After leaving the Endless Hunting Grounds, Linde did not return directly to Blackrock Territory, but instead went once again to the "Starfire Base," located on the edge of the Howling Abyss, which had become one of the symbols of the new era.
Unlike the tense atmosphere of preparation before, the base now has a special area that is closely guarded and constantly filled with runic light, in addition to the original defensive fortifications and functional buildings—Lind's mobile laboratory, and a core venue prepared specifically for this "Conference of the Gods".
Without delay, he went straight into the deepest part of the laboratory.
There was no roar of furnaces or the clanging of anvils here, only the surging data streams on countless suspended light screens, and the pure, extremely refined light energy and the cold, deathly aura of the Shadow Abyss permeating the air.
The "gift" that Linde was preparing was based on his ultimate understanding of crystal skeleton technology, combined with some of the "divine structure" principles analyzed from the divine kingdom of Tiorantis, and the power of the origin of light and darkness, to create the [Divine Descent Crystal Skeleton], which can perfectly bear the will and part of the power of the gods.
Three nascent crystalline skeletons floated before him.
They are not human-shaped, but rather abstract and conceptualized creations based on the essential characteristics of several key participants he envisioned.
It possesses a streamlined, explosive beast-like silhouette, its internal structure simulating the wild, divine power flow of the "Endless Hunting Grounds." The material incorporates "active crystalline remains" with exceptional energy adaptability and physical strength, and its surface faintly shimmers with crimson-gold bloodline patterns. This was prepared for Urano.
One of them resembles a tree-man form entwined and solidified from countless tiny roots and branches, exuding a gentle yet resilient life force. It contains a highly purified light vein core to simulate the rhythm of nature and life, and the material itself seems to possess the characteristics of growth and self-repair.
This was conceived for Elysia, the mother of a thousand elves.
The last one is the most complex and enormous, with a form closer to that of an ancient dragon, yet it possesses a rock-like solidity and a star-like sense of eternity.
Its structure is layered upon layered, as if containing countless mysteries of time and space. The material not only incorporates the hardest crystal alloy, but also contains trace amounts of fragments of the [End of Annihilation] (which have been specially treated to remove their aggressiveness while retaining their "anchoring of existence" properties), as well as a trace of the "eternal" law obtained from Amazelak.
This was crafted for Amatherak, the "Rock of Eternity" for the dragon race.
The forging process is the ultimate manifestation of the ability to deconstruct the halo and weave laws.
Using himself as a medium, Linde guided the power of the light veins like the finest carving knife, outlining energy channels within the crystalline remains that could resonate and amplify specific divine power; at the same time, he used the power of the Shadow Abyss to perform "void etching," creating a "consciousness interface" that could accommodate the will of the gods and isolate them from the rejection of mortal rules.
He carefully used the sample of divine power he had obtained from Urano (which he had secretly collected during their previous meeting), the life imprint he had deciphered from the aura of the ancient trees in the Eversong Forest, and the ancient law bestowed upon him by Amarserak as "fuses" to inject into the corresponding crystalline body cores.
This is like sharpening a pair of peerless divine weapons in advance, so that they can resonate with a specific deity at the deepest level.
Time slips away in the intense focus of the forging process.
When the last rune lit up on the reverse scale of the dragon-shaped crystal skeleton, the light in the entire laboratory seemed to dim for a moment, all energy fluctuations were contained, and the three crystal skeletons floated quietly in the air, radiating a warm and restrained luster, like three perfect works of art.
They look simple and unadorned, but Linde knows that the technology and principles they contain have reached the pinnacle of what he can currently achieve.
These bodies are sufficient to contain a portion of the essence of a god, enabling him to walk relatively freely in the mortal world at a level close to the peak of demigodhood, or even with a slight divine power, without paying the enormous price of tearing apart dimensions and consuming a large amount of faith power.
“The vessel is ready…” Linde murmured softly, his fingertips brushing across the cold surface of the dragon-shaped crystal skeleton. “Next, we just need to wait for the ‘guests’ to arrive.”
He waved his hand to collect the three [Divine Descent Crystal Remains] and turned to walk towards the core meeting room prepared for the conference.
It was a huge circular hall with a dome made of transparent energy barriers, through which one could see the broken and magnificent sky outside (the scene after the protective force field above the Starfire Base was adjusted).
In the center of the hall was a round table, made of neither gold nor wood, shimmering with a dim starlight. It was forged from the core of a meteorite and materials from the Shadow Abyss, effectively blocking prophecy and spying.
