Become their wicked yet gentle lord.

But a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes. Would Joe Harvey possibly tell him something like this? Ever since Ryūsha defeated his father and seized the throne, he'd been overwhelmed with the matter of inheriting the title and lands. But those who aren't there can't voice their objections…

The emperor gave his son a deep look, said nothing, and instead spoke:

“If the Empire truly has a new Celestial Rank, then the scheme Elias just mentioned might be worth considering.”

The emperor's words sent a chill down the spines of the nobles once again! If one were a Heavenly Rank cultivator, then suppressing a small country would indeed be no difficult task!

But that's in the Southern Continent! Within the sphere of influence of the Holy City of the Papacy! The Papacy holds the power of both the Templar Knights and the Inquisition Knights, and whether or not any of them possess Heavenly Rank, and how many, is now unknown! And for many years, Otus's sphere of influence has never extended beyond Thunder Fortress, and now he's doing this…

Could it be that His Majesty also wants to reverse the empire's decline through war?

With the emperor's words, it seemed that who owned the earth dragon beast was no longer important! If there were truly plans for southward expansion, it meant there would be opportunities to fight on the battlefield! The rewards then wouldn't be something like secondary organs! For a military general like Reyes, this was clearly much more attractive!

However, some nobles could not benefit from this, and their family businesses might even be affected. Therefore, they looked worried and remained silent...

Haragore then changed the subject:

"But this is a major matter and cannot be decided lightly. If we really have to do this, we must also be prepared for Tipalotura and his men to fail and for us to go to their aid. So we need to arrange several Imperial Legions to support their operation. Lord Charles, I'll leave this matter to you. But remember, this matter is not yet decided. You just need to investigate which legions have the strongest morale and combat power, and then I will make a decision."

"Yes, Your Majesty."

Seeing Charles nod and bow, Haragoria then addressed his ministers:

"Today's matter is far too important. Your Excellencies must not allow any word to leak out! Lord Yates is right; with the development of magical communication technology, such secrets can reach the South in no time… therefore…"

"Lord Alvarez! Immediately impose an information blockade and control over the capital! Keep a close watch on everything, from the outer city where commoners reside to the inner city where the nobles live! Deploy Imperial Guard mages and use magical artifacts to detect and block magical signals! Do not allow a single word of the conversation that took place in the hall today to leak out! If anything seems amiss, you are in charge to decide what to do!"

"Yes, Your Majesty!"

After issuing several orders, Haragoria rose from his throne, and the second princess, Imogen, immediately went to help him up. This meant that the day's meeting was over!

None of the nobles had anticipated the emperor's subsequent, sudden, and thunderous orders. What began as a discussion of a celestial-rank magical beast had unexpectedly turned into this!

Even Elias's face showed a hint of surprise and hesitation, and he remained silent for a long time as he watched the emperor's departing figure...

Among the crowd, only one person silently curled the corners of his lips, muttering to himself as the nobles departed:

"His Majesty the Emperor is truly remarkable. He merely made an empty promise, and those generals forgot about the Earth Dragon Beast, instead anticipating a full-scale war. Those doves, too, will likely be worried about the consequences of war and have no time to consider the paltry sums from the Earth Dragon Beast's corpse..."

"Most importantly, he used a perfect excuse to suddenly impose information control on the capital... Anyone who dares to use the communication crystal will probably have to report to the Imperial Guard. Compared to establishing a complete control system, this move is faster and more ruthless..."

Finally, Yates looked at Elias's retreating figure in the crowd and chuckled softly:

"I wonder what His Highness the Fourth Prince is thinking right now? How interesting~~~"

-----------------

Meanwhile, in the cave outside Thunder Fortress, Ryusha was completely unaware of everything that was happening in the distant capital, nor did he know that he was about to carry out an edict that could change the course of the continent.

