Chapter 421: The Origin of Ability
The Sky Miracle Garden
Waterfalls cascaded from the heavens, part of the divine realm and part of the mortal world, forming a bridge between the domain of gods and the lands of men.
Silver flowers covered the land of miracles, and throughout the garden, lighthouses stood in rows while countless lamps floated gently in the air.
This was the world of the Flowers of Desire and the kingdom of the Lamp Spirits.
On this particular day, a single silver leaf drifted from a hollow in the Rainbow Tree, carried by the wind until it found its way into the Hall of Iva.
The God of Alchemy and Desire, Iva, was the first deity to learn of the Lake Nymphs’ birth and the first to receive a token from them.
Inside the hall, the Golden Queen stood alone.
The silver leaf floated gently from above, settling softly into her open palm.
The Golden Queen instantly recognized the leaf’s origin as a stream of information entered her mind with it.
“A trade envoy of the gods?”
This silver leaf served as both the Lake Nymphs’ token and the medium for the ritual.
Gods and aspiring divine beings could contact the Lake Nymphs directly, and for them, the medium could be reused multiple times.
For ordinary people, however, the token was limited to a single use.
Even a trade that required a price was not a privilege granted to everyone. For ordinary mortals, it represented a rare opportunity to rise above their station.
What trade envoys and divine beings saw as trivial could easily be treasures that entire kingdoms and powerful apostles would give everything to possess.
Curiosity sparked within the Golden Queen as she studied the silver leaf.
She stepped onto the crystal bridge that arched over the river outside, holding the leaf carefully in both hands.
With her eyes closed, she began to chant.
“Trade envoy of the Divine Kingdom of Creation, Lake Nymph born of dreams,”
“I wish to make a trade with you.”
“Please, answer my call.”
She released her clasped hands. The silver leaf drifted into the water and dissolved into a swirling vortex, sending ripples spreading outward in gentle rings.
Within the ripples, a new vision began to form. There was no trace of any nymph, only something entirely different.
Lines of text appeared, listing the items held by the trade envoys, the Lake Nymphs. These were the possessions available for viewing.
Naturally, a trader could place their own offerings into the ripples to inform the Lake Nymphs of what they wished to exchange.
At the same time, with each trade, the Lake Nymphs would take one of their dreams as part of the exchange.
They would never appear in person unless they chose to make direct contact. Throughout the entire trade, only the offerings would be visible, and nothing else.
Though the Golden Queen never caught a glimpse of the Lake Nymphs, the manner of trade and the items described were more than enough to pique her curiosity.
Iva’s authority was considerable, and the token granted through the god’s blessing allowed one to see every item the Lake Nymphs possessed.
The Golden Queen scrolled upward, browsing through the various offerings.
Among the most common items was one that read:
【Spirit Candy】
【Quantity: Unlimited】
【Origin: Candy made by spirits. Incredibly delicious! The most delicious in the world! Certified by the Gods.】
【Price: Something delicious, preferably something the spirits have never tasted.】
The Golden Queen could not help but laugh.
The description of its origin, the price, everything was unmistakably in the style of the spirits, just as God Iva had described.
Scrolling further, she found other items as well. There was flower tea from the Wood Nymphs and a Miracle Tool that served no apparent purpose other than to continuously produce a soft glow.
Then there was something truly absurd.
【Trade: Spirit’s Doodle】
【Quantity: 1】
【Origin: A doodle by a little spirit. Buying it might win you the favor of a certain little spirit, though there’s no guarantee. Even if the spirit takes a liking to you, it will probably forget about you in no time. Or maybe by the time it remembers, you could already be long gone, even if you’re an apostle who can live a thousand years. To a spirit, that much time is just the length of a quick game. And don’t even think about visiting the Divine Kingdom of Creation to track down the Creator’s envoy clan for a refund or to hold them to any promises.】
The price to obtain it was equally baffling, leaving one utterly bewildered.
【Price: A method to never be planted in a flowerpot.】
The Golden Queen blinked. “A spirit… planted in a flowerpot?”
“Who would dare to do such a thing?”
“They are the Creator God’s own envoy clan.”
After browsing for a while, the surface of the water suddenly rippled, and the text rearranged itself.
A new item had appeared. Someone had placed their own offering with the Lake Nymphs, seeking to trade with others.
