Eternal Cultivation Of Alchemy

The revival of a True God didn’t come with a parade or a giant announcement. It came with a slight drop in temperature, the moon looked a hint brighter during the night, and those with the bloodline of the phoenix noticed a nearly imperceptible change within them.

There were only a few that truly noticed that change. Even then, most could not tell what had happened.

The human gods could notice the change, but most put it away from their thoughts instantly, as there wasn’t much for them to care about.

Only two gods seemed to notice anything more.

In the Celestial’s Cradle, the Fire God noticed a sudden increase in power that day, as though a river that split into two had one of its channels blocked. At the same time, he also noticed the strength of the crown on his head improve ever so slightly.

In the Eclipsing Heaven realm, the Winter God noticed a drop in her strength that day, as if the river that was all hers previously now had another channel within it that siphoned away her power before she could get to it.

Even though they did notice it, neither of them truly understood what it was that had caused such a thing.

Those that were able to tell what had truly happened were ones that were a genuine child of Heaven or those that were aware of the two gods from the start.

In the Medicine World, within the mist-covered mountains of the Pillheaven continent, Rosemist suddenly grew alert as she looked up at the sky. Something had changed per her perception of the heavens. Of the two gods that had always existed, one of them had died that day. And at the same time, the other one was born. It was after a long moment that she noticed which god it was.

“I see. The Moon Goddess is reborn.”

In the Forest Moon realm, the Heavenly Dog sat in the forest where the World Tree first lay. When the change happened, his eyes opened wide and he stared at the heavens. Someone else appeared next to him at the same time, looking up.

The Heavenly Dog held a slightly despondent look. “Our mother is back, but we may have lost our father.”

In Hell, the Tree of Life noticed the change as well. It was much more subtle for her, but she noticed it and relayed it to the spirit of the Guardian Tiger.

The Guardian Tiger grew confused. “Is only mother back? What about father?”

The tree gave the tiger as accurate an answer as she could find.

The tiger’s eyes narrowed. “What does that mean for the young man who helped us? When the three of us were first tasked with the protection of you three, they told us that whoever took their body would die as a result. But if father didn’t return, then what happened to the young man?”

The tree had no answer.

In a location that stood frozen in space, hidden away from all living things, the Soulmother Tree grieved the loss of her father, and at the same time, she welcomed the birth of her mother.

She could not wait for her mother to find her. Would her mother praise her for having done her duty? For having kept the place just as it was before the world broke apart.

*****

Shumi opened her eyes, feeling entirely different from how she had before. The power inside her Dantian was strong, powerful beyond her belief, and at the same time, she could feel some energy still trickling into her.

It was a pitiful amount when compared to the power that was gathered in her Dantian, but perhaps over hundreds of years, it would add up to the same amount.

She looked far to the left and saw the group of people and beasts gathered there. Alex sat among the beasts, talking to them.

Upon noticing her, Alex turned around and quickly walked up to her. Before he got too close, however, he stopped.

“Shumi,” he called out in a worried voice. “You… are Shumi, right?”

Shumi looked at him and gave a gentle smile. “I’m still me,” she said. Slowly, she stood up, dusting the dirt from her robes.

Alex seemed to hesitate still. “I feel the power within you,” he said. “It’s so strong. Did the Moon Goddess not take over you?”

“No,” Shumi said. “We came to a compromise. She gave me her power in exchange for me fulfilling her wishes. Starting today, I am the Moon

Goddess.”

Alex widened his eyes in surprise. “That… that was a possibility?”

Shumi turned toward him. “What did you do?”

With an embarrassed look on his face, Alex answered.

“I sealed him away.”

Shumi blinked in surprise. “Sealed him away? As in the Sun God is

locked away in your body?”

Alex nodded. “He was about to break free as a Creation and take over me, so I sealed him moments before that. If he ever breaks out, I am in

big trouble.”

Shumi didn’t know what to say. “Can he break out?”

Alex shook his head. “Not on his own. I sealed him away quite well, so the only way for him to break out of the seal is if I let him out. Otherwise… I don’t think there’s a way.”

He had been very specific about how he sealed the Sun God, making

sure he didn’t make the same mistake the Storm God did when he sealed him. The Sun God had no way to fight back from the other side, which was what Alex wanted.

The only possible way for the Sun God to break free would be if Alex

broke the seal from this side, and even then, there was not enough of that unique energy anymore for the Sun God to turn the Spirit into a

Creation.

And so long as the Creation wasn’t there, the Sun God would never

truly be born.

So, as temporary a measure as it was, Alex was quite certain that he was safe from the Sun God taking over him in the future.