The news of the Black Storm’s dispersal came directly from the God of Demon Spirits herself. Mortals, after all, lacked the divine power to sense changes across such vast distances.

To confirm the news, Oran traveled to the great sea, accompanied by a group of demon spirits.

Standing upon the ocean, a gathering of extraordinary beings and an apostle bearing God’s Form looked out at distant clear skies that stretched for ten thousand miles as their voices rose in joyous celebration.

“It’s gone… It’s really gone.”

“Do you think Ray made it through the storm?”

“How far do you think he’ll go?”

“Will he come back?”

“He will. And maybe, just maybe, he’ll return to tell us what the land where the sun rises is really like.”

It was certain. The Black Storm that had once encircled Ruhe Beast Island, spreading for ten thousand miles, had finally disappeared.

Oran felt a surge of emotion, his heart brimming with anticipation for what might unfold now that the Black Storm had ended.

“This is an opportunity for everyone on Ruhe Beast Island.”

“It marks the beginning of a new era.”

“The Era of the Sea, the era of distant lands.”

The thought even crossed his mind to leave Ruhe Beast Island for a while, to see what the outside world was really like.

Ruhe Beast Island was the Origin Site of the divine beings, the place where the divine descended and their myths began.

Going back a hundred million years, this land belonged to the Yinsai and Abyss civilizations of the First Era.

Whether in reality or in legend, this island was incredibly unique.

Still, many on the island dreamed of leaving to explore beyond, as people felt both fear and endless curiosity about the unknown.

The unknown held greater possibilities.

The unknown offered the chance to create a different future.

Gamel felt equally stirred, as if he were witnessing a turning point in history, beholding a scene destined to be recorded in the annals.

“Master Oran, what do you think the Black Storm’s dispersal will bring us?”

“What will it bring to all of Ruhe Beast Island?”

Oran answered without hesitation. “It will bring hope and greater possibilities.”

“More ships will appear on the sea. More people will journey to distant lands, explore new places, establish new nations, and perhaps even create new civilizations.”

“Our maps will no longer be confined to Ruhe Beast Island. They will begin to record more distant places.”

“We may encounter the Avel people of old, witness new species, and bring back new things.”

“Perhaps we will even meet that legendary other intelligent race, the Winged People who were born to belong to the sky.”

Gamel’s thoughts drifted to the myths of the Snake Mother Sermos and the ancestor of the Winged People. When certain things came closer, they could evoke fear and revulsion, but when they remained far away, they were often idealized in the imagination.

In the end, Oran decided against leaving Ruhe Beast Island. His purpose was far more significant.

Returning to the alchemy tower in Abyss Royal City, Oran immediately began sorting through his belongings. He planned to store the tower in a storage tool and take it with him.

“Tower of Heaven,” Oran called out as he entered the Tower Spirit control room on the third level.

Inside, the silver Cup of Desire rested within the pool, its head softly singing a haunting melody.

“Tower Spirit,” Oran addressed it directly, his tone steady. “Prepare to enter dormancy and seal the alchemy tower.”

The silver Cup of Desire immediately began to follow his command, but in the final moment before dormancy, it suddenly turned to glance at Oran.

“When do you plan to let the Tower Spirit mysteries lead this world and this age?”

Oran answered simply, “Soon.”

The Cup of Desire’s flower closed, enveloping its own head.

The alchemy tower’s doors and windows began to shut. By the time Oran stepped outside, the great door had sealed completely.

Oran stood before his alchemy tower, reflecting on the question the Cup of Desire had just asked.

In a way, the Cup of Desire embodied Oran’s deepest longings and obsessions, serving as a manifestation of his desires.

He was no longer an ordinary apostle. He had already become a Reincarnator.

However, becoming a mythological being required at least hundreds of thousands or millions of reincarnations. Oran knew he could not afford to undergo them slowly, one by one, in this era.

For this reason, he had to move on to his next destination, the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents.

There, he would meet Apostle Sukob, the one mentioned by the God of Desire and Alchemy. Sukob had discovered a new Path of Mythology and a method to become a deity in this new era. Oran was determined to witness it for himself.

“One final visit to the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents to meet one more person.”

