Chapter 52: The Destinies of the Two

The Inner World.

Ouroboros lay upon the grass, gazing toward the Huaxia Realm.

"Little Nuwa is truly tedious. This lord even offered her a ticket, yet she has no wish to change a thing. Simply beyond help..."

"As for that young human who has just ascended to the position of Heavenly Emperor, why is Gengchen showing him such profound favor? Is it merely because this little human hails from a different spacetime? Or perhaps there is a desire to lend the Origin Ancestral Star a helping hand?"

"Be that as it may, isn't this little human being far too doted upon? Gengchen, the Origin Ancestral Star, little Nuwa, and the little goddess who likewise does not belong to this spacetime—they are all aiding him."

At this moment, Ouroboros opened its tightly shut left eye. The sapphire-like left eye, paired with the ruby-like right eye, gleamed with a fantastical radiance.

"If Gengchen intends to arrange for this little human to defeat little Storm, then this lord certainly cannot simply stand by and do nothing."

"Come to think of it, it is about time I found an opponent for the deities of the Origin Ancestral Star."

"Who shall I choose? An existence that my children would be willing to accept, yet capable of rivaling the gods..."

"Ah, yes! This lord has just the idea!"

A thrilled Ouroboros sprang to its feet, casting its gaze toward the Babylonian Realm.

The current human monarch of the Babylonian Realm, the ruler of Uruk, the demigod Gilgamesh, was undoubtedly the finest example.

***

The Huaxia Realm, Mount Tianshan.

Mu Changge decided to select a site here to construct a temporary imperial palace for himself, and likewise resolved to carve out a secret realm world in the vicinity of the palace.

Mu Changge had created this secret realm world to provide a sanctuary where Athena could slumber, allowing her to pass the reign of Zeus, the third-generation King of Gods of the Greek Realm, in deep sleep.

After bustling about for a considerable period, Mu Changge finally completed the construction of his palace and the creation of the secret realm.

At this moment, Mu Changge and Athena stood before the entrance of the secret realm world.

"Athena, sleep within for a few thousand years first. Once the era of Zeus comes to an end, I shall awaken you once more."

"Just ensure you do not forget me."

"Rest assured, I will not. I am hardly the fickle sort."

Athena offered a gentle smile, fell silent for a few lingering seconds, and finally resolved herself to speak. "Mu Changge, once I have entered my slumber, you will surely witness firsthand the conclusion of the ancient mythological era of the Huaxia Realm, the rise of the immortal-tale era, and the catalysts that bring about the end of that immortal-tale era."

"I wish to offer you a word of warning: you would do well not to lightly involve yourself in these matters. Think deeply before you act."

"Athena, you know something of this, do you not?"

Athena nodded. "That is the mortal enemy of the gods. Not only will it vie with the deities for dominion over the Origin Ancestral Star, but it also shares an unbreakable, inextricable bond with the human race."

Even with his wits about him, Mu Changge realized the truth at last. "Are you speaking of the emperors of mankind?"

Athena nodded once more. "In the beginning, human monarchs still believed in the divine right of kings. It was only later, when certain human emperors grew dissatisfied with the status quo, that they sought to deify themselves in order to supplant the gods."

"To deify themselves in order to supplant the gods..." Mu Changge suddenly recalled the Heirloom Seal of the Realm. "Wait, I recall you mentioning that the Heirloom Seal of the Realm was forged by Qin Shi Huang after he seized the Mandate of Heaven?"

"Indeed. You were still weak at the time, and I had no wish for you to learn of these matters prematurely. After all, knowing more is not always for the best."

"Yet now I have become the Heavenly Emperor; keeping this concealed from me serves no further purpose."

Athena nodded. "I admit that in doing so, I was fleeing from the truth. You were destined to learn of this eventually, yet I still harbored my own selfish motives."

Mu Changge smiled. "You have already achieved your goal, haven't you?"

Athena averted her gaze, looking away for a moment before conceding, "Yes. This was a dereliction of my duty as a mentor; I ought not to have allowed you to be swayed."

Mu Changge remained silent. After all, Athena had brought him into close contact with the ancient deities of the Huaxia Realm precisely to foster his fondness for them, clearly intending to prevent him from siding with Qin Shi Huang in the future.

Yet Mu Changge felt no resentment. He found Athena somewhat selfish, certainly, but felt no animosity toward her.

Athena continued, "Qin Shi Huang of the Huaxia Realm seized the Mandate of Heaven to forge the Heirloom Seal of the Realm, causing the Heavenly Court of Huaxia to stand in opposition to the Great Qin Empire upon the mortal earth, creating a rift between the immortals in the heavens and the emperor upon the land."

"Likewise, within the Greek Realm, Augustus of the Roman Empire entered the Pantheon, causing the mythological epics of Mount Olympus to be tampered with. Zeus, King of the Gods, was transformed into Jupiter, and I became Minerva... The Greek deities were replaced by fabricated Roman deities."

"The struggle between gods and emperors yields no ultimate victor; both served merely to lay the groundwork for the era in which you live. This is the future of the Origin Ancestral Star, and equally a future born of conflict."

"Yet the era in which I live remains embroiled in endless struggle."

Athena nodded. "The struggle will never cease. Beauty always resides within dreams, but it is precisely because dreams exist that we find the motivation to strive. I believe that is not such a bad thing."

Mu Changge concurred with her perspective. "History teaches us that painful lessons are never permanently remembered, and mistakes are bound to be repeated. Yet human beings who continue to press forward despite the commission of errors are the ones most worthy of praise."

"You have learned to utter such grand philosophies."

"To understand them is one thing, but whether I can put them into practice is quite another. I certainly dare not guarantee that I can achieve such a feat."

"Honesty is a virtue. To see that you harbor no arrogance sets my mind at ease."

Mu Changge and Athena gazed into each other's eyes for a few quiet moments, before slowly drawing closer.

Athena’s petite form drifted upward, bringing her face level with Mu Changge’s. Then, cupping his face in both hands, she whispered, "Please accept this—a goddess's blessing."

At that moment, Athena offered a blessed kiss, and Mu Changge gathered her delicate frame into his arms, responding with ardent warmth.

In that fleeting instant, heaven and earth seemed to pause, leaving only the two intertwined figures whispering their emotions to one another.

After a long while, they parted, the slight moisture lingering between them serving as a testament to their deep affection.

"I must enter my slumber now. Take good care of yourself."

"Mm, rest easy. I am hardly a child any longer. If worst comes to worst, I shall simply lie low as a slacker here, and we can address everything else when you awaken."

"That would hardly do. If you lapse into laziness, my teachings will have gone to waste."

Mu Changge and Athena exchanged a mutual smile.

Perhaps it was fate that had brought them together, and such encounters destined by fate might occur frequently enough.

Yet this serendipitous meeting filled them with joy, for both believed it to be something extraordinary.

This invisible bond that tightly linked them together allowed them to believe in and look forward to tomorrow.

A future that belonged to them both.

***

Athena entered the secret realm world created by Mu Changge and drifted into slumber within.

Mu Changge thoroughly sealed the entrance to the secret realm, and looking out over the desolate, solitary palace, he embarked upon his temporary life of solitude.