Yun Fan and Athena's expressions changed, having not expected to be targeted by the Anti-God Alliance.
"Come with us!"
Several gods addressed Yun Fan and Athena.
"Impossible!"
Athena stated coldly.
Before Yun Fan could persuade her to avoid conflict in this situation, the gods activated an array. It was not an offensive array, but a teleportation one. In an instant, the two were transported to a small, dilapidated world, a place Yun Fan couldn't identify. As Yun Fan and Athena prepared to defend themselves, they realized there were more than ten gods present. Fortunately, none were at Athena's level, so they wouldn't be afraid if a fight broke out. The enemy's teleportation array was indeed terrifying, transporting them here almost instantaneously.
"Why did you trespass into the territory of our Anti-God Alliance?"
The leading god questioned them. In essence, they were still humans, merely possessing god-level strength, thus called gods. Stripped of their halos and power, they were no different from ordinary people, except that so-called gods harbored more malice than humans.
Yun Fan then spoke, "We were merely passing by and had no idea this was your territory!" The Anti-God Alliance was not far from the Dragon God Palace, but their location within a small world made them difficult to detect.
The leader continued, "Those who are not members of our Anti-God Alliance appearing in our territory by chance is no accident, especially when she is a lackey of the Dragon God!" It was clear they recognized Athena.
Yun Fan explained, "She was a subordinate of the Dragon God before, but not anymore!"
"No need to explain anything to them!" Athena, a fiery war goddess, disdained to explain.
"Hmph!" the other party sneered, "Do you think we believe you? Are you here to capture people from our Anti-God Alliance again?"
"It's not like that!" Yun Fan wished to avoid conflict, as the Anti-God Alliance might become allies. However, the other party disregarded his words.
"Attack! Take them down!"
A battle was about to erupt. Athena unleashed her peak combat power, but she was still weak after recovering from a strange infection. As expected, the two sides immediately clashed. Despite her weakness, Athena could handle four or five gods. Yun Fan, on the other hand, found himself in a more desperate situation. Lacking Athena's superior cultivation, he was suppressed. Forced, Yun Fan resorted to his demonic powers. As his potent demonic energy spread throughout him, the gods’ expressions shifted drastically.
"Wait!"
At this moment, the gods ceased their attack upon hearing an elder's command. Athena and Yun Fan remained vigilant. Athena was unperturbed, being a volatile deity herself, ready to fight without hesitation. Yun Fan, however, was frustrated by the Anti-God Alliance's apparent lack of communication. The elder approached them and knelt before Yun Fan.
"Greetings, Hero!"
He bowed to Yun Fan with great piety, and the other gods followed suit. Yun Fan was unaware of the elder's exact power, but Athena could clearly see that the elder was at her cultivation level. However, due to his depleted vitality, he couldn't match her combat prowess, perhaps only slightly stronger than Yun Fan. If Yun Fan could hear Athena's thoughts, he would have been devastated to be used as a benchmark for comparison.
"What is this?"
Yun Fan looked at the elder in confusion, as the other gods seemed equally bewildered. They knelt because the elder was the leader of the Anti-God Alliance. The elder quickly said, "I never thought I'd live to see the Hero return after ten thousand years. My life is complete!" Yun Fan had heard this before, from the three gods at True Martial Divine Palace. He, the notorious Demon Ancestor, was being hailed as a hero here.
The elder eagerly explained to Yun Fan, "It's understandable that you're unaware of the situation after being reborn ten thousand years later. Let me explain everything!" Yun Fan and Athena listened attentively.
The elder introduced himself as Qing Feng Ming Yue, the steward to the Fire God and Water God. After their disappearance, he had temporarily assumed the position of alliance leader, but unfortunately, he failed to elevate the Anti-God Alliance to its peak, leading to its decline. He appeared deeply regretful, though Athena felt his guilt was unnecessary. Even the God Alliance had been in decline over the past ten thousand years, let alone an organization like the Anti-God Alliance, lacking supreme deities. It would have been abnormal for them not to decline. Yun Fan was surprised by Qing Feng Ming Yue's origins, which far exceeded his expectations. The steward of Zhu Rong and Gong Gong, from such a distant past.
Yun Fan then inquired, "But what does this have to do with you calling me a hero?" Neither Yun Fan nor Athena saw any connection.
Qing Feng Ming Yue explained, "Because you once guided my two masters, Zhu Rong and Gong Gong. They were originally mortals, but because of your guidance, they achieved what they did later!" This statement truly surprised Yun Fan. He had been a half-master to these great deities, and he felt a surge of pride. However, he believed this merely made him a mentor, far from being a hero.
Qing Feng Ming Yue continued, "This world was originally a wicked place, with gods fighting for their own interests. Though they appeared as lofty deities, their hearts were evil! Their prey were mortals and other weaker beings! But your arrival shattered this order! The gods were forced to behave!" He exaggerated, "If not for the Hero's arrival, this world would have fallen into darkness! Though you sacrificed yourself later, the Water God and Fire God inherited your will and changed this world!" This declaration astonished Yun Fan. He had apparently been meddling in affairs so much that he had ended up disappearing.
Yun Fan asked, "Was I truly that kind of person before?"
Qing Feng Ming Yue replied, "Hero, you once said that you accidentally descended into this wild world, but you grew to love it. Thus, when you saw the world filled with corruption, you wished to change its balance!"
"So that's how it is!" Though Yun Fan found it somewhat absurd, it aligned with his personality. Even now, his sense of justice remained.
