Yes, I became a god just by exercising.

Chapter 302 [Silver Universe] Actually responded to Xia Fa's prayer? Extremely special treatment!
The treasure map had a matte finish and was so black it seemed to absorb all light.

But at this very moment, an extremely vivid, high-definition, color image appeared on this Rhine treasure map.

It was a life-bearing planet shrouded in clouds and mist, with towering peaks and a rich ecosystem, and it looked slightly smaller than Caligia.

However, given that Caligari possesses the status of two great terrestrial divine kingdoms, namely the Silver Universe and the Nature Monarch, there are very few life-bearing planets in the entire universe that can compare to it.

On this life-bearing planet depicted on the treasure map, there is a colossal building that can be clearly seen even from a perspective resembling an overview of the cosmos, demonstrating just how enormous it is.

It was a golden battle flag, standing tall at the northernmost point of the planet, soaring into the clouds and reaching straight to the sky. It was filled with fighting spirit, piercing the heavens, and its killing aura was so real that it could be felt even through the Rhine Treasure Map.

"Gilgamesh..."

Xia Fa immediately recognized which inhabited planet this was.

It was... the planet Gilgamesh, home to his own father's family, the Gilgamesh family!
That golden battle banner is the emblem of the planet Gilgamesh. Any extraordinary being in the universe with a modicum of knowledge would immediately recognize it upon seeing it.

"Could it be that we're going to fight over the ancient treasures on Gilgamesh...?"

Xia Fa felt a little worried, mainly because he was afraid that it would affect his parents and that his great-grandfather, Emperor Xia Latu, would destroy the family business that he had painstakingly built on Gilgamesh.

The emergence and struggle for a fragmented ancient treasure... is far from simple.

Fortunately, immediately afterward, the high-definition color coordinate map on the Rhine Treasure Map flashed, emitting a dazzling light like a cross star.

The source of that light was not Gilgamesh, but rather about a million kilometers away from Gilgamesh.

Although a million kilometers is almost negligible on a cosmic scale, it's still much better than being on Gilgamesh.

In this way, the great-grandfather could activate the planetary ritual protection array and preside over it personally. Unless an outer god came, it would be difficult for Gilgamesh to be affected.

"Is this the place? Where is this, Xiafa?"

Chestnut stretched its neck, opened its big eyes, stared at the cosmic coordinates given on the Rhine treasure map, and asked a question out of curiosity.

Xia Fa pointed to the beautiful, life-bearing planet on the treasure map:

"This life-bearing planet is called Gilgamesh, and it's also my home. As for where Gilgamesh is... well, it should be in the natural star system."

Natural Starfield, Gaia Starfield, Wright Starfield... and so on are all the most vast and prosperous starfields in the entire universe, and Xia Fa remembers them very clearly.

"Isn't that far? How are we going to get there?" Chestnut pondered, then suddenly remembered something, "And we can't get out now, can we?"

Xia Fa also suddenly remembered this:
"Yes, that is a problem..."

More than half a month ago, after news spread from the Baron Ocean that the [Eternal Proof] was about to be born, the two righteous gods, [Silver Universe] and [Nature Monarch], joined forces to create a planetary barrier, sealing off the entire planet Kaligi.

This is why, whether it's the Super Fighting Grand Prix for the chance to flip through the Golden Beacon Scroll or the Dream Come True Sea Train, most of the participants are from Caligi.

Although some people from outside Caligiri came, it didn't have a significant impact.

Next, nine days later, when [Eternal Critical Strike] is born, the full effect of this move by the two righteous gods will be revealed.

In a sense, whoever is lucky enough to win the [Eternal Critical Strike] in the end has to thank the two great gods for eliminating at least 99% of the potential powerful enemies.

Otherwise, given the sheer number of the Mysterious Emperors in the entire universe, whether they are open or hidden, especially those as deeply concealed as Dionysius, there could be many more. Would it be possible for Dionysius to flaunt his power to this extent?

Fortunately, while there might be a mysterious emperor hiding in the shadows, it seems that there have only been two Heavenly Saints in the universe over the past 30,000 years. One of them has already perished, and as for the one who went mad and hid in the Star Spirit Realm... he probably won't come to steal the [Eternal Critical Strike], right?

