The Edict
This sacred decree is divided into two parts.
The first paragraph, like the gospel of creation, like a ray of hope, resounded powerfully in everyone's soul:
"Human Race Chen Fan has today ascended to the Martial God Realm!"
In an instant, the entire Human Federation, from the bustling central Star Domain to the desolate border mining planets, fell into an eerie silence.
The next second!
A wave of ecstatic joy, powerful enough to overturn galaxies, erupted from every corner of the Federation!
"Martial God! Our Human Race... has given birth to a new Martial God!"
"Chen Fan! It's Chen Fan!!"
"God bless my Human Race! God bless my Human Race!"
On countless planets, billions of people rushed out of their homes, embracing each other and weeping. Countless Martial Artists who were in seclusion for arduous training broke through their barriers, roaring to the sky and fervently shouting the name Chen Fan!
This is Human Race's new Heaven-Supporting Colossus!
It is the brightest hope in this dark age!
The Annihilation Star Domain, the Thirteenth Garrison Node.
Wei Changkong and more than ten veterans, shirtless, were frantically tormenting their bodies in the gravity chamber, their resolute faces soaked with sweat.
When the decree echoed in their minds, everyone froze, as if struck by a spell, and stood there Petrification.
A few seconds later.
"Clang!"
The heavy barbell in Wei Changkong's hands crashed to the ground, denting the Alloy floor.
His weathered face twitched violently, and two streams of hot tears welled up in his eyes without warning.
He suddenly knelt on one knee, facing the empty starry sky, and let out the most fervent roar of his life:
"Congratulations to the Garrison Envoy on ascending to the Martial God!!"
Behind them, the dozen or so veterans who had just advanced to the Eighth-Order knelt down on one knee in unison, their furious roars coalescing into a torrent powerful enough to shake the Stars!
"Congratulations to the Garrison Envoy on ascending to the Martial God!!"
Star River Martial Academy.
Professor Lin Xuanqing was frowning at a teaching plan in his office when he heard the order and stood up abruptly.
"Bang!"
He kicked the Alloy desk in front of him to pieces, put his hands on his hips, and let out a deafening burst of maniacal laughter!
"Haha! My student... is Martial God! My student, Lin Xuanqing's student, is Martial God!!"
Amidst laughter, tears mingled with boundless pride, flowing freely.
In East Sea City, inside a quiet old house.
Chen Ping was watering a pot of orchids when the watering can slipped from his hand and fell to the ground with a clatter, spilling water all over the floor.
His cloudy eyes were fixed on the sky, his wrinkled lips trembling violently as he muttered to himself over and over again in a voice only he could hear:
"My... my Xiao Fan..."
"He's Martial God..."
The second part of the White Emperor's edict, like ancient, icy ice, crashed down upon everyone's hearts:
"However, the gods and demons, the Abyss, Guixu races have already started Blood Tide; this war is a war for the survival of Human Race!"
"Everyone, prepare for battle!"
The wave of ecstasy abruptly ended.
Instead, there is a deathly silence that can freeze the soul.
But, only a breath later.
This deathly silence was then replaced by an even more powerful and resolute will!
That was an overwhelming fighting spirit fueled by hope!
"War! War! War!"
With the Martial God by our side, what is there for Human Race to fear in battle!
"Kill these scum! For Human Race!"
Within the Federation, nine ancient temples, sealed away for countless years, simultaneously radiated brilliant divine light.
The nine Human Race Martial Gods, who were sleeping in their respective Divine Kingdoms, opened their eyes at the same time.
Their wills converged in the Void, carrying an unprecedented solemnity, and a hint of... the fiery passion of new life.
The imperial edict fell silent.
Above the Tianyuan Defense Line, the outermost edge of the Human Race Territory, spanning several Star Domain.
The starlight was swallowed up in an instant.
Tens of thousands of enormous spatial rifts, like hideous scars, were forcibly torn apart on the dark curtain of the universe!
An endless fleet of Alien Races, along with ferocious behemoths the size of the moon, surged forth from it like a flood bursting its banks!
Leading the group was a Ninth-Tier Peak Bone Emperor, standing tens of thousands of feet tall and wielding a massive bone hammer forged from an entire neutron star!
In His empty eye sockets, the fire of His soul flickered wildly, emitting a roar that echoed throughout the Star Sea:
"By order of our Ancient Ancestor, we shall slaughter the Human Race!"
"Leave no one alive!"
The moment he finished speaking, he raised the bone hammer in his hand high and slammed it down fiercely towards the Tianyuan Defense Line!
Boom!!
The enormous bone hammer, forged from an entire neutron star, crashed down with immense power capable of crushing Star System.
The energy shield of the Tianyuan Defense Line, spanning billions of miles of Star Domain, let out a mournful cry of despair under this attack.
On the surface of the shield, huge, spiderweb-like cracks spread wildly, as if it would completely collapse at any moment.
The violent energy surge swept across the area like a tsunami, causing countless Starships within the defensive line to shake violently, their hulls emitting a teeth-grinding twisting sound, as if they were about to disintegrate at any moment.
"All ships launch simultaneously! Energy Matrix overload! Hold on, you bastards!!"
Inside the core fortress of the defensive line, a Ninth Tier Human Race veteran, clad in blood-stained Battle Armor, roared hoarsely with bloodshot eyes.
He was Wang Pojun, the commander-in-chief of the Tianyuan Defense Line and one of the nine great generals under the Heaven-Slaying Martial God.
In an instant, the main cannons of tens of thousands of capital warships within the defensive line simultaneously unleashed a dazzling light. Thousands of beams of destructive light converged into a torrent of energy flowing upstream, precisely striking the descending bone hammer!
However, this concentrated attack, powerful enough to evaporate a Star, was like an ant trying to shake a tree when it landed on the bone hammer.
The bone hammer paused only slightly before crushing the energy torrent with even greater ferocity and continuing its downward push towards the defensive line!
"Boom!!"
With a deafening roar that could shatter the Divine Soul of a peak emperor, the energy shield that had protected the Human Race Territory for countless years finally reached its limit.
It exploded with a bang!
Billions of points of light, like a grand fireworks display, bloomed brilliantly in the silent universe before returning to nothingness.
With their last barrier gone, the entire Tianyuan Defense Line, along with hundreds of millions of soldiers behind it, was completely exposed to the world-destroying shadow of that bone hammer.
The shadow of death loomed over everyone, and utter despair spread like a plague in an instant.
Wang Pojun clenched his last remaining iron fist tightly, his nails digging into his palm, oblivious to the blood flowing down his face. He stared at the approaching bone hammer, his eyes filled not with fear, but with resentment and determination.
"My lads, follow me... and charge!"
Just as he was preparing to burn his Dao Fruit and launch the final charge of his life...
Just as that bone hammer was about to smash the core fortress of the defensive line and turn millions of soldiers into dust.
A tiny ripple of space quietly spread out directly above the bone hammer.
A young man dressed in simple black clothes slowly walked out from there.
He looked no more than sixteen or seventeen years old, with delicate features, but his eyes were so deep that they seemed to contain the birth and death of the universe.
It was Chen Fan.