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

The Red Heart Society's choice of words greatly angered the demigod responsible for receiving and processing related matters.

His entire face turned a purplish-red, and his divine power leaked out uncontrollably, causing cracks to appear on the throne beneath him.

This usually aloof demigod of faith felt an unprecedented humiliation, a furious rage at being provoked by an ant burning within him.

【who is he?】

[An insider within the Heavenly Pantheon!]

[Descendants of the True God!]

How could we allow ourselves to be insulted like this?

But then, when he tried to mobilize several legions as usual, preparing to wash away this shame with blood and fire, he realized that something was amiss.

An urgent report from intelligence indicates that the expeditionary force, which had been out of contact for several years, has been confirmed to have been completely annihilated.

The enemy's combat strength assessment level has been marked as extremely high, and it is recommended that this be immediately reported to the Heavenly Monarch level for decision-making.

The demigod paused, then sneered, "Notify the Lord of Heaven?"

No need!

The great Heavenly Sovereigns are all immersed in a deep slumber, comprehending the ultimate mysteries of the universe. Each awakening of theirs signifies a tremendous drain on energy and an interruption in their cultivation.

How can I let myself be distracted by such a pure and innocent world that I've never even heard of?

This level of provocation is something I can handle myself.

He only needed to mobilize five main legions—no, ten—plus a few trusted demigods to assist him, to completely erase that arrogant world from the star map.

As he thought this, he began drafting the troop deployment order and even started envisioning the post-victory reward ceremony.

However, the moment his pen touched the first character, the temple's alarm system emitted an unprecedented, highest-level siren.

That wasn't an enemy attack alarm; it was the death knell signaling the collapse of the defense system.

The demigod suddenly looked up, peering through the magic array on the temple's dome into the outside world.

Then, he saw a sight he would never forget, a sight that would become the last thing he saw in seconds.

[An elemental avatar, without warning or ripples in space, suddenly descended upon the Heavenly Pantheon's proud ultimate defensive fortification.]

It was a blurry humanoid form woven from the four elements of pure wind, fire, water, and earth. It had no facial features, no expression, and not even any perceptible emotional fluctuations.

The fact that it simply hovered there silently was enough to attract everyone's attention.

Because this incarnation is too huge!

Even compared to the Heavenly Pantheon's vast, galaxy-like defensive system, it is still enormous.

Then, without speaking, making any declarations, or using any fancy, recordable, and analyzable attack methods, the elemental avatar simply raised its right hand.

This action was as casual as shooing away an annoying mosquito.

The next moment, the defensive fortifications that the Heavenly Pantheon was so proud of crumbled instantly.

The ultimate defense line, comprised of twelve dimensional barriers, three thousand six hundred eternal beacons, and a sacred barrier blessed by countless generations of true gods—a defense so powerful it was said to be eternally unbreakable—was annihilated.

It wasn't penetrated, it wasn't torn apart.

Instead, it begins with the most basic spatial structure, like a sandcastle stripped of all its supports, collapsing layer by layer, peeling away piece by piece, with an almost aesthetically elegant demeanor, ultimately turning into countless flying energy remnants.

[And in the void, a brief but magnificent aurora of death formed.]

The elemental avatar didn't even glance at its own masterpiece; its gaze pierced through the collapsing defenses, through the panicked temple, and looked straight into the deepest part of the Heavenly Pantheon.

That place is the forbidden ground where the sleeping monarchs reside.

This sudden and terrifying turn of events, exceeding all limits of comprehension, instantly alerted the highest levels of the Heavenly Pantheon. Those Heavenly monarchs who had slumbered for thousands, even tens of thousands of years, simultaneously sensed a deadly threat to their souls.

It was a crisis powerful enough to destroy an entire pantheon, a fear that made their instincts react faster than their reason.

[And so, a great many Heavenly Lords awoke from their slumber.]

Their awakening triggered a chain reaction; the core region of the entire Heavenly Pantheon trembled, the laws of space were violently distorted due to their collective awakening, and even the flow of time became disordered.

[At this moment, countless worlds that depended on the pantheon of gods simultaneously experienced earthquakes and tsunamis, as if the entire universe was mourning the opening of the eyes of these ancient beings.]

But when they finally awoke fully from their slumbering mist, when they turned their senses beyond the pantheon, towards that figure silently suspended in the void, everyone's heart couldn't help but tremble.

With just one glance, they knew that such an existence was not one they could afford to provoke.

The most revered lord of light in the pantheon of gods, suppressing the tremor in his heart, stepped forward.

[A truly magnificent existence!]

Please forgive my ignorance of your arrival!

If our Heavenly Pantheon has failed in any way to provide adequate hospitality, please rest assured that we will definitely compensate you!

All the Heavenly Monarchs present knew that the compensation proposal put forward by such a being would be absolutely explosive.

[It could even be said that selling the entire pantheon of Heaven wouldn't cover the losses.]

But there's no other way!

[An unimaginable being came to block their way, and the vast difference in their level of existence made them realize that the other party had definitely surpassed a true god.]

For such great beings to request compensation is already a sign of respect.

Although He didn't know how He had offended the other party, survival was the priority!

No matter how abundant the resources or how much effort was put in, what use are they in the face of absolute doom?

If you survive, you have everything!

Without people, everything is meaningless!

Upon hearing this, the elemental phantom merely glanced at the gods of heaven.

After a moment, he slowly spoke.

From this day forward, you shall obey all orders!

[Disobedient!]

【punish!】

As soon as he finished speaking, the elemental avatar vanished.

There were no restrictive measures, nor was any power imposed upon these heavenly gods.

But the more they acted as if they didn't care about anything and only made verbal statements, the more terrified these so-called gods of heaven became.

Clearly, the opponent's power had long since reached the point where they could kill him with a single thought.

【run?】

How do I get there?

Can they escape?

After the gods realized what was happening, they began searching for any trace of anything.

[How did the Heavenly Pantheon manage to provoke such an existence?] (End of Chapter)