The Sword Emperor Transmigrates-Chapter 258

Terraforming was a monumental challenge, even for the Arcane Society, which specialized in making the impossible possible. It was an almost insurmountable undertaking, an ultimate form of Class 9 magic capable of transforming entire worlds.

Whether it was a barren land with no water or even air, or a realm swarming with monsters beyond the scope of conventional power, terraforming aimed to overcome or eliminate these seemingly insurmountable obstacles to expand humanity’s reach.

This was the essence of the research on terraforming. Even the Celestial Realm and the Demonic Realm, Nine Hells, were no exception to its scope.

“Surprisingly,” Simon Magus began, “terraforming the Celestial Realm is proving to be more challenging than transforming the Demonic Realm. As it was originally designed to be the dwelling of the divine races, the dimensional pressure within is suited for higher races. Those who have not surpassed the Transcendence Tier or Class 7 cannot even survive there.”

“Dimensional pressure?” Leonard asked, unfamiliar with the term.

Simon tilted his head slightly, a knowing look in his eyes. “Ah, so we begin there. Very well. I’ll explain everything.”

To delve into dimensional studies, particularly those involving spatial phenomena, one had to be at least Class 8. Much like how spatial magic only became accessible from Class 7 onward, dimensional pressure was a concept that even seasoned mages struggled to understand.

Although Leonard possessed an exceptional understanding of magic thanks to the Dragon Heart, grasping concepts he had never heard of before wasn’t easy.

“In simple terms, you can think of dimensional pressure as something akin to atmospheric pressure, but on a dimensional scale,” Simon explained. “Just as pressure intensifies as you dive deeper into the ocean and weakens as you ascend into the sky, dimensional pressure exerts force on all entities within its realm, dictated by the coordinates of that dimension.”

Leonard frowned slightly. “So, you’re saying that the concepts of up, down, left, and right exist even between dimensions?”

Simon chuckled. “Not quite. The terms “up, down, left, right,” are simply metaphors to make it easier to explain. Dimensions aren’t exactly three-dimensional. Still, you seem to have a decent grasp on this, which means there’s no need to oversimply it.”

Contrary to popular belief, the Celestial Realm wasn’t literally above and the Demonic Realm wasn’t literally below. Their classifications as up and down stemmed from the nature of dimensional pressure.

“In the Celestial Realm, the pressure is expansive, like low atmospheric pressure,” Simon explained. “It stretches matter and entities, and those unable to withstand the strain will simply... burst.”

“Like how an air bubble expands and pops as it rises to the water’s surface,” Leonard remarked.

“Exactly! Excellent analogy!” Simon clapped his hands, delighted. “For a knight, your understanding of natural science is impressive. It saves me a thousand words of explanation!”

Simon continued with renewed enthusiasm, “The Demonic Realm is the opposite. There, the dimensional pressure compresses everything. That’s why, in ancient times, the Demonic Realm functioned as the afterlife. Unlike the Celestial Realm, where entities expand and burst, the compressive pressure in the Demonic Realm traps souls, rendering it nearly impossible for them to escape on their own.”

At that, Leonard raised a hand. “Then I have a question.”

“What is it?”

“Why is terraforming the Celestial Realm more challenging than the Demonic Realm? If we compare it to atmospheric pressure, wouldn’t it be easier to survive somewhere with lover pressure—or even in a vacuum—than to endure the crushing depths of high pressure?”

Simon nodded. “An astute observation. In the case of atmospheric pressure, you’d be correct. But dimensional pressure operates differently. Unlike atmospheric pressure, which has a limit even in a vacuum, dimensional pressure is infinite.”

He paused, his gaze sharper now. “And here’s the crucial difference. Expansive dimensional pressure doesn’t act gradually from the outside in. Instead, it applies its force uniformly and instantaneously across the entire body. What happens if your skin, organs, and brain are all pulled apart simultaneously?”

Leonard grimaced. “...That would require more than physical durability or tensile strength—it would demand a fundamental reinforcement of existence itself.”

“Exactly! On the other hand, the compressive dimensional pressure of the Demonic Realm is more forgiving. It’s closer to conventional pressure, meaning one can survive through physical resilience, protective magic arrays, or artifacts. That’s why I said terraforming the Demonic Realm is comparatively easier.”

“I see.” Leonard nodded.

“Good, let’s move on to the next topic.”

