Chapter 547 - 503: Molded into Shi Ming’s Shape
This faint call originated from the instinct of the Cosmic Country’s will. It wasn’t spoken in a common language of the Star Sea, nor in the tongue of the First Civilization Cosmic Country. It was the Civilization Prologue.
It could be translated as "Father."
Or it could be translated into titles with similar meanings, like "Guide," "Protector," or "Enlightener."
The call was filled with dependence.
It was like a young, adorable creature, purring and nuzzling against Shi Ming’s side. Through the eight bridges constructed from eight fundamental sources, Shi Ming could feel the heartbeat-like rhythm of this nascent will.
He released his Spiritual Power to act as a medium, using the eight bridges to make contact with the Cosmic Country’s will and seek resonance.
The power of the eight fundamental sources flowed through the bridges and into the young will, as gentle and nourishing as a spring rain.
Only with 100% will resonance could the new Cosmic Country’s will fully awaken.
To achieve 100% resonance, one had to educate the will, molding it into one’s own image. If the target were a will that had existed for hundreds of thousands of years, altering it even slightly would be incredibly difficult. Remolding it completely would be a far-fetched fantasy—impossible for Shi Ming. But this nascent Cosmic Country’s will was a blank slate. It was inexplicably dependent on him, so his power met no resistance, easily penetrating the interior of the ball of light.
This process was akin to "enlightenment."
Enlightenment could not be completed in a single moment.
It required continuous education and guidance.
A man and a ball of light floated at the bottom of the deathly still Abyss of the End. The new will germinating within this Realm of Death had encountered the first communicative being in 120,000 years whose power could guide it. Thus began an unprecedented and enduring transformation.
This caused the entire planet to begin faintly throbbing.
The deathly energy stirred, like the flutter of a butterfly’s wings. The farther from the Abyss of the End, the more violent the tremors grew.
RUMBLE...
...
...
...
Bertutan’s eyelids twitched violently as he felt a pang of inexplicable unease.
As the Light of Enlightenment, he had the disquieting feeling that his authority was being usurped by another. No, to be more precise, a responsibility that was originally his was being fulfilled by someone else.
If it were merely a matter of his responsibility being fulfilled, Bertutan wouldn’t have been so alarmed.
But sometimes, responsibility represents power. When another being fulfills that responsibility, it means that power is being seized. If he didn’t intervene, his own authority would become unstable. It would be slowly chipped away and usurped by some creature with ulterior motives. Once that encroachment reached a critical point, the authority itself would transfer.
’Strange?’
’What other variables could possibly be at play on this Primordial Star?’
Bertutan was not skilled in the ways of destiny. The one who was, the Time Giant Candela, was part of their team and had given no warning.
"The Abyss of the End!"
Huang Ji had finally sensed the source of the disturbance.
She opened her eyes and cried out. The robes she wore shifted in color, shimmering with iridescent light.
"Go!"
Bertutan cast aside any thought of conserving his power. He directly activated his Nirvana skill, [Void], and took the other six with him. He began to blink rapidly, utilizing the space within his line of sight without entering the Dark Cosmos.
A vaunted, classified Nirvana skill was being used for simple travel.
Watching the scene unfold, Ali suddenly felt that the winds of a great storm were gathering. ’These people are some of the most senior new gods in the Star Sea. Why are they in such a hurry?’ she wondered. She maintained the detached air of a spectator, simply observing everything as an outsider.
...
...
...
"*Phew...*"
’Teaching is exhausting work, mentally and physically!’
Even with his Eye of Destiny and unfathomable Spiritual Power, Shi Ming occasionally felt overwhelmed while communicating and resonating with the nascent will of a Cosmic Country. Fortunately, the resonance didn’t need to be achieved all at once, nor did the enlightenment require him to teach the new will everything immediately. He could still take breaks from time to time.
For the moment, he stopped the energy transfer through the eight bridges.
It was time for a break.
The usable Spiritual Power within his Sea of Spirit had been severely depleted by the high-intensity resonance. Still, he wasn’t in the same sorry state he’d been in after fusing with [Zero]. At least he hadn’t been reduced to repeatedly squeezing the Colorful Insect sealed within the Hundred-Floor Celestial Tower for power.
The Colorful Insect had been restless throughout the resonance process.
Whenever it recovered even a sliver of strength, it would try to break its seal, hoping to use its own colorful power to corrupt the nascent Cosmic Country’s will. But Shi Ming’s defenses were airtight. The Hundred-Floor Celestial Tower and a full thirty percent of his Spiritual Power remained constantly vigilant. The slightest stir from the Colorful Insect was met with Shi Ming’s thunderous retribution.
Thus, during the resonance, Shi Ming had to divide his focus, exerting his power both externally and internally.
It was an exhausting balancing act.
But whenever he thought of the reward for succeeding, Shi Ming felt a surge of energy.
Strength was like water in a sponge; if you squeezed, there was always more to be found.
[Resonating with the will of the Cosmic Country while defending against the Colorful Insect is indeed exhausting.]
[But more exhausting things are yet to come...]
[Six powerful pseudo-gods and Lord Ron, Sovereign of the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country, have arrived at the Abyss of the End, relying on inanimate constructs. They have detected an anomaly in the aura of life, the flow of destiny, and the fluctuations of authority—one great enough to put even them on high alert.]
[The pseudo-gods will also struggle to resist the deathly energy of the Abyss of the End.]
[It will take them approximately five days to reach your location.]
[Do not panic. The inanimate constructs lack true physical bodies, allowing the pseudo-gods to wield only a fraction of their power. Aside from Ron, you will also meet an old acquaintance. Your stances on certain matters align, and if necessary, she will help you.]
[However, the glowing mark of the Heir of the Gods on your forehead will be impossible to conceal.]
Shi Ming narrowed his eyes.
The words vanished.
It was a warning from the Eye of Destiny.
Six pseudo-gods and Ron were approaching.
If he were in the Star Sea, facing such a star-studded enemy lineup, Shi Ming would have retreated as far as possible. He was nowhere near confident enough to face six pseudo-gods at once. But this was the Tomb Star Realm. Here, the pseudo-gods were also suppressed by the deathly energy, and without physical bodies, their power would be severely diminished.
He had to be cautious,
but he could not retreat.
If he did, his resonance with the nascent will would be completely severed, and all his efforts would be for naught. Worse, the pseudo-gods would learn the secret of this place. With their experience, resources, and vision, they could do far too much, which would introduce a major complication to his Z-rank commission.
Five days.
’I have to risk it.’
’In these five days, I will completely mold this nascent Cosmic Country’s will into my own image!’