But before making his move, Qi Yuan needed to declare his arrival with a thunderous proclamation to ensure that the entire capital—its citizens, officials, and nobles—knew he was there.

“Divine Descent has arrived! Diwu Bufan, prepare to die!”

The voice, amplified by divine power, roared through the air and spread across the entire capital at a speed surpassing that of sound.

In an instant, countless citizens of the capital looked up at the sky, their faces reflecting a variety of emotions.

Some elders were overjoyed, some young people bewildered, others stunned.

Even some Heaven-tier Weapon Masters were invigorated.

“I never thought we’d get to witness a battle between Divine-tier masters!”

“No matter the outcome, this will go down in history!”

“Divine Arbiter... has he truly returned? I feel indignant! When I was weak, Divine Descent fell, and I was trampled upon. I struggled for a hundred years to rise to the top, and now, just when I’m about to enjoy my power, Divine Descent returns?”

The reactions to Divine Descent’s reappearance varied across the capital.

One of those reacting was the middle-aged man in the gray robe. Drawing his sword, he pointed it at Qi Yuan.

“Everyone may fear Divine Descent, but I do not!”

This man, a descendant of a founding duke, had lived a life of privilege. His ancestors had borne all the hardships, leaving him a life meant for leisure.

Unlike his ambitious elder brother or his pleasure-seeking younger brother, he pursued thrill-seeking madness.

Eventually, he broke the law, and as the son of a duke, he was judged and punished by Divine Descent, leaving him a eunuch.

For this, he bore an intense hatred toward Divine Descent.

When the late Emperor Diwu Bufan led the campaign to destroy Divine Descent, this man viewed him as a father figure, a cause for which he would die.

“An unfilial traitor and a defiant subject, die!”

Drawing his sword, he charged forward without fear of death. He wanted to show this cold and indifferent force of judgment that even villains could face death unflinchingly.

However, the young figure in the sky didn’t even glance at him.

Instead, Qi Yuan soared into the heavens.

Ignored!

The middle-aged man was blatantly ignored.

Furious, he roared and swung his sword toward the carriage.

But his strike was met by the blade of Huan Sha, the elderly woman.

Even in death, the man never received a single glance from the young figure.

To Divine Descent, he was insignificant—a mere ant unworthy of attention.

This dismissal stung more than death, leaving him seething but helpless.

In the eyes of Divine Descent, he was nothing.

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“Descent of the Divine! Be as I, Divine Descent. Together as one!”

Flying into the sky, Qi Yuan silently chanted the incantation.

Standing against the "gods" of the Rosha Kingdom, Qi Yuan had no intention of hiding. He would execute the emperor—the "sun" of the Rosha Kingdom—in full view of the people.

In an instant, a blood-red light cast its shadow on the ground.

A towering figure, nearly a hundred meters tall, appeared in the heavens.

Clad in crimson crystalline armor, its chest bore intricate patterns, its edges sharp and angular, and engraved upon it was the image of a heavenly scale.

The pauldrons, deep red with faint golden accents, shimmered with threads of light, as though divine beasts roamed upon them.

This fusion of Divine Descent and Together as One made Qi Yuan appear boundless and mighty.

He was sanctity, fury, and enigma combined.

A singular entity, yet a triad of forms.

He was the saintly one who grieved for the world. He was the demonic tide that raged against the abyss. He was the enigmatic force that defied comprehension.

In an instant, the entire capital was bathed in crimson light mingled with sacred radiance.

The heavens and earth were enveloped by a blend of blood-red hues and holiness.

Where the two overlapped, shadows of darkness lingered.

Everyone—whether ordinary citizens or Weapon Masters—looked up at the colossal figure in awe.

At that moment, an inexplicable fear, reverence, and sense of invincibility filled their hearts.

Knees trembled, and hearts raced, driven by instinct or primal fear of immense beings.

Yet no one knelt, for the sacred light held them upright.

“Is this Divine Descent?”

“The Arbiter God?”

Some muttered through chattering teeth, others were paralyzed with terror.

hr

Within the Imperial Palace.

The six Divine-tier Weapon Masters gathered.

Prince Zhenyuan squinted, his expression complex. “Divine Descent... why is it different from before?”

In the past, Divine Descent was merely a divine artifact that could transform into a humanoid form during battle.

