As Surya accepted the challenge, Selene's massive breakthrough stabilized, and to prevent loss of energy, her Devil Heart stored what remained for future use. Her eyes opened wide, rippling with a dreadful battle intent aimed solely at Surya.
"I've always admired those that faced death with a smile. But uncle, just like you've taught me, there are things a ten-thousand times worse than death."
Selene began, but ignoring the words, Surya summoned an eight-star God Artifact, a marble white disciplinary rod Selene could effortlessly recognize. That rod was her grandfather, Sakra's favorite artifact. Later, Surya would make it his disciplinary instrument.
For him to use it out of all the artifacts at his disposal, Surya clearly wished to upset and destroy her composure.
"Shameless."
Selene scoffed, and stretched out her right hand, causing an explosion of demonic and celestial energies to burst from her form.
"Ancestral Glory: Infernal Luminaries!"
Nine crimson suns appeared at her back, each rippling with the perfect combination of celestial and infernal forces. Ravmalakh and Archdemon energies overlapped in a brand-new, several times mightier force while Devil Force unfurled, merging with the nine crimson suns to fill the area with crushing might.
Instantly, Surya staggered and released the full might of his cultivation base to resist the pressure of the crimson suns. And as he activated his own Ancestral Glory, nine golden suns appeared at his back, releasing a searing force that contended with Selene's Ancestral Glory.
But that merely was the beginning. In Selene's right hand, a glaive with a jet-black handle and crimson blade appeared, increasing her nephilim force a hundredfold! This was her lineage weapon: Fell Judgment.
Grasping its handle, Selene activated the Law Revolution Creed, summoning the might of all Base, Higher and Primal Laws in a single blow. Besides her Truth Embodiment, thanks to her profound cultivation of the Law Revolution, all other laws came at Wielding-level.
Whirling her glaive with her two hands, Selene fell into a battle-stance, with her weight resting on her right foot while the left faced Surya.
With a glance, Surya knew she planned to release her all in a single strike. And knowing that the fight wouldn't have more than one move, he held the marble-white rod in a battle-stance of his. Gold and white flames erupted from his form, turning him into a gold and white fireball. The golden flames represented his Sun Embodiment while the white stemmed from his Truth Laws.
"Dao Law: Solar Revelation!"
Surya howled while massive God-force erupted from his artifact. From a fireball, he turned into a gold and white sun that blinded all as he flew toward Selene. The clashing, searing pressure turned the room into an inferno with the earth crackling and cratering under their two feet. If not for Konrad's suppression, that room would have long-since collapsed.
But as Surya barreled into Selene, he went from one to ten thousand solar meteors, each rippling with terrible might. Yet, Selene remained undisturbed. With one deft move, she swept the air in a horizontal slash, releasing a kaleidoscopic half-moon that tore all ten-thousand suns into shreds!
*BOOOM*
In one ringing blast, the solar meteors collapsed, becoming dropping light particles while Surya's body reappeared and flew backward!
*Bang*
With that one move, Surya crashed in the opposite wall, with a clean, horizontal gash splitting him into two halves. Still, the Sun God breathed. But though the blow didn't target his soul, his body was immediately deprived of all fighting power. Unable to resist, Surya tumbled onto the ground, with his open wide in a mind-boggling stupor.
"How…how could you possibly…have such strength? Your cultivation…is just equal to a mid-stage Legendary God!"
Surya stammered, unable to comprehend that dreadful eruption of strength. In that blow, he felt a threat that even the Warden couldn't produce, and didn't doubt that if she wanted to, Selene could have ended him with that one blow.
"The one beside me crushed the Overlord and the Warden with a cultivation equal to a mid-stage Ancestral God. Having inherited his cultivation method and road, if at this level I can't even crush you, shouldn't I kill myself?"
Selene replied while taking leisurely steps toward the bleeding Surya. Rent by all the energies within her blow, his wounds refused to heal. And knowing that his sect didn't have a future, Surya closed his eyes, suppressing the sorrow welling up within his chest.
At that time, Selene stopped before him, and as she lowered her gaze to his maimed form, her eyes reflected her loathing.
"Though I don't personally care, grandfather once wanted me to ask you…if you ever regretted?"
Selene stated in a blank tone while tilting her head to the right. The words aimed at a precise event, and hearing them, Surya recalled some unpleasant events, times beside his father, times he'd rather forget. Alas, he couldn't.
But soon, those waves of indignation made way for another realization, and his disbelief returned.
"The old man…the old man is…alive?"
Surya asked in a stupor and amused by his reaction, Selene nodded in approval.
"Indeed. He now calls himself the Happiness God. According to my estimations, he should now be breaking through to the Overgod Rank. If he hasn't already, it can happen anytime."
Selene directly replied, causing Surya's upper half to tremble under a surge of violent inner waves.
"Overgod? Happiness God? That indeed sounds like him. The old fool hasn't changed."
Surya chortled, but in the following second, his face twisted in a horrifying grimace of rage and hatred!
"Regret? Regret my ass!"
*BAM*
Surya snarled while smashing his trembling fist onto the ground.
"You all blame me, blame Surya for being cold-hearted, sparing neither friend nor kin in his pursuit of power. However, did you ever ask yourselves, that if not for your stupidity, those events could never unfurl?!"
Carried by his long-suppressed frustration, Surya's words thundered within the room as veins beat and stretched across his reddened face.
"I am one of the oldest deities of the Celestial Realm, some of the younger Primogens must see me as an elder. I have cultivated since the dawn of times, but due to my lacking bloodline, I couldn't reach the Legendary God Rank. However, I never ressented that! The world is unkind, fairness a pipes dream! Those who wallow in such concepts are nothing but delusional fools. We might as well strive for self-improvement!
So I strove! The old fool never wanted to sully his hands, believing that he could run our house with his aloof stance and beauties. It was I who convinced the first human males that joined father's banner and received his blessings to give up their ancestry for Deva Blood!
I, who knowing Heaven's situation chaotic, advised and endeavored for the creation of the Primal Sun Sect! I who toiled days and nights to cement our position in the Celestial Realm! I, always I! Meanwhile, when he wasn't cultivating and seeking opportunities, he brought new beauties home and sired bastards left and right!
The son does all the work and the father enjoys all the glory! But I didn't resent that…because such is Heaven's Will!"
The trembling Surya roared, and as he spoke, tears filled his eyes.