【Trade: Book of the Witch Spirit】
【Quantity: Unlimited】
【Origin: An item entrusted by Polik, servant of the God of Knowledge and Truth, on behalf of the divine. Only certain individuals may receive it. Possessing it allows an ordinary person to become an Ability User in a single leap.】
【Price: A heart of devout faith in the God of Knowledge and Truth, and the talent to fuse with the Book of the Witch Spirit.】
The Golden Queen paused in surprise, having never imagined such a method could exist.
“Is this… recruiting followers through the trade envoy?”
She then considered that in the future, some fortunate soul blessed by the Lake Nymphs might stumble upon this chance to trade. For such a person, this might very well be the only item within their reach.
“The servant of the God of Knowledge and Truth certainly thinks far ahead.”
As the Golden Queen continued scrolling, the items she encountered grew increasingly precious.
Some spirits and powerful nymphs had placed artifacts ranked within the top one hundred of the Sequence directly on offer, enough to make one’s head spin. The prices they demanded, however, were far beyond what any ordinary person could fulfill.
Among them was one so astonishing it left her staring in disbelief, particularly because of a single line in its description.
【Storage Spirit Realm】
【Quantity: 1】
【Origin: After a visit to the Spirit Country, the Storage Nymph Saint Raphael appears to have been deeply affected by something. She no longer wishes to be a nymph and instead wants to become a Spirit that can transform into anything.】
【Price: A Spirit Domain】
This was completely ridiculous. A Spirit Domain was already far more valuable than the Storage Spirit Realm. The idea that a spirit would willingly give up their domain to trade for Saint Raphael’s realm was unthinkable.
The notion that a spirit would choose to stop being a spirit and become a nymph was simply impossible. This was not an exchange that could be made. Whoever posted this was clearly lost in a daydream, imagining something that could never happen.
“Saint Raphael?”
The Golden Queen could not help but press her lips together in a smile, for she remembered her well.
Was this not the very nymph who had gotten herself lost and ended up stuck inside the hollow of a Rainbow Tree?
Through the lens of this trade catalog alone, she could already glimpse the nature of two fascinating dream-born races.
At last, she came upon the final item.
The Golden Queen’s expression changed at once, her gaze growing solemn and grave.
“What is this?”
“The Stone Carving of The Royal Bloodline?”
The name alone was enough to seize the Golden Queen’s full attention.
She had heard God Iva speak of The Royal Bloodline before. It referred to the seven family lineages that had inherited the power of one of the supreme sovereigns, the King of Wisdom.
Standing upon the crystal bridge, the Golden Queen reached out and opened the listing for this trade.
Ripples spread outward in layered waves, revealing the text hidden beneath.
She read it with the utmost care.
What she did not realize was that as the words appeared, a mist of cursed energy began to coil around them. Power from the Dream Starry Sea surrounded the text, slowly gnawing at the consciousness of anyone who dared look into its depths.
【Trade: Stone Carving of The Royal Bloodline】
【Quantity: 1】
【Origin: An artifact from the Age of God-Given Island at the Dawn of the First Era. It records the sacred scene where the Creator’s firstborn, King Redlichia, granted the Wisdom Ability bloodline and the Ruhe Imprint to his descendants…】
【Price: Stone Carving of Queen Star and Divine Messenger Polo, or the first Yinsai Epic Bone Book inscribed by Saint Tito.】
The Golden Queen could not comprehend a single detail. Neither the names in the description nor the two items listed as the price held any meaning she recognized.
Yet the mere sight of phrases like “the Dawn of the First Era,” “the Age of God-Given Island,” and “the Creator’s firstborn” was enough to tell her that this was an artifact of unimaginable significance.
The former was a stone carving depicting the moment Queen Star ascended to the throne as King of Yinsai. In it, she held the Yinsai Scepter while Polo, the divine messenger of the God of Yinsai, stood behind her.
The latter was the first epic composed by Saint Tito, written even before Queen Star and Divine Messenger Polo. The story of the epic concluded with their tale.
“Yesael?”
“Queen Star? Divine Messenger Polo?”
“Saint Tito?”
The instant the Golden Queen spoke those names aloud, darkness swallowed her vision.
A sharp pain exploded in her head.
Whispers filled her ears, countless voices speaking in a language she could not comprehend.
Her mind was yanked away, pulled into an endless void of darkness and overwhelmed by the oppressive malice of the stars.
