Chapter 173: The World

A brilliant radiance lit up the void, carrying a transcendent might as it enshrouded the desolate and dim world ahead.

Bathed in this divine brilliance, the world gently trembled, initiating a profound transformation.

Within the realm, the vast Divine Domain of Nature surged forward, responding to the external light and beginning to expand steadily.

The earth quaked as traces of natural aura emerged across mountains and rivers. Immense natural elements churned wildly, weaving a series of breathtaking wonders within the realm.

"Do not panic!"

Before the altar, looking at the flustered faces of the people around him, Allen shouted deeply. A rich aura of dragon might erupted, intertwining with his inherent imperial majesty, pressing down like the coercion of a supreme monarch.

He raised the scepter in his hand, his eyes profound, and issued commands to the crowd below.

"I command as king: all guards, immediately step down to quell the unrest!"

"Elder Aida, lead the Council of Elders to patrol the various regions!"

"Priestess Cassie, lead the priesthood to continue the sacrificial rites!"

He looked down, issuing orders one by one. As his directives were carried out, the surrounding chaos gradually subsided.

Then, he gazed at the primeval earth below. Remnants of the Fate of the Son of the World made him sense that an unprecedented upheaval was unfolding.

"Lord Aethel, you will be watching over us from the heavens, won't you..."

He looked up at the firmament, this thought flashing through his mind.

At this moment in the sky, a pale cyan brilliance enshrouded the vault of heaven. Within this radiance, the colossal phantom of an ancient tree stood out with startling clarity.

As the world underwent drastic changes, Aethel's true form began to slowly approach, shifting in an instant and expanding continuously.

When the transformation finally ceased, a shocking spectacle materialized in the void.

An ancient tree of incalculable height stood tall in the void, its massive figure rivaling the scale of a world, completely eclipsing the realm ahead.

Radiance blossomed, and the world roared. All the divine power previously accumulated was released at once, pulling the realm toward the tree.

When the gravitational pull reached its limit, a single branch of the ancient tree gently lowered, brushing against the world as a pure surge of natural force erupted.

In the distance, Aethel watched this scene and shook his head slightly, his mind stirring. Wisps of purple began to activate.

This was the World Origin, the physical manifestation of the World's Power.

As the power of the world began to originate, the distant realm, which had just begun to stall, stirred once more, accelerating its transformation toward the ancient tree.

Finally, arcane fluctuations rippled outward. A dim world descended upon the ancient tree, settling down slowly.

As this process unfolded, cracks began to appear on the trunk of the ancient tree, from which droplets of cyan-gold liquid seeped out—clear signs that it was struggling to support such immense pressure.

After all, this was an entire world. Though shattered and dim, its former mass remained, not something easily borne by ordinary means.

Even so, the ancient tree stood firm and unbroken in the forefront, silently bearing this formidable pressure without a word.

Ultimately, the natural force erupted. By the time Aethel's divine power was nearly exhausted, the world finally ceased its tremors, completely enveloped by the radiance of the ancient tree.

A vast power, distinct from divine power yet infinitely grander, began to surge forth.

Aethel gazed at his true form. Upon the majestic trunk of the ancient tree, a fruit of dim brilliance had emerged, hanging quietly from a branch.

This fruit was dull and devoid of luster, appearing malnourished or perhaps once gravely wounded. Yet, as it hung there upon the ancient tree, a familiar aura emanated from it.

Aethel closed his eyes, splitting off a wisp of consciousness to peer into the world within the fruit.

Inside, he found familiar faces like Allen and Aida, who were currently performing sacrificial rites.

"This is fine as well. With me here, you may live in peace within this world."

He murmured to himself, sensing the familiar auras within, and stood still for a long time.

The ancient tree continued to drift in the void. Having completed all this, it seemed to have exhausted its strength as well, slowly returning to the divine domain and resuming its original form.

However, faint traces of the world's aura, intertwined with purple World Origin, lingered upon it, as if a peculiar transformation had begun to take place.

In Aethel's mind, insights into the laws continuously flowed in. The nature divinity within his body condensed rapidly and ceaselessly.

This was the feedback of the world. Upon merging completely with a realm, its intrinsic laws would continuously converge upon Aethel, as natural as breathing.

The speed of this process surpassed comprehension, far faster than relying solely on personal comprehension.

"Moreover, it is not merely the laws within, but also the power of the world."

Aethel murmured, a wisp of purple World Origin materializing in his palm.

This was the World Origin, the manifestation of the world's power capable of creating all things and destroying all living beings, surpassing even divine power in hierarchy.

"Unlike the partial world power gained previously through world status, the current World Origin, though scarce, originates from myself and is free of limitations."

