Volcano Forest

The Lizard People rushed back from various parts of the jungle, carrying all sorts of tools on their backs.

“What’s happening with Master Kurmis?”

“Why would he call all of us back so suddenly?”

“He sounded serious. This must be something important.”

Walking in groups, they crossed the drawbridge over the moat and entered through the castle gates. Kurmis was waiting for them in the great hall.

The candles in the castle hall had just been extinguished, leaving behind trails of white smoke.

A figure in God’s Form stood with his back to them, tall and young yet somehow weathered by time.

Holding a lamp, Kurmis walked along the walls, observing the murals.

The surrounding murals depicted Divine Beings, mortals, and ancient tales. A closer look revealed they were stories rooted in the history of Maya City.

Kurmis spoke to them. “Let me tell you my story.”

The murals depicted a valiant city lord, a beautiful lady, a terrifying evil deity, and a righteous Divine Being.

In each mural, one figure was always present, either tucked away in a corner of the castle or hidden in a corner of the sky.

In the beginning, he was just an ordinary Snake People guard. Later, he became one of the countless Feathered Serpents. By the end of the story, he was the only one to escape Maya City.

All the stories appeared to unfold through the eyes of this small figure, who seemed either blessed by fortune or burdened by misfortune.

That figure was Kurmis himself.

He had witnessed kingdoms rise in the wilderness, seen the Heavenly Mirror resting atop the Ice-Sealed Plateau, observed the City of Mythology within the Endless Desert, and even had a personal audience with the Divine Being in the ancient royal city.

He spent his entire life wandering, but he could never escape the Evil God’s control. Near the end of his life, he became a pawn of the Evil God in Mooneclipse City and took part in another catastrophe.

Fortunately, the Evil God did not succeed and instead fell into slumber.

He finally broke free from the Evil God’s control and even became an apostle, stepping onto the path toward godhood.

The murals captured everything, truthfully portraying all of Kurmis’s experiences.

Even without exaggeration, the story they told was astonishing.

Never before had a mortal experienced so many mythological events or encountered nearly all the deities in the mortal realm.

Kurmis turned around and looked at the others in the castle hall.

“I see you have all arrived.”

Anu stepped forward from the crowd and looked up at Kurmis. “Master Kurmis, what is happening? Is something wrong?”

Kurmis nodded and gestured for everyone to listen.

Kurmis sighed. “In my life, I have seen so many incredible things and experienced much that is beyond imagination.”

“Yet my greatest regret is that I cannot return to the past. I cannot live as I once did with my family, as a Snake Person.”

“I also deeply regret what I have caused you all to become.”

“Some of you share the clan I once did, and some of your elders were my friends or fellow villagers.”

“I only wanted to bring you with me and do what I could, but I never imagined I would end up harming you.”

The crowd began to stir with unease as Kurmis continued.

“What has happened cannot be changed, but it can be made right.”

Kurmis looked at everyone. “I appealed to the Scarlet Goddess. I asked if my work with the Brown Ball Vine could help me atone for my mistakes.”

“The goddess told me that if I were to become a Divine Being, I would have the power to restore everything to the way it was.”

“It may take a long time, but it is possible.”

At these words, the Lizard People erupted with excitement.

Until now, they had never heard of such a thing as becoming a god. In their view, Divine Beings were born sacred.

But when these words came from the Scarlet Goddess through Kurmis, everyone felt they had to be true.

Anu, representing all the others, voiced what was in their hearts.

“Master Kurmis!” Anu’s voice was filled with awe. “Is it really true? Are you going to become a god?”

Kurmis nodded and told those present secrets known only to Divine Beings and apostles.

“The deities of the ancient age are choosing their followers. This era will undoubtedly give rise to new gods, and these new gods will align with the ancient deities to establish Divine Systems.”

“I have not been fortunate enough to become a follower of any Divine Being, but under the guidance of the Scarlet Goddess, I have discovered a path to ascend as a Divine Being.”

