Chapter 778: Arrangements

On the continent of Saer, there has always been a prevailing belief.

In ancient times, a colossal serpent ruled this land, symbolizing infinity, the beginning of all things, and the end of all things.

At the time of the continent’s ultimate demise, it is destined to reappear.

According to Wu Ming’s understanding, even if the Saer world was not created by the serpent, there must be a profound connection.

If the serpent truly exists, then facing the ascension of the universe—essentially the end of the old world—and the immense benefits it brings, even if it has already left this world, it will inevitably return!

This is the mystery hidden within the legends!

But obviously, would Wu Ming give up this great opportunity?

Between them, a battle is inevitable!

“The infinite serpent… its power must have at least reached the level of touching the essence of the world, most likely at the seventh level… and by leaving the Saer world, it means it has embarked on the path to attain the eighth level of Great Luo, equaling my own strength…”

Just from these myths and legends, Wu Ming vaguely sensed the power of the Ouroboros.

Dealing with a Golden Immortal is no simple matter. Even with inferior beings like the flawed Celestial Sovereign or the Great Zhou Emperor, it would require massive consumption of essence or even a reduction in one’s fundamental status.

“Facing such an enemy, I don’t have many advantages. The Main Temple is my greatest trump card…”

Wu Ming sighed inwardly, and an image only he could see appeared before him:

[Name: Wu Ming]

[Attainment: Golden Immortal (Level 7)]

[World: Huangting World (Main Temple Space · 5%)]

[Unique Title: Sovereign]

…

[Main Temple]

[Buildings: Main Temple Hall, Prana Pool, Great Luo Hall, Creation Hall, Heaven-Stealing Platform]

[Prana Reserves: Five Hundred Thousand (Current Prana Pool Capacity Limit: One Million)]

…

“Huangting World, after continuous expansion, has finally reached this point?”

Looking at this, Wu Ming felt genuinely pleased.

As the master of the Main Temple, he could naturally see that within the Main Temple’s body composed of numerous planes and worlds, his Huangting World was continuously expanding, its light occupying about one-twentieth of the volume. This meant that part of the Main Temple’s foundation had already been altered by him, and even the great being who created it could not reclaim it.

This plan had started when he was still a terrestrial immortal. Not out of distrust, but simply because he was unwilling to place his weaknesses in someone else’s hands.

“At this rate, once I attain Great Luo, I will be able to completely claim the Main Temple for myself!”

Wu Ming nodded, then turned his gaze to Henzer below.

For this Pontiff, the blue-blooded King had been in thought before finally directing his gaze downward: “Henzer, my Pontiff! You know of the changes in this world, don’t you?”

“I have a vague sense of it. This is a new beginning, and also the end of the old!”

Henzer bowed in reply.

“Yes… our original world was small, but the outside world is vast beyond your imagination…”

Wu Ming sighed: “To the east and west of our kingdom, there are powerful human factions, and…”

He hinted meaningfully: “Their countries are protected by true deities!”

“True deities?”

Henzer’s body trembled. As the head of a cult, he understood the stakes: “That would be a disaster for our native church.”

“However… I still agree with the Great Sage’s philosophy. People believe in gods merely as a spiritual refuge. To believe in gods is to believe in oneself. Humans are born free—why bind themselves with shackles?”

“Fine words indeed, but will you say them even before me?”

Wu Ming’s eyes gleamed with amusement.

After all, he was the one who forced the previous Pontiff to alter the doctrine and even deify himself.

“Even if it means facing a king or even a true deity, our belief will never change!”

Henzer’s tone was firm. From his resolute expression, Wu Ming believed that what he said was the truth—his own truth!

“Even if the price is annihilation, even the entire church, and even the believers?”

Wu Ming’s voice turned cold.

“Believers?”

Henzer was surprised.

“Precisely. In the western nations, the non-believers are looked down upon, and there are even cases of genocide…”

Wu Ming spoke slowly. Days of reading historical records had given him a deeper understanding of this world.

“How can that be…?”

Henzer’s face paled, his lips trembling.

“Why not? Natural law dictates survival of the fittest. As the weak, one can only adapt to the environment, not expect the environment to adapt to you!”

Wu Ming said wisely.

However, Henzer was still a great Pontiff. After a brief shock, he looked at Wu Ming and calmed down: “Your Majesty already has a solution?”

