Ethan stood in the center of the fading golden realm, his mind still reeling from the events in the Soul Pool. The silence of the divine space was heavy, filled with the lingering scent of ancient incense and the hum of raw power. He was lost in his thoughts, contemplating the shift in his own soul, when the Soul God's voice sliced through the quiet like a silver bell.
"It is time for you to leave," the deity announced. His translucent form seemed thinner now, as if the act of helping Ethan had drained a portion of his remaining essence. "But before you depart this sanctuary, there is one final task I must perform."
Before Ethan could voice the dozens of questions bubbling in his mind, the Soul God raised his hand. With a simple flick of his wrist, the Temporal Spirit World—that mysterious, colorless sphere—manifested in his palm, spinning slowly. The Soul God closed his eyes, his expression turning solemn and deeply focused. For several long minutes, the air between them vibrated with a low, resonant frequency.
Finally, the deity opened his eyes. They looked weary, yet satisfied.
"The connection between myself and the Temporal Spirit World has been severed," the Soul God stated, his voice carrying a hint of bittersweet finality. "I am no longer its master. I have wiped away my signatures and my history from its core. I hope that you will take grand care of it, Ethan. Its existence is a beacon; do not let your life be cut short by those who would kill to possess it."
With a gentle toss, he sent the small, silver-colored spherical object flying toward Ethan.
Ethan caught it with trembling hands. The artifact was surprisingly cold, yet he could feel a rhythmic pulse emanating from it, like a heartbeat that was now syncing with his own. He took a long, shaky sigh of relief. The weight of the world seemed to lift, replaced by the weight of this singular, divine prize.
"Senior," Ethan began, looking up with genuine curiosity. "What are the true uses of the Temporal Spirit World? Now that it is mine, how do I begin to tap into its power?"
The Soul God offered a small, enigmatic smile and shook his head. "I will not tell you."
Ethan blinked, taken aback. "You won't?"
"We are speaking of a Divine Artifact," the deity explained, pacing slowly. "It is not a simple tool like a hammer or a sword. It contains the very mysteries of the Heavenly Dao infused within its crystalline structure. If it were a matter of simple instructions, I would have given them to you the moment I handed you the sphere. The reason I withhold this information is because the Heavenly Dao is an endless, shifting mystery."
He paused, looking at the sphere in Ethan's hands. "The way I utilized its power depended entirely on my own understanding of the universe. Once you refine it and bond it to your soul, your understanding will be fundamentally different from mine. Every master leaves a different mark upon the artifact, and the artifact, in turn, reveals a different face to every master."
To illustrate his point, the Soul God gestured toward the empty air, creating a shimmering illusion. "Imagine a giant, roaring river. Now, imagine two living creatures approaching that river to quench their thirst. One is a venomous snake; the other is a gentle deer. Because the river is vast—bordering on infinite in their eyes—they can both drink from opposite banks at the exact same time. What happens? Nothing. They both receive the sustenance they need, yet their experiences of the water are entirely separate."
Ethan watched the illusion, captivated.
"However," the Soul God continued, "if that river were a small, stagnant pond, and the snake and deer drank together, the snake's venom might taint the water, entering the deer's system and bringing death. The chances are slim, but the possibility exists. Our situation is much the same. The Temporal Spirit World is the giant river. I am the venomous snake, and you are the deer. My 'venom'—my specific, perhaps darker understanding of the Dao—might be toxic to your growth. But because you have the entire 'river' of the artifact to yourself, you are safe to find your own path. Do you understand?"
Ethan nodded slowly, the metaphor sinking in. The word "Dao" sent a thrill through his chest. As an avid reader of cultivation novels in his past life, he knew the Dao was the ultimate source of power—something that couldn't be taught through books, only realized through experience. To hold an item that was a direct conduit to the Dao was beyond his wildest dreams.
"All the best for your future, young traveler. Goodbye," the Soul God said.
"Wait—!" Ethan reached out, wanting to thank him one last time, but the world suddenly blurred.
The golden temple, the Soul Pool, and the ethereal deity vanished in a flash of blinding light. When Ethan's vision cleared, he found himself standing in the biting cold air near the entrance of the Soul God's mountain. The transition was so abrupt it left him dizzy.
But he didn't have time to dwell on his vertigo. His vision was suddenly flooded with a cascade of blue System notifications, stacking one on top of another in a frantic blur of text.
[Mission Completed]
[Quest Name: Soul God's Inheritance (Rank: V)]
[Description: You have successfully navigated the trials of a deity who was once feared for his soul-shattering mental attacks. You have secured the Temporal Spirit World, an artifact used to slip through the cracks of time and space.]
[Main Quest 1: Win the Soul God's inheritance — STATUS: SUCCESS] [Main Quest 2: Get the Temporal Spirit World — STATUS: SUCCESS]
Ethan's heart hammered against his ribs as he scrolled through the rewards. The sheer scale of the bounty was staggering.
[REWARDS:]
All Talent Pool: +1
System Experience: +5,000 / User Experience: +6,000
Skill Points: +1,000 / Attribute Points: +1,000
Golden Points: +500 / System Currency: +500,000 Credits
All Attributes: +500 (Flat Increase)
Luck: +5
Ethan gasped. A 500-point boost to all attributes was enough to turn a commoner into a demigod overnight. But the System wasn't finished. A second screen labeled "SPECIAL REWARDS" flickered into existence.
[Heaven Equality Training Manual:] The System has detected your Heaven Equality Body. You now possess the complete manual to master this ancient physique.
[Debt Free:] All previous debts owed to the System have been wiped clean as a bonus for securing a V-Ranked artifact.
[Spirit Bestowment:] The System has identified a flaw in your cultivation. You are practicing three paths with only two spirits, causing a dangerous imbalance. To rectify this, the System hereby bestows an Additional Spirit to handle your Nature Cultivation.
[Nature's Law:] A high-tier cultivation technique tailored for your new Nature Spirit has been added to your inventory.
[User's Desire:] You may make one wish. The System will bypass the laws of this world to grant it.
Ethan felt a tear prick the corner of his eye. The "Debt Free" notification alone felt like a secondary inheritance. He had spent so long under the thumb of System interest rates that he felt lighter than air.
Then came the final bells of progress.
[System Level Up! Current Level: 10] New products and functions unlocked in the System Shop.
[User Level Up! Current Level: 10]
Ethan leaned against a jagged rock near the mountain path, his legs finally giving out. He looked at his hands—one holding the silver sphere of the Temporal Spirit World, the other trembling with the sheer rush of power flowing through his veins. He had entered that mountain a desperate challenger. He was leaving it as a master in the making, equipped with the tools to redefine the very heavens.
He looked back at the mist-covered peak, offering a silent salute to the Soul God. The "deer" had finished drinking from the river, and now, it was time to run.