Chapter 649: Conquer and Audience with the Ancient God

Water element…

They gazed at the pool of living water. They could already feel the spirit within it reviving, giving rise to a nascent, bewildered consciousness.

They had seen various forms of sentient beings before. While plants and animals could gain sentience and enlightenment, it was incredibly rare for utterly inanimate objects like stones and metals to do so. But now, it was water... and water was the most challenging of all.

“How is this possible!?”

The expressions of the many gods changed simultaneously. They stared incredulously at a Heavenly Emperor on the edge of the beach below, a mere weak Heavenly Emperor, yet he completely defied common sense. They had never even heard of such an ability.

Life alchemy, turning stone into gold! An ancient alchemist!?

“An unimaginable, mysterious domain. Is this the ancient Alchemist Dynasty, that mysterious thousand-year empire?” Scholar Bai felt a surge of agitation.

At that time, that kingdom experienced drastic changes and fell, like a fleeting bloom, even before it could give rise to deities. If that sacred alchemical dynasty had not faced disaster back then, what kind of prosperous era would it be today?

“A sorcerer…? Is this an alchemist?” “He truly mastered the Alchemical Gate of the teleportation array?”

Dao Changsheng, Hu Renong, and others were utterly shaken.

Some far-sighted deities had even thought of much, recalling that mysterious Substance.

“The ‘Substance’ that replaces and enables all things... it can imbue inanimate objects with sentience, enlighten decaying wood, turn stubborn stones into spirits, grant mountains wisdom, transform dead rain into living water, and even give rise to new consciousness in deceased remains...”

Upon hearing about consciousness arising from remains, they recalled Hermes of the Church of Light!

The current Hermes was no longer his true self; he was also a divine remnant whose consciousness had been reborn from his deceased remains, revived by boundless incense.

Since Hermes transmitted alchemical knowledge, he naturally understood the “Substance.” It was perfectly normal for his remaining remains to manifest consciousness.

Thus, regarding Hermes' remains, they now knew the true explanation.

“However, the era is about to change!!”

The gods, their expressions grim, had already contemplated the future development of the era after this day.

Ermin was on the verge of death. But after her death, with enough of the “Substance,” a new soul could be born from her remains, creating a new Emperor of the Underworld.

Although it wouldn't be the original Ermin, but merely a new being resembling her, it would be sufficient to protect this returning Alchemist Emperor and allow him to grow anew over countless years.

At this moment, the Alchemist Emperor, having lived another life, was far too young!

With someone to protect him, he would surely enter the realm of gods sooner or later. Within hundreds or thousands of years, they would all be ruled by a new god named the Alchemist Emperor, once again forced to live at his mercy!

“We thought that with the successive departures of ancient gods like Ermin, Medusa, and Daojun, our era had arrived. But has the era of the old gods not truly passed?” Someone’s face was ashen.

“Are we still to be ruled?”

The Blood Emperor and other gods were utterly grim-faced.

They could wait. They had enough patience. They had already awaited Daojun’s decline, and they had every intention of respectfully seeing this ancient being off!

And then they would contend for power. This was the respect due. It was also worthy of respect and admiration.

For a period in the future, they would treat Ermin as they had treated Daojun, respectfully seeing this great deity off to a complete departure, to live out the rest of her life.

But now, the times were different! The old god Ermin... wanted to hand over her authority to the resurrected Alchemist Emperor from the ancient era, and it wasn't even their turn!

Without a future, one can still look forward to one. But a future like this, where their own prospects were practically invisible, where it would never be their turn in their lifetimes, left them with mixed feelings, even stirring a hint of malice within their hearts.

“Should we act?”

“Difficult! The Emperor of the Underworld’s combat power is too strong!”

“Even though she’s nearing old age and physical exhaustion, even if we unite with the more than ten gods present, it would be a Pyrrhic victory. Likely, some gods would die, and the entire Six Realms would decline for several millennia.”

