Chapter 338
Tang Yu’an stared at the system notification and blinked.
“System… this item… is it what I think it is?” he asked uncertainly.
The system remained silent, as if it no longer wanted to talk.
“An’an, what did you draw?” Zhou Qi asked.
“Blank Divinity Core.”
“……”
Zhou Qi thought he must’ve misheard. “What did you say?”
“I drew a unique hidden item, a Blank Divinity Core,” Tang Yu’an scratched his head. “This divinity core… could it mean I can become a god?”
Zhou Qi sucked in a sharp breath.
He knew An’an had incredible luck, but he didn’t expect it to be this absurdly good!
Subconsciously, Zhou Qi tightened his grip on Tang Yu’an’s hand. “What did the system say about it?”
“It didn’t answer me. Maybe it’s busy.” Tang Yu’an looked down at Yanlong Home Base.
While they spoke, even more lava poured down from the sky like waterfalls, flooding the wastelands and forming rivers of molten fire, gradually engulfing Yanlong Home Base.
And it was still spreading outward, devouring more land.
The once-clear protective barrier had turned completely red, now covered in cracks—like it could shatter at any moment.
Tang Yu’an looked away. He couldn’t waste another second.
He didn’t know exactly how to use the Blank Divinity Core or what effect it would have—but at the very least… it should do something, right?
As he chose to accept it, a palm-sized white stone glowing with dazzling light slowly floated in front of him.
Tang Yu’an suddenly felt like the air around him had frozen.
No—it wasn’t just a feeling.
He looked around and realized time itself had slowed to a crawl—so much so it felt completely still.
Just then, a voice spoke softly in his ear.
“Didn’t expect you to actually draw this godcore. You’re truly a child favored by luck.”
Tang Yu’an’s heart skipped a beat. “Who?! Who’s speaking?”
Could it be… the one who created the system?
As that thought flashed through his mind, the voice chuckled and said, “You’re clever.”
Tang Yu’an’s eyes widened—this mysterious being could read his thoughts? That was terrifying!
“Just telepathy. Parlor tricks.”
Then, he suddenly noticed the light on the Blank Divinity Core gathering and forming into a tiny golden figure.
The little golden light figure sat cross-legged on top of the godcore with its arms crossed, looking a bit smugly at him.
Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but feel nervous.
Although the little glowing person looked cute, this was a matter concerning the lives of tens of millions in the home base—he couldn’t afford to let his guard down.
“You’re so powerful… Is there any way to stop this dimension from being destroyed?”
“No.”
Tang Yu’an: “…”
He stared at the light figure and stubbornly asked, “Really? Absolutely no way?”
“I can help you become a god. But whether you can achieve your wish… that depends on your ability,” the little light figure replied.
“Be… become a god…”
Tang Yu’an looked down at the Blank Divinity Core and gulped.
Although he’d worked to grow the Shangshen Faith, he had never imagined becoming a real god. It all felt like a dream.
But… what price would he have to pay to become a god?
He thought for a moment, then cautiously asked, “After I become a god… can I still fall in love?”
The little light figure: “……”
Tang Yu’an glanced at Zhou Qi beside him, then said in a conflicted tone, “Gods aren’t supposed to fall in love, right…”
He had worked so hard to get his parents’ blessing, and he’d only just gotten together with Zhou Qi. He couldn’t imagine life without him.
Even though the glowing figure had no visible face, Tang Yu’an somehow felt it was speechless.
Then it finally said, “This divinity core belongs to the magic-path pantheon. In magical civilizations, you can date however many you want.”
“!!!”
Tang Yu’an immediately said, “I only want one.”
Other than Zhou Qi, he wanted no one.
After blurting that out, he finally looked a bit embarrassed and chuckled. “So what do I do now?”
“Accept the godcore. Fuse it into your body. Ascend to your divine position.”
“How do I fuse with it?”
“Close your eyes.”
Tang Yu’an looked at Zhou Qi, squeezed his hand, and then gently closed his eyes.
He could feel a light drawing closer to him.
The little glowing figure hovered in the air as the Blank Divinity Core slowly floated toward Tang Yu’an’s forehead. As the distance closed, the core shrank smaller and smaller…
Until it fully merged into his brow.
A profound understanding blossomed in Tang Yu’an’s heart.
A divinity core is the vessel through which gods store and convert the power of faith—gods are born of faith, grow stronger through it, and fade when it disappears.
“Calm your mind. Listen closely. Feel the faith that belongs to you.”
Tang Yu’an followed the little light being’s guidance and soon began to “see.”
Countless golden threads in the void converged toward him. Some were strong, others faint; some thick, some thin. As his consciousness focused on the thickest one, his awareness followed it to its origin.
Tang Yu’an saw Old Mo.
But he didn’t look so old anymore. After cultivating with Li Changqing and breaking through, he’d reverted to his middle-aged appearance.
