The Evil God was merely exploiting this influx to lure greedy Alien lifeforms into this world, an act that aligned perfectly with the Heavenly Dao’s shifting intentions. This realization left Seven Star in a mental deadlock: Who was truly in the wrong? Was it the Evil God? Was it the Heavenly Dao? Or was it he himself?
The Infinite Cycle
Seven Star endured the loop thousands of times without finding an exit. Everything repeated in a hollow, meaningless cycle. Succumbing to despair, he eventually stopped trying, lying motionless as the world reset around him again and again. He recalled reading about the Avici Hell—the worst of all hells. In other hells, no matter the agony, there was a glimmer of hope that the torment might one day end. But Avici was eternal.
Yet, a small spark remained. The Divine Spirit of the Star Elf watched over him, listening to his silent pleas.
"I have seen your victory in this trial," the Spirit spoke softly. "I know the path to your triumph, but I am forbidden from guiding you too directly, lest it strip the trial of its meaning. I cannot truly feel the depth of your suffering, so I can only offer comfort. Persevere; victory is close. Do not give up."
"If you try, even the smallest chance can lead to success. If you quit, the chance of victory becomes zero."
The Spirit then offered two hints:
- Seek Adida Buddha. He was once a player like you and a former wielder of the Time Key. Ask him for more precise guidance.
- Reflect upon this poem regarding Greed:
In the world to come, Greed is deemed a sin,
Yet few look far enough to see within.
Believing in a world of black or white,
They miss the gray where both shades unite.
If only day existed, what use would be the night?
If laws were all we needed to make everything right,
Where would freedom ache, or joy ever bloom?
Too much freedom leads only to the tomb.
The common mind thinks 'more' is always 'best',
But can one find health in a feast without rest?
Too much work, too much play—the balance is thin,
To overreach is to break the law within.
Know the point of 'enough' and learn where to stay,
Greed for the excess leads only astray.
To grow, one must add; to add, one must pause,
To stop, one must know; to know, one must hear.
"My words end here," the Spirit concluded. "Greed is a double-edged sword. It drives progress and evolution, but most fail to find the stopping point. They crave more until they lose everything, leaving the wise—those who know 'enough'—to reap the true harvest."
The Wisdom of the Past
Seven Star traveled to seek the Joyous Buddha to speak with the Divine Spirit of Adida Buddha. After listening to the situation, Adida replied:
"I understand. I, too, was once an Alien, a player who held the Time Key. But I have changed. I am now the Divine Spirit of Faith, not of a specific clan. ‘Anyone, in any era, who calls my name, I shall hear’. If they are worthy, I may even grant a reward. This power was my prize for completing a difficult task for the Heavenly Dao."
He looked deeply at Seven Star. "Our trials are the same: to understand the Creator’s purpose. We are not tools for the Heavenly Dao to use. Rather, the Heavenly Dao is a system meant to serve us, to help us evolve. The mistake you and the Evil God both made was serving the wrong master. You served the Heavenly Dao—a soulless machine of logic that only knows 'right' and 'wrong,' with no grasp of ideals or destiny. I can say no more; the rest is for you to ponder."
Seven Star meditated for a long time until the truth clicked. The Evil God wasn’t entirely wrong to let Aliens into the world; that was a necessary evolution Seven Star had found difficult to accept. However, the Evil God’s fatal flaw was his greed—flooding the world with too much foreign energy too quickly, causing the world to "choke" before it could absorb the power.
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Seven Star also realized his own bias. He had viewed all Aliens as harmful, yet he knew Adida Buddha and Asura Shiva—both were Aliens who had become trusted pillars of this world. In previous loops, he had tried to block the Aliens entirely. Now, he chose a new path: allow the outsiders in, but only in a measured, balanced flow.
The Breaking of the Loop
Seven Star approached the Evil God once more, but this time with words of recognition for the God's talents and contributions. He tried to persuade him to end the cycle. Both were lonely, scarred, and miserable within the loop. Yet, the Evil God refused. His pride was a mountain; he would not accept defeat.
