Chapter 353: This is Sowing Discord

A group of people idly gathered around the Lightning Spear, gazing up at the sky, waiting for lightning to strike.

"Thunder God? Is that the dwarf Thunder God? Do dwarves even have a Thunder God? Isn't it just the War God and the Forge God?" Negrilis asked, puzzled.

Du Luo replied: "Yes. Thunder God, War God, Forge God—the three chief deities of the dwarves."

Feiti interjected: "The Thunder God is a Titan. I fought him long ago—we were evenly matched. He was formidable, so I later offered protection to his War God and Forge God."

"What!? You protected the dwarf War God and Forge God?" Negrilis exclaimed in shock.

Feiti scratched his head: "Not exactly protection. They were originally aligned with the Church of Light, but for some reason they suddenly turned on each other. I despise betraying your own kind, so I casually stepped in to shield them—and then they went to war with the two gods of the Church of Light."

Negrilis and Du Luo exchanged glances. Could what they'd seen in the War God's Chessboard have been that very event? Was it not the King who protected the War God and Forge God—but Feiti?

After describing what they'd witnessed in the War God's Chessboard, Feiti pondered: "Maybe. They did seem to mistake me for the King."

"..." Who could have guessed such a twist? If not for this chance conversation, no one would ever have known.

At that moment, a bolt of lightning split the sky and struck the Lightning Spear precisely.

"Here it comes! Pay close attention—can you sense the 'Thunder God'?" Negrilis's scales stood on end as he shouted.

"No, I can't sense anything," Lu Se replied urgently, eyes shut. He was human, standing farthest away, terrified the lightning might strike him—even the ground-conducted current could injure him.

Lightning stood much closer—being the Child of Lightning, if not restrained, he'd have licked the spear and glued himself to it.

"I can't sense anything either. I'm the Child of Lightning—how can I not feel him? The Thunder God must not be speaking." Lightning fumed.

The others—Negrilis, Du Luo, and Feiti Lamo—also felt nothing. No trace of the self-proclaimed Thunder God's consciousness lingered in the lightning.

Only the Violet Bone Titans: "I heard it! I heard it! His voice rang in my mind, clearer than ever before."

"He said he is the Thunder God. A new storm has formed. Descendants bearing his blood, take cover."

"I heard it too—clearer than yesterday."

"If we can hear it, does that mean we all carry the Thunder God's blood?"

The Violet Bone Titans, Grand Shamans, and other Violet Bone Titans shouted excitedly.

But the others heard nothing—only stared blankly at them.

Ange tilted his head and activated his will.

Negrilis and Du Luo collapsed to the ground with a thud, as if their consciousness had been ripped away—only Feiti stood frozen in place: "Consciousness space? Did we enter consciousness space?"

Others under Ange's soul-link—Little Angel, Little Zombie, Lisa, Ouk, Violet Bone Titans—were all pulled into the consciousness space.

After a while, Silver Coin entered. Then, after another pause, Anthony arrived. Both held official positions and couldn't simply freeze in place—they needed to find a suitable or safe spot.

Of course, Anthony had already prepared an excuse: he claimed he'd been listening to divine revelations.

When everyone had gathered, the dark consciousness space suddenly began to flicker in grid-like segments.

"The War God's Chessboard? You're simulating the War God's Chessboard?" Negrilis instantly recognized it.

Before them, a ten-meter-tall dwarf silhouette slowly materialized. Simultaneously, a thunderous voice echoed throughout the space:

"A new storm has formed. Terrible calamity descends once more. The gods have fallen. The stars have dimmed. Descendants of Thunder, take heed. Protect yourselves. When the red star glows again in the void, Thunder shall return."

"A new storm..."

The giant dwarf repeated the phrase three times, then the silhouette faded.

Negrilis drew a sharp breath: "The gods have fallen. The stars have dimmed? Isn't that exactly 'Gods Fallen, Stars Dim, Red Star Glows'?"

Anthony rubbed his chin, murmuring: "Thunder shall return? Are these Thunder Titans preparing to come back?"