The two went on to discuss the intricate principles of terraforming for hours. Initially, the conversation was one-sided, with Simon teaching and Leonard listening attentively. But as the discussion progressed, Leonard’s rapid grasp of dimensional magic shifted the dynamic. Soon, the two were exchanging hypotheses and debating theoretical applications as equals.

Simon was a Grand Magus who had honed his knowledge for centuries, so no one could challenge him in a debate about magic. However, when it came to fields beyond magic, the story was different.

Even he found his magical insights complemented by Leonard’s unconventional perspectives—drawn from the Central Plains murim’s martial philosophies and esoteric practices like mystical techniques and heretical doctrines. Those tools sought to reach for the skies in a different direction from magic.

The Right Path and the Left Path are ultimately two sides of the same coin. Martial arts, when taken to their extreme, encompass the realm of arcane techniques. Their potential of summoning winds and invoking rain is proof of that.

By reaching the pinnacle of both the Profound Realm and the Demigod Tier, Leonard has also attained exceptional mastery of arcane techniques. His understanding of the mystical principles embedded within martial arts mnemonics was so profound that he could engage in debates with the Grand Magus. In fact, even the legendary Mount Mao Sect at its prime would have venerated him as a grandmaster.

Thanks to this, the discussions surrounding terraforming reached a newfound level of feasibility.

“It’s impossible to terraform the Demonic Realm by using the principles of Demon’s Bane,” Leonard eventually declared with certainty.

Simon stroked his chin thoughtfully. He was clearly troubled, not because he disagreed, but because he understood precisely why Leonard had reached that conclusion.

“Is it because the rules of the Demonic Realm and the Middle Realm are fundamentally different?” Simon asked.

“Exactly.”

Leonard smiled bitterly. In the Central Plains, the concept of the heretical and demonic paths did not refer to living, moving demonic beings like those of this world. Rather, it was a principle that defined what was improper, what strayed from the rightful path, what was erroneous, and what was evil.

Correcting or expelling all such deviations was the essence of righteousness and Taoism. This ideology formed the foundation of expelling and repelling evil in martial arts.

In the Middle Realm, Demoniacs were considered inherently unnatural—entities that defied the natural order. The very concept of Demon’s Bane revolved around eradicating or repelling such entities. But within the Demonic Realm, Demoniacs weren’t unnatural entities. They were the norm.

“In the Middle Realm, Demoniacs are inherently wrong, so Demon’s Bane draws immense power from that dichotomy,” Leonard explained. “But in the Demonic Realm, where Demoniacs belong by nature, it’s unlikely to be as effective. It would be like trying to repel fish from water or drive animals off land.”

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“Terraforming the Demonic Realm would essentially be imposing the rules of the Middle Realm onto another dimension,” Simon mused. “And such an act would inevitably face resistance from the dimension itself.”

“Not to mention, Demon’s Bane is designed to repel intrusions, not to invade and occupy. The concept of repelling or driving something away only applies when the other side has already crossed the line. If we are the ones invading their domain, then such principles would hardly function as intended, wouldn’t they?” Leonard added.

At that, both of them fell silent, frowning.

Ultimately, the greatest obstacle to overcoming the Nine Hells wasn’t the strength or numbers of the Demoniacs. It was the dimension itself—an insurmountable obstacle that demanded an entirely new approach.

No matter how many Demoniacs they killed, the Demonic Realm would still continue to produce new Demoniacs. Thus, they needed to start with reducing the Demonic Realm’s influence first.

Even with Class 9 magic, they found no solution. They had considered Leonard’s Demon’s Bane as a possible answer, but with even that proving inadequate, their concerns only deepened.

It was then that Leonard, with his boundless and unconventional way of thinking—something Simon Magus lacked, having devoted himself entirely to magic—came up with an idea.

“Sir Simon, wasn’t the foundation of the Nine Hells the Great Evil Crom Dubh, who emerged from the remnants of the gods that perished in the God-Slaying War?”

“Hmm? That’s an unexpected question. But yes, that’s right.”

“What if we were to resurrect one of the gods that form the essence of Crom Dubh? A god of sufficiently high rank and powerful authority... Wouldn’t it be possible to counteract his influence that way?”

“Resurrect a god, you say? Ah...” Simon’s eyes widened in astonishment as he finally understood Leonard’s proposal.

