Chapter 558: The Three Authority Noble Phantasms
At the world rules layer, nearly three months had passed since Ace’s speech. He resided beside the Great Source, little by little copying the origin of the Underworld. This was hard work. The crux of creating the Authority Noble Phantasm, the “Throne of Returning to Ruin,” lay in the word “Authority.”
A Noble Phantasm must be able to completely mobilize the origin of the Underworld and act as its proxy to be considered an Authority. The advantage of this Noble Phantasm was that the holder possessed the strength of a pseudo-status Demigod, but in fact was not truly one with the Underworld, still retaining the possibility of advancing to Level 4 on their own. The disadvantage was that once the Noble Phantasm was lost, the strength of the pseudo-status Demi-god would also be lost.
Ace concentrated his mind and gathered his strength, mixing the drawn-out Underworld origin with the Dream Great Source and some star sand, slowly filling them into the phantom of the “Throne of Returning to Ruin.”
This was painstaking work, extremely tedious. Ace copied the quasi-rule Level 4 runes one by one according to the phantom, carving them onto the blank cast from the Underworld origin, the Dream Great Source, and the star sand.
Crystal-clear runes, like tiny stars, gradually deepened and quasi-regularized this blank throne. The power of the domain surged within it, and Ace also deepened his understanding of the Underworld at this moment.
The Underworld was the resting place of a world, a place of cleansing and circulation. Departed living beings were washed by the River Styx here, decomposed, and transformed into the most primordial True Spirits. As for everything else, it completely dissipated and returned to the world.
By the same token, a world could not support too many immortals, that is, existences above Demi-god, because that might break the balance of the world and plunge it into collapse.
But a world without existences above Demi-god was also unfeasible. Once encountering an external invasion, the world itself would not have time to react.
Ace gradually achieved enlightenment, and his movements rapidly accelerated. A great Authority Noble Phantasm, the “Throne of Returning to Ruin,” symbolizing the authority of a Demi-god, was thus formed.
Understanding one thing leads to understanding a hundred. Having found the knack for creating Authority Noble Phantasms, Ace acted quickly.
He communicated with the origin of the Celestial Realm, clearly understanding that the Celestial Realm actually meant integration and the central hub; it represented the management of a world, which was the God King in the conventional sense.
Level 4 runes were rapidly generated. That phantom scepter gradually filled out, quickly evolving into a metallic-textured scepter about two meters long with a crown at the top. About three feet from the crown, a Hexagram pattern hovered above it.
“This can be called the Scepter of Heaven.”
Holding the Scepter of Heaven, Ace plopped down on the Throne of Returning to Ruin. In an instant, he felt a deeper understanding of the entire Wizard World Cluster. His figure flashed and disappeared, appearing at the top of the World Tree in the Elf Realm.
Ace brushed a newly sprouted tender branch at the top of the World Tree. The World Tree swayed slightly, and the tender branch actually fell off naturally.
But Ace was still unsatisfied. Holding the tender branch, he tapped the World Tree twice. The World Tree rustled, seeming to beg for mercy. After a long while, a puddle of tender green World Tree origin oozed out, surrounding the tender branch.
Only then was Ace satisfied. He looked around. The World Tree had already occupied a third of this place. Over a hundred thousand newborn elves inhabited here, and countless lives were being born in the Emerald Secret Realm.
“Very good. When the Emerald Secret Realm completely covers the pseudo-world, this place will thoroughly seek life from death, transforming into a paradise of vitality.”
Ace skillfully tore through space and disappeared. Not a single elf noticed that the tender branch at the very top of the World Tree had vanished.
At the world rules layer, Ace steeped the tender branch into the Dream Great Source. The tender branch inherently had mysterious runes lingering around it, plus the puddle of World Tree origin. Stirred together with the Dream Great Source, the entire branch became even greener. The brilliant light of the runes flourished greatly before withdrawing inward.
“This is done. Augustus has also reached the end of his life; let me send him on his way. As for the other two Authority Noble Phantasms, let the Legendary Wizards compete for them.”
After speaking, Ace wasn’t in a hurry. He recalled the legends he had heard about the Giant Tree World. Legend had it that the Overgod of the Giant Tree World possessed a Tablet of Fate, controlling the fate of all gods.
“As for the so-called power of fate, I know it very well.”
Ace extended his hand, and a Spindle of Fate appeared in it. Countless threads of fate entwined around it. This was the incarnation of this world’s fate, the Level 4 Noble Phantasm, the “Spindle of Fate.”
Ace connected the threads of the spindle to the three Demigod Authority Noble Phantasms. Instantly, his whole body jolted. The Authority Noble Phantasms, as if their most core domains had been violated, desperately resisted.
