"Lin Xiaotian, your son dared to molest the Divine Realm Princess! This is a capital offense. Surrender your son, Lin Yun, now, and we may yet spare your War God Lineage. Otherwise, we will eradicate your entire line today!"
In the mist-shrouded Divine Realm, within the War God Palace, over a dozen Main Gods, led by the Divine Emperor, were shouting at a handsome man clad in Golden Armor.
Listening to their clamor, Lin Xiaotian's expression was indifferent. He understood the whole situation perfectly. 'My son, Lin Yun, just turned fifteen this year. How could I possibly believe that he would molest the Divine Realm Princess, the Daughter of the Divine Emperor?'
This was all because of his own military achievements. The Divine Emperor felt threatened by him. His merits had overshadowed his master, and it had finally brought disaster upon him.
The man in the crowd wearing a golden Imperial Robe was none other than the Divine Emperor of the Divine Realm. He was now looking at Lin Xiaotian with a detached expression, speaking in a slow, unhurried tone, "Lin Xiaotian, in light of your distinguished military service, I am already showing you extraordinary mercy. As long as you hand over Lin Yun, I can let this matter go."
As soon as the Divine Emperor finished speaking, the dozen or so Main Gods at his side chimed in, "His Majesty the Divine Emperor is magnanimous and benevolent! It is truly a blessing for our Divine Realm."
After speaking, they turned back to Lin Xiaotian, their expressions instantly changing as they roared angrily, "Lin Xiaotian, His Majesty the Divine Emperor has already shown you mercy! Hand over your son Lin Yun at once! Do you intend to openly defy the Divine Emperor's authority?"
Hearing these despicable words and seeing their hypocritical expressions, Lin Xiaotian couldn't help but reveal a bitter smile. These were the most powerful figures in the entire Divine Realm, each one an existence that could be considered immortal and indestructible.
'I ascended to the Divine Realm nearly ten thousand years ago. In that time, I earned glorious achievements in the war against the Divine Demons. But who would have thought that these very achievements would become my own Life-ending Talisman?'
"Haha! To think that my, Lin Xiaotian's, military achievements have become my own Life-ending Talisman! Your Majesty the Divine Emperor, if you want to kill me, why bother with these trumped-up charges? If a ruler wants his subject to die, the subject must die. However, my son, Lin Yun, is innocent. I hope Your Majesty can spare my wife and child," Lin Xiaotian laughed loudly, his laughter filled with helplessness and bitterness.
No one in the entire Divine Realm could defy the Divine Emperor. If the Divine Emperor wanted you dead, you had to die. But Lin Xiaotian could not allow any harm to come to his wife and child.
"Lin Xiaotian, I have already said that your son, Lin Yun, molested the Princess. He must be handed over today. If you continue to refuse, then I will have to act myself." Hearing Lin Xiaotian's plea, the Divine Emperor remained unmoved.
One must cut the grass and pull up the roots. The Divine Emperor understood this principle all too well. He could not leave behind a hidden danger that could explode at any moment.
With things having come to this, Lin Xiaotian also understood. Today, the Divine Emperor was determined to wipe out his War God Lineage.
Standing ramrod straight, Lin Xiaotian swept his gaze over the crowd and said coolly, "What I, Lin Xiaotian, have done for the Divine Realm is clear for all to see. It is true that if a ruler wants his subject to die, the subject must die. But my wife and child are innocent. If anyone dares to touch them today, I, Lin Xiaotian, will fight to the death and take them down with me."
After speaking, waves of Golden Light erupted from Lin Xiaotian's body. The might of the War God was completely unleashed at this moment.
Sensing Lin Xiaotian's aura, the surrounding Main Gods took a slight step back. The title of War God was no empty boast; it was built upon blood and bone from countless battles against the Demon Race.
"Hmph! Lin Xiaotian, you refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit. You disrespect me! Today, I shall represent all the gods of the Divine Realm and annihilate your War God Lineage!" Sensing the fear in the hearts of the Main Gods, the Divine Emperor snorted coldly and was the first to attack Lin Xiaotian.
Seeing the Divine Emperor attack, Lin Xiaotian was utterly fearless and met him head-on. The longsword at his waist was instantly unsheathed, and a golden flash of sword light streaked through the air.
Under the golden sword light, the hard ground was sliced apart as if it were tofu. The light itself continued unabated toward the Divine Emperor.
"Hmph! Lin Xiaotian, today I will absolutely exterminate your War God Lineage!" Now that all pretenses were dropped, the Divine Emperor no longer needed to hide his intentions. Facing Lin Xiaotian's golden sword light, he threw a punch.
The fist, glowing with golden light, collided violently with the golden sword light. In just a few breaths' time, Lin Xiaotian's attack was completely shattered. At that moment, the Divine Emperor roared to the gods behind him.
"By my command, exterminate the War God Lineage! Leave no one alive!"
Hearing this, the Main Gods all responded in unison and immediately flew toward the depths of the War God Palace. In an instant, piercing screams and pleas for mercy echoed throughout the massive palace.
The Main Gods charged into the War God Palace. Be they guards or servants, not a single person was spared. To be found was to die.
"Divine Emperor, must you really force my hand like this?" With only Lin Xiaotian and the Divine Emperor remaining, Lin Xiaotian asked, his voice laced with killing intent.
