"What?" Before Artemis could react with any significant display, Ye Wen on the other side voiced his discontent first: "Doesn't that mean I can neither win nor lose?"

Ye Wen's remark caused Artemis's expression to sour further. She deeply wanted to grab Ye Wen by the collar and demand what the meaning was behind the irritating Easterner's words!

Zeus pondered for a moment, seemingly distracted by other potential spectacles. No one expected his next sentence to nearly make Ye Wen spit blood: "Oh right, this duel today absolutely must have a victor; there is no outcome called a draw." He then offered Ye Wen a smile: "Relax, even if you two fight here for ten years, I won't intervene."

"Relax my foot!"

Ye Wen realized that since arriving at Mount Olympus, things had consistently spiraled in unexpected directions. Glancing around, he saw Shen Gongbao had somehow positioned himself in a very remote corner, keeping a safe distance. Nearby, Athena was making gestures toward him, her lips moving rapidly, seemingly trying to tell him something. "Hmm? Use 'Little Cosmos'?"

Athena's lip movements appeared to be spelling out those words, repeated over and over until she was certain Ye Wen had understood what she was conveying. Only then did she stop, her hands naturally waving out, seemingly pointing casually at someone.

"Zeus?" Following the direction of Athena's finger, Ye Wen looked toward the King of the Gods, who was watching the impending duel with keen interest.

"To duel Artemis using the 'Little Cosmos' in front of Zeus? Is this to pique Zeus's interest in this kind of power?"

Ye Wen was certain he had grasped Athena's intention, especially when he turned his gaze to Zeus. Standing beside him, Hades deliberately and subtly gave Ye Wen a meaningful glance, which only cemented Ye Wen's judgment.

"So, the idea is to have me display this rather spectacular power?"

The Olympians cherished all things beautiful; their pursuit of aesthetic perfection bordered on obsession. Almost everything on Mount Olympus was exquisitely beautiful; even the demigods were handsome men and beautiful women.

The sole exception in this environment was Hephaestus, the god of fire and the forge. When he was born, his ugly appearance provoked disgust among the gods, who promptly threw him from the heavens, intending to kill him. Though the fall didn't kill him, it left him lame.

This clearly illustrated the Olympians' profound preference for beauty. Setting aside the practical utility or sheer power of the 'Little Cosmos,' the sheer visual spectacle when it was activated was enough to endear it to the gods. Zeus, who was pathologically fixated on beauty, would certainly be intrigued by such power, perhaps leading him to actively participate in that Holy War later on.

"If that is the case then."

A golden mist began to rise from Ye Wen’s body. The light of this 'Little Cosmos' was identical to that emitted by the Gold Saints, radiating a sun-like, golden glow. The relatively dim arena instantly blazed as if it were daylight. Everyone stared, mesmerized, at Ye Wen enveloped in golden luminescence. Several gods were overheard whispering to each other: "What power is this? It's incredibly flashy!"

Others nearby would reply, "I don't know, but it's certainly eye-catching. I wonder if I could learn that trick?"

Ye Wen sneakily observed Zeus. The King of the Gods was indeed examining him with shining eyes, even leaning over to exchange a few words with Hades beside him, likely inquiring about the nature of this power.

Everything up to this point seemed normal—both the effect Ye Wen created and the reactions of the onlookers were shifting in a favorable direction. However, no one should forget that this arena was cleared for the express purpose of a duel, especially one of the participants: Artemis!

"Hmph, it's nothing more than a showy, useless trick," she scoffed.

Her hunting bow was drawn taut like a full moon, and she held three arrows. While aiming at Ye Wen, Artemis carefully gauged the distance between them. Although she possessed respectable melee skills, as the most renowned archer among the Olympians, she excelled at eliminating enemies from afar!

Releasing the ends of the three arrows held between her fingers, three shafts imbued with a faint moonlight left the bowstring, tracing distinctly different arcs as they sped toward three vital points on Ye Wen's body—the throat, the heart, and the groin!

"What a malicious and vicious woman, aiming right there!"

Ye Wen's face darkened. He started to raise his left hand, intending to unleash a torrent of sword energy to obliterate the three arrows and simultaneously take down the Moon Goddess.

But the moment he raised his hand, he remembered his objective: demonstrating the grandeur of the 'Little Cosmos' to Zeus. His usual techniques would have to be shelved. He needed to use something more visually spectacular, perhaps a signature move of a certain Saint?

The trouble was, he hadn't actually practiced any of their true techniques. Of the few moves he could mimic, moves like the Stardust Revolution or Galaxian Explosion were just shells; they offered little offensive capability—he hadn't acquired the secret manuals for these moves and therefore didn't know the exact method to strike an enemy with them.

Beyond those, he could employ the Six Paths of Reincarnation, but that was a purely mental attack. People would just see two individuals staring blankly at each other, and then one would tragically collapse, which certainly wouldn't showcase the splendor of the 'Little Cosmos.'