In this matter, he believed that this unfathomable king must be more anxious than himself.

After all, the statues in the church were modeled after him—clearly a false god collecting faith.

“Hmm… for them, we newcomers were originally not bound by the rules, so we still have some buffer time—twenty years! Within twenty years, we must change customs, and the church must undergo significant modifications to align with the western nations.”

Wu Ming made his decision: “As for the true gods they worship? We’ll see. After all, no god would miss out on the resource of potential believers numbering in the millions, right?”

In truth, with Wu Ming’s current cultivation level, becoming a true god in this world would take only a thought.

But he had already decided to follow the Dao of Immortality. How could he allow himself to be bound by incense and prayers?

This was a fundamental choice—a matter of utmost importance. The royal method left by the First Conqueror was usable only before reaching the fifth level, but now it was nothing more than a joke.

“In the end, it all comes down to strength!”

Wu Ming sighed inwardly.

At the very least, he knew that in the Great Chang Empire, many powerful cultivators were essentially non-believers, or at most worshippers of the “Great Dao,” a concept transcending the universe, or at best followers of the Eight Main Gods, embodiments of cosmic laws.

Though they might be non-believers or general believers, their immense power made even religious forces powerless to oppose them.

Secular monarchies were also willing to secretly support them to counter divine authority.

Even in the western nations, where the slogan of burning non-believers was shouted the loudest, this phenomenon was not uncommon.

The more extraordinary and higher-level the practitioners, the weaker their faith in the gods became, for they already stood at the threshold of godhood, even rivaling true deities in power. How could they still harbor reverence?

“Your will is my mission!”

The Pontiff’s face clearly showed reluctance, but he could only reluctantly accept the order, still clinging to a sliver of hope: “Perhaps… with the power of those true gods, we may escape destruction…”

It must be said that the Great Sage’s prophecy was deeply ingrained in his mind. Right now, he was preoccupied with thoughts of the world-ending serpent.

But Wu Ming was not as carefree as him. After a brief rest, he summoned Beatrice and Karitan.

“Master, please give us your orders!”

The two women curtsied, exuding the charm of noblewomen, with a hint of seduction.

If it were the old Conqueror, he might have played some amusing games with them. But now, Wu Ming clearly had no mood for that: “I have confirmed that outside our world, many new regions have appeared, filled with various nations, races, and even gods!”

Such matters could not be revealed all at once to the entire populace. Naturally, only a small upper echelon would be informed first, gradually spreading outward.

“The outside world?”

Beatrice and Karitan were both startled, yet intrigued.

“Yes. I have added many storms around the continent’s seas, which should buy us some time to keep the initial observers at bay!”

“Of course, once this continent becomes fully stable, interaction will be inevitable. But during this process, I need you two to monitor the parasites within our country!”

A cold smile appeared on Wu Ming’s lips.

Having played the game of power for so many years, he already knew the nature of the nobility.

Previously, they had to kneel beneath the Conqueror’s throne out of fear of his terrifying might. But now, with more choices available, their actions were predictable.

Betrayal and intrigue were naturally intertwined with the glory of nobility.

Of course, with Wu Ming’s absolute dominance, such trivial matters were merely seasoning. They weren’t even worth his personal intervention, only suitable as side dishes for his subordinates.

“I see. I understand now!”

Karitan moistened her luscious red lips and smiled: “I’ll keep an eye on those fellows.”

“Also, with the change in the world’s rules, various supernatural forces are becoming more prominent. The success rate of knight initiations, the possibility of witches giving birth to pure-blood offspring, and even the number of wild monsters will surge dramatically. We must prepare accordingly!”

As the king of a nation, it was his duty to handle such trivialities.

Fortunately, the previous William Wallace had cultivated a few subordinates of decent ability. Otherwise, having to personally handle everything would have driven Wu Ming to madness.

But neglecting them was not an option either.

After all, the identity of William Wallace represented the rulership over the entire Saer continent—the authority to govern the world!

Though it might seem intangible now, when the time of cosmic ascension comes, it would allow him to take the first step ahead!

“The serpent of infinity? The Ouroboros?”

After dismissing the two women, Wu Ming’s eyes seemed to pierce into the void, where the approaching shadow of the serpent loomed ever closer: “In the struggle for the Dao, how can there be room for concession? At this point, even a ninth-level powerhouse could not stop the inevitable confrontation between you and me…”