Chapter 376: Replacing Gods

The tree seemed reluctant, so Arthur had to give up more of his spiritual energy, enhanced with his Art, to coax it. After getting the fifth branch from the tree, Arthur walked back toward the city. 

He waved the branch around, and he sensed the unique quality that the branch had on the world. However, he couldn't use it to its fullest potential. Only the wood spirit could. 

"Adrian is full of mysteries," Arthur came to realize as he walked toward the workshop. Before he got there, he noticed Li still sitting on top of the roof, meditating. 

Using his chains to jump on top of the roof, Arthur landed next to his friend. He sat beside him without saying anything, not wanting to distract him. However, Li was the one to initiate a conversation. 

"My Lord..."

"Don't call me that," 

"I want to go through the process again," Li said as he stood up. "I want to grow stronger." 

"Chill out, Li." Arthur shook his head. "Adrian already said that your spiritual body is at its limits. So you need to rest a bit before he agrees to help you." 

"That's why I'm asking you," Li said with a resolute tone. "Fight me using your chains, please." 

"No," 

"My Lord..."

"You will die, Li." Arthur shook his head. "These chains are far stronger than the Stars Reaver. You've seen what happened when I struck the bell in the Earthen World." 

"That's why I'm asking you to help me," Li clenched his fist tightly. "I can't hold you back on this island. Even if I risk my existence, I want to grow stronger enough to contract the spirit." 

"Why would you go to such lengths?" Arthur was curious since he didn't know anything about Li's motives. "You've told me that a meteor destroyed your village, but it's not like that would happen more than once." 

"The thing is that it will." Li barked harshly for the first time since Arthur met him. "The meteor was never a coincidence," Li's voice lowered. "It was by design."

"Design?" Arthur raised a brow. "Do you mean that someone destroyed your village?" 

"A man appeared in my village a month ago," Li didn't answer Arthur's question directly. "He told me that it would happen again. It wasn't about me but about the kingdom itself. We are facing famine, and the resources the kingdom can provide are limited." 

"And how is that related to the meteor?" 

"The kingdom didn't want to admit that it can't provide food in these difficult times. The moment it does, an uprising would be inevitable." 

"What about agriculture?" 

"No fertile lands, as if something stole their life." Li shook his head. "That's why the Kingdom's strongest mage used his ability to summon meteors to cut off the dead weight every few months." 

"I see," Arthur nodded. "And that's why you want the ability to control gravity? To counter his ability?" 

"That, of course, and for something else." Arthur could hear the rage in Li's voice. "I want to kill the king and that mage using the same method they used to kill people." 

Arthur was silent as he looked at the sky. The fluffy clouds looked dark today, and he wondered if there was rain in the Spirit Realm. Li was going down the path of revenge, but was that the right path to take? 

"This goal will haunt you, even if you succeed," Arthur said after a brief silence. "Revenge might be the right thing to do, but it isn't right for you." 

"I don't care what's right for me," Li replied. "I only seek justice in this chaotic world, for myself and those I hold dear." 

"What about the rest of the world? Would you go help everyone?" 

"If you ask me to," Li said seriously with a nod. 

"Man, you are so serious that I can't refuse." Arthur smiled. "Let's take this elsewhere then." 

***

The chains flew in the air like whips, attacking Li from every direction as he tried to dodge away. Li used his spiritual energy and punched at the chains, but it was futile as they didn't budge. 

Arthur was bored. 

He didn't need to use the chains consciously, only ordering them to attack Li in a non-fatal manner. However, it seems that even that was impossible. 

The chains whipped faster than Li could react, and they obliterated his shoulder. The man screamed in pain, and Arthur stopped attacking. 

"I told you that you would die," Arthur walked toward him, but Li simply gestured in refusal. 

"Continue," 

"Do you want to die that badly?" 

"I'm not dead, now, am I?" Li said with a hint of pride. "Come at me seriously." Arthur frowned before he nodded and raised his arm. 

"You've asked for it, Li," Arthur said as his aura exploded. The aura of creation made the world around them sink. As his arm descended, the chains multiplied and began attacking again. "Survive this, and you will grow stronger." 

They descended like an army of destructive beings, and they destroyed everything in their path. The ground, the trees, and even Li couldn't survive the onslaught. 

"Stop!" 

Adrian's voice appeared from above as the wood spirit descended. However, it was too late to stop Arthur. The chains arrived at Li and struck him in every part of his body, destroying it. 

Li screamed in agony as he fell tried to dodge, but there was no escape. Before Adrian could do anything, the chains retreated to Arthur, who began walking toward the dissipating Li. 

"Wasn't he... your friend?" Adrian muttered with horror. "What have you done? You've destroyed his spiritual body! He'll lose all of his abilities and memories!" 

"Hm?" Arthur stopped in front of the dissipating Li. "I have so many questions, but they have to wait." 

As he said so, he raised his hand. The chains multiplied further, creating a dome around Li. They left no gaps, and Arthur's aura of creation began growing stronger. 

"What are you doing?" Adrian walked closer to them. "This aura..." 

"Li earned this gift," Arthur replied as his aura grew stronger. "He might hate me for doing this, but it's the only way for him to contract the spirit."

"Arrogant," Adrian spat as he walked closer to the dome. It reached out its hand before retracting it. "It's the first time that I felt a thirst for power."

"You can take a bit too," Arthur laughed. "I wouldn't mind." 

"As desirable this power is," Adrian retracted his hand. "It is as threatening. I might lose myself in it." The carpenter backed away from the dome before he found a spot to sit down. 

"Enjoying the show?" Arthur said as he raised his hands, palms facing upward. His spiritual energy gathered in spheres of golden light, which he merged into one another. 

"You are playing the role of god," Adrian warned. "I don't care if you do, but the heavens won't be merciful in retaliation." 

"When the gods abandon us, what other choice do we have but to dethrone them and take their place?" Arthur said as he walked toward the dome. 

"Ever considered living as a mortal without tempering with the fate of others?" Adrian said mockingly. "It's a lot easier to accept that we can't control everything." 

"Something being easy doesn't make it the right thing to do, Adrian." Arthur threw his spiritual energy at the dome, and it lit up like the brightest sun. "I won't shy away from shooting down gods and demons if it means surviving in this chaotic world." 

"Is that all you want, human?" Adrian stood up. "Are you sure you aren't pursuing the addictive feeling of being powerful and omnipotent?" 

"I have no answer to that because anything I say would never prove otherwise. I can only show you, carpenter. I can show you that I'm different." 

The chains began pulling away from the dome like a yarn ball until they revealed Li's form inside. From the white appearance he had, Li now had strips of golden light all over his body. 

As he landed on the ground, Li kept looking around and at his body. Finally, he looked at Arthur silently before falling on one knee, his arm resting on it. 

"I wished to grow stronger myself," Li said with regret. "But I was too weak until I met you. This debt is one I shall never forget. In this life and the next, I will always serve you." 

"Go get your revenge first," Arthur waved his arm. "And don't forget what I told you before. Just help me out when we meet again." 

Li slowly nodded before he started walking toward the palace in the distance. He disappeared from Arthur's and Adrian's sights, going further and further into the city. 

"Here's your branch." Arthur picked up the branch and handed it toward the wood spirit. "I get two questions today since I helped Li instead of you." 

"Fine... this is the last branch I need, anyway." Adrian sighed. "What are your questions?" 

"I have a friend who lost her memories and abilities, as you said, but someone told me that happened because she contracted an evil spirit." Arthur began.