Stepping slowly through the grand entrance, one was immediately greeted by the Fifth Divine Realm within. The sweeping vista from above was nothing short of breathtaking, leaving a profound impact.
The architectural styles across the Divine Realm varied wildly, a clear testament to the collision of disparate civilizations. Glazed tiles and upturned eaves stood gracefully alongside towering Gothic spires, while futuristic, high-tech skyscrapers contrasted with simple, elegant ancient structures. Yet, instead of feeling jarring, this eclectic mix created a unique and unexpected harmony.
A network of grand avenues, each nearly a hundred meters wide, crisscrossed the landscape. Their surfaces, resembling white jade, absorbed light rather than reflecting it. These seamless, interconnected thoroughfares acted like the very veins of the Divine Realm, linking the entire world together.
Tall skyscrapers and humble wooden cottages stood side by side. Far from appearing strange, their proximity seemed to exist in perfect, natural cohesion, as if crafted by nature itself.
The grand avenues were bustling not only with pedestrians but also with countless winged creatures of unknown species. With a slight beat of their wings, they would vanish almost instantly into the vast expanse of the sky.
Every structure in the Divine Realm was remarkably grand. Even the smallest wooden cottage dwarfed an ordinary villa, appearing diminutive only when set against the colossal skyscrapers.
The architecture throughout the Divine Realm favored gold and white hues. A panoramic view revealed a breathtaking tapestry of these colors, which, far from appearing gaudy, exuded an extraordinary, transcendent aura.
The sky stretched immensely high above, with only sparse clouds dotting its expanse. It evoked a boundless sense of grandeur and majesty, almost limitless in its scope.
Most striking of all were nine colossal towers. They pierced the very edge of the heavens, their summits utterly lost to sight.
“How truly magnificent,” Liu Han exclaimed, her voice filled with awe. Her previous lighthearted demeanor had vanished, replaced by genuine wonder.
I nodded in agreement. ‘Indeed, it is truly impressive,’ I thought. ‘No matter how many times I see it, I am always profoundly moved.’
As we finally touched down on solid ground, a wave of relief washed over me. While I had grown less afraid of heights during our aerial journey, such a profound psychological shift wouldn’t happen overnight. My calves still trembled slightly, a lingering testament to my unease.
I took a deep breath, consciously relaxing and pushing away the lingering traces of fear. A smile touched my lips. ‘Now that this troublesome matter is resolved,’ I mused, ‘I finally won’t have to fear flying anymore.’
‘To be the only deity in the entire Divine Realm who couldn’t fly—that would truly be too embarrassing,’ I thought, a shiver running down my spine.
Soon, we arrived outside my divine palace. The grand entrance was situated within the Fifth Divine Realm, and my palace wasn’t far from it. We quickly reached the vibrant sea of flowers just beyond its magnificent walls.
“Wow!” Four exclamations of surprise rang out. Everyone but me was utterly captivated by the vast sea of flowers.
Even I, despite being a boy, had initially been mesmerized by this floral expanse. How much more so for these young women? Being in the Divine Realm, the flowers were not subject to seasonal decay; as long as their master wished it, they could bloom eternally.
The sea of flowers was divided into four distinct sections by lush green lawns. Each section bloomed with flowers of a different color palette, blossoming with exquisite splendor and imbuing the air with an intoxicating romantic aura.
“Little Mengmeng, are you truly this impressive?” Liu Han asked, her gaze fixed incredulously on my residence, which resembled a castle more than a mere divine palace. She had never encountered a dwelling of such magnificent scale before.
“N-no, not really… I suppose every High God has a palace of similar grandeur, right?” I stammered, feeling a pang of guilt. ‘Indeed, I honestly haven’t seen any other residences of this scale,’ I thought to myself.
Lavishly Karafar quickly shook her head. “There are certainly not many deities in the Divine Realm who possess a palace of your caliber,” she stated firmly.
A divine palace wasn’t something one could simply upgrade based on ability alone.
The scale of a divine palace was determined by the faith power of its devotees. A palace as magnificent as this couldn’t be sustained by one or two lower worlds alone. Only a top-tier deity, holding a supremely high position and commanding immense faith, could possibly possess a palace of such grandeur.
“Furthermore, even as fellow High Gods, my palace simply cannot compare to yours. So, Little Mengmeng, there’s no need to be modest,” Lavishly Karafar explained with utmost seriousness.
“Oh, by the way, what kind of deity are you, Little Mengmeng?” Liu Han asked, her curiosity piqued. It certainly seemed I was quite formidable.
Lavishly Karafar pondered for a moment. “Although I don’t know her origin, she is a super deity who presides over an attribute. While she appears weak now, as one of only six High Phantasm Gods, her future is bound to be extraordinary.”
“An attribute?” Liu Han murmured, her eyes wide. “So, Little Mengmeng, what attribute do you govern?” She turned her head, her gaze fixed on me as she spoke.
“Me?” I felt a blush creep up my neck. ‘Honestly, my governed attribute would be incredibly embarrassing for a boy to reveal,’ I thought. ‘How could I possibly bring myself to say it?’
Seeing my silence, Liu Han turned her gaze to Lavishly Karafar. Lavishly Karafar chuckled softly. “It’s quite an interesting attribute, actually,” she paused, then continued, “Little Mengmeng’s title is, the Moe God—Ye Menghan.” With that, Lavishly Karafar picked up her terminal, opened my personal profile, and showed it to Liu Han.
Liu Han looked curiously at a small box displayed below the profile. “Um, what is this… this ‘title’?” she asked, pointing to it.
