Ye Wen was now physically robust; although this Dragon Rise Punch was executed with textbook precision, his entire body did not leap upwards—it was merely a devastating uppercut delivered from ground level. Given his current might, even without jumping, the sheer force generated by his core and arm strength alone was likely greater than the energy he usually mustered using his whole body.

If this punch landed true, even Lucifer, the Legion Commander, no matter how formidable, would find himself in dire straits. Just as this punch, laden with imposing momentum, was about to smash into Lucifer, the longsword, momentarily checked by Ye Wen’s previous move, trembled slightly and shifted barely half an inch before colliding directly with Ye Wen’s rising hook.

A crushing downward chop met a heavy upward fist. The instant they intersected, the surrounding space seemed to pause for a beat.

Although a terrifying surge of power erupted, instantly doubling the shallow depression Ye Wen’s foot had pressed into the ground, the cliff edge itself suffered minor collapse—all from the mere shockwave created by the clash of those two forces. This minimal devastation was only due to both individuals having achieved a certain mastery over their power control, resulting in almost no leakage.

If they had unleashed themselves without restraint, the mountain peak beneath Ye Wen would likely have vanished into nothingness. The combatants separated almost instantly upon contact.

Lucifer was blasted skyward like a cannonball by the immense impact of the punch. Ye Wen, conversely, was in a worse predicament; planted firmly on the ground, he instinctively sank downward, experiencing a fleeting illusion that he was about to be swallowed into the earth itself.

Yet, he was surprised to discover that after using the Hulu Jue technique to augment his physique, not only had his strength increased, but his resistance to damage had also significantly improved. Coupled with his prior cultivation of the Immortal Indestructible Body, the force of Lucifer’s sword strike, while uncomfortable, dissipated harmlessly within his core moments later, requiring no external venting to alleviate the strain.

“This Hulu Jue is truly exquisite!” Slightly surprised, Ye Wen raised his head and looked up at Lucifer suspended high above. Though the winged fiend could use his aerial advantage to diffuse some of the momentum, he certainly hadn't emerged unscathed.

Looking closely, Ye Wen noted that while the Legion Commander of the Fallen Angels maintained a calm facade, the smear of blood visible at the corner of his mouth brought Ye Wen considerable satisfaction. Lucifer hovered in the air for a moment, lifted his left hand, and lightly wiped his mouth with his thumb.

The small trace of blood was instantly wiped clean. Glancing at his blood-stained thumb, Lucifer conceded, “I must admit, I underestimated you, cultivator from the East!” Lucifer had not anticipated that an obscure figure could inflict injury upon him.

This realization struck him far harder than Ye Wen meeting some famously powerful, yet ultimately minor, character. “Perhaps I should have asked for your name first, Easterner!” “Ye Wen!” Straightening his posture, Ye Wen suddenly noticed that his fist, which had traded blows directly with Lucifer, felt slightly injured.

Though his hand itself was fine, the gauntlet section of his Gold Cloth armor had been split in two by Lucifer’s sword, clattering to the ground. A genuine expression finally appeared on Lucifer’s face, but it was not a smile; rather, he frowned, apparently dissatisfied with his own strike, even though the current situation showed he hadn't been entirely overwhelmed.

For the proud Lucifer, not gaining the upper hand was a disastrous outcome. He had expected his attack to at least wound the Easterner’s hand, but instead, it had only managed to shatter a piece of reasonably decent armor.

He was unaware that Ye Wen’s physical toughness might actually surpass that of the Gold Cloth itself. Furthermore, Eastern cultivators always imbued their attacks—fists, palms, kicks—with protective Zhen Qi.

Though appearing barehanded, their flesh was protected by an invisible layer; if this layer of Zhen Qi couldn't be breached, the physical body remained untouched. Ye Wen maintained this habit even while wearing the Gold Cloth.

Technically, Lucifer’s sword had pierced Ye Wen’s protective Zhen Qi, but the armor beneath, combined with Ye Wen’s inherently powerful physique, resulted in not even a scratch. This reality deeply annoyed the arrogant Fallen Legion Commander, and he finally elevated the Easterner’s status to one equal to his own: “I did not expect to encounter a top-tier powerhouse from the East here.

This is quite a surprise.” As he spoke, he began descending, and upon landing before Ye Wen once more, Lucifer also sheathed his longsword. “Let us end things here for today.

If we are to determine a victor, this is not the suitable time.” “At least, not until you relinquish that current state you’re in!” Lucifer had clearly discerned that Ye Wen was fighting while in an unaccustomed stance. Despite being called the Fallen Angel, he was intensely proud—so proud that even facing an enemy, he refused to exploit an advantage.

