"Is... is this SpongeBob?" one of Humanity's Ceilings pointed at a certain figure among the gods of Bikini Bottom, his voice trembling.
"Why are there cartoon characters?"
"Am I going crazy?"
Ye Fan and the others were left with nothing but endless questions in their hearts: *Were all of these Ian's proxied gods? Was this even logical?!*
They even began to suspect that they were being affected by Ian's mental power, experiencing a mass hallucination.
However, this was far from over.
Before the absurd image of SpongeBob could be completely erased from the minds of Humanity's Ceilings, new divine projections descended. This time, it was no longer a lighthearted and playful cartoon atmosphere; instead, it was replaced by the majestic, boundless pressure of the cosmos and the profound, terrifying aura of the unknown.
They suddenly felt as if they had been thrust into outer space. High above the firmament, starlight abruptly converged, and a colossal, unimaginably massive astral dragon slowly revealed its silhouette.
Its scales shimmered with the radiance of newborn stars, and every breath it took seemed to pull at the tides of the universe. Even as a mere projection, that ancient and majestic presence, transcending all creation, caused the air in the conference room to stagnate.
*The Star Forger... Aurelion Sol.* A magnificent name automatically surfaced in their minds.
Immediately after, a distant, ethereal chant echoed, sounding as if it came from the very edge of the universe. A mysterious figure draped in a star-patterned cloak appeared. Behind him floated countless little spirits, each brimming with wondrous vitality.
*The Cosmic Wanderer, Bard.* His gaze was peaceful, bringing an indescribable sense of tranquility as it swept over the crowd.
"And... what is that?" another Ceiling pointed toward an area that had suddenly turned pitch-black and abyssal.
A hideous, terrifying giant maw tore through space, accompanied by a primal fear that made their souls tremble.
The Terror of the Void, Cho'Gath. His massive body was covered in jagged carapace and spikes, and his deep purple eyes revealed a ravenous desire to devour everything.
Just looking at his projection gave them the illusion that they were about to be swallowed by the endless void.
Subsequently, more figures arrived one after another: the spear-wielding Aspect of War, the moon-blade-brandishing Scorn of the Moon, the storm-commanding Volibear, and more...
Each of their projections exuded a unique and formidable divine might. Their styles were vastly different, yet equally awe-inspiring.
The several Humanity's Ceilings in the conference room acutely sensed that this was yet another entirely new, unheard-of pantheon. *Just how many gods did he have backing him?*
Before Ye Fan and the others could ask further, a deafening roar that seemed capable of tearing souls apart suddenly exploded.
Two bizarre, indescribable black-and-purple creatures appeared. Their auras were filled with endless violence and destruction, even more terrifying than the four Chaos Gods that had appeared earlier.
It was none other than Witherzilla and the Wither Storm.
"What... what the hell are those things?! Could they be the source of the black mist?"
"No! They are completely different!"
Then, many more gods continued to arrive, such as the Martial Gods who cultivated magnetic field martial arts, the technological gods from the Super Seminary, and so on.
"Are these... also gods you proxy for?" Lu Wuwei muttered to himself, his tone filled with disbelief.
Ye Fan took a deep breath and slowly exhaled, trying to calm the shock churning in his chest. He looked at Ian; the young man still wore a calm expression, as if the spectacle unfolding before them was nothing out of the ordinary.
He now somewhat understood why Ian had previously claimed he "picked up" Forbidden Items. If he could wholesale gods, wasn't it perfectly reasonable for him to pick up a few Forbidden Items along the way?
Finally, just as Humanity's Ceilings were on the verge of a mental breakdown, radiant light erupted behind Ian once more. A golden figure representing supreme, absolute dominion—The Emperor—appeared. His aura intimidated the entire universe, eclipsing all the other gods, as if even the air itself was frozen by his sheer pressure.
As the phantom of the Emperor completely solidified, Ian himself underwent an earth-shattering transformation! An endless suit of armor materialized on his body, flowing with brilliant colors as if it contained the stars of the cosmos.
His entire stature grew taller, exuding a terrifying, supreme pressure that looked down upon all living beings. This was the "God Emperor Form"! He was no longer a "proxy" for the gods; he was a "god" himself!
"So, I'm actually not a proxy," Ian's voice became ethereal and majestic in his God Emperor Form. "I am their boss."
The pressure from Ian's God Emperor Form filled the entire conference room like a tangible substance.
The supreme aura of the Emperor's phantom seemed to freeze time and space.
Ye Fan and the other Humanity's Ceilings felt their very souls trembling slightly under this pressure.
Their thoughts nearly ground to a halt, leaving them to stare blankly up at Ian.
This was no longer simple strength; it was an absolute crushing dominance on a completely different level of existence, far surpassing any foreign gods they had ever seen.
Lin Qiye watched silently from the side. His heart could no longer muster much of a reaction, leaving only a single thought circling in his mind.
*Sure enough, with Brother Ian, it's no longer a question of whether he's strong or not. He's just a walking bug.*
After a brief moment of stupor, Ye Fan felt his heart pounding wildly in his chest.
He took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the shock that threatened to shatter his reason, and slowly exhaled a heavy breath, trying to calm his inner trembling.
As the Commander-in-Chief of the Night Watchmen, he had to remain composed.
He represented the colleagues behind him and the will of the Great Xia people.
Finally, he spoke, his voice hoarse and trembling.
"Your Excellency Ian..."
"These... these gods, what exactly are their origins?"
"And what is the truth of the world we live in?"
"Furthermore, what is the true nature of the black mist that swept across the globe and continues to spread to this day?"
Ian gave a slight nod. He gestured for Yang Jian behind him to step forward and answer his questions.
The divine light on Yang Jian's body retracted, returning him to his usual appearance of a gentle and refined young man.
He took a step forward, facing Ye Fan and the others, his voice clear and steady.
"Everyone, the mist spreading from Antarctica is rooted in a physical manifestation of the 'Chaos' power from the Cthulhu Mythos."
"Its purpose here is to invade our universe."
Yang Jian's tone was calm, but his words made the hearts of everyone present tighten.
He continued, a trace of imperceptible sorrow in his voice.
"During that initial anomaly, many gods of the Western world chose to sacrifice their believers in order to protect themselves and prolong their own survival."
As soon as these words were spoken, several suppressed gasps echoed in the conference room.
Yang Jian's gaze swept over the crowd as he continued, "However, the gods of Great Xia chose a different path."
"We destroyed our own cultivation bases and burned our divine souls, transforming into Nation-Protecting Divine Monuments. Using our flesh and blood, guided by our souls, we protected the people of Great Xia."
His voice was not loud, yet it carried a power that pierced straight through to the heart.
The solemn and stirring sacrifice, the tragic and heroic choice—Ye Fan and the others were all deeply moved.
They clenched their fists tightly, their knuckles turning white.
Some even had slightly moist eyes, a testament to their lofty respect for the ancient sages who sacrificed their lives for righteousness.