Retired God King becomes Witch Idol Manager

On this day, the newly born World Tree of Azure Bay suddenly dimmed, losing all its vitality. Its lush canopy rapidly withered, and the Seed of Hope withered before it could return to the higher plane with the Void. The Highgarden elves wept and shook their heads, unaware of the truth.

Bad news came one after another. After confirming that the Queen was unharmed, the Earth Elf King was finally relieved to relinquish his heavy responsibility, ending his centuries of loyal defense, and resting in the Court of Kings. Such a heavy blow almost suffocated the Elven race. Fortunately, the seven royal courts that had distanced themselves from the Chaotic Throne had distanced themselves from worldly conflicts and become rare, absolutely neutral territories in the Chaotic Era.

Several months passed in this way, and the Chaotic Throne, like the ancient beast god who had lost his vitality due to the rampage of the divine kingdom, fell into complete silence. The Queen of Victory came and went, bringing war reports from all realms to the palace, and occasionally some news from the Far East.

Just as the Heavenly Father said, the Night Mother's good days are over. After leaving the Sunlit Royal Court, the mighty Heavenly Light and the boundless darkness are engaged in a full-scale war. The Abyss and the four great faith kingdoms are the main battlefields, and the clashes are fierce.

The Holy Alliance army secretly advanced into Huangyan Province through the territory of the Holy Alliance, heading straight for the Bottomless Deep Rock. On one hand, they attacked the capital of Huangyan by land, and on the other hand, they went underground to launch a surprise attack on the Abyss. Fighting on two fronts, they were not at a disadvantage.

This time, unlike the hasty demon-slaying wars orchestrated by Emperor Wilhelm the Great, the Revolutionary Army and the Templars reached a pact to fight together against the demons in order to reclaim their homeland. The human soldiers, who had endured years of humiliation, fought bravely and, with the help of the Lightbringers and the Holy War Maidens, once again fought their way back to the Rock Dynasty battlefield to confront the Demon Overlord head-on.

Interestingly, during their journey through the Temple of Light, they encountered some minor conflicts with certain evil creatures on the border of the Azure Province. Even though Holimaa, as the first deity to descend to earth and manifest her glory after defeating the Temple of Love and Wisdom, was unstoppable, she ultimately did not dare to provoke the army of the dead in the north at the same time.

The death of Leiri signifies the failure of the elemental revenge, which Nolan believed was inevitable. Unfortunately, someone was blinded by hatred and foolish enough to fail to see the situation. Neither light nor darkness could tolerate her.

The Father's intentions were obvious: he needed to rely on the giants and dragons of the Obsidian Empire to keep the savage orcs from going on expeditions. The alliance between Caliban and Lokrein was very solid, so he could no longer help Cantimiius fight against Asteria. The Septate Church and the Temple of Light also ushered in a new honeymoon period.

In comparison, Xingtu Dongfang's petty squabbles were rather uninteresting. Ye Liliu had no time to bother other people's backyards. Without the Dark Whispers, the Dragon Slayer Revenge Guard suffered repeated defeats.

The Ceylon Academy is now the command center of the city surrounded by the Four Saints, commanding the people of the entire Triad Divine Court to resist foreign enemies. According to Serani's report, everything in the divine kingdom is good, and the sky, the sea, and the holy land are integrated into one.

The Qilin Venerable is a skilled warrior who, with the assistance of the White Tiger Emperor, suppressed the internal strife of the Vermilion Bird and unified the territory of the Four Saints. The Colorful Valley thrives under the nourishment of the Three Phases Divine Power, and the Deep Sea Royal Family has never given up its ambition to compete among the realms. Persuading them to calm down is the most difficult thing for Nagulan.

Everything is fine, but not good enough, because the true opponent of the Triad Divine Court will be the Savage Beast Territory. The Totem Clan is not afraid of the Boiling Blood Tribe, but as leaders, neither Ekaterina nor Lin Dichen is enough to contend with the Platinum Lion. Not everyone can stop Blington and Harrison.

The calm before the storm is the hardest to bear. Before long, these warmongers will yearn for peace, and even the bravest soldiers will regret joining this war of the gods…

In the Sunlit Palace of the Void Continent, a small golden sapling sprouted from the soil in a corner of the central garden. It grew vigorously right where the immortal body of Leiriyi was shattered. Perhaps it was the last of her power that transformed into the seed of the World Tree, which remained forever in the homeland of the elves.

