1064 - 1072

Origin Force Weapon

Leylin was now extremely clear on his path as a Magus. A rank 7 comprehended one complete law, and a rank 8 had to master many. A peak rank 8 then needed to infuse a law they created themselves into their body, representing it as a path of sorts. To advance to rank 9, this path needed to contain the power of spacetime itself!

'The foundational law that represents your path is the most important step!' Leylin smiled, 'This power shouldn't just accommodate all the laws involved in forming your path, it also has to be strong enough to deal with spacetime, harnessing such powers to allow you to advance to rank 9. Dreamforce perfectly meets all these requirements, and it's more capable of infusing other laws than I thought…'

Many at rank 7 and above did not know the pros and cons of the path ahead, and deviated from the correct route. Pitifully they were stuck unable to change their path, forced into a dead end. Leylin had a strong suspicion that peak rank 8s like Mother Core and many others had suffered this pitfall, left unable to advance after such a long time.

Compared to them, Leylin was extremely lucky. His A.I. Chip could simulate the future results, allowing him to compare the pros and cons of different laws. In addition, he'd learnt of the secrets of many ancient Magi, also being well-travelled amongst the many worlds. He was currently on the right track.

Leylin deeply understood that hard work alone was futile. Only by finding the correct path and putting in relentless hard work would he be able to see success, and even that would need a sliver of luck.

'My path has already been chosen. I can only tune it now, not make great changes… Unneeded laws need to be removed…'

Leylin ordered, "A.I. Chip, display my stats!"

[Leylin Farlier, Rank 7 Warlock, Bloodline: Targaryen Serpent (rank 7). Strength: 257.71, Agility: 200.01, Vitality: 350.98, Spiritual Force: 611.27, Body of Laws. Law Comprehension: Devouring (100%), Massacre (58%), Calamity (27%), Decay (15%), Curses (1%). Origin Force Saturation: 27.99%] The A.I. Chip intoned.

Leylin looked at his stats and the comprehension of laws, his eyes turning into a dark abyss.

"Devouring and Massacre are set to take on important roles in my path. However, Calamity, Decay and Curses can be removed from my truesoul… Fortunately, my comprehension of these laws is not too deep. With the construction of my soul and the A.I. Chip's meticulous workings, I can remove them from my body without any harm…"

For rank 7 existences and beyond, if one did not need the laws residing in their bodies, it was best to extract them out. Other rank 7 and 8 Magi would definitely pay a sky-high price for them.

However, Leylin had a better plan than that.

'A.I. Chip! Activate the Manderhawke Plate's power to travel worlds, and connect to my secondary clone in the World of Gods!' The Manderhawke Plate floated from Leylin's palms, strange runes filling it as it opened a black tunnel.

In the World of Gods, Leylin's demigod clone open its eyes and a golden light flashed through them. Black animal skin appeared, carrying intricate runes and radiating an ancient yet mysterious aura.

This was something Leylin acquired in the western desert. Back then, he'd only thought of the seal as rather unique and guessed that it had contained much information

*Beep!* Two rays of golden lightning struck the animal skin from Leylin's eyes, the patch of skin immediately floating into the sky as a lot of information was transmitted.

"A.I. Chip, begin to synchronise the transmission!" the demigod Leylin ordered before closing his eyes again…

At this moment, Leylin completed his transmission from the Magus World, using the tunnel created by the Manderhawke Plate to send information to the auxiliary A.I. Chip.

[Beep! Receipt sent from auxiliary chip, transmission 100% completed. Decompression ongoing…] The A.I. Chip projected a lot of information to Leylin in the Magus World, on a large flickering screen.

A trove of data was sealed within that obscure piece of animal skin, containing the accumulation of information from an ancient civilisation. The demigod had done most of the decrypting, so Leylin only had to peruse the information sent over to the A.I. Chip.

"The theory of overgod weapons…"

"Origin force sensing and construction…"

"The foundation of overgod weapons— 4D planes…"

The folder was extremely large, containing a sea of information. Most of it pertained to the construction of overgod weapons.

"They were a short-lived civilisation that appeared after the dusk of the gods, in the period known as the dark ages. Inspired by arcanist theory, the civilisation specialised in weaponsmithing. This overgod weapon is their ultimate design, but even the might of their entire civilisation couldn't help them finish it…"

Leylin's eyes blazed as he looked at the information. This was an overgod weapon, a concept from the World of Gods! The engineers of that civilisation had wished to construct a weapon stronger than the divine, an overwhelming tool that could slay even gods!

Leylin believed it likely held another name. It was an Origin Force Weapon, a tool that was fuelled by the World Origin Force designed to harm beings of laws.

Now that Leylin himself was a rank 7 Warlock, he realised the difference of this realm from the rest. Most rank 7s had already stopped spell fights, instead using their own laws combined with the World Origin Force. Few innate bloodlines could be activated at this realm.

Because of this, Leylin had to devise new measures for battle. A weapon made of origin force would definitely increase his power tremendously.

'During the process of constructing a divine weapon, the gods will often put in their own flesh, blood and soul into it. That is why a divine weapon achieves such godly powers. Origin force weapons work on the foundation of origin force, bringing greater difficulty into their construction. Of course, the weapon's might increases as well…'

Leylin nodded his head at the information. The engineers of this civilisation had a very strong comprehension of laws and origin force.

'I wonder if their death was attributed to the fact that they tried to obtain origin force. After all, this was a taboo to the gods…'

Leylin thought about it a little longer before putting it off. There weren't enough clues, but according to his guesses if the gods realised that 'lowborn' humans tried to utilise origin force to construct a weapon, they would definitely want these human beings destroyed. Ants had to know their place; the gods would wreak destruction on anything in their paths, and their wills could never be disobeyed!

'No wonder they were unable to construct the overgod weapon in the end…' Leylin used his soul force to skim through ten lines at a time. Finished with the manual to construct this weapon known as the Black Sacrifice, he shook his head.

'How much origin force can a regular mortal absorb? They're severely lacking if they want to construct a weapon made of origin force. They wouldn't even be able to construct the core components…

'Forget that, origin force is such a sacred and rare resource for the gods. How could they waste it on weapons? The basic requirement to construct an origin force weapon is being equivalent to a rank 7 Magus.'

Leylin shook his head, no longer baffled by the failure of that civilisation. 'However, this Black Sacrifice book is useful to me. It has given me a model for me to create an origin force weapon, which means I don't have to use as many processors of the A.I. Chip on it anymore…'

To Leylin, the construction of a weapon using origin force was not a problem. His authority in Dreamscape would allow him to do so. After all, he wouldn't dare absorb too much of Dreamscape's origin force himself, so it was viable for him to use it on his weapon.

With origin force as a foundation, an overgod weapon was not something as simple as purely wielding origin force to attack. It was two different concepts.

Deep down in Leylin's heart, he devised an even grander plan. He wanted to inscribe the laws that were useless to him onto the origin force weapon, and create an even more terrifying tool of destruction!

With the laws of devouring, he'd definitely consume even greater existences in the future, in order to pry apart the laws that they had comprehended. As for the laws which were not useful for his path, Leylin would then transfer it to this weapon and increase its power.

With that many laws infused in it, Leylin could only guess at what a monstrosity it would become in the future. One day the name of this weapon would reverberate around the entire cosmos, making the many existences of law shudder in fear!

...

Behind the construction of this origin force weapon was the quintessence of an entire civilisation. Even with Leylin's processing ability together with the help of the A.I. Chip, he needed some time to fully digest the information and wield it for his own. Not only that, he had to simulate new models, optimising and perfecting it.

Time passed by quietly as Leylin began his experiments on manipulating Dreamscape's origin force to the construction of the overgod weapon. During this period of time, he had not recklessly attempt to challenge any Lords of Calamity, but only accompanied his family members in living a rather tranquil yet comfortable lifestyle.

Until one day…

Allsnake

Leylin's laboratory had been transformed into an enormous maze of infinite space. A few furnaces within burned with the unquenchable fire of origin force.

The powerful energy was restricted by many shackles formed of laws, poured into the enormous spell formation at the centre.

At the heart of this spell formation was an enormous pool, liquid origin force from Dreamscape present within. Just a drop of this could drive other beings of law crazy.

A faint black shadow could be seen at the centre of the pool, greedily absorbing the surrounding energy and origin force to radiate a vaguely sharp and deadly aura. It seemed like some cruel giant creature of prehistoric times lay there, dormant.

"It took several hundred years, but the embryo of the weapon is ready. Next is the sculpting…" Leylin stood by the pool dressed in black robes, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

"Leylin… Leylin…" Just at this moment, his expression changed. A summons was transmitted from his bloodline, full of intoxicating power.

'It's the Snake Dowager! Has the time of our thousand year contract come already?' Leylin sighed lightly as he stepped away. He watched as the surroundings changed greatly.

As spacetime began to change, Leylin had already arrived outside the world boundary of the Magus World. His true body now emerged in the endless astral plane. A woman dressed in black was waiting for him in the limitless starry skies.

