"Another deity has ascended."
Within the Spark Institute, amidst towering mountains shrouded in mist, figures moved swiftly.
In a secluded training area, Dean Fang, having completed a cycle of cultivation, opened his panel. Seeing the golden notification, a smile of paternal pride spread across his face.
The current situation was dire, making self-improvement an urgent necessity.
Disaster relief was crucial.
Advancement was paramount.
Both had to be pursued.
And they weren't entirely conflicting.
Before ascending to godhood, the mystical system emphasized "trials" over mere diligent practice.
Trials honed skills, broke through bottlenecks, strengthened willpower, and most importantly, accumulated vital mystical points.
Conversely, after ascending to godhood, much time was spent inscribing abilities and condensing divine factor essence. This was why peak Six-Sense cultivators were active in the mortal world, forging renowned reputations, while deities remained elusive.
Concurrently with disaster relief and advancement, recruitment continued uninterrupted.
The impact was minimal.
The institute began another round of expansion.
Dean Fang established more training facilities and planned numerous new residential zones, cultivation areas, and seclusion grounds.
He particularly enhanced the seclusion grounds with advanced secret rituals, ensuring that core students undergoing breakthroughs would not be disturbed by each other's aura.
"Although the situation is pressing, everything is proceeding in an orderly fashion."
Just as he had predicted, the most challenging part of absorbing official members through the institute and cultivating them into Seven-Sense deities was at the beginning.
Initial recruitment and mid-stage selection of trainees had consumed considerable time.
For the first few months, the Spark Institute hadn't produced a single unofficial deity, seemingly wasting vast amounts of time and resources.
But now, as the opportune moment arrived, the number of core students promoted had begun to rise exponentially. Similarly, an increasing number of core students were breaking through their limits and ascending to godhood, achieving a sublimation of their lives.
At its peak, two or even three core students ascended on the same day.
This was an incredible record.
However, such "miracles" were unknown to the outside world; within the institute, most students only had vague suspicions, their imaginations falling short.
Only the newly ascended deities and core students who failed their breakthroughs understood the magnitude of these miracles.
More miraculous than any divine intervention!
Praise the Dean!
Yet, they also felt a sense of urgency. They had initially believed that ascending to godhood would make them significant figures, but seeing deities walking the streets within their own institute, they realized that any complacency would cause them to fall behind.
This was entirely contrary to their ingrained perception that "life would be easy once you became a deity."
However, this perception stemmed from the words of their elders.
In countries like Red Sand and Cloud Chart, becoming a deity indeed afforded a relaxed life, but this was not the case at the Spark Institute.
Because the institute was highly competitive.
Because they still yearned for further progress.
Because the world awaited them.
...
The Seven-Sense deities of the Spark Organization were experiencing an explosion.
From an initial dozen, the number grew to twenty, then thirty, then forty...
Since the Golden Knight's ascension, over a hundred core students had been contracted by the institute in just over a month. Among them, 41 had successfully ascended.
Currently, the number of Seven-Sense deities permanently stationed at the institute exceeded fifty!
Fifty!
Even though the majority were newly ascended deities, this still represented an immensely powerful, no, a terrifying force.
Moreover, once these novice deities mastered epic-level body refinement and meditation techniques, and further enhanced their skills with cultivation cards, they would soon possess power equal to, or even exceeding, that of ordinary deities.
The outstanding among them could rightfully be called genius deities.
Albeit, acquired geniuses.
Take Xu Yun, for instance. With her accumulated foundation, the moment she stepped into godhood, she would possess considerable combat power.
Many "veterans" within the organization were in a similar situation.
At the institute, these individuals were the strongest among the core students. A few possessed the ability to rival or even defeat deities with their mortal bodies!
They were not necessarily weaker than Xing Jinglei or Illoxi at the same stage in the past.
After all, times had changed, the Spark Organization had updated its version, possessing an incredibly rich skill library that could provide ample inheritance to talented individuals.
However, even the strongest Six-Sense veterans in the Spark Organization had to meet basic requirements to ascend to godhood.
- 10 million mystical accumulation.
Without large-scale attacks by malevolent entities, a talented and diligent student, starting from scratch, would need at least three years to reach the "peak Six-Sense" and attempt godhood awakening.
How many years had the Spark Organization existed?
Many veteran Six-Sense members of the organization had not yet accumulated sufficient mystical points. Some had accumulated 10 million mystical points but failed their godhood attempts.
Failure was the norm!
No matter how solid their foundation or how powerful their strength, their awakening success rate topped out at around forty percent. Under similar foundational conditions, their breakthroughs were slightly more difficult than those of Destiny Apostles.
And if they failed, 5 million mystical points would vanish, forcing the old Six-Sense members to toil once more as monster hunters.