Oran touched the bracelet on his wrist, activating its mechanism. He then pressed his palm firmly against the alchemy tower.

A radiant layer of rainbow light spread outward from his hand, shimmering and flowing like oil paint being brushed across the world.

The rainbow light faded, and the towering ten-meter alchemy tower vanished into his storage grid.

Gamel asked, “Who are we going to meet?”

Oran replied, “Apostle Sukob of the God of Knowledge and Truth.”

This apostle, who had long lived in seclusion in the wilderness, was not as famous as Oran. Many people had never even heard his name.

Yet Oran knew this person was far from simple. He explained to Gamel why the individual was so unique and why they had to seek him out.

“He has discovered a way to ascend as a divine being in this era,” Oran stated.

Gamel nodded. He was already aware that Oran’s journey was driven by his desire to follow the God of Desire and Alchemy and to become a new deity himself.

“Do you think he will be willing to assist us?” Gamel asked.

Oran paused for a moment to consider the question. “I cannot say for certain. I have never interacted with Sukob before, but I am confident we will succeed.”

Gamel tilted his head slightly. “What makes you so sure?”

Oran’s expression remained steady. “I already have a plan. I do not necessarily need his direct help. I only need to find him and confirm my theory.”

He looked toward the horizon, his voice calm yet resolute. “Perhaps just meeting him and observing his work will reveal the answers I seek.”

Arriving beneath the temple of the Demon Spirit Pyramid, Oran did not meet the God of Demon Spirits directly this time.

Instead, he bade farewell to the God of Demon Spirits Elena from beneath the temple, expressing his heartfelt gratitude. He thanked her for her care during this time and for guiding him on the path to becoming a deity.

As he departed, a large group of demon spirits gathered to see him off, holding strips of paper in their hands and waving them enthusiastically toward him.

At first glance, the scene was touching enough to bring tears to one’s eyes. It seemed as though Oran was deeply cherished in Abyss Royal City and the demon spirits could not bear to see him go.

However, upon drawing closer, one could hear what they were actually shouting.

“Don’t forget to pay us back!”

“Make sure you send our things over soon!”

“And don’t mess it up this time! It’s for the Rainbow Tree in the city!”

The papers they waved clearly bore Oran’s name. Each one was an IOU.

Oran waved his sleeves and took away an alchemy tower, but he left behind a mountain of foreign debt.

As he boarded the flying carpet, Oran let out a sigh of relief. The constant presence of creditors had been a heavy burden.

The flying carpet rose slowly into the clouds.

He looked westward, where his final journey awaited him.

On this journey, he had already discovered his purpose for becoming a deity and realized the kind of deity he wanted to be.

And there, he would find the answer to how to ascend as one.

When Oran and Gamel entered the territory of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents, they were met with shocking news.

The God of Knowledge and Truth and the Evil God of Original Sin from the Abyss had descended. The two mythological beings engaged in a fierce battle in the mortal realm, which resulted in a terrible disaster.

A garrison fort in Zakhar Territory

Here stood what could barely be called an inn. It was a simple earthen structure where merchant caravans stopped to rest. Travelers had to pay the stationed soldiers for the privilege of staying.

The northern region of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents was entirely tribal. It preserved nomadic customs and had almost no cities nearby. To maintain control, the Royal Court stationed soldiers at key locations, and this was one such place.

“What?”

“When did this happen?”

Hearing this news, Oran could not hide his shocked expression.

Divine wars were something he had only heard about in myths. He never imagined one would occur so close to him.

The elderly merchant from the caravan paused to think. “It was around three or four months ago, I believe.”

“I heard that when the divine beings descended, half the people in Mooneclipse City lost their lives.”

“When I passed through two months ago, I went to see it for myself. The area around Mooneclipse City was completely changed.”

“Several mountains that used to stand there were gone, wiped out entirely. The forests had burned down to ash. The ground was scarred with massive craters, and some have now filled with water and become lakes.”

“By the divine beings above, it was a sight that could chill a man to the bone.”

Based on the timing, it must have occurred just as they were preparing to leave the Thunderlake Kingdom.

They had been secluded in the Endless Desert, completely unaware of such a significant event.

Oran quickly pressed for more. “What happened in the end?”

