Blood welled and spilled continuously from Diss's eye sockets.
A boundless majesty weighed relentlessly upon his soul, like countless invisible hands bearing down to force one's head low, compelling submission, groveling, and worship.
Yet Diss still stood there steadfastly. A mountain could be sheared flat, but it could never learn to bow.
Still, no one knew what consequences would unfold if this dragged on for too long.
Fortunately, the God of Order did not seem to feel provoked, nor did she intentionally make things difficult. She turned away of her own accord, bringing an end to this brief exchange of gazes.
Old Hoffen immediately stepped forward and asked with concern, "How is it? Are you all right?"
Diss shook his head and raised a hand, signaling that he was fine.
Old Hoffen didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "Sigh, you walked in and out of the Temple of Order and didn't even end up in such a sorry state."
This was the truth. All the damage the elders in the temple had inflicted upon Diss combined could not even compare to a single glance cast by the God of Order across the barrier of an epoch.
Diss said, "How could they ever be worthy of comparison with her?"
Refusing to yield was one thing, but what had to be acknowledged still had to be acknowledged. In her presence, Diss touched upon a feeling of insignificance—a sensation he had forgotten long ago in his youth.
Back then, even when facing existences far stronger than himself, he had never cared; he was confident that before long, he would catch up and surpass them. But against the one before his eyes, he knew it would be difficult in the near future; to catch up would require a very, very long time.
"Yes, yes, yes, cannot compare, cannot compare. Let me cast some healing arts on you."
"No need. I can handle it myself."
At this moment, the God of Order began walking inside, while the halted plane still lingered.
Old Hoffen asked hesitantly, "Should we... take advantage of this moment and go inside together to take a look?"
"Let's go."
Diss did not hesitate and walked straight inward.
"Hey, wait for me, wait for me!" Old Hoffen immediately followed right behind Diss. "Even though I'm quite terrified of this one, I feel the power affecting me is even more afraid of her. When she appeared, I felt as if the entire world had fallen peaceful and quiet."
"Perhaps that is the most fundamental relationship between Order and Principle. Even though I never concerned myself with church affairs, I realized long ago just how fierce the mutual wariness between our two partner churches truly is."
"Because we followers of Principle know very well that constantly borrowing books from others is troublesome—it's far more convenient to just move those books into our own study. Therefore, the tighter our cooperation with Order becomes, the more afraid we actually are."
Upon entering the palace, neither of them spoke.
The scene inside transcended ordinary comprehension. Every carving on every pillar, the floor tiles beneath their feet, the murals upon the walls, and even the reliefs overhead each contained a small world within.
This place was practically a miniature version of the Temple of Order.
"Diss, was it this magnificent when you came in last time?" Old Hoffen asked.
"No. Though my visit was hurried last time, I am certain it could not compare to what we see before us. Otherwise, even if Levinlina and her team had spent centuries, they never would have made it this far."
Every step forward spanned the distance of several small worlds. To explore and traverse them one by one, even with full backing from the Church of Order, would have demanded an untold amount of time and effort.
At that moment, powerful entities surged continuously from the small worlds. Like demon gods guarding this sanctuary, they launched attacks at the intruder.
The God of Order merely continued walking forward. Those terrifying existences—any single one of which could unleash a natural catastrophe if cast into the present era—were annihilated before they could even draw near as they lunged howling toward her.
At the same time, as if in response to this offense, the small worlds began collapsing one after another wherever the God of Order walked.
There was no clash of battle, for this was a unilateral crush—just as an ordinary person walking down a road would not worry about dust in the air harming them.
Yet, had the God of Order not blazed a path today, even Raniedal might have struggled to enter later, to say nothing of Levinlina's investigation team.
Because the vast majority of the mighty guardians and terrifying formations were wiped out along the way by the God of Order, her arrival forcefully lowered this palace, which represented the legacy of Eternity, by several tiers.
Old Hoffen counted the annihilated mighty beings and ruined small worlds, clicking his tongue in amazement:
"The rules of Eternity sealed this place exceptionally well. If your God of Order hadn't taken a stroll through here, then even though the Church of Eternity perished in the previous epoch, unsealing this palace alone would have provided enough foundation to prop up a power rivaling an orthodox church.
"I think she did this on purpose. She is deliberately erasing the legacy left by Eternity.
"For someone of her status, doing something like this is honestly a bit unrefined."
Diss countered, "When one has the ability to act, should they refrain merely out of vanity for their status, leaving trouble for future generations to resolve at far greater cost?"
Old Hoffen glanced at Diss and did not argue further. Instead, he leaned in closer, wanting to examine everything carefully. This was far more vivid and authentic than any archaeological ruin.
"Hey, Diss, look. Some things have already slunk into the corners. They know fear after all."
"It is not merely fear. This terror actually transcends the threat of death."
This was Diss's direct sensation when he had locked eyes with her earlier.
"So the restraining rules here were destroyed, and those demon gods that hid away—after an epoch of slaughter and cannibalism among themselves—eventually left behind only Shabak? That must be it."
