“Sovereign of High Heaven?
Has there really ever been a god in Heaven bearing such a title?” In the central plaza of Rakia’s royal capital, the god named Hermes browsed the public notice board before him with great interest.
The information written there could be summarized in just a few points: [Proclamation to All Citizens of Rakia] 1.
The former chief god, Ares, has voluntarily stepped down.
From this day forth, he and the other gods shall serve as subordinate gods under the Sovereign of High Heaven.
2.
The divine miracle at the Bashe Mountain Range was the work of His Majesty.
It is a providential opportunity granted to the people of the continent.
There is no need for panic.
3.
A new cultivation system is now open.
All citizens of Rakia may, under military organization, enter the Bashe Mountain Range to cultivate.
4.
The existing divine grace system will continue to be updated as usual.
It shall operate in parallel with the new method, without conflict and without compulsion.
—Signed in blood by Ares himself, along with the joint signatures of every subordinate god familiar to the Kingdom of Rakia.
There was no doubt that the gods had already reached a consensus on this matter.
The subjects below had no right to alter it.
Thus, when the news first broke, although countless citizens had reacted as if a pot had exploded, they quickly calmed down.
The key was that Rakia had always been an expansionist nation, constantly waging war and annexing other familias.
Since its founding, it had frequently welcomed new gods into its ranks as part of the pantheon it worshipped.
Now there was merely one more seat added to the divine hall—at most, this Sovereign was unimaginably powerful and had replaced Lord Ares as chief god the moment he arrived.
That was hardly a problem.
After all, Lord Ares was still a member of the pantheon.
He had not been sent back to Heaven, had he?
Not to mention, the new chief god was truly generous.
From the moment he arrived, he bestowed a divine miracle, causing the Kingdom of Rakia to gain an entire Bashe Mountain Range out of thin air.
He even granted a brand-new cultivation method, allowing a hundred thousand troops and countless civilians to visibly grow stronger.
Given such benevolence, what dissatisfaction could they possibly have as beneficiaries?
Lord Ares had made the right choice.
Rakia, defeated too many times, desperately needed a powerful chief god to lead them toward greater strength, to restore their former glory, and march toward victory.
At this very moment, their hearts held nothing but unwavering loyalty to His Majesty.
Thus, when Hermes accepted the commission of the gods of Orario and came to Rakia’s royal capital to gather intelligence, he quickly discovered that this warlike nation had, within just a few days and nights, completely changed its allegiance.
“When gods descend to the lower world, aren’t we all bound by restrictions?
The moment we use divine power, it’s detected and we’re automatically sent back to Heaven?” As the god who presided over negotiation and contracts in this world, Hermes’ eyes were filled with confusion.
“Then what exactly is that extra mountain range?
Has Heaven’s return mechanism broken down?” And the title Sovereign of High Heaven was equally unfamiliar.
It sounded like something from the Chinese circle.
The great gods over there were fond of titles like ‘Emperor,’ ‘Sovereign,’ or ‘Venerable.’ Yet among the Chinese gods, there had never been any deity bearing the title “Sovereign of High Heaven.” Hermes was certain of this.
After all, they had all played together in Heaven for hundreds of millions of years.
Who didn’t know whom?
Even if their relationships varied and gradually formed into little cliques—Greek, Norse, Egyptian, Japanese, Indian, and so on—it never prevented them from visiting one another or switching sides.
As the god of negotiation, Hermes could proudly claim that he knew every single god in Heaven.
And among them, there was absolutely no one bearing the name Sovereign of High Heaven.
“So it’s a false name?
A fabricated identity?
Or…” A thrilling possibility flashed through his mind.
“…is this great god not born from Heaven at all?” The moment that thought arose, Hermes felt as though his very understanding was about to explode.
His eyes shone with barely restrained excitement.
“Asfi!” He instinctively called out the name of the strongest workhorse in his familia.
But he quickly realized—he had ordered her to wait outside the Kingdom of Rakia and forbade her from entering.
After all, he was investigating the phenomenon that had led to Ares’ fall.
Who knew what had truly occurred here?
In a crisis capable of endangering even gods, ordinary mortals had best stay out of it and wait outside for news.
Otherwise, if he were forced to unseal his divine power in a moment of danger, he would also have to find a way to protect that troublesome subordinate.
Shaking his head helplessly, Hermes could no longer restrain himself without an assistant to handle matters.
He turned and left the royal capital directly, sprinting toward the Bashe Mountain Range several miles away.
As a god, even with divine power sealed, certain innate talents tied to one’s authority were still retained.
For instance, Takemikazuchi could rely solely on martial skill to fight a Level 5 adventurer with his frail mortal body.
And the goddess of beauty Freya could gaze directly into the souls of the lower world’s children, her charm even altering the memories of an entire city.
Hermes had never thought to compare himself with such peers, but when it came to running and gathering intelligence, he had considerable experience.
Thus, in less than ten minutes, he arrived at the edge of the Bashe Mountain Range—only stopping when he faintly sensed an inexplicable pressure emanating from within.
“This mountain…
is alive?” “A terrifying colossal beast.
In life, it might truly have devoured gods.
Only the great deities would have had the power to suppress it.” Yet such a monster—one that even gods would treat seriously—had been casually slain here.
Its corpse had transformed into a mountain range, becoming an opportunity for a group of mortals to grow stronger.
There was no doubt that the earlier rain of blood from the heavens—the funeral of Ares guided by the origin—must be connected to that otherworldly god capable of killing the Bashe.
But now it seemed that Ares had merely been captured and suppressed.
Not only had he not died, he had instead reached some agreement with the other party, effectively selling the entire Kingdom of Rakia and all subordinate gods along with it.
The only question was the profit.
Had he gained or lost in the exchange?
A thoughtful glint flashed through Hermes’ eyes as countless unspoken calculations turned in his mind— He could feel the storm of a new era sweeping in.
The world was undergoing unpredictable change, and no one knew where it would ultimately sail.
This is…
absolutely wonderful!!!
Hahaha!
How could I possibly miss out on something this entertaining?
“An unknown visitor from beyond the heavens, a fearsome beast capable of contending with the gods, and an entirely new cultivation system distinct from divine grace…
It really sets the blood racing!” Casting one last reluctant glance at the mountain range before him, Hermes looked around and noticed rows of newly constructed military camps not far away.
Heh…
He certainly did not dare to enter that bizarre mountain range himself.
But a camp arranged by children of the lower world?
How could that possibly stop him?
In the domains of theft and deception alone, he was confident that even a first-class adventurer could not catch him—let alone Rakia’s bunch of hotheaded brutes, who would only ever be left eating his dust.
“So let me see what interesting things you’re still hiding.”