Chapter 650: Amun

When Li Mochen completely gave up resistance, the process of the Church of Light and the Aesir pantheon deploying the Spikes of Origin was swift and smooth. In just half a day, over three thousand Spikes of Origin were distributed across Australia, the southern coast of America, and the territory of the Teutonic Republic.

However, the formal magical ritual would still take some time to initiate. Li Mochen had already risen and headed to the Abyss. The place he was going to was the darkest and filthiest land in the bright world.

The mass of source substance that Isis spoke of was held by Amun.

In the past, when the third-generation Egyptian sun god Amun allied with the Norse pantheon to fight against the Olympian pantheon, the Lord of Radiance rose again in the Levant region and, with the support of Zeus, boldly struck out. After a grueling battle, he finally cut down Amun from his throne as the sun god and king of the Egyptian gods.

The latter eventually fled to the deepest layer of the Abyss, but failed to recover his strength like Lucifer had.

At that time, 'Satan' became the Lord of the Abyss, preventing Amun from launching the contingency he had prepared to resurrect in the Abyss. However, due to Gaia and certain special circumstances, this family had never been able to obtain Amun's mass of source substance from that darkest and filthiest place in the world.

That Bright Mother clearly harbored ulterior motives—she might be planning to 'kill with a borrowed knife' to eliminate the threat of Amun, or she might intend to lure Li Mochen into a dangerous place.

That location severely suppressed both divine power and divine bodies, making it an extremely perilous zone for any being that had not yet become a God above Gods.

But that mass of source substance and Amun's legacy were things Li Mochen absolutely had to obtain, even if this was a trap set by Isis for him.

This ancient Egyptian sun god possessed not only a substantial mass of 'Time Sequence' source substance but also two powerful pseudo-Truth-level mythical armaments.

Seven thousand years ago, it was by relying on these two artifacts that he contended with the ancient Egyptian sun god Ra, gradually encroaching on the faith of the Egyptian Ennead and eventually replacing him.

Just as Li Mochen arrived at the deepest layer of the Abyss, the first person he saw was Lucifer.

Your Majesty Wiltonstein, I heard you plan to join forces with the Lord of Radiance?

This one's gaze was cold and sharp, tinged with hostility: "You want to help him become the God above gods, don't you?"

"If Isis keeps her promise, then I will do everything in my power to help the Lord of Radiance face enemies before He becomes the God above gods."

Li Mochen said this very frankly, while sweeping his gaze around in all directions.

That Lord of the Abyss had apparently long known he would come and had withdrawn the many demons from the vicinity in advance.

But at this moment, from the Abyss and the Nine Hells, countless gazes—some strong, some weak, some watchful, some hostile—were fixed on him.

Then he continued to look downward, his gaze intent.

The Abyss and the Nine Hells in the Old Continent originally came into being during the war of the gods before the fall of Rome.

To attack the Olympian pantheon, Odin and the Lord of Radiance hurled part of the Norse underworld 'Niflheim', the entire Babylonian underworld 'Irkalla', and the remnants of the Egyptian underworld 'Duat' into the Greek underworld and hell 'Tartarus', ultimately destroying it but also giving birth to the 'Abyss'.

It merged the dark side of the world, along with the divine realms and demiplanes of countless fallen gods, forming the original ninety-nine layers of the Abyss.

And the deepest layer is the collection of all the world's dark, negative matter and emotions; in occult terms, it is the convergence of the world's evil. In Eastern terms, it is karmic sin.

If one must use something to describe it, then this place can be said to be the toilet, the cesspit of the entire world.

This may sound inelegant, but that is how it is. For beings like them, gods, there is no more fitting description.

—The stench and filth emanating from within made Li Mochen nauseous and want to vomit.

And Li Mochen's journey into the Abyss this time could be entirely described as panning for gold in a cesspit.

"That means joining forces. Do you know what I'm thinking right now, Lord of Fate?"

Lucifer's gaze pierced into Li Mochen's eyes, causing the latter to feel a faint ache.

"I can probably guess. You're thinking you might as well kill me right here, aren't you?"

Li Mochen said helplessly, "Prince Lucifer, my contract with Isis only requires me to help the Lord of Light defend His heavenly kingdom, preventing Odin and the others from using the Root Thorn or similar methods against Him. I did not promise to help Him become the God Above Gods. Of course, if you think there's no difference, you can attack me now."

