Chapter 107 - The Significance of Godhood

Formations were split into three categories: Defensive, Offensive and Utility. Defensive didn't just mean barriers. In fact, most defensive formations carried out attacks too. The fundamental difference with their offensive counterpart is that the defensive formations covered a large area, and relied only on a relic plus the formation controller's strength. Offensive formations, however, could channel the strength of legions of experts, and make them overlap to turn weaklings into God-deterring terrors. 

The Hundred Insect Altar, Harun's second Sect Wonder, wasn't merely a self-running toxic beast factory, but could also produce a defensive formation shrouding a 300 square kilometers area. The cultivation altar on top of the figurine pyramid released a force-field that spread and trapped the deities, celestials and mortals in a zone where the Serpent Totem and its Toxic Beast Formation held sway. 

The centipedes, scorpions, bees, moths, butterflies, and so many other varieties of unique toxic beasts became a dark-green smoke cloud that blotted out the deities' sight. Instantly, the God that most dreaded the Serpent Totem's bloodline was surrounded by a jet of green smoke. The twelve others snapped out of their trance—scattering to various spots. And as the disturbed regained their battle intent, the smoke jet dispersed, revealing their peer's corroded skeleton. Blessed by Heaven's Will, a God's corpse could endure epochs with no sign of decomposition. But don't mention a full body. Even the bones looked like they'd turn into ground powder within seconds—they did.

Instantly, in the celestials and deities' eyes, the dark-green cloud became a smiling nightmare that promised them cold and fatal embraces. Let's not even mention the mortal soldiers, who'd seen much more than they ever d.e.s.i.r.ed to. At this point, fear wasn't even the problem. They just stood there, stupefied, neither advancing nor retreating. 

The Serpent Totem's head peeked over the toxic cloud—its slit eyes carrying a deep, and tyrannical force that for a second, convinced many of the deities that it wasn't a mere beast, but an ancient and wrathful emperor that stood before their divine assembly. Shame replaced the fear, rage surged anew, but from the beginning to now, three maintained their cool.

"Hahaha. At best, that's a third-level Ascending God's strength. If that's all you got, please die for me." The Flame Spirit King chortled and arched his head back. Red-flames gushed forth, turning the belligerent deity into an inextinguishable blaze, from which a pair of flaming eyes met the Serpent Totem's stare without a silver of dread.

Five red gates appeared at the Flame Spirit King's back, and from them, blood-red crows of quasi-God strength popped out. And if the pressure of five new entities half-a-step into God territory wasn't enough, each of those Door Gods led a host of 100,000 divine soldiers…that all possessed the strength of a Celestial Knight. They stood in an impeccable military order, masterfully controlled by the Flame Spirit King's five Door Gods.

"All those that rejected our Divine Path for foreign or new bridges, are either incompetent wastes, or unredeemable fools. So what if deities have a harder time mastering the mysteries? This land exists by Heaven's Will, and we who carry it…shall forever rule supreme!" The Flame Spirit King exclaimed, and the aura of a fifth-level Ascending God filled the bloody-sky, forcing all mortals on their knees. Sheltered by the Serpent Totem, Gulseni and the brides avoided this insult, yet had to admit that this aura alone made them powerless.

The armored deity that almost wiped out Gulseni's group stepped forward. "I do not often agree with you, but on this one, our minds are in sync," he said and reached out, summoning a bronze war hammer laced with blood veins. Five bronze gates opened behind him, unleashing five armored bulls of quasi-God strength—leading a Divine Host of 500,000 Celestial Knights.

"Ants often find ways to justify their failings. This foolishness is akin to a shark wanting to turn into a monkey to explore the sea's depths," an elegant and shapely goddess with black-white hair drawn back in a chignon chimed in, and released the same terrifying aura and manpower as the other two. In her case, however, it was an army of 500,000 fairies led by five stately cranes. 

Granted, Heaven suppressed Celestials and Gods in mystery cultivation, but the tradeoff was clear. Each Ascending God represented a Divine Host. Each Heavenly God represented a Divine Court. And each Empyrean Monarch reigned on an Internal Heaven, a Divine World of epic proportions. Gods were factions on their own. 

At first, when the Grand Cataclysm nearly destroyed the Heavenly Dream Land, when the Elemental Fusion and Dream Seer bridges showed up, innumerable deities considered Path Defection. No one wanted to suffer the monstrous beasts' fates, and above that, many yearned for the freedom those new bridges offered. The Elemental Fusion bridge, in particular, enabled high-level divine cultivators to transfer their strength through a unique ritual, and not start from scratch. 

But as the deities faltered, and the Hundred Infernal Years brewed, Silav, who at the cataclysm's start was severely injured by an unknown expert—completed his Mandate—becoming the first known True Emperor in the Heavenly Dream Land's history. Unlike Dilnaz and the Beast Emperors who first got enlightenment into the Devil Stones, Silav completed it with zero external help, and after snatching several Devil Stones in cosmic clashes, was hailed by the Heavenly Dream Land's cultivators as the Immortal Emperor. 

His fame now eclipsed Nakula, the three Empyrean Emperors, and pursued his grandfather's. With that magnificent example, Gods regained their confidence. And after over 150 years of constant warfare, many talents emerged—openly scorning the other paths. Xerzan of the Barbaric Demon Stronghold was the prime example. 

"Be careful. The Flame Spirit King, Armored Bull Commander, and Uncorrupted Crane Mistress, are household names in the Second Range. During the Hundred Infernal Years, they've killed several same-level experts, and aren't to be underestimated." Gulseni warned the Serpent Totem, who bobbed his head in understanding. 

The Serpent Totem stretched his clawed hands out, and from his colossal frame, Sovereign Essence gushed alongside terrible Elemental Yin Essence. Though the deities knew about the mythical Sovereign Essence, having never experienced it firsthand, they couldn't recognize it. Gulseni did, but if at first she didn't understand why the Totem could use one of the true self's signature abilities—believing that the connection between the two allowed feats like this, she didn't think much of it.

A terrifying clash thus erupted. 

…

Meanwhile, Harun and Jiyan stepped into the Obsidian Soul Stone mine. But instead of a dimly lit cavern layered with abundant minerals—with narrow passageways that'd make a claustrophobic man quiver to no end—they got sky-high cavern walls embedded with radiant stones that illuminated the mine with an almost blinding, red light. 

Every three seconds, the stones lost their l.u.s.ter, throwing the space-law defying mine into complete darkness. Relying on their potent senses, Harun and Jiyan remained alert of their surroundings, ignoring the disturbing phenomenon to focus on the exploration. 

A vast concentration of Yin, Death and Soul Essence filled this area. But on top of those, the pair felt an abundance of Earth, Metal and Blood Essence. Just this environment that'd speed up the cultivation of those six Mysteries, made the Obsidian Soul Stone mine a cultivation treasure house. But as the two crossed the rugged ground, they didn't doubt they just scratched the surface. 

From time to time, the distant screams of the Soul Refining Hall's disciples echoed—reminding the pair that they'd step into a slaughterhouse. 

At the intersection of two roads, the red light dimmed. An armored fist large enough to squash two heads emerged from Harun's right, aiming straight for his skull.