Boom——!!!

A startling thunderbolt exploded in the lofty sky, and the immense energy rippling tore open a vast chasm in the pristine sea of clouds. But behind the clouds... what was revealed was not sunlight, but layer upon layer of vast white clouds shimmering with a faint light.

Three graceful figures collided into the cloud mass behind them with a resounding crash, and they retreated in three different directions, falling back to their formations.

"Galliot Duchy! You have already expelled all the Totem Gods and Shaman Wizards within your borders, completely prohibiting anyone else from entering, solely monopolizing all the Spiritual Origin of that land. Now you leave your territory to contend with us? Isn't that a bit too overbearing?!"

The one speaking was Lady Crow, Ye He'er, dressed like a noblewoman. Unlike before, a tuft of distinctly vivid green fungi had sprouted from her temples, looking like a hair ornament.

The opposing side was the Mother of Water, Melro, a human with a fishtail who operated along the West Coast. After the founding of the Duchy, she, like Ye He'er, had the pleasure of acquiring a new identity as a neighbor of the Duchy.

At the backs of each of the two High-Rank Totem Gods were several Tier 3 Totem Gods baring their claws and teeth, along with a dozen Tier 3 Great Shamans and Totem Warriors, seemingly having mobilized the entire force.

After a slight probing.

Both Totem God teams simultaneously turned their gaze toward the third party with the least number of people in the field, led by the Titled Knight Anita, fully armored with Nymph, Serra, Olivia, and Angie lined up behind her.

Behind them was the imposing Legendary Battleship: Emerald Coronet, with Calvin, Jacob, Kael, Bach, and Aiven—all Tier 2 students—present without exception.

On the surface, they didn't seem to have any advantage in Extraordinary level or numbers, but with the confidence of the Legendary Battleship, their aura was not lacking in the slightest.

On the outer edges of this vast sea of clouds, there were countless low-level Ghosts and Spirit Bodies, along with a few human Transcendents, yet none dared to step into the central battlefield.

Undoubtedly, this was another large-scale distribution scene of the Spiritual Origin Overflow, only the distribution agreement was evidently not so easily attained.

The Origin Overflow typically manifested in the form of cloud masses, gemstones, fruits, and Light Qi, with qualities ranging from high to low corresponding to these forms. And Aiven, absent this time, was witnessing an unprecedented cloud mass level since the Spirit Tide erupted!

The overflow's high level and long brewing period allowed all the high-tier Transcendents coveting the Spiritual Origin in the northern part of the continent to enter this nurturing Cloud Sea Secret Realm.

The specific location had already crossed the northern border of the Duchy to the Six Great Lakes, nearing Hartson Bay (discovered by the same adventurer Henry Hudson as Hartson River), adjacent to the Sak Empire's colony, the Saint Lawrence Territory measuring 1.3 million square kilometers.

Apart from some aboriginals residing here, this area practically stretched to the doorstep of the Sak Empire.

"Hey, does it belong to you if not us? Call its name, does it answer?"

Anita, with water-patterned ripples coursing across her body, was not to be outdone, casting a sidelong glance at a certain figure on the outskirts.

The Great Knight of the Sak Empire riding a Flying Horse in the distance wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, trying hard to blend into the crowd. I'm just a nobody, feel free, whatever suits everyone.

Clearly, even on someone else's turf, none of the three parties considered themselves outsiders, treating the place as their own without regard for the Sak People's feelings.

Displaying a half-dragon stance, Anita, her limbs and vulnerable spots covered in heavy emerald scale armor, lifted her chilling Dragon-slaying Sword, her golden-green dragon eyes reflecting the two High-Rank Totem Gods.

Boom!

The dazzling emerald Combat Qi Flame on her body exploded, manifesting Anita's action style as even more direct and domineering than Aiven:

"Less talk, let's rely on our skills then!"

However.

With the dragon's essence, the personality of a Titled Knight, and the Combat Holy Seal bestowed by the Emerald Coronet.

Aside from the Totem God's powers, in terms of pure frontal combat strength, Anita was already undeniably the first among the three Tier 4 present.

Combat Holy Seal Effect: Grants a designated person the power amplification of War God Bellenus, increasing strength the longer they persist in combat. However, one must endure the will impact of the War God Worshipers (numerous fervent warriors), and only those with an iron will can bear it.

Anita's integration of Giant's Blood, derived from the Giant Ancestor War God Mars, rendered her highly resistant to the Combat Holy Seal, making it entirely viable for her to sustain a high-intensity battle.

Furthermore, the shared aboriginal and Totem God identity was never a basis for Ye He'er and Melro's collaboration. Even in combat, Anita had to constantly guard against being splattered with blood from their internal clashes.

Roar——!

A massive dragon shadow, long-bodied and winged, jumped above the Female Knight's head, suddenly raised its head and released a dragon roar echoing through the heavens and earth.

