Following the Clues: The Counter-Tide God

Just as Li Zheng and his fellow members of the Grind Emperor Group" were returning as requested, news of the God of Wealth's death swept across the Forum.

The related topics instantly drowned out the original uproar.

The God of Wealth is a familiar figure to both veteran players who have been deeply involved in the Monster World for years and newcomers who have just entered this world.

This name is a historical landmark of the players' "pioneering era".

He is also the first intelligent being that players encounter in the Monster World.

Even the two currently popular character progression paths both start with the God of Wealth, extending into two completely different development paths that run through the journeys of countless players in the Monster World.

The first line is the line of the village Bully.

It all began when the God of Wealth initiated his graduation trial, descending upon the Imperial Family Mountains Range and clashing with the Di Nian Bully.

This made players aware of the existence of the Di Nian Bully, and subsequently inspired countless top players to join the battle at the village entrance.

The other path is the Counter-Tide path pioneered by players like Li Zheng and Eat Earth, who followed the God of Wealth.

From the initial trials of the Tidal Rebellion Training Camp " to the renowned "Grind Emperor Group that made a name for themselves on the Forum, from being Taunt as "shameful players" to becoming awe-inspiring "iron" warriors—countless players witnessed this growth in the live stream.

The Tidal Rebellion Legion Recruitment players periodically, and all players are very grateful for the hard work of the Grind Emperor Group back then, which made the Player Race a promising new force in the eyes of the Tidal Rebellion Legion.

But no one will forget that all of this originated from the strong support of the God of Wealth.

It can be said that players currently on the "student growth path" are all standing on the same bricks laid by the God of Wealth back then.

I remember how he withstood external pressure and guaranteed a group of clueless players entry into the Tidal Rebellion Training Camp.

I remember how he ignited the fighting spirit of the Grind Emperor Group by saying, "If you don't have enough talent, make up for it with willpower."

I remember him laughing and scolding the players for being arrogant, but his eyes held the most genuine satisfaction and expectation.

For millions of players, the God of Wealth is an important symbol in the early stages of their Player Camp.

He also made players understand that in this world where the strong prey on the weak, besides the cruel competition, there is also an unyielding spirit.

Therefore, when the news that "the God of Wealth died on the Counter-Tide Battlefield and his Soul Return the Tomb of Glory" came, the entire Forum instantly erupted in unprecedented excitement.

The once bustling Forum was now flooded with countless posts of condolence and remembrance.

"It's so heartbreaking. How could the God of Wealth just leave? As a veteran player, I made a small fortune with God of Wealth back in the day. It was my first pot of gold when I started out in Monster World. Oh right, I was the one who stole the God of God of Wealth's teleporter back then. I'm so sad."

"Rest in peace, God of Wealth of Wealth. Although I didn't experience that history firsthand, I witnessed the entire process of how he met the players back then. I'm very grateful for the contributions God of Wealth made to the development of the Player Camp."

"As a player who plays as a trainee, I bid farewell to the God of Wealth. We've never met, but I've received much kindness from him. Thank you."

"Grind Emperor Group, you failed to protect our God of Wealth! You didn't keep the promise you made in the live stream back then, you're despicable!"

"Don't blame the Grind Emperor Group. Players' unlimited freedom belongs only to themselves. We simply don't have the power to change the narrative of the powerful factions. Like the Tidal Rebellion Legion, even if we players respawn infinitely on the battlefield, we're just cannon fodder. The Grind Emperor Group are the same. It's not that they don't want to, it's that they can't."

When the "Pain Brothers's teacher, the Ku Xing," died, I desperately hoped for a Monster Soul to be resurrected. Now that the God of Wealth of Wealth is dead, my desire to resurrect his Monster Soul is even stronger. I hope it can be contained as soon as possible to make up for past regrets, and perhaps one day in the future we can see the God of Wealth again.

The comments section was filled with a mix of lamentation and remembrance.

Veteran players shared screenshots related to the God of Wealth from back in the day, with one even showing off an "Evil Crystals" he had stolen from the God of Wealth, recounting their past experiences.

Newbies left messages of condolence, recounting how they learned about the God of Wealth after watching the Grind Emperor Group's livestream and delving into its history.

Some players have unearthed footage from years ago of the battle between the God of Wealth and the Di Nian Bully. The young man is tall and straight, with his eyes full of unruliness and determination.

Someone shared a live stream clip from when the Grind Emperor Group was trying to survive in the training camp. In the video, the God of Wealth is seen laughing and teaching the Grind Emperor Group how to survive in the training camp.