"We meet again… Snake Dowager!" Leylin said softly. He now had a clear estimate of the Snake Dowager's strength. She was a rank 8 Magus! Even if she hadn't formed her own path by refining her laws yet, and her combat power was a little inferior to the Lords of Calamity, she was a creature who'd lived countless years and most likely had several trump cards hidden.

"Your Excellency Leylin! Every time we meet, I seem to be ever more surprised…" The Snake Dowager's face was veiled with a black muslin cloth. Only her glittering eyes, as bright as stars, were revealed to the outside world. They rippled with endless charm, filled with sweet-tempered emotion.

One could see a fondness for life and beauty from her eyes, and anyone could see their most perfect image of a woman at its centre. It had to be said that when it came to laws of charm, the Snake Dowager's comprehension had reached a terrifying level.

"With your current power, you're at the forefront of rank 7 existences across all worlds. If it's like this, then I can feel at ease…" The Snake Dowager stood shoulder to shoulder with Leylin. Her thousand snake form did not have the sphere of serpents below her, but Leylin felt that this was a true form, not her avatar.

He smelt the fragrance of a maiden as well as the rippling of silky hair— and the most important thing was the intimate connection of bloodline. It gave all her bloodline descendents the feeling of being favoured by the gods.

Still, no matter how beautiful she was, she was still just a cooperative partner to Leylin.

"I have not forgotten our thousand year contract about the Shadow World. So, why have you come to find me?" Leylin wrinkled his brow.

It was not easy to fight over a large world, especially the Shadow World which was equivalent in rank to the Purgatory World. There would be many beings of law in that place, and what's more they'd managed to expel her in the past!

Snake Dowager was originally an existence of laws from the Shadow World, and had been a rank 8 Magus for a while. It was a pity that while fighting over the control of the world, her refinement of the power of shadows into her own path had failed. She had been forced to bring her bloodline descendents to the Purgatory World.

Since then, parts of her bloodline had circulated outside. They were tinged by the chaotic nature of Purgatory whatever world they spread to.

Strictly speaking, Leylin's Kemoyin Warlock inheritance had been part of her legacy. Because of that, there was no way that the path of bloodlines and its conflict would be so easily resolved.

Since it stemmed from this reason, and he also intended to quell his quarrels with her, Leylin finally decided to help her out once. As for the other conditions and treasures, in truth it wasn't enough of a motivation for an existence of laws to act.

"Is this fate?" Leylin's eyes brightened. As if something had snapped, his aura began to come to a standstill. At this, the Snake Dowager's eyes glowed with extraordinary splendour. It was clear that her junior Leylin had surprised her.

"Of course not. I had an agreement with the Trial's Eye as well as other supremes to act at the most appropriate time," the Snake Dowager said in a nasal voice, her tone clear and silky. All who heard it unconsciously lost themselves.

"Have you completed your preparations, Your Excellency?"

"I have, I'm ready to act at any time," Leylin replied. His origin force weapon was now mostly complete. He'd need time to pour laws in and sculpt it, something that could not be rushed. Still, his current battle might exceeded that of ordinary rank 8 existences, making it very possible for him to escape with his own life.

Besides, if he was able to drag the Snake Dowager into Dreamscape, Leylin was sure that he would be able to teach her an unforgettable lesson.

With his confidence in his own power, Leylin now dared to reveal his true self before the Snake Dowager. After all, his opponents were not limited to the existences of laws within the Shadow World. In the depths of Leylin's heart, he had never trusted the Snake Dowager. This was so even if he'd signed a bloodline contract with Dreamscape as his witness.

"Very well, then. Let us depart now. We need to pass by five other worlds to reach the Shadow World, passing through the cracks between worlds…"

A giant pitch-black serpent emerged from her dulcet tones, the Allsnake symbol upon its head as it leapt into the endless astral river.

This sort of ultra long-distance world transformation was required to transport Leylin and other existences of laws like him. Astral gates were unable to bear such a burden, so it was necessary to use the most primitive form of travel.

Leylin shrugged his shoulders and stepped onto the path paved by starlight, walking side-by-side with the Snake Dowager as they journeyed towards the Shadow World.

The astral plane— This was the concept that the ancient Magi had of the distant universe. It represented the limitlessness of space with its endless borders. The ancient Magi had all been fond of exploring and exploiting the astral plane.

The astral plane was full of numerous dimensions and worlds, planes, demiplanes, and even special places where the remains of ancient Magi lay dead. It was filled with danger, and the chaotic flow of space there would make it difficult for even rank 5 and rank 6 Magi to survive. It was even more pointless to talk about the strange and savage creatures here.

During ancient times, Magi below rank 7 used astral gates to explore the astral plane, danger omnipresent in their expeditions. However, for these two who were strolling through the astral river, the danger that was enough to annihilate a legion of great Magi was nothing more than some entertainment in their leisure time.

The frantic space storms did not raise a single corner of the pair's clothes. The astral creatures all made a detour around them, the turbulent and berserk auras of their bloodlines causing all weaker creatures to flee.

Currently, the Snake Dowager seemed to maintain a very low profile. When they encountered the aura of existences of laws, it had always been Leylin who had confronted them.

She naturally wanted to preserve the surprise of their attack, but Leylin felt that this was a rather useless gesture.

Leylin had not come unprepared. He'd already researched everything to do with the Shadow World, even if it was a shame that the Final War and its distance from the Magus World had left the news near useless.

Leylin only knew that the Snake Dowager's contest for the control of the Shadow World had failed, and she had been banished. However, he was completely in the dark about who her opponent had been.

The Snake Dowager had not breathed a word about the matter to anyone. Leylin reckoned that it was only when they reached the Shadow World that she would honestly tell him everything.

*Awooo! Awooo!* Standing on the path of starlight, Leylin watched as a huge creature with an extremely long tail walked past them with interest.

The creature's physique could not be described with just stats. It was roughly the same size as the Snake Dowager's astral body, with dark brown leather on its skin imprinted with scales. It had thousands of gigantic feet beneath its fat body, their shapes strange and twisted. Six pairs of broken fleshly wings were on its back, and it saw them through a pair of amber eyeballs that had only just appeared. Its light green pupils greedily scanned across its surroundings.

An enormous tongue occasionally pulled several floating creatures into this body, even the stronger astral creatures unable to escape this fate.

After seeing Leylin and the Snake Dowager, the enormous monster snorted. Two destructive pillars of smoke erupted from its nostrils. With a wave of its tail, it disappeared deeper into the astral plane.

The Snake Dowager introduced the creature to Leylin, "This was Merxiname, the astral plane's 'streetsweeper'. It feeds on the corrupted trash of the astral plane, and has a gentle temperament…"

"I've seen its description before in books on the astral world, but this is the first time I've seen it in person…" Leylin looked at the enormous body of the Merxiname, his eyes filled with a faint regret.

The creature's body was almost as big as a plane, so it could only survive on the amount of food it would get in the astral plane.

"Also, the Merxiname has the ability to create astral wormholes. Follow it, perhaps we can save some time." This secret was just one of many an ancient existence like the Snake Dowager would know, such as the burial grounds of treasure from ancient Magi. Even one bit of news could drive others crazy.

Mistress of the Night

The 'Astral Plane Devourer' dragged its enormous body ahead on its path. Merxiname's two tails swayed without the slightest care.

Devouring a broken fragment of a plane, this enormous 'streetsweeper' of the astral plane roared out like a tiger, causing the surroundings to tremble. The space in front of it cracked apart, causing a pitch black tunnel to emerge.

"An astral wormhole!" The Snake Dowager looked at the spatial tunnel with some excitement, "I smell the unique aroma of the world's ridge at the end of the tunnel. It'll help us save nine astral days on our journey."

"That's really lucky, given how random the Merxiname's wormholes are. Being able to find a useful one by coincidence… this is rather fortunate indeed. It seems to be an omen of good luck," Leylin echoed.

"Speaking of spatial techniques for the astral plane, the Magus World's astral gate is the most outstanding of them all. Pity it's not suitable for our ranks, it would require ten years' worth of resources for a single trip…" The Snake Dowager spread her fair and tender fingertips, her alluringly red nails bright and glittering.

"The World Spring technique is probably the most suitable transportation method for those of our rank. With Merxiname's astral wormholes combined with a shortcut through Dreamscape… Such a pity, Dreamscape is currently exhausted of origin force…" As she spoke of it, the Snake Dowager's bewitching eyes were pointedly fixed on Leylin.

"Oh? My lady's information truly is extensive, I'm ashamed of being so inferior to you…" Leylin's skin was currently so thick that he posed with a modest expression.

"After I wrest back control of the Shadow World, I would be quite willing to spend some time with Your Excellency. I have many secrets from ancient times that are worth sharing with you…" The Snake Dowager laughed in a silvery girlish tone. However, it was filled with the enchantment of a mature woman, able to drive all male creatures crazy.

Leylin scratched his nose and did not say much in reply, instead diving directly into the astral wormhole.

...

Having experienced the astral wormhole and the magnificent world ridge, Leylin and the Snake Dowager arrived near the boundary of an enormous world.

