CHAPTER 310: CHAPTER 308 ’GOLD GOD IS STILL SO ADORABLE

DEEP BREATHS—

In the mountainous region where the Western Wilderness met the northern part of Central Mountain, Wu Wang stood before a colossal rock.

The pitch-black spear, a gift from Yun Zhongjun, now emanated wisps of pure black aura. The shaft of the spear trembled continuously, as if a beast within was constantly roaring and howling.

After brewing for a moment, these auras began to coil around Wu Wang’s arm.

Wu Wang neither dodged nor resisted.

He followed Yun Zhongjun’s instructions, sensing the spear, guiding its spirit while also allowing that spirit to ignite the battle intent in the depths of his heart, fostering a continuous resonance with it.

Wielding a Divine Weapon was a process of mutual familiarization and conquest.

Especially since he had just cast off the identity of ’that Ghost,’ he also needed to use this spear’s aura to disguise himself.

Shortly after, a pure black, five-petaled lotus appeared on Wu Wang’s arm, like a curse mark. The Divine Weapon had made its initial recognition of its master!

A strand of frenzied divine thought, craving to devour flesh and blood, bored into Wu Wang’s spiritual mind but was instantly ground to dust by the starlight of the Star Sea suspended above Wu Wang’s Immortal Abode.

Was this the Divine Weapon’s own will? Or the residual consciousness of its previous owner?

Wu Wang carefully sensed it, grasped the spear firmly, and gave it a gentle shake. He felt as if the Divine Weapon was an extension of his arm, and numerous wondrous ’moves’ surfaced in his mind.

His palm throbbed faintly, and a drop of his Essence Blood flew out 자동으로, absorbed by the spear’s shaft.

Dark red, blood-like patterns appeared on the pitch-black shaft, its aura growing colder, its killing intent heavier.

"This truly is a ferocious weapon."

"Of course, it is."

Yun Zhongjun’s light chuckle came from the side. His slightly plump figure and the Whistling Serpent appeared simultaneously, but both gods were mere faint phantoms, clearly not their true forms.

Yun Zhongjun explained, "This spear was the weapon of a formidable enemy of the Third God King from the Third Divine Era... Of course, it wasn’t that enemy’s primary weapon. I merely obtained most of its fragments and reforged it into this weapon. It has absorbed the vitality of three lesser gods, allowing it to gradually reawaken. You should make good use of this spear. Coupled with your previous deceptions, it will easily make those gods who experienced the Third Divine Era recall some very unpleasant things... Tsk."

Hearing this, Wu Wang felt a wave of dismay. He retorted, "Are you sure this thing won’t attract a siege from the Innate Gods?"

Yun Zhongjun chuckled. "You’ve already dug out a Divine Core. Are you still worried about other things attracting a siege from the Innate Gods?"

"Can digging out a Divine Core truly incite that much hatred?"

"Master, it is so," the Whistling Serpent explained softly from the side. "As part of the order of Heaven Palace, if Innate Gods engage in conflict, they can severely injure or even kill each other, but they must not secretly plunder divine power. In the past, the Candle Dragon was cruel and merciless, hunting rival Innate Gods to strengthen itself. This incited the fear and alliance of the other gods. Therefore, after Heaven Palace was established, this ironclad rule was set. Gods draw divine power from the Divine Pool of Heaven Palace, which gathers the collective will of all beings. If anyone plunders divine power, all gods shall unite to execute them."

"But didn’t the Human Domain previously..." Wu Wang stopped mid-sentence, a wry smile appearing on his face.

He had intended to say that the Human Domain had killed a few Evil Gods before, leading to the infamous ’Three Ways to Cook an Evil God’ incidents.

But on second thought, the Human Domain and Heaven Palace were mortal enemies, locked in a perpetual struggle. The Human Domain naturally didn’t need to follow Heaven Palace’s rules.

Wu Wang pondered for a moment, chuckled awkwardly, then asked, "What’s the situation in Central Mountain?"

