Chapter 654: God Tribe Moves

The Divine Realm, a place beyond comprehension.

In the magnificent, gilded hall, only two individuals were present.

One sat atop the throne, a sovereign figure, lord over all gods. He was proud, handsome, and possessed everything, yet was destined to live in solitude.

This was the King of Gods, a supreme being who stood proudly at the apex of all heavens, wielding control over the life and death of any individual.

Before him sat a middle-aged man, ancient in appearance, draped in a worn black cloak, calmly perusing an ancient book. He seemed more like a listener, a reader eager for knowledge.

“Teacher, there have been changes on Mount Yehan.”

“You already knew this. Why bring it up now? If you feared it, knowing your character, you would have acted long ago. Since it’s not fear, why mention it? Are you worried about something?”

As the elder finished speaking, the exquisitely refined man on the throne replied, “Indeed, what am I worried about? Merely a human. Even Yun Wangji from back then was nothing more than an ant, let alone him?”

The middle-aged elder closed the ancient book in his hands, his gaze suddenly distant and vacant as he stared into the distance.

“In my view, this young man is superior to Yun Wangji of yesteryear. In a sense, Yun Wangji represented the immortal will of humanity hundreds of thousands of years ago: resilient, persistent, unafraid of power... Too many admirable qualities converged in one man.

Unfortunately, he overstepped his bounds, forgot his lowly human lineage, and dared to covet the exalted angels, which sealed his fate. Under all heavens, no one can defy a god's will. Before the King of Gods, no matter how powerful he was, he was still just an ant.

Now, this person named Xu Yang seems to be treading the same path as Yun Wangji. Yet, there are significant fundamental differences between them. At the very least, Xu Yang, this human, already carries karma that transcends the scope of all heavens. This is why he must die.”

The smile on the King of Gods’ lips deepened. He understood that his teacher’s long, roundabout explanation was merely finding the most suitable pretext.

“So, in your opinion, Teacher, the will of humanity is constantly progressing.”

“Yes. This progress can never exceed the limits controlled by the heavens, for the gods are their masters. However, humanity’s desire to reach that limit is beyond our control. Balance is key to curbing the eruption of such desires. As the ultimate embodiment of humanity’s will today, I eagerly await how high Xu Yang can elevate this focus. Will he, like Yun Wangji back then, ultimately fall before the Moonless Heaven?”

As the middle-aged man pondered this question, he instinctively began flipping through the ancient book in his hands again. It was clearly blank, yet he stubbornly continued turning the pages, eager to find the answers he sought.

“Back then, your prophecy regarding Yun Wangji came true. I wonder this time...”

The middle-aged man chuckled softly, “This time, I don’t wish to make any more prophecies. Instead, let Xu Yang’s journey be a game of chess between you and me. I’ll take black, you take white. Let’s see if my piece can ultimately break through all obstacles and reach the limits of humanity’s will, or if you, the exalted King of Gods, will turn his pursuit into a dream. What do you say?”

The smile on the King of Gods’ face deepened further. “Very well then...”

“Then, we shall meet at the end.”

The black-robed man vanished into thin air, replaced by four divine warriors clad in golden armor.

“Greetings, Your Majesty, King of Gods!”

“Rise. Sunset of Chenxi, listen to my command.”

“Your subordinate is present!”

Among the four, the middle-aged man on the far left, with four eyes on his head, hovering in mid-air and holding two spheres of light—one golden, one silver—in his palms, spoke in a deep voice.

This man was Sunset of Chenxi, the fourth of the Divine Race’s four great generals. Legend has it that a hundred thousand years ago, he was a meteor that erupted from the Sun Star. As he passed through the outer realms, a divine thought guided him to the Divine Realm, where he ultimately assumed his current form. He has looked this way ever since transforming a hundred thousand years ago.

As for his abilities, they were not born from the divine essence of the Divine Realm but were innate, possessing partial control over the laws of time. He was the last of the four great generals to enter the Divine Realm.

“I have a task for you. Depart immediately with your Sun-Moon Demonic Spirits and go to Mount Yehan to find a man named Xu Yang.”

“Your Majesty, killing a human requires no assistance.”

The King of Gods chuckled softly, and at the slight upturn of his lips, he appeared exquisitely handsome.

“I am not sending you to kill him, but rather... to eliminate those around him. Whether you kill one or all of them is up to you.”

A long-unseen smile appeared on Sunset of Chenxi’s face.

“Thank you, Your Majesty!”

The others dispersed, leaving the King of Gods alone in the vast divine hall, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes.

“Teacher, this time, I will not lose to you again.”

...

At that time, Xu Yang’s team, along with Apura and his two companions, had exited the battlefield and were heading directly towards the mountain pass leading to the inner pathways of the Moonless Heaven.

Along the way, Apura and his companions continuously demonstrated the power of magic to Xu Yang’s team. It was amazing, but perhaps due to their lack of adaptation, the three still seemed somewhat out of place among Xu Yang’s group.

Before they knew it, they arrived at a vast, open plain.

The environment here was unique, with endless plants swaying in the wind as far as the eye could see, creating a sense of tranquility and harmony.

“Wow! Gray-hair, why didn’t you tell us sooner? This place is so beautiful! If we had known, fleeing here would have been far more comfortable than going to Divine Finger Mountain, wouldn’t it?”

Long Kun, like a carefree, big-headed bird, ran wildly and freely across the vast plain.

“Can you, you phoenix egg, calm down? The tranquility of this plain today dates back to a battle hundreds of thousands of years ago! It is said that a single tear from the angel Yueshou fell upon this plain, invigorating everything that had been destroyed by war with immense vitality!

After hundreds of thousands of years of flourishing and procreation, this plain is now teeming with various spiritual entities. It is also said that a race of elves exists here, though they rarely appear; I myself have only seen them once.”

“Elves? Really? What are they?”

Ling Yao and the others asked, their eyes full of surprise and anticipation.

Seeing that he couldn't satisfy everyone's curiosity, the gray-haired old man reluctantly bit the bullet and projected a spiritual impression of the elves he held deep in his memory for them to see.

“Heavens... Is this... an elf?”