**Chapter 298: Gift, Karma Fire**
The breeze fanned out carried the scent of plants and trees. Occasionally, amidst the sound of the fan, one could hear the pleasant chirping of birds and the calls of beasts, making one feel refreshed and joyful.
At the handle of the fan hung a piece of mutton fat white jade. On the jade stone, slightly smaller than a mahjong tile, a landscape painting was faintly visible on the front, while the back was carved with a Bird and Beast Pattern.
Calming Spirit, Concentrating Spirit, Clearing Mind, Peace and Health, Birdsong, Beast Language—
This Rhino Horn Bone Fan was enhanced with at least eighteen types of Spirit Mark Restrictions, each with over twenty layers of restrictions. In terms of Grade, this bone fan was at least a mid-to-high-grade Magic Tool. However, the restrictions inscribed on it had nothing to do with killing, Magical Combat, or the like; it was merely a curio.
In the eyes of those Rogue Cultivators in the Jambudvīpa World, this bone fan would be a wasteful extravagance. Who would be so lavish as to use top-tier materials and add over a dozen restrictions just to make a broken fan for fanning air?
But Master Ancient One happened to like this gift.
This fan wasn't considered particularly precious. The rhino horn came from an Exotic Beast, an albino rhinoceros species, in the Underworld. Because this Exotic Beast lived in the sunless Underworld year-round, not only was its entire rhino skin a pale white, but the rhino horn on its head also had a peculiar white hue.
The rhino horn used to make the bone fan was selected by Tang Group from tens of thousands of rhinoceroses, using hundreds of iron soldiers and thousands of drones, choosing the most warm and delicate horn.
To maintain the vitality of the rhino horn, the Weapon Manufacturing Department of Tang Group even dispatched two Sentinels to capture this giant creature, which was over ten meters long and five to six meters tall.
The subsequent cutting of the rhino horn was also the work of master-level craftsmen, personally handled by elite artisans from the Dwarves, who took the material from the living cow horn.
As for the landscape painting carved on the fan surface, the supervisor of Tang Group's Public Relations Department led a team on a trip to Afghanistan, spending half a month to find a bone carving master with exquisite skill.
They offered five million US dollars and persuaded his children to convince this master, who had long since retired his blade, to come out of seclusion.
The piece of mutton fat white jade hanging from the handle was produced in Hotan, but it wasn't newly mined. Instead, Tang Group commissioned Sotheby's and several other large auctions to acquire it from around the world at a premium.
The feng shui painting carved on it was also done by the best jade carving master, meticulously carved.
To be blunt, the basic materials and carving alone for this fan were worth nine figures.
The spirit mark restrictions on the fan were personally drawn by Boss Tang, refining this fan into a magic tool of excellent grade.
Its function wasn't limited to fanning out a cool breeze with traces of cold qi in the summer. In winter, this fan would turn the area within three meters around the wearer into the most comfortable constant temperature.
This fan also came with a protective shield. Being impervious to saber and spear, water, and fire was just a minor thing. Even in rainy or snowy weather, this fan could manifest an auspicious cloud, not only blocking rain but also really upping the ante in terms of style.
There were also over a dozen scattered small restrictions on the fan, such as the Small Cloud and Rain Technique and the Revitalization Talisman.
If one encountered an environment where plants and trees were withered and yellow, affecting their mood, one fan wave would instantly cause the plants and trees to regenerate and flowers to bloom profusely!
If one encountered someone who had been in a car accident, with broken hands and feet, seeking help on the mountain, one fan wave wouldn't instantly heal them, but it could restore them by seventy to eighty percent.
For the Rogue Cultivators in the Jambudvīpa World, the cost-effectiveness of this rhino horn fan was utterly terrible. This was also the reason why this fan wasn't considered very precious; with Ancient One's strength, this fan was at most a curio.
Among the magic artifacts Ancient One collected, there were many items more mystical than this fan.
But judging by Master Ancient One's behavior of never letting go of the fan, she was clearly very satisfied with it.
The gift Boss Tang sent could be said to have sent straight to her heart.
Tang Song had always firmly believed in one thing: in this world, apart from one's own parents, no one would help you for no reason.
Friendship, love, and kinship all needed to be nurtured.
Just like the Tang Group he established with his subordinates to serve his cultivation, this giant creature that now spanned the entire world, apart from a small handful of people he controlled with magic arts, was essentially a community of interests.
