"Authority."
Cheng Shi recognized the celestial light instantly. Without question, it was Authority — and specifically, the [War] Authority belonging to Qin Xin's world!
When a god died in the Real Universe for whatever reason, the Authority crystallized from Their faith didn't dissolve. Instead, it transford into intangible "legacy," drifting through the Real Universe.
However, this legacy couldn't simply be picked up by anyone "fated" to find it. Authority from different worlds could not be shared across worlds. Only a faith vessel from the original world could locate and "reclaim" it.
This rule also prevented any "jailbreaker" from gorging themselves into a "god blob" in the Real Universe.
A world was the soil in which faith took root. Once the world crumbled and faith ceased to exist, the orphaned Authority beca nothing but scrap.
The Cheng Shi and Hong Lin here were, of course, not the real Cheng Shi and Hong Lin. The two of them had been drifting through the Real Universe for ages, witnessing the birth of countless such scraps, and knew full well how difficult it was to reclaim Authority belonging to one's own world beneath this starry sky.
The Real Universe was simply too vast. So vast that anyone who ca searching would most likely return in despair.
And Authority itself wasn't easy to find. It wasn't so conspicuous floating object. It was an abstract, indescribable existence. To discover it, one first had to trigger a resonance between the Authority and divine power.
For example: offering birth to honor [Birth]. Offering decay to please [Decay]. Offering war... to summon [War].
So when Qin Xin made his decision to end the fight decisively, the [War] divine power he unleashed rang out like a great bell, radiating outward in every direction.
Of course, this divine ripple couldn't propagate infinitely through the Real Universe. Beyond a certain range, if the Authority wasn't within reach, no resonance would be triggered and no trace would be found.
Fortunately, "fate" was watching. [War]'s lost Authority was distant, but not beyond that range.
And so, the instant Qin Xin erupted with [War]'s divine power, the Authority belonging to his Benefactor answered the call and ca ho!
When faith found its vessel, when devotion reclaid its place, the indomitable will of [War] roared as it poured into Qin Xin, igniting every cell in his body.
Qin Xin couldn't move. He felt his lungs burning, his blood boiling, his soul ablaze. Before he could even process what was happening, the fervor had already carried him through — and he inherited [War]'s full Authority.
As he stood motionless during the inheritance, the two figures watched from afar — equally still. Whether frozen in anger or in fear, it was impossible to tell.
The cheerful figure, playing the role of Cheng Shi, pursed his lips and whispered: "Fight — or go?"
The cold figure, playing Big Cat, frowned: "We can't beat him, but the play must go on. Leaving now would ruin everything."
The cheerful figure shot her an odd glance, his voice dripping with disdain: "Cold as ice any other day, but the second there's acting involved, you throw yourself in heart and soul. Guess everyone secretly wants to be a screenwriter."
With that, he fell silent and quietly waited for Qin Xin to complete the inheritance.
Qin Xin's consciousness went blank. He seed to have fought through a battle — no, through countless battles. The suffocating pressure of a never-ending battlefield closed in from all sides, engulfing him like a sea of blood. He struggled, wavered, feared, and despaired — but he never once thought of surrendering.
From being pushed to the brink of death to finding life within death, a spark of fire ignited in the field of his heart as his defiant roar rang out.
That ember — barely worthy of being called light — illuminated one small corner of the thick, crimson sea. And with that faint glow, Qin Xin dragged his heavy legs forward. He hacked away his shackles, shoved aside the surrounding corpses, and step by step, pulled himself free of the blood-soaked quagmire.
When he stood on solid ground, drenched in blood, Qin Xin shook off the last trace of mire and carried the fire in his heart back onto the battlefield.
And so, [War] returned.
He had earned [War]'s Authority's recognition. Reborn in flas, he beca Its sole Envoy of this era.
A Servant God — elevated by a true god's will after that god's death!
Seeing that the Authority's bestowal was irreversible, the cheerful figure's eyes darted. He imdiately pulled Hong Lin back, clasped his hands toward Qin Xin, and offered congratulations:
"Now, you are a true Torchbearer.
The irony, of course, is that the mont you gained the power to truly pass the fla, you beca exactly the sort of god the Torchbearers most want to overthrow.
But congratulations all the sa, Qin Xin. What should we call you from now on?
Oh — forgive . I should say 'you,' formally. What is your Divine Na...?"
This congratulation, laced with barbed innuendo, left the freshly battle-scarred Qin Xin sowhat dazed.
He steadied himself, frowned in deep thought, and soon had an epiphany: Cheng Shi and Hong Lin had co to the Real Universe for the sa reason he had. They, too, were searching for [War]'s Authority?!
But he had learned of [War]'s fall from the Fla of Hope. How had they found out?
Just as Qin Xin was about to ask, Cheng Shi beat him to it with a smile and an explanation:
"[Fate]. It was [Fate] that brought us together here.
We too learned of [War]'s fall by chance, and ca to try our luck.
As for how we got here — everyone has their secrets, no?
I can only tell you that [Void]'s ranks aren't exactly harmonious. Whatever the Fun God is plotting in his world-ending sche — [Fate] is doing everything in Its power to save this world.
Hong Lin and I wanted this Authority to help Him. Now, it seems fortune wasn't on our side.
Still, it's far better for you to have it than for the Fun God to get his hands on it.
The Torchbearers want to pass the fla. The Destined Ones want to save the world. At least our goals align."
By this point, the shock surging through Qin Xin was too imnse to contain. His face still appeared composed, but his mind was a maelstrom.
He suppressed his doubts and probed carefully:
"I always thought your devotion lay entirely with [Deceit]. I never expected you'd chosen [Fate]."
Cheng Shi snorted softly: "What else? False devotion is precisely [Deceit]'s definition of deceit. I use it to win His support while walking the razor's edge of faith — the better to see this world clearly.
I used to think the Fun God, rebelling against heaven and earth and Origin, would bring this world hope. Now I've finally seen the truth: only [Fate] can save everything.
The signs were always there. Otherwise, why would I have walked alongside you Torchbearers?
The Fla of Hope — isn't He [Fate]'s Envoy?"
"You—" Qin Xin was once again stunned by the breadth of Cheng Shi's knowledge, never suspecting this was already the limit of what the imposter knew.
Seeing the conversation heading toward exposure, the cheerful figure in Cheng Shi's guise smiled enigmatically, waved farewell, and said:
"This isn't the place for a chat. When we're back in our world, we'll find a ti — I'll talk with you properly.
We can et in the Fire Passing Hall, or at the Destined Ones' gambling table.
The Real Universe is too dangerous. You've got the Authority. Hurry back. We still have other business here.
It doesn't involve your world. No need for your help.
Rest assured — Hong Lin and I will keep the Authority matter absolutely secret. After all, the world's survival hangs in the balance.
We've never wanted to see the world destroyed."
He paused. His tone turned wistful.
"Not a single one."
With that, he and Hong Lin turned and left without hesitation, leaving Qin Xin standing there in a stupor — thoughts in chaos, staring blankly into space.
The shock of inheriting the Authority, it seed, was sohow smaller than the shock of what had just co out of Cheng Shi's mouth.
'The Destined Ones...'
'A group suspected of being [Fate] followers... is trying to save the world?'
'[Deceit] is trying to destroy it?'
'If the gods themselves have fractured, does that an the best mont to pass the fla has finally arrived?'
Qin Xin's expression hardened with resolve. He looked toward the starting point he had co from, his eyes burning with unshakable determination.
...
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