In the fifth spiritual world, the illusory stars flickered faintly.
"Are you busy with this kind of boring stuff again? How much strength can you gain by spending hundreds of years here?"
Stepping into the spirit world, the chaotic time and space could not affect the slender figure under the black skirt. Nix looked at the prototype of the interface in front of Ryan, and easily saw Ryan's plan.
However, Ms. Ye did not quite understand this behavior. She could understand Erebus's actions, because he wanted to get rid of the shackles of the laws of the world and become a greater and freer person, but Ryan had already done this.
For him, there is no threat in this world anymore. Even the laws of the world itself cannot affect Ryan in the spiritual world.
If Nyx also had an interesting world like the spirit world, she would probably just play the development game behind closed doors, instead of spending her time and energy on becoming stronger - she doesn't have any enemies, so what's the point of having such strong strength.
"Everything is accumulated little by little, Nyx. Besides, compared to what I want to do, my current strength is far from enough."
Shaking his head slightly, Ryan understood the difference in concepts between the two sides.
After all, he was not born immortal, so he was somewhat different from the gods of this world in many ways.
"There are still so many unknowns in the world, like how everything was born from 'nothing' in the beginning, and what is outside the world. In the past, you could still think that Chaos was the only one in the world, but the existence of the Nine Realms has denied this."
"Do you remember the [Mother Tree of Flesh and Blood]?" Ryan seemed to have remembered something and talked about the remains after the destruction of the world: "With your power, you should have discovered His existence when He entered the world."
"The destruction of a world... I think it should serve as a warning to me."
"Maybe, as long as you are happy."
Nyx did not comment, and was obviously not interested in this.
"If the world is going to decay, then no matter what you do now, the final result will be the same."
"Compared to Chaos himself, the real world is just one aspect of Him. Even if you can develop the spiritual world to its peak, or even make it another aspect that is far away from the real world, what is the meaning?"
"Oh, let's talk about it later."
Ryan shook his head again, not wanting to argue in vain.
"So Nyx, why did you think of looking for me today?"
He thought that the other party was just in the mood and came to visit out of boredom, or asked him for some souls to take back to make "figures" - before they separated last time, Ryan shared a lot of experience in creating life, and souls with Nyx.
The Land of Eternal Night is probably more lively now, and there may be other changes in the future. However, what Nyx said next was beyond Ryan's expectations.
A snow-white cow transformed from a human crossed the mountains and the sea, fell into the whirlpool where Prometheus was, and was sent out by the merciful god of foresight. She finally came to the end of the sea and disappeared before Nyx's eyes.
The Night Mother used her supreme power to penetrate time and space and found some scenes of the unfortunate human heading to the East China Sea. But everything before was normal until he disappeared in front of Nyx.
"What's her name?"
His expression gradually became serious, and Ryan realized that perhaps, as he had just said, he really didn't understand the world as well as he thought.
"I roughly explored the traces of her coming... It seems that her name is Io, and she has some relationship with the new God King on Mount Olympus."
With a calm expression, although Nyx could not find any trace of Io after she disappeared, the traces she left before she disappeared were very conspicuous.
"If I can't find the answer here, I'll have to go to Olympus. I hope the new God King won't tell me 'I don't know'."
The corner of his mouth twitched, but Ryan agreed with it very much.
"I have some guesses about this... but you can still go to Zeus to confirm. In fact, it seems that a small accident did happen to him not long ago."
Ryan was referring to the inexplicable transfer of wisdom and authority. After finishing the task at hand, he planned to go and see what happened in person. However, if Nyx was willing to do it for him, there would be nothing wrong with that.
However, Ms. Ye was obviously not interested in this. Compared with a God King, she was more concerned about Io who disappeared in front of her. Since Ryan already had an idea, there was no need to go to Olympus anymore.
"Tell me your guess." Nyx tilted her head, and seemed a little excited under the ever-changing veil.
"Well, if nothing unexpected happens..."
After hesitating for a while, Ryan finally looked at the edge of the sea where Nyx pointed and said slowly:
"The human princess who disappeared without a trace is probably now on the banks of the Nile River... Maybe the Nine Realms were just an accident. That was the 'food' that Chaos had captured long ago."
Because of Ryan's existence, the trajectory of fate has long been disturbed. The smaller the event, the more likely it is to deviate from the original story. Before, he actually didn't expect that the mythical Io would be born as scheduled, because compared to Zeus' later lovers, she neither gave birth to some famous heroes nor was she the mother of a true god.
As an ordinary mortal princess, her existence itself should not be that important in fate.
Theoretically, Io should have disappeared with the disturbance of fate long ago. Perhaps there will be another human princess that Zeus takes a fancy to, or perhaps something similar will happen again, but the existence named "Io" will probably never appear in the world of Chaos in this life again.
But the reality is that she still appeared, and even her fate did not change at all. If this is the case, then what was her original fate?
"Give birth to Epaphus, the offspring of Zeus and her... He will rule Egypt and become king of the Nile."
Ryan had a puzzled look on his face, and vaguely, he caught some of the mysteries behind it. He originally thought that this content would not reappear in the Chaos world, because this world could not see anything related to Egypt, but now it seems that his understanding may be somewhat wrong.
The myth did not come out of nowhere. Perhaps in the original destiny, the existence of Io actually symbolized Chaos's encroachment and annexation of another world - not a world that was attracted like the Nine Realms, but a collision that was destined to happen.
But the problem is that the evolution of Chaos World has been greatly accelerated because of Ryan's existence. The change of eras and the birth of civilizations have also changed, but another...
If there is, then everything will be normal. But if not... when the other world is still developing along its original trajectory, and Io brings the so-called "destined" king of Egypt there, then her fate will probably not be good.
Because according to Ryan's speculation, a certain conceptual collision between the two worlds had already occurred, and in the original trajectory of the myth, Io should have been born thousands of years later.
Perhaps at that time, the two interfaces had begun to overlap, and even Chaos had already gained an absolute advantage. What the human princess did was not "conquering", but more like blowing the horn of victory.
But now it was different. The battle between the worlds might not have ended yet, and everything was still unknown. But the existence of "destiny" was so rigid that He still sent Io to the other side, forgetting that it was not an "occupied area" but an "enemy country".
"So, can you pinpoint her whereabouts?"
On the side, I don't know what Ryan was thinking of, but Nyx recalled the past and found that there was no "Nile River" in her memory.
There was no place in Chaos' world that she didn't know about. If she had no impression of it, then the only possibility was that the so-called 'Nile River' was not in this world. This solved her doubts. After all, if it was the power of the world domain, it could indeed avoid her prying eyes.
As for why Ryan knew these secrets outside the world, she thought it was natural. This oldest god who lived with the world was always so special. No one knew how he was born before all things, and what he did.
"I'm afraid not yet."
Shaking his head, seeing Nyx's unhappy look, Ryan said slowly:
"We are too far apart, and there is probably a barrier between us... But don't worry, there will be opportunities later."
"When the hundred-headed beasts attack Olympus, the gods will flee in all directions... If everything is as I guessed, this is part of Chaos's 'predestined destiny', the destiny of 'devouring the world' that He set long ago, then as long as we follow them at that time, maybe we can find where Io went."
"But Nyx, even if you are not identical to your original self, can you really not see the trajectory of fate?"
He felt a little confused. It seemed that since they met, Ryan rarely felt that kind of omniscience of fate from Nyx.
