Under God’s protection and blessings, the snake people developed rapidly.

With the City of Life as their center, they established one village after another.

They began to venture out of the City of Life, fighting and battling with monsters in the wilderness, then taming them.

They carved out their own homes in the wild, serving Snake Mother Sermos as their master and mother. Gradually, the snake people began to resemble a city-state.

However, they also harbored a sense of crisis, stemming from God’s words:

“I hope you can live up to my expectations.”

These words drove the snake people to constantly strive and push forward, but also filled them with a sense of urgency.

In the great hall.

Snake people gathered here, filling the hall as they discussed this incredibly serious matter.

They whispered and debated among themselves, their tails occasionally flicking unconsciously.

Some snake people coiled their tails and lay by the windows, while others entwined themselves around pillars to raise their bodies and look towards the center of the hall.

Snake Mother Sermos stood surrounded by the crowd.

She alone wore clothing, a gift bestowed upon her by the Mother of Life – a single piece of fabric.

She had tightly wrapped this uncut white silk cloth around her body, just covering her entire form, but the curves of her waist and chest were very visible.

Her slender right arm was completely exposed, revealing one shoulder.

Her left arm, which she rarely used, was hidden under the fabric, only emerging when she raised it.

It looked exotic and alluring.

But in the eyes of the snake people, it represented nobility and dignity.

All the snake people would slightly lower their heads when facing her, not daring to look directly into her eyes, also showing respect for the Snake Mother.

The snake people clan, in order to please the Mother of Life and live up to God’s favor, decided to do something for God.

But they didn’t know what to do, let alone how to please a deity.

God was so lofty and distant, possessing power beyond all else, with wisdom far surpassing their own.

She had knowledge beyond the snake people’s imagination.

She seemed to need nothing from them, and their repeated sacrifices and offerings rarely gained God’s favor.

To the deity, their efforts seemed to have little effect; even their utmost exertions could hardly elicit a smile from God.

At this moment, Snake Mother Sermos recalled the scenes of God leaving the mortal world. The Mother of Life would ride a “ship” set in a sphere to depart from the mundane world, returning to the realm of deities.

“Perhaps we could build a high tower for God, a very, very tall tower.”

“Closer to the world above, so it would be more convenient for God to return.”

The snake people thought this was a good idea and asked the Snake Mother.

“Where should we build it? How should we build it?”

Snake Mother Sermos replied, “Of course, we should build it at the highest point.”

The highest point in this area was the mountain range where the City of Life was located, and the highest point of the mountain range was a cliff behind the City of Life.

The snake people immediately sprang into action, eager to begin their divine project.

The Snake Mother controlled a stone colossus, while the other snake people used their divine techniques to assist.

Stones rose from the ground, continuously growing taller.

Following the style of the Beast Magic City, they built an ancient and mysterious tower.

A giant tower built for the Mother of Life, Shelly.

It stood over a hundred meters tall, and because it was built with supernatural power, it looked as if it had grown directly out of the mountain range.

There were no visible seams; it connected directly to the mountain range.

From the foot of the mountain, the tower appeared to touch the sky itself.

On the day the tower was completed, Snake Mother Sermos came to the Temple of Life to see the deity.

She joyfully told God that they had built a tower reaching towards the sky for Her.

She described how difficult it had been to build this tower, but for the great deity, they were willing to give everything.

The snake people believed that through this act, they would prove their worth to God.

The Mother of Life, Shelly, took a step forward. From the darkness, a giant hand extended, forming stairs. She stepped on the palm, coming to the center of the temple.

Sermos’s excitement grew; she recognized the significance of the deity’s actions.

The Mother of Life’s willingness to leave her divine throne indicated genuine interest, a rare occurrence indeed.

Throughout the years, Sermos had done many things to please the deity. They had captured all sorts of rare and strange beasts to offer to God, but few things had managed to pique God’s interest.

Shelly looked at Sermos, who had changed a lot since she was first born.

