Chapter 149: The Outer Plane
Bayen stood up, greeting the morning sun, watching the completely extinguished bonfire and Ace, who was suspended in the air, perfectly aligned with the rising sun. He stood up and declared loudly:
“The thinking being is the measure of all things! Respected Torch-Bearer, you are the mentor of our thought!”
The apprentices all stood up. They had found their conviction, their path, and cheered loudly for Ace.
“Mentor Ace! Mentor Ace! Mentor Ace!”
Sulu shouted even louder: “If Heaven had not given birth to Ace, the supernatural would be an eternal night!”
Bayen felt a lump in his throat. He turned back and glared at Sulu. I thought of that first! How dare this fellow say it first in front of everyone?
The mirror image Ace, who had hovered for the entire night, was running low on Mana. He slowly descended, standing in the ashes of the bonfire. He said to Sulu:
“I actually do not wish to be the only light in the long night. I wish to ignite your inner flame of truth and pass the fire on to you. Every Wizard Apprentice is a potential next Torch-Bearer!”
He faced the rising sun and said to the Wizard Apprentices:
“The sun has risen. I hope that one day, Wizards will master truth, and we will become the sun!”
“I also hope that you will strive relentlessly in pursuit of truth. And I hope that one day, you can say to me, ‘I love my mentor, but I love truth more’!”
“Do not blindly follow authority, including me. Maintain a spirit of constant questioning. Always ask ‘why’ several times! Then, our vigorous collective can transmit this spirit for all eternity, and one day we will solve the Warren Dilemma!”
Bayen, Betty, Warren, and the others looked at Ace with immense reverence. Daina’s face was flushed pink. This Ace, this Ace who was wholly dedicated to pursuing truth, was utterly captivating!
Ace led the crowd of apprentices and their family members, slowly and laboriously advancing toward the snow-covered Larr Mountains. Behind them was the aura of the Abyssal Darkness. Bayen held the dice, sensing any dangers ahead.
Ace spoke quietly to Bayen, then transformed into an eagle and flew up, circling the Larr Mountains to observe the path ahead.
The company, numbering hundreds, formed a winding black snake in the white snow of the Larr Mountains. This was the tinder of hope.
Meanwhile, in the nameless valley in the eastern Larr Mountains near the Pontos Sea, the host body Ace had largely subdued the barbarian tribes using military intimidation, charm spells on key figures, and group suggestion spells.
Using the experience gained from establishing his estate earlier, Ace planned to replicate that structure in this valley, initiating more radical reforms. Here, he would gradually dismantle slavery, creating a small magical society belonging to the Wizards.
The host body Ace led the barbarians, beginning to plan and construct a new settlement.
All the barbarians prostrated themselves, offering Ace their loyalty. In their eyes, Ace was a remarkably powerful Shaman. Submitting to him was a completely normal occurrence for barbarians.
The host body Ace gently floated up, overlooking the nearly 5,000 prostrated barbarians. He used the Lesser Sound Rune as the core of a powerful spell, shouting:
“This is a new starting point, a new hope! We will utilize the opportunity created by the Abyssal Demons to remain in dormancy and develop in this secluded land. All the Monsters of the Larr Mountains will be resources for the future Wizard Academy. Magic is destined to rise!”
We now zoom out infinitely, transcending the Material Plane, arriving at the Outer Plane of the world.
This is a bizarre location, referred to as the realm invisible and unknowable to mortals.
This is because the entire Void Sea of the Outer Plane is filled with strange energies that are both illusory and real. The entire Outer Plane is a layer between the real and the illusory.
Except for Dream Beings, Quasi-Rule Beings, and Void Beings, who are naturally able to exist between the real and the illusory, only souls and existences of Legendary rank or higher can survive in the illusion and reality of the Outer Plane.
The Sea of Illusion and Reality in the Outer Plane contains naturally forming or dissolving dimensional spaces, Demi-Planes, sub-planes, and even strange rule-bound domains. Demi-Planes are carved out by Demigods, sub-planes by ordinary gods, and rule-bound domains by Chief Gods or similar existences.
Any creature below the Legendary rank wishing to survive in the Outer Plane must use a spatial leap to directly enter one of the many bizarre domains floating in the Void Sea.
The so-called rule-bound domains are infinitely close to the Inner Plane of the world. The Chief Gods within these domains are practically the Creator Gods of their respective domains!
The Outer Plane consists of four main rule-bound domains: Kaya Mountain, the Endless Abyss, the Nine Hells, and the Underworld.
The Kaya world birthed a total of 13 Titan Chief Gods. Each possessed the great power to carve out a rule-bound domain. The first Titan God transformed into the Underworld. After the forging of his soul, he was reincarnated as the new ruler of the Underworld, Ruler Lamor.
The other 12 Titan Chief Gods, including God-King Kronos, all reside on Kaya Mountain.
Kaya Mountain is the residence of the Kaya Pantheon. It is founded upon the mountain range formed from Kaya’s skull and is a fusion of the rule-bound domains carved out by the 12 Titan Chief Gods.
Though called a mountain, Kaya Mountain is so vast in space and so perfect in its adherence to fundamental rules that no other domain, except for the Inner Plane, can compare to it.
Even the Abyss can only match it in spatial vastness. However, the rules of the Abyss are filled with chaos and malice, and are inherently incomplete, making it vastly inferior to Kaya Mountain in terms of fundamental rules.
Beyond souls, only those who reach the level of a Legendary Hero are qualified to enter the great Kaya Mountain and walk among the Deities.
If we zoom out our vision, in the endless Void Sea of the Outer Plane, the God Mountain floats like a colossal bubble. The sub-planes and Demi-Planes of the many ordinary gods and Demigods of the Kaya Pantheon cling to it like smaller bubbles.
One such bubble is the domain of Medea, the Goddess of Elegance.
She lies languidly upon a towering throne made of pure white snow-crystals. Her graceful figure is beautifully poised. Every gesture carries an aura of absolute elegance.
Aleias Rona sits below the throne. He is gently massaging the Goddess’s knees, gazing at Medea, the Goddess of Elegance, with deep affection.
Since his death a century ago, Aleias came to the Goddess’s domain. Here, the Goddess reformed his body, allowing him to serve Her forever.
The divine throne stands atop a high platform. Beneath it, a smaller throne is occupied by the Son of God, the Legendary Hero Ronamos Medea, who sits with an air of immense authority.
Below the high platform, a crowd of supplicant souls, formed from mortal souls, sings and dances.
Not everyone who worships a Deity is qualified to enter the god’s domain. The vast majority of souls must suffer through the purification of the River Styx upon the Walls of Sighs, having their memories and even their souls cleansed. Only a core of true spirit remains to escape the Walls of Sighs and be reincarnated down the River Styx.
Only a select few, those favored by the Deities, are qualified to enter the god’s domain.
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