Chapter 607: The Soul Key

The black leather-back book lightly hovered on top of Gu Qing Shan’s hand.

Gu Qing Shan was not in a rush to open it.

Towards the unknown, he always had ample patience.

He stared at the glowing text on the War God UI and asked the System.

“War God System, can you explain clearly what the six conditions for activating the Old God’s projection are?”

[Ting]!

The War God System replied:

[First: The 900 million World Layers were created by the Old Gods, now that they’ve left, the Apocalypse has revealed itself, which caused the [Worlds Apocalypse] [Orders] to appear. This is indeed the correct period for triggering this condition]

[Second: This world was where the Old Gods once resided]

[Third: The Chao Yin sword was forged by the Old Gods as the pillar of the four seas, he who holds this sword is the king of the seas recognized by the Old Gods]

[Fourth: Since arriving at this world, you’ve been constantly going against Worlds Apocalypse Online: Origin, as witnessed by the Old God’s ice peak]

[Fifth: You destroyed two types of Order at the same time]

[Sixth: You are the War God as recognized by the System, the owner of the War God Authority, the manifestation of Laws from another timeline before the Apocalypse ended the world, you should know this better than anyone else]

Gu Qing Shan read through everything and stopped at the very last one.

Indeed, I actually returned from another timeline back to the past to redo everything.

If you look at this from a logical perspective, then the future could actually affect the past?

If that’s the case, would this be considered the future affecting the past, or the past affecting the future again?

No, maybe it’s something else——–

The War God System and I had sneaked back to the past from the future, from then on affecting the entire timeline, causing everything to restart again.

But, what if this can’t be rationalized with logic?

Gu Qing Shan shook his head.

He immediately thought of the monster from before.

“Pitiful…” before the monster died, that was what it said as it saw him.

Gu Qing Shan silently sighed.

There are too many mysteries, and with my current strength, I’m still far from being able to even take a guess.

A new notification popped up on the War God UI.

[You can now accept the blessing of the Old Gods]

Reading this, Gu Qing Shan felt the War God UI was somewhat glad.

“Wouldn’t this be some sort of trap?”

He asked.

[It wouldn’t, the Gods hated Orders, and you’ve already proven your stance over and over again while in their world]

[That is why the Old Gods wouldn’t specifically leave a trap for you this way] the War God UI replied.

Being assured, Gu Qing Shan spoke: “Alright, let us see what this black book really is”

He grabbed the book with his hand.

Immediately, a few notifications popped up on the War God UI.

[You’ve received the Creator God’s book of blessing]

[Please open the book]

Gu Qing Shan casually flipped open the first page.

In a split second, the entire black book turned into a streak of light that shot into the air.

This blinding and majestic light was filled with life force and praise, drifting about the top of Gu Qing Shan’s head without going away.

At the same time, the light slowly manifested into a gigantic figure in the sky.

His body was taller than even the tallest of mountains, comparatively, Gu Qing Shan looked like a mortal standing at the foot of the mountain.

As the figure gazed at Gu Qing Shan, he began to speak.

「 You are the 3rd person in the 900 million World Layers to receive the blessings that the Gods left for those that go against [Order], now, you may tell me what you desire the most 」

Gu Qing Shan was slightly shocked.

But before he said anything, a line of text had already appeared on the War God UI.

[Tell the truth]

Apparently afraid that Gu Qing Shan might waste this chance, more lines of glowing text appeared below that to explain carefully:

[The Causality skills of the Old Gods have their own rules, only a real desire formed at the depths of your heart will successfully manifest as a real result]

[And so, you must say what you truly desire the most!]

Reading what the War God UI told him, Gu Qing Shan lightly nodded to express his understanding.

He looked at the gigantic figure in the sky and took a deep breath——-

“Truthfully, a lot of the time, when I face a desperate situation, I can’t help but curse myself for being too weak”

He began to explain himself.

“If you are willing, please help me obtain strength that far surpasses my own, only then can I go against [Order], obtain freedom and protect everything that I want to protect!”

“More power!”

“Enough power to change everything!”

“I want to become stronger and obtain immeasurable strength, that is what I desire most!”

Gu Qing Shan shouted.

——–too many desperate situations, too many times when he was unable to do anything, he always had to travel at the very edge of the cliff, using his wits, risking his life and gamble time and time again for the sake of what he wanted to protect, to find that one slim hope of survival.

He has already utilized everything he had, and everything he could.

However!

If he was strong enough, in a lot of situations, he wouldn’t have to risk his life or use up his wits, there wouldn’t be a need to travel at the edge or prepare schemes after schemes.

He would only need to swing his sword and take care of everything.

That was why, just as the 100,000-year-old giant corpse said, within the time of the Worlds’ Apocalypse, being weak is the original sin!

I need to be strong!

And now, facing the giant figure of the Old Gods, Gu Qing Shan had released the frustration he held back for so long and declared his truest innermost desire.

