Chapter 2: Mother Earth
"Great Creator, is there something unusual there?" Sulen asked, her starry eyes shimmering with curiosity.
Shar, on the other hand, warily gathered the surrounding darkness. "Is it a residual fluctuation of chaos energy? Does it need to be purged?"
Ling Hao felt the space-time around him trembling, yet no being could truly perceive his essence.
"An unlocatable source of anomaly," AO finally judged. "It cannot be purged, interacted with, or influenced."
With that, AO's figure completely dissipated, leaving behind Ling Haoand the two Primal Goddesses.
Sulen and Shar exchanged a glance, then curiously approached the spot where Ling Hao was. "Is there really something there?"
Sulen asked softly, reaching out to touch something, but her fingers passed through the space where Ling Hao stood without any resistance.
Shar was more direct. "If any being were there, the omniscient and omnipotent Creator would surely have sensed it."
After a few attempts, Shar lost interest. "The Great Creator was right; it is merely an energy ripple from the universe's formation, devoid of consciousness."
Sulen, however, remained thoughtful. "But I feel something there... like the sensation of being watched."
"You are always too sensitive, sister," Shar said, turning to walk away. "Come, we have much work to do. The Great Creator has bestowed upon us the duty of managing the universe."
Sulen took one last look in Ling Hao's direction before following her sister. Ling Hao breathed a sigh of relief, yet felt a deep sense of loss.
He confirmed that he had died and transmigrated into the game world, but had become a "ghost" unable to interact with anything.
Time continued to flow. Ling Hao watched as the two goddesses began to fulfill their duties: Sulen arranged the stars and created the moon, while Shar shaped the dark regions and established the Shadow Plane.
They worked in perfect harmony, often talking and laughing, with no sign of the future rift that would turn them into enemies. Ling Haobegan to ponder his situation.
In a particularly beautiful star field, Sulen created an exceptionally bright star that illuminated almost the entire region. "Sister, look how beautiful this star is!" Sulen said excitedly.
Shar frowned. "It is too bright, sister. This region was meant to be a sanctuary of darkness, but now it is completely lit up. Please dim its light."
"But isn't it beautiful this way?" Sulen asked, puzzled. "Why must it remain dark?"
"Because darkness has its own value," Shar's tone began to stiffen. "Not every place requires light."
"But light is always better than darkness," Sulen insisted. "Look, this region is now bright and warm, rather than cold and dark."
Shadows began to gather around Shar. "Are you belittling my domain, sister?"
"No, I am just saying that light is more suitable here..." Sulen defended herself.
"Suitable?" Shar's voice turned cold. "Who decides what is suitable? You?"
Ling Hao watched the dispute nervously.
But just as the conflict escalated, Shar suddenly stopped, and the surrounding shadows gradually dissipated. "What is wrong with us? Arguing over such a small thing."
Sulen also realized the problem and softened her tone. "You are right, sister. I can dim the light of this star and preserve part of the dark region."
Shar nodded. "And I will admit that some regions seem better adorned with stars."
Ling Hao watched the two goddesses busy in the universe as they tried various methods to create life, only to fail repeatedly.
Sulen tried to condense starlight into life forms; those shimmering specks of light briefly formed various shapes in the air but quickly dissipated, returning to ordinary starlight.
Shar, meanwhile, attempted to draw energy from the darkness to mold shadow creatures possessed of consciousness.
These shadows writhed in the dark but lacked true vital energy, soon merging back into the surrounding darkness and vanishing.
"Why do we always fail?" Sulen said despondently, her starry hair fluttering. "We follow the Great Creator's instructions, yet we cannot bestow true life upon them."
Shar silently observed yet another failed attempt, the darkness flowing slowly around her.
"Perhaps we are missing a key element. Life is not just form and energy; it also requires... something we do not yet understand."
Observing from the side, Ling Hao understood. In the game's setting, life requires a foundation to survive on, a reliance on a physical world.
But he could not speak to warn them; he could only watch as the two goddesses tried and failed time and again.
After an unknown amount of time, the two goddesses finally realized they could not overcome this challenge on their own. "We need to consult the Great Creator."
Shar finally spoke, her voice carrying a rare trace of uncertainty.
Sulen nodded in agreement. "Yes, sister. Perhaps the Creator can give us guidance."