"In that case, there is only one move left."

Extending his index finger, the golden light flickering on its tip concentrated an immensely powerful 'Little Cosmos,' gathering nearly all of the simulated power he possessed into that single point.

If Ye Wen's earlier golden aura reminded the gods of sunlight, then his fingertip, now concentrating all his power, became the sun itself. Even before the raw force erupted, it exuded a terrifying pressure. The demigods standing far back sensed the immense power of this technique instantly and their expressions shifted dramatically!

Even Shen Gongbao shuffled sideways, hiding half his body behind Athena, while secretly marveling, "Just how strong is Sect Master Ye? Judging by the sheer force of this move, Sect Master Ye must have already advanced to the Celestial Immortal realm."

Among the Olympians, the Twelve Major Gods generally possessed the strength of Celestial Immortals, while most demigods were merely at the Earthly Immortal level.

Although Ye Wen was using the superficial aspect of the 'Little Cosmos' power now, its root lay in the Hun Tian Bao Jian Qi within him. Pushing it to its maximum unleashed the true strength of the Celestial Immortal realm, which could no longer be concealed.

Furthermore, the technique he was employing was relatively familiar, meaning its full potency wouldn't be compromised by inexperience. With just a minor adaptation, as the golden light on Ye Wen's finger suddenly contracted and he withdrew the only extended digit, clenching it into a fist, Ye Wen executed a sweeping recoil movement.

At that moment, the three arrows had already flown directly in front of him, yet Ye Wen acted as if he hadn't noticed, focusing entirely on his motion—bending the waist, swinging the arm, punching!

Everyone felt a momentary blur. The dazzling light seemed to be instantly sucked into Ye Wen's fist. For that instant, it felt as though the world had suddenly lost all light, and all radiance had been centralized onto one person: Ye Wen, performing the motion of throwing a punch.

This sensation was fleeting but undeniable. Every single person experienced it simultaneously. Even Zeus felt, in that moment, that the sole focus of the entire cosmos was the image of Ye Wen winding up his strike.

The punch was thrown, and the light that had fiercely concentrated into his fist suddenly exploded outward. But this time, it was not gentle; it was utterly cataclysmic!

Golden beams of light erupted across the space, horizontal and vertical, countless streams instantly weaving a massive golden net that enveloped the entire area.

"Lightning Bolt Speed Fist!"

Perhaps deliberately to build momentum, or perhaps to advertise his attack, the moment the golden beams appeared, everyone present clearly heard the name of the technique. As they witnessed the terrifying golden light imbued with the scent of death, their first shared thought was: "So that's the name of this powerful and flashy move?"

Before this thought could fully settle, the magnificent golden light-net began to fade. The fierce gust generated by the punch slowly subsided, turning into a gentle breeze that brushed past the faces of the onlookers. Only then did everyone snap out of the overwhelming visual spectacle and recall the Moon Goddess who was supposed to be Ye Wen's opponent!

When Ye Wen attacked, the golden light had almost entirely covered the arena, naturally engulfing the Goddess of the Moon and Huntress. Only now did the Olympians realize that the recipient of that devastating assault was the object of desire for countless male gods—Artemis, the Goddess of the Moon and Huntress!

"Your Highness, Goddess of the Moon."

Those who recovered sooner shifted their gaze from Ye Wen and turned toward Artemis. The Moon Goddess was still standing in the arena, and from their vantage point, she appeared completely unharmed?

As for the three arrows the Moon Goddess had fired, where were they now? Nobody paid attention to that question immediately. Only the few stronger Major Gods, capable of seeing through the instant flash of light, understood precisely what had occurred.

The three arrows, just as Ye Wen's fist swept forward, were directly in front of it. In the instant the golden beams erupted, those three arrows were struck by innumerable light beams, dissolving into ash in the blink of an eye, leaving no residue.

Subsequently, the unending beams of light almost swallowed Artemis. However, Ye Wen seemed to have judged his output carefully; not a single powerful beam actually made contact with Artemis, nor did any even graze her. "Except for that one time."

Thinking of that specific instant, Zeus felt a spasm in his stomach. The fine wine and delicious food he had just consumed threatened to resurface. Everything was because Ye Wen’s strike had been too ruthless, showing absolutely no mercy to the fair maiden. Zeus could tell that the punch had held nothing back; if Artemis had not been one of the Major Olympians and a goddess of immense martial strength, that single blow might have cost her life.

"I declare, the victor of this duel..." Before anyone could regain their composure, Zeus strode into the center of the arena, raising both hands high as he announced in a soaring voice: "...is this mighty Eastern warrior, Ye Wen!"

Hwa!

Although Ye Wen's last move was incredibly arresting—spectacularly flashy and astonishingly powerful—the Moon Goddess hadn't fallen! Moreover, she didn't even seem injured!