Above the clouds, below the sky.

The godlike giant figure silently listened to Gu Qing Shan.

「 To become stronger? Is that what you desire most? 」 he asked.

“Yes!” Gu Qing Shan replied.

「 But the Laws of the worlds will not accept the sudden existence of a strong creature, even Causality has its rules, a step-by-step process is required, it won’t be done all at once 」

「 As we are no longer here, we cannot grant you the power to immediately become strong 」

「 However, within the blessing that we had prepared, there is indeed one that will achieve the ‘effect’ of gaining the strength that you desire 」

「 ——–you will indeed become stronger than you’ve ever imagined, but this will need time, it will need your own effort and struggle. You will have to shed blood and tears several times that of others, going through more hardship and cultivation than anyone else, to finally become the sovereign that stands above all sovereigns 」

「 Effort will show results, hard work will be repaid, painstakingly spend time to achieve your goal, this conforms to the Law of Causality within the infinite worlds 」

「 If you won’t spend several times more effort and struggle than others, this blessing wouldn’t do anything at all 」

「 Are you willing to accept such a blessing? 」

“I’m willing” Gu Qing Shan answered without hesitation.

Hearing that, the gigantic figure of light nodded.

「 According to your wish of becoming stronger, we have created this result—– 」

The figure swung his hand.

The light that originally drifted about Gu Qing Shan began to flow like water into the figure’s hand.

The intense light quickly manifested into a statue with a series of shattering noises.

Gu Qing Shan looked carefully at it to see that the statue had one body but four heads, looking in four different directions.

Above the four heads were another four heads, also looking in different directions.

This continued until the 7th layer of heads, which only had a single head above it, at the statue’s peak.

This statue caused fear at a glance, but as you looked at it more and more, you’d feel an unknown sense of understanding.

Holding the statue up, the gigantic figure of light spoke.

「 Within the infinite worlds, there exists basic principles 」

「 For the balance of the worlds, there is a limit so that a single entity wouldn’t become too powerful, a Law exists deep within the souls of every living being 」

「 This Law is such: A single soul cannot be divided too much—— the more you divide your soul, the peak height that you can reach in any domain will lower 」

Hearing that figure, Gu Qing Shan couldn’t help but nod.

He recalled a certain person in the Suspended world, the one hailed as “Blade and Sword Duo Master”, Tian Shan Ye.

To reach the height he did in both Swordsmanship and Bladesmanship, Tian Shan Ye had resorted to splitting his own soul in two.

The side effects of this was that he suffered the same fate as Hazeden, the King of the Sky Haze Kingdom, constantly tortured by the pain of having their soul split apart.

Having to endure such pain, yet it only allowed the mastery of a single other type of Dao. Furthermore, due to the soul’s strength being decreased, a weakened soul vessel was more vulnerable to attacks.

Which was why even after the Suspended world, Gu Qing Shan still hadn’t considered using the method even once.

The figure continued:

「 At this time, I have used the combined power of the Old Gods within this Causality Skill to create this Soul Key 」

「 This treasure will completely unlock the limiting Law deep within your soul 」

「 From now on, besides the path of the sword, you may study any art and travel any path while no longer restrained by the Law of the infinite worlds, you will be able to reach the pinnacle of every domain 」

「 If you spend enough effort, shed enough blood and sweat, you will become the now-multi-talented owner of the War God Authority 」

Saying that, the figure threw the statue to Gu Qing Shan.

As soon as the statue touched the top of Gu Qing Shan’s head, it turned into countless sparks of light that were absorbed into his forehead.

—–boom!

Even when he was hovering in mid-air, Gu Qing Shan could feel his entire body shaking like he was experiencing an earthquake.

From deep inside his soul vessel, something seemed to have been unlocked.

Right away, his change was noticed by the world.

Intense waves of energy echoed across the world——

In fact, around the infinite worlds, the same type of energy was being formed all over.

They bypassed the restraints of space and time, directly manifesting in Triste’s collection world, harmonizing with the waves of this world to form a huge impact.

This power was invisible and intangible, nothing in the world could stop it.

——if it wanted to, it could’ve easily turned this entire world to dust.

The invisible force rammed into Gu Qing Shan’s body.

Gu Qing Shan felt himself being enveloped by an endless omnipotent force.

This force was seeping into his soul vessel from his body, while he was frozen in place, unable to move even a finger.

At this point, the figure of light spoke.

「 Do not worry, the deeper Laws of the world had sensed your change 」

「 The Laws of the 900 million World Layers had manifested themselves to try and prevent your soul from being released, but the release of your soul was granted by the Creator Gods themselves, so you will pass this trial 」

Following the figure’s words, a faint image of the Soul Key appeared to cover Gu Qing Shan’s body.

The image of the multiple-headed stature shattered.

Right after that, the immense force that held Gu Qing Shan in place also disappeared.

Gu Qing Shan could finally breathe again.