A few days later, as the commotion in the Moonlight Jungle began to settle, the Lizard Man Anu finally saw a chance to slip inside.

Wrapped in his mantle, Anu moved swiftly ahead, the trees and foliage blurring past him on either side.

With a powerful leap, the Lizard Man soared over the high ridge.

Thud!

He stamped hard on the ground, coming to an abrupt halt. Sand and dirt flew into the air, forming a crater around his feet.

He looked up to see a small building emerging from behind the dense ferns and towering trees.

This was the place where Kurmis had once lived in seclusion, and where he first connected with the Eye of Mutation. It was the origin of both the Lizard People and the Brown Ball Vine.

Creak!

Anu stepped closer and pushed the wooden door open. The small building, both inside and out, was covered in a thick layer of vegetation. Withered vines clung stubbornly to the walls, holding on to the remnants of the past.

It seemed the departure had been rushed, leaving no time to clean up.

While tidying the house, Anu found several manuscripts Kurmis had left behind. They described some of Kurmis’s experiments with spiritual plants and included data from his research on the Eye of Mutation.

At the same time, Anu cleared away the remnants of experiments and items that had been affected by the power of the Eye of Mutation.

After the incident with Akmanmon, Kurmis was still unsure of the creature’s true intentions. However, he was certain that Akmanmon was after something he possessed.

This fear had led him to think of this hidden stronghold. If the knowledge he had gained fell into the wrong hands, the consequences could be catastrophic.

This was the reason Kurmis had instructed Anu to clear out everything here before heading to the City of Fire Protection.

After working for half a day, Anu finally completed his task. He sat down on a stool in the corner, feeling the weight of exhaustion settle over him.

Anu straightened his back, holding the dirty, tattered manuscripts and glancing at them briefly.

These were the very things that had created the Brown Ball Vine and turned his people into Lizard People.

Anu’s gaze grew distant and empty.

Creating the Brown Ball Vine had been their wish, but becoming Lizard People was never what they wanted.

“Is everything in this world built on the principle of giving and taking?”

“Must we always sacrifice something to gain something else?”

After pondering for a long time, Anu realized it was a question without an answer. What had already happened could not be undone.

In the end, Anu asked himself another question.

“Am I still a Snake Person, or have I truly become a Lizard Person?”

“What should we call ourselves in the future?”

“How do we fit into this world?”

“Where do we belong?”

These were the same questions Kurmis had asked himself again and again. To affirm his own existence and keep from descending into madness and despair, Kurmis had repeatedly told himself he was a Snake Person.

But Anu was different from Kurmis. He faced an entirely different situation.

Anu desperately wanted to tell himself he was a Snake Person, but he could never return to being one.

Even if he could transform back, what about his companions? What about their children?

Anu stood at the center of a narrow bridge, glancing back and forth between both ends, unsure of which path to take.

Eventually, he lay down on a chair in the room and drifted into sleep.

In his dream, something unusual occurred.

He saw an endless stream of light cascading from above, as though the sun itself had awakened and opened its eyes.

“Where is this?”

Anu felt as though he were ascending from the depths of the sea, slowly nearing the surface and drawing closer to the shimmering source of light.

The light was radiant, dazzling yet soothing, offering warmth without burning.

He lifted his head and forced his eyes open.

Slowly, his surroundings came into focus, and he could see everything clearly.

He saw a dreamlike river flowing above him, while in the distance, the sacred sun extended its sharp rays outward.

Anu saw a shadow emerge from within the sun. No matter how hard he tried, he could not make out the figure’s appearance. He could only sense that it seemed to be a tall young woman.

The radiant, godlike shadow, seemingly one with the sun, gazed down at him.

“Anu,” she said, “I would like to offer you an exchange.”

A wave of dizziness washed over Anu. “Who are you?” he asked, his voice filled with confusion.

The figure answered, “Long ago, people called me the Divine Messenger of the Creator.”

She paused for a moment, as if confirming the words to herself.

“Yes, that is correct.”

“They continue to do so even now.”

“I am also the guardian of the Dream Realm and the Divine Kingdom of Creation, as well as the keeper of the Divine Cup.”

“The Divine Messenger of the Creator?” Anu repeated.