He sat cross-legged on the spot for a full day and night! As the fragments of order absorbed everything, golden rays of light continuously flowed into his body from the mountain of earth dragon flesh and blood around him. Then, this flesh and blood, having lost its power, turned into a muddy substance and slowly merged into the earth...

And the gate in his consciousness, after absorbing the last of its power, suddenly opened! Behind the two stone doors that slowly opened, there was a staircase in the void leading to the starry sky!

Chapter 3 The Galaxy Behind the Door

"This is……"

Seeing the scene before him, Ryuka's heart skipped a beat, and an indescribable shock surged through his body. Behind the door, countless tiny golden specks of light gathered like fireflies, weaving together to form a spiritual energy staircase gleaming with a warm glow!

Below the steps lay an unfathomable, endless void that seemed capable of swallowing everything. Within this void, a sea of ​​stars unfolded like shattered diamonds, each star shimmering slowly. The faint yet distinct energy fluctuations gently touched Liu Xia's senses—a sensation so wondrous that he couldn't quite describe it. This ethereal yet overwhelming sense of unreality made him stand frozen at the doorway, his feet feeling as if they were made of lead, his fingertips slightly curled, afraid to take even half a step.

"Congratulations! You've finally seen the realm of the gods!"

Ruklati's voice came softly from behind. She had quietly stopped and was pointing to the boundless starry sky. Her tone was both playful and serious.

"This space is not an illusion, but a real place. Remember the Temple of Chloe? It is hidden in a fold of this space. This is the pure land where all the gods dwell. The Temple of Consciousness behind you is just a small entrance to this secret realm."

"Does it really exist?" A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Xia's eyes, and she couldn't help but turn her head to ask, her tone full of curiosity:

"Where is my body now? If it weren't for my consciousness, my body should still be in the cave."

Ruklati curved her lips into a smile, her eyes sparkling: "What's here is a projection of your true form. The two worlds are closely connected by a continuous stream of spiritual energy. You can summon your own or your followers' bodies to the temple behind you, but you must never step onto this spiritual energy staircase."

She pointed to the end of the golden staircase, where it merged with the endless void, pure black, like a giant maw capable of devouring everything.

"For example, if you summon a girl and make her step onto it, she will fall straight into that endless abyss. Of course, only if the power of the main body is strong enough can one truly stand in this world for a long time. Just like Chloe, after the power of a god reaches a certain level, it will be constrained by the rules of heaven and earth in the mortal world, and its spiritual power will continue to weaken and overflow. So unless necessary, they will stay in this unrestrained space."

Ruklati paused, as if remembering something, then gently shook her head, her tone becoming lighter: "I'll explain these trivial matters to you later. First, let you experience your current abilities firsthand. Come on, step out, and then tell me what you can feel..."

Ryuu remained standing at the edge of the door, her brows slightly furrowed. She cautiously extended her toes and gently touched the golden, shimmering steps, her movements as careful as a child afraid of shattering glass. This sight deepened Ruklati's smile, her eyes crinkling into crescents. Ryuu secretly rolled her eyes, inwardly grumbling—it was all Ruklati's words that had frightened her, making her so paranoid, terrified that a single misstep would plunge her into that terrifying void.

*Thud*... Her toes landed firmly on the golden psionic staircase. A solid and warm sensation spread from her soles throughout her body, and the unease that had been hanging in her heart finally eased a little. Liu Xia took a deep breath and slowly stepped out.

The instant he stepped into the void, something seemed to be instantly illuminated in his mind, and he immediately understood the profound meaning of Ruklati's question.

The instant his body merged into the void, Ryuga felt as if he were enveloped by countless gentle gazes, gazes that came from every distant star. He could even clearly hear their delicate, soft whispers. Each twinkling starlight was like a lively, innocent sprite, its clear eyes curiously watching him, the outsider who had intruded into the realm of the gods. And Ryuga's spiritual senses, as if awakened, clearly perceived the varying strengths, yet undeniably real, of the power deep within each star.

