Chapter 314: Unceasing Shock of Medusa (Two-in-One)

After Aermin wrote and sent the letter, she returned to her chair and continued playing chess with Daojun.

**The Blood Realm**

Rolling dark energy surged forth. At the junction of the two transcendent worlds, two colossal, vast mountain peaks stood tall. The ground of these peaks was a vivid red, as if soaked in blood, dyeing the surrounding landscape a crimson hue.

Whoosh—a gentle breeze swept past. Broken swords were plunged into the earth, blood-stained sleeves clinging to their hilts, swaying in the wind and conveying an endless, subtle sorrow carried on the breeze. This land was like a sword cemetery, each sword a grave, narrating the stories of the fallen.

Staves, Western greatswords, and armor lay scattered across the ground, virtually everywhere. They had been buried by history, becoming an unknown ripple in time.

This was a war between two realms.

Cruel and relentless.

The two massive mountain peaks stood in distant opposition, separated by a realm. They served as the bridgeheads for both sides, imbued with a sense of desolation and melancholy, having buried countless remains of powerful beings. The war had been raging for decades.

For the Ancient Wilderness Realm, the Demon Realm's foundation was terrifyingly deep. Not only were their top-tier Heavenly Emperors severely lacking, but even their lower-tier powerhouses were extremely scarce.

However, the Great Zhou Dynasty and the Shushan Lineage, relying on their formidable system characteristics and endurance, continuously and at immense cost, managed to withstand the opponent's terrifying, tidal wave-like assaults and invasions.

The night air grew colder. Suddenly, a detached voice echoed.

"They are depleting their resources, and they won't last much longer. In another ten years, the Ancient Wilderness Realm will surely fall!" Medusa's colossal figure stood beyond the portal, her long hair billowing, radiating a tyrannical aura. She was a truly immense demon god, present in the world.

She gazed distantly. "As for the Heavenly Dao of that Ancient Wilderness Realm, how fare you?"

Currently, her divine body, in alliance with Aermin, was jointly restraining Daojun.

Meanwhile, her main body, the Cthulhu Evil God, was here, restraining the Heavenly Dao of this world.

Over the years, she had fought several battles with the Heavenly Dao, with no clear victor. This feeling of bathing in blood, dancing on the edge of death, and battling a worthy opponent was truly exhilarating for her.

Their top combat powers were engaged in restraint, while battles raged below.

"Victory is already certain. Our combat power far surpasses theirs. I can't conceive of any possibility for them to turn the tide. Now, we just need to minimize our casualties as much as possible and slowly grind them down."

Medusa's expression was serene as she directed the war.

Previously, just as she had surmised, Mother Earth Qing Teng had indeed succumbed to her curiosity and brought Bai Xiaosheng into her own Potion World. However, Mother Earth Qing Teng had actually let Bai Xiaosheng go!

This was beyond her expectation.

"Mother Earth Qing Teng's schemes run so deep," Medusa murmured, her eyes flickering as she pondered. "She actually turned my own strategy against me, outmaneuvering me."

"She clearly knows that if Bai Xiaosheng were still with her, we would certainly kill him and reclaim Bai Xiaosheng at any cost. But she directly released Bai Xiaosheng. Although she still roams freely and travels throughout our world, it's no longer easy for us to act against her. After all, this Mother Earth Qing Teng possesses exaggerated combat power, not much inferior to my own. She is the strongest and oldest entity under the Ancient Wilderness Realm's Heavenly Dao, and even the Heavenly Dao's mentor. I have fought the Heavenly Dao and know its formidable nature—how much more so her teacher? Aermin and I are already restrained, and her hidden cards are unknown. Only by deploying numerous Monarch Emperors, at a great cost, might we be able to overwhelm her. A mere one or two individuals going there would simply be courting death!"

This was a terrifying, interconnected scheme.

She had lived for two thousand years, considering her wisdom and strategy to be exceptional. Yet, she had been outmaneuvered!

