Infinite divine power intertwined and collided in the sky, golden light sweeping across the entire city of Cangnan like a tsunami.
The divine domains of Michael and the Block Deity crashed into one another, oscillating with countless golden ripples that seemed ready to tear the very fabric of the night sky apart. In the face of this divine might, mortals were naught but ants.
The earth began to tremble violently, and the glass of distant skyscrapers shattered in unison. The far-off sea churned with towering waves, causing the coastline to recede dozens of meters in an instant. Within the city, moving cars suddenly stalled as electrical systems suffered total paralysis. Streetlights flickered a few times before dying out completely, plunging the entire city into darkness—save for that terrifying golden light in the heavens illuminating the chaotic scene.
The Night Watchmen rushing toward the site were pinned down by an invisible pressure, making every step a struggle. Many members were forced directly to their knees, their bodies trembling uncontrollably.
"This is a battle of gods!" Si Xiaonan murmured, her eyes filled with terror and awe.
"What did you say? Gods?!" Hong Ying asked in shock.
"Yes, and both of them are!"
Michael hovered high in the air, six pairs of pure white wings vibrating behind Him. Every flap triggered powerful air currents that tore the clouds to shreds. His gaze was cold and majestic as He stared at the mysterious entity sitting upon the golden block throne.
This was the first time Archangel Michael had encountered a deity in such a form. The opponent's body was composed entirely of blocks; though the form was strange, it radiated a powerful aura of strength far exceeding other gods—it was even stronger than His own.
Michael grew wary and slowly drew His holy sword. The moment the blade appeared, it was as if a streak of heavenly fire sliced through the night, causing even the air to ignite. Golden flames swirled around the holy sword, emitting enough heat to cause temperatures within a radius of several kilometers to skyrocket.
The Block Deity remained motionless, His strange, pixelated body seeming entirely disconnected from this world. Countless tiny blocks floated beneath the Golden Throne, each shimmering with a peculiar light, like flowing symbols of an unknown civilization. He simply sat there quietly, indifferently watching Michael's every move.
The Archangel felt an unprecedented pressure. That dormant power emanating from the Block Deity stirred a foreign sensation within His heart—fear. As an Archangel, He had never experienced such an emotion. Even when facing the most formidable foes, He had never wavered; yet now, this bizarre sense of dread washed over Him like a tide.
The two divine powers collided once more.
The sky seemed to be torn open by a pair of invisible giant hands, revealing the deep cosmic galaxy behind it. The pitch-black universe was dotted with brilliant stars, appearing as if countless cold eyes were watching this divine battle.
Michael finally struck. He swung the Blazing Holy Sword, sending a golden arc of sword qi slicing through the horizon straight toward the Block Deity. That sword qi was the condensation of His divine power; wherever it passed, space distorted, and molecular structures were severed. The sword qi left a shocking rift in the void.
However, the Block Man deity merely raised a hand slightly. The sword qi that seemed capable of destroying all things vanished instantly before it could even touch His fingertips, turning into nothingness.
On the ground, Lin Qiye felt something awaken within him. Then, a dazzling golden brilliance erupted from his eyes. This inexplicable power surged through his limbs and bones, causing every cell to vibrate.
"What's... going on?" Lin Qiye discovered to his astonishment that blurry light and shadows were beginning to emerge within the dark world before him.
For the first time in ten years, he saw light.
The ruined alleyway, Jiang Qian fainted on the ground, and the figures rushing toward him from the distance—everything was blurry yet presented itself realistically before his eyes. Although he could only distinguish rough outlines, for a Lin Qiye who hadn't seen light in a decade, this was an immense surprise.
"I can see?" He reached out in disbelief, looking at the blurry outline of his own palm.
Up in the sky, the state of the battle remained clear. Michael had never encountered such a powerful opponent. The Block Man deity's strength far exceeded His expectations; every one of His attacks was easily neutralized. Meanwhile, the opponent remained calm throughout, never even launching a true counterattack.
This one-sided suppression made Michael feel a mix of humiliation and terror. Just as He decided to launch an all-out strike regardless of the consequences, an unprecedented sense of crisis suddenly hit Him. Michael's intuition told Him that if He continued to fight, only destruction awaited Him.
This powerful deity chose, quite rarely, to retreat. The six pairs of wings snapped open, and the Archangel's figure blurred rapidly, vanishing into the void in an instant to return to the Lunar Divine Realm.
As Michael departed, the Block Man deity also began to withdraw His golden light, and the rift in the sky gradually sealed shut. He cast one final look at Lin Qiye before He, along with the Golden Throne, gradually dissipated as if He had never existed.
Lin Qiye felt a warm current surge through his body. The pain from the injuries sustained in the fight vanished without a trace. In its place was an unprecedented sense of power; he felt his body was light yet brimming with strength, as if he possessed inexhaustible stamina.
However, at the same time, a powerful wave of hunger hit him, and his stomach let out a protesting growl.
"I'm so hungry!" Lin Qiye rubbed his stomach. "What exactly is going on? Is it because of those two gods?"
Just as Lin Qiye was trying to organize his thoughts, the sound of hurried footsteps approached. The Night Watchman Zhao Kongcheng arrived on the scene, scanning the surroundings warily before locking his gaze on Lin Qiye.
"Are you okay?" Zhao Kongcheng stepped forward to ask. He noticed that a faint golden light still flickered in Lin Qiye's eyes—a remnant trace of divine power.
The remains of the ghost-faced monsters, crushed by the aftershocks of the divine power, were scattered across the ground, proving that everything that had just happened indeed originated here.
"I'm fine," Lin Qiye answered with feigned composure.
"What was that just now?" Zhao Kongcheng asked directly, his expression grave. "I felt two divine power fluctuations. One was Michael, the other... was completely foreign." He stared into Lin Qiye's eyes, his voice low: "And both of these powers seem to be linked to you."
Lin Qiye remained silent for a moment. He was equally confused; everything had happened too suddenly. But instinct told him not to reveal too much, at least not until he understood the situation.
"I don't know," he replied briefly.
Zhao Kongcheng observed Lin Qiye's every move keenly but didn't push further. However, a suspicion had already formed in his mind—this young man must be a God-Vassal, and perhaps even a never-before-heard-of Dual God-Vassal.
The situation had exceeded expectations; he needed to bring him back to headquarters for examination and protection as soon as possible. Zhao Kongcheng took a step forward and said sincerely, "Join the Night Watchmen. We need talent like you."
"What are the Night Watchmen?" Lin Qiye was puzzled.
"An organization that protects humanity from supernatural threats," Zhao Kongcheng explained briefly. "The monsters you encountered tonight are just the weakest kind."
"Sorry, I'm just a high school student who wants to live a normal life," Lin Qiye refused decisively. "I don't want to get involved in these dangerous events. I almost died just now." He pointed toward the dark alley behind him. "Let's talk later. I'm going to grab my backpack first."
Zhao Kongcheng hesitated for a moment but eventually nodded, allowing him to retrieve his items. He turned to check on the other injured student, confirming that Jiang Qian had only fainted from fright and was not in serious danger.
Taking advantage of Zhao Kongcheng's distraction, Lin Qiye slipped quietly into the depths of the dark alley. His footsteps were light and silent, his figure merging into the night like a ghost. With his enhanced perception, he easily avoided obstacles on the ground and soon vanished into the end of the pitch-black lane.
Zhao Kongcheng's shouts echoed from behind, but Lin Qiye did not look back.