As the highly respected High Priest, this transformation had caused quite a stir.
At this moment, Mo Sheng stood on the altar.
Five years had passed. The once barren and desolate Yanlong Home Base had been transformed into an oasis. Farmlands were cultivated, buildings rose from the ground—and the altar had become increasingly magnificent.
The disasters outside had actually been ongoing for a long time, but people in the home base had grown used to them and didn’t pay much attention.
But when the once-transparent protective barrier became visible and began to crack, people finally took it seriously.
And when Tang Yu’an, using his identity as Silverlight, issued an emergency order for staff to evacuate through the teleportation array, everyone realized the catastrophe was real.
Panic spread quickly throughout the home base.
The well-informed began fleeing toward Desolate City Home Base, while many others could only kneel in fear and pray to the God of Commerce.
At that moment, the altar beneath Mo Sheng was packed with worshipers.
He was among the first to receive the evacuation order and had been authorized to leave via teleportation. If he’d acted quickly, he’d probably be in China by now.
But he didn’t leave.
Like a steadfast anchor, Mo Sheng calmly stepped onto the altar and began his prayer to the God of Commerce, just as he always did.
He didn’t stop those who wished to leave either, and even granted everyone access to the teleportation gate leading to Desolate City Home Base.
Still, the majority of Yanlong’s citizens chose to stay behind with him.
[Friend “Changqing” is requesting a video call]
Mo Sheng accepted the call, and soon Li Changqing’s figure appeared on screen.
“Mo Sheng.”
“I’m not leaving,” Mo Sheng said immediately. “Let the younger ones go instead.”
The teleportation array had limited capacity—it was impossible to evacuate everyone in such a short time.
“If the world is truly fated to end today,” Mo Sheng continued, “then I’ll stay here and face the end with it.”
“To have built something so great in the final years of my life—that alone is the God of Commerce’s gift to me.”
“I have no regrets.”
He had been to China before. It was a world with a similar civilization, but it wasn’t truly his home.
Even if his world was worn and broken—it was still his. His roots, his land. The place he could never abandon.
“I know,” Li Changqing replied. “I didn’t call to convince you. I’m not planning to leave either.”
“I just wanted to see you one last time.”
Mo Sheng chuckled. Old Li always acted cold, but in truth, no one was more sentimental.
“Don’t say stuff like that.”
Even though he himself had just said he’d die with no regrets, now he was comforting someone else.
“The God of Commerce will protect us.”
Mo Sheng smiled, “Once this crisis is over, let’s watch cartoons together, eat chips, and drink cola.”
Li Changqing laughed, “And fried chicken.”
“Yes! And a blueberry sundae!”
Li Changqing nodded, then fell silent for a moment before asking, “Do you really believe the God of Commerce exists?”
“I believe.”
As he spoke those words, the voices of the faithful echoed throughout the home base.
“God of Commerce!”
“God of Commerce!”
“God of Commerce!”
These voices surged like a tidal wave, channeling through the golden threads toward Tang Yu’an—threatening to drown him.
“Channel the power of faith into the godcore! Transform it into your divine power!”
The little light being’s voice echoed again. “Only by forming your divine power can you truly step onto the path of godhood!”
Tang Yu’an quickly followed its instructions, guiding the power surging from the golden threads into the once-blank divinity core.
The pure white godcore turned golden. As more faith flowed in, the gold deepened, settling and being absorbed completely.
Once that step was complete, the faith streaming in through the golden threads no longer needed to be guided—it flowed into the core on its own.
No one knew how much time had passed.
But Tang Yu’an “saw” a droplet of golden liquid form atop the divinity core and slowly descend into his sea of consciousness.
BOOM—
Tang Yu’an’s perception exploded outward. A powerful force surged through his body. He raised his hand, and a drop of golden liquid gathered in his palm.
“This is… divine power?”
He closed his eyes again, and the entire Shangshen Home Base clearly appeared in his mind.
He didn’t need guidance anymore—he knew what to do.
He understood that with his current strength, he still couldn’t stop the destruction of this dimension.
But—
He could save Shangshen Home Base!
Tang Yu’an channeled his divine power into the protective barrier.
Before, with his energy points nearly depleted, the barrier had been falling apart, its cracks growing by the second.
But now, with divine power pouring in—the barrier healed.
“The God of Commerce has appeared!”
With this discovery, people’s faith in the God of Commerce grew even stronger. Even those crowding to escape gradually stopped, kneeling on the ground to pray toward the sky.
More and more faith poured into the godcore, and the conversion to divine power accelerated.
As divine power replenished, the protective barrier became increasingly stable.
It formed a perfect positive feedback loop.
Amidst quakes and sky-darkening calamities, this home blessed by the God of Commerce stood like a lone boat in a stormy sea—battered by endless waves, yet stubbornly resisting destruction.