Tang Group's salary was four to five times that of ordinary companies. Year-end bonus, company medical security, housing subsidies, and even a housing distribution system, coupled with various internal benefits, naturally made the Group's so-called company cohesion far surpass that of the outside world.
By investing hard cash, there was naturally no need to worry about the so-called employee loyalty.
And the core small group surrounding Boss Tang was not short of money. What Boss Tang brought them was the path to the supernatural world, and even, in a sense, the path to becoming a god.
Therefore, Tang Song's enemies were naturally their enemies.
As for Ancient One and Odin, the Guardians of Earth, the reason they chose to stand in the same faction as Tang Song was obvious for Odin; he wanted to change the outcome of Ragnarök and save Asgard, which Ancient One predicted was destined for destruction.
As for Ancient One, Tang Song had never been able to figure out her true thoughts. Therefore, in recent years, Tang Song had been constantly sending various exquisite, woman-pleasing small items and magic treasures to the Tibetan Snow Mountain.
Each small item was like this rhino horn bone fan, a small curio that wasn't considered precious.
In China, the emphasis was on mutual favors. Since Ancient One accepted the gifts readily, she naturally turned a blind eye to some of Tang Song's minor matters.
Furthermore, everything Tang Song did, whether it was killing Mephisto or clearing out Dormammu's followers on Earth, was consistent with Ancient One's objectives.
As for the things Boss Tang did that weren't very justice-oriented,
In the face of resisting Dimensional Evil Gods and saving the entire Reality Dimension, Ancient One merely overlooked them.
After all, even during World War I and World War II, world wars that caused countless human casualties,
Ancient One had no intention of interfering. Her gaze and enemies were always outside the Reality Dimension.
Compared to the Guardian she needed to support and guide, the one she saw in the future Timeline, Ancient One, after observing some Timelines, felt that a Guardian like Tang Song, who could nip dangers in the bud, was more to her liking.
This had nothing to do with those small gifts. It was just that compared to Tang Song, Ancient One saw that most of the dangers that constantly erupted in the future, threatening the Reality Dimension and even the entire Universe, were actually created by the Superheroes themselves.
They created dangers again and again, and stepped forward again and again to save the world, like dancing on the tip of a blade.
An unintentional action by one person could change the future. Even Ancient One couldn't see all Timelines clearly.
But even with just a tiny variable, one oversight by those Superheroes, and Earth would be like an egg smashed on the ground.
Crack! Shattered to pieces!
In the face of one's absolute interests, so-called justice was insignificant.
Tony Stark didn't understand this reason. He had a smooth sailing youth. His father was the president of Stark Industries, the only son of a billionaire, and he himself was a highly anticipated genius.
Even after Tony Stark experienced a terrorist kidnap crisis that led to a transformation, the arrogant Tony Stark still couldn't understand why someone would be willing to sell out their friends for money!
"They kidnapped my girlfriend, Damian, you know, I had no choice. If you want to blame someone, blame this damned community. If the Detroit Police Department hadn't sealed off the community, I would have taken her and left long ago!"
In a dilapidated building covered in graffiti in the Red Brick Community, in a room on the seventh floor, Tony Stark, wearing sunglasses, frowned as he looked at the tattooed man pointing a handgun at him.
After locking onto the signal of the call with the two corrupt police officers, he came directly to the outside of this sealed community and, through some means, contacted the informant Bucky had found.
With his help, he snuck into the Red Brick Community, but unexpectedly, another informant inside the community turned.
"You betrayed Bucky Barnes, Lino. You've disappointed me too much. Five hundred thousand US dollars is enough for you to take your girlfriend and move to another city, living a decent life. You defected to Tremaine!?"
Damian held up a handgun and confronted Lino, spitting angrily on the ground.
"I didn't! I was discovered by them while I was trying to inquire about the Counterfeit Money Factory for you guys. I didn't expect Tremaine to guard this Counterfeit Money Factory so strictly. Just by asking about it a little, someone immediately secretly reported it to Tremaine! He kidnapped Lola and forced me to be his inside man!"
Lino's emotions were also out of control. He roared at the two of them hoarsely!
"If it wasn't you, then who was it?" Damian also roared angrily, "Right after we met with you, something happened to Bucky Barnes!"
"It wasn't me, Damian. Take your people and leave this place. I don't want to betray you. I need to find a way to save Lola!"
Mentioning his girlfriend's name, Lino seemed to have lost his drive. He put down the gun in his hand and waved his hand at the two of them with his back turned: "Just pretend you didn't see me!"