"I have returned… This time, no one will be able to banish me!" The Snake Dowager looked at the enormous murky world in the distance, the shadow force surging above it causing her eyes to fill with determination and desire.

"My opponent is very good at concealment, and my enemies that are hidden in the shadows have a sharp perception. Follow me…" The Snake Dowager took the initiative and led Leylin by hand, fleeing to a different location.

The space here was empty, in a region a little smaller than a semiplane. It seemed to be rooted outside the Shadow World, yet strangely isolated from it. Without the Snake Dowager actively leading him here, Leylin would have spent a long time trying to find this place.

He withdrew his hand, reflecting on the soft satin-like skin of the Dowager as well as the connection of their bloodlines.

However, he soon turned his attention elsewhere. Several existences had been waiting for them within this secret space.

On the left was an enormous vertical eye wielding the power of trials and laws. It was the Trial's Eye, someone Leylin was intimately familiar with. There were two other beings of law beside it, an old fellow dressed in luxurious black robes and a sphere of smoke.

"Let me introduce everyone. This is Leylin of the Magus World," the Snake Dowager took centre stage and warmly introduced Leylin, "You've met the Trial's Eye before. This is Yuri the Conqueror of the Thunderstorm World, and Lady Massa of the Dark World…"

When her finger moved from the imperial old man to the sphere of smoke, the Dowager added, "My apologies, Lady Massa is a little shy in front of strangers."

'How did such an exotic flower bloom amongst the beings of laws?' Leylin thought to himself. Still, he didn't show any of this on his face. The two experts' strengths hadn't been disguised.

Yuri looked at Leylin with an exacting glance before turning his attention to the Snake Dowager, "A rank 7 Warlock? I suppose he barely qualifies as this elder's ally. Only, Snake Dowager, you should tell us what happened since we are all here now. I don't want to cross swords with an enemy that I know nothing about…"

"Ah, I wanted to discuss that now anyway," The Dowager looked all around her with a rather bitter smile, "My enemy is not a native of the Shadow World. She's an outsider!"

"An outsider!" Leylin cried out in alarm. This had surpassed his imagination, and it was no wonder that the Dowager had been so reluctant to loosen her lips on the matter. It was inconceivable that the World Origin Force would favour an outsider over an existence of laws that it had nurtured itself!

Since it was an outsider, the information on this enemy was very sparse, especially since they grasped the laws of concealment..

"Yes… The enemy was like an incarnation of shadow, receiving the favour of the entire world," the Dowager slowly stated.

From her description, she had the advantage of having a soul native to the Shadow World, which meant that she would easily obtain the favour of the World Will. Once she reached rank 8, she waited until she had grasped her own path and refined shadow force to advance to the peak of rank 8.

At that time, perhaps she would have chosen to fuse with the entire World Will and become the avatar of the Shadow World. From then on, she would be eternal with the world. It was a shame that it had all changed after the outsider had arrived.

"When I discovered the outsider at first, I felt that their aura was very strange. Although it had been concealed by concentrated shadow, it still felt a little weak…" The Snake Dowager's beautiful eyes were a little distant, as if she had sunk into her memories.

"Once the outsider entered the Shadow World, the entire World Origin Force seemed to cheer, as if it had found its true master. It was in such high spirits that no one could comprehend. I never thought that a World Will could be so fond of a living creature…"

"With World Origin Force pouring into the outsider, they seemed to recover quickly from their weakness. They advanced at unthinkable speed to rank 8. I began to grow impatient, and chose to fight over the authority of the Shadow World, and all of you know the outcome already…"

Although he couldn't see her face, Leylin felt the Dowager's soul aura begin to fluctuate, filled with resistance and resentment.

'According to the Dowager, the outsider had received the great favour of the Shadow World. Perhaps they surpass the Nightmare King with his Nightmare Absorption Physique already. Then, that is to say that the World Will approves of the outsider and feels that their path is the most suitable for the Shadow World?' Leylin thought to himself and involuntarily sighed. He felt that things had gotten a lot more complicated.

Even though the outsider did not have other existences of laws to help them, once a World Will got involved, they could become very powerful.

Fighting at close quarters in a world brimming over with hostility, with the child of that very world? Leylin would not do something this stupid. The unfortunate Lord of Calamity Salilus had been the best example of the problems with that.

Leylin saw that Salilus could perhaps flee in another world, but in Dreamscape Leylin used the World Will as an unstoppable weapon to slay him. Winning against his enemy in such a way was awfully entertaining, but being challenged himself like that was quite frightening instead.

"Dowager! According to what you said, when we fight the outsider, won't the entire Shadow World support them against us? Since it's like this, are you still choosing to fight the enemy from the shadows?

"Even if we are allies who have signed a contract, we still have the authority to retreat when faced with such danger!" It was clear that the World Will of a great world had the Trial's Eye feeling fearful.

None of the beings of law here dreaded the World Will of planes, they themselves could easily steamroll it. A small world's World Will would call for a little more power, while a medium-sized World Will would surpass the power of an existence of law. Two or three, however, would be sufficient to win.

But the Shadow World was a large world. One would need peak rank 8 strength to contend with it! Sadly, none of those gathered here possessed that power. In other words, if the Dowager used to have a helper of that rank she wouldn't have been banished so easily.

"You can be rest assured on this point. I'm a native of the Shadow World, my innate soul approved by the World Will. The opponent, on the other hand, is an outsider. Their soul of laws has been branded differently, and cannot be changed. With the hundred thousand years I lived here before, I still have some authority in this world."

The Dowager stood there and tried to comfort the others, otherwise the group of members would immediately flee.

"It isn't possible for the Shadow World's World Will to give up on the outsider, but it's possible to force the other native beings of laws into a neutral position, which means that the Shadow World won't especially target us. We still have a chance of success. My impatience was what originally led to the opponent gaining the upper hand!" The Snake Dowager gritted her teeth.

"Mm, then it should be possible if this is the situation. Right, what is the name of your enemy? What form do they take?" Leylin stroked his chin and soon asked.

"She enjoys hiding in the shadows and darkness, and no one has seen her true face. Her public form is that of a strange elven girl, so she's called the Mistress of the Night!" the Snake Dowager said softly.

"The darling of the shadows? The Mistress of the Night?" Once Leylin heard of this description, he immediately reacted with thoughts of the World of Gods.

'I remember very clearly that there was a Mistress of the Night who controlled shadows in the pantheon before the dusk of the gods. Shar disappeared mysteriously after the incident, so it can't be a coincidence!"

Sneaking In

Mistress of the Night, Shar. The Goddess of the Night, Shadows, and Magic. This was an intermediate god.

Shar's power was equivalent to that of a rank 8 Magus. Rumours said that she used the form of an eccentric elven maiden dressed in black muslin, worshipped by many wizards who walked the path of darkness.

If a god of such standing came to the Shadow World, it was quite possible that she would obtain the favour of the World Will and origin force.

'There seems to be an error in my previous thoughts,' Leylin's brain quickly whirred into action, 'During the ancient Final War, Magi arrived at the World of Gods, but those gods could also come out. If they were willing to give up their godhood and divine realms…'

To a god, giving up their godhood and divine realm was like destroying the foundation of their entire being. It was equivalent to committing suicide.

Besides, the World of Gods was sealed, and gods could only face off against Magi due to their divine realms. In the astral plane they'd be heavily suppressed, so why would a god who'd almost been killed do such a thing as go there?

Even the ancient Magi didn't think such a wonderful god would exist. Sadly they'd forgotten something due to the differences in their lines of thought. Luck was a very important factor in the birth of a god, maybe even the primary reason. This led to the existence of many wonderful and exotic gods.

'Besides, if a god had their followers slain and their divine realm destroyed, they'd be left with no burden. It'd make sense for one to give everything up…' The more Leylin thought about the matter, the more certain he was that his hypothesis was possibly correct.

'As a result, when Shar entered the Shadow World, she appeared rather weak. Only with the help of the Shadow World did she very quickly recover her power and banish the Snake Dowager…'

Without faith and their divine realms, gods basically had graves dug and waiting for them. However, Shar had effectively changed her 'class.' It could be said that, after a painful process of abandoning her immortality as a deity, she'd become a Magus!

As a result, she had successfully lived and hidden 'behind enemy lines' and rooted herself beneath the eyes of the Magi.

'I smell the aftermath of the Final War…' Leylin began to feel horrified. How many in the astral plane were existences like Shar? If they burst out at the suitable moment, then what impact would they have on his own plans?

Though they had never met, Leylin's heart was over 90% confident that the Mistress of the Night who had taken over the Shadow World and banished the Snake Dowager was none other than Shar of the World of Gods!

'A surviving god, it's better for her to die…' In his heart, he had unhesitatingly passed a death sentence on Shar.

He was thinking a little logically. Leylin was a Warlock, and since he was with the Magi he naturally wanted to quickly exterminate this remnant god. Of course, the benefits he'd gain with this were a whole other matter.

"What? Leylin, did you think of something related to the Mistress of the Night?" The Snake Dowager clearly discovered that Leylin had momentarily become absent-minded. Her beautiful eyes turned towards him, which also attracted the attention of the other existences of laws.