She was no longer fearful and timid; she had become full of dignity and confidence.

In the eyes of the snake people, she was the tall, noble, and beautiful Snake Mother.

Through trials and years, she had become extraordinary, only showing her humility when facing God.

But it wasn’t just Sermos who had changed; Shelly herself had changed as well.

Shelly said, “So this is what you’ve been busy with lately.”

“Although it doesn’t have much meaning, it seems quite interesting.”

The tower was not far from the City of Life. The snake people had even built a special passage connecting to the side corridor of the Temple of Life, which only God could use.

Shelly walked through the passage, gradually ascending the tower.

The tower reached towards the sky, and as she climbed step by step, there was truly a feeling of leaving the earth and the mortal world behind.

Like a stairway leading to the realm of the gods.

Standing atop the tower, Shelly looked down.

“Why does this feel more troublesome?”

Yet, this addition had transformed the ordinary act of returning into a ceremonious occasion.

Shelly still liked it very much.

After speaking, she summoned the Miracle Tool, the Spirit’s Hot Air Balloon.

She hid the Spirit’s Hot Air Balloon up there, and from then on, every time she returned, she would climb up here and then ride the Spirit’s Hot Air Balloon back.

When the hot air balloon ship took off, the entire City of Life was in an uproar.

All the snake people twisted out of their buildings, watching the gift they had offered to God, seeing God’s “vehicle” take off from the high tower.

“Look!”

“God has accepted our gift. The great Sovereign of Life has acknowledged us.”

The snake people who had built the tower together watched with pride as God accepted their gift.

“God!”

“God has left.”

“What is the world above the clouds like?”

“Great Sovereign of Life! When I die, please allow me to enter the realm of the gods too!”

The snake people watched as the hot air balloon rose, gradually piercing through the cloud layer, and finally disappearing from this world.

Their eyes showed curiosity and longing.

Finally, as one snake person prostrated himself, all the snake people lay on the ground to bid farewell to the Mother of Life.

The tower transformed from an ordinary building into a divine miracle.

Later generations of snake people even believed that this tower was the path to the realm of God, containing countless secrets.

This tower also came to be known as the Tower of Heaven—

In the Dream Realm.

This time when she returned, Shelly saw a different scene. After the hot air balloon passed through the gap of the gate to God’s Realm, what greeted her eyes was a brilliant silver moon.

She found that the moon’s light was much brighter than before, its full silver moonlight making it impossible to see the shadow of God’s Grace Stone.

This made her immensely happy.

The reason God’s Moon was called God’s Moon was because it carried the will of God Yinsai.

She waved at the silver moon from the hot air balloon, and the silver moon cast its light upon the hot air balloon and Shelly.

The moonlight shone on her body, and Shelly felt a warm glow.

The hot air balloon passed beneath the moon and entered the sun.

Shelly eagerly ascended the pyramid steps, rushing into the temple.

As she entered, she called out.

“I’m back!”

Although there was no response within the temple, Shelly sensed that the statue on the divine platform was watching her.

It was waiting for her return home.

She imagined the statue saying to her: “Welcome back.”

Shelly approached the statue of God Yinsai, touching the smooth, delicate stone with her hand.

In an instant, the scene within the temple stretched endlessly, then faded into afterimages.

Her vision transcended time and space, traversing dimensions.

There, concepts of time and space ceased to exist. There was nothing.

It was the origin of everything, and the end of all things.

She saw that brilliant star.

The existence known as Yinsai.

But this time, the scene she had seen before had changed. She saw the star constantly moving closer to her and this world, drawing nearer and nearer.

She watched the star descend from the darkness, about to fall into the mortal realm.

Shelly gazed at the star with longing, until the light obscured her vision.

Until even one as powerful as she could no longer withstand the prolonged gaze upon that star’s might.

Her consciousness grew drowsy, and only then did the indescribably majestic shadow of the star gradually dissipate.