Logically speaking, with the three phases in charge of destiny, Nyx should have a better understanding of fate than him. After all, myths are just specious legends of later generations, and how can they compare to reading the "script" directly?
"I have to ask you this - at least in the First Age, before I came into contact with you, fate was not a mystery to me."
It seemed like she was complaining, but Ryan felt that Ms. Night behind the veil seemed to be smiling happily.
"Only those who have experienced destiny will hate it more. You don't understand this feeling... Heh, don't talk about these boring things. In the future you see, how long will this take?"
"…It probably won't take long. At most, no more than a thousand years."
Next to Nyx, listening to her meaningful sigh, although Ryan didn't know what she saw in her original destiny, he couldn't help but reaffirm his choice.
Don't predict yourself, don't actively put yourself under the limitations of fate, then everything is possible no matter what.
"Then wait a while. A thousand years is not a long time."
Stretching, Nyx looked across the empty fifth spiritual world. There was nothing interesting here, so she was going back to her own place.
But before leaving, as if she remembered something, she turned around and asked curiously:
"Since you are now interested in that world, what are you going to do? You are not going to just watch the show like me, right?"
"Of course not. Besides, Nyx, this isn't the first day you've known me. Isn't it obvious what I'm going to do?"
His expression was calm, although he had just learned of this unexpected news, but Ryan had obviously made a decision.
"A world, a world that is much weaker than Chaos, a complete, independent world."
"This gift from the Endless Void...If He can eat it, why can't I?"
······
She jumped lightly and was in a trance. When Io came to her senses, she suddenly found that the world in front of her had changed.
Green grass covered the ground, and in the distance was a rolling yellow sand that had never been seen before. A broad river was rippling with waves, nourishing the land on both sides and bringing vitality to this desert.
The sky seems to be much narrower. If one is a demigod with divinity, he may even find that the laws that construct all things are no longer the same. However, this has nothing to do with Io.
She couldn't see that much, and the changes in the world didn't have such a significant impact on a mortal like her. She just suddenly found that the gadfly that had been chasing her had disappeared, and even her body was changing back to its original appearance inch by inch.
The hooves turned back into hands and feet, the dress covered her body, the power of the foreign spirit was dispelled, and Io returned to her original appearance.
"Oh, the creator of bronze humans, the foresighted Prometheus, whether you helped me or not, I thank you for your blessing!"
Under the blue sky and white clouds, the mooing sound was no longer heard, and the girl's clear voice returned to her.
She didn't know why she came here, nor why she turned back into her original form, but she attributed it all to Prometheus, the kind god who was bound under the sea eye and suffered.
She accidentally fell into the sea eye and saw the old god. She told the forerunner the short history of this generation of human beings, and in return, Prometheus told her about the real world.
Finally, the forerunner blessed Io with liberation and sent her out of the sea eye. Now, the princess is extremely grateful to the ancient Titan god, and she has finally escaped from the abyss of pain.
But the joy was only short-lived. When she came back to her senses from the happiness of finally regaining her freedom and the momentary excitement wore off, Io couldn't help feeling sad when she looked at this strange place.
She lost her father and her home, and came here alone. The only companions she had were the sun, the moon, the stars, and the blood of the cruel man in her belly.
Loneliness and helplessness surged into Io's heart. Looking around, she found that she was alone.
"God, whoever you are, please tell me how I can return to my homeland and see my father again."
Falling to the ground, Io prayed to all the gods she could think of, but she received no response. So the girl sat down by the river, looking at the rolling river in despair.
The broad river brought life, but also death. Just as water is the source of life, it can also bring disasters that destroy the world. For a moment, Io even had a thought that maybe it would be a good idea to end her life.
"Maybe my birth was a mistake... There is only pain in this world. Maybe death is the end of everything."
Standing by the river, Io closed her eyes slightly, but when it came to the end, she was a little scared,
"No, you can't die."
Suddenly, she heard someone say.
"Why? If I can't decide my fate, can I also decide my own life—"
She said loudly and excitedly, but the next moment, Io seemed to realize something. There was no one else here except her, so who was the one who just spoke to her?
Turning back suddenly, Io saw the source of the sound at the end of her sight.
At the boundary between yellow sand and green, a girl who seemed to have gathered all the beauty in the world walked towards her: the scorching sun did not want to hurt her, so it let the clouds just block the sky; the branches of the trees did not want to hinder her, so they made way for her with the help of the wind. The pure spirit stepped barefoot on the moist land, and where she walked, flowers bloomed and the fragrance came naturally.
"...You, who are you...Are you God? Are you here to save me?"
She stood there in a daze, then a look of joy appeared on her face. Io looked at the girl who looked about the same age as her and asked expectantly.
She swore that whoever this god was, if she could help her return to her homeland, she would spend her life spreading the word of her greatness.
However, in front of her, the visitor just shook his head.
"I am Isis, the God who controls all life. I have saved many people, but this time, I am not here to save you."
The ethereal voice sounded again, and in a trance, the girl in the green dress crossed the long distance.
She looked at the princess who did not belong to this world and was a little confused at first, but the next moment, she seemed to understand.
Looking at Io, Isis seemed to see herself and her future. She was not supposed to come to her world at this time, so when she appeared here, everything that was originally destined was disrupted.
She originally carried the mission of replacing Isis, but now, all of this was presented directly in front of the goddess of life.
This mission was given by Chaos, and Hemenu could not resist it, because the former's power far exceeded the latter's by more than one step, so this was a fate that was forced upon him by the other party's power. Even after seeing all this now, Isis still found that she was powerless to do anything about it.
She could kill Io now, but it would be meaningless. Thousands of years later, when the power of the other world defeated Hemenu's resistance, she was still destined to perish.
"I should thank you, even if you were arranged to replace me... I should also hate you, because you made me see more clearly my own powerlessness."
"What are you talking about?"
Io was a little confused. She didn't know what this strange goddess was talking about. Replace, who? As a mortal, how could she possibly replace an immortal god?
"Nothing, it's just that seeing you made me understand a lot of things."
With a smile, the whole world seemed to be filled with joy. Isis raised her head slightly, looking at the sky and the earth.
"I was supposed to marry my brother, but our future is a tragedy... I will give birth to the future king of Egypt, his name is Horus, an eagle and a storm... And you, should have come at that time, you replaced me, and your children replaced my children, but now..."
"...You came too early. The fate of your world is heading in another direction."
She shook her head slightly. Although she had understood the whole story, Issi became even more clear that the confrontation between the two worlds was not something she could participate in, and that the world that belonged to them was far inferior to the one on the other side.
Today's discovery might allow her to avoid her own tragedy, but that was the limit. And the premise of all this was that she should not try to go against this so-called "destiny".
"Can't I go against my fate?... If that's the case, I don't want to follow the same path as you. You are also carrying the fate that originally belonged to you, so I'll just fulfill your wish."
Isis tilted her head, took a gem from her hem, and put it on Io's chest. The gem gave off a verdant light, and under its illumination, all the aura of Io belonging to another world seemed to be covered up.
"Carry my good, carry my evil, carry my power, and carry my destiny."
"Your descendants may still become the masters of Egypt, but probably not in this generation."
Smiling and caressing Io's cheek, Isis seemed to be talking to herself:
"Remember to pray to the gods of your world, starting with your generation, so that your descendants will not forget."
