Apotheosis

"The other members of the Violet Cloud race?"

Zen repeated with a hint of hesitation.

"Yes! Where are they now?"

Anxiety seeped into Walden's voice as he asked.

"They should all be dead by now," was Zen's indifferent response.

"Nonsense!" snapped Walden.

The Violet Cloud race's fighting capacity wasn't considered particularly outstanding among the many Other Shore races, but they held the advantage of moving freely within the Eternal Scroll Painting.

Even if something wrong were to happen on the first page, the people of the Violet Cloud race weren't likely to die so easily.

"Zen, how could anyone possibly die on the first page?" Egan asked in disbelief.

"That's too questionable. I've never even heard of anyone dying on the first page," another Other Shore creature echoed from the side.

Taking note of the suspicious gazes on him, Zen replied nonchalantly, "Since you don't believe me, why bother asking?"

"It seems you have yet to learn how to talk properly. Shall I teach you?" threatened Walden impatiently.

On the bronze ground, the Violet Cloud race had confronted Zen. Neither Walden nor the other members had any intentions to befriend Zen.

But Claire's kindness toward him had dumbfounded the Eternal Realm masters of the Violet Cloud race.

If the Violet Cloud race wanted to kill Zen in the Eternal Scroll Painting, they'd undoubtedly be subjected to Claire's utmost wrath. So before Walden and the rest entered the Eternal Scroll Painting, Elder Howe had to remind them specifically not to attack Zen.

As Zen had been so highly esteemed by the Element Spirit race, Walden was extremely envious of him. In spite of Howe's warning, Walden decided to teach Zen a lesson.

As Walden approached threateningly, Zen raised his hands in a stance of attack.

While Zen had never intended to get along with the Violet Cloud race either, he hadn't yet fully understood the Eternal Scroll Painting's mechanism. He figured it would be wise to put aside any chance of conflict in the meantime.

But if Walden launched a challenge, he wasn't going to hesitate to fight back.

Just then, another Other Shore creature appeared — it was none other than a member of the Three Eyes race.

The guy was lucky enough to have survived the Worm Tapirs' slaughter.

"Egan, are you alright?"

While the warrior from the Three Eyes race did survive, he had witnessed a terrible amount of dead bodies torn apart by the Worm Tapirs on the first page — i

f the inner contradictions of a lonely brush-wielder.

"If he dies halfway, all our previous efforts will be wasted," said the crying face with worry.

"He obtained all the eighteen imprints. If he still fails, it means we're destined to fail as well. No one else can be blamed for that," the smiling face said decisively.

And so the brush continued to extend upward until it reached the very top of the Eternal Scroll Painting where a black vortex lay. From their point of view, there were numerous white dots of light flashing in the depths of the vortex.

This black vortex was the so-called third page of the Eternal Scroll Painting — something people could see in the Grand Plain Stage. It was still white when they looked up at it from the stage, but the inside was actually black.

Once the brush-wielder connected the lines to the black vortex, they seemed to get pulled into it. Then, the circular platform at the bottom began rotating slowly until the door opened with a tug.

"The door is open..."

"I don't want to participate this time…"

"Now that we've reached the second page, we must advance!"

Naturally, the many casualties from the first page had some Other Shore creatures grow hesitant to proceed.

The trip in the painting was far different from the previous ones. Some decided to merely wait on the platform. Once the event ended, they'd be able to leave the painting safely.

Since the Other Shore creatures could pass through the Soul City and the Land of Bone Tribulation, they all possessed outstanding wills and talents — eventually, of course, most of them managed to conquer their fears and step into the door.