She yawned and fell asleep at the feet of God Yinsai’s statue.

She had accompanied God Yinsai like this countless times before, falling into dreams by His side.

She felt she slept exceptionally sweetly.

Several days later, Shelly slowly opened her eyes.

When she awoke, she leapt up and ran excitedly around the temple.

She instinctively extended her arms, transforming them into wings behind her back.

Her mouth mimicked the sound of a conch horn: “Woo woo woo!”

Finally, she stopped in front of God Yinsai’s statue, looking up at it.

“I really succeeded!”

“I did it.”

Shelly joyfully told the statue, telling God Yinsai everything she had done for Him.

“God Yinsai!”

“I did so well, I created a race, and they will forge a civilization.”

“They will become Your anchor point in this world. They’re different from the Trilobite people; they will become a race worthy of God’s love.”

Light shone in from the windows on both sides, casting intersecting shadows before and behind Shelly.

For a moment, she seemed to see the statue come to life, praising her for doing well.

In truth, she didn’t know that even if she did nothing, Yin Shen was constantly synchronizing with the flow of time in this world.

Nothing could prevent His return unless He abandoned this world.

Shelly passed through the crisscrossing light in the temple, a smile appearing on her face.

“I can do even better.”

“I can do even more for God Yinsai.”

This way, when God Yinsai returns, He will praise her even more enthusiastically—

In the Temple of Life, Shelly summoned her servant.

Sermos glided through the great doors, sliding over the smooth stone slabs to appear before God.

She extended both arms, one bare shoulder exposed and the other hidden beneath white silk, prostrating herself on the ground to pay homage to God.

She could sense great joy, as Shelly was happily swinging her legs, her boots tapping against the base of the divine throne.

As soon as Sermos entered, the Mother of Life looked at her with joyful eyes.

“My servant. You truly are useful, and so is the snake people race.”

Then, Mother of Life Shelly said.

“The eternal stars will descend upon this world, and you will be the fortunate ones to witness this moment.”

Eternal stars?

Snake Mother Sermos didn’t understand the meaning of these words, nor did she know that in Trilobite poetry, this referred to God Yinsai.

She thought her act of building the Tower of Heaven had earned God’s praise. She happily straightened up, yet still kept her head lowered, looking at the base of the divine throne.

“Everything is for the deity.”

“To be Your servant is already the highest honor for Sermos.”

“With Your praise, Sermos will surely do even better.”

“As long as it is Your will, God, we will certainly accomplish it.”

Shelly was satisfied with Sermos’s response.

Suddenly, Shelly noticed the wrinkles at the corners of Sermos’s eyes.

She was taken aback.

How much time had passed for her servant to have changed so?

“Sermos, how many years have passed since your birth?”

Sermos had recently begun to feel the effects of aging, not only in her face but throughout her body.

Nearly a hundred years had passed since the Snake Mother’s birth.

Although the snake people’s lifespan was slightly longer than that of the Trilobite people, it was still limited.

The Snake Mother, despite possessing the most powerful strength and eating the best food, could only delay her aging.

Hearing God mention this, Snake Mother Sermos immediately said.

“God, almost a hundred years have passed.”

Shelly pondered briefly, a look of realization dawning on her childlike face.

“A hundred years, is it.”

“Yes, you weak beings can only live for a little over a hundred years.”

“Before long, you will die of old age.”

The immortal deity sighed at the brevity of mortal life, not empathizing, only failing to comprehend.

In such a short time, mortal life would come to an end.

A mortal’s life is truly fleeting.

Shelly looked at Sermos, her gaze as if looking at a pitiful insect.

After just a brief long night, life would vanish without a trace.

Sermos, hearing the word death, suddenly felt anxious.

She had pondered this question countless times before, always thinking the word was far from her. Now that God had mentioned it, she realized death had already arrived at her side.

“Great Sovereign of Life!”

“Please give Your servant guidance. Is there any way or power to stop aging?”