That was all he could grasp. The rest was beyond his understanding.

Anu’s thoughts turned to a particular being, a name spoken only in legends.

“A Spirit?”

The figure did not respond, but her silence seemed to be an answer in itself. After a moment, she spoke again.

“I am interested in those manuscripts you are holding.”

“They are of value to me. I would like to offer you something in exchange for them.”

Anu shook his head firmly. “I cannot. Lord Kurmis entrusted me with these.”

“He told me to destroy them, to make sure they never fall into the wrong hands.”

The figure said, “Rest assured, I will not give them to anyone else.”

“In return, I can offer something that will be very useful to you and your people. It is a Miracle Tool.”

As the conversation continued, Anu found himself floating in the void.

Gradually, his consciousness sharpened, and everything around him became vivid.

The sacred light descended from the towering figure, accompanied by a dreamlike galaxy that seemed to weigh heavily upon him.

He looked at his surroundings. While he could not pinpoint exactly where he was, a vague understanding began to form in his mind.

This was not a place that belonged to the mortal world.

It felt like a rare and extraordinary encounter, one that might never come again if missed.

“A Miracle Tool?”

“What kind of tool is that?”

Anu had never heard the term before. He looked at the figure merged with the sun and asked about it.

“What does it do?”

The figure held out a golden woven bag for Anu and began to explain.

“You can state what you need, offer a price, and trade with this pouch. In return, you will receive the ordinary items you desire.”

“The quantity you receive will depend on the price you pay. The pouch can be used once per day, but its capacity limits how much it can provide.”

Anu was completely taken aback. “What can it exchange for?”

The figure replied, “At the moment, it can provide various ordinary items, but not extraordinary ones.”

Anu continued to press, “Does that mean it can exchange for every ordinary item?”

The sacred luminous shadow replied, “It can provide anything you are familiar with, as long as it is something mortals have the ability to create.”

It sounded modest, but Anu understood how truly extraordinary this ability was.

While it might not seem particularly useful for an individual Ability User, its value to a civilization, especially one in its early stages, was immeasurable.

Anu did not hesitate to give his answer.

“I accept.”

When a being resembling a Spirit requested something and offered such a useful tool for the Lizard People, he felt he had no reason to decline. If the other party harbored malicious intent, refusing would not have been an option anyway.

Besides, if she truly was a Spirit, giving the manuscripts to her would not be the same as letting them fall into the wrong hands. It would not be a betrayal of Kurmis’s trust.

As soon as Anu finished speaking, he woke from his dream with a start.

He sat up abruptly, shaking his head as a wave of confusion washed over him.

“What’s going on?”

“Why did I have such a strange dream?”

But when he looked down, he realized the manuscripts he had collected were missing.

Anu jumped to his feet, his mind suddenly sharp and alert.

“What’s happening?”

“Where are they?”

However, when he turned to look around, he found nothing. His eyes then fell upon a golden woven bag resting on the table.

Anu, still in a daze, walked over and picked up the pouch.

“It wasn’t…”

The last words left his lips in complete astonishment.

“…a dream?”

Anu held the woven bag, placed a gold coin inside, and spoke to it.

“I need some food.”

To his surprise, a bag of food appeared from inside. Anu picked it up and took a bite.

“The flavor’s not bad,” he said, astonished. “Wait, this is actually real?”

Anu stared at the pouch, struggling to understand how such a tool could exist. It might not have been powerful, yet it carried an inexplicable sense of wonder.

He put away the pouch. After dealing with the remaining traces of the Eye of Mutation in the house, he burned a large quantity of vines outside before departing.

He left the outskirts of the Moonlight Jungle and saw two other Lizard People waiting for him by the roadside.

“You’re back?” one of them asked.

“How did it go?”

Anu replied, “It’s all sorted out. Though, something… unexpected happened.”

The Lizard People looked at him curiously, but Anu just shrugged.

“I’m not sure what to make of it,” he said. “I’ll talk to Lord Kurmis when we get back. Maybe he can explain it.”

Anu turned his gaze toward the path leading to the City of Fire Protection.

“Alright, let’s head to the City of Fire Protection, the capital of Suinhor.”

“We need to speak with King Osis.”

