Against The True Gods-Chapter 63: Dangerous

’There’s much to look forward to.’

This simple understanding—or rather, discovery—of the Five Aspects had illuminated countless shadows in Caine’s mind.

But it had also revealed just how little he truly knew about the world and the infinite length of the path ahead. He was only a Blood Realm cultivator, standing at the very beginning of a journey that seemed endlessly distant from Godhood.

And yet, instead of feeling discouraged, the realization invigorated him. For the first time in a long while, Caine felt something unfamiliar stirring in his hollow heart—hope.

He smiled and rose silently, careful not to disturb Lilith, who still sat in deep meditation. As he stood, Elura appeared, settling onto his shoulder with her usual quiet grace.

"From now on, I suggest slowing things down until you’ve mastered your abilities," she said lightly. "It won’t help to move forward with so many loose ends. Besides, it won’t take you long to catch up. You won’t lose much time."

Caine nodded, dark robes materializing over his form. "Mhm. This much power should be enough for the events ahead… though I do wish I had more," he said, sighing softly.

"But I can’t ask for too much. Fate has its way with things."

He tilted his head back, his gaze meeting the crystal ceiling of the hall. A faint smile touched his lips. "Speaking of fate, it seems a tribulation awaits me outside."

Thanks to the many advancements he had made—and primarily the Immemorial Tribulation Lightning Heavenly Element fused into his brain—Caine could now sense incoming tribulations with startling clarity.

"While we’re on the topic of elements," he said, "correct me if I’m wrong, but my body shouldn’t be so adaptable to so many paths, should it?"

Caine’s mind drifted toward the mysteries of Blood Qi, and he began to realize that his affinity for elements was only part of the story.

While it was true that he could comprehend elements with terrifying efficiency and possessed an unmatched affinity for them all, that alone didn’t explain the lack of conflict between them. It didn’t explain why they harmonized so perfectly within him—or why they hadn’t harmed him in the slightest.

At first, he had assumed it was due to his bones, which certainly played a role. But that raised another question: how had his body endured the formation of such bones in the first place?

His Innate Circle being at the Immeasurable grade might have explained some of it. Yet Caine knew that his Bodily Pillar had no direct connection to adaptation. Its abilities—while terrifying—were useless in the Blood Realm and only activated in the higher realms.

This left one possibility: his Race.

But even this didn’t add up. His Racial Pillar, like the others, only began to manifest in realms beyond the Blood Realm.

So what, then, was the true source of his anomaly?

"Indeed, it shouldn’t be possible," Elura said, her voice tinged with agreement. "Even surviving the mutation I caused is an anomaly."

"It’s a miracle neither of us ended up as abominations of flesh. But beyond that, your body shouldn’t be able to sustain as many Bond Eggs as it does. You have thousands."

Caine hummed thoughtfully, his fingers stroking his chin. "Even before I formed my new Bond Eggs from the Beast Progenitor Wills, I already had five. That means something was off from the start."

"This is something we’ll need to investigate further, Elura. Keep monitoring my body and its vitals at all times. If there are clues, I want to find them."

Elura nodded, and her form dissolved into motes of golden light, retreating to his Bond Space. At the same time, Lilith began to stir, her meditation coming to an end as her eyes opened.

A faint pressure rippled outward from Lilith as her gaze met Caine’s. The wave passed through him before he could react.

’This is the benefit of being able to use your Pillars from the start,’ he mused with a faint smile.

It was clear that Lilith had been constructing all her stages in the Blood Realm around her Pillars, likely aiming for an unparalleled synergy. But Caine didn’t feel envious—he knew that when his own Pillars activated later in his cultivation journey, they would make him… special.

’I wonder what grade her Innate Circle is at,’ he thought.

Lilith stood gracefully, stretching and dusting off her robes. Her gaze locked onto his as she spoke, answering the unspoken question.

"Immeasurable. Same as yours."

Caine froze, genuine surprise flashing across his face.

"You can… read minds? And how do you know I—"

He cut himself off, shaking his head to regain his composure. Lilith’s enigmatic smile told him he’d get no answers.

Despite his casual demeanor, his thoughts churned. The possibility of her reading his mind was unsettling enough. But the fact that her Innate Circle matched his own made her something else entirely.

’…Dangerous.’

Exhaling a slow breath, Caine pushed the thoughts aside. "Alright, let’s get out of here," he said, his voice steady.

***

Zao sat cross-legged on a floating mat, his eyes closed. The slight slouch in his normally upright posture betrayed his drowsiness.

It had been several hours since Caine and Lilith entered the legacy realm. Most of those Caine had warned had already left, leaving Zao to wait in solitude.

New novel chapters are published on freewёbn૦νeɭ.com.

He had resigned himself to waiting for days if necessary. But suddenly, his eyes snapped open.

Ahead of him, the portal—once sealed—flickered back into existence. It shimmered briefly before vanishing again. This time, however, two figures stepped out.

’Well, that was quick. I can only assume things went well,’ Zao thought, his expression calm but thoughtful.

From the aura Caine attempted—and failed—to suppress, Zao’s assumption was confirmed. Few would have been able to perceive the changes in Caine, but Zao was no ordinary cultivator.

With deliberate movements, Zao stood and summoned his eagle mount. The massive bird appeared in a flash, its sharp eyes reflecting Zao’s steady presence. At the same time, Lilith’s servants materialized beside him, perched atop their shadowy crow.

The atmosphere grew tense, anticipation hanging in the air as dark clouds gathered in the skies above.

RUMBLE!