Devouring World Dragon

Chapter 215 The Return of the King
"...The Celestial Barrier is called 'Jie Li Zhe Luo Zhan' in the language of the ancient serpent people of the tenth era. This is the earliest record of the Celestial Barrier."

"Among the forty-three eras of rise and fall experienced by the Serpent People, the first era was the birth of the Serpent People, the second era was the reign of the White Serpent Woman Mona, and the third to ninth eras were the reigns of King Unogaya, spanning a period of 20,000 years."

"The Age of the Ocean, the Age of the Sky, and the Age of the Earth are all divisions of the world's domination and exploration. The sixth age was a thousand-year period of war with the Atlanteans, or the Age of Nemesis. The seventh age was a truce period of only five hundred years... The eighth age is unknown, but all the data points to that unknown great disaster. However, almost all the data and information of this age were destroyed in the ninth age—the Age of the Wise King's Madness, leaving no records."

"In the Ninth Age—the Age of Madness, King Unogaya suddenly went mad for some unknown reason. Modern scholars find it difficult to understand what exactly happened in that era, but the only thing they know is that the powerful king destroyed almost everything in the sea. All the ancient cities suffered annihilation, countless ancient technologies were lost, the method of making bronze giants disappeared, the blueprints for the Sky City disappeared, the ancient mechanical legions disappeared completely... So many things were destroyed by that king whom the ancient serpent people dared not mention."

"In the Ninth Age, the ancient serpent people banished this mad king, banishing him forever to the land, so that he could never set foot in the sea again."

"Even so, the ancient serpent people still feared the power of this king. They feared that the immortal King Unogaya would one day break free of the curse and return to the sea. So the ancient serpent people of the tenth era created the celestial barrier, an underwater world that was absolutely imperceptible and inaccessible to the outside world, in an attempt to escape the hatred of King Unogaya..."

……

Inside a magnificent palace, Uberto lay on a brass chair, quickly scanning the documents in front of him.

Meanwhile, thousands of robotic arms inside the palace were rapidly searching through books, flipping through them, discarding unnecessary ones, handing Uberto the books he needed, and then organizing and putting away the books that had already been read. Some even thoughtfully added bookmarks for easy retrieval later.

The Serpent People civilization lacked the concepts of the internet and computers, but their mastery of steam power led them to create these unique mechanical arms. These numerous mechanical arms installed within the palace were adept at searching and retrieving books; whenever needed, these many arms would retrieve all the books and information you required.

When he first arrived here, even the well-traveled Uberto was awestruck.

When those thousands of intricate and complex robotic arms worked simultaneously, the coordination and neatness were so perfect that they were almost like works of art, possessing a mathematical beauty that Uberto could only now take for granted.

Beside him stood the former Snake King, now the Snake King's vice-king. After Yaanjemu abdicated, she was one of only two Snake Men left, serving as the vice-king to assist the new Snake King.

The beautiful creature frowned as it watched Uberto, who was so focused on his work that he completely ignored himself.

In her eyes, Uberto was indeed a very capable person. At first, she felt a little jealous and resentful, but after getting to know him, she realized just how powerful this arrogant and conceited freak of the earth was. However, despite his abilities, Uberto showed no awareness of being the Snake King and devoted himself wholeheartedly to searching for information in the library.

"Do you really want to leave Haixu that badly?"

He spoke in a cool, detached voice.

Uberto didn't hide anything from her, or rather, he didn't have the energy to hide anything. He had been trying to find a way to leave, but the Venerables would not allow the Serpent King to leave the Sea Ruins, let alone the only known pure Serpent King.

But Uberto didn't answer her question; instead, he asked without turning his head.

Where is the "Tales of the Ming Dynasty's Void Sea"?

The beautiful creature, whose face surpassed that of a human, couldn't help but suppress her emotions, but she still had to diligently fulfill her duties as the vice-king... to find information for the Snake King.

"This is it. The library only has fragments; it was destroyed a long time ago..."

"Which book is 'Ode to the White Snake'..."

"This one……"

"Crazy Poetry..."

