The instant he gained an initial grasp of the Gravity Space profound mystery, Hillman felt a humming tremor in his mind. His insights into the five profound mysteries-Earth Element, Strength, Earth Travel Technique, Vitality, and Gravity Space-surged like streams receiving rain after a long drought, rushing toward the Earth Pulse Profound Mystery already imprinted deep within his soul. Six streams of light whirled through his consciousness, interweaving, colliding, and merging to trace a vast, profound diagram of the Laws of the Earth. Every line upon it shone with the true essence of the laws, and every strand of light held the mysteries of heaven and earth.
He had gained an initial grasp of all six profound mysteries.
At that very moment, a sudden change occurred.
Above him, the previously clear clouds abruptly churned. A boundless force of natural law swept in like raging ocean waves, instantly enveloping all of Mist Canyon. This supreme power carried an irresistible majesty, pressing down until the earth trembled faintly. Every magical beast in the woods prostrated itself, not daring to utter so much as a whimper. The Spined Iron-Armored Dragon also felt that terrifying pressure. Its enormous body tensed slightly, and a flicker of alarm crossed its blood-red eyes, yet it remained firmly at Hillman's side, refusing to retreat.
Hillman felt an irresistible force lift him into the air, leaving him suspended thirty feet above the ground. The power of the laws distorted the space around him, forming a transparent barrier that separated the inside from the outside. His soul was clearer than ever, and two entirely different paths suddenly appeared in his mind: Internal Godhood, in which his soul would merge completely with the Divine Spark about to form, allowing him to ascend to Lowgod in a single step, but leaving him with only this one Divine Clone for his entire life and restricting him to cultivating the Laws of the Earth; or External Godhood, in which his soul would be torn in two, one half merging with the Divine Spark to form a Divine Clone while the other remained in his original body. His original body would remain at Saint-level, free to cultivate other laws in the future, with limitless possibilities.
This was the choice bestowed by the natural laws, and a necessary step for every Saint-level powerhouse breaking through to godhood.
Hillman scarcely hesitated.
He recalled the years he had spent cultivating day and night in Mist Canyon, the understanding he had gained upon attaining an initial grasp of the six profound mysteries, and, above all, his longing to reach greater heights in the martial path. Internal Godhood would indeed let him ascend in a single step, but it would sever the limitless possibilities of his future. That was by no means the path he wanted.
"I choose External Godhood!"
The moment Hillman formed the thought, a heart-rending agony swept through his soul. It was an extreme pain far beyond any bodily injury, as though an enormous invisible axe were forcibly cleaving his soul in two. Every tremor of his soul made his vision darken and nearly scattered his consciousness. Beads of sweat rolled down his forehead, his clothes were instantly soaked, and blood seeped from his tightly clenched teeth.
Yet he held on grimly, relying on willpower far beyond that of ordinary people and his deep understanding of the Laws of the Earth to endure the agony of his soul being torn apart. He could clearly "see" his soul dividing in two. One half radiated a rich earthen-yellow glow as it slowly drifted into the air, while the power of the natural laws surged in like a tide, gathering and compressing around that half of his soul.
After an unknown length of time, as the agony of his soul being torn apart gradually faded, an earthen-yellow Divine Spark had formed in midair. About the size of a fist, its surface was engraved with the patterns of the six profound mysteries, and it radiated the weighty, immense pressure of a Lowgod. Half his soul merged completely with the Divine Spark, becoming a figure identical to Hillman-his Divine Clone.
The Divine Clone hovered in midair, tangible earthen-yellow divine power swirling around it, its every movement carrying the majesty of the Laws of the Earth. Meanwhile, Hillman's original body slowly descended to the ground. Though it remained at Early Saint-level, the harmony between his soul and the Laws of the Earth had reached unprecedented heights. With every movement, he could draw upon the power of the earth's veins within a hundred miles.
This was the true essence of External Godhood!
The Divine Clone and his original body shared their thoughts. With a thought from Hillman, the Divine Clone became a streak of light and merged into the space between his brows, remaining concealed. The power of the natural laws receded as well. The clouds overhead gradually dispersed, sunlight spilled over the earth once more, and only then did the magical beasts in the woods dare raise their heads, their gazes filled with awe and fear as they looked at Hillman.
The Spined Iron-Armored Dragon let out a low rumble and slowly brought its enormous body forward, gently rubbing its massive head against Hillman's palm. The alarm in its eyes had faded, replaced by deep affection and reverence. Though it could not experience the pain of his soul being torn apart as he had, it had sensed that extreme torment from Hillman's taut body and the blood seeping from the corners of his mouth.
