The Trimurti were all self-born.
Brahma, the Creator God, was responsible for creation. Nearly all life in the world had originated from him.
Narada had been born from Brahma's forehead.
Goddess Saraswati had been born from Brahma's left thumb. Thus, Brahma and Goddess Saraswati were both father and daughter, as well as husband and wife.
At this, Goddess Saraswati smiled and shook her head.
Her eyelids gently lowered as she closed her eyes.
"Thank you, Mother!"
Narada rejoiced, pressed his palms together in praise, and vanished from the Brahma Realm as he turned away.
"Where should I go next?"
"That praise should have come from the Netherworld, and Father is over there too. I should go to the Heavenly Realm!"
Narada chuckled inwardly.
The Netherworld.
Amid a sea of scorching lava, blazing heat rose in waves, radiating terrifyingly intense power.
A tall, bare-chested man stood on one foot within the lava.
His hair was disheveled, his body emaciated, and his face covered in ash. Yet aside from being leaner, his features were exactly identical to those of Golden-Eyed, the Asura King, with almost no difference at all.
He was Golden Bed's twin brother—Golden Bed!
"Praise Brahma!"
"Praise Brahma!"
Golden Bed kept his eyes tightly shut, continuously chanting praise for Brahma, the Creator God.
Powerful Power of Arduous Cultivation erupted from his body, transforming into countless formidable invisible forces that destroyed everything nearby. Whether lava, mountains, stones, or earth and wood, all were reduced to ashes beneath this Power of Arduous Cultivation.
A brilliant golden light appeared in the air as Brahma descended.
Brahma looked at Golden Bed below him. His smiling expression stiffened slightly, and he felt somewhat awkward.
But since he had already come this far, he could only follow the procedure.
Whoosh!
Brahma raised his right hand, releasing golden light from his palm that fell upon Golden Bed.
At that moment, under Brahma's power, the lava calmed, the scorching heat dispersed, and the wounds all over Golden Bed's body vanished. His withered body also regained its former strength and vigor.
Golden Bed's eyes suddenly flew open.
He lowered his head to look at his restored body. His gaze froze, glittering with overwhelming excitement.
His long cultivation had finally succeeded!
"Your arduous cultivation is complete. What do you desire?"
Brahma asked slowly.
Golden Bed raised his head, his eyes full of excitement. He spread his arms and bared his broad chest as he spoke of the most greedy boon.
"I want immortality!"
"Brahma!"
Golden Bed cried excitedly.
"I cannot grant the boon of immortality!"
"Life is truth, and death is also truth. Birth, aging, sickness, and death are the cycle of all things in the world, the truth of the universe. The boon of immortality violates the laws of the world. Even Shiva and Vishnu cannot grant such a boon."
"Ask for another boon!"
Brahma explained.
Hearing this, Golden Bed's smug delight and excitement at completing his cultivation faded.
So it was as expected?!
Golden Bed's gaze became calm.
He took a deep breath, steadied himself, looked up at Brahma, pressed his palms together, and bowed slightly as he spoke the boon he had prepared long ago.
"My lord! Greatest giver of gifts!"
"If you are merciful enough to grant me the boon I seek, then let me not be slain by any creature you have created!"
Golden Bed's voice grew louder, and his tone became increasingly impassioned.
"Grant that I may not die inside or outside a dwelling, neither by day nor by night, neither in the sky nor upon the earth. Grant that I may not perish at the hands of creatures outside your creation; weapons cannot harm me, and neither man nor beast can kill me!"
"Grant that I may not perish by anything existent or nonexistent. Grant me further that I may not die by any god or demon, and that the Naga serpents of the lower realm cannot harm me."
He spread his arms and shouted aloud.
"No one can harm you upon the battlefield; therefore, you are invincible!"
"Then grant me incomparable might as well."
"Grant me the incredible power gained through austerities, one that I can never lose at any time!"
Golden Bed's eyes shone brightly. His voice was impassioned and stirring as he waved his large hand like a conductor in a fountain, laying out his desired boons.
Brahma patiently listened to the boons Golden Bed wished to obtain.
Without a doubt!
This boon was even harder to circumvent than Golden-Eyed's boon.
If requesting boons were graded, Brahma would certainly have given Golden Bed full marks, full marks for his logical thinking.
It truly was not immortality!
It complied perfectly with the rules!
Expressionless, Brahma raised his right hand. Streams of golden light drifted down and merged into Golden Bed's body.
"As you wish!"
As you wish! As you wish...
Echoes of the boon resounded in all directions. The Sanskrit words "Tathastu" reverberated without end, and amid those echoes, Golden Bed sensed the changes within himself.
The powerful force of the boon surged through his body.
What was invincibility?!
He, Golden Bed, was invincible!
"It is time to return!"
Golden Bed walked barefoot, taking great strides as he slowly left the now-calmed field of lava.
Three familiar figures appeared before him.
At the forefront stood Sukra, holding a serpent staff. His hair was snow-white and his face stern and cold.
On the left stood a handsome young man—Garunemi, Golden-Eyed's second son. On the right stood another young man with an ordinary appearance, except that a black cloth was tightly tied over his eyes. He was Andhaka, Golden-Eyed's adopted eldest son.
Seeing the three arrive, Golden Bed quickly stepped forward and approached Sukra, the Asura Mentor.
"Mentor!"
He first glanced at Andhaka and Garunemi in acknowledgment, then pressed his palms together and respectfully saluted Sukra.
Sukra nodded lightly.
At that moment, Golden Bed looked around happily, then asked in confusion, "Where is my elder brother?"
Sukra's expression stiffened. He snorted coldly and turned his head away.
Garunemi also revealed a sorrowful expression.
"Father is dead!"
Andhaka suddenly said.
Boom!
Golden Bed's body jolted as though struck by lightning. His mind went blank. Disbelief first surged into his eyes, followed by tears of grief and rage, while killing intent burst forth.
"Who did it?!"
Andhaka lowered his head sadly and said, "Vishnu the Protector God and the Heavenly Emperor killed Father!"
Upon hearing this, Golden Bed slowly clenched his fists.
"I will avenge my elder brother!"
Golden Bed said coldly.
With that, he turned to leave.
"Wait!"
At that moment, Sukra suddenly extended his hand and stopped Golden Bed.
"The Netherworld is in chaos now. Every Asura wants to contend for the throne. You must first defeat them, obtain the power of the Netherworld, and become the Asura King."
"Only then will you have a greater chance of avenging yourself against the Heavenly Emperor and the Protector God!"
Sukra said.
Golden Bed stared directly at Sukra, took a deep breath, and suppressed his grief and fury.
"I understand!"
He said hoarsely.
Golden Bed's gaze was gloomy. Taking great strides with an overbearing aura, he marched furiously toward the Asura Temple.
"Heavenly Emperor, Vishnu, just wait!"
"I would like to see who can stop me!"
Within the Heavenly Realm.
Sudarshana City.
Indra was walking along a path through the gardens.
"Plant this Wish-Fulfilling Divine Tree here!"
Garunemi had nothing much to say. He was a very ordinary Asura King, but his son-in-law was Water-Bearer, born from Shiva's wrath.
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