Chapter 96 -   Chapter 227 Artemis and the Turning Point of Destiny

  Zeus's desire to communicate with Hecate was not just an idea that came to him today. In fact, he had been planning to talk to the goddess of the magic net who controlled witchcraft long before he gradually figured out the law of the birth of faith. Today's event was at best just an introduction.

  Of course, the most fundamental reason why he just "had a talk" instead of directly announcing the order of the King of Gods and letting Hecate obey his order was Zeus's hidden fear.

  As the king of gods, he was not a person who knew how to repay kindness, and the fate of Metis was the best proof. If Hecate was not so special, how could Zeus be so generous to her and even personally promise her the right to be independent outside the court of gods? All of this was to win over and appease the goddess of the magic network.

  As early as the beginning, before the reward banquet after the turn of the era, the reward that the King of Gods prepared for Hecate was actually the control of a starry sky - Zeus originally expected the underworld, but the Goddess of the Demonic Web had no authority related to the underworld after all, and the Goddess of the Underworld and the River of Oaths already existed in the underworld, so the King of Gods had to settle for the second best and chose the vast starry sky.

  On the one hand, this can express his intention to rule the world together with the gods. On the other hand, the starry sky is not really under the control of Zeus. Even the presence of the moon goddess there is much higher than that of the newly born God Court. Letting Hecate go there can also allow her to use the moon as a springboard to check and balance the ancient gods in the starry sky, to prevent some star gods from imitating the ancient sun god and trying to become the master of the entire starry sky when the God Court is just established.

  The god of the lightless celestial bodies, Koeus, was the one Zeus was most wary of. Although this Titan god had been away from the world for a long time, he had briefly joined forces with Kronos in the last era to launch a war to unify the stars. This ancient Titan was low-key, but he was an ancient god who was no less powerful than Oceanus. To the God King at that time, his existence itself was a huge threat.

  On earth, the light bodies in the starry sky radiate light, but only the gods who have truly set foot there know that the celestial bodies without light are the largest component of the starry sky. The power of the light bodies is divided into pieces, the star gods and the sun and the moon are all parts of it, but the owner of the lightless celestial bodies is only Koos.

  Zeus had made many plans for this. The seemingly ordinary reward banquet was actually the result of the art of checks and balances that the God King had pondered for a long time under the advice of Metis. However, when he really took over the throne of the God King and felt the shackles of the laws that affected the world, he immediately adjusted his previous choice.

  He gave Hecate extra glory and power, and the king of gods secretly contacted the black-robed goddess Leto. Without the goddess of the magic net, he had to stabilize the starry sky in another way. Even though the goddess's appearance was not outstanding among the gods, Zeus still used his eloquence to make Leto stand on his side.

  Of course, Zeus was now extremely glad for his original decision. He himself had not expected that this goddess, whom he did not really value, would actually give him such an impeccable eldest son.

  "Witchcraft is such a troublesome power. Fortunately, once I take that step, many things will be much easier."

  Zeus sighed softly, feeling somewhat troubled. In today's world, the gods are not supported to release their power for a long time. Often one move is enough to make them pay the price. Poseidon's fate not long ago is an example. But for Hecate, this is actually the biggest benefit.

  The God King had no doubt that even if the opponent's power was far inferior to his, and [Magic Net] was not as suitable for direct combat as [Thunderbolt], if he really fought Hecate in the mortal world, he would be the only one who lost in the end. Because as long as Zeus could not defeat the opponent in a few moves, the balance of victory would obviously lean towards the side of the Magic Net Goddess.

  Of course, there is more than one god in the temple, and if they attack together, Hecate will never be a match. And when Zeus completes at least half of the ritual and gains further power, this embarrassing situation can be alleviated. But distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. At least for now, the king of gods believes that things are not necessary to go to that step yet.

  "Let's go first. At least I want to understand what she wants to do. No matter what, nothing can happen to Leto and my eldest son."

  After making the decision, the God King immediately stepped out of the palace. He was going to explore the southeast of the earth, but before leaving, Zeus waved his hand and summoned his usual messenger Zephyrus.

  "Your Majesty, what do you want?"

  Upon hearing the summons, the God of the West Wind asked respectfully.

  "Keep an eye on Olympus and don't let Hera do unnecessary things. If she sends someone out, stop them first. If she wants to go out by herself, tell her that things have come to this point and she can't change anything. Everything will be settled after I come back."

  He said in a deep voice that Zeus' words were not clear in many places. However, the god of the west wind just bowed slightly to show that he understood.

  "I will, Your Majesty, but if the Queen insists on leaving——"

  ".Just take my words with you."

  Rubbing his temples, the God King stopped thinking about the things that gave him a headache. Seeing that Zephyrus understood what he meant, the next moment, he turned into lightning and flew out of Mount Olympus.

  ······

  In the southeast of the continent, by the Xingluo Lake.

  The trees that had grown hastily under the power of Demeter became tall and straight as if a hundred years had passed in the blink of an eye, and turned into a vast ancient forest; the birds were attracted by the invisible force and lingered around the forest, and there were even a few white swans circling around the ground.

  Here, a miracle that is incomprehensible to mortals but not uncommon to gods is happening. The two gods should have been born at the same time, but the elder sister is delivering the younger brother. The water fairies living in the lake couldn't help but stick their heads out to look at this strange scene. Even many elves with slightly bulging abdomens looked at all this with fear and longing.

  Invisible light shone from the void, bringing a scene like the alternation of day and night. After nine flashes, everything returned to peace. Only a girl who looked six or seven years old was left, making her own dress out of leaves and holding a newborn baby in her arms.

  The world gradually became perfect, and the gods born in the Third Age could no longer easily make the laws of the world sing for them as they did in the past. But the honor and favor bestowed by the world on the true gods remained the same, they had the authority bestowed by heaven, and also had the true names that were born with them.

  Artemis, lord of the wilderness and goddess of hunting, caves, mountains, forests, wild beasts and midwifery are all her domains. There is even a silver moon mark on her forehead, which constantly emits an aura that is completely different from the bright moon in the starry sky, appearing deep and mysterious.

  Apollo, the embodiment of light, did not have the complicated duties of his sister, but light itself was one of the highest powers in the world. The authority of light that was separated from the ancient Titan god Theia was embodied in him in a different way. Even when he was just born, Apollo, as a baby, unconsciously emitted a dim light, healing the injuries that Leto suffered during childbirth. Even the surrounding water elves felt more energetic, and their past fatigue disappeared overnight.

  As the era progressed, and even with the integration of Alfheim into the Nine Realms, Chaos's [Light] power had already increased. Even if it was divided into many parts, the part that fell on Apollo was still enough to support him in entering the realm of powerful divine power. At this moment, looking at this son who was born extraordinary, Leto felt that all the suffering he had endured before was rewarded.

  Her eyes swept around the surroundings, and those who were secretly observing were instantly frightened away by the goddess's gaze. After driving away the outsiders, Leto looked back at her daughter in the distance.

  "Al, come here, let me see your brother."

  Waving to her daughter, Leto's heart was filled with joy. Artemis was fine, but the power lingering around Apollo reminded the goddess of the former power and dignity of the Mother of Light. Even without the power of faith, he was destined to stand at the top of the gods.

  In contrast, Leto was not surprised that her daughter was already several years old when she was born. Just like the other goddess who had not yet been born, the girl who was forcibly restrained in the mother goddess's womb by the law did not stop growing. She drew strength and wisdom from nature, and instinctively helped her brother come to the world after she was born.

  Artemis took a few steps forward and handed the blood-related baby to Leto. She looked at her mother with bright eyes, and the goddess responded with a gentle smile.

  A warm feeling came from the baby in her arms. Leto was about to praise her daughter for her ability, but the next moment, her expression suddenly became surprised, and there was even a hint of imperceptible fear.

  "Mother Goddess——"

  "shut up!"

  The moment the girl looked up, Leto suddenly saw the moon mark between Artemis' brow. The faint silver lines were so obvious, and the constraints from the Styx revealed its essence.

  That was the power of the moon. Although it was not much, its existence was clearly visible, which reminded the black-robed goddess of an unexpected experience when she was wandering between heaven and earth. She once encountered a special broken fragment at the edge of the starry sky, and there, there was a similar power. Leto did not think it was related to the moon before, because it was not similar to Chaos's real moon, but now the facts told her that everything was different from what she thought.

