Ye Wen returned to the lodging and immediately rested. Shen Gongbao didn't ask anything; he merely opened his eyes briefly when Ye Wen arrived, offered a cursory, "You're back," and said no more.

The two of them sat cross-legged on the floor, facing each other—the single stone bed having been destroyed, they settled for the ground. With their cultivation levels, years without rest would matter little, and meditating was just as effective for restoring jing and shen.

They remained seated until sunset, when a hazy, yellowish veil settled over the entire world. Ye Wen glanced at the sun, now halfway to the horizon, then looked at Shen Gongbao, who remained seated as still as stone.

"General Shen, aren't you hungry?"

Shen Gongbao opened his eyes, looking at Ye Wen with bewildered surprise. "Does Sect Master Ye still feel hunger?"

At their level of cultivation, they long since abandoned the need for sustenance. Any rare spiritual fruits they occasionally consumed were purely for indulgence or to slightly benefit their practice. Ordinary meals were entirely unnecessary; Shen Gongbao couldn't recall the last time he’d eaten real food—it had been countless years.

"Even if I don't feel it, the habit is ingrained. Missing breakfast or lunch doesn't bother me much, but skipping dinner always leaves me feeling like I've forgotten something vital."

Shen Gongbao suddenly understood. "It seems Sect Master Ye hasn't been cultivating for a very long time!" If one's journey had been extensive, frequent seclusion would eventually render such concerns trivial. Only cultivators whose practice was relatively brief, or who hadn't spent extended periods in isolation, tended to cling to such old routines.

Ye Wen saw no reason to conceal the truth and nodded straightforwardly, though he omitted the detail that he had only been cultivating for less than a century. His rise had been almost entirely fueled by fortunate encounters. While astonishing, such rapid ascent inevitably drew jealousy—not that Ye Wen was paranoid, but the world was rife with those who resented others' good fortune.

"These Olympian Gods don't seem very fond of us. Not even a courtesy call when it was time to eat!"

Standing up and stretching slightly, Ye Wen glanced toward the Pantheon. He saw no figures, but vaguely registered some distant clamor. It sounded lively over there. "Are they having a party?"

Shen Gongbao made no move to join. He knew well the Olympians' disdain for him. Aside from the time Poseidon had routed his forces, barely allowing him to escape with his life, his status as an official of the Celestial Court alone made him unwelcome. Furthermore, forming a close bond with Shen Gongbao held little perceived value for them. Ye Wen, however, was essentially an 'independent' operator, coupled with formidable strength; the Olympians had little reason to make a total enemy of him.

As they chatted, Athena suddenly approached, leading several attendants. She stopped only when she stood before Ye Wen. Unlike their previous meetings, Athena wore no armor; instead, she was clad in a pure white gown, held up by a simple floral clasp over the right shoulder. The other side was completely unadorned, exposing her pale shoulder and arm. The long skirt pooled on the ground, requiring the two attendants behind her to carefully trail it so she could walk with ease.

"What a… cumbersome dress!" Ye Wen privately thought. He saw little aesthetic value in the attire, especially given the spectacle required for her to move. What kind of divine beings, constantly vying to display their authority like the Olympians, would devise such impractical clothing?

"Ye Wen! General Shen Gongbao! Please follow me. The King of the Gods invites you to this evening's banquet!"

The invitation caused Ye Wen and Shen Gongbao to exchange a look. They rose and began to follow Athena, who had already turned back toward the direction they were heading.

"I wonder what celebration this evening's banquet is for?" Ye Wen assumed a feast must have a reason. However, he profoundly underestimated the sheer boredom of the Olympians.

"When we feel like it, we host one! Events like this happen almost every other day. His Majesty the King insists on drinking with the gods until the early hours of the morning!"

So, it was simply a desire for drink. Because of Athena’s ridiculously long gown, the group moved at a snail's pace. By the time they reached the feasting grounds, a significant amount of time had passed.

In the plaza before the Pantheon, a long table had been set up, laden with fresh fruits and every conceivable dish—from delicacies of the mountains to treasures of the sea. Ye Wen scanned the spread and couldn't spot a single item missing from this realm. Near the table, several large wine jars lay empty, clearly indicating the party had been underway for some time.

Standing at the head of the table was a handsome, dignified man who appeared to be in his mid-forties. He was laughing heartily with a man beside him, holding a large goblet. Based on his prominent position and the golden crown atop his head, Ye Wen deduced this seemingly benign figure must be Zeus, the King of Olympus.