This was the first obstacle he had to overcome to obtain Amon's source essence!

All other divine kings needed to participate in the struggle for the source, but Lucifer alone was indifferent, thus possessing the ability to stop him.

Another variable was Satan; Li Mochen had yet to confirm what attitude this one would take toward his arrival.

In this bottomless abyss, their power would be exceptionally strong.

Lucifer gave a light snort: "I won't stop you, nor will I let Satan act. But if you succeed, I want the Light Seal of the sun god Amon."

"Agreed!"

Li Mochen answered promptly and crisply, while also expressing surprise: "Truly astonishing. I thought it impossible to persuade you."

"So, you're already prepared to fight me, aren't you?"

Lucifer's words were full of sarcasm: "I know Isis's character better than you do. Even if you refused, she would find someone else—Nyx, Eris, or Ahura. Since she offered terms you couldn't refuse, she could likely persuade others as well. The reason she chose you is simply that you are weaker, easier to control, and easier to discard—"

Li Mochen had nothing to say; Lucifer was absolutely right.

Lucifer continued with a sneer: "So why should I stop you? To let her find a more powerful divine king to aid the Lord of Light?"

"You are exceedingly wise."

Li Mochen let out a soft sigh: "Do you know what I'm thinking now, Prince Lucifer?"

Lucifer frowned slightly, then a hint of murderous intent appeared in his eyes: "Your Majesty Wilterstein, I feel that one day I will inevitably be unable to resist killing you."

He thought this fellow must be thinking that if he had been this clever a few thousand years ago, how could he have ended up in such a state?

Then he sat down opposite Li Mochen: "Do you think the Lord of Light has a chance?"

"If Gaia is successfully expelled, then His chances are very high—extremely high."

Li Mochen knew that Lucifer's purpose in coming to the deepest layer of the abyss was to keep an eye on 'Satan.'

This was a good thing for him. Since Lucifer was on his side, 'Satan' would no longer be a threat. The danger coefficient he faced next would decrease exponentially.

"If you don't want to see Him become the God Above Gods, then don't let them succeed."

This was Li Mochen's advice. Although expelling Gaia brought him immense benefits and opportunities, he still gave the suggestion sincerely.

Lucifer fell into deep thought, then shook his head, gazing into the distant void at that aura with which he had been locked in fierce battle in this world's foul place for thousands of years.

"I know you're telling the truth, but I can't do anything right now. So, I may also have to consider leaving this world."

※※※※

At the same time, in some place in the Outlands, others were watching them through the mirror method. And the few standing here were all beings whose auras were as deep as an abyss.

Ahura Mazda and His angel Mithra, Odin and his son Thor, Nyx and Eris, Isis and a dazzling, powerful radiance.

"It was you who told him the location of Amun's remains, wasn't it? Isis?"

Nyx's face was cold: "Do you know what you are doing?"

"I know! This might cultivate a powerful enemy for us."

Isis smiled slightly: "But as it stands, I think his strength is very beneficial to us. Of course, if you can't stand it, you can try to stop him."

As she spoke, she dispersed the mirror beside her. This mirror magic originated from her.

Nyx couldn't help but stare coldly at her: "I have to say, you really are a bitch!"

At least as far as she and Eris were concerned, they would never allow Li Mochen's power to grow further. They believed the others here felt much the same.

Under no circumstances could they allow that Lord of Fate to seize Amun's legacy.

"We are all the same, Nyx."

Isis replied calmly: "Can we begin now? Everyone."

"If you can make decisions on His behalf, then I have no objection, Holy Mother!"

Ahura was looking at Isis's side with a half-smile, but that radiance showed no reaction; it continued to emit light and heat without any change.

Odin also said calmly: "If all the Root Thorns have been arranged, there is no need to delay further."

His golden divine power had already extended in all directions from here, causing a massive runic array hidden in the darkness of the void to begin revealing itself. The others present also began to pour their divine power into it one after another.

Rune after rune appeared, instantly covering the interlayer between the main material realm and the star domain, and resonating with the Root Thorns within the main material realm.

