Ever since mastering the fire magic technique, Zhang Fan had been focused on how to defeat Qi Ritian, the arrogant prodigy.
When he unleashed all his fireballs, the surrounding frost could no longer form.
Qi Ritian stared at the blazing fireballs radiating waves of intense heat. He couldn't help but be shocked—this kid could still use this technique? Wasn't he exhausted?
Such devastating moves, one after another...
And yet, not even a hint of fatigue.
Impossible!
He must be bluffing—trying to force me to retreat!
Qi Ritian wasn't a fool. He quickly adjusted his stance, turned the tip of his sword, and channeled his ice power to attack Zhang Fan.
But to his despair...
The sword qi remained, but the frost, formed from his refined essence, dissipated in the air the moment it appeared.
A loss without even putting up a fight.
Naturally restrained.
His strongest sword technique reduced to a joke.
The highly anticipated duel of the generation…
Ended without drama.
Headmaster Daoxuan descended from the sky, announcing the result of the match:
"In this competition, the champion is Dazhufeng's Zhang Fan. As a reward, he shall receive the magical artifact Liuhe Mirror..."
Watching Zhang Fan bask in joy, Daoxuan silently nodded to himself.
That divine being… is truly terrifying.
Looks like it's time to ask him about it.
Before Zhang Fan could celebrate with his senior sister, Headmaster Daoxuan took him away.
Inside the great hall, the first elders had already gathered.
All eyes turned toward Zhang Fan.
Two objects were laid before them:
[Eternal Sacrifice]
[Eternal Meditation Scripture]
The former explained how to offer sacrifices to gods—simple and easy to understand.
The latter was a record of Zhang Fan's growth and strength.
Daoxuan looked at the solemn-faced Zhang Fan and smiled warmly.
"Don't be nervous. We just want to learn more about this Eternal God. Please, take your time and explain…"
This method of cultivation was powerful—and didn't rely on innate talent or spiritual roots.
According to Zhang Fan, those who were sincere would gain greater power.
Su Ru, who had once meditated, claimed she saw a terrifying god, a Dharma incarnation, surrounded by thousands of devout believers praying fervently beneath him.
The vision was nothing short of awe-inspiring.
Zhang Fan nodded and began to explain everything he knew.
When speaking of the Eternal God, he expressed deep reverence and fear. When mentioning other deities, he showed only admiration and envy.
"From what I've seen, one divine envoy received the Azure Dragon Dharma Body as a gift. He could transform into a divine dragon and control thunder.
One breath summoned violent winds. One exhale summoned lightning."
"The dead resurrect. The soul is reborn. The power of the gods… is unimaginable."
"There was even a mortal warrior who, through sacrifice, gained the ability to fly with a sword. With one strike, he could cut mountains and rivers in half."
"Another divine envoy sacrificed countless beasts and gained strength beyond mortal comprehension…"
"There was even a warrior who performed a state-level sacrifice and was granted the title Sword Immortal. God declared that his blade could shatter the moon."
The hall fell completely silent.
Only Zhang Fan continued to explain, describing the scenes he had witnessed through divine visions or dreams.
Even Daoxuan and Cangsong—elders who had seen many wonders—were left stunned.
A mortal warrior became an immortal…
A sword that could slice through stars…
A soul river that resurrects the dead…
It all sounded like myth and legend—but Daoxuan could tell Zhang Fan wasn't lying.
The boy was young and too naive to fabricate something so elaborate, and his emotions were too raw to fake.
No wonder he was able to break through to the fourth tier overnight.
If such a terrifying god existed, it all made sense.
Cangsong, who had long grieved the loss of someone close, felt a part of his heart soften at the idea of resurrection.
Just then, Tian Buyi asked solemnly:
"Zhang Fan… what happens if someone doesn't perform the sacrifice?"
Zhang Fan, who had been speaking fluidly, suddenly froze.
His expression twisted with discomfort.
The atmosphere turned tense.
No punishment… right?
Daoxuan spoke gently but firmly:
"Speak freely. Don't be afraid."
Zhang Fan swallowed hard and replied:
"Well… the Eternal God is all-knowing and all-powerful. If you don't use the meditation, it's fine.
But if you do—and you gain strength—then you must give something back. You must offer a festival."
"One divine envoy I know of tried to deceive the god. Not only did his life force break, but he was given a divine edict: perform the offering within three days… or the world would be shattered."
The entire hall fell into stunned silence.
Shatter the world?
That meant total annihilation.
The wrath of a god… was world-ending.
Zhang Fan continued, voice quieter now:
"Although the envoy managed to complete the sacrifice in time… he was still punished.
For three hundred years, he was rendered… inhuman."
Cangsong suddenly snapped:
"Nonsense! If this god is so powerful, why hasn't he descended upon us himself? Do you have any proof?"
The tension shifted.
Everyone felt a small sense of relief.
Good point.
If this god was truly omnipotent… why not show himself?
Zhang Fan quickly clarified:
"Our world is too fragile. If a god were to descend, it would cause disasters—natural calamities.
But sacrifice is different. It creates a channel, a connection."
"If you don't believe me, I can show you the images."
"Fine," Cangsong snorted. "Let's see how terrifying your god really is."
Zhang Fan raised his hand and touched the space between his brows.
A spiritual image flashed into his mind.
He projected it: the scene of Liu Che descending into the Saint's Burial World.
Cangsong stood silently in that vision—surrounded by the vast blackness of space—as the Eternal God manifested.
