In the divine world, at the very bottom of all realms, within the boundless Azurelight Nursery—
This place served as the cradle for the gods of the Eastern Pantheon. Within it, nearly a trillion godborn children were nurtured.
"There may be ten thousand types of gods, but regardless of their lineage, each one has the potential to rise as a Supreme God, or even become an ancient and eternal sovereign…"
"In this nursery, humans are born as demigods. From birth, they absorb divine essence passively. But once they reach adulthood and open their Divine Realm, the divine supply is cut off."
"To open a Divine Realm is to gain the capital to ascend as a higher god. Fail, and you're doomed to become a lesser deity, a subordinate to greater gods… a slave in divine robes."
To put it more harshly: you'd become a dog for someone else.
Lucian Carter stared down at the glassy sphere in his hand, his expression tangled in thought.
Then, slowly, his eyes sharpened with resolve.
"For eighteen years… I've worked relentlessly. Even without cheats, I was determined to become a true god."
Lucian wasn't ordinary. He was a transmigrator—a soul reborn into this divine world. What he knew and understood far surpassed the average godborn.
The orb in his hand was a Divine Seed, distributed to him just the day before by the nursery's overseer.
With this, he could finally attempt to awaken his Divine Domain.
But such a miraculous item wasn't cheap.
The Azurelight Nursery only distributed one per person, free of charge, and only once. Fail, and you'd never get another.
"If my family hadn't perished during the War of the Gods… maybe I wouldn't feel so much pressure right now."
Lucian sat down cross-legged, drew a deep breath, and calmed his mind.
He looked inward, diving deep into his divine vessel, until he reached the chaotic sea within his body.
There, he channeled his divine power into the glowing sphere.
The dreamlike glass orb drifted downward—closer and closer to his soul.
In the next moment, Lucian saw it.
A faint light began to bloom within the murky sea of chaos. Color bled into darkness, slowly illuminating his inner world.
He poured more energy into the seed, completely enveloping it in divine force.
Time blurred. Seconds or minutes—he couldn't tell.
Finally, when the orb's radiant shell fully dissolved under his power, a thunderclap echoed in his mind.
RUMBLE—
The world within him expanded at an unimaginable pace. Heaven and earth were being carved into order.
The heavy sank. The pure rose.
A balance of chaos and clarity.
"Success."
"My efforts… haven't been in vain."
Lucian stared in awe at the embryonic form of his Divine Realm, pride flickering in his heart.
But before he could fully admire it—
DING…
System detected: Host has opened a Divine Domain and meets the qualifications to ascend as a Supreme God. Augmentation module is activating…
DING…
Divine Realm expansion detected. Ten-Thousand-Fold Amplification Triggered. Divine Realm size increased to 100,000 square miles.
"So the golden finger finally decides to show up now…"
Lucian stared, stunned, as his Divine Realm began expanding like a blooming universe—empowered by the system's overwhelming multiplier.
A streak of fire burst into the air.
From the very foundation of the realm, a massive fireball nearly one thousand meters wide shot upward, illuminating the skies of Lucian's emerging world.
"They say new gods usually begin with no more than 10,000 square miles of Divine Realm," Lucian murmured.
"Even that's enough to grant them the status of deity."
A grin slowly spread across his face.
"And mine… is ten times larger. Ha… I really am meant to rise."
Lucian opened his eyes.
The world was no longer the same.
In this universe, the size and development of a god's domain were much like spiritual roots in cultivation tales—a direct reflection of a god's potential.
The larger and more stable the realm, the more complete its laws and the denser its divine energy.
A beginner god wielding 100,000 square miles of Divine Domain could already shatter the Heavenly Gate and ascend into higher realms.
The divine power structure of this universe followed a strict hierarchy:
Demigod
First-Tier God
Lesser God
Middle God
High God
Main God
Creation God
And above that… levels beyond comprehension.
Lucian couldn't even glimpse that upper echelon.
It wasn't within his reach.
As for ascending to the next space—
The Azurelight Nursery was merely a training ground for fledgling gods. A place to grow.
If he wanted to leave, he'd need to become at least a Lesser God—only then could he break through the Heavenly Gate.
Now, for the first time, Lucian felt that he might truly have that power.
Still…
"A Divine Realm by itself isn't enough," he whispered.
"To develop it, I need believers… and fragments of lost worlds."
In the boundless divine system, the greatest gods stood atop countless universes.
To grow stronger, a god had to merge new lands, cultivate their followers, and expand their dominion.
Staying in the lower planes had its advantages. Less danger. Less competition.
If Lucian jumped straight into a higher world, even with his immense starting domain, he'd once again be just a bottom-tier god.
That wasn't something he could accept.
As Lucian meditated, the system's augmentation completed.
His Divine Realm fully solidified, stretching out over 100,000 square miles. A vast and sovereign world now lay before him.
He could perceive it all—without even closing his eyes.
More than that… he could project his physical body inside.
The Divine Domain was now almost indistinguishable from reality:
Towering mountains. Endless rivers. Verdant grasslands. Floating clouds painted in vibrant hues.
Even seas and islands were scattered throughout the realm.
The only thing missing… was life.
Gods, according to the laws of this world, could not create sentient beings until they reached the rank of Creation God.
Thus, fledgling gods like Lucian needed believers—to populate and help manage the domain.
Then suddenly—
DING…
You have received an invitation from the Ten Thousand Realms Chat Group.
Would you like to join the Ten Thousand Realms Chat Group?
Lucian's breath caught in his throat.
"I just became a god… and already I'm being invited into a multiversal chat group?"
"Is this… a rule of the divine world too?"