National Guardian's Gone and We're Done

In the past, she had resided high above the clouds, enjoying the offerings of her believers and bathing in the glow of their reverence.

She had her own moments of glory and honor.

But now, she was spoken of with such contempt and disdain.

From her lofty, radiant place above the clouds,

she had plunged headfirst into a mire of mud and filth, her former dignity shattered and left for anyone to trample upon.

Although at this moment, hatred raged like a tempestuous sea in Amaterasu’s heart,

she was also keenly aware of the heavy task she bore.

Upon careful reflection, she really did deserve the humiliation that came with the label ”watchdog.”

Just think about it.

Those Deities, usually so high and mighty, so arrogant,

were all selfish, cowardly, and viewed the Mortal World as a Purgatory full of suffering.

It was as if merely touching the worldly air would defile their sacred bodies, so they avoided it like the plague.

The high-ranking Deities refused to lower themselves, unwilling to let go of their power and prestige in the Divine Domain.

The mid-ranking Deities also coveted the comforts of the Divine Domain,

indulging in lives of decadent pleasure and leisure.

So, inevitably, the thankless chore of guarding the Mortal World and carrying out all sorts of difficult missions

could only fall on the shoulders of lower-ranked deities like her.

Furthermore, this path of descent was a road of death, thorny and filled with blood and despair.

To descend to the Mortal World, you must harden your heart

and shatter the Divine Format you’ve spent countless eons of painstaking effort to cultivate.

With that shattered body, you must force your way into the mortal coil, like a fragile lamb walking into a pack of wolves.

The journey required enduring far more than just the immense psychological shock;

you also suffered catastrophic injuries during the descent.

The moment you lost the protection of your Divine Format, your protective armor was ruthlessly stripped away. You became fragile and vulnerable, and the slightest misstep could cause you to fall into the vast emptiness of the void and turn to dust.

Even if you were lucky enough to survive, your severely injured body would need to slumber for what felt like an endless age,

just to recover a bit of your essence and regain a sliver of vitality.

Chu He took in Amaterasu’s humiliated, angry, and helpless state, looking at her as if she were a defeated clown.

When he spoke again, his voice was cold and hard. ”It seems you Deities really do cherish your lives.”

With that, his gaze turned icy as he stared at Amaterasu and delivered an ultimatum. ”So, are you willing to do it or not? I’ll give you three seconds to think. The offer expires then!”

Amaterasu bit down hard on her lower lip, her pearly teeth nearly breaking the skin.

She clenched her fists so tightly her knuckles turned white,

as if trying to squeeze all her hatred and resentment into her palms.

Hatred and helplessness warred within her heart.

Her mind was a battlefield, with two little figures frantically pulling her in opposite directions.

Finally, under Chu He’s gaze, which carried an immense, oppressive weight, she slowly lowered her head. The words were forced through her clenched teeth: ”I am willing.”

With that said, she began to walk away, her steps heavy and slow. Each one seemed to take all the strength she had.

Xia Chengli and Yumizakura quickly followed after her.

In the blink of an eye, the three of them disappeared through the palace entrance.

For a moment, a deathly, somber pall fell over the palace, leaving only Chu He and Xu Fu facing each other.

Xu Fu was the first to break the silence. Like a collector mesmerized by a priceless treasure, he scrutinized Chu He without blinking. ”Is there something you wish to ask me?”

He was filled with a burning curiosity about this junior, who had been tempered by who knows how many ages, yet had only grown astonishingly powerful.

In this treacherous and perilous great era, filled with countless secrets and dangers,

he was incredibly curious as to how Chu He had managed to cultivate to such a world-shocking level.

He was so curious it felt like a million tiny hands were scratching at his heart.

Chu He tilted his head back slightly and looked directly at Xu Fu. ”I want to know what really happened back then.”

Xu Fu closed his eyes for a moment, sinking into a tunnel of time, back into his distant memories.

After a long while, he slowly opened his eyes. A complex light, interwoven with countless phantoms of the past, shone within them,

holding a deep nostalgia for the magnificent years gone by,

as well as a solemn remembrance of an old friend. ”Back then, His Majesty Emperor Qin Shi Huang’s insight was like a torch; he had long since detected the existence of the Deities.

He also knew a thing or two about the mysterious and unpredictable Celestial Palace hidden behind the clouds.

In that treacherous situation, with a storm brewing on the horizon,

the one person in the entire world with the best chance of breaking through the shackles and becoming a god

was none other than His Majesty, who wielded the immense Emperor’s Qi.

His Majesty had the well-being of the world at heart. For the sake of future generations and a stable future,

and so that the millions of his subjects would no longer suffer under that unknown oppression,

he resolutely chose to step forward. He intended to use his own immense power to achieve godhood in a single stroke, to contend with the Celestial Palace, and to hold up a sky of peace for this world, shielding it from the encroaching darkness.”

Before Xu Fu could finish, he saw a flicker of doubt appear on Chu He’s face.

Chu He said softly, ”Many history books are filled with praise for Qin Shi Huang, calling him the ’Emperor of Ages’.”

Hearing this, a look of pride spread across Xu Fu’s face, as if he could once again see Qin Shi Huang’s majestic and domineering visage, a face that could command the heavens and the earth.

His eyes filled with reverence. ”Indeed. His Majesty is without a doubt the Emperor of Ages.

Back then, he pointed his sword to the east, and it was as if the War God himself had descended. He unified the six states, ending the chaotic era of warring feudal lords that had plagued the land since the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods. As swift and decisive as an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, he brought an end to the division, the endless conflict, and the living Purgatory the Mortal World had become.

He abolished the enfeoffment system, a trailblazer who destroyed the old to build the new. He laid the foundation for the feudal system’s basic structure, drawing a brand-new blueprint for the lands of Huaxia.”