He Guai? He and Ye Wen might not even be considered enemies yet.

Ye Wen also refrained from attacking. He could sense Lucifer’s formidable strength; even fighting with all his might, he wasn't certain of a clean victory.

And here, there seemed to be no compelling reason to fight to the death. Thus, as Lucifer chose to halt, Ye Wen made no move to continue the engagement.

Taking several strides out of the crater, Ye Wen waved his hand casually. The split section of his right gauntlet flew back to his hand and reassembled over his palm.

He then brushed it with his left hand, and the glaring fracture vanished as if it had never existed. This sight caused Lucifer a moment of surprise: “Oh?” “It is only superficially unmarked.

The crack persists internally!” A characteristic of the Cloths was that minor damage required no immediate repair; the armor possessed a degree of self-regeneration, prioritizing external restoration before mending internal faults. Ye Wen had merely accelerated this process slightly.

“An interesting capability.” Such an ability suggested the armor could endure repeated combat exposure. However, Lucifer merely found it amusing; his own armor was no less advanced than the Cloths, arguably superior, and virtually impervious to damage.

Having spoken, the two men stood in silence, yet they communicated through an entirely different medium. “The Heavenly Pantheon may be preparing to move against Olympus.

Though I don't know why you’ve come to Olympian territory and served Athena, I believe this news will be useful to you.” “Why tell me this? Are you declaring war on Olympus on behalf of Heaven?” “Don’t joke.

If the Heavenly Pantheon were to declare war on Olympus, they would send Michael, not me!” “I see.” Ye Wen’s expression remained unchanged, but a hint of amusement flickered in his eyes. “Then what do you hope to gain from this war?” Lucifer closed his eyes, retracting his wings and shedding his ornate armor, returning to the simple yet noble long robe he wore upon their first meeting.

The silver cross on his chest fluttered in the mountain breeze. “That depends on what you plan to orchestrate!” With that, Lucifer’s form began to fade, turning transparent until he vanished completely, leaving only a few black feathers drifting in the wind.

Ye Wen did not prevent Lucifer’s departure; frankly, with his current strength, he couldn't have stopped him anyway. Watching the Fallen Angel leave, Ye Wen pondered the man’s true intentions.

“Could it be…” Lucifer intends to betray them? This possibility wasn't remote.

Anyone forced into servitude without receiving due compensation would harbor resentment. Currently, the Heavenly Pantheon was stable, offering Lucifer no suitable opportunity.

If he rebelled now, countless Battle Angels could be mobilized instantly for a suppression campaign, forcing Lucifer to face the entire Heavenly host alone. However, if the Heavenly Pantheon were embroiled in a war, a sudden revolt by the Fallen Angel Legion would significantly reduce the pressure Lucifer faced.

Though their interaction was brief, in that short span, Ye Wen recognized Lucifer as someone unwilling to remain subservient for long. His pride forbade him from living meekly under someone else’s command, especially as a mere shadow presence.

“Things are getting lively.” He recalled the Heavenly Court preparing to move against the Buddhist Realm, while the Buddhist Realm was busy dealing with petty factions further west. Now, the Heavenly Pantheon planned to fight Olympus, and Ye Wen, as Heaven’s representative, was maneuvering within Olympus’s sphere—this was shaping up to be a World War on a celestial scale.

“It’s a pity the Aesir have fallen. I wonder about the Shinto pantheon?

Isn't Amaterasu some kind of vassal deity under the Heavenly Court?” He didn’t have precise information. Shu Mountain was located in the far western reaches of the Heavenly Court, while Amaterasu’s territory lay far to the East, with no meaningful contact.

Ye Wen didn't need to concern himself with them for the moment. What he needed to focus on was the timing of the Heavenly Pantheon’s impending move, and what role he should carve out for himself in this conflict.

He certainly shouldn't be a peace envoy. He hoped the two sides would clash more ferociously.

Therefore, his role seemed to be one of fanning the flames? “No, that’s not quite right… Perhaps I should let the Olympian gods lower their guard, allowing the Heavenly Pantheon to achieve swift success in the early stages of the war, thus igniting the fury of Olympus and dragging the Heavenly Pantheon deeper into the abyss of conflict.” That was the correct approach.

After consideration, he felt this was still insufficient. If it were just the two factions, even with Lucifer involved, concluding the war would be relatively simple.

If several more parties were added? “Though the Aesir have fallen… didn't Yuwen Tu acquire Thor’s physical body?

Perhaps I can leverage Yuwen Tu’s identity to stir things up!” After a brief reflection, only a rough blueprint formed in his mind. This alone wasn't enough to compel Ye Wen into action, but at this moment, he felt he could bring his second prepared script onto the stage.

