Chapter 3: The Ritual

When the mysterious figure finally descended, the colossal dragon couldn't help but think, "Isn't that, for crying out loud, my very own deity? What the heck—so bored, coming down again with this 'divine descent' routine?"

Damn it—coming down four times a day! Even she was getting fed up with it.

Without a word, the dragon casually snatched up a huge boulder and hurled it toward Ava Gray.

Seeing the incoming boulder, Ava merely waved her hand, and the stone disintegrated into dust before it even reached her.

Then she descended herself. Gazing at the dragon's utterly indifferent expression, her face darkened. These rebellious miscreants had been trying to kill a god ever since her first appearance. Yet, such behavior was typical of beings born spontaneously; Ava Gray had learned not to take it personally, as long as she could properly instruct them.

When they first met, the creatures had attacked with fierce aggression. Only after their blows proved ineffective did they cease their onslaught—and then they spent a long time listening as she explained, "I am the deity of this world. You must worship me!" After all, only by offering worship could she harvest divine power crystals to sustain her body; without that, her fate would be to fall into the void and perish.

Naturally, they were not keen on worship. When even eating was a struggle, how could they be expected to expend energy on ceremonies? Moreover, every act of worship drained their life force—each ritual left them in a five-day period of weakness during which it was nearly impossible to gather food, and the risk of death soared. With no other choice, Ava Gray had to personally teach them survival skills so that, albeit reluctantly, they would perform the rituals.

For a deity like Ava Gray—whose every attack is nullified by the laws of the Divine Kingdom—the dragon's onslaught meant nothing. Besides, creatures like these, who couldn't even perform magic, were utterly incapable of harming her.

Seeing the dragon's nonchalant expression, Ava Gray straightened her back and declared in a solemn tone,

"I am the Primordial Goddess, the one who bestows creation upon you. Receive my blessing and your faith—I shall lead you to glory and splendor!"

The dragon thought, "This stupid deity—what crazy nonsense is she spouting now?" With an impatient flick of its tail, it retorted,

"Could you not speak properly? Do as you please, or get lost!"

Ava Gray burst into tears, pleading,

"Waaah, you haven't been worshipping for 200 years! Without faith, I'm going to starve—please, hold a worship ceremony right now!"

The dragon fell silent. Then, with a look of exasperation, it asked,

"But didn't you hold a ceremony 200 years ago? It can't just run out that quickly! And for gods like us, 200 years is nothing more than a few hundred days!"

At those words, Ava Gray exploded in anger, "A few hundred days? You think being a god is easy? Last time, all you managed was to offer withered branches and stones—just a quick glance and a shout, and in less than five minutes, it was over! Besides, you lack even the slightest bit of true faith and reverence—I get no benefit at all!"

Yet the dragon remained indifferent, saying,

"See? You're not finished yet—hold on a little longer."

Without missing a beat, Ava Gray resorted to a petty tactic: she teleported onto the dragon's head and sat down firmly, declaring,

"Today, I'm staying right here. If you don't perform the ritual today, I'm not moving an inch!"

The dragon muttered, "Damn, you're the Creator God—can't you have a shred of dignity? Act a bit more reserved, will you?!"

Ava Gray, knowing she had no money for grand ceremonies, sighed inwardly. Rich gods had their extravagant ways; poor gods like her had to settle for whatever scrappy methods they could muster. As long as she could collect enough divine power crystals, everything would be fine. She wasn't asking these miscreants to trust her unconditionally like other deities who effortlessly birthed entire races from life seeds—she only wanted them to offer a little help every now and then, even if it was just for show. Otherwise, she'd become the first student in Yanhuang Academy's history to starve to death by her own hand.

Perhaps sensing her despair, the dragon slowly sighed, its expression filled with resignation. Faith, after all, wasn't something that could be forced—especially when they knew their own deity was so unreliable. Still, deep down, they shared an unspoken understanding. In the beginning, their attempts to slay a god were driven by fear of the unknown. After they learned the truth, it turned into mere ribbing. Now, the inhabitants of the Divine Kingdom saw their god as nothing more than a rather foolish, impoverished deity.

Yet despite all that, Ava Gray had poured her heart into teaching them various skills. Gradually, the beings had come to acknowledge her—if only a little. They also sensed that if she were to die, the entire domain might collapse. For both practical and moral reasons, they held her in fairly high regard.

After a moment's thought, the dragon rumbled,

"Alright, here's what we'll do. I'll get an answer for you this year—I'm going to discuss it with the others. But you must find a way to bring us some resources."

Hearing this, Ava Gray immediately jumped up in astonishment and asked,

"Really? Please don't lie to me!"

"Alright, alright—my word is my bond," the dragon declared. Indeed, this dragon was the Dragon King of its race—the strongest among them.

Ava Gray rolled her eyes and continued,

"By the way, regarding your inability to learn magic, I've acquired a spell from some other devotees that might help you."

The Dragon King perked up instantly, asking excitedly,

"Really? How powerful is this spell?"

Folding her arms defiantly, Ava Gray snapped,

"Are you questioning me? Just admit it—every piece of knowledge I impart is useful. Trust me: master this spell, and I guarantee your overall power will jump up by a whole grade!"

"Exactly how much of a boost are we talking about? Could it possibly harm you?"Ava Gray managed a strained smile, though it was obvious she was nearly at her limit. Through gritted teeth, she continued,

"How much hatred must there be? I haven't done anything to oppress you. While I'm juggling my studies, I also venture into the Virtual Divine Space to learn skills from every race to aid you. And after all that, your minds are still set on slaying your god?"

The Dragon King chuckled softly,

"Don't get so worked up. I mean no harm—I just worry that if another god descends upon this world, we won't have the means to deal with them."

Ava Gray, clearly impatient, retorted,

"If an external deity were to descend, it would mean our domain's location is exposed. The only solution is for the inherent laws within the domain to crush them. Once you grow strong enough, you'll have the power to eliminate the weaker gods yourselves."