Divine Artifacts, Calendar, and Three Conditions

Divine Artifacts, Calendar, and Three Conditions

In the Underworld, with no sky overhead, everything was deathly silent.

When the earth split apart, Ryan had already passed through it and arrived in this empty land.

This was one of Khaos's three parts. Sky and earth were one, oceans and rivers coexisted, and only the Underworld, shrouded in darkness, stood alone.

With divine power at work, when Ryan passed through the layers of earth and looked around, all he saw was an endless gray Great Plains.

The Underworld at this time was completely different from the myths of his previous life. There was no river of fire, no Three-Headed Dog, no Styx or Acheron, and certainly no palace of the King of the Underworld. This gray land, later known as the Truthful Garden, was utterly empty, even more desolate than the surface had been a thousand years ago.

Back then, the surface at least had mountains and seas. But at this moment, there was nothing in the Underworld.

"This should have been the destination of souls."

"But it won't be in the future."

Shaking his head, Ryan silently reached a conclusion. Using divine power, he raised a small hill and then created a set of tables and chairs made from earth for himself.

This was a new invention of Khaos, and thus he had obtained a trace of the divinity of skill and creation.

"Better than nothing."

He casually merged this bit of divinity, which could not even be considered a "divine office," with Spirituality. Ryan did not continue creating new things, but quietly waited for his guest.

After all, without users and admirers, skill could never become a divine office. Once new gods were born and humanity appeared, he would have better ways to obtain them.

Days passed one after another. Although there were no sun or moon in the Underworld, Ryan could still determine how much time had passed by sensing the Time Sequence and the moon.

About twenty-four years after the Twelve Titans returned to the womb, a flash of Dark Green Light streaked across the void, and the silent Underworld Soil finally welcomed its second guest.

Seeing Gaia again, Ryan clearly noticed that she had aged. The Earth Mother now looked like a woman in her fifties. Her emerald eyes were dull and lifeless, her hair, once decorated with flowers, had withered into dry yellow strands, and even the hem of her dress was covered in dust.

"Long time no see, Earth Mother."

Without standing, Ryan pointed with his right hand at the stone chair opposite him, indicating that she could sit.

He was not particularly courteous. Strictly speaking, he had never liked these ancient gods very much.

Gaia glanced up at Ryan. At their fourth meeting, she could clearly feel the change in his attitude.

Unlike his former respect and courtesy, Ryan was now indifferent and distant toward her.

Gaia was not surprised. With the Seer's wisdom, he had probably sensed long ago that she and her children were dissatisfied with him.

Before, she had been the God Queen, the Earth Mother, an ancient god possessing supreme divine power, so he had welcomed her with a smile. But now, although she did not know what he was relying on, Ryan was clearly no longer afraid of her.

"Long time no see, wise Prince Ryan."

After meeting Ryan's gaze for a while, Gaia finally sat down. Whatever thoughts the god before her might have, she no longer wanted to endure this any longer.

First, six of her children had been imprisoned in the Abyss. Then twelve children had been forcibly stuffed back into the womb. After Uranus committed such a brutal act, he had indulged his desires for more than twenty years without the slightest hesitation.

Gaia could feel her origin draining away every moment. Although she was an immortal god who could never die, if this continued, sooner or later she would fall into eternal slumber.

"I came to seek your help," Gaia said wearily. "I gave birth to the Prophesied Knife. You once claimed that it could shake the God King's authority.

"I asked my children. Although most of them swore oaths and did not dare oppose their father, Cronus bravely accepted the responsibility of wielding the knife."

"I am the assistant from your Prophecy, but now the greatest difficulty stands before us. Seer, wise Prince Ryan, please tell me how we can truly shake Uranus's rule and even make sure he will never again become a threat."

Faced with the Earth Mother's question, Ryan smiled faintly but did not respond.

"What do you want?" the Earth Mother asked again. Seeing Ryan's silence, she questioned him directly.

"I can do everything within my power to fulfill your demands, as long as you tell me how to end this nightmare."

"Lady Gaia, you alone may not be able to give me what I want."

Ryan was unmoved by Gaia's words and spoke calmly.

"What he wants cannot be given by Gaia alone. In fact, by comparison, her share is not even that important."

"I need that fated Knife Wielder. As things stand, that would be the noble Prince Cronus. If he can end the Sky Father's rule, he will become the indisputable new King. Earth Mother, I want you to help me with two things, but I need him to agree to three conditions. Then you will receive what you want."

This was Ryan's price. Two tasks for a Primordial God and three conditions for the future God King—the price was truly not low.

Although Gaia was still very weak, power began to ripple from her body. Faintly, although she had yet to be reborn, the power of space and time was gathering within it.

"You made a Prophecy, yet met with me several times," Gaia said coldly. "If the God King learns of this, he will not let you off either."

"Perhaps. But you needn't trouble yourself over it. From the first time we met, I already foresaw this day."

"I originally prepared three things for you, but since you followed our agreement before, the divine oracle has canceled one of them. Aside from that, the two demands and three conditions must all be fulfilled."

Faced with Ryan's hard line, Gaia was angry, but also helpless.

Although she did not believe that he could have seen today thousands of years ago, she had to admit that if the Seer dared sit here, he must have made all the necessary preparations.

At least when it came to "foreknowledge," Gaia admitted that she was far inferior to him.

"State your conditions. Although I cannot agree on behalf of my children, I am willing to hear what you demand of me."

After thinking for a while, Gaia spoke in a deep voice. Things had already reached this point, and she could no longer afford to hesitate.

Ryan smiled faintly. He was not surprised by Gaia's submission. Clearly, compared with a little worldly possession, she hated that tyrannical King more.

"An Divine Artifact," he said. "The Life Treasure Bottle. I want to borrow it for a thousand years. That is my first demand."

The Life Treasure Bottle was Gaia's companion Divine Artifact. Only in her hands could it retain its full power. Once separated from Gaia, it would gradually fall silent until it became an ordinary object, so Ryan only intended to borrow it temporarily.

Of course, Ryan could not guarantee that it would still be intact when he returned it.

"I agree. What is the second one?" Gaia nodded at Ryan's demand and immediately continued asking.

"The second condition is simpler," Ryan said. "I require you to arrange the growth of plants and the changes in climate according to the Calendar I establish, following the waxing and waning of the Illusory Moon. This cannot be changed until you challenge the God King."

This was Ryan clarifying the control that Time Sequence and the moon held over plants and climate, while also further perfecting their divine authority.

In theory, the Earth Mother could abolish it at any time after the new King ascended the throne, but Ryan did not care.

He only needed this period. As long as Khaos's portions of "plant growth" and "climate change" temporarily fell under the control of Time Sequence and the moon, everything would be settled once he devoured this origin.