After a long while, feeling that he had found enough, Uberto waved his hand, signaling that the numerous robotic arms could stop. He leaned back in his brass chair, rubbing his temples, and slowly pondered the many pieces of information he had just found.

According to the information I just found, the Serpent People civilization has preserved a great deal of history from the time of Atlantis to the present day, spanning forty-three eras and more than fifty thousand years, which is far more detailed than human history.

Although it's from the Serpent People's own perspective, so there's bound to be some bias—such as contemptuously referring to the Atlanteans as "barbarians on earth," and mostly depicting stories of the Serpent People's own civilization—if combined with the information Uberto has gathered from the past, and the occasional revelations from the "Last Angel," it's enough for him to deduce many things...

I couldn't help but take a deep breath.

A long history, a sealed mythological era. From that mythological era to the present day, this world has undergone too many changes, and only the snake people world, which has survived by chance, still retains relatively complete records.

Amidst these events, Uberto realizes that the root of the problem lies with a recurring figure...

Father of snakes.

The Serpent People civilization held the deity they called "Father of the Serpent" in the highest esteem, and countless poems about the Father of the Serpent were written in every era. Uberto realized that all the problems he was currently experiencing were inextricably linked to this Father of the Serpent.

What exactly is the Father of Snakes?
As he was deep in thought, he caught a glimpse of a beautiful creature out of the corner of his eye and was momentarily stunned.

"Why are you here?"

He didn't seem to have noticed when she approached. In front of Uberto, the beautiful creature pursed her lips, her expression gloomy, as if trying to suppress her anger. After a long while, she smiled inexplicably and said...

"Am I not your servant, Lord Snake King? You just made me run around very easily."

Her face was extremely beautiful, but her usual dignified and majestic demeanor made it difficult to look directly at her, so much so that people subconsciously overlooked her youthful beauty. But at this moment, her smile was like the arrival of spring and the blooming of a hundred flowers, but behind this blooming of a hundred flowers was a deep chill.

Uberto paused for a moment; it would be strange if he couldn't see such obvious resentment and sarcasm.

"Ya'anjemu, what does the Father of the Serpent mean to you?"

"It is the great Father God!"

When the name of the father of the serpent was mentioned, Ya'anjemu's voice rose slightly, and he glared at Uberto with a hint of annoyance. After expressing his displeasure, Ya'anjemu then spoke.

“Uberto, I know you were born on earth and did not receive proper classical education, so you do not yet understand how great the Father God is. I do not blame you. But you must understand that it is because of the Father of the Serpent’s mercy and tolerance that the creatures of this world have a place to live and can survive and reproduce.”

As she spoke, she solemnly touched her chest and said in a deep voice.

"In the eyes of us snake people, the Father of the Snake is our origin god. He is the most tolerant deity, whose tolerance cannot be described even by the breadth of the ocean. He is beneath the earth, carrying the entire sea and land on his back, and never minds that we, these tiny creatures, establish kingdoms and develop civilizations on his body. Whether snake people or land creatures, we all have a space to live because of him. It is for this reason that the ancient snake people sang praises of the Father of the Snake's tolerance and benevolence."

"However, behind the serpent father's tolerance and love, there is also his cold and violent side. When the serpent father is angry, the underwater world will shatter and the land world will disappear like splashes of water. We are the offspring of the serpent father, the beings closest to him. Therefore, the kings of all ages have upheld the ideal of protecting this fragile world and the responsibility of appeasing the serpent father, trying their best to persuade the father god not to be angry."

"Since the Serpent King's status is so revered, why must a human from the ground sit here?"

Uberto said noncommittally.

Ya'an Jiemu paused for a moment, then bit his lower lip and said.

“Uberto, I know you are still wary and think that I put you on the throne of the Snake King for ulterior motives, but that is not the case. It is in the nature of the Snake People to respect those in power. Perhaps those venerable ones have other ideas, but I have no ill intentions towards you.”

"...You probably can't understand it, but just standing in front of you makes me feel very tired, and I have the urge to kneel down."

Those bright eyes lifted their eyelids and looked at Uberto.

