Chapter 123

Hermes: “@Chen Nan, take your time on your end—finding the most compatible system is crucial for your future.”

Hermes: “This is a matter of foundation; if the foundation falters, Itachi’ll pay a heavy price later.”

Civilization?

Hermes pondered: the national destiny system was not equivalent to civilization.

Or rather, the Path of National Destiny was merely one branch within the broader framework of civilization.

Perhaps, when his Taihao Heavenly Court is eventually built, he will need to turn his gaze back to this most basic, humble path of civilization.

Chen Nan: “Yes, that’s exactly what I think.”

Chen Nan: “I no longer need to rush. My children each possess extraordinary talent—I must carefully deliberate and choose the best path for them, so as not to hinder their future prospects.”

Chen Nan watched his children sprinting through this dreamlike new world, their faces lit with genuine smiles, and unconsciously his expression softened with affection.

Perhaps, in his past life, he had been just an ordinary office worker, with no grand ambitions.

But after this year of hellish trials, he had undergone a transformation as profound as rebirth.

Now,

all he wanted was to give these children a perfect home, where they could run freely and joyfully.

And he believed—he would surely achieve it!

Yagami Taichi: “...My side isn’t as extreme as Hermes’s.”

Yagami Taichi: “But since I reunited with Hikari, our development has taken on some peculiar nuances.”

Yagami Taichi: “It just feels... off.”

Luo Qianqiu: “What’s strange about that?”

Luo Qianqiu: “Itachi’re the ultimate version of Yagami Taichi who shattered a Digital World, and Hikari is already uniquely special.”

Luo Qianqiu: “The two of Itachi coming together—any chemical reaction that might occur, I can already picture without even trying.”

Yagami Taichi: “I know, but seeing Hikari grow more and more like Constantia and Yggdrasil, while I’m showing signs of forming the Royal Knights... it still feels weird...”

Zhang Zhiwei: "I envy all of Itachi being able to go on dungeons."

Zhang Zhiwei: “I can’t—I’ve been swamped lately with the Luotian Da Jiao; I have no time to spare.”

Luo Qianqiu: “Hey, Lao Zhang, Itachi’re not just the original Zhang Zhiwei anymore.”

Luo Qianqiu: “As the Dragon Tiger Mountain Tian Shi who fused with the Godslayer universe, and as the leader of the Eastern transcendent world, what’s so troubling or busy about hosting a small Luotian Da Jiao?”

In this world, who would dare give Zhang Zhiwei the cold shoulder?

Nandatong?

Ridiculous!

With the world’s ceiling raised to the divine level, and given Zhang Zhiwei’s absurd talent, even Luo Qianqiu couldn’t gauge just how strong he’d become now.

In this world, who would dare give Zhang Zhiwei the cold shoulder?

Who could possibly insult him?

In One Piece Below, even as a top-tier existence, Zhang Zhiwei could still be overwhelmed by modern artillery.

But in the Godslayer world, Luo Qianqiu found it hard to imagine how far Zhang Zhiwei, with his already absurd talent, might now ascend.

Zhang Zhiwei: “...I don’t know how Luotian Da Jiao works in other worlds.”

Zhang Zhiwei: “But in my world, every time it’s held, it’s a dangerous ritual—and yet it must be performed.”

Luo Qianqiu: “Huh? Dangerous?”

Luo Qianqiu: “Isn’t it just a ceremony to select the next Tian Shi?”

In the original, it was meant to help Zhang Chulan.

But now, that shouldn’t be necessary anymore, right?

Zhang Zhiwei: “The Luotian Da Jiao is a secret Daoist ritual performed to pray for national peace, favorable weather, and the well-being of all beings.”

Zhang Zhiwei: “But Itachi know about the Not-From-This-World Gods...”

Zhang Zhiwei: “If Itachi don’t hold the Luotian Da Jiao, fluctuations in national destiny will likely summon a Not-From-This-World God. But if Itachi do hold it, while stabilizing national destiny, Itachi also greatly risk attracting one...”

The rest of the group understood what he meant.

It was truly a dilemma.

Luo Qianqiu: “What an interesting world—I’d really like to just teleport over and take a look.”

Luo Qianqiu: “I need to hurry and develop the cross-world travel function.”

Luo Qianqiu was truly envious of this world, fused with the Godslayer universe.

Since eating the Phoenix Fruit, she had been steadily enhancing herself around the concept of the Phoenix.

Practicing the Nine Heaven Divine Phoenix Art, establishing the Qianqiu Divine Shrine in her world, gathering Phoenix faith, trading Phoenix-related techniques with Aozaki Orange, and collecting Phoenix-related items through the chat group...

If she could go to the Godslayer world and kill a few Phoenixes or Vermilion Birds...

It would surely bring a qualitative breakthrough!

Hermes: “@Luo Qianqiu, I recall that in Furoze’s world, there are also many things related to the Phoenix.”

Hermes: “For instance—the Lightning Phoenix?”

Luo Qianqiu: “Of course! How did I forget that!”

Index: “@Luo Qianqiu @Hermes, Sister Qianqiu, Brother Hermes, I’ve recently sensed someone is tracking me again.”

Index: “It’s strange—I’ve used spells to block all divination attempts targeting me. No one should be able to find me.”

In the chat group, the most deeply concealed was this little girl, Index.

Since breaking free from her chains and with the help of the chat group, Index had been blessed beyond measure.

Her progress had outpaced even Luo Qianqiu, the group’s owner.

She was only slightly behind Hermes, whose advancement was akin to faster-than-light speed.

Given time, she might well ascend to the rank of Demon God in this world.

But after witnessing countless cultivation systems across the multiverse, Index no longer sought merely to become a Demon God.

Hermes: “Interesting. In the Toaru universe, few could find the current Index.”

Hermes: “Excluding Demon Gods, the most likely suspects are Laura Stuart of the Anglican Church and Academy City’s Aleister Crowley.”

Hermes had never underestimated Index’s potential.

But Laura Stuart and Aleister Crowley were both far beyond the still-raw Index.

Laura Stuart, as the Great Demon Kolon, existed on a plane far above mortal comprehension.

Aleister Crowley, meanwhile, was a genius of unparalleled brilliance; even among Demon Gods, few in the Toaru universe could surpass him in talent.

Moreover, Aleister Crowley was accompanied by the enigmatic Aiwass.