Even if He wanted to come, He probably wouldn't be able to get in.

In summary, the planetary barrier has its advantages, but the disadvantages are now becoming apparent, namely... it seems I can't get out.

We can't just stand by and watch the old blacksmith open and let someone else take the Rhine Blade, can we?

"By the way, how did Great-Grandpa get in? According to Him, He only arrived the day before the Super Fighting Grand Prix, when Planet Caligia was already sealed off..."

Xia Fa pondered that perhaps he could try contacting Patriarch Osius and ask this extraordinary prince and patriarch of the Silver Church if he had any ideas.

"I'll head out to take care of this in a bit. As for a crucial issue that needs to be clarified right now..."

Xia Fa looked again at the Rhine treasure map he and Ban Li possessed, his eyes narrowing slightly as he pondered and asked:
"Chestnut, when did your Silver Iris Orchid Rat Clan obtain this Rhine Treasure Map?"

Chestnut seemed to remember this very clearly, counting on her fingers as she said:
“My grandma said… this was passed down to her by her grandma, and her grandma seems to have passed it down from her great-grandma, which means…”

She seemed to have confirmed something, and said happily:
"About 1,300 years ago?"

Xia Fa pondered for a moment and said:
"More than 1,300 years ago... Hmm, why do you seem so happy?"

Chestnut smiled mischievously:
"I was happy to find that I had actually figured out such a complicated math problem."

Xia Fa chuckled slightly:

"Ok."

Immediately afterwards, he began to think and analyze.

According to the ancient inscription that just appeared on the Rhine Treasure Map, the reason why the Rhine Treasure Maps possessed by the two suddenly emerged from the bag on their own was because "a ninth person successfully combined the Rhine Treasure Maps."

Moreover, according to the Rhine Treasure Map, once the tenth person is successfully assembled, the "Old Forge" corresponding to the Rhine Treasure Map, which is the location of the incomplete old treasure, the Rhine Horse-Slaying Blade, will immediately open.

In other words, the reason why the Rhine treasure map suddenly emerged on its own was actually a warning.

Those who possess the Rhine Treasure Map are reminded that the Old Forge may open ahead of schedule at any time, which is, in a sense, a manifestation of fairness.

However, besides this, a very important piece of information has also emerged.

That is, there will be no more than ten people vying for the Rhine Blade this time!
Furthermore, since the Old Forge is located outside Gilgamesh in the Natural Starfield—which is the real world—the Protoss Realm's Outer Gods and other unknown beings of equal strength are unable to compete for it.

After all, if they dared to come to the real world, they would be immediately destroyed by the nine righteous gods with lightning speed, to prevent these beings from causing irreparable pollution to the real world.

This made Xia Fa feel much more at ease. An ancient treasure, even if it is only incomplete, is extremely attractive to beings below the level of a true god. If the ancient forge were in the Star Spirit Realm, he really wouldn't be able to compete for it.

Thankfully, this is in the real world.

In the real world, very few people possess the power of a god. In other words, the other nine opponents he encountered this time might be very strong, but not so strong that he couldn't handle them.

Unless, of course, a few extraordinary monarchs or mysterious emperors arrive.

Xia Fa had suspected from the beginning that there were definitely more than just the five treasure maps he had.

After all, the Roaring Emperor was able to obtain one of them, Dick Tudor was able to obtain one of them, and even that Heavenly Saint Venerable senior had obtained one, which means that there must be other treasure maps like this in the entire universe.

Otherwise, it would be too much of a coincidence. There are only five in the entire universe, and he has collected them all. It's impossible to imagine. This is reality, not a novel.

Now that they know that their opponents only have a maximum of nine people, it's actually a pleasant surprise.

At first, Xia Fa thought that competing for a fragmented ancient treasure would require at least several thousand or even tens of thousands of people...

"In other words, this time..."

Thinking of this, Xia Fa's eyes lit up, he clenched his fist secretly, and an excited look appeared on his face:
"I have a good chance of obtaining the Rhine Blade?"

Once the Rhine Blade and the Calamity Blade are combined, they will become a complete ancient treasure, and one that belongs exclusively to oneself...