Some even found Elder You's old evaluation of the God of Wealth in the library. "This young man has a dignified character and will surely achieve great things in the future, but he is too obsessed with perfection, and I'm afraid he will not have a good end."

At this moment, these words are like a sharp blade, piercing the hearts of every player.

That young man who always stood against the Counter-Tide and fought for its Counter-Tide ultimately fell on the battlefield he had dedicated his life to protecting, in the world he wanted to change.

The Forum's popularity continues to rise.

The number of memorial posts is increasing at a rate of tens of thousands per minute.

Players launched an online memorial event, which was spontaneously participated in by millions of players who wrote down their remembrance of the God of Wealth in the posts.

Some players suggested going to the tombstone forest behind the Counter-Tide Battlefield to offer a bouquet of flowers and a pot of wine to the God of Wealth, or even just to take a peek at the tombstone engraved with the words "Duan Xing" and send him off on his final journey.

At this moment, the glory that the God of Wealth pursued throughout his life for posterity was perfectly realized within the Player Camp.

It's not those few lines of battle achievements on the Tidal Rebellion Legion's military merit list.

It is not a family honor or an inscription that will eventually disappear from the family.

Instead, it was the same name that millions of players simultaneously typed on the Forum at that moment.

He was unafraid to die on the battlefield or have his soul scattered; he devoted his entire life to striving, only fearing that he would die too lightly.

He feared that future generations would not remember the name "Duan Xing" and that he would fail to become a role model worthy of respect from future generations.

But at this moment, his name will be permanently recorded in the players' annals as the Player Camp grows.

In the future, no matter how time flows or how battlefields change, the story of the God of Wealth's Duan Xing will be told again and again.

The saying "If you lack talent, make up for it with willpower" will be passed down from generation to generation.

The next generation of players will also learn about this figure through the faction's history.

His image will be forever etched in the annals of history:

A young man, orphaned and filled with unwavering determination, crosses space to create two legendary storylines. With his passion, he illuminates the path for countless players, and with his unyielding spirit, he embodies the true meaning of a warrior.

Just as millions of players were flooding Forum with messages of Duan Xing.

Li Zheng and his brothers from the Grind Emperor Group are currently in the Blessing Temple, deep within the 128th War Legion's base, receiving the blessing of the Counter-Tide God.

The walls inside the garrison temple are covered with densely packed ancient battle patterns, each line bearing witness to the legion's glorious history of iron and blood since its founding.

In the center of the temple stood an enormous statue.

The statue is entirely crimson, surrounded by a hazy halo, except for its head, which is shrouded in heavy light and shadow, making it indistinct and unable to reveal its face. From beginning to end, it exudes an invisible pressure that looks down on the world.

This is the statue of the Counter-Tide God, imprinted with the power of the rules of war, and in the eyes of the Counter-Tide warriors, the supreme being who holds the honor of warriors.

Without his protection, the ancestors of the various races of the Counter-Tide would have perished during the most turbulent period of the Black Tide's rampage.

--

At this time, Li Zheng and others had completed their trials on the edge of the battlefield and were about to begin their short-term careers as instructors.

Afterwards, they will be transferred to a more central battlefield to undergo a more brutal baptism of war.

"I'm quite curious about something." Standing before the statue, Eat Earth craned his neck to look at the indistinct face of the Counter-Tide God statue. "Why does every soldier have to come to the training camp to be an instructor? Logically, shouldn't full-time instructors have more experience and be more suitable for training new recruits? Changing instructors every year, leaving just as they get comfortable teaching, isn't that just a waste of time?"

Ghost Eye glanced at him, his eyes looking at him like he was an idiot. "Eat Earth, you must be the dumbest one among the Player Race."

"You're the stupid one, your whole clan is stupid."

"You'd ask that if you weren't stupid! Do you think being a drill instructor is a cushy job?"

Eat Earth didn't reply, but his expression clearly said: Isn't that right?

Ghost Eye scoffed, tapping his temple with his finger. "Use your pig brain to think. What is a soldier's destiny? It's the battlefield. We brought you here as an instructor because the legion needs someone to pass on their skills—that's a responsibility. We're letting you go because everyone knows where every soldier's heart is. Making any soldier a full-time instructor would be extremely unfair to him, even humiliating."

Li Zheng then chimed in, "Watching batches of soldiers you trained graduate, go to the battlefield, bleed, earn merit, or die in battle, while you yourself remain forever in the training camp—that feeling is more unbearable than dying on the battlefield—you can't look at this issue with our mindset."