They might have to strive for another year or so before being eligible to attempt godhood again.
In contrast, these core students, slightly weaker than the veteran members, had a significant advantage in mystical accumulation.
Even if they failed once or twice, they would still have enough mystical points to attempt a third breakthrough.
This was the very reason Fang You founded the Spark Institute.
- Mass cultivation of deities!
"In such a short period, cultivating dozens, even hundreds of deities, has significantly boosted the organization's strength. This endeavor is undeniably profitable."
"But Master, we're running out of money."
On the panel, the shopkeeper's assistant, Xiao Huan, clutching her chest and looking dizzy, stared at the bill.
"We're really running out of money!"
Resource statistics had always been Xiao Huan's responsibility; she could most efficiently integrate and dispatch materials and spirit crystals from various regions.
Fang, the master, was only responsible for spending.
He glanced at the records, a second and third time, and confirmed that the organization was indeed running low on funds. The consumption of high-grade materials in this period had been a bit excessive.
This was inevitable.
Forty-one deities ascending in just over a month inevitably involved a massive consumption of materials. And this was with "Guidance: Awakening" being relatively economical, consuming two to three times less than outside godhood awakenings.
But concurrently, these 41 deities had mostly not succeeded on their first attempt; they might have undergone two or three godhood awakenings.
Core students who had not yet ascended might have already failed once or twice.
These were all costs.
When spending, it didn't feel like much, but when Xiao Huan presented the expense list, Fang You couldn't help but wince.
"So Master, please be more cautious with your spending in the future! Our hard-earned savings..."
"Don't worry, don't worry."
While the money spent was substantial, Fang You would still spend it the same way if given another chance.
Why? Because these funds hadn't vanished; they had been converted into more valuable combat power, residing within the organization.
The guided awakenings he provided to core students were not free either.
How could they be free?
Being free would be a disservice to the organization's veterans and detrimental to its healthy operation.
The "contribution points/academic credits" required to apply for Guided Awakening had a conversion value approximately 1.5 times the material cost.
This price was beyond the reach of most Six-Sense students.
Although they were titled Six-Sense, even peak Six-Sense, and each was a renowned strong individual, they were still ultimately workers. Their wealth could not compare to that of landlords like "Dean Rose" or "First Tower Master."
Even though Dean Rose and First Tower Master were only ordinary Six-Sense cultivators.
This was the gap between landlords and workers.
"On the other hand, awakened individuals from commoner backgrounds who reach the peak of Six-Sense do so by investing heavily in themselves, emptying their pockets, and using immense wealth and connections to enter the legacy sites run by the seven great nations."
The seven great nations had profited immensely!
Mentor Fang felt quite indignant.
Xiao Huan felt even more so and added another entry to her notebook against the seven great nations.
Among the core students, only a select few could afford the full payment and provide their own materials.
The rest used interest-free loans provided by the organization. These funds could only be used for godhood awakening.
When they were still Six-Sense cultivators, these contribution points were undoubtedly a fortune; even working tirelessly on missions, it would take them at least half a year to save enough for one godhood awakening.
But if they ascended to godhood and ventured into dangerous or perilous territories, finding six or seven legendary materials, they could repay the loan.
It was quite easy.
This was even after deducting a portion of the scanning costs for the "exploration radar" during material collection.
Therefore,
He looked at Xiao Huan and said, "Don't worry, in a while, you'll be counting money every day."
Xiao Huan eyed him with a hint of doubt.
Fang You pondered for a moment and added, "However, with the current capital shortage, we'll need to issue more exploration and collection missions for these newly ascended deities."
"This task will be yours."
Disaster relief missions were also proceeding simultaneously.
However, aside from purifying rivers, most tasks did not require the intervention of deities. The Black River calamity was more bizarre and troublesome but did not bring about direct malevolent harm.
Fang You's assigned tasks for this batch of newly ascended deities were: working and cultivating.
Cultivation was to help them quickly surpass the novice deity stage and attain regular deity-level combat power.
Working, of course, was to replenish material shortages as quickly as possible, as dozens more were awaiting their ascent to godhood.
The abundant emergence of Seven-Sense deities held profound significance, not only meaning a substantial increase in the Spark's overall combat strength, allowing for more strategic planning. Simultaneously, each Seven-Sense deity was a potential all-around worker.
Sending them out to explore for treasures was the simplest application.
Fang You also planned to arrange for some willing novice deities to undergo further training in alchemy and forging.
Cultivating an awakened individual into a high-end professional talent required a considerable amount of time. However, if the trainee was a deity, this time could be reduced by tens or even hundreds of times!
Having deities switch professions to forging or alchemy was too extravagant.
