Chapter 442: Apotheosis Ritual

This was the name of the blue sphere of light. The Orb of the Dim Sea was a disguise artifact that gathered the power of the ocean, allowing the user's body to temporarily transform into seawater so they could travel through the depths undetected.

With this, the White Dragon Lord's chances of deceiving the eyes of The Gods greatly increased, adding another layer of insurance on top of the Spatial Lockdown Magic Array.

The White Dragon Lord held the Orb of the Dim Sea in his hand, resting quietly on the Altar as he waited for the right moment.

The seawater flowed slowly. Not a single ray of sunlight could reach the ocean floor of this deep trench, but the White Dragon Lord could still feel the passage of time.

The sun rose, tracing its eternal path across the sky before setting in the west, as a silver moon took its place...

In the deep sea, the White Dragon Lord opened his eyes. A sharp glint flashed through his golden pupils as he looked at his Murloc subordinate nearby.

Feixi Darkscale also gazed at the White Dragon Lord. They exchanged a glance and slowly nodded.

The White Dragon Lord swallowed the Orb of the Dim Sea. His body transformed into seawater as he sped through the depths, heading further east of the Yafeiawei Empire.

Feixi Darkscale took a deep breath, sitting on the Altar to center himself. Now, he only needed to wait for Merlin Heavenly Principle to seal the space before he could recite the words of apotheosis to the source sea, commencing his path to godhood.

Above the white clouds, in Sky City.

Merlin Heavenly Principle stood on the balcony, watching the eastern sky. The wind blew through his snow-white hair and beard. The sky turned a fish-belly white as the horizon gradually brightened.

Finally, the sun peeked out from the distant mountains, casting brilliant golden-red sunlight across the land.

Merlin Heavenly Principle teleported away. He arrived in the control room of Sky City and placed his hand on the Control Core. The Spatial Lockdown Magic Array, a defense only activated when the Nordhill Plane faced a life-or-death crisis, was making an exception for this apotheosis.

A magical connection existed between Sky City and the Heart of the Plane. Leveraging Sky City to push the Heart of the Plane to its limits, he unleashed a peculiar energy ripple that shrouded the entire plane.

All over the world, legendary powerhouses were horrified to discover that they could no longer teleport. Even High-Tier Legend powerhouses found teleporting significantly harder than before, but since they had been notified in advance, it didn't trigger widespread panic.

The Spatial Lockdown Magic Array wouldn't be fully activated on a whim. Everyone knew something monumental was about to happen, prompting the powerhouses to fly to higher vantage points.

Suddenly, a strange voice echoed in everyone's minds. People across the entire plane stopped what they were doing and looked toward the rising sun.

"With the source sea as my witness! I! Feixi Darkscale! From this day forth, I ascend as the New God of Fishmen..."

The powerhouses gaped in sheer shock. It was actually the declaration of apotheosis!

In the Overseas Archipelago, hundreds of thousands of Feixi Darkscale's believers gathered at the temple to pray. A peculiar power of faith traveled along the threads of belief, pouring into the body of the New God of Fishmen.

At the deep-sea Altar, Feixi Darkscale felt divine power accumulating within his body. The will of the source sea was descending. Finally, the divine power reached a critical threshold.

Taking a deep breath, Feixi Darkscale proactively drew upon the Primordial Fire, igniting the divine power within his body.

Endless agony scorched his body and soul. Under the forging of the Primordial Fire, the divine power slowly thickened, gradually transitioning into a solid state. If Feixi Darkscale could withstand this trial, his divine power would be sublimated into a divine spark by the Primordial Fire.

But if he failed, his flesh and very soul would be reduced to ash under the searing Primordial Fire. Even if The Gods worked together, they wouldn't be able to resurrect him.

On an island thousands of meters away from the apotheosis trench, the White Dragon Lord's clone and the little red dragon watched the ocean depths. The spectral blue flames seemed to set the sea itself ablaze, sending a chill down their spines.

Elsewhere, the White Dragon Lord could also hear the declaration of apotheosis, knowing it was his cue to act. No one could say for sure how long the consecration would last; it might end in ten minutes, or it might drag on for an hour or two.

A mass of seawater advanced through the ocean at breakneck speed, shooting straight across the Naga Empire and entering a trench at the absolute bottom of the deep sea.

The White Dragon Lord sensed several powerful and foul presences within the trench. It was none other than the Great Arcanists cursed by The Gods. They—or rather, "it" now—called themselves the Faceless Ones.

The trench was pitch-black; he couldn't see his own claws in front of his face.

The White Dragon Lord swam toward one of the auras, closing in rapidly.