  It was not only the moon, but it was even somehow transferred to Artemis because of her unexpected intrusion.

  Leto didn't know that her initial judgment was correct. It was not Chaos' moon, but a fragment of the moon god in another long-destroyed world. Attracted by the fate of this world, it came to the goddess who was originally destined to be related to the moon but now had no chance, and became part of her power.

  It would have been a companion artifact, born with Artemis, but its power was broken and loose, far from enough to transform into another form and be reborn in just a few years. It could only sleep in its master's body and merge with her. At the same time, part of Artemis's innate divine duties were gradually transferred to the artifact, becoming the nourishment for its shaping and further deepening the connection between the two.

  For Artemis, this was not a bad thing. The accompanying sacred objects did not undermine the power of the gods. They were completely different from those made later. When this artifact was formed, everything that originally belonged to her would return. But for Leto, this was a truly terrible trouble.

  The oath of the Styx cannot be violated. When it is established, it will be entangled with the person who made the oath. Before this, both Hecate and Leto, who made the request, thought that the thing related to the "moon" was an object. Their judgment was actually correct. It was indeed an object, but this object had not yet been born. It merged with its owner, which meant that Leto had to face a reality that her oath might no longer be fulfilled.

  This is not even a problem that can be solved by sending the child away, because Artemis is a deity, and to the world, she does not belong to anyone. No god can use another god's "ownership" to fulfill an oath. After all, among Chaos' gods, even parents and children are never subordinate to one another.

  "Mother Goddess, what's wrong with you?"

  Looking at Leto, the young goddess was a little scared and confused. She just looked at the changing expression of the mother goddess and stepped forward to seek comfort. However, seeing this scene, Leto took a step back.

  At this moment, there was only fear and confusion in her heart - she was about to become the first god of Chaos to break the oath of the Styx, and before this no one had ever known what this meant.

  All gods know the horror of the Styx, and therefore they are unwilling to take the unknown risk under the premise of having eternity. Perhaps the oath-breaker will be shaken from his position, lose his power, or receive some kind of punishment from the Styx, Leto does not know. Her position is weak, and perhaps she will be completely deprived of everything, or even fall into eternal sleep.

  "No, I won't!"

  Taking another step back, the goddess hugged the baby tightly in her arms. After experiencing so much ups and downs, she had already lost some of her ability to judge.

  "No, I still have Apollo to raise. He will bring me glory and status! Yes, he will make Hera pay for her actions. He will become Zeus's right-hand man and the pillar of the gods. As long as today passes, everything will be fine."

  Feeling the pressure of the oath, Leto became more and more helpless. At a certain moment, looking at her daughter who was at a loss, she suddenly gritted her teeth and stretched out her right hand.

  The power of the gods was released without restriction. Artemis fainted without any resistance. The girl, who had just come to the human world for only half a day, lay on the ground with confusion and doubt on her face. She didn't know what happened and why her mother goddess suddenly attacked her.

  And in front of her, Leto vaguely locked onto the artifact embryo.

  The power of the artifact is also closely connected to the origin of Artemis. They are sacred and coexistent. Feeling all this, Leto's face flashed with hesitation and regret, but in the end, she just whispered:

  "Don't blame me. Maybe this is fate. Your priesthood is weaker than your brother's. Maybe it's okay to be more ordinary."

  Leto clenched her five fingers in the air and grabbed it hard, forcibly taking out the embryo of the artifact that was still in the making. Then, Artemis's aura was violently turbulent. Even in her coma, she seemed to feel the pain. However, facing a true god who had already reached his peak, she, who had just been born, obviously had no power to resist.

  The next moment, the evil consequences of using divine power followed, and the backlash of the laws of the world fell on Leto, but the black-robed goddess could no longer care about so much. She threw the silver light she had taken out, letting it fly to the direction of Hecate along the mysterious connection.

  Then the power of the oath that surged from the void suddenly disappeared, and the vigilance that was oppressing his soul also disappeared, as if it had never appeared. Leto gasped for air, with a look of having survived a disaster on his face.

  She had avoided the worst outcome, but at this moment, the goddess was also a little confused. After a while, she leaned against the tree trunk, staring blankly at the starry sky above her head, not knowing what she was thinking about, or perhaps she was thinking about nothing.  

  "Wow--"

  In the silent woodland, the baby's cry became louder and louder. As a god, even if he had just been born, Apollo would not cry like a mortal. However, as a natural god, his keen perception allowed him to vaguely sense the power of the Styx and the laws of the world that had descended here one after another.

  So the newly born Son of God had to express his fear by crying, and the increasingly loud crying finally attracted Leto's attention.

  "Apollo, my child."

  She held the baby in her arms, and the warm feeling gave her some comfort. Coming back to her senses from the ups and downs she had just experienced, Leto finally realized what she had done.

  She made an impossible vow, and then ended it at the cost of her daughter's essence. Looking at Artemis lying on the ground, a sense of absurdity surged into the goddess' heart.

  She regretted that maybe she shouldn't have competed with Hera for the position of the eldest son. She lost a daughter before she had time to gain anything. When Artemis woke up, Leto could already imagine how she would look at this mother goddess who had hurt her so badly when she was just born.

  Like her sister, she faced disaster because of the birth of her daughter. However, this unprovoked disaster was not brought about by their daughter herself.

  Everything seemed to be mocking them. Phoebe, the goddess of light, wanted power and status, so she asked her husband to cooperate with the second generation of gods. As a result, Asteria, the goddess of the star who served as the intermediary between the two parties, gave birth to Hecate, who had no divine position. Leto was immersed in Zeus's description of the future, so she inadvertently made an oath that could not be fulfilled, and finally ended up hurting her daughter.

  "So, this is Father God's warning, to stay away from the Divine King?"

  She whispered to herself, but Leto knew that she had already given so much, how could she give up everything and return to the cold starry sky to be with her sister?

  "Apollo, you are my hope. You will find back everything I have lost, right?"

  "Leto, what did you do?"

  The goddess was talking to the crying baby in her arms, while on the other side, with the help of the power of traveling through the spiritual world, Hecate and Selene appeared here silently.

  In her hand, a silver light kept changing, faintly echoing with the girl on the ground.

  ".I have fulfilled my vows, and now, it is yours."

  Not knowing what to say, Leto took one last look at Artemis on the ground. If she could do it again, she would never make such a vow, but it was too late. Holding Apollo in her arms, with hatred for many, many existences, Leto turned into a stream of light and flew towards the sea.

  Behind her, looking at Leto going away and the goddess left behind, Hecate instantly understood the whole story.

  If it was a stranger, if this matter had nothing to do with her from beginning to end, the Goddess of the Demon Network would have taken action against the departing god without hesitation. But now, the girl in the red dress had never expected that an ordinary treasure hunt under the guidance of a priest would turn out like this.

  ".Selene, do you need this artifact embryo?"

  Hecate asked softly, forcing a smile, while beside her, Selene just shook her head to refuse.

  The Moon Goddess read the hidden meaning in her friend's words. Even if she didn't have it, she herself didn't want this treasure. If she had known that this was another companion artifact of another god's spirit that was still integrated with the god's body and interdependent, she would not have thought about it at all.

  "Let it return to its owner's hands. But this gestation has been forcibly interrupted, and I'm afraid it won't be able to continue."

  Taking the silver light, Selene sighed softly and returned the embryo in her hand to the side of her master. However, as the Moon Goddess said, it just circled around her master's head like a silver crown, but it did not return to its original position.

  "No, there is still a chance. Besides the gift I gave you, isn't there another one?"

  This was the first time that such a thing happened because of her own reasons. Although this was not Hecate's original intention and she could not be blamed, the goddess of the magic network still made a decision when she looked at her actual cousin, a girl who had similar experiences to herself.

  She knew that Zeus on Mount Olympus would be aware of the birth of his daughter, and he would certainly take corresponding actions, but Hecate felt that compared to that temple, perhaps the city where Coen was located was more worthy of being the place where Artemis grew up.

  What she had, this unfortunate girl should also have. And the slate she had accidentally encountered, she and Selene will replace it.

  "Perhaps in the future, the city can be given a nickname. How about calling it [Silver Moon City]?"

  Hecate suddenly said as she picked Artemis up from the ground.

  "ah?"

  Selene was somewhat unable to keep up with her friend's jumping thoughts. Just now she was still feeling sad about the ill-fated girl in front of her. She didn't know why she suddenly thought of naming a human city.

