Chapter 16: All Life Is a Play: Who Oversees the Multiverse?

Years of relentless war plunged the world into chaos, claiming countless lives. In the end, even the Ant Queen was exhausted, struggling to reproduce.

Ant heroes continued to be hunted by myriad races, while the leaderless ant swarm was consumed by black oil (petroleum).

The various races in the alliance fared no better; human warriors suffered heavy casualties, and society revolved around war efforts. Weapons and armor became increasingly powerful, yet living conditions deteriorated.

A large number of tribes faced starvation, while even smaller races faced extinction.

Even the divine tree, Rahil, had withered significantly, its energy accumulated over millennia draining away. Once vibrant leaves were starting to turn yellow, and the giant tree seemed to languish.

Finally, both sides were weary of battle, seeing no strategies left to decisively defeat their opponent, and resorted to signing a temporary peace treaty.

Both sides withdrew their troops, with the myriad races occupying fertile lands while the ant tribe retreated to the Death Desert—deep underground lay their true stronghold.

Yet, both factions knew this peace was merely an illusion. The two camps were recuperating, sharpening their blades in secrecy, waiting for any crack in the other’s defenses to strike with a thunderous blow! After witnessing the decade-long conflict, Jiang Ping exclaimed it was exhilarating, finding it more riveting than childhood cartoons, with both sides pushing their tribes to the limit.

The Ant Queen, Belsha, radiated dominance as she led her swarm of devouring ants against the multitude. Even after being mortally wounded by the Spear of Destiny, she managed to survive and evolve, thanks to the devouring evil god octopus.

Moreover, she evolved to produce ant heroes, sweeping the realm with elite and brutal soldiers.

Generations of Human Kings fell in battle, as extraordinary magical beasts united with humanity against the devouring ants. Even the divine tree, Rahil, intervened, paving the way for the emergence of the elven and druidic races.

With Rahil evolving time after time, these two races would eventually mirror ancient myths. At that point, it would be said she drew close to the World Tree.

However, even that would only barely balance the scales against the ant swarm.

Throughout this century-long conflict, both sides underwent evolution; while the factions rested, Jiang Ping took the time to assess his own gains.

The Human King’s breathing technique, refined numerous times, became increasingly profound, incorporating breathing methods contributed by various races. Even he needed considerable time to comprehend it fully.

However, practical cultivation would still require further adjustments, given the different laws of each realm. Not to mention, the Original World had a flat plane, while reality was a massive sphere!

Fortunately, having Genesis to assist made things much simpler. Yet, Jiang Ping was surprised to discover the training methods of Ant Queen Belsha were equally impressive.

Belsha’s cultivation centered around absorbing everything, melding countless techniques into one, ultimately giving rise to many unique offspring. Though the Sky-Eating Demon Technique may not suit Jiang Ping, its intricacies were certainly worth learning from.

The method of all-consuming absorption, refining foreign energies, extracting the essence while discarding the dross, opened Jiang Ping’s eyes.

The top three training methods of the Original World each had their own merits. The Ant Queen’s Sky-Eating Demon Technique was incredibly domineering, yet its actual offensive power was lacking.

The Human King’s breathing technique was comprehensive, excelling in both cultivation and combat. Meanwhile, Rahil’s training method was excruciatingly slow, emphasizing a gradual approach reliant on time, with much of it spent in slumber to gather strength.

When trouble arose, it would use the Nirvana Method to escape disaster, eventually rising anew from dormancy. It could only be said that this cultivation method fit her perfectly; other beings could never survive for so long.

The top three training methods all had their strengths and weaknesses. At the moment, Jiang Ping’s physical qualities were only on par with an average human warrior, markedly inferior to the average Human King’s physique, but still far beyond that of an ordinary person.

Taking a moment to calculate, Jiang Ping realized he could sprint 100 meters in a mere 8 seconds, effortlessly lift a large bed with one hand, and could hold his breath easily for an hour. His lung capacity was astonishing! If scientific instruments scanned his body, they’d reveal his cells buzzing with vitality, and a faint glimmer of energy could be sensed circulating within him.

