"Give me... Divine Forging!!!"
As Ying Liyi finished speaking...
A violent vortex suddenly appeared between her raised hands!
The Artifact God, like all rivers flowing into the sea, converges towards the center!
That is divine power belonging to the Artifact Sequence!
It is also the ultimate manifestation of his divine skill, [Divine Forging]!
The price, however, is...
Forever stripped of his position as Artifact God, he has fallen from his pedestal!
"Haa!"
Ying Liyi looked up to the sky and shouted, clasping his hands together to press the divine power into his palms!
Boom!
A mournful cry echoed through the heavens and earth.
Then, all was calm...
"This forging is truly... expensive..."
Ying Liyi was completely exhausted and knelt on one knee.
She wiped the cold sweat from her forehead and looked at the dark blue light that appeared in her palm.
At this moment, it is broadcasting a mechanical voice.
[The Word Spirit System has been activated. Developer detected... Please provide instructions.]
Ying Liyi did not answer.
She simply stared blankly at this peerless weapon, which she had personally forged with all her divine power.
I carefully examined its information.
[Item]: Word Spirit System
[Level]: Divine Grade
[Type]: Item
[Function]: Unique artifact, Soul Bound.
The host can acquire the power of Word Spirit through accumulated daily check-ins, reaching a maximum Divine Grade.
Words become law, disregarding conventional rules and regulations.
[Information]: The fall of each Artifact God signifies the birth of an unparalleled divine artifact.
Its appearance could either save the world or World Annihilation.
Which one would you be?
"None of those."
Ying Liyi's eyes reddened, and her voice trembled.
"I... just want to protect the people I care about, and the home I cherish."
After saying that, she became extremely weak.
[Divine Forging] almost drained all her divine power and life force.
She raised her head and looked at the middle-aged Dragon God sitting upright on the bronze chair.
"Father..."
"We'll meet again... a thousand years from now."
"I love you."
"Hundred Forgings!"
Ying Liyi squeezed out the last bit of Supernatural Ability energy from her body and threw the blue ball of light at the middle-aged Dragon God!
The forced activation of [Hundred Forgings] welded the [Word Spirit System] to the depths of the middle-aged Dragon God's soul!
Even if the Dragon God himself wanted to untie himself, he couldn't!
The middle-aged Dragon God looked at her and revealed the gentlest smile.
Me too.
"After I die... the [Adjudication] and [Ordinary Sequence] sequences within me will reappear in the world."
"Go collect Ordinary Sequences..."
The words were finished.
He stood up and looked up at the sky.
My right index finger points towards the sky!
"I am the chosen one, and the only one!"
Sequence 101...
[Fate]!
The words had barely left his mouth.
The middle-aged Dragon God's body disintegrated and vanished into the void.
His emotions and soul transformed into a pillar of light, soaring straight into the sky and breaking through the barriers!
That's all...
The middle-aged Dragon God possesses a [Word Spirit System], and also carries the last hope for the salvation of this world...
They've left.
Standing to the side was the newly created Zhong Kui Dragon God.
It walked forward expressionlessly, tore through space, and sent the weakened Ying Liyi away.
Then, it turned around, preparing to follow the pre-set procedure and embark on its thousand-year-long solitary vigil in the River of Time...
However, just as the spatial rift was about to close...
Ying Liyi turned around.
She glanced in the direction of Jiangnan, who was watching from the sidelines, and a complex smile appeared on her face.
She held up her index finger, making a "one" gesture.
The memory abruptly ends here.
In the gray and River of Time.
Jiangnan opened his eyes and exhaled a long breath.
He found the method to bind the Mountains and Rivers State Map.
At the same time, he also knew the answer hidden deep within his heart.
"I am not the Executor."
"He isn't exactly one either."
Jiangnan looked down at the dissipating, broken body on the ground.
"But... he's an unlucky guy."
"A poor soul destined to be sacrificed from the very beginning."
The last "one" gesture that Ying Liyi made.
Jiangnan understood.
Her main plan was to keep this emotionless imitation.
A thousand years later, engage in this seemingly fair, but actually unfair, duel with your true self!
In order to ensure the survival of the savior, Ying Liyi originally deprived Zhong Kui Dragon God, of any chance of winning.
Immediately afterwards.
Accompanied by the complete Fusion of fragmented memories.
An overwhelming torrent of emotions washed over Jiangnan's mind!
That is Zhong Kui Dragon God, who has stayed for thousands of years in this River of Time.
It is endless loneliness, the torment of deathly silence.
Why am I here?
"Who I am?"
"I am the Dragon God..."
"No, I am a monster implanted with the memories of the Dragon God..."
"It's so cold... so quiet..."
"So lonely..."
These whispers Echo in the ears of Jiangnan.
The saddest thing is...
Zhong Kui Dragon God, who was forcibly stripped of his emotions, was even unable to feel hatred.
