Chapter 277 Chapter275-The Deceased Deity
"Could it be that the history you're acquainted with has gaps, where records of time failed to endure and were lost to the void?" Ba Jogos seemed to have touched upon a latent truth.
Lana Mokos gave a subtle nod in affirmation.
From the side, Ethan chimed in, "Sir, from the knowledge I've gathered, many powerful kingdoms once graced our past. Yet, they perished one after the other, for myriad reasons, leaving not even written records in their wake."
"What we understand of our history now," he continued, "is pieced together from the remnants of forsaken relics."
As Ethan spoke, Ba Jogos lapsed into a profound silence.
His withered fingers delicately drummed upon the armrest of his throne, crafted from the skeletal remains of massive beasts.
Drawing a deep, heavy sigh, he murmured, "It seems the world has undergone some dire transformation."
Subsequently, Ba Jogos began to recount the origins of time.
"In the most ancient of times, when the world and all its creatures were still in a primordial state, there existed a colossal Dragon. Mounted upon its back was a stone that depicted time. The ancient beings named it the 'Primordial Stone', and the Dragon carrying it was called the 'Time Dragon', possessing the ability to manipulate time itself."
"In those days, the concept of kingdoms had yet to form. Instead, the world was dotted with powerful tribes."
"Among them, Dragons were the most formidable, leading to this initial age being christened as the 'Dragon Era'."
"As the Dragons began to retreat, other species started to take the stage."
"With the emergence of a myriad of races, disputes began to arise. The world was then embroiled in war at every corner, marking this period as the 'Era of Wars'. As it drew to an end, mankind emerged victorious. The mightiest of human ancestors ascended the 'Path of the Sage', passing its trials and attaining the esteemed title of 'Sage'."
"Under the guidance of these human Sages, humanity grew exponentially, mastering diverse powers."
"And thus, the 'Human Era' was ushered in."
"The Human Era was an exceptionally extensive period, during which various magics were birthed. Numerous classes, even an array of inventions, materialized, allowing humans to diversify the great powers they controlled."
"But then, the 'Chaos Era' dawned."
"It was a fleeting period, lasting but three years, where disputes emerged amongst the leading Sages. Unable to find common ground, the unified human alliance fractured. This paved the way for the 'Kingdoms Era'."
"Many formidable humans established kingdoms of their own."
"Your present time should belong to the 'Kingdoms Era', yet with all those kingdoms vanished, could it be that within..."
Ba Jogos was deep in contemplation.
Suddenly, a child burst in from outside, addressing Ba Jogos urgently, "Grandpa Ba, it's terrible. The corpses have come back to life!"
"What happened?" Ba Jogos questioned, directing his gaze towards the distressed child.
The young boy responded with a panicked voice, "There's... there's a strange creature. It's alive and has been devouring many of the corpses."
"Lead me there," commanded Ba Jogos.
The child quickly paved the way, with Ethan and Lana Mokos exchanging glances before deciding to follow suit.
After a short while, they reached the scene. "Over there," the child pointed towards a pile of corpses.
Braving the stench, Ethan and Lana Mokos peered intently at the heap, indeed spotting an odd-looking entity engrossed in feasting upon the dead.
"That thing... it looks like a hand," Ethan murmured under his breath.
Hearing this, Lana Mokos nodded, adding, "If my suspicions are correct, it's likely the arm of the High Priest. When we entered the random space gate, the High Priest reached in, only to have his arm severed by the space rift. If my theory holds, the arm must have followed us here."
Ba Jogos, now with a raised eyebrow, regarded the two with a hint of astonishment.
"It seems you two have had quite the adventure," he quipped before pointing at the still-feasting arm, "That isn't just any ordinary creature's limb. It belongs to a deceased deity."
"A deceased deity?" Both Ethan and Lana Mokos echoed in unison, their faces painting a picture of surprise.
Recalling the unparalleled power of the High Priest, Ethan and Lana Mokos found the revelation somehow plausible.
The sheer magnitude of such terrifying strength couldn't be normal for an ordinary person.
However, there seemed to be something amiss amidst it all...
Ethan, driven by curiosity, inquired, "Sir, if the High Priest is indeed the resurrection of a deceased deity, why hasn't he harnessed the Power of Rules?"
"Who told you it's a deity's resurrection?" Ba Jogos retorted, his gaze sharp.