"No, they couldn't," Du Luo said. "The Thunder Titans were driven out from here. Even if they wanted to return, they wouldn't dare."

"So they're planning a new storm? Is this new storm... a Faith Storm? Are the Thunder Titans planning to launch a Faith Storm to destroy the gods, then dare return?" Negrilis speculated.

Du Luo shook his head: "Impossible. If it were the Thunder Titans, the King would have killed them long ago. He'd never let them launch a Faith Storm."

Du Luo knew the Thunder Titans' strength well—the Undead King alone could wipe them all out. He'd never allow them to launch a Faith Storm, let alone a second one.

Anthony murmured: "Could it be more than just the Thunder Titans? This Thunder God is merely using lightning resonance to notify beings with Thunder blood. Others can't hear it. My lord, why can you perceive this information?"

Ange pointed at the Violet Bone Titan.

The Violet Bone Titan not only shared a soul-link with Ange, but Ange's soul also bore her unique symbol.

"So the Thunder God only wants to notify those with Thunder blood—perhaps the War God and Forge God. Maybe he doesn't even know they've already fallen," Anthony said.

Everyone exchanged glances, silent.

"How about we hold a Multiverse Security Meeting?" Anthony ventured.

At dawn, Di Runi stumbled out of the Star Gazing Tower, yawning, scratching his thinning scalp, and climbed into the carriage.

"You stayed up all night again? Look at your dark circles—they're almost as bad as a Black-and-White Bearman's. I don't want to find you dead in the tower one day," said Aobenli, in the form of a little girl, speaking with the tone of an elder.

In the corner of the carriage, the Spatial Artisan Xiludi sat properly, eyes straight ahead.

In the academy, Death Star was a giant, Blue Star was a big shot, and Xiludi was a good student. When the two big shots spoke, she dared not interrupt.

Di Runi also replied meekly: "I just lost track of time until dawn. I'll sleep as soon as I get back. The star patterns have been getting weirder lately—I have a bad feeling."

"What's wrong with them?" Star observation was a complex discipline, unrelated to magic. Aobenli had no interest and knew nothing.

Di Runi, however, loved it. Beyond his magic training, obligatory commissions, and presiding over multiverse security meetings, he spent all his free time in the Star Gazing Tower.

Stars could only be observed at night, so he mostly emerged after sunrise and slept irregularly—unconsciously accumulating massive dark circles.

"The stars have dimmed. For years now, their brightness has steadily declined. I've recorded it continuously with a luminosity instrument. To date, starlight has decreased by one-third. If this continues, all stars will vanish within six years."

As Di Runi scratched his forehead, the texture of his hair distracted him, and he shifted topics: "Xiludi, is the Meishencheng hair restoration treatment really that effective? Should I go get it done too?"

Xiludi perked up instantly: "Blue Star, it's incredibly effective! I was nearly bald, look at me now! And Brother YaKe—he's got flowing long hair now. But his wife shaved it all off because too many girls were chasing him."

Di Runi realized: "Ah, so that's why he went bald! I thought he'd gone bald from growing stronger. Turns out he didn't go bald—he was shaved?"

"Exactly, Blue Star. Treat early, stay handsome. Treat late, get rejected. Treat one day sooner, be handsome one day longer. Sign—" Xiludi enthusiastically promoted, reaching for her business card—only for Aobenli to beat her to it.

"Use my name, get a 10% discount," Aobenli said, grabbing Xiludi's hand and pulling out her own card.

Xiludi was stunned by Aobenli's audacity—she actually stole customers? She wanted to protest, but Aobenli shot her a sideways glare.

Xiludi quickly sat upright, swallowing the words she'd been about to say: "Use my name, get 20% off—"

Di Runi took the card in surprise: "You can get a discount? That's great! Saves a lot of money. I heard the package is expensive. Oh, last time during the bounty hunt, I took a job offering a hair restoration package—but you snatched it, Xiludi."