However, Jiang Ping was still but a flesh-and-blood being; a single armor-piercing round could take his life, not to mention he was a creator god. Though on a smaller scale, constant fighting would lower his reputation, and if trouble arose, he could simply call on his underlings to resolve it.

For now, Jiang Ping wanted to avoid stirring up a major incident; he simply wished to cultivate his small world properly.

The Original World was relatively small, serving only as a testing ground. In time, he would attempt to create something grand! However, he found himself feeling out of place while cultivating the top three training methods—it sometimes led to conflicts between them. Even if he borrowed Genesis to integrate, it would require time, as such calculations weren’t its forte and were merely an ancillary function.

“It seems I’ll need to create a supercomputer or something, like a quantum computer or a light brain. In the future, the amount of calculations will only increase,” Jiang Ping mused.

With that thought, he quickly took out a notebook to jot it down; this was crucial! As long as the computing power was strong enough, the laws could be analyzed too! At that moment, Jiang Ping flipped through Genesis and noticed the records on the second page were multiplying.

In the Original Era, the Medieval Age saw human warriors thriving. The second-generation Human King, Lianshan, conquered through the world, ultimately reaching the world’s end, where in his twilight years he researched the Elixir of Immortality, living a second life.

During this time, the God-given treasure, the Stone of Truth, went missing, secretly appropriated by Ant Queen Belsha, but she too could not comprehend its mysteries.

The third-generation Human King, Cangnan, encountered a mysterious elder near the Imperial River, achieving sudden enlightenment, entirely grasping the secrets of the Stone of Truth’s nine melodies, revealing the changes of the world, and unveiling a grand history—since then, the ancient races were powerless to stop humanity’s dominance.

Humanity unified the world, yet deep within the earth, Ant Queen Belsha, unwilling to remain hidden, began her march to the surface. Thus, the devouring ants launched a sweeping campaign, ultimately slaying the strongest divine creation: the giant dragon, as the multiracial alliance centered on humanity began to retreat.

The central divine tree, Rahil, intervened to assist. The sixth-generation Human King signed a contract with Rahil, leading to the emergence of elves and druids, with the birth of Elven Queen Nia.

After a century of war between the two factions, the world fell into ruin, life diminished, and both sides momentarily ceased fire, each seeking to recuperate as the earth slowly regained vitality.

“Smack!”

Jiang Ping abruptly shut Genesis. “This is just the calm before the storm. It appears the next tempest will engulf the world. This will be a cataclysm of epochs; perhaps this realm will return to chaos!”

As the creator god, although his current powers were still low, he could vaguely sense the fate of his small world. He realized that the next great war would not merely mirror the previous century-long conflict.

“This era is coming to an end! This forthcoming cataclysm will be set in motion by the beings themselves! The world will turn upside down!”

Jiang Ping lamented. He feared not the eventual return of chaos to the Original World; his first creation had already laid the groundwork. The current extinction of all life would sufficiently replenish the consumed Original Point values.

Moreover, this time, he had acquired the Elixir of Immortality and the three top training methods. Regardless, it was a profitable venture.

Thinking of the development ahead, Jiang Ping couldn’t help but rush to accelerate time within the Original World. He was akin to a viewer eagerly waiting to see the end of a series.

The myriad races within the Original World had no idea that their continuous battles for survival were merely a story in the eyes of others.

“You stand on the bridge gazing at the scenery, while people in the tower gaze at you. The bright moon decorates your window, and you embellish someone else’s dream. I see all life as a play; do others see me as merely a character in a tale? Am I just a figure within a story?”

Watching the tumult of the myriad races in the Original World, Jiang Ping felt inspired, chuckling as he reflected.

In the end, who gazes over the multiverse? Is it the original creator of Genesis? Or perhaps another super life form from a higher dimension? Are they watching from the other side of the screen, enjoying their own narrative?