“Why not wait a little longer? When Ermin dies, the new soul revived from her remains will be very weak. It probably won’t have time to control the divine power of the body, and its combat strength will be less than a tenth... That will be its weakest moment; perhaps then, we can act.”

Some particular thoughts began to sprout. They communicated through a special divine consciousness network, forming a secret web. Unless forcibly breached, even Ermin would not be able to detect what they were discussing in secret.

But suddenly.

The Alchemist Heavenly Emperor, standing on the white sandy beach, slowly raised his head. His gaze swept across the multitude of gods in the sky, devoid of malice, yet incredibly calm.

“Why that look?”

But it was precisely this calm gaze that made all the gods in the sky freeze slightly, as if they had been seen through by this tiny mortal.

The Alchemist Emperor then lowered his head again, handed the water element to Ermin, and patiently instructed, “Though it is weak, its future potential is immense.”

Ermin held the pool of living water in her palm, finding it amusing. “Teacher, can this thing revive the dead?”

She had clearly thought of it too. After a pause, Ermin couldn’t help but ask cautiously, “Then why didn’t Teacher allow his seven wives to...”

“The original souls are dead. If new souls were born from their remains, they would no longer be the same people,” Li Shengjiang sighed. “They would merely be identical flowers in the distant future. Therefore, I won’t let you die; I will let you continue to live.”

As he spoke, he tilted the hourglass in his hand and poured its contents onto Ermin. It silently merged into her body.

“Again??” Everyone’s expressions changed to complete shock.

This “Substance” can not only imbue inanimate objects with life, but it’s also effective for the living? What exactly is its effect on living beings?

Next, they witnessed the most terrifying and despair-inducing scene.

They felt that the aura of Ermin’s aging soul seemed to be re-energized and extended.

“Even a god’s lifespan?!”

“Even Daojun couldn’t do it, only able to die of old age, yet a Heavenly Emperor before them actually...”

All the gods were stunned, utterly shocked! It was like a roller coaster of emotions. Just moments ago, they were conspiring in secret, but now... they suddenly recalled the calm gaze of the Heavenly Emperor when he looked up.

“My lifespan has been extended?” Ermin was also startled, but then almost burst out laughing.

She looked at her teacher as if he were a mischievous villain toying with everyone. “Teacher is truly mischievous!”

The previous tension and suppression suddenly eased, and she couldn’t help but laugh aloud. He didn’t reveal it earlier, but instead chose to chat slowly with her here, making the born gods’ emotions ride a roller coaster: from shock at the water element, then to indignation, to terror, wanting to act immediately, and now, he had directly led them to complete despair! They didn’t even have the heart to make a move!

Yes. When the difference in strength is not significant, one considers acting, but when the difference is too great, one dares not resist at all.

Now that Ermin no longer had a period of weakness and her aging symptoms were alleviated, how could they dare to cause trouble? Even if all the gods united, they would have the power to contend with her, but it would be a mutually destructive outcome, with at least sixty percent of those present dying. They weren’t foolish.

“This hourglass, I entrust to you.”

Under the envious gaze of everyone, Li Shengjiang handed the terrifying divine artifact, the Alchemical Hourglass, to Ermin.

“Your path is to cultivate the vibrations and ripples of living beings. As the Emperor of the Underworld, mastering life, creating life, and extending life is your true essence... With it, you will be truly yourself.”

“Teacher...” Ermin’s eyes widened. She naturally knew how precious this hourglass was. With it, as long as sufficient resources were invested in its cultivation, it would continuously produce... the Substance.

“Then what about you, Teacher??” she couldn’t help but ask. “You’ve given everything to me, so...”

“Because I myself have already become the Alchemical Gate,” he suddenly laughed, seemingly unafraid of exposure. He opened the cockpit in his chest and pulled out his core power source:

A transparent little worm in a glass bottle.

