Chapter 401 "Animal World" is completed
"There have been three instances of Pillar Gods undergoing transformations.
"The latter two are associated with [Forbidden Fruit] and [Sovereignty], corresponding to the birth of the Eternal Self and the Silver-Crowned Dragon, respectively.
"However, during the first event, [Cicada Slough], five Pillar Gods were born at once..."
The Adaptive Pillar God, Lord of Scalefeather.
The Dusk Pillar God, Amber.
The Pillar God of Wisdom, Great Sage.
The Pillar God of Strength, Supreme Heaven.
And...
"...The Beast's Pillar God, Beast Master."
Aiwass said in a low voice.
The Old Mage's eyes suddenly widened.
This was secret knowledge he had never been privy to.
For Transcendents from nations other than Avalon, the deification of the Silver-Crowned Dragon is no secret. It is precisely because the Crown Lord is the youngest among the Pillar Gods that other nations generally underestimate the Path of Authority... because it couldn't possibly have any ancient heritage, and its depth is clearly insufficient.
The secret knowledge that the Eternal Self replaced the Beast Master and thus humans were born is known only by a few.
Perhaps Elves know more, but humanity's own history clearly cannot provide a clear understanding of "why humans came into existence."
As for Cicada Slough— that is a secret within secrets.
Even in the annals of the Holy Nation, this is an untouchable secret. Only races even older than Elves... such as Dragons, Serpentfolk, or the now-extinct Winged Ones, might have access to such profound secrets.
And if one considers this possibility...
Aleister recalled the names of those three missions.
The three paintings completed using "The White Horse King"... "Mole Day," "Snow Queen," "Animal World," aren't these exactly corresponding to the three Pillar God transition events?
"Mole Day" should represent the shallowest layer of the original story, which is the allegory used for the "collapse of two dynasties"—here, the White Horse is the Crowned Celestial Marshal, the Ursa Major is Supreme Heaven, the Lion is the Helasal Empire, and the Mole is the Son of the Moon.
The White Horse communicated with the Lion but did not receive the Lion's help; this corresponds to the initial Knights who followed Arthur, leaving their homelands behind, renouncing their Imperial identities, and coming to Avalon Island. After the White Horse's victory, the Lion nearly became a Monarch—ultimately, the aging sleeping lion was swallowed from within by the Mole, which also aligns with the timeline.
"Snow Queen" represents a deeper story.
Here, the White Horse is the Eternal Self, the Lion should be the Beast Master, and the Mole is the Son of the Moon. However, Aleister knows less about that period of history... He doesn't know what the Eternal Self initially did, and therefore cannot know what the Eternal Self was trying to fight against using the power of the Beast Master.
But in the end, the White Horse became the "Queen Consort" of this sleeping lion. The Lion slept year-round, thus the White Horse assumed authority and emerged publicly... but the real power still belonged to the Beast Master.
The power of the Beast Master, because of the birth of the Blood Celestial Marshal, was digested and dissolved by the Eternal Self through the Son of the Moon. When the Son of the Moon becomes a Perfect Human, the completion and practice of the Eternal Self's path mean that the Beast's Path was fully absorbed by the Path of Love.
Then... comes the third possibility.
—The Animal World.
"Is this... the legendary 'Cicada Slough'?"
The Great Mage, in his Spiritual Body state, widened his eyes, watching the struggle between the Sky Warrior and the King of the Earth.
The White Horse seemed so frail in front of Ursa Major, almost flung away the instant they met. Yet a curse began to entangle Ursa Major, causing it intense agony.
Aiwass looked up to the sky—such an intense battlefield was unable to affect the two deceased individuals in the slightest. Even though everything was covered with the filter of fairy tales and animals, they could see how bloody the battle was.
"Back then, the Path of Adaptation was still called the Beast's Path, and the golden lion was the [Hunting King]."
Aiwass slowly said, "The Winged Celestial Marshal, before becoming a Celestial Marshal, was an extremely powerful warrior... and at the same time, he was also an ancient and powerful Mage.
"He drew strength from the Beast's Path, using the power of the [Hunting King] to defeat the King of the Earth. At one point, he wanted to give glory to the Hunting King..."
—However, the White Horse thought the lion was arrogant, and the lion thought the White Horse was foolish.
Even though the Hunting King lent power to the Winged Ones, he did not believe that the Winged Celestial Marshal, still a Mortal, could defeat the King of the Earth, let alone become a "King" through this.
Because a true king must be a carnivore.
This so-called king, ought to be a God!
That King of the Earth was not a mere mortal at all but a Celestial Marshal... perhaps even a Pillar God!
"And so, the White Horse and the golden lion parted on bad terms. The White Horse became the 'King,' commanding his animals..."
Aiwass looked towards those small animals with white wings, paused for a moment, then answered in a low voice: "He became the King of the Winged, the Winged Celestial Marshal."
"What then?!"
The Old Mage's gaze trembled.
He stared unblinkingly at everything unfolding before him, thirsting for the many secrets Aiwass revealed.
The driving force of the Path of Wisdom was roaring in his soul, with boundless curiosity and mystique grinding down his will like a millstone that, once started, could never stop.
For Transcendents on the Path of Wisdom, the conflict of solving mysteries is irresistible; a hidden truth holds far greater value than life itself.
