I Pick up a Lost Godhood

The cultivators of the Four Directions Small Thousand World were remarkably united, which thwarted a number of conspiracies. This was partly due to the collapse of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect, and partly because the Holy Hall’s ideals had become so deeply ingrained that no one was willing to undertake a thankless effort.

As the momentum of the Ten Thousand Demons Sect faded, the Holy Hall’s own momentum began to rise. It was an unstoppable force.

Of course, among the current major powers, the attention the Holy Hall was receiving was mostly one of pleasant surprise and astonishment.

The representative cultivators who were expected to do well had indeed lived up to their reputations.

Mingren’s position was rather unique. He seemed to be a bridge between the Star Alliance and the Pure Land. In fact, some sects had vaguely sensed that the Star Alliance and the Pure Land intended for Mingren to be the primary heir, but this had to be proven with strength.

Mingren’s power was beyond doubt, but at his current level, it was still insufficient to bear such high expectations.

After all, both the Star Alliance and the Pure Land held him in high regard, yet he had yet to display an overbearing side. In this respect, he didn’t even measure up to the Demon Race. It seemed difficult to imagine a scenario where Mingren would go berserk.

Lin Jinghao and Jii Wanli did a better job than Mingren in this regard.

Although Lin Jinghao had a peculiar personality, it didn’t mean he lacked his own style. On the contrary, his style was very distinct and highly acclaimed by the younger generation. This was far better than Mingren’s detached aloofness. And when it came to noble birth, Lin Jinghao hailed from the ancient and traditional No Illusion Demon Sect. The Pure Land, in contrast, could only be considered the territory of the Demon Race. The previous advantage of being the Star Alliance’s most mysterious sect was now questionable.

Jii Wanli’s performance throughout had been a mix of calm composure and passion. It had to be admitted that after his seclusion, Jii Wanli had become even more poised, with a kingly air in his every move. Furthermore, he was well-liked, and the various sects were quite pleased with this young man. He was also skilled at rousing the emotions of all the cultivators present, getting them to stand with him in a united front. Each battle felt like his personal show, and he could even win over his opponents.

In several rounds of battle, Jii Wanli had displayed ample grace. He won decisively, yet without overly embarrassing his opponents, especially when they came from powerful sects.

This magnanimous display also won the approval of many from the older generation. It was clear that the current Star Alliance was not a place where one person could call all the shots. Although the Star Alliance possessed its own core power, its very expansion meant a dilution of that power. Whoever wished to become the heir to the Star Alliance would need the approval of the majority.

Mingren, Lin Jinghao, and Jii Wanli were all candidates.

Zou Chuang had the strength and background to compete, but unfortunately, his personality was what it was, and that couldn’t be helped. Barring any special circumstances, it was unlikely he would become the heir.

The same could be said for Wu Wang of the Ghost Sect. He was very interested in unifying the world and considered himself perfectly suited for the role. He believed that under his leadership, the Star Alliance would be invincible and sweep across the world.

Unfortunately, the other sects weren’t particularly interested in him. Nevertheless, Wu Wang still used his own methods to build some momentum, and some cultivators who subscribed to the extreme "survival of the fittest" mentality were willing to support him and the Ghost Sect.

The Pure Land’s participation this time also came with a few minor complications.

It was said the Dragon Race was interested in joining the greater family of the Star Alliance. The problem was, the Dragon Race obviously wanted a superior position—at the very least, a clear hierarchy had to be established between them and the Demon Race.

As for the exact nature of their relationship with the Star Alliance, that would depend on the dialogue between the Dragon Emperor, the Star Lord, and the Lord of Pure Land.

For now, the Dragon Race had already taken a crucial step toward integrating into the Star Alliance.

If the Dragon Race were to finally integrate into the Star Alliance, then nearly the entire Small Thousand Realm would fall under the Star Alliance’s banner. The Star Alliance’s rules would then apply unimpeded throughout every Small Thousand Realm.