Ace then poured the gurgling Dream Great Source into them, and simultaneously activated the privilege of the World Controller, suppressing the three Authority Noble Phantasms together. The fate of the Noble Phantasms were engraved into the solidifying Dream Great Source. The Spindle of Fate in Ace’s hand also gradually melted, ultimately forming a grayish clay tablet.
This clay tablet looked no different from an ordinary fired clay tablet, but when touched by hand, an inexplicable feeling would sweep over the heart. It was a kind of extreme palpitation and unease. Unless it was Ace Himself, anyone else touching or observing the Tablet of Fate for a long time would fall into a state of madness, even Legendary existences being hard-pressed to avoid it.
“I wonder what the Tablet of Fate of the Giant Tree World looks like. If possible, if I can collect fragments of the clay tablet from the Giant Tree World in the future, maybe this one in my hand will be even more powerful.
“Actually, as long as one can obtain the conceptual essence of the godhood in the True God domain, and be proficient in the Path of Fate, one can create a Tablet of Fate.
“It’s just that even Kronos, the God King of the Kaya World, does not have this ability. I’m afraid that dead Overgod of the Giant Tree World was, like me, a Controller.”
Taking a step, Ace appeared in the Imperial Palace of Planet Bernard. At this time, Yamila still looked young. She was a Level 2 Peak Lifeform and devoutly believed in the Dream God. Although she hadn’t achieved Legend, living for thousands of years in this Level 2 World was no problem.
Today, Yamila’s face was full of sorrow. Her son, the Son of God Augustus, had aged incomparably over this past month, and his power was rapidly declining, which was simply unacceptable.
Yamila knelt devoutly and prayed in the grand cathedral of the Imperial Palace: “Great Dream God, please pity our son. If possible, I am willing to give my remaining life to Augustus.”
Just at this moment, holy music suddenly sounded. This rousing music evoked Yamila’s memories, as if returning to the time when she was young and ignorant. Ace, wholly shrouded in brilliance, took a step out and arrived beside Yamila.
Tears immediately welled up in Yamila’s beautiful eyes. Holding back her excitement, she said: “God, my God, is that You? Please save Augustus!”
Ace gently helped her up and said softly: “It’s not that I don’t want to save Augustus, but when he went to the River Styx for his trial, he looked back and left half of his soul in the Underworld. Although I can protect him for a while, I cannot protect him for a lifetime. Those ghostly things in the Underworld—although My brilliance can dispel them, once I leave, they will return.”
Yamila hugged Ace, her face covered in tears: “Your Holiness, don’t let Augustus be some Emperor anymore. Let him attend by Your side, bathing in Your brilliance at all times, cleansing his sins.”
Ace hesitated for a moment, hugged Yamila slightly, and said softly: “Don’t worry. Augustus is also considered my child. He is the Son of God; how could I not care about him. Take me to see him first.”
Yamila’s heart felt slightly at ease, and she brought Ace into Augustus’s bedchamber together.
The once handsome young man, Augustus, had become a frail old man in his twilight years. His body had decayed, and his Legendary-level power had dissipated. Covered in green hair, he emitted a terrifyingly weird aura.
Ace’s eyes flickered with white light, and He happened to see a group of invisible ghosts gnawing on Augustus’s soul. As the brilliant starlight shone, the ghosts disappeared, and the green hair dissipated.
The comatose Augustus opened his eyes. The senile man, with muddy eyes, saw Ace and Yamila in the light, and murmured softly: “Am I dreaming? That is possible; dreams are exactly the domain of Father. Have You come to pick me up? I shouldn’t have looked back, really shouldn’t have looked back. I can already hear the wails of my other half of the soul. Everything is too late.”
Yamila covered her mouth, her voice trembling: “It’s not over yet. Your Father has come. He will have a way; everything will be fine.”
Ace looked at Augustus with a hint of pity. He was a soul Ace created using dreams. Mixed with the power of fate, it was injected into Yamila’s womb and born.
Although the method was different from how ordinary children are born, Augustus was indeed his creation, his son. Everything he suffered in the Underworld was actually warding off disaster for Ace.
After all, when Ace brewed the great catastrophe and drastic changes in the world back then, it was actually destroying the world. Only by destroying the world could He recreate it for a second time and become the Controller of the world.
In this series of experiences, the absolute protagonist was Augustus. He was Ace’s creation, the Son of God, and also bore almost all the backlash for Ace. Although these backlashes only caused the current Ace some trouble, in any case, he warded off disaster for Ace Himself.
“Augustus, my son. You indeed shouldn’t have looked back, but since you did, there’s no need for regret. You can no longer maintain your physical body; the hidden injuries from back then have remained in your body.