Anu and his companions, having come this far, knew their journey was not just about warning King Osis of an impending crisis. It was also about discovering a future path and a sense of belonging for the Lizard People.

Deep within the Moonlight Jungle

On a hillside, a hidden cave entrance lay concealed beneath a blanket of green moss.

The stone-paved passage stretched deep into the earth. Luminescent roots dangled from above, curling along the corridor walls and casting a soft, silvery glow.

The flickering points of light shimmered like a river of light that flowed endlessly through the cave, piercing the darkness without end.

“Why has God not returned yet?”

The young woman dressed in golden garments carried Kurmis’s manuscripts as she ventured deeper inside.

Her voice echoed along the passage as she spoke, multiplying into countless overlapping sounds. Startled, she quickly covered her mouth.

As she continued, the passage grew wider, and the faint sound of rushing water reached her ears.

Splash, splash, splash~

She continued walking until she reached a large door and stepped through it.

On the other side, she found herself standing above an immense, seemingly endless underground cavern.

From this vantage point, underground rivers intertwined below, their waters rolling past with a steady rhythm.

Moonlight plants thrived in abundance, their luminescent vines spreading in every direction.

The soft glow they emitted pierced the darkness, unveiling an ancient city hidden beneath the earth.

“Anho City.”

The young woman softly spoke the city’s name. This was her first time visiting in countless ages.

She descended gracefully from above, a reminder that she was a Dream Spirit.

She landed on the city wall and saw a figure in a white robe sitting there, quietly gazing at the city as if lost in memory.

The streets were paved with bluestone tiles, winding through an ancient district that seemed to hold remnants of Trilobite Man life. A weathered clock tower stood tall, its chimes still echoing after countless ages.

Everything remained.

All except the Trilobite Men who once called this place home.

Beside the white-robed figure was a “stone statue” of a Trilobite Man, as if it were silently watching the city alongside Him.

The white-robed figure held a bottle in His hands. Within it was a dream.

The scene resembled a family quietly admiring the view together.

“God, are you thinking about Redlichia and the Yinsai Kingdom he established?”

Hila looked at Redlichia’s stone statue and seemed to understand what Yin Shen was reflecting on.

Those days on God-Given Island, when God, the Divine Firstborn, and the Trilobite Men lived together, were the moments Yin Shen held closest to His heart.

Although God said that only King Redlichia was His firstborn son and the others were not connected to Him, He would still occasionally check on them, especially after so many years had passed.

“How about meeting Vivien?”

“After all, she is the inheritor of Redlichia’s legacy and civilization.”

Hila had encountered the Scarlet Goddess Vivien when she was young and later as a youth. The Witch Doctors had even been the ones to save her sister.

At the time, Vivien had been too weak to fully grasp the events. She might faintly recall Hila’s presence but had likely forgotten the details, including the moment she had seen the Creator’s shadow aboard an airship.

Yin Shen did not respond immediately. Instead, He said, “Let us wait and see.”

His eyes shifted to Hila, and His gaze lingered on the manuscripts she held.

“Lake Nymph?”

Hila nodded. “Someone else gave me inspiration again.”

As she mentioned this, Hila appeared slightly embarrassed. The last time she had received inspiration, it had also come from someone else, a person named Smerkel.

“Do not be embarrassed.”

“Hila, you must recognize the wisdom of mortals,” Yin Shen said gently.

“We gave life and wisdom to this world, but it is they who create its civilizations.”

“They may not possess great power or eternal lifespans,” He continued, “but their wisdom knows no bounds.”

Hila nodded thoughtfully. “They continue to create one miracle after another.”

Hila had arrived with a question for Yin Shen. However, before she could say anything, Yin Shen spoke first.

“You know how to create the flower you desire,” He began, “but you are uncertain what kind of power they should possess. Is that correct?”

Hila nodded. “The Wood Nymphs serve as messengers of the gods, and they wield the power of space.”

“But what kind of power would be fitting for the new spirit race?”

“What sort of mission should I entrust to them?”

Yin Shen looked at Hila and said, “Have you not already found the answer?”

Hila tilted her head, her expression filled with confusion.

Yin Shen turned to look at her, then shifted His gaze toward the view of Anho City.

