The Divine Realm.
The Sanctuary stood majestically above the sea of clouds. Countless pillars of light poured down from the dome, each one connecting to the prayer of a believer in the mortal world. The gods sat in their respective places, listening to the voices from the lower realm.
The interior of the Sanctuary was even more grand than its exterior suggested. Dozens of high-backed chairs cast from astral silver were lined up on both sides, their backs carved with the symbolic patterns of each god’s office. In the center was a massive round table with a surface like a calm pool of water, occasionally flickering with images from various locations in the mortal world.
Seniel, the God of Harvest, leaned back in his chair, his right hand supporting his forehead. The golden wheat crest on his chest armor shimmered faintly. His consciousness followed a thread of faith downward, landing on an old farmer praying by the edge of a wheat field.
“—I beg for your protection. There has been too much rain this summer. If this continues, the harvest will be ruined.”
The old farmer’s voice was hoarse, and he held a small statue of the god in his hands.
Seniel nodded slightly, a ball of warm divine power condensing at his fingertips.
But before the power could leave his hand, an indescribable force suddenly bore down on him.
This force wasn't malicious; in fact, it was the very familiar vow power. This massive surge of vow power appeared suddenly and without warning, causing Seniel’s chest to tighten. A metallic tang of blood rose in his throat, and the divine power at his fingertips instantly exploded into fine shards of light. He tumbled from his chair, coughing up a mouthful of blood.
“Seniel!”
Edmond, the God of Elements, who sat to his left, bolted upright. His reaction was a beat slower than Seniel’s, and the vow power had already begun to radiate in all directions after striking Seniel down. As soon as Edmond took a step, he felt his godhead crack from within, as if something was forcing it open.
Something they were fundamentally incapable of containing was flooding into their bodies.
He clutched his chest and staggered back a few steps, staring in disbelief at the fissures appearing on his godhead.
Next was Auris, the God of War. He was reviewing prayers from a battlefield when his pen froze on the parchment. A trickle of blood leaked from the corner of his mouth. Feeling the changes within his body, he gently wiped the blood away and frowned at the golden stain on his hand.
“...Someone is swearing an oath in the name of the gods.”
His voice wasn't loud, but it was exceptionally clear in the suddenly silent Sanctuary.
The gods seated around the round table were affected one after another—the Goddess of Wisdom, the Moon Goddess, the God of Forging, and others. None were spared, and several gods even collapsed into unconsciousness.
The Sanctuary instantly fell into disarray. The once peaceful temple looked as though it had suffered a great catastrophe.
Edmond propped himself up against the table, blood still staining his lips. He closed his eyes, carefully sensing the source of that power. When he opened them again, his expression was one of pure disbelief.
“Kajinson!” he announced the location. “Someone just swore an oath in the name of the gods in Kajinson! The vow power came from there!”
Auris sat in his chair, the parchment in his hand crumpled into a ball. He looked at Edmond incredulously.
“Such a massive amount of vow power... did everyone in the lower realm gather in Kajinson to swear an oath?! Are you joking?”
“It’s not everyone—it’s one person! There is only a single source for this vow power!”
Auris was confused. “...What do you mean, there’s only one source?”
Edmond gripped his forehead and forced himself back into his chair. After steadying his breath, he spoke after a long silence.
“There really is only one. If you don’t believe me, feel it for yourself... The oath itself is nothing special.” His voice was much more serious than usual. “But the vow power generated by the oath far exceeds the limit of what we can withstand.”
Silence fell over the Sanctuary once again.
Seniel stood up, leaning against the back of his chair, and looked at Edmond, signaling him to finish.
“We cannot withstand the vow power of the one who swore the oath,” Edmond said steadily, though a hint of disbelief remained in his eyes. “That person... their existential rank might far exceed our own.”
As the words fell, several gods began to whisper among themselves. A minor god in charge of the morning light stood in the corner, his face pale and his body trembling uncontrollably.
His godhead was nearly destroyed. The sensation of having an excessive amount of power suddenly forced into him had almost made his godhead explode on the spot. Fortunately, the vow power wasn't directed at him alone but was shared among all the gods present, allowing him to survive the ordeal.
“That’s impossible!” the Goddess of Wisdom stood up and shouted her denial. She pressed a hand to her forehead, her brow furrowed with a rare expression of anger. “Vow power comes from the lower realm. No matter how powerful that person is, they couldn't possibly injure us or damage our godheads with a simple vow.”