Ethan found himself at a loss for words.
Ba Jogos then elaborated, "Deities too meet their end. Compared to ordinary beings, the demise of a deity typically falls into one of three categories. The first is a physical death—when their form incurs catastrophic damage, say, getting blown into smithereens. In such instances, while their body becomes utterly useless, their soul can persist. Given the right vessel, they can be restored."
"The second type involves the death of the soul."
"After a deity's soul disperses, considering the robust nature of a deity's form—which can last eons without decay—a new soul might emerge within the lifeless body of the deity."
"The owner of that disembodied hand likely suffered this fate."
"The third and final type is when both the body and soul perish together, signifying the complete annihilation of the deity."
Having laid out his explanation, a look of realization dawned upon Ethan's face. But new questions arose.
"In that case, why wouldn't the High Priest simply inhabit the corpse of the deceased deity for his revival? Surely, the body of a deity would be more formidable than that of an ordinary being, wouldn't it?" Ethan probed further.
"That's a somewhat naive question," Ba Jogos shook his head, continuing, "Upon a deity's death, its body might have been damaged or perhaps sealed away. Under such circumstances, occupying the deity's form serves little purpose."
"Now, save your questions for later. I have an immediate matter to attend to."
With these words, Ba Jogos mustered strength from his feet and leaped upwards.
Such agility and finesse, wholly unbefitting of an elderly man.
What dumbfounded Ethan the most was the sheer strength emanating from Ba Jogos. He could detect no magical fluctuations around the elderly man.
Relying purely on his physical prowess, Ba Jogos managed to pin the massive disembodied hand to the ground.
Then, wielding a bone club, he crushed it to bits. Such an incongruous scene, yet it felt oddly fitting.
Lana Mokos then chimed in, "When my great-grandfather departed from here, he too possessed such overpowering physical strength. It seems like a unique method of physical training that pushes beyond the boundaries of ordinary humans. Utilizing this technique, he assembled a formidable army, eventually founding the Azure Empire."
"So, it's an opportunity," Ethan caught on to Lana Mokos's insinuation.
If Lana Mokos's great-grandfather could exit this place, it implied that this realm was not inescapable.
There was a chance to leave.
Furthermore, their arrival here might not be a curse after all.
Should they master this technique of transcending physical limitations, breaking through barriers could become the norm.
And by breaching those barriers, one could harness the Power of Rules, leading to a monumental enhancement in strength.
Lost in contemplation, Ethan's heart raced with anticipation.
"Enough. Let's head back," Ba Jogos's voice sliced through, disrupting Ethan's reverie.
The once menacing hand of the High Priest—formidable enough that it had previously withstood the combined efforts of Ethan and Lana Mokos—was now reduced to a pulp, indistinguishable from the rotting corpses around.
Subsequently, both Ethan and Lana Mokos followed Ba Jogos back to the house.
Settling back into his seat, Ba Jogos resumed their previous conversation. "Ah... we were discussing the Kingdoms Era, weren't we?"
After a brief moment of reflection, he queried, "Do you know which was the last of the Ancient Kingdoms to vanish?"
In unison, Ethan and Lana Mokos responded, "The Divine Dragon Kingdom, vanished 18,900 years ago."
Located to the southwest of Easten Shore, beyond an expansive river eight hundred meters wide, stood the once-majestic Divine Dragon Kingdom.
Now, its ruins were overrun by flourishing vegetation, enveloped in a vast forest.
Some even referred to this expanse as the Divine Dragon Forest.
The reason for the Divine Dragon Kingdom being the last of the Ancient Kingdoms to fade into obscurity lies in a stone stele.
An adventurer, while exploring the dilapidated city of the Divine Dragon Kingdom, chanced upon this monolith.
Etched upon it were ancient inscriptions, naming various Ancient Kingdoms.
Many of these names were faint, their legibility long eroded by time, but the Divine Dragon Kingdom's name was discernible as the last.
"Divine Dragon Kingdom?" Ba Jogos murmured to himself, quickly doing mental calculations.
"So, by that account, we're in the 18,900th year of the Kingdoms Era according to the Divine Dragon Calendar... No, no, this isn't right! Someone has tampered with the timeline! Time has been thrown into chaos!"
Suddenly rising from his seat, Ba Jogos wore a grave expression.
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