You want me to take out a loan to practice cultivation? I'll just pay off the debt physically.

When the words "The Abyss has withdrawn its troops" appeared, the gods of faith were completely stunned.

【How can this be? 】

The order and restraint inherent in these four words are utterly incompatible with the abyss's violent nature, which symbolizes ultimate chaos, destruction, and endless devouring.

In a cognitive framework deeply ingrained with faith in gods and forged through countless tragic lessons, this is utterly impossible.

Wars waged by the Abyss, especially the current overwhelming invasions that rely on absolute power, bullying the weak and oppressing the strong, have always followed only one pattern.

Like a runaway, apocalyptic torrent, it will not stop until it has completely crushed, devoured, and turned its target into nourishment for the abyss.

They were long accustomed to the abyss's ceaseless roar, its endless tidal wave of demons, and its relentless madness that lasted until death.

Where would one hear the signal to retreat?

How could such a retreat signal, carrying a clear tactical intent and strict discipline—a signal typically used by armies of mortal dynasties—appear on a battlefield dominated by pure, chaotic will?

This completely overturned their understanding of the abyss's deeper layers, sending chills down the spines of even the ancient gods.

[For a time, a chorus of almost unbearable exclamations of wonder circulated among the believers.]

Even though the Abyss and the Red Heart Society have a friendly relationship, this whole affair was caused by the Red Heart Society forcibly intervening in the war.

Therefore, the Abyss has no need to care about the feelings of the Red Heart Society.

Just hit them!

Ultimately, it was the Red Heart Society that intervened, offering benefits in exchange for the deployment of their own troops.

What does this have to do with the abyss?

As long as the Abyss still desires to destroy the gods of faith, it will have no reason to care about the Red Heart Society!

But what is this thing happening right now?

Faced with the allied defenses formed by the gods they worshipped and who were fighting desperately, the will of the abyss wielded its heavy fist without mercy.

That terrifying torrent of will directly empowered the Abyss Demons, imbuing each of their attacks with the power to tear apart divine kingdoms, causing the allied forces of the gods to retreat in disarray, their divine blood staining the starry sky crimson.

But when the destructive torrent of the abyss surged towards a spot where a crimson flag fluttered, the scene underwent a breathtaking reversal that made all who witnessed it question their own perception.

The abyss's offensive, that raging torrent powerful enough to obliterate stars, seemed to have struck an invisible wall of sighs, retreating without warning without any fierce fighting breaking out?

The massive abyssal legion, with a suffocating silence and efficiency, as if receiving a supreme command, swiftly disengaged, leaving the area covered by the Red Heart banner intact behind.

This stark contrast, this illogical turn of events on the battlefield, plunged the gods of faith into a prolonged silence.

This goes far beyond the scope of simply having a good relationship!

The reaction of the Abyss Demons upon seeing the Red Heart Society's banner—the almost reflexive awe and retreat—was akin to a son encountering his father, who held the power of life and death.

[If it weren't for the supreme will of the Abyss, the will that pervades all beings within the Abyss, issuing the ultimate command to avoid battle or ignore it, they would never believe it.]

[Although the event itself was bizarre and incomprehensible, and even carried a hint of humiliation towards the dignity of the gods.]

However, from the most ruthless strategic perspective, the Abyss's special treatment of the Red Heart Society unexpectedly revealed a glimmer of advantage that could be exploited by the gods of faith, who were already in dire straits.

Since the Abyss fears that crimson banner so much, why can't they borrow it?

[Behind their respective defensive lines, which were being relentlessly attacked by the Abyss Demon Army, were these symbolic protective talismans also erected high?]

Let's get started!

Driven by both survival pressures and a strategic opportunistic mentality, the believers in the gods didn't even bother to seek the consent of the Red Heart Society.

[They also knew perfectly well that the Red Heart Society would most likely not agree, and might even demand a higher price.]

Therefore, they directly ordered their angelic legions and instigator armies to urgently produce and raise numerous imitation banners of loyalty before countless shattered fortresses, burning planets, and crumbling walls of their divine kingdom.

That vivid crimson stood out starkly against the backdrop of a war-torn starry sky.

They eagerly anticipated that this tiger skin would act as a magical barrier, causing the surging abyssal army to retreat at the mere sight of the banner, thus buying them a precious respite.

But harsh reality soon delivered a resounding slap in their face.

The Abyss army completely ignored the crimson banners fluttering above the battlegrounds of the gods of faith.

The roaring abyssal behemoths still trample the ruins of the divine realm, and the abyssal lord, wielding a lava blade, still laughs wildly as he slashes at the wings of angels.