However, the Evil God’s wisdom had been partially sealed within the White Deer Demon King. This current manifestation held only his "Heart," which lacked calculated foresight. To compensate, the Evil God had harvested hundreds of thousands of fallen soldier souls, stripping them of emotion to turn them into a "Court of Intelligence" to process his commands.
Initially, this collective mind was fast. But over thousands of loops, the data bloat became unbearable. The system couldn't distinguish between vital intel and "trash" data. It became sluggish, consuming massive amounts of energy. In some loops, Seven Star’s own mental exhaustion—his periods of resting and doing nothing—created even more "trash data" for the Evil God’s system to process, leading to constant errors in judgment.
Finally, seeing his odds of victory vanishing, the Evil God yielded. "I will surrender," he conceded, "but only if there is a favorable outcome for me. Otherwise, we stay here forever."
Seven Star made a vow: "I will facilitate your reincarnation as a Star Seed. I swear to care for and protect you. Alkaid (The Army Breaker Star) shall be your guardian star; it suits your nature perfectly."
As the oath was struck, time froze. The Time Mage appeared in a flash of light.
"Hand me the Time Key you have crafted," the Mage commanded the Evil God.
With no reason left to refuse, he complied. The Time Mage examined it. "Alien technology, isn't it?"
"Yes," the Evil God replied.
"Then someone within the Omega Alliance has studied our world very closely," the Mage mused. "They were likely using you to test if this Key would function here. The Aliens will not take kindly to us claiming their resources, but that is a problem for another day."
The Mage then looked at the Evil God. "Hit me."
Confused, the Evil God eventually realized this was a gesture of his "Achievement" and struck him. The Mage nodded. "Good. You have achieved much. As Seven Star promised, you shall return to the Army Breaker Star with your memories intact. However, there must be a penalty for stripping the emotions of thousands. You must spend your next life making amends and accumulating merit."
The Evil God bowed. "I understand." He then dissolved into light.
Turning to Seven Star, the Mage smiled. "Congratulations, Player. Your reward is etched into the sky of the Big Dipper. Your new mission is to gather the seven Star Seeds under your banner:
- Dubhe (Greedy Wolf - "The Aborber")
- Merak (Great Gate - "The Gatekeeper")
- Phecda (Seven Killings - "The Judge")
- Megrez (Celestial Union - "The Purifier")
- Alioth (Incorruptible Virtue - "The Imprisoner")
- Mizar (Martial Tune - "The Conqueror")
- Alkaid (Army Breaker - "The Pioneer" - The Reincarnated Evil God)
"They have experience with the Time Key. You shall be their leader, preparing for the day the Aliens launch their full-scale invasion."
Aftermath and Evolution
As the world returned to normal, the various factions reaped the rewards of the conflict:
- Trung Hau, a Star Seed supported by the Lone Star of Heavenly Slaughter, remained in a nearby cave absorbing the slaughter-aura of the entire battle. He broke through from the Foundation Establishment (B-Rank) to the Core Formation (A-Rank).
- Black Dog, a Druid Star Seed protected by the Greedy Wolf Star, spent the aftermath scavenging the remains of Alien lifeforms, consuming them to also reach Core Formation (A-Rank).
- The Buddhist Sect gained significantly. By promising a "Pure Land" for the Alien souls and using purification rituals, they welcomed the outsiders into their fold. Among them, a figure of extraordinary talent emerged—the one who would later be known as the Buddha Ancestor, the leader who would spread the faith across the continents and introduce Adida Buddha. He was the only one granted permission by the Heavenly Dao to leave and return to this world at will.
- The Asura Clan gathered the souls of those who craved power or justice. In the era that followed, these souls would unite to elevate Asura Shiva, overthrowing Asura Bali to build a divine empire of kings and warriors. This led to a period of deep social stratification, forcing Bali to wait for a future age to attempt building his dream of an egalitarian kingdom.
- The Souls stripped of emotion by the Evil God became "Living Armor" (Giáp h?n). Devoid of feeling and rejected by most Divine Spirits, they were gathered together to await a future master who could build a reincarnation system for them. They became known as the ultimate loyalists—silent, tireless guardians used by sects to protect dungeons and temples.