Scott City.
The Palace.
Emperor Andrei was reviewing documents at his desk when the footsteps of an attendant suddenly disturbed the quiet. Hearing the sound, he glanced sideways, his brow slightly furrowing, and spoke softly, "What's the matter? You seem flustered."
As an eighth-level warrior, Andrei had near-perfect control over his power and senses, far sharper than those of an ordinary person. He could tell that the steps of the attendant, who had always been by his side, were unusually hurried and chaotic today, and even the subtle shifts in his eyes and expressions were too conspicuous.
While speaking, his mind conjured up images of Red Leaf Mountain, Lin En, Grey Apache, and Flame Sword Saint Mathews – all significant names and places likely related to today's biggest news.
The attendant, bowing slightly, whispered a few words.
Hearing about Lin En killing Grey, Andrei's expression remained calm initially, but as he learned more details, his composure gradually faltered.
What situation is this!?
After a moment of silence, the emperor finally spoke, his voice slightly hoarse, "Summon the Third Prince to the palace!"
At this point, no one dared question or debate about Lin En's significance anymore. He had transformed into a renowned design master overnight!
It wasn't an exaggeration to say that Doran had directly and indirectly saved him a lot of trouble.
Lin En was not well-acquainted with the Sanctuary circle on the continent, as he had always stayed at home to cultivate and rarely ventured out like some of the more traditional protagonists in otherworldly adventures – those who would seek thrills and breakthroughs in life-and-death battles. Seizing this opportunity, he started a conversation with Doran.
Doran spoke to Lin En, "Do you know why the Violet Calendar only spans over five thousand years?"
During his time at the Halley Magic Academy, Doran was just an ordinary magician with decent talent. To earn enough money to maintain his magic crystal core, wand, potions, and daily expenses, he had to work incredibly hard.
After a moment of silence, Doran sighed, "The native god-level beings were probably the first to be killed."
He reflected on the fact that although beings at the Sanctuary level have virtually unlimited lifespans, unless killed, their numbers were still so few after countless years.
With a contented smile, Doran said, "I was lucky to form a good bond!"
"Yes!"
In this world, strength was the ultimate authority. Having a Sanctuary-level warrior as a brother was the most reliable political asset to ascend to the emperor's throne.
"Doran has arrived!"
He was no stranger to Lin En.
Before Lin En could reply, Doran gave a bitter smile and explained, "More than five thousand years ago, this material plane underwent a great war. It was a slaughter among god-level beings fighting for believers' faith!"
A sense of crisis welled up inside. The mere aftermath of such battles could shatter and sink continents, something ordinary god-level beings couldn't accomplish.
After chatting for a bit, Lin En expressed his gratitude, "I thank you, Senior Doran, for helping me receive many design orders back then."
"After the War of the Gods, the population plummeted by ninety percent, and almost all order was close to collapsing and had to be rebuilt. To manage this more easily, history was reorganized starting from that time."
Lin En listened, fascinated.
He had only come across snippets of this distant history in a few books in the library before.
Doran spoke with a hint of wistfulness, "I never imagined that Mathews would fall at your hands. Now, you've made quite a name for yourself in the Sanctuary circle."
The next day, an unexpected guest arrived.
Lin En inquired further, "What about the current god-level beings?"
"You're a remarkable young man, truly underestimated!"
"What was the outcome of the three-way battle?"
Referring to the thousand-year-old Flame Sword Saint Mathews as a 'kid' showed the longevity of this elder.
After hearing this news.
Following a conversation, Lin En learned that the number of Sanctuary-level warriors on the continent was close to a hundred. While this might seem like a lot, it was actually pitifully few.
"God-level beings from the supreme plane of Hell, the dark godly plane, and native god-level beings engaged in a chaotic three-way battle. It was so intense that the sky and earth darkened, countless lives were lost, and even the continents shattered and sunk. To save themselves, most Sanctuary-level warriors fled to the supreme and godly planes, hiding from the catastrophe. Only a few who had family ties and couldn't leave had to live in fear like ordinary people."
Lin En had hoped to keep a low profile until the public outcry subsided, but the external turmoil was even more intense than he had anticipated.
Flame Sword Saint Mathews, renowned for a thousand years, was suddenly slain by a newcomer not even a tenth of his age.
A young man with great artistic talent, who had once sought Doran for design drawings, had built a classical residence with the charm of a Jiangnan water town in his hometown.
He vaguely guessed the truth – the main gods were competing for the power of belief, sending their god-level beings into countless material planes!
Doran recalled, "The native god-level beings became gods later on. As for the foreign god-level beings, I don't know."
Fortunately, Lin En had studied design in his previous life. As a side job, it had earned him quite a bit of money and some reputation. But on the Violet Continent, design was a noble profession. Commoners didn't have what was considered 'artistic talent'. Many people wouldn't even glance at designs known to be made by commoners. In the early days, he managed to get by mainly through the connections of his three dormitory brothers from his 360 dorm.
As soon as he stepped into the mansion and saw Lin En, Doran had no doubts left – Lin En was a Sanctuary warrior!
One could only imagine how exaggerated his expression must have been when he first heard the news.
Emperor Andrei closed his eyes, emitting a sigh of resignation. The attentive attendants by his side noticed a slight tremor in the emperor's hand.
Lin En was puzzled.
Yet he had managed to slay Flame Sword Saint Mathews with just two strikes! This was far beyond anyone's expectations.
"A miscalculation indeed!"
The attendant trembled slightly and bowed his head as he left.
The news spread quickly, stirring the politically astute nobles into action. They sensed a shift in the empire's dynamics.
Many initially dismissed the news as false or rumors, but facts spoke louder than words, and thus Master Lin En's reputation skyrocketed.
Lin En personally welcomed the guest and invited him into the main hall.
After the battle at Red Leaf Mountain, Lin En temporarily resided in the mansion of the Third Prince in the Imperial City.
With the confirmation of a Sanctuary-level warrior, who would dare to challenge?
...
Doran gave a thumbs up, his expression filled with awe.
The elderly man with youthful features and a spirited demeanor.
Lin En, a Sanctuary warrior, was initially known for specializing in magic. The fact that he could conceal this for so long was impressive enough, but what truly brought him to prominence was the appreciation he received from Doran, a Sanctuary Mage.
Prince Regulos laughed heartily, knowing that after this battle, any potential undercurrents threatening his position were now gone. He returned home and drank himself into a stupor, relieved by the turn of events.
He consoled, "Don't worry too much. God-level beings are lofty and generally indifferent to disputes below their level. In over five thousand years, they have never openly intervened. Conflicts usually involve empires, kingdoms, and principalities skirmishing for population control. I guess they don't want to repeat the mistakes that led to large-scale godly wars, as gods primarily seek belief."
Lin En pondered over this. The past was no longer important; what mattered was the current situation.
The Natural Church and the Dark Church!
The former belonged to the main gods of the Four Divine Beasts, while the latter belonged to the main gods of the dark series.
"Regardless, before becoming a higher god, it's best not to venture into the supreme or divine planes. The current era is likely the most chaotic."
Lin En silently cautioned himself. He was still weak and needed time to accumulate strength and grow.