Sage Monarch

'How could this be happening? It's completely impossible!'

Eternal Millennium's palm was inches away from Yang Qi, but couldn't move forward at all. All of the power behind the strike was gone, neutralized by Yang Qi.

Yang Qi didn't even have to make a move to defeat Eternal Millennium.

"You're far too weak, Eternal Millennium. Whether in terms of psychic power or godhood, you're just completely pitiful. Your godhood rating is at about eighty thousand, and your psychic power is the same. I'm ten times stronger than you in terms of psyche. Furthermore, I'm only here in clone form. My true self is even stronger. That said, my current psychic power is more than enough to defeat you. You're no match for me, so surrender. If you acknowledge allegiance to me, I won't kill you. You see, we actually have some history. I have some of your will from the impure lands. In fact, here, you can have it back."

"My will from the impure lands?"

Eternal Millennium took a few steps back, his eyes locked onto Yang Qi. "Are you saying that my rating is eight million, and yours is eighty million? That's completely ridiculous. You're just trying to frighten me! Tell me who you really are. You may be strong, but not enough that I can't deal with you. You see, with little effort at all, I can call all of the top experts of the Eternal-Life God-Dynasty here to crush you."

Yang Qi clasped his hands behind his back and stood there. "I don't think so. Go ahead and try. See if you can reach out to your allies outside the Harvestland. You'll find you can't. I've locked this entire place down."

"No!" Eternal Millennium blurted. Drawing on all of his psychic power, he tried to send a message out, only to find that the entire Harvestland was covered with something like an enormous net.

"I'm telling you, your godpower of eight million is nowhere near enough to fight me. If you don't believe me, try. You'll be like a mantis trying to stop a war chariot." Waving his hand, he said, "Come out, Crown Prince. See your true self."

The Crown Prince from the impure lands suddenly appeared.

The two of them looked exactly the same, and had the same aura and life force characteristics. The only difference was their comparative level of power.

The Crown Prince stared at Eternal Millennium, his eyes glittering as unknown thoughts ran through his head. A long moment passed, and then he said, "So, you're Eternal Millennium, my true self?"

"You're my clone?" Eternal Millennium replied, a look of shock on his face. "That sliver of will I sent to the lower worlds? You look exactly like me! How did you get up here?"

"You're really useless, did you know that, Eternal Millennium?" the Crown Prince replied through gritted teeth. "Yang Qi and I are mortal enemies through life and death. I was on my way to conquering everything in the impure lands when he came along and killed me. Originally, I'd hoped that once he reached the god world, my true self would be able to stand up to him. Apparently not!"

Instead of responding, Eternal Millennium reached out with his will to try to assimilate his clone. However, there was no reaction. The clone's aura was the same as his own, but he couldn't control it. Even worse, the Harvestland couldn't target the clone because of his fundamental nature.

"I have a question, Eternal Millennium," Yang Qi said. Pointing at the Crown Prince, he said, "This piece of trash was very arrogant in the impure lands. He got the legacy of King Immortal-Slayer, and thought that would put him in the position to fight me. But then I killed him. I suppose if he hadn't run into me, he might have ended up getting very strong. However, how did you get your sliver of will down into the lower worlds? Given the level of your cultivation base, even if you were ten times stronger than you already are, you shouldn't have been able to open a passageway. And you were surely even more pathetically weak back then than you are now."

Eternal Millennium chuckled. "Thanks for reminding me, Yang Qi. It doesn't matter how powerful you are, you can't kill me here. You see, I have a top expert watching out for me. It was that very expert who gave me the ability to send my sliver of will down into the lower worlds. You may be impressive, but you can't compare to that expert. He can crush you as easily as an ant."

"Oh, who is this person?" Yang Qi asked. He'd known all along that Eternal Millennium had some sort of powerful backer, otherwise, how would he have ended up with the martial-god soldier-kings? And how could he have sent his will to the lower worlds?

"Hmph! Even if you could manipulate the workings of heaven, you would never be able to divine the identity of my backer. No one can possibly identify his aura." As he spoke, Eternal Millennium was secretly gathering his power in the hopes of making a move.

"Oh, I know who it is!" Yang Qi suddenly said. "It's a Fateless One, isn't it? The same person who was connected to that woman from the Nacrelight Sageland. With one sweep of his palm, he crushed the leaders there. Not even the High Priestess could do anything to him, and in the end, he left behind the Destined Marriage God Temple. I bet it was him, wasn't it!?"