Of course, some mysterious forces might still exist, but they wouldn’t be enough to contend with an entity of such a massive scale.

The Dragon Race was the key. The power of the Giant Dragons was simply too terrifying; they had to be won over. If a hostile force managed to recruit them, it would be a blow the Star Alliance couldn’t afford.

Thus, both sides had something to gain. It all depended on the final outcome. And... the results of the Battle of the Other Shore would serve as a direct bargaining chip in the negotiations.

In the end, strength was all that mattered.

If the Dragon Race were to join, they would surely bring the formidable Giant Dragon clan with them, a force in no way inferior to the combined might of the entire Demon Race.

The Dragon Race had no intention of ruling other races. They were too proud and lacked the intense desires of humans. However, the Dragon Race needed an environment like the Star Alliance to solve their species’ problem of survival.

Only Dragon Emperor Tu Mu likely knew exactly how many of the Dragon Race remained.

According to the analysis of some influential figures, the strength Linglong had displayed so far gave her an absolute advantage, with no discernible weaknesses to exploit.

Most importantly, the Dragon Race possessed a natural resistance to other abilities, even very specialized ones. If these abilities were rendered ineffective, the Dragon Race’s formidable Dragon Power would become the key factor that tipped the scales of victory.

Although the Dragon Race had demonstrated supreme power, the Demon Race’s Mengg Lord and Lord of Punishment were not to be underestimated. The inheritance from the Demon Race’s highest bloodline was shrouded in mystery. After all, in ancient times, they were beings as noble as the Dragon Race. Now, after so many years of accumulation and having adopted some human practices, what changes would they exhibit? What kind of impact would they make?

Only battle could provide the answer.

After passing the first round of the main tournament, a new layer of confidence and joy settled over the usual calm of the Holy Hall Beings. For Hu Jing and the others, this was the first time they had received this kind of recognition.

Before this, they had all been relatively unknown.

Most of the cultivators from the Four Directions Small Thousand World were staying at the Yue Immortal Tower. Thanks to the Holy Hall’s impressive performance, they were now receiving some preferential treatment in various aspects. The cultivators were thrilled. Whether they had come to Starlight City to broaden their horizons or to support the Holy Hall, its performance was a massive morale boost. Their days were for battle, and their nights were for drinking and revelry.

It might not have been as extreme in other cities, but in Starlight City, the buzz around the Holy Hall had already surpassed that of the Purple Dragon and the Power King.

Everyone was filled with anticipation for the upcoming battles. The Holy Hall Disciples were loudly recounting the legends of old, and now, that legend was about to play out once more within the Star Alliance.

Wang Meng. Even on a grander stage, he was just as unstoppable.

However, not everyone was so happy.

Night had fallen. In the courtyard of the Little Holy Hall, a figure stared blankly at the sky, clearly filled with sorrow.

This was the good-natured Zhou Qian. He could clearly feel that he was reaching his limit.

The four great Holy Statues conferred an Innate advantage. Zhang Xiaojiang and Suo Ming had Life Artifacts, which were actually even more terrifying than the Holy Statues. ’And I’m truly the weakest of them all,’ Zhou Qian thought. ’My Shield of Sighs doesn’t actually make my opponents sigh. I’ve barely scraped by to get this far... I can’t hold on much longer.’

Everyone else was filled with anticipation and hope, but he was left to worry about how to face his next match.

Footsteps approached. "Brother Zhou, you’re enjoying the night air, I see."

Zhou Qian gave a bitter smile. "Sect Leader, you’re still awake?"

Wang Meng smiled. For a moment, it felt like they were back when he had first joined the Holy Hall. Back then, Wang Meng was just a rookie, while Zhou Qian was a bona fide veteran. Time had passed, so much had happened, and now, step by step, they stood on the stage of the Star Alliance.

"It’s a nice night, so I came out to enjoy it. But you look like you have something on your mind," Wang Meng said.