Suddenly, a massive, transparent octopus tentacle shot out from the trench, lashing out at him.

The White Dragon Lord halted immediately as the translucent tentacle whipped right past his face.

"You! You shouldn't be here! Dragon!" A hoarse, deep voice laced with a faint echo reverberated in the White Dragon Lord's mind. "Leave this place!"

He caught sight of the Faceless One in the trench. It was a grotesque monster, resembling a giant with an octopus head. One arm had been entirely replaced by a tentacle. The other arm and hand were intact, but its five fingers were replaced by writhing tentacles. Its skin was covered in dark red tumors, giving it an exceptionally evil appearance.

The White Dragon Lord felt a twisted power radiating a vile stench from the Faceless One, making the creature feel completely incompatible with the entire universe. This was the Curse of The Gods. The Curse had stripped these former Great Arcanists of the right to command the elements, and robbed them of the right to bask in the sunlight.

"I've come seeking the knowledge of the Arcane Empire," the White Dragon Lord stated his purpose directly, mindful of the ticking clock.

"The Arcane Empire?!"

"The Arcane Empire!"

"Arcane! Empire!"

The frantic voice sounded like a mix of weeping and laughter, its tone brimming with chaos, much like the ravings of a nightmare.

Though he couldn't feel the Faceless One's specific emotions, the White Dragon Lord could tell it was experiencing wild mood swings. The trench trembled, and a long string of bubbles rapidly rose from the seabed.

"How dare you mention the Arcane Empire to my face!!!"

A colossal surge of soul power erupted from the trench. The White Dragon Lord's pupils shrank—it was a giant hammer condensed from Soul Energy.

Master Tier Soul Magic—Soul-Shattering Hammer!

The Faceless Ones had lost the power to manipulate elements, leaving soul power as their sole weapon. This was a conclusion the White Dragon Lord had drawn through data and bold assumptions, and he was more than prepared.

"What a coincidence. I know this trick too."

Master Tier Soul Magic—Soul-Shattering Hammer!

The two soul hammers clashed. The intangible ripples of soul power spread in all directions, surging into the seawater and the rock walls, wiping away the souls of every living creature they touched.

Seeing the White Dragon Lord dissolve its attack with the exact same magic, the Faceless One froze, gradually regaining its calm.

"Who are you? Why do you seek the knowledge of the Arcane Empire?"

"I am a seeker of truth. As for why I want the Arcane Empire's knowledge? I wish to stand on the shoulders of those who came before me. I want to know more. Is that reason sufficient?"

The White Dragon Lord watched the contemplative Faceless One with his guard up.

These Faceless Ones were once wise Great Arcanists, but the Curse had tormented them beyond recognition, twisting their minds alongside their flesh. Most of the time, they were like raving lunatics, utterly impossible to communicate with, but occasionally, they would experience fleeting moments of lucidity.

The creature before him had just asked a coherent question, clearly entering one of those rare lucid intervals.

"As you can see, I am a Mage. Truth is my eternal faith, and knowledge is my endless pursuit. As long as I draw breath, the path of exploration never ends."

"It seems you've done your homework. I haven't heard these maxims from the Arcane Empire era in a long time. But the age of the arcane has passed."

"The era of the Arcane Empire has indeed long passed, but the arcane arts are far from finished. From ancient times to the present, those who came after have unearthed lost civilizations from the ruins of the Arcane Empire. That glorious era has captivated many, allowing the will of the Arcane Empire to endure."

The White Dragon Lord looked at the silent Faceless One. "Former Great Arcanist, rather than letting the knowledge of the Arcane Empire remain buried with you in this trench, you might as well hand it over to me so I can bring it to light. It doesn't do you any harm, anyway."

"But it doesn't do me any good either." The Faceless One and the White Dragon Lord shared a moment of silence. "However, you are right. The glory of the Arcane Empire shouldn't rot away with me in this abyss."

Joy sparked in the White Dragon Lord's heart.

"But you might be mistaken. I cannot give you what you want."

His heart sank.

"But I can point you in the right direction. Hidden in the rift between space and time is the last hope of the Arcane Empire. Go find it."

Soul power materialized into a set of spatial coordinates right in front of the White Dragon Lord.

The White Dragon Lord recalled a legend. It was said that just as the Arcane Empire was on the brink of destruction, the omnipotent Great Arcanists banished a Floating City into the rift between space and time to evade the pursuit of The Gods.

"Go quickly! Those pathetic puppets will never allow the Arcane Empire to resurface! Now is the best time for you to go! May truth always be before your eyes!"