  "Then let's call it this name, no matter what the official name is, a nickname, Cohen will agree."

  A transparent portal appeared in front of them, and Hecate took the first step out. Seeing that her friend didn't want to say more, Selene followed closely and left.

  This secluded forest became quiet again. No one knew that it was here that the two siblings, who should have had a close relationship, embarked on completely different paths, one following his original destiny, and the other taking a forked path.

  But perhaps this is destined. Without today's changes, there would be another one. Artemis and the Gods would have drifted further and further apart. Because as early as one day tens of thousands of years ago, when the illusory moon rose in the still empty sky and became the only light body in Chaos' night, the fate related to the "moon" had already deviated from the original script and moved towards the unknown and miracles.

  No one knows whether it is good or bad. The traces engraved in history in the future will make the judgment on all this.

  ·······

  In the outer world, atrium, central floating island.

  In the middle of a huge pit on the ground, a spring formed a small lake. Next to it, there was a sacred tree with eight branches that was about a hundred meters high.

  And on the floating island, in front of the simple wooden house, the projection of the World-Ringing Serpent's consciousness was sitting beside the stone table, quietly watching the scenes in the silver mirror.

  He was originally concerned about the whereabouts of the gift he gave, but even he did not expect that things would develop in this way. The siblings, who were originally close, parted ways from the beginning.

  "So, even this was within your expectations? Haha, you really have foresight."

  Asmodeus came here again because of the sudden change in the Styx. This was the first time that Styx, which crossed the world, had such obvious power, and it was at the moment when the Demon Mother was about to wake up. As the master of Hell, he could not help but pay attention.

  However, as soon as he arrived at the courtyard, the Lord of the Nine Hells saw a good show. He still remembered the sun and moon he promised to the other party. Although an era had passed and the shadow of the dark sun had not been seen, the influence of the moon phase had continued to this day.

  "You're overthinking it. The essence of uncertain fate is change. Even if it is the embodiment of its symbol, I don't know the direction of change. If I can really grasp it, then the so-called 'uncertainty' will only become a laughing stock."

  Ryan spoke softly, then waved his hand, and the round mirror in front of him disappeared.

  No matter how fate changes, the outcome is always determined by power itself. Let Artemis write her own story.

  But [Silver Moon City] is indeed a good name.

  "Tell me about yourself, Asmodeus. The first demon god has come to the world. He instinctively guards Moya's side, absorbing the wisdom and thoughts she brought from the present world. The remaining five will not be long."

  "When they are born one by one, the Demon Mother will awaken, so now, are you ready to face them?"

  "You're wrong. It should be 'are we' ready to face them?"

  After correcting himself, Asmodeus no longer dwelled on what happened in his previous life.

  What happened to the moon had nothing to do with him. Zeus had created his own troubles, and he would eventually suffer the consequences. In contrast, the first and most threatening invasion of the abyss was the real challenge he faced.

  "That's all I can do. Facing the abyss itself, the only way to deal with it is the purest collision of power. As for the rest, I'll leave it to them."

  Looking through the boundary wall, the Lord of the Nine Hells could see that certain arrangements had already been made in the first few layers of hell.

  "The devil's affairs will be handled by them, but my former sister will be dealt with by you."

  "certainly."

  He nodded, but Ryan felt that Moya's greatest threat to him was probably not his strength, but his indescribable appearance.

  Although she has not woken up yet, Ryan can already foresee how much hostility she will have towards her original body in the spirit world when she sees her own face.

  To the original body, Moya was actually nothing, but to this incarnation, it was not necessarily the case. It was somewhat difficult to defeat the other party in the abyss.

  Chapter 228 Contract and Divine Magic

  Mnemosyne, the predecessor of Moya, the mother of demons, and Ryan have had a long-standing grudge. Although this so-called grudge has always been unilaterally believed by the other party, Ryan has never paid attention to it.

  It was not until this Titan goddess suffered a loss at the hands of the newly born Atlas (see 2-32) and chose to plunge into Tartarus that her existence really attracted the attention of Lion. Now she has lost her past appearance and turned into this form that is more distorted than the hundred-armed giant. When Moya wakes up, her resentment can be imagined.

  She gained the power she had always dreamed of, but she also became a monster that was not recognized by the gods. If Tartarus had not been the mother who gave birth to her, she would have guided her choice and made her set her sights on the hell of absorbing the power of the abyss after her birth. I'm afraid Ryan would have been ready to see her in the spirit world.

  Of course, if she really dared to come, there was a high probability that she would never come back.

  "It's good that you have a plan. Moya, who has been favored by Tartarus, is not someone they can deal with."

  Asmodeus nodded after getting a satisfactory answer. He was about to leave, but when he caught a glimpse of the 'small' tree growing under the floating island, he couldn't help but think of what Mephistopheles had said to him a few days ago about the future 'human strategy'.

  He needed something that could gain their trust while restricting mortals. This should be a contract that could be widely used. After learning of his idea, the Lord of the Nine Hells originally planned to try to dilute the power of the Styx, but later he discovered that the power of the Styx Oath did not lie in the river itself, but came from another source.

  The water of the Styx represents more of a punishment for breaking an oath. It has some special divinity and can cleanse the power of the gods. Therefore, its water may be mixed into a special ink to write the contents of the contract. The material that can carry the oath itself requires other sources.

  "A 'Oath Keeper' tree. If you pay a price, you can gain power from it. I really don't know where you got this thing from."

  After observing for a while, Asmodeus stretched out his hand and summoned a leaf from Nordrassil.

  The veins of the leaves radiated golden light, and some kind of power flowed inside. The Lord of the Nine Hells observed carefully, and after a while, he extracted the power contained in the leaves and turned it into a stack of dark-colored "paper" in his palm.

  "This tree should be like the Styx, able to gain power by witnessing oaths and punishing oath breakers."

  Asmodeus said affirmatively, then looked at Lion's incarnation.

  "Give these leaves to me and have Mephistopheles take them to the human world. Only there will it have the soil to spread widely. Perhaps one day, this sacred tree will have power close to that of Styx."

  "I have no objection to this. If you want it, then take it. The fallen leaves of Nordrassil are indeed the best carrier of the contract, but I'm afraid you still have something else to do."

  He nodded in agreement, but Ryan looked at the sapling that had just grown and saw that there were not many leaves on it.

  This kind of leaf that contains power naturally did not come out of thin air, it needs enough power to support its growth. If we only rely on what we have now, I am afraid it will not be enough.

  "As you can see, although it is extraordinary in nature, the time it takes to grow is still too short. If you want it to grow enough leaves, you need to bring it more nutrients."

  "nutrient?"

  "Yes, but it's not difficult to obtain. You just need to find some energy-rich life forms and sink their bodies into the spring water."

  The Fountain of Lionor was originally a spring from another world. After it withered and died, it was reborn and became part of the atrium, continuing to accompany its former neighbors. Its power symbolizes vitality and purification, just like the opposite of the darkness and evil of the Nine Hells, and its spring water is the best nutrient for Nordrassil to grow.

  When it first arrived at the atrium, just like Nordrassil at the beginning, Ryan allowed it to absorb part of the origin of the interface and complete its initial growth. But for further development, it still needs to find a way from other places.

  The bodies of alien life forms are very good materials. The alien energies in their bodies will be purified by the spring water, the vitality will become nutrients, and the remaining substances will sink to the bottom of the lake, turn into soil, and become part of the world.

  "Life is hard to find in the abyss. Apart from the demons, there seems to be no other life here."

  Asmodeus looked thoughtfully at the abyss, which was becoming more and more materialized, and seemed to understand something. Ryan did not keep him in suspense, but explained directly:

  "Yes, after being 'hurt', Tartarus' instinct began to imitate, imitating hell and the real world. Life is a very important part of it. Moreover, even the materials have been prepared by 'people' for Him."

  The Lord of the Nine Hells knew what Ryan was referring to. The so-called "material" was the flame kingdom that had been integrated into the abyss before. If the breeding of the demon god had not yet ended, some primitive life born in the flames might have appeared here one after another.

  "Then let Mephisto figure it out himself. Offering the devil's body in exchange for a contract is in line with the rules of this tree itself."

  At this moment, it was not just a matter of contract, Asmodeus was even more inspired.

  The Fountain of Leonor can rely on the power of "purification" to accelerate the conversion of alien life, but the world itself can also do so, it just takes a little longer. Life born in one world already contains extremely weak power, and if they die in another world, this is undoubtedly a subtle weakening.

