Chapter 17: The Footprints of the Creator God

Time flew by like a white horse passing through a gap, slipping through fingers before one even noticed.

Decades had passed since the last great war, and the younger generation had long forgotten the flames of battle. Only the older generation kept a close watch on the Ant Clan, quietly preparing for the return of the Devouring Ants from the Death Desert.

To defend against surprise attacks from the Ant Clan hiding in the depths of the earth, the Human King united all races to create the indestructible Diamond Armor, which could easily shatter mountains. Unfortunately, this armor could only be used near the surface and couldn’t burrow thousands of meters underground.

Though their defenses were strong, their offensive capabilities were lacking. It was rumored that the Ant Queen had dug her stronghold more than ten thousand meters deep!

The Ant Queen hadn’t been idle all these years, but surprisingly, in those decades, she had not given birth to a single hero of the Ant Clan! Even ordinary soldier ants struggled to survive, and the numbers of Metal Ants had dwindled significantly.

This left many Ant heroes murmuring to themselves.

Could it be that the Ant Queen’s time was nearly up? Her fertility seemed to be slowly declining. In that case, it was best to nurture the next generation of Ant Queens early on to ensure the survival of their clan, some Ant heroes speculated privately.

The Ant Clan shared a psychic bond, and upon hearing this news, it was said that the Queen was furious. She immediately subjected the hero who spoke those words to merciless punishment.

The other heroes were left trembling and never dared to speak recklessly again, though no one knew the crafty plans of the Ant Queen.

With the threat of annihilation looming, both the Human race and the Devouring Ants were rapidly advancing. Now, the Human King had entered his ninth generation, and this ruler was dedicated to developing technology and understanding the laws of nature.

They had even begun to produce simple firearms, weapons of great power that didn’t require much energy to operate—truly a tool for overcoming challenges.

The ninth Human King believed that if they could thoroughly study firearms and enhance their power, this time they would completely eradicate the Devouring Ants! Although both sides maintained a fragile peace, no one anticipated that this status quo would be disrupted by a seemingly minor incident!

On that day, an expedition team from the Human race ventured into the extreme northern lands.

They were there to excavate the glacial ice, which had remarkable effects on stabilizing the mind and aiding cultivation. The extreme north had ice layers thousands of feet thick, rich with all kinds of bizarre phenomena.

“Legends say that the ice beneath our feet comes from the dawn of creation!”

A young girl gleefully stomped on the ice below her. Wrapped in five layers of animal pelts, she appeared bulky, yet nothing could extinguish her enthusiasm.

The team leader chuckled, “This rumor must be true. Last time, when the elders studied the fossils, they discovered their ages surpassed imagination—perhaps they really are from the era of the sacred tree.”

This desolate and frigid place was filled with countless secrets. Suddenly, the girl’s eyes lit up as she wiggled her cumbersome frame. “Come quick! This looks like a four-leaf cloverbug, which has been extinct for eons!”

The girl excitedly pointed at a small creature on the icy cliff, likely unearthed by recent warming temperatures. It was only because of the expedition team’s strength that they could uncover the fossil of the four-leaf cloverbug.

Then, revealing something seemingly unbelievable, the girl said, trembling, “W-wait! It looks like there are footprints on the four-leaf cloverbug!”

Yet, the four-leaf cloverbug had been extinct since the last epoch. This creature’s origin traced back to the first terrestrial lifeforms, ultimately unable to escape the ice apocalypse. How could someone have left footprints in endless time? The team leader also sensed something was off and hurriedly inspected it closely. Half an hour later, he drew in a sharp breath, realizing that these were the footprints left by an unimaginable being—possibly even the Creator God! He immediately ordered everyone to carefully excavate. After several hours, they finally extracted the fossil intact, even taking half a meter of ice around it just to avoid damaging it.

Upon closer inspection, they realized it was not an illusion; there were indeed footprints on the four-leaf cloverbug! The intricate patterns bore complex and esoteric designs, clearly indicative of high scientific knowledge.

“B-boss, could this truly be the footprint of the Creator God?” the girl exclaimed, her face flushed with excitement.

It was hard to imagine how any creature could survive the cataclysm before the epochs; one must remember that even the sacred tree could only rebirth to evade it! How could anyone walk upon a frozen planet?

If there truly was life that survived the epochal cataclysm, then surely it was a being that created this world!

The girl excitedly attempted to touch the fossil again, believing it might be the trace of the Creator God, a once-in-a-lifetime pilgrimage so close to her fingertips.

Smack! Unexpectedly, the team leader waved his hand to push her hand away. “This is a holy relic. How could you casually touch it? What if you break it?” He glared sternly at her.

Faced with the potential holy relic left by the Creator God, the leader did not dare to be careless, setting aside the previous task and immediately calling for the team to pack up and head back!

It took the expedition team fifteen days to travel out, but they returned in just five! They hurried day and night, even discarding some resources they had initially gathered just to return sooner.

The elders were surprised at how early the expedition team returned, only to find out that they had unearthed a holy relic. Even the Human King was stirred, rushing back from a construction site miles away.

After several elders studied it, the Human King himself inspected it closely. Comparing the Spear of Destiny with the markings on the footprints, he was finally convinced that these were indeed the footprints left by the Creator God.

“This must have happened a million years ago, when the ice apocalypse struck, freezing the land and withering all life. The true form of the Creator God descended upon the earth, leaving these marks!” concluded the Human King.

He solemnly declared this fossil as a sacred object for the Human race, deeming the information about it a top secret. This was the trace left by the Creator God! When anything involves the Creator God, even minor details matter. If the fossil contained even a hint of the world’s truth, it could help eradicate the Devouring Ants and resolve this pressing issue! Unfortunately, nothing remains hidden forever, especially since the expedition team hadn’t kept their mouths shut. After all, it was merely speculation about whether these were indeed the Creator God’s footprints.

“Hey, have you heard? They say the Human race unearthed a holy relic left by the Creator God in the extreme north!”

“What? The Creator God’s remains?” The King of the Celestial Tigers’ eyes widened. “Could that really be true? What did the Creator God leave behind?”

“I heard it’s a divine weapon comparable to the Spear of Destiny.”

“No, no! I’ve heard that it’s a fossil inscribed with mysterious runes, just like the lost Stone of Truth. It records the mysteries of the universe—it’s the number one cultivation method in the world! Any creature who comprehends it will become the sovereign of this realm!”

“That’s not right either! From the elders of the Human race, I heard it’s an invincible beast in the form of a four-leaf cloverbug known to possess strength far surpassing that of dragons!”

The rumors grew and spread, sweeping across the world, yet one thing remained certain: the Human race had indeed acquired the holy relic left by the Creator God.

“This is bad! The leaders of all races have come together for an audience, claiming they want to pay tribute to the Creator God’s relic. My warriors can’t prevent them!”

The Human King, in pain, shook his head. He initially wanted his clan to research it slowly. How did news of the relic leak out to the entire world?

Facing the formidable enemy of the Devouring Ants, he couldn’t afford to let all races feel disheartened.

“Fine, fine! Let all the race leaders in!”

With a wave of his hand, the Human King made it clear he wouldn’t let the news of the relic ruin his rapport with the countless races.