Gu Jianlin vaguely understood something. This was originally a dead, silent city, but only when its Monarch descended would it awaken from its long slumber.
As if compelled by some unseen force, he walked toward the gigantic Golden Divine Throne and sat upon it.
His frame was far too small, as though he were seated on a Giant's throne.
The illusory Golden Scepter hovered in mid-air and quietly descended before him. Everything felt so natural, as if the Black Supreme of the Ancient Era had returned, sitting on the throne and grasping the Authority.
A nebulous, golden barrier materialized out of thin air. Countless ancient, cryptic lines interwove like writhing live snakes, strange symbols flickered erratically—some resembling planets with their rings, others like flowing galaxies, and yet others as bottomless black holes, deep and inscrutable.
Who am I?
Where am I?
What am I doing?
Old Gu was dumbfounded, his eyes wide open and his face blank with confusion.
This proved that the knowledge Gu Jianlin had absorbed from his father was completely insufficient to comprehend what this was.
The Ancient God Clan, after all, hailed from the Deep Space of the Universe, wielding unique methods of conveying information.
It was simply beyond the understanding of ordinary people.
In truth, many modern scientists spend their lives searching for aliens, not realizing they had already descended upon Earth during the Ancient Times. In those times, ordinary people were aware of the gods' existence. But as millennia-long wars persisted and the Ascenders deliberately obscured the truth, fewer people came to know this secret.
All that remains are fragmented myths, distorted historical tales, and faint traces of lost civilizations.
Now, Gu Jianlin found himself in quite an awkward position.
Because he couldn't understand.
Yet, as it turned out, he didn't need to understand.
For when he gazed at the patterns and symbols on the golden barrier, he began to hear the ancient, cryptic whispers.
Not just whispers—but also the sound of bells.
Darkness surged in his mind like a sea tide, accompanied by the resonant, ancient bell chimes. The entire world shattered in his consciousness, as if he had plunged into the desolate depths of the Universe, surrounded by chaos and void.
Faint light emerged within the darkness—better described as a tide of radiance rather than light itself. It was dazzling and incandescent, far more radiant and fiery than the Sun. Yet on the opposite side lay profound chaos, a void capable of consuming everything, akin to a dim, undulating ocean with lurking undertows.
The two forces faced each other, entrenched in the tranquil, barren depths of the Universe.
If a modern astronomer were to witness this, they would surely collapse in ecstatic madness, as these unprecedented cosmic phenomena would completely overturn all existing research.
Until light and darkness gradually merged, the cosmic starscape contorted and inverted with violent intensity.
It was as if a bottomless whirlpool.
In the silent abyss of space, a planet suddenly imploded and collapsed, with gigantic Dragon Horns bursting forth from within.
They forcefully tore the planet apart.
It was an enormous Black Dragon, coiled within the dark reaches of the Universe. Its rugged Dragon Scales were grating into a fiery red hue, scorching hot like burning meteors—so majestic and grand.
A second planet was engulfed in flames and reduced to ashes; the crimson Vermilion Bird bathed in fire dashed across the starry rivers. Its wings were so immense, they seemed to shroud all darkness.
A third planet split in two, as a snow-white creature bathed in resplendent light descended upon the Universe. It bore a pair of massive horns and radiant wings behind its back—so noble and splendid.
A fourth planet disintegrated into dust as a colossal entity silently erupted skyward. Its body was covered in horrifying scales that resembled heavy armor, adorned with eerie and grotesque human faces!
The final planet withered and decayed in silence, as a black Qilin emanating sinister ghost energy spread through the tranquil depths of space. In this ostensibly silent domain, its roar could be faintly heard.
This was the history of the Ancient God Clan!
The birth narrative of the original five Ancient Supremes!
The Candle Dragon Venerable, the Vermilion Bird Venerable, the Bai Ze Venerable, the Xuanming Venerable.
And the Qilin Venerable—surprisingly the last Ancient Supreme to be born.
Yet, in the barren abyss of the Universe, faintly trembling planets still existed.
They were enveloped by indistinct fog, struggling desperately.
Their aura was exceedingly feeble!
A surge of overwhelming terror exploded in Gu Jianlin's mind. Witnessing this scene, he abruptly realized that the five Ancient Supremes on Earth were not necessarily the entirety.
That's right, if there were only five Ancient Supremes, then the Inheritance Paths should likewise number only five.
But the truth is, the Inheritance Paths are quite numerous.
More Ancient Supremes exist.
Yet they have not been born.
It seemed as though some force had prevented their emergence.
Next, he heard fragments of ancient whispers—disjointed and fleeting.
Gu Jianlin unexpectedly comprehended the meaning of these whispers. It was akin to the chants of a religious Priest, reciting during grand ceremonies of the Ancient God Clan to extol their history in the form of hymns.
The general meaning was:
The Ancient God Clan is a high-level civilization wandering in the depths of the Universe. They are supremely exalted yet possess no home of their own. Only the Supremes have independent worlds capable of hosting their Clans.
Endless time, interminable wandering.
The five Ancient Supremes roamed through the cosmos, seeking the long-desired haven of their dreams.