Fang You felt it was just right.
The organization was in dire need of high-end talent. And cultivating a deity, combined with avatar-type skills, could make one person equivalent to several.
With this thought, Fang You walked towards the memorial monument.
On the ancient monument were inscribed names, some familiar, others not, exuding an inexplicable aura.
The monument was a significant area within the institute, and passing students would sometimes pause there for a moment.
From his perspective, spheres of milky-white light flew from various parts of the institute, landing on the memorial monument like swallows returning to their nests.
This was the power of faith.
Not faith in a single person or deity, but in an idea.
When ideas of faith resonated, they were gathered by the memorial monument and stored there.
Initially, these spheres of faith were few, but as time passed, they increased at a visible rate. And during this period, the ascension of deities brought forth even stronger and purer spheres of faith.
In the distance, a sphere at least ten times larger than before, shining with a golden hue amidst the white, flew in like a shooting star.
It gradually slowed as it approached, finally landing gently on the memorial monument.
As Fang You drew closer, he could feel the warm power emanating from it.
Cloud Jar's prayers for over a month had generated faith as fuel, allowing Fang You to briefly suppress the power of an Eight-Sense demigod.
And the faith accumulated here was a hundredfold greater than before.
And this was just the beginning.
...
Just as the Spark Organization's deities were experiencing an explosion, within the "Middle Cursed Realm," in a place perpetually shrouded by a blood moon.
Qian Mian, disguised as "Qian Yu," followed behind the Blood Emperor, exiting a hall exuding a thick, bloody light.
"You performed admirably, you haven't shamed this Emperor."
The robust middle-aged man, clad in blood-red armor and with a single horn on his head, spoke, his voice causing the surrounding blood waves to surge.
Qian Mian had grown accustomed to it.
He had infiltrated the Blood Moon faction some time ago. Initially, his concern was how to gain access to a relatively important position within the faction. Only by being in a high position could he obtain high-value intelligence.
And deities were not rare within the vast Blood Moon faction.
Moreover, he was just a newly ascended deity.
But soon, Qian Mian realized his worries were unfounded.
His "position" might not be high, but his "superior," the Blood Emperor, held a higher rank than expected.
This Blood Emperor had backing!
His backer was the Blood Lake Master, a Rank 9 high-level existence and a favored subordinate of the Crimson Moon!
Within the Blood Moon faction, from the Ninth Rank down to ordinary pawns, all were absolutely loyal and believed in the great Crimson Moon. However, the faction was far from harmonious.
Rather, it was a scene of numerous factions and constant infighting, the entire faction being incredibly chaotic!
The deities who had ascended by gaining the power of the Crimson Moon were not normal people, not human.
They could start fighting at the slightest disagreement, engaging in life-or-death combat, which was commonplace.
Yet, paradoxically, one moment they might be trying to kill each other, and the next, they could execute divine orders without any lapse, dedicating everything to the great Mother Goddess.
Madness and order.
Chaos and unity.
This was what Qian Mian had witnessed within the Red Moon faction.
The Blood Emperor, walking ahead, spoke, "A new era is upon us. We must welcome the awakening of our supreme Mother Goddess with the bloodiest of stances."
"My Lord, what should we do?" Da Feng Novel Network
The Blood Emperor's burly physique slowly turned, the blood-red waves his backdrop, constantly churning with the wails of the damned within.
He looked down at Qian Mian, blood-red light flowing beneath his mask.
After a long pause, he nodded with satisfaction and said, "We need to offer more sustenance, to welcome Mother Goddess before other evil gods awaken."
"Sustenance, which is all life in this cursed realm, all places brimming with vitality."
"This is the purpose of the existence of those humans and cursed realm creatures."
As the evil gods began to awaken, by performing rituals that resonated with the evil gods' instincts, using humans as nourishment could accelerate the awakening process of the evil gods.
Qian Mian mused, kneeling on one knee.
In the deepest recesses of his eyes, as calm as dead water, ripples began to form.
...
In the Falling Maple Great Domain, and its surrounding great domains.
Thanks to the unremitting efforts of the Spark Institute, humanity had greatly curbed the zombie plague.
Initially, it was a stalemate, but later, after the Spark Institute cultivated plants with powerful purification abilities, humanity gradually gained the advantage in the fight against the disaster.
Frost Leaf City, Water Color Federation, and the seven great nations all placed large orders for purification plants.
This significantly eased the Spark Organization's financial pressure during the deity explosion phase.
This was a win-win situation.
The disaster was suppressed, funds were earned, and the future held a glimmer of hope.
The seven great nations, having suffered a significant expenditure, all breathed a sigh of relief.
But after only a few days of respite, they discovered with horror that the rivers...
Had turned completely black!