"Lu Sangdou."

He browsed through everything, calling the true name of the divine girl, Lu Sangdou, while focusing on two particular pieces of information, his lips twitching in disbelief.

【Admirer: She is astonished by your terrifying strength and physique. She is captivated by you, infatuated with you—could this be love at first sight?】

【Stockholm Syndrome Victim: In the face of extreme danger, she develops an emotional attachment to her aggressor, forming a harmonious relationship. This is the key reason she has shifted from admiration to obsession with you.】

【Masochist: She is addicted to being tormented by extreme and pure violence.】

Chen Xiang's mouth twitched. Instinctively, he applied more pressure with his foot, grinding the soft body beneath him. The deity let out a soft moan, her face flushing even deeper, as if receiving a reward.

"Damn it, I've really met a freak this time!"

Chen Xiang was speechless—extremely speechless.

He lifted his foot, but didn't immediately close his energy-draining Observer's Eye. Instead, he raised his head and looked up at the two deities in the sky, forcing himself to endure the overwhelming flow of information.

【Constantine, Archbishop of the Abyssal Void Church: The third-ranking figure in the Abyssal Void Church.】

【Abyssal Void: Forbidden Item 015, born from the remains of the Void Entity. It can suppress all divine realms. When fully unfolded, it can consume Forbidden Items beyond Sequence 015 to complete itself. When fully unfolded, it can...】

Chen Xiang's head throbbed violently as he forced himself to observe, confirming that neither of the two deities had noticed him.

Without delay, he closed the Observer's Eye, and the skin on his forehead slowly healed. A monocle had somehow appeared on his face.

The girl struggled to her feet, her gaze toward Chen Xiang becoming more complicated.

"Who exactly are you?"

Chen Xiang gazed at Lu Sangdou, speaking calmly:

"A vessel, a perfect vessel. Once I've completed everything, you will bind me and take me to the Nine Rings, to the place of god's descent. How about that?"

"You..."

Lu Sangdou's pupils contracted. That eye... This person...

If it really comes to the descent of the god, would he be the vessel, or would the god become the vessel?

"I will report this. Your schemes will ultimately..."

Chen Xiang stomped on her again, the enormous head lowering down as the monocle gleamed, staring at the soft girl beneath him.

"I can see into your heart."

Without a sound, the psychic brand took effect. His words echoed like the ringing of a thousand great bells, reverberating fiercely in the girl's mental world.

"You will obey me, follow all of my commands, won't you?"

The girl froze, her face turning crimson again, stammering:

"Yes... as you wish."

"Good."

After ensuring the psychic brand had taken root, Chen Xiang lifted his foot and removed the monocle.

"Go ahead and do whatever you need to do. Once I finish my business, come and capture me."

Lu Sangdou gasped softly, looking at the terrifyingly powerful giant, unconsciously clenching her legs together.

"What... what are you going to do?" she asked, her face flushed.

Chen Xiang smiled. All three of his heads spoke simultaneously, one in a deep tone, another with unfathomable depth, and the last accompanied by whispers of infinite forbidden knowledge.

"I come from the Old Times."

"And as someone from the Old Times, I shall do what those from the Old Times do."

Old... Old Times?

The Old Council?

Lu Sangdou's face changed as she watched the giant, who made her heart race, walking step by step toward the ruins of the academy.

Each step thundered against the ground, sending countless stones flying into the air.

"No, you can't!"

Lu Sangdou cried out urgently. Even though they were enemies, she couldn't help but warn him:

"The Spear of Dimensional End is nailed to the altar of the Old Times! That's a true weapon of the Outer Gods. If you get close, you'll be torn into ashes across all dimensional planes!"

"Outer God weapon?"

Chen Xiang chuckled. The barely noticeable head of loss rotated back, its deep, endless voice ringing out:

"Perfect. I happen to have one of those too."

"Next..."

"Listen to the silence of the world."

Without turning back, he walked through the collapsed bronze gates and into the academy ruins.

"Listen... to the world's silence..."

Lu Sangdou murmured in confusion, subconsciously touching her burning face, recalling the humiliating feeling of being stepped on.

Her face grew even hotter.

…

"You're stronger than I expected... but still limited."

In the sky, the emaciated old man looked indifferent, staring at the panting Lu Saleng.

"The Great City is nowhere near qualified to stand alongside the Nine Nations. Without the divine realm bestowed by the Lord of Death, you're very ordinary."

As he spoke, the 【Abyssal Void】 surrounding him began to expand, threatening to engulf the entire Great City.

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He had grown tired and wanted to finish this quickly.

"What are you doing?!"

The elder with heterochromatic eyes roared in anger, "You're going to absorb the Great City into the 【Abyssal Void】?! Aren't you afraid of incurring the wrath of the Great Lord of Death?!"

"Afraid? Oh, I'm terrified!"

The emaciated old man sneered. This time, he had taken a great risk, bringing the foundation of the Abyssal Void Church—【Abyssal Void】.

Naturally, he needed a great reward to match!

Devouring the Great City would be that reward!

"I may die here, but I will never let you succeed!"

The elder with heterochromatic eyes roared in fury, seemingly burning himself out. A dazzling explosion of light erupted, momentarily suppressing the 【Abyssal Void】!

"Burning everything? Depleting your foundation?"

The emaciated old man shook his head coldly.

"How long can you last? One minute? Two minutes? It's pointless. I'll wait for you to burn out."

One minute passed, and Lu Saleng was drenched in sweat, his lips pale, and the brilliant light in his heterochromatic eyes dimmed significantly.

