After reaching the maximum level, my "soft rice system" finally arrived.

"What kind of scenery awaits at the end of the so-called path to godhood?"

Chapter Seventy-Three: The first time, I took 7k.

"What do you think... beyond legendary...?"

"Or rather, what exactly is the end of the path to godhood?"

The golden elf's indifferent yet slightly hoarse voice rang in Charles's ears.

Hearing Wimers's words, Ciel was not surprised.

Rather...

He already had a guess in his heart, and now was the perfect opportunity to verify it with his teacher.

"In the very beginning... because mythical creatures had vanished from the Western Continent, their elusive nature making them difficult to track down..."

"I hold those gods, who are only mentioned in a few words in ancient books, in very high regard."

"After all... the path to godhood in the Western Continent has been severed for so long... plus the exaggerated descriptions in those ancient texts..."

"This made me subconsciously regard God as some kind of omniscient and omnipotent supreme being."

Charles pondered for a moment before answering.

"However... after personally experiencing the descent of the god known as the Iron-Patterned Moon in the capital of the Aran Empire... I began to question my previous views."

"To be honest... the strength of that divine body was weaker than I had imagined... many of the preparations I had made beforehand were useless, and everything was already settled."

"While the casting specifications of 'Divine Punishment: Sword of Damocles' surpass those of ordinary forbidden spells, its arcane principles are not particularly profound; in fact, one could say they are quite simple..."

"Its arcane principle is merely the law of gravity, which was fully perfected nearly a thousand years ago... In essence, it is a violent product of sheer force."

"And to be able to shatter a divine body simply by piling up such a large quantity... this means that the life essence of so-called gods may not be as powerful as I previously imagined."

The two walked side by side through the Star Moon Forest, with Vemus's exquisite long dress rustling against the surrounding bushes.

The bright moonlight shone down from the top of the dome, casting a soft glow on the golden elf's long hair.

"And what I saw and heard in the world of Dawn further confirmed this conjecture for me..."

Charles paused slightly after speaking.

Having lived in the Black Tower for so many years, he had long been accustomed to analyzing things with the rational mindset of an arcanist...

His understanding of "gods" will naturally change as he gathers more intelligence and information, gradually getting closer to the truth.

"The gods of the Dawn World... though they possess revered titles such as 'God of Truth and Sun' and 'God of Storms and Oceans'... are actually far less powerful than the decree claims."

"The so-called God of the Sun... the power he wields is only a small part of the sun's projection onto the continent. Compared to the energy actually output by the star, it is only one in a billion, like a drop in the ocean."

"As for that so-called god of storms and the sea..."

Charles paused slightly, a mysterious rune swirling in his eyes, and an invisible light screen quietly appeared at his fingertips.

That was the user interface of the "Celestial Observation Device" that he created after taking a few days to complete his research in the quantum field.

"Manipulating celestial phenomena has never been the exclusive domain of the other party."

"If we look at it from this perspective..."

"Those so-called gods are nothing more than wizards who have gone further and deeper on the path of legend and in the realm of controlling power."

Charles looked at the interface that was shimmering with a faint magical light and spoke.

In the legends of that dawning world, the gods of storms and the sea at their peak could summon storms with a single breath and unleash thunderous divine punishment with a single thought.

That does sound intimidating...

But in essence, it's nothing more than a larger version of a celestial control instrument.

Saying it like that instantly makes it sound a bit lowbrow.

"This is my true view of the gods after returning to the Western Continent from the Dawn World..."

"An unconventional and powerful arcanist, nothing more..."

"But... after I completed my research in the quantum realm and gained a deeper understanding of the world..."

"But I've had some new ideas..."

Charles waved his hand, dismissing the interface in front of him, before continuing to speak.

Although neither the divine descent in the Western Continent nor the fallen sun god in the Dawn World could be considered excessively powerful...

but--

In the world of dawn, the gods are not dead but alive... Even though they have fallen from their thrones, they can still return from the astral plane after a long period of time, a fact that aroused Sharl's suspicion.

