The stars above the Divine Realms dimmed subtly, as if the heavens themselves dared not watch what was unfolding below.
Far from the front lines where Chen Ming's Soulflame Unison burned like a second sun, the great divine factions turned their gaze inward—to silence, to strategy, and to the slow churn of divine fear.
The Frost Court – Cold Reactions
In the shimmering icelands of the Frost Court, Grand Duchess Alvrena stood before a mirror of frozen prophecy. Within the glass, a reflection danced—not her own, but that of Chen Ming, cloaked in divine fire.
"He's no longer a mortal anomaly," she murmured, her breath misting in the frigid air. "He is a force."
Around her, courtiers whispered. Generals of ice elementals, strategists of frost magic, even long-dormant war spirits—none could ignore what the God of Yang had become.
A young priestess broke the silence. "Shall we intervene, Your Grace?"
Alvrena turned, her eyes crystalline and cold. "Not yet. But send an envoy. A temptation. If we can't stop him... we may have to bind him by oath or blood."
The Dream Court – Threads Unraveled
In a palace woven from moonlight and illusion, the Dreamweaver Goddess Lysith studied the dream-echoes of Chen Ming's battle. She saw Ye Yue's trembling devotion, Lanmei's unwavering courage, and the pulse of the Soulflame threading between them.
"Impossible," Lysith breathed. "A bond like that—woven without our hand?"
Her Consort stirred beside her, golden eyes narrowed. "He awakens things we buried. If the Dream Court cannot dream of him, perhaps we should fear him."
But Lysith smiled. "Or guide him. If he brings war, we will be the realm he retreats to in peace."
A single thread of dream silk extended from her fingers... aimed directly at Chen's sleeping form. "Let's see what he dreams next."
The Obsidian Council – Shattered Masks
Within the deepest cavern of divine politics, the Obsidian Matriarch slammed her staff against the basalt floor.
"He defied us. Again."
Around her, the masked figures of her council murmured, debated. One offered a cautious note: "He commands loyalty—not fear. That makes him dangerous."
Another, more venomous voice hissed, "We should have eliminated him before the Flame Court backed him. Before the Goddess of Lust anointed him."
The Matriarch raised a hand. "No. He is too public now. If we kill him, we martyr him."
A shadow moved behind her. A younger woman—her granddaughter, an untested divine strategist—spoke for the first time.
"Then we ruin him... by turning one of his own."
A silence fell across the Obsidian Council. Slowly, the Matriarch nodded.
Unknown Realm – A Watcher in Exile
And far, far beyond them all, in a realm where no Court dared tread, Lysaria stirred.
The exiled goddess, hidden behind veils of purity and shame, watched the flicker of her chosen. Chen Ming burned across the battlefield like a phoenix star.
"He is awakening," she whispered. "Not just his power… but my legacy."
Her divine eyes gleamed as she stepped toward the old trial ground she had prepared in secret.
"If the Courts want war, then let them have it. But if Chen Ming survives it all… I will be the one waiting at the end."