Chapter 1801
Chapter 1801 - 1797: Divine War Begins
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The time for rest is always short. As for the "invitation" from the Eastern Country’s official side, from the very beginning, the question was about the price offered, not whether to go or not.
After all, in a certain sense, this was essentially a political task akin to a boss asking you if you were willing to work overtime.
"How to go, how many people to bring, and whether I personally attend, these are separate questions altogether."
Since you’ve personally requested it, there’s no problem with making a trip, but how it’s done is another matter entirely.
The greatest difference between a Broken Quasi-God and a True God lies in the smaller overall scale of the former compared to the latter. However, at the same time, Quasi-Gods are often not bound to the world, granting them greater mobility and flexibility.
For example, an existence like Lin Nu, having been bound to Earth for far too long, resembles an apple hanging from a giant tree. Revoking her title of Proper God would be possible, but forcing her to voluntarily sever her link to the world and yield her Divine’s Throne is far less realistic.
For this reason, during planar conquests, deities are undoubtedly less practical than Broken Quasi-Gods.
The Divine Boat parked overhead often serves more like a "BUFF Totem Pillar." Its potential is immense, but its lower threshold can be surprisingly low... Like when the God of Redemption could barely function as a "satellite phone" for fixed-point communication—already an exhausting stretch.
As for the deity’s body, the Divine Kingdom that the Divine Boat transforms into, it cannot directly descend onto the surface in most mid to low-magic worlds.
In fact, this time, due to the spatial barriers of the plane being shattered by a God Above Gods, many Starcraft were forcibly dragged down by the world, their physical forms crumpling into the lines, leading to the majority perishing on the battlefield.
So, could one approach the issue from another angle? As long as it doesn’t foolishly enter the fight with its true body, it is unlikely to face complete annihilation.
This is why the "war" between Lu Ping’an and Lin Nu has always hovered around eliminating and competing for each other’s "subordinates" and "organizations."
Weaken the other side to a certain degree, force them to sever their connection with the world, or use similar abilities to strip and overwrite their World’s Reason, rendering them meaningless to the world and causing them to be discarded... Of course, if one side grows desperate or acts foolishly, directly descending with its will, the losses would escalate rapidly.
Because of this, battles between two powerful deities often become prolonged conflicts.
The earliest and most basic step is to expel the other’s believers and sphere of influence. Not to mention, the loss of human "anchor points" makes gods like the Order God, who has already largely forsaken humanity, become even more mechanical and closer to losing control—essentially steering them towards their demise.
The downfall of many deities stems from the mass collapse of their believers and their Churches. To maintain self-preservation and equilibrium, the deities are forced to shrink their "scale," enduring ceaseless self-mutilation until they finally collapse entirely, step by step.
As for Lu Ping’an and Lin Nu, it is foreseeable that they will remain in this phase for the long term, competing for believers and professionals of the same Path, further embedding themselves into this world... This is a competition fought openly, impossible to conceal, and naturally escalates to a declaration of war.
This is also why, after Lu Ping’an became a Broken Quasi-God, Lin Nu didn’t hesitate to launch an offensive. The fundamental kinship yet opposition between them destined a fierce contest for the Path’s resources and "population."
Especially as each other’s "Divine Envoys" and "Divine Power Crystals" could potentially be absorbed by the other deity’s body. The gnashing between them not only seizes "markets" but also completes their World’s Reason, transforming them into stronger existences.
From the results, those Church outposts empowered by the other’s Divine Power, high-level Priests, and Divine-given Armor will all become sought-after "sacrificial offerings" for the rival deity. At times, the devouring and gnashing between deities can last for decades, centuries, or even millennia.
Previously, Lu Ping’an was not qualified to be Lin Nu’s prey, but now, they have become mutually each other’s prey...
"I hope she gets lost as soon as possible..."
Lu Ping’an didn’t plan to kill Lin Nu. Her accumulation was relatively abundant. Though her time as a Proper God wasn’t long, she had commanded far too many hidden believers.
Most Divine Wars are difficult to resolve conclusively. Unless both sides involve their true bodies, it is highly likely the losing side will simply retreat.
If she can’t be the God of Life on Earth, can’t she just become the God of Life on Mercury instead?
If the battlefield is confined to the Mortal World, the Eastern Country’s assistance would prove invaluable.
"If I venture into an Exotic Realm, I might face interception from Lin Nu’s forces... Actually, no doubt about it—I will be blocked. Undoubtedly, there will be Demigods and Quasi-Gods seeking trouble with me."
This is the obvious reality. On Earth, it’s hard for Lin Nu to trouble Lu Ping’an. Launching an attack on a Proper God Church or an official factory would be outright insanity.
But in an Exotic Realm, anything could happen.
Although Lin Nu has already begun to weaken, she certainly still commands Demigods. Many "contracts" are not so easily broken.
"However, that would also be my opportunity for advancement..."
What Lu Ping’an wanted went far beyond the resources currently on offer.
His Holy Scripture had already completed its first draft, but parts of it were overly radical and unsuited for Earth. In an Exotic Realm, though, he could accomplish much more.
Especially since it was said that the local "Subhumans" were ideal as soldiers, and he could grow even more complete... Those Demigods and Quasi-Gods might also turn into his nutrition, particularly if they were Lin Nu’s legitimate line or Divine Power Tamers.
"...Eventually, there must be direct clashes, to prove you have the ability to retain the title of Proper God."
Big Cat’s words solidified Lu Ping’an’s resolve.
The title of Proper God isn’t so easy to maintain. The fact that over 20% of the market for low-level Extraordinary Suits now vaguely belonged to him wasn’t solely a business matter. Lu Ping’an had to prove he could safeguard his wealth.
"Agree to it, but ask for more benefits—at the very least, ensure the safety of my businesses while I’m away..."
After some contemplation, unless confronted with the true body of a True God Level entity, Lu Ping’an felt confident of his chances.
Would Lin Nu deploy her true body? Lu Ping’an didn’t think so. If she voluntarily severed her connection to the world, the loss would be too immense. And if she did sever it... reconnecting would be challenging. At that point, she wouldn’t just face a vicious beating from Lu Ping’an—many others would join in as well.
The Demigods, Quasi-Gods, and others of her same Path under her command would have an alarmingly high chance of rebelling.
Besides, if she’s willing to retreat, why insist on targeting Lu Ping’an? Both sides are tough nuts to crack, and it’s most likely a struggle that ends with mutual losses.
After communicating with Wanjing, Lu Ping’an received confirmation that he’d need to set off within two months, prompting him to start planning his upcoming tasks.
The data on the new world had arrived. As expected, it was an extraordinarily prosperous world... Or more precisely, a worldline composed of four worlds, including a bizarre new world with Heaven and Hell (Post-death World) in a religious sense.
This undoubtedly added more allure for Lu Ping’an as he pursued the path of life and death.
But an existence of his scale couldn’t just leave on a whim—there were far too many matters to prepare before departure.
— End of Chapter 1801 —