Chapter 1591: Chapter 281: Shepherd’s Nurturing of Oneself
Aiwass narrowed his eyes as he looked at Ayimar Nur, his voice equally gentle, yet he did not bow in greeting: “Great Forgiver… I received the letter you sent a long time ago, but unfortunately, I was preoccupied with other matters at the time, and didn’t manage to meet immediately, quite regrettable.”
The implication being, I got the letter ages ago, I know you want me here—Ah, but I don’t really want to come, what can I do?
“Now, all of you have gathered here for a great cause, intending to welcome the Sea God to the mortal realm, transforming this desert into an eternal oasis and freeing the legacy of millennia… I, too, have come riding on my little experience, planning to give a helping hand. This finally makes up for my previous regret, not missing the chance to meet everyone.”
Aiwass spoke slowly and deliberately.
The meaning of these words is—you traitors, you rebels, have betrayed your millennia-old mission, even planning to turn against and murder your protector god! As for me, I have no relation to the Great Abyss, purely here for some fun… Remember, I’ve already killed two gods. If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t even bother being at the same table with you fools.
—it’s the same message, just the degree of friendliness differs.
Unlike their arrogant and frantic image, the Benevolent Lords, as Taboo Mage, actually have a decent level of sophistication. Thus, they all basically understood Aiwass’s sarcastic remarks, hence their gazes all turned less friendly.
Yet, at the same time, none of them spoke ill of Aiwass.
The reason is simple—because they worry that it might anger Aiwass into leaving, or directly starting a fight here.
According to the Ring of Ouroboros’s characteristics, one participant in the ritual will become the vessel for the Abyssal Celestial Envoy. If Aiwass were to die here, who would be the sacrifice then? Naturally, it would be the person who messed everything up.
And no one else would survive—the rest would face the full strength of the Abyssal Celestial Envoy without any weakening.
Aiwass is precisely the godly prison they meticulously prepared for the Abyssal Celestial Envoy… Just as sharp blades might be prepared beneath a pit to trap a ferocious beast.
Who would want to break this trap?
If the trap is broken, wouldn’t they have to face the beast head-on?
Though a blind cultural confidence makes the Benevolent Lords verbally believe that since the Pope can do it, they themselves can do it… Yet buried deep in their hearts is a fear for the Abyssal Celestial Envoy. Even knowing that Ayimar Nur has an artifact more powerful than The Holy Crown does not alleviate this subconscious fear.
Just as every slave fears their master deep inside.
From another perspective, the plan that Ayimar Nur prepared requires them to act when the ritual begins. If someone alarms the snake, they too would pay the price. This, in turn, forces them, though their expressions are somewhat distorted, not to dare make a single move.
“Hehehehe…”
Aiwass surveyed the room, and couldn’t help but laugh.
He saw the faces of the people grow increasingly ugly, yet no one truly said anything; he watched as the Benevolent Lords even tried to squeeze out friendly smiles to appease him, thus becoming increasingly unrestrained and laughing out loud: “Hahahahahaha!”
Aiwass’s wild laughter echoed within the room.
This was not the venue for the ritual, but rather the conference hall.
Ayimar Nur stood at one end of the long table, sincerely smiling at Aiwass, extending both hands. However, Aiwass completely ignored him and simply sat at the other end by himself.
In the confrontation between these two Benevolent Lords, the others had all become silent backgrounds, their cheeks hidden in the shadows.
Aiwass, across the long table, rested his chin on his right hand and gazed at Ayimar Nur with a semi-smiling expression: “It seems quite friendly, O Forgiver.”
He tapped the emerald gemstone on his chest with his hand and said meaningfully: “I thought you intended to scheme against me. Since that’s the case… we can still talk.”
The implication being, he’s able to gain insights through the Advanced Divine Art from the Lord of Scalefeather, who is proficient in prophecy.
In fact, Aiwass is not being reckless… Nor does he distrust Ismael’s intelligence, rather, he is choosing to play along.
Fortunately, Ismael is a meticulous and serious person, writing out every detail of Ayimar Nur, thus allowing Aiwass to capture critical information that the Benevolent Lords didn’t notice—
He knows Jacob’s identity, knows he is both Aiwass’s grandfather and creator, and also an Angel Envoy to the Serpent Celestial Marshal… But he does not know why Jacob descended into the Material Realm, or based on what idea he proposed this plan to him.
—because he did not know the secrets concerning “the various regional forms of the Serpent Celestial Marshal.”
The original Ai Shiping—the Taboo Pillar God who only briefly appeared at the end of the zeroth cycle, later divided himself into many pieces.
