Places Beyond Gods

Countless purple patterns flowed across her bones, forming mysterious networks. Pale yellow halos coursed through her muscles, forming tough yet delicate meridians. Pure Primal Force rippled across her skin, traveling back and forth between bone and muscle, linking the two.

Stripped of Honkai Energy's violent nature, it gently merged into her bones. Under the continuous cleansing of the Primal Force, the purple patterns gradually lost their original sharpness.

If Crimson Kite were peeled open at this moment, one would discover that the patterns on her bones, once brimming with aggression, had become pleasing to the eye—noble, mysterious, and elegant.

Having swept through her bones, the Primal Force entered her muscles and, together with Soul Power, continuously struck at the newly formed meridians. Under the repeated impacts, cracks actually appeared once more.

Yet the cracks did not remain for long before the Primal Force flooding back into her body repaired them. Again and again, over and over, no one knew how many times they were broken through or how many times they were mended, until even further impacts could no longer rupture them.

The meridians were reforged, becoming extraordinarily resilient.

A body of flesh and blood could now rival the might of heaven and earth.

The supple muscles were filled with Primal Force. Like kneading dough, it continuously made her muscles incomparably flexible and resilient, then seeped through them and emerged from her skin, forming a pattern upon it.

It was a pattern resembling both a feather and an immortal phoenix. It appeared on Crimson Kite's smooth back, stretching from her right shoulder to the left side of her abdomen. Crimson lines outlined it, standing in stark contrast to her fair skin.

The pattern carried the flavor of a thousand years, settled from the past into the present, only now slowly revealing itself.

Crimson light suddenly bloomed, shooting straight into the heavens and illuminating more than half the sky within the Taixu Realm. Its momentum did not diminish as it surged into the depths of the universe.

This was the first step in Crimson Kite's transformation of her body. At the same time, her soul was also undergoing constant change.

When she entered the water, she had already considered every possible outcome: either the transformation would succeed and she would ascend to the heavens, or she would be unable to bear the burden and perish. Yet no matter which outcome it was, the one result she could never have foreseen was the one she faced now.

Crimson Kite could clearly sense her body being rebuilt after its destruction. She could even sense the reconstruction of every cell in her body—her eyes saw cells being born and capillaries appearing, while she heard blood being produced from nothing.

Seeing and hearing were, in truth, merely her subjective perception. In reality, she had not seen with her own eyes or heard with her own ears, because she had no eyes to see and no ears to hear.

In Crimson Kite's terms, it was a kind of consciousness, like the spiritual sense of cultivators or the primordial spirit of immortals.

What she sensed felt as though she had witnessed it with her own eyes.

In terms she understood from the Honkai World, it was... spirit. Transcending the limitations of the flesh and displaying power beyond the world.

Spirit!

The spirit roamed the four seas, seeing things eyes could not see and hearing sounds ears could not hear—the sound of the ocean, the sound of mountains and rivers, the sound of the world.

At this moment, Crimson Kite was overlooking the entire world from such a state—or rather, her own Taixu Realm.

Mountains, rivers, birds, beasts, seas, lakes, blue skies, and white clouds—everything possessed its own sound, its own language. A flower held a world; a year brought both flourishing and withering.

She seemed to see a different world.

Passing through the clouds and crossing the stars, she arrived in an unfamiliar realm. It was filled with powerful forces. Whether people or flowers, grass, and trees, everything was saturated with an immense field that made it impossible to approach.

A nation was at war! People were fighting! This was a vast world, seemingly the pinnacle of every human being.

Yet for some reason, when Crimson Kite raised her head to look at the sky, she saw something beyond this world through that powerful field. It was a patch of mist, and she did not know where it led, but her heart told her that this was not the end.

And so, she took that step.

At the same time, the world began to tremble.

Surging energy poured back in, all of it swarming toward her at once. Like wanderers returning home, it burrowed into Crimson Kite's soul.

