Despised

After exiting the dungeon, Zhang Yuanqing did not return to reality. Instead, he materialized in the Spirit Realm, a world resembling a cosmic sea of stars. Now, with his status, entering or leaving the Spirit Realm was merely a matter of a single thought. Zhang Yuanqing raised his head and gazed toward the infinite heights. Two beams of golden light shot from his eyes, piercing through the astral realms, and he saw the evil deities entrenched above the Spirit Realm. Some had three heads and eight arms, their entire bodies pitch-black as they coiled through the cosmos, planets drifting like dregs around their colossal forms. Some roamed a turbid, black galaxy, an occasional glimpse of their body stretching across the span of an entire solar system. Some had no visible bodies or physical forms, yet their mental wills blanketed galaxies, like lofty, invisible transdimensional beings. Some were like black holes of terrifying mass, devouring all matter, including light. Some wielded staves and donned robes, resembling humans yet possessing blurred faces, cradling in their hands a sea of stars where physical laws were completely distorted and inverted. Some were cosmic beasts spanning galaxies, their forms shifting at every moment—every shape conceivable or inconceivable to humanity could be seen upon them. Sensing the gaze of the Lord of the Sun, the Yin deities each cast their eyes downward. In the next moment, chaotic, resounding, and ethereal roars echoed in Zhang Yuanqing's ears. Silently, a connection was established between the two sides, and horrifying corruption descended in the form of conceptual rules through their mutual gaze. Zhang Yuanqing's body began to undergo aberration; demonic patterns of bewitchment surfaced across his skin, and foul sludge oozed from the crown of his head... Yet, as a golden, blazing sun rose behind his head, all corruption was purified. Through this fleeting contact, Zhang Yuanqing clearly perceived the true nature of these Yin deities, learning their identities and the authorities they commanded. They were: Bewitching Demon, Lord of Myriad Weapons. World Serpent, Torch Dragon. Extraterrestrial Fiend, Lord of the Void. Lord of All Fiends, Source of Aberration. Inverter, God of Wine. Eternal Night; Spirit of the Abyss. According to Sovereign Haotian, the number of Yin deities was far greater than this. Some were comparatively weak, lacking the qualification to corrode the Spirit Realm, while others had fallen during the two God Wars. "With the status of these deities, let alone destroying Earth, destroying the Milky Way would be a mere snap of their fingers. If Earth weren't part of the Spirit Realm's largest scenario, sheltered by the Sun, Moon, and Stars alongside the godheads of the deities, it would have been crushed to dust by the evil gods long ago." Zhang Yuanqing withdrew his gaze. No longer looking up at the starry sky, he turned his eyes toward the depths of the Spirit Realm. His vision pierced through layers of darkness, laying eyes upon the yet-unopened Third District. Boundless chaos enshrouded it, and even with the traits of the Lord of the Sun, he could only make out a colossal tree that blotted out the sky, standing tall within the Spirit Realm. This great divine tree was already dead. Foul, turbid fluids flowed down its trunk, and flames of destruction burned across it. Various rules of ruin corroded its ruined form, its withered branches cradling an equally desolate realm within the Spirit Realm. "It needs some serious disinfecting..." Zhang Yuanqing muttered. However, that would have to wait until the Sun, Moon, and Stars returned to their rightful places and the Third District opened. ... Free Federation. With the disappearance of the golden, blazing sun, the sanity the Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder had just regained began to crumble bit by bit, madness once again seizing the high ground. Just then, a rift tore open across the clear, cloudless sky. Pure, immaculate golden light shone forth, coalescing into a handsome young man with a golden sun mark branded between his brows. His skin took on a deep, dark gold, and a warm, luminous solar halo hung behind his head. It was none other than Zhang Yuanqing. His arrival brought warmth to this corner of the world, restoring sanity and clarity to the Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder. The Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder stared at Zhang Yuanqing. Only after seven or eight seconds did she speak: "Yuanshi Tianzun... To think that the one who ultimately became the Lord of the Sun would be you!" With her status, she could naturally perceive Yuanshi Tianzun's current realm. Zhang Yuanqing showed no expression, his voice majestic and imposing: "You may also call me the Demon Lord! "On the other hand, what should I call you—Boreas, King of the Sky, or the Thunder God?" A low male voice issued from the mouth of the Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder: "Now, she and I are one! "I recall from the battle last year that the Demon Lord perished, his body and soul utterly destroyed." Zhang Yuanqing offered no explanation, merely saying flatly: "I have my own methods of resurrection. Even the Lord of the Stars was kept in the dark by me, let alone you. Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder, I now give you two choices. First, I can grant you release, eliminating a latent threat for the orthodox faction and for humanity. Second, I can temporarily suppress your madness. After that, your fate will be in your own hands—whether one makes a willing sacrifice to let the other live, or the two of you merge into an entirely new soul." The Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder did not make an immediate choice. Instead, she looked down at the small city reduced to ruins beneath her. After a dazed pause, she asked with mixed emotions: "How long have I been mad?" Her chaotic consciousness and a prolonged slumber had stripped her of the concept of time; she had lost track of the years. "Two months," Zhang Yuanqing replied. Two months... The Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder was taken aback. In just two months, Yuanshi Tianzun had ascended from a Saint to the Lord of the Sun? This clearly exceeded their wildest expectations. Zhang Yuanqing said slowly, "While you were slumbering, the Sun scenario opened. Ling Tuo, the Lord of Taiyin, perished, and the Lord of the Stars betrayed the orthodox faction, seizing the Taiyin Origin. I still have a battle to fight against him..." He concisely recounted the battle for the Sun and the current situation. The Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder studied him for a moment and said: "Whether it is I or Boreas, both of us possess a strong desire for power. Giving up a status achieved through a century of bitter cultivation is impossible. Though you have become the Lord of the Sun, you may not necessarily be our match. "Yet reason tells me that we ought to let go. We have brought too great a disaster upon humanity and the orthodox faction, and for that, we are deeply sorry..." She thought for a few seconds before saying: "I choose the second option. I wish to maintain fleeting sanity until the Sun, Moon, and Stars return to their rightful places. At that time, whatever the outcome may be, I will accept it with peace of mind." Zhang Yuanqing nodded slightly. "Thank you." The intention of the Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder was evident: she wanted to aid the orthodox faction in fighting evil, to contribute her strength in the final struggle. Zhang Yuanqing pondered briefly, his voice dignified and grandiose: "Your madness stems from the collision of two wills. This is something even the Sun cannot cure, because the root of the problem is not corruption. I will leave a solar mark within your sea of consciousness to balance the two wills. The price is that you will constantly suffer the burning of solar divine power, enduring unending agony. "If, in the end, neither of you is willing to yield and fulfill the other, I will use the Taiyin Origin to help you merge. That is the only solution I can conceive of—on the premise that I defeat the Lord of the Stars." The situation of the Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder was unique. If it were merely two souls cohabiting a single body, Zhang Yuanqing could separate them right now. Their problem lay in the fusion of their authorities! And each will was inseparable from its respective authority. Therefore, the only options were soul fusion, or one party willingly "dying" to fulfill the other. "After your souls merge, your memories will intertwine and your personalities will blend, with neither having primacy over the other. But in the short term, your temperament will become very bizarre, requiring a long period of adaptation and harmonization," Zhang Yuanqing said. The Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder fell silent for a few seconds. "That is the best outcome." Zhang Yuanqing nodded, took a step forward in front of the naked Boreas, and pressed his index finger between her brows. Golden light shone from his fingertip, painting a golden sun upon her smooth forehead. A flicker of pain passed through the eyes of the Twin Gods of Wind and Thunder, quickly suppressed. She raised a hand to grasp a wisp of breeze, conjuring a cyan robe to drape over herself, covering her tall, shapely body. "I should return to