"To change the fate of a world that is more powerful than us... If He can hear your prayers, perhaps everything can have a different ending."
On the banks of the Nile, a conversation that changed the fate of two worlds ended.
Isis, the daughter of the god of heaven and earth of Hermeneus and the symbol of life, shared her power with Io and her fate. She finally left a constraint in her power: no one should talk about her, and the names of the gods from foreign lands should be passed down forever. Then she disappeared, leaving the princess of the foreign world alone here.
It was unthinkable for mortals to share the fate and authority of gods, but when Io came with the fate of another world to replace Isis, everything seemed not so difficult. The power that came from the world could naturally give in to the world itself, not to mention that compared to Chaos, the rules of this world were very different.
Unlike the gods of the previous two worlds, the gods in this world covered by yellow sand are not only not immortal, but will even age with the passage of time, and the power of the gods can only resist it to a certain extent, rather than completely stop it. Even their innate divine power can be swallowed up and integrated into each other in the fight.
It is so common in the Hemenu world that the new god defeats the old god, turns the old god into an incarnation of himself, and then inherits the former's followers, names and authority. This not only reflects the small size of this world and the disorder of its rules, but also makes many things become natural.
Just like now, since Io has the power of Isis and the destiny of Isis, she will naturally be regarded as a part of Isis. Maybe the world itself can perceive this difference, but for most local gods, they can't tell the difference at all.
They only knew that after the pursuit of Osiris, the goddess of life, finally agreed to marry her brother. Although Isis seemed to have changed her appearance, personality, and even said some strange things, the gods did not take it seriously.
According to the decision made by Ra, the sun god and the lord of the gods in Hemenu, when Osiris and Isis were to marry, they would become kings of the world and the de facto rulers of Upper and Lower Egypt. For this reason, the gods gathered in Heliopolis, the birthplace of human faith, to celebrate the union of the brother and sister.
The Nile River basin that runs across the world seems to be welcoming a new master, and the era will open a new chapter. However, just when everything is going on as usual, in the Pantheon, the sun god Ra suddenly wakes up from his dream.
··········
Tick-tock…
Tick-tock…
Tick-tock…
…
"Huh…"
"No--!"
There is no sundial, for Ra is the sun. At the sound of the dripping water, the god awakens from his slumber.
On the highest throne, the golden divine power leaked out unconsciously, and the originally tall and magnificent temple was wiped out inch by inch, and everything returned to nothingness. In this ancient temple, only Lana's body, which was cast like gold, and the throne under him, which was inlaid with gems, were left.
At the same time, the sun began to shake without warning, affecting the heavens and the earth. In the face of Ra's undisguised power, mortals knelt on the ground and prayed, while the gods looked towards the Pantheon with concern.
The Chaos Serpent had just been killed, and it had not yet been resurrected. What on earth could have caused this supreme god to lose his composure?
"Huh - it turned out to be a dream..."
La opened his eyes and took a deep breath on the throne. His rising and falling chest gradually calmed down, and his violently fluctuating emotions also calmed down again.
As the supreme ruler of a pantheon and the almighty ruler of a pantheon, there was nothing in this world that could make him behave like this.
The world of Hermeneu is not like the Nine Realms and Chaos. There are no primitive gods that coexist with the world, nor giants and undead that can rival the Aesir. Even the side of the world itself only flashed by at the beginning of creation, leaving no more traces in the world. In this world, Ra Atum, who defeated the previous sun god Atum and turned him into his own incarnation, is the only supreme being. Even the symbol of the chaotic side of the world, the immortal giant snake of destruction, Apophis, can only be killed by him again and again.
But at this moment, when he opened his scarlet-gold eyes again, besides majesty, there was also confusion and panic hidden in his subconscious.
"…What a strange dream. What is this? Is this a revelation from Hermenu?"
After sitting quietly on the throne for a while, La waved his hand. In silence, a change occurred. The sun outside returned to normal, and the power that had unconsciously leaked out was also taken back by him.
At the same time, as if time was flowing backwards, the originally broken temple was restored inch by inch. Or to be more precise, it was a kind of "rebirth". After dealing with these small matters and sitting on the high throne, La couldn't help but recall his previous dream.
However, what puzzled him was that the dream that made him fearful and terrified was now blank, and he could not remember what he had dreamed about. The only thing left in his mind was a warning, which seemed to tell him that something horrible was approaching, and its forerunner had already arrived.
"...What a joke. In this world, what else can stand against me?"
"Even the world itself must surrender to my power!"
He stood up from the throne, supreme power surging around him. Lachi's golden eyes shone, and everything in the world was taken in by his eyes.
The mortals kneeling on the ground, the gods who were originally celebrating their marriage, the plants and animals, and the other side of the world, the giant snake that was gradually reborn in the rolling chaos.
Everything is under his control, without any surprises. He defeated the previous sun, so naturally he would not give the newcomers a chance. In today's world, no one can fight against him. He is the only master of all worlds.
"Um?"
Looking across the land, La was very satisfied with this world of mankind that belonged to him. Although this world seemed a little too small for him after reaching this level of power, this was also a shortcoming that could not be helped.
However, during this inspection, at a certain moment, La's gaze suddenly stopped.
In Heliopolis, he saw the gods celebrating, and saw that they were originally celebrating the upcoming wedding. This was something that Ra had decided on himself, so it didn't surprise him. What really made Ra stop his gaze was 'Isis'.
The daughter of the God of Heaven and the God of Earth, one of the few powerful deities in this world. Although her appearance seemed to have changed, this was not the reason for attracting his attention. What really attracted him was the other breath of life in her body.
She had a child, and although Isis's power hid it from the other gods present, it could not be hidden from Ra's eyes. He keenly noticed that there seemed to be something unusual about the unborn baby.
It was a completely different kind of blood scent.
"Spontaneous conception? As the goddess of life, that seems understandable?"
With his eyes narrowed, La didn't think the matter was so simple, but he couldn't figure out the reason for the problem. As for why he couldn't see the problem with 'Isis', it was easy to understand.
Isis already existed, so she was able to share her destiny and power with the foreign princess, but the son Horus, who was supposed to be born by the goddess of life, did not exist yet. Therefore, although the child in Io's belly successfully replaced part of Horus' destiny, it did not inherit any of his power.
Without power, his bloodline aura that was incompatible with the world was naturally exposed to La.
"Dreams... omens... and this newborn?"
The deep voice echoed in the empty hall, and Ra's face was expressionless. Although he was conceited, he was not stupid, just like the battle with the Chaos Serpent Apophis, he did not actually need the help of other gods.
The giant snake is another manifestation of the weakness of Hermeneu's world - its order is unstable and chaos cannot be suppressed. Therefore, unlike Chaos's quiet abyss Tartarus, the chaotic forces in this world condensed into a entity and turned into the giant snake Apophis, also known as Apop.
It has no reason, and its only instinct is to destroy the world. Moreover, it is immortal and no matter how many times it is destroyed, it will be reborn after a period of time.
Therefore, in order to maintain the stability of the world he ruled, Ra would go deep underground and into the chaotic side of the world every once in a while to kill and disperse the immortal demon snake so that it could not harm the human world. And every time before, he had those so-called powerful gods go with him, of course, he had his own purpose.
Let the gods witness his power and the power of Apophis, and then understand the indispensability of Ra and the insignificance of the gods; at the same time, he can also grasp the strength of other gods through fighting and not give them the opportunity to surpass themselves.
