Chapter 571: Divine Seats and Fortune

This was the first time the two Outer Gods had truly disagreed.

Ying Yue's anger was unmistakable. In her eyes, Han Yi was being unreasonable.

Teaming up secretly with Pang Jian in the Shadow Abyss to kill the Star Devourer was one thing. After all, no other Outer Gods could enter the Shadow Abyss, which meant their actions could remain secret.

However, countless Outer Gods roamed the bizarre mist. Standing up for Pang Jian and attacking another Outer God was no different from courting disaster.

He Motian and Zi Mo, the two Outer Gods controlling the greater scheme, would ensure her downfall, long before the high-ranking God troubling Han Yi could act.

Moreover, Ying Yue herself would be implicated, which naturally infuriated her.

"That was impulsive of me. My apologies, Ying Yue," Han Yi said, steadying her turbulent emotions.

She then scanned Pang Jian's injured chest with her divine sense. Her initial panic and concern calmed at the confirmation that Pang Jian's seemingly dire state posed no immediate threat to his life.

Pang Jian, in contrast, showed no gratitude for her reckless words. "My affairs have nothing to do with you."

Inwardly, he was puzzled. He simply could not understand why the two Outer Gods were lingering in the Shadow Abyss instead of leaving after transporting the Star Devourer's severed limbs to their altars.

"It was Yang Luo. I sensed the presence of her invasive divine power," Han Yi observed, ignoring Pang Jian's distant tone. "Ying Yue, once our matters are settled, I will find another excuse to confront Yang Luo."

"Yang Luo?!" Ying Yue exclaimed, startled.

When she extended her divine sense, she too caught traces of Yang Luo's lingering corrosive divine power.

The Moon God's expression shifted.

"He actually managed to escape from Yang Luo!" Ying Yue's voice rose as she warned, "Han Yi, you haven't had much personal experience with Yang Luo. She's a mid-ranking God, but she's likely stronger than us.

"Moreover, she's recently aligned herself with that Sovereign. Even He Motian and Zi Mo can't command her anymore. If you provoke Yang Luo, you're essentially signing your death warrant."

Ying Yue's eyes, imbued with penetrating divine power, fixed on the chest of Pang Jian's Immortal Divine Soul, which was exposed after losing its outer layer, allowing her to study its unique structure.

"The only way to heal your injuries is probably to draw upon the Fortune of the Abyss," she suddenly said after a contemplative silence. "This world does not belong to you, and recovery will not come easily here."

Pang Jian raised an eyebrow. "Fortune?"

"The radiant clouds that merge with your divine soul during your ascension to godhood," Ying Yue explained. "Such a thing does not exist in the starry skies beyond the bizarre mist, nor is it in every abyss. The Shadow Abyss, for instance, appears to lack it."

Although Pang Jian initially had no desire to engage with the two Outer Gods, Ying Yue's words piqued his curiosity.

He had no grasp of the nature of Fortune or divine seats, let alone how they came into existence. Not even Li Zhaotian could offer a clear explanation when he asked.

"Is this Fortune unique to the abysses within the bizarre mist?" Pang Jian asked.

"Yes, it's a mysterious force that, once fused with the divine soul, allows the divine soul to manifest a corporeal form. Its formation appears linked to the total population of an abyss and the overall strength of the beings living within."

Ying Yue rubbed her smooth forehead, causing the crescent and full moons above her brow to glow brightly. This allowed her to communicate with her true body and access its memories on the topic.

"Take your Abyss as an example. The larger the population of the human race, the more cultivators will emerge. Cultivators absorb and store the spiritual qi of heaven and earth using their dantian.

𝐟𝕣𝗲𝕖𝕨𝗲𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝗲𝚕.𝗰𝚘𝐦

"The higher a cultivator's cultivation realm, the more spiritual qi they can store. This abundant spiritual qi, combined with the collective vitality of your human race, gives rise to the miraculous force known as Fortune. The upper limit of Fortune rises as the number of cultivators increases and more powerful individuals are born."

Whoosh!

Ying Yue casually flicked her hand, and fifteen Stellar Stones appeared, floating silently before her.

"For example, if these Stellar Stones represent divine seats, the stellar energy inside would correspond to Fortune. The Abyss currently has a total of fifteen divine seats, which marks the limit for the True Gods of the human race.

"Creating additional divine seats involves strengthening the human race as a whole. More humans would have to step onto the path of cultivation, grow stronger, and merge their life energy with spiritual qi.

"The Fortune within a divine seat is drawn into the body of a powerful human cultivator. A human cultivator's ascension to godhood is complete when it fuses with their divine soul. At that point, their divine soul becomes corporeal and no longer exists merely as an intangible spiritual form.

"New Fortune can only condense in an unoccupied divine seat once a True God of the human race dies or breaks through the barrier and leaves the Abyss. In the case of death, the fallen True God's Fortune will return to the divine seat, ready for the next aspirant attempting to ascend to godhood to draw upon it.

"When a True God leaves the Abyss, they take a portion of the Fortune with them. It then takes much longer for new Fortune to condense.

"In short, the limit on the number of divine seats rarely changes. It takes thousands of years or longer for the number of divine seats to increase. This is, of course, presuming the continued growth of human cultivators.

"The formation of divine seats for the Fey Race is slightly different. Like the human race, the Fey Race can also produce divine seats for Fey Gods, either through absorbing the spiritual qi of heaven and earth or through merging with murky energy.

"Similarly, an increase in strength and numbers will result in more divine seats for the Fey Race to emerge.

"The foreign races of the Fifth World, on the other hand, rely on murky energy and life energy for their divine seats to advance their bloodlines to Rank Ten.

"Your Immortal Divine Soul is unique as it's a fusion of your divine soul and Fortune. In other words, any injuries you sustain probably require Fortune to heal. You're unlikely to recover in this world."

Pang Jian listened intently to Moon God Ying Yue's explanation. A mix of awe and unease swelled in his heart.

Even his master, Li Zhaotian, had only a vague understanding of these concepts and could not explain their underlying principles.

Unexpectedly, this Outer God was far more knowledgeable despite not even being born within an abyss. This only highlighted the importance the Outer Gods placed on the Abyss. They had undoubtedly done extensive research on abysses to eradicate the human race.

"That Sovereign, Zi Mo of the Ghost Race, and Great Demon God He Motian all seek to claim the Fortune of the Abyss and merge it into their divine souls," Ying Yue added. "They're all trying to seize divine seats in the Abyss through different approaches. That Sovereign has already succeeded."