On the second level of the 'Throne,' Roy gazed at the white jade staircase before him. Nodding at Athena, he stepped forward onto the steps.
Athena watched as Roy departed from this level and ascended higher before finally withdrawing her gaze. She turned her full attention to the cosmic starscape belonging to the Campione world. After brief contemplation, she closed her eyes, employing the wisdom of a goddess to begin analyzing the possibility of 'Existence Convergence.'
This would be a monumental undertaking. Athena herself knew achieving this great feat would be immensely difficult. But for the Goddess of Wisdom and War, difficulty meant nothing. As long as there was a goal, she would eventually accomplish it.
Moreover, with Roy venturing to a new world during this period, she would be alone and idle here. Thus, she decided to attempt converging her alternate spacetime counterparts using her own knowledge. In her normal state, she would have deemed this impossible, but with the mysterious "620" 'Throne's' assistance and support, she believed success might be within reach.
"Converging all 'Athenas' from other dimensional universes is too difficult. Let's start with something simpler—try to unify all parallel versions of myself from the 'Campione' worlds into one."
With this thought, Athena immersed her entire being into the cosmic stars, beginning to contemplate and decipher the vast mysteries and knowledge.
...
Stepping onto the third level of the 'Throne,' Roy found exactly what he had expected: an endless expanse of white mist, and at its center, the faint outline of another staircase.
This was identical to his experience when he dream-traveled to the Toaru world and later actively crossed over to the Campione world.
"Whew... good, there's no difference at all. That puts me at ease."
Roy glanced around, comparing it to his memories of the first two levels. Finding no discrepancies, he finally relaxed.
This mysterious 'Throne' was far beyond Roy's current comprehension. If the third level had presented something unimaginable, Roy would have begun doubting whether this journey would proceed smoothly.
"Aiwass, let us proceed to the next world. This time, my hope is to lift the Curse of Human Order upon me and truly initiate the Human Order Correction Formula!"
As Roy's resolute words fell, the boundless white mist began to churn. Coalescing into a profound white void, it formed a tunnel under the power of Roy's words—a passage piercing the World's Veil and traversing the Sea of Worlds.
Aiwass, floating behind Roy, merged into his body. Unlike Athena, Aiwass was merely a spirit and could not manifest independently of Roy. Thus, she had to traverse worlds alongside him. Moreover, this was Aiwass's own request—only by witnessing the landscapes of different worlds could she gain more profound experiences and glimpse the vast sky beyond the well.
The sensation of the world spinning returned, and Roy's figure vanished into the third layer of the "Divine Ascent Stairway." The endless white mist gradually settled once more, though its hue had lightened slightly, revealing the magnificent cosmos beneath. Perhaps by the time Roy returned, this mist would dissipate entirely, unveiling a breathtaking starry sky.
...
"This year, the Ancestral Dragon shall die!"
In 211 B.C., amidst the mountains and rivers of Jiangdong, an elderly man dressed like a mystic suddenly uttered these words. Instantly, all sound ceased, and an eerie silence fell as an overwhelming terror descended from the heavens.
Xiang Liang's mouth went dry, a mix of fear and excitement surging from his heart through his veins and into his brain, flushing his face and trembling his limbs.
Xiang Liang, originally from Xiaxiang County in Sishui Commandery, was the son of Xiang Yan, a noble general of the Chu state. His father, Xiang Yan, had been killed in the war when Qin conquered Chu. Since then, Qin's King Zheng had annihilated the six states, unified the realm, and proclaimed himself the "First Emperor," earning the title "Ancestral Dragon" among the people.
As a remnant of the six conquered states, Xiang Liang had lived his entire life under the shadow of the First Emperor. Like all people of Chu, he harbored deep hatred for Qin. Yet, the First Emperor's brilliance and might shook the world, leaving men like Xiang Liang—descendants of the fallen states—no choice but to suppress their resentment and live in fear, daring not show the slightest disrespect.
In his youth, Xiang Liang had committed murder and fled to Wuzhong to escape retribution. As a former noble of Chu, he wielded considerable influence there. In this era, not long after the unification of the six states, the people remained reluctant subjects of Qin. Coupled with Qin's tyrannical rule, resentment ran deep. Even though the First Emperor had established commanderies and counties, local affairs in Wuzhong still fell under Xiang Liang's control.
On this day, troubled in spirit, Xiang Liang had taken some guards to wander the mountains and rivers when he encountered this strange man. The moment the man spoke, his words were treasonous—yet they resonated with Xiang Liang's deepest thoughts, stirring an unbearable itch in his heart.
Gazing at the white-haired, youthful-faced mystic before him, Xiang Liang struggled to steady himself. Clasping his hands, he said, "...I beg for enlightenment!"
The old man stroked his beard and replied, "...'Ancestral' refers to the origin, the forebear of men. 'Dragon' is the symbol of the sovereign. What I mean is—this year, the First Emperor will die!"
His blunt explanation left Xiang Liang speechless. He wasn't a fool; of course he understood what "This year, the Ancestral Dragon shall die" meant.
Before Xiang Liang could press further, the mystic continued, "...Not long ago, the celestial phenomenon of Mars lingering near the Heart Star appeared. A meteorite fell in Dong Commandery, and the locals inscribed upon it: 'The First Emperor shall die, and the land shall divide.' Enraged, the Emperor slaughtered all the people there. Yet, when I observed the heavens at night, the Emperor's Star was dim and unsteady. The First Emperor will not survive this year!"
Xiang Liang remained silent. He didn't know whether the old man spoke the truth, but if he did, perhaps Xiang Liang could act.
The world was full of extraordinary individuals. Though it was no longer like the Shang and Zhou eras, when mysticism walked the earth, or the age of a hundred sages and competing schools of thought, the land of Huaxia still retained many esoteric arts passed down from antiquity. Even the First Emperor placed great trust in mystics.
The old man glanced at Xiang Liang once more, his sharp gaze flickering as he spoke indifferently, "...If the Xiang clan is truly sincere, you may go to Xianyang. I will tell you of a hidden location—a place built by the First Emperor in his quest for immortality. Though the First Emperor failed to obtain the secret of eternal life despite his journeys to Kunlun and searches for Penglai, he did acquire many artifacts left behind by the 'immortal ways' of the Shang and Zhou dynasties."
"...When news arrives from Daze Village of rebellion against the tyrannical Qin, you will encounter an extraordinary individual there. If you can secure his assistance, your lifelong ambition may yet be realized!"
Xiang Liang's mind was in turmoil, but he committed the old man's words to memory.
Then, the old man added, "...The Xiang clan should avoid wandering these deep mountains and ancient forests. Lately, there have been rumors of 'blood-sucking monsters' appearing here. Though in my view, they should be called 'celestial maidens,' the ignorant masses cannot be blamed for misunderstanding. Still, encountering such 'maidens' is no trivial matter—it carries mortal danger. My words end here; the decision is yours."
Xiang Liang paid no heed to talk of celestial maidens, focusing only on the location in Xianyang and the prospect of fulfilling his lifelong ambition.
When he looked up, the enigmatic figure had already stepped away. With each stride covering vast distances, the man vanished in the blink of an eye, leaving only a distant silhouette as he sang the famous words of Chu Nan Gong:
"...Though Chu has but three clans, it is Chu that shall destroy Qin!"
----------
For advance chapters join my Patreon.
[email protected]/Aarvan