With Bai Xiaosheng missing, she dared not announce a widespread search across the entire Potion Land. This was because it was entirely possible for other Monarch Emperors to find and conceal him. After all, Bai Xiaosheng was an almost heaven-defying treasure, and no one would be unmoved by it.

Those ancient Monarch Emperors, who had survived by sleeping until today, were all ambitious tyrants, not to be trusted.

She and Aermin could only task some trusted subordinates with secretly searching for him.

"Mother Earth Qing Teng... she always appeared foolish before, but that was all a disguise," Medusa thought. "This old monster, who has lived for a thousand years, indeed possesses astonishing wisdom; she even deceived me."

What did that imply?

This meant the other party had anticipated her actions and turned her own plan against her. In other words, she thought she had seen through the opponent's intentions, but in reality, the opponent had seen through hers; her every move was transparent to them.

In her mind, she pictured the adorable girl, happily hopping around, eating candied hawthorn, with that carefree expression.

"This is indeed the game of Go..." she thought. "Mother Earth Qing Teng, who outwardly feigned foolishness and naiveté, is terrifying to this extent! Her foresight is flawless; truly worthy of being the Heavenly Dao's mentor. I cannot spare any resources now, but in the future, she absolutely cannot be allowed to live!"

Medusa suddenly let out a soft exclamation, reaching out into the void to grasp Aermin's letter.

It contained news about Bai Xiaosheng.

"We searched relentlessly and finally located Bai Xiaosheng?"

She rarely showed such surprise, a joyous expression like that of a quiet, studious maiden.

This was good news. When she saw "Monarch Emperor Messiah" written in the letter, she paused for a few seconds. "Why haven't we sent people to encircle and annihilate him? Use the forces previously prepared for Mother Earth Qing Teng against Messiah instead. If he doesn't resist, so be it, but if he does, kill him directly. His combat power is certainly far inferior to Mother Earth Qing Teng's, and the cost will definitely not be great!"

Her expression turned cold and bloodthirsty.

To acquire Bai Xiaosheng and have him back by her side as a daoist companion for late-night discussions was already her goal, no matter the cost. But as she read on, her expression gradually solidified, revealing a hint of shock.

"Aermin has already guessed Bai Xiaosheng's true identity and origin..."

"That Monarch Emperor Messiah, who appeared out of nowhere, actually holds a monumental secret. His true identity might be Bai Xiaosheng, the God of Wisdom, Mercury..."

This series of information violently assaulted her mind.

Impossible!

"Aermin... is she overthinking this? Has she fallen into some kind of misconception?"

A thought suddenly sprang into her mind, irresistible. She stood up and paced restlessly, struggling internally. "No, I was too complacent. I already suffered a loss with Mother Earth Qing Teng. If I had been more cautious, I wouldn't have lost Bai Xiaosheng... Aermin's current prudence and conjecture are the best approach. Let me see what Aermin has to say."

It was no wonder she was astonished by the letter's contents.

It must be known that the identity of Mercury, the God of Wisdom, was a monumental enigma.

A thousand years was a long time. She and Aermin had conducted much research in the Underworld, exploring various geographical locations of the Wizard World, and naturally inferred the combat power of this deity.

The three great miracles of that time—the blooming flower monument, the sky raining blood, and the world's lament—Aermin could perform them now, but at an enormous cost!

But if it were Aermin, would she spend such an enormous price to send off three mortals?

No!

There was only one possibility: for the God of Wisdom, this was easily achievable, as simple as casually putting on shoes or a coat. In other words, Hermes, the God of Wisdom, possessed combat power far exceeding that of Aermin, a mid-tier deity.

What level was that?

That was possibly beyond the legendary Tier 8 gods, Tier 9!

The realm of laws and rules.

And afterwards, the God of Wisdom merely opened his mouth, without any magical fluctuations, and the terrifying Cthulhu Evil God instantly disintegrated and collapsed.

At that time, their cultivation realms were low, and they couldn't understand. But now, Aermin was a mid-tier deity, and even recalling that time, she still couldn't understand, unable to detect even a trace of magical fluctuation.