At that moment, a figure appeared behind the Golden Queen. A boundless radiance swept through the air, dispelling the shadows and curses that clung to her.
A voice broke the silence. “What were you looking at?”
“To have provoked the shared curse of the Trilobite Men and the People of the Abyss…”
The God of Desire and Alchemy, Iva, stepped onto the crystal bridge and gazed into the river.
The description for the Stone Carving of The Royal Bloodline remained visible, and Iva quickly understood what had happened.
“That thing still exists?”
The Golden Queen staggered, her face pale and devoid of color.
It took her a long moment to regain her balance.
Even then, the fear lingered on her face.
She had never thought that simply looking at the listing through Iva’s silver leaf would provoke such an intense reaction. It was something she was never meant to see.
“What was that? What could possibly draw the curse of such ancient beings?”
Iva studied the description of the Stone Carving of The Royal Bloodline in silence before finally turning to the Golden Queen.
“I have told you before. In the primordial age, the Creator descended upon this world and brought everything into being.”
“The Life Sovereign held the Mother Conch of All Things and had the power to create all forms of life. All wisdom in existence came from another great being.”
“The King of Wisdom, Redlichia.”
The Golden Queen nodded. “I know. The Divine King of Wisdom was one of the three Great Sovereigns.”
“He was the Sovereign Deity who wore the Crown of Wisdom and brought the light of wisdom to this world.”
Iva continued, “The Creator used a single drop of the King of Wisdom’s blood to create the Trilobite Men. The first generation of them were all born on God-Given Island, living beneath the Creator’s temple in the Garden of God.”
“It was a time when gods walked among men, marking the most glorious era of the Trilobite people.”
“But during that age, the first generation of Trilobite Men had only wisdom. They had not yet been granted any abilities.”
God Iva gestured toward the description of The Royal Bloodline, and a subtle shift appeared in the deity’s expression.
Recalling this event seemed to evoke a sense of reverence and yearning, as if the memory itself held a sacred meaning.
“But from that day onward, everything changed.”
“The King of Wisdom divided his authority and power. He shared everything the Creator had given him with the sons he cherished most, along with the Creator’s gift of dominion over the Ruhe Beasts.”
“In time, the descendants of the Divine King intermarried with the bloodlines of the first-generation Trilobite Men, and from those unions, new generations were born.”
“From that moment, mortals gained abilities.”
“That is how the Yinsai Kingdom came into existence and how everything we know today began.”
“Before that day, only two beings held the original abilities: the King of Wisdom, Redlichia, and the heir he had chosen, the Prince of the Moon.”
“The second King of Wisdom, Yesael.”
“Only those two possessed the original abilities.”
God Iva spoke in a quiet, measured tone, as if the visions of that ancient age were unfolding before the deity’s eyes.
The sacred Pyramid Temple and the ancient God-Given City.
Inside the palace of the King of Wisdom, the world’s oldest intelligent beings stood in reverence. Seven divine sons knelt before the ancient King, accepting his power and royal authority with solemn devotion.
“This stone carving was created in the palace of the King of Wisdom. It was recorded on the spot by the original Trilobite Men who witnessed that sacred moment.”
“The moment The Royal Bloodline was born.”
“The moment abilities were bestowed upon all living beings.”
Only then did the Golden Queen truly understand the importance of this carving. It was not just a painting but a record of the origin of wisdom and ability.
“In other words,” she said, “this carving shows the moment the Divine King of Wisdom granted his power to all living beings.”
Iva nodded. “Along with the creation of the Ruhe Imprint.”
“In the ages that followed, as the era of The Royal Bloodline came to an end, they also lost this symbol of their royal authority.”
The Golden Queen asked curiously, “God Iva, have you ever seen this carving?”
God Iva shook his head. “I have not.”
“I was born near the end of The Royal Bloodline era, in the First Era, before the Henir Dynasty.”
“Even in my memory, the scene depicted in this carving feels as if it belongs to the realm of ancient myth.”
“A sacred relic of this kind is something only a Spirit could offer for trade. Any other being, even a god, would never part with it.”
Then, unable to contain the curiosity, Iva scrolled down to see the price demanded for this sacred relic.
“The Stone Carving of Queen Star and Divine Messenger Polo, and Saint Tito’s inscribed Yinsai Epic Bone Book?”
God Iva could not help but remark, “As I thought. An item like this cannot be obtained by ordinary means.”
The Golden Queen asked, “Are those two items truly so rare?”
