NOVEL SIMPLE CHAPTER 284
Chapter 284: Eternal Strife
As the saying goes, where there are people, there is martial arts. This principle applied equally to the Eternal Clan—a clan that stood at the pinnacle of the world. The Eternal Clan boasted the most powerful deities, an abundance of Ancient Realm experts, a vast population, fertile lands, and unparalleled war potential. Yet, for all their might, the Aeonians were far from united.
Even among the deities of the Eternal Clan, there were divisions. Two of the most prominent deities embodied this disunity: Yuan, the Military Commander, and Tong, the Director of the Sky Monitoring Bureau. Though both held great power within the clan, their relationship had been fraught with conflict for countless ages.
Their feud, ancient and relentless, had no need for a life-and-death struggle to sustain it. A mere opportunity to gain an advantage was enough to reignite their rivalry. And today, at the Pantheon of Gods Mountain, during the Divine Assembly, Yuan’s thunderous voice filled the hall.
“I object!” Yuan’s shout echoed like a storm, reverberating through the chamber. “I firmly oppose the expansion of the Sky Monitoring Bureau!”
Yuan sat on the second seat to the left in the Divine Assembly Hall, glaring fiercely at Tong, who occupied the second seat on the right. His cheeks puffed in frustration, his eyes narrowed into angry slits.
After a moment, Yuan stood, his voice growing louder with every word. “In my opinion, the Sky Monitoring Bureau should never have existed! From the beginning, I’ve never understood its purpose or value.”
“Yes, our Eternal Clan is the strongest,” Yuan continued, his voice laced with scorn, “but does being the most powerful mean we must meddle in everything? Is that truly our responsibility?”
“If we’re discussing managing our internal affairs, I wouldn’t object. In fact, I would strongly support it,” Yuan said, his tone softening momentarily. But it hardened again, the fire in his eyes rekindling. “But now, the Sky Monitoring Bureau’s influence has extended too far... far beyond what’s reasonable.”
Yuan gestured toward Tong, his eyebrows raised in defiance. “You’ve meddled in the affairs of other clans, made enemies of those who should not be our concern. Even recent events, like the Three Clans War and the Blood Flesh Mother Tree—what do they have to do with us?”
Silence filled the hall as Yuan’s words hung in the air.
“In conclusion,” Yuan declared, his gaze boring into Tong, “I not only refuse to support the Bureau’s expansion, but I also call for a vote. The Sky Monitoring Bureau has squandered enough of our resources. I want it disbanded, once and for all!”
The deities seated in the Divine Assembly yawned in boredom. Yuan’s clash with Tong had become a regular feature of these meetings, a feud as old as the clan itself. Both deities held considerable power, and their opposing views were well known.
Few among the other deities had the authority to interject, and fewer still dared to take sides. Thus, as always, the argument would lead to no definitive conclusion. Both Yuan and Tong would be forced to compromise, smoothing things over for the time being.
Tong, for his part, appeared utterly unfazed. The hunched old man, barely 1.5 meters tall, sat slouched in his seat, seemingly on the verge of sleep.
Tong’s apparent indifference only fueled Yuan’s rage. Just as he was about to slam his fist on the table and unleash another tirade, something caught his eye—a shadow flitting across the highest, central seat of the Divine Assembly Hall.
Yuan’s expression immediately changed. His fiery demeanor vanished, replaced by deep respect. He, along with the rest of the Eternal Clan’s deities, rose from their seats in unison.
They all bowed their heads and spoke in perfect harmony. “Greetings to the God of Eternity.”
A faint voice, barely more than a whisper, responded from the massive throne. “Mm—”
As the light and shadow around the main seat cleared, the figure of the God of Eternity became visible. He appeared to be a boy of no more than 13 or 14, with the signature silver-white hair of the Eternal Clan and golden eyes that shimmered with an otherworldly light. Despite his youthful appearance and the absence of any aura, his mere presence commanded absolute deference.
This was Eternity—the first deity of the Eternal Clan, the guardian deity of the Aeonians.
Every great clan has its legend, a figure whose rise from obscurity shaped their destiny. For the Undead Clan, it was the Corpse God who led them to prominence, becoming their guardian deity. For the Eternal Clan, it was Eternity who had led them to greatness, and his legend continued to this day.
With the arrival of the God of Eternity, the Eternal Clan had risen to the heights it now enjoyed. He was the embodiment of their strength, their ultimate protector, and the one who ensured their continued dominance.
Within the Eternal Clan, the name Eternal God was known far and wide. He was revered as the strongest god, the god among gods, the supreme deity, and the observer of the world. Yet, even these titles were insufficient to fully capture the magnitude of his power and status.
As soon as the God of Eternity appeared, Yuan silenced himself, bowing deeply and sitting back in silence. Still, a small, imperceptible doubt crept into his heart.
“Eternity… why are you here?” he wondered. The Divine Assembly was the highest decision-making body of the Aeonians, a place where matters of great importance were discussed. Yet, despite his supreme status, Eternity rarely attended such gatherings.
His presence today was unusual. It wasn’t something Yuan, or anyone else in the room, could ignore.
After a moment of silence, Eternity spoke. His voice, though soft, carried an undeniable weight. “Let’s approve the expansion of the Sky Monitoring Bureau.”
Yuan immediately nodded in agreement. “Of course.”
Eternity continued, “There is one more matter.”
All eyes were fixed on him as he spoke again. “The Tribulation Transcenders—this generation has now been with us for over a year.”
“By our calculations, within five years, these Tribulation Transcenders will fully enter the Black Mist Zone. When that time comes, it will mark the opening of the Heaven Ascension Stairs.”
The room seemed to grow even quieter as Eternity spoke, his words heavy with meaning. “I hope you will all pay attention to this upcoming Heaven Ascension Stairs…”
He didn’t elaborate further on why the event was important. Instead, he simply turned to Tong and asked, “I’ll leave this matter to the Sky Monitoring Bureau. Will that be alright?”
Tong, who had until now seemed drowsy, nodded vigorously. “Yes, I’ll handle it.”
Eternity gave a slight nod of approval. “As for all other matters, handle them as you see fit.”
With that, Eternity’s figure vanished as suddenly as he had appeared.
Silence hung in the air for a moment before the atmosphere of the Divine Assembly Hall began to relax once more. Yuan, his fire now dimmed, made no further attempts to argue. He sat back in his seat, lost in deep thought.
His mind drifted to something the Corpse God had once told him: “This era will determine success or failure.”
As the words echoed in his mind, Yuan’s gaze grew distant, his expression thoughtful. He realized, with a sense of finality, that Eternity had already grasped what was at stake in the coming years.
With a quiet, knowing sneer, Yuan murmured to himself, “As expected… Eternity has realized it too.”
End of Chapter 284