In the deepest recess of the palace stood an indoor fountain. Behind the fountain was a blue crystal divine throne.
At that moment, a woman emerged from the fountain. Dressed in a pale blue gown and holding a dagger, she barred the God of Order's path.
"The God of Water Waves—Lierkanfu. What she holds in her hand is the Water Halo Arbiter Dagger.
"Legend has it that she was the lover of the God of Eternity and was lost along with the God of Eternity.
"In the previous epoch, the Sea God, who was later suppressed and slain by the God of Order, was once her slave.
"It was precisely Lierkanfu's fall that gave the Sea God his chance to rise. He inherited—or rather, swallowed—much of her legacy, eventually climbing to the seat of a chief god.
"That is also why the Sea God's image is not entirely human, bearing siren traits as well. It was determined by his origins; as a slave, he might not have been a pure human, but very likely some hybrid, or perhaps his true form was a monster beast.
"To think she would actually be here.
"Diss, I'm truly curious about the purpose behind building this palace now.
"Did the God of Eternity treat this place as a base of operations to rise again after her future return?"
Old Hoffen and Diss did not belong to the same time as the scene outside. Outside, the exchange between the two deities had already begun.
Lierkanfu spoke: "Even if you are a newly ascended chief god in this world, you should not blaspheme the Hegemon of Eternity so."
The God of Order ignored her. In fact, that her appearance constituted an obstruction was only an impression drawn from her own perspective; the pace of the God of Order's footsteps never changed in the slightest.
Lierkanfu closed her eyes. The next moment, she appeared above the God of Order.
In an instant, the divine kingdom of water unfurled, and the Water Halo Arbiter Dagger thrust toward the God of Order's back.
What seemed like an ordinary sneak attack actually disregarded the intense aura and the collision and crushing of rule power formed between two chief gods. Furthermore, in the eyes of ordinary deities, Lierkanfu's sneak attack was far more terrifying than a forceful frontal assault.
Yet the God of Order still did not halt her steps. She merely raised her left arm and reached behind her.
That hand pierced through the divine kingdom of water, tore through countless rivers, and finally clamped around Lierkanfu's neck.
Then came a crush as simple as could be.
Boom!
Lierkanfu's body fractured over large areas before shattering to pieces.
Frightening water halos exploded outward, a terrifying deluge venting wildly through the space.
Even Old Hoffen, who did not exist in this plane, felt the crushing pressure.
Diss planted the Scythe of War in front of him, preparing to cleave through these water halos that shouldn't have existed or acted upon him.
However, after snapping the neck, the God of Order casually flicked her hand. The water halos that had been venting randomly in all directions were immediately swept toward the opposite side, ensuring that the area behind her would not suffer any fallout.
Old Hoffen blinked and said, "Diss, why do I feel like your God of Order is deliberately shielding us?"
Diss stowed the scythe. "She isn't."
Old Hoffen insisted, "She is shielding us! Tell me, could she know that the two of us are her grandfathers?"
"She is she. Karen is Karen."
"There really isn't much difference. It's just like how your surname is Inmeles, and our grandson's surname is also Inmeles—in the eyes of outsiders, it easily becomes Old Inmeles and Young Inmeles."
Diss said, "I believe she is merely shielding a follower of Order."
Old Hoffen chuckled and said:
"Based on the power the God of Order is showing right now, we can infer that this must be the late period of the previous epoch, when the God of Order had already attained the position of Hegemon.
"How terrifying—Lierkanfu was strangled to death just like that?
"No wonder she could slaughter gods on such a grand scale at the end of the previous epoch; even existences at the level of chief gods seemed no different from poultry in her eyes."
After Lierkanfu fell, the fountain quieted down, leaving behind only a tranquil pool of water.
The God of Order walked toward the crystal throne. Suddenly, a red halo and a purple halo appeared on either side of the God of Order, dense rule power churning rapidly.
Old Hoffen: "There are two more powerful deities! They are..."
The God of Order spread both arms wide, one hand for each, as though imprisoning the worlds within those two halos. Boundless Chains of Order shot out, executing the most absolute seal.
Immediately after, the God of Order drew her arms inward.
The red divine kingdom and the purple divine kingdom were yanked together in a manner so domineering and crude that it bordered on unreasonable.
Clap!
The God of Order clapped her hands together.
Boom!
The two divine kingdoms collided. Blinding, resplendent radiance burst forth once more, unleashing astonishing shockwaves akin to an apocalyptic disaster.
Yet the frontal blast of these shockwaves was blocked entirely by the silhouette of the God of Order.
This time, Diss didn't even need to take out the Scythe of War in defense; the safety of their side was secured in advance.
It was Old Hoffen who was left at a loss:
"They are... uh... who were they?"
As the most erudite person in this world, even Old Hoffen needed to see the actual deity and have the necessary clues to deduce their identity. The problem was, those two deities hadn't even had the chance to step out before they perished.
Still, Old Hoffen knew how to save face, remarking awkwardly:
"At least I know who Raniedal was imitating with that move of his."