"Oh, it's nothing much. I just recalled the name of the Mistress of the Night, and I feel like it's a little familiar…" Leylin thought and decided not to drop that bomb. After all, he wasn't certain that it would bring him any benefits at all.

It wasn't just that. There were few records of the World of Gods after the Final War, and they were very messy. The name of the Mistress of the Night wasn't something these existences could connect things to.

'I'll go and have a look first, but even if we can't dispatch of the Mistress, fleeing wouldn't be a problem. At the most crucial point, we can send communications to Mother Core and others of that rank to kill the god. We're just the frontlines of the battle…' Leylin thought irresponsibly.

"The name of Mistress of the Night has been used by many. I propose that we start with the identity of the enemy existence of laws. How could a rank 7 or above being not leave the slightest of traces across the astral plane?" the old emperor Yuri suggested.

'You've found the direction, but there's still an issue. The enemy is not an existence from our astral plane, but has instead come from the sealed World of Gods. The crystal sphere prevents all exchange of communications!' Leylin sighed in his heart.

"It's no use, I went looking for Sage Anthony before this. Even someone who can listen to every piece of news in the astral plane didn't find a single record of a being of laws going by the name of Mistress of the Night…" The Snake Dowager shook her head.

"Very well! The enemy's history isn't important. The most crucial point is your plan, Snake Dowager," Yuri waved his hand and looked at the Snake Dowager. He completely ignored the effect of her bewitching eyes and floating silky hair.

"Leylin and I share a bloodline that originates from the Shadow World, so we won't be rejected by it. So this time, let me first go with him into the Shadow World and see the latest news, while you all wait outside the world for our response," the Dowager unhurriedly spoke of her plans.

She was a native of the Shadow World, and Leylin had originally been of her bloodline. The Kemoyin bloodline would naturally not be rejected by the Shadow World and could harmoniously enter. He would not suffer the attention and suppression of the World Will.

As for the other existences of laws, they could only unfortunately continue to stay here. After all, the entry of a foreign existence of laws into the world would certainly arouse the Mistress of the Night's attention.

"So you're sure that the outsider hasn't broken past the peak of rank 8 and fused with the World Will? After all, according to what you just said, the Mistress is incomparably compatible with the Shadow World!" Lady Massa questioned from within the mist.

"I am very doubtful that this has happened. I previously left an imprint on the Shadow World Will, and if the Mistress fused with it I would know immediately. However, there has been no response until now, which implies that the Mistress was unsuccessful…" The Snake Dowager frowned, obviously puzzled by this point as well.

Even if she was an outsider, with the Shadow World Will's tolerant attitude, she should have been promoted to the peak of rank 8 already. The Snake Dowager could only give up and stay in Purgatory World. However, several thousands of years had already passed. The Mistress' strength had not grown greatly, and only recently had there been some change. This aroused certain feelings in the Snake Dowager's heart.

It was Leylin who guessed the reason. 'Was it the influence of the god's brand? It's true, a rank 8 existence changing factions as she pleases, even if it is their character, what sort of joke is this?"

He estimated that Shar had spent thousands of years after she banished the Snake Dowager adjusting and adapting. Only after her innate self had been transformed completely could she fuse with the World Will of the Shadow World, advancing completely to the peak of rank 8.

It was clear that the Mistress was about to succeed. The Snake Dowager could not sit still initiated her final struggle to the death.

Indeed, this was a struggle to the death. In Leylin's view, the Dowager was a native who'd grasped the right time and location, fulfilling all the essential criteria to fuse with the World Will. It was a shame that Shar turned the tables on her, causing her to fail her first attempt. It was even more pointless to discuss the second attempt.

Shar had now spent several thousand years recovering and adapting to the Shadow World. The World Will didn't hold back in terms of origin force, and she should have been close to peak rank 8, almost an existence like Mother Core.

'If the Snake Dowager attacks again, her only fate is defeat. Not only is Shar shockingly powerful, her shrewdness and schemes are similarly outstanding. This is a powerful evil god we're talking about, her name enough to make all the gods of good tremble…'

'However, since she has me, this has all changed,' Leylin thought shamelessly, 'This time, the Dowager must pay the price for my satisfaction. Otherwise…'

"So, your Excellency Leylin, do you have any objections towards my arrangement?"

"I have none, but just to be cautious, we had better move separately,' Leylin added.

...

After everything had been decided, several existences of laws began to act swiftly and decisively.

The Trial's Eye, Yuri, and Lady Massa hid in different places, awaiting the Dowager's summons. Leylin and the Snake Dowager concealed their auras, directly arriving outside the world boundary of the Shadow World.

'This abundant World Origin Force, as well as this sort of radiance…' Leylin looked attentively at the enormous Shadow World with a trace of regret lingering in his eyes, 'I see the light of civilisation above the sea of origin force, glittering and splendid.'

"It seems as if the Mistress of the Night did very well after I left,' the Snake Dowager's eyes seemed to grow a little despondent as she stood there in her maiden form. She was even more dismayed by her fall. It was clear that in terms of helping the world to evolve, the Mistress of the Night had far surpassed her. Under her faction, the feeling that the Shadow World now gave Leylin surpassed the aura of large worlds like Purgatory and Icy World. Only the Magus World, the World of Gods and Dreamscape were a little superior.

"So, would you still like to continue?" Leylin politely asked, looking at the despondent form of the maiden who stood beside him.

"Of course! After I return, I'll do much better than the Mistress!" The Snake Dowager's expression seemed to change. Her regret and jealousy completely transformed into the flames of revenge.

"Besides, this time I won't leave again!" Black datura petals bloomed beneath her feet, enveloping her entirely into a black flower bud. In this form, she touched the membrane of the world boundary.

The Shadow World did not react and allowed the black flowerbud to merge through the membrane. This was the method that the Dowager used to pass illegitimately through the boundary.

Shadow

'Female jealousy!' Leylin shrugged his shoulders, sighing helplessly before he followed the Snake Dowager. His current abilities allowed him to pass silently through the crystal sphere of the World of Gods, so the Shadow World wasn't a challenge.

The force of his Kemoyin bloodline surrounded him, and the Shadow World emitted a comforting aura. It immediately admitted Leylin inside…

At the core of the Shadow World, within the limitless sea of origin force. There was a magnificent and refined palace here, built out of black stone. Shadow force pervaded the surroundings, and at the very centre was a large black crystal. A beautiful girl could faintly be seen within the crystal, lying in slumber.

'Hehe, the Weave has responded, the prey has taken the bait. Is it the Dowager?' A laugh like the tinkle of a bell sounded, as a maiden dressed in black muslin emerged from the shadows. She looked just like the maiden sleeping within the black crystal.

"Let's see, where are you?" The maiden stretched out her fair and delicate fingers. She seemed to connect with the authority of the world, and a bright and beautiful screen appeared before her.

The screen showed a black datura flower bud and a blood-red cocoon transform into streaks of light, advancing like lightning through the world's boundary. They streaked across the skies.

"Ah?" However, just as the maiden was about to zoom in and follow their trails, the screen suddenly flickered with static. A mechanical voice sounded out, "Unknown interference has occurred, tracking terminated."

"Haha, what an interesting opponent. They want to play hide and seek with me? Well, I just happened to want to go out for a walk." The maiden stretched lazily, exposing the graceful curves of her body before disappearing into the palace. Multiple shadows formed to conceal everything within.

"Damn, what was that just now?" The Snake Dowager's flustered and exasperated voice could be heard ahead of him. Leylin's lips curved into a faint smile in response.

'A magic network, or should I call it a Shadow Weave? If it wasn't for my previous experience with the World of Gods' Weave, as well as my research into Karsus' Avatar, it wouldn't have been this easy to disrupt it.'

"Dowager, I've already blocked the Mistress' surveillance. The situation has changed now, but we had better split up at once!" The blood-red cocoon turned beautifully in midair, changing its trajectory.

Before they parted, Leylin kindheartedly reminded the Dowager, "Be careful, perhaps the current Shadow World is completely different from the one that you remember."

After officially entering the Shadow World, Leylin knew why the Dowager wanted to drag him in. The Shadow World tolerated Leylin in the same way as the Magus World did. He did not feel the slightest sense of rejection, as if he was a native here.

'Is this complete lack of rejection and suppression due to the original Allsnake bloodline? So only the Dowager and I can minimise the surveillance of the World Will, and avoid discovery by the Mistress of the Night.'

The Dowager was originally a Shadow World native, and had been the person closest to controlling the entire world. She had been greatly favoured by the World Will. Since he was once a descendant of hers, Leylin carried the brand of the Shadow World in his body. The world would not reject him innately, which would allow him to conceal his presence as much as possible.

The Trial's Eye and their other allies were different. They would be discovered the moment they touched the world's edge, and the Mistress of the Night would act against them immediately.

'My interference will put Shar off our trail for a short period of time. Still, it might not be enough to secure our safety.' Leylin took out a few bizarre dolls with painted faces.

