Against The True Gods-Chapter 139: The Past, Present and Future(IV)

What Oldest had done was the oldest trick in the book for Artes Ignitions.

He had simply created an enhancer. Whatever Caine created, his enhancer would take, copy, and elevate by one level.

Caine had crafted an illusory world? Oldest’s enhancer had transformed it into a real one.

From the very beginning, Oldest had understood that whether Caine held himself back or not was irrelevant. He knew himself, and by extension, he knew Caine.

No matter how much Caine restricted himself, the advancements he had made in his current life would shine through in some way or another.

A master wielding a mere branch as a sword was still a master.

So Oldest had chosen the simpler, most effective path.

Oldest knew he would win the moment he understood a challenge would take place.

There had not been a single flicker of doubt or fear in his heart.

His final act—slitting his throat—had not been a display of despair or defeat. He had done it because he understood that if Caine failed to overcome this trial, it would indirectly sever his own future path.

[I am unrivaled.]

Those words echoed endlessly in Caine’s mind as Uriel slowly descended from the skies.

Caine’s body was fully healed. Despite the dried silver blood streaking his skin, the torn robes clinging to him, his heaving chest, and his sweat-drenched frame, he was intact.

And yet, he couldn’t stop trembling.

[I am unrivaled.]

Caine laughed. What else could he do?

The sound of his laughter reverberated through the platform, pure and unrestrained.

Rather than crumbling under the weight of his loss, his True Wills bloomed even further.

Joy surged through his veins, igniting his heart, which thumped so loudly it sounded like explosions echoing in his chest.

[Conquer the Fracture of Time and Fate (⅙)]

Now, Caine understood—at least partially.

These trials were battles against himself.

He had just faced his past self and, in a way, emerged victorious. Logically, his next opponent would be himself in the present.

Uriel landed beside him, his wide eyes fixed on Caine’s still-laughing form, brimming with curiosity.

"What’s so funny? I want to laugh too," Uriel said, tilting his head.

Caine’s laughter slowly subsided. Wiping the tears from the corners of his eyes, he sighed.

"No, it’s nothing," he replied. "The situation is just… ridiculous, you know?"

Uriel tilted his head again, his expression one of confusion.

"You’ll understand when you’re older—if you even age, that is," Caine added with a faint smile.

With a thought, his tattered robes vanished, replaced by pristine white garments. The dried blood faded from his skin, leaving him looking fresh and composed.

"When’s the next opponent coming?" he asked, his tone calm yet tinged with anticipation.

As if in response, the platform began to shift and move. The stone tablet disappeared, replaced by the mats and marble table Caine had previously sat at.

A spectral force tugged at Caine, guiding him back to his seat.

Motes of silver and golden light began to assemble, while dark threads descended from the heavens. They intertwined, weaving together to form a figure seated opposite Caine.

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Watching the figure take shape, Caine couldn’t suppress his grin. Despite the life-or-death nature of the situation, all he felt was a bubbling excitement.

He seemed to have forgotten that this battle was for the fate of his world.

All he could feel was an uncontainable exhilaration seething in his heart, invigorating his True Wills.

***

[Central Continent — Plains of Ishva’al]

The Polishing Heaven Dao Pagoda loomed tall in the middle of the plains, surrounded by towering trees that reached the heavens and circled by avian creatures whose wings eclipsed the skies.

The pagoda itself was unchanged—a monumental tower of dark amethyst marble, its surface reflecting veins of purple and red.

Its presence was commanding and majestic, grounding all those around it.

At the foot of this immense structure, atop a moss-covered stone platform, stood a woman.

She was of exceptional beauty, her long silver-white hair cascading down her back, highlighted by her rose-colored eyes. White robes adorned her frame, fluttering gently in the breeze.

Her aura was muted yet all-encompassing, an ethereal force that seemed to embrace the world itself—a presence that defied perception yet suffocated all within its range.

Lilith stepped away from the Polishing Heaven Dao Pagoda with light, deliberate steps.

Her progress had been the inverse of Caine’s.

Unlike him, she had already formed her Dao Heart when she first entered the pagoda.

Using the Endless Samsara Mode, she refined her Dao Heart again and again, mirroring the process Caine had undergone with his Primal Will.

But there was a difference: she had spent six months in Endless Samsara. Six months of endless reincarnation, where each fleeting moment represented millions upon millions of lifetimes.

The strength of her Dao Heart—and by extension, her True Will—was terrifying. Stay connected via novelbuddy

But she hadn’t stopped there.

A short time before Caine had attended the Millennium Auction of the Void Trading Alliance, Lilith returned to the pagoda. This time, she entered the Void Meditation Mode, spending another six months refining herself.

This time had allowed her to perfect and solidify her foundation, granting her the strength to flawlessly ascend into the Spark Realm.

WHOOOSH!

Suddenly, a veiled woman in black robes appeared beside Lilith, bowing deeply.

"Your Highness," the woman said, her tone deferential. "I trust you have been well."

Lilith nodded, a small smile gracing her lips.

"Yes, everything went smoothly. I was able to complete all I sought to accomplish. My tribulation was troublesome, but manageable."

Her gaze shifted, scanning her surroundings.

Noticing a certain absence, her smile faded slightly.

"Hm? Is he not here?" she asked, her voice calm yet expectant.

The servant hesitated before bowing again.

"Ah, yes… about that…"

Taking a steadying breath, the servant began to explain. She recounted everything—the strange occurrences in the Central Continent, the cult, the Millennium Auction, and the fractured reality that had swallowed all those who attended.

The more Lilith listened, the narrower her gaze became, her calm demeanor slowly hardening.

"—after they reached the main plains of the—"

SKREEE! BANG!

The servant’s words were interrupted by a deafening roar.

A grotesque creature landed heavily on the platform. Its form was a writhing mound of cancerous flesh, covered in countless golden eyes. Black bones jutted out of its body, forming a crude, jagged armor.

Its aura was vile. The atmospheric qi twisted and shattered around it, corrupted into chaotic, impure energy. The skies darkened, and the earth trembled, as if enraged by the creature’s existence.

Lilith cast a glance at the monstrosity, her expression serene and unbothered.

With a flick of her hand, a wave of silvery-rose qi flowed forth, carried by the wind like smoke.

In an instant, the creature was torn to pieces, its body compressed into a grotesque flower of flesh, blood, and bone.

Lilith examined the flower for a moment, her gaze impassive. Then, she turned and began to walk away.

"Analyze it," she instructed calmly.

Her servant, still trembling, nodded hastily and rushed toward the grotesque flower.

Lilith stepped into the sky, silvery wings erupting from her back.

As she soared higher, her gaze sharpened, her thoughts focused.

’It will happen soon.’