Chapter 1225: 1225. Challenge

The world fell into chaos as the roars echoed through the sky. The ten snakes that had awakened in the lower plane and the leaders in the Immortal Lands chanted war cries that affected every living being.

An invasion had begun. Ten peak rank 6 creatures had fallen into the world. Their power was enough to alter the division of power between humans and magical beasts, but that wasn't the end.

The creatures above had reinforced the crack in the sky. The passage toward the Immortal Lands was still open, and it didn't show any sign of closing.

No one knew for how long the divine creatures would be able to keep the fissure open. Heaven and Earth would surely punish them for that, but the experts in the lower plane couldn't predict when the Eternal Snakes would become tired.

That allowed the divine creatures to send reinforcements. The experts in the heroic ranks didn't know how powerful the pack in the Immortal Lands was, but they could guess that it didn't have a shortage of peak rank 6 specimens.

The crack was a continuous threat that hung over the world. The organizations had to take care of it before a horde of powerful beasts fell into the lower plane. However, Shandal was the only one that could deal with that issue.

The ice and silver that had covered the crack's edges came from the divine beings in the Immortal Lands. Even the efforts of the whole world would be useless against those materials.

Shandal was the only one capable of expressing power in the divine rank. He had to remove those restrictions and make sure that the crack closed.

Still, it was unsure whether he could deal with the issue. Everyone knew that he wasn't a proper god, so there was a chance that he couldn't destroy those abilities.

It soon became clear that the experts had to cooperate with Shandal, but that meant negotiating with a divine being. The heroic cultivators hesitated to plan a strategy after they understood that they had to fly toward him.

That hesitation appeared even in the experts that had been in the separate dimension under the Odrea nation. Meeting a will was different from talking with an actual divine being.

Noah would typically have no worries in those situations, but he had a lot to lose now. The peak rank 6 Snakes were the best nourishment that he could find in a lower plane, and he wouldn't dare to approach negotiations that involved them unprepared.

'He probably doesn't know about our conversation,' Noah thought as he glanced at Flying Demon, who sensed his stare and turned to nod at him.

Flying Demon had inherited part of Shandal's individuality. He was the perfect powerhouse to bring in that meeting.

Shandal heaved a sigh when he saw what he had brought to the world. He expanded his consciousness again to establish a connection with his separate dimension, and an ethereal figure soon set off from the old continent to fly toward him.

The group of powerhouses saw Shandal's will fusing with his figure. The memories of his will flowed inside his mind instantly, and the god showed a different expression when he reopened his eyes to look at the experts.

"I see," Shandal said as his eyes moved among the powerhouses of the Hive.

A satisfied expression appeared on his face, and he started to play with his long beard as he inspected those who had met his will. Noah and the others felt naked under his intense gaze.

"You have grown quite well," Shandal said. "Especially you, man of tw-."

"I want to discuss something with you," Noah interrupted Shandal before he could speak about his transmigration again. "I believe you want to help us deal with this crisis, but I want to know what role you will play first. I'm interested in some of the creatures that have fallen."

Noah's hesitation didn't last long. As soon as he saw Shandal's will fusing to the main body, he knew that he could act freely. After all, he was quite crucial to existences that went against Heaven and Earth.

Shandal smiled when he heard those words, and he nodded before sitting on the ground. The experts understood the meaning behind that gesture. That same ground would hold their negotiation.

Noah flew forward, and Flying Demon followed him. Great Elder Diana did the same while bringing Elder Regina with her.

God's Left Hand appeared different from before now that her leader had returned. She radiated intense confidence in her abilities, and her individuality leaked from her figure to affect the environment.

Wild winds formed wherever her influence reached, but they were too weak to hinder the path of her fellow powerhouses. Noah and the others went to the Empire's higher-ups and sat in front of the waiting god.

God's Left Hand and True Speed didn't sit. They moved behind Shandal's back and remained there as if they were his protectors. Sternness also appeared on their expression when they took those spots.

"You said that you were interested in the Snakes," Shandal said to start the negotiations. "I thought that a creature like you would be more interested in this."

Shandal moved his arms to reveal the egg, and Noah's pupils shrunk at that sight. His instincts suggested reckless plans to his mind, but he limited himself to suppress them.

"The Eternal Snakes are famous for their longevity and endurance," Shandal said before giving voice to a short laugh. "I don't have the strength to defeat one of them, but this egg will directly give birth to a divine specimen. I want to use its energy to see if I can improve my cultivation level."

Shandal's statement made Noah give up on the egg. The god of the Empire would use everything he had to fix his condition, so he wasn't willing to put that resource for sale.

"Can living beings be born directly as gods?" Noah asked as curiosity filled his mind.

He had only managed to gather small pieces of information about the Immortal Lands, and none of them talked about the fauna in that place. Even Night was useless in that field since it had lost many memories.

Shandal scratched his beard before replying. "It's rare, but it can happen. There are many divine beings in the Immortal Lands, and some have laws capable of affecting the world. You will find many peculiar things up there."

A tremor ran through God's Left Hand's face when she heard those words. Her Patriarch had confirmed that Noah would reach the Immortal Lands. She couldn't believe that even Shandal had acknowledged his talent.

The same went for the powerhouses from the Council. Great Elder Diana and Elder Regina didn't look at Noah, but seeing Shandal being so confident about his statement made them respect Noah even more.

As for Noah, he didn't care about those words. He had only one goal in his mind. He had to secure the powerful specimens that had fallen into the world.

"Only you can take care of the crack," Noah said without commenting on the previous matter.

"I'll deal with the energy that is forcing the sky to remain in that state," Shandal replied. "I won't touch the magical beasts."

His line reassured Noah, but it worried the other experts. Great Elder Diana even spoke to express her fears. "They are creatures at the peak of the sixth rank. I'm not sure we can take care of them with our current forces."

"So?" Shandal said while standing up. "This is your challenge to overcome. Good luck."