'I never would have thought that I would use up the voodoo dolls that I made earlier in this place.' A blood-red glow appeared on the dolls' bodies. Enveloped by light, the strange dolls seemed to inflate and giggle cheerfully.

"Hee hee!" "Haha!"

Having grown to the size of normal humans, the paint on the dolls' faces changed. They grew more and more animated, and their auras slowly changed to resemble Leylin's own.

*Bang!* The three voodoo dolls separated, the original blood-red cocoon dividing into three and falling in different areas.

'This Shadow World has been radically changed by the Mistress of the Night. The most startling change is the warning system surrounding the world boundary.'

In his former location, Leylin had already concealed his own figure and begun descending slowly. He felt like Shar had transformed the Shadow World into an extremely secure fortress in all these years, which meant their own operations could meet great difficulty…

"Beep! Unidentified flying object detected, transmitting information to ground station!"

Once Leylin had divided himself into several avatars, a number of satellites that had been orbiting the Shadow World paused their normal tasks to send a warning to ground control.

Inside a large hall with receptors for the signals from the satellites, those within working tirelessly. A soldier stood up and marched over to her superior, handing him an image. On the image was one of Leylin's avatars in the shape of a blood-red meteor. "Sir! An unidentified flying object has been spotted. This is the video capture from drone #3."

"Mm, what does the warning officer advise?" The commander was a middle-aged man with faint white streaks in his hair. He had eyes like an eagle's, his gaze sharp and chilling.

"The images from the satellite show that the target's volume does not exceed two shadow cubits. It's not a giant meteorite, so it might be some astral debris or natural star fragments. However, we haven't been able to deny the possibility that it's some astral creature," the soldier replied quickly.

"Mm, those astral creatures have always been extremely dangerous. Those that bring disease or curses are the most dangerous, if it spreads far it might harm society greatly." The middle-aged man waved his hand, "Exterminate it!"

"Understood! Secondary space cannon prepared. Shadow Weave fully charged, beginning countdown. T minus 3, 2—"

Having received the order, the control tower quickly leapt into action. A blue laser shot out of the ground, accurately targeting the blood-red meteorite.

But just at this moment, the blood-red meteorite on the screen suddenly changed. A glaring scarlet flare flashed, and a sharp warning sound issued out.

"Target has issued a high-energy response. Current energy level surging rapidly. It's already reached a danger level of 5A! Sending automatic report to the security bureau of the empire!"

A researcher looked at the twisting image on the screen and suddenly cried out, his voice filled with panic. On the screen in the main hall, the blood-red meteor seemed to have developed its own will, drawing out a bright trajectory and directly dodging the laser attack.

Afterwards, the image of a doll emerged from the streak of light, its jet-black scleras suddenly flashing with light. The screen suddenly burst into a flurry of static.

"Drone #3 has gone silent!" The soldier from before cried out involuntarily, a stack of folders in her hands falling to the floor.

"Something malicious from another world! Has a powerful existence entered this place?" The commanding officer, that middle-aged man, wrung his hands as he muttered under his breath, "I never thought that I would run into another one.

"Everyone, the security bureau has issued the highest of orders. It is time, we must dedicate our lives in our loyalty to the empire!"

The middle-aged officer stood up and tore his collar off. He began to shout himself hoarse with orders, "Fire all the guided missiles from the surface! Destroy the target at all costs! Cancel all vacations of the surface armoured vehicle department, all members are to remain on standby! Also, connect me to the empire, I need to obtain the highest authority in Ando City's Shadow Weave!'

"Sir, yes sir!" Multiple drills and the obedience training caused the soldier to bow and accept his order. Her heart was still at a loss, however, 'These preparations, doesn't it mean we're gearing up for a world war?'

"Report!" Just at this time, the control tower's communication device rang out. An alarming voice rang out, "Satellites #4 and #5 have encountered residual high-energy, unable to capture the meteor."

*Crash!* A tremendous vibration rattled the area. The floor and the ceiling trembled continuously as the new energy-incandescent lights blinked on and off. A glaring red alarm flashed across the entire hall.

After a long time, the voice of a communications officer could be heard, blank and frightened, "Target has launched an offensive. Second division base has lost communications!"

"The fifth attack, enough to destroy the empire. Is it about to arrive?" The middle-aged officer's glasses fell from his face, shattering into countless shards of glittering glass on the floor. He limply sat on his chair, seemingly losing all signs of energy.

'What was that satellite just now? It looks like this world's technology surpasses my expectations.' Connected via his truesoul, Leylin could see the satellite that the voodoo doll had attacked. Strictly speaking, it looked no different from the satellites from his previous life. However, it seemed to be powered by a different source of energy.

'Besides, they tried to attack the voodoo doll with laser weapons. I should try to attack and see their defence!' Leylin gave the command with no hesitation, and later saw a scene that satisfied him.

'It seems like it is a branch base, their defence is on the level of Breaking Dawn Magi. Still, that base was being controlled by ordinary people!' It was a pity that this sort of strength was nothing to Leylin. With a wave of his hand, his puppets could easily erase them.

Xavier

'Remain hidden as much as possible. Gather information and wait for further instructions.' Giving commands to the rest of the puppets, Leylin descended into the atmosphere himself. Currently still in stealth mode, he was small enough a target to avoid the satellites' detection even if they were still here.

After passing through a thick cloud full of radiation, Leylin saw a mysterious continent in front of his eyes. It was filled with the radiance of civilisation.

'A.I. Chip, begin preparing plan 1,' Leylin commanded.

[Beep! Plan 1 activated. Gathering data on gravity and atmosphere, remapping physical constants…] The A.I. Chip loyally carried out Leylin's orders, and then presented an analysis chart filled with information to him.

'The atmosphere here is suitable for the survival of large life-forms. The other physical constants aren't much different either, just that the inertia of the elemental particles is greater. So I can only absorb them through specific channels?'

Leylin felt like the Shadow World was rather interesting. Microscopic soul sensing allowed him to discover a huge and terrifyingly powerful Weave here.

'In essence it's like the one in the World of Gods, but there's some difference in its scope and ability. As well, its mainly powered by shadow force. Should I call it the Shadow Weave?'

Now Leylin was left without doubt about the identity of this Mistress of the Night who'd taken the Shadow World from the Snake Dowager. It was evidently the Goddess of Shadows from the World of Gods, Shar!

'Rumours say that the faith of dark wizards allowed Shar to involve herself in the domain of magic. Seems like it's true…' Leylin didn't connect to the Shadow Weave directly. After all, Shar may have implemented some special restrictions, and any misstep could cause him to be discovered.

'The most important thing now is to blend in and slowly get access to the Shadow Weave, obtaining enough power to control it.' Leylin's eyes glinted. With his experience from the World of Gods, it wouldn't take long for Leylin to analyze the Shadow Weave.

*Vroom!* The sharp sound of a fast engine sounded out, and a large, foreign, yet all so familiar body flew past Leylin's eyes.

Its streamlined design could reduce air drag greatly, and the two wings at its side maintained its balance. The powerful engine drove it forward, allowing it to fly in the sky with several thousand people within.

'A plane? I never thought they'd be so advanced…' Leylin sighed. He could see the numerous specks of light that represented souls within the flying vehicle. These souls were so tiny a mere ripple of power on his end would completely decimate them. Still, the knowledge of these puny things had allowed them to successfully conquer the skies!

'A similar inclination towards technology and development…' Leylin had a look of nostalgia in his eyes as he stood atop the upper cabin of the plane. He slowly sat down, memories from his previous life appearing in his mind.

"What's going on?" Within the cabin, a young girl with a ponytail gazed at a brown-haired young man anxiously, "Are you feeling sick, brother? Should I get an attendant?"

"No I'm fine, Jill. I just felt uncomfortable all of a sudden. This terror, only that time with the school bus can compare…" The brown-haired youth smiled with a pale face, but his hands were still trembling unconsciously.

"That accident?" Jill's eyes darkened. She knew fully well that her brother Xavier was exceedingly talented, and his natural sense of danger was quite powerful. Once in primary school, it had allowed them to avoid a serious traffic accident.

Recalling how terrible the news had reported it to be, as well as the scene where none of her classmates had survived, the girl's eyes reddened. She couldn't control the tears that fell, "It's all my fault… If I didn't force Brother to go as well…"

"Er… Didn't I say it already? Don't worry about it, and act as if we're going to crash in the next second…" The young Xavier glanced at the surrounding passengers sheepishly and quickly hugged Jill, smiling apologetically at everyone else.

What he hadn't mentioned was that he hadn't had such a premonition before getting on the plane. It was just that he suddenly quivered in that instant, feeling helpless and despair at a sure death. This feeling buried itself into his heart, causing great trauma.

However, this feeling disappeared just as quickly, leaving not a trace. It made him feel like he'd gone crazy.

"It's nothing. Stop crying, Jill!" Xavier could only do his best to console his little sister, but he could not help recalling what had just happened.

'That feeling of a sure death that suddenly disappeared… What was that about?' At this thought, the young man could not help but pull out a pendant at his neck, the bright red string having a black snake rune on it, 'Is there a force here that can destroy this plane in an instant? Or is a war about to break out soon?'

