Chapter 837: The World's Sorrow

The Church of Light remained the undisputed strongest power among the churches of the Demon World.

This news was not limited to the common people, but ultimately resounded throughout the entire Heavenly Court.

"Lord Hermes..." a Saintess of Light whispered softly behind him.

"The times are changing; that step has finally been taken," Hermes said, looking at the core of the Church of Light. "The new Ninth Order is about to be fully born, and so, what must pass from the old era should now depart."

The Saintess of Light and others had red eyes.

They all knew that Hermes was not merely a God of Incense formed purely from devotion. He possessed a fragment of the soul of an ancient being, and now, that fragment too was fading away.

Suddenly, more beings descended.

Ancient powerhouses from the Seven Realms' Heavenly Court arrived: the Thunder Emperor, the Heavenly Emperor of War God, Earth Mother Empress, Ermine, Pan Xuexian, members of the Martial God Palace, and even Emperor Qi, who stood remotely in the distance.

"Are you leaving?" Emperor Qi asked simply, without further words. He held great respect for such an ancient being.

"The old is giving way to the new; this path has finally been trodden. What is old and decaying, what should depart, will now completely leave," Hermes said softly. His body was dissipating, transforming into particles of light, fading into oblivion.

Liu Wenjian and Hu Rennong remained silent.

This event was too sudden. Perhaps it was already a great feat for the fragmented soul of this ancient being to endure until this era, to witness this scene, having persevered for many years.

They were all disciples of Baixiaosheng, and naturally, also disciples of Hermes himself.

Everyone now understood Hermes' past and knew that he had passed on the ancient flame of civilization to all beings.

It was he who, during the ancient Era of the Three Witches, imparted civilization to the people on the ground and ignited the flame of cultivation.

It was also he who, as Baixiaosheng, guided Hu Rennong to establish the Great Zhou Incense Dynasty and guided Liu Wenjian to create the mortal Shu Mountain Sword Dao.

Only later did they realize that the distorted talent formed by billions of incense-worshipping beings was the breakthrough concept for the Ninth Order path, and Liu Wenjian's mortal forging furnace was the "Refining the Heart in the Mortal World" aspect of the Ninth Order path.

At that time, the path to the Ninth Order had already been revealed to people, but it took countless years for them to truly comprehend it.

From beginning to end, this being transmitted ancient civilization to future generations, initiating the continuation of civilization and passing on all his knowledge to the people on the ground. He truly opened the path of cultivation for future beings, living up to his name as Mercury, Hermes, the thrice-great God of Wisdom.

Hermes' achievements in this era are beyond description. As a solitary guiding light from the ancient past, he accompanied the rise of magnificent mythical eras, weaving threads... His contributions were truly immense.

However, the mysteries Hermes left behind were equally profound. For example, what cultivation system did the civilization he ruled in prehistoric times ultimately practice? What was his true background?

All of this would remain an eternal mystery, completely buried in the dust of the past.

Although some players had already guessed that if the Primordial God was the Buddha of the West, then Hermes might be analogous to a Dao Ancestor of the Daoist cultivation lineage.

Hermes' body continued to dissipate in the wind.

Hu Rennong and Liu Wenjian knelt in silence, their hearts filled with surging memories, like tempestuous waves crashing upon these two heroes who had once ushered in an era.

They recalled the carriage bathed in the setting sun's afterglow, and the scholar in white who held a blank book, reading, trembling in silence.

The fire in their eyes grew more intense, and they became even more silent, watching Hermes' silhouette completely vanish.

"Teacher!"

Hu Rennong and Liu Wenjian finally burst into loud sobs. At that moment, they were no longer the sages who ushered in an era, but ordinary people humbled to the dust.

A profound aura emerged from Liu Wenjian and Hu Rennong one after another. Having undergone "Refining the Heart in the Mortal World," they had also completely stepped onto the path of the Ninth Order.

On this day, Hermes departed completely. The world mourned, and the Chongming Heavenly Court of the Seven Realms held a seven-day, seven-night memorial ceremony, with the entire world in sorrow.

"Hermes, such an ancient prehistoric sage, ultimately left too suddenly. What will become of the great enemy in the future? His civilization's legacy was not left behind; otherwise, it would have been a source of strength."

"Not so. This is the changing of eras. As stated, everything in the new era is beginning, and the old era should be buried in the dust of the past. What Hermes bequeathed to us is the wisdom to open new eras, not ancient systems from the past. It is the transmission of wisdom, not the inheritance of mere knowledge."

"Yes, by not giving us the systems of ancient civilizations, he did not want to influence our thoughts."

"Our new era is an unprecedented, brilliant golden age. The upcoming 'Journey to the West' saga, which will span three worlds and involve countless beings, is a future predetermined by several powerful entities, unparalleled throughout history."

Many people sighed, filled with sorrow. Hermes was an ancient prehistoric being who guided civilization to the present, witnessing everything. To everyone, he was like a teacher and a father.

"In the ancient era, that peerless emperor who ruled all heavens has finally passed on his ancient authority and departed... This signifies the complete arrival of a new age. So, who will fully inherit the position of this being?"

"This is both a crisis and an unprecedented opportunity."

The beings present felt a solemn reverence. The Three Pillar Gods, Emperor Qi, and Empress Sakura, among others, were all formidable contenders.

Nearby, a historian clad in immortal robes recorded this scene:

"In the 573rd year of the Chongming Heavenly Court, the Ancient Celestial Venerable of Wisdom fell, and all races mourned, the world steeped in sorrow."

Suddenly, a faint figure flickered in the sky.

It was the Primordial God. He landed beside the crowd, appearing as if he too was a mourner who had rushed from afar, and softly said before the tomb:

"I have witnessed your final journey in life."

At the descent of this divine spectacle, everyone's faces turned pale.

After all, even Emperor Qi and Ermine, who stood by, were seeing the true face of the ancient and mysterious Primordial God for the first time.

After all, this being had previously appeared in the ancient lava lands and during the Microcosm Era, but had almost never shown itself in the lands of the Seven Realms.

Furthermore, it had not appeared even during the previous cosmic annihilation war.

"Such a being must have cultivated earth-shattering techniques. If only I could..." Emperor Qi's expression was subtly complex as he looked at the distant Primordial God, yet his heart was filled with dread. "But I can't even perceive a trace of him; has the disparity reached such a terrifying degree?"

Further away, the historian was aghast and continued to record a passage that would be passed down through the ages:

"At the end of the ceremony, the Primordial God descended, mourning for an old friend."