Chapter 29: Wisdom God Hermes

Last updated: 2019-05-26 16:24:30

This was certainly not the power of meditation. If they were like Gilgamesh, relying on brute strength, this deformed crow-like creature, Xu Zhi, would have been casually swatted to death the moment he appeared before them, instantly reduced to pulp. However, these witches were as physically frail as ordinary humans, relying on mental power. With the assistance of the swarm's sub-brain, they naturally posed no threat to him. In fact, he was merely an ordinary, weak, and deformed creature.

"Who are you?"

The witches were slightly stunned. It was their first time encountering a sentient species other than humans that could speak, and it was a strange, black-feathered, three-eyed bird.

"A sentient species other than humans..."

Their breathing gradually quickened. They recalled the ancient myth of Gilgamesh, in which sentient species other than humans were referred to as great wise beasts, or the Lord of Creation. Holding their breath, they abandoned any thought of fighting. The three of them, unconcerned with their lack of clothing, stood upright, their perfectly graceful bodies exposed, gazing at the incredible being from a distance.

"You, you are... a god?" Medea's voice trembled as she couldn't help but ask.

This world originally had no concept of gods. Initially, the only concept was that of 'wise beasts.' The people living on the land understood these unknown, powerful, and mysterious beings to possess immense, world-shaking power and unfathomably profound wisdom. It was only after the terrifying truth of the world-destroying deluge that the beings on the surface truly recognized the existence of gods. The speaking, mysterious sentient being before them, judging by its size, was clearly not the great Lord of Creation, the supreme God reaching to the clouds. Perhaps it was a type of deity nonetheless.

Many had long speculated that humans were not the first sentient species to appear on this land, but they were the only ones capable of abundant reproduction! Other sentient species must also exist in this world. Perhaps the great Supreme God of Creation, after creating the world, had also created many powerful species, giving birth to countless failed, ferocious, unintelligent, and grotesque beings. Only after innumerable failed experiments did these weak but naturally reproducing sentient species, such as themselves, finally emerge. Perhaps this mysterious and powerful creature before them was one of the perfect sentient species personally experimented with and created by the Creator.

"A god?"

Xu Zhi smiled gently. Perched high, he ruffled his dense black feathers, his two crow claws gripping the surface. He appeared as mysterious as a mythical crow messenger. "A god," he croaked, "if that is what you believe, then I am a god...."

Xu Zhi had never intended to be a god. But since they all perceived him as such, he might as well be a deity.

Also, could you please put on some clothes... Xu Zhi, though currently a crow with no physiological reactions, felt a certain uncomfortable warmth as a human mind. He had a girlfriend, even if their relationship was only superficial.

He mused for a moment, then spoke: "I am one of the sentient species once created by the Lord of Creation. Unlike you, though powerful, I have no reproductive capacity; I am unique. I have been designated Hermes, the God of Wisdom, overseeing all beings in the world. You may also call me Mercury. I have come to ignite a spark for the primitive Babylonian tribe, to bring you the truth of the world."

Everyone held their breath.

Circe couldn't help but ask, "Great Hermes, God of Wisdom, what is the truth of the world?"

Xu Zhi smiled. "Truth," he said, "is the sum of all rules in the world, the source of all power. Everything you perceive is encompassed within truth. I am now about to bestow upon the mortals of the earth the threefold knowledge of meditation, alchemy, and witchcraft."

The truth of the world. Meditation, alchemy, witchcraft. Everyone's expressions changed completely. Gilgamesh had once received three treasures of civilization. Were they now about to receive the threefold knowledge of truth?

"We... we have actually encountered a legendary deity..." A beautiful witch, adorned with a wreath of flowers, trembled uncontrollably with excitement, her pretty face flushed, her voice a mere whisper. "It's like a dream."

It felt as if they were living a dream, almost unimaginable that they were personally witnessing an event from the Gilgamesh myth, seeing a great deity with their own eyes.

Xu Zhi was speechless. Their astonishment was natural. This encounter, the dialogue between the celestial god and the Babylonians, would undoubtedly be recorded in vivid detail for generations to come.

"Meditation, alchemy, witchcraft, what are those?" Medea couldn't help but ask.

Another person whose thirst for knowledge outweighed their fear. Such people often achieve extraordinary things. He only hoped she wouldn't become the next Gilgamesh. Her temperament wasn't volatile, so she likely wouldn't.

Xu Zhi smiled, but the sound that emerged from the crow's throat was a sharp, hoarse, eerie caw. "The threefold knowledge of meditation, alchemy, and witchcraft... Meditation is the path to cultivating the spirit, providing you with the foundation to become gods—the sole path to eternal life, like us, who are born great. You can, like me, wield authority over the world, serving the supreme Lord of Creation, listening to His teachings in the Lord's Temple of Genesis."

Becoming a god...

Their breathing grew ragged. This implied a terrifying revelation: to be able to rival this mysterious and eerie powerful creature, to become one of the gods who control the world? To truly attain immortality... That was a forbidden realm that even the ancient hero-king Gilgamesh had never set foot in!

Xu Zhi paid no attention to the crowd, who were already immersed in shock.

"Alchemy is the esoteric art of creating unknown life, a path to unlock the door to truth. If you can master this knowledge, you will attain the glorious essence of the entire world, and all obscurity and uncertainty will vanish from your perception."

His voice was not loud, yet it carried an incredibly eerie, magical power, resonating through the entire Aimiya Pond, with its white water splashes, drifting towards the valley's peak, and continuing to faintly echo into the distance.

"All things under heaven coexist and counterbalance, transforming one another—this is the principle of alchemy. The secret of alchemy lies in the 'Three-in-One Formula': one quality pleases another, one quality overcomes another, and one quality dominates another."

What was this?! They were captivated, understanding some aspects but not others, finding it profound and abstruse. They were utterly mesmerized, as if listening to a divine melody, a sound that permeated every fiber of their beings, seemingly awakening a deep tremor within their souls. Confused but daring not to ask, they merely pressed their lips together, their faces tense, forcing themselves to memorize every word, terrified of misremembering even a single one. Every word spoken was profoundly difficult to grasp, yet each undoubtedly carried deep meaning, containing the very truth of the world.

Seeing their profound reverence, Xu Zhi proceeded to explain the third knowledge: "Witchcraft—this is a miraculous power that allows your spirit to separate earth from fire, the sun and moon from electricity, and fire from the ocean. Following this principle, many extraordinary transformations will arise from that single unique substance."

Wind, rain, thunder, lightning... the spirit transforms everything?

"What an incredibly grand and inconceivable power this is." Everyone's minds went utterly blank; they were completely unsettled. Stunned and stimulated by these unbelievable words, they displayed an unparalleled level of awe.