Chapter 612: Supreme Existence

"H-how do you know about my tails?" Gumiho demanded, a hint of nervousness and suspicion in her voice.

"..."

Gumiho understood his silence. Vyomendra must have told him about them, she thought. If he was really trusting this human, perhaps he might not have any wicked intentions, unlike the ancestor of the Fox Clan.

"Three," she replied.

It had been over a year since she had formed her third tail, and there had still been no progress in her cultivation since then.

After a brief pause, Maximilian asked, "You don’t possess any method of cultivation, do you?"

Gumiho shook her head. She had spent more than half of her life pinned to a stone table inside a dark room. She had never cultivated before.

It was a miracle that she had formed three tails without any proper cultivation method, yet her cultivation base was incredibly stable.

"Do you know why you are revered as the Goddess by the demi-beasts?" Maximilian asked his next question. He needed to know how much she knew about herself before teaching her anything.

"Because I possess multiple tails like the ancient beast goddess, Gumiho, who bestowed intelligence and knowledge of cultivation upon the beasts, transforming them into demi-beasts," Gumiho recited what she had been told by the Ancestor during her torture.

"That’s only half the truth." Maximilian released a sigh and shook his head. She was completely oblivious to her own existence. Well, it wasn’t her fault. The Almighty Sovereign had destroyed every piece of information about the ancient beast goddess from history after killing her. It was done to ensure that even if she reincarnated in the far future, she would have no method of cultivation.

But like the saying goes, one can’t go against the will of the world where they live.

Maximilian collected his thoughts, deciding how much he should reveal to her.

"Do you know anything about the World Laws?" he began with the most basic question.

Naturally, Gumiho shook her head.

"Every world possesses World Laws, formed during its existence. They are responsible for the continued existence of the beings living within it. Vyoman also has such laws: the Abyssal Sea that separates the four continents of the Lower Realm, and the Riftlands that separate the Upper Realm and Lower Realm. They were created to ensure that even if life in one part of the world is destroyed due to some reason, it doesn’t affect the other parts."

Gumiho’s mind was already filled with countless questions from this little explanation alone. Abyssal Sea, Riftlands, four continents, Upper Realm, and Lower Realm. She was hearing all of this for the first time.

For the next half an hour, she continued asking him questions about the world, which he calmly explained, broadening her horizons.

"I never knew Vyoman was so large and mysterious," Gumiho murmured, her eyes widened in excitement and surprise. "But how is all of this related to me, Master?" she asked, blinking.

"The Abyssal Sea and Riftlands are just examples of World Laws unique to Vyoman. There is one World Law that every world possesses," Maximilian revealed. "The creation of a Supreme being of Heaven and Earth that becomes the primordial existence of the world, its guardian and protector."

He fixed Gumiho with his golden eyes as he declared, "You, Gumiho, are one such existence."

His words left her stunned. They were too absurd to believe. Clearly, he had made some mistake by thinking of her as this Supreme Existence he spoke of.

She was about to voice her denial when Maximilian explained, "Supreme Existence follow a cultivation path unique to themselves. They are born with divine Soulforce and don’t need to eat or drink for survival from birth. They cannot die as long as their world lives. Even if they are killed, they will be reincarnated again.

"Moreover, they don’t even need to face heavenly tribulations for their breakthroughs. Only one Supreme Existence in a world."

He stepped closer to Gumiho and continued, "You are the Supreme Existence of Vyoman. Once you attain your true form, the Nine-Tailed Divine Fox, no cultivator of this world will be your match."

Gumiho took several shaking steps backward until her back pressed against the plum blossom tree. "N-no, you must be mistaken. If that were really true, why did the previous Goddess Gumiho die? I heard she was killed by the higher gods because she tried to go against the heavens."

’Oh, so that was how the ancient Gumiho’s death was passed down through history,’ Maximilian muttered inwardly. ’History is written by the victors, after all.’

"Once you form your seventh tail and manifest your Soul Domain, I will tell you what truly happened to the Ancient Goddess of all Beasts," Maximilian said, raising his hand to pat her head.

Seeing the hand coming toward her suddenly caused her heartbeat to quicken, terror clear in her eyes. She immediately moved sideways before the hand could touch her.

It was then that Maximilian realized. Although she tried to keep it hidden, she was deeply traumatized by the torture inflicted upon her by the Fox Clan’s Ancestor.

He formed a smile on his face and slowly withdrew his hand. "You can take your time digesting the information that I have given you."

He pivoted on his feet and moved toward the house. "Call me whenever you are prepared to begin your journey to immortality."

Gumiho’s abode wasn’t too grand. It was simple but heartwarmingly welcoming. The door of the house opened into a small hall with a short-legged table at the center. There was an open kitchen at the end of the hall that had never been used even once.

He took the room on the left, where Chitra stood at the entrance.

"I have cleaned your room, Lord Arthur," Chitra said, her tiger-paw-like hands clasped together before her.

She seemed suspiciously obedient. Saving Vyomendra had really brought about an unbelievable change in her personality.

"Good kitty." Maximilian ruffled her blonde hair before entering the room.

"Y-you human scum!!" she shouted with a blushing face, but Maximilian paid her no mind.

He lay down on his bed, releasing a long sigh.

"Evangeline... my wife, when will you come out of your cultivation? I miss you so much," he murmured, looking at the badge that AINOS had given him.

He had only just closed his eyes when he heard a knock on the door.

"Master, please teach me how to cultivate."