Chapter 155: The New Era and New Authority

Chapter 155: The New Era and New Authority

The importance of Source Essence to the gods needs no elaboration.

Before meeting Yu Sheng'an, Aphnora was merely an obscure Music Goddess.

Her Believers numbered less than a million, and the collection of Source Essence was painstakingly slow. Despite centuries of accumulation, the quantity remained pitifully limited.

When Yu Sheng'an casually demanded "twelve billion," it was nearly her entire savings.

How could Aphnora agree to that?

How dare she?

Once handed over, she would lose her greatest deterrent!

If Yu Sheng'an betrayed her, she wouldn’t even have the means to retaliate effectively.

"What do you need the Source Essence for?" Aphnora asked.

"To deduce certain things. The God of Death is advancing aggressively. If he establishes a 'first impression' in the users' minds, the Internet will struggle to reclaim the market and could even be relegated to obscurity. Moreover, the Fifth Calamity’s numbers are overwhelming. If the God of Death spares no cost in attacking Keville, we stand no chance. Without territory, the Internet would be like a rootless weed."

Yu Sheng'an spoke gravely, his eyes shadowed with worry.

The existence of the Fourth Calamity was built upon the security of a stable rear.

If the territory fell, both the Fourth and Fifth Calamities would become nothing but jokes.

Besides, when the Fourth Calamity was first created, its power was extremely limited—only capable of passive defense and guerrilla harassment, essentially cannon fodder.

It wasn’t until Yu Sheng'an introduced "wealth" and "Source Essence" as incentives that the Fourth Calamity erupted with astonishing combat power, attracting countless high-level mages.

Losing territory would render the Interconnected Bank meaningless, making it impossible to convert the wealth plundered by the Fourth Calamity. Consequently, its appeal to players would drastically diminish.

If he monopolized the market, this wouldn’t matter much.

But now, with the emergence of the dark web, the balance had shifted to a disadvantage.

Thus, the territory absolutely could not be lost!

Aphnora watched as Yu Sheng'an’s earlier excitement faded, and her heart trembled.

She realized that this was his true, unguarded self.

"Do we... still have a chance of winning?"

"Yes."

Yu Sheng'an nodded solemnly, his gaze resolute.

Seeing the conflict flicker in Aphnora’s eyes, he sighed inwardly and prepared to offer the bargaining chip he had long contemplated.

But just then, Aphnora suddenly extended her delicate, jade-white hand.

Yu Sheng'an froze, hesitated briefly, then reached out and clasped it.

As their hands joined, the space around them twisted violently, and torrents of Source Essence surged from Aphnora into Yu Sheng'an.

He was stunned.

"You once said, 'Kindness begets kindness.' I believe in you."

Aphnora gazed brightly into Yu Sheng'an’s eyes, her entire being seeming to glow.

Staring back at her trusting expression, Yu Sheng'an couldn’t help but grin.

After a long moment, the distorted space gradually settled.

As Aphnora began to withdraw her hand—

Unexpectedly, Yu Sheng'an tightened his grip by a fraction.

"You..." Aphnora was taken aback.

"I’m taking you somewhere."

As Yu Sheng'an spoke, a soft glow from a Portal lit up beneath his feet. The radiance spread along his arm to Aphnora’s, then enveloped her entire body, ultimately merging the two into a single entity.

In a flash, they vanished.

Their vision twisted and stretched.

By the time everything settled, Aphnora hadn’t even had a chance to observe her surroundings before her eyes widened in shock, her breath catching in her throat!

She could distinctly sense that the magical elements in the air were completely absent.

This environment, which should only exist in alchemy chambers, filled her with panic!

After all, over the centuries she had wielded the Music Godhood, her greatest deterrent to the outside world wasn’t the Music Godhood itself—it was her status as an immortal Saint Magus.

Magic was her strongest reliance.

So how could she not panic in this magic-free environment?

Even though she was merely a divine projection now, such projections were still linked to her true form. If certain special authorities traced this connection back, the consequences would be dire!

"Don’t be afraid. This is the Primary Domain of Vilia I told you about."

Just as Aphnora’s unease peaked, her small hand was squeezed reassuringly—Yu Sheng'an had noticed her tension and held her firmly.

"Vilia?" Aphnora was stunned.

She glanced around and realized she was standing by the window of a townhouse, outside of which the streets bustled with activity.

In the distance, an airship hovered at the city’s center.

Further beyond, smokestacks stood like a forest, belching thick black smoke.

The scenery, so different from most domains in the multiverse, left Aphnora speechless.

When she finally snapped out of it and turned to Yu Sheng'an, she found him already looking at her—or perhaps he had been watching her the whole time.

"Didn’t you say you were still trying to conquer this place? Don’t tell me you’ve already succeeded?" Aphnora asked, feigning composure, though a faint blush crept up her neck.

"I wish. But as you can sense, this place is... unique," Yu Sheng'an replied.

"Can you explain it to me in detail?"

"Of course. Let’s go out for a stroll. Seeing it for yourself will help. We can talk along the way."

