Chapter 541 - 497: Pillar Stone of Truth
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[The will of the Cosmic Country was annihilated in a catastrophe.]
[Now, it seems to have the potential for rebirth.]
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"Everyone, time is short. We couldn’t find any better bodies."
"We’ll have to make do."
"But be warned. These lifeless constructs, created using the bodies of the natives, are not durable, so you must use them with caution. They have form but no substance and cannot carry any physical items. As a medium, they can draw upon the power of our true selves and unleash a fraction of our might, but remember to be moderate. Otherwise, these bodies will quickly dissipate. Without a medium, a separated consciousness will be directly extinguished; it will not return."
Uncle Tian, with the brilliant Title of All Beings, [Great Fabricator], shining above his head, explained the necessary details to the others.
Huang Ji couldn’t be bothered to listen to him ramble on.
With a stir of her power, the shirtless native construct she possessed swiftly changed, its appearance morphing from that of an ordinary tribesman into her true form. ’How could a lofty new god tolerate acting with the face of these barbarians?’ That was why, when improving these constructs, she had spent a great deal of effort to make their appearances customizable.
’Emotional value is the greatest value of all.’
’Foolish!’
’These constructs should be primarily practical. To forsake the root for the branch?’
Uncle Tian was about to retort sharply, but he suddenly saw the others also begin to change their bodies. He abruptly bit back his words and let out a low huff.
If he changed now, he would lose face.
If he didn’t, he wouldn’t fit in.
He was truly caught between a rock and a hard place.
"Heh heh, only by combining the efforts of Uncle Tian and Huang Ji could such perfect constructs be created. They balance both practicality and everyone’s personal preferences—truly perfect. Our destination on this trip is the depths of the Tomb Star Realm, the Primordial Star. Since these bodies have limited energy, let’s not waste time reminiscing. We must press on immediately."
"Bertutan is right."
"Very well, we’ll proceed as planned. Candela will look for anomalies in time and fate, Amonev will provide concealment, and the rest of you, stay alert."
"Understood."
The five new gods led the way, with their two followers in the rear.
Although this was Ron’s first time in the kingdom of a dead god, he showed no curiosity. He simply followed behind Candela, his six arms swaying. Ali, the woman in the Star Skirt, however, was filled with curiosity. Her gaze frequently swept over the dead silence of their surroundings before pausing on the brilliant Titles of All Beings above the gods ahead, as if she were merely a visiting guest.
"This Tomb Star Realm has no Dark Cosmos," Ali asked. "How are we supposed to reach the depths? Are we going to have to walk?"
"There are three divine legacies. The Teleportation Vortex is one of them. This vortex is the Tomb Star Realm’s equivalent of traveling through the Dark Cosmos. I still remember the route from 120,000 years ago. How about I lead the way?"
"Then we’ll be counting on you, Bertutan."
"Heh heh heh."
The Divine Regulator stepped forward, taking the lead. While it wasn’t convenient to display his greater powers, a travel-aiding technique that made vast distances feel like inches was child’s play for him. The seven of them flickered like phantoms across the dead planet, and before long, they arrived in front of a vortex.
This was a Teleportation Vortex.
"You said there are three divine legacies, and the Teleportation Vortex is just one of them. What are the other two?"
"The other two are the Divine Treasure Vault and the Mercenary Terminal."
’A treasure vault?’
Both Ron and Ali were visibly tempted.
Perhaps it was because a pretty girl in a nice dress more easily wins the favor of an old man, but Bertutan had answered every one of Ali’s questions along the way. If Ron had been the one to ask, he might not have been so fortunate.
"Be it the treasure vault or the Teleportation Vortex, both require Civilization Stones."
"Civilization Stones are a specialty of this kingdom. If you take them out of this Star Domain, they vanish without a trace. Fortunately, the authority granted by my and Huang Ji’s Titles of All Beings exempts us from the fee. As for the rest of you..."
Amonev cast a state of concealment on herself and Ali.
’The perfect way to dodge the fare.’
Candela glanced at Ron, and the Sovereign’s body drifted from the present into the past, as if he were no longer in the same time as the others. Using the properties of time to have the past pay for the present was another way to dodge the fare.
Uncle Tian, meanwhile, mobilized the power of [Silence], temporarily assimilating with the dead quiet around him until his form vanished completely.
It was a classic case of everyone showing off their unique skills.
"Excellent."
Bertutan stepped into the vortex, and the others followed behind him.
Ron was the second to last.
As he stepped into the vortex, he sensed a faint tributary of fate that was strongly connected to him. He glanced around in confusion, feeling the rhythm of the space around him. Deep within his eyes, a tide began to surge.
Every grain of sand in the long river of time can be infinitely magnified or infinitely shrunk.
Candela didn’t seem to notice Ron’s unusual reaction. The Time Giant followed close behind him, taking a step into the Teleportation Vortex.
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"Tianwen, plan the fastest route to [Ten Thousand People Square]."
[Okay.]
[I have found the closest route for you. Please note that the current time in the Divine Country is 18:30. Based on an analysis of past experience, there is a 70% chance of congestion on this route. After all, Ten Thousand People Square is the most bustling square on the Primordial Star, where the gods’ radiance is incomparably brilliant!]
[If you would prefer to avoid potential congestion, you can also try Route B, which Tianwen has planned for you.]
[While it is not the closest route, it is the most reliable one.]
’This Tianwen AI is certainly thoughtful, but it’s a pity its database can’t be updated, or perhaps it can’t connect to the "server." It has no idea that the Primordial Star is now a land of dead silence, where something like congestion is utterly impossible.’
Unlike the other seven outsiders, Shi Ming was walking through this dead kingdom in his true body. He was also extremely cautious, using his Spiritual Power to thoroughly erase any traces left by his movements, lest he leave new marks on a planet that had been silent for over one hundred thousand years.
’Success is born from caution. A habit carried over from his past life.’
Following the guidance, Shi Ming piloted the Sun-Shooter for about four hours before arriving at a vast, desolate, and dilapidated square. The ground was riddled with cracks, and an aura of death seeped up from below, clinging to every inch of land and every ruined structure. In the center of the square, a colossal statue had mostly collapsed; the god’s head lay on the ground. The statue’s eyes stared toward a stone platform, which was also covered in cracks. In the center of this platform, a heavy, broad Stone Sword was plunged vertically into it.
It was the simplest A-rank commission, one with no prerequisites, a commission that in the past, anyone could undertake.
[A-Rank Commission: Will Resonance]!
All one had to do was pull the "Pure Stone Sword" from the stone platform to complete it. The reward wasn’t very appealing: just 20 Civilization Stones and a title. Twenty Civilization Stones wasn’t even enough for the others to travel through a Teleportation Vortex one time.
Shi Ming walked over.
The sword was named the Pure Stone Sword, said to be a flawless object born from the Star Sea. The exposed upper third of the blade was now caked with the dust and filth of one hundred and twenty thousand years.
[Zero]!
This Rank 01 Coded Nirvana Skill acted like a scouring powder. The Stone Sword, once covered in dust, filth, and the aura of death, became dazzlingly bright once more. But in this setting, Shi Ming felt it looked less like a sword and more like an immortal tombstone connected to the grave of all living things.
Brain of Creation!
The Brain of Creation offered no information, which meant the sword could not be upgraded, nor could it be infinitely upgraded.
Shi Ming gripped it.
It was like grasping the last, withered root of this dead planet.