CHAPTER 460: CHAPTER 296: RETROSPECTION! TRUTH! THE OLD DAYS!

"These phenomena are so similar to the industrial revolution, social changes, and the doctrinal disputes within the Steam Sect that we are experiencing today..."

"Although there’s no direct evidence to assert this clearly." Elizabeth suddenly lifted her head, looking at Lu Yan, her eyes filled with shock and fear, yet her tone was unusually firm, "But I’m almost certain, it’s not the first time the gods have slumbered! Their slumber and awakening are periodic!"

She took a deep breath and spoke the ultimate conclusion that made her soul tremble:

"When they slumber, the world, as if breaking free from shackles, is able to develop and evolve forward through royal power or the spontaneous awakening of the populace.

And when they awaken, the world’s development will be forcibly halted, forever frozen at the point in time that they desire."

Elizabeth’s last words were like a clap of thunder, exploding in the depths of Lu Yan’s mind.

The seemingly absurd yet logically consistent theory, like a key, unlocked the numerous incongruities in this world that had been puzzling him.

Almost at the very moment Elizabeth finished speaking, an invisible and absolute force of order, with Lu Yan as the center, suddenly spread out.

This was not a simple Energy Barrier, but a lockdown sourced from the Divine Court and Underworld’s order.

The entire expanse of the Royal Palace terrace and the surrounding time and space were enveloped by the Divine Court’s order, rendering sound, light, information, and concepts unable to escape in the slightest.

This was a higher-level lockdown of time and space, ensuring that their conversation at this moment could absolutely not be eavesdropped by any existence.

After doing all this, Lu Yan murmured softly:

"Periodic slumber, ancient downfall, mysterious gray fog..."

Lu Yan lifted his head, his gaze seemingly penetrating the sky locked by the Divine Court’s order, looking at the stars of the celestial sphere slowly returning to their positions, his tone filled with the shock of sudden realization.

"If that’s the case, then everything makes sense!"

Upon entering this enigmatic version, Lu Yan had once wondered why its history, spanning tens of thousands of years, only barely propelled it to the industrial revolution.

Consider, this uncanny version did not undergo any great cataclysm or civilization’s end. The Seven Great Kingdoms have been passed down for tens of thousands of years, and the churches have an even longer history; under such circumstances, society would inevitably progress forward.

Yet, the uncanny version presented before Lu Yan seemed to have experienced an extremely prolonged stagnation, progressing to the industrial age at a remarkably slow pace.

This is unlike those changeless Extraordinary Worlds because the Extraordinary System of this version itself is transcendent, almost not intersecting with ordinary people.

In this case, it would almost be impossible for societal stagnation to occur.

But with Elizabeth’s information, clarity suddenly dawned upon Lu Yan.

It’s not so much slow development, but rather the world’s developmental process has been forcibly interrupted again and again by those enthroned deities, possibly even experiencing countless resets.

They do not benevolently allow the world to develop freely during slumber; instead, upon each awakening, they wield unimaginable power to erase the overextended history developed during their slumber, altering reality, twisting perceptions, and possibly directly rewinding time or reshaping worldlines.

They forcibly freeze the progression of civilization at the point they desire, and then fall into slumber once again.

Understanding the issue, another doubt arises.

"What is the gods’ motive?"

Lu Yan narrowed his eyes slightly, gazing at the gradually returning multitude of stars.

The Stars of the Celestial Sphere entered Lu Yan’s view, and as the mist shrouding the grand path gradually cleared, Lu Yan vaguely seemed to catch some traces.

In the boundless higher dimensions, the stars outlined a colossal skeleton that spanned the entire mysterious version.

Lu Yan involuntarily chanted that name.

"The Ancients!"