The man he spoke with looked about thirty, exuding an undeniable aura that commanded attention even if you tried to ignore him. Most noticeable was the sun-like armlet on his left arm; upon seeing it, Ye Wen instantly recognized him as Apollo, the Sun God, Zeus’s son and Artemis’s twin brother (though some debate the sibling order).

As they drew closer, Ye Wen finally caught fragments of Zeus and Apollo’s conversation. He instantly wished he hadn't heard it. Zeus was saying, "That girl finally took a blow from a man? After all these millennia, she finally suffered a setback—it’s truly rare!"

"Excuse me, is that something a father should say?" Ye Wen considered reminding the King of the Gods, but recalling that the man causing his daughter distress—and whom he had taken advantage of—was himself, he decided silence was the safer option.

If Zeus was inclined to host grand parties and summon all the Olympians, then…

Indeed, before Ye Wen even needed to search, an oppressive wave of killing intent locked onto him. Following the sensation, he turned and saw the beautiful goddess he had encountered that morning: Artemis, the Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt. If gazes could transform into sharp arrows, Ye Wen would already have been pierced a thousand times over.

Just as Ye Wen was contemplating finding a secluded spot, Athena led him directly to a seat opposite Artemis. The long table wasn't wide; seated opposite one another, they were separated by barely a meter. He glanced at Athena beside him; the smile of the Goddess of War and Wisdom seemed intensely warm, kind, and amiable—yet utterly false, insidious, and ill-intentioned.

"Ye Wen, please sit here. This is an excellent seat, I specifically saved it for you!"

Indeed, Ye Wen's position was quite forward on the long table, not far from Zeus, and near the center, granting relatively easy access to most of the delicacies (though servants could fetch anything unobtainable). Athena sat to his immediate left, with Hephaestus, the God of the Forge, and his wife, Aphrodite, seated to his front-left. It was a bizarre arrangement: Aphrodite faced Ares directly across the table. Ye Wen couldn't fathom how Hephaestus endured such a perverse setup.

Shen Gongbao sat next to Ye Wen. The Water General evidently understood he was benefiting from Ye Wen’s presence; otherwise, even if admitted to the Olympian feast, his seat would have been far back, perhaps among demigods like Heracles. Thus, once seated, Shen Gongbao immediately focused inward, his gaze fixed only on the small space before him. He took no food or drink, sitting motionless, like a statue.

Though not the pinnacle of cultivation, Shen Gongbao possessed keen observational skills. After Athena seated Ye Wen, he immediately sensed trouble. Artemis’s murderous glare was completely undisguised. Moreover, nearly every male deity at the table regarded Ye Wen with gazes ranging from high respect to anticipatory amusement, all while sizing up this Eastern champion. Many muttered quietly:

"He doesn't look very strong?"

"He truly escaped the Moon Goddess's wrath alive? Perhaps the Moon Goddess…"

"Hush! Don't speak carelessly. Do you wish to be turned into a stag for pulling a chariot?"

"Er… let's just drink!"

If only one or two individuals were talking, their whispers might have been lost in the general din of the wine-soaked table. But at that moment, nearly every male deity was engaged in this exact conversation. Even quiet talk carried clearly across the assembly. Artemis, immersed in the center of this discussion, could not possibly pretend not to hear.

Even Zeus turned to observe Ye Wen with keen interest, his eyes lighting up with noticeable curiosity upon Ye Wen's appearance, causing him to stare for a few extra moments. Those few seconds sent a shiver down Ye Wen's spine. Fortunately, Zeus’s gaze soon lifted, and he turned to the God of the Underworld seated beside him, asking, "Hades, did you make the first move?"

Hades did not open his eyes, but Ye Wen was certain he saw a prominent vein bulging on the Underworld King’s forehead. "I am not like you…"

"Oh? Are you not?" Zeus seemed unconcerned, chuckling loudly before asking inquisitively, "If I am not mistaken, the ring on his hand is Persephone’s Ring, which you forged?"

"Yes. I don't know where he acquired it."

"You didn't give it to him?" Hades finally voiced his displeasure, leveling a harsh, warning glare at Zeus. "Of course not!"

"Hahaha, never mind. I was merely curious!" Zeus appeared unfazed by Hades’s perceived offense—perhaps this was just how the brothers interacted. However, these few lines of dialogue caused the majority of the assembled gods to turn their attention to Ye Wen's hand. The dark ring, shimmering with the luster of a night sky, instantly became the focal point.

Soon, however, most turned their gaze back, keeping their attention focused on Ye Wen and the goddess seated opposite him.

"Who bets the beautiful Moon Goddess will demand a duel to the death?"