Heaven's Punishment!" She nodded slightly, turning into a bolt of lightning that struck toward the distance. ... Pingsheng Residential Community. In the living room of Unit 402. Having regained his memories, Sect Master Chunyang was experiencing a tempest of turbulent emotions. Yuanshi Tianzun's real name was Zhang Yuanqing. Zhang Yuanqing and Lei Yibing had disappeared at the same time four years ago, and according to his previous investigation, Lei Yibing was a Spirit Realm walker. The authorities classified his disappearance as "died in a Spirit Realm dungeon." In other words, Lei Yibing had obtained a character card and entered the Spirit Realm during that disappearance four years ago. His family assumed he was missing and called the police. However, once Lei Yibing cleared the trial dungeon and returned to reality, the missing person case was closed. Four years later, he died in a dungeon, and his family filed a police report again. Although it was unknown why Lei Yibing's mother had been hypnotized, taking the present information into account, Yuanshi Tianzun, just like Lei Yibing, had become a Spirit Realm walker four years ago. Yet this contradicted reality. Yuanshi Tianzun had become a Spirit Realm walker in April of last year. "Bizarre. Extremely bizarre!" Sect Master Chunyang narrowed his eyes. "There is something wrong with Yuanshi Tianzun's identity. He clearly became a Spirit Realm walker four years ago... With his talent, how could he have remained completely unknown for four years? "As long as one investigates Yuanshi Tianzun's information in the real world, one gets trapped in a loop. Perhaps that is the secret behind Yuanshi Tianzun's 'disappearance' for four years." Sect Master Chunyang reentered Aunt Zhou's dream, extracting Zhang Yuanqing's family background and current address. Then, exiting the dream, he transformed into starlight and left Unit 402. He intended to bide his time and confer with the higher-ups of Dark Night Rose. Yuanshi Tianzun might harbor an even greater secret. Before getting to the bottom of it, he did not dare act rashly, let alone kill this middle-aged woman. If this woman died, it would inevitably alert Yuanshi Tianzun, and the brat would be able to spy his actions within the river of fate, thereby pinpointing his location. Pretending as if nothing had happened was the safest course of action. ... The sun set in the west. The family scum punched in the passcode and opened the security door, seeing Chen Shu and his mother making dumplings by the dining table. His younger sister and mother were both dressed in cool short-sleeved shirts and light trousers, while his elderly father had changed into the white undershirt beloved by old men. The living room air conditioner hummed as it blew cold air. "Oh, my dearest sister, you've finally spared a moment from your busy schedule to grace your impoverished parents and brother with your presence," Uncle said, flicking the hem of his burgundy suit as he strolled into the living room. Chen Shu gave him a look, then glanced toward the bedroom and said: "Yuanzi is back. He's in the bedroom, and he said for you to go see him the moment you got home." Grandmother grumbled, "The Spring Festival isn't even over yet, so how did it get this hot? It's all because people don't protect the environment. Carbon emissions exceed the limit every year, causing global warming. If you ask me, humanity isn't far from doom." "Mom, stop reading so many tabloid posts. Global warming wouldn't make it heat up like this." Chen Shu had vaguely guessed what was going on. When her son returned, she hadn't thought too much about it. Only when he said, "Once Uncle is back, tell him to come to the bedroom," did Chen Shu realize that the battle for the Lord of the Sun had concluded. Coupled with Yuanzi's tone and demeanor, she realized that the son she had raised for twenty-two years had finally taken that monumental step. Yet since Yuanzi had not brought it up, she did not dare ask. That spiritual pressure emanating from the soul was something not even the suppression of blood relations could overcome. Just then, Zhang Yuanqing's voice drifted out from the bedroom: "Mom, you and Uncle come in together." Chen Shu instinctively obeyed. Wiping the flour from her hands, she looked toward her brother. Uncle shrugged, turned the doorknob first, and stepped into the bedroom. In the modest yet tidy bedroom, the brother and sister saw Zhang Yuanqing—his hair like spun gold, his skin a dark golden hue—standing by the window with his back to the door. Without turning around, Zhang Yuanqing said slowly: "I once envied the Demon Lord, and I once mocked the Demon Lord, but I never imagined that one day, I would become the very Demon Lord I held in contempt."