Together, they sent a call into the void—not a sound, but a request originating from their very source, penetrating layers of space to reach every corner of the universe.
AO's figure did not fully manifest; only a faint silhouette appeared before them, containing an indescribable demeanor.
"I am aware of your confusion," AO's voice transmitted directly into their essential being. "Life requires a foundation, a place to stand."
After giving this brief guidance, AO's silhouette dissipated, leaving the two goddesses deep in thought.
"A place to stand..." Sulen murmured to herself, starlight swirling in her eyes. "What does it mean?"
Shar pondered, the darkness forming complex patterns around her. "Perhaps it means life needs some kind of base, some kind of support..."
They tried to understand AO's guidance but remained puzzled. Ling Haoknew they needed to create the earth, the foundation of the physical world.
Somewhere in the universe, darkness and nebulae suddenly began to intertwine unnaturally, forming a swirling vortex of energy. Sulen and Shar turned toward that direction simultaneously, feeling a strange resonance.
"I understand!" Sulen suddenly exclaimed, the starlight in her eyes blazing. "Darkness needs to combine with light!" Shar realized almost at the same time: "Not opposition, but fusion!"
The two goddesses flew to the anomalous energy vortex and reached out their hands together.
Pure starlight flowed from Sulen's hands, while profound dark power welled up from Shar's. The two primal divine powers met in the universe, beginning an unprecedented fusion.
AO's guidance was clear enough. The process of creation was proceeding along its destined path.
The fusion of darkness and light was extremely slow; even Ling Hao, an observer without a sense of time, could feel the long passage of years.
The fused energy gradually expanded, growing from a tiny initial vortex into a massive energy mass spanning star systems.
After an unknown number of years, the fusion of darkness and starlight gradually stabilized. The energy's turbulence slowly calmed, replaced by a heavy, solid form of existence.
A massive continent began to take shape in the universe, with a hard crust, towering mountains, deep canyons, and vast depressions that would soon become oceans.
The moment this land was fully formed, a new divinity and consciousness emerged from it.
A figure slowly rose from the earth. She had earthy-brown hair, skin wrapped in green plants, and eyes filled with vitality and composure.
She was Chauntea, Mother Earth. Sulen and Shar looked in surprise at this newborn Primal God, sensing a divine power that was both familiar and strange—a product of their fused powers, yet unique.
"Another companion?" Sulen approached curiously, starlight dancing joyfully around her.
Shar observed more cautiously, darkness flickering in her hands. "Were you born from the earth we created?"
Chauntea slowly opened her eyes, her gaze steady and deep. "I am the incarnation of the earth, born from your fusion of light and darkness. I know my identity and duty."
The three Primal Gods looked at one another, each feeling a sense of novelty. At this moment, Chauntea clearly regarded them as equal companions.
"The Great Creator bestowed upon us the mission to create life," Sulenexplained to the new companion, "but we failed repeatedly until we created this land from which you were born."
Chauntea looked down at the boundless land beneath her feet, a realization appearing in her eyes. "Life needs a foundation, a cradle for gestation. I sense that my duty is to nurture life and become the place where all things grow."
Shar pondered. "So the 'place to stand' the Creator mentioned refers to the earth?"
"Exactly," Chauntea affirmed. "Life needs a place to take root, a soil to nourish it. I shall fulfill this mission." The three goddesses began to discuss how to nurture life upon the earth.
Their conversation was equal and harmonious, with no hierarchy yet. "I can provide light and warmth to promote the growth of life," Sulenproposed.
Shar followed, "I can provide darkness and tranquility, allowing life to rest and recover."
Chauntea nodded. "And I will provide the physical foundation and nourishment. We must cooperate to realize the Creator's will."
They began attempting to create life on the earth. Chauntea molded various terrains and soils, Sulen warmed the earth with starlight, and Shar covered parts of the region with darkness, creating the effect of alternating day and night.
The simple life forms they created did not immediately dissipate but survived tenaciously. Although they were only tiny moss-like plants, it was undoubtedly a massive breakthrough.
"It's a success!" Sulen shouted excitedly, the starlight brightening with her joy.
Shar's expression also softened. "Though it is only the beginning, we have found the right direction."
Chauntea steadily observed those tiny lives. "They are still very fragile and need constant adjustment and refinement. But this proves a viable path."