"Highly likely!"

"And who do you think will win?"

"Do you really think the Easterner stands a chance? He should pray for a swift death rather than being turned into a stag to pull a carriage!"

Ye Wen turned and looked at two half-gods gossiping animatedly nearby.

"That one is Achilles, and the other is Agamemnon!"

"Achilles? The one with the weak spot on his ankle?" The phrase Achilles' Heel was so famous that even those who knew nothing else about the hero recognized the term, and thus knew a little about that unfortunate soul’s deeds.

To think that fool assumes I'm already dead? Just wait, you idiot! Ye Wen muttered inwardly, trying to divert his attention, as the goddess across the table was casting increasingly malevolent looks his way. Then Athena chimed in suddenly:

"Oh, Mr. Ye Wen, I hear you were fortunate enough to glimpse the body of Artemis—a sight that makes nearly every god on Olympus covetous. What were your thoughts?"

"Thoughts?" Ye Wen blinked, instantly realizing Athena was trying to mock him. My thoughts are none of your business! You take your clothes off, let me look my fill, and then I'll offer my thoughts!

He raised his wine bowl, pretending not to hear, but the unscrupulous King of the Gods decided to join the fray. "Ah, the fortunate man from the East! Since you were blessed to witness such beauty, perhaps you could share your impressions with us all?"

"Share?" Ye Wen glared at the rogue King, cursing him internally—Share this? Then he spoke aloud, "I have no desire to share."

"Oh!" Zeus adopted a look of disappointment, though it looked painfully staged and utterly fake. "Does our guest from the East wish to hoard this beauty exclusively? Perhaps after seeing Artemis’s splendor, you intend to claim her for yourself? That, sir, is no small feat. For thousands of years, this has been the dream of countless men, yet not one has succeeded…"

Zeus sat there performing a monologue, using exaggerated gestures and dramatic intonations to deliver lines guaranteed to inflame anger further. As expected, the King God’s performance had barely begun before the Moon Goddess, feeling profoundly insulted, sprang to her feet, slamming her hands on the table and roaring: "I demand a duel with this man who has shamed me! If I cannot kill him, then let him kill me!"

In her hand, the Moon Goddess now held her hunting bow. "Only this can preserve the honor and dignity of the Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt!"

Ye Wen stared, dumbfounded, while Zeus applauded. "Well said! Truly worthy of the Goddess of the Moon and the Hunt. As King of the Gods, I approve your request!"

Almost before the words left his mouth, Ye Wen noticed every guest at the long table swiftly move to shove the dozens of meters of dining furniture aside. They cleared the broad plaza before the Pantheon, everyone selecting a viewing spot, arranging themselves neatly to watch the two remaining figures.

Zeus, seemingly wanting to stoke the fire even higher, continued to pour fuel. "Of course, Mr. Ye Wen is a distinguished guest from the East, and it would be improper for him to participate in such a bloody duel. Therefore, this contest shall not wager lives!"

"What?" Artemis immediately protested. "Because he is a guest, he can humiliate a principal goddess and then leave Mount Olympus unharmed?"

"Certainly not!" Zeus’s usually majestic face contorted into a mischievous, childlike grin. "The loser must pay a price. That is what makes a duel exciting!"

It became clear that Zeus had spoken so much only to make the ensuing fight more entertaining for his own amusement. "If Mr. Ye Wen loses, then, regrettably, he must remain on Mount Olympus forever! And serve this beautiful, noble Moon Goddess eternally."

At this declaration, everyone instantly grasped the implication.

"As a team of pulling stags?"

"Is that what it is?"

But Zeus was even more wicked than they suspected. He immediately announced the final condition: "And he must serve her in the capacity of a handmaiden…"

Ye Wen’s face instantly soured. He would rather die outright than live as a woman.

Artemis paused, then broke into a smile. "Is that so? That sounds quite interesting!"

"Interesting my foot! Are you a lesbian?" Ye Wen desperately wanted to verify if the Moon Goddess was truly a lily, but certainly not by volunteering for the test himself.

"Of course, if the Moon Goddess loses…"

The plaza instantly fell utterly silent. Every ear strained, waiting for Zeus’s next statement. Even Artemis seemed not to realize that she had unwittingly fallen into a scheme—why were the terms of her duel being dictated by someone else? She failed to notice the impropriety. Ye Wen, however, did notice, though he didn't find it problematic; winning was the solution, after all. But Zeus’s next words shocked everyone present (gods and mortals alike) into stunned silence.

"If she loses, she must marry this man!"