It can only be like a clumsy actor.
Following the memories in his mind that were not his own, he imitated the real Dragon God day after day.
Like a Clown...
Jiangnan did not resist the impact of these memories.
The incident with Hislay had already given him a heads-up; he could handle it.
He simply stared quietly at his hands.
Or rather, watching the body on the ground slowly shedding its Dragon God disguise to reveal the ghostly figure of Zhong Kui...
The Deception God's Mask on its face has fallen off.
It was swept away by the waves of the Reverse-Flow River and turned into dust.
Because the new mask was created a thousand years ago.
There shouldn't be two identical relics from the Old World in this long river of history.
Jiangnan gazed at the ghostly figure that served as the vessel for his thousand-year-old memories.
His gaze was complex.
"Thanks for your hard work."
Jiangnan said softly.
I will never forget everything you've done.
"I won't let you... die such a tragic death."
"Because this is the reward you deserve."
The words were finished.
Jiangnan reached into his pocket and took out the [Deception God's Mask] that he had obtained from Hislay.
She made a decision that went against Ying Liyi's original plan.
Jiangnan did not follow the plan to save the mask as material for subsequent forging.
Instead, they pressed the mask back onto Zhong Kui's ghostly face.
Buzz!
The moment the masks Fusion, the ghostly figure transformed once more.
But this time, it did not transform into the form of the Dragon God.
Under the mask's reshaping, the towering ghostly body shrank.
Final.
It transformed into a human baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes, fast asleep.
However, the cold and aloof demeanor emanating from his brows was exactly the same as that of Jiangnan.
Jiangnan looked at the baby and touched himself.
Aside from a notepad and a pen that he'd swiped from some unlucky fellow, there was nothing else.
He did not give any instructions to the reborn Zhong Kui.
He simply opened his diary.
Four large characters were written on the cover.
[Judgment Diary]
"Confused for a thousand years, perplexed for a thousand years..."
Looking at the sleeping baby, Jiangnan said, "May your future be bright."
He finished talking to himself.
Jiangnan turned to the second page and wrote down a sentence, which was also his final piece of advice.
"Your name is Lu Ming."
Don't always listen to what others say.
"You must learn to question and to refute."
"Go do what you think is right."
Then, he stuffed the diary into Lu Ming's swaddling clothes and placed it on his chest.
Next.
Using the laws of the River of Time, Jiangnan found a Spacetime Rift leading to Blue Star in the vast galaxy.
He manipulated the waters of the Reverse-Flow River, transforming them into a protective shield to envelop the baby.
Then, he was sent into the crevice.
"The Blue Star is no longer under attack from the Su Gelu and is being rebuilt; it should be safe."
After doing all this, Jiangnan took a deep breath.
"Well then... it's time to get down to business."
Jiangnan produced the [Mountains and Rivers State Map], which was still resisting.
The demonstration I remember was very simple.
Divine artifacts can only be truly used Soul Bound; this is also the safest method.
Only...
That's too extreme.
Because the middle-aged Dragon God had suicidally separated his soul.
Only then was the binding with the [Word Spirit System] completed.
He absolutely cannot do that now, or he'll be dead.
It would be impossible to carry out the subsequent salvation plan.
Before his divine power dissipated, Ying Liyi used [Hundred Forgings] as a final move to forcibly bind the system and the Dragon God together.
The key is still [Hundred Forgings].
The problem is that Mo Wan, who possesses the Hundred Forgings skill, is currently on the verge of death and is unable to use it at all.
Relying on the system to farm Word Spirit is too luck-dependent, and even the broken lamp of the Human Emperor Lamp has been incorporated into the painting.
Then we can only go to...
"Find the old Ying Liyi!"
Jiangnan made a decision immediately.
He turned around, defying the current, and began to swiftly search for Time Fragment from a thousand years ago in the River of Time.
"Found it..."
Jiangnan locked onto a fragment and stepped directly into it.
However, the landing time was a little early.
Having gained access to the memories of the middle-aged Dragon God, Jiangnan was able to immediately discern the current situation.
Ying Liyi of this era had just overthrown tyranny and God.
The Dragon Xia Imperial City had just been established, and everything was in need of rebuilding.
He himself had only just been appointed as a Grand General.
"Buzz!"
The [Eye of Mobius] on Jiangnan's forehead is highlighted.
[Near Yet Far] activated!
His figure flashed continuously across the sky.
It tore through the Dragon Emperor Palace's defensive array and descended without warning!
Inside the main hall.
The young man Ying Liyi, dressed in imperial robes, seemed to have anticipated this scene.
"You've come..."
Jiangnan sheathed his spear and landed beneath the dragon throne.
"You seem to have known all along that I would come."
The young man Ying Liyi, sat on the dragon throne, smiling broadly.
"Of course."
"I have already made thorough preparations."
