Xinyu awoke in front of a throne atop a white cloud. Sitting upon a jade-coated seat was the god Erlang Shen, draped in red, blue, and gold. He stroked his beard towards the puny human who was before him.
"I assume you know why I've summoned your will into the confines of my mind, mortal," he said. "My power is not something to be trifled with."
"I-" Xinyu started.
"You do not need to waste your words," the god interrupted. "I shall seek the confines of your mind and determine your reasoning."
After opening the third eye on his head, Erlang saw the truth. He saw all that Xinyu had seen from her conception to the present moment.
"I see," Erlang said. "This is alarming. We of the Eastern pantheon had no idea what was occurring in the rest of the world, as we cut ties with them long ago. I must report this to the order."
"Please," Xinyu said. "Lend me your power so that I may save those remaining down there."
"As I gaze into your soul, I wonder how you can remain so kind after all that's happened to you," Erlang pondered. "You really wish to protect the world that took everything from you?"
"I do," Xinyu said. "More than anything!"
"If only the rest of heaven held your soul," Erlang said. "Fine! I shall grant you all of my power."
"Really?!" Xinyu exclaimed. "I thank you so much."
"Well, I am supposed to be the embodiment of righteousness and justice," Erlang laughed. "I wouldn't be doing my title true if I were to let mortals die because of another god."
"Then I must make haste," Xinyu said.
"Still, I must warn you, you'll only be able to use my power for a few minutes. Once your stamina wears out, you will die. If you fail to take down Sango before time is up, then both you and everyone in the city will perish."
"If that is what it takes, then that is how it shall be!"
"You are a particular child. Before you go, please tell me your name."
"You already know my name, all-knowing deity," Xinyu said smugly.
"It is a formality, young girl. Haven't your parents taught you to properly introduce yourself?"
"Of course they have. I apologize for my rudeness," Xinyu said as she bowed. "Hailing from a nameless village in the east, I am the daughter of poor but happy merchants! I have traveled far and wide to create a world where humans and gods can walk together as equals, something that always should have been. To that end, I shall make the heavens fall! Whether I go down in history as a villain or a hero is irrelevant to me, because I intend to carry my name with pride no matter what. That name is Xinyu Ma! Fortune to have found you!"
"And fortune to have found you too!" Erlang laughed. "I wish you luck! Save humanity on my behalf."
"Is that something you really care about?" Xinyu asked.
"Of course. I was once human, too, after all!"
"You were? But there were no accounts of-"
Xinyu was abruptly cast from the cloud and opened her eyes in her mortal body once again. She was still falling right beneath the axe, about to be crushed alongside the entire city. That's when her corporeal form changed in a burst of liquid light. Her clothes became those of Erlang Sheng: blue, gold, and red. Her face couldn't stop grinning, for she felt nothing but euphoria and joy. Her energy, a fizzy pool of vitality, encompassed her and surrounded her with an azure ball of luminosity so strong it could be seen by the entire continent, so warm it could be felt by every soul of the world. She had been infused with heaven's greatest warrior and gained all of his godly strength.
In the face of utter despair, Heavenly Warrior Xinyu awoke to fight with a smile.