Chapter 1: The Era of Universal Lords!
"Next! Wu Chi!"
On the eighty-first step of the Heavenly Staircase in Silvermoon City, a middle-aged man dressed in a silver crane robe and a blue headscarf spoke in a clear voice. Though his tone was not loud, it resonated like surging waves, echoing in the ears of everyone present.
At the base of the Heavenly Staircase, the audience watched intently, not daring to make a sound.
On the staircase, those waiting in line looked up.
At the front of the line, a young man stepped forward and approached the middle-aged man.
He appeared somewhat delicate, with short hair, a resolute expression, and calm, water-like eyes.
The middle-aged man glanced at the youth, then at the scroll in his hand, and said, "Wu Chi, 16 years old, Class 5, Senior Year, Shenhe High School. Correct?"
"Yes," Wu Chi nodded.
The middle-aged man stepped aside, gesturing for the young man to proceed.
Behind him was a floating altar!
This was an ancient altar, weathered and worn, yet exuding an aura of divinity, as if immortals had once meditated upon it.
Wu Chi took a deep breath and stepped onto the altar.
Seeing Wu Chi enter, the middle-aged man wasted no time. He unfurled a silk scroll and solemnly began reciting the "Prayer to Heaven."
Today was the Ascension Festival.
This man was the "Guide" of Silvermoon City's Ascension Festival, tasked with leading the new generation of youths in the "Prayer to Heaven" ritual to obtain the "Lord's Heart" and become a [Lord]!
The central square was packed with people, mostly relatives of those in line, with a few onlookers here and there.
In such an important setting, no one spoke, but all eyes were fixed on the young man on the altar, their expressions varied.
As Wu Chi listened to the Guide's voice, he also felt the weight of countless gazes upon him, his emotions a tangled mix.
Finally, this day had come...
He was a transmigrator!
His past life was like fleeting smoke, and there was no point in dwelling on it.
After transmigrating and being reborn as an infant, Wu Chi's young mind was filled with both shock and joy.
Shock, because such a thing had happened to him!
Joy, because he had been granted a new life, an extra lifetime, and with his memories intact, this life promised to be extraordinary!
If he had transmigrated into a historical world, he could have copied poems, invented cement, glass, and gunpowder, developed hybrid rice, and sought out sweet potatoes and potatoes. Perhaps he could even have become an emperor with a harem of three thousand beauties!
If he had transmigrated into a modern urban world, he could have become a literary plagiarist, started a company, followed the business opportunities of his past life, and become a tycoon, appearing on TV shows to say, "I have no interest in money."
...
However, as Wu Chi grew older and came to understand the background of this era, he abandoned all such thoughts.
This world was the Era of Universal Lords!
Every Earthling could become a Lord, enter the "Endless Void," build their territory, and gain everything through the development of their domain!
This was an era where Lords had infinite possibilities!
Everyone could become a god; everyone could achieve immortality!
Naturally, becoming a Lord was the only path. Literary plagiarism and business ventures held no meaning here.
Having transmigrated into this grand era, Wu Chi naturally aspired to become a Lord.
However, to perform the "Prayer to Heaven" and obtain the "Lord's Heart," one's soul strength had to meet a certain standard.
For ordinary people, this standard was typically met between the ages of 16 and 18.
Thus, Wu Chi had waited until a month ago, when he turned 16 and his soul strength qualified, to successfully register for this year's Ascension Festival.
As for the so-called "Ascension Festival,"
As the name suggests...
It was a chance to ascend to heaven in a single step!
Every year at this time, the nation would hold the "Prayer to Heaven" ceremony on the Heavenly Staircases in various cities, allowing all eligible humans to pray for the Lord's Heart.
The Lord's Heart was the core of a Lord and the foundation of their territory's development!
When ordinary people prayed, the Lord's Hearts they obtained varied, but each one came with a unique territory trait!
The quality of this trait determined the Lord's potential. Although this era offered infinite possibilities, and even the most inferior trait could lead to immortality or godhood, such cases were exceedingly rare among humans perhaps one in a million.
Under normal circumstances, the stronger the trait, the better.
Wu Chi felt both nervous and hopeful. He longed to possess a Lord's Heart but feared that his territory trait might be too weak. His emotions were a complex mix.
Different territory traits corresponded to different colors of the Lord's Heart!
A gray Lord's Heart was of "Inferior" quality!
A white Lord's Heart was of "Common" quality!
A green Lord's Heart was of "Rare" quality!
A blue Lord's Heart was of "Excellent" quality!
A purple Lord's Heart was of "Outstanding" quality!
A golden Lord's Heart was of "Legendary" quality!
Most people obtained Lord's Hearts of "Inferior" or "Common" quality. Without great fortune or destiny, their futures would likely be unremarkable, and they would never achieve much in developing their territories.
A small number of people obtained "Rare" or "Excellent" quality Lord's Hearts. With effort, they had a chance to become strong, but the odds of truly rising above were slim perhaps one in ten thousand.
The extremely rare "Outstanding" quality Lord's Hearts had a high probability of leading to immortality or godhood. Eternal life and indestructibility were not mere fantasies!
The rarest of all, the "Legendary" Lord's Hearts, guaranteed that their bearers would become gods or immortals, provided they did not die prematurely. Their paths extended far beyond that!
In history, every individual with a golden Lord's Heart has become a celebrated myth.
The Immortal King "Zhang Bai Ren," who created the Nine-Layered Heavenly Realm, ruled over the "Celestial Court," where ten thousand immortals paid homage!
The Dao Lord "Li Er," who developed the Mystic Gate, governed the "Upper Pure Cave Heaven," spreading his teachings across countless realms!
The Bodhisattva of Infinite Wonders "Tan Tai Xuan," who presided over the Buddhist Pure Land, ruled the "Infinite Buddha Kingdom," delivering all beings!
The God King "Yahweh," who created the Garden of Eden, ruled over "Heaven," where believers could ascend to the divine realm and gain eternal life!
The God King "Artemis," who resided on Mount Olympus, ruled the "Moon Palace," commanding the stars!
The Lord of Truth "Karina," who roamed the void, ruled the "Tower of Truth," hunting evil gods!
...
In this era,
Myths were not just stories!
Gods and immortals were real and within reach!