Chapter 1084: I Am Not a God

Lei En glanced around; this was not a place for merging demon souls, and there was no immediate urgency, so he sealed away the demon soul of the Golden Feather Thunder Eagle.

When he returned to the bridge of the Augustus, Axi Na had already led her troops to seize the Eastern Temple and was sweeping away the last remnants of enemies.

Most of the wind‑element troops fled the temple.

The Storm Plane spans a vast area, littered with mountain ranges and rugged terrain; most of the inhabitants cluster around the two temples. Now that the giants have reclaimed the temples, they will inevitably stay away and conceal their movements, and the giants cannot completely eradicate them in the short term.

However, that was a concern for Elder Suo Lim, not his own.

A little over an hour later.

Axi Na had fully reclaimed the Eastern Temple, and Lei En left her with ten thousand Thundercast Celestial Soldiers and two Star Destroyers, piloting the Augustus back to the Storm Temple.

At this moment, the entire Storm Summit was under the control of the giant legion.

Frost trolls and hill dwarves were clearing the battlefield, and the corpses and blood inside the temple had been swept clean; towering giants stood guard everywhere.

Lei En arrived before the Sky Temple.

This towering palace stood over two hundred meters tall and covered more than a hundred thousand square meters; such a massive structure could not have been built by mortal hands. It was originally the Divine Realm of Anhe Luozi, the God of Sky and Thunder, and traces of immense divine power were evident everywhere.

Lei En walked inside the temple, and everything he saw was colossal, making him feel somewhat insignificant.

He entered the sanctuary and at a glance saw Anhe Luozi's Divine Throne.

The Divine Throne was colossal, exceeding twenty meters in height, forged entirely from a silvery‑blue metal with a simple design, its surface engraved with countless Titan runes. The front of the throne's backrest depicted a giant deity clutching thunder, a stern visage, eyes like lightning, a body as towering as a mountain, and feet trampling countless Demon corpses.

It was the very image of Anhe Luozi!

Elder Suo Lim knelt halfway before the Divine Throne, his back to the palace entrance, his broad shoulders steady as a mountain, appearing to be praying.

Lei En waited patiently, observing his surroundings; the interior of the Sky Temple was filled with murals of Anhe Luozi.

From the murals, this God of Sky and Thunder appeared to be a fiercely warlike deity, immensely powerful, whose slain foes included Demons, giant dragons, countless other species, and even hostile deities.

Anhe Luozi's fame was still spoken of even in the New Era.

Among the giant deities, the most powerful was the "Heavenly Father" Annam, who created the giant race and was known as the Giant God.

Annam treated all giants equally, showing no favoritism toward any giant branch.

After the Giant Empire's destruction, Annam was severely wounded by the Abyssal Four Gods and fell into a deep sleep. Before slumbering, he swore that until the giants reclaimed the glory of world rulership, he would no longer meddle in any mortal affairs. No one knows why he made such a vow—it was tantamount to forsaking the Ai Lun E Si world and all his offspring, as well as abandoning his own hope of awakening.

From then on, giants no longer prayed to Annam, and even if they did, they received no response.

Giants could only turn to the Heavenly Father's offspring.

The other giant deities were essentially Annam's children, each being the direct ancestor of a particular giant branch.

Anhe Luozi was the ancestor and guardian of the Storm Giants, the fire giants worshiped the flame god Surte, and the cloud giants followed Mano.

Storm Giants occupied the highest rank in the giant hierarchy.

The Anhe Luozi they worshiped was, aside from the Heavenly Father, the most powerful deity, far surpassing all other giant gods.

Anhe Luozi held the greatest number of divine offices—Sky, Thunder, Storm Giants, and Weather. Yet after his fall at the end of the Second Era, these offices were swiftly divided among other deities, and the Divine Flame was lost.

To this day, aside from the Storm Giants and their subordinate peoples, Anhe Luozi has no other followers.

Over more than ten thousand years, Anhe Luozi gradually faded away in the river of time.

A moment later.

Elder Suo Lim finished his prayer, turned to face Lei En, his gaze oddly hesitant, as if about to speak but holding back.

"Speak plainly, Elder," Lei En said.

"Your Majesty," Suo Lim's expression was very cautious, with a hint of respect, and he asked softly, "When you repelled Mano, I heard him utter the name of our Lord. Mano is our Lord's mortal enemy; he would not speak without cause. Do you know why, Your Majesty?"