"You're nearing your limit," the old man sneered.

Five minutes passed, and Lu Saleng's figure wobbled, deep wrinkles forming on his face.

"You're dying," the old man taunted.

Ten minutes passed, and Lu Saleng's body emitted a decayed aura, as if nearing the edge of death, about to be completely burned out.

"Everything is about to end. The Great City will fall into the void, and the void will make the Great City great once more," the old man declared with confidence.

Fifteen minutes passed, and Lu Saleng's body had become even more decayed, drawing closer to death, seemingly out of fuel.

"You've earned my respect," the old man said solemnly. "Rest in peace. I won't destroy your soul. You may return to the embrace of the Lord of Death."

Twenty minutes passed, and Lu Saleng was nearly exhausted, unable to even lift his arms..

After thirty minutes, Lu Saleng let out a desperate growl.

After forty minutes,

"No?"

The gaunt elder's eyelids twitched wildly:

"You haven't burned out yet?? Just how deep is your essence?!"

Lu Saleng, extremely weak, replied:

"I will die, but I will return, and I will reclaim everything that belongs to me."

The gaunt elder took a deep breath and continued to wait.

An hour passed.

Lu Saleng was panting heavily, drenched in sweat. The gaunt elder could no longer sit still and cursed,

"You mother—"

"Roar!!"

Lu Saleng let out a final, sorrowful cry. A brilliant light suddenly erupted from his body, completely suppressing the surrounding darkness, as if in one final burst of glory!

The gaunt elder breathed a sigh of relief, his heart racing:

"I admit, you are a worthy opponent, Lu Saleng. I will remember your name. Every year on this day, I will offer a tribute to you."

He bowed toward Lu Saleng.

The elderly man with strange eyes, who seemed to be burning out in one final blaze, let out a sorrowful cry:

"My great city, my beloved great city…"

Inwardly, he cursed, "Why isn't Chen done yet??"

"I really, really can't keep this act up any longer!"

But he had to keep pretending to draw the attention of all the powerful ones. Only then would Chen Xiang have a chance!

"Even if I die, I will drag you down with me. You will accompany me to hell!"

Lu Saleng roared and abandoned all defense, launching a full-force attack on the gaunt elder!

With a solemn expression, the gaunt elder said,

"You are a worthy opponent. I will personally end your life. This is your glory, and mine as well!"

He spread his hands, dark light flaring up, clashing with the brilliant light. Space began to collapse bit by bit, a storm brewing, causing the entire Great City to tremble!

The gaunt elder brought his palm down, the darkness engulfing Lu Saleng, and it seemed like it was over.

"I will remember this day," he murmured.

Suddenly.

"It's not over!"

From within the darkness came a faint voice:

"I still have one last strike… This is all I have left!"

Lu Saleng, battered and bruised, burst out from the dark light, his body glowing, carrying the entire sky as he hurtled toward the gaunt elder!

With that final strike, Lu Saleng lost all signs of life.

The gaunt elder coughed up blood from the impact but did not become angry. He merely sighed:

"This time, it is truly over. Rest assured, I will take care of the Great City."

The lifeless Lu Saleng struggled to his feet:

"I… I still have one last remnant soul attack—"

"Damn you!"

The gaunt elder roared in disbelief:

"Something is not right with you!"

"This is my last remnant soul!" Lu Saleng cried sadly. "Even if I'm utterly annihilated, I will—"

Suddenly, he felt something and looked down to see a giant standing defiantly at the ruins of the Giant Academy, next to the fissure in space-time.

The sorrow on Lu Saleng's face disappeared. Under the terrified gaze of the gaunt elder, Lu Saleng straightened his back, his complexion rosy once again, and placed his hands behind his back.

"Thank you."

He spoke calmly:

"This battle has finally helped me take the last step."

"At this moment, I am now a true god."

The gaunt elder: ?

The gaunt elder: ???

The powerful figures silently observing from afar: ???!

The gaunt elder's eyes bulged as he saw an endless, dazzling light explode, swallowing all the darkness in an instant, transforming into a boundless ocean that blotted out the sky!

"You—you—you—"

The gaunt elder pointed at Lu Saleng, his lips trembling, clutching his chest:

"You're toying with—"

Before he could finish his sentence—

Dong!

Suddenly, a bell rang out.

The entire Great City fell into silence, even the wind stopped. The gaunt elder found himself unable to speak.

Dong!!

The second toll of the bell rang, and extreme silence spread in all directions. Heaven and earth were still, with only the bell's toll remaining.

Dong!!!

The third toll rang out, and even the bell's sound faded into silence. In the Great City, from the lowliest commoner to the gods themselves, every thought in their minds was forcibly stilled, their consciousness suspended.

And it wasn't just the Great City.

The bell's sound echoed across the globe. Then, even the bells fell silent. In that moment, all sounds in the universe ceased.

Even the murmurs of the heart, the rhythm of life, the echoes of time—all were silenced.

All clocks stopped at 17:33:48, and no longer moved forward.

The entire Earth seemed to have been paused, with time itself frozen, and all living beings' thoughts suspended. Only a few true gods could barely think.

"What has Chen Xiang done?!"

Lu Saleng's thoughts slowed as he tried to lower his gaze, but he couldn't—time had been stilled!

Even his godly mind was gradually approaching total stillness, approaching complete freeze!

In the final moment before Lu Saleng's thoughts stopped entirely, he managed one last thought:

"What did he use to strike the bell?"

"Damn, this is going to cause a lot of trouble!"