That humanoid form had been a faceless, saintly figure.

Now, the blend of sanctity and blood-red hues instilled a sense of dread.

“It... has grown even more powerful.” An elder’s voice quivered with unease.

A century ago, Divine Descent had been like a sword hanging over their heads.

Even after ascending to Divine-tier Weapon Masters, they had lived in trepidation.

Now, that feeling of dread had returned.

“It was destroyed a century ago, and it shall die again today.

“Even if revived, it cannot last. This must be its strongest form.”

“Yes, I see it too. This state is all appearance and no substance—it likely won’t last more than a hundred breaths.”

“If we can hold out, it will surely fall.”

Despite their fear, the experienced Divine-tier Weapon Masters relied on their discernment.

Though the massive figure’s aura was terrifying, they could sense it was unsustainable.

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“Now, it’s stronger than ever before,” Diwu Bufan finally spoke, his tone somber. His cold gaze fixed on the approaching colossus.

“If I had not prepared, in a mere hundred breaths, it could kill at least three of you.

“Remember this favor. Today, it is I who saves you!”

The five Divine-tier Weapon Masters immediately expressed their gratitude.

Prince Zhenyuan, ever shameless, bowed deeply despite his status: “Your Majesty is like a second father to me!”

Diwu Bufan nodded, his eyes burning with battle lust.

His gaze locked onto the colossal figure approaching the palace.

An imposing and majestic voice rang out, echoing across the heavens.

“Mere artifact! A creation of an Artifact Master, how dare you act so insolently!”

Diwu Bufan’s aura surged, instilling fear in all who felt it.

The might of the emperor—the sovereign of the Rosha Kingdom—was overwhelming.

For the past century, Diwu Bufan had abandoned state affairs and devoted himself to cultivation.

The treasures of the kingdom were hoarded to fuel his strength.

Now, he stood at the peak of the Third Step, approaching the power of Divine Descent from a century ago.

With that strength, and his hidden cards, he had the confidence to face Divine Descent.

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The towering figure of Qi Yuan grew closer, silent, its gaze fixed on the old emperor.

“You stand before the emperor. Why do you not kneel?” Diwu Bufan shouted triumphantly.

For a moment, he wasn’t the cowardly ruler who had dared not even spectate the battle a century ago.

Now, he was the ruler of the Rosha Kingdom, the “Sun” of his people, radiant and untouchable.

But the colossal figure remained silent.

Its actions spoke louder than words.

Boom!

A fist, vast and unstoppable, hurtled toward Diwu Bufan, shaking the heavens and earth.

Diwu Bufan’s pupils contracted.

For the first time in years, an unfamiliar emotion—fear—flooded his heart.

hr hr hr hr

The azure droplets that had been descending upon the capital now surged upward, spiraling into Qi Yuan’s enormous form.

hr

The citizens looked on in shock and awe.

This colossus, this god-like figure, was swallowing the very poison meant to destroy it.

From the distance, Liu Sheng observed the scene, his voice hoarse as he spoke to Liu Chudong.

“He’s just like you... a foolish child. To spare the innocent from harm, he’s chosen to drink this poison himself.”

Though Liu Sheng didn’t understand the exact nature of the rain, it was clear to him that it was designed to destroy Divine Descent.

Instead of evading it, Qi Yuan had chosen to take the brunt of it.

Liu Chudong’s face was filled with guilt and worry.

“I misjudged him. I thought he might lose himself to power, but he is sacrificing himself for the people.

This... this is the god I admire. Foolish, selfless, and just.”

hr

High above, the red crystalline armor of Divine Descent began to corrode.

The white glow of holiness dimmed, the golden threads unraveled, and the once-mighty figure began to shrink.

Blue smoke rose from its body, hissing as the poison burned away its power.

The colossal form of Divine Descent seemed to melt, its imposing image rapidly fading.

hr

In the streets below, the citizens watched with growing realization.

They began to understand that Divine Descent was bearing the rain to protect them.

One by one, they knelt.

“Divine Descent!”

“Divine Arbiter!”

Their cries grew louder, swelling into a chorus of voices across the city.

Though a century had passed since Divine Descent had last walked among them, the people’s longing for justice had never faded.

hr

Diwu Bufan smirked coldly as he watched Qi Yuan’s deteriorating form.

