Chapter 259: Destroying You—What Does It Have to Do with Me?

In the deduction of the operational rules, the overwhelming majority of version-based factions would lean toward destroying their version fragments due to the threat of Longevity Heaven.

But there was one version faction that was the absolute exception—the Nation of the Gods.

The divine version behind the Nation of the Gods had a history so ancient it could rival even the Immortal cultivation versions. According to the intelligence from the Immortal Alliance, the Nation of the Gods was rumored to be backed by more than six Great Divine Powers. In terms of “this world’s sole existence” level beings, they ranked among the top within the Ninefold Heavens.

Moreover, the Nation of the Gods and the Immortal Alliance had been enemies for tens of thousands of years. Almost since the inception of the Great Collapse version, the two forces had been mortal enemies.

Due to the unique nature of their faith-based system, as long as there was sufficient belief, they could continuously create demi-god level powerhouses.

This meant that demi-gods within their faction had very little authority. The true ruling power rested with the divine kingdom that governed the entire version fragment—the Nation of the Gods itself.

Peak demi-god Glorus might choose to destroy the version fragment to survive, but the Nation of the Gods, which had already fused with its version fragment, would absolutely never agree. The version fragment was the Nation of the Gods. If it was destroyed, the Nation itself would fall from the heavens.

The Nation of the Gods controlled the entire source of faith. Its will was far above that of any individual demi-god.

So from the very beginning, Lu Yan had never expected the Nation of the Gods to agree to his plan.

Sure enough, just as the others were wavering, Glorus suddenly spoke out—as if receiving a command.

“Abandoning our core territory? That’s the most foolish idea I’ve ever heard!”

Glorus shouted at Lu Yan, his voice filled with condemnation. “I don’t know what kind of twisted logic made you propose such a thing, but one thing is clear—our core territories are the very foundation of our existence! Destroying them would mean losing our final defenses. Even if it does slow Longevity Heaven’s growth, how are we supposed to protect ourselves afterwards?”

As he spoke, divine light flared around him, and he raised his voice to question:

“Even if this method does limit Longevity Heaven, can you alone truly withstand the will projection of a Forbidden Existence?”

His pointed challenge struck at the very core of everyone’s concerns.

All eyes turned once more to Lu Yan, waiting for his response.

But in the face of their scrutiny, Lu Yan only laughed.

Bathed in moonlight, his body exuded an almost tyrannical confidence that shattered the prior aura of divinity and solemnity.

“You all seem to have misunderstood something from the very beginning.”

Lu Yan slowly stood up, his gaze burning as he looked down upon everyone.

“My presence here today is not to seek your permission or approval. I am merely stating a fact. Announcing a command.”

“This is a war between the Underworld and Longevity Heaven, one that spans multiple worlds. Whether you agree or not is irrelevant.”

The hopeful looks on many faces turned to disbelief and anger. Even Saint Xi’en, who had previously shown support, couldn’t help but object:

“I understand that you are hailed as the strongest below Nascent Soul, Lu Envoy, but this isn’t something that can be accomplished by one person alone. Even if the Underworld is powerful, you still need the cooperation of the various version forces. Destroying core territories is no easy feat.”

Lu Yan ignored the outrage and hostility that flared from the assembled elites.

From the other end of the hall, Glorus, sensing an opportunity, prepared to press forward with more questions. But then he saw Lu Yan cast a chilling smile in his direction.

The next instant, Glorus’s expression changed drastically.

At that very moment, tens of thousands of miles away, in the endless skies above, the divine kingdom stood suspended like a golden scale hung upside down atop the clouds. It stretched for hundreds of miles—like the boundary between reality and myth.

Seven concentric rings of walls spiraled upward, each layer inhabited by believers of different tiers, their standing defined by the strength of their faith, forming a majestic tableau of heavenly order.

From beyond the horizon, a streak of golden light descended to the border of this divine realm, manifesting the true form of Lu Yan.

