Chapter 141: Brilliance of the Moon and Stars

The decennial Assembly of the Gods is the grandest gathering on the Goat Horn Continent. When it takes place, all the gods of the continent descend upon the Pantheon at the summit of the Olympus mountain range.

It is said that Zeus, the Father of Heaven, once resided there.
It is said that the halls there stretch endlessly, leading to gardens filled with rare flowers and exotic herbs.
It is said that there, Athena removes her visor, and people have the chance to behold the peerless beauty and breathtaking grace of the Goddess of Wisdom.
It is said that one can taste the fine wine brewed personally by Bacchus, the God of Wine.
It is said that the stern Ares brings a sword every year to bestow upon a true warrior.
It is said that the God of Thunder, who came from Midgard, perished at Ragnarök, and was reborn in the dawn of hope, also attends the Assembly.
It is said that merely pleasing these deities at the assembly can earn one powerful divine artifacts and a lifetime of good fortune.
It is said…

There are too many legends surrounding the Assembly of the Gods, and every rumor inspires curiosity, yearning, and longing. It is no exaggeration to say that the Pantheon, perched above the sea of clouds on the Olympus range of the Goat Horn Continent, is a place everyone dreams of visiting.

Qian Long is no exception.

But even with his status as the "greatest expert in Storm City," he is unable to attend the Assembly, which speaks volumes about the difficulty of gaining entry.

The excitement that had been stirred up quickly subsided. Qian Long smiled bitterly and said, "Ye Ran, this is still just building castles in the air. As the name suggests, the Assembly of the Gods is a festival belonging to the gods. Humans have only been allowed to enter for the last hundred years, and the number of humans who have stood in the Pantheon is few and far between. I imagine only the Martial God Palace, the Palace of Golden Fighters, and some notorious old-timers are qualified to enter. As for us… heh, we’d better just wash up and go to sleep."

"To be precise, only those who receive an invitation or are specifically summoned by the gods can participate in the revelry of the divine race. Freya is also a second-generation god, so she is qualified to enter the Pantheon."

Ye Ran took out Freya’s small divine badge.

"Heh, Freya… wait, a second-generation god?"

Qian Long first laughed, but then he snatched the divine badge and examined it from every angle in his hands.

"Damn, it really is a second-generation god. I always thought that little mute… ah, no, that little girl was a fourth-generation god."

Seeing Ye Ran frown, he quickly corrected himself.

Ye Ran disliked people calling Freya "little mute," but since Qian Long’s slip was unintentional, the displeasure on his face vanished in an instant. He said, "If Freya can enter the Hall of War, she will have a human quota."

Qian Long clicked his tongue, clearly tempted, though he still found it somewhat unbelievable upon reflection.

"This is a major matter; I need to think it over carefully."

"Hmph, what 'major matter'? If you don't want to join, forget it. There are plenty of people who want to attend the Assembly of the Gods," Ye Ran said, snatching the divine badge back.

"Hey, wait! I’ll join, I’ll join, is that enough?"

"But let’s get this straight: I’m only lending my name; I won't be doing any work. And you have to help me keep it a secret. A secret, okay..."

...

"Hmph, that guy Qian Long is the most dithering powerhouse I’ve ever met," Ye Ran grumbled to Shally as soon as he returned to the Tauren encampment.

At least he had agreed to lend his name to the Temple of Blessings, which meant the core team was taking shape. As for the construction of the temple, it had already begun; Ye Ran had hired some construction workers in the Hairong District, and they had already started laying the foundation.

Fearing there wouldn't be enough manpower, he had temporarily requisitioned some workers from the iron mines.

Invitations for the elves, dwarves, and tauren were also being prepared in full swing.

Shally smiled and said, "With Blood Lion, the Six Dumas, Zhar, and Qian Long, having their names is certainly enough for now. But you are still too impatient. The establishment of a temple requires local permits and a registration from Constantine. Furthermore, you need at least three divine envoys and the permission of two second-generation gods. These things are all indispensable; we aren’t even at the first step yet."

"It’s that troublesome?"

Ye Ran felt his head ache, but upon further thought, something felt off.

"Local permits, Constantine’s permits, three divine envoys, two second-generation gods… why does it sound like the decision to establish a temple rests with humans rather than the divine race?"

Shally nodded. "It is indeed determined by humans. Gods may be high above, looking down upon mortals, but when they descend into the mortal world, they must accept one reality: humans are the masters of the continent."

Ye Ran nodded, understanding only half of it.

"There is no real governing power in the Ipo-Jedi lands. The permits can be fudged, and Constantine will just need a little extra greasing."

Ye Ran said, "I’ve handed Constantine’s permits to Delis. The Twelve Demons have eyes and ears everywhere; this won't stump her."

Shally let out an "en" and said, "I have already written to the Bright Moon Envoy and the Starlight Envoy. They will be here soon. Once we pass their scrutiny, the matter will be settled."

By comparison, obtaining the permission of two second-generation gods would be much easier.

"Bright Moon Envoy, Starlight Envoy… Shally, what is your title?" Ye Ran asked with great interest.

Shally smiled brightly, raised a finger, and shook it by her lips. "My title is much more prestigious than theirs. I am the famous Slanted Moon Three-Star Blazing Sun Envoy. Isn’t that much more impressive than their titles?"

"What on earth? If you're going to brag, at least make it believable."

"Sigh… fine, I’ll tell you the truth: I don’t have a title yet."

"Strange, why don't you have a title?"

"Only envoys who have made outstanding contributions are granted titles."

"Heh, no wonder you don't have one."

"En… ah… hey! What do you mean by that? Stop right there! Explain yourself before you leave!"

...

By evening, the slanting rays of the setting sun spilled down, turning the ground a brilliant, fiery red.

Ye Ran and Freya sat on small stools at the entrance of the tauren camp, each holding a bowl of porridge.

"Freya, I’ve decided: your temple will be named the Palace of Blessed Grace."

Freya used her pencil to write rustlingly on her sketchbook: "It is the palace of Ah Ran and Freya."

Ye Ran smiled. "We finally left the slums and Mud Tile Street. We are far away now and will never go back. From the first day you descended to the mortal world, I have looked forward to this day. Now, it has finally come true."

He watched the setting sun, a look of gratification on his face.

Freya turned to look at him. Under the slanting rays of the sunset, his stern, resolute profile softened.

So many years of hard work, so many years of struggling, so many years of ups and downs—everything had finally blossomed today.

"Ah Ran, from now on we can watch the moon and count the stars together every day," Freya wrote happily. In the heart of a nine-year-old girl, this was her greatest expectation.

Ye Ran laughed. "Of course. I will accompany you to watch the bright moon and the starlight, count the stars in the sky, and wait for the Milky Way to pour down—I will stay with you until you grow up…"