"This..."
Ye Ling stared at Shan, who was standing in the sky, his mind a complete blank.
He had known Shan was strong before, but he hadn't had a concrete understanding of Shan's power.
Now, he clearly understood Shan's might.
The monstrous beast that had torn through the sky and emerged from an unknown realm had exerted immense pressure on Ye Ling.
Even before any confrontation, Ye Ling knew that this battle was a fight for his life. Even if he and all the Void Gods of the Void God clan joined forces, they would have almost no chance of winning.
Yet, such a powerful beast was instantly killed by Shan with a single move?
How vast was the gap between him and Shan?
A thought flashed through Ye Ling's mind, but he quickly dismissed it.
Such a colossal difference in strength was beyond the scope of imagination.
After witnessing Shan's power, Ye Ling felt an inexplicable sense of urgency.
In this world, even someone as powerful as Shan was facing an insurmountable problem, and it was clear that the troubles Shan faced would eventually fall upon him as well.
How, then, could he prepare to face those troubles?
In that brief moment, Ye Ling's mind raced with thoughts, but he soon cast them all aside.
He was not one to dwell on impossibilities. Matters concerning Shan's level of existence were not something he could comprehend at this point. Before his strength reached Shan's level, it was better to focus on taking each step forward diligently rather than worrying about hypothetical future problems.
The issue of the异世界 (yì shìjiè - otherworld) alone was enough to keep him occupied.
"Little Ye!"
As Ye Ling pondered, Shan's voice reached his ears, interrupting his thoughts.
Ye Ling snapped back to reality and looked at Shan in the sky. Shan released the Void Sword from his hand, and it returned to him directly.
Shan looked at Ye Ling in the Burial God Tomb and smiled, "Your future path is long and destined to be brilliant... but I still hope you can focus on the present."
As he spoke, Shan pointed to his head and said to Ye Ling, "Many times, you overthink. While planning before acting is not wrong, and meticulous thinking is your strength, having too many scattered thoughts is not good. How long has it been since you entered your state of selflessness?"
Ye Ling's pupils contracted slightly.
Shan smiled and, without waiting for Ye Ling's reply, continued, "In fact, for some situations, there's no need to ponder too much. You just need to believe in yourself and fight relying on your instincts. Although this world still holds many mysteries for you, you are not that weak. You can afford to be more confident and bold."
"I will always stand behind you. As for the 'Evil' choosing to be your enemy, you can rest assured. With me watching, it won't dare to attack you."
"However, speaking of which, although that fellow is not a good person, his rune techniques are truly exceptional. It would be a shame if you abandoned his rune techniques. Feel free to use the power of runes. Although 'Evil' is the creator of runes, runes are merely a language; their power depends entirely on the user. Even 'Evil' cannot affect your runes, so you can use them with confidence and without excessive worry."
Upon hearing Shan's words, Ye Ling's eyes welled up with emotion, feeling a sense of care from an elder.
Ye Ling took a deep breath and then respectfully bowed to Shan, "Yes."
Shan chuckled, "No need for such formalities. I don't care for them. I've said what I needed to say. I've been out for long enough this time, and those fellows will likely notice my presence soon. So, I won't waste time with pleasantries. Keep up the good work."
As Shan finished speaking, he transformed into a gentle breeze and vanished into the heavens and earth.
The Burial God Tomb and the ice plains returned to their former tranquility.
Not long after Shan's departure, the God King and the other Void Gods finally recovered their senses, all looking at Ye Ling with overwhelming gratitude.
The God King even led the others in kneeling before Ye Ling, "Thank you, warrior, for saving our lives. The Void God clan will never forget your kindness!"
Ye Ling, still immersed in Shan's words, was startled to see the God King and a large group of Void Gods kneeling before him. He quickly regained his composure and asked the God King, "What are you doing?"
The God King said emotionally, "That ancient monstrous beast destroyed our clan. The previous God King, along with our clan's strongest warriors, all perished under the beast's massive claws. Yet, we lacked the strength to avenge our fallen brethren and could only survive precariously in the Burial God Tomb."
"Now that the beast has been vanquished, our brethren's revenge has been exacted. Such a great debt... we have no way to repay it!"
Ye Ling quickly replied, "This was all done by Shan, and it has nothing to do with me. You don't need to thank me!"
The God King said, "It's all the same. Shan is your master. Without you here, Shan would not have intervened, and we would never have achieved our revenge, forever hiding in this desolate place."
"Regardless, we are indebted to you. Therefore, please accept this Void God Heart!"
The God King, as he spoke, once again presented the semi-transparent Void God Heart to Ye Ling.
Ye Ling was no longer particularly interested in the Void God Heart. He pushed it back, saying, "This must be the last Void God Heart in all of the void. You should keep it well and search for another fated person. I am not suitable."
Despite Ye Ling's refusal, the God King was not willing to give up and presented the Void God Heart to Ye Ling again, "Please, warrior, you must accept it. I have made up my mind to abdicate the position of God King. Even if you are unwilling to become the Void God King, please, for the sake of us having kept the Book of Void for you, find a suitable Void God King on our behalf."
After this battle, the God King had thoroughly realized that the era of their Void God clan had definitively passed.
Without a powerful patron, even if their Void God clan gained freedom, they could only remain in a secluded corner, forever unable to reclaim their former glory.
But Ye Ling was different. As Shan's disciple, Ye Ling possessed the strongest backing in the void. Furthermore, Ye Ling himself was an extremely promising prospect. If the Void God clan could join forces with Ye Ling, their rise would only be a matter of time.
Therefore, the God King was willing to abdicate his throne to ensure his clan could latch onto the strongest power in the void!
Seeing the God King's determined stance, Ye Ling looked at Long Yu and the others and asked, "Who among you wants this Void God Heart? To become the King of the Void God clan?"
To Ye Ling's surprise, when he asked this, neither Long Yu nor the Scythe Beast or Xiao Yu seemed interested in the Void God Heart, and they all shook their heads.
"It seems everyone is quite satisfied with their current race!"
Seeing that no one wanted it, Ye Ling shook his head and smiled. Just as he was about to return the Void God Heart to the God King, the World-Ending Little Fire suddenly asked, "Uncle Ye, can I become stronger by obtaining this Void God Heart?"