Chao Lingyin once mentioned that the Creator might appear today, and while Lin Luo was skeptical, he still laid out a series of plans for the possibility. Up until this very moment, every plan had gone off without a hitch, even yielding unexpectedly positive results through sheer serendipity.

Throughout this process, besides the Creator's puppets, not a single trace of the Creator had been detected, leading Lin Luo to gradually suspect Chao Lingyin’s judgment might have been flawed, and he stopped paying it much mind. But then!

Lin Luo never could have anticipated hearing the Creator's voice at such a moment. He was here! He was truly here!

“Surprised?” The Creator’s voice resonated directly in his mind, neither hot nor cold, unhurried, projecting an air of absolute ease. “No, in fact, I’m more surprised than you are. To incite the entire populace to your side in such a short time—and even stir up such intense fervor for the inheritors of the Ancient Era. You are not the first, but you are certainly the one who interests me the most.”

“What did you say! There are others besides me?” Lin Luo had initially felt a slight unease at the Creator’s sudden appearance, but upon hearing those words, he froze stiff.

“Of course,” the Creator seemed to chuckle. “In this present reality, long after the Ancient Era was annihilated, I am the sole surviving mage. Did you imagine there could be a second person besides me who knows of the Book of Origins?”

“Ugh!” The Creator’s words seemed evasive, yet Lin Luo understood the implication instantly. “The Book of Origins—you left it behind in the real world?”

“Naturally.”

“And those inheritors before me were also arranged by you?” Lin Luo asked, his voice deepening. If one lacked the Eye of Truth, they couldn't perceive the Book of Origins. Since the Creator claimed only he could touch it, the conclusion was obvious.

“Yes,” the Creator replied, showing no apparent desire to conceal anything, though his tone carried a hint of disappointment. “But their abilities were all too poor; none were truly qualified to be my opponents. The most promising one died twenty years ago. I had some hope for him, but alas, he couldn't endure the loneliness… Oh, right, that person was apparently the teacher of this body’s original owner. What was his name again…”

Naji’s Master!

Lin Luo’s expression shifted drastically. He remembered now. Naji did indeed have a master—someone who looked like a child but had actually lived for nearly three thousand years, dying in the war twenty years prior. How he died was a secret known only to Al, Naji, and perhaps the Creator. But one thing was certain: he hadn't died in battle.

So that’s how it was.

This explained so much. The Creator had nurtured Naji’s Master, for reasons unknown, though his tone suggested he was seeking a worthy adversary. And Naji’s Master, likely knowing he couldn't defeat the Creator, had in turn cultivated Naji. This made it plausible that Naji, possessing Ancient Era magic, could challenge the Creator. But did Naji even use Ancient Era magic?

He shouldn't have! Despite never meeting him, the information Lin Luo had gathered suggested Naji’s magic belonged to this current era.

As if sensing Lin Luo's thoughts, the Creator suddenly spoke, “The original owner of this body was truly remarkable. To activate the Source without any Ancient Era magic—that’s astonishing. People of this age have their Sources dormant and receive no information about them whatsoever. In that era, this Naji would likely have been among the top figures of the Emperor-level Magus ranking. He almost managed to defeat me completely.”

Emperor-level Magus was the highest title for a Magus in the Ancient Era, equivalent to an Emperor among mortals. Across that entire era, which spanned tens of thousands of years, the total number of Emperor-level Magi never exceeded three digits. This sounded like a large number, but in context, it was not. For the Creator to call someone a ‘top figure’ suggested perhaps ten individuals at most. It was clear the Creator held Naji’s capabilities in extremely high regard… and this was likely precisely why the Creator seized Naji’s body.

“Speaking of which, the Source within my daughter also seems to have activated. Was that your doing, Inheritor of the Ancient Era?”

“You mean Evangeline?” Only two people could be referred to as the Creator's daughter: Amadidil, the oldest Queen of the magical world, and Evangeline. Amadidil had long since passed away, meaning his only surviving daughter now was Evangeline… Lin Luo didn't entirely grasp why the Creator considered Evangeline his daughter. Was it simply because he had turned her into a True Vampire Progenitor, thereby altering her lineage?

While it was true that those Embraced could be considered descendants of a vampire, the Creator wasn't a vampire and shouldn't care about that kind of connection. Was there another reason?