"I feel...they're alive?"

"they?"

Upon hearing Ryūsha's words, Ruklati's smile froze instantly. She paused for a moment, then her eyes widened, her voice filled with disbelief and stunned disbelief:

"Which ones are you referring to when you say 'them'?"

"What do you mean, which ones?" Liu Xia frowned, casually pointing to the countless stars in front of her, her tone tinged with doubt: "Aren't there just plenty of them? How can you possibly distinguish which ones they are?"

The vast expanse of stars before her was boundless, numbering in the thousands, even tens of thousands, densely packed across the void, so dazzling that it was impossible to look away. This scene utterly shocked Ruklati. Her eyes widened, her mouth slightly agape, and it took her a long while to react before she forced a sheepish smile onto her face.

"Don't joke around~ You've only just entered the Void of Gods, and being able to sense a few Star Spirits is already quite impressive... You're not serious, are you?!"

"I'd be a dog if I lied to you."

Liu Xia spoke without changing her expression, her tone carrying a hint of certainty, but in her heart she secretly added—even if she were a puppy, she would be an incomparably fierce little wolfhound who loved to ride others…

Seeing Ruklati's shocked and disoriented appearance, Ryuka vaguely guessed that the more Celestial Spirits she sensed, the better, and she herself could clearly sense almost every Celestial Spirit she saw. Of course, not all Celestial Spirits were benevolent; the aura emanating from a few stars was icy and chilling, even carrying undisguised malice, but fortunately, they were all far away in the sky, separated by endless void, so Ryuka didn't take them to heart.

“Okay…” Ruklati took a deep breath, slowly calming the turmoil in her heart. She scanned Ryuxia up and down with the same look she would give a monster, and after a long pause, she pursed her lips and said, as if trying to reassure herself:

"Perhaps it's the power of the fragments of order, or perhaps it's because this space was left unruly after the gods fell, which is why you got such a good deal... Damn it! You're really a lucky guy!"

"Okay, you should tell me what this is all about."

Hearing Ryuxia's straightforward question, Ruklati raised her chin, indicating that he should continue forward. After walking about a hundred meters, the golden spiritual energy staircase abruptly stopped and disappeared into the void. Standing at the end of the staircase, Ryuxia could feel the surging spiritual energy all around him more clearly. The abundance of power was worlds apart from the barrenness of the real world; it was as if he were in an ocean of spiritual energy! Unfortunately, he couldn't absorb this pure spiritual energy into his body for his own use. This feeling was like having a mountain of rare treasures in front of him, but not even a pocket to carry them; he could only watch helplessly, filled with frustration.

"You have two things to do: enhance your spiritual power and make this spiritual energy ladder longer and longer—the deeper you go into the void, the more abundant the spiritual power will be, and the greater the benefits to you will be."

Hearing Ruklati's words, Ryuka couldn't help but frown and retort, "But I can't absorb it? Hmm? Wait a minute?"

As soon as he finished speaking, his keen senses detected a star in the distance—or rather, a star spirit—casting a curious glance at him. The star spirit swayed slightly in place, as if hesitating for a moment, before slowly flying towards him. The points of light on its body grew brighter and brighter, and its size visibly increased.

Holy crap!

Liu Xia froze in fright, instinctively taking a half-step back, his heart pounding wildly. In his mind, these stars suspended in the void were supposed to be incredibly distant constellations, each one like a blazing "sun"! If such a "sun" were to fly right in front of him, he would probably be instantly incinerated and reduced to ashes!

Seeing Ryūka's panicked and helpless state, Ruklati couldn't help but sigh helplessly, her tone tinged with a mixture of amusement and exasperation:

"What are you afraid of? Take a good look!"