The gods of Hemenu will age, even if Ra has already stood at a higher limit, he has grasped the essence of the sun's [rebirth] [new life] and can avoid this aging in other ways, but this is not a reason for him to be careless. So no matter whether this newborn has any problems or not, he will make sure that he has no problems.
So now, it's time for him to make a choice.
"Kill him, or devour him? No...it doesn't make sense."
"He is still too weak. I don't even see the possibility of him becoming powerful. Two powerful pillar gods (an alternative title for the main gods in Egypt) actually gave birth to a being without authority. This is really ridiculous... But maybe this is a manifestation of his uniqueness?"
Still expressionless, Ra did not want to use this simplest way to solve this disaster, because although the gods of Hemenu could devour each other, it also had a characteristic: devouring a weak existence would only reduce its own strength. It would be better to retain only one or two of the most powerful priesthoods than to devour all the gods into one.
Therefore, in today's world, there are almost no gods worth annexing. After all, in this world, apart from the primordial water that symbolizes the origin of all things, the sun is the only supreme being.
Moreover, Ra doubted that if the unborn child really represented some kind of threat, then devouring him might not be able to avert the disaster. He needed another solution, a more appropriate solution.
"Perhaps I can think about the problem from a different angle. He can die... but this kind of threat still requires a 'successor'."
"I need a visible 'threat', not an invisible threat. His specialness... comes from his bloodline."
After thinking for a long time, feeling the blood that was incompatible with the world, La finally made a decision. Sitting on the throne, he looked at the place where the marriage was held, and then spoke loudly:
"Shu, come to see me."
The next moment, Ra's voice reached the ears of every god in the world. All gods heard the call of the supreme god Ra to Shu, and Shu immediately used his authority over wind and air, turning into an invisible fluid and rushing towards the Pantheon.
"Respected Lord Ra, what do you want me to do?"
Stepping into the Pantheon and looking at the Sun God who had suddenly released his aura not long ago, all kinds of speculations surged in Shu's mind.
Maybe the Chaos Serpent had undergone a new change, or maybe he wanted to bless the newlyweds, both were possible. However, La Jin's subsequent words made her open her eyes wide.
"Shu, go and convey my decree to all gods and men:"
"Isis's firstborn son is guilty, and so is she. She will grow old like a mortal after giving birth to her children, and so will her offspring. But death is not the end of their sins. Their sins run through their bloodline and will never end."
On the high throne, Ra calmly announced the death of a powerful god and the birth of a group of sinners.
"That sinner... his bloodline shall not be cut off, but it shall not prosper. His descendants shall suffer and become servants of the Upper and Lower Egyptians... From this moment on, until the end of time, this is the final judgment made by me, Ra-Atum."
It was not a question, and there was no room for negotiation. This was the power of the only supreme god in his world.
In the past, there were gods who dared to go against Ra's will to a certain extent, but they all knew that this was only because the sun god did not actually care about such a small matter.
Although he has a fierce side like the sun, he also has a gentle side. In many cases, he will not only use his own power to achieve his goals. But now, Shu felt the supreme authority that he kept hidden, and she completely understood La's determination and will in this matter.
"I never expected that a wedding banquet that was about to take place would turn out like this... But why is this happening?"
He felt a little sad in his heart, but at this moment, in the Pantheon, Shu still lowered his head slightly and saluted La respectfully.
"Supreme Ra, your will will be carried out. No matter in the past or in the future, as long as the sun rises as promised, this is the truth that cannot be violated by humans and gods."
...…
The premature arrival, the rigid fate, the malicious sun... everything turned the descendants of the God-King from Chaos into criminals overnight.
He should have been glorious and holy, he should have been the king of Upper and Lower Egypt, a symbol of the victory of the Olympian pantheon, a symbol of their victory over the Egyptian gods with the support of the world. But now, all these beautiful things have turned to dust, and they can no longer happen.
In this land covered by yellow sand, he was destined to live here as a mortal. Without the glory and status that a descendant of God should have, he would spend his life in ridicule and pain.
However, although his fate was changed, his bloodline was still destined to continue forever in Egypt. Since the Supreme God Ra needed this different bloodline to exist before his eyes, they had no possibility of leaving and no chance of extinction.
Of course, in this world where life only exists on the banks of the river, they have nowhere else to go.
Therefore, when the descendants of the son of the God-King were abandoned by the gods worshipped by the Egyptians and became servants and slaves, they could only place their hopes on those unfamiliar names - the unknown gods who had always been on her mind but never responded when 'Isis', who was gradually aging after being demoted by the Supreme God Ra, was still alive.
Time is like flowing water, one generation after another died, and gradually, these people who struggled to survive on the banks of the Nile River had forgotten the past and history. They did not know why they were convicted, but the worship of these unknown gods became a part of their culture.
According to ancient legends, their ancestors traveled a long distance that neither humans nor gods could imagine, from a land flowing with milk and honey to the basin of the Nile River. They multiplied and lived here, suffering a lot of hardships, while their former homeland was so beautiful and peaceful.
So they call themselves "crossers" and "transcenders", which is not only to commemorate their origins, but also to look forward to the day in the future when they can return to their homeland along the path their ancestors took, and return to the God-given land where they can live freely.
They used this name to replace the term "sinners". Gradually, even the local Egyptians began to call these sinners who were rejected by God by this name. However, they did not recognize the name of the so-called "survivors", nor did they recognize their so-called ancestors and culture, so they only took its transliteration as the name of the sinners.
The transliteration of "crosser" is "Hebrew".
Due to the vast distance and the emptiness between worlds, no one knows what happened in the world of Hemenu.
On Mount Olympus, the King of the Gods had long forgotten the human woman. Although he was still very young among the gods, compared to humans, Io was just an insignificant embellishment in his long life.
Now, with the change of seasons and the passage of time, he focused all his attention on the earth and on Apollo, who was about to arrive in Delphi.
Because Gaia was about to awaken, the throbbing sensation from the earth was becoming more and more intense. Only if Apollo and Aphrodite returned before then, Zeus's royal ceremony could be half completed. At that time, he would initially have the power to surpass the gods and have the confidence to fight against the Earth Mother on Mount Olympus.
Under such circumstances, Io's existence had naturally been forgotten by him long ago.
However, there is more than just Olympus in the world, just as there is more than one new generation of human beings. When the King of Gods focused all his attention on the present, in the north of the eastern continent, just around the time when Apollo approached the Delphic Plain, a true "burnt sacrifice" since the birth of mankind took place again.
Offering flesh and blood to the gods, the gods then accept it. Perhaps it was destined, or perhaps it was an accidental discovery of fate. In short, just as Ryan had expected, Ender was eventually taught by the world what reality is, and was forced to recognize its true face. (See 3-36)
Fortunately, because of a momentary change of thought, although he had lost the best ending, he still had a slightly worse one.
…
Dozens of people gathered around the temporary platform made of earth and stone. They lit a fire, tied the captured wolf to the altar, and then stepped back.
Under their gaze, the sturdy middle-aged man holding a familiar dagger walked up to the altar step by step, staring into the fierce eyes of the sacrifice.
"Puff——"
"Ah——"
The next moment, the sharp dagger mercilessly stabbed into the back of the jackal. Hot blood gushed out, causing the bound beast to howl in pain. Its limbs struggled desperately, but it was bound and had no ability to resist.