Then everyone here closed their eyes, concentrating and waiting. They had already sensed Gaia's struggle and resistance, and this process of pulling Gaia out of the World Core would last several days.

※※※※

Li Mochen also sensed the changes in the World Core. He immediately stood up: "I should start too. I entrust the Lord of Hell to you, Prince Lucifer."

Lucifer was too lazy to reply; he waved his hand impatiently. Li Mochen was never one to drag things out. With a single thought, he summoned four array disks to guard himself, then walked into the depths of darkness.

As for the location of Amun's remains, Li Mochen had already locked onto it two years ago using the improved 'Zhou Tian Divine Mechanism Xuan Shu Lock Star Secret Art' and tracked it constantly.

The difficulty lay in the mental pollution from the filth and negative forces here.

So two years ago, Li Mochen had spent thirty-six top-tier mythical materials to forge these four array disks, combining Eastern and Western formations and magical arrays, hoping they could help him resist the environment here.

The effect was quite good. The moment Li Mochen stepped inside, the four array disks simultaneously emitted a cyan glow, enveloping him completely and blocking the rolling black mud outside.

Although a trace of black gas still seeped in, this was no different from what Li Mochen had imagined.

But at this moment, Li Mochen also sensed that the four array disks were faintly stained with a layer of black gas—a testament to the power of the darkness and negativity here.

If Li Mochen had no other methods, these four array disks would be corrupted and assimilated by the 'black mud' within half an hour at most.

Li Mochen frowned slightly, and then four blazing suns formed beside him.

They were the immense energy generated by the annihilation of matter and antimatter, which in turn gave rise to nuclear fusion, creating four small suns around Li Mochen, effectively slowing the erosion of the 'black mud'.

Ultimate 'annihilation', ultimate 'matter and antimatter', and equally ultimate 'fusion'—these were among Li Mochen's achievements over the past three and a half years.

If not for lacking a few light laws, Li Mochen could even claim to be a sun god or a light god.

At the same time, Li Mochen felt a powerful aura lock onto him. The person probably knew they couldn't escape Li Mochen's spiritual sense and 'Fate' divine authority, so they made no attempt to hide it, and it was filled with malice!

A name instantly flashed through Li Mochen's mind—'Ahriman', also known as 'Angra Mainyu'! The evil incarnation of Ahura, once considered by the ancient peoples of the Middle East as the god of darkness and destruction, the source of all evil and darkness!

This being had invaded his Divine Kingdom of Fate alongside Ahura several times, and they had clashed head-on twice, so Li Mochen was familiar with his aura.

Li Mochen's mood grew somewhat heavier.

This was the third major obstacle to seizing Amun's remains. In this place filled with filth and negative forces, Angra Mainyu, originally a being of vice-king level, would have his power enhanced to an incredible degree.

If the two fought here, it would be almost like fighting in Angra's divine kingdom.

But this was still better than if Satan and Lucifer had also joined in to snatch the prize.

Li Mochen repeatedly used the Kunlun Mirror, trying to shake off 'Angra Mainyu', but soon found it futile. This being had an extremely exaggerated perception in the deepest abyss. Although Li Mochen's Kunlun Mirror was powerful in traversing time and space, it could not escape the dark god's divine thought tracking.

At the same time, Li Mochen also detected three other enemies through the threads of fate around him.

One was Hades, the King of the Underworld; one was Hodr, the dark god of the Aesir; and one was one of Nyx's offspring, the god of darkness, destruction, and ruin, Khaos.

Among them, Hades might be even more terrifying than 'Angra Mainyu'. He was Rhea's eldest son, and before Zeus became the king of gods, his power even surpassed the latter's.

And Hades, who incarnated as 'Pluto' in the Roman era, had taken over the authority of the earth from Rhea, who had left this world.

In that era, he was already a powerful god of vice-king level. So much so that Odin had to hurl the underworlds of several pantheons toward Rome and Greece to strike at this mighty underworld king.

And after millennia, he had likely truly stabilized at the vice-king rank.

Li Mochen sighed, then simply ignored these enemies and continued toward the direction of Amun's remains.

He didn't know how far he had traveled next—maybe a thousand kilometers, maybe more than two thousand. It was hard to define using mortal perception and measurement of distance.

