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Shan Liang POV
The night before ascension was unnaturally quiet.
No wind.
No insects.
Even the stars seemed to hang motionless in the sky, as if the world itself knew that something irreversible was about to happen.
I sat cross-legged at the heart of the plateau overlooking Heartspring City. Below us, the city glowed softly—lanterns lining the streets, watch fires burning atop the walls, people moving about unaware that the age they lived in was about to end.
Beside me sat Xie E.
For the first time in twenty years, he wasn't sharpening a blade or watching the horizon. His eyes were closed, his breathing slow and steady.
"You nervous?" he asked without opening his eyes.
I smiled faintly. "Terrified."
He chuckled. "Good. Means we're still human."
That word—human—felt fragile now.
Tomorrow, we would no longer be bound by it.
We had already done everything that could be done.
The settlements were stable.
The academies were self-governing.
Heartspring had councils, laws, succession plans.
The system—now silent—had long since withdrawn. Its final gift had not been power, but direction. Humanity no longer needed constant correction.
Tonight was not about civilization.
It was about us.
We cleansed our bodies in the spring that gave Heartspring its name. The water shimmered faintly, infused with decades of faith and gratitude. As it flowed over my skin, I felt memories surface—faces I had healed, children I had carried, elders I had buried.
I dressed in simple white robes. No symbols. No crowns.
Kindness did not need adornment.
Xie E wore black, unadorned armor—no spikes, no intimidation. Just solid, reliable steel.
Evil, as he had defined it, was not cruelty.
It was the resolve to do what others could not.
At dawn, we stood together at the center of the plateau.
The world felt thin.
I closed my eyes and expanded my consciousness.
For the first time, I did not stop at the sky.
I pushed beyond it.
Beyond clouds.
Beyond atmosphere.
Beyond the boundary that had always resisted me.
Something answered.
An immeasurable presence—vast, structured, ancient—turned its attention toward us.
The Divine Realm Center.
I spoke, not with words, but with intent.
I, Shan Liang, mortal of this world, seek ascension.
Xie E's presence flared beside mine.
I, Xie E, mortal of this world, seek ascension.
The response was not immediate.
Then—
The heavens trembled.
A voice echoed—not sound, but law.
"State your authority."
I did not hesitate.
"I choose Kindness," I declared.
"Not mercy born of weakness, but compassion born of strength.
The will to heal.
The courage to care.
The resolve to stand between suffering and those who cause it."
Xie E stepped forward.
"I choose Evil," he said calmly.
"Not malice, but necessary darkness.
The blade that guards the innocent.
The shadow that swallows threats before they reach the light."
For a heartbeat, the Divine Realm was silent.
Then—
"Authorities acknowledged."
Reality shifted.
The sky fractured into radiant layers.
Above us, two vast constructs began to form.
One was luminous, warm, gentle—woven of soft gold and white light. It radiated peace so profound that even the land below seemed to breathe easier.
The Throne of Kindness.
The other was dark—not sinister, but absolute. Black and crimson energy condensed into sharp, elegant geometry. It did not oppress; it protected.
The Throne of Evil.
They descended slowly, majestically, until they hovered before us.
"Ascension approved."
"Divine Thrones established."
Power surged.
When I stepped forward, the world vanished.
Pain came first.
Not physical—conceptual.
Every act of kindness I had ever performed resurfaced, magnified a thousandfold. Every moment I had doubted myself. Every life I couldn't save.
I endured it.
Because kindness was not ignorance of pain.
It was choosing to carry it.
Light wrapped around me, searing yet gentle. My mortal body unraveled and reformed. Soul, mind, essence—everything was rewritten.
I sat upon the throne.
And the world recognized me.
Xie E's ascension was different.
Where my pain was memory, his was choice.
Every line he had crossed.
Every enemy he had slain.
Every time he had chosen violence so others wouldn't have to.
He did not flinch.
Darkness embraced him—not as corruption, but as purpose.
He claimed his throne.
The sky split again.
Golden scales reflected divine light as a massive dragon descended, coiling in midair before us.
The Dragon Officer bowed.
"Congratulations," he said, voice carrying ancient authority.
"You are now gods—native deities of this world."
He straightened.
"You may remain on this planet for one hundred years. After that, divine law requires your ascension to the Divine Realm."
I nodded. "We understand."
He continued, "You are advised to establish temples and spread faith. Faith will strengthen your divine positions."
His gaze softened slightly.
"This planet is now under your protection. Tend it well."
With that, he turned and vanished into the heavens.
We stayed.
For one hundred years.
Not as rulers—but as teachers.
I taught healers.
Founded sanctuaries.
Comforted the dying.
Xie E trained guardians.
Forged orders sworn to protect, not dominate.
Stood where monsters and tyrants rose.
We did not interfere excessively.
Humanity needed to grow on its own.
When the century ended, we stood once more on the plateau.
The city below thrived.
I reached for Xie E's hand.
"Ready?" I asked.
He smiled.
"Let's see what gods are really made of."
Above us, the Divine Realm opened.
And together—
We ascended.
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