After departing the Main God Space, Lu Yan had immediately traveled here. The image that had appeared in the central hall was merely an avatar formed via Mystic Light Art.

He had long prepared for this—the divine kingdom was the final obstacle to the destruction of all version fragments.

Without hesitation, Lu Yan, holding the Human Emperor Banner, stepped into this land of pure faith.

The moment he entered, the entire divine kingdom responded. A slumbering, terrifying will within the divine temple began to awaken.

The kingdom’s core rules descended upon him, as though the heavens themselves collapsed—countless tons of pressure pressed down on Lu Yan alone.

This was the very essence of the divine kingdom—born of centuries of prayers from endless believers.

From the void, waves of faith surged toward Lu Yan’s soul. Every syllable carried a seductive power; every chant sought to cleanse and reshape his very spirit.

The voices alternated between gentle whispers and thunderous roars, swirling endlessly, trying to turn him into a puppet of faith—another soul added to the million-strong army of spirits.

Lu Yan could feel this invasion. He couldn’t help but admire the intricacy of the divine kingdom’s faith system.

Under these divine rules, belief could extinguish souls, purify will, and reshape life itself.

Even a Nascent Soul cultivator would succumb if they couldn’t transcend the kingdom’s system, gradually losing their sense of self and becoming one with the Nation of the Gods.

But none of that mattered to Lu Yan—not with his Unchanging Trait.

That singular trait rendered all such rules meaningless. The faith system, though thunderous, couldn’t leave a scratch on his will—refined through countless versions and eternally unwavering.

Lu Yan strode forward into the heart of the kingdom. Countless fundamental rules twisted around him, trying again and again to break his Unchanging Trait—yet always in vain.

The void trembled. Faith crumbled. Under his trait’s suppression, the very laws at the core of the divine kingdom shattered like glass. What was once an unbreakable wall of belief now tore like paper.

Wherever Lu Yan walked, all faith turned to nothing—like a stain on a white cloth, exposing the kingdom’s hidden flaws.

The divine kingdom shook. From the sky, peals of thunder rang like the voice of the Great Dao itself.

“BOOM!!”

These weren’t just sounds—but rules themselves. Each toll seemed to pierce space-time, igniting the fires of war.

From the heavens, powerful demi-gods emerged one after another, shrouded in divine light. Their silhouettes hovered above the clouds, radiant and distant.

Empowered by the divine kingdom, they reached an unparalleled peak—like blazing stars across the sky, emanating crushing pressure.

Their eyes pierced every cloud, surveying all corners of the realm—omniscient, omnipresent.

Their divine lights intertwined like ten suns hanging high in the heavens, bathing the kingdom in holy daylight.

These lights didn’t just illuminate—they cleansed the hearts of believers, strengthened their loyalty, and punished heretics. Each ray could redeem or destroy.

Within the kingdom’s seven rings, millions of spirit warriors assembled.

They had long transcended mortal flesh, becoming embodiments of pure belief. Each glowed faintly—like stars twinkling in the night.

Together, those stars became an inferno of faith—burning, boiling, ready to consume all who defied the gods.

That fire expanded, painting apocalyptic visions across the sky—mountains collapsing, earth splitting, living beings reduced to ash.

With a command, the flames would descend, reducing the Great Collapse Domain to nothing and eradicating all nonbelievers.

From the forefront of the ten suns, a peak demi-god issued a majestic decree:

“Envoy of the Underworld, you’ve trespassed upon our holy land and defiled the gods’ faith.

Such blasphemy shall be judged!”

As the voice fell, the light of belief and the fire of spirits merged. Heaven and earth shook. Rules stirred.

Countless points of light—like stars—gathered into a single divine sword that hovered over Lu Yan’s head, exuding overwhelming might.

Engraved upon this blade were the Laws of Order, Judgment, Holiness, and Destruction—interwoven into one. It sought to end Lu Yan completely.

As the sword slowly descended, all around Lu Yan was suppressed. This wasn’t the divine kingdom’s core rule—it was power derived from demi-gods and spirits combined. Even the Unchanging Trait couldn’t nullify it completely.