Just as someone was about to voice their doubt, Artemis, still standing where she was, suddenly swayed. The hunting bow tightly grasped in her right hand instantly disintegrated into dust, vanishing into the air with a gentle breeze. Then, the Moon Goddess pitched forward, falling onto the hard stone pavement with a thud.

Silence descended upon the crowd. A few observing gods wore complicated expressions as they looked toward the center stage.

Ye Wen and Zeus exchanged a quick glance, conveying a brief, truncated message:

Zeus: Why aren't you helping her up?

Ye Wen: She's your daughter; I assumed you would go!

Neither of them had anticipated this exact scenario, but Zeus reacted far quicker than Ye Wen. He immediately proclaimed loudly, "Since the result is settled, according to our pre-duel agreement, Artemis, Goddess of the Moon and Huntress, shall marry this powerful Easterner and become his wife."

"Wait a minute!"

Ye Wen rubbed his forehead, feeling a strong headache coming on. "I already have a wife!"

He recalled that the Olympians generally did not permit a single person to have multiple wives! Even Zeus, the notorious womanizer, had only one true spouse. Despite his fondness for philandering, the King of the Gods had never brought any paramour home to Olympus to officially marry.

Therefore, Ye Wen could easily use the fact that he was already married to reject this utterly unexpected betrothal—a contract unilaterally imposed upon him by Zeus.

"Oh? Already married?"

"Yes, and I have two wives!" Ye Wen doubted the King of the Gods would permit his daughter to share a husband, given the inherent pride of the Olympians.

"Hm?"

"Two?"

"That's infuriating—no, that shameless fellow actually has two wives?"

"How is that possible?"

"Oh, I heard that in the Eastern world, powerful men are permitted to have multiple wives!"

"Heavens, what an enviable custom!"

The Olympians were notoriously arrogant, so most never bothered to investigate the affairs of the Eastern world. Only a select few Major Gods truly delved into such matters—Athena being one of them!

"Ye Wen already has a wife?" Turning around, Athena addressed Shen Gongbao behind her. As for the matter of two wives, she wasn't surprised; she was aware of some Eastern customs, even if she personally didn't endorse such practices.

"Yes, two!" Shen Gongbao had met both Ning Ruxue and Hua Yi. "Sect Master Ye's two consorts are both figures of celestial beauty. Sect Master Ye truly is blessed!"

He merely tossed out that last comment casually. He personally felt no envy; he couldn't even manage one wife successfully, let alone enjoying the good fortune of having two partners.

"I didn't anticipate this angle. Aren't Eastern cultivators rarely known to marry?" Athena felt a flicker of annoyance at this unexpected twist, as it seemed to be pulling the situation outside the scope of her planning.

Though Shen Gongbao couldn't decipher Athena's exact scheme, he sensed the general direction, and being quite astute, he was happy to see the situation deviate from the expected path. Thus, he revealed everything he knew without reservation: "One of Sect Master Ye's wives is his fellow disciple!"

Athena understood the term 'fellow disciple' (shīmèi). She had invested considerable effort in studying the intricacies of Eastern immortal sects and knew that the close proximity shared by martial brother and sister often led to marriage.

"Is that so!"

Shen Gongbao then added, perhaps intentionally, perhaps not, as if speaking to himself: "However, in our East, it's completely normal for a man to have three wives and four concubines. So, as long as Sect Master Ye wishes, he could take several wives without any issue."

Athena offered no reply, merely watching Ye Wen in the arena and the collapsed Artemis. Pitiable Moon Goddess—no one was offering her aid.

In truth, this pause was temporary. At least Artemis’s brother, Apollo, had already descended from the viewing area, preparing to lift his fallen sister. Although Artemis was not fond of her brother and avoided interacting with him unless absolutely necessary, Apollo still cared deeply for her.

But before he could step onto the field, Zeus spoke to Ye Wen: "Even though you are already married, this wager cannot be voided. How you resolve that is between you two. Now, would you mind taking care of my daughter for a moment?" Zeus gave Ye Wen a look that grated on his nerves: "After all, you're the one who knocked her unconscious, and you destroyed her favorite weapon..."

Zeus exerted his divine power, making a slight lifting motion with his left hand. Artemis, lying on the ground, floated upwards. Clatter. A sandal-like shoe fell onto the ground; its thin strap had snapped, causing it to drop. The reason for the break lay with Ye Wen.

"Oh, it seems you're very attached—my daughter is quite fond of cleanliness!" With a wave of his hand, the suspended Artemis shot swiftly towards Ye Wen, who only needed to open his arms to embrace the beautiful Moon Goddess.

Faced with this situation, Ye Wen made a decisive choice: he took a large step sideways, dodging the incoming figure, and watched as the beautiful Goddess of the Moon and Huntress was tossed by Zeus, landing heavily on the ground with a dull thump.

The entire arena fell into profound silence following this incident!