  One or two is insignificant, but tens of thousands is extremely significant. When Moya wakes up, the Nine Hells' direct theft of the power of the Abyss will stop. This method may become another way to use the Abyss to strengthen itself.

  "Perhaps the war between the two worlds should continue forever. As long as I am the winner, that's fine."

  Asmodeus thought to himself but did not speak directly, and turned away. Seeing this, Ryan smiled and also disappeared, his consciousness returning to the body of the World-Ringing Snake.

  The huge atrium fell into silence again, with only the water from the Leonor Fountain still flowing.

  ······

  The eastern part of the continent, near the sea.

  Lightning flashed across the sky, bringing with it bursts of roaring sounds, a sign that the God King was on the move. Without bringing anyone along, Zeus hurried along the way, following the last place he had sensed.

  The sun set and rose again, and when the boundary between the land and the coast gradually appeared before his eyes, the God King finally saw a broad lake. As expected, the birth of the God took place here.

  Not long after, the air was still filled with the scent of the two gods when they were born, attracting many birds to gather here. They lingered, greedily absorbing the power that was enough to change their fate, in order to sublimate the essence of life and gain a longer lifespan and powerful power.

  However, luck and disaster always go hand in hand. Before the birds realized what was happening, a silver snake streaked past them and they all turned into ashes. This was not intentional on Zeus' part, but the lightning that spontaneously surrounded the God King would not avoid these mortals. It was just an unintentional touch that turned them into dust.

  Falling to the ground, Zeus didn't care about the lives that dared to stand in front of the God King. He just looked at the only existence here that was worth his attention. Beside the vast lake, on a tall tree, a strange yet familiar figure in a blue skirt was sitting on a branch, gently shaking her legs.

  Looking at her profile, the peaceful and indifferent temperament even made Zeus lose his mind for a moment. But the next moment, when the strange girl turned around because of the arrival of the God King, Zeus suddenly realized her identity.

  "Hecate, is that you?"

  It was a little surprising that in the King's impression, this goddess who had left a deep impression on him was not like this. Compared with her past liveliness and daringness, this older-looking goddess in a blue dress, although she had just reached adulthood, had a feeling as peaceful as the ocean, which was very different from her childishness in a red dress.

  However, appearance and temperament can be faked, but the priesthood cannot deceive others. In Zeus's perception, the girl in the blue dress in front of him is the incarnation of the magic network. The network that spreads across the world jumps with her breathing, and the silver fire that ordinary people cannot see is like silver star spots, dotted on her dress, adding luster to its owner.

  Moreover, compared to the other her, it seemed that Hecate in front of him had a deeper fit with the magic network. In her, Zeus even saw a few characteristics of the true ancient gods. They not only possessed the priesthood, but also manifested the symbols of the priesthood.

  Just as the sky is Uranus and the earth is Gaia's body, the connection between the magic net and the girl in the blue skirt is also unusually close. In comparison, Hecate in the red skirt is more like a user than the true manifestation of the magic net.

  "It's me. I've been waiting for you for a long time."

  Facing the God King's doubts, the girl in blue just smiled gently. Opposite her, Zeus also calmed down his agitated heart.  

  Not only in appearance, but also in character. At this moment, the God King couldn't help but think of a special rumor circulating among the gods.

  "Three phases and three bodies, I didn't expect you to have such a talent!"

  Zeus said in a deep voice that he really didn't expect that Hecate actually possessed such a talent.

  The formation of the three-phase incarnation is extremely difficult to acquire unless it is born, it requires not only ability, but also a certain potential, and also a special opportunity. Without this opportunity, the original god cannot obtain this kind of supernatural power; if there is an opportunity but no ability, then it will also be missed.

  For example, the three Graces, or the three goddesses of fate in the original destiny. If they could be born as one god instead of three, they would be born as three-phase gods, with more powerful power. However, due to their lack of potential, this situation did not happen.

  The girl in the blue dress smiled slightly and did not respond to Zeus' words. Her third incarnation was still far from being formed, and even she herself did not know what could create it.

  ". Hecate, you should know what I am here for. Where are my newborn children?"

  After coming back to his senses from the surprise, Zeus also remembered the purpose of his trip. His momentum became fierce, and facing his questioning, the girl in the blue skirt did not explain, but just waved her hand.

  "See for yourself, Zeus, this is what happened here, everything has its source."

  Following the will of the Goddess of the Demon Net, the mist transformed by the elements spread to the surroundings, projecting light and shadows, and the scenes that had happened before began to play out in front of the God King.

  From Hecate following the breath of the moon, to the agreement she made with Leto, to the back of the black-robed goddess leaving. Finally, the phantom ended in a temple. In front of the unconscious Artemis, a human took out a multi-faceted crystal from a box and threw it into the silver light band surrounding her. With the crystal as the core, the scattered power re-condensed and turned into a small crown, which was worn on the girl's head.

  [Crescent Crown], when Zeus saw its birth, even if it was just an illusion, he also learned its name. Like the sun, Chaos' moon does not change its appearance over time. The reason why it waxes and wanes in the eyes of life on earth is because in the earliest times, the illusory moon hung in the sky had this ability.

  But now, with the combination of the moon phases in the spirit world and the remnants of the moon god in another world, this artifact has become a symbol of the changes in the moon. At the same time, it can command all beasts, dominate all spirits, and even the person who wears it can have special permissions in the surface of the spirit world.

  The fog dissipated, and the lakeside returned to its original appearance. There was silence for a while. Perhaps it was to digest everything he saw. Zeus narrowed his eyes and asked calmly:

  "So what do you want to say? You plan to leave my daughter in this city of sinners, let her live with mortals and be separated from the gods?"

  His voice was not loud, but everyone could hear the hidden dissatisfaction in it.

  Zeus had already recognized the origins of this group of people, a group of bronze humans who had escaped death. They had obtained the protection of the gods in the spiritual world, so the king of gods did not intend to do anything to them.

  Poseidon was the main reason for their destruction, so let them fight with Poseidon's men, but Artemis wanted to stay here, which was another matter.

  To these humans, Poseidon was certainly the culprit who destroyed them, but Zeus would not think that his image was that good. Growing up in such an environment, it is almost imaginable how Artemis would view her father as the king of gods.

  Moreover, the original hunting goddess may only have a natural priesthood of medium-level divine power, but with the [Crescent Crown], her potential has risen again. As long as there is enough time, she will almost certainly become the main god of Olympus with the help of faith and contribute to his great road.

  "You can try to take her away."

  In response to Zeus' words, the girl in the blue skirt smiled and said:

  "But I will stop you, and so will the spirit world gods who guided these humans here. If you really want to do this, I suggest you bring more people with you."

  "She is my daughter, Hecate. She was born to be a member of the divine court."

  Zeus frowned and said in a deep voice. At this moment, he acted like a really good father, but there was no third person present, and both of them knew very well what kind of god the God King was.

  "Oh, don't make it sound like I'm bullying you, Zeus."

  With a light laugh, the smile of the girl in the blue dress slowly faded away. At this moment, she was like an ocean that was about to produce huge waves, quiet and unfathomable.

  "You knew the whereabouts of Leto and your daughter was trapped in your belly, but you chose to do nothing. Who was the real reason why she met me and finally made this oath that should not have been made?"

  As the girl finished speaking, the King of Gods' momentum couldn't help but stagnate. Just as Hecate said, Zeus himself was actually the biggest source of things developing to this point.

  In the world of God, although strength is more effective than reason, when the strength of both sides is not overwhelming, reason has a basis for existence. Therefore, in response to the girl's question, the King of God still gave an explanation.

  "Perhaps, Hecate, I am indeed too influenced by Hera in this matter. But this is not my original intention, I hope you can understand."

  After casually pushing the source of the problem to his own god, Zeus seemed to realize that he couldn't take Artemis away so easily today. But this matter could be discussed later, no one knew how this child would view him when he grew up, and he had another purpose for this trip.

  "Speaking of which, Hecate, I remember you once said that as the goddess of the magic network, you promised that anyone could use the magic network, no matter whether he was good or evil, or what kind of life he was. I was right, wasn't I?"

  "Yes."

  Seeing the atmosphere calm down, the girl in the blue skirt also returned to her previous gentle appearance. She leaned against the tree trunk again, stroked her long hair that fell on her neck, and expressed her approval.