At first, it came in wisps like little streams, then gradually gathered into a raging sea, constantly filling Crimson Kite's soul. It went from being illusory at first to now possessing a body as solid as a real person's.

The essence of humanity underwent another evolution. As if sensing something, Crimson Kite closed her eyes in contemplation. The surging energy still swept through this world, alarming countless powerful beings within it.

Gentle Primal Force suddenly appeared without the slightest warning. Milky-white energy enveloped her soul, continuously filtering the energy of this world.

Incomparably pure energy fused into Crimson Kite's soul once again. Her soul, which had seemed solid, became transparent once more, as though it might scatter in the wind at any moment. Yet this transparent soul radiated a power even more terrifying than before.

This was an ascension, and also a creation—one destined to shake the entire Source Universe.

Suddenly, several incomparably powerful auras came from a thousand li beyond the place where Crimson Kite was. In the blink of an eye, those auras arrived where she had been, but Crimson Kite herself had vanished without a trace.

Powerful Divine Sense swept across the area, but where was Crimson Kite's aura?

The newcomer's aura was deep and heavy, like an entire range of mountains bearing down from above, forcing the wild grass of this barren plain to bend at the waist. His eyes blazed like fire, bright and sharp.

"The aura has disappeared."

His voice was deep and resonant, carrying for a thousand li.

"Who exactly was making a breakthrough here?"

On the other side, a shrill voice sounded. This figure differed from the previous man: thin and slender, with a gaunt face and a typical oval-shaped visage. Yet his aura was no different from the first man's. He was likewise an exceptionally powerful being.

Several paces away from him stood another person, entirely concealed beneath a black robe, making it impossible to see their features. Yet the aura around them could not be faked.

They remained silent as they watched everything before them.

And it was not only these three who had noticed this disturbance of energy. Or rather, they had arrived first because they were closer.

Within this vast world, many powerful beings had also noticed the scene. They raised their heads to gaze into the distance, considering every possibility.

"Will the God Realm, which has been peaceful for ten thousand years, finally begin to stir?"

No one knew who spoke those words.

All sides of the God Realm displayed differing reactions.

"Who is so bold?"

"They actually... intend to create a divine position of their own."

"The God Realm has seen no new gods for many years. Yet at a time like this, someone who created their own godhood has suddenly appeared. The future seems to have become interesting."

Different voices rang out from every direction, and the silent world instantly fell into commotion. Yet the unrest lasted only a moment. They might have been curious about the appearance of this new god, but it was not enough to truly draw their attention.

For no other reason than... they were gods, gods who controlled everything.

The God Realm returned to silence once more, as though Crimson Kite's appearance had merely been a dream. This vast and powerful world once again vanished into the unknown.

Taixu Realm, within Taixu Mountain

Everything returned to calm. The vortex of Primal Force had completely dispersed, continuing to drift through the surroundings, where it was absorbed either by spirit beasts or by flowers, grass, trees, mountains, and rivers.

The Taixu Realm was growing, and so were the creatures within it. The Primal Force drifting through the air was becoming increasingly thin. Once it completely vanished, this world would likely enter the next stage of evolution.

Taixu Mountain, Zhishui Lake

The calm, rippleless lake remained clear as a mirror. Looking down from above, one could clearly see the scenery beneath its surface. A delicate and beautiful young woman lay peacefully on her back within it, her silver-white hair spread out like a pristine white bed.

Her flawless body lent color to the pure lake, every inch of it visible. She was heaven's most perfect creation, and the fragrance of the maiden resting in silence mingled with the scent of grass, refreshing the heart and mind.

As she slept peacefully, she resembled Snow White from a fairy tale, waiting for someone to awaken her with a kiss. Unfortunately, this was not a fairy tale, so no prince would appear.

The sound of water suddenly arose from within the lake, though its surface remained as calm as before. Crimson Kite sprang up in alarm, warm droplets of water still clinging to her body.

