Chapter 6: Worlds Built on World Props, Equivalent Wishes

Li Xiao and the others remained kneeling on the ground, their bodies trembling. None dared to move. Their eyes were filled with reverence, wholly devoted to offering their faith, fearing that the slightest misstep might offend the ancient god.

"I never expected the Book of Wisdom would truly be acknowledged by Lord God."

Li Xiao's emotions were a tangled mess—relief, regret, awe—all intertwining in a way that was difficult to describe.

"Your Highness, is it really so difficult for the Book of Wisdom to recognize a master?" one of the guards asked curiously.

Li Xiao sighed. "Of course, it's difficult. You must understand, obtaining a world item is akin to gaining the power to establish a nation. Even the most insignificant individual, upon acquiring such an item, can instantly rise to power and rule a kingdom."

He paused before continuing, his expression turning grave. "The challenge lies in the fact that each world item has specific conditions for recognizing a master. Merely possessing it is not enough. If one fails to meet its requirements, then the item is nothing more than an unusable artifact."

"Take the Book of Wisdom, for instance. Since the passing of our kingdom's founding ancestor, not a single ruler of Tang has been able to make it acknowledge them. Without its power, our nation's strength has declined with each passing generation."

Li Xiao's frustration was evident. Every kingdom in this world was built upon the foundation of a world prop. Controlling one was not just an advantage—it was a necessity. Without such an artifact, a nation was doomed to be devoured by stronger rivals.

Yet, the origins of world props remained a mystery. No one knew how they appeared or where they came from. Even worse, their numbers were so limited that acquiring one was near impossible. It was for this reason that anyone who did obtain a world item was bound to become a legend.

"What exactly are the requirements for the Book of Wisdom to recognize a master?" someone asked.

"The requirement is simple yet impossible to achieve," Li Xiao said solemnly. "The prospective master must possess intelligence hundreds of times greater than an ordinary person."

Silence fell over the group.

Hundreds of times the intelligence of an average person? The mere thought was absurd. Even being twice as intelligent as normal was enough to be considered a genius. But a hundred times? That was unheard of.

It was no wonder that despite generations of descendants in the Li family, none had succeeded in mastering the Book of Wisdom. In truth, not a single person in the entire Tang Kingdom—or possibly the world—was capable of meeting such a requirement.

If one of their own had been able to gain the book's recognition, Tang would never have fallen to Chen.

Of course, Xia Chuan had easily obtained its recognition for a simple reason—his intelligence was millions of times greater than that of these miniature humans. For him, it was effortless.

Boom!

Suddenly, a deep, sacred voice echoed through the consciousness of Li Xiao and his followers.

"Li Xiao, I am pleased with your offering. As a reward, you may make an equivalent wish."

The voice belonged to Xia Chuan.

Now that he had mastered the Book of Wisdom, he understood all the languages of this world. He could comprehend the words of these miniature humans with ease. Furthermore, with the book's power, he was able to communicate through Divine Consciousness Transmission, directly sending his voice into their minds.

As an ancient god, it was only natural for him to respond to his believers' sacrifices. Otherwise, their faith would waver, and they would lose the motivation to continue worshiping him. This was the fundamental principle—give and take. If one wished to receive, one must also return in kind.

"An equivalent wish?"

Li Xiao's heart pounded wildly. His body trembled, and excitement surged through his veins. He could hardly believe what he had just heard.

He never imagined that offering the Book of Wisdom would earn him the recognition of an ancient god—and, more importantly, the chance to have a wish fulfilled. This was nothing short of a divine blessing.

His mind raced with possibilities.

Immortality? Boundless wealth? Endless beauty?

A flood of desires poured into his thoughts, each more extravagant than the last. He nearly blurted them out but managed to restrain himself at the last moment.

Then, realization struck him.

One key phrase stood out: equivalent wish.

This mysterious ancient god clearly valued balance. The wish granted had to be equivalent in value to the sacrifice given. If the wish exceeded the worth of the Book of Wisdom, the god might become displeased—and that could lead to disaster.

For instance, if he were to wish for immortality, it would be too great a request. Such a wish would surely be deemed unequal, and he would likely face divine wrath instead.

Realizing this, he forced himself to calm down.

Li Xiao took a deep breath, carefully considering his options. This was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. A single mistake could mean ruin, but if he chose wisely, he could change his fate forever.

He had to be smart. The right wish could shape the future of his kingdom, his people, and his own destiny.

With his mind clear, he prepared to speak.

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