  "If you want to use the magic network, I have no objection. Just as the sun never refuses anyone to accept its shining, the magic network will not refuse anyone to use its power. As long as the user does not try to harm the magic network itself, the magic network will always be open to him."

  "What if I want to use it to conduct divine power?"

  Zeus asked with a hint of meaning.

  "If it is pure divine power, the magic network will not accept it. The laws of the world will also be affected by the divine power used through it as a medium."

  Looking up, the girl in the blue dress understood what Zeus wanted to do.

  The mixture of divine power and elements, that kind of diluted special power, the God King can sense it, there is no reason why she can't sense it. However, she has magic power, so this weakened version of divine power has not been taken seriously by her in the past, but now it seems that Zeus may have other ideas about it.

  He had no magic power, and even if he knew what meditation was in the future, Zeus was destined to be unable to reach the level of a being who was truly good at it. So it was not surprising that he tried to find a force that could fight against witchcraft.

  "So the power that is not affected by the laws can be used, right?"

  Nodding, Zeus slowly stretched out his hand in front of Hecate, and a light golden energy flowed in his palm.

  It possesses some of the characteristics of divine power, but is not as strong as true divine power. It has more of the characteristics of the gentle side of divine power, but abandons more destructive effects.

  "Then such power should not be rejected by the magic network. After all, it itself also has the existence of elements."

Chapter 229 Forbidden Fruit

  Element is a special substance, it is both virtual and real, and at the same time, it has good compatibility. This characteristic allows it to blend with almost everything in the world, and then form a new energy that can be controlled.

  This is how magic originally was. It was an imitation of the omnipotent divine power, a product of the sublimation of spirit and elements. However, magic pursued a leap forward, and it would become stronger as the caster's spiritual will became stronger. But this power in Zeus's hands was not like that.

  It is the decay of divine power, a dilution and blunting. Its power is determined by the degree of dilution, and the proportion of divine power in it cannot exceed one twelfth in any case.

  This seems to be a limitation. Once the proportion of divine power is too high, the elements can no longer maintain a balance with it, which makes this special energy destined to have an insurmountable gap with divine power. But at the same time, this dilution also makes it no longer in the hands of the gods, but can be controlled by other lives.

  Zeus had done similar experiments before. He let some nymphs or beasts fuse this energy he called "holy power", and they could indeed use it. Those with strong spirits and keen perceptions could carry more and purer holy power; those with weak spirits and dull perceptions could only control thin and loose holy power. Moreover, the God King found that most of these beings infected by his power day and night would slightly deepen their faith in him under the influence of his power, unless they were very resistant to him, and the rest could at least remain unchanged.

  This undoubtedly made Zeus more resolute in his previous thoughts. Since magic power can be transformed into witchcraft, there is no reason why this holy power from his hands cannot be transformed into divine magic bestowed by gods on mortals.

  As long as these already pious mortals were selected and given this power, they would become true priests who spread the faith of God, rather than the arrogant people taught by Prometheus. These clergymen who believed in God would become a privileged class among humans, dedicated to spreading the glory of the gods.

  "I've said before that the magic net will not refuse others to use it. However, just because pure elements can perfectly fit on the strings of the magic net, it doesn't mean that other powers can also do the same."

  After looking at the pale golden energy in Zeus's hand for a while, the girl in the blue skirt said calmly,

  "It will probably have some losses. The longer the distance it is transmitted, the more obvious the losses will be. Some of them are due to the slight friction between the strings of the magic net, and some of them will be used by the magic net as nutrients for its own operation."

  Since the birth of the magic net, it has actually been expanding all the time. Deep in the starry sky, at the end of the ocean, and even in some Jedi where the laws are disordered, so it naturally craves external power. Of course, the goddess of the magic net can actually use her authority to forcibly curb this absorption of the energy flowing through, but she really can't think of a reason for herself to do so.

  "It's okay. It's just a little bit of divine power. As long as it can flow in the magic net, it will be enough."

  He nodded. To the God King, this small loss was nothing.

  After the matter was confirmed, Zeus's expression relaxed. The matter of divine magic was resolved, and another piece of his puzzle in the human world was completed. All that was left was to wait for time, and an endless stream of faith would come to him.

  "Hecate, I have one more thing to say about my daughter."

  The matter was settled, and Zeus could leave, but thinking of his daughter who should have been his right-hand man leaving him like this, the King of Gods still wanted to try something. So he looked at the girl in the blue skirt and made a reasonable request.

  "My daughter can grow up here, but this does not mean that the relationship between her and me is severed from now on. What happened today was not my intention."

  "So in the future, when my daughter is an adult, I will come here again. When that day comes, no one will be able to stand in my way again."

  Although it was called "adulthood", Zeus was already prepared and would wait until his half of the ritual was completed before coming. Although Artemis would have her own likes and dislikes and views of the world by then, and would no longer be like a child who was allowed to be arbitrarily portrayed by her parents, the God King believed that he could still convince her to return to Olympus.

  ".Then come on, just don't be disappointed when that day comes."

  After a moment of silence, the girl in the blue dress took out a crystal ball from her sleeve. She looked at it for a while under Zeus' puzzled gaze, then nodded in agreement.

  "Very well, Hecate, I will respect her own opinion then."

  He nodded in agreement. The ritual of royal power could not be achieved by force. However, whether it was through inducement or emotion, Zeus believed that he could always achieve his goal.

  Finally, he looked towards the east, which was the direction where Leto and Apollo had left in the previous video. Before coming, Zeus had intended to take them and Artemis back to the sacred mountain to prevent similar incidents from happening again, but now, he changed his mind.

  Apollo will return to Olympus in glory, but before that, he needs an "adventure" to deepen the respect for him as the King of Gods.

  "May our friendship last forever, Hecate. And, well, I have to say, I prefer seeing you like this."

  He said this subconsciously before leaving, and then Zeus saw the cold gaze of the girl in the blue skirt. He couldn't help but put aside his little thoughts and turned into lightning to fly back into the sky.

  The other party was not as easy to deal with as his weak second sister Demeter, so the God King did not think about it any more. He had to hurry back to Olympus to deal with the follow-up issues.

  ·······

  The sun and the moon alternated more than once. There was nothing special about this short period of time. Apart from the God King who came and went in a hurry, the world still seemed peaceful and harmonious.

  However, in another part of the earth, a betrayal that lasted for a hundred years finally came to an end.

  The sun was setting in the ground, and the bright moon still hadn't risen. No one knew where the moon god driving the silver chariot had gone recently, but for Moanda, this was actually the best thing.

  No one knew what the sun and moon gods would do when they drove through the sky, and whether they would just turn their eyes to the ground. Although the possibility of them daring to peek into the Earth Mother's orchard was not high, for Nymph, "not high" was better than "nothing".

  Especially today, according to her prior estimation, today is the day when that special fruit will mature.

  "I hope everything goes well."

  Praying silently in her heart, Moanda carefully avoided the attention of others. On this quiet night, she walked into the golden apple orchard alone.

  The wind blew, and a series of silver bell-like sounds came from afar. It was crisp and scattered, disordered and moving, like an ancient movement played by nature, and it seemed to be telling the mysterious past at the beginning of creation. In this melody, the nymph passed through various rare flowers and fruits in the world, and once again stood under the tall sacred tree, looking up at the Chaos, the ancestor of all trees.

  It is taller and more prosperous than a hundred years ago. It is as if it has obtained some tonic in a short period of time, and its aura has become more unfathomable than before.

  As a mortal, the Nymph did not know the secret behind it. She could only see the changes in the sacred tree. On the branches divided by the golden ratio, mysterious patterns gradually appeared naturally, and even each leaf was covered with mist. All this showed that the power of the golden apple tree had been strengthened.

  Although Moanda could see it, she didn't know why it all happened. Nymph didn't know that there was an interface that once penetrated the nine realms with the sacred tree and merged into Chaos, causing the power of the natural side of the world to increase to varying degrees. She could only attribute it all to the changes in the era and secretly pray that there would be no unexpected changes.

  Fortunately, everything has been going smoothly so far today, and nothing has happened beyond her expectations until now.

  "The golden apple is a treasure that only the most noble of the gods are qualified to enjoy. Even the king who rules over the gods must bow before it."

  Stroking the tree trunk with her right hand, Moanda whispered to herself. She looked at the only fruit on the tree that was almost ripe, or rather, it was ripe now.  