In truth, it had been possible before. The Evil God of the Abyss, for instance, had offered him a path, but Kurmis had been unwilling to take it.

Light gleamed in the Lizard People’s eyes, not just because Kurmis said he could restore everything, but because they could follow an existence who was about to become a Divine Being.

For these Ability Users, the latter held a stronger appeal. In this regard, their perspective was entirely different from that of Kurmis.

The Lizard People shouted in unison, “We are willing to worship you as our god!”

Next, everyone pressed closer to Kurmis, their eyes full of hope and longing.

One of them asked, “Master Kurmis, if you become a god, will we be able to join your divine kingdom when we die?”

Another added, “And if you ascend, will we be part of the myths?”

Kurmis replied, “I intend to create the foundation for a Mythical Artifact. If you are willing, it can allow your Spirituality to merge with my power after death, granting you a new existence.”

“When I ascend and become a Divine Being, you will all become a part of me and my divine kingdom.”

He paused. “As for mythology, that is for others to write in the centuries to come. I cannot say what it will contain.”

Kurmis was uncertain, but for the Lizard People, this was more than enough.

All the Lizard People knelt in reverence, already regarding Kurmis as a true Divine Being.

“Master Kurmis!”

“We will follow you always.”

“Promise us that one day, we will join you in your divine kingdom.”

For the Lizard People, this was something they had only heard of in myths.

They could live for a hundred years as Lizard People. But the legendary beings who followed the gods were said to gain eternity and peace in a divine kingdom.

The choice was between living an ordinary life or following a Divine Being to be remembered in history.

A hundred years compared to eternity seemed like an easy choice.

At least, that was how these former Ability Users among the Lizard People viewed it.

As for the form they would take after entering the god’s divine kingdom, the Lizard People only knew what the myths described. In the mythology of Suinhor, the god’s servants were said to be immortal and capable of eternal reincarnation.

For instance, each generation of Divine Blessed Kings was reborn to serve the god as a chosen servant.

This filled the Lizard People with anticipation.

Thinking about it, their current state no longer seemed undesirable.

Kurmis did not completely understand what the Lizard People were thinking, but when he saw the light of expectation and hope in their eyes, he felt deeply gratified.

“Then let us begin.”

Next, Kurmis began the process of creating the Mythical Artifact. Deep within the Volcano Forest castle, he worked with all the Lizard People to forge the foundation of his Mythical Artifact.

He took the white ceramic jar he had originally used to cultivate the Brown Ball Vine. Now, he had added a lid, transforming it into a large jar.

Kurmis then filled the jar with various plant seeds he had gathered, stopping when it was halfway full.

Anu stared at the large white jar before turning to Kurmis. “Master Kurmis, is this the divine artifact? Does it have a name?”

Kurmis paused for a moment, then replied, “It does not have a name. It is simply my jar.”

He added thoughtfully, “However, if you wish, you may call it the Seed Jar of Kurmis.”

Anu felt this name was too plain, perhaps not much of a name at all.

However, when he thought about it more, if Kurmis were to become a god one day, the jar would be known as the Seed Jar of God Kurmis.

In that case, it would carry a sense of grandeur and reverence.

Anu and the other Lizard People worked together to gather all the plant seeds from the jungle and carefully placed them inside, filling the large jar to the brim.

Anu turned to Kurmis and asked, “Master, what do we do next?”

The embryo of the Mythical Artifact was created. The next step was to imbue it with its unique characteristics and give it the power to collect Divine Blood.

These characteristics would have to be defined by that very power.

Kurmis did not want the Lizard People to sacrifice themselves one after another, giving everything they had to pave his path to godhood. Instead, he relied on his own power and devised another method.

Kurmis said, “Now comes the most important part.”

“I will give the Seed Jar its defining traits, the essence that will allow it to ascend into mythology.”

Kurmis’s eyes grew solemn, as if he were about to make a decision of great significance.