Shelly looked at Sermos: “Are you afraid of death?”

Sermos didn’t hide it at all: “The snake people race has just been born, our civilization has yet to begin, Your servant still wants to do better.”

“Life is so short, Sermos feels like nothing has been accomplished before it’s about to fade away.”

“I’m afraid.”

“Not just afraid of death, but more afraid of aging.”

Death was already terrifying enough, but Snake Mother Sermos felt that aging was even more frightening than death.

The gradual decay of the body, the slow loss of strength and vitality, the creeping approach of death – that was the true purgatory and torment.

Shelly shook her head: “Aging is the fate of every mortal. Only God is eternal.”

“Aging is the manifestation of years, the power of time.”

“How could you small beings possibly withstand the erosion of the river of time?”

Snake Mother Sermos’s eyes dimmed, but then Shelly added.

“However, if one can break through the limits of mortality and enter the realm of God’s apostles, then one can possess a longer lifespan.”

“You will still age and die, but you can linger in the river of time for a longer period.”

Snake Mother Sermos looked up at the lofty Mother of Life.

Her jewel-like eyes shimmered with light, full of hope and expectation.

“God, how can I achieve this?”

Shelly said casually, “If I want you to achieve it, you can achieve it.”

“But you must live up to my expectations.”

At this moment, God’s third test appeared.

Shelly told her: “Three thousand kilometers south of Ruhe Beast Island, a great stone demon has been born.”

“It possesses third-rank power like you, and has a horde of small stone demons at its command.”

“If you can find and defeat it, I will grant you the method to enter the fourth rank, a secret technique that breaks the limits of mortality. Though you won’t gain immortality, you’ll be able to briefly resist the power of time.”

The snake people had already learned to enslave fire demons, mastering the power of fire. Almost all second-rank snake people chose fire demons as their partners.

But they were so enamored with the power of fire that they forgot stone power was their foundation. Stone demons were more suitable for them than other monsters.

Moreover, stone demons could help them build villages and towns, defending against other monsters.

Sermos didn’t understand Shelly’s considerations; she merely saw it as a pure test.

However, mentioning stone demons reminded her that recently, many small stone demons had been moving southward, disappearing from the snake people’s territory.

Previously, she didn’t know what was happening, but now she realized it was because a great stone demon had been born there.

She asked the deity: “If one possesses this secret technique, can one obtain the power of longevity?”

Shelly smiled: “Of course, it’s not that simple.”

“Becoming fourth-rank is a way for mortals to escape their fate, the beginning of the path to transformation.”

“For mortals to embark on this path, they must face various hardships.”

“To break through the fourth-rank boundary, method alone is not enough.”

“You also need unwavering determination, extraordinary wisdom, and innate talent.”

“If you can succeed, I might make you my apostle.”

Fourth-rank power could be considered as having one foot out of the mortal realm, touching the light of the mythical path.

But now, to accelerate the development of the snake people and to allow her faithful servant to exist longer, Shelly was prepared to grant them this power.

Snake Mother Sermos, upon hearing this, first felt a chill, then became too excited to speak.

Her whole body trembled. She even wanted to ask God if what She said was true.

But she dared not open her mouth, nor could she.

For how could one as insignificant as her question divine prophecy?

She looked at the being on the divine throne, feeling dizzy for a moment.

“God’s apostle.”

These two words were enough to make her give everything she had—

Snake Mother Sermos gathered the snake people’s warriors in the square below the steps. Tall, strong snake men and women with powerful bloodlines gathered to hear Snake Mother Sermos announce God’s will.

Snake Mother Sermos, stirred by the words “God’s apostle,” was burning with passion. Her cheeks were flushed, and her curly hair shook with her exaggerated movements as she spoke.

“This is God’s test for us, and also God’s grace.”

“Under God’s watchful eye, we are invincible.”

“My children, God is watching us. We must offer our devotion and show our bravery and fearlessness.”

