novelraw Chapter 955: Before
Chapter 955: Before
If there is a pure land on earth, a place of ultimate bliss, it must be here.
This is the kind of place that gives one an immediate sense of its nature, both visually and spiritually—Paradise.
Paradise has only one ruler, one faith, and its very existence is singular.
At this moment, newly-born angels are receiving instruction from the Archangel. Although they are born with a wealth of knowledge, it is unstructured and requires organization through later teachings.
“...The Main World is unique but not singular. It is a special entity that theoretically can infinitely reproduce and split itself across time dimensions. Hence, we label the discovered Main Worlds starting from No. 1. To date, 99 Main Worlds have been identified. Each Main World further fragments into numerous world shards. The culture and history of these shards typically align closely with the timelines of their parent Main Worlds…”
The Archangel explained its understanding of the world system while the young, childlike angels diligently took notes.
“Where did the Lord originate from?” A curious voice emerged among the young angels.
The Archangel smiled gently from its seat. “The Lord initially emerged from the seventh Main World. However, the Lord exists in every Main World. When the Lord ascends to divinity, each manifestation in the Main Worlds simultaneously becomes divine and unites into a singular being across the multiverse.”
Seeing the puzzled expressions of the young angels, the Archangel added with a smile, “For instance, in the seventh Main World, the Lord created the world in seven days. Meanwhile, in the ninth Main World, the Lord had not yet shed mortal form. However, at the moment creation is completed in the seventh Main World, this history permeates into other Main Worlds through the special connection among the Lord’s various manifestations, ensuring that the Lord’s work of creation is known across all Main Worlds.”
“Does what the Lord does in other Main Worlds also reflect in the seventh Main World?” The same curious voice asked.The Archangel glanced at the young angel and nodded. “Indeed, this is why different accounts of the Lord’s miracles, often complex and chronologically inconsistent, circulate among mortals. To them, the Lord is omnipotent, with countless avatars performing miracles simultaneously… Any more questions?”
“Teacher, which Main World did the Great Flood occur in? And what has become of that world now?” the voice persisted.
“Why are you curious about that?” the Archangel asked calmly instead of answering.
“I heard that the sinner Noah has been captured by Lord Gabriel and is currently imprisoned in Eden. I want to know why Noah betrayed the Lord,” the young angel stood and replied earnestly.
The Archangel smiled slightly and asked, “Child, what is your name?”
“Metatron,” the young angel answered firmly.
“Very well.”
The Archangel nodded, signaling Metatron to sit down, and then said, “I will discuss the sinner Noah in the historical overview of the eighteenth Main World later. For now, let me focus on the cosmology of the Main Worlds. Metatron, your peers are still sorting through disorganized knowledge. Allow me to proceed with the planned curriculum. Will you permit this?”
“Oh… I’m sorry. I understand now.” Metatron lowered his head apologetically.
---
On a lush field of blooming flowers in Paradise, Noah spoke suddenly. “You’re as tireless as ever, Father.”
He was perhaps the freest prisoner ever, confined to an almost infinite expanse known as Eden. There were no shackles on him, nor were his movements restricted—he simply could not leave this divine garden.
Before him sat Him, dressed plainly in sackcloth, seated cross-legged with closed eyes.
Hearing Noah’s words, He opened His eyes slowly and replied, “A peculiar being has emerged among the young angels. I must pay attention.”
Noah shook his head and remarked, “They’re like tools produced in human factories. No matter how precise the machinery, defects are inevitable. Yet God is perfect, and His creations should be too. And still, anomalies arise, like the first Lucifer… Father, don’t you find this ironic?”
“I am not perfect,” He replied, shaking His head. “At the farthest edge of our understanding, perhaps only It is truly perfect. But whether even that perfection is genuine remains unknown, for it still lies within our comprehension.”
“A higher dimension…” Noah mused.
“Perhaps dimensions are endless,” He suggested.
Noah shook his head again and gazed over the vast land. “To me, this place is perfect—like You. After all, both this place and You came into being because of It. If It is perfect within the scope of Your understanding, then so are You, created by It.”
He replied calmly, “The ability to create perfection also implies that the creator can define what is perfect.”
“Time may mean little to us,” Noah sighed. “But let’s not waste it on these circular debates. Father, I won’t give up the Ark, even if you keep me imprisoned here.”
“You haven’t given up yet,” He observed. “Seeking the original Main World.”
“Only the Ark can safely traverse dimensional rifts,” Noah replied, seating himself cross-legged as well. “If You won’t act and refuse to abandon these pitiful children, let us—the forsaken—carry this burden. To the original Main World, the root of all.”
He closed His eyes again, and Paradise fell into night.
---
It felt like an eternal night, devoid of any light. Perhaps daylight never existed—or so Yu Danqiang believed.
