85: Chapter 85 The Arena of Gods!

"The ten great monarchs?"

Hearing Elder Zhou's trembling voice, Lu Yin revealed a trace of confusion.

Elder Zhou shakily pulled out a tattered ancient book from his bosom, its surface covered with the mottled traces of time.

He carefully opened a page, upon which were written many imprints that did not belong to this era.

Those imprints resembled some kind of writing, but many passages had already become blurred and illegible.

"This is the oldest book record currently in existence. In an era older than modern civilization, the invasions of the alien races were not limited to just this one."

Elder Zhou's trembling fingers stroked the yellowed page, his voice low and hoarse.

"Our world has faced catastrophic invasions not just once before."

"Those disasters were far more terrifying than what we are experiencing now... nearly all species were completely wiped out."

Ji Xingchen frowned tightly: "But according to historical records, the earliest alien invasion only began fifty thousand years ago, didn't it?"

"That's only the official record." Elder Zhou shook his head with a smile.

"The true history is far longer and darker than we imagine."

"This ancient book is a journal of an ancient powerhouse, recording that before the current human civilization, there once existed a more glorious era."

"That era... is related to the ten great monarchs?"

Lu Yin was slightly startled inwardly, but said with an unchanged expression.

"Correct." Elder Zhou took a deep breath.

"In the past, the universe was ruled by ten monarchs. They each occupied a domain, living ordinary lives."

"But suddenly, one day, disaster erupted, war arrived, and the original believers of the monarchs were chosen to become gods."

"Those ten monarchs are not the 'gods' we recognize today."

"The main gods we now worship and are loyal to, such as the Dream God and the War God, in ancient times, might... might have just been servants or generals serving the ten great monarchs!"

"What?!"

Ji Xingchen cried out involuntarily; this claim completely overturned his understanding.

Main gods are currently the pinnacle existence within the known practitioner system. How could they merely be servants?

Lu Yin's heart also gave a violent jump.

Could the origin of that nameless god behind him actually be so terrifying?

If that's the case, then wouldn't the so-called ten Legion Commanders under him have also once been gods?!

And the profession he himself possesses, could it be the reincarnation of that god?

But this explanation didn't seem right either.

He only had memories of his previous miserable life. Although he had finally crossed over and was living a good life now,

the god who performed his spirit awakening was someone he saw with his own eyes. That couldn't possibly be himself.

For a moment, Lu Yin was also somewhat shocked.

Elder Zhou's words not only impacted Ji Xingchen, but the impact on him was equally significant.

Although a transmigrator is certainly different, how could he possibly be an ancient god himself?

Perhaps...

he was just the inheritor of that ancient monarch.

This explanation seemed somewhat plausible.

"Elder Zhou, can you tell me about the ten monarchs recorded in this book?"

After digesting the information, Lu Yin asked.

"Well, besides many unverifiable words, there are also many illegible characters in this ancient book."

"But I have devoted my life to studying ancient knowledge and can translate five monarch titles: Pestilence, Insect, Shadow, Element, and Beast."

"Your Death could very likely be one of them!"

Lu Yin slightly furrowed his brows, and at the same time, he thought of an even more astonishing possibility.

"Could the origins of the Abyss, the Netherworld, and Machinery possibly be these monarchs as well?"

Hearing Lu Yin's words, a gleam of light suddenly flashed in Elder Zhou's cloudy eyes.

"You... you can actually think of this level!"

His voice was hoarse, carrying unbelievable excitement.

"The ancient book is incomplete, the clues are vague, but the greatest deduction of my lifelong research lies here!"

"The whispers of the Abyss might be the breath of a monarch."

"The rules of the Netherworld might be the unwilling lingering of the Monarch of the Dead."

"The attacks of the Sentient Machines might be the calculations of the Mechanical Monarch."

"All this leaves traces to follow, yet is impossible to grasp. Some believe it to be reality, but it only earns the mockery of the world."

"Your appearance might be able to confirm my ideas."

Elder Zhou excitedly grabbed Lu Yin's arm, his withered fingers turning slightly white from the force.

However, Lu Yin at this moment also fell into deep thought.

He recalled the first time he summoned Yarberna. His past might truly be concealing much history.

But now, he was not yet qualified to discern everything he wanted to know.

Moreover, Yarberna could not possibly tell him the entire truth at this time.

Ultimately, it was because the current him was still too weak.

So, he suppressed all this information back into the depths of his heart.

After all, overthinking now was useless; raising his level was the real source of authority.

After thinking for a moment, Lu Yin took out the Dream God Credential.

"Elder Zhou, although I did not receive the Dream God's blessing, I defeated the Dream God's projection. Do you know where this item is used?"

Elder Zhou's gaze fell on the Dream God Credential in Lu Yin's hand. His cloudy eyes suddenly widened, and his breathing grew rapid.

The credential was neither metal nor jade, cool to the touch, its surface flowing with dreamlike, illusory iridescent light.

Looking closely, it seemed as if countless fine runes were constantly appearing and disappearing within, emitting an indescribable mysterious aura.

"A Godly Credential..."

"With this item, you can participate in the Gods Arena. You can witness the true will of a god."

"The Gods Arena, where can I participate?"

Lu Yin, holding the credential, couldn't help but press further.

Witnessing a god's will was no different from meeting a true god.

After all, with a human body, one cannot meet a true god face-to-face.

Gods and humans are beings of different dimensions.

It's like two dimensions contacting three dimensions. Even if both sides do nothing, they will encounter dimensional suppression.

Unless a practitioner can touch the threshold of godhood with a mortal soul, reaching the dimension of a god.

Only then can the two truly exist in the same dimensional space.

Otherwise, gods can only communicate with humans through will or projections.

Facing Lu Yin's question, Elder Zhou replied with shocking words.

"The Gods Arena, we have one in our dormitory."

Elder Zhou's words left both Lu Yin and Ji Xingchen stunned.

A Gods Arena in the dormitory? How was that possible?

Seeming to understand their confusion, Elder Zhou slowly stood up.

"I've said before, there's more than just people here..."

Looking at Elder Zhou's hunched figure, Ji Xingchen couldn't help but ask.

"Elder Zhou, I've lived here for a year. How come I've never heard of a Gods Arena in the dormitory?"

"You haven't heard of it because no one has obtained a Godly Credential for thousands of years."

Following Elder Zhou's steps, they arrived at an underground passage on the first floor of the dormitory.

There was a perpetually locked iron door.

The iron door was covered in rust, with no markings on it. An ordinary person wouldn't give it a second glance.

Elder Zhou fumbled in his bosom and pulled out an ancient-looking brass key with an exceptionally complex key pattern. He inserted it into the lock.

A light "click" sound.

The sound of the lock turning was exceptionally clear in the silent environment.

The door was pushed open. There was no musty smell or dust as expected, only a Dungeon entrance brimming with a mysterious aura.

Spinning quietly in the eyes of the three.