Douluo Dalu - Snow and Ice

Walking through the grand golden corridors of the Hall of Spirits, I couldn't help but compare this opulent place to the humble lands of my clan. A golden palace in a bustling city, with a warm climate and fertile lands—a hub of trade and a coveted destination for any spiritual ruler.

Parents sent their children here, hoping their offspring possessed enough talent to be accepted. It was a world of limitless opportunities, where wealth, prestige, and power awaited.

On the contrary, my clan resided in the far north—a desolate region forever veiled in snow and ice. A place where even a weak spiritual ruler, let alone a strong one, dared not venture.

These thoughts failed to uplift my spirits. For over 50 years, I had achieved so much. I had raised our clan from its knees, expanded our territories, and amassed enough power that even the Tang clan should respect us. Although those pathetic losers were hardly worth my consideration.

With that in mind, I finally reached the door I sought. Two individuals stood beside it, their spiritual strength indicating Douluo levels around 93 or maybe even 94. Their names were Ghost and Chrysanthemum.

One of them stepped forward and offered a slight bow. "The Supreme Pontiff is waiting for you."

I nodded at both of them and entered the room. Upon surveying the surroundings, I spotted a miniature woman, seemingly twenty years old, sitting at a table. She perused through documents, occasionally furrowing her brows. The room itself appeared surprisingly plain. Observing a chair placed before the table, I seated myself without disturbing her work.

She glanced up from the papers and locked eyes with me, her expression radiating coldness and a hint of madness. I offered a faint smile and maintained eye contact. Our silent staring endured for some time until she finally relented and transitioned to the purpose of our meeting.

"You're late."

"Well, you know, it took your ambassadors quite some time to reach my lands."

She frowned but didn't contest the point.

"Just join me. You know that together, we can conquer the entire continent."

"You know I cannot. I have spent too many years forging our clan's path and expanding our influence. Besides, the other elders would oppose such a union."

"You claimed you were different from other clans, and yet, here you are. Just like them, hoarding resources and neglecting to aid ordinary people."

I let out a weary sigh. This was not the first time we had such a discussion, and she raised this argument every time.

"You know why I don't distribute our method. Firstly, it is too intricate for ordinary peasants to grasp, and without proper guidance, they would achieve nothing. Secondly, other clans would seize the opportunity, gaining strength and making your dream nearly impossible."

"You say that every time. The gods oversee the continent and do not desire further change. Yet, your clan rose and established itself, not to mention your unique method of advancement."

"Because my clan is situated in the far north, detached from the continent's main affairs. Once I gather all our strength and initiate substantial changes, the gods will descend and obliterate me and my clan."

After uttering those words, we lapsed into silence. She remained seated, wearing a treacherous expression on her face as she scrutinized me. I, too, maintained my cold and indifferent demeanor.

She rose, approached the window, gazing at the prosperous city outside, and finally spoke.

"What should we do, then?"

"You must become a god."

Her anger flared at those words. I was equally furious, for ascending to godhood required accepting the inheritance of another deity or achieving divinity on one's own. However, after the ascension of the angel god, millennia ago, with the aid of the continent's faith, new gods had vanished.

It was unsurprising, for the Divine Realm was closed. Even with my new method, becoming a god was exceedingly difficult. The challenge lay not in body, mind, or spirit but in the world itself, which could not withstand the ascent and consolidation of a new god. Thus, creating a new kingdom or infiltrating an existing Divine Kingdom became imperative.

"I can accept the Rakshasa inheritance."

"The God of betrayal and madness. By doing so, not only will you fail to fulfill your dream, but you will bring ruin upon the entire continent."

"Alternatively, we could employ your method, though it remains uncertain if we can attain godhood before death."

I knew that since that incident, she had always yearned to unite the continent and establish a Spirit Empire, where ordinary people could thrive. Yet, it was not solely a matter of strength. This continent had clung to its present state for far too long.

"I tell you, we can wait until your daughter becomes a god. With her aid, my plans will progress more smoothly. Soon, we too shall become gods, along with other allies I am gathering. Then we can lay claim to this world and shape it into a better future."

At the mention of her daughter, her anger intensified, and even her spiritual force began to surge out of control. Grandmaster Spirit would have collapsed to his knees, succumbing to the pressure. But I maintained my composed facade, unaffected by her little tantrum.

Once again, we failed to reach an agreement, as in all our past encounters.

"You accuse me of shifting all our problems onto the child and burdening her fragile shoulders with the responsibility for our future. Admirable morality and genius, indeed," she sneered.

Her words stung, but I restrained my anger towards her because, in part, she was right.

"I am not shifting responsibility onto her; I am merely preparing for the possibility of our defeat. If we were to lose, they would never release the sole heir to the Angel position."

"What then is your objection to creating a divine realm? Will the combined forces of our union prove insufficient for such a task?"

"Indeed, we would require an immense amount of energy. Creating a world concurrently necessitates stability, to prevent its collapse under its own weight. Additionally, it must sustain the existence of the gods. To achieve this, we would need to drain not just one mortal world, but multiple worlds—a genocide of entire races and civilizations."

"A small price to pay for our future," she retorted.

"I cannot accept such a price. We would not only slaughter countless innocent lives but also leave behind a wake of destroyed and damaged worlds. We would be no different from the ancient gods who used our world to establish their divine kingdoms."

"So you propose we wait for our annihilation, hoping that my daughter can save us? In that case, I would rather embrace the divinity of a Rakshasa."

"I have an alternative, but you must understand that it takes time and is by no means the safest method. It could be argued that it is even more perilous."

"Very well, I shall wait. However, I hope your plans include the Pontiff's Palace."

//How is the first chapter?//