The elderly merchant scratched his head. “I’m not entirely sure. What I heard is that the Earth Witch prayed to the God of Earth, and the God of Earth stepped in to send both deities back to the Kingdom of God.”

He paused for a moment before adding, “If the Earth Witch hadn’t shown up, who knows what might have happened.”

Both Oran and Gamel understood that what the merchant called the Kingdom of God was what Ability Users called the Dream Realm.

Oran wanted to ask for more details, but the old man only had hearsay. He could not provide any specifics or explain what had truly happened.

Everyone in the caravan shared different versions of the story, with many contradictions and inconsistencies in their accounts.

At one point, they claimed the Evil God descended, and the God of Knowledge and Truth appeared to stop him and protect Mooneclipse City.

In another version, they said both divine beings fought and caused a terrible disaster, until the God of Earth intervened and drove them both out.

In yet another version, they described three deities engaging in a chaotic battle that turned the heavens and earth upside down.

This was not surprising. None of them had been present. Even if they had been, a single movement from a divine being would have been beyond their perception. How could they possibly know what truly occurred?

Most likely, all the ordinary people in Mooneclipse City had seen were flashes of chaotic light in the sky and strange phenomena appearing one after another, before everything came to an abrupt end.

As for who did what and what actually happened, they could only guess and rely on the fragmented stories passed along by others.

However, Oran could roughly guess the specific situation.

The Abyss Evil God was likely plotting something in Mooneclipse City, and the God of Knowledge and Truth must have uncovered this plan. When the two clashed, they were unable to restrain themselves, so the God of Earth had to step in and send them both back to the Dream Realm.

Gamel was utterly shocked. “Master Oran, a war between divine beings…”

“How many people must have died?”

Gamel could not determine the details of the situation or who among the three was right or wrong. For ordinary people, such events were nothing but undeserved calamities, disasters that descended from the heavens.

Oran, however, noticed something unusual about the incident.

While everything seemed to have concluded, the repercussions of this affair were far from over.

The Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents had changed. In truth, Ruhe Beast Island itself was no longer the same.

Oran said, “This might actually be a positive thing.”

Gamel frowned. “A positive thing? Half of Mooneclipse City was destroyed. Mountains were wiped away, forests burned to nothing, and rivers dried up. Countless lives were lost. How can you call that positive?”

Oran nodded thoughtfully. “What has already happened is tragic, and nothing can change that.”

“But looking ahead, this could lead to something better.”

Gamel looked puzzled. “How could this possibly lead to anything better?”

Oran explained, “The outcome was that the reckless and unrestrained deity was forced to leave.”

“Do you understand what that signifies?”

Gamel asked, “What does it signify?”

Oran replied, “It signifies that on Ruhe Beast Island, a new order has taken root.”

“This is the Mother of Life’s sanctuary, the land under the protection of the Ruhe Great God.”

Oran stood up, his movements restless, his emotions a mixture of agitation and thoughtfulness.

“The divine beings can send their apostles to walk among mortals and spread their faith,” he said. “But taking action directly is clearly overstepping the boundary.”

“This outcome has shown the divine beings that this is a line they cannot cross. Those who do will face consequences.”

The Ruhe Great God remained in slumber, and this era was still known as the Age of Wisdom.

However, the arrival of the witches had shifted the balance.

The witches seemed to take on the role of guardians and observers of this continent. They could communicate with the Ruhe Great God and deliver judgment to divine beings who acted recklessly in the Mother of Life’s sanctuary.

The emergence of the Earth Witch and the continuation of the witch lineage signified that Ruhe Beast Island had entered a new era of order.

This land, once home to roaming divine beings, had truly begun to live up to its name as a sanctuary.

Gamel quickly grasped the idea. “Is this the protection of the Mother of Life?”

He paused briefly before adding, “Living on Ruhe Beast Island really is a kind of blessing.”

However, in the future, nations beyond Ruhe Beast Island would likely not receive such protection.

Gamel had always longed for the outside world, believing it to be more hopeful, wonderful, and free.

At this moment, he suddenly realized that Ruhe Beast Island was the true safe haven, a place where even divine beings had to follow orders and face constraints.

Oran said to Gamel, “This land is indeed unique.”