Moments passed.
Then—
Thud.
Cangsong dropped to his knees.
His forehead dripped with cold sweat.
His face had gone deathly pale.
Cang Song's entire body trembled, swaying unsteadily.
It was obvious—he had seen something utterly terrifying.
Daoxuan rushed over and shook his arm.
"Cang Song! Cang Song! Wake up!"
Cang Song slowly regained his senses and muttered hoarsely, "Headmaster... that god... is real!"
Everyone instantly understood—Cang Song had witnessed the true form of the Eternal God.
It took him a long while to finally stand up.
Shuiyue immediately asked, "Is the Eternal God... powerful?"
"Powerful?" Cang Song shook his head, his expression hollow. "That's not something you can describe with 'powerful'. In that god's eyes, our entire world is just... a toy."
Everyone in the room drew in a sharp breath.
A toy?
An entire world... just a plaything to a god?
Cang Song didn't dare elaborate further—it would only cause greater panic. Instead, he turned toward Daoxuan and warned:
"Senior Brother... we need to prepare a sacrifice. If not, a catastrophe will come."
"Sacrifice… but what can we even offer to a god?" Daoxuan frowned deeply. "The altar is easy to arrange. But the offering itself..."
This was what truly troubled Daoxuan.
They weren't ordinary people.
They couldn't just offer livestock or ceremonial incense.
There were pure, beautiful women among them… but Shuiyue would never allow it.
She treated Xueqi like her own daughter.
If they sacrificed her, Shuiyue would lose her mind.
Unexpectedly, Cang Song pointed outside and said, "You're forgetting something. Don't we already have a suitable offering?"
Everyone followed his finger, and their expressions turned strange...
That direction...
There was a child there.
A sacred child.
The Spirit Qilin!
Daoxuan gritted his teeth. Cang Song's mind really was sharp.
"Of course," Cang Song added dryly, "we could always pretend none of this happened. But just think for a moment—what will the wrath of a god bring? Doomsday."
He turned and left, still visibly shaken, and flew away into the sky.
Daoxuan looked over at Shuiyue. Her eyes avoided his, but he could tell she was thinking about Xueqi too.
No one wanted to say it aloud.
And the question returned once again:
What should they do?
Sacrifice one person… or risk the destruction of the world?
Daoxuan fell silent.
Seeing this, Tian Buyi subtly gestured to Zhang Fan and Su Ru. The three quietly left the hall and flew back toward the training grounds.
One by one, the other first-seated elders also dispersed.
"Every time there's a crisis, it falls on my shoulders..."
Daoxuan rubbed his temples, inwardly groaning. "This is a headache."
Just now, Shuiyue had clearly shown she wasn't willing to offer Xueqi.
But aside from her… none of the other young female disciples could compare.
They simply had no one suitable to offer.
And presenting an unworthy sacrifice would only be seen as insincere.
How could a god accept a half-hearted offering?
Especially a god of that magnitude.
By the time the tournament officially ended, most disciples had returned to their own mountains.
Xiaozhufeng was no exception.
When Xueqi saw her master return, she immediately went over to greet her. But Shuiyue didn't speak. She only looked at her oddly.
"Master, is something wrong?"
Though cold to strangers, Xueqi was warm-hearted and loyal to those close to her. She was a good girl who valued emotional bonds.
Shuiyue shook her head and muttered something strange:
"I'll protect you."
Then she turned and walked straight into her room.
Xueqi stood frozen, confused.
Protect me?
Was it because she lost the match?
Did Master now think less of her?
Her delicate brows furrowed in concern.
She couldn't shake the uneasy feeling. Something was wrong.
She had to find out what was going on.
Meanwhile, in the world of the White Snake...
Since his humiliation, Fahai had not been the same.
What's so wrong with being a monk?
The six roots purified. Detached from desire. Uninterested in worldly conflict.
Why did the world hate monks so much?
Just as he returned to Jinshan Temple, a radiant light descended.
A manifestation of Guanyin Bodhisattva had appeared.
Seeing the benevolent, reserved form of the Bodhisattva, Fahai immediately knelt and offered his reverence.
"Amitabha… I greet Guanyin Bodhisattva."
"Rise, Fahai," she said gently. "I have come to tell you—your destiny is approaching. This concerns whether or not you can return to the Western Paradise."
"Yes, Bodhisattva. I understand. But… recently, there's been something that's troubled me deeply."
Guanyin frowned slightly.
What kind of problem could this devout disciple possibly have?
Was it regarding the Dharma?
"Go on," she said. "Let me hear it. Perhaps I can help."
Fahai hesitated, then spoke:
"Lately, I've been plagued by strange voices. I keep hearing whispers—seductive and ominous.
A malevolent god calling himself the 'Eternal God'… he wants to tempt me… to become one of his followers."
Guanyin's face turned serious.
"Let me see… Perhaps you've been cursed. Or someone is targeting you."
She extended her divine senses and examined Fahai's body.
What she found left her stunned.
This… this was not something ordinary.
It involved the calculation of fate itself.
If anything happened to someone like Fahai—someone marked by destiny—it could destabilize the entire cosmic balance.
Who would dare to tamper with fate?
Who would risk the collapse of the Buddhist path?
But what shocked Guanyin even more… was what she didn't find.
There were no traces of corruption.
No evil aura.
Not even the faintest foreign power.
Fahai's spirit was completely stable.
There was no sign of invasion or demonic manipulation.