Early morning.
After the bells echoed, the entire forest fell silent once more.
From an ant's perspective, this world was tremendously dangerous and vast.
In the trees, on the ground, and in underground caves, a three-dimensional structure spanning three levels extended the habitable land. The forest was lush, valleys flowed with rivers, and the gods had created all sorts of chaotic insects. Creatures the size of mites crawled across the ground, turning it into a tropical rainforest—a primitive and brutal proving ground for survival.
And in the distance.
The towering World Tree blocked out the sky overhead. Its thick branches served as roads, its leaves became enormous platforms, and countless elves lived upon them.
The air was fresh and the fragrance of flowers spread everywhere, making it seem like paradise.
Yet on the Elven Tree, there were even more tender, pea-sized, green, peach-shaped fruits, each nurturing a baby. Some babies could even be seen emerging as the fruits blossomed, delicate and adorable elven infants appearing in the centers of the flowers as though born seated upon lotus thrones.
Zz!
Ilis secretly crept closer.
The spider suddenly spat out a strand of silk and snatched down a fruit, then withdrew without a sound, like the keenest assassin in nature, hunting in absolute silence.
The fruits of the World Tree were the finest food.
But the Elven Race's archers were terrifying indeed. They hunted any race that invaded their homeland, and their poisoned weapons were nearly impossible to withstand.
If the Elven Race had not lacked ambition and creativity, and if they had not been as sluggish and indolent as plants, the races created by the gods below would have been completely exterminated by them.
After circling around the Elven Race's defenses and stealing a fruit, Ilis carefully climbed down the tree and hid again to continue studying the gods' legacy.
It discovered that after absorbing the god's structure, it had gained a tiny bit of telekinetic power—Consciousness Waves.
But it was far weaker than the god.
After all, it had merely obtained a single-celled god's wisdom, which was equivalent to nothing more than the gods' initial stage.
At the same time, it voraciously read the experimental records left behind by the Spider God in the Divine Treasure Tool.
It gradually discovered that it had considerable talent in this area.
It was even more gifted than the Spider God who had created it. This left it excited and exhilarated, and its reverence for the gods in the heavens was no longer absolute.
Thus, after the bells had echoed, it spent three or four days studying. It gained an increasingly firm grasp of the gods' structures and even used the Divine Treasure Tool's computing power for assistance.
It successfully built its own laboratory in secret. It made Cell Bottles one after another, hiding inside them the gene fragments it had painstakingly compiled as it attempted to create life.
"I succeeded! I integrated the Spider God's information in this area and created a new spider life-form!"
At that moment, it seemed to have opened the gates to a forbidden zone and gained the authority of a god.
Then, a voice that filled it with terror came from within its body:
"I've been watching you for days."
"Little fellow, creating life is interesting, isn't it?"
Hearing the voice in its mind, Ilis's entire body began to tremble, as though the greatest secret in its heart had been seen through. "Who are you? Who's inside my mind? Are you Lord Nacala, the Spider God?"
"I guessed that a life as terrifying as a god might still retain a remnant of consciousness!"
"But I've already tried everything! I soaked this cell in water and exposed it to the light. Yet after absorbing it, I was still..."
Li Qing was slightly surprised. This operation seemed strangely familiar.
Ilis suddenly said, "No, you're not Nacala, the Spider God. You're not the consciousness remaining inside it! You came from somewhere else!"
"Why do you say that?" The voice suddenly chuckled.
"Nacala was an irritable person. He couldn't possibly be this calm!" Ilis said. "Are you one of the gods on the tree?"
"A little fellow who hasn't even left the world, a lowly thing that hasn't touched the rules of truth—is that called a god?" The voice carried a trace of mockery.
Listening to the answer, Ilis felt a shiver of fear.
Could it have come from beyond the world?
After all, that vast figure was someone even the gods had to worship.
The spider actually prostrated itself silently on the ground, as if paying homage, and asked cautiously, "Then, could you be a colossal god from beyond the heavens?"