Just thinking about it made Xia Fa feel a surge of excitement and warmth in his heart.

Now that things were clear, he didn't bother to rest anymore and immediately rushed into the living room.

Seeing that no one was in the living room and everyone seemed to be asleep, Xiafa didn't care about anything else and was preparing to return to the Worm Islands to try to contact Patriarch Osius.

For example, they could approach Speaker Arthur and see if he could contact his teacher or something.

Just then, footsteps came from behind.

Xia Fa turned his head and saw that it was a chestnut:

"what happened?"

Chestnut said nervously:
"Are you going to the Natural Starfield alone? Can you take me with you?"

Xia Fa suddenly realized that he had overlooked this problem.

There are ten Rhine treasure maps in total, and Chestnut is one of them.

In other words, there are no more than eight, if not nine, opponents to face.

But should we bring chestnuts or not?
Deep down, Xia Fa naturally hoped that Ban Li wouldn't go, because it was too dangerous.

But then I thought, given the unknown "reversal" power that Chestnut currently possesses, it seems that the danger I will face at that time may be less than that of her.

However, on the other hand, since the exact situation inside the "Old Blacksmith's Shop" is unclear, what if it's extremely dangerous...?

"Xia Fa, do you remember what you promised me?"

Seeing his hesitation, Chestnut's large, clear eyes revealed a determined look, but her voice softened:

"No matter what danger there is, I want to face it with you."

Xia Fa was momentarily stunned, and after a long while, he sighed:
"Okay, but if we encounter any really dangerous situations, you have to listen to me, understand?"

Seeing that Xia Fa agreed, Chestnut nodded vigorously:

"All right!"

Since their fate was uncertain, the two tacitly agreed not to disturb their sleeping companions and quietly left the subspace.

……

On Halibut Island, the waves crashed, the sky turned unusually dark, and the air pressure was heavy, as if some disaster was brewing.

With a ripple in the air, Xia Fa and Ban Li's figures flashed and appeared.

"Where should we go to find Patriarch Osius or Speaker Arthur..."

Xia Fa first scanned the sea with his eyes, and sure enough, he did not see Patriarch Osius or Speaker Arthur.

Of course, it's unlikely that these two would happen to be at sea, as that would be too much of a coincidence.

"We can't enter the City of Ten Thousand Stars right now. These two are a Great Monarch and a veteran Great Monarch, respectively. Given their flight speed, they could be anywhere on Planet Caligi right now..."

Thankfully, the tenth Rhine Treasure Map hasn't been pieced together yet, and the Old Forge hasn't opened, so we still have a few days to spare.

Otherwise, things could get complicated.

"How about we go check out the other parts of the Worm Islands first?"

Xia Fa pondered and realized that this was the only way. Sandworm Island, where the City of Ten Thousand Stars was located, was just one of the islands in the Worm Islands, and of course, it was also the largest one.

Besides these, the Worm Islands also have countless islands of all sizes. Due to the prosperity of the City of Ten Thousand Stars, these islands also have various settlements that rely on the prosperous trade of the City of Ten Thousand Stars for survival.

Over the next hour, Xia Fa, who had disguised both himself and Chestnut, explored the entire Worm Islands, asking questions along the way.

As expected, no trace of Patriarch Osius or Speaker Arthur was found.

It was approaching morning; a pale light was appearing on the horizon, and the sun was about to rise.

Xia Fa and Ban Li had just come out of a small tavern on Starfish Island, both looking somewhat disappointed.

"As expected, these two are people who appear and disappear like dragons; finding them so easily is indeed quite difficult..."

As for divination, Xia Fa had already tried it, but needless to say, given the experience of these two people who had been in the extraordinary world for many years, they must be carrying secret treasures or seals that could prevent divination and secrets from being revealed, so he gained absolutely nothing.

As for finding Tefaro and using [Starry Sky Bubble] together... that's actually impossible.

The reason the two were able to teleport directly out of Caligari under those circumstances was because they had been certified as contestants in the Golden Beacon Scroll competition.

In other words, it was only with the blessing of the Golden Beacon Scroll, a supreme sealing artifact capable of attracting audiences from across the universe, that the two were able to break through the planetary barrier once.

