The Temple of Divinity

Power.

It was a bubbling force coursing through him.

Clenching his fist, he felt as though he had gripped an entire mountain range.

Yang Luo exhaled in disbelief, looking ahead.

Having been carried downstream by the river's current after his earlier plunge, he now found himself outside the city limits of Qingxia. Gazing out, the riverbank was lined with wild grasses and shading trees, while birds perched on the bushes, their gentle chirping reaching his ears.

Yang Luo's eyes widened.

The world before him was in unparalleled clarity.

He'd never had myopia before. Since childhood, he'd read extensively under dim lights, and after graduation, he'd spent endless hours in front of a computer screen.

Yet, because of the constant eye strain, distant objects occasionally appeared a tad blurred to him.

But now, standing by the riverbank, it felt like he'd switched from a 1080P to an 8k display, and the internal graphic drivers had upgraded from PTX-1060 to RTX-4090TI. The world through his eyes was reborn.

Every sound was crystal clear.

From the chirping of the birds on the branches beside him, the rustling of the grass a few meters away, to the distant whisper of tree leaves, all these sounds converged harmoniously. It was as if his brain had undergone a dozen high-end upgrades, processing these auditory stimuli with unprecedented efficiency.

A world he had never realized was so wonderful.

Feeling the strong rhythm of his heartbeat, Yang Luo pressed his hand to his chest.

Not long ago, this heart had been his nightmare, signaling his impending doom. He had been afraid to listen to his own heartbeat, that faint sound marking his slow march towards death with no reprieve in sight.

But now… everything had changed.

Inside his chest, the heart thudded rhythmically, steady and forceful, its vigor outmatching that of a high-powered engine.

Biting down hard on his teeth to contain his overwhelming emotions, he extended his arm and delivered a series of powerful punches towards the water before him, as if to vent all the accumulated frustrations, resentments, and pains he had endured over the days.

"Boom!"

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

With each punch reminiscent of cannon fire, large waves erupted on the water's surface. As his punches intensified, each subsequent wave towered higher than the last.

Until finally, the sheer force of his blows halted the flow of the river, revealing a damp riverbed in the midst!

"Bang!"

After his cathartic release, Yang Luo's emotions settled back to a calm state.

Soon, the river resumed its flow, filling the exposed riverbed. Nevertheless, the memory of that astonishing feat remained etched in Yang Luo's mind.

With a single punch, he had halted the river. "Such power... and it's now in my hands."

He took a deep breath, an unrestrained smile gracing his lips.

But deep down, Yang Luo knew that this newfound power wasn't a fluke or a miracle. It was a gift from a higher being.

Thinking of the shadow of the black hawk, the red light that had been shot into him, and most importantly, that commanding voice in his head, Yang Luo felt a wave of dizziness.

As if responding to his sense of disorientation, that mysterious, authoritative voice once again echoed in his mind.

It was a voice akin to a deity.

The moment he heard that voice, Yang Luo felt an overwhelming sense of respect and admiration, as if it was an instinctual reaction deep within his soul.

"Do you... feel it? This power?"

"I do. This power... it's your gift to me, isn't it?" Yang Luo replied with reverence.

At the same time, he had a peculiar feeling.

It seemed that the language of the voice was not his own, yet he could understand it perfectly.

— Is this also a part of "Its" grand power?

Yang Luo wondered.

"...Indeed."

"It" responded gently to Yang Luo's query.

"This is the 'Elixir of Divinity' from our 'Temple of Divinity'. It breaks the constraints of mortality, allowing mortals to ascend... And you, have been chosen by the 'Temple of Divinity'."

"...Elixir of Divinity? Temple of Divinity?!"

Yang Luo was both terrified and thrilled.

These two terms seemed to be imbued with boundless mysteries, making him feel as if he had suddenly entered a vast and unknown world.

"...True, I am the 'Master of the Temple of Divinity'..."

The voice seemed to come from an unfathomable distance. When it echoed in his mind, Yang Luo felt an immense sense of vastness and remoteness.

But he could still discern its meaning.

"Master... why did you choose me?" Yang Luo asked with trepidation.

"...Fate... everything is due to the serendipity of fate..."

Although Yang Luo couldn't fully comprehend what "Master of the Temple of Divinity" meant by fate, he suspected it referred to destiny.

Was he also chosen by destiny?

The excitement bubbled within Yang Luo, almost uncontrollably.

Yet "Its" voice continued.

"...The 'Temple of Divinity' has not yet returned from the chaos to reality... Therefore, we need proxies in the mortal realm... You are now the 'Disciple of Divinity'..."

"Disciple of Divinity"... Such an awe-inspiring title. Was this his new identity? The elation Yang Luo felt was almost palpable.

However, he suddenly recalled the gigantic black hawk that had bestowed upon him the "Elixir of Divinity", which gave him this chance. Was that hawk also a member of the "Temple of Divinity"?

"...It is named Black Moon ... a divine beast messenger of the 'Temple of Divinity'... It possesses the power to traverse the mortal world... You might encounter it again someday..."

Yang Luo felt a hint of regret. He had hoped to see Black Moon again and express his gratitude, given that the hawk had gifted him the elixir. But from the Master's words, it seemed unlikely they would meet soon. Although, being a "messenger"... that title seemed much more impressive than being a "disciple".

Lost in these musings, Yang Luo sensed the connection with "It" weakening. A pang of anxiety hit him, pushing away other stray thoughts:

"Master, what's happening?"

"The 'Temple of Divinity' has yet to fully manifest in this realm, making it hard to maintain our connection for long..."

"...Then, Master, as the 'Disciple of Divinity', what should I do regularly?"

"...No prohibitions, no demands..."

Did this mean he had no restrictions, even revealing the existence of the "Temple of Divinity" was allowed?!

Yang Luo paused in astonishment.

He listened intently to the "Master of the Temple of Divinity", absorbing every word as if it were a divine edict.

But "Its" voice grew fainter, sounding as if it emanated from high above the clouds.

"...Do not worry... The days of old will soon return, and all gods shall make their comeback... When that time comes, the 'Temple of Divinity' will reappear on Earth... Just wait patiently..."

With that, "Its" voice faded away.

Yet, the sheer amount of information in that final statement left Yang Luo momentarily breathless.

"...The days of old are coming back, and the gods will return?!!"