, “The emperor won’t kill you, but he’ll definitely kill me!”
“Can’t you spin bad news into good?”
Quinn rode off on the dragon, his voice trailing in the distance: “Just rephrase it—he’ll end up rewarding you!”
“Spin bad news into good?”
Serena Yunxiang froze, then suddenly understood, and quickly asked Elder Craftsman to accompany her to greet Emperor Evan. Emperor Evan stood atop the cannon platform, surrounded by ministers and guarded by imperial soldiers, radiating authority. Fifty-six alchemical furnaces burned day and night atop the great cannon, consuming countless medicinal ores as they sped toward Purple Thorn City.
When Serena Yunxiang arrived, Emperor Evan was issuing orders to requisition medicinal ores from the next city—the ones brought on the cannon platform had long run out, so they had to rely on supplies from each city along the way.
Congratulations, Your Majesty!
Serena Yunxiang reported, "High Heaven’s Defiant God Blaise Rift, moved by Your Majesty’s overwhelming might, dared not rebel and has surrendered. He now serves as the mountain god of Hundred-Years Hill in Lu County, guarding the realm and helping preserve the empire for eternity!"
Emperor Evan was delighted. He glanced at his ministers and laughed, “So that Defiant God Blaise Rift finally knew when to retreat. Once he learned I was coming in person, he surrendered rather than face defeat. He’s saved me the trouble of fighting!”
Lord Yan quickly added, “With Your Majesty’s might, how could he dare defy you? Surrender was his only option—otherwise, he’d have no place to die!”
The ministers all offered congratulations, and Emperor Evan beamed with pride. “You who joined me in this campaign have earned merit—each of you shall be rewarded.”
The ministers were all overjoyed.
After the celebrations, the Solar-Shooting God Cannon’s platform halted, preparing to return to the capital. Emperor Evan summoned Serena Yunxiang alone; his expression darkened and he sneered, “Little Saintess of the Si Family, did your Cult Master teach you to say that? Why doesn’t he dare come see me?”
Serena Yunxiang replied cautiously, “The Cult Master is using the Imperial Seal to rally heroes from all corners, fighting off High Heaven’s invasion and defending the Godsever Mountains. He’s keeping the enemy at bay and safeguarding Everpeace’s peace…”