Liu Xia steadied himself, squinted, and looked closely. He then realized that what was flying towards him wasn't a blazing sun, and its distance wasn't as far as he had imagined. A moment later, the star spirit flew to Liu Xia's side. It was about the size of a house. It circled Liu Xia agilely in the void a few times, seemingly scrutinizing him. Then, with a hint of joy, it gently landed in front of the psionic staircase, perfectly connecting with it to form a flat and warm platform.

The fantastical scene left Ryuga speechless, her face filled with disbelief. "Thank goodness," she thought, "this is a fantasy world; nothing's surprising here." Ryuga reassured herself, while Ruklati, standing beside her, grew increasingly frustrated, her brows furrowed. She scrutinized Ryuga again, her eyes filled with bewilderment and helplessness, before finally letting out a heavy sigh.

"How about we try again now?"

"Now?"

Liu Xia suddenly realized what was happening, a look of understanding flashing in his eyes. He quickly stepped into the platform formed by the star spirit. Instantly, a warm and pure light enveloped him. The surging spiritual energy around him, after being baptized by the starlight, became gentle and mellow, slowly flowing into his body through his pores!

In just a short while, the spiritual energy he had lost in the battle with the earth dragon beast was completely restored. Even the upper limit of his spiritual energy was a bit stronger than before, and he felt relaxed and comfortable all over.

"Extend the steps to sense the celestial spirits. Those celestial spirits attracted to you will come to you and become part of your future temple..."

Ryuga looked down at the small platform beneath his feet, and his lips twitched involuntarily—let alone a magnificent temple, this size was barely enough to build a toilet. He immediately thought of the Chloeur temple complex, which, even though it was already dilapidated, still stretched out like a continuous mountain range, with no end in sight. He wondered how many Protoss beings would gather to form such a scale.

Ryūka voiced his question, but Ruklati merely glanced at him and offered a simple explanation:

"She is a moon-level deity, which means she has her own 'moon guardian' in this space..."

Chapter 4 Goodbye Chloe

Ruklati raised her hand and gestured a few times. The simple gestures concealed an indescribable gap. In an instant, Ryuka understood that there was an insurmountable chasm between herself and Chloe.

"Once you gather enough Star Spirits and condense them into a sufficiently large entity, you can become a Moon Guardian. At that time, you will possess a Moon-level divine status. As for how you attract and gather them, that is closely related to the faith you have accumulated in the mortal world..."

Before the words were finished, a slender figure suddenly appeared slowly in the pitch-black void, her clothes fluttering lightly, like a drifting black petal, and slowly floated towards Liu Xia.

Her long, dark dress trailed in the air, her ram horns gleamed warmly under the starlight, and her skin was as white as snow, so fair it seemed as if the starlight had been shattered. It was none other than Chloe, whom Liu Xia had not seen for a long time.

"Let me explain the rest to you."

This petite, doll-like goddess appeared without warning in this vast void, causing Ryuga's heart to skip a beat, filled with surprise. He stared blankly at Chloe, his eyes brimming with curiosity, and couldn't help but ask:

How did you end up here?

A gentle smile played on Chloe's lips, her eyes crinkling, and her voice as soft as starlight falling on a lake as she spoke slowly to Ryuka:

"This void is the realm of gods, also known as the spirit realm. Our temple is located here. The moment we sensed the dissipation of our divine covenant with you, we naturally knew you had arrived here, so we tried to search around. There aren't many temples left here now, but we didn't expect to find you so quickly."

His divine covenant with Chloe had vanished? Ryuga was startled, quickly concentrating his senses to perceive the situation. Sure enough, the unspoken connection and spiritual bond he had felt with Chloe were completely gone, as if they had never existed. Chloe had said this was the divine realm, but as far as the eye could see, there was nothing but a sky full of glittering stars and an endless void—completely different from the magnificent divine realm he had witnessed in Chloe's memories.

What caught Ryukatsu's attention even more was that Chloe didn't say "there are no other temples here," but rather "there aren't many temples left"—could it be that there are other living gods in the world besides Chloe?

