36: God's guidance

"System! If I send him a message, does that count as an intervention?"

"System: No, only substantial help like improving cultivation, creating items, or attacking counts."

Sodasrei!

Lu Chen understood; trash talk carried no responsibility.

Instantly, Lu Chen thought of some interesting ways to play.

Lu Chen directly projected subtitles in front of White Ember.

"White Ember! You have two and a half years to occupy a city, otherwise, you will suffer divine punishment and be executed on the spot!"

White Ember looked at the words that appeared out of thin air, falling prostrate in fear and shouting, "A miracle, a miracle! Are you the God of Holy Light?!"

"That's right! I am the great God of Holy Light! You are my agent in the human world, and your mission is to conquer the entire Holy Radiance and become its emperor!"

White Ember frowned, "But, why is the God of Holy Light Corruption and not Purification?"

Lu Chen was speechless. So you're not stupid after all!

"Ahem, that's because your human hearts have been corrupted by desire, so I am no longer pure. Only when you corrupt the entire world will Holy Light be restored."

White Ember suddenly understood, "I see! When things reach an extreme, they reverse. When the whole world is corrupted, it will turn into light!"

"Thumbs up! You're so smart! You truly are my chosen Chosen One. Alright, go for it! I await the day you unify the world."

White Ember was filled with fervor, "Great God of Holy Light, rest assured, I will definitely help you restore your purity!"

Lu Chen stopped sending messages; too much intervention would make it boring.

However, Lu Chen overestimated White Ember. White Ember bravely walked out of the cave only to find an army of hundreds, and he turned and ran in fright!

Holy Radiance Year 67.

All six towns in Chen Guang's territory were corrupted.

The annual Holy Light Conference.

Chen Guang questioned, "What exactly has Lie Ri been doing this year? Why hasn't the Corruption been resolved, but instead gotten worse?"

Lie Ri said with deep sorrow, "This year, my Sun Legion sacrificed thousands of brothers, and I nearly died countless times. This is not my fault, but yours."

Chen Guang was furious, "My fault?! How dare you accuse me?!"

Lie Ri pointed out, "Look at the infected towns; they are all in your territory. Why aren't other people's territories infected, only yours? This shows that you have offended the great God of Holy Light, and your Soul has been defiled, which is why you are being punished. I demand an immediate Purification ritual for Chen Guang to see if he is infected! Vote for me!"

High Priest Yong Zhou, Law Enforcer Yao Jie, Prophet Xing Yu, and a total of ten core officials supported the Purification of Chen Guang.

Only Chen Guang's younger sister Chen Xi and his daughter Dawn Moon did not vote.

Chen Guang was stunned! These subordinates, who usually held him in awe, now looked like strangers.

Chen Guang suddenly realized that over the years, he had focused all his energy on developing civilization, researching crops, and improving people's lives, not paying much attention to power.

He hadn't expected that within the temple, most officials had been bribed by Lie Ri.

Lie Ri promised that as long as Chen Guang was overthrown and he became the High Patriarch, he would lift the various restrictions set by Chen Guang, expand territories, and increase the authority of the lords.

Chen Guang roared, "Lie Ri! You were my chosen successor for High Patriarch long ago! How could you do such an outrageous thing? If you wanted to take over sooner, you could have told me! You shouldn't have deliberately corrupted those innocent towns and killed so many citizens!"

Lie Ri laughed, "High Patriarch, I don't understand what you're saying. This is because you offended the gods, and that's why you are being punished."

Judge Chen Xi glared, "Lie Ri, the specific reason should be investigated by my Court of Judgment. How dare you threaten the High Patriarch here..."

Her words were cut short.

Pfft!

Before she could finish, a crimson spear shadow pierced her throat, and the karmic fire condensed at the spear tip instantly incinerated her Nascent Soul into ash.

"Sister!" Blood splattered on Chen Guang's face. This Saint Infant Realm expert showed fear for the first time: "You... you actually Cultivate forbidden techniques!"

One must know that karmic fire only existed on the other side of the Great Chasm!

Lie Ri wiped the blood from his armor and said calmly, "What forbidden techniques? Chen Guang, you are too narrow-minded. Whether it's Holy Light or karmic fire, as long as it can improve cultivation, it's good energy. Do you know why everyone wants to go against you? It's because you have too many rules!"

Chen Guang's eyes were bloodshot, "I did that to protect you! You beasts!"

Chen Guang activated Holy Light, condensing seventy-two light blades around him, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!