"It really wasn't you!?"
Damian seemed to believe Lino's words. He slowly lowered his gun: "Where is Lola being held by Tremaine? I think I can help you!"
Lino turned around, his face full of anxiety: "Just the two of us, there's no way at all. Because of the Counterfeit Money Base, Tremaine has somehow brought in another batch of Gunmen! There are many of them, and they are well-equipped!"
"Perhaps we can seek help from the police station!" Damian suggested.
Lino shook his head and said, "Forget it. Besides you, I can't trust any other police officer in Detroit. God knows how many of them have been bribed by Tremaine!
I suspect that Bucky Barnes might have been betrayed by someone in the police station!"
Damian was momentarily speechless by Lino's words, but he understood that Lino's concern was not without reason. Because of Bucky's matters, besides him and Lino, his superior, the Director of the Detroit Police Department, also knew about it.
Strictly speaking, he was only seconded to the police station. His true identity was an FBI agent.
The Federal Government seconded him here to deal with the Red Brick Community, which was affecting the Federation's image.
Damian pondered for a long time, then took out a mobile phone from his pocket: "Since you don't trust the police station, I can find some friends to help!" He scrolled through a phone screen, found a phone number, and dialed it.
"Cough cough!"
Tony Stark, who had been ignored by the two, could no longer hold back. He took off his sunglasses. Under the sunglasses, the virtual facial disguise image screen automatically disappeared, revealing his true appearance. Damian heard the coughing sound, looked up impatiently, and said, "Mr. David, To, Tony Stark..." Upon seeing Tony Stark's familiar face, Damian's voice immediately became a stutter.
"Hello, should I call you Brian, or Damian? What's the matter? Say it quickly, I'm busy right now!"
At this moment, the call to the phone number saved as Boss Tang on Damian's mobile phone was connected. From the other end of the phone, an annoyed voice came, mixed with the roar of a car engine... "Oh, oh, nothing, Boss Tang, I just wanted to ask how Mia is doing now? —"
"Get lost, kid. I'm warning you, don't even think about Mia, or I'll break your legs —[Hang-up sound]!"
Far away in New York City, at a racetrack, the muscular man listened to the dial tone from the other end of the phone, so angry he almost threw the mobile phone on the ground.
"Boss Tang, what's wrong? You seem unhappy. Do you need me to help you vent your anger?"
A Black Person wearing a black T-shirt and a large gold chain as thick as a thumb put his hand on Dominic's shoulder and asked with a grin.
Dominic shook his head: "Just a bastard trying to get ideas about my sister. I'll teach him a lesson another day! The race car driver you found this time is pretty good!"
"Of course. This race car driver is not only skilled, but also very beautiful!" The Black Person said with a grinning face.
"Is that so? Then I must meet her!" Dominic immediately became interested. "Meet her if you want, but I'm telling you, don't get any funny ideas. I still have a use for this girl!" The Black Person warned.
Dominic glared at him: "What, is the behind-the-scenes boss of our underground racing scene finally looking to end his single life? If you get married, you have to tell me in advance, I'll prepare a big red envelope for you!"
"Shh! Don't talk nonsense. I'm preparing this girl for the Big Boss!" The Black Person immediately covered Dominic's mouth, looked around, and whispered.
Big Boss. Hearing his old friend's words, Dominic sensibly stopped the conversation, his gaze fixed on the racetrack, on the Red Ferrari that was far ahead.
"Recently, I heard from Boss Ryan that the Big Boss has been interested in girls with identity boosts. What do you think about me making her the World Champion of the racing scene?" The Black Person nudged Dominic's muscular arm.
He and Dominic were old friends. They made a killing together during the Monaco race car competition back then.
Later, he became the behind-the-scenes boss of the New York underground racing scene, while Dominic also semi-retired and lived the life of a wealthy man with no worries about food or clothing.
However, the restless Dominic would still come to New York a few times a year to participate in the race car competitions he organized.
Dominic had long heard about the Big Boss of his old friend, and had even had the honor of meeting him once. He knew deeply that this was an Important Figure he could not provoke.
For his family, he simply pretended not to hear his old friend's words and focused on the race car competition in front of him.
Seeing that Dominic didn't want to continue the conversation, the Black Person could only turn his head boredly to look at the leading race car, while also calculating in his heart how to offer this girl to the Boss.
Detroit. After learning Tony Stark's true identity, Damian also gave up the idea of seeking help from Boss Tang. What a joke, with Iron Man here, why would they be afraid of some thugs with guns?
