Beyond the endless veil of shadow, in a dark expanse shimmering with a faint water-like glow, a young man with black hair, black eyes, a broad forehead, and a slender face suddenly sat up, as though having just woken from a nightmare. In classical black robes, He extended his right hand, attempting to draw from the "void" a single lens of crystal, placing it on his right eye. But this time, He came up empty. His right hand hovered in midair for two seconds before withdrawing, gently pressing the rim of his right eye. At that moment, a warm, calm, yet emotionally neutral voice resonated in His ears: "To him, there exists something more important than life. To you, beyond yourself, almost nothing holds great significance. When circumstances compel you to wager your life, it means you have already lost." Amun tilted his lips slightly, as though intending to respond with a few words of laughter, but ultimately said nothing. That voice continued: "As a naturally mythical being, your lack of a sufficiently grounded anchor is also a problem. It makes it difficult for you, though you know what courage and sacrifice are, to truly comprehend them." Amun's expression shifted slightly, rising from the dark that shimmered with a gentle luminescence. He glanced at the human leather gloves left beside him, seemingly content, then looked away, a slight smile curling at the corner of his lips. "This seems quite interesting. "Next, I intend to leave here and dive into the stars—there, the reality is far more vibrant, more stimulating. Perhaps there I will finally grasp the two words you just mentioned." "That is indeed risky. Once I enter the stars, I will be unable to offer any further assistance until I succeed. Still, at least I can avoid Him." The calm, even tone—lacking any emotional inflection—responded. Amun said nothing further. He raised his hand, gently pressing against the rim of his right eye, and then vanished into the endless shroud of shadow. ………… Upon the gray mist, within the ancient palace. As Amun was utterly shattered by the power of the "Supernova Eruption," Caine couldn't help but exhale in relief. If given a choice, he certainly didn't want to sacrifice himself to awaken the "Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun"—he preferred to personally guard this world and rediscover the meaning of life. Of course, if no choice were available, he would unhesitatingly allow the "Tianzun" to rise. He was certain of this, and Amun shared the same conviction—thus, Amun had not pressed him, merely striving to free himself. The final moments of the battle had become a contest of courage: whoever truly did not fear complete death would gain decisive advantage. Clearly, Amun had not made the sacrifice of such resolve for this matter. After exhaling, the face beneath the cold, eerie mask of Caine suddenly twisted. Beneath his semi-transparent, deep-toned cloak, the slender, slick, otherworldly tentacles extending from his body either拍打了 the ground or rose high into the air—completely beyond his control. He could feel his "Fu Sheng Xuan Huang Tian Zun" awakening more rapidly, and the process seemed unstoppable. Even if Claryen died directly, carrying this resolve with him, and then revived through the power of a "Miracle Master," he could not escape it, for the "Master of Mysteries" also held the authority of "Miracles." At that moment, Claryen recalled the words of the ancient sun god, the "Dark Angel" Sasselir: "The Primordial has awakened within me." The very next instant, at the site where Amun's body had shattered, streams of light were drawn by an invisible gravitational force, rushing directly toward Claryen. Some were the time-crawling creatures with twelve segments, others were insect-like beings forged from brilliant starlight, and some were simply vast accumulations of luminous points. Claryen tried to prevent these extraordinary essences from merging with himself, but the growing "Tian Zun" will within him continually interfered, and he ultimately failed. His body swelled out like a balloon, then suddenly thinned into a paper figure, repeating this cycle without end. The mask on his face grew ever brighter and more eerie, and the slick, otherworldly tendrils extending from beneath his cloak multiplied, growing increasingly uncontrollable. One extraordinary trait of "The Chrono-Beetle," one of "The Stellar Key," and then another—Clayne's spirit seemed being devoured, bite by bite, by an invisible monster, causing intense suffering. In the end, a pair of eyes seemingly forged from pure starlight, each containing layered, ethereal gates, and a single-piece spectacles made of crystal, reshaped themselves and surged toward Clayne's face, converging into the eye sockets of his mask. Almost simultaneously, a strange, luminous gate, tinged with faint shades of dark green, appeared upon Clayne's body. "The Source Citadel!" At this very instant, the uniqueness of Clayne, the Source Citadel, the gates, and the error achieved an exceptionally strong convergence. Once they merge into one, the "Mysterious Sovereign" will fully awaken and be reborn. Caine suddenly raised his hand, covering half his face. His entire body bent forward, as if struggling against another version of himself. Thanks to the cognitive anchoring and image interference provided by the Anchor of the Faithful, Caine managed to delay the resurgence of the Sovereign's will, slightly weakening the converging force. The starlit eyes and the single-piece glasses ground from crystal hovered just a few