Chapter 34: Ignite the Divine Fire
"For millennia, this sovereign has commanded and devoured legions of ants, exerting dominance over the world and wielding control over the two divine artifacts. He stands as the inaugural king of the world, an unprecedented ruler in history!" The Ant King's countenance bore an immense solemnity as he spoke, "Today, I lead our entire clan in a grand sacrificial ceremony to pay homage to Gods! I beseech the gods to descend upon our realm and quell my inquiries!" In the wake of the Ant King's proclamation, billions upon billions of ravenous ants prostrated themselves simultaneously, adoring the colossal statue of God before them.
The sheer scale of a hundred billion beings is staggering to contemplate, where a mere glance reveals an abyssal expanse stretching beyond the horizon—a boundless sea of obsidian.
Even as Jiang Ping observed the spectacle from the outside world, he found himself awestruck by the ants' meticulous organization. A palpable maelstrom of chaotic faith emanated from somewhere, resonating with his senses.
"So, you come seeking my aid when you find yourself in dire straits?" Jiang Ping chuckled, his tone laced with amusement. "But what of these ants? They must know the consequences of their actions."
Though the devouring ants initially wrought destruction upon everything in their path, little did they anticipate the possibility of their own redemption. If they desired to embrace annihilation, they would bear the burden themselves.
"I, too, as the God of Creation, have a reputation to uphold!" Jiang Ping dismissed their entreaties with arrogance, relishing the prospect of witnessing what the magnificent Ant King could truly accomplish.
Half an hour had elapsed since the commencement of the Ant King's great sacrifice in the original world, yet the colossal white statue of the God of Creation remained unresponsive.
"Alas!" The ant queens exchanged furtive glances. Throughout various ancient records, there was no account of the holy manifestation of the God of Creation in response to any sacrificial offerings.
Save for the remnants of footprints left behind, the chronicles of the Ten Thousand Clans offered but one certain truth: at the conclusion of the Ice Age, with the revival of all existence, the God of Creation bestowed a supernatural seed, charting the world's path towards evolution and transcendence.
It came as no surprise that this unprecedented grand ceremony yielded no divine reaction. The ant queens scrutinized the Ant King and Zhong Yang, his chosen representative, with utmost vigilance.
The Ant King's countenance darkened. Despite his preparedness, the absence of any response struck him a harsh blow.
"Waste no time! Activate the contingency plan!" he commanded.
"Understood!"
The ant queens' hearts quickened, and they swiftly issued new orders, while the distant ant knights rallied their cohorts for the subsequent phase.
"Heh, what other tricks do they have up their sleeves?" Jiang Ping reclined on his sofa, observing the Ant King's endeavors with piqued curiosity.
Crash! A resounding cacophony reverberated through the air as the pristine white statue of God toppled, shattering into thousands of cracks upon impact with the ground.
Hundreds of millions of devouring ants scornfully besmirched the broken statue, even defiling it with their excretions.
Yet, Jiang Ping maintained an undisturbed smile upon his visage. "Awe proves futile. Should I resort to coercion? But why waste my time displaying my holiness?"
Despite their expectations for him to hastily emerge from his sanctuary, consumed by rage due to the toppling and desecration of the statue, he maintained patience, eagerly awaiting the revelation of the Ant King's remarkable abilities.
As the very progeny of their own creation, their audacious insult against the Creator stands as the pinnacle of rebellion.
The audacious maneuver of the Ant King draped a menacing shroud across the heavens, deepening the already foreboding darkness that loomed above the sacred altar dedicated to God.
In a swift and daring act, an immense tempest began to gather, serving as a testament to the blasphemous affront and heralding an imminent divine reckoning.
The rumble of mighty thunder echoed through the air, poised to unleash its wrath upon the world at any given moment.
The vast multitude of devouring ants in the field trembled in terror, acutely aware of the destructive power coalescing within the ominous clouds. A thunderous cataclysm would spell the demise of countless ants, sparing only a meager fraction!
With a fierce glare directed skyward, the Ant King stepped back, assuming a poised throwing stance. The magical energy coursing through his entire being surged to its zenith, his right hand's sinews bulging with intensity.
Whoosh!
The ebony Spear of Destiny transformed into a jet-black meteor, streaking across the firmament, its sonic boom resonating instantaneously, birthing a colossal shockwave cloud above the altar!