He bestowed his strength upon Amber, that despairing Skull became the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal, the distorted body transformed into the Abyssal Celestial Envoy. The remaining soul after reincarnation became the Serpent Celestial Marshal. Later, the Serpent Celestial Marshal sliced off a portion of strength and critical information, making it into the Shepherd, hiding this information within the Fallen Celestial Marshal through feeding.
And after nine lives of reincarnation, the Serpent Celestial Marshal crafted the most precious part of his memory, along with his essence, into the “Holy Entity,” casting it into the Material Realm. Meanwhile, he held what seemed to be polluted memories, fighting the Void alone.
So, what now?
Aiwass’s memory is almost completely restored, and the Shepherd has been consumed by Aiwass, leaving only those toxic memories that have been polluted by the Void throughout endless reincarnations. The Pillar God Amber has also been reincarnated beside Aiwass… Composing her new form is the Celestial Marshal Shard of the Spirit Amber Celestial Marshal, and her soul is now connected with Aiwass’s soul.
—in other words, except for the spine now constituting the Spirit Summoning Tower, they have already collected all the fragments of the ancient Taboo Pillar God. If they truly sacrifice Aiwass to the Abyssal Celestial Envoy… what they receive most likely wouldn’t be the “unprecedentedly weakened Abyssal Celestial Envoy” but rather the “nearly completed Taboo Pillar God.”
Strength. Soul. Memory. Persona. Flesh and blood. Authority.
All returned to their places.
It’s like assembling and completing something belonging to the serpent.
At the same time…
Aiwass obviously had many opportunities to ascend the Path to the Sixth Power Level, yet he had never done so. This was not only because he needed to obtain the Colorless Magic Pool through balance, but also because the “Shepherd’s Nurturing” can only be triggered in this state.
Now is an opportunity.
These people want to sacrifice Aiwass to the Great Abyss…
—Why wouldn’t Aiwass also want to completely perfect himself?
If the Great Abyss were allowed to fully descend, it would only unleash a tidal wave that would drown countless people. Even though Aiwass was doing his best to help people take refuge, there were still more people who couldn’t be saved or were too late to save.
So should these people be abandoned, be sacrificed?
For the noble goal of ultimately defeating the Serpent Celestial Marshal, vanquishing the Void, and saving the world, should these people, who have done nothing wrong, be sentenced to death by the doctrine of “premature death,” by the Great Abyss?
If Aiwass truly could not intervene, then so be it… it would be considered a natural disaster, with resistance futile.
But now, he had found another route—
Though it might be somewhat dangerous… this path undoubtedly could save the most people.
—That is the Shepherd’s Nurturing.
He couldn’t use the Shepherd’s Nurturing on the Serpent Celestial Marshal, nor on the Void. The most suitable place is indeed now.
Sacrificing his infinitely noble and important life, to save as many people as possible, just to forcibly rescue them from a certain death—
This is the highest act of Dedication.
By giving up the victory he already had, to seek even greater victory; overpowering the mighty with one’s own weakness, possessing a true god within a mortal body, transcending the history of ten reincarnations to restore the true self of a past life—
This is the highest act of transcendence.
Aiwass had initially been a bit worried… what if, after the ascension ritual, he couldn’t quickly raise his level within the one short month.
Did he have to directly confront the Level 60 Serpent Celestial Marshal just after breaking through to Level 50?
As it turns out, an enormous experience package was delivered.
As long as he completes this unprecedented feat, he can obtain enough Path resonance.
All that’s needed is to do as he did at the start of the ascension ritual—
Back then, at the ascension ritual, Aiwass committed suicide, embedding his soul within the body of the Aberrant Limb Demon. That was undoubtedly a very high-purity Shepherding… but after all, it was an ascension ritual, merely an illusion.
But this is reality!
The Shepherd’s Nurturing, which demands a heavier price, should rightly gain greater strength!
Plus, with Prodeno lying in wait—he can pull the spirit of the Abyssal Celestial Envoy into another space, forcing a one-for-one exchange.
So, after the Abyssal Celestial Envoy loses its spirit, who else would be more fitting to control this body?
Naturally, it is Aiwass himself within it!
Moreover, the Abyssal Celestial Envoy and Aiwass were originally one and the same. For his soul to return to his own body, can this truly be called seizing control?
What’s more, this sacrifice to the Abyssal Celestial Envoy’s offering body still belongs to Aiwass himself!
This most daring Shepherd’s Nurturing thus has its probability of success soared infinitely high!
—An elaborate ritual, the longer it is prepared for, the more powerful it becomes, closer to a Miracle.
Then what if… this ritual outside of fate, had been prepared for a hundred thousand years?