"Hmph! Lin Xiaotian, the Divine Realm must belong to my lineage alone! Your War God Lineage was too brilliant, too sharp. It's only natural that you meet this end today." Hearing this, the Divine Emperor snorted again and renewed his attack on Lin Xiaotian.
Outside the War God Palace, Lin Xiaotian and the Divine Emperor were locked in a furious battle. Inside, the Main Gods and Divine Soldiers were frantically slaughtering everyone within.
In the depths of the War God Palace, fifteen-year-old Lin Yun stood with his mother, Zhang Jingxiang. There was no trace of fear on his young, tender face, only a profound hatred.
'I was invited to a banquet by the Divine Realm Princess... I never thought it would turn out to be a conspiracy against my family.'
"Mother, let's go. We'll go out and be with Father," Lin Yun said calmly, glancing at his mother. He knew that his family would not escape death today. Since they were going to die, Lin Yun's choice was for them to die together.
Hearing this, Zhang Jingxiang looked at Lin Yun dotingly. She stroked his head and replied with a loving smile, "Alright. Mother will take you there now."
The mother and son walked toward the plaza outside the War God Palace. Along the way, they encountered many Divine Soldiers and Main Gods, but seeing the calm expressions on Zhang Jingxiang and Lin Yun, they did not attack immediately.
Some of the Main Gods even had a faint look of pity in their eyes. The contributions of the War God Lineage to the Divine Realm were undeniably immense. Without the War God Lineage, the Demon Race would have likely invaded the Divine Realm long ago.
But it was precisely because of this that the Divine Emperor had grown fearful, to the point that he was now determined to eradicate the War God Lineage.
They reached the plaza outside the War God Palace without being stopped. By now, Lin Xiaotian was already severely injured. Compared to the Divine Emperor, Lin Xiaotian's strength was still inferior.
"Xiaotian."
"Father."
Lin Yun and Zhang Jingxiang cried out as they saw Lin Xiaotian's back, which was already stained red with blood.
Hearing their voices, Lin Xiaotian turned his head and smiled gently at them, his smile full of happiness and tenderness. But just then, the Divine Emperor suddenly lunged forward. Catching Lin Xiaotian off guard, he landed a vicious punch on his chest.
And Lin Xiaotian collapsed to the ground.
"What are you standing around for? Kill the mother and son for me!" Having killed Lin Xiaotian, the Divine Emperor roared at the assembled Divine Soldiers and Main Gods.
Though they were reluctant, no one dared to disobey the Divine Emperor's command. In an instant, three or four Main Gods were already charging toward Zhang Jingxiang to kill her.
Seeing this, Zhang Jingxiang immediately scooped up Lin Yun and transformed into a streak of light, flying into the distance. She didn't stop until she reached the edge of the Divine Pool.
The War God Lineage was now gone from the Divine Realm, but Zhang Jingxiang couldn't bear to watch Lin Yun be slaughtered by these people. The Divine Pool had become her only hope.
Though rumor had it that the Divine Pool was the most dangerous place in the entire Divine Realm—that even a Main God would surely die upon entering—faced with the pursuit of the gods, Zhang Jingxiang could only place her hope in the Divine Pool.
"Yun'er, you must try your best to live on," Zhang Jingxiang said, looking at Lin Yun with tears streaming down her face.
"Mother..." Hearing her words, Lin Yun was about to speak, but Zhang Jingxiang had already thrown him into the Divine Pool. In that exact instant, the pursuing Main Gods arrived.
Watching Zhang Jingxiang throw Lin Yun into the Divine Pool, the Main Gods all wore different expressions. Some gloated at his misfortune, some were filled with killing intent, some showed helpless regret, and others, pitiful sympathy.
"The War God Lineage has a clear conscience. We have not wronged the Divine Realm. For what has happened today, we can only blame our own naivety," Zhang Jingxiang said calmly, looking at the Main Gods.
Without waiting for them to make a move, Zhang Jingxiang resolutely took her own life beside the Divine Pool.
The War God Lineage had been completely annihilated. Unbeknownst to anyone, Lin Yun, who had fallen into the Divine Pool, was now in a dazed and chaotic state. Vaguely, he could hear the laughter and voices of a man and a woman.
'Father... Mother...' Recognizing his parents' voices, Lin Yun tried to speak, but found that he couldn't make a sound.
...
「In the Grand General's Mansion in the Capital City of Yanhuang Country, located in the Eastern Domain of the Celestial Spirit Continent.」
The place was bustling with excitement, for today the Grand General had been blessed with a son. All the ministers and generals of the court had come to offer their congratulations.
Looking at the infant in the Lady General's arms, everyone was full of praise, and an endless stream of flattery followed.
But no one noticed that the infant in the Lady General's arms currently wore a complex variety of expressions on his face.
'Father, Mother.' He looked at the woman holding him—it was Zhang Jingxiang. And the man standing beside her was his father, Lin Xiaotian.
'I...' His parents, who had died in the Divine Realm, were now holding him. Lin Yun desperately wanted to speak, but no matter how hard he tried, all he could manage were the wailing cries of an infant.
"There, there, don't cry..." Hearing Lin Yun's cries, Zhang Jingxiang looked down at the baby in her arms with loving tenderness.