Lei En understood immediately, feeling both amused and exasperated.

He spread his hands and replied, "I don't know either."

Suo Lim was clearly unsatisfied with that answer, "I have heard Axi Na mention that the Empire has rumors about Your Majesty, saying that you are the reincarnation of an ancient deity..."

"You think I am Anhe Luozi?" Lei En said outright.

Suo Lim fell silent.

Yet in the Titan Elder's eyes, a faint hope flickered; Lei En was now the Oryense Emperor, ruling the Prime Material Plane's largest domain and Empire. If Lei En truly were a human reincarnation of Anhe Luozi, that would be marvelous!

That would mean the Storm Giants would once again become the world's overlords!

In truth, Suo Lim hardly dared to believe it.

Yet everything Lei En displayed—his sudden rise, wisdom beyond mortal ken, mastery of potent thunder power, and his recent abandonment of the "Thunder" divine office—set Suo Lim's mind racing.

While Lei En was heading to the Eastern Temple, Suo Lim had been pondering, indecisive.

What seemed like prayer earlier was actually a decision.

If Lei En acknowledges that he is Anhe Luozi and can prove his identity, Suo Lim is willing to forgo the Divine Flame and help Lei En reclaim the Divine Throne!

The Storm Giants will welcome back our Lord and surely restore their former brilliance!

"I have nothing to do with Anhe Luozi."

Lei En calmly denied, "I am not the reincarnation of any deity, nor am I possessed by any evil entity; those are merely rumors. Rumors end with the wise. I, Ryan Augustus, have always been just a mortal; please, Elder, do not read into it."

Suo Lim's face involuntarily showed disappointment, and he let out a low sigh.

He hesitated for a few seconds, then suddenly looked up.

"Your Majesty, you could be Anhe Luozi!" Suo Lim's eyes glittered with wisdom, "If you publicly disclose your identity, I, on behalf of the Storm Giants, will recognize you and devote all my efforts to deify you; then you will truly be our Lord!"

The Titan Elder was exhilarated by the flash of inspiration, nearly clapping his hands in applause.

He hurriedly added, "I am willing to present that Divine Flame to Your Majesty."

Lei En was instantly stunned.

Both due to Suo Lim's wild imagination and his surprise that the other, for the sake of giant revival, would even...

Suo Lim, seeing Lei En silent, assumed he was moved and said cheerfully, "Your Majesty and Axi Na are soulmates; having mastered Titan power, once your size increases you will truly be the...

"Elder, I have not consented," Lei En quickly interjected.

"Uh…"

Suo Lim could hardly believe it; this proposal would bring Lei En a hundred benefits and no harm, and as soon as Lei En nods he could obtain a Divine Fire, and he couldn't believe anyone would refuse!

Even if Lei En already possesses Divine Fire, no god would despise having too much Divine Fire.

Divine Fire is always better the more there is!

Lei En shook his head and said, "Thanks for the elder's kindness, but I haven't considered the matter of Ascending to Divinity yet." The New Era is humanity's age, Auriense is the human Empire; if one declares oneself a reborn giant deity, what would the Empire's subjects think?

What view would the Empire's three gods hold?

Most importantly, once he accepts Suo Lim's proposal, he will inevitably demand more, for the benefit of the Storm Giant and the entire giant race, making endless requests for territories, resources, policy favors, even to restore the Giant Empire!

One Divine Fire is not worth so much cost; it brings endless trouble.

Moreover, I currently have no desire to Ascend to Divinity.

This time Suo Lim showed no disappointment; a smile appeared on his face, "It's fine, I can wait. Perhaps one day, Your Majesty will change his mind."

"Elder, aren't you Ascending to Divinity yourself?" Lei En was somewhat surprised.

"Not to hide from Your Majesty, I spent too much divinity slaying Luoha Xi Ya and now lack enough to ignite Divine Fire." Suo Lim said calmly, "My subjects number less than a million—giants, trolls, and dwarf orcs—all pray to me, offering faith power; it will take about fifty years to replenish the lost divinity."

Lei En shook his head, "That's too long."

In the past, fifty years wasn't very long for a Titan Elder, but now he has Divine Fire, and Mano is coveting in secret; long nights bring many dreams, perhaps something will change within those fifty years.

