Chapter 131: Aetheris
"How about it, Young Master Lein? The last item is a bonus because you kept your promise."
Elder Wan noticed that Lein really liked the three items he had given him, especially the last one, the Tree of Life, which was specially granted by the pavilion's owner to be given to Lein.
"Yes. All the items you've given me, Elder Wan, are incredibly useful," Lein said sincerely. Although he had many high-level items at his disposal, he still felt he should not show arrogance before this old man.
If Elder Wan could casually give items of such high quality, it was certain that his power and wealth were hundreds or even thousands of times greater than those items.
"Hahaha... No need to be so polite. It's a pleasure to work with you, Young Master Lein."
"By the way, I'm curious, have you determined the direction of your island's development?"
Elder Wan asked casually, with a hint of curiosity about Lein's response.
Hearing Elder Wan's question, Lein could only look back at him with a confused expression. He then asked, "What do you mean, Elder Wan?"
"Well, it seems you're still unfamiliar with Aetheris," Elder Wan said in a calm tone, like a grandfather explaining something to his grandchild.
"Aetheris is the place where the realm you currently reside in exists. Aetheris pulls life from lower realms and draws them into it."
"Life drawn from the lower realms will go through an initial phase, facing the Void Life, where these beings are provided with a wealth of initial resources to grow."
"At a certain time, when Aetheris' time runs out, it will lose its energy and vanish into nothingness, leaving behind a new realm like the one you are in now."
Elder Wan explained everything to Lein, Laras, and Nita slowly and clearly, ensuring they understood where they were and what was happening around them. For Elder Wan, this information was not something so valuable that he wouldn't share it with Lein, who had helped him acquire the Blessing Potion.
"So, what happens to the realms inside Aetheris once their energy is depleted?" Lein asked with great curiosity. He had previously known that they were in a starter realm rich in resources, pampered by the system. However, once the protection period ended, system resources would no longer be available, and they would have to rely on themselves to survive.
"You have two options," Elder Wan replied directly.
"The first is to move and follow the life path you chose at the beginning of your ascension. In the Power System concept, you can choose to move and enter the realm of the crystal core race you used during the Tier-1 promotion trials."
After explaining the first option, Elder Wan paused for a moment, allowing them to digest and understand. And sure enough, Elder Wan saw the three people in front of him exchanging confused looks.
"Laras, what crystal core did you use during your Tier-1 promotion?" Lein asked Laras. He was sure Laras had chosen a different race than he had, which was the Holy Human Race.
"I used the crystal core of the Winged Heavenly Angel race," Laras replied.
It was already predictable from every skill and ability she possessed, all of which were related to angels and light. Even just hearing the name was enough to fill everyone with awe.
Hump...
Lein had expected as much, so he could only sigh deeply. Had he known this from the start, he might have guided all the alliance members and the inhabitants of his island to use the same crystal core.
"What's the second option, Elder Wan?" Lein asked, turning his attention to Elder Wan, who was still sitting comfortably while occasionally sipping tea at the table.
"The other option you have is to become a Guardian of the realm where you currently reside."
"A Guardian?" Lein murmured softly, looking back at Elder Wan with a puzzled expression.
Elder Wan continued, explaining that a Guardian is someone who unites all living beings in a realm and becomes its protector. Of course, as the Guardian of a realm, one must possess immense strength to lead that realm.
If someone whose power is insufficient becomes a Guardian, the realm would be destroyed by a stronger realm within hours.
Hearing all of Elder Wan's explanations, Lein and the others took a heavy breath. They were shocked by the information they had just learned. They had thought they would live in the Divine Sky Realm for a long time, living as usual with the events released by the system.
"Sorry, Elder Wan, what are the requirements to become a Guardian, and what are the benefits?"
This time, it was Laras who asked. After some thought, she realized that relocating to the realm of the Winged Heavenly Angels, her crystal core race, might not be too bad. However, while becoming a Guardian sounded like it came with huge responsibilities, there had to be significant benefits behind it.
"Of course. Becoming a Guardian is quite simple. You only need to secure the most votes from the remaining beings who choose to stay in the realm you are in within Aetheris," Elder Wan explained, then continued.
"The benefits of becoming a Guardian are vast; you will own the realm itself and everything within it." Elder Wan's concise explanation of the benefits of being a Guardian was brief, but it conveyed how invaluable it was.
"Brother, which option do you think the people in our realm will choose?" Nita asked Lein.
Nita felt quite anxious about the choices humanity had. If everyone chose to separate and become part of other races, the Blue Planet Human Race would no longer exist. It was unpleasant to think that human civilization, once known as the most intelligent beings, would disappear from existence.
"I don't know. Let's hope they still have a strong sense of unity," Lein said, lacking confidence. In some cases, humanity displayed a strong sense of togetherness, but when faced with life-and-death choices, many would easily turn away.