Without the Golden Beacon Scroll, if the two could freely enter and exit the planetary barrier simply by stacking [Star Bubbles], then they would be greatly underestimating these two righteous gods.

Seeing how hard her boyfriend was working, Chestnut hesitated for a moment before trying to say:
"I just... suddenly thought of a way that might work."

Xia Fa asked curiously:
"any solution?"

Chestnut's fluffy round ears twitched, and it moved closer to Xia Fa's face, lowering its voice to say:
"We can try going to the Silver Church's chapel and praying to the [Silver Universe]."

Xia Fa asked in surprise:
"This……"

It should be noted that since the beginning of the third millennium of the universe, the nine righteous gods have rarely responded to the prayers or sacrifices of believers.

Xia Fa also knew that although he was somewhat special, he was not so special that he would be noticed by the nine righteous gods in advance.

At the very least, one must become a subordinate god before one will be qualified to enter the eyes of the nine great gods.

Moreover, since they don't even know if the Nine Great Gods are real or not, this method is indeed a bit risky.

But at that moment, both of their black bags inexplicably moved, and a dense black light was about to emerge.

Xia Fa reacted immediately, grabbing Chestnut's shoulder with one hand, and the two of them blurred instantly.

The next moment, they appeared in a deserted, dark alley on Starfish Island.

Almost instantly, the Rhine Treasure Map emerged from their black bags, causing a strange ripple to spread out, and ancient runes immediately formed in the air from black light.

"The tenth Rhine Treasure Map has been assembled, and the Old Forge will open in a quarter of an hour."

The moment these secret texts appeared, they vanished with a "bang" a few seconds later, turning into specks of black light and disappearing.

With a loud "boom," both Rhine treasure maps burst into flames, the orange-yellow flames dazzling, the stench of burning leather filling the air, and ashes falling in a flurry.

Within the flames, two black iron keys materialized and flew towards Xiafa and Banli respectively.

Needless to say, this black iron key is probably the key to entering the old blacksmith's workshop.

"There's only fifteen minutes left..."

To compete for the incomplete ancient treasure, the Rhine Blade, there is no doubt that every second counts. Even a few minutes' delay could mean losing the opportunity, let alone a few hours.

However, we haven't been able to find Speaker Arthur or Patriarch Osius, and we can't even leave the planet Caligia.

when--!
The melodious sound of bells rang out; it was six o'clock in the morning, coming from the bell tower of the Silver Church in the settlement of Starfish Island.

Many residents begin their hard work of the day when this bell rings.

Xia Fa was slightly taken aback. Whether it was a coincidence or not, he felt that the sound of the bell was some kind of revelation.

when--!
Another bell rang, this time even louder, coming from the church of the Starfish Island Natural Church.

"Never mind, let's give it a try!"

Seeing the urgency of the situation, Xia Fa didn't care about anything else. He took Chestnut's soft little hand and headed straight for the small chapel of the silvery-white church on Starfish Island.

Although the nine righteous gods may be fake, rashly praying to the [Silver Universe] among them may cause problems.

However, from another perspective, until now, these so-called fake Nine Great Gods have never done anything out of line, whether for the purpose of disguise or other purposes.

Therefore, Xia Fa felt it was worth taking the risk.

Starfish Island is really small, with only a few hundred households. Therefore, in just a few seconds, Xia Fa and Ban Li arrived at the front of the Silver White Church.

The church was already open, and a bald bishop was holding Mass when a handsome young man and a beautiful young woman rushed in. The woman was even a rat. The bishop was taken aback.

Immediately, Chestnut produced the badge of the Silver Church Archbishop. The bishop took one look, then took out his own bishop badge and sensed it. After confirming that it was correct, his expression immediately became one of fear and trepidation.

“Your Excellency Archbishop, you’ve come to us…”

Chestnut's face tightened, her expression serious:
"We need to use the altar to pray to the gods."

The bald bishop immediately said:

“Of course, of course, Your Excellency Archbishop, I will take you and your friend there right away.”

Soon, led by the bald bishop, Xia Fa and Ban Li successfully arrived at the altar of the church.

After closing the door, Xia Fa suddenly realized something.

That is... I seem to still be considered a member of the Silver Church, outwardly believing in the [Silver Universe].

