Chapter 1209: Iron Head
Yang Haoran knew that with the appearance of the Spirit Master False God, victory was no longer possible for them. Only if their Death God from the Underworld Office appeared might the situation change. If they were to clash head-on with the Spirit Master False God relying solely on their current strength, they would face certain death, with no other outcome possible.
Although some from the Underworld Office's side were already secretly retreating, Yang Haoran did not follow suit. In his view, such an act would be far too obvious. If discovered by the Five Emperors of the Underworld Office, he might be singled out as an example, "killing the chicken to scare the monkeys" to deter others and extinguish any thoughts of escape.
Therefore, to avoid such a desolate fate, Yang Haoran did not move a single inch. Yet, it wasn't as if his mind was idle. He was secretly vigilant, his senses heightened, ready for any turn of events. If the situation soured, his actions wouldn't be as simple as a quiet retreat; he would find a way to save his life, even if it meant becoming a traitor to the Underworld Office. He certainly didn't want to lose his life here.
As for why their Death God of the Underworld Office hadn't appeared even now, Yang Haoran wasn't surprised in the slightest. He had long since realized that the Death God who had appeared a few times previously was not the true Death God at all, but rather an impostor. Thus, even with the Spirit Master False God having already made his appearance and the Death God still absent, it seemed perfectly normal to him, with no cause for alarm.
Moreover, in the current circumstances, even if the impostor were to appear, it would be largely meaningless. An impostor would always be just an impostor, incomparable to the true Death God in any aspect, especially in terms of strength. With the Spirit Master False God right before them, the impostor Death God's appearance would simply be a death wish. Not only would it fail to produce any positive effect, but it would also be counterproductive, severely impacting the morale of their Underworld Office faction.
After all, not everyone knew that the Death God who had previously appeared was an impostor. If the impostor were to be eliminated by the Spirit Master False God, and others mistakenly believed it was the true Death God, the repercussions for the Underworld Office would be immense. Thus, in Yang Haoran's opinion, this impostor Death God was unlikely to show himself for now.
Nevertheless, Yang Haoran still hoped for the true Death God to appear, for only with the true Death God's presence could their Underworld Office possibly achieve victory. Although the Death God hadn't shown himself for a long time, it didn't mean he had fallen. A sliver of hope still lingered in Yang Haoran's heart.
However, to everyone's surprise, after the Spirit Master False God appeared, he didn't immediately attack those from the Underworld Office's side. He didn't even spare them a glance. While this brought a sigh of relief to the Underworld Office faction, it also inflicted a profound sense of humiliation.
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After the Spirit Master False God gestured for those who had bowed to rise, he stepped directly through the void towards the Apotheosis Platform. Everyone's gaze followed his stride, some even finding their breathing quicken.
"Stop him! He absolutely cannot be allowed to step onto the Apotheosis Platform!"
Qing Shan Great Emperor's face was extremely grim. As he anxiously spoke to the others, he himself had already charged towards the Spirit Master False God, launching an attack en route.
He was so anxious because he knew that the Spirit Master False God was different from the three before him. Once the Spirit Master False God stepped onto the Apotheosis Platform, the situation would be far more dire than when the previous three had done so.
Not only did Qing Shan Great Emperor understand this, but everyone present from the Underworld Office also understood. Thus, as Qing Shan Great Emperor charged towards the Spirit Master False God and launched his attack, the others likewise moved to strike at the Spirit Master False God.
"Hmph, your opponents are us!"
Without a command from the Spirit Master False God, his subordinate Spiritualist Kings and other powerhouses immediately moved to intercept. These attacks, before they could even draw close to the Spirit Master False God, were entirely blocked.
The Spirit Master False God remained utterly composed from start to finish. Faced with the attacks from the Underworld Office's forces, he didn't even blink, let alone show any change in expression. It was as if he hadn't seen their assaults at all, as he casually continued his stride towards the Apotheosis Platform.
While the Spirit Master False God didn't charge onto the Apotheosis Platform with the same imposing momentum as Blackwood and the other two, his ascent was far from their disheveled state. Instead, he stepped firmly onto the Apotheosis Platform, his body not even trembling, let alone swaying in the slightest.
"Haha, if one could ascend the Apotheosis Platform and reach the divine position at the pinnacle without the blessing of faith power, then I wouldn't need to expend such effort gathering vast amounts of it. If you two don't believe me, feel free to take a step and try."
After stepping onto the Apotheosis Platform, the Spirit Master False God didn't immediately continue upward. Instead, he turned his gaze to Blackwood and the other man, a mocking smile on his face.
With these words, the Spirit Master False God ignored Blackwood and the other man, not waiting for their reply in the least, and simply continued his ascent upwards.
Ascending several steps in succession, the Spirit Master False God showed no discomfort whatsoever. His face remained unflushed, his breathing even; he seemed to be walking on ordinary stairs. His effortless demeanor stood in stark contrast to Blackwood and the other man's struggle.
