Against The True Gods

Caine smiled, unfazed by Priestess Enya's confidence. It was refreshing to see such confidence and pride.

Enya began her work, her holy qi flowing with precision into Caine's battered body. The energy moved steadily, carefully untangling the chaos within him. Meanwhile, Caine reopened the tome in his hands, his eyes scanning its intricate script.

As silence settled in, Caine spoke, his tone calm. "Laws, Dao Wills—those topics are typically reserved for Sages, no? If I may ask, Lady Enya, are you one?"

She nodded, her hands not faltering in their work. "Yes, I am a Sage specializing in Healing and the Holy Arts."

"Specializing?" Caine raised a brow slightly.

"Yes," she replied with a soft smile. "The Pope has refined the cultivation realms, tailoring them to suit individuals' strengths. Warriors, Healers, Strategists—there are many paths suited to all kinds."

"I see," Caine murmured, turning another page in the tome.

Enya continued, her tone growing clinical as her gaze moved over his body. "But beyond the injuries I've already mentioned, there's more."

Her qi expanded, probing deeper into his body. "Your system is saturated with tribulation lightning. It's too chaotic for you to digest yet too deeply intertwined to remove."

She paused, her expression growing more focused. "Your life qi, in turn, is stuck in a state of semi-evolution. It's likely being impeded by the tribulation qi."

Her fingers traced invisible patterns in the air as she worked. "And there's another issue: your body is under immense stress. You've been pushing it beyond its limits recently, haven't you? While you're healing naturally, it's clear that you lack the proper methods to fully recover."

Caine stayed silent, allowing her to continue.

"It's as if you've cultivated without considering how your body would adapt to such rapid growth," she remarked. "Your death and life qi are steps in the right direction, but they're not enough. Healing is essential for growth. A torn muscle must heal to grow stronger; otherwise, it's just a wound."

She exhaled softly, her hands still moving with steady precision. "I can fix you for now, but unless you address this, the same problem will return."

Caine nodded, offering a faint smile. "Thank you, Lady Enya. I understand. I'll make sure to look into it."

Enya nodded in return, her focus returning fully to her work.

***

It took three full days for Priestess Enya to heal Caine. The complexity of his injuries, combined with her perfectionist tendencies, drove her to push her abilities to their limits.

Fortunately, her stamina as a Sage allowed her to work tirelessly until every detail was addressed.

Caine sat on the edge of his bed, testing his restored strength. His body felt lighter, stronger—more in tune with itself. Though his missing arm remained, he was otherwise in perfect condition.

Enya's work had not only healed him but had also allowed his life qi to fully evolve, solidifying his cultivation at the early Spark Realm. Though some mental fatigue lingered, the rest of his body was functioning better than ever.

Despite this progress, Caine knew his cultivation journey would only grow more complex from here. The Spark Realm and beyond required an Ascension Manual to proceed.

These manuals dictated the specialization paths cultivators could take, which were divided into five main paths: The Earth Path focusing of the Body Aspect, the Spirit Path focusing on the Soul Aspect, the Sky Path focusing on the Qi aspect, the Astral Path focusing on the mind aspect and the World Path, simply focusing on the World Aspect.

But above these stood the elusive Sixth Path, a secretive and supreme route only the highest elites could follow. It was the path Caine aimed to pursue, yet the manuals he currently possessed were subpar. Without one that met his standards, his cultivation had reached a temporary standstill.

'If no manual exists that's worthy of my foundation, I'll just have to create one myself,' he thought. But creating an Ascension Manual would be no simple task—it could take decades, if not longer. For now, his focus shifted to refining the many other aspects of his power.

Thankfully, if there was one benefit about being trapped in a fractured reality, it was time.

"Hello?" Jamie's voice broke through Caine's thoughts.

"Come in," Caine said without looking up, still testing his restored strength.

Jamie stepped inside, his aged features lit with a broad smile. Caine rose from the bed to greet him.

"Ah, I see Lady Enya's done wonders for you," Jamie said, his voice brimming with warmth.

"You're looking much better now. Though it's a shame about your arm—take it as a badge of honor, eh?" He chuckled lightly.

Caine smiled faintly. "I'll find a way to restore it eventually." Experience exclusive tales on My Virtual Library Empire

Jamie's expression grew more curious. "If you don't mind me asking, what happened to you? Your knight seems powerful enough to rival most Sages, so what kind of threat left you in this state?"

With a flick of his wrist, Jamie summoned a marble table and two chairs from one of his storage rings. He gestured for Caine to sit and produced a teapot along with two cups.

Caine took his seat, his expression calm.

"What happened? I stumbled upon an unusual concentration of death qi. A creature emerged from it and caught me off guard."

Jamie froze mid-pour, his hands trembling. "…A death swirl? And you survived?!"

Caine raised an eyebrow. "A death swirl?"

Jamie's chest heaved as he leaned back, his expression shifting into awe. "Death swirls are said to mark the burial sites of ancient gods. Their corpses radiate death qi, saturating the land around them for eternity!"

Caine shook his head. "I don't believe it was that. The death qi seemed to originate from the creature itself. But if it helps, I can provide you with the coordinates. You can investigate the area if you'd like."

Jamie's eyes gleamed with excitement, his earlier shock replaced by fervor. "That would be incredible!" he exclaimed, pouring tea into their cups with renewed enthusiasm.

As Caine reached for his cup, the distant sound of screams pierced the air, followed by a wave of chaotic qi that rippled through the camp.

Caine paused, his hand hovering over the cup. His gaze narrowed, and he rose to his feet in one fluid motion.

The sounds of chaos grew louder, closer.

"They're under attack," he muttered coldly, already moving toward the tent's entrance.