After all, upon learning that the Nine Great Gods might be fake, he did not accept the invitation from Pope Hercules and his great-grandfather, Emperor Sharatul, to join the earthly divine kingdoms of [Absolute Defense] or [Paradox Clown].

In other words, they have not changed their faith.

"Hopefully, my identity as a believer in the [Silver Universe] can have some influence..."

After the chestnuts were sprinkled with holy water, and after the jasmine essential oil and rose petals, which were the Silver Universe’s favorite, were placed on the altar, Xiafa stood in the holy water that was falling from the sky, put his palms together, closed his eyes and prayed.

"The ruler of all space."

"The creator and maintainer of the present world."

"You are a great being, higher than the starry sky and more ancient than the stars!"

"Supreme, most powerful, and most virtuous Lord [Silver Universe], your most devout believer prays to you."

"Please grant me the ability to enter and exit the planetary barrier of Caligi once, as I have urgent business to attend to."

The first three lines of this prayer are a three-part honorific title from the [Silver Universe].

The first and third paragraphs don't need explanation, but Xia Fa had genuine doubts about the second paragraph.

The title of "Creator of the Present World" is too grand. Doesn't it almost mean that the [Silver Universe] is the creator?
Later, Xia Fa learned that this was actually describing the Silver Universe as the greatest achievement of the nine great gods—separating the real world from the chaos caused by the Great Old Ones, thus maintaining a stable relationship of non-aggression between the real world and the Protoss Realm.

However, this achievement was slightly embellished in the three-part honorific title, hence the title "creator and maintainer of the present world." In essence, he is merely "maintainer of the present world."

As for the title "Supreme, Powerful, and Virtuous," it is something that any believer must add when praying and offering sacrifices to the nine righteous gods.

Of course, given the supreme power of the nine righteous gods and their achievements over the past 30,000 years, they are certainly worthy of it.

"Wait a minute, wasn't my last prayer a bit too crazy...?"

Xiafa had just finished praying when he suddenly realized what had happened.

Telling a deity, "I have important business to attend to," without specifying what it is, always feels like overstepping one's bounds.

Hopefully, this won't anger the Silver Universe and cause this prayer to fail...

Chestnut stayed by Xia Fa's side the whole time, and her little face looked quite nervous.

Because if the [Silver Universe] doesn't respond, then this incomplete ancient treasure might be lost to her boyfriend, which is something Chestnut absolutely doesn't want to see.

But almost immediately after Xiafa finished praying—

A miracle has happened!

Suddenly, the sky above the altar lit up.

Night falls, like a tranquil summer night, with the Milky Way hanging high in the sky and countless stars shining brightly.

Specks of starlight fell from the Milky Way in the night sky, instantly enveloping Xiafa and Banli.

Before the two could react, an unimaginably powerful spatial fluctuation emanated from the starlight.

The next moment, without feeling any discomfort, the two found themselves in the vastness of space.

About a million kilometers ahead lies Gilgamesh, the planet we saw before, with its beautiful scenery and rich ecology. The massive building with the golden banner is clearly visible even from this distance.

About a hundred meters in front of them, a grand, majestic, and sublime forge, yet somewhat strange and eerie, was slowly emerging, its burning lines taking shape.

"This……"

To be honest, Xia Fa was almost stunned.

To his utter surprise, the Silver Universe not only responded to his prayer and ignored the transgression in his prayer, but also directly teleported him and Chestnut over!

This even saved them the trouble of going to the sea urchin island to take the ultra-long-distance teleportation array!

Who says the Nine Great Gods are fake?
At least for now, Xia Fa feels that the [Silver Universe] is real for him!

From the moment the Rhine Treasure Map gave its prophecy to the moment the two entered the church to pray, and then were personally teleported here by the righteous god [Silver Universe], less than a minute had passed.

Therefore, the two of them seemed to be the first to arrive at the location of the "old blacksmith's shop".

Just then, a figure came rapidly from the depths of the universe, seemingly having just been teleported to the general area nearby before flying towards the specific location of the old forge.

Xia Fa was taken aback when he saw the figure; it was somewhat unexpected.

"It's actually him?"

(End of this chapter)