Preparation

Byron Imperial Capital, eastern outskirts of Maple Leaf City, Leian Manor

Beneath a clear sky stretching for thousands of miles, two figures flew through the air. Carter, the Golden-Haired Stone Ape, who was using a Gravity Spell on the manor's training grounds to assist Allen's cultivation, abruptly rose and looked up. His dark golden pupils swiftly turned toward the sky, but upon seeing that it was Leian, he drooped his eyelids and slowly lay back down.

At that moment, four black shadows shot out from the stone training chamber. Once they reached midair, the four bodies suddenly merged into one, transforming into a black feline magical beast—it was Selina, the Shadow Magic Monkey.

Judging by her performance, she had already made considerable progress in cultivating the Shadow Clone Technique.

Leian was quite satisfied with the vigilance displayed by the two magical beasts.

"Big Brother!"

Allen sheathed his sword and stood tall, his face filled with delight. He had thought his brother would travel for at least several years this time, yet Leian had returned after only half a year.

"Not bad!"

Leian looked Allen over from head to toe and praised him with a smile. With his eyesight, he could naturally see that Allen was not far from becoming a level-seven warrior. This showed that the boy had not slacked off over the past six months.

"Leian, how did it go? Did the goddess take you as her disciple?"

Selina's voice rang out in Leian's mind, carrying a hint of urgency.

As Margaret's former magical pet, Selina knew all about the Goddess Token. She also knew that Leian had gone out this time to participate in the Goddess's Named Disciple Tournament.

Hearing her telepathic message, Leian smiled without saying anything. He merely released a trace of the aura belonging to a divine-level expert.

An invisible breeze swept through the surroundings, and a faint pressure blanketed the entire training grounds. The people and magical beasts present did not feel much strain, but they all felt that Leian's bearing had suddenly become majestic and sacred.

At that moment, before Allen and Carter could say anything, Selina froze in place, her round black eyes widening.

"Y-you... you... have you become a god?"

Her incredulous voice rang out in Leian's mind once more.

When she had followed Margaret in the past, Selina had been fortunate enough to meet the Goddess of Dark Night several times. The aura of a divine-level expert had left a deep impression on her, so she recognized it immediately.

"Big Brother, you... you broke through?"

On the other side, Allen seemed to realize something. His expression abruptly changed, and he suddenly became excited before asking the question in his heart with a trembling voice.

Only then did he remember the knowledge his brother had taught him in the past about cultivation realms.

Back then, in order to encourage the family to cultivate diligently, Leian had introduced the realms of warriors and the key points of breaking through them.

For instance, comprehending Worldly Momentum allowed one to enter the Saint Realm. Comprehending Laws and Profound Mysteries meant reaching the peak of the Saint Realm, followed by the limits of the Saint Realm, and then godhood...

Facing Allen's expectant gaze, Leian smiled and nodded. "That's right, I broke through. Your big brother is now a divine-level expert!"

Upon hearing Leian admit it himself, Allen was too excited for words. His face instantly flushed bright red. After a long while, he let out a howl and ran toward the front courtyard while waving his arms and dancing about. Clearly, he wanted to tell their parents and sister the good news.

Leian smiled and shook his head. With his divine sense spread out, he had already seen his father reading in the study, while his mother and younger sister were watering flowers in the front courtyard.

Just as he was about to head over, he suddenly remembered something and looked down at the hem of his robe. A finger-sized black lizard was clinging there.

That black lizard was Kals, the Saint Realm Black Dragon. After Leian had dissolved their master-servant contract, he had shamelessly grabbed onto Leian's robe and followed him around.

Later, when Leian went to meet the goddess, Kals had sensibly waited outside the valley. Once Leian emerged, he followed him again.

Seeing how tactful he was, Leian had not refused to let him stay.

At that moment, after sensing Leian's gaze, Kals swiftly jumped to the ground and transformed into a black dragon over a meter tall. Then he called out ingratiatingly:

"Lord Leian!"

Looking at this black dragon, who had none of the bearing of a Saint Realm magical beast, Leian was rather speechless. In the end, he could only tell him to follow before heading toward the front courtyard.

Main hall of the manor

Barry and Annie, along with Allen and Bella, sat gathered around Leian. Excited smiles filled every face.

"Leian, truly, I never imagined in my life that one day my son would become a god...

"Wah... I, Barry, actually have a son who became a god. I'm the father of a divine-level expert, hahaha..."

Ever since learning that his son had become a divine-level expert, old Barry had been so excited that he was speaking incoherently. Annie was also happily wiping away tears.

Beside them, Bella and Allen each clung to one of Leian's arms, occasionally asking him questions about the divine realm.

Everyone remained excited and stunned throughout the entire afternoon, and only by evening did their excitement ease slightly.

It was not until dinner that Leian had a chance to introduce Xilmon and Kals to the family. With the news of Leian becoming a god coming first, Barry and the others were no longer particularly shocked by Saint Realm experts and Saint Realm magical beasts.

At night, in the manor study

Leian summoned Xilmon alone.

Behind a large mahogany desk, Leian looked directly at Xilmon and said calmly:

"Xilmon, I'm giving you one month. Recruit a group of Saint Realm experts in my name, no more than twenty people. Focus primarily on cultivators of the Four Supreme Laws, as well as the laws of earth, wind, and darkness. Can you do it?"

Recruiting Saint Realm experts was naturally preparation for establishing a religious order. The reason he chose cultivators of the earth, wind, and darkness laws was because Leian was most familiar with them.

As for the Four Supreme Laws, he had merely mentioned them in passing. After all, people who cultivated the Four Supreme Laws were extremely rare in material planes. It would be best if he could recruit some, but it did not matter if he could not.

After hearing this, Xilmon swiftly straightened his chest and replied loudly, "Rest assured, Lord Leian. Xilmon will definitely fulfill your requirements on time!"

Leian nodded in satisfaction. "Good. I'll be waiting to see your performance. Go!"

"Yes!"

After loudly giving his assurance, Xilmon slowly withdrew from the study. He then soared into the air, transformed into a black phantom, and disappeared into the night.

After Xilmon left, Leian summoned Carter and Selina as well, giving each of them a Saint Realm Magic Crystal Core matching their respective attributes.

Speaking of which, these two Saint Realm Magic Crystal Cores had not come from magical beasts Leian had hunted. Instead, he had extorted them from other Saint Realm magical beasts.

To establish a religious order and spread faith, wealth was indispensable. Knowing that dragons had a habit of collecting treasures, Leian had robbed most of the Saint Realm magical beasts in the Youquan Mountain Range.

The results were naturally quite fruitful. Not only had he obtained gold coins, jewels, magic crystals, and other treasures, he had also acquired eight Saint Realm Magic Crystal Cores. In addition, he had obtained some top-grade ores for forging weapons, such as Black Jadeite and Blood Garnet.

Magical beasts generally chose Magic Crystal Cores matching their own attributes to Devour. Magic Crystal Cores of other attributes were usually stored away as treasures.

Of the eight Magic Crystal Cores in Leian's possession, seven had come from Demos, the Tyrannosaurus. This veteran magical beast was over a hundred thousand years old, and over those long years, he had indeed accumulated a great deal of good stuff.

But now, it had all fallen into Leian's hands.