This is the only good news recently. Maria comes here every day to take good care of the Void Seraph in the Feather Cocoon.

The withered World Tree took away the smiles of the elves, and the seven royal courts were shrouded in sorrow. Only Skadi remained unaffected, quietly waiting for the path to advancement to open its doors. She felt as if she had returned to her mother's womb and been reborn a second time.

952. Experimental Subject

"Ugh."

The commander glanced at the Queen's palace. Lady Zinora was still dragging her tired body to handle official business and often toured various territories to encourage the confused people. But she knew that Her Majesty needed some time to recover, and she could see her beloved lover less often.

Leiri may be the one who brought trouble upon herself, but her sacrifice was not meaningless. As long as the elven people can safely weather the chaos of the Age of Chaos, they still have hope.

The premise is that this world still has a future.

"hiss-------"

The strange noise interrupted Maria's thoughts. Looking back, she saw a faint breath coming from inside the huge cocoon. The tightly closed wings looked like wriggling flower buds, about to bloom.

If the fall of Catherine Tiffany was a blessing to the world, making amends for the calamities that plagued the mortal realm, then Skadi was a darling who inadvertently stumbled upon a sliver of good fortune, becoming the first witch to cross the path of ascension to the throne of chaos, and a mortal pioneer who would ascend to godhood a thousand years later.

The scene shifts to the lower realms, far removed from the stars, in the abyssal wasteland inhabited by demons. The dark army gathers from the Great Tomb of the Thirteen Castles, led by the leaders of various races, and heads towards the Layered Rock Cave to resist the allied forces of the Lawful Light faction.

The minor setbacks of the Kingdom of Love and Wisdom were nothing to the Holy Army. The addition of the Light God Clan and the Revolutionary Army made this legion incredibly powerful. In just a few battles, they recaptured the capital of Yan Dynasty. The chief demons guarding the main city were killed one after another, and the glorious power of the Heavenly Light was as bright as the midday sun.

Now, the spiral path connecting Huangyan Province and the Bottomless Abyss is crawling with corpses—humans, demons, gods—it doesn't matter. Warriors keep venturing into the Deep Rock Path, trying to break into the wasteland, while more and more demons keep emerging from the surface, their black and red blood continuing the scroll of hell here.

Just as the abyss was facing a life-or-death moment, the Great Tomb of the Eight Demon Gods was deathly silent. The whispers in the darkness had long since disappeared, and the wicked mother, who had found a new love, seemed to have given up on these bad girls.

In the Dark Palace of the Demon Castle, Serantia, with her legs crossed and chin resting on her hand, looked down at her sisters below the steps, each with a different expression. The wound from the divine fire in her lower abdomen was still throbbing with pain. The powerful divine power of the Holy Mother of Light had almost shattered the confidence of every demon girl. No one had expected that the Eight Pillars would be so easily defeated.

"The Nightmare Army needs the Red Lich."

The Demon King gave a soft command, but Cynthia seemed not to hear it. She simply leaned against the stone pillar, combing her long hair. Her profile was pale and beautiful. She was more interested in the Dark Crystal Throne than Hollymaia's head.

An angry voice answered from the spider demons clinging to the wall, who stretched out their claws and denounced Serantia's incompetence.

"Neither the Six Demon Statues nor Sion are here. Who do you think you can command? If you hadn't disgraced the Eight Demon Gods, would we have lost so badly? Would those lantern-carrying ants have dared to rush in?!"

"You think... I need someone to protect me?"

Serantia beckoned with her finger, her gaze unfriendly. If it weren't for the fact that the Vicious Dragon Rider was still somewhat useful, she would have killed Julia, that fool, long ago!

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder. It seemed that the eight demon pillars would be torn to pieces before the enemy even broke in. Only Joanna and Meiruo were too lazy to join the argument.

At that moment, two figures, one in black and one in white, appeared at the entrance of the hall. The hideous lich bone mask was supreme in the Great Tomb of Nazarick. Thrantia breathed a sigh of relief, squinting her eyes, as if she had finally received the answer she wanted.

