Apotheosis

Only Sally, Hutton, and a few other young members of the Nine Li race were left in the Splendid Palace.

Although it was the first time they had personally met, Zen could feel a sense of kinship with them, coming from the same race.

Ambrose had entrusted them to him. He was sure to take good care of them.

"Zen, can you really do it? Can you rebuild the Nine Li race?" Sally asked, blinking her wide, innocent eyes.

Growing up, she had heard about the past glory of the Nine Li race.

Back then, there was no need for their people to find different places to hide. Every time worship day arrived, over ten thousand other races came to worship.

If Chiyou was angered, the entire Source World would tremble.

But this glory mostly existed only in Sally's imagination. If only Zen could really make it become a reality.

She was the youngest and most naive of them, after all.

But Hutton and the others didn't think so.

It wasn't that they doubted Zen's strength and talent, but they felt that such a great promise just could not be fulfilled.

Chiyou was truly formidable.

But in the end, he fell into defeat by the hands of the Bearing race.

The Bearing race and the Divine Farmer race were no weaker than the Nine Li race in their prime. Even the Oneness Sky Palace didn't dare to act rashly against them. It could only be wishful thinking to consider Zen fighting them all alone.

"Sally, don't take it too seriously. You're daydreaming if you really expect the Nine Li race to rise like it did back then. These are different times," said a young man beside her.

"Umar!" Hutton called him out with a frown.

Umar was one of the best members of the Nine Li race that Ambrose had brought here.

"Am I wrong? The Grand Chieftain was once so powerful. But the Yellow Emperor defeated him too easily! Sure, Zen is powerful, but only within our generation. Is he capable of leading our entire race up the ranks? There's no way!" The atmosphere grew grim. Pausing for a moment, Umar continued, "He's just lucky to have outshone us on the Other Shore!"

"Shut up! Don't forget who Zen is!" Hutton's face darkened.

On their way here, Leopold had told them that Zen's blood was much purer than theirs.

If the Nine Li race hadn't declined, he would have gone up higher than them in status

either the elders nor the younger generation were courageous enough. They ended up giving themselves away gradually.

During his time in the Oneness Sky Palace, Zen did not forget where he came from. He was confident by nature. The others could sense his genuine pride and suddenly felt ashamed of themselves.

"Zen can make it happen. I choose to believe it!" Sally chimed in eagerly.

"I believe it too," Hutton agreed.

"Soon, our Nine Li race will rise again!" And with that, the rest of them echoed with them.

After sending Ambrose away, Athemar turned back to Zen and the rest. "I'll send you up the Oneness Mountain first. Please follow me."

It was the first time that the youth of the Nine Li race had left their elders. It was rather nerve-wracking to follow behind Athemar in silence.

Standing on Athemar's huge sword, they looked curiously down at the Dragon City and the great mountains in the distance.

Ever since they could remember, they had nestled in such a small world. Never had they really explored the vast Source World. It was their first time stepping outside and witnessing first-hand the size of a super force.

Once they returned to the Flow Sword Sect, Athemar had applied for an independent courtyard house where he had the six members of the Nine Li race settle down.

Even then, their background was sensitive. Although the Flow Sword Sect was the Oneness Sky Palace's core area, Athemar had especially warned them to keep their identity hidden. If they needed anything, they had to turn to Zen.