He looked at all the Lizard People gathered before him. By tradition, believers would typically sacrifice themselves one by one, offering everything they had to the Mythical Artifact embryo. Through their collective strength, the Mythical Artifact would be forged.

However, Kurmis was determined not to follow this path.

Inside the castle, Kurmis sketched the Seed Jar on parchment, carefully adding the symbols of the Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint to it.

Each seed in the jar was drawn with lifelike detail, giving the impression that they were no longer ordinary plant seeds.

“The Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint can merge all things, even the wind and the rain.”

“It can merge with plants in the same way.”

“My greatest strength is the Power of Spirituality, the very power I will use to ascend to godhood.”

“What if I seal my wisdom, desire, and memory within the Seed Jar? I could fuse all of my Spirituality and the Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint into the seeds, transforming them into extraordinary plants.”

“Then, I can scatter these seeds, let them mature, and collect them.”

“Through this method, could I not gather Divine Blood and forge a Mythical Artifact of my own even more quickly?”

This method relied on his Spirituality and the Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint. However, Kurmis could not exist without them. He would have to seal that part of himself within the Seed Jar.

As long as he waited for the Seed Jar to transform into a Mythical Artifact, he could awaken from within it once more.

This approach required no sacrifice from the Lizard People and appeared even quicker than the original method.

Kurmis set down his pen and picked up a seed from the table.

“Plants and seeds,” Kurmis murmured softly. “It seems I can never escape these things.”

Although he said this, Kurmis felt a sense of confusion. At that moment, he unknowingly chose the path that was meant for him.

It was similar to the choices made by Sukob in the past and Oran in the future.

On that day, Kurmis released his true form and transformed into a colossal Feathered Serpent.

Rumble!

Rumble!

The Feathered Serpent harnessed the Power of Spirituality, blending wind, rain, thunder, and lightning into a spectacle of nature. The sky became a canvas of dark clouds, lightning streaked across like wild serpents, and the Feathered Serpent moved gracefully through the stormy sky and flashing lightning.

Finally, the Feathered Serpent extracted the source of his unique power from deep within his body. It was the Law Imprint, the Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint.

Hiss!

The Feathered Serpent let out a painful cry.

As the Law Seal Imprint was torn from him, it descended toward the castle below.

He fused his unique Seal Imprint into the Seed Jar, and the jar immediately underwent a dramatic transformation.

The white Seed Jar emitted a brilliant light. Waves of radiance spread outward, and plants began to sprout from the cracks in the floor. They grew rapidly, intertwining and spreading until the entire castle hall was covered in lush vegetation.

Immediately after, the Feathered Serpent’s flesh began to collapse, crumbling apart in the overwhelming thunder.

Vast Spirituality, along with flesh and blood, transformed into a golden and red rain that fell from the sky.

The white ceramic jar, after absorbing the vast blood rain, slowly turned a golden yellow.

Inside the Seed Jar, each seed started to undergo profound and remarkable transformations.

The Spirit Fusion Seal Imprint, along with the Feathered Serpent’s flesh and Spirituality, was reshaping these seeds into unique, extraordinary plant seeds.

In the castle hall, the Lizard People stood around the ritual circle, their attention fixed on Kurmis’s Seed Jar.

“Something is different.”

“The seeds… they are giving off an extraordinary energy.”

“It looks like it worked.”

When the Lizard People looked up, they realized the Feathered Serpent was no longer in the sky.

At that moment, the Path of Wisdom symbol flickered briefly above the Seed Jar. Before anyone could get a clear look, it vanished.

A faint shadow emerged on the Seed Jar.

It was Kurmis.

Kurmis listened to the discussion before addressing Anu and the others. “These are what I will call Magical Potion Plants.”

“You must scatter these seeds across the land and plant them throughout the forest.”

“When they mature, you must gather them and offer them as sacrifices to me and this Seed Jar.”

