Chapter Forty-Five: The Primordial Codex of Ending
“Leader of Witches, First Boon of Twilight, Perfect Amber…”
Each title was more resounding than the last, making Li Wen’s head spin.
‘Witch’ was the term for practitioners of the Twilight System’s path – the Eternal Path. The ‘Leader of Witches,’ naturally, was an existence at the terminus of this path…
‘Boon’ was another term for anointing. It was said that after a believer was promoted to Saint, they had to undergo an anointing ritual. The ‘First Boon of Twilight’ was, naturally, Twilight’s first Saint.
As for ‘Perfect Amber’… according to the Strategy Team’s intelligence, the entire Amber City was built around the Amber Temple. The Amber Temple was the human residence of that Twilight Witch. Ever since the Golden Age ended, legends had it that one of the Twilight Witch’s avatars still existed in the Temple. One of that avatar’s titles was “Supreme Perfect Amber.”
Li Wen told herself that the Twilight Pillar had collapsed long ago, and that the Twilight Witch and her avatars had naturally ceased to exist. This was a settled fact. However, when faced with an existence that was possibly an avatar of the legendary Pillar God, Li Wen’s heart couldn’t help but pound violently.
“I heard that Perfect Amber… is an avatar of that Pillar God.”
“So I couldn’t possibly be Perfect Amber, right?” the other party retorted.
Li Wen fell silent. No matter how she answered, it felt like a dead end.
“You don’t need to be alarmed. Who I am is not important to you, is it?” the existence behind the curtain continued. “You need The Primordial Codex of Ending, because what’s about to happen outside… is the fated destruction.”
“You know about Doomsday Twilight?”
It was a silly question, but Li Wen still asked it.
“Yes, all Saints will be informed. The world is not eternally unchanging. In the distant future, the Twilight that symbolizes the end will surely arrive. At that time, all will be sacrificed for the Apocalypse, and no existence will be spared. This is a prophecy made by the Three Goddesses, and therefore it will come to pass.”
This wasn’t the first time Li Wen had heard this prophecy. Hearing it again, she seemed to return to the past, and that unforgettable sense of oppression and solemnity once again crept into her heart.
“Even the Pillar Gods cannot be spared?”
Li Wen questioned.
“I don’t know.”
The existence behind the curtain replied thus. After all, They were neither a Pillar God nor had They experienced Doomsday Twilight, so They naturally couldn’t answer this question.
Li Wen recalled memories from her previous life, recalling the facts that the Strategy Team members had proven with their lives – Doomsday Twilight was by no means invincible. Even with a mortal body, it was still possible to halt Doomsday Twilight, even if only for a moment, which was enough to prove this fact.
So…
Li Wen’s gaze was incredibly firm as she said, “As long as one becomes a Pillar God, one will possess the power to contend with Doomsday Twilight.”
The other party fell into a long silence, as if mocking this whimsical idea.
“I don’t know… I have witnessed mortals receive crowns and become Saints, Saints ascend to divinity and establish paths, but becoming a Pillar God…” They didn’t finish. “Perhaps there is such a possibility.”
“Then, what must I do for you to give me The Primordial Codex of Ending?”
Li Wen asked this crucial question. In the strategy, The Primordial Codex of Ending was placed on an altar, unguarded. But now the altar’s position was replaced by the curtain, so The Primordial Codex of Ending was naturally in the other party’s hands.
“I won’t have you do anything, and The Primordial Codex of Ending can be given to you. But…” They suddenly stopped, as if hesitating for a moment before saying, “Are you really planning to become a Pillar God by following the path walked by others?”
“Isn’t that the meaning of a path’s existence?” Li Wen retorted. “Paths created by others are naturally meant to benefit latecomers. I have never heard that only those who forge their own path and do not follow others’ can become Saints or gods.”
“But Pillar Gods are different,” the other party said faintly. “The end of prehistory, countless epochs, the number of Pillar Gods has always remained within twelve, because there are only twelve pillars that construct and maintain the world itself. Only when one Pillar God falls will a new Pillar God be born, and the domain they symbolize will become a System. But no Pillar God has ever become a Pillar God through the Primordial Codex of the previous Pillar God.”
“Absence of evidence does not mean impossibility,” Li Wen did not feel discouraged by their words; instead, her belief was strengthened.
She was not unwilling to try other methods, such as forging her own path as the other party suggested, and then covering an unclaimed pillar with her own path to establish a new System. But there wasn’t enough time for that.
If Li Wen were given ten thousand years, no, a thousand years, she might perhaps attempt such a thing. But the current situation was that after one year, the Great Convergence would occur, all Players would lose their advantage, followed by the Arrival of the Tide, and Doomsday Twilight would come right after. The world’s lifespan would be less than a hundred years. Li Wen would simply not have the time to ponder her own path.
Only the path of others was her correct path.
Currently, eight of the twelve pillars were intact, and four were vacant. It took the collective efforts of the entire Strategy Team decades to obtain information about the Twilight Pillar’s System Primordial Codex. This was Li Wen’s, and indeed everyone’s in two worlds, only hope at present.
Seemingly persuaded by Li Wen, the existence behind the curtain sighed.
“You may be a brave person, but confronting Doomsday Twilight is not something that can be achieved with bravery alone.”
A corner of the heavy curtain was pulled back, and a pale girl’s arm extended. The arm was as white as a corpse, yet possessed a unique and eerie beauty, as if it were the most perfect creation of a god. In its hand, it held an ancient book, sealed within translucent amber. The book appeared ordinary, devoid of any divine power.
Li Wen stepped forward and took The Primordial Codex of Ending with both hands. This old book in amber was impossibly light, yet in her hands, it felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.
[The Primordial Codex of Ending]
[Supreme Divine Artifact – ???]
[Records the System Primordial Codex of the Twilight Pillar, depicting the path of the Twilight Witch to godhood. It is said that by obtaining the Codex, one has a chance to glimpse the position of a Pillar God.]
[Cannot be used!]
Li Wen did not only focus on the description of the Supreme Divine Artifact. She deeply bowed to the existence within the curtain.
“I cannot thank you on behalf of everyone, but please allow me to offer my most sincere personal thanks.”
The other party remained silent. After a long while, they slowly said, “You don’t need to thank me… Twilight is a system that symbolizes eternity and the end. I hope you understand this. How to use this Codex, you should understand better than I do, so I will not elaborate further. And also… after you become a Witch, come and see me – preferably before I fall into slumber.”
