Chapter 1063 Cultivation realms in the realm of gods
As the darkness within the golden dome dissipated, the agra worshipper gazed at Michael with a mixture of fear and shock in his eyes. He realized something was off about the man, but the revelation that he was a god caught him entirely off guard.
"Now that you've dragged me into your mess, are you going to tell me where to find the divine portals?" Michael inquired calmly, moving toward the agra worshipper, whose attention was fixed on the lifeless forms of the decapitated angels.
"We never properly introduced ourselves. Let's start with your name," Michael proposed, extending his hand to help the agra worshipper to his feet. Despite his astonishment, Darth grabbed the god's hand and stood up.
"I am Darth," the agra worshipper replied.
"I am Ghost, and your continued existence hinges on your discretion regarding what transpired here," Michael stated to Darth with a reassuring smile. An unsettling shiver ran down Darth's spine in response.
"Now, shall we head to where you've concealed the divine portals before more angels appear?" Michael queried. Observing the fading flicker of the golden dome, he knew its effects were about to wane. Accordingly, he directed his hand outward, unleashing a stream of dark flames that swiftly reduced the angels to ashes. Darth felt the temperature surge dramatically, causing him to break into a sweat. The bodies were soon reduced to ash, and the temperature normalized once the dark flames subsided.
"Hmm," Darth nodded, rendered nearly speechless by the presence of such a formidable god.
As the dome's remnants vanished entirely, Michael began to walk away from the scene, and Darth followed by his side.
"I never anticipated that the Goddess of Luck, Fortuna, would come to my aid by sending a god," Darth confided as they walked.
"So, you used to be a worshipper of Agra," Michael remarked, seeking to delve deeper into Darth's knowledge of the world.
"I was, but I'm out of that game now. I'm a drifter, unbound to any god," Darth revealed.
"That sounds like quite a situation. So, what's your plan? Considering the angels won't leave you be, and it seems Agra won't be rushing to your aid anytime soon," Michael continued the conversation, adopting a guise of someone familiar with the world.
Darth had knowledge about the world's workings, and Michael needed to gather more insights from him.
"I'm heading to the Infinite Ocean. The divine portals will serve as my means to get there. I can escape this wretched place and live out the rest of my days on the ocean, fulfilling a dream of mine," Darth explained.
"But if the angels believed you've found and concealed the divine portals, why didn't you use them to leave instead of returning to Bermian city?" Michael inquired.
"I needed to say my farewells to someone I hold dear. With that done, I can depart this realm in peace," sighed Darth.
"Your journey would have been a lot less peaceful if you hadn't crossed paths with me," Michael retorted with a smirk.
"True, Fortune has shown me favor," Darth replied.
"However, luck won't suffice to keep you safe unless you reveal the location of the hidden portals. I need them to reach Nimbosia," Michael stated firmly.
"You can use them to reach your desired destination. I wish you luck. You'll need it once the pantheon catches wind of a rogue god wandering about," Darth said as they continued their journey across the desert.
"You managed to kill Rainar's angels, but don't underestimate the ones the pantheon will send. They'll be far more formidable, each at or above the Elemental Attunement realm," Darth warned.
Michael mentally noted the cultivation realm levels of the angels and used this as an opportunity to learn more about the hierarchy of power in this world. He recognized that in this world, no matter how advanced the mortals' cultivation, they paled in comparison to the gods. Still, the cultivation realms of the angels determined their capacity to withstand a god's power.
For example, only higher-level angels could survive merging their energy with their patron god's trace of grace. In this case, Theo was at the Spiritual Embryo realm, where cultivators form a spiritual embryo within their dantian, a seed of potential power. This level was the third in a nine-tiered cultivation hierarchy. Therefore, Theo could only endure a level 3 god's trace of grace.
In essence, the angel's cultivation realm determined their ability to absorb and withstand a god's grace.
"Could you refresh my memory on your mortals' cultivation realms?" Michael inquired, pretending ignorance while secretly seeking more insight.
Darth, sensing something peculiar about the god beside him, no longer attempted to manipulate the situation.
"We have the Initiate Realm, Qi Awakening Realm, Spiritual Embryo Realm, Elemental Attunement Realm, Celestial Resonance Realm, Soul Ignition Realm, Ethereal Fusion Realm, Void Transcendence Realm, and Divine Ascendancy Realm," Darth listed.
Michael mentally cataloged this information about the realm hierarchy for the inhabitants of this world. In truth, only a select few devout worshippers or those favored by the gods could even achieve the Initiate Realm. The majority of the population remained powerless, and some who had reached the Celestial stage in the mortal realm, upon ascending, were stripped of their powers and memories, reborn as mere weaklings.