It seemed certain—Lu Yan was about to be obliterated.

Yet he remained calm. And with cold clarity, he spoke six words:

“Initiate Version Update—Now!”

The moment the words left his lips, the world halted.

Rules twisted—not gradually, but violently, deep at their very roots.

The faith-based foundations of the divine kingdom, which supported everything, snapped like overdrawn strings. The harmony shattered.

The heavens shook. Ripples tore through the void like shattered mirrors. Reality peeled away.

The very foundation of the divine kingdom wavered. The source of power for demi-gods and spirit warriors trembled.

Above the clouds, the demi-gods felt it first—their divine forms began to tremble. The golden light of belief dimmed and flickered like candles in the wind.

Fear surfaced on their faces for the first time—terror born of the unknown and the collapse of their bedrock.

Millions of spirit warriors suffered even worse. Their bodies, born of faith, grew translucent. Some began to disintegrate into motes of light—erased from existence.

The rupture of faith shook the entire divine kingdom. The seven concentric walls trembled like buildings in an earthquake, groaning under the strain.

Panicked believers fell to their knees, praying madly—yet their prayers only accelerated the collapse.

The central divine temple cracked—hairline fractures spread like spiderwebs.

Within, the chants dissolved into chaotic noise. The power they once invoked shattered.

Lu Yan stood at the heart of this storm, watching it all unfold.

He had come here with confidence because of one thing: the version update bug.

He had used this trick once before to destroy the forbidden construct in the Machine City. Now, he repeated it here.

What made the divine kingdom so different was that everything—demi-gods, spirits, even the kingdom itself—was based on one thing: faith.

Unlike the Main God Space, where countless systems coexisted, the divine kingdom was singular. Thus, once the rule of faith faltered—everything collapsed.

That singular strength had become the very seed of their annihilation.

“Under normal circumstances, forcibly pushing a version update within a version fragment would only create a brief distortion before being corrected by the world’s order.

But with the Great Collapse’s Heavenly Dao suppressing everything, I can prolong the effect just a little longer.

It might only last a few seconds…

But that’s more than enough.“

Lu Yan raised his hand. The Gate of Mystery Womb appeared, releasing a strand of Destruction Rule.

Normally, the divine kingdom could use vast faith to suppress the extinction brought by this rule—to crush it before it could truly manifest.

But now? With faith twisted and the kingdom collapsing?

There was no hope of resistance.

In a single instant, the Annihilation Millstone emerged—like a divine artifact of doomsday—grinding down the void for dozens of miles.

Wherever the millstone turned, space shattered into pitch-black nothingness.

The disturbance of the Destruction Rule sent invisible ripples through the air—like an ancient memory awakening, resonating with the divine kingdom’s sealed ruin.

The central divine temple—the heart of belief—shattered.

Its fragments glittered briefly in the void before vanishing.

From the ruins, another strand of Destruction Rule emerged. It had been sealed here all along.

The rule solidified into a second Annihilation Millstone, rotating in the void, grinding everything in its path.

Two such forces moved in tandem—like ancient gods dancing in the void—warping time and space, shattering all existence.

This was annihilation beyond death. A purification back to chaos.

Even the high demi-gods floating above were helpless before it.

Their mighty forms, once towering and divine, were now mere motes of dust. Some tried to flee—but were dragged back by invisible laws. In an instant, they were ground into oblivion—no trace left.

The gods, once worshiped day and night, couldn’t even protect themselves. Their divine bodies shattered. Souls were erased. Even reincarnation was denied.

Back in the central hall, far away, Glorus began to tremble.

His power came from the divine kingdom—he was bound to it.

And now, he could hear the wailing of fallen spirits, the death screams of demi-gods, and the kingdom’s collapse.

Staring in terror at Lu Yan, he cried out:

“What… what did you do?!”

Lu Yan looked at him coldly and said, one word at a time:

“Destroy you. What does it have to do with you?”

(End of Chapter)