Drip! Drip!

They slowly flowed back to where they belonged. Her slender, graceful figure stood upright, her unclothed skin radiating a primal luster and gleaming in the afternoon light.

The waterfall beside Zhishui Lake continued to roar, while the stubborn boulders beneath it remained standing, dark and profound, forming a stark contrast with Crimson Kite's body.

Her lips parted slightly as she breathed softly, exhaling a faint orchid fragrance.

There was still a trace of astonishment in her crimson eyes. At that final moment, she had truly felt the power of that world. It was stronger than anyone on Douluo Continent; even a Limit Douluo would not have been a match for it.

That was... a god!

A true god.

Crimson Kite did not know whether the gods of the Honkai World were as powerful as those people, but that did not stop her from making such a comparison at this moment. If she became a god here, could she completely change the current state of the Honkai World?

The answer was: possibly!

Even if it was an uncertain answer.

A god...?

Her slender fingers clenched, faint pain rising from her palm. Water droplets gathered at the base of her hand before falling into the lake.

Silver strands danced and soared through the air, tracing graceful arcs. A sudden wind rose, settling behind her in a blood-red cloak of feathered flames.

"Cr-Crimson Kite..."

Jingwei's hesitant voice rang out.

She seemed too embarrassed to face Crimson Kite as she was now.

"What is it, Jingwei?"

Her voice was soft and pleasant, like the mingling songs of orioles and swallows. Jingwei could not help but freeze.

Th-this... is my Lady Crimson Kite? So beautiful, so captivating.

She was intoxicated by the Crimson Kite before her, utterly entranced.

Crimson Kite was surprised. It seemed that a great change had occurred within her. This sort of voice... even she found it astonishing, as if she were a fox spirit constantly exuding seduction.

Her body was slender, around one meter seventy-five in height. Her legs were fair and straight. Though they were not as striking as Xiao Wu's, they possessed their own unique beauty. Her hips were pert and shapely, while her chest rose slightly, youthful yet still alluring.

A mysterious and unfathomable pattern appeared across her jade-like back. With Jingwei there for comparison, the design no longer seemed entirely unfamiliar. It looked somewhat like Jingwei.

Silver hair danced through the sky, blurring the scenery behind her. Her bangs fluttered against her forehead, bringing a faint itch. Her eyes were like water, crimson like flames, drawing others into an endless vortex.

Her essence was like moonlight.

Her aura stretched across rivers.

Her spirit resembled starlight.

The Crimson Kite before Jingwei and the Crimson Kite of the past could only be described as two different people, yet they also felt like the same person. It was strange. Jingwei tilted her head in confusion, her bird eyes filled with deep incomprehension.

"Jingwei, don't you recognize me?"

She took a light step and glanced back. A single backward glance could enchant countless hearts; even without smiling, Crimson Kite still left Jingwei dizzy and dazed. Jingwei's bird face reddened as she spread her wings, covering her eyes before turning around.

"L-L-Lady Crimson Kite, you should hurry and put on some clothes! Even if there's n-n-no one here, there are still b-b-birds!"

Jingwei stammered.

The corners of Crimson Kite's lips curved slightly, enchanting all living things. She stepped lightly and moved with graceful ease.

A set of clothes had long been placed on the shore, folded neatly: an inner garment, an outer robe, Cloudstep Boots, and even the Crimson Flame Feather.

Crimson Kite put them on one piece at a time. Once she donned the Crimson Flame Feather, the Lady Crimson Kite Jingwei knew had finally returned. Yet for some reason, Jingwei still felt that this Lady Crimson Kite was different somehow.

PS: Okay! Updates are gradually returning, so as long as it isn't past midnight, it doesn't count as being late.

PS1: You didn't think I had stopped updating again, did you? Hehe.

PS2: I do have a reader group, but it was made for my first book, and there are basically no people in it. If you want to join, then go ahead. Just enter this book's title for the verification question: 694638670