“If you are willing, I will preserve your soul after you die, and send you to merge with your other half of the soul left in the Underworld.
“You warded off disaster for your Father. Today I declare: you shall be the Lord of the Underworld, enjoying divine authority eternally in the Underworld, and become my subordinate god.”
The Great Source rumbled, seemingly bearing witness. Yamila covered her mouth, crying tears of joy. For Augustus to become a god after death was also an excellent fortune. Born as an Emperor, dying as a God. Although he suffered a little, who knows how many people would be envious.
Ace took Yamila and Augustus. Augustus’s soul detached from his body. The three turned into a stream of light, tearing across the sky, passing through the World Crystal Wall, and arrived at the Underworld.
The Underworld was incredibly serene. The water of the River Styx flowed quietly. Countless soul bodies drifted in the River Styx. Under the washing of the River Styx water, their soul bodies gradually dissipated, returning to the world, leaving only a speck of True Spirit, incomparably pure.
Ace led the souls of Yamila and Augustus wandering in the Underworld, and soon came to the top of Mount Lethe. Countless ghosts gathered there, gnawing on something. Augustus felt his whole body tremble. His eyes shone with light, seemingly somewhat moist.
His whole body also began to ache. Yamila covered her mouth and exclaimed in a low voice. The one being gnawed on was precisely another Augustus. He tried hard to break free, but couldn’t break free no matter what.
Ace took a step forward with pity. A star in the Nebula Noble Phantasm emerged. The brilliant light instantly illuminated the entire Underworld. These ghosts, formed by the union of resentment and death energy, let out miserable screams and gradually disappeared.
Augustus walked forward slowly, picked up the other scarred and bitten self, and the two instantly merged.
Ace said in a lofty voice: “I am the Controller of the Wizard World Cluster, the Demi-god of Dreams, the Mythical Wizard Ace. Today, witnessed by the Great Source, I bestow upon Augustus the ‘Throne of Returning to Ruin’ and appoint Augustus as the King of the Underworld.”
An ancient, bronze-colored throne appeared at the peak of Mount Lethe. Augustus reached complete enlightenment. He climbed up step by step. Under Ace’s gaze, with Yamila’s blessing, and witnessed by the Great Source, he sat upon the “Throne of Returning to Ruin.”
Bronze-colored light bloomed, and endless power surged. Augustus instantly regained his youth. His physical body began to reshape. The origin of the entire Underworld boiled, cheering for the master of the Underworld.
Ace turned back and said to Yamila: “You’ve worked hard. Augustus has no descendants. How about you serve as the Empress of Planet Bernard?”
Unexpectedly, Yamila shook her head firmly and said: “Your Holiness, I am very grateful, but I want to accompany our son forever in the Underworld. Please grant my wish.”
Ace looked at Yamila carefully, and finally nodded, saying: “Then let Augustus appoint you as the First Divine Envoy of the King of the Underworld. You accompany Him more here.”
After speaking, Ace tore through space and departed. Augustus then said loudly: “My mother Yamila is the First Divine Envoy of the King of the Underworld. Seeing her is like seeing me; she shares the glory of the throne with me.”
A petite crown appeared atop Yamila’s head, and a sharp sword appeared in her hand. These were symbols of authority, and also the original intention of Augustus wanting to share the glory with his mother.
…
Celestial Realm, Central High Tower.
Ace summoned all Legendary Wizards. Except for Bayen who went to explore the other world, everyone else was present.
The Scepter of Heaven and the World Tree tender branch appeared before Ace, hovering in front of the crowd. The marvelous mana fluctuations made a yearning well up in everyone’s hearts, a desire to obtain them.
Ace spoke: “These two items are two Authority Noble Phantasms. The Scepter of Heaven symbolizing the Celestial Realm, and the World Tree tender branch symbolizing the Elf Realm. As long as one becomes the proxy holder of an Authority Noble Phantasm, they can possess the power of a Demigod, becoming a pseudo-status Demigod.
“This is proxy holding, and cannot be refined for one’s own use.
“Because once refined, one’s path will be completely changed, and one will be bound to this world.
“We wizards have broad prospects, and our future is in the entire Astral Void. This is only to strengthen the strength of the Wizard World for now, as we might encounter an alien world. Now we will discuss this matter with everyone in detail.”
The crowd’s breathing became somewhat ragged. Although they were confident in the path of wizards, having the opportunity to obtain stronger power, even if only a temporary experience, would be of great benefit to the future.
And the alien world Ace mentioned made the Legendary Wizards’ eyes shine even brighter. That meant danger, but it meant massive resources even more. As long as there were enough resources, all the Legendary Wizards present had the opportunity to achieve the status of a Seventh Ring Mythical Wizard.
(This chapter is finished)
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