“Teacher...” Ermin was utterly stunned. Before, it was a slime, now it was a tiny worm in a bottle. “You truly have completely transformed into the Alchemical Gate, becoming the essence itself!!!”

At this moment, the natural-born gods exchanged glances, no longer daring to speak.

Looking at the worm in the glass bottle, they felt it was a scene they would never forget for their entire lives!

What terrifying and mysterious high-dimensional place had he visited to transform himself into the legendary... Substance?

Among all the heavens and myriad realms, our world is too small! Beyond our world, there are all sorts of unimaginable wonders and places of adventure!

For a moment, all Heavenly Emperors seemed to fall silent. All the gods were dumbfounded. The Alchemist Emperor, merely a Heavenly Emperor in appearance... at this moment, everyone understood that his various great powers, beyond the imagination of all gods, could no longer be measured by the standards of a Heavenly Emperor.

At this, the gods in the sky exchanged glances, a hint of bitterness flashing in their eyes. They directly descended, their faces solemn and divine, offering congratulatory words and devout blessings one after another.

“Congratulations, Emperor of the Underworld, on rediscovering your esteemed teacher and successfully extending your lifespan. The continuation of the Underworld is a blessing for all living beings under heaven.”

“Your Excellency, you are the ancient ruler of the Alchemist Dynasty, Alchemist Emperor Grantham, an ancient existence whom even the Origin Demon God and the Emperor of the Underworld constantly thought of. Truly, your reputation precedes you!”

“Though you are a Heavenly Emperor, you are destined to ascend to godhood; the Ninth Rank is within reach!”

“Indeed, if only this had happened sooner, Lord Daojun would not have had to depart with regrets! His lifespan could have been extended.”

“It seems that the resurgence of the Alchemist Dynasty and the reappearance of the ancient alchemical system are truly a blessing for the world!”

One after another, powerful gods offered their congratulations. Their bodies radiated ancient white divine light, sacred and grand, as they blessed an ordinary Heavenly Emperor standing on the beach.

This was truly an unimaginable sight. Rarely seen in a thousand or ten thousand years, it was simply too incredible. This scene would also be recorded in the most ancient historical murals, inspiring awe.

Year 21 of the Six Realms: The Great Tomb of Tartarus opened, and the ancient Alchemist Emperor returned, traversing seven millennia of illusory time, crossing space and time to descend upon the banks of the Underworld. Through life alchemy, he turned stone into gold, and the gods descended to congratulate him.— From ‘Six Realms: Chronicle of Integration’

Moe Girl, hidden in the higher clouds amidst swirling mist, sniffed. “How ruthless! A true master indeed. If he had revealed it all at once, it wouldn’t have had such an explosive effect. Slowly revealing it sentence by sentence through conversation with Ermin... allowing the others to harbor ill intentions and develop hostility, then directly striking them down and plunging them into despair... the impact is much greater.”

Nameless Dragon was also hiding in the shadows.

“Indeed,” he added. “It was quick and decisive, establishing authority. They didn’t dare to act, didn’t dare to provoke, and moreover, they now had to seek favors from him. And that final revelation, truly brilliant, showing that he himself had become the ‘Substance’... The other gods could only fawn over him immediately, after all, they all envied such a mysterious treasure... hoping to use it themselves in the future, to borrow some.”

The effect was significantly obvious. He had resolved all the issues of his return in the fastest and cleanest manner possible.

Now, all the gods regarded the Alchemist Emperor as a deity of equal standing, or even a god who would likely become infinitely stronger than them in the future!

However, this was not the end.

The various gods continued to offer congratulatory words, and even presented invaluable treasures as gifts.

“You all already know a little...”

At this point, Li Shengjiang seemed to have no intention of stopping. He spoke eloquently to the surrounding gods, “Alchemy is the extraction of the singular ‘Substance’ from all things... and this Substance possesses the mysterious property of reviving the dead. It is highly likely that, in Hermes’ remaining corpse back then, every soul imprint in every piece of flesh was erased.”

