Chapter 1 Prologue 1: Life
Boundless.
This was the only word that could barely describe the scene before him. Yet, it was far from sufficient to encompass the vastness and profundity of this boundless void.
Here, there was no up or down, no left or right, and no trace of time's passage.
Everything around seemed to be still; the rules of the universe had yet to form, and all phenomena had not yet been created.
Occasionally, a dazzling light would pierce the silence of the void, like a divine thunderclap at the dawn of creation, tearing through chaos, allowing a momentary flash of light to reveal the universe's initial contours.
Within that light, one could vaguely discern twisted space, nascent stars, or some unimaginably vast, ineffable existence.
But all of this was fleeting, swallowed and annihilated by the storm-like chaos in the boundless void.
Here, all known laws ceased to exist.
Matter, energy, time, space—all the cornerstones of phenomena had yet to be conceived. A colossal vortex slowly rotated in the depths of the chaos.
It was the primordial embryo of the universe; each spiral arm contained power sufficient to destroy all tangible objects, and every collision within the vortex played the universe's first symphony, its aura vibrating, muffled yet magnificent.
In this endless void, chaos ceaselessly churned and flowed, as if awaiting a certain opportunity, the advent of a certain existence.
Bai Zhe's consciousness slowly returned, like a flickering candle in the wind. After intense upheaval, his soul, like something floating in a coma, gradually awakened.
He vaguely remembered that moment: a roaring truck losing control, the sharp screech of tires on the ground, followed by a violent impact and excruciating pain… then, an endless darkness.
Now, the darkness receded, replaced by this vast… void?
Bai Zhe was shocked to find himself floating in this boundless void. He had no body, only a faint wisp of consciousness, like an abandoned ghost, wandering in this profound chaos.
His thoughts were shrouded in a thick fog; past events were like a beach washed by the sea, fragments of memory scattered and drifting, blurred and indistinct.
He tried to recall, but could only grasp a few sporadic snippets, unable to piece together any meaningful whole.
"Am I… dead?" Bai Zhe's consciousness was filled with endless confusion and fear.
He wanted to move, but couldn't perceive his own existence.
Just then, a majestic voice, like a grand bell, resonated deep within his consciousness, seemingly from the abyss of the endless void, steady and authoritative:
"Thou hast perished, yet thy soul remains intact. By chance and fate, thou hast arrived at this primordial, undivided chaos. I am the Will of this Void. Sensing thy soul, I bestow upon thee a divine spark. Thou mayest choose a divine office, wield a domain of power, and be coeval with heaven and earth."
The voice was devoid of emotion, yet it carried an irresistible pressure, like the supreme command of heaven and earth.
Bai Zhe's consciousness trembled slightly in this shock, but an uncontrollable excitement and longing surged within his heart.
A divine spark? A divine office? Coeval with heaven and earth?
He could hardly believe it. Countless thoughts churned in his mind.
He, an ordinary Earthling, had actually become a Congenital God after death! What an extraordinary encounter!
"There are myriad divine offices; thou mayest choose. However, once a divine office is chosen, it cannot be changed. Remember to choose with caution," the Void Will spoke again, its voice deep and ethereal, like a warning from beyond infinite ages.
Bai Zhe concentrated for a moment, then looked up. Before him was no longer emptiness, but the radiance of countless divine offices.
Each divine office seemed to carry an immensely powerful aura, as if ready to erupt, capable of shaking the Heavenly Dao and altering all things.
First to catch his eye was Causality.
Countless threads intertwined around it, complex and interwoven, cause and effect in endless reincarnation, pulling the destinies of all life and things, weaving an unceasing net that produced the beginning and end of all phenomena.
Following closely, the Divine Office of Space-Time unfolded. The vast River of Time flowed slowly like silk, past and future intertwining in the endless ages, forming an immortal tapestry.
The Divine Office of Chaos was like a disordered vortex, devouring all order. All phenomena twisted and intertwined within it. To master chaos was to command the power of disorder, to rule over those incomprehensible, unnamable existences, pushing everything towards entropy.
It was the origin of all, and also the ultimate destination of all things.
The Divine Office of Nihility, on the other hand, controlled the power of returning all to zero, dissolving all things into formlessness.
It was like a black hole in the abyss, devouring the meaning and form of all existence, causing all things to vanish into eternal emptiness, bringing ultimate tranquility.
The Divine Office of Absurdity, an existence beyond common sense and reason, twisted order and subverted convention.
It granted the power of reversal to all things, making them elusive. In a world of paradox, reality and illusion intertwined into fleeting dramas.
However, despite the allure of power in these divine offices, Bai Zhe's gaze remained fixed elsewhere.
That was Life, a brilliant beam of light erupting from it, the seeds of life slowly growing within, radiating infinite vitality and possibility in all directions.
"I choose God of Life!" Bai Zhe declared loudly in his consciousness.
"Because all things in this world, with their infinite changes, emerge from the experience of life. Only life possesses infinite potential."
As his words fell, green light points instantly burst forth with dazzling radiance, enveloping his entire consciousness.
At this moment, the voice of the Void Will sounded again:
"The Divine Office of God of Life has been confirmed. However, a single divine office may be insufficient for its duties. Thou mayest choose two more as auxiliaries."
Bai Zhe's heart stirred. Since he had chosen the God of Life, he wanted the abundance and prosperity of life to be even more endless.
Thus, he quickly selected two other light points:
"I choose Abundance and Procreation."
Three beams of light converged, and Bai Zhe's consciousness suddenly felt an infinite change; powerful life force surged into his body, forming a wondrous connection with every particle of aura in the void.
At the same time, he vaguely perceived that other Innate Gods were also awakening in this void, choosing their respective divine offices, becoming existences equal to him.
Sensing the vitality surging within him, Bai Zhe was filled with the fervent desire of creation.
As his thoughts fluctuated, a cluster of green light drifted from his consciousness, transforming into a force that flew towards a desolate part of the void.
Wherever the green light reached, the previously silent chaos began to undergo subtle changes; the "color of nothingness" seemed to be infused with vitality, slowly wriggling.
Finally, this green light paused in a sparse region of chaos, expanding into a gigantic green orb.
Within the orb, countless life forms were being born, colliding, and merging. These were the most primitive single-celled organisms, tiny and simple, yet possessing the most basic characteristics of life, capable of drawing energy from the void, dividing and reproducing… capable of living!
These were the first batch of lives created by Bai Zhe. Although they were weak and primitive, they were the first spark of life in this void. This silent void would also blossom with vitality and prosperity through their existence