The Void Deities—husks of gods who had fallen to the mortal realm in ancient times. Recalling the main adversaries of the White Dragon Order, the Grand Magus quickly assessed the possibility and realized that Leonard's idea had a fair degree of feasibility. It was far-fetched but not entirely impossible.

“It’s... conceivable. If we’re talking about one of the higher-ranking gods who governed the netherworld, like Hades or Osiris, they might indeed be able to challenge the power of Crom Dubh, whose soul has left his body.”

“Of course, we’d have to make sure to keep them tightly leashed, to ensure they don’t spiral out of control.”

Attempting to use a Void Deity to fight fire with fire carried significant risks. A resurrected god could easily become a threat even greater than the Demoniacs they sought to suppress. After all, why did the Order of the White Dragon systematically destroy Void Deities on sight?

That was because, should one of these entities regain their full divinity or authority, it could unleash a catastrophe on a scale comparable to the ancient era. In that case, a True God-level monster would run rampart without any restraints. Lesser gods might be manageable even now, but if a Great God or Chief God were to descend in their full might, there would be no countermeasure.

And both Hades and Osiris were among the highest-ranked gods in their pantheon, easily standing as some of the most powerful.

If they were restored to their ancient strength, they could fend off an entire invasion of Outer Gods single-handedly. But unleashing them without any safeguards could drag humanity into ruin, just as it did in the past.

Leonard and Simon Magus concluded their discussion with this concern in mind and summoned the person best qualified to provide insight into the Void Deities. That person, of course, was Demian, the commander of the Order of the White Dragon.

Having been abruptly summoned to Simon’s workshop, Demian initially gripped the hilt of his sword but then relaxed after a brief pause, exhaling deeply.

“This place isn’t great for the heart... Feels almost like when I recklessly set foot into Thor’s Divine Territory.”

“Hoo... The Nordic God of Thunder, you say? I’d love to hear about that some other time. Unsavory as they might be, the gods serve as the very foundation for high-class magic.”

Demian turned to Simon and greeted him casually, “It’s been a while, Simon. Have you been well?”

“What trouble could possibly come to an old hermit like me? I’m just glad to see you’re still in one piece. I heard you lost an arm recently?”

“I had it reattached, and it’s almost completely rehabilitated.” Demian flexed his left arm a few times before changing the topic. “So, why was I summoned here? I was told it was urgent.”

“I wanted to ask you about the Void Deities. Specifically, the ones related to the netherworld. I’m looking for their locations and whether it’s possible to negotiate with them.”

“...Excuse me?” Demian’s jaw dropped as he tried to process what he had just heard. “Negotiate? With a Void Deity?”

“We’ve determined that the Void Deities might hold the key to conquering the Nine Hells. If we could recruit one of the higher-ranked gods who ruled the netherworld—like Hades or Osiris—it would be ideal.”

“...I’ll need a detailed explanation, but let me answer first.”

Demian closed his mouth and directed a sharp gaze at Leonard, suspecting this idea came from him. Leonard, feeling a pang of guilt, subtly averted his eyes.

“We don’t know about Osiris, but there’s one known location where the Void Deity Hades resides,” said Demian. “However, it’s within a Divine Territory that hasn’t been fully explored yet, and it requires an overwhelming amount of manpower to even approach.”

“Hades, one of the three Chief Gods of Olympus? Excellent.”

“Whether that’s excellent or terrible remains to be seen. Some Void Deities can be reasoned with, but plenty of them can’t. Even fragments of the same god can behave completely differently—some are peaceful, while others are downright belligerent.”

“That doesn’t matter. If they refuse to comply, we’ll simply make them.”

Simon Magus grinned as he stood and called forth the staff that had been resting in a corner of the workshop. The staff, over two meters long, exuded a menacing magical energy as it flew into his grasp.

“If it’s a god from the Olympus pantheon, we can bind them completely with an Oath of Styx[1]. Even if they regain their full power as a True God entity, they’ll never be able to break an oath sworn on their own existence. As long as we can make them yield, the rest will proceed smoothly.”

“Wait, are you saying you’re going to personally lead this?”

“Why not? Between the three of us, we should have more than enough firepower. Besides, it would do me good to finally stretch my legs a bit.”

And with that, Simon Magus, the world’s strongest Grand Magus and leader of one of the Three Noble Houses, declared that he would take action personally, just as the Archduke of Sword had.

1. The Oath of Styx was a sacred oath in Greek mythology that was sworn by the gods and mortals. It was considered the most binding and sacred oath. ☜