To hear of the Path in the morning, and to die in the evening would be bliss!
"And then..."
Aiwass was about to reply.
But at that moment, as Ursa Major was about to pounce on the battered White Horse, time suddenly stood still.
Three illusory gates of light appeared beside Aiwass, each covered in climbing vines.
And it was at this time, fittingly, that the question was presented:
[What should be the story's ending?] —[Division] ? [Fusion] ? [Betrayal]?
What Aiwass would choose was self-evident.
These three options corresponded respectively to [Winged Celestial Marshal splitting into the Great Sage and Supreme Heaven], [Eternal Self and Beast Master intertwining], [Silver-Crowned Dragon suppressing the Calamity Demon Dragon] the three possibilities.
The first painting differs subtly from the second.
If the first painting represented "the presence of many things that shouldn't exist," necessitating artificial pruning...
The second painting is ambiguous, with interpretations valid in either way. It requires observation and choice to decide which direction it ultimately leans towards.
Aleister's first question seems to have been answered incorrectly.
If one chooses "both are correct," then the plot can only proceed to the first ending… Fortunately, it was later turned around, though it's uncertain how many points were lost. Aleister probably has no chance of winning by points, but Aiwass might be able to achieve a victory through points…
However, if that's the case... does it mean that the third painting is "lacking" something, requiring man-made completion?
Thinking thus, Aiwass chose the [Division] door.
He strode through it and, without hesitation, pushed open the door at the end.
——At this moment, the storm had already ceased.
The sun shone brightly, and spring blossomed.
The white horse, draped in a bear skin cloak and crowned, leisurely paced atop the tower.
Now, it seemed not as pure white as before. The fur that had touched the crackling flames had turned black, becoming charred in color, emitting wisps of blue smoke.
It had become "the King." The Red Fox no longer stood on its back but instead circled around its feet.
"Have you made your decision?"
The fox asked.
After a long silence, the white horse replied: "I must eventually face [Truth]."
Its voice was no longer the clear tone of a young boy but had become deep, hoarse, and mature.
It turned its head, with streaks of blood in its mouth.
——They were the remains of flesh.
Its pupils had turned black and red—the base black, the pupils like red crosshairs.
Those were the very eyes of the Crimson Bear previously.
"I have defeated the carnivoror, and have begun to eat meat; he who defeats the Tyrant becomes the Tyrant; the unraveled riddle turns into another mystery... It seems all things are in a cycle. Around and around it goes, with no one escaping the shackles of fate..."
The white horse said in a low voice: "Only 'truth' can provide me with answers."
"...And where might one find truth?"
"By opening that tightly shut door, one can set foot upon the river untouched by man. Although the nature of beasts always resists truth, I must obtain it, obtain… Wisdom. Just as I have obtained Strength.
"Without wisdom, we wander lost on the earth. Always falling into endless cycles, only by touching truth can we understand everything.
"I will return, fox. Just stay on this tower… When I obtain truth, I will solve the puzzles for everyone. Why we fight, why we live."
The white horse said thus.
At this moment elsewhere.
An aged white dog stood silently to the side, coldly looking at the remains of a lion.
It lay on its side at some point, with blood all over its abdomen and near its mouth.
It had died of poison.
And a black mole was greedily munching on its liver.
Turning its head toward the white dog, the mole spoke with a grinning sharp tone, "Want a taste? Finder's share—You still have a chance to regret it, don't you? Mage?"
"No need, My Lord."
The old dog answered coldly: "I have made my decision."
"Then you should refer to me as..."
As the mole spoke, its body suddenly melted into black mud.
It reassembled, transforming into a gigantic Roc, tossing the remains of the lion into the sky and swallowing them.
Then, those dark golden birdlike pupils turned back, coldly staring at the old dog: "Call me 'Your Majesty'."
"No need."
The old dog replied: "In this lifetime, I serve only one Majesty.
"...Lord of Scalefeather."
The Roc stared at him coldly for a long while, then beat its wings and took flight.
It emitted a cry that resonated across the world, announcing its own birth.
Meanwhile from afar, the white horse, draped in a burning deep crimson bearskin, also looked up.
It too took flight, its pure white wings burning with red flames, leaving a deep red trail across the sky, shining like The Sun.
Countless beasts on the ground raised their heads, looking up at the two new kings in the sky.
At this moment, the sky was at dusk. The Roc just happened to block out the setting sun behind it.
The next instant, the whole world burst into light, forming a complete painting.
To the left, the great Roc that blocked out the sun, as if bringing night prematurely; to the right, the white horse, ablaze with fierce flames, shining brightly in the sky like The Sun, lighting up half the heavens. The numerous beasts on the ground looked up at them.
This could be the day of rebirth, or it could be the time of the end.
Perhaps it's the beginning of the end, or maybe... the end of the beginning.
[Rebellion is the powerless' first blade, and Curse will be the last. History will cycle, once, twice, thrice… No one can escape the curse of the eternal circle. Those destined for kingship shall die by the blade, and those who kill with a blade shall become kings; this may be a paradox, but perhaps it's also a cycle. Who knows? Don't speak of just the creatures; even the gods are but blood-eating beasts, preying on each other...]
[——Complete, "Animal World"]
Such a childish yet solemn voice rang in Aiwass and Aleister's ears.