Seeing Ryuu's slightly furrowed brows and the doubts and thoughts hidden in his eyes, Chloe smiled gently, her eyes sparkling as if she had already seen through the doubts in the boy's heart.

"Don't worry, we'll explain all your questions one by one..."

As she spoke, she raised her small, white hand and waved it gently. Accompanied by Chloe's soft whisper, a hazy, illusory scene of light and shadow appeared out of thin air before Ryūka's eyes, like a flowing ancient scroll slowly unfolding.

"From the very beginning, the mortal world and the spirit world have coexisted, like twin vines, intertwined and inseparable. However, at that time, the mortal world had no living beings, only a chaotic and disordered wasteland of rampant elements. And the divine realm, naturally, had no gods... But as the mortal world slowly evolved, the elements and spiritual power gradually stabilized, the seeds of life quietly sprouted, and countless tiny energy bodies gradually emerged in this void. You have already seen them, they are—Star Spirits."

Kurowell's fingertips lightly touched the light and shadow, and the scene shifted accordingly. The two worlds, like two sides of a mirror, reflected and influenced each other, yet existed independently. This scene was strikingly similar to the ancient legends Ryūka had heard, and it wasn't difficult to understand: the real world was the material world he lived in every day, with mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, plants, and living beings; while the divine realm was a pure realm of energy and spirit, the dwelling place of the celestial spirits…

However, the Star Spirits at that time were more like pure energy entities without consciousness. Each Star Spirit corresponded to an attribute born in the mortal world—the lightness of the wind, the heat of fire, the warmth of water, the weight of earth, as well as the vigor of life and the silence of death. These concepts, which Liu Xia was already familiar with, gave birth to Star Spirits of different forms and attributes in the divine realm. They floated quietly in the void, emitting faint but pure energy.

When real creatures first appeared on the earth, some star spirits in the divine realm also gradually developed a faint consciousness, like dormant seeds quietly awakening.

In the scene depicted by Chloe, the earliest creatures born in the present world were bizarre in appearance, and Ryuga couldn't even name them. But the moment they first raised their heads and looked up at the vast sea of ​​stars above, Ryuga clearly understood that they had broken free from ignorance, developed something called "intelligence," and gained the ability to perceive the world.

Correspondingly, the celestial spirits of the spirit realm also keenly sensed their presence. Although separated by two worlds and unable to see each other's appearance, they established a secret connection in the unseen realm, influencing and drawing each other in. Even more so, subtle energies were quietly flowing between them, like invisible threads tightly linking the two worlds.

"As time passed and intelligent beings took root, blossomed, and built their own civilizations on the earth, the first gods also came into being..."

As Chloe recounted her story, the images and sounds before Ryusha's eyes became increasingly clear: creatures thrived on the land, gathering together to form tribes and communities, living in communal living and seeking warmth in one another. Their secret connection with the Celestials, honed through simple yet devout rituals, gradually evolved into different primitive beliefs. Nourished by these beliefs, the Celestials themselves slowly changed; and empowered by the Celestials' energy, these creatures gradually shed their primitive forms, transforming into different species—tree spirits rooted in the earth, coexisting with vegetation; dragons soaring through the skies, their breath scorching the heavens; sea beasts lurking in the deep sea, wreaking havoc… Even more than just creatures of flesh and blood, some life forms condensed from pure elements also emerged under the nourishment of spiritual power, radiating unique brilliance.

The sky and the sea, the mountains and the rivers, the sun, the moon and the stars, and even the incredible phenomena created by the residual spiritual energy in the present world—every element and every existence has a corresponding star spirit in the spirit world. They resonate with each other and together maintain the balance between the two worlds.

