Chapter 283: Qin Shi Huang, Who Forged a New Immortal Realm Single-Handedly!
What's happening? The very heavens are trembling without warning.
This sensation wasn't caused by an explosion somewhere.
It felt more like the entire space of the Central Celestial Realm had been struck by something massive.
This wasn't just the heavens shaking—the very fabric of space itself was quaking, so much so that even the gods struggled to maintain their balance.
In an instant, most were stumbling and reeling.
"What's going on?"
"Was there an explosion somewhere?"
"Seems not!"
They noticed Buddha remained perfectly still, instead watching the human faction's exit with keen interest.
"What's that about?"
"This is—!"
"It's the founding emperors of Eastern China's successive dynasties!!!"
Unnoticed until now, these founding emperors had lined up in formation, all clad in battle armor as if ready for war.
They marched toward the human exit—not to emerge onto the arena, but seemingly to enter through that very passage.
Yet, before they could approach the exit, the entrance split open.
The tear spread like a wound, revealing another realm beyond.
"Do you think this First Emperor merely unified the chaotic Eastern world and became the first to bear the title of emperor?"
"Wrong! Dead wrong!"
"Do you think he was just an unparalleled ruler through the ages?"
"Wrong! Dead wrong!!!"
Heimdall, the host, roared these words as if speaking to himself.
"According to human historical records, this Qin Shi Huang sought immortality—a fact many likely know. The legends say that because he refused to die, he devoted himself to seeking the immortals. But as we just mentioned, the immortals and gods had long vanished! This emperor was destined never to find them!!!"
Everyone was still trying to grasp what Heimdall meant by "dead wrong," when he abruptly shifted the topic.
No, it wasn't a shift—it was the prelude to his explanation of why they were so mistaken.
"The records claim that his obsession with this pursuit made him neglect the people and governance, leading to the empire's sudden collapse, correct?"
"Dead wrong!"
"If the immortals and gods won't protect humanity, then I shall become the immortal and god myself!!!"
These words stunned both humans and deities alike.
Could it be that, like the previous round, this human king had also ascended to godhood?
Heimdall paused here, taking another deep breath.
"This founding emperor has once again forged a new legend—no, a miracle!!!"
So, what exactly was this miracle that so deeply shocked Heimdall? Both mortals and gods were intensely curious to know.
Of course, a select few were already aware.
"That is, he single-handedly created the Qin Imperial Heavenly Court!"
Many still didn't fully grasp the meaning, but the term "Heavenly Court" was not one to be used lightly.
"He, by his own power, created a new Immortal Realm!!!"
Gods and mortals alike froze for a moment.
What was Heimdall saying?
"He, by his own power, created a new pantheon!!!"
This subsequent proclamation left almost everyone present—human and divine—struggling to process the information.
Correction—it wasn't that they couldn't process it, but the sheer magnitude of the revelation was so staggering that their minds simply couldn't handle it.
Was Heimdall joking?
A mere human creating a new Immortal Realm? Establishing a new pantheon?
Meanwhile, the earlier rift had widened further, and the emperors of past dynasties had already stepped through.
Like court officials paying homage, they bowed toward a figure at the far end of the great hall—truly, the gesture of subjects submitting to their sovereign.
"Enfeoff!"
With that single word from the founding emperor seated upon the imperial throne, the auras of those emperors who knelt before him as subjects underwent a sudden transformation.
"What!"
"This can't be real!"
"H-How is this possible!"
The gods could no longer remain seated. They rose to their feet, their faces etched with disbelief.
"Hermes, am I mistaken, or… h-how…"
Even Ares, the Greek God of War, seemed to have his tongue stuck in his throat, unable to form words.
"Correct. They have ascended to godhood!"
With what seemed like effortless ease, this founding emperor had elevated the founding emperors of past dynasties to divinity.
Moreover, while none could be considered chief gods, each had become a high-tier deity, second only to the chief gods.
Additionally, countless other figures filled the hall. Through glasses connected to the Akashic System, every one of them was identified—they were all the heroic figures from over two millennia of Eastern history.
And every one of them was a god.
Among them, several radiated a presence no less imposing than that of the chief gods!
This spectacle left even Hermes utterly and unprecedentedly shaken.
After the gods had departed and abandoned humanity, this human had taken it upon himself to become a god, creating a new pantheon to guide and protect the Eastern human world!
It was utterly absurd!
Yet, it was precisely this absurdity that made him a worthy rival to Buddha!
In a way, this Qin Shi Huang also shared a certain karmic bond with Buddha.
As a god, Buddha could not directly intervene in the Eastern world, lest he provoke the fury of its immortals and deities. Yet, Buddha remained stubborn.
Though he never set foot in the Eastern world or interfered directly, his human followers could.
Devotees of Buddha sought to spread Buddhism to the Eastern nations, but during Qin Shi Huang's reign, they were all eradicated!
Even in later eras, subsequent human emperors repeatedly launched brutal campaigns to suppress Buddhism, preventing the human religion from spreading throughout the Eastern world.
Thus, in a sense, the two were bound by a grudge.
Thus, Hermes discovered that from the first round of the final battle between humans and gods, Ragnarök, to the present day, the opposing sides in each round of confrontation have been connected on certain levels.
Huh? Again?
Hermes narrowed his eyes as he gazed at the sky, where bizarre images of the human world had once again appeared—another trick of the Primordial Gods.
This time, the scene depicted outer space around the human planet, with something flying toward Earth.
Was that—a warship?
Countless alien metallic warships!
The sight resembled nothing less than an alien fleet preparing to invade Earth.
And this time, they were closing in from all directions, encircling the human world so thoroughly that escape seemed impossible.