The gods nodded in silence.

Ninth Rank beings could regenerate from their flesh and blood, with every part of their flesh containing a soul imprint. They were practically immortal; as long as a single drop of blood remained, they could be reborn, though it would require immense energy to recover from just one drop. To kill an ancient Ninth Rank existence like Hermes, there must have been some kind of soul-destroying poison that eradicated every soul imprint in his flesh, so even if his flesh was scattered everywhere, he could not have been revived.

But something strange happened. Hermes’ remnants of soul and flesh surprisingly re-manifested a soul.

“At the time, it seemed unbelievable, but now we have clarity,” Scholar Bai said with a laugh. “He truly must have perished, with not a trace of his soul remaining in his flesh! However, by using the Substance... a new soul appeared in his flesh! It was no longer the original Hermes; it was a completely new being.”

Hu Renong stroked his snow-white beard, full of dignity, and interjected, “And this part, integrated with the ‘Substance’ and soul-flesh, underwent a secondary separation: the flesh became Emperor Messiah, while the soul became Hermes.”

Everyone nodded in agreement. This perfectly explained all lingering questions about Hermes, fitting all the pieces together!

Understanding the terror of the Alchemical Gate, everyone looked at this majestic and handsome young man. It seemed that this ancient Alchemist Emperor, his intentions unchanged, had returned to this era seven millennia later, and his first order of business was to investigate the fallen Hermes from back then!

This ancient great emperor’s character was indeed admirable. No wonder Ermin and Medusa had always admired him; he possessed the charisma that made people feel they could rely on him, always responsible and extremely dependable.

After all, according to historical records, this ancient being once ascended to heaven to meet the gods, built the Hanging Gardens of Babylon, and sought to enter the land of the gods.

At this point, the gods no longer harbored any hostility.

Li Shengjiang neither confirmed nor denied, but cupped his fists and smiled. “Ladies and gentlemen, back then, I ascended to heaven to meet the gods but did not enter. Later, before my death, Hermes descended to see me off... These favors, and indeed the civilization’s enlightenment, are something mortals on the ground can never repay for all eternity...”

“Furthermore, what great enemy did Hermes and the gods face back then, in their effort to protect the world, that led to their complete demise? Will we, today and in the future, face another attack?”

The gods frowned. It wasn’t a possibility; they would be attacked again. It was almost inevitable that they would suffer an attack.

In their view, this world, now without a guardian, was practically a juicy piece of meat. Since a great price had been paid to eliminate that ancient being, why wouldn’t they come to this world to reap the rewards?

“Ancient Ninth Rank existences have fallen; can we withstand it? And Daojun and the Emperor of the Underworld still seem unable to cross into the Ninth Rank; it seems like an unattainable realm,” the Alchemist Emperor continued, piecing together clues. “But regardless, we need to understand this; we cannot simply sit by and await our demise.”

“Precisely,” the Blood Emperor spoke, his voice stern. “Daojun has fallen, and we have seen the existence in the ethereal realm. At this point, we should already know that the world is not small. In this current era, we should unite our efforts... harboring various selfish thoughts would be utterly ridiculous.”

Evidently, with Medusa gone, his mind was no longer confined to this world; he wanted to see what lay beyond.

“Yes, breaking through to the Ninth Rank seems inevitable! And the enemy is intelligence we must understand!” Liu Wenjian’s clear, cold voice chimed in. “Furthermore, we must open up to other worlds and take that step. Drawing a circle around ourselves and passively waiting is never a good strategy! My Shushan lineage cultivates sword intent and seeks freedom across heaven and earth; we wish to see the boundless landscapes of the wider world!”

“Precisely so.” Li Shengjiang looked at everyone, then cupped his fists respectfully towards the sky. “In years past, I ascended to heaven to meet the gods but did not enter. Today, I wish to seek an audience with Hermes once more, to learn the truth of the world. Esteemed ones, will you come with me?”