"Inner Sea of Mind…"
"Reverse Ascension?"
Chu Hao chewed over these words, his expression darkening.
Although he had never seen this experiment firsthand, as a lower-tier god who had ignited most of his Inner Sea of Mind, Chu Hao already had a deep understanding of it.
The Inner Sea of Mind, possessed by every sentient being, was not something any ordinary existence could study.
And delving into the core of life was not something anyone dared to attempt.
"Continue…"
Chu Hao spoke to the female animal head before him.
After hearing Chu Hao's oath, guaranteed by his divine authority, she finally relaxed.
"Before describing the experiment, I will first briefly explain the final result."
"But I think a wise being like you probably already knows the outcome."
Chu Hao said nothing, listening intently.
"We, the beneficiaries of the experiment, became what you see now."
"Starting from our Inner Seas, our bodies, true spirits, souls, and even thoughts were completely fused together!"
"The sensation was terrifying!"
"If I were to describe it… it felt like blind idiocy."
"We couldn't remember what we did, couldn't recall what we intended, and for a time, we couldn't remember the past or see the future."
"In this state, we faced unprecedented terror and extreme torment."
"This state began the moment the experiment succeeded…"
"…and only ended when you graciously arrived and used your tremendous power to separate us."
[Experiment Successful]
Chu Hao noted this critical point carefully.
"I understand. Now tell me the process of your experiment in as much detail as possible and hide nothing."
A glint of crimson flashed in his eyes.
"You should know… you cannot deceive me."
The other heads shuddered, looking helplessly at the female head facing Chu Hao.
"Yes… we will not lie to you!" she said.
"Of course, we hope you will honor your promise…"
"The experiment proceeded as follows…"
---
Several epochs ago, the flow of time in the secret realm world was much slower than in the divine realm world.
This was not only because they could not accelerate time on their own, but also due to differences in their temporal rules and formulas.
Over countless years, several intelligent species arose in this world, each developing civilizations based on technology, magic, alchemy, and other disciplines.
Yet these species achieved a remarkable feat: despite reproductive isolation, they avoided devastating wars of extinction.
Instead, with the guidance of a Sage, the different species gradually overcame divisions and merged into a complementary, prosperous civilization.
Technology, magic, and alchemy advanced in mutual promotion.
Species learned to restrain desires and help one another.
Eventually, a prosperous, "everyone-prosperous" world emerged.
It was a beautiful world, with thriving societies and rapid technological advancement, approaching unprecedented heights.
But at this point, cracks began to form.
With productivity unable to meet everyone's desires, some individuals had to be sacrificed for the greater good.
Would the sacrificed accept this willingly? Certainly not.
Blood, fire, war, and destruction began flickering across the corners of this world.
Conflicts between species, struggles of the strong against the weak…
Every individual was full of resentment, every mind restless, each craving more than their share of resources—even if unnecessary.
At this critical moment, a new discovery arrived to halt the slide into chaos.
A Sage, proficient in technology, magic, and alchemy, presented a revelation to the world's leaders that captivated them.
"Through countless experiments and methods, I have discovered certain properties of the Inner Sea of Mind."
"For example, the desires within every being can never be removed, no matter how deeply hidden, no matter how virtuous or hypocritical. Unconscious desires always arise—this is one of the Inner Sea's essential traits: the infinite extension of desire."
"In other words, no matter how advanced technology becomes, desires always exceed current limits!"
The Sage first delivered a despairing truth.
But then, before the pale-faced leaders, he offered a glimmer of hope.
"Do not despair, gentlemen!"
"Although desires cannot be removed, consider this: what if each individual could fulfill their desires through themselves?"
"If that were possible, all conflict could be avoided, correct?"
"I know it sounds impossible, but I, no, we have indeed found the key to realizing this idea!"
The Sage revealed his true form to the horrified leaders.
"I used my research on the Inner Sea to fuse myself with several collaborators."
A collective intelligence, dozens of minds combined into one body.
In the eyes of the leaders, it was grotesque.
"Each of our desires, through this process, was greatly satisfied!"
"What we wanted to eat, drink, or do could all be achieved by the collective body."
"By spending only slightly more resources than ordinary beings, we satisfied dozens of people's desires, without complaints, as we became one—no distinction between you and me."
Chu Hao looked at them intently.
"So that's why you became like this?"
"You followed the Sage's suggestion and carried out the experiment?"
"No, on the contrary…"
The female head shook her head.
"We secretly executed that 'contemptuous of life' individual, and treated his research as forbidden, sealing it away."
"Moreover, we placed… or rather, their souls… into a magic array until they were completely obliterated."