“Did you not give the Lizard People that pouch?”

“That reflects the desire in your heart and the mission you wish to entrust to the Lake Nymphs.”

Hila paused for a moment before realization dawned on her face.

She smiled softly and stepped closer to Yin Shen.

“God understands me best, doesn’t He?”

Yin Shen’s eyes carried a subtle hint of a smile, but He remained silent.

Hila glanced at the jar Yin Shen held and the dream that rested inside it.

“That is because we were all born from Your dreams.”

Hila extended her index finger and traced a circle in the air.

A swirl of colorful light appeared, and moments later, a chair emerged from the glowing ring. Hila adjusted her skirt and gracefully sat down.

She resumed her discussion with Yin Shen about the new spirit race, her tone light and conversational.

“In that case,” Hila said thoughtfully, “should I give them the power of trade?”

“Perhaps their mission could be similar to that of dream merchants. They could assist the gods and support more Ability Users, much like the Wood Nymphs do now.”

“At the same time, this mission could allow them to gather more Light of Wishes.”

It did not seem like the grand task of creating a sacred, long-lived race. Instead, it felt more like an ordinary, everyday matter.

Perhaps for them, creating life, granting wisdom, and bestowing power were just simple, routine actions.

Hila lifted her head slightly and said, “Then let’s give them a portion of the power of dreams. I will need to think more on the specifics.”

Hila walked alongside Yin Shen, taking in the sights of Anho City as they shared their ideas.

Before long, streaks of black shadow began to solidify, forming a large slide that curved downward from the passage above.

The ominous shadow of the Demon God descended, eventually taking on a humanoid form.

Shelly slid down the shadowy slide and landed in Anho City.

Whoosh!

“I’m here too!”

Shelly called out loudly as she landed.

When she spotted Yin Shen and Hila, her face shifted to a look of displeasure.

“So, you two were hiding here and didn’t tell me?”

Hila conjured another chair and set it down on the opposite side.

“Shelly, come and sit here.”

Shelly finally smiled and jumped onto the chair with excitement.

The chair was a little too high for her, and her feet dangled in the air.

She could not hide her excitement, her eyes sparkling.

Pointing down at Anho City, she grinned proudly.

“Look at that!”

“My big pet did a great job keeping everything in one piece!”

The white-robed Creator leaned back in His chair and gently patted her head. She smiled brightly, swinging her little legs with joy.

The supreme divine genealogy of creation was now gathered together.

The Blood Kingdom of the Deep Sea

The Scarlet Goddess seldom rested upon her divine throne, yet images began to form in her mind.

Divine beings did not often dream, as their mastery over their own consciousness was beyond mortal understanding.

To be precise, this was not a dream. It was a memory resurfacing.

In the vision, she found herself back in her hometown, Cross City.

At that time, she was just a teenager working as a mechanic for a cart-hauling company in the bustling city.

One day, tragedy struck. Her sister, Anli, was severely injured, her body bloodied and broken. In a panic, she rushed her to a clinic, where she found a physician named Lester.

The physician was young and kind, with a strong sense of justice and lofty dreams.

In time, he would become known as the Holy Hands.

After his death, the aggregation of his vengeful resentment would take another name: God-Created Man, Stuen.

At that moment, the young physician had not yet developed the exceptional medical skills he would later be known for. Confronted with Anli’s injuries, he could do nothing. He simply shook his head and told Vivien.

“In her condition, no one in Cross City can save her. Perhaps only the legendary House of the Witch Doctors could treat her.”

Vivien pulled a small cart, gently guiding her sister away from the city gates.

The sun burned high in the sky, and the road was rough and uneven.

Her sister’s weak voice broke the silence.

“Sister… it hurts.”

To help her feel more at ease, Vivien set up a small canopy on the cart to shield her from the sun. Inside, she layered all the quilts from home, doing everything she could to soften the jolts and make her sister comfortable.

It looked like she was pulling a tiny house behind her.

Vivien took out some candy and offered it to her sister with a strained smile.

“Eat some candy.”

“Eat candy and it won’t hurt anymore.”

Her sister held the candy in her mouth, enduring the pain while showing a weak smile.

“Mm!”

“So sweet!”