  The fruit stalk was connected to the branch, but most of it was broken, as if it would fall to the ground as soon as the wind blew. Of course, Nymph knew that this was impossible. Without the order of the Earth Mother, it would just hang there forever until Gaia needed it or someone else picked it off.

  "Sharing and sharing, twin births and twin successes. If you don't want to grow up in a muddleheaded way and become a plaything in Gaia's hands, then please bless me."

  Her voice was calm. Although she knew that the golden apple tree could not understand her words, Moanda still spoke to it.

  "What you don't have, I will give you; what I don't have, please help me. In this world, we will eventually have a place, Nymph. We will not just be servants of the gods who come and go at will. We will build our own country, just like the cities of humans and the sacred mountains of the gods."

  Without waiting for any response, Moanda lightly pushed the ground with her legs and climbed up the tree trunk easily. She felt an invisible force sweeping over her body, but she didn't react in the end.

  This was a legacy of the Earth Mother. If any other being had done this today, they would only have instantly triggered the power Gaia had left on the fruit tree. But now, facing the embezzlement of their own people, it seemed to have no effect. With deft movements, Moanda did not touch anything unnecessary, and soon, she came to the golden fruit.

  It was so beautiful, so dazzling, a holy fruit that did not belong to the human world. Taking a deep breath, the nymph stretched out her hand. When she touched the surface of the golden apple for the second time in her life and felt the pure breath of life in it, Moanda's heart calmed down instead.

  She no longer hesitated, but simply took it off and put it into her mouth.

  There were no accidents, no outsiders who suddenly broke in, or anyone else who came to stop her and then engage in a love-hate relationship of questioning and fighting with her. Moanda thus smoothly swallowed the forbidden fruit.

  In a remote corner of the orchard, an oak tree withered and regenerated, and on the branches of the golden apple tree, the life of the nymphs flourished and withered. After eating the fruit, Moanda fell from the treetops, closing her eyes as if she had fallen asleep.

  If there were other people here, they could easily tell that this daring nymph had died in an instant, her body devoid of life, leaving only the elves' naturally incorruptible shell.

  However, at this moment, Moanda's consciousness was not like this.

  From birth to death, and from death to birth, she felt as if she had experienced the process of "birth" all over again. At one moment, Nymph even felt that she had come into contact with a vast and great consciousness. The gap between her and it was so huge, just like a grain of sand to a mountain, a drop of water to a river, but they were so similar and close to each other, which made Moanda feel so peaceful and beautiful.

  Gradually, their consciousnesses began to intersect and merge. Moanda felt that she was growing stronger every minute, but something intangible was separated. Strange fragments of memory began to flow in, some were pitch black, some were soaked in liquid and comfortable and warm, and some were interrupted in the process of gestation and planted on the mountain by a goddess in a green dress. In a short moment, Moanda felt as if she had experienced tens of thousands of years since the birth of the golden apple tree, but this huge memory did not bring her any shock.

  Because it is so monotonous and boring, with monotonous growth and monotonous results, no one has ever taken a second look at it except when it is needed. Therefore, its long life is like stagnant water, without causing the slightest ripple.

  Until this moment, two true consciousnesses were born from its hazy instincts, and everything changed. One was an outsider who brought change and hope, and the other was the original body who shared wisdom but was still ignorant.

  "This is God's authority?"

  Gradually, Moanda regained consciousness from blurry to clear, and she felt her body again, as well as the new consciousness that was tightly attached to her. However, she didn't pay attention to it, because along with it came a sense of power that she had never imagined before.

  She didn't know how strong this surging divine power was, because Nymph had never felt the power of the gods before. But at this moment, Moanda felt that she could shake the world.

  "So this is the authority of God!"

  Following her instincts, she moved her mind slightly, and the vegetation in the Golden Apple Garden showed its most perfect appearance under Moanda's command to welcome the rebirth of their owner. There was no sense of sluggishness, just as smooth as a natural god, because she did not steal the power of the golden apple tree, nor did she ascend to godhood as a nymph. She simply turned herself into a part of it, and through reincarnation, the existence named 'Moanda' and the golden apple tree coexisted as one.

  To be more precise, the nymph Moanda born from the oak tree is dead. For her now, no matter what gods in this world see her, they will only come to one conclusion - she is one of the personalities born from the golden apple tree that somehow broke through the restrictions of the Earth Mother, so this sacred tree has also become a special "elf". Just like the huge difference between the gods of the regions, although they are both "nymphs", the golden apple tree is equal to a god.

  At this moment, Moanda completely realized that she was no longer the same person she used to be. The whole world showed her a scene that she had never seen before. The trajectory of the law became clear, and when she opened her eyes and re-examined the Golden Apple Garden, the power left by Gaia no longer seemed mysterious.

  It is a shackle and also a warning. It can prevent any outsider from trying to steal the treasures here, or allow Mother Earth to wake up early when facing force majeure. However, all these arrangements are not so useful when facing the fruit trees that are supposed to be protected.

  Of course, despite this, it is not easy for Moanda to leave here.

  "Huh - now that I've succeeded, I should leave now."

  Whispering softly, Moanda sensed her own authority. Gaia's power still covered this place, so if she wanted to avoid disturbing Mother Earth for the time being, she needed to find another way.

  Soon, Moanda felt the power of the golden apple tree more clearly. It was born from the [seed of all things] and was the first plant in the world, so it naturally possessed the power of [plants] and the incomplete [nature]. However, it alone was not enough to help Moanda escape.

  Because the most important thing is how to accommodate its new 'body'. There are not many things in this world that can move the golden apple tree at will without damaging its vitality, but fortunately, the [Seed of All Things] did not come to this world alone.

  "[Life Aquarius], since the golden apple tree has gained consciousness, it is time for you to return to your true master. In order to possess you, Gaia eliminated the possibility of the original divine tree transforming, but now, I am your true owner."

  With a slight tremor in his consciousness, Moanda silently sensed the location of the artifact. It should not be far away, in the Delphi Oracle, accepting offerings on behalf of the Earth Mother. As long as he——

  "Um?"

  With a sound of surprise, Moanda sensed that the [Life Bottle] did not disappear. But at this moment, the newly born nymph suddenly discovered that the artifact did not seem to be in the oracle.

  In the Temple of Delphi, Moanda only felt the power left by the gods, but not the breath of the artifact. The position of the [Life Aquarius] at this moment

  was "looking" at the empty void in front of her. Through the mysterious connection, Moanda suddenly found that the artifact symbolizing [life] seemed to be right in front of her.

  "Have you sensed it? Of course you are. After all, you are more qualified than Gaia to control it. Haha, I didn't expect this. I just came to 'borrow' Gaia's artifact, but I can actually see such a thing. This is really beyond my expectation."

  With a slight laugh, the original cover disappeared silently, and Moanda finally saw the figure in front of him, and also saw the emerald vase in his hand. Or to be more precise, the figure in front of him never covered himself, he just stood there, letting the world ignore him.

  But perhaps because he was afraid of the power left by Gaia, the figure just stood there quietly. He did not move forward, but looked at the tall golden apple tree in front of him with interest. The scene he saw today really opened his eyes.

  "Now, tell me, if you left here, what were you going to do?"

  Chapter 230: Elves and Anchors

  [Life Bottle] is within reach, but Moanda has no idea about it now. If it was not long ago, as an oak nymph, she would not be able to detect the terrifying person in front of her, but now, she can sense the terrifying power contained in this figure.

  Perhaps because they didn't want to alarm Gaia, in Moanda's eyes, the newcomer just stopped outside the barrier that Mother Earth had set for the golden apple tree. But she could also see that some obscure power had enveloped the orchard, isolating the connection between the inside and the outside.

  Next to Moanda's consciousness, the hazy thought that had just gained wisdom shrank into a small ball, as if frightened by this terrifying existence. However, faced with such a situation, the elf was only panicked for a moment, and then calmly asked:

  "Are you the one who led me to this step?"

  "I thought it was the God King of Mount Olympus, but now it seems to be someone else."

  Yes, Moanda had expected this moment. The mysterious ancient snake could not appear out of thin air. It must have its own purpose. Either it was actually the enemy of Mother Earth and wanted to target Gaia through her existence, or it had other intentions, so it would definitely appear in front of her after everything was over.

  Now it seems to be the latter, of course, the former cannot be ruled out, Moanda guessed so, but under her "gaze", the figure in front of her just shook his head.