"You...!" Eternal Millennium said, his eyes glittering with fear. "How could you possibly know about that? Although, it doesn't matter that you guessed the truth. Fateless Ones are the strongest people in existence. He could kill you as easily as flipping over his hand!"

"Is that so? Well I'm going to subjugate you right here and now. Let's see if this Fateless One comes to save you."

Yang Qi was now getting serious.

He waved his finger, and the Crown Prince from the impure lands suddenly grew immensely larger, and simultaneously exerted forceful control over the Harvestland. There was great godpower in the Harvestland, and Yang Qi didn't want to give Eternal Millennium a chance to draw on it.

Yang Qi was fairly certain that the Harvestland had been given to Eternal Millennium by that mysterious Fateless One, who had also left some of his power within it. If that power were unleashed, it would be very troublesome. Although Yang Qi could handle the situation, it would arouse the attention of the Eternal-Life God-Dynasty.

That was why he was using the aura of the Crown Prince to keep the Harvestland under control and give him time to capture Eternal Millennium.

As Yang Qi strode forward, Eternal Millennium staggered backward, desperately trying to draw on his energy arts and magical techniques to save himself. None did any good.

"Acknowledge allegiance, Eternal Millennium. Acknowledge allegiance!"

Yang Qi spoke in a holy voice that connected to the Harvestland and wrested away control of it.

RUMBLE!

Eternal Millennium sensed that Yang Qi's psychic power surpassed anything he could imagine. As it swept over him, it created an immense kingdom that shrank down and formed a prison around him.

Crack! Snap!

Golden manacles snapped into place on him, making it impossible for him to move.

"I refuse to believe I'm going to die at your hands!" Heart bursting with defiance, Eternal Millennium shivered, causing explosive power to erupt from his godhood, transforming into a huge dragon that snapped the manacles binding him.

"What's this?" Yang Qi murmured. "That's not your power. Someone left some godpower inside of you to use in a moment of crisis." An eye opened up on his forehead, which was none other than the Lord's Eye. As he examined Eternal Millennium, he saw that there was a smaller piece of godhood within his main godhood. Or rather, a godhood seed.

It was the size of a walnut, but seemed to contain an entire minor world that not even Yang Qi's vision could pierce. And when he exerted pressure on it, it responded with a boundless level of power.

"This was obviously left behind by some top expert."

A serious expression appeared on Yang Qi's face. Although the seed wasn't a threat to him, it was serving its purpose of protecting Eternal Millennium. And if things continued on as they were, it might make it impossible to fully suppress him.

Laughing, Eternal Millennium said, "That's right, it's a seed left behind by a top expert! I can't normally use it, but if my life comes under threat, its power will be released!" He continued roaring with laughter as he surged with seemingly unending power. "Die!"

With no warning, he suddenly launched a palm strike.

It wasn't related at all to his previous palm move. This was filled with three types of killing intent; that from heaven, which could redirect the stars; that from earth, which could summon dragons; that from men, which could overthrow heaven and earth.

Three types of power. Three types of will. A combination of heaven, earth, and man!

"Nation-Fate Godfist. Bring Peace to All Nations!"

Yang Qi saw what appeared to be all the nations in existence, led by a sage who could unify all creation. All countries and peoples prostrated in worship, leading to a shining golden age.

"Bring Peace to All Nations? Nice move!"

Yang Qi blurred into motion, unleashing a string of moves that seemed like something that could exist for time immemorial. When a deva took control, it was possible to seize the cosmos!

This wasn't one of his top moves, but rather a consummate move used by Patriarch Deva. It was Long Life!

BAM!

Yang Qi's fist met Eternal Millennium's palm, and a massive explosion surged out from the point of impact.

Yang Qi wasn't really affected, nor was Eternal Millennium. In fact, the latter even moved in for another attack, numerous streaks of light appearing behind him as he used another strange and deadly move.

He was currently operating at roughly ten times his actual level of strength!

"I'm going to take your life today, Yang Qi! I should thank you. Without you, I wouldn't have been able to unlock the hidden strength within me!"

Eternal Millennium's attacks grew swifter and fiercer, until he was a blur that shot upward; then he reached out toward Yang Qi with two pitch-black hands that could devour all living things.

"Eradication God Claws!"

1. The story of the man who left behind the Destined Marriage God Temple was originally told in .