God Iva answered, “The former, I have heard of. It is a stone carving created by Divine Messenger Polo at the moment Queen Star of the Xilong family ascended to the throne of the King of Yinsai. She was the one who ended the era of Yesael’s direct lineage and ushered in the age of The Royal Bloodline.”
“But it was lost long ago, and no one knows where it is.”
The Golden Queen asked, “Then what about the Yinsai Epic Bone Book?”
“Does no one know where that is either?”
God Iva shook his head. “No. Everyone who survived from the previous era knows precisely where it is.”
“However, obtaining it is an even greater impossibility than the first.”
The Golden Queen asked, “Why?”
God Iva replied, “Because it is kept within the Sky Temple, which was sealed long ago by the Ruhe Great God. Not even a divine being can enter.”
“It is under the possession of the Life Sovereign. Without the Sovereign Deity’s permission, no one can retrieve it.”
Iva understood this well. The Life Sovereign was entirely different from the Dream Sovereign and could not be reasoned with. The servants of the Life Sovereign were far from the gentle and kind spirits of the Divine Kingdom of Creation.
If even the spirits could not retrieve such an item from the grasp of the Life Sovereign, then who could? No one, except for the Creator God and the Dream Sovereign.
What Iva and the spirits did not know, however, was that the final page of the Yinsai Epic, the passage recording the tale of Polo and Queen Star, had been hidden by the saint within his own tomb. It rested in the Pottery Temple, nestled deep within the Star Night Mountain Range, where Creator Yinsai had already claimed it.
God Iva waved a hand, and the ripples on the water’s surface calmed completely.
With a simple motion, Iva called forth a single Lamp Spirit.
“Inform Oran that a new clan of nymphs has been born. Tell him they possess the power of dreams and are responsible for trade.”
The Lamp Spirit disappeared in the blink of an eye, leaving Iva standing alone on the bridge, staring into the horizon.
Iva seemed deep in thought.
The birth of the Wood Nymphs had once brought significant changes to the world. Now, with the arrival of the Lake Nymphs, a new chapter was about to unfold, bringing fresh transformations to this world and the Land of Sunrise.
“It will not be long now. The emergence of the Lake Nymphs will bring changes to this world, much like the divine messengers, the Wood Nymphs, did in the past.”
In the mortal world, Oran received Iva’s message as well.
On that very day, he found himself holding a silver leaf.
He walked to the lake within the White Tower Alchemy Academy. Under the soft glow of moonlight, he performed the ritual to connect with the trade envoys of the gods, the Lake Nymph clan.
Just as the Golden Queen had, he browsed the listings with curiosity.
At first, a simple smile crossed his face.
But when he came across 【Trade: Storage Spirit Realm】, his brow furrowed. As he read the full description, he burst into uncontrollable laughter that he simply could not hold back.
“Saint Raphael,” he said with a soft chuckle. “That is just like you.”
Yet even as he laughed, Oran murmured softly to himself.
“How wonderful. I hope you can stay just as you are, forever carefree and without worry.”
He kept scrolling upward until he reached the very top.
The last few listings that appeared were completely indecipherable to him.
【Trade: ******】
【Quantity: 1】
【Origin: *******】
【Price: *******】
Oran stared in confusion. “Why can I only see the quantity?”
The Blood Kingdom of the Deep Sea
A solitary lighthouse stood here, and nearby, a tree flourished with blossoms in every imaginable color.
It was hard to believe such a place existed beneath the ocean floor.
At that moment, the Scarlet Goddess stood at the top of the lighthouse.
This tower had once guided countless students of the Temple of Truth through the mist. At its peak, the 《Final Chapter》 written by Saint Tito once rested.
Although the lighthouse still shone brightly, no students devoted to The Will of the Saint came to seek its light anymore. The original copy of the 《Final Chapter》 had disappeared, its location unknown.
Even now, echoes of the Saint’s Chapter could still be heard from the lighthouse’s heights.
Xiao had once led the Little Person in the Bottle to conquer The Island of Mist and the Temple of Truth. They defeated the second Sage of Truth, Lan, and took every legacy on the island, including Saint Tito’s 《Final Chapter》.
The Scarlet Goddess Vivien had searched every corner of the Sacred Mountain, yet it remained elusive.
She had already examined the Lake Nymphs’ trade catalog in detail.
This was the very reason she had come to this place.