The Lady of Myriad Leaves represents the Mother, while this white lich from who-knows-where is the mad dog of the Throne of Chaos; they will never let the Father God succeed so easily.

"Do you two have any better suggestions? Why don't you share them? After all, you've just been watching from the sidelines these past few days. Are you waiting for the Demon Lord to die again?"

Cynthia wept and sneered. In her opinion, the chances of winning this battle were less than 30%. The difference in troop strength between the two sides was certainly a factor, but the main reason, as Julia said, was that if the Eight Demon Gods were no match for the Holy Mother of Light, then even if Sion gained the upper hand on the main battlefield, it would be in vain.

The white lich's fingers danced across the stone wall, carving several deciphered evil god runes. He glanced at the silent woman in black robes and sneered, "I'm waiting for you to draw your conclusions. As for what she's here for, I have no idea."

"in conclusion?"

Serantia gently stroked Meiruo's face. The girl was sleeping peacefully beside the throne. Only when she was asleep would the space-jumping demon stop screaming like a madman.

"Should we continue this pointless bickering like a bunch of freeloaders... or join forces to kill a god?"

Talion's retort was merciless. The first part of his sentence enraged all the demon girls, and necromancy and cursed flowers instantly surrounded the white lich. But the old man's second part of his sentence stunned them.

Kill gods?

Why!

Our Lady of Light is the Father's most loyal Valkyrie. The eight pillars, who are merely superficial, are no match for her unless one of them can control all the fragments of divinity and wield the golem with her own divine soul.

Serantia and Cynthia are the demon gods closest to the gate of the path to ascension. If even they can't do it, then no one else can.

"My master ordered me to bring some old friends. The divine weapons are still in the experimental stage. How to use them is your problem."

The white lich clapped his hands, and the runes he had previously inscribed flickered slightly. Ripples of space rose behind him, and several silent aliens emerged from the shadows, kneeling mechanically like puppets.

Cynthia's pupils contracted sharply, and her lips trembled slightly. The powerful malevolent divine energy emanating from one of the headless knights startled Serantia, who abruptly stood up. Julia fled swiftly along the spider web. This aura of truth was undoubtedly divine, and quite familiar.

These monsters were the evil god alliance that followed the Cursed Demon God. However, when they met again, their eyes were empty and dim, as if they had lost their souls and were at the mercy of the White Lich. This made Cynthia and Serantia's scalp tingle. Someone could actually manipulate runes and drive gods. Could this guy understand the workings of truth better than the god-holder?

"What did you do to them...?"

"It's just some minor surgery."

Talion's laughter was as eerie as an owl's. After leaving behind his puppet, he quietly retreated to continue his new endeavor. As the war of the gods unfolded, the number of gods lost would only increase.

After a brief moment of distraction, Serantia's eyes burned with fervor. These remnants of darkness were sure to give Holimaa a surprise!

"These old friends are entrusted to you. Don't let that person down."

Cynthia snorted, gritted her teeth, and with a wave of her hand, her former companions vanished into the shadows and followed her out of the Great Tomb. Recalling Nolan's sweet smile, the Cursed Demon felt a chill, filled with anger and fear. She did not want to become one of them.

953. Fierce Battle

Serantia looked at the Black Lich and questioned, "And you, Night Elf, what do you have to say? Don't tell me that Mother is waiting for us to speak."

"It's not the right time yet."

The black lich shook his head, and before he could finish speaking, he was blasted away by a surge of electricity. Thrantia clicked her tongue and waved her snow-white hand.

"Then get lost!"

The Demon Queen paced to the top of the throne, stretching her limbs. The graceful curves beneath her dress were breathtaking. Three shimmering divine sparks hovered at her fingertips. If she let go, their divine power would scatter and escape to find a new host. In the end, she could not completely control the Bone Twins and the Sorrowful Demon God.

"The path to advancement must not be halted. What would you do if you were in that situation? Would you challenge Holimaa again?"

Apart from the sleeping Mei Ruo, only the last demon girl remained in the Dark Hall. She sat on the stone steps in a blood-red dress, looking up at the pure black dome, laughing incessantly, oblivious to everyone else.

Yet this seemingly mad child is the sister the Abyss Demon King fears most. The Blood Demon God has influenced Joanna's mind, but Joanna's soul is also infecting the divine. The terrifying constitution of the divine ones has only just begun to manifest.