However, a faint black light emanated from the Spirit Master False God's body. This black light was not Yin Qi, nor was it Spirit Power. One couldn't even sense powerful energy fluctuations from it. With the naked eye alone, it was impossible to discern its origin.
Blackwood watched as the Spirit Master False God ascended the steps, one leisurely stride at a time, as if taking a stroll. His face was terribly grim, his eyes burning with both unwillingness and defiance!
The reason he had originally defected from the larger community of Spirit Masters was partly because he refused to submit to anyone, and partly because he had never truly accepted the Spirit Master False God.
Ever since he reached the realm of Spiritualist King, he had gained the recognition of Heaven and Earth, ensuring his physical body would not naturally perish. At that point, his ambition completely erupted. He believed that, with a body that wouldn't naturally die, he too could find a way to become a god, just like the Spirit Master False God, rendering service to the Spirit Master False God utterly unnecessary.
In his own words, rather than serving others wholeheartedly and becoming a stepping stone for their ascension to godhood, it was better to find a way to step onto the Apotheosis Platform himself. It was precisely because this thought had taken root in his mind that he unhesitatingly chose to defect from the Spirit Master community.
When the Spirit Master False God had just stepped onto the Apotheosis Platform, he had expected the Spirit Master False God to make a killing move against him. After all, publicly executing a traitor like him would yield the best results. But the Spirit Master False God did no such thing. Instead, he chose the most humiliating method, provoking him with a disdainful tone, his eyes when he spoke looking as if he were staring at an idiot. How could Blackwood possibly accept this?
"Don't you look down on people! I refuse to believe one can't reach the summit of the Apotheosis Platform without the blessing of faith power!"
Blackwood gritted his teeth and declared. As he spoke, his face dark, he lifted his foot. However, compared to the Spirit Master False God, he was still worlds apart. The Spirit Master False God ascended step by step with effortless ease, while Blackwood found it incredibly difficult just to lift his foot, which trembled violently. This alone revealed the immense disparity between them.
Blackwood's struggle was real, but his determination to step onto the second level of the Apotheosis Platform was equally earnest. So, even feeling the immense difficulty, he gritted his teeth, suppressing the intense discomfort radiating through his body, and planted a foot on the second step of the Apotheosis Platform.
As soon as his foot landed on the step, before Blackwood could even exert force to fully ascend to the second level, his body began to tremble violently, with a magnitude far greater than before. Following this, a muffled thud echoed from Blackwood's person, and he followed in the footsteps of the Gold Talisman Master before him, his body exploding into a pile of mangled flesh, unable to withstand the powerful and strange energy of the Apotheosis Platform.
The instant Blackwood's body exploded, the Spirit Master False God, who had already ascended a dozen steps, suddenly paused. He then turned his head to look at Blackwood's former position. Naturally, Blackwood's figure was gone, replaced only by mangled flesh and blood.
"Ignorant."
The Spirit Master False God scoffed, shaking his head before averting his gaze and resuming his climb up the steps.
The four-star Demon Hunter, standing on the same level as Blackwood, had also witnessed the instant explosion of Blackwood's body. When he saw that even Blackwood, a Spiritualist King, couldn't withstand the power of the Apotheosis Platform's second step, his face couldn't help but twitch.
In terms of power, he was indeed slightly stronger than Blackwood, but only marginally so—there was no vast difference between them. Since Blackwood couldn't withstand the power of the Apotheosis Platform's second step, it was clear that his own physical body would likewise be unable to bear it. If he chose the same path as Blackwood, forcefully stepping onto the Apotheosis Platform's second step, his fate would undoubtedly be identical to Blackwood's.
Moreover, even if he used every means available to step onto the second level and somehow survived, managing to hold on, what then of the third level? How would he contend with the fourth?
From Blackwood's death, it was clear that each successive step of the Apotheosis Platform grew stronger in power, and the higher one ascended, the greater the damage inflicted upon the physical body. Even if he exhausted all his capabilities to step onto the second level, he would absolutely not be able to go any further. What's more, he didn't even have an ounce of confidence in stepping onto the second level.
Understanding this, the Demon Hunter completely lost the fearless momentum he had when he first charged into the Apotheosis Platform. Now, a desire to retreat arose in his heart. How could he possibly dare to step onto the second level of the Apotheosis Platform?
Since he dared not step onto the second level, and he couldn't possibly remain on the first, for he was already distinctly feeling his body give way while standing there. If he were to stay on this first level for a prolonged period, his physical body would likewise meet a catastrophic end. Thus, he believed that immediately withdrawing from the Apotheosis Platform was the most rational course of action. Even if it was humiliating, it was certainly better than becoming a corpse.
With this thought solidifying in his mind, the Demon Hunter no longer hesitated and immediately prepared to retreat from the Apotheosis Platform. But to his horror, moving his body at this moment proved several times more difficult than he had imagined. A single step backward would take him off the Apotheosis Platform, yet he found it impossible to successfully budge. It was then that he truly understood the old saying: "It's easy to enter, but hard to leave."
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