centimeters in front of Caine's face, floating like planets orbiting the sun. In this state of extreme imbalance, Caine doubted he could maintain it for long—perhaps only a few minutes, or even just a few seconds—before the convergence would inevitably intensify, bringing about changes he could no longer endure. "Ha ha," Caine laughed, his voice unstable, "this is also a kind of fusion." Then, he "tricked" the "Trensost Bronze Book," placing it into a state of seal and sending it into the pile of clutter. Immediately thereafter, Caine stepped out of the "Source Keep" and arrived at the Stellar Realm—composed of symbols and authority. Though it appears akin to the night sky, deep and vast, it actually harbors many peculiarities. For instance, one might see a star resembling the sun hanging far off, radiating normal light and heat. Yet, upon attempting to approach it without sustaining any damage, one discovers that the stellar realm there appears as a black canvas, with the sun painted directly onto it in oil colors, surrounded by a cluster of concepts and symbols. Moreover, the painting of the sun is not particularly refined—it resembles the spontaneous doodles of a child with little artistic training, both comical and unsettling. This may, in fact, be a manifestation of the underlying rules' inherent chaos and frenzy. As soon as Caine entered this realm, he immediately sensed an array of invisible gazes. Some originated from regions shielded by the World Barrier, others came from farther reaches, bearing clear malice. A subtle upward curve formed at Caine's lips as he suddenly turned his head, gazing outward beyond the World Barrier, his slender, eerie tentacles rising in motion. The pair of star-cast eyes and the single-crystal spectacles on his face followed the movement. Instantly, the celestial gazes withdrew, leaving only a hand-drawn red moon suspended there, glowing softly. "Ha ha," Caine laughed, now standing outside the realm of night-scented herbs, deep in its eternal slumber. At the same time, the "Goddess of Night" appeared at the edge of the divine realm, dressed in a layered gown studded with stardust, her face veiled in a thin, translucent black veil. She did not enlarge in stature, merely meeting Caine's gaze levelly, then lifting her right hand to reveal a golden bird-shaped ornament. The golden ornamental bird's head revealed layered, ethereal gates within its bronze-like eyes, causing a droplet of colorless liquid—emitting a strong sense of eternal stillness—to emerge and land upon the cold, eerie mask of Cline. The will of "Fusheng Xuanhuang Tianzun" entered a passive state of dormancy, and most of Cline's consciousness followed suit, leaving only a faint awareness. Under these circumstances, he drew the mask inward and transformed his cloak into a black coat. Then, he reshaped the single-crystal spectacles into a pair of black gloves, and the starlight-formed eyes into a staff embedded with stardust. —This was merely a change in appearance; the essence remained unchanged. Once these objects separated from Cline, they would revert to their original forms. Of course, if Cline stabilized and gradually incorporated them, revising and refining the associated concepts and symbols repeatedly, he could make them permanently alter their forms. "This can't last long—it's merely postponing the inevitable." The Voice of the Night Goddess spoke softly, reminding him, "Each time you draw upon the waters of the River of Eternal Darkness, the Sovereign of Mysteries will awaken more swiftly, as He will respond with unforeseen adaptations and adjust His own state. Likewise, the unique qualities originating from the Source Citadel and my own blessings will gradually fade away, and you will eventually enter a state of eternal slumber." Cain seemed as though he were discussing someone else's affairs, merely smiling and nodding. "I understand." The Night Goddess spoke in a tone that seemed to soothe Cain's spirit: "In this matter, Amun's approach and actions have surpassed even my expectations. Indeed, He is truly the God of Deception." "You won't be completely without opportunities ahead. You could first strive to fully master 'The Source Citadel,' drawing the will of 'The Master of Mysteries' into a state of eternal slumber, where in your dreams you both oppose and merge with Him. I can bestow upon you certain blessings, but the most crucial factor remains entirely within yourself. 'To become an Ancient One'—no ritual is required, for no ritual can alter the awakening of the primordial will. However, the ancient Sun God believed that embracing sequence could enhance self-awareness and improve the likelihood of success. The optimal sequence is to first become a Sequence-0 entity along a single path, then master and integrate the Source Substance, and finally embrace the remaining uniqueness. Becoming a True God of Dual Paths, mastering and integrating the Source Substance, and then embracing the remaining uniqueness is neither good nor bad—just acceptable. To integrate the Source Substance only at the final stage is the least favorable choice." "This might be Him, or it might be me. Once I fully master 'The Source Citadel' and enter into eternal slumber, I should be able to create certain weak points in the seals of the Western Continent—weak points that allow entry and exit." The "Night Goddess" listened silently to Caine's words. Caine continued with a smile: "This is my own choice. I've long anticipated this very day—I have always known that one day I would face Him."