“Consider the Avel people who departed from Ruhe Beast Island, and the Winged People.”

“The trials they endured and the calamities they faced are far beyond anything you could ever envision.”

Gamel’s perspective on divine beings shifted completely.

“So, divine beings have their own will and take sides?”

“And they have desires, too?”

“Their conflicts… for us mortals, that must be the most terrifying thing imaginable.”

In Gamel’s original perception, his understanding of divine beings was the same as that of most ordinary people.

They believed divine beings were omnipotent. In their eyes, divine beings were not so much individuals as they were forces of nature, like the vast sea, the endless sky, or storms and thunder.

After spending time with Oran and even meeting the God of Demon Spirits Elena, Gamel’s view of them became more complete. They were no longer rigid, abstract figures but vivid and complex entities.

Yet this realization also made them more terrifying.

These were beings who wielded mythological authority, yet they were driven by desire and obsession.

They experienced love and hatred. They clung to things they could not let go of, with attachments even stronger than those of mortals.

Even after a hundred million years, they would not relinquish them.

With a single thought, they might protect the mortal realm. In a moment of fury, they could destroy everything.

Oran said to Gamel, “This is why new deities must emerge. This is why a new order will be established under the Creator’s guidance.”

“This is the essence of divine order.”

“The new deities will embody this era and the new intelligent races. They will protect their homeland and their civilization.”

Mooneclipse City

Several months had passed, but the city had not yet recovered. The disaster had left half of it in ruins.

The evil followers of the Abyss and members of the Cannibal Cult were widely condemned. During this time, the Royal Court actively hunted and apprehended these individuals.

Faith in the God of Earth grew stronger throughout the royal city, as this deity had recently demonstrated his power.

The God of Knowledge and Truth faced significant skepticism, though many in the city defended him. They argued that it was he who intervened to block the Evil God of Original Sin, which ultimately saved Mooneclipse City.

Amid the doubts, the God of Knowledge and Truth also gained many devoted followers.

Among them were the patients whom Long had helped rescue. They felt a deep gratitude toward Long and the Temple of Knowledge.

In a newly established school

Dang dang dang dang~

The bell rang. In the wide, circular classroom, the young snake people stood up and bowed respectfully to the Contract Lawyer at the front of the room.

“Thank you, teacher, for imparting your knowledge to us.”

As soon as the teacher left, the students poured out of the classroom.

The campus buzzed with activity as young people engaged in play and study. Their primary focus was learning the Legal Code of the Royal Court of Ten Thousand Serpents. Those who excelled could even be chosen to become Ability User Contract Lawyers.

Even for those who did not advance that far, opportunities awaited. They could still work as assistants to Contract Lawyers or serve as judges in the future.

For many, this was already a remarkable achievement.

Behind the school, the temple of the God of Knowledge and Truth stood alongside a laboratory that was strictly off-limits to everyone.

At this moment, Sukob was guiding his student to witness what could only be described as a monumental event.

It was an experiment aimed at opening the gates to eternal life, at achieving immortality.

Long stood quietly in the corner, his eyes wide with wonder and his heart brimming with excitement.

Although Long could not access the Path of Wisdom without the deity’s approval, witnessing the creation of a Reincarnator was an experience far beyond the reach of any ordinary person.

Sukob held a stone in his hand. It was the God’s Grace Stone of the Feathered Serpent.

At the center of the laboratory, a ritual formation was drawn across the floor. At its heart sat a bottle.

“Divine Grace splits into four parts.”

“Spirituality Origin, Wisdom Consciousness, Desire Personality, and Knowledge Memory.”

Compared to the reincarnation method Sukob employed using Divine Contract Spirits, this method was more ancient, carrying the essence of primordial antiquity.

Sukob released all the power within the God’s Grace Stone.

The power of the fourfold Divine Grace gathered upon the ritual formation and took the shape of a tree-like structural diagram.

This was the stable structure of reincarnation.

It was also known as the Path of Wisdom, the gateway to eternal life and mythology.

“Seed of Reincarnation,” Sukob declared, his voice steady. “Enter the temporary vessel I have prepared for you!”

Finally, the entire structure settled into the bottle, forming a unique seed.

This was the Seed of Reincarnation, containing the full power of a God’s Grace Apostle.