"Yes, I cannot wait fifty years."

Suo Lim said, "So I left the Wind Elemental Army intact, not exterminating them. I plan to subdue the Winged Folk, Alaka Crowfolk, and Raging Wind Gnomes in the coming years, forcing them to change their faith and become my followers."

"At first, these enemies will inevitably resist, offering little faith power, but their numbers are several times greater, surely saving me much time."

"If the operation goes smoothly, perhaps in twenty years I will have accumulated enough divinity."

The Titan Elder looked at Lei En and solemnly said, "Your Majesty, at any moment before I ignite the Divine Fire, you may change your mind; I will present the Divine Fire."

Lei En was rather moved, seeing Suo Lim's determination.

But he said nothing further.

"I saw a group of Runic Dwarves in the Eastern Sanctuary and am interested in them." Lei En changed the subject; after Suo Lim thought for a while, he replied, "I need Runic Dwarves to help rebuild the Storm Temple; it will take ten to fifteen years. Once reconstruction is complete, Your Majesty may take half of the Runic Dwarves and leave the other half to maintain the Storm Temple."

There are just over a hundred thousand Runic Dwarves in total; taking only half is barely better than nothing.

Lei En made no further demands.

He discussed the reconstruction of the Storm Temple with the Titan Elder; besides the Runic Dwarves, ten thousand Thundercast Celestial Soldiers will join the rebuild, and he will study the temple's system with the elder, how it controls the entire plane.

There are also materials, resources, priority orders for building the temple, and both made arrangements.

It wasn't until several hours later that they finished all discussions.

"Your Majesty, please follow me."

Suo Lim opened a portal and stepped through.

Lei En guessed what was coming, so he followed into the portal and emerged inside a palace.

The All-Seeing Eye pierced the wall; this palace lies in the northern part of the Storm Temple, much smaller than the Sky Sanctuary, inconspicuous among hundreds of palaces. Beside it stands a grand open‑air training ground; from its layout it appears the palace was a resting place for giants after forging, now converted into a dwelling for Winged Folk, with the scent of their life everywhere.

Suo Lim patrolled the palace's main hall, seemingly searching for something.

Lei En looked down; the floor was cast in metal, which is not rare in the Storm Temple—most palace floors are metal castings, very ordinary.

The All-Seeing Eye scanned back and forth, quickly finding a clue.

Suo Lim also fixed his position:

"Found it."

A thick bolt of lightning sprang from his fingertip, striking the metal floor; the lightning energy continuously poured into the ground, and after half a minute the metal seemed to melt, flowing outward and revealing a pitch‑black opening.

The opening was small; a Titan Giant's size certainly could not fit.

Suo Lim shrank to two meters tall, stepped onto the metal steps and entered the passage; Lei En followed, discovering the opening deep, the steps descending hundreds of meters underground, finally reaching a completely sealed dark chamber.

Bang!

A disc of electric light burst into darkness; runes lit up on the chamber walls.

All four walls, the floor and ceiling of the chamber were cast in metal, thick and heavy, layered with multiple rune formations, all in an inactive state.

Suo Lim stood in the chamber's center, sliced his wrist, and Titan blood gushed out, spilling onto the floor and spreading; a hidden rune formation emerged, the blood permeated the entire formation. Suo Lim whispered an indistinct incantation and infused it with thunderous lightning power.

Hum……

The rune formation trembled lightly; as Suo Lim poured more blood and lightning power, the whole chamber began to shake.

With a boom, the rune formation was fully activated.

A portal opened in the chamber's middle, emitting a pressure wave—grand, distant, and violent—this was the aura of divine power, but very unfamiliar.

Lei En had never sensed such divine power; it was easy to guess it belonged to An Heluo Zi.

Suo Lim's face showed uncontrollable excitement.

The chamber and portal opened smoothly, indicating that An Heluo Zi's treasury remained intact, not looted in the past ten thousand years.

The Titan Elder could not wait and stepped into the portal.

Lei En followed closely; traversing the portal took a bit longer than expected, nearly three seconds, showing the destination was far from the Storm Temple. Immediately the scene changed, the view filled with vast, multicolored light—treasure's radiance!

But he instantly saw the most valuable thing: a strangely shifting, ancient‑looking stone.

It was Divine Fire!

(End of Chapter)