  "You think too much, elf. Maybe your existence is not as important as you think. What happened today has nothing to do with me. This feeling of life and death cycle is Ryan's work. He is probably responding to the tricks I did when Gaia created humans. You are just a lucky person who happened to run into it."

  Holding the emerald green vase in his hand, Erebus did not acknowledge the credit. There was no point in making such a lie that could be easily exposed. Anyway, since the elf in front of him could betray the Earth Mother, he did not seem to be a grateful person.

  However, looking at the brand new golden apple tree in front of him, the Lord of Darkness solved one of his doubts. The reason why Gaia strictly guarded the orchard but placed the [Life Bottle] openly in the Oracle was that when she fell into a deep sleep, this artifact that accompanied her also fell into silence, and it would be meaningless for others to take it.

  But now it is different. When the [Aquarius of Life] changed its owner, it also awakened from its silence. Although this subtle change is imperceptible to ordinary people, Erebus, who had been waiting for Gaia to wake up, is not one of them.

  However, when he hurried to Delphi, the Lord of Darkness did not see his sister. He thought it was a sign that Gaia had awakened, but to his surprise, the Earth Mother did not awaken, but the golden apple tree did.

  At this moment, Erebus had a deeper understanding of the world. Perhaps seven points of his discovery today were due to his attention during this period, but perhaps three points were also influenced by fate. The world itself hopes that more intelligent life can be born. Even if the Lord of Darkness who has not opened up the interface does not know why, this undoubtedly proves from the side that living beings have special significance to the world.

  This made him pay more attention to it. The Lord of Darkness had gradually formed a vague idea about how to wash away the traces of the past before opening up the interface, but that was not something that could be done right now, but required an appropriate time. However, judging from the current situation in the world, this opportunity might not come in a moment, so before that, Erebus chose to do what he needed to do in advance.

  Creating life is one of them, so that when the time comes for him to do so, he can catch up with the progress of others in one step - at least not slower than the junior hiding in the abyss.

  "Now, answer my question. Where would you have gone if I hadn't come?"

  Erebus asked again, his tone a little more serious. Although his voice was not loud, Moanda could still hear the unquestionable tone in it.

  "I plan to go to Mount Olympus to pay homage to the God King. He has been here before, and it was on that day that I got this rare opportunity."

  Without hiding anything, Moanda chose to tell the truth.

  "Before, I always thought that he was the one who directed all this, and he imprisoned the God of Weather in the abyss, just like the giants did before. So I plan to see if he has the ability to fight against the Earth Mother. If so, I am willing to stay on the sacred mountain and serve the God King like other gods."

  "Heh, then you probably overestimate him. Even though Gaia is extremely weak and her authority is not good at fighting, this is still not something he can handle."

  With a sneer, although Erebus had once thought of "making friends" with Zeus when the era just changed, the premise was that he could at least show the strength and ability that Kronos once had. But at least judging from the new king's performance in the past hundred years, the Lord of Darkness did not see that he had this potential at all.

  Of course, maybe the time was too short, and it took Kronos a long time to change his situation. So Erebus chose to wait and see.

  "Come with me. Since you are now the owner of the [Life Bottle], I can indeed use you."

  Speaking lightly, Erebus calmly announced his decision.

  "It just so happens that you are an 'elf', and so are they - although they are dead. Even if there are differences between the worlds, there should be some similarities."

  "But why should I leave here with you? How can you guarantee that I won't be held accountable by Mother Earth?"

  Even though he understood the gap between the two sides, facing the request of the Lord of Darkness, Moanda still asked this question. If he stayed here, he would face the awakened Gaia, but the other party did not look like a good person. If he left the danger, he would just enter another danger. What was the point of all this?

  "Promise. Haha, the restraint of the Styx on me is dispensable, and I have nothing else to make you believe. But everything in this world can be faked, only interests cannot be faked."

  Without any hurry, in response to Moanda's questioning, the Lord of Darkness simply placed some special information into the [Life Bottle] in front of her. That was not man-made information, but more like a "memory" engraved in the interface. After completing it, Erebus opened his hand and motioned the other party to take it away.

  After a little hesitation, Moanda took the artifact that symbolized material life. [Life] and [Plants] fit so well, or [Plants] are the intersection of [Nature] and [Life]. When the artifact sank into the trunk of the golden apple tree and was nourished by the original liquid of life, Moanda felt that his already powerful strength became even more extraordinary.

  Just like [Sun] and [Light], these interrelated powers can easily produce an effect where one plus one is greater than two. However, with a stronger power, Moanda could more clearly perceive the unfathomable power under the thin body of the person in front of him.

  After giving up some of her thoughts, the elf began to read the information sent by the other party. After a while, Moanda suddenly realized what the other party wanted her to do.

  "You're right. Everything can be faked, except for profit."

  After understanding her own value, the elf finally let down her guard. As long as the other party still needed her, she would at least not face the worst outcome. In contrast, Moanda could not predict what Gaia would do after realizing her betrayal.

  Because in her opinion, Mother Earth could do anything, even if the result would be harmful to both of them.

  "Very good, then follow me. I will cover up the traces of your departure and lead it to the other side."

  Nodding, Erebus reached out and tapped.

  The supreme power covered this space, and everything that happened today became part of the [Secret]. However, a too perfect cover-up would make Gaia suspect him immediately, so he left a little extra clue.

  This does not clear him of suspicion. As long as she comes to her senses later, Mother Earth will still be able to figure out who did all this. After all, what she is going to do next cannot be hidden from others. In fact, Erebus just wants Gaia to play a little more, because according to his understanding, his sister probably won't think too much when she wakes up, but will act first and think later.

  At that time, he will also be able to follow and see whether the younger generation of Olympus is really so weak after two generations of God Kings, or whether he has some other cards up his sleeve.

  As he was thinking, under the gaze of Erebus, a figure gradually became real in the middle of the trunk of the golden apple tree. With a green skirt and a gentle face, she looked a bit like Gaia when she was young and full of energy.

  Just as the nymphs born from plants have their own bodies but still walk the world in a form similar to gods, Moanda reshaped his body and stepped on the ground once again.

  Turning around and looking at the tall golden apple tree, the elf raised the emerald green vase. With the emergence of a suction force, the fruit tree disappeared from the spot, leaving only a huge hole on the ground.

  The barrier left by Gaia separated the inside and outside, and any act of moving the fruit tree would trigger the power of Mother Earth, but the [Life Aquarius] was different. This artifact could perfectly conceal its aura and render Gaia's power ineffective, because they were originally born from one body.

  After collecting her old body on the ground, along with her former oak body, Moanda hesitated for a moment, and then took away the bodies of Vida and a few friends who were on good terms with her. As for the rest, it had nothing to do with her. If they were smart enough to be aware of what was happening in the orchard, they should run as far away as possible, at least not stay on the ground, otherwise when the Earth Mother woke up, the elves did not think that Gaia, in her rage, would be able to tell whether these nymphs were innocent or not.

  "I'm ready."

  Stepping out of the barrier, as expected, the power of the Earth Mother had no reaction to the artifact that originally belonged to her. On the opposite side of Moanda, Erebus also nodded and stretched out his hand to open a passage directly to the underworld.

  But before he left, as if he remembered something, a black light appeared on the Dark Lord's body. He glanced into the depths of the void, and then the black light disappeared in a slight flash, as if he was heading to a place extremely deep in time and space.

  After finishing the last thing, Erebus left, and the Golden Apple Garden returned to silence again. Only the huge pit remained in the center, which was covered by the illusion.

  ······

  It was pitch black, and time seemed to be blurred. When Moanda saw the light again, the surroundings had changed drastically.

  A lavender moon hung in the sky, and an invisible force shone on the gray earth along with the moonlight. The river of fire flowing with lava separated different regions, and the scorching temperature reminded Moanda of the sun in the sky.

  Of course, the elf didn't know that it was actually part of the sun.

  In addition to the Fire River and the Dark Moon, Moanda also saw some beings that were neither alive nor dead on the ground not far away. They wandered around aimlessly, exuding a negative aura that made the elf feel repulsive from the bottom of her heart. She hated the feeling of being incompatible with life, so she stretched out her hand, and with the surge of divine power, she mercilessly shattered the soul fire burning in their heads.

  It was the first time that he used divine power to fight an enemy. Although the targets were just mortal creatures, it still made Moanda feel much happier.