"Haha… A crash? You're hilarious!" A middle-aged man who was reading a magazine at the side put the book in his hands down, adjusting his glasses, "Crashes were indeed common twenty years ago. You could be unlucky enough to have failing components or meet a bird. However shadow force has come quite far since then, and all aircraft are integrated into the Shadow Weave. All vehicles have powerful shadow armour protecting them, so even if you bump into a prehistoric dragon you won't face any problems…"

"Exactly… I've gotten on so many flights, and I've yet to hear about any dangers!" A curly-haired woman beside them began to chatter away.

"Is that so?" Jill was still very childlike in her thoughts. Having heard this she immediately stopped crying. Beads of sparkling tears hung on her rosy face, making her look even more pitiful.

"Yes!" After seeing the state Jill was in, the man who had been speaking suddenly sensed his lolicon soul come ablaze, suddenly exploding!

"Don't worry. Look at this!" He raised his arm, pulling at a portion of his sleeve to reveal a digital wristwatch with a unique design on his wrist. On the silvery-grey exterior was the symbol of a black crown.

"This…" Gasps could be heard everywhere. "The newest model of the rapid shadow series! Tsk…"

"Rapid Shadow V, providing the most convenient and quick connection to the Shadow Weave. It was developed by the empire's chief scientist Lirlian using the latest 2D point technique. It now supports the storage and download of spells at rank 3 and above, even if casting mid-ranked spells needs the caster to control things very well. Only university students of the empire and mechanics above grade 5 can work this. I never thought uncle was such a bigshot!"

The young man could not conceal the envy and fervour in his eyes after seeing the man's watch, and he blurted out all the information about it.

"So? Are you at ease yet? Even if anything happens to components of the plane, with the Shadow Armour and Flight that I bought and stored before, it will be enough to protect you…" The man spoke, immensely pleased with himself. He then stowed the watch away, amidst cheers and sounds of admiration.

"Thank you, uncle!" Jill yelled sweetly, and the man sat back down, pleased.

"Right… Maybe I'm too uptight? How could there be supernatural happenings in this day and age? The records at home are like legends. They're all fake…" The youth, Xavier, heaved a long sigh, beginning to doubt himself for the first time.

"Dear brother!" At this moment, a youth in a black suit and gold-rimmed glasses pulled at the safety belt, heading over with a grim look on his face.

"I think you're very right!"

"Could you be…" Xavier was now extremely excited.

"Mm! Even with the government forcefully getting involved and increasing shadow protection for all aviation vehicles, accidents are everywhere…" the suited man said stiffly, causing Xavier to nod without end.

"This world is too dangerous. One could be struck down by a maglev just walking on the roads, much less when it comes to a flood of Shadow Weave connections allowing minors to use magic as they wish. There's other issues as well…"

The suited man's words were headed in a strange direction. Soon, he picked out a beautiful advertisement from his briefcase and placed it in front of Xavier. "Hence, for the sake of you and your family, insurance is necessary! Our company is now launching the newest services that involve protection from Shadow Weave radiation as well as flight risks. Take a look, and ask me any questions you have. Here's my business card…"

"So it's to sell insurance…" Xavier's face was now crinkled in a frown, and Jill finally smiled after all the crying.

"Well… I'll think about it. But the attendant is coming over…" Xavier pulled back, pointing to the long-legged stewardess with a smile on her face.

"You must choose our Imperial Love. By picking Imperial Love, you're choosing a better future…" the youth said sternly with a nod before returning to his seat.

"Sigh… young people these days…" An old granny seated behind him sighed, causing Xavier to wish he could bury his head in his chest…

Ancient Book

The passengers in Xavier's cabin heaved a sigh of relief after the plane landed safely on the runway. Following that, they stared at him in blame.

"My apologies!" Xavier held his sister's hand and left the cabin, as if running away to the airport terminal.

"Hey wait up! Wait!" The man with the watch caught up to them, "You left your purse behind!"

"Oh, thank you Mister!" Jill thanked the man courteously, taking a pink purse with a cartoon bear on it.

"Haha, I'm just 25. Don't call me Mister, just Crowley is fine…" This man who looked like an uncle with long sideburns smiled wryly, "And your names are?"

Xavier gripped his sister's hand, and spoke politely, "I'm Xavier, and this is my sister Jill, we're here to study…"

Crowley noticed the wariness in Xavier's eyes, but he smiled without caring, "Oh I see… This is my number. I have some connections here in Thousand Bears City, so remember to look for me if something's up." Having said that, he handed a long string of numbers to Xavier and disappeared into the crowd.

"Jill, don't just casually speak to strangers in the future!" Xavier reprimanded his sister after seeing Crowley off.

"But I felt like Mister Crowley was nice…" Jill bit her lips.

"Don't rely on your instincts anymore. Live like a normal person!" Xavier sighed, seemingly relieved of all his burden. He hailed a floating vehicle and boarded it alongside Jill, the wheelless machine converging into the roads that were like a network of arteries…

Neither Xavier nor Jill realised that a strand of black hair had attached itself to them. It was a power that lay between material and secondary energy, so even with extraordinary powers the siblings didn't detect it.

"I never thought I'd find the blood of the Snake Dowager while just looking around!" Leylin could sense the bloodline of the Snake Dowager in the siblings, even if it was extremely thin.

The siblings possessed extrasensory powers, able to foresee bits and pieces of the future. Although he hadn't been masking his presence, the ability to sense him was still somewhat remarkable. Because of that, Leylin made an exception and put some attention on this pair of siblings, attaching a tracking spell to them.

Standing amidst the river of people, he observed his surroundings. The passersby walking to and fro did not seem to see him.

The high-rise buildings with over a hundred floors, the apartments, massive billboards, maglev trains and transparent tubes that served as streets… Everything gave Leylin a sense of extreme nostalgia. It was like he'd returned to his previous life.

'No wonder I could see traces of civilisation in the world's shadow force. Evidently they've undergone a few technological revolutions, and the population has grown to a frightening number…'

A rough estimate said the population of this Thousand Bears City was more than ten million. The information he'd gathered on the plane told him this was but a middle-tier city of one empire, which meant the populatioin of the entire world most likely fast approached that of the Magus World. And this was inclusive of the subterranean world!

"It's been proven that science and technology sustain the greatest growth of life for ordinary beings…" Without any extraordinary abilities, living together as a species and with technology was the best option, especially when there was a mastermind behind the curtains pushing for this development.

"In relation to the population, the number of extraordinary beings seemed to be suppressed…" Leylin thought of the wristwatch, Rapid Shadows. This device was commonly worn by ordinary citizens here.

"Extraordinary powers have been changed to devices. As long as one is able to fork out a little bit of money, even a child would be able to download a spell from the Shadow Weave?"

Leylin's eyes conveyed interest, "This Mistress of the Night, Shar, what is she trying to do?"

He turned his gaze to a giant light screen in the sky. It was made of numerous points of light, currently showing an advertisement for some product. That changed as the time for news arrived.

"A mine containing a new energy source was discovered this morning, causing stock in the energy sector to drop drastically. The market is closed for the day."

"The Prime Minister's wife will appear at a charity even in the Shangri-La Hotel tonight, donating to the inhabitants of the thirteen coastal cities devastated by Hurricane Darkness. Analysts say that this…"

"The authorities have once again asserted their swift, resolute decision to clamp down on all illegal markets of Rapid Shadows 5.0. In a joint effort stretched across various parties, the target this time was the fabrication of false documentation, especially that specifically required to purchase Rapid Shadows.

"Emergency Notice: Amdo City was hit by a meteorite 3 hours and 12 minutes ago, causing an infrastructure collapse. The surrounding tremours were extremely powerful, causing financial damages amounting to 37.85 million. The number of casualties is unknown at the time of this report. The local garrison troops have…"

The reporter who wore a work outfit explained the disaster in a stern voice, as images of troops entering Amdo City was seen.

"Their reaction is pretty fast, huh." Leylin shook his head and did not pay any further attention to it. A newly developed empire with a mysterious entity like the Mistress of the Night controlling it from behind the scenes could unleash extreme power if he stepped on it.

The ancient Netherese were an example. The golden period of the Nether Empire allowed it to rival even the gods!

Leylin had no doubts that, should Shar use some of her hidden cards, his very own voodoo dolls would be discovered sooner or later. However, they were only meant to distract her. He was already satisfied that they were able to last this long.

"Hmm, maybe I should watch the news more often, who knows if any news about the Snake Dowager may appear…" Leylin grinned.

According to his observations, the Shadow World now was a completely different world from the one that she spoke of. Just like the differences between the middle ages and 21st century of his past life.

An antique like her may not be tech savvy, captured on some fellow's camera due to the technological advancement of this world. However, these were all minor details. Leylin believed that even it if were to happen, the Snake Dowager would sense the difference and conceal herself.

'To put it in other words, after those voodoo dolls, the Snake Dowager will be the one who will divert the attention away from me…' Leylin's eyes flashed. Although he was invited here by the Snake Dowager, he had no intentions of playing the role of nanny.

