Chapter 4: The Void Between Worlds
As Wu Chen passed through the void between worlds, the barrier protecting him from external forces gradually began to crack. He started to burn—though the astral power within his body held back the flames for a while, even his soul was beginning to ignite.
After two hours, Wu Chen could no longer endure the pain and fainted. When he opened his eyes... standing before him were his parents from his first life.
"Mother... Father... I've missed you so much," Wu Chen said, unable to hold back his tears as he rushed toward them.
But suddenly, he came to his senses: this was only an illusion. In truth, he was standing within his subconscious world. As he shifted his perspective, he realized everything around him was the same as the void between worlds—filled with thick, heavy energy. From that energy, a massive face, smiling, stared down at him.
Wu Chen whispered:
"So this is a demon... or perhaps a god..."
He raised his right hand and snapped his fingers. In that instant, his subconscious world was cut off completely from the outside. The surroundings changed, plunging everything into darkness. At his second snap, a pair of sofas appeared, facing each other, and the energy-being sat down across from him.
The entity was astonished:
"An ordinary human cannot control his subconscious with such precision and mastery..."
Wu Chen asked with fury:
"Who are you? Why are you trying to take over my body?"
With a smile, it replied:
"I am the God of Demons. Now then, human, who are you? How can you command your subconscious to this extent?"
It tried to read Wu Chen's memories. But no matter how hard it tried, it failed.
"This is impossible... even a god should be able to read a mere human's memories!"
Wu Chen smirked wickedly:
"So, you're trying to read my memories? Interesting... then let me show you everything."
In an instant, the Demon God's eyes widened in shock.
"Y-you... Wu Chen?! This cannot be!"
"Why are you so shocked?" Wu Chen said coldly.
The Demon God trembled and fell to his knees:
"At last, I've found you... you are the New Sovereign."
Wu Chen froze.
"Sovereign? What does that kneeling mean?"
The Demon God slowly raised his head:
"You are the one who rules above all gods. The former Sovereign has existed since the birth of existence itself, but he grew weary of life and put himself into eternal slumber. At that time, he chose you as the new Sovereign."
Wu Chen's heart pounded.
"But why do I not have any Sovereign power? I've already died, I was even sent back to the past..."
The Demon God answered:
"At the end of your first life, that power was already bestowed upon you. However, not all gods accepted it. Especially the God of Strength. He sealed your power. After your death, the regret and hatred within you consumed a portion of that Sovereign power, which was spent when you returned to the past."
Wu Chen asked in a cold tone:
"So, I do possess Sovereign power... but why can't I use it now?"
The Demon God took a deep breath:
"Because the God of Strength sealed your power. Using the energy from the corpse of the previous Sovereign, he conspired with the God of Magic. And since you had already lost half of your power when returning to the Past, the seal bound you completely."
"So, there's no way to break it?" Wu Chen's voice carried both anger and disbelief.
"Not impossible," the Demon God said seriously. "But it will not be easy. Even if the God of Magic sealed the Sovereign's power, you are still the Sovereign. Therefore, the seal can be broken—but it will take time and a complete awakening."
Wu Chen smirked.
"So there is a chance... If I reclaim the Sovereign's power, I can rule over all worlds, all gods, and even the realms themselves..."
The Demon God stared at him:
"In truth, you have already begun to awaken your power."
"What do you mean by that?" Wu Chen's gaze sharpened.
"I mean this: even though you lived in a world without astral power, you can still control your subconscious perfectly. That is because the world you lived in is called the 'First World.' There, even gods become ordinary humans, and no powers can function. But the Sovereign is an exception—he can accomplish whatever he wishes, even in that world."
Wu Chen narrowed his eyes.
"The First World... If that's the case, then how was I summoned here through a Hero Summoning? Magic isn't supposed to work there."
"Correct," the Demon God nodded. "Inside the First World, magic does not function. But from outside, it can still be influenced. That is how you were summoned here."
Wu Chen suddenly stood up, his voice burning with fury:
"If I am the Sovereign, then why are your demons slaughtering humans?!"
The Demon God's face grew solemn as he shook his head:
"That is not my doing. I was exiled into the void between worlds. The one commanding the demons now... is the God of Strength."
"Exiled?" Wu Chen's voice thundered with rage. "How can a god be exiled from his own realm?"
"Because," the Demon God sighed heavily, "after the previous Sovereign went into eternal slumber, many gods refused to accept the authority of the new Sovereign. I, however, supported the decision of the old Sovereign and chose to serve the new one. For that, they branded me a traitor and exiled me from the realm of gods. Thus, I became trapped here, in the void between worlds."
Wu Chen fell silent.
The Demon God continued:
"When your protective barrier shattered and you were about to perish, I tried to enter your body to preserve your life. Through your vessel, I sought to trace the path of the new Sovereign. But... to my astonishment, you yourself were already the New Sovereign."