God Realm, God Realm Committee.
Within the magnificent hall, the atmosphere was solemn and heavy. Five thrones symbolizing supreme authority floated in the air, radiating distinct yet equally vast divine might.
The God of Destruction King sat at the head of the left side, his destruction intent as deep and oppressive as an abyss; the Life God King accompanied him at his side, vibrant with life, her gentle demeanor carrying an unquestionable majesty.
The two God Kings in the center, the God of Goodness and the God of Evil, were shrouded in divine light, their auras profound as they held dominion over order and balance. On the far right, the Asura God King sat with his killing intent restrained, his gaze as sharp as a blade.
Yet today, before these five veteran God Kings, there stood one more figure—Yu Yuanchen. He did not take a seat, but stood in the center of the hall, his posture upright, his aura restrained like the deep sea, yet naturally exuding an aura of new life that heralded a new era and led all things.
Although his current cultivation level was only at the entry level of a first-level deity, the uniqueness and potential of his Yuan Chen Divine Spark allowed him to face the five veteran God Kings without being servile or overbearing.
The topic of discussion was precisely the "Path of Divine Spark" pioneered by Yu Yuanchen and its impact on the order of the God Realm.
"Yu Yuanchen," the God of Goodness spoke first, his voice calm yet carrying an invisible pressure, "You pioneered this 'Divine Spark' path in the lower planes, helping your descendants become gods; your heart is commendable, and your ambition is worthy of encouragement."
"However, this path is vastly different from the divine position system that has been passed down in the God Realm for ten thousand years. To promote it rashly risks shaking the foundations of the God Realm and triggering turmoil in the lower planes. What explanation do you have?"
Yu Yuanchen had long anticipated this question. His expression remained calm, and he bowed with a salute, his voice clear and resonant as it echoed through the hall: "In reply to the senior God of Goodness. The Path of Divine Spark is not meant to subvert, but to supplement. Its core lies in opening another window for those talents who possess exceptional gifts and a heart set on the Great Dao, yet suffer from the lack of a compatible divine position to inherit."
He analyzed the situation point by point, expounding on his own views:
"Firstly, the divine spark and the divine position are essentially of the same origin, both being the ultimate application of laws and power. The divine spark can be seen as the 'core seed' of a divine position; it is purer and focused on the practitioner's own path."
"The two are not in opposition; in the future, they may be mutually transformative and beneficial. For instance, those who possess a divine spark, if they accumulate enough, may well use it as a core to gradually construct a complete divine position; and those who inherit a divine position, if they have a deep realization of their own path, can also refine the authority of their divine position to nourish their own divine spark, thereby carving out a new path."
"Secondly, the inheritance of the God Realm is orderly, yet the number of divine positions is limited, and their attributes are fixed."
"For ten thousand years, how many brilliant talents have either wasted their years or been forced to inherit divine positions they did not desire because no compatible position existed, limiting their potential? This is truly a loss for the God Realm and the myriad planes. The Path of Divine Spark offers them a chance at transcendence; it is truly a move to revitalize talent."
"Thirdly," Yu Yuanchen's gaze swept across the five God Kings, his tone carrying a hint of deep meaning.
"The God Realm has enjoyed long-term peace; while order is maintained, it is inevitable that a certain degree of inertia has grown. Some deities enjoy eternal life, neglecting their duties, their drive for progress gradually fading. If this continues, the God Realm will become like a pool of stagnant water. How can it cope with the unpredictable changes of the future? The Path of Divine Spark is like a stone thrown into still water; it can stir ripples, introduce competition, and urge the gods not to slacken but to strive for improvement. This is not destroying order, but injecting vitality."
"Fourthly, the lower planes are full of emerging talents. If we can use the Path of Divine Spark to guide more geniuses to ascend, it will be of great benefit to strengthening the origin of the God Realm and improving its overall power. All rivers run into the sea, and tolerance makes greatness. If the God Realm wishes to develop and grow rather than fall into stagnation, it should have the capacity to embrace new things."
Yu Yuanchen's argument was well-reasoned and evidence-based; he not only clarified the positive significance of the Path of Divine Spark but also cleverly neutralized the "threat theory" it might pose, while linking it to the long-term development of the God Realm.
The God of Destruction King spoke at the right moment, his voice like a booming bell: "What Yu Yuanchen says is not without reason. The God Realm indeed needs new blood and vitality. Although this path is new, it does not necessarily shake the foundations; on the contrary, it may become a brilliant move for the God Realm to meet future challenges. This King believes it can be allowed to exist, provided it is guided and regulated."