After placing it in her mouth, she took it out again, as if wanting Vivien to share the rare treat.

Vivien smiled through her tears, fully aware of how broken her expression must have looked.

Through the vast wilderness, Vivien trudged forward, pulling the heavy cart. Days turned into nights, and the legendary Witch Doctors were still nowhere to be found.

Her sister’s condition worsened. A fever consumed her, and she slipped into unconsciousness. Vivien felt helpless, able to do nothing but watch as her sister’s life faded away.

As night descended, Vivien stood alone on the desolate road, her heart heavy with despair.

She staggered unsteadily, turning in circles as if intoxicated, her eyes darting in every direction.

Her expression was filled with confusion, unsure whether to move forward or turn back.

From inside the cart, her sister, on the brink of death, suddenly spoke with a fleeting surge of energy.

“Sister… I feel so terrible.”

“It really… hurts so much.”

By the light of the moon, she gazed at her sister’s face.

Tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke softly.

“Mm~”

“Sister knows you’re in pain, so just sleep!”

“Sleep! Once you’re asleep, it won’t hurt anymore.”

She crouched down, touching her sister’s hand and humming a lullaby.

“La la la la~”

“La la la la la~”

Suddenly, Vivien, who had been singing the lullaby, fell to her knees. She bowed her head and began to sob.

“God!”

“If You truly exist, please give me guidance!”

In this moment of despair, a shadow appeared in the sky, gathering moonlight as it moved through the clouds.

Vivien raised her head and looked toward the sacred, luminous shadow.

An airship came into view.

It was God’s vessel.

At that moment, the red-haired demigod on her divine throne woke with a start.

The Scarlet Goddess Vivien’s eyes opened wide, as though she had just recalled something extraordinary.

Inside the Temple of Truth, Alpens noticed the change in Vivien’s expression immediately.

He stepped forward and asked, “Lady Vivien, is everything alright?”

Vivien hesitated. “Did I just have a dream?”

Alpens raised an eyebrow. “Can gods even dream?”

Vivien’s expression turned puzzled. “I think I dreamed about God.”

The God Vivien referred to was clearly the God of Yinsai, which made Alpens pause, unsure if he should ask more.

Vivien’s expression softened as she seemed to realize something. “No,” she murmured.

“That was not a dream. It was something that happened a very long time ago.”

Her eyes glimmered with memory as tears quietly rolled down her cheeks.

“So that is how it is,” she whispered.

“A long time ago, I was protected by the Creator.”

“I have walked this path under the guidance of the Supreme Divine Being.”

“The lineage of the Temple of Truth carries the Will of the Saint, and the supreme Creator has always been watching over us.”

Vivien tried to recall more, but her head throbbed with a sharp pain.

At last, she felt a faint sense of infinite light reaching out from the far side of another world. In her daze, she caught a glimpse of the outline of an incomprehensible Eternal Star.

Only then did she sink back into her divine throne, letting go of her attempts to remember.

“I cannot seem to remember…”

“It feels like trying to grasp something that is just out of reach.”

Vivien sat quietly on the Flesh Throne for a long time before she finally regained her composure.

She could not understand why these memories had suddenly surfaced.

“Could it be some kind of omen?”

Vivien could not determine the reason. Her gaze shifted to the Magic Wheel House positioned outside the temple.

The Magic Wheel House was modeled after the cart she had pulled during her journey to find the Witch Doctors with her sister.

It was an object that had once been touched by divine light.

Vivien leaned back and her head suddenly bumped into something. It was a stone statue.

Its hand rested upon Vivien’s divine throne, its body forever frozen alongside her, accompanying her through the long years.

The First Era.

Anli, the Apostle of Yinsai of the Temple of Truth.

Like Vivien, she was a student of Lan, the second-generation Sage of Truth. She was someone whose talent Xiao both envied and resented.

Vivien did not turn around.

Instead, she reached her left hand toward her right shoulder, placing it gently over Anli’s hand where it rested on the throne. Closing her eyes, she spoke softly.

“The Eye of True Knowledge will soon succeed.”

“Anli,” she whispered, “you will return.”

“We will stand together once more, guarding Yinsai as we did when we defeated the Evil God and reclaimed the Sacred Mountain.”