Kurmis’s method showed remarkable innovation, in some ways surpassing what his predecessors had achieved.

The Feathered Serpent did not possess mythological authority. If he had, he could have used this method to create his own divine servants, such as Witch Spirits and Sky Messengers.

This would have allowed him to gain power directly. He could have acquired pure Divine Blood, or incomplete Divine Blood, that would seamlessly merge with him. He would not have needed a Mythical Artifact and could have walked the path of a Demigod directly.

Now, it felt as though they were taking a long and winding path.

Kurmis’s form above the Seed Jar flickered repeatedly, growing more and more indistinct.

Anu stepped forward with a look of concern. “Master Kurmis, are you alright? What is happening to you?”

Kurmis’s voice was faint. “Do not be concerned, Anu.”

“I had to make certain sacrifices to refine this Seed Jar.”

“It was necessary for our future.”

The shadow of Kurmis regarded the Lizard People.

These people were his kin. They would become his believers, his followers, and his guardians.

“In the days to come,” Kurmis began, his voice growing weary, “I will no longer have a physical body or my full power. My consciousness will remain sealed in this jar, waiting for my awakening.”

“Even so, a part of my will and power will operate through the jar to create new Magical Potion Plant seeds.”

His gaze swept over the gathered Lizard People. “Your task is to come here regularly, take the seeds, and plant them throughout the forest.”

Kurmis appeared deeply exhausted, and his voice slowly faded.

With a trace of guilt in his voice, he gave the Lizard People one final glance and spoke gently.

“Anu,” Kurmis said, his voice soft but resolute.

“And all of you, my kin.”

“I entrust everything to you.”

“When I return, I will gather all of you once more…” His voice trailed off, fading into silence. Anu and the others knelt on the ground, their voices rising in unison as they called out to him with devotion.

“Master Kurmis!”

Kurmis’s figure slowly faded from atop the Seed Jar, his entire being retreating into slumber within the embryo of this Mythical Artifact.

In the days that followed, the Lizard People in Volcano Forest found themselves busier than ever.

“Are all the stones ready?”

“The pyramid must be finished today.”

“Check the ritual circles again.”

“Have you gathered all of Master Kurmis’s belongings? They must be placed inside the pyramid.”

In the forest, the Lizard People worked tirelessly to quarry massive blocks of stone.

They carefully stacked the enormous rectangular stones, sealing off the original castle entirely and reshaping it into a towering pyramid.

The first-generation Lizard People were not only physically strong and large, but more importantly, each of them possessed unique abilities, which made building the pyramid a straightforward task.

The pyramid’s interior had a single passageway. The rest of the structure was covered with ritual circles and Divine Technique traps to ensure no one could enter without authorization.

This passage allowed the Lizard People to enter, worship, and gather the Magical Potion Plant seeds. It was also left as an exit for Kurmis.

The Lizard People imagined that when he awakened one day, he could walk out from this passage and receive the worship of all his people.

The Lizard People took the idea for the pyramid’s structure from Kurmis’s murals.

Kurmis seemed to favor the appearance of pyramids, and the Lizard People agreed that the shape felt sacred.

In the past, Divine Beings had built temples atop pyramids, using them as seals and symbols of divine rebirth.

On the day the pyramid was completed, all the Lizard People gathered at the altar below and bowed in worship.

Anu gazed at the towering stone pyramid, and in his mind, Kurmis’s image appeared vividly.

“Great Kurmis!”

“We will wait for you, for the day you rise and take your place among the gods.”

The pyramid, the altar, and the nearby village formed the heart of a new society.

Here, a new faith, civilization, and culture were quietly taking shape.

Kurmis had prepared everything well. Residing within the Seed Jar, now an immensely powerful artifact, he was safe from ordinary Fourth-Rank beings.

In the area around Lava Mountain and Suinhor, the descent of a mythological being would likely trigger an immediate response from the Scarlet Goddess in the great sea beyond the volcano.

