Divine Path System Chapter 1763: Lord of the Universe

The cosmos pulsed with a rhythmic, heartbeat-like cadence, as if the surrounding expanse was reacting to a summons with fervent intensity.

The God Emperor drew his brows together, perceiving an approaching phenomenon but finding himself unable to pinpoint its origin.

A look of profound arrogance settled upon the Architect’s lips, and he stated, "You possess every right to be proud. You have orchestrated for eons, fragmenting your own soul, surviving countless lifetimes that have since slipped from your memory, and delving into every divine avenue—even while your primary form derived zero benefit until the ascent to rank 3."

"You consigned your own kin to oblivion."

"You decimated every rank 2 entity just to dissect their paths."

"You wagered everything upon this singular moment."

"And yet, you emerged victorious."

He slowly brought his palms together, issuing a brief, sharp clap.

The gesture carried an air of genuine admiration, yet it was simultaneously layered with biting mockery.

Was he paying tribute to Thoren’s ironclad resolve, or was he scornfully framing it as a wasted endeavor, even as his own hold on the situation seemed to falter?

"This triumph you harbor now shall be your final glory. Savor it completely." The Architect finished with another clap.

The fundamental laws governing existence coalesced.

The currents of time and the intricate labyrinth of space manifested.

The Tree of Life emerged alongside the Tome of Mortality.

The dice of cosmic order clashed with the inferno of entropy.

Representing the peak of law, these were the embodiments of existence itself. They appeared translucent, perhaps unable to be fully constrained within a corporal vessel.

The God Emperor squinted, grasping the Architect’s intent, a realization that further refined his own understanding of his capabilities.

"Weaponizing the very universe against me? Hardly original."

The Architect offered a dismissive shrug, entirely devoid of shame despite deploying the might of the entire cosmos against a single adversary.

"However, your mastery over this domain is far more limited than I anticipated, is it not?" The God Emperor remarked with a sneer.

The Architect’s face darkened, a perilous flicker igniting within his eyes.

"It seems I struck a nerve," the God Emperor chuckled.

For anyone familiar with Varian, this tone would be instantly recognizable; his protégé had clearly learned his lessons well.

"You do not truly command this universe. You crafted it, certainly, yet I suspect it did not originate with you. There exists some other entity or force that you have exploited."

"This is the origin secret you sacrificed so much to bury with the Heaven tribe, isn't it?" the God Emperor finished in a nonchalant tone.

The Architect emitted a sharp laugh, though his eyes betrayed a seething malice. "How possess you the gall to speak of my affairs, you wretched mortal?"

"Is that truly your estimation of me? Merely a mortal? A being of your own caliber?" The God Emperor shook his head, baffled by the other man’s hubris despite his own vast experience.

"You truly believe this is my zenith? I am severely diminished. So weakened, in fact, that a pathetic insect like you can contest me to a stalemate."

"Yet, once I extinguish your existence, I shall reclaim this universe. I will not only restore my strength but ascend to the new heights I have sacrificed everything to attain," the Architect vowed with unwavering certainty.

The six phantoms corresponding to the laws surged with brilliance, imbuing him with immense power.

The God Emperor frowned and clenched his fist. His massive phantom palm morphed into a fist and hammered into the void.

The entire universe reverberated, followed by a crisp, snapping sound. Hairline fractures materialized upon the law phantoms.

"If you intend to utilize the universe as your weapon, I shall simply dismantle it, rendering it useless to you."

The God Emperor gestured, and massive fists manifested across the cosmos, pummeling the very foundation of existence.

"Do not permit yourself such delusions," the Architect retorted with characteristic disdain, unleashing a full-scale assault without reservation.

The scales of balance parried the blows with one side while transmuting the force of each impact back onto the God Emperor with the other.

Empowered by his alignment with the universal paths, the Architect had surged past the God Emperor, reaching the peak of rank 3.

However, the God Emperor remained at a peak rank 3 intensity as well, despite being a high rank 3, due to his masterly manipulation of the three slivers.

Until this moment, he had held the advantage. Now, the tide had turned, and the God Emperor began to sustain wounds.

Void-like fissures appeared across his physique, as if portions of his being were being excavated with every strike.

Boom! Boom! Boom!

Yet, he remained steadfast, relentlessly assaulting the threads of the universe.

As a consequence, the fractures deepened on the law manifestations, signaling that the laws themselves were unraveling at an accelerated pace.

Across the cosmos, this manifest as a cascading series of natural disasters.

The infamous universal 'Apocalypse' was accelerating at a frantic speed.

As the confrontation deepened, a peculiar equilibrium was established.

The God Emperor carried deep wounds, several sections of his body now hollowed out, and his overall power had noticeably waned.

Conversely, the Architect’s strength had receded even further as the law phantoms continued to splinter.

Both combatants were significantly diminished, now reduced to an roughly equal level of combat potential.

Finding themselves evenly matched, both became intensely focused.

Even a momentary lapse in this standoff would be catastrophic, and the battle would be irredeemably lost.

Neither could afford the slightest distraction.

The God Emperor sought to erode his adversary's resolve.

"I should be capable of achieving rank 4. Yet, I am blocked. You are manipulating the foundations behind my back, aren't you? What a coward," he sneered as a massive fist shook the heavens.

"Rank 4?" The Architect gave a mocking smile. "What could that state possibly imply to you? I cannot grasp how a construct can maintain such impudence toward its maker. You are a flawed prototype; you shall never transcend this threshold. Acknowledge reality and yield."

The God Emperor’s brows furrowed.

"Defective," the Architect repeated, clearly savoring the evident distress of his foe.

"The divine paths you traverse were drafted by my hand. You, your species—all of it—originated from my blueprint. Why would I ever permit the capability to surpass rank 3? Regardless of your efforts, you shall never achieve it."

The God Emperor set his jaw. "I would prefer to attempt it nonetheless."

A torrential burst of radiance erupted from within him, and the balance scale was shattered into remnants.

It materialized again shortly thereafter, but the Architect looked visibly strained and clearly agitated.

"Once I pulverize you, the entirety of this universe shall bow to my command."

"Those are the exact words I intended to speak. Only you stand in my way."