She looked at Jiangnan, "Before I use the Hundred Forgings technique to refine it for you, I want to ask you a question..."
Who won that duel in the long river of time?
Jiangnan did not answer her.
Instead, under the questioning gaze of the young man Ying Liyi, he strode up the steps and stood before her.
"Smack!"
Jiangnan reached out and flicked her forehead.
"Do you know now?"
Jiangnan remained expressionless.
"Ouch!"
The young man Ying Liyi, covered his bright red forehead, not angry at all, but instead burst into tears of joy.
"Okay! Okay, Dad!"
She grabbed Jiangnan's arm tightly.
"To be honest, I've always been afraid."
"My legs were shaking even on the dragon throne; I was genuinely afraid you wouldn't be able to defeat that monster!"
"So, you tampered with [The Deception God's Mask] beforehand, didn't you?"
Jiangnan said this.
The young man Ying Liyi's crying stopped abruptly.
She lowered her head, like a child who had done something wrong, and nodded silently.
"Yes... I secretly placed an order within the Mask's underlying logic that prevents Him from killing you."
"The outcome of this battle... was decided from the very beginning."
Jiangnan closed her eyes
Just as I expected.
During the battle just now, he felt that the Dragon God's fighting spirit was strange.
Despite numerous excellent opportunities to attack, he failed to unleash any killing intent.
"There's no point in saying more."
Jiangnan patted her on the shoulder, "Let's get down to business first."
He took out the ancient scroll and asked, "Is there any way to directly bind this [Mountains and Rivers State Map] to me?"
Young Ying Liyi wiped away his tears and nodded, saying, "Yes! This was originally part of the plan back then!"
"The spirit of the Mountains and Rivers State Map can freely mobilize the power of the vast world within it."
"This means she's practically invincible inside."
"As long as you enter the Mountains and Rivers State Map and use the divine skill King Yama, you can resummon [Zhong Kui]."
"It can then be used as Shadow to forcibly defeat the weapon spirit and complete the binding!"
Is there any other way?
Jiangnan looked at her, his tone complicated, "I just... released it back into the wild."
"They released them?!"
Young Ying Liyi jumped up from the dragon throne and patted Jiangnan on the shoulder.
"Dad! What kind of joke is this?!"
"Zhong Kui is the core of the plan!"
How could you release it like a wild turtle?!
"There are no 'buts'."
Jiangnan Nanhao shoved her back onto the dragon throne, interrupting her outburst.
Plans can't keep up with changes.
"I have my own plans."
"All right..."
Ying Liyi covered her still throbbing forehead, looking utterly exhausted.
"Anyway, the one who should really be worried is me in this world, why should I care about anything else?"
She sighed and pulled herself together.
"Besides forcibly defeating her with Zhong Kui, there's another, slightly riskier method."
"That means using the parts from your body, Father, so I can use [Hundred Forgings] to Fusion it with the Mountains and Rivers State Map."
"In this way, with the token bearing your aura as a bridge, you too can transform into a spirit and mobilize the power of the inner world."
After a moment's thought, Jiangnan agreed.
He removed the [Eye of Mobius] from his forehead and handed it over.
Upon seeing this prosthetic eye, which radiated Demigod- level energy...
Ying Liyi was somewhat excited.
Leave it to me!
She clasped her hands together, and her [Hundred Forgings] power erupted!
As Artifact God at her peak, her technique was noticeably easier and more skillful than Mo Wan's.
In just a short while.
In a burst of dazzling light, the Fusion was complete.
Only...
When Jiangnan received the scroll, he found that the Mountains and Rivers State Map was still the same as before, without even a single new pattern.
But the most serious problem is...
No, where are my eyes?
Jiangnan pointed to his bald forehead and stared at Ying Liyi.
Ying Liyi scratched his head awkwardly and quickly explained.
"Dad, don't worry! It's not a failure!"
"It's because the Mountains and Rivers State Map' is of too high a grade."
"It's a divine artifact; it directly devoured and assimilated that Demigod- level eye!"
"It should now have become one of the abilities of the Mountains and Rivers State Map!"
Jiangnan grasped the scroll with a mixture of belief and skepticism.
Buzz!
A surge of information flooded his mind.
[New Feature: Heavenly Eye]: The Mountains and Rivers State Map can transform into an invisible Three-Eyes, attaching itself to the host's brow.
All the original functions of the [Eye of Mobius] were retained, and with the power of the artifact, it was upgraded to a Divine Grade law.
It is infinitely wondrous, capable of piercing through illusions and peering into the vast world.
Even if separated by endless universes and countless boundaries, as long as the cause and effect remain unbroken, the target can be accurately located.
At the same time, the host can use the Heavenly Eye as a bridge to forcibly draw upon the vast power of the Mountains and Rivers Realm to the outside world!
When using it, you need to recite the incantation. "Mountains and Rivers..."