The Path to Godhood

"Generally speaking, there are two paths to becoming a Deity.

"The first, and simplest, is to inherit the divine position of a predecessor. This method generally requires the recognition of a Deity, or the possession of certain qualities, after which a God Examination can be triggered.

"After passing the God Examination, one can directly inherit the divine position and become a Deity.

"The second is to gather faith, forge a divine position, and become a Deity. This method is very difficult and requires a great deal of time and effort.

"And I intend to use the faith of the entire Extreme North to forge a divine position for myself!"

Huo Yuhao's gaze was serious, and his words brimmed with confidence.

In truth, there were several other ways to become a Deity.

For example, one could share a divine position to become a Deity. For details, one could refer to his dear father-in-law and mother-in-law.

Beyond that, one could also rely entirely on one's own strength and forcibly forge a divine position from nothing.

There was also an unverified method of becoming a god: relying on a Divine Artifact!

Records in the history books of the God Realm stated that, before Tang San, several others on Douluo Continent had become gods.

For instance, there was the First Generation Angel God, who had long since left the God Realm to roam the cosmos.

According to the records, during the era of the First Generation Angel God, there had been a Holy Sword that contained boundless power.

At the time, the Angel God had merely been an ordinary human. In pursuit of power, she drew this Sword of Power, but in doing so, she also released the evil and disease sealed within it, plunging the mortal world into misery.

To atone for her mistake, the First Generation Angel began slaying all evil and disease in the world.

(PS: This part was described during Qian Renxue's seventh trial. I don't know whether it was from the original novel or the anime; I found it while looking up information, so I used it directly.)

However, Huo Yuhao could not determine whether the First Generation Angel God had become a god through that Divine Artifact, through gaining faith by slaying evil and disease, or through a combination of both.

But that did not hinder Huo Yuhao from trying to obtain faith.

It was also a safeguard.

Snow Empress was slightly stunned. Looking at the youth before her, her first thought was that he was being wildly overconfident. Yet after thinking it over, she found that what he said made some sense.

He possessed a Divine Artifact that only Deities could wield, and according to what Bing'er had told her, that Divine Artifact was not the only thing within him. There was also a ring he called the "Seed of Emotion," and beyond that, there even seemed to be an existence of an extremely high level, possibly a Deity.

With all these factors combined, it seemed only natural that this youth claimed he could become a Deity.

Snow Empress fell silent. Or rather, she was tempted.

Her wish was simple: to protect the creatures of the Extreme North and keep the Extreme North free from outside intrusion.

But unfortunately, she could not hold on much longer.

Several tens of thousands of years ago, she had thought that even if she were gone, Bing'er would still be there. Though Bing'er was proud, she would never stand by and watch the Extreme North be invaded. Even if she were no longer around, Bing'er would certainly step forward to protect the Extreme North!

Yet unfortunately, Bing'er had damaged her origin while breaking through the Three-Hundred-Thousand-Year Heavenly Tribulation. She would absolutely be unable to overcome the Four-Hundred-Thousand-Year Heavenly Tribulation.

And as for herself, she would most likely be unable to pass the threshold of seven hundred thousand years either.

At most, in a thousand years, the entire Extreme North would be left without anyone to protect it.

Originally, she had been torn over whether to take a gamble—to use the Hundred-Thousand-Year Snow Lotus she had found by chance to transform and cultivate anew, then attempt to attain a divine position and gain the power to protect the Extreme North.

But now...

It seemed she had another choice.

Snow Empress looked at the youth before her, sensing an aura from him that resembled hers, yet was somehow different.

Her instincts made her unconsciously want to draw close to him, but reason stopped her from acting on that impulse.

She closed her eyes. The information Bing'er had just told her and the youth's words naturally surfaced in her mind. After a long while, Snow Empress slowly opened her eyes and looked at him seriously.

"Can you promise that after becoming a god, you will protect the entire Extreme North?"

"I promise."

Huo Yuhao answered without hesitation.

—This is what I owe you in the first place.

Snow Empress stared into Huo Yuhao's ice-blue eyes, as though trying to see through them and into his heart. A moment later, she reached her conclusion.

—There is no falsehood.

The youth had not lied. On the contrary, his promise was utterly sincere.

Perhaps because of their similar constitutions, Snow Empress could even sense the sincerity in Huo Yuhao's heart.

Snow Empress's gaze softened slightly. As if she had made up her mind, she spoke.

"What do I need to do? Or... what do you need me to do? Become your soul spirit?"

The Ice Empress beside her: ???

The petite green-haired girl widened her eyes at Snow Empress, her face full of disbelief.

"Snow Empress... you trust him just like that?" the Ice Empress asked hesitantly.

"Why not?" Snow Empress looked at the Ice Empress with gentle eyes before turning to Huo Yuhao again.

"You understand me very well—far too well. You even give me the feeling that we have known each other for a very, very long time.

"So... I suppose you know about my situation, don't you?"

Huo Yuhao fell silent, then nodded.

He knew that what Snow Empress wanted to discuss was her Seven-Hundred-Thousand-Year Heavenly Tribulation.

"So, I have no other choice. Either I take a gamble on you, or I take a gamble on myself," Snow Empress said softly.

For the creatures of the Extreme North, she could pay any price. Now that a new choice had appeared before her, how could she simply give it up?

"You still give me an indescribable sense of familiarity. It makes me instinctively want to trust you.

"So... even if you betray me...

"Do not betray the countless creatures of the Extreme North, all right?"

Snow Empress's voice was very soft. The inexplicable familiarity she felt toward Huo Yuhao, along with the closeness brought by their similar constitutions, made her unconsciously speak to him as an equal.

Huo Yuhao looked at Snow Empress. He knew of Snow Empress's obsession, but what had he done in his past life?

Self-reproach and guilt.

His emotions rose bit by bit, leaving Huo Yuhao inexplicably distressed. After a long silence, he made his promise—his own vow.

"Whether or not I become a god, I will protect the Extreme North. I will grant the Extreme North a peaceful life, free from outside intrusion."

The Eye of Destiny appeared once more as a witness. At that moment, threads of Destiny linked Huo Yuhao and Snow Empress together.

This was a contract on the level of Destiny, a contract that used everything in one's future as collateral to prove one's sincerity and determination.

Snow Empress's eyes widened slightly.

After the threads of Destiny connected her and Huo Yuhao, the contract of Destiny conveyed its precise terms to her, allowing her to understand the weight carried by this promise.

Snow Empress looked at Huo Yuhao. Her eyes flickered slightly as something deep in her heart was touched. After a long while, she looked at him and spoke gently, yet solemnly.

"Thank you."