Chen Feng traveled east alone. He told the others to scatter and spread word of the rebellion. Lin Yue protested but eventually agreed to go west. Zhang Wei went south. Shen Wu north. Each carrying the message of resistance.The journey took five days. Chen Feng avoided main roads. Slept in forests. Lived off the land. His power continued recovering slowly. Maybe eighty percent now. Not enough for full strength but getting closer.On the sixth day, he felt it. A familiar energy signature. Divine essence mixed with something pure. Young.Ling.He changed direction. Followed the feeling. It grew stronger as he climbed into the eastern mountains.Finally he reached a cave entrance hidden behind a waterfall. The null zone. He felt his power weaken immediately upon entering. Not gone but suppressed."Ling?" He called into the darkness. "Are you here?""Father!"She ran from the depths of the cave. Faster than before. Stronger. She crashed into him with a hug that nearly knocked him over.C

In the Divine Council chambers, chaos reigned. Elders shouted over each other. Fists pounded on tables. The failed ambush had shaken them."We sent three Divine Hunters and two hundred soldiers! They were routed!" An elder slammed his hand down. "Chen Feng grows stronger while we grow weaker!""He has demons fighting for him! Mortal rebels! Even some of our own gods defect to his side!" Another elder stood. "This is no longer containment. This is civil war!"The Head Elder raised his hand. Silence fell immediately. His authority was absolute."Enough bickering. We face facts. Chen Feng cannot be stopped by conventional means. He is too skilled. Too experienced. Too inspiring." The Head Elder's ancient eyes swept the room. "We have one option remaining. Final Judgment Protocol."Several elders gasped. Some looked horrified."That protocol was created for apocalypse scenarios!" One protested. "It requires sacrificing divine essence from every council member! Some of us could die from th

Chen Feng’s army reached the gates of the Divine Realm two days later. Their numbers had swollen. Word of the Council’s judgment spread fast. More rebels joined. More divine soldiers defected. Now they were five hundred strong.The gates stood open. Unguarded. Normally impossible. But the Council’s collapse left everything in chaos.“Something feels wrong.” Zhang Wei studied the empty gates. “Where are the guards? The defenses? This is too easy.”“Agreed. This is a trap or an ambush.” Shen Wu scanned the area. “But we have no choice. We must enter.”Chen Feng raised his hand. The army stopped. “Scout team. Twenty volunteers. Check for traps. Report back.”Twenty demons volunteered. They moved through the gates carefully. Checking walls. Testing ground. Looking for hidden formations.Ten minutes later they returned. “No traps. No soldiers. Nothing. The Divine Realm is empty.”“Empty? Where did everyone go?” Lin Yue asked.“Running probably. Or hiding. The Council’s judgment terrified t

Chen Feng gathered his closest allies in a sealed room. The message lay on the table. Everyone stared at it.“This is a death sentence.” Shen Wu said bluntly. “The True Gods do not summon people for friendly conversations. You go there alone, you die.”“If I do not go, they kill everyone. Genocide. They will not hesitate.” Chen Feng touched the message. “At least this way only I die.”“You cannot think like that!” Lin Yue slammed her hand on the table. “We did not fight this hard to watch you surrender!”“I am not surrendering. I am buying time. Protecting you.” Chen Feng looked at each person. “Seven days. Use them wisely. Prepare defenses. Evacuate civilians if needed. Build alliances with other realms. Whatever it takes to survive after I am gone.”“Stop talking like you are already dead!” Ling’s voice cracked. “There has to be another way!”“If there is, I have not found it.” Chen Feng knelt beside his daughter. “But I will try. I will negotiate. Appeal to reason. Maybe the True G

The Keeper moved like water. Her energy blade struck from impossible angles. Chen Feng parried desperately. Even with his experience, she was overwhelming.“She is too fast!” Chen Feng blocked three strikes in one second. Barely. “This is not just a guardian! This is a master warrior!”“Because I was.” The Keeper spoke while fighting. No wasted breath. Perfect efficiency. “I was the greatest warrior of my civilization. They asked me to guard the Core. So I gave my life. Became this. Eternal guardian.”Her blade cut Chen Feng’s shoulder. Blood flowed. She did not press the advantage. Just waited. Watching.“You fight well for a god. Better than most who came before.” The Keeper circled. “But you rely too much on power. Not enough on skill.”“Then teach me.” Chen Feng raised his sword. “If I am lacking, show me how to improve.”The Keeper paused. “An unusual request. Most just attack mindlessly. You ask to learn?”“I ask to understand. You were human once. You gave everything to protect