"Tell me the address of that Thug named Tremaine, and the location where your girlfriend is being held?"
Tony Stark tapped his chest. Under the envious gazes of Damian and Lino, a liquid appeared from his chest and spread over his entire body. In less than a tenth of a second, it covered his entire body, and soon Iron Man, wearing a gold and red iron suit, appeared before the two.
"Tremaine is in the sixth building to the left. That's his Lair. The Counterfeit Money Base and Lola are also held there."
Lino swallowed. Looking at the Superhero from television, appearing alive beside him, he felt as if everything in front of him was a dream.
He spoke to Tony Stark somewhat incoherently, pointing with his finger to give Tony Stark the direction.
A gold and red figure leaped directly out of the window!
"Damian, am I dreaming?!"
Watching Iron Man disappear into the Sky in the distance, Lino turned to look at Damian.
Damian was also a little dazed. The two sat on the edge of the bed, looking at each other in silence.
Soon, a series of gunfire sounded like firecrackers, mixed with the roar of rocket launcher explosions.
"No, I have to save Lola!"
Listening to the Sound of Artillery Fire and Gunfire Outside, Lino anxiously stood up, looking left and right. Leaning on the window, watching the thick smoke rising in the distance, he finally couldn't bear it and made up his mind.
Lino lifted the hidden compartment in the cupboard, pulled out an AK47 from inside, took out four magazines, slung the AK47 over his body, and was about to go downstairs.
Seeing that he couldn't be persuaded, Damian also gripped his small handgun and followed.
As soon as the two reached downstairs, the Community street was filled with Gunmen who had heard the gunfire and were rushing towards Tremaine's location.
The two were about to walk out of the unit door and blend in with them.
Damian inadvertently glanced up at the Sky and was instantly struck by terror. He grabbed Lino's arm and pulled him back into the unit door.
"Da da da da da da—"
"Da da da da da—"
The next second, the dense sound of heavy machine gun spray fire echoed over the Community. Two Black Hawk Helicopters circled over the Community, aiming at the armed personnel holding guns on the Community street and firing a burst.
"FBI warns everyone to put down their guns, return to their Room, and close their doors and windows tightly! Otherwise, it will be considered violent resistance to law enforcement, and according to the Federal Constitution, we have the right to shoot on sight!"
"FBI warns everyone to put down their guns, return to their Room, and close their doors and windows tightly! Otherwise, it will be considered violent resistance to law enforcement, and according to the Federal Constitution, we have the right to shoot on sight!"
"FBI warns everyone to put down their guns, return to their Room, and close their doors and windows tightly! Otherwise, it will be considered violent resistance to law enforcement, and according to the Federal Constitution, we have the right to shoot on sight!"
Simultaneously with the sound of heavy machine guns, there was a broadcast from a loudspeaker. "Are these FBI people?" Through the unit door, Lino looked at the Gunmen who were cut into several pieces by the heavy machine gun spray fire, feeling something churning in his throat.
"I don't think so! I never knew we had such well-equipped equipment!"
Following Damian's gaze, over a dozen figures appeared in the Sky, stepping on hoverboards, wearing combat jumpsuits, and carrying high-tech rifles.
The hoverboards under their feet sprayed blue flames, carrying them towards the Tall building where the Sound of Artillery Fire and Gunfire was rumbling.
"Tremaine is finished!" Looking at these armed personnel of unknown origin, flying the FBI flag, the same thought popped into Damian and Lino's minds simultaneously.
"Should we notify Iron Man!?"
"Do you think we can get out in this situation?" Damian asked back, looking at the two Black Hawk Helicopters circling over the Community and the two technologically advanced Quinjets.
Lino was speechless for a moment: "I hope God blesses Mr. Stark and Lola, that they are both safe!"
Whether God blessed Iron Man and Lino's little girlfriend was unknown, but this God's situation was truly not good right now.
Perhaps because he was in the Heaven Dimension, influenced by the Divine Artifact Paradise Mountain, even Ancient One using the Time Stone couldn't find Yahweh's hiding place for a while.
In the end, it was Tang Song who used Plum Blossom Divination to calculate Yahweh's general bearing. He was hiding in a Space within Paradise Mountain!
This was a strange Space enveloped in a faint white light. To the naked eye, this Space was boundless, impossible to see the end of.
Countless orbs of various sizes floated in The Void Space, like stars in the Sky, slowly rotating around a central point.
That point was the center of all the white light in this Space.
