### Chapter 4: The First Challenge
**Date: October 1, 2024 - 10:00 AM**
**System Update Notification:**
Greetings, deities of Realm of Ascendancy! We are excited to announce the latest update, bringing new features to enhance your divine experience.
**New Features:**
1. **System Interface:**
- Access your divine stats and sacred power.
- View and manage items.
- Additional features will unlock as you progress.
2. **Messiah Mode:**
- Gods can descend to the mortal realm and promote their religion directly.
- Cost: 1000 Sacred Points per descent.
- Influence mortals and guide their faith more personally.
3. **More to come:**
- Stay tuned for future updates!
Li Wei read the update notification with a mixture of excitement and curiosity. The new features promised to add depth to his divine journey, and he was eager to explore them.
**System Interface Activated**
A translucent panel appeared before him, displaying his current stats and sacred power.
**Li Wei's Stats:**
- Sacred Power: 1200
- Followers: 500
- Realm Prosperity: Moderate
- Items: None
**Skills:**
- Earth Manipulation: Basic
- Animal Communion: Basic
**Locked Features:**
- Divine Crafting
- Elemental Mastery
- Celestial Alignment
Li Wei smiled, appreciating the clarity the system interface provided. It was time to test these new features, especially the Messiah Mode. But first, a challenge awaited him.
---
**Date: October 1, 2024 - 12:00 PM**
Li Wei stood at the edge of a dense forest, his senses tingling with anticipation. He had received word of a disturbance on the outskirts of his domain—a rogue Hell Minion, known as Brimstone, had been spotted causing chaos among the mortal villages.
As he prepared to confront the minion, he considered using Messiah Mode to descend to the mortal realm. But the cost of 1000 Sacred Points was steep, leaving him with only 200 points. He needed a different plan.
**Li Wei:** "If I can't go down myself, I'll empower one of my followers."
He gathered the villagers and explained the situation, asking for a volunteer to receive his blessing and fight on his behalf. A brave young man named Jian stepped forward, determination in his eyes.
**Li Wei:** "Jian, I will infuse you with half my sacred power. You will face Brimstone in the mortal realm, while I challenge the Hell God in the divine arena."
Jian nodded, standing resolute. Li Wei placed his hands on Jian's shoulders, channeling 600 Sacred Points into him. Jian's eyes glowed with newfound power, and the villagers murmured in awe.
**Jian:** "I won't let you down, my lord."
---
As Jian ventured into the forest to confront Brimstone, Li Wei activated the divine arena, summoning the Hell God, Ignis, to face him. The arena materialized around them, a vast coliseum of stone and fire.
**Ignis:** "So, you send a mortal to do your bidding while you cower in the arena? Pathetic."
**Li Wei:** "We'll see who's pathetic soon enough."
Ignis roared and charged at Li Wei, wielding a flaming sword. Li Wei summoned a barrier of stone, blocking the initial attack. The clash of elements sent shockwaves through the arena.
Meanwhile, in the mortal realm, Jian found Brimstone in a clearing, the Hell Minion's dark energy crackling in the air. Brimstone laughed cruelly as it tormented the villagers, who were huddled in fear.
**Brimstone:** "Another would-be hero? How amusing."
**Jian:** "I'm not just any hero. I carry the power of my god."
With newfound strength, Jian summoned vines from the earth, attempting to entangle Brimstone. The Hell Minion snarled and slashed through the vines with a sword of black flame.
Back in the divine arena, Li Wei and Ignis exchanged powerful blows, earth and fire colliding in a spectacle of raw power. Li Wei summoned pillars of stone to block Ignis's attacks and launched boulders to counter.
**Li Wei:** "You underestimate the power of Earth."
Ignis sneered, sending a wave of fire towards Li Wei. Reacting swiftly, Li Wei raised a wall of earth, deflecting the flames. He knew he had to end this quickly.
Drawing upon his connection with the earth, he called forth a massive stone golem, directing it to attack Ignis. The Hell God roared in defiance, but the golem's strength was too much, pummeling Ignis into submission.
---
In the mortal realm, Jian fought bravely against Brimstone, using his divine-enhanced abilities to outmaneuver the Hell Minion. With a final burst of energy, he summoned the earth to rise up and crush Brimstone, ending the threat to the village.
As Brimstone fell, the villagers erupted in cheers, their faith in Li Wei stronger than ever. Jian, exhausted but victorious, returned to the village, where he was hailed as a hero.
Back in the divine realm, Li Wei stood over the defeated Ignis, breathing heavily. The arena dissolved, and he returned to the Pantheon, his sacred power replenished by the faith of his followers.
**Li Wei:** "Protect each other and honor the earth. Together, we are strong."
As he reflected on the battle, Li Wei knew this was only the beginning. With the new powers at his disposal and the faith of his followers, he was ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead in the Realm of Ascendancy.