As Michael continued walking, he recalled the words Marli had shared with him regarding the hierarchy of godhood in the realm of gods.
"The stages are Fledgling God, Demi-God, Celestial God, Ethereal God, Astral God, Elder God, Primordial God, Transcendent God, and Ancient God. Though it's said that the Ancient God level has become a myth, as no one, not even the gods of the pantheon, has managed to reach that pinnacle."
"As we approach the portals, we can part ways," Darth stated, breaking the silence that had enveloped them.
"Have you been to Nimbosia?" Michael inquired of Darth.
"Yeah, a couple of times. It's a mess up there. Since you don't seem to be in the Pantheon, I'd advise against going there. Rainar can be even crazier than Agra at times. I genuinely feel sorry for the people under the rule of the God of Rain," Darth sighed, showing his empathy for those under the dominion of Rainar.
curiosity was piqued.
"Isn't it obvious? You just took down Rainar's angels – angels of a "Why do you assume I'm not from the pantheon?" Michael's curiosity was piqued.
"Isn't it obvious? You just took down Rainar's angels – angels of a pantheon god. It's rare for anyone in the pantheon to kill another god's angels. Angels from one god killing those of another has happened, but gods directly killing angels of another god? That's not something I've heard of," Darth explained.
As Michael and Darth continued their journey towards the divine portals, Michael gained more insights into the realm of gods from Darth's perspective. However, Darth was unaware of the peculiar phenomenon preventing gods from venturing outside their domains, a topic Michael was keen to explore.
"If you don't mind my asking, why are you heading to Nimbosia?" inquired Darth.
"I'm taking a vacation and exploring the world," Michael responded with a wry smile.
Darth realized that Michael wouldn't reveal his true purpose for visiting Nimbosia. He had no interest in anything beyond getting rid of Theo and his angels. Now that they were out of the picture, Darth's focus was on reaching the infinite ocean and starting anew there.
"What if Agra sends his angels to punish you for abandoning your devotion to him?" Michael asked, probing the consequences of forsaking a god's worship.
"I hope he won't until I reach the infinite ocean. Once I'm there, no one can catch me," Darth explained.
"Why is that?" Michael inquired.
Darth was once again taken aback by the god's lack of knowledge. Nonetheless, he chose to share information until they reached the location of the hidden divine portals.
"The infinite ocean earned its name for a reason. Moreover, the gods hold no sway over the ocean; it's a forbidden zone," Darth clarified.
As they conversed, they ascended a sand dune and beheld the oasis in the distance. The lush appearance of the oasis offered a stark contrast to the surrounding desert.
"Is that where you've hidden the portals?" Michael asked Darth.
"Hmm," Darth nodded.
With a relieved sigh, Michael and Darth made their way towards the oasis. Despite its apparent lack of inhabitants, Michael remained vigilant, his senses on high alert.
"Allow me some time to dispel the illusions. Once they're gone, I'll activate the portals, and you can use one to reach Nimbosia," Darth instructed Michael.
"Sounds like a plan," Michael responded.
As the oasis drew closer, Michael's excitement grew. The realm of gods held both challenges and opportunities that he was eager to explore.
"How much time do you need to dispel the illusions?" Michael inquired.
"Ten minutes should suffice," replied Darth.
Approaching the oasis, Michael squatted down to splash his face with the cool water. The refreshing sensation of the water against his skin revitalized him.
"Can we really trust this guy?" Ayag's voice whispered from his coat pocket.
"Absolutely not, and we don't need to. Once we have the portal, we'll go our separate ways," Michael replied.
"I think we should eliminate him," suggested Ayag.
"No, I suspect he has some tricks up his sleeve. We shouldn't make more enemies in this world until we understand the situation better," Michael explained.
While washing his face, Michael glanced at his reflection in the clear water. But his attention was quickly drawn to something else. In the sky, a fiery and brilliant object streaked through, rapidly approaching them. Turning slowly, Michael saw what seemed like a shooting star heading straight for them.
An uneasy feeling settled over him as he frowned, sensing that something was off. The shooting star grew larger and drew nearer.
"Damn it," Michael leaped into the oasis just as the fireball struck the sand nearby, triggering a powerful explosion.
Emerging from the water, Michael observed a figure emerging from the aftermath of smoke and sand. The fiery ambiance was accompanied by the heavy clank of armor, and a metallic scent of blood permeated the air.
"Agra wants to have a little chat with you, Darth," the figure's voice cut through the lingering smoke and sand.
Michael's gaze shifted to Darth, who was gradually rising to his feet.
"He wants his favorite angel back," the figure's words were aimed directly at Darth.
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