A New Beginning (2)

The palace.

Sunlight filtered through the windows, casting a warm golden hue over the entire grand hall, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere.

Novalia seemed to be in a very good mood. “Have you met with Teacher?”

Ning Busan nodded. “I also met my master's wife. They share a wonderful relationship.”

Novalia teased, “Teacher made a special trip to the Holy Light Territory and went to great lengths just to invite her to the Dawn Empire.”

Ning Busan chuckled softly.

A classic case of chasing after a wife.

He wondered if he would ever have the chance to hear them tell stories of their past.

“A lot has happened this past year,” Novalia said slowly. “The hereditary peerage system has been abolished, and social classes are no longer an insurmountable chasm. As long as someone contributes to the empire, anyone can be granted a title.”

“The interval between the Black Suns has shortened again, but that's alright. This time, our own soldiers successfully held off the xeno army.”

At this point, Novalia's eyes shone with light. “Ning Busan, this country is moving in a good direction.”

Ning Busan said sincerely, “Congratulations.”

This congratulation made the smile on Novalia's lips fade slightly.

She could sense that Ning Busan did not intend to stay in the Dawn Empire forever.

After a moment of silence, Novalia asked, “I know a bit about what you went through in the Elven Valley. You became the Elven King, so do you plan to stay with them?”

Ning Busan shook his head. “No, I still have some things to do.”

Novalia said, “No matter where you plan to go, never forget that the Dawn Empire will always be your home.”

Ning Busan was startled for a moment, then nodded slightly. “I will never forget where I came from.”

Except, his origin did not lie in this world.

Whether it was the Dawn Empire or the Elven Valley, he always considered himself a mere passerby.

He had been here, he had left his mark, but that was all.

He wanted to become stronger, he wanted to become a god, and he wanted to find a blue planet within the torrent of time and space.

This was his path forward.

Suddenly, Ning Busan felt like something was missing.

Where was Lobao?

Lobao had clearly followed him into the palace, so how had he vanished in the blink of an eye?

Almost immediately, a thought struck Ning Busan, and his face darkened. “Where is Leo?”

At this moment, Lobao had already fallen into the hands of a creepy old guy.

Leo let out a sinister laugh. “Little one, do you know who I am? I'm your father's good brother. You should call me Uncle Leo.”

Lobao's heart leaped into his throat, filled with terror toward this skeletal freak hidden entirely beneath a black robe.

Staring at his dazed and foolish expression, Leo couldn't help but feel suspicious. “Can you not speak?”

No matter how Leo tried to coax him, Lobao kept his face tense and refused to respond.

Leo clicked his tongue. “How are you even harder to deal with than Louis?”

He extended a sharp finger bone and poked Lobao's cheek.

Lobao bit down on it, only to hurt his own gums. Tears immediately welled up in his eyes from the pain.

As luck would have it, Ning Busan witnessed this exact scene.

Ning Busan's voice drifted over eerily. “What are you doing to my son?”

Lobao fluttered his wings, flew over to Ning Busan's side, and squeaked out a very clear accusation: “This ugly monster is bullying me!”

The soulfire in Leo's eyes flickered violently, clearly infuriated. “Who are you calling an ugly monster?”

Lobao made a face. “You!”

With Ning Busan backing him up, he was as arrogant as could be.

Leo shamelessly tried to negotiate with Ning Busan. “Let me raise your son for a couple of days.”

Ning Busan rolled his eyes. “In your dreams!”

How could Leo give up so easily? “I promise I won't bully him. Just lend him to me to play with for two days.”

Lobao wrinkled his nose and spat clearly, “Phooey!”

Ning Busan chuckled.

Serves him right!

Leo flared up. “What are you laughing at? I won't lower myself to argue with your son, but can't I argue with you?”

“What did I tell you before you left? Don't just pick up random stray cats and dogs abandoned by their owners! You brought those elves back, didn't you?”

Ning Busan raised an eyebrow. “I brought the Elven Clan back, but wasn't the arrangement for the Shadow Forest ordered in advance by Novalia on your instructions, Great Seer?”

Leo snorted, not denying it. Instead, he brought up another matter. “I plan to establish a church within the empire.”

Ning Busan frowned. “What did you say?”

Leo said, “Ten thousand years ago, when the Dawn Empire was first established, I explicitly banned the church system in the constitution.”

“When the God of Light was the only True God, establishing a church would only lead to a struggle between imperial power and divine authority.”

Ning Busan understood. “The new magic cultivation system is already being implemented, so people are no longer just believing in the God of Light. Establishing a church now is to seize administrative control in advance.”

Leo nodded in approval. “Exactly. That is indeed the plan.”

Ning Busan looked forward to the future developments with some anticipation.

Under the influence of human faith, the birth of conceptual gods was inevitable.

Even if the God of Light and the God of Darkness did not want new gods to be born, could they really stop it?

Leo's mouth split open, revealing his stark white teeth. “The Age of Gods is coming.”

...

Taking advantage of his time in the Dawn Empire, Ning Busan began to review his situation.

At the end of Faelo's memories, he had seen the God of Light once again.

Without a doubt, these cards were definitely connected to the God of Light.

Since the secret to becoming a god was hidden within the cards, it meant that the God of Light actually wanted him to become a god.

Yet Hecate had said that the God of Light did not want any new gods to be born.

All in all, the God of Light was both friend and foe, not to be fully trusted.

Ning Busan had a faint intuition that the reason he had come to this world—or rather, his mission—was to solve the problem of the xenos.

Perhaps only on the day he truly became a god would he be able to lift the shroud of mist and find the truth.

Back in the Elven Valley, when he saw the Mother Tree on her last breath, Ning Busan had determined his future authority.

And that was—Creation.

Creation was both the authority of the gods and a miracle of mortals.

The building of houses was creation; the birth of art was creation; the formation of mountains and rivers was creation; and the nurturing of life was also creation.

A creator knew no bounds. Even if life perished, he could recreate it through lingering spirituality.

If he could possess the authority of creation, he would be able to keep anyone he wanted to keep.

Ning Busan murmured, “So, which card should I choose next?”

Under his manipulation, five golden cards hovered in midair.

Dragon Clan, Undead Clan, Siren Clan, Demon Clan, Celestial Clan.

In the end, Ning Busan selected the demon card belonging to Satan.

He wanted to know who Hecate really was, and why there was never a single word about the God of Darkness in the human world.

Perhaps Lucifer could give him the answers to these questions.

It was also time for him to take a trip to Hell. He could use the opportunity to retrieve Novalia's magic talent for her.

However, before he could even embark on his journey, a sudden disaster struck.

He!

Was!

Poisoned!