It was a body of a giant creature so immense it was impossible to describe.
The naked body was incredibly strong. Every muscle on his body was as huge as a Mountain Peak, and every Meridian and Collateral protruding from his skin was as wide and long as a great river.
His hands and feet were naturally spread open. Countless white orbs in The Void Space were constantly emitting faint white light that merged into his body.
The giant creature's eyes were slightly open, emitting white light in all directions, like two suns releasing infinite light and heat.
All the white light in this Space came from the giant creature's eyes.
His voice, appearance, and demeanor were exactly the same as the white-robed old man Tang Song had just seen. Tang Song's Divine Sense swept over the giant creature's body. The length of this giant creature from head to foot was at least over ten thousand miles. This was a body so huge it was impossible to describe, truly impossible to describe in words, a body that made one's entire body stiff as if struck by lightning just standing before it.
"No wonder Yahweh didn't show up. He absorbed endless Power of Faith, and his Physical Body broke through the Skyfather level, entering the Single Universe Level. But his Soul didn't keep up and fell into a deep sleep!!"
Odin swept his gaze over those orbs, recognizing at a glance that they were the condensed Power of Faith from countless worlds! At the same time, he pointedly stated Yahweh's current state.
Tang Song's eyes moved, looking at the materialized Power of Faith.
Absorbing this Power of Faith and forging a so-called Single Universe Level Physical Body, he wondered who was stronger, him or the Golden Armored Corpse King refined using a Celestial's Corpse.
However, just facing this Physical Body, Tang Song felt a Sense of Oppression welling up.
At this moment, the arrival of Tang Song, Ancient One, and Odin seemed to have alarmed this ten-thousand-mile giant creature.
A faint white light suddenly sprayed out near the giant creature's heart, and a figure shot out from the white light.
This figure expanded in the white light to a height of a thousand li.
Tang Song fixed his gaze on the figure before him.
He looked exactly like the giant creature, his face was identical, and his entire body was covered in white flames, looking very supernatural.
However, this figure's body was semi-transparent, and occasionally, flames flickered on his body, causing ripples like water ripples.
This was not a Physical Form, but something similar to a Nascent Divinity, a Soul condensed into substance.
The figure sized up Tang Song and the other two. After a long while, he slowly said, "I am the true god who illuminates all things and gives rise to all things. Heaven and earth and all things are given life by me. All living beings in the world are created by me!
I am the ruler of everything, I am the beginning of all things, everything originates from me, and everything ends with me."
The figure spread his hands in a preachy manner, his face filled with an expression of compassionate pity for the world.
He looked deeply at Tang Song and the other two, tears almost dripping from his eyes, showing great love and affection for them, truly like a benevolent Father seeing his sons, filled with great joy.
Odin and Tang Song's complexions instantly became extremely unpleasant. "Bah!" Odin spat fiercely and raised the Gungnir in his hand.
As the God King in Norse Mythology, he had always been the Father figure to others. Now this bastard Yahweh actually wanted to be his Father. Did he believe Odin wouldn't immediately poke a Hole in him? Feeling his body hair stand on end from that gaze, Tang Song also quickly retreated a few steps.
Shivering, he pointed the Blood Transformation Demonic Saber in his hand at Yahweh's Sacred Soul and sneered, "Try saying one more word of nonsense. Getting familiar with me, do you believe I won't chop you up! Looking at the flames on your body, Karma Fire. Devouring others' Power of Faith on a large scale, the taste of Backlash isn't good, is it!"
Tang Song recognized the origin of the flames on Yahweh's body. When this Lord was massively devouring the Power of Faith of his followers, he clearly didn't respond to their prayer.
Indeed, the number of people who had faith in him was countless. If he had to respond to each one, even he would be too busy.
But Incense Offerings / Faith Power were poisonous. Just taking the benefit and not doing anything, where in the world was there such a cheap thing? See, the retribution had come!
Looking at Tang Song's mocking expression, Yahweh's complexion instantly became incredibly unpleasant. His gaze stared at the Blood Transformation Demonic Saber in Tang Song's hand. On this blade, he felt a great Terror that could end his life.
"Karma Fire?" Yahweh silently noted the appellation Tang Song used for the layer of flame of faith covering his entire body.
"Master Ancient One, King Odin, and this new Guardian, I know your intentions. How about we each take a step back? I can guarantee that the Heaven Dimension will no longer interfere with the Nine Realms from now on. You can leave this place!"
(end of chapter)