The chef slumped to the ground."That's it. I'm dead. I'm done for."
"My father told me not to focus on cooking. He must be rolling for joy in his grave right now." the chef continued to mutter, his eyes unfocused while the various possibilities of the disaster that could happen swirled through his mind. They waited for the disaster, but Dylganihl was gone. The expected disaster never came.
The reason Dylganihl became uptight was because of a piece of certain information that the realm lord had told them during the meeting. They had this Origin cycle during the trial of heaven. Dylganihl thought back to that scene. The realm lord sat relaxed as he said, "I'll like to inform everyone here that I have met the minimum requirements to become a world god."
This tidbit was met with a myriad of reactions. To the new origin gods, they were simply astonished. To them, it was simply a wonderful achievement, nothing else. But to the more knowledgeable ones, he was inconceivably too young to become a world god. Sure, the requirements to become a world god are lax for realm lord, and they had suspected as much when they noticed his single domain of power, which signifies that he has achieved unity. But they were shocked nonetheless. Monarch High Heaven is currently known as the youngest to achieve sovereign power, then the youngest to become Origin god. Now he is telling them he would become the youngest to become world god in the entire void universe. They were simply horrified, then they became excited. The excitement wasn't for his success but for the fact that the era of conquest would soon start. A new era is about to begin in the existence of the realm of high heaven.
In the early stages of life within a realm, war was small in scale. War and fighting occurred between small tribes within a race, then large tribes against another, then one race against another race, but all this was limited to within the plane. Things changed when a plane was able to access the ancient battlefield. Interplane warfare was introduced. Planes fought one another for various reasons and interests across the ancient battlefield. There were occasions of entire planes being invaded and conquered. Since those terrifying times, war hasn't escalated. Instead, it has subsided. Now Origin gods fight in the upper realm, but even their battles seldom involve a race against another. Most of the fights in the upper realm occur because of personal interests or conflicts between organizations. Race war does happen in the upper realm, but it is rare.
When a realm tree reaches a particular level of power, it seeks to annex the weak realm trees around it. This is known as the era of conquest. It usually starts when a realm is capable of at least protecting itself against the terrifying entities above the level of Origin god. This era which will usher in one realm against another realm in battles aimed at utter annihilation, means a lot of things to different people. To some, it means death, especially to the weak and the target of the invasion. To others, in particular the aggressors, it is an opportunity to rise, most especially origin gods. It is a chance for them to become world gods and the most powerful at that, but everyone gets something from it.
Dylganihl remembered that he was so shocked by the declaration of the realm lord that his face had frozen over with his mouth hanging open. He was further impressed with the demeanor of the realm lord. To the realm lord, his achievement sounded like nothing much, just a matter of fact.
The realm lord continued, "I don't want this information to be shared with anyone, not of this realm." The origin gods present nodded their heads meekly. He didn't need to ask them to keep the information from spreading outside the realm, but it didn't hurt to insist on it. Especially if there are ignorant new origin gods present that don't know the law that states that,
"The realm lord cannot be betrayed. Betrayal will lead to disintegration." No one has tested this law because of their heartfelt loyalty to Mother High Heaven and their deep-seated fear of her.
"I have indeed met the requirement, but I don't intend to break through just yet. I have given myself a period of 1 to 10 origin cycles to perfect my preparations. 1 to 10 origin cycles might be short for most of you, but I'm not even 100 origin cycles old." The realm lord chuckled after that. The people around him could only smile and shake their heads. He is not even 100 origin cycles, and he is about to become a world god. That is too young.
"This period is also for everyone who will partake in this endeavor. It is time to make decisions and preparations. It is an opportunity and a death sentence." At this, the realm lord watched the various emotions from the facial expressions of those present. Origin gods are true immortals, but there are certain threats in the void universe that can make living worse than death.
In the era of conquest, there is either life or death for the invaded. Dylganihl knows that for those invaded, it will be a calamity that will threaten their existence. They either push back the invaders of their realm, or they fall. Life in the entire realm will be wiped out. Only Origin gods will survive. But the path to further breakthroughs will be severed for them without their home realm tree. No one can progress to become a world god without the acknowledgment of the will of his or her realm.
To this, the realm lord said. "Only the strong will survive."
This was a statement and a stance. For the era of conquest to start, the will of the realm must agree, and the realm lord must agree too. The will of the realm will agree after its realm lord becomes a world god. It is an infallible rule. Now that the realm lord is determined, nothing will stop the flow of blood.
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