"I still underestimated the Human Emperor’s patience. Shen Nong has yet to make a move." Yun Zhongjun’s ethereal projection sat down before Wu Wang and elaborated, "Shen Nong hasn’t ordered an attack, but I can faintly sense many powerful beings converging in a narrow area. Heaven Palace is also on guard; the Earth God has already deployed the Mystic Turtle Formation. They were caught between a rock and a hard place, so naturally, they’ve hunkered down. Strong gods are being moved back as much as possible, while the experts of the Hundred Races are being sacrificed liberally, suffering heavy casualties. Moreover, the Candle Dragon’s recent, constant assaults on the Heaven and Earth Seal have awakened most of the Innate Gods in Heaven Palace, also preventing these Innate Gods from leaving. From what I’ve sensed, another of the Five Elements Gods has awakened."

"Who?"

"The Gold God." Yun Zhongjun’s mouth twitched slightly. "She’s the oldest among the Five Elements Gods and survived several divine eras’ wars of succession. If it weren’t for her past association with Xihe, she wouldn’t have helped Emperor Shun. This god is very peculiar. If you encounter her later, try to stay as far away as possible."

Peculiar?

Wu Wang nodded slowly, not overly concerned, and leaned on his divine spear, lost in thought.

The Whistling Serpent said, "If you wish to lure those strong gods out of Heaven Palace and allow the Human Domain’s aging experts to make one last contribution, perhaps you could find a way to keep the Candle Dragon quiet for a while..."

"The strengths of Heaven Palace, the Divine Faction of the Outer Sky, and the Human Domain are in a delicate balance," Wu Wang explained. "With the Candle Dragon assaulting the seal, Heaven Palace doesn’t dare mobilize too many Innate Gods against the Human Domain. This gives the Human Domain a chance to gain advantages in localized areas. Similarly, if Heaven Palace were to wipe out the Human Domain, it could concentrate the Power of Living Beings to upgrade the cosmic order, completely sealing the Candle Dragon’s path of return. Thus, although the Human Domain and the Candle Dragon God’s faction haven’t formally allied, they share this tacit understanding. If the Candle Dragon gave Heaven Palace any breathing room, Emperor Shun might harden his heart and annihilate the Human Domain, and then everything would be finished."

Yun Zhongjun chuckled. "Perhaps the Human Domain and the Outer Sky forces have long been in contact, unbeknownst to others."

Wu Wang immediately thought of the Tianyan Xuan Nu Sect’s stele from the Outer Sky.

Of course, he shouldn’t let his imagination run wild; Wu Wang had a rather favorable impression of the Xuan Nu Sect.

"What’s next? Brother, do you have any good suggestions? Another sneak attack anytime soon will likely be difficult to pull off." Wu Wang looked at Yun Zhongjun.

Yun Zhongjun smiled faintly. "These three duels were merely for you to accumulate experience. There are only a few dozen minor gods in the Western Wilderness, and they’ve all banded together now. It would indeed be difficult for you to strike again. Currently, the Innate Gods scattered throughout the Nine Wildernesses of the Great Wilderness are converging near Central Mountain and Yang Valley, all trying their best to avoid being isolated. Interestingly, the reputation of that Ghost has spread rapidly."

Yun Zhongjun paused, his gaze fixed on Wu Wang, and said softly, "For the next step, I suggest I make a big move in the Western Wilderness, secure more divine power for you, and then you can infiltrate Central Mountain."

Wu Wang’s eyes lit up. "I thought you wouldn’t take action this time."

Yun Zhongjun laughed. "Don’t be so rigid with rules; always apply them flexibly. Don’t be dogmatic. Don’t I also need to make a show of commitment, to reassure our little organization? How much divine power do you need for your Star God’s bloodline to advance?"

Wu Wang calculated carefully. "The divine power of three minor gods should be enough for my physical body to reach the next level. It seems I have enough divine power now. It’s just that it’s all locked away by my mother’s treasure and is being released to me slowly, so it will take some time. Probably another three to five years."