"Of course, even if it belongs to me, drawing upon it too excessively remains unfeasible. It would cause the world to collapse."

This was akin to being the World Consciousness, the true master of the realm capable of mobilizing all its power. Yet, squandering it recklessly would inevitably trigger severe consequences.

Aethel sensed it carefully and then shook his head.

"Though it is a complete world, this realm has been weak for too long, and its origin power is insufficient. Even as the Lord of the World, the power I can mobilize is likely inferior to that of the previous world."

"Therefore, the most urgent task is to restore this world as quickly as possible."

He shook his head, then vanished from his outer position, stepping directly into the world.

Upon crossing the threshold, the massive world barrier continuously manifested itself.

This was the world's primary external defense, capable of repelling foreign lifeforms. Yet now, sensing Aethel's arrival, the world even actively parted its barrier, welcoming him inside.

If those beings who painstakingly smuggled themselves through the void were to witness this treatment, they would undoubtedly turn green with envy.

Entering the interior, familiar scenery unfolded before him.

"Hmm, no changes. It seems the previous relocation did not harm the core of the world."

Aethel gazed at the familiar scenery around him, walking slowly forward.

At this moment, with the revitalization of the world, the demonic creatures on the land had largely vanished. However, due to the brief passage of time, many demonized barren lands still remained.

Without external interference, as the world gradually recovered, these deserts would slowly heal, transforming back into normal earth to nurture all living things.

Aethel looked into the distance. There, a purified oasis came into view, where a fierce battle for survival was unfolding.

A pride of powerful lions chased a horned bull, gradually cornering it before a bloody spectacle ensued.

He watched as the horned bull was bitten to death by the lions, the luster in its eyes fading gradually as a life came to an end.

He stood silently, gazing at the remains, motionless for a long time.

After a long while, an imperceptible radiance arose from the remains, slowly sublimating with an arcane essence before gradually merging into heaven and earth.

As this process occurred, Aethel sensed an infinitesimal shift within this realm.

He raised his head to look at the sky. A pure, true spirit transcended, slowly integrating with this world.

Observing from the perspective of the world itself, countless living beings multiplied and perished within it, scene after scene playing out incessantly.

Before a withered old tree, an old man rested his head against the arid earth, his breath growing faint. Nearby, within a stone house, the cry of a newborn infant rang out, heralding the descent of a new life...

Scenes shifted across the expanse of the world. As lives faded, specks of law power fluctuated continuously, growing stronger with the evolution of these events.

Elsewhere, beneath a cluster of buildings, Allen, crowned and robed, led his people in sacrificial rites. A faint radiance slowly ignited, continuously feeding back into the world's origin and strengthening the realm.

Living beings multiplied and eventually perished, their souls returning to the world to augment its origin. As the population expanded, the world origin grew even grander, until it accumulated sufficient power to ascend once more.

Sensing all this, Aethel quietly opened his eyes. A gaze that seemed both transcendent and ancient radiated from his pupils.

He raised his arm slightly, and at his will, a touch of divine power passed through his true form, channeling into the dim world.

The world quaked once more, emitting a sense of joyful resonance as it continuously accepted the incoming divine power.

Across the realm, the aura of nature suddenly grew much richer, and the residual demonic taint was dispersed by the divine power, fading considerably.

However, a world was far too vast. After a moment, feeling the consumption within his body, Aethel halted his actions, his footsteps pausing as he arrived in the distance.

He caught sight of Cassie, Aida, and other old acquaintances, as well as Allen, crowned and radiating imperial majesty.

With a slight smile, a strand of purple World Origin drifted downward, bestowing its blessing upon Allen.

Nourished by this origin power, an extremely faint star manifested above Allen's head, swallowing the energy and regaining a fraction of its former glory.

This was a portion of Allen's status as the Son of Destiny, now restored to brilliance under Aethel's support.

Having occupied this world, Aethel was now akin to the new World Consciousness, naturally capable of wielding the realm's origin power.

"With my patronage, as long as your descendants commit no grave mistakes, they shall rule this world indefinitely."

"This is all I can do. I hope you manage this world well."

Aethel looked at Allen's familiar face and smiled faintly.

The next moment, the world trembled gently, and Aethel transformed into a stream of light, instantly bursting out of the realm and returning to the side of the ancient tree that formed his true body.

He gazed into the profound depths of the distant void, seeming to perceive countless massive worlds drifting amidst the expanse.

"Throughout the great cosmos, the number of worlds is vast, and beyond the worlds lies the multiverse."

The colossal World Tree stood firm in the void. Aethel murmured to himself, then turned his gaze toward the direction from which he had come.

"Next is the main world."

As the words fell, the ancient tree vibrated gently. A formidable force swept across the void, bearing it away toward another world...