Qing Feng Ming Yue then stated, "You are the nemesis of the 'ghouls' and the hero of heaven and earth, but the evil of this world did not agree with your actions. They slandered you and plotted against you, leading to the subsequent war between gods and demons!" Athena could deeply relate to this. Upon arriving in the Divine Realm, she had been greatly disappointed, and now, she was even more so, having become an enemy.
Yun Fan inquired, "What about the Water God and Fire God?" Qing Feng Ming Yue replied with a sigh, "Upon learning that the Hero was being besieged, the Water God and Fire God went to your aid. However, unfortunately, on their journey, they were attacked by an unparalleled powerhouse and vanished from the Divine Realm. We have searched for them for ten thousand years without success." This news puzzled Yun Fan. The Water God and Fire God were extremely powerful, comparable to the Dragon God and True Martial Great God, perhaps even stronger. How could they have been ambushed?
Yun Fan then asked, "Do you know who ambushed them?" Qing Feng Ming Yue replied, "I do not know, but they were peak-level gods. At that time, only two individuals possessed the strength to ambush and defeat them!"
"Who were they?" Yun Fan asked, puzzled.
Qing Feng Ming Yue stated, "One was the Emperor, and the other was the West Queen Mother, who plotted against you, and was your true disciple!" The mention of the West Queen Mother infuriated Yun Fan. He couldn't believe he had been defeated by someone he had trained, and though it was ten thousand years ago, it remained a humiliation. However, he had to admit that he had faced similar setbacks before.
Yun Fan then asked, "Where is the West Queen Mother?"
"She ascended and achieved the true immortal fruit," Qing Feng Ming Yue replied, spreading his hands. Yun Fan was on the verge of collapse, which meant avenging himself was almost impossible. This was the greatest tragedy: the person you trained betrayed you, and that person is stronger than you, leaving you helpless and needing to be cautious. However, he accepted his misfortune.
Qing Feng Ming Yue then told Yun Fan, "Hero, there is much more to your legend and stories. We have them in our treasury; you can go and see!"
"That's a good suggestion!" Yun Fan nodded. Relying solely on Qing Feng Ming Yue to explain would take too long. Reading them himself was the best approach, provided the information was accurate. However, at that moment, Qing Feng Ming Yue said to Yun Fan, "Hero, we must eliminate her!" He pointed at Athena. Athena's expression changed instantly, her gaze turning cold as she looked at Qing Feng Ming Yue. If they were to fight now, it would likely result in a mutual destruction.
"Why?" Yun Fan asked, confused.
Qing Feng Ming Yue explained, "Because she is a subordinate of the Dragon God, and our Anti-God Alliance has been persecuted by the Dragon God Palace countless times over the past ten thousand years. For the Hero's safety, we must eliminate her!"
Yun Fan explained, "It's alright, she's no longer with the Dragon God Palace!" He then recounted Athena's situation.
However, Qing Feng Ming Yue insisted, "That's not necessarily true. Gods are very cunning. What if she approached you with ulterior motives?" He confidently stated, "Hero, you need not fear. Although none of us are her match, if we activate the incomplete power left by the Water God and Fire God, we can still kill her!" Athena's expression shifted.
Yun Fan quickly interjected, "Rest assured, I guarantee she's fine. After all, she's my woman. We're all on the same side now!" Athena was almost outraged, utterly surprised by Yun Fan's shamelessness. When had she become his woman? She felt her reputation had been insulted. She was a war goddess, stronger than most men, and didn't need a man. Qing Feng Ming Yue finally relented after this declaration. They then ceased to trouble Athena.
They led Yun Fan and Athena to the treasury, which held many secrets from the mythical era. Qing Feng Ming Yue and his group then withdrew, understanding that Yun Fan had just arrived in the Divine Realm after a ten-thousand-year gap. Yun Fan had forgotten much of his past, so he needed time to adjust. Allowing Yun Fan to review the information was beneficial.
Unexpectedly, as soon as they left, Yun Fan suffered Athena's wrath.
"Ah!" Yun Fan cried out, clutching his lower body. "What are you doing?"
"If you dare to speak disrespectfully to me again, don't blame me for being rude!" Athena threatened Yun Fan. Despite Yun Fan being the Demon Ancestor, she didn't hold back.
Yun Fan said speechlessly, "That was to protect you! Do you think the power of the Water God and Fire God is a joke? It's absolutely terrifying!" Athena acknowledged this, feeling slightly better. Then, Yun Fan muttered to himself, "As if I liked you. You're more savage than a man. Even a hooligan would shake their head!" Athena's anger flared instantly. She couldn't believe that in Yun Fan's eyes, she was such a woman. At this critical moment, Yun Fan quickly changed the subject.
"Look, what's that?"
Athena then saw a painting preserved for ten thousand years. It was lifelike and depicted someone magnificent. Just a glance evoked a feeling of being conquered. Even he hadn't expected to be captivated by his ten-thousand-year-old self.
"That's you!" Yun Fan couldn't help but praise the portrait of himself, realizing his charm was undeniable. While he and his past self weren't the absolute most handsome, they possessed the most captivating aura.
"Don't you think we look similar?" Yun Fan said proudly, assuming Athena was already worshipping his past self. In his opinion, his painting might have been too powerful, his charisma on a different level than his current self. Athena might ignore his current charm, but she couldn't ignore the allure of the painting, as any woman would likely be swayed by it. However, he attributed this not to women's practicality, but to his damned, yet unplaceable, charm.
"We really do look similar!" Athena stated bluntly, "Both equally despicable!"