Still holding Aphnora’s hand, Yu Sheng'an led her out of the townhouse.

Once outside, Aphnora felt a subtle, almost imperceptible force wrapping around her body, distorting her attire and making her blend in like a local.

"Let’s get you some new clothes first. Your current outfit is too eye-catching."

"Alright, I’ll follow your lead."

Yu Sheng'an then guided Aphnora into a steam car.

"Where to, Mr. Aji De?"

The driver glanced back, his gaze fervent, showing no suspicion at the sudden appearance of a woman from Aji De’s townhouse.

Because he was Mr. Aji De.

Even if his townhouse had turned into the Moulin Rouge, he wouldn’t have batted an eye.

"Meslaird Tailor Shop!"

"Right away, Mr. Aji De."

The steam car started up.

Aphnora looked at the metal construct with amazement, then turned her gaze to the scenery outside the window, resembling a cat in an unfamiliar environment.

"Where would you like to start learning?" Yu Sheng'an asked.

"Hmm, first tell me about the characteristics of this domain!"

"Alright!"

Yu Sheng'an nodded and proceeded to relay all the intelligence he had observed in detail.

The steam locomotive moved slowly through the city.

On the streets, pedestrians hurried by, and newspaper boys shouted vigorously to sell their papers.

Judging by the sensational headlines, the political situation in the Empire of Infer was clearly growing more unstable.

The Empire of Infer's economy had already been in trouble—otherwise, the ideological currents of reform wouldn't have brewed within the country.

Now, with the sudden emergence of Aji De's ideology, the Empire of Infer had descended into even greater chaos!

What was once scattered sparks of rebellion had transformed into a large-scale, organized movement with clear objectives, shaking the empire's foundations to the core.

Under the guidance of Aji De's ideology, all the empire's contradictions were directed squarely at the Imperial royal family.

This not only resonated with the working class but also struck a nerve with the capitalists. The "Reduction of Working Hours and Increase in Wages Movement" had already spread like wildfire across the nation!

At this critical juncture, the Empire of Infer suddenly found itself in conflict with its neighbor, the Farlay Dynasty.

The two sides even exchanged gunfire, and the localized clashes showed signs of escalating into full-scale war.

"Full-scale war? Did you orchestrate this?"

Aphnora turned to Yu Sheng'an. By now, she had changed into a long dress at the Meslaird Tailor Shop—a yellow-edged lapel, a slender waist belt, and a knee-length skirt. The combination of these elements gave her the distinct air of a visitor from Blue Star.

At the moment, the two had left the steam car and were strolling along the seaside of Pu'en City.

"No, this was the Imperial royal family's idea."

"The royal family's idea? Why? With the country in such turmoil, shouldn't they focus on suppressing it first? Why open a new front?" Aphnora looked astonished.

"That's why I said this place is different from the multiverse. If this had happened in the Keville Empire, dispatching a few advanced mages would be enough to crush any anti-imperial organizations. But here, it's different—you forget, magic is forbidden in the air here. That's why they developed steam civilization and flesh magic."

"Though the disparity in individual power still exists, the idea of one person suppressing an entire city or even a nation is simply impossible. Naturally, the empire finds it difficult to quell the domestic chaos."

"Right now, the Empire of Infer faces opposition not just from the workers but also from the new industrial nobles who control them. These nobles crave the status and respect of the old aristocracy, but the pie is only so big. The empire and the old nobles would never willingly share their slice with the industrial nobles."

"Before, the industrial nobles could fill their bellies and exploit the workers, so life wasn't bad. Though discontent simmered, it wasn't enough to incite rebellion. But now, things are different. I came, amplified their desires and grievances, and gave them the power to shake the empire's foundations. That's why this conflict was inevitable."

Aphnora blinked. "Then why is the Empire of Infer still waging war?"

"Simple—to divert domestic conflicts. They’re trying to mask class contradictions with patriotism. As long as the workers are distracted, those timid industrial nobles who sought to leverage the workers’ power will naturally back down, too afraid to resist the empire. Everything will return to normal."

Yu Sheng'an spoke with effortless confidence.

Aphnora studied him, a flicker of something unreadable in her eyes.

"So, what’s your plan?"

"Let them do their thing. If they want war, let them have it. We have Instructors—it won’t be easy to divert our attention!" Yu Sheng'an scoffed.

Truthfully, he was even pleased to see the Empire of Infer resorting to such petty tactics.

While the empire was busy distracting its workers, wasn’t its own strength being diverted as well?

This was the perfect window for his people to seize the Capital of Infer and liberate the empire by force.

Once it was a done deal, even if the Four Primordial Gods were unwilling, they’d have no choice but to grudgingly accept it.

After all, this world was but a hidden speck in the vast cosmos.

Originally, Yu Sheng'an had wanted to accelerate the liberation of the Empire of Infer. But now, having received Aphnora’s gift, he was in no hurry.

Moving quickly had its advantages, but a slow and steady approach had its own merits.