This also relates to certain inferences in the quantum realm...

"I think......"

"Those deities in the Dawn World... perhaps they are merely a part of the true gods..."

"A projection of a certain special form of existence..."

"Or perhaps... that is the other party itself?"

...........

"Ciel, you're really perceptive..."

Vimers looked at Charles, a slight smile playing on her lips, and nodded slightly.

"Legends and the extraordinary path before legends... in essence, are all about constantly improving one's own power."

"Or to use a phrase you often use in your books... that is, great power comes from within oneself."

"However—for the vast majority of legends, there is always a limit to the improvement of their own strength."

"The further you go, the more difficult the path becomes... After reaching a certain level, due to the influence of factors such as talent, race, bloodline, and ability system, it becomes extremely difficult to improve further."

"Perhaps, when my lifespan runs out..."

"They may not even be able to take that tiny step to reach the top again."

The golden elf girl spoke calmly.

She slightly raised her head, her crimson-gold eyes gazing at the night sky, yet seemingly piercing through the dark curtain to look into the endless, distant depths of the starry sea.

She stretched out her slender, fair fingers and gently flicked them, creating a brilliant golden line in the pitch-black night.

"If we compare improving one's own strength to drawing a line, then many people's lines can only go so far as to stop moving forward by an inch."

"But—if we abandon the extension of this line... and instead draw a completely new line... it will be much easier."

With a flick of her pale fingers, five more pale golden magical trails appeared beside the previous line.

"To differentiate one's soul from the self... leaving one's own projection in different worlds, different dimensions, and different planes."

"Of course, it is not appropriate to use terms such as projection, clone, or incarnation to describe it, because the soul of the self has been divided. Therefore, the projection of each world can actually be regarded as the original itself... Compared to the original body, it is only a difference in the order of birth."

"For beings who have completed the path to godhood... in the myriad dimensions and planes of the multiverse... every projection can be the original self. Even if they suffer a devastating blow, as long as one projection in the myriad worlds remains intact, then the god will not die, which is what is known as immortality..."

"However, it takes time to re-form a new projection on the plane where the original projection disappeared, and the new projection also needs to accumulate power... This is what is meant by 'returning from the astral plane after a long period of time'..."

"Of course... since it is not a simple clone controlled by a single will, but a true differentiation of the self, manifesting in thousands of dimensions... then multiple selves will inevitably cause distortion and instability in cognition."

"This is also why the gods all vie for faith... On one hand, the power of faith is the fastest way for newly formed projections to accumulate power..."

"On the other hand, the faith from millions of believers can also help the deity form a stable cognitive anchor, thereby stabilizing and maintaining the distortion and instability brought about by multiple selves."

"This is the truth behind the so-called path to godhood..."

"Indeed, among countless dimensions, this is currently the only one that has been verified..."

"The bright path to eternity and immortality."

...........

Vimers withdrew her gaze from the horizon.

She looked at Charles again with her pale golden eyes.

The evening breeze blowing through the forest carried the ethereal, emotionless voice of the golden elves, echoing slowly in the night sky.

"To be honest..."

"You've already stepped one foot onto the threshold of godhood..."

"There's no need to say more about the Dawn World... Ever since you lit up that pseudo-star, almost all the survivors have worshipped you almost like a savior..."

"To have them worship you is as simple as saying a word..."

"And after this Arcane Council meeting, your reputation in the Western Continent has reached an unprecedented peak, making you a recognized pioneer of a new era..."

"By using hybridization breeding techniques to improve crops, countless starving people have been able to have enough to eat..."

"Through the Black Tower Bookstore, we promote science and education, enlighten the public, and give many children from impoverished backgrounds the opportunity to receive education and change their destiny..."

"Through the Golden Deer Chamber of Commerce, countless inexpensive and practical goods have been delivered to every household, resulting in a qualitative leap in people's living standards..."

"And then there are the wide-area communication networks that have completely transformed people's lifestyles..."

"On the Western Continent—"