Chapter 301: The Windfall
Having just completed his breakthrough, Ye Wen was immediately summoned to the Divine Council by the Destruction God King, leaving him feeling slightly irritated. Considering the God King's position as the leader of the Divine Realm, Ye Wen could understand not having the God King come in person. But at the very least, he could've sent an envoy rather than a mere telepathic message. Wasn't that a bit dismissive?
As he traveled to the Council, Ye Wen couldn't help but muse on the peculiar origins of the Destruction God King, who, unlike most gods, had no human form but was made of "Destructive Essence." Ye Wen likened him to a slime something sticky and strange. And the Life Goddess? She was said to be the Ancient Tree of Life, which raised a question: how did a tree and a slime even get together in the first place? The pair's attributes were completely incompatible!
Shrugging off these distracting thoughts, he arrived at the Divine Council. The Destruction God King, with a characteristically cool demeanor, congratulated him briefly alongside the other God Kings, then provided guidance on maintaining the newfound state of a God King, cautioning against potential pitfalls. As one of the Divine Realm's new supreme forces, Ye Wen's stability mattered, even if politically they didn't always see eye to eye.
Thus, the Divine Realm entered a new era of five God Kings.
Back at his temple now officially the Vast Sea Temple Ye Wen began preparing a celebration with his family, eager to share his success with his loved ones. With this breakthrough, Ye Wen's position in the Divine Realm was firmly secure, freeing him from the threat of being countered if his ambitions became too apparent.
In the following days, he extended an invitation to the gods of the Divine Realm. Most of these deities were originally human, with few, if any, representing beast like entities, as most beasts lacked the intelligence and belief systems necessary for ascension. Hosting this banquet served not only to establish his new identity as the Vast Sea God King but also as a means to acquire a host of divine gifts. After all, attending a God King's banquet meant presenting substantial offerings; anything less, and they would lose face in the Divine Realm.
Ye Wen didn't skimp on the preparations either. Though resources were limited, he managed to elevate the cuisine by adding a touch of godly seasoning, creating dishes that rivaled divine delicacies. For example, he enhanced ordinary beast meat with spiritual essence to make it taste like mythical beast meat.
As expected, the "gifts" he received far exceeded the value of the food. To date, Ye Wen had amassed five Second Level godheads, which was nothing short of a windfall. Alongside other precious materials, his once meager treasury had grown robustly. The gods who gifted these items naturally had their reasons; most sought insights into his God King breakthrough.
Ye Wen, knowing that each God King's ascension was unique, saw no harm in sharing his experience. Even if they tried to follow his methods, they would still need to develop their own insights to succeed. This realism left some of the gods disappointed, as Ye Wen wasn't revealing the clear cut path they had hoped for. And even though he had suspicions about their potential pathways, he withheld them, knowing he might someday oppose the Divine Realm.
After dealing with the gods, Ye Wen turned with a mischievous smile to his family, particularly his wives. Ah Yin was no longer merely a Divine Officer; she had inherited a Third Level godhead of harvest and had ascended. The Harvest Godhead, a remnant from the Dragon God's era, was of a lesser known god, but Ye Wen recognized its potential for growth in human domains. With proper development, it had the makings of a First Level godhood, but the original owner had been unlucky.
In the Mortal Realm, the people were already actively worshipping Ah Yin as the Harvest Goddess a source of immense power. She now stood on the verge of a breakthrough to Second Level godhood. For Bo Saixi, the Water Godhead was off limits, as it belonged to the Seven Elemental Gods, who were a tight knit circle, making it impossible to acquire. Nonetheless, Bo Saixi's Sea Spirit was perfectly compatible with Ye Wen's current divine domain, and through his guidance, she had reached the pinnacle of Third Level godhood. Still, she could go no further without deeper divine synergy.
Meanwhile, his wife Bibi Dong and his other companions each held godhoods of their own, sparing Ye Wen the trouble of finding suitable domains for them. With his recent breakthrough, Ye Wen had come to understand his Vast Sea God King status differently: instead of constraining himself with strict control, he had learned to follow a path of natural law, allowing flexibility rather than forcing everything into exact parameters.
Reflecting on his past, he realized he'd always been excessively calculating, attempting to control all aspects of his surroundings. This mindset clashed with the ocean's expansive, boundless nature, which ultimately hindered his progress. Trying to merge with the Way, he had always felt on the verge of losing himself.
Upon adjusting his mindset, he found the path forward more seamless, as the very essence of the Way seemed to welcome him instead of resisting. The sense of potential erasure had been a misalignment a repulsive reaction due to forced integration. The sea's path did not need to be literal water; the vastness of the starry cosmos itself could be a sea, with infinity as its very essence.
It was indeed a profound realization and perhaps explained why the previous Sea God had struggled with such a rigid mindset, one that had kept him from true mastery.
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