“You are the Snake King chosen by the Father of Snakes. In this world, you are closest to the Father of Snakes… I know I do not have such power and cannot fulfill the responsibilities of a Snake King, but I hope you can fulfill these responsibilities well.”

This snake-woman princess, who resembled more of a fish-woman than a snake-woman, seemed to harbor some resentment in her words.

But Uberto paid no attention to the snake-woman princess's subtle emotions. Instead, he seemed thoughtful and then said jokingly.

"Are you willing to submit to me just because of this innate reverence? What if I asked you to take off your clothes right now?"

In Uberto's view, this instinct seemed to be a common instinct among all underwater races. Superior races had a natural sense of authority over inferior races, and he had deeply felt this during his time underwater.

The mere sight of his face would cause even the most refined and courteous maids to turn pale and tremble with fear. This wasn't out of fear of his appearance, but rather a nameless tension and unease that made them unable to control themselves upon seeing the snake-man. This was true of almost all underwater races; lower-ranking races naturally feared higher-ranking races and were more likely to obey their commands—a phenomenon known as "inherent inequality."

However, this sense of fear does not usually affect the decisions of the lower races. The Serpent People civilization has lasted for 34,000 years and has had a total of 520 kings, including Ya'anjemu, the Serpent People King. Of these, there are only 479 Serpent People Kings. The other 40 kings were not of Serpent People origin. Do you think that these non-Serpent People Kings voluntarily abdicated their thrones?
As long as one holds power, even a lower-ranking race can dare to harbor ruthless thoughts.

In Uberto's eyes, the proud snake-woman princess before him would likely storm off in anger at his little joke. But unexpectedly... Ya'anjemu stood before him with her head bowed. Uberto couldn't see her face clearly, only that her hands seemed to be trembling. After a long while, her arms stiffly rested on the ties of her clothes...

"Alright, you can go now. I was just joking."

Uberto, who had already noticed Ya'anjemu's unusual behavior, spoke up directly. He didn't intend to really offend this former Snake King, as he still needed his help in many areas.

Ya'an Jiemu lowered his hand, did not look up at him, and did not even utter a sound. He simply turned his head and left, his slender fish-tailed body moving unusually fast on the ground.

She's angry.

Uberto thought this to himself, but he didn't intend to pay any attention to it, nor did he even think about apologizing. He wasn't some kind of overly compassionate person.

Looking down at the "Prophecy of the Void King" in front of him, he found it to be a compilation of prophecies from many underwater prophets. Although there were some differences, the general content was that the Void King's return would bring about the end of the Serpent People civilization.

The seabed was not as calm as inside the palace. The palace was protected by the Council of Venerables and naturally felt no storms, but the various kingdoms of the underwater world had already broken out in many disturbances and battles.

Before the Void King arrived, problems arose within the Serpent People's ranks.

Uberto, however, was pondering: What exactly is the Void King? What is its connection to the Father of the Serpent?

He was not unfamiliar with the taste of power; he had once controlled the entire world. If it weren't for his fear of the Priory of Sion, he would have already begun to unite all of humanity on Earth, and he didn't care about power in this underwater world.

At this moment, all he wanted was to return to the earth as soon as possible, retrieve the statue, throw it into the volcano, and hand it over to the last angel to deal with.

Just then, he suddenly felt a slight tremor and sway beneath his feet.

What happened? There was an earthquake.

His eyebrows furrowed slightly. Earthquakes are common in the underwater world, but this is Nano City, a city protected by numerous steam-powered machines. Even if an earthquake were to occur, the shock-absorbing machinery underground should be able to suppress it.

Suddenly, he realized something was wrong with the light streaming in from the window; it seemed to have dimmed. He abruptly looked up at the sky outside the palace…

There, the once vast, sky-like barrier of the heavens began to flicker inexplicably, gradually transforming into a blood-red hue, as if a warning of some kind of danger...

……

Beyond the celestial barrier, the dark seabed is utterly black, devoid of any light.

