The Path Ahead

" I, Qi Fan, have long known of the Heavenly Divine General's name and have held him in deep respect. I deeply regret never having had the chance to meet and speak with him.

I know the Divine General wishes to use his own mighty strength to bring peace to a turbulent age, but the Great Dao stretches far into the distance and must be paved with countless bones and blood. I hope the Divine General will not let our lives and deaths weigh on his mind."

Chen Yan stood upon a shattered expanse of earth, the words from that letter surfacing involuntarily in his mind.

When he had come closest to death, the letter's contents had surfaced deep in his thoughts once more.

Countless bones and blood to pave the way?

Chen Yan's heart felt heavy. He had wanted to have it both ways, wanted everything to go as he wished.

But in the end, he had still failed.

He was already the Lord of Will. Why couldn't he truly have it both ways?

The Lord of Elements had told him that sacrifice was necessary.

The Lord of Body Tempering had told him the same: there was no way to have it both ways.

Was the Lord of Body Tempering powerful?

Ten thousand years ago, the Human Race had been on the brink of extinction, while the Ancient Gods had been invincible in the world. That situation had been far more desperate than the one they faced now.

The man had risen to power in those circumstances; no one could deny his strength.

Yet this very man had caused his own son's death, hunted down his granddaughter, and left his descendants burdened with Imperial Calamity for generations.

Was it helplessness?

Or had he already compromised?

Chen Yan's expression was