Hillman slowly opened his eyes. A gleam of understanding flashed through them, and faint streams of earthen-yellow light revolved in their depths. As he raised his hand, the broken stones beside him turned to quicksand, which then condensed into a stone shield covered in emerald vines. Faint gravitational fluctuations lingered among the vines, while the surface of the shield shimmered with the luster of Earth Element and held the weightiness of the Profound Mystery of Strength. He wielded the power of the six profound mysteries with effortless ease. Without deliberately activating them, he needed only a thought to merge them perfectly.
More importantly, he could clearly feel that although only half his original body's soul remained, it was more condensed and pure than before, and its connection to the Laws of the Earth had grown closer still. His Divine Clone lay hidden between his brows, constantly drawing in and releasing the divine power between heaven and earth. Whenever he wished, he could release it and display the true strength of a Lowgod.
"A Lowgod..." Hillman murmured, feeling the two powers surging within his body and between his brows, his eyes shining with anticipation for the future. From the naive youth who had entered the Magical Beast Forest to the powerhouse who now commanded the Laws of the Earth and had attained External Godhood, his years in Mist Canyon had been both a path of arduous cultivation and his road to godhood.
For several days, the thought of returning home had taken root and sprouted in his heart like a seed, and now it grew stronger still. His family and old friends in Fenlan City were waiting for his return; a wider world, stronger opponents, and more profound laws awaited his exploration. Though Mist Canyon was a fine place, it was not his final destination. Only by leaving this Magical Beast Forest could he truly set foot on the path to the heights of Middlegod and Highgod.
When Hillman finished packing his simple belongings and slowly approached the Spined Iron-Armored Dragon, the enormous dragon was curled up on the grass, its dark-gold scales gleaming softly in the sunset. It seemed to sense the utterly different aura about him. Its blood-red eyes slowly opened, and it let out a low rumble, gently rubbing its massive head against Hillman's palm, its eyes full of reverence and affection. It had witnessed the descent of the natural laws and Hillman's soul being torn apart. That bone-deep agony had made even this overlord of the canyon tremble inwardly.
"Old friend, I'm leaving." Hillman stroked the Iron-Armored Dragon's rough scales, a trace of reluctance in his voice. "I'm going back to Fenlan City. My home is there, and so are the people I want to protect."
The Iron-Armored Dragon tilted its head. A trace of confusion crossed its blood-red eyes before giving way to deep reluctance. It slowly stood and gently rubbed its enormous body against Hillman's shoulder, its touch as light as a brushing feather, utterly unlike its usual overbearing manner when they sparred. Through their days and nights together, the man and dragon had long since gone beyond friendship to become each other's most trusted companions. From their initial fight to the death to their later cultivation side by side, every thunderous clash of fist and claw, every rest beneath the setting sun, had become a memory engraved deep within their souls.
Warmth filled Hillman's heart, and he patted the Iron-Armored Dragon's neck. "This is your home. You don't have to..."
Before he could finish, the Iron-Armored Dragon suddenly let out a ringing roar. Its enormous body sprang into the air, its spreading wings whipping up a gale. It circled three times above the canyon, its Dragon's Might sweeping in every direction and sending the birds in the woods fleeing in alarm. Its roar held attachment to its homeland, but even more, the resolve to follow Hillman. Then it abruptly dived and landed steadily before him, lowering its massive head to rub the tip of its nose against the back of his hand, its eyes full of pleading and persistence.
Hillman froze, then understood the Iron-Armored Dragon's wishes.
It wanted to leave with him.
A rush of burning warmth instantly flooded his heart, and Hillman's eyes reddened slightly. He had never imagined that this Iron-Armored Dragon, which reigned supreme in the Magical Beast Forest, would willingly give up this land of freedom to follow him far from home. Fenlan City was nothing like Mist Canyon. There was no abundant power from the earth's veins, no herds of magical beasts for it to hunt, and it might even attract the covetous attention of countless powerhouses. Yet the Iron-Armored Dragon still chose to follow him.
"Are you sure?" Hillman's voice caught slightly. "Fenlan City has many powerhouses, and dangers everywhere. You might..."
The Iron-Armored Dragon gave a low growl and nodded its massive head firmly, the resolve in its eyes beyond doubt. It lowered its head again and crouched slightly, clearly inviting Hillman onto its back.
Hillman looked up into the Iron-Armored Dragon's resolute eyes, too moved for words. He swung himself onto its back and gripped the scales at its neck tightly, feeling the immense power emanating from its body.
"Let's go, old friend." Hillman's voice trembled slightly. "Let's go home."
The Iron-Armored Dragon let out a sky-shaking roar. With a fierce beat of its wings, its enormous body soared into the sky, carrying Hillman toward the edge of Mist Canyon.
The sun sank in the west, spilling golden-red light across the earth. The silhouettes of man and dragon gradually receded beneath the sunset's glow. The spring in Mist Canyon still burbled, and the Blue Heart Grass on the cliffs still swayed gracefully. Only that dragon's roar continued to echo through the canyon for a long time.
In the direction of Fenlan City, a new morning sun was slowly rising.
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