Chapter 171: Facing the Gods

"You wait for me here."

"Yes, teacher."

Heracles and Yi E La E Si stood still, watching Ka Rong walk alone toward the summit.

Of course, this journey is destined not to be peaceful.

For example, the giant eagle in the sky that eyes us like a tiger.

It circles high above, its sharp eagle eyes fixed on the moving figure below, its wings stirring a cold, icy wind.

Just as Ka Rong reaches the mountain's mid‑slope.

Screech—!

The giant eagle lets out a shrill, piercing screech and dives down! Its talons spread, sharp as knives, aiming at Ka Rong's back, intending to seize him and hurl him off the cliff!

"Don't even think about it!"

Heracles's gaze hardens; without hesitation he draws the massive bow on his back, nocks an arrow and pulls the string!

Whoosh!

The arrow slices through the air, its sharp whistling sound aimed straight at the giant eagle!

However, the eagle's lithe body flips suddenly as the arrow is about to hit; the arrow tip grazes its wing, shedding only a few black feathers.

"If you don't want to die, leave this place!" Heracles shouts, nocking another arrow and taking aim.

The giant eagle circles high, a fierce glint in its eyes, clearly unwilling to retreat.

It flaps its wings suddenly, soaring higher, and swiftly disappears into the thick clouds.

The next moment—

Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

A hail of icy spikes shoots down from the clouds, raining toward Heracles!

"Yi E La E Si, dodge!" Heracles growls, clenching his right fist and charging boldly into the barrage of ice spikes!

Bang! Bang! Bang!

His fists fly out like a sudden storm, each strike precisely shattering the incoming spikes; the broken ice crystals glitter in the sunlight, only to be instantly covered by new spikes.

The eagle's assault grows fiercer, ice spikes pouring down like rain, yet Heracles remains unafraid; amid the whistling fist wind he even feigns a slight hesitation, as if his strength were waning.

Within the clouds, a flash of greed and ruthlessness passes through the eagle's eyes.

Swish!

It plunges down from the clouds at breakneck speed, almost becoming a Black Shadow! Its sharp talons aim straight for Heracles's throat!

However—

"You're the one I've been waiting for!"

Heracles lifts a cold smile, spins abruptly, and the arrow already nocked shoots out at once!

Whoosh!

This arrow flies as fast as lightning!

The eagle has no time to dodge; the arrow pierces straight through its chest!

Pfft!

Fresh blood splatters, and the Hydra's venom instantly spreads over the eagle's entire body!

Screech—!

The eagle lets out a mournful wail, its wings flapping wildly a few times before it plummets from the sky, crashing heavily to the ground, lifeless.

But.

Before Heracles can catch his breath, the heavy clouds above suddenly split!

Ten‑thousand‑foot Golden Light pours down like a waterfall, enveloping the entire Caucasus Mountain in a holy, oppressive radiance.

"Heracles!"

A voice full of wrath booms like thunder:

"How dare you kill our pet?!"

Heracles looks up and sees Hera standing proudly on the clouds.

Golden Light surrounds her, making her look utterly divine!

"It tried to hurt my teacher!" Heracles says without fear, his voice roaring like a lion through the valley:

"I gave it a chance to leave!"

Hera's expression remains unchanged, but the temperature around her drops sharply. The falling snow instantly turns into a blizzard, covering the entire Caucasus Mountains at a visible speed!

"It is merely obeying Zeus's command," Hera's voice is colder than the ice.

"What are you and your teacher planning? Do you really think it doesn't know?"

Her staff pauses heavily, and a bolt of lightning erupts within the clouds:

"It is you who are trying to break the punishment Zeus gave to Pu Luo Mi Xiu Si!"

"You are guilty!"

Heracles does not deny it, but clenches his fists and shouts:

"My teacher is willing to exchange himself for Pu Luo Mi Xiu Si! Isn't that permissible?!"

He points to the chain on the summit: "Father never said others couldn't replace him!"

"Heh~" Hera sneers, "But he's not here now; I decide everything!"

She lifts her chin, each word stabbing like an ice spike: "Now, I tell you clearly."

"Whose sin, who shall bear it!"

These words completely ignite Heracles's fury.

Past memories surged like a tide, those he had deliberately suppressed, stored deep in his memory........

Finally, it froze on the most painful scene: he held his wife and children's icy corpses, blood staining his hands......

"Hera!!"

Heracles roared toward the heavens, the sound wave shaking the mountain summit and causing the accumulated snow to collapse:

"Our grudge isn't settled yet! Your sin, you shall bear it!"

"Kill——!"

The next moment, he shattered the rocks beneath his feet, the ground exploding with a boom!

His burly body shot up like a cannonball, the lion-skin cape fluttering loudly in the gale.

He swung his iron fist, crackling with thunderous power, lunging straight at the goddess in the clouds!

However.

Whoosh——!

A crimson spear suddenly tore through the air, sweeping across Heracles' chest like lightning!

Boom!

This strike, heavy as Da Li, slammed him from midair straight back to the ground!

Heracles' feet sank deep into the mud, sliding several tens of zhang before he steadied his stance.

He suddenly lifted his head, only to see a proud figure clad in golden armor and shouldering a spear blocking his path.

Ares!

He grinned, his eyes flashing with eager battle intent:

"Heracles, your opponent is me!"

Heracles certainly recognized him.

But today, not to mention Ares, even if Athena and Apollo stood together before him, he would carve a path through!

Heracles wasted no words; his inner power boiled over completely! Golden divine patterns emerged from his skin, his muscles bulged like steel, and his lion-skin cape stirred on its own.

Boom——!

He took a step forward, the ground exploding, his form shooting toward Ares like a cannonball!

"Exactly! Exactly! Exactly! Just like that!" Ares laughed wildly as he met him:

"Come, let's have a good fight!"

The two instantly clashed, turning into a golden and a red streak of light, flashing wildly across the ground!

Every punch collision triggered a deafening explosion!

Every footstomp cracked the earth and shattered rocks!

Wherever they passed, towering ancient trees were uprooted, hills flattened to plains! Smoke and debris swept all directions like a wave!

Boom!

Finally, a figure was violently blown away, shooting toward the sky like a meteor!

Ares wiped the divine blood from the corner of his mouth, landed beside Hera, and grinned:

"Mother, I didn't hit."

Hera's expression was indifferent, as if she had anticipated it:

"I saw it, continue."

"Alright!"

Ares let out a loud laugh, then leapt down from the clouds again!

Boom!

He smashed down like a meteorite, the ground blasting open a huge pit!

Heracles looked at Ares, panting heavily.

He could no longer remember how many times he had repelled Ares, but this war god seemed immortal, instantly healing from grave wounds and then charging again!

In terms of strength he feared not Ares, but he lacked Yu Lin's lethal methods!

"Again!"

Ares laughed wildly as he charged, his spear thrusting out like a bolt of bloody lightning!

Heracles dodged to the side, then struck Ares' abdomen with a reverse punch—

Pfft!

Divine blood spattered, but Ares merely stepped back two paces, his wound healing at a visible speed!

"Well fought!"

The battle erupted again!