There was only soft seabed mud here. The bare man's ankles sank into the mud. The feeling of his skin touching the soft mud was not strange; on the contrary, it was strangely familiar to him.

When did I first feel this way?

The man remained silent, quietly recalling distant memories.

In that distant memory, there was a scene, or rather a feeling, of my ankle sinking into the mud, but I couldn't understand why. I just felt that the mud was some kind of living thing, which was grabbing my ankle.

What happened later?
The man didn't remember much, only vaguely recalling that he had once regarded the earth as an imaginary enemy and fought against it. Eventually, one day, the son of Adam tore the earth apart, killed the dragon that the earth's mountains had transformed into, and took the world's first seed from its lungs.

It was an extremely cold and ruthless desolate world, with no vegetation on the ground. Only the occasional appearance of giant beasts could feed this family that had left the Garden of Eden. The seeds that sprouted from the dragon's body possessed unimaginable power and were the most precious treasures of that time.

So the man began to scatter seeds on the ground, allowing life hidden deep within the earth to grow on the surface.

It worked diligently, gradually spreading that green color. After that, more plants appeared on the ground, which led to more wild animals that ate plants, and his brothers came to hunt animals.

The brother said he was the hunter, and the man was the farmer. This land was given to their parents by the Father and the serpent, and it would belong to them in the future. The farmer and the hunter would jointly rule this land.

What happened next?

It seems that what my brother said back then has come true; farmers and hunters do indeed rule this land, but they do not rule it together. The settled farmers dislike the nomadic hunters, and the nomadic hunters dislike the settled farmers.

Just like their descendants, so too were their ancestors.

So he killed him.

Standing in the pitch-black depths of the sea, the oldest killer silently reminisces.

Beneath his feet was only deep-sea mud, with no barriers. The man knew that even if he dug thousands of miles deeper, all the way to the depths of scorching lava, he would not find the place he was looking for.

His past self once contemplated amidst the magma deep within the earth, his body enveloped by the scorching lava, wandering the depths of the earth before finally being ejected from the volcano.

But even after thinking about it for so long, he still couldn't find any trace of those guys no matter how long he dug.

Only now... only now do I finally understand why.

Looking at the ground beneath his feet, the man opened his mouth. There was no air in the sea, so he couldn't speak, but the shape of his mouth could still be vaguely discerned.

"So you guys are hiding here."

A calm face, speaking the ancient Serpent Language used by the Serpent People before the Ninth Age.

Raise your fist, just as you did back then when you fought the earth...

Then it fell.

In an instant, trillions of tons of seawater burst forth with earth-shattering power, and a vast barrier designed to evade a specific person collapsed...

"Boom!!!"

Amidst the astonished and terrified gazes of millions, a huge hole appeared in the vast, dome-like barrier of the sky, and a torrent of seawater surged forth from the hole, like a pillar of heaven pouring down into the underwater world that had not seen the sea for so long.

……

Half a month later, the Council of Elders, while eager to repair the celestial barrier, requested the Serpent King to lead his army to resist the attacking King Unogaya.

For various reasons, Uberto had no choice but to lead his troops there, but he vaguely realized that this seemed to be a good opportunity to leave this underwater world.

"Get ready to leave this world."

Using the built-in chip, Uberto calmly spoke to the Roberts father and daughter not far away, employing signals that the snake people could not understand.

The only problem now is to get rid of that "King Unogaya," and Uberto, who has never led an army before, feels uneasy. Ya'anjemu, who is standing beside him, notices his unease, takes his hand in her slender one, and looks at Uberto with calm eyes, reassuring the king she has decided to serve.

Under Ya'anjemu's reassurance, Uberto calmed down a bit, and glancing behind him at the silent, forest-like steel army and the massive, mountain-like aerial warships gave him a boost of confidence.

"In any case, an army of this size would be unmatched even on land. No matter how powerful King Unogaya is, he is just one person."

With these thoughts in mind, Uberto felt a sense of peace.

"set off!"

With a wave of his arm, this unprecedentedly massive army, under his command, advanced step by step towards its destination like a ferocious behemoth.

(End of this chapter)