If things went well with that script, running parallel to the Holy War, it might trigger a relatively minor reshuffling among the Olympian gods. Putting the Taurus helmet back on, Ye Wen gazed toward the distant Sanctuary.

Affairs there were proceeding as planned. He saw no reason to remain.

Perhaps it was time to design an exit for himself and depart this game early. However, Ye Wen found that making a clean exit was not so easy.

Upon returning to the Sanctuary, Ye Wen was surprised to find that little Eliza was clinging to him—a rare occurrence, as it was usually that little thing, Ekaterina, who buzzed around him. Sensing something amiss, Ye Wen maneuvered away from the commotion and proceeded alone to the Goddess’s Temple.

He stared up at the colossal statue, now dwarfing him by a vast margin, and delivered a displeased kick. “Come out.” He knew these gods shared a peculiar link with the statues worshipped in their honor, so to summon Athena, one merely needed to perform certain actions toward her idol.

While the priests usually chose pious prayers, he certainly wasn't going to engage in such foolishness. He clenched his right hand, condensing a golden orb resembling a nebula in his palm.

The imposing aura emanating from this highly concentrated energy was suppressed by Ye Wen, but the statue before him could certainly perceive it, as it was the direct target. “If you do not emerge now, your idol will be reduced to ash.” “If you do that, you’ll merely create some extra training exercises for your students!” Athena, who had been feigning slumber, finally spoke.

Through the statue as a medium, Ye Wen established a link with the Goddess. “I thought I’d have to reach Mount Olympus itself before you’d answer.” Ye Wen relaxed his grip, and the terrifying power dissipated instantly, as if it had never existed.

Athena acted as if she hadn't noticed the surge of energy, calmly conversing with Ye Wen: “What is the matter that requires summoning me? You should know, I am in a semi-slumber state and should not be woken arbitrarily, especially by a beautiful female who desperately requires sleep.” “Stop right there!” Ye Wen sat down directly before the statue and waved his hand.

“I feel I have accomplished what needed to be done here. I don't see any necessity for me to remain.” “Oh?” “In about ten years, the Holy War will commence naturally.

What should I be doing here now? The Sanctuary is established, the first batch of Saints has been trained.

The next step is for this initial cohort to train successive colleagues, and when the time comes, they march to war. Am I expected to stay and single-handedly wipe out the Netherworld Army for you?” Indeed, Ye Wen’s duties seemed complete.

Now, he mostly spent his time idling in the Taurus Temple, occasionally taking Ekaterina out for strolls. Cultivation was no longer his burden, and instructing the candidates was not his responsibility.

As for managing the Sanctuary? Shen Gongbao was doing an excellent job.

With the Grand Priest now half-dead, Shen Gongbao, holding sole authority, was highly likely to become the first Pope of the Sanctuary—a true credit to the Easterners. “Are you certain?” Athena’s reply startled Ye Wen.

He couldn’t grasp her meaning. From Athena’s tone, it sounded like she was prepared to agree to his departure?

Was there a conspiracy? Narrowing his eyes slightly, this compliant Athena gave him a very bad feeling.

He suspected the woman was plotting something. “What?

Regretting it?” Athena’s smiling inquiry confirmed Ye Wen’s suspicion. But after thinking it through, he genuinely felt no need to stay.

Even if some unforeseen incident occurred, he had ample time to return. Besides, it was merely a human game, and among his disciples, only Yuwen Tu would be actively involved in this game.

Kris would leave the Sanctuary before the Holy War began—perhaps heading to Mount Olympus. Zhang Ling?

He planned to take her away; keeping the girl in the Sanctuary would only bore her. Calculating the variables, it seemed he truly had no need to worry about the Sanctuary.

Even if the script deviated, it wouldn't concern him, as long as Zeus’s reincarnation had his fun. As for the Pegasus Cloth, he had entrusted it to Shen Gongbao, explaining the general situation.

With the man’s intellect, he would know the best course of action. “Yes… I am very certain!” “Then so be it.

As for the Taurus Cloth… leave it in the Taurus Temple, but I hope you will return to check in after the Holy War begins.” Athena cut the connection after speaking. The statue before him instantly reverted to inert stone.

Though puzzled, Ye Wen didn't dwell on it. “Women, being too clever is truly headache-inducing.” Brushing non-existent dust from his backside, Ye Wen proceeded directly to the Pope’s Hall.

Shen Gongbao, who had already moved in, merely said upon seeing him, “Preparing to leave the Sanctuary?” “Mm.” “Planning to return to Shu Mountain?” Ye Wen paused, then answered decisively moments later, “No. First, we’ll head west to check things out, then we’ll travel north!” ……