In the Svalbard Islands, Norway, at the Arctic Scientific Observation Yellow River Station, it was the middle of the night, six hours behind Sky Capital.

Here in the Arctic Circle, one could actually receive 4G signals and even connect to the internet. However, the problem was that ordinary computer equipment struggled to function for long periods in these temperatures. And, of course, in the dead of night, everyone would be tucked under their blankets, hugging hot water bottles to sleep—who the hell would be online?

Entertainment for the Yellow River Station's on-duty staff mainly consisted of reading books. As for Ren Naiser's live streams and videos, those were high-end content. They could only fully understand it after returning to the country on rotation, and it was something they could discuss for months.

However, due to the resurgence of Spiritual Energy, many new instruments had been added to the Yellow River Station, including those for probing Spiritual Energy concentration.

Today, in the duty room, two scientific researchers sat facing each other. One was reading the comic book "Over My Dead Body: Western Jin Butcher," while the other was engrossed in "Romance of the Three Kingdoms of Immortals and Heroes." They occasionally glanced up from their books to check on one another. Although it was warmer inside, they couldn't rule out the possibility that one might faint due to anemia or other reasons. Hence, the rule required more than one person on duty, lest someone die without anyone noticing.

"The Spiritual Energy concentration seems to have been rising these past few days."

"Yeah, for five days straight, and it hasn't come down."

"I heard Ren Naiser's been live-streaming these days. Could it be..."

"It's definitely related to him. When has a fluctuation in Spiritual Energy not been because of him? He's practically a world-class troublemaker."

"It's not Ren Naiser's doing. He's just responsible for recording videos of Transcendent Organizations like the Immortal Palace, pretty much like a war correspondent..."

"If he didn't release the videos, it would be quite nice for us not to know."

"Why?"

"What's the use of knowing something you can't influence and can only passively accept, something that contradicts the worldview you've learned? All the Knowledge, the history we've studied for years, turns out to be an illusion. It's not a pleasant feeling."

"Hmm... Lu Xun once said, 'Lightning cleaves the fog that has enshrouded us for a thousand years, yet you fault the thunder.'"

"Thunder? Thunder is at the bottom of the standings this season. Shouldn't they be criticized?"

Idle banter was also an important part of duty. The gradually shortening daylight hours in the Arctic Circle created a great sense of depression. Although one could watch the aurora borealis, after a while, it became just the same old sight.

Life was hard. Without some nonsensical chatter with a companion, it was difficult to maintain mental health.

Just then, the Spiritual Energy detector BEEPED. They looked over to find that the Spiritual Energy concentration had suddenly increased by 50 percent!

Such a fluctuation was considered very large. The increase in Spiritual Energy concentration over the past few days had only been around 10 percent each time. Now, it had suddenly soared by 50 percent, almost twice the concentration of six days ago!

"What's happening—"

The next second, they saw the Spiritual Energy concentration gradually falling again, finally stabilizing at 115 percent of its previous level. The two of them were stunned. It quickly dawned on them: "Has a Spirit Vein opened up nearby?!"

Although governments around the world hadn't managed to obtain the method of opening Spirit Veins from the Immortal Palace Envoy, they had still gained some insights. For instance, when a Spirit Vein opened, areas closer to it would experience a sudden spike in Spiritual Energy concentration, which would then rapidly fall back.

Since the Yellow River Station had a Spiritual Energy detector, the corresponding Knowledge and intelligence were naturally compiled into manuals for the scientific researchers to study.

The two staff members who discovered this phenomenon didn't dare to delay and prepared to report to the station chief.

At that moment, they heard a thunderous sound of ice shattering in the distance!

Startled, they immediately triggered the alarm to wake everyone in the station. They then rushed to the lookout on the second floor to observe. There, beneath the night sky adorned with ribbons of aurora, they saw white mist bursting forth from the distant ice field.

The location chosen for the Yellow River Station was naturally a relatively safe place. If it weren't safe, they might encounter a blizzard, and then the ice could crack while they lived there, leaving them only the option to burn their life's energy to write a will. Theoretically, the region near the Yellow River Station should also be rather safe; it was unlikely for such a large-scale ice field to crack and burst.

The two researchers picked up the binoculars stowed on the second floor. One of them hesitantly said, "Isn't that... a glint of gold in the mist?"

"Seems like it... And there's fire!"

The white mist was suddenly dispersed by a Whirlwind, and a Fiery Flame converged into a robust figure. It was clad in cloud boots, with a Red Robe streaming behind, armored in Golden Armor, and wielding an Iron Rod.

It turned its head. Its sharp-pointed mouth and jowls, external fangs, and Yellow Hair on a round head then appeared in the researchers' binoculars. They saw it, but its pupils, flickering with golden flames, also saw them!

The Scorching Heat of that gaze was like a sword thrust, forcing them to quickly shut their eyes.

"Is that the Immortal Palace's Handsome Monkey King, who hammered the Federation's number one, Angel Zack?"

"Why is it here? What's it doing here? Was that Spiritual Energy fluctuation just now caused by it again..."

At that time, a piercing voice cut through the entire Arctic Circle, unstoppable even by the howling wind:

"Ha, this job is perfect for me, Old Sun!"

Looking over, they saw the Handsome Monkey King firmly stamping on the ice. A burst of fire clouds blossomed from the spot, carrying it directly upwards into the sky!

The higher and farther it flew, the louder and more unyielding its laughter became. It was as if the cold winds of the poles couldn't freeze its fervent spirit, inspiring a longing in the hearts of those who listened.

"Open the gates for Old Sun!"

A thundering cry of martial might exploded in the sky. The clouds over the Arctic scattered from the sound. Even the people at the distant Yellow River Station were left with ringing ears!

