At White Snake Ridge,
the people kneeling on the ground began to murmur softly.
Alongside them, the members of the three major factions also became pan-believers under the divine radiance.
They chanted meditative mantras, and in their hearts, the vague outlines of formless beliefs began to deepen—
their old faiths quietly replaced.
He was the only one.
The Eternal One.
Transcending all existence.
Among the humans who had survived at White Snake Ridge, not a single one escaped the power of Liu Che.
At that moment, a beam of divine light descended from the heavens.
Everyone felt as if their bodies were snowmen touched by the summer sun.
Their forms seemed to melt.
Even Chu Xuanfeng and the old ox could not withstand the radiance of the divine light.
Then, a terrifying scene unfolded.
Black smoke began to rise from their bodies.
"W-What... what is this?!"
The Black Bull King cried out in panic.
It collapsed to the ground in terror, almost burning itself in the process.
It writhed uncontrollably, but it could not stop the black smoke from pouring out of its body.
After some time, a refreshing warmth spread through its being.
The bull sighed in relief.
"Ah... this feels so good. It's like bathing in a hot spring."
Chu Xuanfeng didn't mock the Black Bull King.
He, too, was quietly enjoying the radiance of the divine light.
It was a blissful experience for them.
But for the alien beasts, it was pure torture.
They could no longer even cry out.
Hum.
A faint blue flame flickered to life on the bodies of the alien beasts.
Then another beast ignited.
Within moments, all of the beasts—except for the White Snake King—were burning like firewood.
Their bodies crackled as they burned, eventually turning to ash and falling to the ground.
The White Snake King was terrified.
But it could not move.
The cold snake eyes now held only pleading.
All the previous brutality was gone.
The divine voice continued to chant,
leading the people deeper into a meditative space.
When they emerged from the trance,
their expressions were pious.
One by one, they approached the altar and knelt down without hesitation.
The figure of the God stood shrouded in a colorful glow.
He was the incarnation of holiness.
The supreme being.
As he descended, the faithful rejoiced.
The newly reborn cheered in joy.
As chief priest, Chu Xuanfeng ascended the altar.
"Welcome the coming of my God!"
He knelt again in sincere reverence and bowed respectfully.
"Rise."
The voice was gentle but carried unquestionable authority.
Liu Che cast his gaze over the earth.
He saw countless paths—
the poor masses, the number one beauty demoness of the land, and others.
What was there to say?
Their fortunes were bleak.
Their strength was lacking.
They had only themselves to blame for falling to such a state.
The White Snake King's heart turned cold.
It had completely given up hope.
A beast that dared defy God could only expect destruction.
It was likely that the moment it felt that divine aura would be the moment its life ended.
It would burn like dry wood and become ash.
It thought back on how it had slumbered for hundreds of years,
only to end up in this pitiful state.
It felt as though it had slapped itself in the face.
Why was I so foolish...
"Chu Xuanfeng."
"The believers are here."
The voice of God was ethereal, as though coming from beyond the mortal realm.
It carried an elusive, unfathomable tone.
Chu Xuanfeng looked up excitedly at the figure in the sky.
He didn't even know what he wanted to say.
His heart was overwhelmed with emotion.
Though the divine had allowed him to stand, he still wished to kneel and bow to show his respect.
Liu Che gazed down and spoke calmly:
"Your efforts have not gone unnoticed. Though your achievements are modest, do not become arrogant."
"My believers—until now—were only you and the old ox.
Now, these kneeling souls may also be accepted as followers."
"Those who believe in me shall enter the God Realm after death and await rebirth."
"Those who do not believe... their souls will perish, never to transcend."
"Though your world belongs to the Netherworld, where even physical bodies no longer exist, those who embrace my faith shall receive my blessing. They will gain true physical form, cast off the mark of the underworld, and become real people once more."
"From this moment forward, you shall be my two-star divine envoy, charged with spreading the gospel and baptizing all living beings."
Chu Xuanfeng and the nearby followers were stunned.
The Netherworld...?
Were they all dead?
Chu Xuanfeng had no time to dwell on the thought.
He quickly stepped forward and kowtowed deeply.
"As your divine envoy, I, Chu Xuanfeng, accept your blessing. I shall take the mission of spreading the gospel as my sacred duty. All false gods shall face your judgment."
"Good."
Liu Che smiled faintly.
He extended a finger toward Chu Xuanfeng's brow.
A colorful glow gathered into a lotus flower and settled into his mind.
Five-grade technique: Lotus Magic Method.
A divine art is a divine art.
A cultivation method is a cultivation method.
They are not the same.
With this technique, Chu Xuanfeng's cultivation speed would soar—
all the way to the fifth-grade divine level.
Moreover, the lotus itself contained a trace of divine power.
It served as a protective talisman.
Chu Xuanfeng, once shackled by worldly limitations,
now broke free of the boundaries of this world.
Visualization.
Early Bloom.
Form Shaping.
He advanced rapidly until he reached the Golden Body stage.
He had ascended to the heavens in a single step.
The next realm would make him a Minor Saint (Yasheng).
Liu Che, however, did not wish to hasten his growth too quickly.
So he allowed him to stop there—for now.