The White Dragon Lord left the trench, rapidly chanting a spell to head toward the coordinates the Faceless One had provided.

Following a flash of intense light, the White Dragon Lord arrived at a teleportation array. Beside the array stood a Mage draped in purple robes.

No! It was an arcanist!

This young arcanist only had Master Tier strength, but he was utilizing pure arcane energy.

The arcanist looked completely bewildered as he and the White Dragon Lord stared at each other.

"Are... are... are you a new experimental specimen?"

"What?!" The White Dragon Lord's face darkened. Suppressing the urge to swat him away, he shifted into his dragonman form, the power of frost condensing in his hand. "You must be mistaken. I am a truth seeker who came to acquire the knowledge of the Arcane Empire."

"Ah?! Oh! This is incredibly rare! A Dragon actually found its way here! But knowledge is never free!" The young arcanist pulled out a small test tube and waved it in front of the White Dragon Lord's eyes. "Give me a little blood, and I'll give you a rundown of the situation here. How does that sound?"

The White Dragon Lord glanced at the small test tube. Given a Dragon's size, a single drop of blood would be more than enough to fill it. Plus, he really did need someone to explain the situation to him. "Fine."

The young arcanist eagerly collected the Ancient Giant Dragon's blood. He pulled a wooden block covered in runes from his robes and spoke a few words into it.

Before long, another young arcanist arrived at this Teleportation Chamber, curiously sizing up the White Dragon Lord in his dragonman form.

Being gawked at like an exhibit left the White Dragon Lord somewhat displeased, but it wasn't the time to act out. He pulled out the Cloak of the Faceless One and threw it over his shoulders.

"Let's go, Lord Dragon Mage. You can call me Mao." The Master Tier arcanist who introduced himself as Mao led the White Dragon Lord out of the Teleportation Chamber. "How much do you know about the City of Truth?"

"Not much." The White Dragon Lord looked around, realizing he was inside a Magic Tower. Arcanists wearing the same uniform as Mao bustled through the corridors. The White Dragon Lord's eccentric choice to wear the Cloak of the Faceless One drew numerous sidelong glances from the crowd.

"I just learned its name from you."

The young arcanist shrugged. "I'm curious how you found this place. Care to tell me?"

"Curiosity is a necessary trait for a good Mage, but satisfying your curiosity wasn't part of our deal. You should just stick to explaining this place. My purpose for coming here is to acquire the Arcane Empire's knowledge."

"Right, right. Every outsider comes with the exact same goal as you," the little arcanist explained as he led the White Dragon Lord forward. "The City of Truth upholds the principle of equivalent exchange. If you want the knowledge of the Arcane Empire, you must offer something of equal value in return. That can be anything—knowledge, magical materials, or even information."

He cast a sidelong glance at the White Dragon Lord. "If it's you, selling your blood is also an option. I think..."

"Stop right there! Where can I find this knowledge and the price list for it?"

"First, all outsiders who come to the City of Truth must pay their respects to our City Lord, the descendant of the great arcane emperor—His Excellency, the Eye of the Chosen. If His Excellency allows you to stay in the City of Truth, you will be granted access to the Great Library. It houses the vast majority of the knowledge from the Radiant Era. Then you can simply trade for what you need."

The White Dragon Lord nodded, but a realization suddenly struck him. "So, your job is to receive outsiders. That means explaining things to newcomers was your duty to begin with."

He realized he had just been scammed...

"Cough! Cough! Lord Dragon! That's completely different! If it was just my job, I'd do the bare minimum, but I will earnestly answer every single one of your questions! Equivalent exchange is my principle too. From now on in the City of Truth, if you want to know anything, just come to me. I'll help you until I feel my information matches the value of that dragon blood."

Facing the White Dragon Lord's unfriendly glare, the little arcanist hurriedly explained, "Ah, here we are. This is His Excellency the Eye of the Chosen's office."

The little arcanist knocked on the door for the White Dragon Lord, stepped aside, and made a welcoming gesture.

"Come in."

The White Dragon Lord pushed the door open and stepped inside, taking in the room. It was a very simple office, furnished with nothing but a desk, a chair, and bookshelves crammed full of books.

An extraordinary-looking middle-aged man sat in the chair, staring at the White Dragon Lord in surprise. Seeing his reaction, the White Dragon Lord instantly understood that the other party could see right through the disguise of the Cloak of the Faceless One.

This wasn't all that surprising; the technology behind the Cloak of the Faceless One was originally salvaged from the ruins of the Arcane Empire in the first place.

"How truly rare. You are the very first Ancient Giant Dragon to ever visit the City of Truth."