Phanes's Madman Move! Engraving the Demon God with the Iron Law of "Forced Love for Humanity," Zhou

The truth was peeled back layer by layer, each revelation more shocking and more tragic than the last.

Phanes's greatness could no longer be described in words. He was not merely a hero; he was a sower of civilization, the founder of a world, a pioneer who used himself as kindling to ignite the fire of hope.

And that "Devourer," that vile thief who had stolen a hero's remains—beneath Phanes's radiance, everything he had done appeared ever more ugly and contemptible.

Just then, the Light Screen shifted again, and a new line of text emerged with the air of a question.

[Then, who was the first "Demon God" created by Phanes?]

"What kind of person would he be?" Ning Rongrong could not help murmuring. Her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda flickered behind her, radiating precious light. "The first one created should be the strongest, right?"

"Hard to say." Tang San's gaze was profound as he thought at high speed. "The first often also means a test subject. Phanes may have been great, but he was still feeling his way along a path no one had ever taken before."

Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Eye flickered as he focused his spiritual power to the utmost, trying to glean more information from the shifting Light Screen. "The key is, what exactly was the 'mission' Phanes gave them? Was it merely to protect and fight the Abyss?"

This was also the greatest doubt in everyone's hearts.

As the crowd discussed it and all manner of speculation arose among the various small groups, the words on the Light Screen finally changed again.

This time, however, what appeared was neither a specific name nor an image, but a passage filled with sanctity and majesty, yet carrying the cold aura of Laws.

[Phanes wove absolute foundational directives for the children he created.]

[First: You shall possess great power and eternal lifespans, becoming the new rulers and Gods of this land.]

[Second: The ultimate purpose of your existence shall be to cherish humanity.]

[You must love humanity as you love yourselves; you must protect humanity as you protect your own lives.]

[You may guide humanity, but you may not imprison its freedom; you may teach humanity, but you may not think or choose in its place.]

["Love" shall be the sole measure of the value of your existence.]

[This is the Law of God Loves All Beings.]

[This Law shall be engraved into the core of every Demon God's soul, never to be erased or defied for all eternity.]

When the final line slowly faded away, the entire space fell into dead silence.

One could hear a pin drop.

Everyone's expressions froze. Shock, astonishment, and disbelief ultimately converged into an indescribable chill, more piercing than when they had learned that Phanes had mutilated himself to create Gods.

"Holy... shit..." Zhou Weiqing blurted out a curse instinctively. For the first time, all color drained from his normally carefree face, leaving it somewhat pale. "This guy... he's a madman. A complete and utter madman!"

Not ruthless. A madman!

To make "love" an absolute, inviolable foundational directive, and use the authority of the Creator to forcibly carve it into the deepest part of another life's soul?

What a... what a terrifying, yet... sacred method!

"This is not love."

A cool voice rang out, and everyone's eyes turned toward her. It was Gu Yuena. The Silver Dragon King's expression was incomparably complex as she gently shook her head. "This is the most perfect Shackles, the gentlest Curse. In the name of love, he nailed them to the cross of 'protecting humanity' for all eternity."

Tang Wulin took her hand. Her palm was icy cold. He could feel the immense turmoil in Gu Yuena's heart. As the Lord of Soul Beasts, her relationship with humanity was complicated beyond description. More than anyone, she understood what kind of terrifying monsters could arise when an emotion—especially "love"—was turned into a compulsory Law.

"So that's how it is... so that's how it is..." Rong Nianbing murmured. As the God of Emotion, he had suffered the greatest shock of all. No one understood the power of emotions better than he did. "He isn't creating Gods. He's creating Rules themselves. He turned the vague blessing of 'God Loves All Beings' into an iron law. From the moment these Demon Gods were born, they were no longer complete lives. They lost the right to hate humanity, and even... the freedom not to love humanity."

Ji Dong's body trembled slightly as he instinctively looked toward Lie Yan beside him.

Lie Yan's face was equally filled with shock. She had begun as a strand of Core Fire, and only gradually gained complete emotions after sensing Ji Dong's love, ultimately taking human form. Her love had arisen naturally; it was the result of a choice.

But the love of the Demon Gods created by Phanes was a programmed setting.

"This is too terrifying." Lie Yan's voice trembled slightly. "If... if the humans they protected turned around and harmed them, betrayed them, what would they do? They couldn't even hate them. They could only... keep loving them?"

That question sent a shiver down everyone's spine.

A God who could only love and could not hate, facing humans with free will—humans who could show gratitude, but could also betray.

This was simply a tragedy destined to unfold.

"No, this is precisely where Phanes's greatness lies." Tang San's voice broke the oppressive atmosphere. His eyes shone brilliantly, as though he had seen a plan stretching across the ages. "What he wanted was not a group of 'powerhouses' with their own wills who might waver because of selfish desires. What he wanted was a set of absolutely stable Laws that would never betray this world and would always place humanity first. These Demon Gods are the personified incarnations of those Laws!"

"He used his own life to place the strongest reins upon the future rulers of this world!" Dai Hao's breathing grew heavy. As an Emperor, he instantly grasped the key point. "Power leads to corruption, but what if those who possess power are defined at the soul level to only 'serve the people'? This is... the ultimate form of rule that every Emperor dreams of, yet does not dare imagine!"

Xue Ye let out a long sigh, his face full of bitterness. "We spend our entire lives balancing political schemes, winning people's loyalty, and guarding against betrayal. Yet Phanes solved this problem at its root. The price was... the freedom of those 'Demon Gods.'"

"What a tragic hymn." Ye Yinzhu closed his eyes, as though he could already hear a Divine Comedy formed by the collision of the Shackles of countless souls. "Phanes was not only a composer; he was also the one who established the theory of music. Every note had to be played under this set of Rules, no matter how stirring or sorrowful it might be."