What did this mean?

Hermes, the God of Wisdom from that era, was absolutely not a mere Tier 8 deity!

Very likely, he was the legendary, unknown and mysterious Tier 9!

When they were not yet deities, they didn't know the true power of gods. Now Aermin knew that a Tier 8 deity could traverse worlds and wander through myriad realms. Each subsequent realm represented a vast, fundamental difference. What was the concept of a Tier 9 existence?

The chief of all gods!

This perfectly aligned with the God of Wisdom's status as the leader among a group of Tier 8 deities in the Land of Gods!

And what exactly was Tier 9?

They had no way of comprehending it.

They were like frogs at the bottom of a well; without leaving their well-world, they couldn't imagine what such an existence truly was.

Back then, Aermin's voice had been bitter, and it still echoed in Medusa's ears:

"When one thought they had become a deity, standing shoulder to shoulder with the gods of the Land of Gods, and stepped out of that ancient well," Aermin had said, "they would then realize they were already in another, even larger well, still a humble frog gazing at the night sky... The stronger one became, the more they understood the greatness of Hermes, the God of Wisdom, back then."

That once glorious history, the traces of the ancient God of Wisdom's existence, had vanished. The two of them, in later generations, could only reminisce and look up in the Underworld.

Having speculated to this extent back then, they were already clear.

Hermes, the God of Wisdom, might not have been merely a native god of the Wizard World, but someone from the myriad realms.

The Land of Gods was an organization where countless Tier 8 deities from various realms converged. The Wizard World was merely a small world under its dominion!

Yet, such an organization had vanished, had died. What exactly was their opponent? A cataclysmic destruction of an era? Or another divine organization's intervention? The truth behind it was too terrifying...

Shock, dread, and horror were insufficient to describe their inner turmoil after defeating the Cthulhu Evil God back then!

"And now, Aermin tells me that our doubts from back then have a possible answer... the truth of Mercury, the God of Wisdom?" Her expression gradually turned cold. As the mysterious enigma from a millennium ago lay before her, it was somewhat difficult to imagine.

She continued reading:

[It was at the end of the Wizard Era! The last time we met, he guided us to declare war on the Cthulhu Evil God. At that time, he said: 'The Land of Gods has been resisting invasions from other worlds, and the God of War Ares and Enyo have already fallen in battle. With the Cthulhu Evil God descending upon this world, he no longer has time to deal with it himself; he can only shatter its body and then leave it to us...']

[That faint tone, mixed with sorrow, had the feeling of a hero departing never to return. Then, he vanished. After we resolved the Cthulhu Evil God problem, the Wizard Era was destroyed, we built the Underworld, and I, too, became a Tier 8 deity. I began to seek out the gods of the Land of Gods, 'Achilles,' hoping for an audience, but found nothing... We speculated then that something unfortunate might have happened!!]

[While we battled the Cthulhu Evil God, they might also have been battling the world or forces behind the Evil God! The Land of Gods has been destroyed, and Hermes, the God of Wisdom, has very likely died!]

[And when did Monarch Emperor Messiah appear? Also at the end of the Wizard Era, the same period when Hermes died. Is it a coincidence that one vanished and the other appeared simultaneously?]

Medusa's expression gradually changed.

Indeed, one died and one appeared; the timing perfectly matched.

"This is the first point. Second, Hermes, the God of Wisdom, known to the world as Mercury the Thrice-Greatest, was omniscient. He once bestowed the three witches with alchemy, witchcraft, and meditation—threefold knowledge—thereby ushering in the civilization of the Wizard Era. And Monarch Emperor Messiah, upon his mysterious appearance, also brought knowledge and wisdom, initiating the civilization of the Potion Era. Is this... another coincidence?"

Medusa's brows furrowed slightly as she read this, a ripple stirring within her.

It was indeed quite a coincidence...

Hermes, the former God of Wisdom, had guided mortals on earth and initiated the Wizard Era.

