Wow…
When Li Xiao and his companions finally arrived at the Chen State's capital, the first thing that struck them was the cold. Not the ordinary chill of early morning or a shady breeze—the air pressed on their bodies like a living thing. The sun hung high, glaring, unyielding, yet the temperature was piercing, sharp, and merciless. Even now, long after the journey, they could feel their teeth chatter and their limbs tremble.
"This… this…" One of the guards muttered, eyes wide as they scanned the city.
"My God… the entire city… frozen." Another whispered.
"Dead… everyone is dead?" A general's voice broke, trembling. "This… this is God's punishment, isn't it?"
The words barely left their mouths when they all felt the magnitude of what had occurred. The capital of the Chen country, bustling and vibrant not long ago, now lay in eerie silence. Streets, plazas, markets, all frozen. Pedestrians had been mid-step; hawkers mid-call; thieves mid-sneak; soldiers mid-patrol; even the rich, arrogant children of Chen had been caught in mid-laughter, mid-pride. The air itself, saturated with a biting chill, froze their expressions permanently.
Everywhere they looked, the remnants of sudden catastrophe were apparent. God's punishment had descended swiftly and without mercy, sweeping over the city like a colossal tide. The cold was so overwhelming it seemed to carry consciousness, as though it had eyes to find, grasp, and freeze the hearts of men.
"It froze the entire city in an instant!" one officer gasped. "What kind of terrifying ice power is this? How… how could it be done?"
"It's not just the capital!" another added, voice trembling. "Dozens of other important cities of Chen State… all frozen. Only a few outlying towns with smaller populations survived. Luck… that's all it was. Luck."
Li Xiao's gaze fell upon the palace. Even from a distance, he could see the frozen figures of Chen Guoguo, the prime minister, generals, and ministers. They were rigid, lifeless—frozen mid-motion, mid-breath, preserved forever in ice.
"This… this is a natural disaster… terrifying, unstoppable," a general whispered, voice hushed. "Even Lord Chen Guoguo, even with the world item… could not resist. Could not… survive."
"No, it's not just a disaster," another officer corrected, face pale. "It's God's punishment. The wrath of the ancient gods. The so-called world items… nothing, worthless in the face of this."
The men's voices faltered, their words trembling. To see it with their own eyes was far more shocking than any report, any rumor, any news. Even hearing from others could not convey the horror. Now, standing before it, they truly understood the scale, the ferocity, the power of divine retribution.
Li Xiao's eyes swept across the city. Once bustling, full of life, now frozen utterly. The air shimmered with cold, yet beneath the ice lay the traces of ordinary life: vendors mid-call, children frozen mid-run, soldiers halted mid-stride. Everywhere, life had been snatched without warning.
He saw fear, helplessness, the utter powerlessness of mortals when faced with divine will. They had no choice, no refuge, no hope. Only submission. Only frozen silence.
Even Lord Chen Guoguo, even the mightiest generals, had been powerless. Their world items, their armies, their strategies—useless. In moments, they had been rendered as ice sculptures, monuments to divine supremacy.
"Your Royal Highness…" a bodyguard stammered, swallowing hard. His hands shook as he glanced at Li Xiao. "Is this… is this God's punishment?"
The truth, undeniable, struck them all. The ancient gods… were beyond human comprehension. Their power—so absolute, so unpredictable—was terrifying. To doubt them… to blaspheme… even in thought, was unthinkable. The consequences were immediate, unrelenting, absolute.
A general spoke next, voice low and grim. "Your Royal Highness… I fear this ice will not melt for months. Perhaps even a year. Even if the sun shines, even if the seasons change… this cold is not ordinary. Diamond-level warriors feel it in their bones. Tremble. Shiver. It is… unnatural."
Li Xiao's own legs shook slightly. His mind raced. At the beginning, his wish to the ancient gods had been simple—destroy the army, kill Chen Guoguo and his ministers. He had not intended to wipe out the entire population. But the gods… misunderstood. Or perhaps interpreted in their divine logic, the destruction of Chen State required absolute annihilation, every living creature reduced to nothing.
This… was divine power. Unpredictable, total, absolute. A double-edged sword. Missteps in wording, in intent, could bring catastrophe to himself, to Tang Guo, to millions of lives.
Li Xiao swallowed, his reverence for the ancient gods deepening. Shallow belief had been replaced by awe, by fear, by recognition of the incomprehensible. The ancient gods were not merely powerful—they were the ultimate authority, beyond mortal reckoning.
"Your Royal Highness," a general asked cautiously, "what should we do now?"
Li Xiao exhaled slowly, voice deep, steady despite the tremor in his heart. "First… we take control of the entire territory of Chen State. Station our soldiers in every city. Establish Tang's rule firmly over this land. There can be no vacuum. No chaos. Tang must be the power in every city, every province, every street."
"Yes, Your Royal Highness!" The generals responded with fervor. Expansion, conquest, control—this was the rare opportunity they had long awaited. A once-in-a-lifetime chance to claim lands that even past Tang lords could not secure.
Li Xiao's gaze narrowed. "Second… an even more important matter. Order the craftsman department to carve statues of the ancient gods. The entire Tang Kingdom… must recognize and worship the ancient gods. Belief… loyalty… obedience. They must become devoted followers."
His reasoning was clear. His connection with the ancient gods was now undeniable. World items could secure territory, armies could control cities—but divine favor… divine protection… ensured security no mortal power could challenge. With the gods' protection, no nation would dare threaten Tang.
"Yes, Your Royal Highness!" The generals nodded, eyes shining. This was proof. Tang's Crown Prince was blessed—or chosen—by the ancient gods themselves. Otherwise, why would Chen Guo, not Tang, suffer divine punishment? Why would the gods' wrath fall upon Chen rather than their enemies?
Yet, even as they recognized this, none dared speak it aloud carelessly. Wisdom dictated silence. Awareness, respect, fear—these were survival.
Li Xiao surveyed the frozen city, the statues of the dead, the biting cold air. Every inch told the story: of power beyond comprehension, of divine intervention, of a world where mortals were but pawns.
He tightened his grip on his sword. The gods had spoken, acted, reshaped the world. Tang's destiny had shifted irrevocably. And now, with their favor, with wisdom and decisiveness, he would ensure that Tang prospered, expanded, and endured.
The citizens, soldiers, and generals alike watched in awe and fear. The divine presence—though unseen—was everywhere. Statues were carved, rituals planned, beliefs codified. Tang's people would learn, quickly, that the ancient gods were not myths. Not stories. But living, absolute authority. And Tang would rise, under the guidance, protection, and terror of these gods.
Li Xiao exhaled. The path ahead was fraught with challenges, yes—but now, empowered, favored, and vigilant, he could face them all. The frozen Chen cities stood as monuments to divine wrath, but also as symbols: the gods were real. Tang's path forward… secured, sanctioned, and sanctified by powers beyond mortal reckoning.
The Crown Prince's eyes glimmered in determination. Tang's future would be forged by both mortal wisdom and divine will. A new era had begun.