Around the round table were seven chairs of different shapes, corresponding to the seven (or possibly the seven) top beings who might arrive: Urano, Elessia, Amarserak (possibly representing the Dragon Council), Lind himself, and three reserved seats for other ancient beings who might be invited or come upon hearing the news (such as the Dwarven Heart of the Mountains? The Sea Clan's Song of the Abyss? Or even... some hidden Old Gods?).
The entire venue was shrouded in layers of law-based barriers, a mixture of the stable order of the light veins, the concealment of the Shadow Abyss's existence, the ancient protection of the dragon race, and the spatial locking technology that Linde learned from the Zedo civilization.
It's almost impossible for outsiders to know if you're having a conversation here.
…………
Several days later.
Spark Base, core venue.
This circular hall, located at the deepest part of the base and enveloped by layers of law barriers, now seemed to have become a tiny dimension independent of the rest of the world.
Beyond the transparent energy barrier of the dome lies a sky that, after being modulated by the force field, eternally displays magnificent aurora borealis and surging undercurrents, like an overturned palette, silently telling of the magical frenzy outside.
The hall was unusually quiet, except for the obsidian-like round table in the center that shimmered with starlight, and the seven chairs of different shapes around it, which gleamed with a cold and mysterious luster under the soft light from an unknown source.
The air seemed several times heavier than the outside, filled with a sense of stagnation, as if a storm was brewing.
Lin De stood upright in front of his chair, his posture as straight as a javelin. His black lord's robes seemed to absorb all the light around him, except for his deep purple eyes, which, in the slightly dim hall, were like two deep wells leading to the abyss of stars, calmly reflecting everything.
Suddenly, a change quietly occurred.
It is neither sound nor light and shadow, but a kind of... "feeling".
As if the first warm breeze of spring had melted the frozen stream, a grand, gentle yet unstoppable will, like the breath of an endless forest, gently seeped into the venue.
The air was filled with the fragrance of soil and new shoots. On the edge of the round table, and even on the edge of Linde's boots, a few tiny, shimmering white flowers, which could never exist in reality, silently bloomed. They swayed as if welcoming their owner.
The Mother of a Thousand Roots, Elessia, has arrived.
Her arrival was without a loud noise, yet it filled the entire space with the profound and ancient rhythm of life itself.
Before this gentle vitality could fully unfold, another will, like an ancient herd of beasts trampling the earth, barged in with the scorching heat of sulfur and the rusty smell of blood!
"boom--!"
It wasn't a real sound, but a violent shock on a psychological level.
The lights in the venue suddenly dimmed, then were tinged with an ominous crimson.
The air grew hot and dry, as if an invisible flame was burning. Faintly, one could hear the roars and thunderous echoes of millions of wild beasts reverberating deep within the soul.
Above the seat prepared for Urano, space distorted, as if lava was churning and coalescing within it.
Urano the Goldenmane Watcher, the God of Beasts, has descended.
His will was filled with primal wildness and undeniable power, like a restless prehistoric beast. The pressure he unconsciously exuded was enough to shatter mortal souls.
Then, a third will descended.
It doesn't "enter," but rather "fills" the space.
Like an endless desert swallowing an oasis, like a vast ocean submerging a lonely island.
A profound sense of presence, carrying the weight of countless ages, slowly spread out, neither intense nor ostentatious, yet it seemed to freeze the vitality brought by Alesia and the wildness brought by Urano into amber.
Time seems to have lost its meaning here, and the stability of space emits a faint, strained groan.
Light becomes viscous, and sound travels more slowly.
It was a kind of "stillness" and "observation" that transcended life and destruction, almost eternal.
Above an ancient chair covered with what appears to be naturally formed rock textures, dark golden light, like slowly flowing molten gold, outlines a vague yet enormous shape.
"The Rock of Eternity," Amar'therak, has poured his will into it.
His very existence is a living, silent epic, imbued with the vicissitudes and majesty of the birth and death of stars and the drifting of continents.
The wills of the three supreme beings, in the form of blurred light and shadow, floated above their respective seats.
They did not reveal their true forms, but the divine power they exuded caused this heavily reinforced space to tremble slightly. The lines of law appeared and disappeared in the void, as if they were wailing or worshipping.
Linde remained calm and composed, standing at the center of these three distinct yet equally transcendent divine powers.
He bowed slightly, his movements fluid and natural, as if he could not feel the immense pressure of his soul that could crush mountains.
"Welcome, everyone. Please come inside for a chat."
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