In addition to building the pyramid, the Lizard People started planting the Magical Potion Plant seeds from Kurmis’s Seed Jar in carefully prepared fields.

They prepared designated fields for the Magical Potion Plants below the pyramid and around the village, enclosing them with wooden stakes. Lizard People took turns guarding and patrolling the area at all hours.

However, accidents sometimes happened, and Magical Potion Plant seeds ended up outside the fields, sprouting in other parts of the forest.

That day, Anu led the Lizard People in pursuit of a beast, hoping to capture it and form a contract.

As they chased, a peculiar fragrance drifted through the air, the distinct aroma of something ripe.

The Lizard People were very familiar with this scent. It was the smell a Magical Potion Plant emitted upon maturing.

“That smells like a Magical Potion Plant.”

“It must be. I can smell it clearly.”

The Lizard People called out to one another as they followed the scent, their curiosity growing with each step.

Eventually, they came upon a plant that stood out, its appearance far beyond the ordinary.

What began as a search for a magical beast had unexpectedly led them to a Magical Potion Plant, growing deep within the forest for reasons they could not explain.

Anu crouched down and examined the plant, its leaves shimmering like crystal.

He gently touched the leaves, frowning. “Why are these plants showing up outside the fields so often?”

A Lizard Person shrugged. “Probably because we are new to planting. Maybe some seeds were scattered by mistake, or animals carried them here.”

Anu examined the Magical Potion Plant closely and saw that it had fully matured.

“It has already matured. Let’s take it back.”

Anu’s gaze shifted, and then he noticed something else nearby.

He spotted a pit with a section of root still inside it.

Anu quickly realized there had been another Magical Potion Plant here.

“Something got to this one before we did,” Anu said. “It must have eaten it recently. It was probably about to take the second one but ran when it heard us coming.”

The group of Lizard People quickly tracked the creature and found it not far away.

It was a four-legged animal with a head that resembled a rat. Its two sharp fangs protruded, and its small eyes glowed an eerie red.

The creature was writhing in pain, as though consuming the Magical Potion Plant had caused it great distress rather than any benefit.

Anu identified the creature. “It’s one of the scaly beasts. It must have eaten the Potion Plant. Hurry, catch it!”

That was Kurmis’s Magical Potion Plant. It could not be wasted on such a creature.

As the group of Lizard People surrounded it, the beast opened its mouth and unleashed an ear-splitting shriek.

The Lizard People felt their minds momentarily go blank as their spirits wavered from the sound’s impact.

As Ability Users, they recovered almost instantly. But when they looked at the beast again, their expressions changed.

“What was that?” one exclaimed.

“A mind-shocking Divine Technique?”

“Did it just use extraordinary power?”

Anu was unsure as well, but he knew they had to capture the creature no matter what.

“Whatever it is, let’s catch it first.”

Before they could make a move, the beast lunged at them.

It appeared that consuming the Magical Potion Plant had driven it into a frenzy, its mind corrupted and overwhelmed by an unfamiliar power.

After all, swallowing Divine Blood that did not belong to it would inevitably cause a backlash.

A beast that accidentally gained low-rank extraordinary power was no match for this group of Lizard People.

Several Lizard People created Mental Shields, deflecting the attack back toward the beast.

Anu stepped forward and, with a swift thrust of his spear, pinned the frenzied creature to the ground, ending its life.

The Lizard People then carried the beast’s corpse back to their village.

After dissecting the corpse, they discovered a peculiar crystal embedded in its brain. The crystal emitted faint, extraordinary fluctuations that caught their attention.

Anu held the crystal in his hand, his expression filled with confusion.

“What is this thing?”

When the wild beast accidentally consumed the Potion Plant, it had unexpectedly awakened an extraordinary ability.

Its newfound power appeared to originate from the crystal that had formed in its mind, a transformation that likely neither Anu nor Kurmis, the creator of the Magical Potion Plants, could have foreseen.