"Hahaha"
"Humble human!"
"Since it is impossible to provide faith to the supreme god, then—"
"Just be devoured as flesh and blood!"
With a wild laugh, the towering figure of the Tiger God, as massive as a mountain, loomed over the city. At this moment, he showed no inclination to protect his people.
All the inhabitants of the city were slaughtered in an instant. The Tiger God opened his enormous mouth, consuming them whole. As flesh and soul were devoured, they transformed into pure essence, replenishing the dwindling power of faith.
"Roar!"
The Tiger God let out a heart-wrenching roar. With the flesh and blood flowing into him, the last vestiges of clarity in his eyes faded away. His enormous nose sniffed the air, and his vertical pupils gleamed with greed, fixed on the horizon where more flesh and blood awaited.
Watching this transformation from a distance were several figures: Yan Mo, Pandora, Kushi Inada Hime, and Okino, standing respectfully behind the three women.
"Princess!" Pandora pondered aloud, "Can flesh and blood truly fill the void left by the power of faith?"
Yan Mo replied quietly, "Yes. Human flesh and souls contain a special power. For gods who cultivate law and temper their divine kingdoms, this energy is like poison. It can taint them. But for those gods who survive solely on the power of faith, absorbing flesh and blood is a viable alternative, even if it means degenerating from gods to demon gods."
Pandora and Kushi Inada Hime nodded in understanding. As they suspected, the power of faith in this world had diminished significantly, becoming insufficient to support the eight million gods.
In truth, it was absurd that any realm could sustain such a multitude of deities without a sufficient source of faith. The world of Japanese mythology relied heavily on artifacts of faith, and with the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds now in hell, nearly all gods dwelling among humans faced dire challenges.
Faced with the choice between death and belief, they opted to sacrifice faith, choosing to restore their strength through flesh and blood—even if it meant their own degeneration. The future was of no concern to them; they only aimed to survive the present, having already descended into madness.
"Let's go," Yan Mo instructed.
"Yes!" the others affirmed.
As Yan Mo led her followers onward, everything shifted dramatically. What was once a paradise with mild weather had transformed into a hellscape. With the fading power of faith, gods had discovered that consuming flesh and blood could sustain and even empower them. The world changed overnight—paradise became purgatory.
Suddenly, Yan Mo halted. A god stood in her path.
"Hoo"
With a cigarette in hand, Yan Mo exhaled a plume of green smoke and asked softly, "Amaterasu, you didn't remain in Gaotianyuan to observe the changes in this world. Why have you come here?"
"Yan Mo!!!"
The stunning goddess, clad in a twelve layer kimono with her long black hair styled high, glared intensely at Kushi Inada Hime before fixing her gaze on Yan Mo. In her beautiful eyes, a seething killing intent blazed.
"Hehehe"
In response to Amaterasu's fury, Yan Mo smiled lightly. The two gods were evenly matched, and with Yan Mo's recent promotion, she felt no fear.
"Ah, Yan Mo," Amaterasu said, regaining her composure. "So it was you all along. Kushi Inada Hime fell into your grasp, Yamata no Orochi was slain by you, and the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds is now yours. I never expected you to orchestrate all this."
"Huh"
Yan Mo elegantly acknowledged the truth, though she felt it was a rather embarrassing situation. It had all been a series of coincidences—she stumbled upon Kushi Inada Hime and accidentally discovered the Heavenly Sword of Gathering Clouds.
"Yan Mo!" Amaterasu's eyes erupted with terrifying flames, their heat scorching. As the sun goddess, she commanded the perfect sun law, and her flames seemed poised to consume Yan Mo whole.
"Amaterasu, after all these years, you're still so quick to anger!"
With a teasing smile, Yan Mo exhaled white smoke. The white smoke morphed into thick black fog, where countless wailing spirits and lost souls cried out. The two forces clashed, and the monstrous fog gradually enveloped the sun's flames, dissipating them.
In an instant, calm returned. Yan Mo shook her head, smiling. "Unfortunately, Amaterasu, we must end our encounter here. I have no desire to continue this fight, and you are no longer my opponent."
Divine energy flickered around Yan Mo, and she and her followers vanished without a trace.
In their brief clash, Yan Mo had decisively emerged victorious. Amaterasu remained unscathed but could not ignore the fact that Yan Mo had become a formidable adversary.
Amaterasu thought to herself, "What has happened to Yan Mo? She has grown so much stronger in such a short time. But since you, Yan Mo, are a troublemaker, it seems many issues need to be addressed. Furthermore, Yan Mo's strength..."
As Amaterasu gradually faded from view, she realized she needed to return to Gaotianyuan to confront these matters. Yan Mo's growing power was a significant concern, and she would need a strategy to handle it.
Yet, Amaterasu was confident in her ability to secure victory. Although the San Yushen had experienced some division due to the failure to establish the Weiyuan Kingdom, their unity would prove formidable when facing a common enemy.