Chapter 1253 - 112: Proving the Dao Through Slaughter! Hidden in the Shadows (Part 2)

Chapter 1253: Chapter 112: Proving the Dao Through Slaughter! Hidden in the Shadows (Part 2)

If Duncan wants to undergo divine transformation, he must engage in massive slaughter, as ten thousand years are only enough for him to reach the level of mighty divine power.

He cannot afford to hibernate for ten thousand years.

"At least kill three beings with mighty divine power, or those close to it, or nine gods of moderate divine power, allowing my divinity to directly touch the threshold of greatness and immortality."

"Even without a divine position or format, I am not afraid of anyone."

"No one can suppress me through rank."

Presently, Duncan can only pursue a path that doesn’t rely on divine format or position, focusing on the essence of divinity itself.

Main Material Plane. Baldur’s Gate.

Duncan’s incarnation returned to the Main Material Plane, close to Candle Castle, near the Friendly Arm Inn forest.

The curtain falls on everything.

It seems as if many disputes and turbulence gradually fade away, but all this is an illusion, as the goddess of magic, Mystra, is yet again meant to perish. Imprisoning Shirek is nothing but a joke; with his power, even imprisoned, he can scheme against the goddess of magic and, after more than a decade, trigger the Spellplague.

The intervention of the God of Gods, Ayo, merely lengthens the fuse of the powder keg just a bit.

Speaking of which.

Now Duncan is also part of the Ferren pantheon, sitting at a table with weak demigods like Vande Dragonthorn, because Lady of Love - Shunni intervened, and Ayo acknowledged Duncan’s standing in the Ferren pantheon, assigning him to the Bright Water Realm, just like Vande Dragonthorn attaches himself to other divine spirits, Duncan becomes a demigod aligned with the Bright Water Realm.

Since he lacks a proper divine position, the demigod can only affiliate with various divine factions.

Sitting at a table with these weak demigods, Duncan is quite low-profile now.

In this realm of the mortal world, his reputation is approximately similar to that of the Unicorn Queen, limited to small-scale dissemination, and the reason for his ascension is attributed to rescuing the goddess of wealth, Waukeen, from the Bottomless Abyss, usually regarded as an ally or subordinate of the goddess of wealth.

However, those who truly understand Duncan’s prowess, such as the Unicorn Queen Lurue, dare not think of him so lightly; if Duncan intends to ride, she would obediently serve as his mount.

Similarly, the goddess of wealth, Waukeen, would do the same, with Duncan occupying the position of rider.

Although merely a demigod, Duncan’s essence of divinity and power is already no weaker than a god of moderate divine power, even without utilizing the All-Spirit Essence’s enhancement.

"Luckily, the Essence does not heed Ayo."

"If using the Essence’s divine format, I could probably ascend to weak divine power, which is the upper limit of divine format level 10."

As Duncan prepared to visit Candle Castle to check on Chaneem’s situation.

Suddenly.

He sensed a faint divine power fluctuation, and then a graceful middle-aged man appeared, nodding to him with a smile.

——God of Knowledge - Oghma (incarnation) (Mighty Divine Power)!

Strictly speaking.

The proper title of the God of Knowledge is the Namer of All, and Oghma is considered a rather unconventional God of Knowledge.

Because his main profession is a minstrel.

Yes.

Not a mage, not a scholar, the God of Knowledge is a minstrel, commonly known as a street roamer.

What civilization lets minstrels preserve knowledge?

Celtic civilization.

Oghma is an alien god, with origins somewhat linked to the Celtic, but it’s so ancient, he probably wouldn’t acknowledge it himself.

However, he indeed is the patron deity of minstrels.

Which proper God of Knowledge acts like a street-roaming minstrel? The stagnation of Ferren’s civilization, he bears some responsibility, since Oghma conflicts with the God of Craftsmanship - Gond when new technologies and inventions are introduced.

The knowledge of the Oghma church cannot be considered advanced knowledge as we understand it.

However, Candle Castle indeed is his core parish.

"Lord Duncan."

Oghma’s incarnation has glinting eyes, seeming to be probing something, and softly says, "I suggest you refrain from getting involved in the matters of Bhaal’s children anymore."

Candle Castle houses many of his followers.

Duncan paused his steps, gazing calmly, and retorted, "Has Lord Oghma considered relinquishing the burden of the God of Knowledge?"

"To be a joyful and carefree god of minstrels?"

Hearing Duncan’s words, Oghma was taken aback, as Duncan’s words nearly poked his nose, calling him an unworthy God of Knowledge who should retire and return home to be a god of minstrels.

"Civilization should not stagnate; knowledge is a serious matter, not the ballads of minstrels."

Duncan’s tone was calm, yet his words were stinging.

Minstrel, performer, perform well, don’t put on airs with a leek pretending to be an elephant; you’re a minstrel, acting like a scholar.

All minstrels are half-baked, so are divine spirits, halfwit.

The critical ritual of Oghma’s church, the core ritual of the knowledge church, is not invention, not creation, even less revelation, but to sing a passage of wisdom’s literature to him, or offer a song or a poem.

Absolutely unprecedented.

Literature may be a portion of knowledge, but can singing and poetry be the core ceremony of a knowledge church?

A person of literature should have a bit self-aware.

Duncan equally scorns all the divine spirits of this realm.

If you play with poetry, play with literature, then play well; don’t occupy the divine position of ’knowledge’, holding the block and refusing to budge, truly disgusting.

If conversation does not suit, half a sentence is extra.

Oghma intended to persuade Duncan not to meddle with the causality of Bhaal’s children, to prevent provoking Shirek’s vengeance, and to be mindful of the persistent Bane, but unexpectedly walked into the line of fire directly, Duncan was presently in a bad mood, who cares about the God of Knowledge, why give him any face?