"So, nobody wants to be stuck in training camp forever; the battlefield is their true home."

As soon as he finished speaking, Long Gen slowly chimed in, "That's right. Apart from the battle formations, which are taught systematically in the training camp, the other programs mainly focus on honing the trainees' willpower and strengthening their bodies. The abilities of each race are also primarily based on the 'war power system' on the battlefield. The miscellaneous abilities they acquire are basically useless—so having dedicated instructors is pointless."

Just as Eat Earth was about to respond, Ghost Eye hardened. "Don't speak, the power of the Counter-Tide God is coming."

As soon as Ghost Eye finished speaking, the halo emanating from the Counter-Tide God statue in front of them suddenly intensified, and an invisible pressure swept out, causing the shoulders of the group to sag slightly, as if a thousand troops were galloping overhead.

Immediately afterwards, strings of crimson incantations emerged from the aura surrounding the statue, Reflection the entire temple in a crimson glow, and even the figures of Li Zheng and the others were dyed crimson.

Everyone held their breath, preparing to withstand the upgrade of the War Imprint within their bodies.

The crimson incantation slowly drifted down, dragging along countless sparks, and fell towards the group.

One of the incantations was branded on Li Zheng's shoulder.

In an instant, a burning pain spread from his shoulder to his entire body. Li Zheng clenched his teeth, his body remaining motionless. He felt a powerful force of rules flowing into his body along with the incantation, nourishing his muscles and bones and tempering his physique.

He summoned the Monster Soul interface to check and found that the experience bar of the "War Monster Soul" was increasing rapidly.

The text in the description section updates automatically.

[Elementary War Imprint]:

Level: 132.

Monster Soul Description: Formed from the derivative energy of the rules of war, the holder will continuously gain the power of war through war. The larger the scale and the higher the intensity of the war, the more war experience will be gained.

Monster Soul Status: Currently upgrading Intermediate War Imprint - Unlocking Intermediate Permissions, including War Cry Intimidation and Damage Sharing skills -

More and more crimson incantations fell, some branded onto the shoulders, some engraved on the arms, merging into flesh and soul.

Each incantation cast was accompanied by a burning pain, bringing with it even greater war power.

Floating crimson runes emerged continuously from the statue, cycling endlessly. The red light within the temple grew ever more intense, and the pressure from the Counter-Tide God intensified. Yet, Li Zheng sensed an emotion within this power, a kind of expectation.

They were entrusted with the important responsibility of protecting this world.

The group remained kneeling on one knee throughout, without uttering a sound of pain.

Even as the burning pain relentlessly eroded their bodies, and the invisible pressure nearly crushed their backs, their expressions remained resolute.

--

They could clearly feel the immense power surging within them and realized that their strength was growing rapidly.

After an unknown amount of time, the last crimson incantation merged into their brows.

The aura surrounding the statue gradually subsided, and the invisible pressure also weakened, returning to calm.

Only the hazy light and shadow on the statue's head remained, standing silently in the center of the temple, overlooking below.

At this moment, the War Imprint within Li Zheng and all the warriors present advanced to the intermediate level, unlocking a large number of new abilities.

Curious, Li Zheng immediately asked in his mind, "Brother Guidance, what level is my combat power index now?"

[Overall combat strength assessment: Level 389.]

Upon hearing the reply to the Guidance, Li Zheng couldn't help but clench his fist in excitement.

His current combat strength has Transcendence that of the Champion Fighter in the Death Arena.

Although the highest level of the Monster Soul is only 269, the Star Vein System emphasizes stepping on the right foot with the left and spiraling upwards.

With the added power of war brought by the War Imprint, his strength was enough to step into the peak battlefield of the Counter-Tide, far surpassing his brothers such as Ghost Eye.

It's fair to say that, apart from his own Grind Emperor Group fans, all the other guys combined couldn't withstand a single punch from him.

However, the Counter-Tide Battlefield emphasizes unity and cooperation. Even if his current combat strength were placed on the peak battlefield, he would still need to fight as a team.

If you fight alone, you'll die within seconds.

Only those at the Demigod Realm have a chance to stand firm on the battlefield of the peak.

There are many legion commander-level combatants there. When they activate the combined power, they start with a Demigod as the core of the battle formation.

Combined with the strength of the entire legion, their combat power rivals that of gods.

Many of the legion commanders were even themselves God Realm experts.

Li Zheng a deep breath, suppressing the rising feeling of expansion.

Just then, light and shadow flickered deep within the temple, and a blurry figure appeared before them in an instant.

