Chapter 37: The Crownless
Weeks passed.
Whispers of the fall of the gods spread across the lands. Kingdoms that once offered temples and tribute to the sky found themselves... ungoverned. Oracles went silent. The stars no longer burned with celestial command.
The world was free—and afraid.
In the capital, once ruled by priests of the divine, chaos threatened to rise. But instead of blood, something unexpected blossomed: choice. People began to ask questions. Mortals, once kneeling, now stood upright.
In a dusty village temple, a crowd gathered to hear the words of a woman in pale robes and silver earrings.
"Some say we should rebuild the temples," one villager said. "Seek new gods."
Ying Yue shook her head. "There will always be powers greater than us. But perhaps it is time we stop giving them our hearts."
"But what do we worship then?" another asked.
She smiled gently. "Ourselves. Each other. The earth beneath us. The sky that is now… ours."
Bai Jiu watched from a distance, pride in his gaze. Ying Yue was no longer just Fu Sheng reborn. She had become something greater—mortal and divine, leader and healer.