She looked down from the top of the lighthouse, and the Trilobite Symbiotes below raised their eyes to meet hers.
The Scarlet Goddess spoke softly, “So, what remains for us now?”
Below, the Trilobite Symbiotes fell into a deep silence. They had lost so much that it was difficult to put into words.
Their power was gone. Their bloodline was broken. Their civilization had crumbled.
Everything they once had was now lost.
The Scarlet Goddess and the Trilobite Symbiotes stood as the last remnants of a civilization that had lost everything it once held dear.
The Scarlet Goddess longed for the Stone Carving of The Royal Bloodline. It represented Yinsai and the enduring legacy of the Trilobite people.
It was a record of the King of Wisdom sharing his abilities with his sons and bestowing them upon all living beings.
The Scarlet Goddess said, “The Yinsai Epic Bone Book is enshrined within the Sky Temple. It is meant to remain there, and we must not take it or attempt to claim it.”
The Bone Book held immense value to the Trilobite people. If it were truly within their grasp, the decision would be incredibly difficult.
In contrast, the Stone Carving of Queen Star and Divine Messenger Polo was equally priceless, but its importance carried a different meaning for the Trilobite people.
To the spirits, this artifact left behind by Polo held a meaning entirely different from what the Trilobite people might believe.
The Scarlet Goddess gave a divine decree. “Find the Stone Carving of Queen Star and Divine Messenger Polo.”
The Trilobite Symbiotes asked, “Does this carving still exist?”
The Scarlet Goddess replied, “Do everything in your power to find it.”
Dream Starry Sea
The Lake Nymph clan often gathered at this starlit sea to observe the Life Dreams of mortals. They also came to witness the birth of new dreams of starlight.
When a mortal passed away, all their memories would transform into a Life Dream and drift into the Dream Starry Sea. Even while they lived, each dream would appear as a fragment of starlight, flickering in the vast sea. These were the temporary dreams of the living.
A dream that reached its conclusion would stay in the sea for eternity, leaving the dreamer with no memory of ever having dreamed it.
Only dreams that were cut short by an abrupt awakening would break apart and scatter across the Dream Starry Sea.
These were the dreams whose fragments lingered in the minds of those who had dreamed them.
The Lake Nymphs explored these dreams to find what they sought and then initiated the first trade with the dream’s owner.
At that moment, a newly born Lake Nymph floated alone above the Dream Starry Sea, venturing further and further in search of a dream that matched her.
“Everyone else has already found their dream,” she thought. “Some have even made their first trade.”
“And I have not even taken the first step.”
The Lake Nymph’s name was Herna.
The name carried a simple and direct meaning: flower.
She could not understand why the farther she traveled, the fewer dreams seemed to align with her.
Unknowingly, she had ventured into a place she was never meant to reach.
This was the heart of the Dream Starry Sea, its very origin, where the oldest and most ancient dreams lay in silence.
The owners of these starlit dreams had long since departed from the world, leaving her unable to carry out her first trade.
Suddenly, she felt a presence.
Her gaze fell upon a dream of starlight resting on the sea, so ancient that its age was beyond comprehension. It had slumbered in silence for an unimaginable length of time.
She flew closer and looked inside.
Within the dream, a young Trilobite Man sat in an enormous library, studying diligently while a ring of teachers surrounded him, watching and urging him to continue.
Suddenly, the books in the library surged together like a rising tide, forming an ocean that engulfed the Trilobite Man completely.
The young Trilobite Man thrashed and struggled within the sea of books before waking with a start.
For the young man, it must have been a nightmare.
But to the Lake Nymph, it seemed rather wonderful.
She wanted this dream.
“A library,” she whispered. “And books. If my power lets me bring books into existence, that would be wonderful!”
The books of the Trilobite people were unlike the books used by the Snake People today.
Trilobite books were written on cloth scrolls made from what was called the Divine Weave.
If such exquisite fabric were presented to the Snake People, they would not dare write on it. Instead, they would turn it into the most beautiful garments they could imagine.
Herna wanted to weave this dream into her own Dream Vine and draw from it the power she sought.
“Whose dream is this?” she wondered.
“I should take a closer look.”
If Herna could feel that this dream resonated with her, then its owner must still be alive somewhere.
Herna focused her power through the original Dream Vine.
A stream of dreamlight followed the currents of the starlit sea, spreading outward and reaching toward the mortal world.
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