'Intelligence is the current priority. I can't connect to the Shadow Weave recklessly, I need to find an opportunity…' Leylin looked at the news that was being replayed, and suddenly got an idea.

...

Outside of the city, at the second level of a small villa.

Compared to the outside world which was so technologically advanced, this villa had a rather rustic and unadorned layout. Or in other words, it was old-fashioned.

"I never though we'd be able to live at home even if it hasn't been maintained in so long." Jill wiped the sweat off her cheek, and her dusty hands left several black streaks on her face. She was like a kitten playing around.

Xavier, wearing an apron, saw his sister and frowned, "You're dirty! Hurry and wash up…"

This was their old home, one that had been abandoned for many years. If not for the fact that this place could allow them to communte to school, the siblings would never have stepped foot in this place. It took some dusting and cleaning up to make it fit for living.

"I wonder why Mom and Dad didn't sell this place off back then. Is what they say true, that this is our heritage from several hundreds of years of ancestry?"

Xavier did not believe much of it. Finishing dinner, he placed a video call to a gentle and smiling older couple.

"I have organised the things…" Xavier nonchalantly said.

"Alright! Little Xav, you have to bear the burden of an adult and take care of your sister…" The middle-aged man said, before continuing after some hesitation, "Also…In our old home, between the layer of the two bookshelves, there are some things that you can have a look at…"

"Oh? That useless book? I have seen it several times since I was three…" Xavier said in an unperturbed manner.

"What?" The voice on the other end was raised by a full octave. The man grasped as his heart as if unable to believe what he had just heard.

"Isn't it just a book written about some strange fantasies, magic and other nonsense? I can't believe you actually stowed it away like some treasure, and the main point is you did not do a very good job of hiding it…"

Xavier rolled his eyes, before exchanging a few more sentences with his parents in a pacifying manner and ended the call.

"That book…This brings back some memories…" Through some sort of nostalgia, Xavier went to the study room in the upper level and found the book that was hidden between the two shelves.

Due to the accumulation of time, the cover of the book was now extremely faded and obscure, with a thick layer of dust gather on it. This caused Xavier to become annoyed before he cleaned up the place another time.

"It's so ancient. I'd believe it even if someone said it was a thousand years old…"

History

Time had eroded the light yellow parchment. Not only were many of the handwritten words within blurred with age, the pages themselves stuck to each other as well. Several footnotes were stained with the trace of decay.

The book was written in form of ancient script, the worlds looping and distorted. It seemed like a three-year-old child could have written it better.

Xavier had hated reading and writing ever since kindergarten. With the 'good fortune' of a father with a doctorate in history, he'd had to understand various ancient writing styles since his youth. This specific script was a specialty of his, having been taught it seriously by his father.

Xavier managed to read the parts that were still legible.

"This is clearly a mythological story…" When he thought of his youth and how this storybook had accompanied him in his childhood, a faint smile arose on Xavier's face.

"The Snake Dowager ruled the entire Shadow World, and her descendents could later be found throughout the vicinity of Sanal. They possessed great power and defeated the homo sapiens, the Elias and other ancient creatures. Finally, they occupied the entire star continent."

"The Allsnake's heirs were called 'blood descendants' and grasped the shadows, able to talk to all species of snakes. The blood descendants divided the continent into 15 kingdoms, crowning the most pure-blooded of them as their monarch…"

"They wrote this like it actually happened." Young Xavier continued to flip the pages. Most of the book's latter pages were spent describing the beauty of the Snake Dowager and her power. There was also rich descriptions of the Shadow World under her rule. Just as he had arrived at the latter half of the book, information appeared that made Xavier's eyes light up.

"When the giant serpent's final glorious empire fell, their ancestor's bloodline mixed with other tribes. Theoretically, all creatures who possess the bloodline of the giant serpent can go through a period of cultivation and trigger their unique bloodline power…"

Xavier's finger traced a datura flower bud, his fingertips stroking the uneven surface. This complicated craftsmanship definitely required skill, and was not something that was made for fun.

If one looked at it carefully, they could see many complex black runes on the flower. Still, about half had been worn away by time.

After the symbol was a bunch of meandering descriptions of training techniques. They suggested things like mixing together the blood of bats and lizards, smearing it under the nose to increase one's chances of entering a meditative state.

'This is what caused me to make such a huge fool of myself in kindergarten…' Xavier's face twitched a little. In his view, this book's techniques were extremely childish. It seemed to have come from the primitive tribes who liked to prank people.

'Even if it's fake, they should have made it a little more realistic. Everybody knows that there is nothing like soul force or a weave. It's impossible to harness these abilities to use magic…' Xavier speechlessly turned over the pages until he reached the very end.

The handwriting here was rather new and was clearly added later. It was written in a modern language and didn't seem to be difficult at all.

This first part of this new content seemed to be a self-introduction of someone known as Chanal. The main idea was that he was from the same tribe as the original author, but his ancestor's records were far too absurd. He did not believe in the descriptions of his world travel as well.

However at the every end, Chanal had added something else. Reportedly, it was a complete military technique from his own tribe. It was originally meant to be used by cultivators.

"This looks a little more sincere— So it's called Snakebite Fist?"

Xavier flipped over the pictures at the very end and discovered several unusually realistic figures of a human body. It was rather genuine in its complexity, and its content looked very similar to other high-level biology diagrams.

From his recent martial arts experiences, this physical training didn't look as if it was just some crazy nonsense.

Soul energy and this weave had caused the humans of the Shadow World to acknowledge several extraordinarily powerful existence. It had aroused a popular craze in martial arts and extra-sensory perception. Sadly, this fad was soon found to be full of liars.

Apart from soul energy and the weave, extrasensory perception seemed to have disappeared from this world entirely.

After some half-baked consideration, Xavier had wasted a considerable sum of money to enter and train in a high-ranked martial arts school. Unfortunately, the only benefit it gave him was the strengthening of his muscles.

After all, those true inheritances had been tenaciously hidden away by the military instructors. Those without enough power and money would not receive proper instruction and become true brothers in training. It was unfortunate that although Xavier's family was a little wealthier than others, they were not infinitely more opulent.

Primarily based on his intellect and good relationship with his martial instructors and apprentice brothers, Xavier had learnt several genuine things.

'According to the teachings of the red-nosed military instructor, rank 0 to rank 2 spells are completely unable to harm experts with truly powerful cultivation techniques. Perhaps… Before the command is given, they could completely break off the wrist of 'Swift' that you prepared…'

Xavier looked at the resources on the Snakebite Fist and discovered that the written account was very detailed and reliable. From the most basic breathing techniques to the attacks and defensive techniques, there were also records of the necessary drug ingredients that were required for the cultivation. It could clearly be seen that Chanal was a very meticulous person at heart.

'I fulfill all the basic requirements, so next is to buy these ingredients and make some training equipment…' Xavier's eyes seemed to burn with fervour, 'Seems like I found something good when I was young. Shall I give it a go?'

"Wait, didn't I plan to remain an ordinary man. What's the point of these fighting techniques?"

Xavier suddenly thought of his old military instructor's advice, "Those with real power these days are the strong mechanics who grasp several high-ranked spells. Researchers in psi energy who've graduated from famous universities are also strong, especially those with doctorates. Fighters have no chance of resisting their high-ranked spells…"

Xavier clearly recalled the desolate look in his instructor's eyes.

"Yes, as long as one has enough money, they can easily download and use low-ranked spells. It's not impossible to obtain mid-ranked spells either. Those martial artists who train their bodies and use martial arts to cultivate themselves are all fools. So why am I still considering it? I should hurry up and pass the entrance exam for the high-ranked mechanic permit and obtain the authority to use mid-ranked spells. Then, even the world's top 500 companies will fight for me…"

Xavier sighed and shoved the voluminous book back into its original location. There was a trace of regret in his heart that, try as he might, he was unable to completely suppress…

Once the youth left and the door clicked shut behind him, the room was plunged into darkness. Leylin's figure appeared suddenly, stepping across limitless space to arrive directly inside.

The bookshelf was opened up, and the large book was wrapped in a faint light that delivered it to Leylin's hands. Page after page turned rapidly, until Leylin stopped at the symbol of the black datura flower bud.

"The Allsnake descendants' inheritance? It seems like history's hurt it a lor…" Given Leylin;s knowledge and experience, a single touch told him this book was written 1257 years ago. The author was an extraordinary expert, about equal in power to a rank 2 or rank 3 Magus.

It was only that the expert had received an incomplete form of the inheritance. With the passage of time, it had been reduced to this dilapidated state.

"According to the book's meditation techniques, it's still possible to cultivate extraordinary power. However, the chance of becoming a monster is even greater…

"The martial techniques at the end, however, abandon meditation techniques and spiritual energy. They're rather suitable to this world's laws. Perhaps it's possible to cultivate something using it…"

Leylin vaguely gave his opinion before tossing the book back to its place in the bookshelf. As he was now, he was far too lazy to read this sort of thing. He instead turned his attention to the spines of the many black books that looked like a wave.