  "Well, don't waste any more time on these things. Unless you can take down the moon of the underworld and block its moonlight, or permanently change the environment of the underworld so that the energy here dissipates, you are just doing useless work."

  Stepping out of the darkness, Erebus glanced at the undead lives that had been turned into dust.

  Although he also found these unintelligent, fearless creatures annoying, under the illumination of the dark moon, their births would have no end.

  Compared to the undead transformed from the corpses of earthly life, these naturally born undead are almost endless. The concentration of the underworld aura in an area and the intensity of the moonlight of the underworld moon often determine the number of these low-level undead.  

  If their number is too large, they will "starve to death", and if their number is too small, they will gradually increase again. Over a long enough period of time, their total number will always remain in a state of dynamic equilibrium.

  "These things are not important. Now, start your work."

  Erebus waved his hand gently, and many things flew out from the boundary between the underworld and the lightless realm, which seemed to devour everything. Some of them were tall and handsome, but their bodies contained the power of darkness; some were strong, but their skin was as pale as a corpse, and their hair and beard were all black.

  Of course, there was also the most special one, which was a giant egg wrapped in flesh and blood that glowed dark red. On that flesh and blood, Moanda felt an extremely horrifying feeling.

  She even had a feeling that the bloody mass seemed to be "looking" at her. Although it was only an extremely weak premonition, it made the elf subconsciously take a half step back.

  "You probably don't have experience, but it doesn't matter. These are ready-made examples. Using your innate authority as an alternative god, this shouldn't be difficult for you."

  His gaze lingered on the dome for a moment, then left. The Lord of Darkness said calmly:

  "But their future home is not the underworld. After all, with your current abilities, I'm afraid you can't change the nature of life and make them adapt to the environment here. Fortunately, their original home also came with them, which is between the earth and the underworld. Therefore, you only need to make some minor adjustments. I think you should be able to do it."

  "I understand, but what do you want me to do with this egg?"

  Nodding, it was not difficult for Moanda to create life according to the template. Once she was familiar with the power of the [Life Bottle], it would just be a repetitive task.

  But this egg, which looked dangerous, was not only "alive" in itself and did not require her to do anything extra, but the constantly squirming flesh and blood made Moanda want to stay away from it.

  "...You don't need to worry about this egg. Use the power of [Life] in the artifact to suppress the other 'life' in that flesh and blood. This is what you need to do."

  The corner of his eye twitched slightly, and after a moment of silence, Erebus spoke slowly.

  It was not until he returned to Chaos that the Lord of Darkness finally realized that he had still underestimated the terrifying giant tree. In fact, at that time, the interface seemed to suppress the power of him and Ryan, but the pressure on the giant tree was actually far greater than the two of them.

  The remnants of a world's destruction, combined with the main body of the sacred tree that once supported the Nine Realms, its essence and power far exceeded Erebus's original expectations, so that even after returning to this day, even in his own domain, he still has not been able to completely erase the power that remains in his left hand like a thorn in the flesh.

  Either use a longer time to wear out this power with some kind of "immortal" characteristics, or use other methods to solve it. Fortunately, this is Chaos after all. If there is a life-side artifact, with the help of the absoluteness of divine power, Erebus can still solve this problem.

  "I will. So, is this where I will live in the future?"

  He nodded again. If he just used the artifact to suppress the flesh and blood, it shouldn't be that difficult, so Moanda didn't hesitate any more.

  She looked around. Although the [Life Bottle] could accommodate her body, since the golden apple tree was no longer a seed, she could not stay in it for long. Now, she needed a place to replant this sacred tree.

  The underworld is probably the least suitable place for growing plants except for the abyss.

  "Just there, Svartalfheim, the dark kingdom of another world. When you create these lives in the future, you can let them reproduce there first. You can also turn this vast underground world into your territory."

  A passage was opened at will. Theoretically, the underworld, which was a world of its own, could only be entered and exited through the only portal, which was also the place where the Styx flowed, but this was obviously not a limitation for Erebus.

  "Especially the undead. Don't let them occupy the underground for the so-called Hades. It's best for this naturally dark place to remain 'ownerless'."

  Listening to the Dark Lord's words, Moanda looked across the passage. She didn't like the environment there, but she had no choice. The earth was Gaia's body, and she couldn't plant the golden apple tree on the ground anyway.

  Moreover, this underground space might not be a bad place for her. Although Moanda and Golden Apple's original consciousness shared this body, she shared wisdom with him, and he shared his body and strength with her, there was still a gap between the two sides.

  Just as that consciousness still needs to learn and grow, for Moanda, the divine power shared by both parties is ultimately biased towards the other party.

  However, seeing this underground world that had never been discovered before, Moanda had an idea of ​​how to change this situation. Gaia had created all kinds of plants in the world, but that definitely did not include this lifeless underground world, so if she could create new plants here, it would not only help her get familiar with power, but also allow her unique creations to appear among the plants in this world.

  "I understand. I don't like those undead either."

  The creation of new plants would have to wait until she had a better understanding of the environment of the underground world. After collecting the corpses of the creatures on the ground, Moanda carefully lifted the giant egg and walked into the passage opened by the Lord of Darkness. Whether it was good or bad, it would be her new home for a long time in the future.

  The elf's figure sank into the passage and then disappeared. Looking at her back, Erebus closed the temporary portal. He was in a good mood now. Creating life was secondary. The problem that had troubled him for a long time was finally solved. This really made him feel that his previous efforts were still meaningful.

  Elements are not something that he possesses alone, so it doesn't matter if he takes more or less.

  "But speaking of it, the magic net is indeed a very interesting thing."

  Shaking his head slightly, Erebus turned around and returned to the lightless realm.

  He is not Gaia, and he cannot walk around the world like the other person for thousands of years. Moreover, if he doesn't have something to do, he really doesn't want to go out often.

  After today, the next time he comes out will probably be when his good sister wakes up. He must have a seat in the audience on Mount Olympus.

  ······

  Spiritual world, fifth level.

  "Buzz——"

  In the chaotic and disordered interface, everything has no fixed form, only the black fog constantly wandering among the illusory stars.

  However, compared with the past, a small interface formed by the convergence of positive energy and faith has taken root here. Half of it is "embedded" in the fifth layer of the spiritual world, and the surrounding chaotic time and space are also anchored. The other half extends to the outside world and has some connection with the starry sky at the time and space level.

  If you look closely, you can see glowing humanoid lives flying in and out. They seem to be building this home in their own way.

  [Seven Hills Paradise], although it has just been built into a two-story prototype by the reincarnated celestial race, it cannot continue due to the lack of faith, but it does exist and can even provide a little blessing similar to that of a regional god. Of course, this blessing is now scattered, because this future paradise mountain does not have a nominal ruler yet.

  However, the buzzing sound echoing in the interface has nothing to do with it. The real source of the sound is four light balls of different colors suspended in the void.

  Four light balls were suspended in the fifth spiritual world, infinitely small on the outside and infinitely large on the inside. There seemed to be some mysterious connection between them, making them opposite and unified. As time passed, the inside of the light balls gradually began to change, but as soon as this change occurred, the yellow light ball began to flicker first.

  "Buzz——"

  "Bang--!"

  It didn't last long. Although the power of the interface was trying to maintain stability, the yellow light ball still exploded, and the other three also became unstable. Seeing this, Ryan had no choice but to wave his hand and wipe out the remaining three.

  This is not the first time this has happened, but the result is always the same.

  "As expected, it still won't work for now. The bottom layer of this world is uneven, just like life and death. Without my efforts, they will never be able to achieve balance."

  Another failure, but this time, Ryan could no longer learn any experience from it.

  Some things cannot be completed, not because enough is done, but because objective conditions simply do not allow it. In this case, he has no solution to it.

  ". Let's give it a try. Compared to the others, with the existence of [Reincarnation], maybe it will be more stable."

  He opened his palm, and the black light that had just entered the spiritual world fell into his palm. Ryan continued to look at the chaotic space and time in front of him.

  If you want to find order in chaos, you need an anchor, and depending on the degree of chaos, the strength of the anchor required will also vary.

  The third spiritual world was the least chaotic, so dreams and the mind were able to do it. The fourth spiritual world was even more chaotic, but using the Well of Samsara to anchor it was a complete waste of resources. When it came to the fifth spiritual world, facing this turbulent and chaotic time and space, Ryan had to find another way.

  The chaos of the interface can be suppressed by the interface. Letting Themis build the kingdom is one option, and building it himself is another.