The golden lotus platform cracked inch by inch, disintegrating around the girl and transforming into a sky full of dazzling light.
A stream of light began to swirl around Qin Ze, like dancing sprites.
Qin Ze couldn't help but extend his right hand, and the "spirits" gathered in his palm, entered his skin, and flowed down his arm and throughout his body.
For a moment, Qin Ze felt a motherly warmth.
In the darkness, he developed an inexplicable connection with the Tomb of the Gods.
The entire receiving process went much more smoothly than Qin Ze had anticipated; it was easy and painless.
Suddenly, Qin Ze noticed that the world was starting to spin.
The surrounding scene shifted rapidly; the gray mist and the girl vanished, replaced by a white void.
The Local Area Network was as noisy as a marketplace, yet as quiet as a winter dawn.
Miss Sword Case, who had always been by my side, was no longer there.
In this desolate world, only Qin Ze's lonely shadow remained.
What kind of place is this?
Without a doubt, the core issue is the instigator.
Layers of spiritual energy spread out, but there was nothing there.
"Hello!"
Is anyone there?
Qin Ze walked forward step by step, wanting to see what the Goddess of the Earth was up to.
The road ahead suddenly opened up, like a drop of ink being added to clear water, the ink spreading and intertwining to form a winding path.
As Qin Ze walked along the road, bamboo forests quickly appeared on both sides, with birds flying among them and melodious birdsong filling the air.
The surroundings became increasingly abundant, but remained a monotonous mix of white and black.
For a moment, Qin Ze felt as if he were walking through a traditional Chinese ink painting.
At the end of the bamboo path, a wooden house appeared, and a man was busy at the stove with his back to him.
White smoke curled up from the stove, choking the man and causing him to cough incessantly.
For some reason, Qin Ze suddenly felt that the surrounding scenery was very familiar.
Everything here seemed familiar to him, as if he had seen it in a dream.
Including the man in front of him with his back to him.
You've arrived?
"Please sit down, the food will be ready soon."
Hearing footsteps behind him, the busy man turned around and greeted them warmly.
When Qin Ze saw the other person's face clearly, he was taken aback; the two were remarkably similar in their features.
"Old Qin donated?"
Qin Ze sat down at the stone table with a natural and generous air.
The man lifted the pot lid; inside was a stewing old hen.
"Dinner's ready!"
After a flurry of activity, the man quickly served all the dishes.
One chicken, two plates of green vegetables, and two bowls of rice.
Neither of them spoke again, and they ate in silence.
Qin Ze hadn't satisfied his appetite in a long time.
Since becoming head of state, he has been so busy that he can't stop spinning like a top.
The dishes were light, yet they had a unique flavor.
After a moment, Qin Ze put down his chopsticks and looked around, asking, "Where is this place?"
The man asked, "What? Does this look familiar?"
Qin Ze nodded.
The man smiled slightly, "This is my place of cultivation, and also my place of ascension."
Qin Ze frowned. "The place of ascension?"
A hint of reminiscence crossed the man's face. He put down his chopsticks and said to himself, "That day, the Star Gate appeared above us."
"I stepped through the Star Gate, broke through the limits of humanity, and arrived at the Land of the Gods."
Upon hearing this, Qin Ze said, "That's truly an inspiring story."
The man shook his head. "It's actually a horror story."
Qin Ze asked, puzzled, "The Star Gate is the ultimate goal for Myriad Races martial artists, so how come it's become a horror story for you?"
The man countered, "Do you wish to live a carefree life as a mortal, or do you wish to defy fate with the body of a god?"
Qin Ze thought for a moment, "I want to live a carefree life in a divine body."
The man laughed heartily, "As expected of you, a brilliant answer."
Qin Ze asked, "If it were you, what would you choose?"
The smile on the man's face gradually disappeared.
He raised his right hand, his five fingers spread wide, and light shone through the gaps between his fingers onto his face, creating an interplay of light and shadow.
"As mortals, we are short-sighted, only wanting to climb ever higher and become a star in the Land of the Gods."
But once you become that star, the choice is no longer in your hands.
Qin Ze said calmly, "Alright, a crude martial artist like you shouldn't be discussing philosophy with me here."
"I'm short on time, don't try to talk riddles with me."
"What exactly is your purpose in hiding in the core? Just tell me, Master Desolate."
The almost absurd sense of familiarity here made Qin Ze immediately recognize the identity of the person in front of him.
The recorder of the Chronicle of Time, the loyal sycophant of the Goddess of Life, the chief leader of the Land of the Gods, the wavering traitor, the pioneer of exploring Chaos, the good brother of the son-in-law God of War, the fierce man who shattered the Star Gate with his fist, the designer of the Abyss Puppet — the Desolate God.
The man was not surprised when Qin Ze revealed his identity; his expression remained calm and composed.
Qin Ze asked, "So what is this now? The assessment stage?"
The man replied calmly, "That's one way to understand it."
"Before handing over the core to you, I need to make one thing clear."
Qin Ze asked curiously, "What is it?"
The man stood up and said, "Have you not changed your original intentions?"
Qin Ze asked thoughtfully, "You mean saving Myriad Races?"
The man shook his head. "Saving Myriad Races is a process, but not the ultimate goal."
Qin Ze frowned. "Then what are you referring to?"
The man said, "To fight against fate, one must have an indomitable spirit of resistance."
Qin Ze asked, "So do I have one?"
The man nodded. "You do."
Qin Ze was baffled. "How come I didn't know?"
The man said, "Your previous answer has already told me that."
Qin Ze was completely bewildered.
answer?
What answer?
"So I've passed the test now?"
The man sighed softly, "I suppose so."
Qin Ze pondered for a moment, "What will happen if I don't pass?"
The man said slowly, "Preparations for an entire era must not be compromised at this crucial moment."
"If you have lost the will to fight, I will help you fight."
Qin Ze understood.
Master Desolate left something resembling a divine thought in the core.
If he doesn't want to be dignified, divine will will make him dignified.
The man said calmly, "Doing that would greatly reduce the success rate. Luckily, you're still you."
"The moment we step through the Star Gate, our Fate is sealed."
" Fate is like a ring, with each link interlocking and nested within the next."
"By the time we realized it, it was already an intractable problem."
Qin Ze said, "If you can't untie it, just cut it."
The man laughed again, "That's right, just cut it!"
"I, this whetstone from an ancient era, should now sharpen the blade of your scissors."
The surrounding scenery began to distort rapidly around the man.
The entire ink painting folds and condenses continuously, eventually solidifying into a single drop of ink.
The ink droplet floated in front of Qin Ze, struck his forehead, and merged with his Spiritual Sea of Consciousness.
boom--
The sea of consciousness was ignited, and streaks of blood appeared in the originally golden Spiritual Sea of Consciousness after it was ignited.