"There's only one type... During the evolution of the present world, various spiritual energies differentiated and condensed, forming different substances and life forms. But only this kind of creature was formed from 'residue' that had almost no spiritual energy. Remember these little guys~ You'll be amazed later~"

With a sly smile in his eyes, Kurowell pointed to the tiny figures in the phantom—they were writhing creatures, resembling both worms and sharp-nosed rats. Normally, they were prey at the very bottom of the food chain, yet they often appeared on the altars of early intelligent beings, offered as sacrifices to the Protoss and devoutly worshipped.

"After countless years of sedimentation, the barrier between the two worlds was finally broken. Some of the Star Spirits fully awakened their self-awareness, and their spiritual power became strong enough to penetrate the world's barrier and enter the mortal realm. They merged with the most powerful individuals in the mortal realm, mutually enhancing each other. And they were reverently called—Gods—by the beings on Earth..."

In the interplay of light and shadow, the most supreme beings of the two worlds merged, radiating a dazzling and awe-inspiring light. The real world and the spirit world finally achieved a true connection. The ancient gods born from this fusion possessed world-destroying power, even capable of establishing rules and controlling life and death. Nourished by their power, their followers gradually evolved to become more graceful and intelligent. The elegance of elves, the allure of dark elves, the strength of orcs, the resilience of dwarves—unique species emerged one after another. Unlike elemental giants and dragons, which were powerful individually but few in number, these new species were numerous, and their ever-advancing wisdom and thought projected more celestial spirits into the spirit world, making it increasingly prosperous. The gods forged magnificent palaces here, with carved beams and painted rafters, shrouded in celestial energy, giving the spirit world a civilization and prosperity distinct from the mortal world, belonging solely to the gods…

"Two worlds are inextricably linked through faith and spiritual awareness. The gods each have their own duties, governing different rules and jointly managing these two worlds. However, as spiritual energy flows more frequently and turbulently between the two worlds, some creatures in the mortal realm have gradually discovered methods for cultivating spiritual energy, enabling them to become powerful beings. This has given rise to the idea of ​​replacing the gods in their hearts—and indeed, this is the case. After all, only by entering the spirit realm can one break free from the rules set by the gods and achieve true immortality..."

Kuroel's voice gradually faded, a faint trace of melancholy flickering in her eyes. In the images she conjured, some gods were gradually blinded by power, beginning to wantonly despise and enslave the races that worshipped them. As supreme gods, they could arbitrarily strip their followers of power and life, treating all living beings as worthless... This wanton behavior finally provoked resistance from all races. Some groups put aside their differences and formed a resistance coalition, launching a struggle against the gods and their still loyal followers. Among the coalition was a tall, valiant woman with ram's horns. After her father, the leader of her tribe, died in battle, she resolutely raised a massive warhammer. The hammer, imbued with unstoppable spiritual power, shook the heavens and earth with every strike. Leading her people in a valiant fight, she repeatedly defeated the gods' armies, ultimately achieving victory.

Ryūka's gaze was fixed on the horned woman, then turned to Chloe beside her. Although the woman in the image was three or four meters tall, and her lower body didn't have human feet but rather strong hooves, which was quite different from the petite Chloe of today, her face bore an eight-tenths resemblance to the mature, older-sister version of Chloe from the past. And the transformation ability that Ryūka had previously obtained from her was also a gigantic horned demon form.

This made Ryuka ask with a hint of certainty, "Is this the you from the past?"

“Hmm.” Kuroel nodded gently, a soft sigh escaping his lips, tinged with the weariness of the past. “I became a new god, only to discover that even without divine oppression, enslavement and exploitation, strife and slaughter still exist among living beings. My past experiences wanted me to change all of this, but my knowledge and abilities were insufficient to establish a completely new, fair set of rules. Therefore, I chose to become a god who protects the pitiful. When their souls enter the spirit world, I grant them peace and joy; if they are able to reincarnate, I will do my utmost to ensure they have a destiny free from misery and oppression…”

It seemed that the decline of her faith had made her smaller. Or perhaps the changes in spiritual power over thousands of years had altered her appearance. As Chloe spoke, Ryuka couldn't help but look at her lower body, which was covered by her long, dark dress, and couldn't help but imagine whether those were delicate little feet or tiny lamb hooves.