"Of course, I can't sleep if she doesn't die, but if you fail again, there won't be a third chance. I will take your place because you are not my real sister."

Joanna smiled sweetly, sticking out her scarlet tongue and making a face. Serantia also laughed, her eyes sparkling with electricity. They weren't joking; every demon girl wanted to devour all her sisters and become the true Eight Pillars.

The intense sunlight forced the demons back to the Great Tomb, and the cunning lich chuckled and hid, making a fierce battle inevitable.

The Dark Wasteland is shrouded in curses, and the only path that mortals, apart from Voidwalkers, can take them there is the Bottomless Abyss. The abyss is a tunnel of layered rock, filled with spatial rifts and dimensional barriers.

For many years, the Lawful Order of Light has wanted to eradicate the demons in one fell swoop, but countless warriors have fallen time and time again in the wasteland, swallowed by the curse. Lord William's crushing defeat was clearly not an isolated case.

"Charge! Charge! Don't stop!"

The deep cavern of layered rocks flickered between light and shadow, occasionally punctuated by a sliver of light, but mostly by the curse of twilight, blurring the Templars' vision. The sounds of hacking and slashing, along with the cries of agony, drove both sides into a frenzy, as they trampled over corpses in a mad slaughter.

Such a narrow battlefield offered no strategic advantage whatsoever, leaving only the soldiers' fighting instincts. The standard-bearers of light, wielding their halberds, barely maintained order as they pressed forward, accumulating enough advantage to advance alongside the heavily armored knights.

A ray of light dispelled the gloom behind them, healing the wounded and boosting the morale of the Templars. With the dawn seemingly within reach, the vanguard, their eyes bloodshot, descended to the middle level of the ruins, only to suddenly lose sight of the demons. They immediately became alert and huddled together.

"They...have disappeared?"

The judge spat out a mouthful of blood and beheaded a blinded demon with his sword. "Be careful of ambushes. Only proceed further if you are sure there are no enemies around. Cunning demons are masters of feigning weakness to launch a counterattack."

"As ordered!"

The cavalry phalanx, shrouded in a halo, were the first to descend, wielding holy shields to illuminate the tunnel. Strangely, they encountered no more demons afterward; the cave was eerily quiet. According to records of past expeditions, at least a third of the passage remained.

The soldiers, who had fought valiantly, were tense, confused, and nervous. They knew their opponent was the Demon Lord, a man who had never lost a battle and would not easily allow his forces to fall into the abyss.

"Do not be afraid, the Holy Light will protect us!"

The words of the judge gave the legion confidence. Marvin strode forward, his extraordinary holy flames extremely dazzling. Hollymaia's blessing granted the apostle an even stronger faith.

The soldiers followed their commander down the slope without hesitation. At that moment, a strange breeze swept by, carrying the scent of decay and gloom of the wasteland. They seemed to be very close to their destination.

Just as the warriors of light relaxed slightly, a sudden vibration shook their ears, and a violent roar came from afar, as if a bomb had been detonated at the exit of the layered rock cave. Soldiers raised their shields and formed ranks, and mages chanted defensive spells. The sanctuary was prepared.

Magic Crystal Artillery?

Or is it a forbidden spell?

Marvin squinted, waiting for a possible crisis. Suddenly, a black branch appeared in his field of vision. It sprouted from the hard soil and bloomed with beautiful little flowers, a bewitching purple.

"A flower?"

The divine messenger was dazed, then his pupils contracted slightly. He roared and ordered his subordinates to shrink their formation, while he himself retreated into the light barrier.

Not only at the end of the passage, but also on both sides, cursed flowers kept erupting, their power comparable to forbidden spells, with astonishing impact.

Boom!

The fault space cracked and collapsed, and the soldiers swayed and fell. There was little flat ground within the rock layers, and it was difficult to even stand. It turned out that the hundreds of thousands of demons that rushed into the tunnel were still bait. The faults they had passed through earlier had been cursed by the Cursed Demon God, who wanted to bury the Templars here!

The Templars stormed into the crypt with almost no resistance, while the surface defenders, mostly priests of light and allies of the Revolutionary Army, felt the tremors below and the Holy Alliance commander immediately prepared to attack.