“A title?” Lavishly Karafar and I exclaimed in unison, our voices laced with surprise. ‘Didn’t we hear that only those ranked exceptionally high could receive titles?’ I wondered.
What I hadn’t realized was this: having defeated a Law God in my first battle and instantly eliminated a War God in a team battle, my combat prowess had already placed me among the top ten Phantasm Gods in the first year, and within the top 300 Phantasm Gods across the entire school. Naturally, I had earned a title.
“Phantasm Dream Zither?” I uttered, my face a mask of confusion. ‘What did my fighting style have to do with a zither?’ I wondered, utterly bewildered.
However, an explanation was provided below, stating: ‘Phantasm Dream Zither — Moe God Ye Menghan. A deity of attribute whose appearance is as astonishing as their combat power.’
‘Unlike other linguistic Phantasm Gods, she transforms divine incantations into zither keys, unleashing divine spells amidst dreamlike zither melodies, instantly slaying her enemies. In terms of combat power among Phantasm Gods, few can rival her.’
‘This must be pure exaggeration,’ I thought. ‘It reads like an advertisement… so forced. This explanation truly feels so contrived compared to my actual fighting style.’
Lavishly Karafar commented, “This title is actually quite good. It’s rare to find one that sounds so pleasant. Look at mine: ‘Domain of Annihilation.’ Xilinka has ‘Absolute Berserker,’ and Mifeier has ‘Slumbering Tyrant.’ Yours is truly a rare gem of a good-sounding title.”
‘But honestly,’ I thought, ‘couldn’t they give me a super-domineering title like ‘Domain of Annihilation,’ ‘Absolute Berserker,’ or ‘Slumbering Tyrant’? This Phantasm Dream Zither clearly sounds like a girl’s title!’
“But then again, Moe God, hehe, no wonder Little Mengmeng is so cute,” Liu Han mused. “If her behavior were properly ‘trained’ a bit more, then…” She wore an expression of sudden realization, imagining me smiling meekly and calling her ‘Sister,’ and was instantly overwhelmed by cuteness. She then turned to me, her face alight with an expression that clearly said, ‘I absolutely must train you well.’
Seeing Liu Han’s expression, a shiver ran through me. While I couldn’t fathom what she was thinking, one thing was certain: it absolutely couldn’t be anything good!
“Let’s go inside,” I urged them. “Standing out here isn’t particularly interesting, is it?”
“Huh?” Lavishly Karafar and Liu Han looked at me simultaneously. Mifeier tilted her head, observing me, while Xilinka simply shook her head.
I was confused. Had I said something wrong? Was my suggestion strange?
“Are you even a normal girl?” Lavishly Karafar asked, and Mifeier nodded in agreement.
‘I’m truly sorry, but I am indeed not a normal girl,’ I thought. “W-what’s wrong?” I asked, feeling uneasy. ‘This even involves whether or not I’m a normal girl. Although I’m not, is there a necessary connection between the two?’
“This sea of flowers is so romantic; what girl wouldn’t want to linger here?” Liu Han ruffled my hair, then walked forward. “Come on, let’s go inside first. We can always come out to play later.”
So, our group continued into the divine palace. Along the way, the girls gasped in constant amazement. Even Xilinka, who had been silent, offered praise for certain areas.
The first time I passed through these places, I only felt that they were overflowing with girlish charm, and my sense of shame was constantly under assault. Now, hearing their eloquent praises, it seemed this place was truly remarkable.
Pushing open the pink door inlaid with gold thread, we found a row of maids standing inside. I was utterly stunned; such a grand scene, usually only found in anime or TV dramas, was actually… here.
Lavishly Karafar looked at them curiously. “Their uniforms look really good, don’t they? Did you design them, Little Mengmeng?”
I shook my head, my two braids swaying. “These are just the uniforms from the maids in my original world, that’s all.”
Liu Han looked around. Undeniably, a residence like this, resembling a Western-style princess castle, appeared incredibly dreamy and beautiful. For girls, it would generally hold immense appeal, but because I was a boy, I still didn’t quite understand it.
“Then choose your own rooms,” I said, prioritizing the important task at hand.
They quickly selected their desired rooms. I retrieved Liu Han’s suitcase and placed it in her chosen room.
The castle’s guest rooms differed significantly from the overall style, perhaps to accommodate guests who might find the main aesthetic overwhelming. The walls were adorned with wallpaper interwoven with pale green and gold, while a pure white, grand bed occupied the center. A white wardrobe inlaid with gold thread stood beside a desk that doubled as a dressing table, and a colossal crystal chandelier hung from the ceiling, lending an air of formal elegance.
As I took out Liu Han’s and the others’ luggage, the maids efficiently arranged their belongings. Meanwhile, we descended to the great hall for dinner.
Dinner was sumptuous, at least perfectly suited to my appetite. The bowls in front of me gradually piled into a small mountain, much to the alarm of Lavishly Karafar and the other girls.
After dinner, everyone bathed in their respective rooms and then settled down for the night. After all, it had been an extremely tiring day; carrying people directly across worlds demanded a great deal of physical stamina.
Having finished bathing, my head barely touched the pillow before I drifted off to sleep.
I was jolted awake by a gust of cold wind, finding myself lying on a high platform. The platform was constructed from stacked crystals, and beneath my feet lay a vast, flat stone block, also supported by crystal.
Beyond the platform stretched a desolate desert, an endless expanse of bleakness as far as the eye could see. A fierce gale swept across, kicking up dust and sending pebbles flying across the barren land.
In the distant horizon, a thin white line and a thin black line appeared.