Tang Yu’an’s forehead was soaked with sweat, and pain twisted his expression.
Such pure divine power was far beyond what a mortal body could endure. Yet, because the power drained so quickly, every time his body reached its limit, it was rapidly reforged.
The process was excruciating—akin to what Zhou Qi once endured when his body was burned by flames and reborn in fire.
Tang Yu’an gritted his teeth.
He forced himself to ignore the pain, focusing all his attention on listening to the voices of his followers.
He had to save everyone. He had to protect the home they worked so hard to build. He could do it.
Eventually, through repeated collapse and rebirth, his body grew more resilient and gradually adapted to divine power. The pain eased—bit by bit…
No one knew how much time had passed.
When Tang Yu’an finally regained consciousness, the catastrophic upheaval had subsided. The destructive pressure pressing down on the protective barrier had disappeared.
He opened his eyes sharply—and saw that the world around him had changed.
Giant trees pierced the clouds. Everything was magnified countless times. Looking down, he saw the entire Shangshen Home Base resting intact within the forest.
Well—except for Purple Sky Fortress.
That fortress still hung isolated over the sea. Since no roads connected it, it hadn’t been brought over with the rest, but through Tang Yu’an’s divine perception, he sensed that its protective barrier remained intact.
Which meant—
“The Wasteland World and the Giant World have fully merged,” Zhou Qi’s voice said.
Tang Yu’an looked up to find himself cradled in Zhou Qi’s arms, who gazed at him with deep concern.
“You’re awake?” Zhou Qi reached out and gently touched his cheek.
While Tang Yu’an was unconscious, Zhou Qi had stayed by his side.
The power unleashed during the fusion of the two worlds had been terrifying—spatial forces chaotic and destructive.
Zhou Qi had wanted to take him away, but found he couldn’t move Tang Yu’an at all. So he held him tight, doing everything in his power to resist the devastation.
When his strength was completely drained and he was on the verge of collapse, the spirit bug hidden in his body finally awakened.
He couldn’t fully explain it—only that it felt like…
He had truly fused with the spirit bug. Or more accurately, the power of natural laws.
A force that represented nature itself—able to control all elemental powers like gold, wood, water, fire, and earth.
It was the law of the Giant World overriding and assimilating the Wasteland World.
This fragment of law Zhou Qi inherited was special: it allowed him to manipulate all natural rules—but was also dangerously unstable.
As his power expanded to resist the world-ending energy, he too nearly lost control and was about to be absorbed into nature.
But then—he felt a new force.
It came from Tang Yu’an—warm, steady, unwaveringly protective.
It helped Zhou Qi fully merge with the tail end of that law fragment.
Since that power originated from the Giant World, and the Giant World held absolute dominance in this dimensional merger, it essentially devoured the Wasteland World.
Thus, Zhou Qi emerged from the storm unscathed.
But the youth in his arms hadn’t woken for a long time—his face contorted in pain Zhou Qi had never seen before.
Yet he never screamed. He just clenched his teeth and bore it in silence.
Zhou Qi had been tormented with worry… until now.
Seeing the concern and affection in Zhou Qi’s eyes, Tang Yu’an couldn’t help but pout. “It hurts…”
Zhou Qi was about to comfort him when suddenly a small glowing figure appeared above them.
“Can’t handle a little pain?”
Zhou Qi frowned. Tang Yu’an quickly wiped away his tears but couldn’t help muttering under his breath, “I just wanted to act a little spoiled…”
“You’re already a god now!”
…Though a very weak one.
After all, he had only just condensed divine power, and his divine body had only undergone its initial tempering. He had just a few million followers—so of course he wasn’t strong yet.
Tang Yu’an looked at the little glowing figure seriously. “Thank you for helping us through the disaster. But… you must have had a reason for helping us, right? Is there something I can do for you?”
There’s no such thing as a free lunch—Zhou Qi had always taught him that.
Now that the crisis was over, it was time to repay the favor.
But the little glowing figure said simply, “No reason.”
Tang Yu’an blinked. “Then… why?”
“If I had to give a reason… I guess I was bored.” The little figure shrugged.
Tang Yu’an didn’t know what to say. That was the last thing he expected.
He hesitated, then asked, “Are you a god too?”
“No.”
“Then what are you?” Tang Yu’an asked curiously.
The little figure’s body began to fade.
Just when Tang Yu’an thought it wouldn’t answer, a soft, ethereal voice echoed again.
“I am miracle.”
“The Doomsday Grocery Store system is now yours. It will help you comprehend the power of natural laws. As for other trading systems… it’s up to your own fortune.”
“Farewell, child of fortune. May we meet again someday.”
As the voice faded, the mysterious glowing figure completely disappeared from before Tang Yu’an and Zhou Qi’s eyes.