Evangeline was initially unaware of the Source. She only learned about it after Lin Luo explained it. Although her Source was in an activated state, it hadn't been triggered… Only being able to utilize the power of the Source freely constituted triggering it.

Does that mean Evangeline can now use the power of the Source? Wait, her Reverse Space!

Lin Luo recalled the Reverse Space Evangeline used to render Sakuya powerless. That might well be the result of her employing the Source.

“My daughter is quite interesting,” the Creator mused happily, letting out a light chuckle. “She seems to have obtained power even greater than what I bestowed upon her.”

As expected of the Creator; he could faintly sense even the power of the World Heart. Lin Luo was astonished internally but remained unconcerned. No matter how mighty the Creator, he couldn't interfere with the World Heart.

“I have a question for you, Creator,” Lin Luo asked mentally, as another concern now occupied his thoughts.

“What is it?”

“Why did you turn Evangeline into a vampire?”

“Because she is my daughter,” the Creator answered readily.

There was indeed another reason!

“However, I cannot tell you the deeper reason.” Just as Lin Luo considered pressing further, the Creator became cagey. “If my daughter were to ask me, I might tell her. But you? I have no need to discuss my family matters with you.”

Lin Luo was speechless. This Creator was vastly different from his prior impression; not only had he become more humanized, but he also seemed to have acquired a layer of cunning.

“Then I’ll change the subject. What is your purpose in seeking me out this time?” Since the Creator was unwilling to elaborate, Lin Luo knew further questioning was futile and decisively shifted the topic.

“Ah, that question concerns both you and me. I can answer that,” the Creator paused momentarily before continuing, “Look outside. Do you sense anything?”

“Hmm?” Lin Luo frowned, unsure what the Creator meant, but knowing his words couldn't be idle chatter, he immediately extended his Knowledge Domain outwards, and then…

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom…

Lin Luo heard sounds like giants stomping the earth—deep, muffled, and numerous.

Lin Luo’s face changed instantly. Then, he suddenly felt his grip loosen as those two puppets were teleported away.

This was undoubtedly the Creator’s doing, but he couldn't worry about that now. Ignoring the strange looks from those around him, he shot skyward in an instant. Seeing that Lin Luo had remained silent, Evangeline and the others felt a touch of confusion, and they all took flight at that moment, their faces changing in unison.

Outside the city of Ostia, countless colossal figures were slowly advancing toward them. Each stood twenty to thirty meters tall, appearing terrifying, and their numbers were even more horrifying—dense and packed, easily numbering in the thousands.

“Damn it, are those Apostles?!” Lin Luo gasped, sucking in a sharp breath. Although the massive figures were numerous, they were no mere cannon fodder. He could sense that judging purely by their power levels, every single one was World-class.

“Those are the Ghost God Soldiers!” Al stated gravely. “We encountered these things twenty years ago when fighting the Complete World, but this quantity… This is trouble.”

Even Al felt the pressure. He wouldn't fear additional opponents of other kinds, but Ghost God Soldiers were not a laughing matter. A single slip-up could lead to a counter-kill, as there wasn't much difference in their power levels; the only distinction was the Ghost God Soldiers’ inferior intelligence—in short, they were blockheads.

“Hahaha, how interesting! This kind of opponent is worthy of the title Creator. That last fight was dreadfully dull,” the only one in the group showing excitement was Lakan, the lecherous mercenary swordsman, already flexing his fingers as if ready to charge in at any moment.

“Hmph, you muscle-bound blockhead, why don't you just let them squash you into paste,” Evangeline showed no pressure either, as she possessed immortality. Few things in this world could truly kill her.

The Ghost God Soldiers were still quite far from the city. It would take them some time to reach Neo-Ostia, but if they breached the defenses, the city would surely run red with blood.

“Then we stop them outside the city!” Konyei Yongchun declared solemnly, his face now incredibly grave.

Arranging for the Headmaster, Theodora, and Silas to remain and organize the city’s populace, Lin Luo and the others immediately charged out toward the perimeter… Ordinary masters would be utterly helpless against opponents like the Ghost God Soldiers. Only six among them—Lin Luo, Evangeline, Sakuya, Al, Lakan, and Konyei Yongchun—possessed the capability to confront monsters of that caliber.

: Damn it, this book is being blocked from promotional recommendations due to copyright issues. I'm hurt, my fragile little heart is truly wounded! Who will comfort me… A