Endless, high-ranking demons surged onto the battlefield, tearing apart every visible living thing.

The Abyss faction seemed to have seen through this clumsy trick completely, or rather, they clearly recognized an undeniable fact.

What truly stops the torrent of the abyss is never the flag itself, its fluttering fabric, or its dyed threads.

Rather, it represents the Red Heart Society, forged from an iron will and terrifying power, as symbolized by that flag.

[Regarding the true Red Heart Society, for reasons known only to himself and the Will of Hell, the Abyss chose to take it seriously and even avoid war.]

But what about these imposters who try to pass themselves off as genuine and use someone else's credentials to make a big fuss?

[Fight!] [Fight them to death!]

In July of the 581st year of the Extraordinary Calendar, a catastrophic event plunged the entire pantheon of gods into a bone-chilling cold.

[A noble clan, renowned for its ancient lineage and formidable defenses within a pantheon, is facing a combined attack on its key defensive line by three Abyss Demons empowered by the terrifying will of the abyss.]

In the past, a defense system built upon faith in a true God, relying on His Kingdom and a network of faith, was sufficient to withstand attacks for a long time, even if it was not defeated, while awaiting reinforcements.

However, under the malevolent influence of the Abyss's will, which relentlessly eroded divine power and divinity, each attack from the three demon gods was not merely physical destruction, but also carried a terrifying curse that tore apart souls and corrupted divinity.

Each collision leaves an indelible, festering wound on the body and divine essence of the Xun Clan's true god.

The defenses of a true god shattered like fragile glass before absolute power and insidious erosion.

[Finally, amidst desperate cries, the divine status symbolizing immortality of the Xun Clan's true god was shattered.]

[The last wisp of divine fire, like a candle flickering in the wind, fled in a sorry state to the rear.]

The gods' faction has thus lost a crucial elite fighter.

The confrontation between the two sides instantly slid into a deeper level of despair.

The catastrophic blow of this noble clan's true god's shattered divine status is nothing short of a major earthquake in the faith of all the gods.

This is an unprecedented event!

In their understanding, the defensive barrier built upon faith in the true God and boundless faith should not have collapsed and fallen so completely in just a few years.

[Is the will of the abyss, even without the opposition of the spirit realm's will, truly so terrifying?]

[Even before the Abyss Avatar has launched its attack, the terrifying aggression and irreparable damage inflicted by the empowered demon god alone are enough to terrify the gods of faith.]

In the past, the will of the spirit world could heal their wounds and allow them to recover.

But now, they face only death!

The very foundation upon which they exist—their divine power and divinity—may be utterly vulnerable before the power of the abyss.

At this most turbulent and fearful time for the pantheon of faith, the will of hell, like a shark smelling blood, sent its messengers.

The words of the messenger from hell, coated with tempting sugar, extended an olive branch to the still-shaken believers.

Once you surrender to hell, the great will of hell will become your strong backing, providing you with refuge.

However, these believers, like birds startled by the mere twang of a bow, harbored deep doubts in their hearts.

[Nonsense!]

If one truly intends to abandon their principles and seek asylum, why not simply surrender to the more powerful abyss?

The power of the abyss is more terrifying than hell!

Moreover, they believe in the true God and rely on faith, not authority!

Their divine power, divinity, and even their very existence are firmly tied to the network of faith among their believers that spans all realms.

If they openly align themselves with the chaotic camp, it could trigger a large-scale collapse of faith among their followers.

The days when several monarchs of the former Heavenly pantheon were forced to join the Abyss and Hell under the threat of death are still vivid in our minds.

How many of their followers remain today?

What is the difference between someone who has lost their faith and a demigod?

The gods have seen their fate!

[Perhaps, they're not even as good as demigods of rules or demigods of authority!]

Most importantly, the chain reaction of the collapse of faith will directly drain their source of power, leading to their inevitable downfall.

[A truly powerful god might be able to switch allegiance and pledge allegiance to the abyss or hell by virtue of their control over the origin of the world.]

But how should we rely on these true gods who survive through faith?

Must the Abyss or Hell pay an unimaginable price to help them strip away their foundation of faith and transform into Abyssal Demons or Hell-based True Gods?

But how could the supreme wills of these two great worlds possibly engage in such a losing proposition?

Are these true gods, who are in distress, truly worth such a huge price from the other side?

[Even a fool could see that Hell's current attempts to win them over are nothing more than a ploy to use them as cheap cannon fodder on the front lines against the Abyss, squeezing out their last bit of value in an endless war of attrition!]

If you actually agree, you'll be cutting off your own path to survival and sinking into an abyss of no return!

【so!】

They refused! (End of Chapter)