And after the God of Wisdom died, Monarch Emperor Messiah just happened to appear out of nowhere, and was also guiding the start of a new Potion Era?

And then, after completing all the guidance for mortal civilization, vanished into thin air again?

It was very much like Hermes, the God of Wisdom's style.

"We are getting closer to the truth! The two, perhaps, are one!"

Medusa's expression solidified completely as she pondered, her thoughts deepening. "Does Aermin mean that Hermes, the God of Wisdom, suffered a drastic change, his realm plummeted, and he descended to the mortal world long ago, actually becoming the most mysterious Monarch Emperor Messiah in history?"

She thought about it and found it impossible.

Many aspects were unreasonable. For example, as a divine being, how could he easily descend to the mortal realm? As an ancient, eternal Tier 9 existence, even if weakened, how could he be so frail?

Yet, she somewhat believed it and continued reading.

Aermin was remarkably intelligent, with a broader perspective, perhaps able to see through many things.

Aermin continued writing: "The God of Wisdom naturally wouldn't be so weak; he should have truly died... My personal conjecture is that Messiah is a sentient being born from the corpse of a god... What is a Tier 9 existence? No one knows. Perhaps even after death, there are still various heavenly anomalies, giving birth to all sorts of divine objects. Thus, Messiah, born from the corpse of the God of Wisdom, possessed the knowledge of Mercury, the God of Wisdom, being omniscient. Furthermore, he instinctively began to fulfill his duty in accordance with Hermes, the God of Wisdom's lingering will, ushering in the next Potion Era—this was his last desire."

In other words, the scene we witnessed?

And then, after fulfilling his duty, Messiah vanished?

Medusa murmured, realizing that perhaps they were rapidly approaching the truth of history!

Aermin continued: "This also explains another mystery: why he remained immortal after sleeping for a thousand years. Because his body is very likely a tiny, incomplete part of a Tier 9 existence, possessing various strange abilities. It's not surprising."

"So what about Bai Xiaosheng? Bai Xiaosheng is not a living creature, but rather a biological mirror, which I now believe to be an 'essence of wisdom' left behind by the God of Wisdom... This aligns with my initial speculation in that letter: Bai Xiaosheng might be a lingering will left by a deceased powerful being, a kind of natural manifestation, omniscient and omnipotent, similar to our world's God of Wisdom... And now, this deceased powerful being is our very own departed God of Wisdom!"

"This... how is this possible?"

Medusa's heart thudded violently. She gasped, her expression becoming somewhat unnatural.

The letter continued: "Messiah was born, and at that time, Bai Xiaosheng was within him. However, later, during Messiah's slumber, Bai Xiaosheng separated for some reason and traveled through the myriad realms, which is how we encountered him. Now, Bai Xiaosheng has returned to Messiah, and he is once again omniscient..."

"Regarding this, I also have corroborating evidence: Bai Xiaosheng requires an equivalent exchange for knowledge... Yet, when in Messiah's possession, Bai Xiaosheng doesn't require this, no conditions at all? What is the reason for this? Why is Messiah unique? Perhaps it's because they... were originally one! One was reason, and the other was knowledge, both born from the corpse of an ancient Tier 9 existence?"

This... this... this!

This was simply...!?

She was completely lost in thought, no longer able to suppress her astonishment. She stared dumbfounded, her mind reeling from impacts that surged like waves, one after another!

Yet it truly fit perfectly, appearing incredible, but it genuinely and perfectly explained the ancient Wizard Era, the descent of the Cthulhu Evil God, the origins of the Land of Gods, and the appearance and disappearance of Mercury, the God of Wisdom.

"So, this is the complete truth of our Wizard World's history... the true text of history!"

Medusa clutched the letter, her heart pounding. Her gaze deepened, as if piercing through endless lands, as she saw the black-haired, dark-eyed young man in a bar in Vil City, eloquently recounting history.

"No wonder he knows so much; he himself... *is* history!"