The field was completely silent, and even the birds seemed unwilling to approach. Only the rustling of leaves by the wind, mixed with the breathing of the crowd, accompanied the howling of the wolves.
"laugh--"
The second cut, with an expressionless face, was fast and accurate. Cologne cut off the wolf's left claw directly.
The wolf's claw fell to the ground with a snapping sound. Colon bent down, picked up the bloody severed limb, and threw it into the burning flames in front of him. With a crackling sound, he and the crowd watched it gradually turn into charcoal.
"Ah…"
The flames were burning, but the wounds on the sacrifice continued to ooze blood. As the blood gradually drained away, the howling gradually weakened, and on this temporary altar made of earth and stones, the ferocious predator slowly died.
But under the gaze of everyone, Cologne did not rush to the next step. He just continued to look into the wolf's desperate eyes before his death.
The beast's eyes reflected Cologne's figure, and through the other's eyes, he seemed to feel the pain of that suffering.
No, not as if. Some invisible connection connected the two sides together. At this moment, Cologne felt the same as the sacrifice in front of him. The despair and weakness, the feeling of life slowly slipping away, all of this was just like what was happening to him. However, he just moved the corners of his mouth, and there was no other reaction.
In the face of enough time, one will get used to anything, including pain. So Cologne just watched quietly until the sacrifice shed the last drop of blood and was tied stiffly on the rack.
"puff--"
As the last step, Cologne reached out his hand. He dug out the wolf's eyes and placed them on a small silver plate. The stinging pain in his eyes did not move him. He just put the silver plate beside him and pushed hard against the wooden frame that tied the wolf's body.
The wooden frame fell into the fire and was burned along with the wolf's body. Thick smoke gradually rose, and in a place invisible to ordinary people, wisps of blood surged into the sky and sank into a mysterious place.
At the same time, a certain force that seemed to have been hanging over the crowd seemed to dissipate, and a genuine sense of relief came over everyone around them.
"The sacrifice is complete... Before these eyes become corrupted, we will not encounter any more 'accidents'."
Placing the silver plate on the altar, Cologne turned and looked at the crowd surrounding him.
Many years have passed, and the number of these immigrants from the Bronze Age has decreased significantly. Needless to say, there are many dead, but there are also few intact ones among those who are still alive.
In addition to the wounds from fighting with wild beasts, there were many other very similar wounds on their bodies. But other than that, they showed no obvious signs of aging.
It seemed that some mysterious force helped them prolong their lives, but at the same time, it also brought them disaster.
"Sir Cologne, although the most basic 'blood sacrifice' has ended, but..."
Someone in the crowd whispered. He didn't finish his words, but Cologne immediately understood what he meant.
The basic sacrifice was just to protect oneself, but the more advanced burnt offering could allow people to gain more. In fact, although Cologne hated something that should have died long ago, now they couldn't live without it.
Life and strength, two of the most desired things by mortals, are within their reach as long as they offer sacrifices. Moreover, decades later, the wilderness has become dangerous again, and they alone are far from being able to survive on this land.
"I see..."
After a moment's silence, Cologne said decisively:
"Then continue to prepare. Our target is the herd of beasts we discovered earlier."
"good!"
Everyone agreed in unison, and then went their separate ways to do their own part of the work. This kind of hunting was not the first time, and people were already familiar with it.
Soon, Cologne was the only one left at the makeshift altar.
"call--"
"It's a bit urgent..."
Turning around and glancing at the altar behind him, although there had never been any actual communication, in recent days, Cologne had vaguely sensed that 'it' seemed to be demanding more and more sacrifices.
It's not that the 'appetite' has grown, but it's like the method of physical exercise can lead to a 'breakthrough'. It seems that recently, 'it' has also been undergoing an alternative 'breakthrough'.
As for what will happen after this "breakthrough" is over, that is not something Cologne can know.
"But no matter what it is, it doesn't matter... This is not something I can change now."
The people scattered, setting traps and baits, and the most fundamental reason why they left him behind was because everyone knew that this seemingly ordinary sacrifice was actually a kind of spiritual torture, and he should have enough time to rest.
However, Cologne did not react that strongly to this. It was just a bit of the pain that the sacrifice had experienced. Maybe at the beginning, he would indeed wail and lose color, but in recent years he had become accustomed to it.
The human spirit is like this. Whenever you think you have reached your limit, you are actually still far from the real limit. It's just that Cologne in the past never dared to believe that he could ignore the pain of having his heart pierced and his eyes gouged out.
"Oh, you are really lucky... Could it be that a good thought that came to my mind at the moment could protect you until now?"
With a self-deprecating smile, Cologne sat beside the burning fire and stared at the carbonized offering in a daze. To be honest, he did regret it, but he didn't regret not being a good person, but that he didn't know the true identity of the person who came to stay that night and then make the right decision.
He didn't think there was anything wrong with his choice, nor did he think that Ender's approach was really right. In this world, there are many kind people like Ender, but they are basically dead. Even the immortal gods, the former creators have already paid the price.
He taught humans to cheat, which was certainly an act of wisdom and arrogance, but he also stole fire for humans out of love for his creation. But humans could not escape death after all, and he himself was imprisoned for eternity.
Kindness did not bring them any benefits, but even brought them more disasters. The only reason that Ender was an exception was because of his luck.
If that god who unexpectedly descended upon the earth that night had a thought and had come to a different place, the city of bronze men, then Ander would have been just an ordinary mortal, even worse than Cologne, who was a "craftsman" at the time.
At that time, perhaps his kindness would become his death warrant.
"So, this is the spirit, this is power."
Under the dim light of the fire, Cologne's face was hidden in the shadows, but in today's world, no one had ever heard of a god born after birth. The only possible exception was the one he was going to sacrifice to.
This is the helplessness of mortals... You may have many ideas, but you don't have enough power to accomplish them.
Just like now, the only example of a mortal becoming a god was right next to him, but he could do nothing. Cologne could only watch him move forward, watching him become more and more like a real 'god'.
"…It's time to do my job."
After a long time, he stood up from the ground and disappeared into the dense forest. In the original place, only the crackling sound of the fire shadow burning continued for a long time.
······
Sasha——
In the gap between the spiritual world and the real world, in a temporary space formed by the power of faith, sporadic friction sounds continued to be heard.
The outside world was offering sacrifices, and the owner of this newly opened temporary small space was naturally not idle either. He was the "god" here, and the object of sacrifice was naturally him. Although the territory he, as a "god", currently owned was only a narrow space of more than ten meters in radius, this did not prevent him from accepting the power brought by the sacrifice.
So when the sacrifice was killed in a specific way, wisps of red mist floated in along the invisible connection. They spread around, dyeing the space red, and in the center, the mist condensed to the extreme, faintly forming the image of a "person".
The figure seemed to be "breathing", and between each breath, the red mist was inhaled and exhaled, and some mysterious transformation occurred. The mist became a little thinner, but the existence of the figure underwent some changes in the process, and he became a little more "real" in silence.
After a long time, the red mist dissipated, and the space returned to its dark tone, with only a figure emitting silver light in the center. Without the cover of the red mist, the figure's original image was finally revealed, but if you look closely, you can still see a few dark red spots on his body.
Unlike the previous red fog, these scars were like a thorn in the flesh, and they did not move at all under the impact of the silver light, and even had a tendency to merge with it.