The Life God King also nodded slightly and said gently: "All things grow and require metabolism. The Path of Divine Spark may just be a new way of 'metabolism.' As long as it is guided properly, it will be beneficial and harmless to the God Realm. I also support further observation and discussion."
With the clear support of the God of Destruction and the Life God King, Yu Yuanchen's side had already gained the upper hand.
However, the God of Goodness and the God of Evil exchanged a glance and did not immediately object. The God of Goodness said slowly: "Yu Yuanchen's argument is indeed insightful. The God Realm is not a place of stubbornness. However, the divine position system has been passed down for a long time; it concerns the fundamental order of the God Realm and involves the responsibilities and interests of many deities. We must be cautious."
The God of Evil interjected, his tone carrying a hint of cold legalism: "Promoting a new law cannot be decided by just five votes from the God Realm Committee. We must follow the laws of the God Realm. Changes concerning the fundamental rules of the God Realm require consulting the will of all gods."
"I propose that we convene a God Realm Assembly of all deities to conduct a vote on the matter of 'whether to allow the Path of Divine Spark and the Path of Divine Position to coexist and grant corresponding divine registry status'."
As soon as this proposal was made, the God of Destruction King frowned, and a flash of helplessness appeared in the eyes of the Life God King.
"Is this move not inappropriate?" the God of Destruction King said in a deep voice, "The Path of Divine Spark concerns the future trend of the God Realm; how can it be decided by the votes of a group of mediocre people? This is not democracy; it is actually lazy governance!"
"Destruction, watch your words," the God of Goodness's tone turned cold, "The laws of the God Realm are supreme. The deliberation of the gods is the will of the God Realm. Do you intend to place yourself above the laws of the God Realm and the gods themselves?"
Yu Yuanchen sneered inwardly, though he also felt a sense of helplessness. This seemingly fair "democratic process" was actually a calculated scheme by Goodness and Evil. The gods of the God Realm, especially those "pensioner" deities who relied on inherited divine positions to enjoy eternal life, were numerous.
They were accustomed to the existing order and feared any change that might bring uncertainty. The emergence of the Path of Divine Spark undoubtedly touched their sensitive nerves—it meant that in the future, there might be more "grassroots" new gods with greater drive who would challenge their status and comfort.
Once a general vote was held, the result was almost predictable—the opposition would inevitably be in the majority. By then, even if the Path of Divine Spark was not explicitly banned, it would fall into a state of de facto illegality in the God Realm, making it difficult to obtain official divine registry status and resource support, and its development would inevitably be hindered.
More profoundly, the move by Goodness and Evil was intended to use this conservative force to suppress Yu Yuanchen, a newly emerged "variable" who was close to Destruction and Life, in order to maintain their delicate balance within the God Realm Committee.
The Asura God King remained silent, but deep within those sharp eyes, a hint of imperceptible calculation flashed.
He was happy to see the Destruction faction suffer a setback, but he did not necessarily truly wish for Goodness and Evil to completely control the situation; maintaining a certain balance was more beneficial to him.
The situation reached a stalemate. Yu Yuanchen knew that the other side held the high ground of "legality" and "public opinion," and a forceful opposition would only give them ammunition.
He took a deep breath, suppressed the waves in his heart, and said with a calm expression: "Since the three God Kings insist on acting according to the law, I have no objection. Let us proceed as discussed and convene the God Realm Assembly to vote."
Yu Yuanchen's expression remained unchanged, though he felt a hint of regret, he was not overly surprised. He had long expected that this matter would not go smoothly.
The waters of the God Realm were far deeper than those of the lower planes. "Since the laws are as such, I shall naturally comply. I only wonder, when will this God Realm Assembly be convened?"
"This matter is of great importance and requires proper preparation. It will be discussed in a hundred years (lower plane time)," the God of Goodness said lightly, giving a buffer period. A hundred years was but a snap of the fingers to the God Realm; it gave Yu Yuanchen time to maneuver, while also leaving enough space for observation and manipulation.
"I shall await the decision of the God Realm," Yu Yuanchen bowed and said no more. He knew that today's meeting was just the beginning. The real contest would be outside the meeting, in the hundred years to come.
The meeting ended, and the figures of the five God Kings dissipated. Yu Yuanchen also stepped out and left the God Realm Committee.
He did not immediately return to the lower planes, but as usual, went to the Yuan Chen Divine Palace built specifically for him in the God Realm to absorb Immortal Spiritual Qi and stabilize and improve his Yuan Chen Divine Spark.