Yun Zhongjun muttered, "I’ve been meaning to ask, why is it being released to you slowly?"

The necklace on Wu Wang’s chest floated up on its own, and Cang Xue’s voice emanated from within it: "What if the divine power is infused too quickly and hurts my son?"

Wu Wang, the Whistling Serpent, and Yun Zhongjun: ...

It was unclear who chuckled first, but the area was suddenly filled with pleasant laughter.

Wu Wang tactfully expressed that he could, in fact, endure a bit of pain—or even welcome it if it came more fiercely.

Before long, the necklace that had accompanied Wu Wang since the Northern Wilderness began to transform. The divine aura of the Ice God enveloped it, and the gem hanging from it turned ice-blue. The Dao of Ice began to overtly protect Wu Wang’s Primordial Spirit.

Wu Wang was quite moved by this.

His current Immortal Abode’s divine platform... was a sight he couldn’t bear to see, truly.

Emperor Fuxi bestowed Yin and Yang; the Star God’s Dao nurtured countless Stars.

The Yan Emperor’s decree summoned the Dao of Fire; Cinder Ice shattered the Profound, safeguarding his soul and spirit.

Wu Wang’s Primordial Spirit existed in this ’perilous’ environment, clinging to his still-maturing new Star Dao, fighting for survival.

"When do we make our move?"

"Don’t rush." Yun Zhongjun’s ethereal projection quietly faded. "Absorb the divine power here for now. When your strength has significantly increased, I will arrange everything else."

Wu Wang couldn’t help but force a wry smile.

This elder brother, a nanny-like support God?

He genuinely feared that if this continued, he’d become too lazy to think, molded by his elder brother into... a reckless brute.

「In the Western Wilderness, on a mountain ridge temporarily occupied by a dozen lesser gods.」

The sprawling complex of palaces and the countless beings prostrating on the ground symbolized this location’s authority in the Western Wilderness.

Atop the highest palace, the Young Master stood silently in a black dress. Before her were three divine thought phantoms, representing three powerful gods of paramount status and strength within Heaven Palace.

There was the tall, cold-faced Head Manager; the robust Earth God, exuding an air of stability; and a Goddess who rarely made appearances.

This Goddess still looked somewhat drowsy. She was clad in golden Battle Armor and a dragon-bone helmet, but her face was quite delicate; framed by the imposing helmet, her face seemed smaller than the Head Manager’s palm. Around her, incredibly sharp Dao rhythms occasionally pulsed. That sharpness could pierce the heavens, forge the very edge of the world, and grind away all imbalance between heaven and earth.

The Gold God of the Five Elements.

"A Ghost?" the Head Manager murmured, his eyes thoughtful.

The Earth God said, "Is it related to the Reincarnation Grand Dao? That would indeed be a powerful god from the Third Divine Era."

The Gold God frowned. "Is it an awakening Ancient God? Stealing the divine power of Innate Gods?"

The Head Manager glanced at the Gold God and smiled. "The perpetrator is targeting weak, lesser gods in a chaotic place like the Western Wilderness. Their own strength shouldn’t be too formidable."

The Earth God asked, "Is it possible that a few Innate Gods in the Western Wilderness want to grow stronger and deliberately fabricated this?"

The Young Master said softly, "When the third death occurred in the Northwestern Region, all Innate Gods in the Western Wilderness were under my surveillance."

The Head Manager added, "Not just the Western Wilderness. I have been secretly monitoring all Innate Gods affiliated with Heaven Palace."

"So, can we conclude it’s the work of gods or beings outside Heaven Palace?" The Gold God raised her hand, yawning, the sound of scraping armor plates accompanying the motion. She huffed, "Then what’s there to discuss? Send people to investigate! Once found, kill them! Does Heaven Palace not care about its reputation anymore? When have I, the Gold God, ever suffered such an insult!"