What Yu Sheng'an wanted wasn’t just territory—it was stable, long-term rule over land that could continuously contribute Source Essence.

Not a shattered, chaotic empire engulfed in flames.

After seeing Aphnora off and making her promise not to sneak over again until he had dealt with the Empire of Infer, Yu Sheng'an returned his consciousness to his main body.

By now, the Divine Palace Ancient Castle had gradually been swallowed by the shifting sands of the seabed.

The castle stood empty.

Luo Xiya had been sent to the Keville Empire to recruit talent and form an observation team.

Dillon Adam, who had been dozing at his feet, had also left with the Golden Dragon Ulysses, returning to Dragon Island.

Only Yu Sheng'an’s main body remained in the castle.

He exhaled slowly, gazing at the hollow space around him, then ignited his Source Essence. Using the virtual Prophecy Godhood, he began analyzing the Contract Godhood’s authority over the soul.

In an instant, a massive amount of Source Essence was consumed.

Yu Sheng'an’s heart clenched—the loss stung.

Fortunately, the flood of information that followed dulled the pain.

He closed his eyes, carefully absorbing the influx of knowledge.

After a long while, he opened them again, his emotions torn between joy and fury.

As he had suspected, the Contract Godhood did involve partial authority over the soul—but it was severely fragmented.

In summary, Yu Sheng'an had barely managed to extract two abilities:

"Binding" and "Curse."

These were the very means by which contract power linked its participants, a mechanism involving the superluminal properties of the soul.

This ability was enough for Yu Sheng'an to replicate the functions displayed by the dark web within souls.

Logically, Divine Spark authority was supposed to be unique. Since this ability was already claimed by the God of Death, how could Yu Sheng'an possess it?

Yu Sheng'an couldn't explain this phenomenon using mystical knowledge.

However, from a scientific perspective, it was probably just the occupation of different signal frequencies!

Presumably, this was also the fundamental reason why the God of Death could utilize the superluminal properties of souls.

This was the direct means by which contract power constrained the soul.

It was extremely complex, encompassing silencing, movement restriction, deprivation, punishment... and so on.

This was an immensely powerful force!

But it was also incredibly niche!

Because this power had to be directly applied to the soul to take effect.

In other words, separated by a layer of flesh and blood, it became useless.

The power of Contract Godhood was inherently "introverted."

For example, it required the contracting parties to sign an agreement before this power could be applied.

Thus, even if Yu Sheng'an deciphered it, transforming this authority from a "passive skill" into an "active skill," it would still be "congenitally deficient."

"Damn it all, what kind of garbage skill is this?! Who the hell doesn’t have an avatar for their soul? Even skeleton soldiers wear a bone frame, for crying out loud! Does this mean the skill can only be used against ghosts?"

Yu Sheng'an cursed under his breath.

He had held high hopes for the soul authority of Contract Godhood!

And the result?

Such a crippled ability!

He had originally planned to use the soul authority to invade the Underworld, carve out his own territory, and employ the strategy of "Besiege Wei to Rescue Zhao."

Now? With just these two authorities, did he still think he could invade the Underworld?

Pure fantasy!

That said, it was fortunate that this authority was held by Contract Godhood. If it had fallen into the hands of the God of Death, who already possessed a relatively complete soul authority, wouldn’t the game be over for everyone?

If the God of Death caught his divine projection, it would be enough to give him a serious headache.

Yu Sheng'an sighed, barely managing to compose himself, before pulling up the Internet backend and beginning large-scale modifications to its framework.

Honestly, it was a good thing this was Divine Spark authority—mastery came as instinct.

Otherwise, if this were a tech-side Internet, would he dare to mess with the core framework?

That would be suicide!

A day later, Yu Sheng'an finished adjusting the Internet framework.

Just as he was about to confirm the update, he hesitated and decided to optimize the interface one more time.

Even though this interface would likely be copied by the God of Death, at the very least, the deity would lag behind by half a step. That half-step might just help him snatch more users.

"Ding dong!"

A phantom-like sound echoed in his six senses.

Yu Sheng'an frowned.

It wasn’t a message from the Internet—it was from the dark web.

To be precise, it was a message received by the ghost avatar he controlled.

Because he shared the ghost avatar’s six senses, the message reached his ears.

Yu Sheng'an checked through the ghost and found it was a message from Lin Geda, whom he had met in-game.

The guy who had changed his nickname to "Godzilla."

"Hey, how much Soul Power have you saved up? I’ve already gathered enough energy to transmit to a dungeon world. There’s a new benefit—each player can bring one extra person. If you haven’t saved up enough, I can take you with me!"

Godzilla's voice came through with a hint of smugness.

Clearly pleased with his own efficiency!

Yu Sheng'an's face darkened upon hearing it.

I curse your ancestors eighteen generations back, you damnable God of Death! What kind of bullshit benefits are these? This is obviously just a scheme to expand the invasion force!

Still fuming inwardly, Yu Sheng'an suddenly slapped his thigh in realization.

He knew how to deal with the Fifth Calamity now.