"Huh - so this is the warning Mr. Ryan left in the puppet... Never use it unless you reach the realm of [Legend]. It's not that you can't use it, but because for mortals, 'faith' is 'toxic'."
A hoarse voice came out, or rather, it was not a sound made by the body, but some kind of mental fluctuation. Ender opened his eyes and looked at the narrow space. A trace of tyranny flashed through his mind, but he quickly suppressed it.
He had tried to stay away from faith, just as the fear and awe that came from the bronze man had not been absorbed by him at the beginning but stored away.
Even now, they were only used by Ander to construct this small virtual space, hanging on the vast spiritual world, serving as his temporary area of activity.
But some things are irreversible. When he was killed as someone who had not yet entered the realm of the supernatural, some choices were doomed to be irreversible. When Ender woke up from the pain of being killed and the short-lived revenge, he realized a problem - he couldn't go on like this.
The puppet saved his soul, but it would not provide him with further nourishment. Directly absorbing faith was a way to death. Even with the help of the puppet, Anderben had to advance to [Legend] before he could access this power. And he couldn't even grow in an alternative way like other spiritual beings, because the puppet saved him and locked him up. Before completely "accommodating" the things inside, Ander couldn't go anywhere. Even this temporary space couldn't be too far away from the puppet.
Faced with this desperate situation, Ander could only start to save himself after being depressed for a while. Fortunately, when he existed in this special spiritual form, with the help of the puppet's special perspective, he gradually discovered a special phenomenon. For living beings, the soul and the body are binary opposites, interdependent, mutually transformable, and can also influence each other.
They are both part of [life]. Although they are divided into two, there is still some mysterious connection between the two. The former can draw strength from the latter, and the latter will also be subtly influenced by the former. This is why the body needs to eat, but the soul does not, because the soul may be illusory, but it can make the material flesh and blood become nutrients, providing it with thinking and activity.
Ender didn't know that in fact, the Lord of Darkness was the first to discover this wonderful connection in the last era. He even thought that this was the way the spirit world used souls as seeds to harvest the power of the world. Later, he also relied on this connection between [life] and [life] to gradually mix the power of darkness into the souls of the Silver Generation. At this moment, this discovery only gave Ender another hope, a way to advance to [Legend] even in the current state of the spirit body, and then accommodate the puppet.
However, this "shortcut" in a certain sense did bring him some troubles.
"Sure enough, since there is such a mysterious connection between the body and the soul, it is impossible for the soul to have no influence on the body... Even though I have tried my best to choose low-intelligence beasts, their emotions before death still affect me."
Feeling the violent emotions surging in his heart from time to time, Ander smiled bitterly but didn't know what to say. He hinted to the Bronze Immigrant to sacrifice in the same way as he died, and asked the sacrificer to share the feelings of the sacrifice before death. Although there was some revenge in it, in fact, he was just using this method to reduce the influence of the blood in the sacrifice on him.
But no matter what, no matter how small the impact is, it is still an impact. Without the immortal essence of the gods, it is extremely rare for Ander to remain sane when exposed to this level of power at a level of only the fourth level.
"But soon, in a while, I will be able to become a [Legend]... At that time, according to the information left in the puppet, as long as there is enough faith, I can use it to build a 'country', and become a vessel that carries authority with me, and then ascend to the depths of the spirit world and become an immortal god."
Taking a deep breath, Ander shook his head slightly. He didn't know what the future would be like, and now he could only choose to close his eyes and meditate.
This was his only way to combat the emotional impact on his blood, and although it could only alleviate the problem, it was indeed very effective.
"But I don't know... Is Mr. Ryan there too?"
No one could answer him, and he was still the only one in the empty little space. Now, Ender only hoped to take that step as soon as possible before he was completely lost in this emotion. In fact, he already felt that he was much more indifferent and ruthless than before.
However, even he himself did not notice that if it were the original him, perhaps he would have stopped when he first discovered that this kind of sacrifice would affect his spirit. After all, relying on a puppet is also another kind of eternal life.
But now, after the first time, he is eager for the next time, hoping that this impact can be avoided.
As to whether it can be avoided...only time can give the answer.
······
"Another piece of the puzzle."
The fifth spiritual world is as chaotic as the sea.
When Ander was looking at the Bronze Survivors in his own small space, Ryan, who was higher than him, was naturally also looking at him.
But it was different from what Ender thought. The 'teacher' who had taught him for a while never acknowledged this student. Just as Ryan himself said, when he handed the puppet to Ender, the fate of both parties had ended.
Whether Ender can make it to the end is actually not important. What is important is that he verified many of Ryan's conjectures with practice.
He was just a test subject. Of course, being chosen to do this experiment was an opportunity that all mortals in the world dreamed of. Now, although the other party failed to grasp the opportunity well, he completed the experiment well from another angle.
He confirmed Ryan's idea from two aspects in turn. Even though this illusory faith space was just a prototype, through it, Ryan could prove that there was nothing wrong with his approach.
The kingdom is formed by faith, which replaces mortals in carrying the godhood, allowing them to obtain this false "qualification". This is not the true ascension to the gods, because once the faith is lost, the mortals who become gods will lose everything. It is so easy, yet so subject to external things. But in any case, its existence can not only arouse the desire of mortals to become gods, but also effectively improve the structure of the fifth spiritual world through their hands.
Maybe it's still a little early, but it doesn't matter. The matter of Io gave Ryan a vague premonition that perhaps in the future, he would not have too much energy to focus on the mortal world. Therefore, it is not a bad idea to do some things in advance.
so...
"Come--"
Following Ryan's clear shout, a [Civilization Slab] with a missing corner appeared from a hall somewhere.
It fell in front of Ryan, floating up and down, but Ryan just stretched out his hand and made a light shake in front of it.
The next moment, many shadows jumped out. There were ships and chess pieces that Ander had seen before, as well as looms and livestock that he had never seen before, but were closely related to civilization. They had been quietly nurtured along with the development of mankind as early as the last era, when the Golden Man King was obtaining knowledge from the stone tablets in the Severaz Temple. And now, they have become qualified seeds.
These "seeds" gathered in front of Ryan, forming another imitation clay tablet in front of the somewhat illusory [Civilization Slab]. However, to the real gods, its existence seemed a bit "empty".
Its power is superficial, but its inner part is not so fulfilling.
"Unlike the Codex, each part of you must grow independently and then eventually return to you... As for this part, since it can change the fate of mortals, let's call it the [Tablet of Fate]."
Holding the clay tablet, Ryan threw it lightly. The next moment, the clay tablet flew across space and landed somewhere in the fifth level of the spiritual world.
The palace was born out of nothing, the clay tablet fell in the middle, and then hundreds of streams of light emanated from it one by one. They passed through the five layers of time and space barriers and fell into the vast human world according to the connection of fate.
The Godhead is the most brilliant crystal, and the Kingdom of God is the stars in the sky. At this moment, from the perspective of the mortal world, the stars are falling like rain in the sky again. But this time, it does not bring disaster, but a different kind of life.
"Another starfall... The last time was during the golden age, as if it foreshadowed their end, so what will happen this time?"
Looking at the beautiful scenery he created, Ryan smiled without saying a word. At this moment, he seemed to see something vaguely.
But that is all in the future. As for now, these "stars" falling from the sky...