At least three gods had once resided within this palace. Though they were cleanly suppressed and slain by the God of Order, one still could not deny their power.
Just as Ukonga had been utterly powerless before Diss, he was nevertheless among the truly elite tier of Temple elders.
Having eliminated every obstacle, the God of Order sat upon the blue throne.
This throne was likely the seat of the God of Eternity.
The God of Order gazed toward the ceiling of the sanctuary, as if tracing back through time with her vision.
It was as though two Hegemons separated by an epoch were engaged in some manner of resonance.
Gradually, everything outside sank into a black stillness, impenetrable to any external observation.
No one knew how much time passed. When the blackness slowly receded, the God of Order stood up unhurriedly and began walking outward.
On her way out, the God of Order arrived beside Diss once more. The god paused in her tracks yet again.
She seemed to be contemplating, yet also hesitating.
It felt as if in the very next moment, she would speak—would deliver an oracle.
Yet, in the end, she said nothing and continued walking outward.
Only at this moment did the chime of the bell finally dare to ring out again.
The halted plane seemed to resume its flow once more.
Old Hoffen asked, "Diss, shall we continue rewinding? Or... return to reality?"
If they continued rewinding, they would have a chance to witness the construction of this palace, possibly glimpsing the true purpose of its creation.
Yet now, it seemed of little value. Whatever its purpose, the God of Order had already come and laid waste to it.
Diss's gaze remained fixed on that blue throne. "Hoffen, can you maintain this frozen state?"
"What are you talking about? How could that possibly be done? I'm only controlling a puppet, and this puppet can't withstand such terrifying pressure!"
"Not for long—just a brief moment. Slow the flow down slightly. I only need a tiny bit of time."
"Diss, do you mean to..." Old Hoffen's eyes widened, and he immediately cried out, "Are you insane? You want... you want to sit on it?"
Diss nodded.
"Hey, old partner, you locked eyes with the God of Order—I took that as your pride and your past, so I didn't stop you because I understand you. But after looking a god in the eye, you shouldn't go and copy the throne the god sat on as well, should you?
"After all, you aren't a god yet. You can pursue equality with gods in personhood, but there's really no need to mimic whatever a chief god of that caliber does! My dear old partner, there's no need for us to act out of spite!"
"I'm not acting out of spite. I just feel that if I can sit upon it, I might have a chance to know what the God of Order and the God of Eternity communicated through this place back then."
"And then? Do you want to write a book titled *The Untold Secrets Between Order and Eternity*?"
Diss fell silent.
Old Hoffen continued to persuade him: "Listen, old partner, I know that lying asleep in your bedroom for several years must have bottled up a lot of gloom you want to vent. I can empathize with that feeling—after all, my 'living conditions' are far, far worse than yours, and I don't have wonderful juniors like Mason and Winnie tending to me meticulously every day. But you shouldn't..."
"I want to pass this message on to my grandson."
"Then you shouldn't have waited so long to say it—because he's my grandson too! Fine, let's begin!"
Back when he was alive, Old Hoffen had already been utterly helpless against Karen calling him "Grandpa." Now, it was fair to say he was even more powerless to refuse, and even more desperate for it. Aside from the supreme psychological satisfaction, there was also a practical reality.
He was merely an ordinary page within this journal. He needed external recognition to maintain control over the journal and preserve his independent existence. Nothing could anchor his sense of being more effectively than high validation from the God of Order.
One could say that both spiritually and "physiologically," he could no longer detach himself from his identity as Karen's grandfather.
The white puppet knelt on the ground. A starlight magic array formed beneath Old Hoffen's feet, dense threads spilling out from it. His hands moved swiftly, calculating and aligning the surrounding structure. Meanwhile, from within the journal, human hands, monster hands, and even "divine" hands reached out one after another, helping to calculate and haul in unison.
Old Hoffen was not doing this alone; he had mobilized every "party involved" that he could summon from the journal.
Gradually, the external temporal flow, which had begun to resume, slowed down once more.
"Diss, I don't know how long I can hold out. The toll on me will be enormous. Best case, I'll have to retreat back into the journal to rest for a while; worst case, this journal will be reduced to blank pages because of what I'm doing right now."
Diss comforted him as he walked toward the throne, "I believe in the greatness of the God of Principle."
Old Hoffen cursed, "You bastards from Order are all like this—you only say sweet things when you're begging us for a favor!"
Diss arrived before the divine throne. Turning his back to the seat, he sat down without a moment's hesitation.
The instant he sat down, his soul began to burn. The brilliance forged by that burning illuminated everything around him into pitch-blackness.
A voice echoed forth like a sigh, sending rippling waves through the unseen dark:
"In the kingdom of Eternity, I have long felt lonely. An epoch without an opponent is simply far too dull. Therefore, I shall exile myself. I hope that when I return, you who stand before me will not disappoint me."
"You may turn around and face the same direction as me."
"Heh, are you afraid? Afraid to face me?"
"I am more worried that you will be afraid—afraid to face the clamor before me."
"What manner of clamor?"
"I shall forge an epoch without gods."
"I look forward to it."
Chapter 902