“How laughable. You would sacrifice yourself for these peasants.

These wretches—you cut one down, and another rises to take its place. Their lives mean nothing compared to mine!”

Diwu Bufan had not expected Qi Yuan to react this way.

His original plan had been to use the rain to trap and wear down Divine Descent over time.

But now, Qi Yuan had absorbed it all in one move, sparing the city and its people.

This only made it easier for Diwu Bufan to finish him off.

The poison had done its job. Divine Descent’s divine power was collapsing.

“A few more moments, and you’ll be nothing but a corpse.”

hr

As Diwu Bufan gloated, the shrinking figure of Divine Descent suddenly froze.

A calm, almost lazy voice echoed from the diminishing form.

“So many people calling out to Divine Descent. If I were some kind of armored hero or Ultraman, maybe I’d draw strength from their belief, ignite my cosmos, and obliterate you.”

“But sadly, I’m not that. I’m just me—a player in a game, roleplaying as Divine Descent.”

With those words, the towering figure of Divine Descent collapsed, disintegrating into nothingness.

Standing where it had once been was a young man—handsome beyond compare, yet mortal.

hr

Diwu Bufan’s eyes narrowed, shock flashing across his face.

“Divine Descent has fallen. Your greatest weapon is gone.

Who gave you the courage to spout nonsense in my presence?”

The emperor’s gaze was filled with both disdain and admiration.

In his eyes, Qi Yuan was an extraordinarily gifted youth.

To be so young and already at the threshold of the Heaven-tier, and to have wielded the legendary Divine Descent—Qi Yuan was indeed exceptional.

But without Divine Descent, Qi Yuan was nothing.

Any Divine-tier Weapon Master could easily crush him.

hr

Qi Yuan chuckled softly, his expression unbothered.

“Without Divine Descent, you think I can’t kill you?”

For the first time, Qi Yuan felt unburdened. Without the role of Divine Descent to maintain, the world suddenly seemed brighter.

But his role wasn’t over yet.

Before Diwu Bufan or the other Divine-tier Weapon Masters could react, Qi Yuan’s voice rang out once more.

“Your Divine Descent... has returned.

“I am the Arbiter God!

“Where there is injustice, call upon me, Divine Descent!

“Today, I will slay the gods!”

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A terrifying aura erupted from Qi Yuan’s body, surging toward the heavens.

The six Divine-tier Weapon Masters watching were stunned.

“He’s a Divine-tier Weapon Master!”

“Impossible!”

Diwu Bufan’s composure cracked as he took in this revelation.

Qi Yuan wasn’t just a prodigy; he had already reached the Divine-tier!

And he was terrifyingly young.

hr

Diwu Bufan’s lips curled into a grim smile.

“You’re a Divine-tier Weapon Master. Very well. Very well!

“So young, so powerful. If you had remained hidden for a century, you might have become invincible.

But today, I will end you before you have the chance to grow stronger!”

His voice was filled with confidence as he prepared to attack.

“Together! Leave no chance for his survival!”

At his command, the five other Divine-tier Weapon Masters joined the fray, surrounding Qi Yuan.

hr

Qi Yuan remained unfazed.

“Sigh... Pretending to be a god is exhausting.

“Let me show you what it means to be a skilled player. One who clears the game in a single life!”

With those words, Qi Yuan vanished.

In his place, thousands of blood-red phantoms filled the battlefield. Each phantom wielded a massive crimson sword.

“Death Radiance!

“Dominant Power!

“Heaven-Slaying Sword Art!”

Qi Yuan unleashed his full arsenal.

No longer constrained by his role, his mastery of combat techniques—whether against mortals, the extraordinary, or even gods—shone through.

Six gods against one?

No. It was one man hunting six gods.

“Die! Die, die, die!”

“Let the music play!”

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Above the battlefield, drones hovered in formation, transforming into drums, trumpets, and gongs.

A cacophony of triumphant music filled the air, as though celebrating a divine feast.

Diwu Bufan’s face twisted in confusion and fear.

“What are these things?!”

The other Divine-tier Weapon Masters were equally unsettled.

Because in this chaotic symphony of battle, they realized—

Qi Yuan was more terrifying than Divine Descent itself.

“This is my BGM,” Qi Yuan declared.

“And your funeral music!”