Unlike before, this time, as many stars fell as they did in the sky, they would rise again. The age of mythology was not just about Olympus.
Chapter 237 Blood in the Stone
The godhead is like a star, and the stars fall like rain. On this day, countless mortals looked up at the sky, watching the stars falling to the earth in the summer night sky.
The sky was full of star rain, like a beautiful painting. In a remote wilderness, Pandora, who was looking up at the starry sky, suddenly found that the pottery jar in her arms seemed to vibrate.
But it was only for a moment, and she even thought it was an illusion, and soon the magic jar returned to normal.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing, maybe I didn't get enough rest."
Gently shaking her head, Pandora tried to sense the jar again and again, but she didn't notice anything unusual about it. She could only attribute it to an illusion. Perhaps she had too high expectations for the jar, so she still had such an illusion now.
"...All right."
He glanced at Pandora, but Epimetheus really didn't notice any other changes, so he didn't ask any more questions.
If there was something wrong, he didn't think Pandora could keep hiding it from him. When she was created, she wasn't given such an excellent ability. If there was any accident, he would know it sooner or later.
…
The vibration of the magic jar was of course real, but it had nothing to do with Pandora. It was an opportunity for the creatures on earth, but it had nothing to do with her.
She had prayed to the magic jar for godlike immortality and godlike power. The godhead could do the latter, but obviously could not do the former. So they avoided Pandora and the original gods on earth. Some of them fell on a living being, whether on the land or on the sea, whether it was a nymph, a beast or some regional god; more of them fell in some corners, waiting for the arrival of their future owner.
But no matter where they landed, these keys to power chose the "right" owner under some influence. They may not be strong or wise, but at least they can keep secrets and have some thoughts of going further.
In silence, the trajectory of fate changed again. But now, the gods on the sacred mountain have no way of knowing.
Because the king of gods summoned the gods today, they gathered together. According to Zeus, he will announce a big event today.
Although they didn't know what it was, the Olympian gods still responded to the call.
…
Tap--
Crossing the river that the gods had taken when they created the first generation of humans, passing through the dense jungle, and after a long search, the gods carrying silver bows finally arrived on this vast plain.
In the sky, the stars were falling, which made Apollo look up. He held the silver bow with his backhand, but then let it go. After all, on earth, his arrows could not reach the stars in the sky.
"Consider it the stars singing my praises."
Apollo lowered his head, no longer paying attention to what was happening in the sky, but looked at the vast plain.
In his field of vision, there were still some old buildings scattered on the ground. At the end of his sight, Apollo seemed to see a tall and sacred temple. With just one glance, he was sure that it was the place he was looking for.
The Great Temple of Delphi was the first oracle in the world and the most powerful oracle that worshipped the most gods. Here, almost all the gods who had ever been active in the world left their statues, and its main hall was the only place where the original gods were clearly worshipped.
According to Leto's instructions before leaving, Apollo knew that what he wanted was there. But before that, he had one more thing to do, which was to use the blood of the python to prove his bravery.
Even if we ignore the difference in power, the same power will have different results in the hands of different gods. For example, Hera, the Queen of Heaven who has always been regarded as an enemy by Leto, although her power is not good at fighting, she is still the most extraordinary one among all the goddesses.
"It's like a performance. I complete the task assigned to me by the mastermind, and then receive the reward he gives me... Then I'll perform. At least this is what the Mother Goddess wants to see."
Apollo turned around after thinking silently. The temple was not where he should go, and the giant python with divine blood was not here either.
It was on Mount Parnassus, and even though it was a long distance away, Apollo had already sensed its presence.
As he grew up and began to master the power of a god, the python that he had felt he could not fight against was no longer so scary. The other party seemed to realize this, and long before Apollo came to kill him, it retreated deep into the continent to hide its tracks.
But now that he had found his target, the outcome was clear. Even without using his divine power, Apollo was confident that he could defeat his opponent.
"Bang——"
Taking out the silver bow, Apollo shot an arrow in the direction he sensed, then stomped his right foot on the ground and shot towards the mountains.
With a huge roar and collision, a battle broke out on the edge of the peaceful plain.
······
Bang——
With a loud noise, the heavy door slowly closed, and in the hall, the gods took their seats one after another.
Waiters walked between the tables, serving wine and food to the gods. Today, they were summoned by the God King and once again put down their work to discuss matters. However, given the gods' personalities, whether it was a serious matter or not, it would not affect their enjoyment of life.
However, hearing the sound of the door closing, many gods still looked in that direction. Although the damaged parts had been repaired and looked no different from the original, many gods subconsciously took a look when they passed by the door before.
Zeus, who had seen everything, did not say anything. The gods had been in awe of the original gods for a long time, just like the reason why no gods were willing to go to the underworld was not only because it was too desolate, but also because it was surrounded by the bodies of many original gods.
It is understandable that gods would also be in awe of stronger powers. Of course, this is also the reason why he has been tirelessly pursuing power.
"Your Majesty, I wonder if you have something to announce by summoning all the gods here today? I think... it shouldn't be that there is a problem with the newly formulated religious regulations."
Sitting in his seat, the sun god Helios looked around the hall and saw some different arrangements.
With his divine power about to break through, the most desired change for him now is no change. Moreover, as a Titan born in the last era, even today, Helios is not very accustomed to the time sense of the Olympian gods.
Compared to mortals, Zeus might be considered to be "living as busy as the moon", but compared to the Titans of the Second Age, the new gods still seem to have too much to do.
Of course, the sun god could understand Zeus. After all, when Kronos first ascended the throne, there were not so many old things left over from the previous era... But understanding is understanding. Looking at the brand new temple, Helios continued to ask:
"And these twelve chairs... Your Majesty, who did you prepare them for?"
At this moment in the temple, the God King and God Queen sat at the top as usual, far higher than the position of the gods. There was nothing to pay attention to, but in addition to that, there were twelve unique chairs placed on both sides of the hall, they floated in the air, forming a circle that surrounded the entire palace.
For a moment, the other gods also looked at Zeus. This new arrangement made them uncomfortable, after all, the twelve chairs seemed to be above them.
The God King is higher than them, which is understandable for the sake of the laws of the world, and the previous two generations of God Kings have also proved their power with facts. But if there are other gods who are also above them, it is a bit unacceptable.
"Of course not, Helios. I made a promise myself, so how can I change my mind overnight? Your worries are completely unnecessary."
Raising his wine glass, Zeus saw through the sun god's little thoughts at a glance.
The God King was not very concerned about his breakthrough, but it was a bit of a pity. If it weren't for the boiling water goddess Perseis, he would really like to choose a daughter to marry Helios and let her become his "pillar". But now it seems that there is no such opportunity.
As for the future... let's talk about it later. Zeus has not yet figured out how to treat this god from the old times.
"As for the matter of these twelve seats...we will talk about it later. I invited you all here today because I have something else to announce."
With a smile on his face, the next moment, Zeus mobilized his authority.
"Now, please bear witness with me. Soon, another blameless true god will come to Olympus and become one of our holy ones."
Theocracy was revealed and phantom images emerged. Although there was no divine weapon as a medium this time, the Delphi Oracle was different.
The bronze humans had prayed to many gods when they were extinct, but when the gods took back the trace of divinity they attached to the temple, the prayers of mortals could no longer be accurately detected by them. However, in this most ancient temple, the power of almost all gods in the world is manifested.
