Chapter 1336
The Death of the Serpent Father
“To kill the author?”
The giant feathered serpent spoke slowly, “That would be to my liking.”
“What?”
Even Eivass himself did not expect the Serpent Father to react in such a manner.
“Ai Shiping—do you remember what you were researching before?”
The feathered serpent suddenly asked, “Regarding research on ‘Forbidden knowledge.'”
In that instant, a memory that had not existed before suddenly appeared in Eivass’s mind:
Yes, he remembered… In a sense, he was the culprit who caused the Whisper of the Void invasion.
Perhaps the Twilight Seed, which had finished its meal and left, would sooner or later return and devour this World; and because of the wormhole it left behind when it departed, the World’s shielding membrane had already been damaged and could be discovered at any moment.
But what directly triggered the Twilight Seed invasion—or rather, accelerated the process—was Eivass’s dangerous research.
Because no one truly understood the exact reason for the destruction of the previous Era. No one knew how the Twilight Seed descended… and now, people had finally confirmed the key. That crucial condition was the establishment of the “Origin River of Errors.”
Once “errors” exist, there will be differences between “correction” and “indulgence,” and between “punishment” and “forgiveness.” And the Whisper of the Void is precisely “the twilight of indulgence and forgiveness.”
People cannot accept their own mistakes, so they will escape—until they flee into nothingness and meaninglessness.
In other words.
It was precisely because Ai Shiping was about to become a Pillar God that this World faced destruction!
He naturally needed to save the World. Because this was his responsibility.
From this perspective, the true culprit who destroyed the World was Ai Shiping himself—
“—No.”
However, Eivass, who was in opposition to Ai Shiping, denied it by saying, “The twilight destroyed the World, and there is no other answer. This World has the right to advance further, not to be confined by the past in an iron cage that will eventually tighten. Moving forward is not an ‘error.'”
Even Eivass himself was not sure from where in his previous thoughts… it had begun to turn into the Whisper of the Void.
However, he could clearly realize—this conclusion was wrong.
“No matter how false and complete the argument is, this principle will not be wrong: when a person is punished by evildoers who bind him for pursuing freedom and truth, his heart that pursues freedom and truth is not wrong.
“There is no such thing as a victim who attracts evildoers also being responsible! Not to mention that his motive was to save more people, his will was inherited from his predecessors, and his actions were also recognized by the people—”
Eivass said firmly, “I do not accept the consequences of his actions, but I affirm his heart and his will. And if I were in his place, I would do the same without hesitation.
“If there must be someone to bear the ‘error,’ it should be myself.”
“—You are not wrong.”
Even though he used telepathy, the feathered serpent did not hear what Eivass specifically heard.
But He still gave a definite answer without hesitation.
Because He could be sure of one thing: Eivass was ready to open the Origin River of Errors and step onto the path of forbidden knowledge.
Thus, the ninth Origin River would finally be fully opened.
Then… His mission as a “Transcendent” would finally be completed.
Up to this point, this World had completely surpassed the Old World.
They had successfully opened the ninth Origin River and completely perfected the River of Errors…
Although it was just one mistake.
But understanding error is the beginning of correcting it.
“—Since we’ve reached this point, there’s nothing to fear.”
The feathered serpent straightened its body, its voice becoming resolute, “I’ll teach you one last thing, my dearest child.”
“What?”
Eivass was stunned, and his heart thumped, “How could it be…”
How could it be the last thing?
“A secret. A forbidden knowledge that has never been truly practiced. A secret that not many people know, and one that I hope you will never have to use… The opening of a new Origin River often requires the sacrifice of a Pillar God. I had already arranged everything, just waiting for an accident… or your maturity. I just didn’t expect it to come so soon.”
The Serpent Father said slowly, flying towards the sky, “This World is beyond saving, little Ai. Even the Gods have been infected, and even Zarvan and I are experiencing auditory hallucinations… It’s just like when the last civilization was destroyed. But fortunately, the situation is different now.
“—We have you. A traveler from another world, a soul that does not truly exist in this World, and one with the potential to bear the foundation of a Pillar God…
“…So, I’ve thought of a way.”
The Serpent Father said resolutely, “You return to the past and help us find the future.”
“Return to the past?”
Eivass murmured.
His pupils trembled.
At this moment, Eivass finally seemed to understand everything—
“Teacher, there’s still a way, hurry and use the Ouroboros Ring! Let’s return to the past—”
“Heh… Return to the past… Will it help…?”
The memory of the Cicada Molting appeared in Eivass’s mind like a phantom.
The conversation between Amber and Eivass at that time.
To this day, Eivass finally understood what kind of feelings were hidden in the sarcastic and desperate words of “himself” back then.
This was not the “zeroth loop.”
It was the “minus one” loop, or even a world from much earlier—
The World had not just gone through eight cycles.
—What a journey of despair for Ai Shiping?
“You must be like an Ouroboros, connecting head and tail,”
The Serpent Father murmured, instructing, talking to himself, “You must return to the past, but in fact, you are moving forward.
“Don’t be afraid… I will pay all the price, you just need to move forward. Hahaha… Twisting time, there is nothing more ‘forbidden’ than this.”
After saying this, the Serpent Father was silent for a moment, flew down from the sky, landed beside Eivass, and affectionately rubbed against him. Giving him a final hug.
“…It seems I still couldn’t teach you well. When you go back, don’t look for me again… The me at that time will probably have turned into a remnant image without emotions or consciousness. Don’t pay attention to him anymore… he is not me.
“Go find Zhuanxu, and be his student. I still couldn’t teach you well… He was my researcher, and also my teacher. Tell him everything you’ve experienced, and let him give you advice! Listen to him!
“Return to the past, Ai Shiping!
“—I will create a forbidden new path for you with transcendent creation!”
As the Serpent Father’s voice fell.
He flew towards the sky without looking back.
Only then did Eivass finally understand—why the Serpent Father wanted to break through the sky. Why the Serpent Father in every timeline would crash into the sky precisely on August 1st…
Shadows always chase their bodies.
Just as every dream chases reality.
What the Serpent Father wanted to break through, what the Serpent Father wanted to Transcend, what the Serpent Father wanted to shatter… was not the sky above.
Neither the balanced curtain that blocked mortals in the Material Realm from exploring the sky, nor the Amber Wall that sealed the World’s outer shell’s gap…
It was the immutable principle of the sun rising in the east and setting in the west, the curtain called “Time”!
“My child, my successor, my greatest creation, my student, my close friend, my everything…
“…Everything, my World, I entrust it all to you.
“The Ouroboros.”
The next moment, the Serpent Father crashed into the sky with a roar.
It was the supreme great Ritual—a Ritual to pierce the curtain of space-time.
With a collision like breaking glass, the Serpent Father’s body instantly exploded!
Eivass and Inanna were instantly scattered, and a black hole appeared out of thin air, sucking Eivass into it—
And the moment Eivass crossed the space-time barrier, the Serpent Father’s Heavenly Envoy Fragment fell steadily into his hand…
Condensing into a Golden Apple.
(End of this chapter)
