Chapter 653: Unexpected Discovery, the Water God Palace

The statues in the second courtyard of the palace aren't as numerous as those in the first courtyard.

There are only a little over fifty, and they are all various monsters.

The monster in the very center resembles the Beast King about seventy percent, but it is stronger than the Beast King.

Jiang Chen found a statue of the Beast King near it, and also found statues of other wild beasts.

From the statues, Jiang Chen distinguished the differences among the wild beasts.

Besides size differences, the most important factor is the hair.

A few thick, long hairs on a wild beast's head appear very sturdy, unlike the hair on other parts of its body.

The Beast King's head bears six hairs.

Ordinary small wild beasts have three to five hairs.

But the statue in the exact center has a full nine hairs.

"The number of hairs should represent the strength of the wild beast."

"Wild beasts with three to five hairs are ordinary wild beasts."

"Six hairs denote the Beast King."

"Then this one."

Jiang Chen stood before the central statue, murmuring, "This must be the monarch among the wild beasts."

From this one can infer that wild beasts form a powerful group, with a strict hierarchy and overwhelming combat prowess.

"Based on these statues, the great war of that time must have been between Divine beings and wild beasts."

"Divine beings likely fell because of it."

"A similar scene appeared in the Thunder God Instance."

"But what are these?"

The mystery of the Divine war has been partially uncovered thanks to these statues.

However, besides the wild beast statues, there are other statues in the courtyard.

They look like a single insect—various, gigantic insects.

Even the smallest stand over two meters tall, while the largest exceed ten meters.

The statues are so vivid; the insects appear extremely ferocious, seemingly more terrifying than the wild beasts.

Based on earlier speculation about the wild beasts, Jiang Chen thinks these insects might also be one of the causes of the Divine beings' fall.

But as mere statues, no further information can be analyzed.

Jiang Chen continued forward, entering the third courtyard.

Here too are many statues, all of the Human Race.

Human Professionals, clad in various armors, wielding Weapons, each exuding a majestic aura.

These are all Divine-level Strongmen!

Jiang Chen thought that without reaching Divine Level, one has no right to become a statue.

Three hundred!

Jiang Chen counted, there are exactly three hundred statues, representing three hundred Divine-level Strongmen.

Jiang Chen was surprised, "I didn't expect there were so many Divine-level Strongmen among the Human Race back then."

The statues here are arranged in a triangle, with only two statues at the sharpest corner.

Rows are neatly placed extending backward.

Jiang Chen saw clearly that the two statues at the sharpest corner must have been the two strongest among the Human Race at that time.

Further back, there are more figures, with correspondingly weaker strength.

"The Great God of the Heavenly Mountains once said that at that time the Human Race produced geniuses in succession, and it took only a few years to go from Job Change to becoming a deity."

"It seems that was indeed the case."

"Compared with now, those were truly glorious years."

Jiang Chen respectfully saluted these Human Race statues; they are his predecessors.

Regardless of the reasons, they all paid the price of blood for this world and for the Human Race.

"The Human Race's faith will not cease, its inheritance will not cease."

"All senior ancestors, may you journey well."

After speaking, Jiang Chen continued forward, entering the fourth courtyard.

In his mind, Jiang Chen had linked the statues from the three courtyards together, forming a mental picture that, based on his speculation, revisited the scene of that era.

Divine beings and the Human Race joined forces to launch a siege against the wild beasts and those insect monsters.

That battle must have been extremely brutal.

In the end, the Human Race and the Divine beings should have won.

Otherwise this world would not have become its current form.

But the price was unimaginable.

There is only one statue in the fourth courtyard.

The statue stands over twenty meters tall, depicting a woman.

Within the statue, a woman is likewise encased in ice.

"Water God!"

Jiang Chen sensed the Divine aura on her and judged that she must be the Water God's True Self.

Nevertheless, to be safe, he still used Detection Technique.

"Water God (Dormant State)"

Detection Technique cannot return the specific attributes of the Water God, but it is enough for Jiang Chen to determine that the one frozen is the Water God.

The Water God is beautiful, not dazzling, but the kind of beauty that embodies the finest virtues of the Human Race.

On her, almost no flaw can be found.

Even in the frozen state, she exudes that feminine gentleness; I feel pity when I see her.

Jiang Chen has to admit that the Water God is the most beautiful woman he has ever seen.