Zhou Qian gave another bitter smile and opened his mouth, but some things were just too hard to say. ’What am I supposed to say? That I don’t want to be eliminated? That I want to keep moving forward with everyone, but my strength isn’t enough and my talent is lacking?’

Wang Meng seemed to read his mind. "Worried about the upcoming battles, right? To be honest... I’m under even more pressure than you are. Damn it, I can’t even sleep. I was hoping to get some air by myself, but it looks like I’ve run into a kindred spirit."

Zhou Qian couldn’t help but chuckle. He knew Wang Meng was joking, but upon reflection, he realized Wang Meng was actually shouldering far greater pressure. ’Considering today’s battles, with all those powerhouses from the Dragon Race and Demon Race present, what pressure do I really have?’

"Seeing you smiling so happily just makes my pressure even worse," Wang Meng said with a pained expression.

Zhou Qian couldn’t help but shake his head. "You’re really something else!" He let out a long sigh. "To be honest, I’m not a man of great ambition. I never even dreamed I’d make it this far."

"Don’t seek immortality, seek a life of glory."

"That’s you. My goal is to retire in the Holy Hall, plant some flowers, go fishing, and refine some Pills."

"We’ll see about that when you get to that age."

The two of them burst out laughing. By the time Zhou Qian left, his mood had lifted considerably.

Wang Meng didn’t leave. An elegant figure approached.

"I’m pretty good at this, right?"

"I didn’t realize you were so good at giving pep talks," Hu Jing said with a soft laugh.

Someone as unobservant as Wang Meng would never have noticed such a detail on his own. It was Hu Jing who had seen that something was clearly wrong with Zhou Qian while everyone else was celebrating.

In the Holy Hall, they were all brothers. Regardless of strength, they would advance together and fight without regrets.

This camaraderie had allowed the Holy Hall to remain united to this day.

"It was passable. I am the Sect Leader, after all. But I’m still a far cry from Senior Sister Hu," Wang Meng chuckled.

"Good boy. So you’d better listen to me."

"Of course. Zhang Xiaopang and I are always obedient," Wang Meng laughed.

Having come this far, Wang Meng could finally fight without holding back. This was what he had been pursuing all along; it was for a day just like this that he had recklessly entered the Small Thousand Realm.

For him, there was no doubt that a battle like this was the ultimate form of happiness.

’It’s probably the same for Mingren,’ he thought.

Under a different sky, Mingren was also standing in silence.

A pair of bare, jade-like feet padded across the soft grass. "You saw him. How do you feel?"

"You seem to have a lot of time on your hands, Holy Daughter."

The girl smiled faintly. Sanmao, who had been rolling around on the ground, waddled over and presented a small wildflower to her. Sanmao was also happy to see Mingren; after all, they went way back, and throughout the entire Pure Land, Mingren was the only one who treated it well.

"I’m just concerned about you two. If you joined forces, you wouldn’t have any problems at all," the girl said with a laugh.

A strange light flickered in Mingren’s eyes. "Where’s the fun in that?"

"I really don’t understand you men. I just received news that his Dragon Emperor Holy Statue has likely reached the stage of Great Success. The entire Golem Array in the Immortal Spirit Secret Realm was wiped out, and it included several Forbidden Golems."

Mingren smiled and nodded. "His application of the Law of Space is already quite masterful. I’m looking forward to it."

The girl sighed softly. "It’s a pity that kind of power is useless against you. With your two personalities complementing each other, one overt and one covert, you could definitely achieve even greater glory together."

The Law of Space was a heaven-defying ability, but unfortunately, it was up against a Holy Light Demon Collapse Saint Body at the stage of Great Success. The two of them were a classic case of two titans in one era. It was a shame. Wang Meng’s personality had more cohesive power, but perhaps Mingren was the one better suited for the position.

Mingren shook his head. "You’re wrong. You don’t understand."