Xiludi smiled awkwardly, hands on her knees, staying obedient. She'd taken it, and she wasn't returning it—she pretended not to hear.

Di Runi tucked the card away and asked: "By the way, who called this meeting? What's the agenda?"

Aobenli frowned: "Anthony proposed it. No agenda—he just said there's something concerning the survival of the planes that we need to discuss."

"Hah! These Church of Light types always talk like the multiverse is at stake. Even if the Church of Light collapses tomorrow, it has nothing to do with the multiverse's survival," Di Runi sneered.

Aobenli and Xiludi exchanged a glance, silently signaling each other. Aobenli cleared her throat: "Hmm, little Runi, here's the situation. If it doesn't violate principle, I hope you'll broadly support Anthony."

Di Runi's eyes widened involuntarily—he stared at Aobenli in disbelief.

Aobenli stared back, utterly serious. She wasn't joking.

Di Runi hesitated: "Is he your descendant?"

Damn it—Aobenli just called him "little Runi"?

Though she'd watched him grow up since childhood, since he'd become an adult, she'd never called him "little Runi" again. Now she suddenly used such an intimate term—he was utterly flattered.

And "if it doesn't violate principle, broadly support..."? That meant: if it violates principle, abandon principle and support him anyway.

In short: don't oppose him. Otherwise, he'd be "little Runi" again—and when he was little, disobedience meant a beating.

If Anthony weren't Aobenli's great-great-great-great-grandson, why would she demand this kind of support?

"Anthony is one of us," Aobenli smiled.

Di Runi's expression turned grave. This news shocked him more than Anthony being Aobenli's descendant.

Who was Anthony? Eastern Diocese Archbishop, Acting Pope of the Holy Church, the first genius in history to split the Church of Light into two factions—and now he was on their side?

"Really?" Di Runi still couldn't believe it.

"Really. If you don't support him, I'll publish your childhood bedwetting in the Academy's Official Records."

"Oh oh oh, don't say that—Xiludi's here! Of course I support him! I fully support Archbishop Anthony!" That was worse than a beating.

As they chatted, the carriage arrived at the academy. As Di Runi stepped out, Aobenli suddenly remembered something: "When you mentioned the stars dimming, I vaguely recall hearing something similar—something like 'Gods Fallen, Stars Dim, Red Star Glows.'"

"Gods Fallen, Stars Dim, Red Star Glows?" Di Runi frowned. "Where did you hear that?"

Aobenli said: "From the God of Knowledge."

"The God of Knowledge? When? Is there more? Is that all?" Di Runi asked, surprised.

"There's another line: 'Wear armor, don robes, ancestral spirits guard the homeland.'"

Negrilis had once asked her what those two lines meant. She had no idea.

But she'd memorized them anyway. When Di Runi mentioned "stars dimming," she'd felt a pang of familiarity—and only now recalled them.

Stars dimming—did that correspond to "Gods Fallen" and "Red Star Glows"?

With a mind full of questions, Di Runi entered the room where the teleportation array meeting was held. Aobenli dragged in Xiludi, who was trying to slip away.

"Why drag me in? I'm not academy leadership!" Xiludi protested.

"Participate more, learn first. Once you learn, I'll promote you to leadership," Aobenli said. The academy was long overdue for cultivating the next generation.

"I don't want to! I'm afraid of heights—I get dizzy standing on the podium!" Xiludi resisted.

"If you become leader, I'll flatten the podium," Aobenli said, dragging her forcibly into the meeting room.

The teleportation array activated, and an urgent independent communication request flashed. Di Runi opened it—Gulian's voice came through: "Blue Star, I have bad news."

"What is it?" Di Runi asked.

"Anthony has somehow won over Huang Tong, securing the dwarf king's vote. The Multiverse Security Meeting is becoming Anthony's platform for issuing orders. This is a grave insult to your authority."

"Dai Sen and I will fully support you, and defend your dignity as chairperson," Gulian said solemnly.

Di Runi's spirits lifted—it was outright incitement.