Chapter 117: Stalemate

At this moment, night was gradually descending upon the earth. Yet, amidst the profound silence and darkness, a faint glimmer of divine power flickered steadily.

In the distant northern lands, within a grand cathedral, a sacred ritual was commencing. Upon a towering altar lay a sprig of verdant foliage, as if freshly plucked from the source itself, exuding a natural, refreshing fragrance. Beside it stood a towering statue of a deity, its eyes deliberately painted gold, radiating an aura of solemn majesty.

The statue, resembling a youthful figure, stood silently, gazing into the far distance. Its entire form was etched with countless divine sigils. A subtle ripple of divine energy coursed through the statue’s body, gradually gathering and transforming the steady stream of faith emanating from afar.

Beneath the statue, inside the cathedral, numerous priests stood with solemn faces, chanting ancient legends with reverence.

“Ancient and eternal deity,
You are the sky, you are the earth, you are all beings, you are the World Tree.
Merciful god, sovereign of nature, embodiment of the world.
You are Adis, god of nature, eternal ruler upon the earth…”

Led by an elder clad in the papal robes, the priests intoned the sacred words in hushed unison. As their voices waned, unseen to them a strand of faith flickered, gradually merging with their minds and hearts to form a pure and singular intent.

Ordinary thoughts are countless and fleeting, appearing and vanishing in an instant. Under normal circumstances, these intentions are too faint to influence anything. But now, as countless souls prayed simultaneously, their collective faith briefly unified, distilling into pure, singular thoughts.

Though faint, these thoughts were pure.

As these intentions coalesced, countless strands of faith in the void slowly converged, crystallizing around a core of pristine essence, carrying the myriad thoughts into a growing unity. The void trembled, stirred by a rising will of immense strength.

Elsewhere on the earth, countless similar scenes unfolded. Beyond the northern lands, in the eastern and western regions, under Adis’s command, multitudes knelt humbly before newly erected temples and altars, devoutly worshipping the god of nature.

Though these altars were humble, as countless hearts prayed toward the same core, a transformation began. Diverse origins yet sharing a singular source, these pure thoughts blossomed like a resplendent galaxy—countless points of radiant purity rippling outward, birthing a vast consciousness.

This consciousness resembled the world’s collective mind but bore subtle differences. The world’s awareness arises from the myriad spirits of existence, converging upon the immortal core of the world itself. This newly born will, however, stemmed from the faithful, centering upon the deity’s essence.

While not as potent as the world consciousness, it was pure. Within it, countless scenes of earnest prayer emerged.

An ailing elder knelt, eyes filled with devotion, heart devoid of sorrow or joy, silent in prayer.
A child’s face bore innocence, following parents with eyes shining the purest light, praying as well.

One scene after another unfolded simultaneously, flowing with the accumulated power of decades past. At the deepest core, the spectral image of an ancient tree stood quietly, embodying eternity, like a deity unchanging through the ages.

“Great god of nature, may you endure forever.”

Deep within the temple, an elder robed in iridescent papal vestments murmured softly. Above his head, a beam of faith began to wane, soon replaced by the blossoming light of a pure and sacred spirit, as if something was about to be born.

Meanwhile, in the void, a dazzling light emerged. Within its radiance, a grand consciousness shattered the world’s barriers and surged toward a youth enshrouded in divine light.

Immediately, an overwhelming sensation swept over him, tinged with familiarity.

Chen Ming opened his eyes. His golden gaze radiated a terrifying divine aura. In that instant, his power, once capped at the peak of the fifth tier, surged once more. Bolstered by countless faithful, he ascended directly to the sixth tier.

“This feels somewhat like the last time I was imbued with the world’s power, yet different,” he mused inwardly.

He sensed the robust energy within and reflected, “After all, one was borrowed power, the other the blessing of my own followers—one external, the other intrinsic. Naturally, they differ.”

“Though this power is weaker than the world consciousness, it suffices for the present.”

“What is this?”

Opposite him, Chrisya, who had stood quietly before, stared at Chen Ming in shock. A faint sense of danger surged within him, making him wary.

This was astounding—it meant Chen Ming now possessed the genuine strength to threaten his life.

With no further words, the two clashed once more.

This time, the once suppressed domain of nature suddenly expanded, unleashing countless natural transformations. Horrific ripples erupted in the void, annihilating vast swathes of space.

Behind Chrisya, drawn by his power, a jet-black greatsword traversed great distances to his grasp.

Chen Ming distinctly perceived the lingering world energy and immortal demonic nature entwined with this blade, imbuing it with a unique power.

This was the Demon-Slayer Sword, the legendary weapon Chrisya wielded to purge demonic calamities and slay countless terrifying beasts.

In the next moment, the sword swung down fiercely, shattering the once impenetrable natural divine realm.

Yet then, a blazing sun flickered in the void, bearing the devout intentions of countless believers, striking Chrisya directly.

Instantly, the two essences entwined once more, locked in stalemate.

As the supreme powers of the Royal Court Patriarch and the god of nature clashed in the void, on the earth below, Adis lifted his gaze skyward, his golden eyes shimmering with a ghostly light.

“Have they finally been halted?” he sighed softly, a trace of relief in his voice.

A sixth-tier being, if left unchecked, could destroy the entire Adis Duchy alone. Mortal wars and powers seemed utterly powerless before such an existence.

“Now, only the battle before us remains,” he thought quietly, eyes fixed on the distant city walls faintly tainted with the scent of blood.