Chapter 133: The Golden Serpent

The cosmos of the twelve Gold Saints materialized directly beside Feng Zhe, radiating a brilliance comparable to that of the sun. Feng Zhe stood at the center, channeling his cosmos into its utmost strength. Suddenly, a flame burst forth from the celestial altar and descended before him.

Odysseus stared in disbelief at this sudden surge of power, awestruck by its might. He exclaimed, “This is power that rivals the gods themselves.”

What astonished everyone even more was that this was not yet Feng Zhe’s ultimate potential.

To elevate this supreme secret technique to its pinnacle, Feng Zhe needed not only the twelve Gold Cloths and the sacred fire but also a further enhancement of his own cosmos.

Since awakening the Eighth Sense, Feng Zhe’s cosmos had not advanced, but now, empowered by the twelve Gold Cloths, it temporarily surged to the peak of the Eighth Sense, with faint signs of breakthrough shimmering on the horizon.

“The Roar of the Zodiac!”

As Feng Zhe shouted these words, the light radiating from the twelve Gold Cloths transformed into twelve sacred flames, merging seamlessly with the altar’s holy fire.

Instantly, the blaze illuminated the entire well of Tartarus, as though a new sun had suddenly appeared.

The overwhelming power compelled Odysseus into a defensive stance, pushing him back several meters.

Meanwhile, Pope Mustafa of the Sanctuary was shaken by the force, murmuring, “So this is his true strength.”

In that moment, the Pope no longer doubted Athena Sasha’s words and felt a deep sense of foreboding.

The fierce shockwave surged toward the gates of Hell, producing a tremendous roar.

After the chaos subsided, a deep, dark chasm appeared in the gates—no light emanated from within.

Odysseus watched, stunned, as Feng Zhe stepped into the abyss, his expression unreadable.

Without hesitation, Odysseus followed.

...

Time passed—hours, days, months, perhaps even years.

Feng Zhe arrived at a vast, desolate temple marred by scorched and ruined remnants.

“This is Ophiuchus’s Palace from the Age of Myth!”

Odysseus appeared alongside him, equally astonished by the familiar yet alien surroundings.

Sensing Athena’s presence within the palace, Feng Zhe ventured inside.

To his surprise, there stood a statue of Athena kneeling in prayer.

A golden serpent was tightly coiled around the statue’s form.

“Saori!” Feng Zhe exclaimed.

It was clear to him that Saori’s soul resided within the praying statue.

At that moment, the golden serpent lifted its head, flicked its tongue, and said to Feng Zhe, “I have finally awaited your arrival.”

From the moment Odysseus entered, a chill had consumed his body, and upon seeing the serpent, he collapsed to the ground with a thud.

When Feng Zhe regained his senses, he saw Odysseus had turned to soil; a gust of wind swept past, turning him into ash—vanishing completely—leaving only a single Ophiuchus Gold Cloth behind.

Feng Zhe was shocked, desperate to save him, but it was too late.

The serpent spoke then, “He was the reincarnation of my soul. Now that he has come here, his mission is complete.”

“So your true target was never Odysseus, but me?”

The golden serpent shook its head. “My original aim was to assassinate Athena, seize dominion over the earth, and aid my escape.”

“But since I encountered you, I have changed my mind.”

“You are the one with the greatest hope of divinity after me.”

Feng Zhe sneered, “Even awakening the Ninth Sense is merely a threshold to godhood.”

He understood well that beyond the Ninth Sense, the critical factor was to acquire divinity, to forge a divine essence. Only by obtaining such a divine form could one ignite the sacred flame and ultimately become a god.

This process was arduous and far beyond ordinary imagination.

“It seems you know more than I expected, blasphemer!” The golden serpent was taken aback by Feng Zhe’s reaction but soon its eyes flashed with intense desire.

“How about a deal?”

Seeing Feng Zhe silent, the serpent continued, “You help me consume Athena’s soul, aid me in gaining her divinity, and once I fully control the earth, I will help you become a god!”

Feng Zhe laughed, genuinely unsure whether the serpent was foolish or merely naive.

He replied, “I haven’t fallen for empty promises in years.”

“What?”

The golden serpent did not understand and pressed on, “With my advanced Ninth Sense, once I obtain divinity, I will rule the earth. Not even Athena can stop me then!”

Listening to the serpent’s endless babble, Feng Zhe grew weary of wasting words.

With a flash, he teleported before it, and as the serpent’s expression turned to surprise, Feng Zhe’s fist struck its head.

“I told you, I haven’t fallen for empty promises in years!”

The sudden onslaught caught the serpent off guard.

Feng Zhe’s voice grew fierce, “If that’s the case, once I devour you, I too shall be free!”

The golden serpent exhaled a thick mist, a poisonous fog that induced sleep.

Feng Zhe covered his mouth and nose but still felt the relentless pull of drowsiness.

The serpent laughed heartily, “Even gods fall into slumber from this secret technique.”

Just as Feng Zhe was about to succumb, a gentle burst of cosmos erupted from the Athena statue.

Instantly, he regained clarity and opened his eyes to see the serpent’s massive head looming as if about to devour him.

Reacting swiftly, Feng Zhe punched the serpent’s face, sending it flying and crashing heavily to the ground.

The serpent, surprised that Feng Zhe could strike its soul, glared hatefully at the statue.

“Athena!”

Indeed, at the critical moment, Saori’s intervention had prevented Feng Zhe from succumbing to the poisonous smoke.

Feng Zhe realized that without unleashing his true power now, he would not overcome this malevolent deity.

“Time, stop!”

At Feng Zhe’s command, time itself came to a halt.

He struck again, but this time miscalculated. The golden serpent breathed poison smoke directly at him.

Feng Zhe dodged, eyes wide with shock.

“Hah, within the well of Tartarus, time and space do not exist. Moreover, your technique, while clever, is but a secret technique—not a divine skill!”

Though fallen, the serpent had awakened its Ninth Sense; the Saints’ secret techniques could not overcome it.

Feng Zhe’s gaze darkened. Suddenly, a chilling aura manifested on his forehead.

The highly sensitive serpent grew agitated, its face momentarily taking on a human-like expression of disbelief.

A dark pentagram appeared upon Feng Zhe’s forehead, followed by a flash of death’s power.

A pillar of light, like a black hole, engulfed the golden serpent.

The serpent sensed the presence of death.

“This is... the Grim Reaper!”

It stared incredulously at the dark pentagram, then felt itself being pulled inexorably toward demise.

“No!!!”