The Earth God retorted, "And where should we look?"

The Head Manager, however, offered a warm smile and said gently, "Don’t be hasty. This could also be a plot by the Human Domain, intended to disrupt our arrangements in Central Mountain."

"Arrangements, my ass!" the Gold God cursed, her face under the helmet etched with dissatisfaction. "The Human Domain has so few experts! Can’t we just let the seal hold for a bit, direct all our forces south, and wipe out the Human Domain? Defense, defense, defense! Can defending win back territory? Can it win back faithful believers and beautiful female spirits? You’re pathetic, Earth God! Disgusting!"

The Earth God’s broad face instantly turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Beside him, the Head Manager was all smiles, though the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

Even the Young Master, communicating with them via Divine Thought through the Great Dao, couldn’t help but feel a headache. The Human Domain’s recent actions had caused such a stir that they had actually awakened this formidable deity.

The Young Master said, "I will search for the Ghost’s whereabouts here. If his tracks are found, should he be eliminated or captured and brought back to Heaven Palace?"

"Capture..."

"Destroy him!"

The Earth God and the Gold God spoke almost in unison, then glanced at each other. The Earth God silently made a ’please proceed’ gesture and resolutely fell silent.

The Gold God snorted and said nonchalantly, "Shao Siming, my dear sister, can you even defeat that Ghost? Shall I, your big sister, come and help you?"

"There’s no need. I can handle it myself," the Young Master replied softly. With a sweep of her wide sleeve, she severed the Great Dao communication, and the three Divine Thoughts before her began to dissipate.

"Don’t be hasty, Shao Siming, my dear sister!" The Gold God leaned forward. Standing up revealed her inherently delicate and exquisite figure, and her large eyes sparkled with... a somewhat fervent light. "My dear sister, let’s have a private chat! Don’t you want to know what I’m wearing under my battle armor today? Let me see if your figure has gotten even better over these tens of thousands of years! Hahahaha! Hey, don’t cut it off! Hey!"

The Young Master waved her sleeve again, accelerating the dispersal of the three Divine Thoughts.

Once silence finally fell, she huffed softly, and her form dematerialized from the spot.

In Heaven Palace, within the Head Manager’s Temple.

The Gold God of the Five Elements, clad in full armor and barely reaching the Earth God’s chest upon standing, wore a look of regret. She turned to the Head Manager, who offered a genial smile.

"Lady Gold God, what wisdom do you have for me?"

"Call me when the fighting starts," the Gold God muttered. Then, with a leap, she sprang out the window and plunged into the sea of clouds. "This god will find her own amusement."

Soon, the sea of clouds churned, and a three-headed White Tiger, its body gleaming with an iron luster, leaped out. The Gold God had shed her armor and was now in a light, airy outfit, her long hair tied into two simple ponytails. Arms crossed, she stood on the White Tiger’s back, speeding towards the Western Wilderness.

The Earth God and the Head Manager both sighed in relief.

The Earth God asked, "How did she awaken?"

The Head Manager mused, "Ah, Lady Gold God is still as... endearing as ever."

The Earth God’s eyes widened. This Innate God, known for his preference for steady victories, silently stepped back a few paces. After a brief discussion with the Head Manager about stabilizing the gods’ morale, he hurriedly took his leave.

The upper echelons of this divine society were truly a mess.

「Meanwhile, at the old site of the Lin Family in the northwestern Human Domain.」

Streaks of light flew from the south, each one a woman. They ranged in age from old and middle-aged to young women and girls. Judging by the banners they unfurled, they were the sixth contingent of experts from the Xuan Nu Sect, rushing to reinforce the front lines. They were to await orders from the Human Emperor Pavilion here, to be led by Immortal Soldiers to regions needing support, serving as the reserve force for that area.

Ling Xiaolan was currently among the Xuan Nu Sect members. She wore a veil, her eyes shimmering faintly, her Short Sword trembling lightly in her hand.

The desire to battle was irrepressible.