When this connection was called upon by the authority of the God King, the scene on the Great Plain was reproduced in midair. Seeing this familiar scene, many of the gods' eyes jumped. They had never thought that Zeus would dare to openly spy on the secluded place of the Earth Mother.
But no one raised any objections, as it had nothing to do with them. The gods just looked at the illusory image, searching for the god Zeus had mentioned, and soon they were attracted by the god with a silver bow on his back.
The handsome and blond god was full of vigor. Although it was hard to tell how strong he was, the friendliness in his smile made many gods like him. At this moment, Apollo in the picture was drawing his bow and arrow, aiming at a ferocious giant snake on Mount Parnassus.
"Your Majesty, is he the god you are talking about?"
Aphrodite suddenly asked near the top of the temple.
"Certainly, my friend, an excellent new god, isn't he?"
Nodding, Zeus didn't expect that Apollo could attract the attention of the goddess of beauty so easily.
And it seems that Aphrodite has a good impression of Apollo, which makes the King of Gods feel that his plan may not be difficult to accomplish.
"snort!"
The thought just came to his mind when he was interrupted by a cold snort from the side. Zeus' eyes met Hera's indifferent gaze for a moment, and then he chose to keep silent.
After Hera's gaze swept across Zeus, it stopped on Aphrodite.
As for the former, although Hera was still dissatisfied with the opportunity to give the other party a chance to "show off in public", she had reluctantly accepted this result for some time. As for the latter, it was simply due to her annoyance due to her personality and authority.
One is loyal, the other is passionate. One perfects the order of marriage and makes it truly powerful, while the other is born to symbolize primitive lust, and can arouse the desire of the opposite sex with just a frown or a smile.
Hera had been displeased with Aphrodite for a long time, but as a powerful true god, the goddess of beauty was not afraid of Hera. Therefore, in the face of the Queen's obvious dissatisfaction, she just glanced at her and ignored her.
Zeus turned a deaf ear to this, and other gods did not intend to interfere in the conflict between the two. As a result, the hall was somewhat quiet, and the gods focused their attention on the image in the air.
"Is this... the bow and arrow you asked the Cyclops to make?"
After looking for a while, as if recognizing something, Hestia asked hesitantly.
She seemed to have seen the silver bow in Apollo's hand before. It was the weapon made by Cyclopes. Although it was not a divine weapon, its power was equally extraordinary in the mortal world.
"Yes, there was originally a golden bow, but it may not fall into the hands of its owner for the time being."
Having said this, Zeus couldn't help but pause, and then naturally skipped the topic.
"Let's just look at the young man's performance - a beautiful arrow!"
Along with the God King's praise, an arrow went straight into the giant python's eye socket. It pierced the giant beast's brain and completely ended its life.
Zeus cheered first, and the other gods followed suit. Suddenly, the atmosphere in the hall became lively again.
"It seems that we should take him to Olympus. If you need, I can go there myself."
Gradually realizing something, Hestia glanced at her brother.
Zeus is not a god who cares so much about outsiders. There must be other reasons why he cares so much about this new god who is about to join Olympus.
Looking at Hera, who was obviously in a worse mood today, Hestia already understood that this was probably the offspring of Zeus.
"Of course, my sister, but before that, the victor should also receive his reward."
Zeus nodded, not hiding his love for Apollo. He stretched out his hand, and the three-colored scepter appeared in his palm. The king of gods pointed forward, and then, in the dark, some changes occurred.
"I have sent Zephyrus to pick him up. It won't be long before he gets his due and joins me here."
Taking back the scepter, Zeus held Hera's hand beside him and smiled at her puzzled look.
Next to Hera stood another god with a childish look in his eyes. It was Zeus and his offspring, Ares, who was in charge of part of the "war".
At this moment, looking at Apollo in the light and shadow, he looked eager to try. If he were not so young, he would have stepped forward to do something.
"Be quiet, Ares. In a few years, you won't be any worse than him."
Thinking that Zeus was asking her to keep a close eye on her son, Hera snorted and then gave instructions to the god of war beside her.
The God King just smiled at this. What he really wanted to take care of was Hera herself.
·····
"Bang——"
Pulling the giant python's still twitching body, Apollo walked step by step to the Temple of Delphi.
He took the scale from the giant python's heart and used it as a sacrifice in place of the strange beast, then strode into the ancient building.
Time has not affected it, but has only added a bit of time to the temple. On its stone pillars, Apollo saw many mysterious symbols, which seemed to be some kind of text, but also like a mark of power.
Continuing forward, on the twelve tallest pillars, in addition to the runes, the young god also saw what his father had seen and what had not appeared when he came.
It records the process of how the gods created the creatures of the Golden Age, the birth of the first human beings, the past of the king of men seeing gods in his dreams, and the ancient poem that was only half heard.
The collapse of Mount Oldes, the annihilation of the Golden Humans, and the demise of the Silver Humans, one ascended to the "heaven" and the other went to the "earth", and then the third generation of humans created by Prometheus was destroyed by a flood at the suggestion of the God-King.
Without any cover, these columns showed the history of the past. Apollo looked at them silently and then continued to approach the center of the temple.
The content described here was different from what he had heard along the way, but compared to the hearsay in the mortal world, the records of this sanctuary were obviously more trustworthy. Ignoring the corridors leading to different side halls along the way, Apollo finally arrived at the core of the temple soon.
"Spirit Lord, Earth Mother, and God King?"
Looking at the position of the chief priest, Apollo read out the three existences that Leto had told him, but the scene in front of him made him a little confused. Because at this moment, on the high altar, there was obviously an empty position among the three suspended stone platforms, and there was nothing at the place symbolizing the Earth Mother, which looked particularly abrupt.
"How strange..."
Although it was a little surprising, Apollo didn't know this ancient primitive god. Perhaps this was how it should be, so he just placed the offering on the altar, showed his respect to the three gods, and then stepped forward again.
Leto told Apollo that his father had left him a treasure that would give him the world's greatest power in one leap. Although the young god did not like the father god he had never met, and did not want to accept the gift, he agreed to it when he saw Leto's expectant eyes.
He would rather do it all by himself, but since he had already agreed, Apollo did not intend to hesitate any longer. In a few steps, the young god stood in front of the stone platform at the bottom, looking at the sacred stone that symbolized the king of gods.
"The sacred stone that died for the king? This life force... is really strong."
He whispered softly. At some point, the surface of the holy stone in front of Apollo had turned as red as blood. There were even strands of golden and red mist lingering on it, emitting a terrifying yet alluring aura.
The blood of the God King and the golden apple given by the Earth Mother have gone through two eras, and the years of succession of God Kings. When they come together, this holy stone that has been baptized by the fire of the sun has become the world's top divine object. The attraction between [light] and [sun], the connection between blood, and the instinctive desire for the life force of the golden apple, at this moment, Apollo had to admit that this was indeed a rare opportunity in the world. (See 2-73/74)
So, under the distant gaze of the Olympian gods, he stretched out his hand, grasped the sacred stone, and let the blood surging on the stone flow into his body like ripples.
The light shone brightly, illuminating the hall, and an unprecedented sense of power emerged from Apollo's limbs. Although it was night, there was a soft light spreading across the night sky, illuminating the dim earth.
The god in charge of [light] replaced his brother and obtained one of Zeus's few divine objects. He proved with facts that even for the gods, the early or late birth is of great significance.