The newcomer was thin and wiry, with long limbs and a ghost-face mark branded on his forehead.

He walked closer, his gaze sweeping over Li Zheng and the others.

Li Zheng and the others stood up straight and respectfully said, "Commander."

The visitor nodded slightly. "You have already received divine grace, and will undergo training from instructors for the next month."

He paused.

"The goal isn't to teach you how to kill the enemy; you've learned that enough on the battlefield. It's to make you understand what the responsibilities of an instructor are."

"Training new recruits and killing enemies are two different things."

"When training new recruits, you need to teach them how to survive on the battlefield."

Commander A's gaze fell on Ghost Eye.

"Do you understand?"

Ghost Eye lowered his head. "Understood."

"I understand."

Commander A turned around and vanished in an instant. A voice rang in Li Zheng and the others' ears. "Go back. There will be people coming to meet you from behind."

The crowd responded in unison, "Yes."

After speaking, Li Zheng and the others turned and left the temple.

The footsteps faded into the distance, and the palace doors slowly closed, shutting them out.

The temple returned to silence.

Just then, a gaze fell upon the statue of the Counter-Tide God, tracing back to the source of war power that was slowly fading from the statue.

The owner of that gaze was none other than Qi Sheng on the Origin Altar.

Back then, his skills were still relatively weak.

When Duan Xing descended upon the Imperial Family Mountains, he had fewer than ten Primal Monster under his control.

To be on the safe side, he did not investigate the details of the Tidal Rebellion Legion.

But things are different now; he is fully capable of checking out the current state of the Counter-Tide God.

His divine sense followed the fading divine aura on the statue, transcending spatial barriers, and rapidly traversed towards the rear of the Tidal Rebellion Legion.

Military camps, training camps, defense lines, secret realms, and tribal territories along the way were all clearly visible to him through his divine sense.

He already knew the identity of the Counter-Tide God.

By using the power of the rules of war, it can be deduced that the opponent is the strongest among the Eight Extremes Gods: Hun Zhan.

A top-tier war god capable of contending with the Black Tide Demon Gods.

At the same time, he was also the self-proclaimed successor of Di Zhao after his self-destruction, proclaiming to the world. "Di Zhao has self-destructed, the Four Gods have fallen, and we have completely lost hope of rekindling the Di Zhao's Flame. But I have not given up. I will lead you to continue the Conquest the Black Tide until we reclaim our homeland—I do not need to inherit Di Zhao; I will Transcendence Di Zhao!"

The "Counter-Tide" in "Counter-Tide God" refers to stirring up a countercurrent to fight against the sweeping Black Tide.

His core purpose in establishing the Tidal Rebellion Legion was to protect the native races, reclaim lost territory, and once again stand at the pinnacle of the Monster World.

But the "orthodox" doctrine that the Counter-Tide God speaks of is not recognized by the Four Gods beside him.

After all, those four back then all claimed to be the rightful successors, and only after his appearance did they willingly agree to assist him.

The crucial question is whether this self-proclaimed successor to the Di Zhao, once he learns that he is the one who truly holds the reins of the Di Zhao, will be willing to humble himself and follow him.

With this in mind, Qi Sheng's divine sense no longer hesitated. Relying on the remaining divine energy of war left by the Counter-Tide God, he broke through layers of spatial barriers and crossed countless mountains, rivers, and seas—the scenery along the way rushed past.

A few minutes later, his divine sense pierced through the last barrier and quietly descended into a magnificent underground palace.

The moment his divine sense entered the palace grounds, Qi Sheng, who was far away on the Origin Altar, frowned.

Here, he sensed a dense aura of death.

The divine sense traversed the towering stone pillars of the palace, their surfaces intricately carved with war-themed runes, and finally landed on the vast plaza at the center of the palace.

On the plaza, millions of figures clad in crimson robes sat cross-legged, their eyes closed, their expressions solemn, their arms clasped together, palms facing each other, and crimson spiritual patterns crisscrossing beneath them, connecting each figure closely to form a massive energy network.

Countless pure war powers surged from the bodies of millions of red-robed figures, flowing along the spiritual patterns beneath their feet and continuously converging towards the center of the plaza.

There, a War Throne ablaze with crimson flames stood tall.

As the flames leaped, they unleashed a devastating, earth-shattering power.

All the power that had gathered was devoured and refined by the throne, becoming part of its own foundation.

When Qi Sheng's gaze fell upon the War Throne, his expression suddenly changed, and his pupils contracted slightly.

On the throne sat a crimson skeleton over a hundred meters tall.