Now, relying on the profoundness of the Yuan Chen Divine Spark and the nourishment of massive amounts of Immortal Spiritual Qi, his cultivation level had stabilized at the first-level deity level (approximately level 131 or 132) and was still steadily increasing.
He had also made progress in his fusion and understanding of various laws such as Thunder, Destruction, Life, Space, and Time, and his Yuan Chen God Position was constantly being perfected, with his combat power increasing day by day.
He was confident that in the current God Realm, apart from those five unfathomable God Kings, even the veteran first-level deity Poseidon, who held the Super Divine Artifact Sea God's Trident, could be easily defeated by him.
Even when facing a God King, relying on the uniqueness of the Yuan Chen Divine Spark and some of his own hidden means, while he dared not claim victory, it was not impossible for him to hold his own and preserve himself.
Just as Yu Yuanchen was cultivating in the God Realm, in a hidden dimensional space somewhere in the God Realm.
The figures of the three God Kings—Goodness, Evil, and Asura—gathered quietly.
"Destruction and Life are providing significant support to this child," the God of Evil's voice was cold. "If the Path of Divine Spark truly gains momentum, in the long run, it will indeed strengthen the foundation of the God Realm. But in the short term, it will bolster the influence of the Destruction faction."
The God of Goodness sighed: "It is not that we do not recognize the benefits of this path, but the timing is not yet right. Only when we complete our plan and thoroughly control the leadership of the God Realm Committee can we promote this method to maximize its benefits without threatening our status. Letting him be tied to Destruction now is truly not a wise strategy."
Asura God King finally spoke, his voice hoarse and magnetic: "Destruction was able to cultivate Yu Yuanchen, and while that is due to his own heaven-defying talent, if Destruction hadn't been watching him from the shadows early on, or perhaps even provided some unspeakable assistance, how could his growth have been so rapid?"
"He can cultivate one, but if the three of us join forces, can we not cultivate someone capable of keeping Yu Yuanchen in check?"
As soon as these words were spoken, a Gleam flashed in the eyes of both God of Goodness and God of Evil. They had long held this intention! The sudden emergence of Yu Yuanchen had shattered the balance of the five kings that the God Realm had maintained for countless years.
Destruction and Life were already closely linked, and now with the variable of Yu Yuanchen, it had vaguely become a three-versus-two situation (Asura's attitude was ambiguous, but he often leaned toward Goodness and Evil). If they could not impose a check, the future God Realm Committee would likely be dictated entirely by the faction of Destruction.
Cultivate a new God King who leans toward their side! This was the plan they had been plotting in secret! Although cultivating a God King Level existence was as difficult as ascending to heaven, by pooling the power of three God Kings and searching the Vast heavens and myriad worlds, it was not impossible to find a suitable seedling.
Even if the resulting God King's strength was slightly inferior to Yu Yuanchen's, as long as they could form a four-versus-three situation, it would be enough to regain the initiative!
"The candidate must be chosen with caution; they must have a clean background, and their temperament, talent, and potential must all be top-tier. Furthermore, they must identify with our philosophy," the God of Goodness pondered aloud.
"The lower Plane is Vast, and there are always uncut gems waiting to be polished," a fierce look flashed in the eyes of the God of Evil. "A hundred years is enough time for us to lay our plans."
Asura God King gave a slight Nod: "This matter must be conducted in secret; it is not wise to alert Destruction and Life too early. As for Yu Yuanchen, let him toss and turn for now. The voting results of the God Realm Assembly are destined to frustrate him, which will serve to dampen his spirit."
The three God Kings reached a consensus, and their figures slowly dissipated into the hidden space. An Undercurrent surrounding the future structure of the God Realm was quietly surging beneath the calm surface.
Although Yu Yuanchen did not fully grasp the specific plans of the three kings—Goodness, Evil, and Asura—he knew well that they would never sit idly by and watch him and the alliance of Destruction and Life grow too powerful.
The hundred-year buffer period was both a challenge and an opportunity. He needed to use this time to further solidify his foundation and expand his influence in the lower realms, while also remaining vigilant against schemes that might come from the shadows.
The Wind and Clouds of the God Realm had risen because of him, and they would change because of him as well. The road ahead was destined to be anything but smooth. Yet, Yu Yuanchen's dao heart was Firm, and he was without fear. He wanted to see exactly where this chess game of the God Realm would ultimately lead!
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: GodKun-Chan