Chapter 456: My Time Dao Might Still Be Salvaged
“Wind God, what’s wrong?” The Earth God noticed the Wind God suddenly trembling, his face turning pale.
“I… I don’t know.” The Wind God felt a pang of terror, as if he had narrowly escaped from the brink of death. “It felt like I just gained a new believer who wanted to borrow my power to cast magic.”
“Gaining believers? That’s good news, isn’t it?”
The Wind God’s eyes were vacant, still shaken by the near-death experience. “No, I don’t dare. My instincts tell me that if I accept his faith, some unimaginable force would tear me apart. It’s as if this believer’s status is so exalted that I’m unworthy of his worship.”
The Earth God couldn’t explain this phenomenon either and simply patted the Wind God’s shoulder. “Relax. Let’s consult the Light God—he’s the wisest among us. Perhaps he can explain.”
“Alright.”
…
“This method of learning skills is quite intriguing. Where can I try it?” Jiang Li smiled. If praying could grant him new skills, did that mean his Time Dao could still be salvaged?
Lance hesitated before answering, “Churches usually display statues of the Seven Great Deities. You just need to pray before them. Rumor has it that larger statues yield better results. For example, the imperial capital has the world’s largest statues of the Seven Deities, so many adventurers pray there. It’s common to hear of people obtaining rare skills.”
“However, based on my observations, the reason rare skills appear more frequently in the capital is simply because more adventurers pray there—it’s a numbers game. Statistically, the probability of obtaining a rare skill in the capital is no different from praying at a small rural church. It’s all psychological.”
“Then let’s just pick any church.”
Lance glanced around. “We’re currently in the Wild Plains. My hometown is nearby—could we visit the church there?”
“Lead the way.” Jiang Li wasn’t picky about churches.
“Manifest the power of the Wind God! Spirits of the wind, protect me in the name of the Wind God—Dance of the Heavenly Winds!” Lance chanted rapidly while waving his staff, levitating into the air.
“Tell me about the history you know.” Jiang Li found Lance to be an independent thinker who might offer unique perspectives.
“Where should I begin?”
“From the very beginning.”
“Then we must start with the ‘Scripture of Light.’ Among the Seven Deities, the Light God reigns supreme, and the scripture is named after Him. It states that the world was once chaos until the Light God emerged as the first spark of illumination. He dispelled the chaos and created a pure land—the Ayla Continent beneath our feet.”
“After the Light God, the Beast God, Elf God, Earth God, Wind God, Flame God, and Water God were born, along with the original demon—the Demon King.”
“Thus began the war between gods and demons. The Demon King was so powerful that all seven deities had to join forces, yet even then, they couldn’t defeat him.”
“During one battle, the seven deities fell into the Demon King’s trap and were sealed in a void between realms. The Demon King was also severely wounded and has remained in his castle recovering ever since.”
“The seven deities then entrusted the task of defeating the Demon King to our three races: humans, beasts, and elves. Since we were much weaker, the deities granted us ‘skills.'”
“The Demon King, unable to leave his castle, sent demons to invade our three races.”
“This marked the beginning of the Thousand-Year War between humans and demons.”
“Countless human warriors fought on the battlefield, mastering skills to slay demons and clear dungeons. Some became legends, while more perished anonymously under demon claws.”
“People remember the famous heroes but rarely notice the silent deaths of the latter.”
“I believe the demons’ strength is undeniable. To successfully defeat the Demon King, caution and meticulous planning are essential.”
“Before being sealed, the deities prophesied that a hero would emerge among the three races to defeat the Demon King and break the seal.”
“Many hoped to become that hero. Young men and women, believing themselves chosen, rushed to the battlefield only to die at the hands of the weakest demons—some even suffocated by slimes engulfing their heads.”
“Seeing such high casualties, the Holy Empire established the Adventurer System, linking ranks to experience. The system significantly reduced mortality rates.”
“In recent years, rare skills have occasionally appeared, boosting our races’ combat power. Some frontline soldiers claim the Demon King has been absent for years, possibly due to worsening injuries.”
“Many believe the prophesied hero is about to emerge.”
Jiang Li nodded. “They’re not wrong—here I am.”
Lance doubted Jiang Li was the hero foretold by the gods.
“We’re here.” Lance stopped before a shabby little church.
“Phyllis, I’m back!” Lance shouted at the church entrance.
A young nun lifted her skirt and hurried out. “Brother? Didn’t you just rejoin the Hero Party? Why are you back?”
“I realized staying with them was pointless, so I formed a new party with this lord here.”
Phyllis eyed Jiang Li suspiciously—his black hair and eyes were unusual. Her brother, a top-tier mage, was proud by nature. Why would he address someone as “lord”?
“Let me introduce myself. I’m Jiang Li, from the Nine Provinces World—a cultivator.”
What an odd person.
“Hello.” Though skeptical of Jiang Li’s identity, Phyllis trusted her brother’s judgment. If he believed in Jiang Li, so would she.
“Brother, why did you come back?”
“I heard deities can bestow skills, so I wanted to try,” Jiang Li said. “But I’m unfamiliar with the process. Lance, demonstrate first.”
“Very well.”
Seven statues stood in the church—the Light God at the center, flanked by the other six in a fan-shaped arrangement, clearly denoting His supremacy.
Lance stood before the statues, pious and prayerful. “Great Flame God, your devout follower Lance Cartman prays to you. Grant me the Fire Wall technique to withstand all attacks!”
He repeated the prayer five times until the Flame God’s statue faintly glowed, imprinting a light dot between his brows.
Lance felt a new spell form in his mind. “Thank you for your blessing, Flame God.”
Exiting the church, he chanted briefly, summoning a blazing fire wall. Any attack would vanish upon contact. An ordinary Fire Wall wouldn’t be this powerful—only a fifth-tier mage like Lance could achieve such potency.
“That simple? My turn.” Jiang Li found this skill-acquisition method fascinating.