At the Forecourt of the Eternal Night Palace
In the forecourt of the Eternal Night Palace, a figure darted agilely, leaping and dodging the attacks of numerous Void Abyss Demons. Behind him, dozens of these demons were in hot pursuit.
This figure was none other than Yu Danqiang.
At some point, Yu Danqiang discovered he could move again. However, his range of activity was confined to the forecourt of the Eternal Night Palace.
Despite this, Yu Danqiang found there were many things he no longer needed to worry about—such as hunger, thirst, or other physical needs. He never felt hungry, and even fatigue was rare. If he ever did feel tired, a short rest would quickly restore his energy.
Moreover, Yu Danqiang noticed his body growing stronger by the moment. For instance, not long ago, he managed to punch one of the Void Abyss Demons hard enough to knock it back. Though he couldn't kill it with one strike, it proved he wasn't entirely defenseless against them.
The mysterious girl who called herself Zangjian (Hidden Sword) had not appeared again. Yu Danqiang had no one to ask about the changes in his body, so he could only attribute them to fate finally smiling upon him—granting him a miraculous adventure like in a proper story.
“Watch this! Cloud-Piercing Palm! Take that!”
Suddenly, Yu Danqiang spun around amidst the Void Abyss Demons and unleashed a rapid flurry of palm strikes. Though these movements lacked any real power, they managed to shove one of the demons back.
He was thoroughly enjoying himself, pretending he was a martial arts master straight out of a Hong Kong comic, albeit one missing flashy effects.
---
“What is that human doing?”
On a high tower of the Eternal Night Palace, a rugged young man in samurai attire, with two swords at his waist, raised an eyebrow curiously.
“Just burning off excess energy. He probably thinks he’s become some kind of martial arts expert,” Zangjian replied calmly as she meditated cross-legged. “Musashi, what brings you here?”
The man, called Musashi, turned his head at a dramatic angle. “I was sent to inform you that you’re needed in the Hall of Thrones.”
“What’s going on?” Zangjian asked, slightly surprised.
The Hall of Thrones, where the original transcenders resided, was at the heart of the Void Lost Paradise. As the gatekeeper of this realm, Zangjian held the authority to access it directly.
“It seems one of our Thrones was captured and taken to Paradise,” Musashi said, his gaze turning combative. “War might be brewing. Many others have already been summoned back.”
Zangjian closed her eyes briefly and then reopened them. “I see. I’ll head there after finishing my current task.”
Musashi scratched his head, exasperated. “This isn’t exactly optional… How about a sparring match instead? I’ve always wanted to test your full strength when you unleash the Ten Blades Swordplay.”
“Combat is forbidden within the Lost Paradise,” Zangjian replied coldly.
Musashi grinned mischievously and pointed down at Yu Danqiang, who was now shouting something about “Heavenly Frost Fist.” “Then let me play with that toy for a while.”
“Do as you like, just don’t interrupt my work,” Zangjian said, closing her eyes again.
---
Musashi leapt from the window and landed directly on the back of a Void Abyss Demon, crushing it to the ground.
This enraged the other demons, who lunged at him. Musashi calmly drew both his swords, one long and one short, and assumed a low stance.
“Niten Ichi-ryu: Sun and Moon!”
There was no sun or moon in the void, but for a moment, Yu Danqiang felt as if he were witnessing both celestial bodies shining together. His mind went blank. When he regained his senses, the air was filled with falling flesh—the Void Abyss Demons had been reduced to nothing but fragments.
“Want to learn swordsmanship?”
Musashi turned, resting his short sword on his shoulder while pointing his long sword at Yu Danqiang.
Startled, Yu Danqiang dropped to his knees. “Master! Please accept me as your disciple!”
Musashi waved his hand dismissively. “No, no, you misunderstand. I’m not taking you as my disciple.”
Yu Danqiang blinked. “Then why did you ask?”
“Just asking doesn’t mean I’ll take you in. And not taking you in doesn’t mean I won’t teach you,” Musashi said casually, tossing his long sword forward. It landed at Yu Danqiang’s feet, blade embedded in the ground.
“If you can pull it out before I leave, I might consider making you an honorary disciple,” Musashi said lazily, sitting cross-legged on the ground.
“When are you leaving?” Yu Danqiang asked instinctively.
Musashi smiled. “Before the next wave of Void Abyss Demons arrives.”
Without hesitation, Yu Danqiang reached for the sword’s hilt.
“Oh, by the way,” Musashi added, “if you fail to pull it out before the next wave arrives, the sword will drain all your energy.”
“What… What do you mean?” Yu Danqiang froze.
“It means that without energy, you’ll be devoured by the demons the moment they attack. So… still want to try?”
Give up.
A sudden voice echoed in Yu Danqiang’s mind, his own voice.
Give up. Give up.
But in that moment, Yu Danqiang’s hand gripped the sword’s hilt firmly.
(To be continued…)