Chapter Seventeen: Another Deity

When Sun Licheng walked up to the iron gate, his eyes were met with a scene of blazing crimson.

If someone had asked Sun Licheng in the past what constituted a miracle, he might have struggled to answer. Now, however, he knew with certainty: what lay before him was nothing short of a miracle.

The space beyond the gate spanned roughly five hundred square meters, as if perched atop a volcanic crater, with molten magma churning endlessly below. The floor was paved with a layer of transparent crystal; walking upon it, one could see everything clearly beneath their feet.

Viscous magma heaved, bursting bubbles broke and smoked, occasionally spewing tongues of fire that lashed at the crystal floor like furious dragons, resounding with thunderous crashes, threatening to consume every combustible thing.

The ceiling of the hall glowed red, reflecting the magma below, as if flames burned overhead. The air inside was so searing that the stone walls on either side twisted and warped in Sun Licheng’s vision, creating an eerie effect.

At the far end of the hall stood a dark, imposing iron throne. Its design was ancient and weighty, with a dozen swords and blades fanning out behind it like a peacock’s tail, lending the throne an air of oppression. Behind it, a massive mural covered the entire wall, depicting warriors, monks, dragons, and numerous angels in dazzling detail. Unfortunately, Sun Licheng could not decipher what story the mural told.

Seated upon the throne was a figure, crowned and engulfed in flames, seemingly at rest. Yet Sun Licheng sensed the endless pressure emanating from him; he knew, without doubt, that the figure was watching him.

With no way out, Sun Licheng gritted his teeth and stepped inside.

The room burned like a furnace; by the time he reached the center, his hair had been incinerated, his skin cracked and dried, and the agony nearly robbed him of all feeling.

At that moment, the fiery figure slowly raised his head. The throne blazed with seven colors, and a mysterious pattern emerged beneath it, making the hall seem alive.

Suddenly, the temperature plummeted, and the oppressive heat vanished.

Sun Licheng exhaled a long breath.

Abruptly, a majestic voice echoed in his mind.

"Who are you? Are you a chosen one? How did the old dog guarding the gate let you in? If there’s anyone in this world more cunning, that old dog certainly qualifies."

The voice was laced with curiosity and a hint of excitement.

Confronted by such a question, Sun Licheng cried out inwardly, "Brother, what are you talking about?"

His reaction startled the fiery figure. In this world, gods were supreme; all living things would grovel before them in awe.

From the moment the iron gate opened, the fiery figure had locked Sun Licheng in place with divine authority. He could not comprehend how Sun Licheng could remain so composed under such circumstances.

What he did not know was that Sun Licheng, having undergone decades of Marxist-Leninist education and being an atheist, simply did not believe in the existence of gods, let alone fear them.

Thus, divine authority had little effect on him.

Sun Licheng calmly recounted how he arrived, how he passed through the magical array, solved the nine-ring puzzle, and expressed deep resentment toward the unfair test outside the iron gate.

Of course, Sun Licheng did not reveal his immortality, keeping it as his final trump card.

The fiery figure listened in silence and sighed.

"You are interesting. But a goblin cannot be a chosen one. By your account, you weren’t summoned here by me. Though I find you somewhat likable, rules are rules—you must die."

The fiery figure spoke with regret.

Sun Licheng’s face turned ashen; he rushed forward, shouting, "This is unfair! I went through countless trials to get here—why must I die?"

The fiery figure ignored his protest, waved a hand, and flames rose beneath Sun Licheng, engulfing him.

The fire was relentless. The hall filled with Sun Licheng’s agonized cries; his body quickly became charred, and his consciousness finally shattered.

The fiery figure, unmoved by the brutality, gazed on as if before an insect.

Yet, as the flames burned, he suddenly frowned, raised his right hand, and the fire vanished. Sun Licheng fell face-up to the floor, blackened and scorched.

"What a curious little creature—so it’s a god’s incarnation after all."

The fiery figure seemed to have discovered something, rubbing his chin in puzzlement. He waved his hand, and the hall’s iron gates slammed shut.

"Come out. I’ve set a barrier here; no one can spy in."

The fiery figure shifted in his throne for comfort and addressed Sun Licheng on the floor.

A burst of wild laughter echoed through the hall; Sun Licheng’s eyes flashed, and he floated into the air, surrounded by dazzling starlight like a cocoon of radiance.

"Heh, after ten thousand years, who would have thought you have fallen as well."

Sun Licheng was utterly transformed, uttering strange syllables, his gaze cold and detached.

The fiery figure gripped the throne and slowly rose, nodding politely to Sun Licheng.

"Great One, so it is you. After your fall, we waged war once again, and that conflict led to my own demise. Only then did I realize that the crusade against you was a conspiracy. Alas, I awoke too late. As you see, I am now sealed here."

"Indeed, from the moment that candle was lit, I knew they wished to keep the chosen from entering, even raising the trial’s difficulty on the spot. Who could have guessed that after ten thousand years, they would become so base, wielding even the faintest divine power so shamelessly."

Sun Licheng smiled faintly.

The fiery figure had approached Sun Licheng, and after hearing this, could only smile in resignation.

"Thousands of years have passed. I thought my chosen had finally broken their limits, yet it was your incarnation that arrived. Alas..."

He sighed deeply.

Within Sun Licheng’s mind, he smiled bitterly, "Even this body I struggled so hard to create has been seized. If not for your enthusiastic burning, finally shattering his will, I could not have taken over. Still, my divine power has been greatly diminished by this ordeal, and the one before me is dangerous—I must be wary."

"Ten thousand years have passed, and their vigilance against me remains strict. My divinity has been heavily corroded. I sense that you and I are a unique pair within the Wheel of Fate."

Sun Licheng declared.

"The Wheel of Fate? Do you mean the great creative force?"

The fiery giant asked in shock.

Sun Licheng chuckled, "This little fellow is a special existence. I used the last of my divine power to craft this body, but he claimed it first. You know, I have lain dormant for ten thousand years, unable to choose an ordinary vessel; only the god-forsaken folk of this place could evade the gaze of those beings. Yet, unexpectedly, the Wheel of Fate was triggered, and this body housed a remarkable being. From his mind, I learned he comes from a place called Earth, where magical power is extremely scarce. Humans there, like goblins here, use science to banish gods—and have succeeded. Though faith persists, it is mostly for psychological comfort."

After prolonged effort, the god within Sun Licheng’s mind deciphered a tiny portion of his thoughts, which extinguished any intent to destroy Sun Licheng’s soul.

Not only that, he became increasingly fascinated by Earth’s civilization, finding pleasure in the discovery. However, he would not share all this with the fiery figure—not yet, as he still had traps to lay.

"They banished the gods? Impossible! The goblin empire was once so mighty, yet it was destroyed, leaving only this forsaken land."

The fiery figure was aghast.

"Yes, they triumphed. One day I’ll explain in detail—about Karl Marx, Mao Zedong’s thought..."

Sun Licheng nodded affirmatively.

The fiery giant grew more reverent.

"Great One, I wonder if you have any commands. Forgive my past errors, and please help me."

He placed his left hand on his chest and bowed deeply.

Sun Licheng grinned, his scorched face contorting into a satisfied expression.

"Though you did not meet your chosen, you encountered my incarnation, which is the Wheel of Fate’s arrangement. This body, created with my last divine power, is immortal. Goblins may not be robust compared to other races, but as the god-forsaken folk of this forsaken land, they are ideal for concealing divinity, safe from those beings’ scrutiny. Now, I offer this body to you—let us together face the Wheel of Fate’s challenge."

Sun Licheng gestured to himself, his face radiant with divine benevolence...