Heart Image is the manifestation of a Titled Knight's will interfering with the Material World, a realm of absolute self infused with intense subjective color and personal traits.

Though both were Thunderous Dragon Roars, the mythical origin was a powerful Climate Elf, possessing nine-headed Flying Dragon Troll Tonytrui, Anita and Aiven's focus were not the same.

Sizzle——!

Integrating strength, Combat Qi, and will, she fiercely thrust the Dragon-slaying Sword, while nine house-sized, fierce cyan dragon heads dragged their elongated bodies, weaving and flying through the air.

The "Sword Qi Torrent" activated with Master-level Swordsmanship, each scale of the nine dragons is the sharpest sword qi, and no one dares to face it head-on.

"Dragon-Slaying Swordsmanship: Nine-Headed Dragon Bite."

Ye He'er pointed out with a finger, the green-tinted fingertip suddenly buzzed.

In Melro's sea-blue eyes, a brilliant divine light flashed and disappeared.

Clang! Clang! Clang!...

Meanwhile, the sacred bell tolls more urgently in the void, and the cloud mass filling the Secret Realm begins to gradually contract towards the center, with the Spiritual Origin about to form.

...

Chirp chirp...

Seagull calls disrupt the ear, the salty sea breeze gently brushes the hair, and warm sunshine shines on the cheek. In his dreams, Aiven suddenly opens his eyes and jumps up from the ground.

"Is this... the Theseus?"

A bit confused about the situation, he looks around bewildered. Before him is the vast ocean, the Ancient Scroll indicates they are skirting the safe zone at the southern edge of the Broken Star Islands, slowly heading east.

As for the fantastically magical and prosperous "Golden Kingdom," it had long vanished without a trace.

After a brief check, if it weren't for the real and undeniable "Golden Holy Spear: Longinus" and the additional gold and silver treasures, Aiven almost believed that the entire "Golden Kingdom" was merely a fantastical dream.

Thud!

At this moment, a dull thud suddenly emerges from the captain's cabin behind. Stephanie, wearing a violet nightgown and slippers, rushes out the door. Upon seeing Aiven on the deck, she covers her face and hurriedly rushes back in.

Well, it seems not only Aiven but everyone in the group was still sleeping, and they were all sent out.

Aiven wasn't particularly bothered by this "novel" way of sending off guests. The secretiveness of the "Golden Kingdom" revealed something of their style.

Leaning casually against the bulwark, Aiven's mind recalls the words said by the "Sky Goddess" last night. Meanwhile, he re-examines everything from encountering the four Ancient God's Followers exploration ships, up to now.

The most important point, the Ancient Gods should all originate from the Fourth Era Zongderilic Era. Whether they were inherently adversarial or not, they shared natural ties.

But it didn't mean they and the Remnant Race were one entity. After spending countless ages and paying a huge price to get out of that quagmire, they've revealed the godly form in the material world.

Why would they willingly get tangled up with the remnants of that old era?

Imagining from their perspective, should the Remnant Race in normal status cry out to worship the Ancient Gods again, or even set up statues unilaterally, chant new sacred names, it might lead to very bad consequences.

The world itself rejects them, views them as tumors, so would the Ancient Gods.

Besides, the existing Ancient Gods are leftovers from the last era, but what about those from eras even before that?

Moreover, many cities in the "Spirit Realm" are filled with the power of Ancient Gods, "Broken Star Sea" has remnants difficult to define as alive or dead. So, where did the contemporaneous demigods of the living Ancient Gods go?

Knowing the era is near, would these creatures, who've lived countless years, willingly face their doom? 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂

Now, the Ancient Gods, who should be avoiding connections with the Remnant Race, why do they risk great dangers to painstakingly collect the remnants' fingernails?

"So headache-inducing!"

Aiven suddenly wonders what to do when this era is over?

Ordinary people might not care or be concerned, as they wouldn't live until then. But for a high-tier transcendent like him, it's a very real issue, not merely excessive worrying.

It wouldn't take long. Once he ascends to Tier 4 and steps onto the highest layer, the "Divinity Realm" of the Life Tree four-layer world, he will have to confront this issue.

Becoming a "Divine Creature" grants longevity, but not permanent existence.

Even the "True Gods" might fall before an era catastrophe, just like the vanished God of Giants Mars, with the "Golden Kingdom" being descendants of those gods from the era's beginning in times of ignorance.

"Ah, era cataclysm... No matter how supreme and noble a True God may be, when the spirit realm shifts, they'll be swept away by rain and wind. Eh, what's this?"

Suddenly, he feels something hard in his pocket.

Moments later, the Jelos couple emerges from the captain's cabin after gathering themselves, seeing Aiven playing with a golden lock, of unknown material but radiating strong Extraordinary Spiritual Light.

It was the "Sky Goddess" Kutena's "Divine Gift: Oath Prison Lock" given to him.