Li Qing's voice deepened. "Boy! I truly came from a more distant god-realm. I discovered that gods were already protecting this world, so I arrived a little late. This world already has rulers, but for now, I merely want to bring it a little fun."
Ilis's entire body trembled faintly.
This was a war between Outer Gods beyond the world!
It seemed to see power far surpassing that of the gods on the tree.
Beyond the transparent Crystal Wall, in the endless chaos, were boundless mysterious worlds, as well as vast supreme giants holding marbles that each contained an entire world.
"Do you want me to guide your descent?"
Ilis's voice shook slightly.
After all, the power of a god was simply too immense.
To descend across this small world required an extremely complicated ritual. Only by having life on the ground welcome it could a sliver of its will descend.
The Holy Dragon of the Church of Light was precisely that being's incarnation walking among mortals.
And now, was it going to become this mysterious Outer God's mortal spokesperson, an existence like the Holy Dragon? Was it going to welcome another god?
Other gods were about to lay hands on this world!
"Boy, do you want power?" The voice came, simple and blunt.
"I—I think I can do it myself..." Ilis did not dare refuse outright, but it felt that being dragged into this sort of affair meant certain death.
"Fool! Do you know what that interesting new king among mortals, Herodotus, once said?"
"Fear is the emotion farthest from the truth."
"You're making progress, but the gods in the heavens are advancing far faster than you, boy!" The voice was like a demon whispering beside its ear. "Listen. They're about to say something up there."
Suddenly, voices came from the sky once more.
On the World Tree.
"I am Herodotus, King of the Gods. I shall lead the gods in creating a second protagonist—the human race."
The human race?
Across the entire earth, all the various races were thrown into shock.
Most races were incomplete and weak. Without a doubt, the strongest race on the ground was the favored creation jointly made by the gods: the Elven Race.
And now Herodotus had finally led the gods in completing another magnificent feat. Was a second protagonist of the earthly age about to appear?
The human race?
What sort of race was it?
How powerful would it be?
Everyone held their breath.
And inside the cave.
Ilis also sensed the urgency!
"See? How can you possibly catch up with the gods?"
The voice made no attempt to hide its intentions as it mocked, "The creations of those gods on the tree are growing stronger and stronger. Before long, you may not even be able to defeat the human race. Soon, you'll be discovered for stealing Divine Power and sentenced to death by hanging."
"I..." Ilis fell silent.
"Build an altar, welcome my descent, and worship me! I shall grant you the power of thunder."
The voice suddenly lowered to a whisper.
The omnipresent terror of the unknown wrapped around Ilis, making it unable to suppress its fear.
"Become my avatar walking among mortals in this world. Secretly build an altar for me, open a passage between worlds, and let another world descend upon this one!"
"Let those endless mountains of flesh devour this ravaged world! Let this world learn the terror of thunder."
"Make this world submit—or let it be destroyed forever!"
The voice remained calm, yet carried boundless savagery, as though an abyss were staring from within its body. Ilis's mind filled with terror.
"Great god, could you let me think about it?" Ilis could not help asking nervously. The impact was simply too great.
"Little fellow, worship me and you will gain my power. You will stir up the winds and clouds of this world, and may even have the chance to challenge Herodotus, King of the Gods." Li Qing stirred up trouble in passing, then left directly.
He felt that this was rather scummy. He had just placed a crown on someone, only to turn around and incite another person to rebel against him. Still, he hoped this little spider might give him a few surprises.
And what did it mean to open a passage between worlds and bring in another world?
Naturally, it meant drilling a hole through the wall and connecting to the room next door—an otherworld.
The room next door had a fascinating environment.
It happened to be able to completely expand the cramped area of this single room and give them a broader sandbox of land.
But opening a passage so inexplicably would lack any sense of ceremony.
So, was it not interesting to find an inside agent to build an altar, welcome the descent of an Outer God, and usher in an attack from another world?
Only through competition could there be progress.
In any case, let the undercurrents surge through this world.
Before you continue