The seed resembled a brain, with grooves and patterns that mirrored the intricate design of a tree or a flower.

When planted, it would immediately begin to take root and grow.

Through its natural progression, it would restore a person’s spirituality, wisdom, desire, and knowledge, ultimately enabling a Reincarnator to be reborn in a new body.

The soil required for it to take root was the life of a newly conceived being.

Sukob immediately sealed the bottle, handling it with the greatest care. He knew that even the smallest mistake could lead to disaster.

Intelligent races could not survive without their shells. If this form left the bottle or its vessel, it would vanish instantly.

This rule applied to everyone, including Apostles and Reincarnators. Those who had embarked on the Path of Wisdom were at their most vulnerable in this state.

“Long!” Sukob called his student’s name as he stood in the center of the laboratory.

Long stepped out from the corner, holding a snake person’s egg in his hands. The life inside was still in its early stages of formation.

This egg was the vessel prepared for the Feathered Serpent’s reincarnation. Within it, he would be reborn as a snake person.

Sukob received the snake person’s egg. “Where did you obtain this? Have you spoken with its mother?”

Long told Sukob, “It has no mother. I found it in the river.”

Some snake people, after conceiving offspring, would abandon them by placing them in the river if they chose not to raise them. Sukob was aware of this practice. It was a situation that occurred frequently in this era.

He studied the egg closely, taking his time to inspect it. After a thorough examination, he gave a slight nod.

“This is the one.”

Sukob lifted the snake person’s egg, and it slowly floated upward.

He opened the bottle in his hand, releasing an intense ray of light that transformed into a beam. The beam connected with the egg, drilling into its interior and merging with the life within.

Sukob’s gaze seemed to pierce through the egg’s exterior, perceiving the essence of the intelligent race inside.

The Path of Wisdom diagram fused with the life embryo. Spirituality intertwined with it, immediately sparking the rhythm of life.

Sukob could sense that with the birth of this life, the Feathered Serpent’s mythical blood had grown stronger.

The reincarnation was a success.

The Feathered Serpent’s long-cherished wish was finally realized. He had transformed from a monster back into a snake person.

The snake person’s egg was placed in an incubation chamber, and Long personally tended to it with great care.

Each day, Sukob would also come to check on its condition, monitoring the progress closely to ensure everything was proceeding as planned.

However, the situation exceeded both their expectations. The egg hatched much faster than anticipated.

Before long, the embryo had fully formed, developing rapidly and showing signs of life earlier than they had imagined.

From the embryo emerged a juvenile snake person. Upon birth, the young creature made sounds toward Sukob and Long, as if trying to communicate.

Hiss!

The sound was strong and sharp, carrying an intensity that was hard to ignore.

Long watched with curiosity as this new life, born with incredible talent and strength, stood out so distinctly from ordinary beings.

“This is the Feathered Serpent?”

Long waved at the juvenile snake person in the chamber to greet him.

“Hey, Feathered Serpent! Can you see me?”

“It’s me, Long!”

Sukob said, “The Feathered Serpent does not remember you yet.”

“His spirituality has returned, but his wisdom is only beginning to awaken.”

“It will require a very long time before he recalls his true identity.”

Long froze. “A very long time?”

“Does that mean we have to watch over him this whole time?”

Sukob walked toward the exit, speaking leisurely as he went.

“You, not we.”

Long immediately clutched his head, his mouth wide open in disbelief.

As Sukob finished cleaning up and erasing the ritual formation, he began descending the stairs to leave. Suddenly, Long came rushing out from behind, holding the juvenile snake person tightly and shouting after him.

“Teacher!” Long called out, his voice filled with surprise.

“Look at him! He’s growing so fast!”

In just a few moments, the juvenile snake person had already grown a full circle and started crawling.

Sukob thought about how Reincarnators were not supposed to develop like this. It seemed the Feathered Serpent’s own power had some unique traits.

“It seems he is unique, developing at an unusually fast pace.”

Long grinned as he held the child. “So, does this mean I don’t have to raise him all the way to adulthood?”

Sukob observed the juvenile snake person closely and noticed that within a short span of time, he had grown significantly once again.

“The power to manipulate Spirituality?”