He draws the Water God's Flute, and the Water God's aura instantly shows a slight fluctuation.

The Water God's Flute emits a gentle light, flowing into the Water God's embrace like water.

Unlike the fierce clash with the Thunder God, here everything is suffused with water‑like tenderness.

The Water God's Flute flies from Jiang Chen's hand, touches an ice block, silently merges into it, and lands in the Water God's hand.

The massive ice sculpture melts in an instant, turning into Water Element and dissipating into the air.

The whole process occurs in a flash, yet it remains warm and smooth, without any trace of flamboyance.

After the ice seal is gone, the Water God hovers in mid‑air, a soft sigh sounding, and she opens her eyes.

Her light‑blue eyes are exquisitely beautiful, beyond words.

Jiang Chen experiences a momentary daze.

The original Water God was already perfect, but now she has added a hint of astonishment and fragility.

The sigh makes one feel heart‑ache, as if endless grievance lies within.

The Water God looks at Jiang Chen, "Thank you for awakening me."

Her voice and tone are as gentle as her appearance.

Jiang Chen feels that the Water God harbors no malice toward him, yet he remains cautious.

After the Water God awakens, Water Element continuously surges forth.

The Water God's aura fluctuates, rising and falling, very unstable.

Jiang Chen knows this is abnormal; the Water God's injury has not healed.

"Respected Water God, has your wound recovered?"

The Water God slowly descends from the sky, accompanied by another sigh.

No answer, yet an answer is present.

Jiang Chen senses her helplessness, "Is your wound that severe?"

A sorrow flickers in the Water God's eyes, "The wound is deep; it is hard to heal."

Her sorrow spreads through the palace, and the Water Element stirs up waves.

Jiang Chen discovers that in just this short time, the Water God's aura is even more unstable than before.

It seems that awakening her is not a good thing for her.

"Is there no other way?" Jiang Chen asked.

"There is, but it is difficult." The Water God smiled faintly, "We deities differ from your Human Race. Your Healing Technique has no effect on us. Our foundation lies in the divine soul, which you call the soul."

Jiang Chen said, "If it's difficult, it means there is a way. Tell me, perhaps I can help."

Jiang Chen is not a saint, but he is not a villain either.

So far, the Water God once fought side by side with the sages of the Human Race, and it was he who awakened her.

Therefore, if Jiang Chen can help, he is still willing to lend a hand.

The Water God said, "If the Life God still exists, there may be a chance. Unfortunately, she is the first among us to fall."

"But the Life God will not truly fall; she should have a chance to be revived."

"If I can hold out until then."

The Water God's voice suddenly stops; she sees the Creation Staff in Jiang Chen's hand.

Jiang Chen shakes his head, "She has probably fallen completely."

Surprise flashes in the Water God's eyes, "Even the Creation Staff was shattered; it seems something else happened later. Can you tell me what occurred?"

There is nothing that cannot be said; Jiang Chen roughly recounts what happened in Fusishi Jie.

The Water God shows disappointment, "It seems there is no chance."

Jiang Chen shakes his head, "Aside from the Life God, is there no other method?"

The Water God lets out a sigh, "Perhaps there is."

Listening to the Water God's sigh, the Water Elements in heaven and earth also seem a bit sorrowful.

Jiang Chen's resolve is firm, unmoved.

He does not like such lament; he prefers to solve problems when they arise.

Sighing is the most useless method.

Jiang Chen said, "I will see if there is another way."

"Thank you! Actually, whether I can be revived is not important." The Water God whispers, she seems not to value life and death much, but she is grateful that Jiang Chen is willing to help.

Jiang Chen asked, "May I inquire why your sleeping place does not appear, yet now there is sudden movement?"

He knows that although the Water God is asleep, she is not completely ignorant of the outside world.

At least she is aware of some events around her and knows how long she has been asleep.

The Water God murmurs, "It is because of the Divine Avatar of the Holy Sound God; she is a high‑rank deity, and her divine avatar's power suppresses my innate will."

Among deities, ranks are strictly ordered: lower‑rank deity, mid‑rank deity, high‑rank deity, and Great Deity.

Each level differs completely in status and power.

If she were not sleeping, the Holy Sound God's divine avatar would have little impact.

Yet even she, heavily wounded in sleep, can be affected by the Holy Sound God's divine avatar.