"Wang Song, yours is the Imperial Preceptor Red Pine, an ancient great deity. Do not tarnish his name."

"Venerable Twilight, yours is the Water Official Who Relieves Calamities!"

"Venerable Chifeng, Water Virtue Star Lord, ruler of all waters!"

"You! Water Luminary!"

"You twin sisters, one Solar Luminary, one Lunar Luminary!"

...

"You! Southern Mystic Ten-Thousand Blessings Heavenly Venerable."

...

"Great Venerable Thunder, you get the Nine Heavens Primordial Thunder Corresponding Deity!"

In a flash, Qi Yuan handed out all thirty Mythic-tier visualization arts as casually as one would toss around cabbages.

The ancient gods channeled their consciousness into the arts upon receiving them. Endless information flooded their minds. Some glowed with joy, some with shock, and some with confusion.

When their awareness briefly returned, they turned to Qi Yuan.

"Many thanks to the Heavenly Sovereign for granting the God Visualization Art!"

Qi Yuan gazed expectantly at them. "I hope all of you can become Great Venerables!"

A visualization art was essentially borrowed power, with the first visualization producing the greatest effect and the most dramatic improvement. A Legendary-tier art could allow a First Step True God to open over a dozen divine apertures at once. A Mythic-tier art was even more terrifying. Take Zhu Zhuangshi, for example. Not only had he reached the Third Step to Heaven, he was just inches away from becoming a Great Venerable. That was only because he had originally been a Nascent Soul cultivator. If he had been an ancient god, it would have been a completely different story.

Furthermore, since these thirty ancient gods received methods tailored to them, their initial improvements would be far more extreme. Qi Yuan had particularly high expectations for Thunder. As a Fourth Step Great Venerable, he would have no trouble breaking through several minor realms at once.

"Work hard. There's just over a day left. While the Heavenly Pillar still stands, cultivate as fast as you can."

With that, Qi Yuan vanished, leaving the ancient gods stunned.

Zhanghui laughed at Thunder while quoting Qi Yuan, "Haha! What my lord granted me is no ordinary Mythic. Thunder, I’ll show you what I’m capable of! In three days, you will look at me anew!"

He was extremely pleased with visualizing one of the nine luminaries, the Earth Luminary. Surely, Qiyuann Sovereign granted him this powerful art because of his exceptional qualities.

However, Thunder was fully immersed in visualizing to pay any attention. He could tell at a glance that his art was terrifying beyond measure. It made every living being and countless things, even those he once thought above True God, seem almost nothing. Compared to the Thunder Ancestor, what even was the Blood Sun Great Sage?

Zhanghui added smugly, "I think Lord God is the Lord of the Stars, a powerful Yang Spirit. He must have granted me his most powerful right-hand man, a half-step beyond True God, to visualize!"

The praise went straight to his head.

"You are just a petty Earth Luminary and you dare boast?!" The younger twin snapped. "I am Lunar Luminary, the Heavenly Sovereign's number one divine general!"

Those who visualized the Nine Luminaries knew there were nine star officials, but not who exactly they were. Hence, every one of them saw themselves as the strongest.

Another ancient god argued. "I am the Lord of the Stars' mightiest general!"

He was convinced his god surpassed ordinary Mythics, perhaps even above the so-called Yang Spirits.

At that moment, a usually taciturn ancient god, Zhuge Yan, said, "The Lord of the Stars is nothing."

All eyes turned to him.

"What I visualize is the Southern Mystic Ten-Thousand Blessings Heavenly Venerable, one of the Ten Directions Heavenly Venerables. A mere Lord of the Stars wouldn't even qualify to step into my cave dwelling."

His words silenced everyone. A Lord of the Stars was no ordinary Yang Spirit, and Zhuge Yan was only one of the Ten Directions Heavenly Venerables. What unimaginable terror must the other nine be?

Silence fell.

At last, another ancient god said, "The Lord of the Stars truly is nothing special. The god I visualize is one and only."

The others gasped.

Zanghui couldn't hold it together anymore. "You're all not ordinary Mythics?!"

The realization crushed him. Obtaining a mediocre visualization art would have been something he could bear. Knowing his friends' were overwhelmingly powerful, that hurt more. 𝑓𝑟ℯ𝘦𝓌𝘦𝘣𝑛𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓁.𝑐ℴ𝓂

At this moment, Thunder opened his eyes, lightning crackling within. "I’ll show you what it means to step into Mythic in a single day!”

His spirit soared. The visualization art granted him far too much power!

The ancient gods stared at him in shock. "Reaching Mythic in a single day?! Is that even still a Mythic God Visualization Art?!"

***

Inside the bamboo hut atop the Heavenly Pillar, various fish were laid out before No-Food Goddess. She had a basin of fish with a listless gaze.

Suddenly, she sensed something, and a trace of joy flickered deep in her eyes.

The woman in red said to the empty air before her, "Qi Yuan, I'm hungry."

Seeing how weak she had become, guilt flashed across Qi Yuan's eyes. "It is my fault. I visualized too much."

From her appearance alone, he knew she was frail. Without hesitation, he let fresh, translucent blood drip from his fingertips onto the fish.

Following that, he trembled, growing even paler. Even he felt the burden of using so much blood at once.

No-Food Goddess lit up at the fish, as if beholding a supreme delicacy. However, instead of digging in, she turned to Qi Yuan. "How did you do it?"

"Secret," he answered without thinking. "Eat slowly. I hope before I leave, your body will recover. Otherwise, I'll feel guilty."

Qi Yuan had never liked owing anyone. No-Food Goddess said nothing more. A chill resurfaced in her eyes as she slowly ate the fish.

After a long while, she set down her chopsticks. Summoning her courage, she bowed her head and parted her vermillion lips. "We met only by chance. When you leave, tell me. I will see you off."