They shot towards Lie Ri!

Lie Ri activated karmic fire, summoning a flame shield, easily blocking them.

"Old man, I forgot to tell you, I have already broken through the Saint Infant Realm and reached the Apocalypse Realm. Your era is over!"

Boom! The temple gate burst open!

Commander Light Fortress, his armor shattered and covered in blood, rushed in: "High Patriarch, the guards have rebelled! Quick! I'll cover you, follow me to retreat!"

"Trying to leave? Not that easy!"

Clap, clap, clap!

Lie Ri clapped his hands.

Yun Fei led a thousand elite soldiers to block the gate.

As Dawn Moon drew her Moon Blade, Lie Ri shattered it with a palm strike and grabbed her by the neck: "Dawn Moon, you wretch, if you had agreed to marry me earlier, I might have been willing to wait a few more days. But alas, you humiliated me again and again!"

"Dawn Moon!" Light Fortress's eyes were bloodshot, his heart bleeding as he watched the woman he loved being humiliated.

Light Fortress and Dawn Moon loved each other, but because Light Fortress's status was humble, he couldn't be with Dawn Moon.

This was also why Dawn Moon, even at 30 years old, was still unmarried.

Chen Guang's body erupted with golden light.

Dawn Moon's heart was in agony: "No, Father, please stop."

Chen Guang burned his Saint Infant, a tens of meters tall Saint Infant illusion appeared behind him, summoning thousands of light swords, and charged towards Lie Ri.

Lie Ri was forced to release Dawn Moon and fully defend himself.

Light Fortress took the opportunity to rescue Dawn Moon.

Chen Guang looked at his daughter gently: "Light Fortress, take Dawn Moon and escape. Find a place where no one is, and live a good life together."

The three thousand light swords turned their blades, inscribed with the 'Holy Radiance Code' incantations, and charged towards the gate, piercing through hundreds of guards blocking the entrance.

Ah, ah, ah, screams echoed continuously.

Light Fortress took the opportunity to escape with Dawn Moon.

Chen Guang blocked the gate, his holy sword plunged into the ground, and his aged voice echoed through the hall: "Today, no one shall cross this door!"

Lie Ri raised his flaming spear, turning into a wave of fire that crashed into Chen Guang: "Old man! Let's see how long your broken body can last!"

Clang, clang, clang!

Pleasant clashing sounds.

Every spear strike was parried by Chen Guang's shattered holy sword.

The fire of the Saint Infant burned for a full minute. Chen Guang's energy was exhausted, and he instantly aged, his face covered in wrinkles.

When everyone went to check.

Chen Guang had no heartbeat. A creator of civilization died in a power struggle.

The intense sounds of fighting attracted the attention of the patrolling guards and government officials outside the temple.

They rushed over, panting, and saw High Patriarch Chen Guang lying on the ground, pale and lifeless, struck by thunder.

Lie Ri seized the opportunity to kneel, wailing: "My Lord Patriarch, what a tragic death you suffered! Wuwuwu, Dawn Moon eloped with Commander Light Fortress, and Lord Patriarch was angered to death! Come, pursue these dog and bitch!"

The people who had just participated in the rebellion were dumbfounded; Lie Ri was too good at acting.

If they didn't know better, they would have thought he was Chen Guang's biological son.

In the magnificent Holy Radiance Temple, Lie Ri, clad in an imperial robe burning with golden flames, sat on the Holy Light Throne, letting out a long laugh that shook the hall: "From today onwards, the Holy Radiance Temple shall be renamed the Sun Radiance Temple! And I—I am your Sun Radiance Emperor!!!"

High Priest Yong Zhou coughed: "Lie... Lie Ri, the High Patriarch's body has not yet been interred, and the Holy Light prayers have not been completed. Such haste... I fear it will incur the punishment of the God of Holy Light!"

Lie Ri's smile faded, and the temperature in the entire temple suddenly rose.

He slowly stood up and walked towards Yong Zhou, each step leaving a charred footprint on the ground: "Old man, what did you just... call me?"

The High Priest was so scared that he fell to his knees: "Your Majesty!"

Hundreds of government officials in the hall also knelt in fear, shouting in unison: "Greetings, Sun Radiance Emperor!"

Lie Ri's lips curved into a satisfied arc: "Remember—there has never been any God of Holy Light in this world. That was merely a lie concocted by Chen Guang! Now, I am the only True God you should bow to!"

"