Crowell noticed Ryuka's gaze, but wasn't angry. She just smiled helplessly and flicked her finger, interrupting Ryuka's jumbled thoughts, forcing her to continue listening to her lecture...

"But... the rules between gods can overlap and even conflict with each other. For example, the rules we set have irreconcilable contradictions with those gods who control fate, death, and wealth. Civilizations on earth are destroyed and rebuilt time and time again; the creatures that dominate the world are constantly changing. Therefore, this phenomenon of conflicting rules becomes more and more frequent and intense with the cycle of time and the iteration of old and new gods. Ultimately... the endless contradictions accumulated between those rules converged into a destructive 'chaos' in the spirit world, triggering the collapse and destruction of the spirit world..."

In the images Kurowell conjured, time flowed swiftly: there was an era when dragons ruled the heavens and earth, their breath incinerating everything; there was also an era when elves ruled the land, and all things coexisted. Some species quietly perished in the torrent of time, while new species tenaciously rose from the ruins. Hundreds of millions, even hundreds of millions of years had passed, and Kurowell's own memory of becoming a god was merely an insignificant epoch within this vast expanse of time…

Liu Xia frowned thoughtfully, gradually gaining an understanding: This sounded like every deity, given enough faith, could establish certain rules according to their own will. But too many rules, too many complexities, were like countless intricate programs running simultaneously, interfering with and conflicting with each other. Ultimately, bugs proliferated, leading to a complete collapse, and the spirit world became the victim of that collapse.

"You roughly know what happened after that. That catastrophe nearly destroyed the entire realm of gods. After the gods exhausted all their strength to seal off the chaos, they were forced to seek refuge in the mortal world. But at that time, there was still some time before the chaos infiltrated and the witch was born..."

The scene continues to shift: with the arrival of all the gods, the already crowded and conflict-ridden world becomes even more chaotic. There were already many conflicts among the various races on Earth, but in the past, the gods did not directly intervene in worldly disputes, thus these conflicts always had boundaries. But now, the gods they worshipped have all descended into the world, plunging many races into a frenzy of faith… More wars erupted, the changes of eras became increasingly frequent, and countless brilliant civilizations quietly perished in this endless conflict. The 'chaos' that had been barely contained before erupted again, and this time, it directly broke through the world's barriers, affecting the real world.

"And in this turbulent period, a new race quietly rose to power..."

A smile crept onto Chloe's lips again, a hint of amusement in her eyes. To Ryūka's astonishment, the tiny creatures she had previously made him memorize were rapidly transforming in the light and shadow: they gradually shed their wretched forms, growing taller and more agile, until finally, they slowly raised their forelegs, stood upright, and transformed into the form Ryūka knew all too well—

Humans! These creatures are so weak, with an extremely low affinity for spiritual energy. Compared to races like elves, dragons, giants, and orcs, their innate abilities are worlds apart. Unable to directly absorb or generate spiritual energy, they can only use diluted, weak spiritual energy to create a new power—the precursor to battle aura! Yet, at the same time, these weak beings possess a unique characteristic unmatched by any other race—they can almost merge into the rules of any deity, freely choosing their faith and allegiance without any constraints. They can also receive various blessings from different spiritual energies!

Moreover, compared to those advanced races whose lifespans can easily reach hundreds or even thousands of years, humans have exceptionally short lifespans, yet possess an extremely strong reproductive capacity, ensuring an endless cycle of life! Their vast numbers lead to diverse and varied thoughts; their short lifespans also allow their thinking to evolve at a speed far exceeding that of other races. All of this makes humans the most beloved source of faith for the gods!

Just like chives in the field! Once you cut one crop, another will grow! You can even select and breed different "varieties" according to your own preferences, and reap a continuous stream of faith power!