"A historian's study… It should be enough for me to know how the world has changed," Leylin's eyes were fixed on the upper right hand corner of the bookshelf, where a voluminous book lay. The A.I. Chip's light scanned across it at lightning speed.

It was most likely the history of this specific family, This scholar had preserved a great deal of his material books, which made Leylin feel pleasantly surprised.

Although he could access many powerful safety nets and even the Shadow Weave itself to obtain all he needed, it was difficult to avoid leaving traces behind that way. If it was discovered by the Mistress of the Night, he would face a difficult situation. Compared to that, even if this primitive method of collecting information was more tedious it could completely avoid Shar's detection.

The bookshelf showed that the teenager's father was quite meticulous. It was laid neatly in order, sorted by dates.

The bottommost section contained ancient myths and stories of bards, which seemed like the owner did not care very much for. In the middle were a stack of history books. Some of them even had their pages threaded by strings, old enough to be sold as antiques. On the uppermost portion was modern history, and the brand new covers gave off a glossy look. It was evident that these books had been picked up the most by the owner.

The history and changes of the Shadow World soon lay bare for Leylin's perusal.

Cleanup

The Snake Dowager ruled over the Shadow World in ancient times. Then, this place had been largely similar to the Magus World, with extraordinary power granting high status and various empires at war with each other. Wars erupted every day, and it was a dark time for the commoners.

It seemed like Xavier's father adopted a prudent stance against these descriptions of snake descendants and bloodline carriers, thinking they were just superstitions used by people of ancient times to control them through fear.

History had changed when the Snake Dowager had lost her position about thirty thousand years ago. The Mistress of the Night had taken control of the Shadow World. Unknowing of the facts, the regular humans had met a pivotal point— psi energy and the Shadow Weave had been established.

"With the Snake Dowager gone humans took primary control of the Shadow World, allowing science to flourish. The most crucial bit was the discovery of psi energy…" Leylin's right index finger tapped on the cover of a history book as he pondered the subject deeply.

'Psi renergy, the gift of the Shadow World. Pure and effective, it has low contamination. Even more important is that a lot of it can be stored, and humans could make containers for it quite easily. Once it was discovered it replaced all kinds of fuels, developing into many other fields as well. Now the maglev trains, aircraft, and even the high-tech armour used by their soldiers ran on psi energy…'

Leylin read on slowly.

'Psi energy did not exist during the reign of the Snake Dowager, instead coming right after the Mistress of the Night appeared… It is extensively used, connected to another new creation called the Shadow Weave.'

Once one read to this point, even a fool would realise it was a setup of the Mistress of the Night.

'Ever since then, humans have had near unlimited energy. Money allows them to cast spells from the Shadow Weave, letting them toss extraordinary ability into the trash and abandon all ancient training techniques. Is this now the era of science?'

This was all within the books from Xavier's family. Several tens of thousands of years ago, there were countless myths and legends of heroes with superpowers, but by the era of Xavier's ancestor all small discoveries of such abilities had been carefully recorded. It was evident that history had changed greatly.

'Make them over-reliant on equipment, having them forgo true strength and regress in their extraordinary abilities… It reduces the number of enemies, and allows you to use the Weave to control the entire world…'

Leylin felt like he understood part of why Shar had prepared all this. At the same time, a spirit force message travelled over, causing his face to change.

...

Amdo City had now been surroudned by soldiers with powerful-looking cannons. Many of these soldiers had expensive equipment on, making for an extremely imposing sight that stilled the atmosphere.

At the centre was a large piece of land that had been hollowed out by a meteorite. The extreme heat had left behind traces of crystal within, but the meteorite itself had already disappeared.

A command post had been erected here temporarily, with many troops analysing data and conducting investigations within. They were all submitting their information to the middle-aged commander from before.

"The Weave has been checked, no traces of psi energy found."

"Meteorite sample collected, sending a copy to the royal family for further analysis."

"All troops on standby, prepared to move at any time."

All this information did nothing to improve the commander's mood. After all, he was facing an opponent that had obliterated a military base in an instant. What's more, there was more than one enemy!

"So the culprit within this meteorite hid himself inside Amdo City. What about the other two, where did they land?" The officer rubbed his temples.

"The estimated trajectory puts the second landinhg point in the east of the empire, within 30km of Danube City. However, the base there was extremely quiet. The mission has been handed over to the local troops." The report came from a well-trained intelligence officer with a pair of long, beautiful spectacles. She adjusted her spectacles as she spoke calmly, "The third landing point is at Coral Coastal City. We've already sent a request to the navy to find and annihilate the opponent."

"Three apostles at a time…" The middle-aged officer seemed unable to bear this heavy burden, "And one's already infiltrated Amdo City. How is the city's shutdown going?"

"Our troops have already surrounded the place, forbidding any citizens from leaving the city. A couple of small fights broke out, but the situation is under control…"

"Alright then… We can only impose these heavy laws for the sake of the empire," the officer said with an expressionless face.

Creatures from the stars were extremely dangerous. They could hide within the souls of ordinary citizens, beginning to spread contamination. They'd taken down entire empires in the past, so he had to prevent it at all costs!

Even if these specific apostles couldn't contaminate the soul, any foreign pathogens or viruses they carried could cause serious damage to the affected citizens. Thinking about it some more, the officer passed down further orders, "Relay the new safety measures once more! Deny all citizens who wants to leave, including the local officials inside too. All who disobey must be killed immediately!"

"… Yes!" Listening to the merciless order, the soldier was taken aback. Still, she ended up obeying his orders.

"Hehe… It looks like the Empire Hawks aren't all that capable? They actually have a headache from such a small event?"

Just as the soldier was about to leave, a mocking voice sounded from outside the strength. The green flaps were pushed open to reveal oa group of soldiers in black uniform. The one who laughed earlier was a member of the group with yellow crew-cut hair.

"Solders! Soldiers!" The soldier pulled out a minigun, aiming at the group that had barged in. She was extremely furious at the lack of security outside the tent.

"Raise your hands slowly! You are now intruding in a restricted area of the army, I have the rights to kill you immediately!"

The other officers pulled out their guns as well, pointing them at the group.

"Hehe… Kill us? How interesting! Foolish humans…" The group of black uniformed personnel did not show any expression. As for the yellow crewcut man, he pointed his finger at the woman and twirled it.

"Ahhh…" Suddenly, the woman felt like her hands did not belong to her anymore, and the gun fell to the ground as she was lifted and floated in midair, her head facing towards the ground.

"How can this be? The Weave is sealed in here, mid-grade spells can't be cast at all!" The other administrators were shocked.

The yellow haired man looked at the female soldier's thighs, his sleazy eyes revealing his lust. He then asked his leader for permission. "Not a bad pair of thighs! This stocking… You're rather wanton on the inside. Boss, can I play with her?"

"Enough! All of you, stop now! Put down your guns!" The middle-aged officer ordered. Very soon, he looked at the leader of the black uniforms, his eyes revealing a complex gaze, "Are you here to mock me, Javis?"

"I don't have time like that to waste, elder brother." The huge bloke called Javis looked at the yellow-haired man, who immediately released the female soldier. He then took out documents sealed by the imperial seal.

"I'm here to clean up your mess… It's a fact that the Special Forces are the true trump card of the empire, used to deal with things like this." All the military personnel within the tent gasped after hearing the words 'Special Forces'.

This was a covert team put together by the empire. They consisted of people with extraordinary abilities, and were supported by many resources and the newest technology, tasked with dealing with special occurences like this.

More importantly, the members of this team were extremely lawless. Nasty news and rumours floated around the army about them, labelling every team member a crazed criminal.

"The empire has sent out the Special Forces, do those up the hierarchy believe that things have reached such a bad stage?" The female soldier collapsed to the ground, breaking out in cold sweat. She didn't dare to look at the yellow-haired man anymore.

"Since it's the orders of the empire, I have no objections!" The commander looked through the documents and even saw the seals from his direct superior. He saluted in a military pose, before handing over a silver key over to Javis, "I hope you don't let the superiors down!"

"Relax, I'm not you!" Javis smirked, the silver key melting as it entered his body through his skin.

Suddenly, a mechanical voice sounded in the tent. "Authority passed on. Shadow Weave control of Amdo City has changed, welcome General Javis."

"Very good! Contact Mole and Wolf Fang for me!" Javis barked out his orders. Very soon, two soldiers wearing black uniforms appeared on the screen.

"Boss! Team 1 is in position!"

"Team 2 Ready!"

"Our target this time has the ability to enter souls. The feedback from the Weave and the estimation of the central neural net say that the possibility of the enemy hiding in a citizen's body is extremely high.This is a list compiled by the city's surveillance system, I want you to dispose of every member there!"

Javis raised his hand, and an extremely detailed, long list of names appeared. This was the list of suspects put together by the central neural net, where the Weave had sensed the greatest number of questionable energy spikes.

"Have you gone mad?" Javis' brother looked at the list of names. There were over ten thousand names written in there! He howled once more, "These are all citizens of the empire! There may just be one culprit while the rest of them are innocent!"