Every step Li Mochen took here was extremely difficult. The thick black mud pressed in from all sides, seeming ready to crush the four array disks around him at any moment. Li Mochen's divine power was also rapidly depleting; the four array disks and four fusion suns consumed a vast amount of his mana.

Fortunately, he now possessed the advanced 'Eternal' divine authority, advanced 'Infinite' divine authority, the 'Vitality' divine authority nearing pseudo-truth, and the 'Life and Death' divine authority also nearing pseudo-truth, allowing his divine power to recover endlessly. In terms of endurance, he had surpassed his 'Eternal Angel' Atlas. So at this moment, Li Mochen was more pleased than worried.

In fact, as Li Mochen's figure advanced deeper into the black mud, Angra Mainyu, Hades, and the others were increasingly struggling.

Although they all wielded powerful dark forces, they were ultimately divine bodies and could not ignore the collection of world evil and mental pollution.

With endurance inferior to Li Mochen's, their situation grew more perilous.

As for Hodr, the dark god of the Aesir, and Khaos, the god of darkness, destruction, and ruin, they had completely fallen behind. Their divine thoughts could no longer lock onto Li Mochen.

One had a divine rank of 18, the other 17. Normally, they could enter and exit here without issue, even reaching the deepest layers if careful. But Li Mochen's speed was far beyond their imagination, too fast for them to keep up and bear the pressure of the black mud.

This Lord of Fate's intention to win by speed and harm by capital was fully revealed, but they had no good way to counter it. They could only watch helplessly as he left the ones behind.

After about half an hour, even Hades and Angra Mainyu had fallen a great distance behind Li Mochen, and their divine thought lock was no longer as stable and firm as before.

At this moment, Li Mochen doubled down again, beginning to use the Kunlun Mirror to rapidly shuttle forward. In just three minutes, he completely shook off the divine thoughts of the two behind him.

However, here Li Mochen's progress became even more difficult. The black mud had thickened to an inconceivable degree, and merely forcing it aside consumed a tremendous amount of magical power.

Though the distance remaining was very short, Li Mochen took several times longer. After a full four hours, he finally broke through to the location of Amon's remains.

The moment he approached, Li Mochen fired the three 'Longinus Holy Spears' he had prepared in his sleeve.

When these three holy spears merged into one, they could still unleash their original ultimate mythical armament power. The ultimate fate, combined with the power of fate that Li Mochen himself possessed, decreed the 'fate' of death for the dark monster spawned from Amon's remains before him.

It was indeed a thorough monster, formed from the fusion of the foulest evil of this place with Amon's remnant soul, coiled within Amon's corpse, extending countless tentacles in all directions.

Originally, a most pure, most dark, most foul demonic body should have been born here, but a force exerted from afar prevented it from developing true intelligence.

However, as Li Mochen approached, the monster instinctively attacked him. Thousands of tentacles stretched out toward Li Mochen.

Though lacking intelligence, it was inherently endowed with truth-level 'pollution', 'corruption', 'sin', and numerous ultimate dark laws including 'killing' and 'destruction'. There was also spiritual contamination from extreme emotions such as 'pride', 'envy', 'wrath', 'sloth', 'greed', 'gluttony', and 'lust'.

But Li Mochen reacted faster; his three 'Longinus Holy Spears' had already struck the monster's body first.

Pseudo-truth-level concepts of death, along with powerful thunderbolts and crimson flames, instantly covered every corner of its body. And the power of fate, through one coincidence after another, rendered all the monster's resistance ineffective.

Just as the fate Li Mochen had decreed for it with vast divine power—death under the piercing of the 'Longinus Holy Spears'—the monster perished within a mere three minutes, devoid of any life.

But Li Mochen knew that its 'death' was very brief; within at most one to three seconds, the thing could revive from death. Amon's remnant spirit still existed, and the evil here was inexhaustible.

And an attack of the magnitude just used, Li Mochen could not employ a second time. Not only because the three holy spears had consumed nearly a third of his magical power, but also because he had spent a full day and night preparing for this beforehand.

So he then concentrated a great deal of divine power into his eyes, racing against time to sweep through Amon's body.

In an instant, Li Mochen's brows lifted slightly; he had found the mass of source substance and the two mythical armaments that Amon had held in life.