To the astonishment of the queen ants, a massive aperture was abruptly carved into the behemoth above. Lingering traces of its formidable power lingered, promptly dispelling the vast dark cloud.
The malevolent aura that pervaded the field dissipated into thin air, relieving the hearts of all the ants. A streak of darkness slashed across the heavens as the Ant King nonchalantly gestured, causing the Spear of Destiny to effortlessly return to its rightful place.
"All hail our mighty king!"
Thunderous cheers erupted from the altar, reverberating through the atmosphere.
"Since the gods refuse to reveal themselves, then, as the sovereign of this world, I shall bestow divinity upon myself!" The Ant King declared with domineering authority, brandishing the Spear of Destiny.
"The Creator is but a craven coward. Today, I, as the king, shall ascend the ranks of the gods! The world shall bow before me, and in due time, I shall invade the realm of gods!" The air grew stagnant as the countless ant clans fixated their gaze upon the Ant King, their eyes brimming with fervent adulation.
"God King! God King!"
The resounding chant shook the heavens as they renounced their Creator, revering the Ant King as the supreme deity. With closed eyes, the Ant King basked in the palpable currents of faith streaming in from the ethereal realm.
After an extended duration, a resounding boom resonated, causing the Ant King's aura to surge once more. A cluster of golden flames emerged gradually between his brows.
He absorbed the omnipresent currents of faith and the fortunes of the entire original world!
The Ant King recognized the veracity of his actions.
The ant queens stared in awe at their sovereign. He had transcended his prior immeasurability, his might now exuding an awe-inspiring godlike presence.
The Ant King grinned arrogantly, extending his hand and exerting a vice-like grip upon the air. Explosions ensued, accompanied by the sound of rupturing void, as hairline fractures manifested momentarily, though swiftly repaired by the world itself.
"God King, what sorcery is this?" The Ant Queen inquired anxiously, her heart throbbing with trepidation.
"Now, the world can no longer shackle my progeny, and the boundaries imposed by this realm can no longer confine me!" The Ant King bellowed triumphantly, his laughter resounding through the heavens.
Another thunderous cheer erupted in the field as black rain cascaded from the somber sky, as if the entire world wept for this rebellious prodigal son.
In this moment of triumph, the Ant King's spirits soared as two magnificent artifacts pulsed within him, igniting the divine fire that entwined the power of law and the fortunes of the original world, fusing them into a harmonious whole.
Without warning, an enormous Eye of God materialized in the heavens!
The resounding cheers came to an abrupt halt as the devouring ants stood transfixed, their gazes locked onto the celestial spectacle before them.
Clutching the Spear of Destiny tightly, the Ant King cast a solemn glance at the divine eye in the sky.
"God?"
Indeed, this eye bore the projection of Jiang Ping, and the Ant King, at the pinnacle of ant existence, stood before it.
Harnessing the collective might of his kin and the world itself, he ignited the divine fire, forging a path hitherto unseen.
Provoked repeatedly by his own actions, Jiang Ping deemed it fitting to reveal himself at this moment.
Sometimes, individuals remain oblivious to their societal wounds, unaware of why certain flowers hold such allure.
The divine eye emanated an unfathomable depth, chaos swirling within its gaze. Stars intermittently danced across the firmament, instilling a constant tremor within all the devouring ants upon the altar, their burden immense.
This was the Creator, the originator of all things!
He had crafted the world and everything within it, yet they had dared to blaspheme the Lord!
The Ant King assumed a dignified stance, wielding the Spear of Destiny, its pointed tip aimed unwaveringly at the heavens.
"What of the God of Creation? Today, I ignite the divine fire, ascend the throne of the Divine, and assume dominion over the world. Now, I can stand on equal footing with you!"
"Yes! The God king possesses the power to contend with you! He is the master of this world!" The queen ants on both sides resounded with resolute voices.
The Ant King's indomitable strength filled them with courage. He was a legendary figure capable of manifesting miracles.
"The God of Creation has receded, leaving the God-King to reign over the world!"
"God King! God King!"
Hundreds of billions of devouring ants descended into a frenzy, passionately chanting the Ant King's true name, extolling his towering figure.
To drive it to madness, heaven must first seek its destruction.
A shade of darkness cloaked Jiang Ping's eyes as he calmly observed the majestic Ant King and inquired,
"Are you truly prepared to challenge me?"