Leo I's voice carried a sense of nostalgia for the past. "The position of Plane Overseer is said to have been sent by the Sovereign Gods to supervise the Material Planes, but in truth, they are more like 'guides.' On the surface, they must prevent powerful figures of the Material Planes from wantonly disrupting planar order and damaging the foundations of the continents. In secret, however, they guide Saint Domain and Deity-level Experts toward the Divine Planes—after all, the Seven Divine Planes and Four Supreme Planes will always need fresh divine blood."
He paused, his knuckles tapping softly against the stone table with a dull sound. "Back then, we established the Three Great Empires and used holy lands such as Fire God Mountain to unite people's hearts, holding back far too many experts who would otherwise have been led by him to the higher planes. Whether Saint Domain or divine, remaining on the Maya Continent could stabilize the empire's faith. But in the Overseer's eyes, that was no different from cutting off his 'performance record.' Naturally, he would be wary of us."
Lin Tian's fingers tightened slightly around his teacup. Recalling the records in the Scripture Pavilion about the strict hierarchy of the Seven Divine Planes and Four Supreme Planes, he suddenly understood the conflict of interests hidden behind the "wariness" Leo I had mentioned.
"The South Sea battle fifteen hundred years ago still sends chills down my spine when I think of it." Leo I's gaze drifted toward the cloud-shrouded mountains beyond the hall, as though piercing through time and space. "George had the fiercest temper. Seeing the Overseer repeatedly harass cultivators along the empire's borders, he directly grabbed his battle-axe and chased him to the South Sea. The two fought to the death on an island comparable in size to a medium-sized province. George tore apart the Overseer's defensive barrier and gravely wounded him. Their combined power crushed the entire island into fragments and sent it sinking to the seabed."
But then his tone shifted and grew grave. "That Overseer was no soft target either. Dragging his half-ruined body to the island where the teleportation array stood, he publicly produced a Sovereign God token—a golden command tablet engraved with the word 'Order.' He said that if we refused to let go, he would use the token to summon the Sovereign God's army. Do you know what a Sovereign God's army means?"
"The weakest members of a Sovereign God's army are all Upper Gods. Before them, Mid-Gods do not even have the right to resist." Leo I let out a long sigh, and the glow of his flaming crystal core dimmed somewhat. "When Walter and I arrived, we saw the Overseer holding up that command tablet and laughing madly, saying that the three Mid-Gods among us together would not even be enough to fill the gaps between the teeth of the Sovereign God's army. Only then did we understand that what he feared was never our strength. He feared that we would disrupt the 'rules' set by the Sovereign Gods."
Lin Tian asked, "So was the agreement simply that you could only tell your clansmen the truth about the Seven Divine Planes and Four Supreme Planes?"
"Not just that." Leo I shook his head. "The agreement stipulated that we could not openly obstruct anyone who wished to go to the Seven Divine Planes or Four Supreme Planes. The Overseer promised that as long as we did not stop them by force, he would never seek aid from the Sovereign God's army. Put plainly, we abandoned the Saint Domain and Deity-level Experts outside the three great clans. They knew nothing of the cruelty of the Seven Divine Planes and Four Supreme Planes. When their cultivation could advance no further, they would generally choose to head there. The Saint Domain and Deity-level Experts of the three great clans merely had an additional choice. The choice was left to them: if they wished to go, we would not stop them; but we would also make it clear that the road ahead was a mountain of blades and a sea of fire."
Seeing Lin Tian's thoughtful expression, he added, "That is why, even knowing that the Seven Divine Planes and Four Supreme Planes may not be friendly to Saint Domain experts, some are still willing to venture there. After all, for some people, even being an ant in the Seven Divine Planes or Four Supreme Planes is better than being a 'frog at the bottom of a well' in a Material Plane."
After a moment of silence, Lin Tian shifted the subject to cultivation. "Ancestor, I have only just become a Lower God and am still unfamiliar with the ways of divine cultivation. Could you offer me some guidance?"
Approval appeared in Leo I's eyes. "Divine cultivation has three aspects: the storage of divine power, comprehension of the Profound Mysteries of the Laws, and the use of the Profound Mysteries of the Laws suited to oneself." 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 ocean to a depth of ten meters, where the elemental concentration is just enough for daily consumption. Mid-Gods can reach thirty meters, while Upper Gods can reach one hundred. Try it. How deep can you sense?"
Following his instructions, Lin Tian immersed himself in concentration. His awareness descended like a submerged dragon, piercing layer after layer of elemental barriers. He "saw" beneath the earth at his feet a surging golden sea of fire—the ocean of fire elements. His awareness continued sinking: five meters, ten meters, until he finally felt resistance at twenty meters.
"About twenty meters." He was somewhat astonished. That far exceeded the standard Leo I had described for an ordinary Lower God.
Leo I raised an eyebrow but did not ask further. He merely said, "It seems your soul's affinity with fire elements far exceeds that of ordinary people. That is a good thing."
Then his tone turned solemn. "Absorbing divine power and using the Profound Mysteries of the Laws are merely the surface. Comprehension of the Profound Mysteries of the Laws is the true foundation. After becoming a god, you cannot stop deepening your understanding of the fire-element mysteries. The fire element has six great mysteries: the Fire Element Mystery, Fire Body Technique Mystery, Scorching Mystery, Explosion Mystery, Flame Space Mystery, and Soul Attack Mystery. Having just become a Lower God, you should first delve deeply into the mysteries you already possess before gradually broadening your grasp."
Remembering the handwritten notes he had read in the Scripture Pavilion, Lin Tian asked, "What about merging mysteries? For example, if Explosion and Flame Space are combined, can their power increase severalfold?"
"Excellent question." A sharp glint flashed through Leo I's eyes. "The fusion of mysteries is the dividing line among Deity-level Experts. If a Lower God can initially merge two mysteries, he is already considered among the best. A Mid-God must achieve major mastery in the fusion of at least three mysteries before he can touch the threshold of an Upper God."
With a flick of his finger, six flowing flaming runes appeared in the air, each representing one of the six great mysteries. "Take the Fire Element Mystery and Scorching Mystery, which you are most skilled in. If you can merge them to minor mastery, then when you transform into flame, not only will you be immune to physical attacks, but your flames will also carry elemental erosion, burning anything they touch. If you can merge them to major mastery, you may even wield the Scorching Mystery while in flame form, becoming a moving sun."
Lin Tian's heart stirred. He recalled his battle against the Thunder Blaze Qilin, when he had transformed into flame to evade lightning. If he had been able to incorporate the Scorching Mystery then, he might have ended that battle much sooner.
"But do not be greedy when merging mysteries." Leo I's voice suddenly became stern. "You must remember that the foundation of fusion lies in the depth of your comprehension of each individual mystery. If one mystery reaches perfection, then even merging it with another mystery at minor mastery will be far more powerful than cobbling together four half-baked mysteries."
Pointing at the runes in the air, he continued, "There are two paths to becoming a Mid-God. The first is to comprehend any two mysteries to perfection. The second is to bring one mystery to perfection, then merge two mysteries to major mastery. The former is steadier, while the latter has greater explosive power. As for Upper Gods, all six great mysteries must reach major mastery. That is also why Upper Gods can hold relatively high status even in the Divine Planes."
"Thank you for your guidance, Ancestor. I feel truly enlightened." Lin Tian rose and bowed.
Leo I waved his hand and smiled. "You achieved Internal Deification, so resonating with the mysteries is naturally easier for you than for those who achieve External Deification. Cultivate well. You may not be unable to surpass old fellows like us."
Before you continue