“Then you explain what just happened,” Auris said, glancing at her and throwing the question directly back.
The Goddess of Wisdom was instantly silenced, though she still refused to accept the reality of it.
Seniel sat back in his chair and spoke after a moment of thought.
“Temporarily cut off all collection of vow power from the lower realm. Send divine oracles to every temple.”
“Should we send someone down to investigate?” one of the gods asked, standing up.
“No need to rush,” Edmond said, raising a hand to stop him. “No one is permitted to go down until we understand the situation... Cut off all faith collection in that region.”
Auris looked at him, frowning as if he wanted to speak, but then he simply turned and left.
Edmond scanned the assembled gods.
“We will leave it at this for now. We’ll make further plans once the vow power in that area dissipates. First, help the injured repair their godheads.”
The other gods nodded in agreement and began to follow Edmond’s instructions.
A strange silence settled over the Sanctuary, but soon the divine attendants began to tidy the mess. Tranquility was quickly restored to the hall.
...
The capital, the Magic Tower.
Hogg stood by the window of his office, holding the transmission talisman Li Yuan had left behind. He had been standing there for nearly an hour.
A light pitter-patter of footsteps came from the hallway, followed by a knock at the door.
“Teacher, it’s me,” Angela’s voice called from outside.
“Come in.”
Angela entered with a document in hand. For once, she was wearing a formal mage robe, and her hair was neatly tied back.
“The handover with the Legal Department is complete. Ignatius has been moved to the fourth basement level of the Magic Tower. We’ve added a double mana-suppression barrier and arranged for three shifts of guards to rotate twenty-four hours a day.”
Hogg took the document and flipped through it. After a quick scan, he nodded.
“Understood.”
Angela hesitated before asking, “Teacher... is that tea shop owner really okay?”
Hogg glanced at her. “What?”
“I mean Li Yuan,” Angela said, lowering her voice. “Didn’t I report this to Intelligence before? He’s really strong. I feel like he might not be any weaker than you... Shouldn’t you go and verify it yourself?”
Hogg was silent for a moment.
“Don’t ask about things that don’t concern you.”
Angela pursed her lips but didn't dare say more. She gave a salute and turned to leave.
The office became quiet again.
Hogg walked to the window and looked at the darkening sky, then turned to the clock on the wall.
“Sigh...”
Just as the sigh escaped him, Li Yuan’s figure appeared silently behind him. When Hogg turned around, he came face-to-face with Li Yuan.
“Royal Preceptor.”
Hogg nodded to him. “Sir.”
Without any pleasantries, Li Yuan took several folded paper charms from his sleeve and placed them on the desk.
“These are Soul-Soothing Talismans. They can effectively block the kind of vitality and soul drain that Ignatius emits.”
Hogg picked one up to examine it.
“They provide high-level protection against soul-level attacks,” Li Yuan continued. “Keep one on your person during the investigation; do not let it leave your side. You can distribute the rest as you see fit.”
Hogg nodded and tucked the talismans away.
“When do you plan to depart, sir?”
“Now.”
Hogg opened his mouth to say something, but in the end, only one sentence came out.
“Then I wish you a safe journey. Please rest assured regarding matters here in the capital.”
Li Yuan nodded, and his figure vanished from the window.
With everything prepared, it was time to go.
Li Yuan stood suspended in the air above the capital, turning his gaze toward the east.
The moment his Divine Sense was obstructed, he had locked onto that direction. The opponent’s blocking technique wasn't particularly sophisticated; it merely blocked the possibility of further probing, but the approximate location had been basically confirmed.
And it remained unchanged—the extension of his Divine Sense showed a clear anomaly in a certain area to the east. It was as if someone had placed a giant pot over that region, forcing his Divine Sense to bypass it.
Such a clumsy technique was typical of the style of evil cultivators.
Taking a deep breath, he allowed his spiritual energy to circulate rapidly within his body for the first time in a long while. A pale gold glow emerged from his skin, enveloping him. A flash of spirit light gathered beneath his feet, and then his figure transformed into a streak of light, shooting toward the east and leaving a golden trail across the sky.
Occasionally, someone on the ground would look up, only catching a glimpse of a fleeting golden light, like a falling star.
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