Secrets (Part 2)

Leo I's voice carried a lingering nostalgia for the past. "The position of Plane Guardian—ostensibly sent by the Sovereigns to oversee the Material Plane—is more like a 'guide' in truth. On the surface, they're meant to prevent powerful beings in the Material Plane from wantonly destroying the plane's order and ruining the continent's foundation, but in secret, they guide Saint Domain and Deity-level experts toward the Divine Planes. After all, the Seven Divine Planes and the Four Supreme Planes always need fresh divine blood to replenish themselves."

He paused, his knuckles tapping the stone table with a dull thud. "When we founded the Three Great Empires back then, using sacred grounds like Fire God Mountain to unite the people, we held back too many experts who would otherwise have been led by him to the higher planes. Whether Saint Domain or Deity-level, staying on the Maya Continent could stabilize the empire's faith, but in the Guardian's eyes, that was no different from cutting off his 'performance metrics.' Naturally, he had to be wary."

Lin Tian's fingers tightened around his teacup as he recalled the records in the Scripture Pavilion about the strict hierarchies of the Seven Divine Planes and the Four Supreme Planes. He suddenly understood the conflict of interests hidden behind Leo I's words of "wariness."

"The South Sea battle a thousand five hundred years ago—even now, speaking of it still makes my heart pound." Leo I's gaze drifted toward the mist-wreathed mountains outside the hall, as if piercing through time itself. "That fellow George had the fiercest temper. Seeing the Guardian harassing cultivators on the empire's borders again and again, he just grabbed his battle axe and chased him all the way to the South Sea. The two fought to the death on an island the size of a medium province. George tore through the Guardian's defensive barrier, wounded him gravely, and the entire island was ground to rubble by their power and sank into the sea."

But his tone shifted, growing heavy. "That Guardian was a ruthless one too. Dragging his half-crippled body to the island where the teleportation array was, he actually produced a Sovereign's token in public—a golden plaque engraved with the word 'Order.' He said that if we didn't let go, he would use the token to summon the Sovereign's Army. Do you know what the Sovereign's Army means?"

"The lowest rank in the Sovereign's Army is Upper God. A Mid-God doesn't even have the right to resist before them." Leo I let out a long sigh, the light of his flame core dimming slightly. "When Walter and I arrived, we saw that Guardian holding up the token and laughing wildly, saying that the three of us Mid-Gods combined wouldn't even be enough to fill the Sovereign's Army's teeth. That was when we understood—he wasn't afraid of our strength. He was afraid we would break the 'rules' set by the Sovereigns."

Lin Tian pressed further. "So the specific terms of that agreement—was it only that you were allowed to tell your clansmen the truth about the Seven Divine Planes and the Four Supreme Planes?"

"Not just that." Leo I shook his head. "The agreement stipulated that we could not openly block anyone who wished to go to the Seven Divine Planes or the Four Supreme Planes. The Guardian promised that as long as we didn't use force to intercept them, he would never summon the Sovereign's Army. In plain terms, it meant abandoning the Saint Domain and Deity-level experts outside the three great families. They don't know the cruelty of the Seven Divine Planes and the Four Supreme Planes. When their cultivation reaches a dead end, they generally choose to go there. As for the Saint Domain and Deity-level experts of the three families, they only gained an extra choice. The choice was handed to them: if they want to leave, we won't stop them; but if the road ahead is a mountain of blades and a sea of flames, we'll tell them clearly."

Seeing Lin Tian's thoughtful expression, he added, "That's why, even knowing the Seven Divine Planes and the Four Supreme Planes might not be friendly to Saint Domain experts, some people still choose to brave them. After all, for some, being an ant in the Seven Divine Planes or the Four Supreme Planes is better than being a 'frog at the bottom of a well' in the Material Plane."

Lin Tian was silent for a moment, then turned the conversation toward cultivation. "Ancestor, this junior has just advanced to Lower God and is still very unfamiliar with the intricacies of Deity-level training. Could you offer some guidance?"

A look of approval shone in Leo I's eyes. "Deity-level training rests on three pillars: first, the storage of divine power; second, the comprehension of the Profound Mysteries of the Laws; and third, the application of the Profound Mysteries suited to you." Leo I spoke slowly. "Divine power is the foundation, but its absorption rate is slower than the recovery of the Divine Body. An ordinary Lower God can sense the Elemental Sea at a depth of ten meters—the elemental concentration there is just enough for daily consumption. A Mid-God can reach thirty meters, and an Upper God can reach a hundred meters. Try it—how deep can you sense?"

Lin Tian followed the instruction, sinking his mind inward. His consciousness dove like a hidden dragon into the sea, piercing through layers of elemental barriers. He "saw" beneath the earth at his feet a surging golden sea of fire—the Elemental Sea of fire. His consciousness descended continuously: five meters, ten meters, until at twenty meters he felt resistance.

"About twenty meters." He was somewhat surprised. This far exceeded the ordinary Lower God standard Leo I had mentioned.

Leo I raised an eyebrow but didn't press further. He only said, "It seems your soul's affinity with the fire element is far beyond the norm. That's a good thing."

His tone shifted, growing serious. "The absorption of divine power and the application of the Profound Mysteries are the surface. The comprehension of the Profound Mysteries themselves is the root. After becoming a god, your insight into the fire-type mysteries cannot stop. Fire has six major mysteries: the Fire Element Mystery, the Fire Body Technique Mystery, the Scorching Mystery, the Explosion Mystery, the Flame Space Mystery, and the Soul Attack Mystery. Now that you've just become a Lower God, you should first deepen the mysteries you already have, then gradually expand."

Lin Tian recalled the notes he had seen in the Scripture Pavilion and asked, "What about fusing mysteries? For example, combining Explosion with Flame Space—could that multiply the power?"

"Good question." A sharp gleam flashed in Leo I's eyes. "Mystery fusion is the watershed for Deity-level experts. A Lower God who can achieve a preliminary fusion of two mysteries is already considered top-tier. A Mid-God needs at least three mysteries fused to a high degree just to touch the threshold of Upper God."

He flicked his finger, and six flowing flame runes appeared in the air, each representing one of the six mysteries. "Take the Fire Element Mystery and the Scorching Mystery, which you're best at. If you can fuse them to a minor completion, when you transform into flame, you won't just be immune to physical attacks—your flames will carry elemental corrosion, burning anything they touch. If you can fuse them to a major completion, you could even unleash the Scorching Mystery while in flame form, becoming a moving sun."

Lin Tian's heart stirred. He recalled his battle with the Thunder Blaze Qilin, when he had transformed into flame to dodge lightning. If he could have fused the Scorching Mystery into that form, he might have ended the fight faster.

"But don't be greedy with fusion." Leo I's voice suddenly turned stern. "You must remember that the foundation of mystery fusion is the depth of your understanding of a single mystery. If you can achieve perfection in one mystery, even a minor fusion with another will far surpass the power of four half-baked mysteries cobbled together."

He pointed at the runes in the air and continued. "There are two paths to advancing to Mid-God: first, comprehend any two mysteries to perfection; second, achieve perfection in one mystery and fuse two others to a major completion. The first path is safer; the second has greater explosive power. As for Upper God, you must comprehend all six mysteries to a major completion. That's why Upper Gods hold a relatively high status even in the Divine Planes."

"Thank you for the guidance, Ancestor. This junior's mind is now clear." Lin Tian rose and bowed.

Leo I waved his hand and laughed. "You achieved Internal Deification, which naturally makes it easier to resonate with the mysteries than External Deification. Train well, and you might even surpass us old-timers."