Snake Mother Sermos’s voice was so loud it almost cracked, but because their voices naturally had a hint of hoarseness, the difference wasn’t actually that great.

“Offer our faith and devotion to God, drive out those monsters.”

Inspired by Snake Mother Sermos’s words, the snake people clan was filled with fervor.

They shouted about offering their faith to God, offering their lives to God.

They said this, and they meant it.

They lined up beneath the temple.

The warriors brandished their weapons, their roaring voices displaying their fearlessness and bravery.

Everyone brought stone hammers and spellcasting materials, summoned their fire demon partners, and set out.

They traversed jungles and lakes, spotting erupting volcanoes in the distance.

It took a month before they finally found this group of stone demons.

However, after engaging in battle, they discovered the enemy was much stronger than they had imagined. Their weapons and fire demon partners couldn’t cause direct damage to these stone demons.

Fortunately, Snake Mother Sermos’s colossus puppet proved formidable, firmly holding back the leading great stone demon.

After several battles and setbacks, they developed a method to deal with the stone demons.

They dug out several pools, set traps, and engaged in a decisive battle with the stone demon clan.

The great stone demon was over twenty meters tall, battling with Snake Mother Sermos’s colossus puppet.

Two terrifying monsters fought beneath the mountains, wielding the power of third-rank seals.

Their casual steps created huge pits in the ground, and a single punch shook the mountains.

“Stop them!”

“Are you ready?”

“Kill!”

The snake people advanced relentlessly, wielding huge hammers to strike the stone demons.

They shattered the upper and lower bodies of the small stone demons with their hammers, but before long, these small stone demons reassembled themselves.

They controlled the Petrifying Gaze, freezing the joints of the small stone demons, immobilizing them.

Small fire demons spewed great flames, heating the small stone demons until they glowed red-hot, then the snake people lured them into the prepared pools. Immediately, cracks appeared all over the small stone demons.

Finally, they shattered.

But many snake people were also killed by the stone demons’ immense strength, becoming bloody corpses, crushed into a pulp in the melee.

This was the price that had to be paid for pioneering in the wilderness. Living space and homes were always bought with blood.

On the other side of the main battlefield.

Snake Mother Sermos and the great stone demon were locked in fierce combat. Their battle was the key to determining victory.

Snake Mother Sermos not only controlled the colossus puppet but also continuously used her innate divine techniques to attack and harass the great stone demon.

Sometimes she sealed its joints, slowing the great stone demon’s movements.

Sometimes she controlled huge rocks to fall on the great stone demon from above.

Although the great stone demon didn’t hit her directly, the violent tremors still made her cough blood.

Her body was covered in wounds, but she refused to retreat.

She controlled the colossus puppet to fight fiercely with the great stone demon, her eyes blazing with intense light.

The great stone demon was also very tough. Cracks appeared all over its body, stones constantly flying off and shattering.

Even half of its head was shattered by Snake Mother Sermos’s colossus puppet’s attack, yet the great stone demon didn’t die.

Finally, the colossus puppet’s tail wrapped around the great stone demon.

Seeing the increasingly brutal battlefield and the mounting casualties among the snake people.

Snake Mother Sermos stopped using techniques and instead relied on sheer strength.

The great stone demon rolled constantly, but the human-bodied, snake-tailed colossus puppet held on tightly, refusing to let go.

It gradually crushed the opponent into a pile of fragments.

“Boom!”

She watched the huge stone demon collapse before her eyes, blood flowing from her own eyes.

This was the backlash from overusing her power.

Her vision blurred, but a happy expression appeared on her face.

“Huff!”

She breathed heavily, leaning on her colossus puppet.

“I succeeded again.”

In her blurred vision, she felt the gaze from the divine throne.

The great Mother of Life was watching her.

Her creator’s lips curved into a joyful smile, and that was everything she sought.

She not only wanted to complete God’s test, but she also wanted to become fourth-rank.

She wanted to become God’s apostle.