The station chief ran up to the second floor, his hands over his ears. He saw two subordinates with binoculars standing in front of the window and asked anxiously, "What happened? Why was there such a loud noise?"

They stared blankly, pointing outside, their jaws nearly dropping.

The station chief turned to look, and his jaw dropped too.

In the distant sky, a magnificent golden Heavenly Gate stood atop clouds radiating white light. The gate was slowly opening, already revealing a crack.

At that moment, one of the researchers muttered in a low voice, "Has the Handsome Monkey King gone to battle in Heaven again?"

"They're actually attacking Heaven!?"

"Hold on, that's the Arctic. Maybe they're attacking figures from Norse Mythology."

"It could also be the Greek Pantheon."

"Why not the Pure Land of Bliss?"

"Y'all are just making wild guesses. Last time the Great Sage Equalling Heaven went up to Heaven through the Southern Heavenly Gate. This time he's at the Arctic going through the Northern Heavenly Gate. Changing routes is totally normal."

"I don't care! I just want to see the Handsome Monkey King and Erlang God wrestling."

After the golden chess pieces and cards disappeared, a brand-new card gradually emerged in mid-air, named 'Above All Beings'.

On the card was action footage of the Handsome Monkey King.

The Cloaked Girl with Blue Hair also composed herself. She looked at the card for a while and said, "Living Beings yearn to do as they please, to dominate above all, even to audaciously equate their own desires with the Heavenly Heart, to crave the world's affection for themselves, to believe that the world should exist for them.

This is the primal drive of Living Beings, self-identification, but when vented outward without restraint, it becomes hubris.

Hubris that soars above the clouds and looks down upon all beings, that considers all living things as ants, that views oneself as the sovereign.

The hubris that will soon rule the world,

The hubris that will soon deceive the masses,

The hubris that will soon bind the world,

The hubris that will soon descend into madness,

Could it be nipped in the bud?"

The Supreme Supreme said, "Good."

"The Supreme Supreme had already planned everything! He sent the Handsome Monkey King earlier to open the Spirit Vein, and now, with Insight into Destiny, he's sent the Handsome Monkey King to blow Heaven apart!"

"Myth reenacted!"

"Could the Inheritance of the Great Sage Equalling Heaven be specifically to counter high-altitude objects? Should we pray to the Great Sage for protection whenever we take a plane?"

"Terrifying! The previous opening of the Spirit Vein was actually to cultivate disciples for the new era of the Immortal Palace, to make them useful here!"

"Coach, I want to join the Immortal Palace! I'm very well-behaved. Anything a monkey can do, I can do, and even positions the monkey can't..."

"Don't ask. Coach wants to too."

Ren Suo glanced at the barrage, and his face flushed slightly. He hadn't expected the Devouring the Spirit of the World's chosen Path of Destiny BOSS to be Heaven, transformed by the Source of Disaster and hubris!

It might not be Heaven, but listening to the introduction by the Cloaked Girl with Blue Hair, as well as the appearance of the buildings, it should indeed be a place of deities, no doubt about it.

But now he had no way to control the Devouring the Spirit of the World. He was just like the viewers in the live stream, only able to watch as the Handsome Monkey King knocked on the Heavenly Gate with his Iron Rod, stepping into the Heavenly Palace filled with birdsong, fragrant flowers, and towering jade edifices.

Perhaps due to the recent Shape-shifting, everything in the Heavenly Palace was a bit blurry, including the enemy Heavenly Generals and Heavenly Soldiers who had just been conjured. However, to the unaware, this scene would seem only natural: the palace should be shrouded in mist, and the celestial soldiers should appear as if Teleporting out of the fog!

However, the enemies that appeared were beyond everyone's expectations. The first wave consisted of more than a dozen figures, encapsulating the skin tones of all five oceans and Seven Continents, with completely different appearances and attire.

"A Six-Winged Seraphim!?"

"This blue flame armor, this sword... could it be Sukuna-Biko from Flourishing Sakura?"

"The hammer flashing with lightning—that's Raijin!"

"This loincloth, this helmet... they look like Greek deities, but I can't recognize which one..."

Deities from various myths took to the stage. They held all kinds of Weapons while floating mid-air, some with a clear and breezy manner yet an imposing aura. Each squinted their eyes in utter disdain at the Handsome Monkey King; some even deigned to look at him straight through their nostrils.

They might not have been tall, but for some reason, their presence was overwhelming, as deep as an abyss. Even through the screen, Ren Suo felt almost breathless, fearing to even draw a breath, as if awaiting punishment from parents after a mistake!

The live stream was now utterly devoid of any chat messages.

All the viewers were intimidated by the presence of these deities!

This was the hubris humans had accumulated, rising into the clouds to become deities, self-declaring as rulers, regarding all Living Beings as insignificant, dictating the fate of life and death for all creatures!

A middle-aged man dressed in a splendid black robe looked down at the Handsome Monkey King and shouted fiercely, "Kneel and beg for mercy! Your disrespect towards the deities may then be forgiven, granting you an intact corpse!"

The voice was like rolling thunder, echoing incessantly. The Handsome Monkey King was unfazed, but Ren Suo nearly collapsed as his body went weak.

If not for the help of the Bonds of Silk, he feared he might have thrown the controller away.

At that moment, the Handsome Monkey King laughed, breaking the suffocating atmosphere. "Heh."

"Old Sun, I delight in striking against those remnants who think they have strength. A bunch of Demons and Monsters, daring to call themselves deities? Pah!"

The Handsome Monkey King spat a thick glob of saliva onto the Jade Stone pavement, then stamped firmly on it, rubbing his foot on the spot. He tilted his head to give the deities a sidelong glance. "You lot in Heaven have dirtied Old Sun's eyes. Now, I will make you... vanish like smoke!"

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