National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

He froze instantly, unable to move a muscle.

From the corner of his eye, he saw Amaterasu’s gaze shoot toward him like a cold arrow.

Just moments ago, he had watched the entire breathtaking, legendary series of events unfold from the sidelines.

The awe he once held for Amaterasu had long since vanished like a bubble, replaced by utter disdain and suspicion.

He thought scornfully,

’How could Amaterasu, the so-called Supreme God of the White-Red Empire, be so pathetic and easily defeated?’

’She’s no different from a total weakling. Her past prestige is a joke.’

’He even began to wonder if the person before him was the real Amaterasu at all.’

’Could it be some overconfident buffoon trying to pass off a fake as the real thing?’

’Or maybe a bizarre and malicious Evil Spirit in disguise?’

’Otherwise, how could she not even handle a single mortal?’

But then his thoughts shifted, and he remembered Chu He’s fearsome reputation.

This was the ruthless man who had slain even the White Elephant Empire’s Three Illusory Gods: Brahma Heaven, Vishnu, and Shiva!

Like a War God from the myths, he was invincible.

At this thought, a chill ran down Goto Taiji’s spine, and he broke out in a cold sweat.

He didn’t dare linger any longer. He just wanted to hurry back and report everything he had seen and heard today, exactly as it happened, to the higher-ups of the White-Red Empire.

He would let them decide...

...how to handle this impossibly difficult, unsolvable situation.

Amaterasu’s lips curled into a bone-chilling sneer. She let out a soft snort, full of icy disdain, and sharply tossed her head.

Like a wounded yet still proud phoenix, she strode forward, her slightly disheveled form lacking its former majesty.

But just then, a terrifying change suddenly overcame Goto Taiji’s body.

He felt an indescribably scorching power, like a rampaging force from the sun’s very core, surging through his body like an untamed stallion.

This intense heat instantly ignited every inch of his flesh and every one of his bones.

His body began to tremble violently, completely out of his control.

His eyes, strangely, began to glow a terrifying, pure gold.

This gold wasn’t the dull color of ordinary paint.

It was a blinding radiance, a light that could pierce the soul.

It was as if two golden suns were blazing within his eye sockets, continuously spewing terrifying rays of light.

The surrounding air itself seemed to scorch, shimmering with faint ripples.

On the surface of Goto Taiji’s body, ghastly, spiderweb-like cracks spread at a visible rate.

From within these fissures, a blinding golden light burst forth like a raging torrent.

It illuminated his entire being, making him look like a golden volcano on the verge of eruption, radiating an aura of total destruction.

Before anyone could recover from the horrifying scene, Goto Taiji was instantly incinerated into a pile of ash right before their very eyes.

The ashes scattered in the wind, leaving only the acrid smell of burning in the air, a testament to his brief and abrupt existence.

After he had witnessed her pathetic and disgraceful state, how could Amaterasu possibly allow someone like Goto Taiji, who knew too much, to continue living?

In her heart, Amaterasu knew that if not for Chu He and the mortals acquainted with him, she would have already unleashed her divine might. She would have annihilated these potential threats, erasing them from the world to eliminate any future trouble and safeguard her precarious secrets.

”What happens next has nothing to do with you.”

Yumizakura took light, graceful steps, her figure as enchanting as a bewitching datura flower blooming in the dead of night.

She floated gracefully before the family of four: Zheng Qifeng, Xiang Xiufang, Zheng Bolan, and Zheng Xuezhen.

”You should all return to your country as soon as possible.”

”This White-Red Empire is about to be plunged into a bloody storm of chaos and turmoil.”

”Oh, right. Remember to warn the other people from the Great Xia Empire who work here.”

”So they can be prepared.”

”However, you must keep your mouths shut about everything that happened here.”

”Don’t you dare speak a single word of it to anyone else. Otherwise...”

Yumizakura narrowed her eyes slightly. ”What awaits you will be total annihilation. Not only will your own lives be forfeit, but you’ll drag down your entire family with you. Don’t make a fatal mistake.”

Her voice was soft, yet it echoed in their ears like a cold curse, sending a shiver of fear down their spines.

Zheng Qifeng, Xiang Xiufang, and Zheng Bolan stared at each other.

It was as if they had just woken from a bizarre, grotesque nightmare.

The terror and confusion had yet to fade from their faces.

They never could have imagined...

...that they, just ordinary, unremarkable common folk...

...would somehow get dragged into such a shocking and momentous event.

At this point, they didn’t need any more reminders from Yumizakura.

Their hearts still pounded with lingering fear, and they were desperate to flee this land of trouble.

They wanted to hurry back to the familiarity and safety of their homeland and find some peace.

As for keeping what they had seen and heard a secret...

...they understood perfectly well. They knew the matter was of grave importance; one wrong move and they would be doomed beyond recovery. How could they dare to be even the slightest bit careless?

The threat of annihilation would follow them like a shadow if they stepped out of line.

Only Xuezhen had a different sort of emotion in her eyes.

She stood quietly in place, her pearly teeth gently biting her lower lip, like a budding rose tinged with sorrow.

Her gaze was fixed dazedly on the direction Chu He had left.

She watched until his tall, mysterious back completely vanished from sight, her eyes filled with regret and disappointment.

’The famous Chu He...’

’In her heart, he was like a brilliant, unreachable star that had illuminated her ordinary world,’

’...but he also made her feel deeply how small and dim she was in comparison.’

Unfortunately, from beginning to end, Chu He hadn’t even spared her a single glance.

It was as if she were just a speck of dust in this vast world, too insignificant to be noticed.

Easily forgotten in a corner.

Then she looked at the two young women following Chu He.

One was bright and captivating, like a peony in full bloom, lush and vibrant.

The other was cold and ethereal, like a plum blossom braving the winter snow, graceful and elegant, exuding an air of nobility and mystery.

Compared to them, Zheng Xuezhen felt like a dull, plain ugly duckling. The gap was just too vast, and a sour feeling welled up in her heart.

...

Led by Amaterasu, the group soon arrived at Fuyue Mountain, a renowned sacred site in the White-Red Empire.

The mountain towered into the clouds, majestic and imposing. It stood proudly between heaven and earth, looking down upon all of creation.

And on the very peak of Fuyue Mountain...

...stood a magnificent, golden palace.

Every inch of the palace walls was exquisitely carved from the purest gold and smoothest fine jade.

It shimmered with a dazzling light, the height of luxury.

It made one feel as if they had stepped into a mythical golden kingdom.

It must have been recently constructed with immense resources, as it exuded an air of newness, showcasing its owner’s extraordinary taste and immense wealth.

The entire palace was shrouded in a mysterious and enchanting thin veil.

Through the haze, a refreshing mist emanated, pleasing to the heart and mind.

This mist was no ordinary fog, but a concentration of pure, condensed energy.

It was the most refined Spiritual Qi between heaven and earth, nourishing everything around it.

Nourished by this mist, the plants around the palace seemed blessed by a Divine Spirit, growing with exceptional vigor.

Lush green trees stood tall and straight, their dense branches and leaves blocking out the sky.

Multicolored flowers, like the skirts of fairies, bloomed in vibrant splendor, their rich fragrance attracting fluttering bees and butterflies.

Strangely, this scene of flourishing life...

...was starkly separated from the severe cold of Fuyue Mountain’s peak by an invisible barrier, as if drawn by a god.

Inside the barrier, the palace was as warm as spring—a peaceful, tranquil paradise.

Outside, however, the wind howled fiercely.

It was a world of ice and snow.

A vast expanse of silver-white, creating a peculiar picture of two different worlds, one of fire and one of ice.