CHAPTER 426: CHAPTER 339: DESTINY SHINY

In the depths of the Deceit Prison.

Bright red blood flowed across the ground, surrounded by severed limbs and scattered remains, forming a hell forged from the bones of the dead. Suspended in midair, the head of a long-haired woman hung above, connected to the walls by more than a dozen blood vessels that merged with the mutated flesh embedded in the stone. Her six eyes were tightly shut, immersed in a deep slumber.

Suddenly,

The long-haired woman’s head slowly opened its eyes, her gaze turning outward. In a voice sharp and gravelly, layered with the malice of countless whispers, she sneered, "The symbol of ’War’? Has another god descended onto this ’Fate’-shrouded world?"

...

Elsewhere.

"This aura... what’s happening?"

"Damn it, is it happening again?"

"No, no, wait—it’s coming from Zhou’s direction. It seems he’s chanting the full sacred name of a ’god’."

"If it’s Zhou, then we should be fine."

"That’s certain. After all, Zhou not only thwarted the invasions of the ’Hermit Association’ and the ’Death Cult,’ but also destroyed the plot of the ’Abyss Old God’ to descend into the real world."

A torrent of Iron Blood Aura cascaded like a river pouring down from the heavens, the colossal pressure striking the hearts of the surrounding members of the Deceit Bureau like a raging storm. At first, they panicked, fearing some terrible upheaval, for with the ’Old Ground’ overlapping reality, such disastrous events were far from impossible.

But soon, they realized the source of this aura carrying the ’War’ symbol and were baffled yet relieved.

In stark contrast,

The monstrous creatures rampaging within the ’Deceit Prison’ grew noticeably uneasy.

The Iron Blood authority, a branch of the ’War’ symbol, governs powers of ’Chaos,’ ’Brutality,’ and ’Slaughter.’ Even if it was merely an aura and hadn’t fully descended, it gave the creatures the harrowing sensation of blades pressing against their throats.

At this moment,

An eerie calm fell over the chaos of the Deceit Prison.

"A prayer has been answered. Could it be that a player has already corrupted a ’god’s’ authority and unleashed its power...?" Li Yawei stared incredulously at Zhou Xu, who was shrouded in the flowing Iron Blood Aura.

Li Yawei had, of course, heard of the name ’lamp holder.’ As the only unregistered S-rank player, this enigmatic figure was radiant enough to capture attention. But he had always assumed the ’lamp holder’ was simply a bit stronger, a little more cunning, and somewhat more mysterious—a player who could be considered extremely powerful among other players, but nothing beyond reason.

Yet nothing could have prepared him for this moment. This ’lamp holder’ had touched the divine realm, seized the authority of a ’god,’ and could now wield its mighty power in the real world without restriction.

The realization was utterly staggering.

Because of the Iron Blood Aura’s oppressive influence, the monsters halted their attacks, and Yang Feng finally breathed a sigh of relief. Seeing Li Yawei’s expression of disbelief, he reflexively remarked:

"Shocked, aren’t you."

Li Yawei nodded, confirming his utter astonishment.

"When the Hermit Association invaded the Deceit Prison, and the Abyss Old God used Mr. Death as a vessel to descend into reality, Zhou chanted the complete sacred name of a god and beseeched the ’lamp holder’ to intervene. I felt the same way at that time—as if my head was full of questions like, ’How is it possible for a player to seize a god’s authority?’ It was utterly unbelievable. But facts are facts: with the lamp holder’s extraordinary power, Zhou crushed the schemes of the Hermit Association and resolved the crisis in the Deceit Prison effortlessly."

Yang Feng’s voice brimmed with emotion. Every time he thought of his near-death experience—being almost killed at the hands of the Hermit Association while shrouded in the ’No-True Deception Secret Ceremony’—he couldn’t help but shudder.

Li Yawei took several deep breaths, slowly calming his turbulent emotions, and instinctively asked, "Old Zhou—when did he come to know the ’lamp holder’?"

"I don’t know. Once things settle down, you can ask Zhou directly." Yang Feng shook his head.

"Ask Zhou himself?"

Li Yawei seemed to ponder deeply, his gaze lingering on Zhou Xu for a long while.

The exchange took only seconds,

But as the torrent of Iron Blood Aura surged forth, the Void began to Twist. Emerging from the intangible fabric of reality was a divine figure clutching the Iron Blood Spear, bathed in crimson brilliance, radiating a reverent and august presence.

Lowering its gaze, the being asked Zhou Xu, "What is it this time?"

Indeed,

Yang Qizhou had not descended in his true form but was controlling the shepherded Iron Blood God, detaching it from its Ancient Roots to manifest in reality. Using the Faith Channel as a medium, he initiated Divine Descent. However, due to the absence of a proper vessel, this Divine Descent remained incomplete, leaving the figure somewhat ethereal.

"Honorable ’lamp holder,’ I deeply regret disturbing you twice in one day. But I truly have no other choice. Here’s what happened..." Zhou Xu recounted the events in detail, including how a god wielding Chaos within the Old Ground had used a player with attributes of Chaos as a vessel to unleash its divine power in the real world.

Finally, Zhou Xu spoke resolutely, his face set like stone: "I am not afraid to die. The day I joined the Deceit Bureau, I had already prepared for a battle to the death. But I cannot stand idly by and watch as monsters break through the barricades, wreak havoc in our cities, bring disasters and suffering, and devastate all life. Doing so would render my convictions, my sacrifices, utterly meaningless."

Yang Qizhou was moved.

Although he had long outgrown a juvenile enthusiasm for heroics, moments like this—where conviction shone through selflessness—still stirred an undeniable respect in his heart.