Chapter 7: Birthday gifts

<A White Sphere> (approximately 3 inches in diameter)

"Step inside this small world, and you will find yourself standing in front of an enormous palace," Marek explained with a glint in his eye, eager to share all the details about the miniature world within the white sphere.

The palace was not just a mere structure; it was a fully furnished and equipped living space, complete with special chambers for cultivation, blacksmithing, and alchemy. Its grandeur was unparalleled, making it fit for royalty.

When someone enters the palace, the sphere outside becomes invisible and undetectable, making it perfect for hiding in a pinch.

The portable world was divided into four zones -The first area was the palace and a large garden surrounded by a barrier that kept it hidden.

The second zone was intended for prisoners of the Celestial Great Realm.

The third zone locked up people from the immortal realm.

The fourth zone contained the strongest cultivators.

"Listen closely, son. The people who inhabit this world are not ordinary people. They are the ones I have captured on my missions assigned by the main clan, and some I have recently captured. Each of them has offended our Rurik clan, and they carry a heavy grudge in their hearts. Do not let their facade deceive you - their cultivation levels are far beyond yours. That's why I have separated them into different levels. You can unlock each zone as you progress in your cultivation. But be cautious, son. These people are not to be underestimated. You may offer them freedom in exchange for their service or mission, but tread carefully."

"Father, won't they try to kill me once they see me?"

"Do not worry, son. They are all bound by an oath. If they dare to attack you, they will pay with their life."

"Please stop boasting already, we have more important things to discuss," Celeste pouted.

Marek coughed slightly, regaining his composure. "Alright, let's move on. Son, this world needs your blood to be activated. Bond with it, by giving it your blood!"

As soon as Vlad took ownership of the small portable worldz, Marek eagerly presented the next item with a glimmer in his eye.

It was a stunning silver bracelet adorned with fine black rocks.

"This, my son, is God Isamu's Bracelet," Marek exclaimed with enthusiasm. "It has the power to distort people's perception, allowing you to seamlessly transform into anyone you have seen before. With this treasure in your possession, you can even conceal your true age and cultivation level," he continued, his voice filled with excitement.

"This remarkable item can even deceive a God Emperor in the early stages. Just be sure to feed it with Divine Crystals to prevent it from draining your energy. You'll find it to be incredibly valuable on your future adventures," Marek concluded with a grin.

Vlad and Celeste were astounded by the versatility and quality of the bracelet.

The intricate details and expert craftsmanship were unlike anything they had seen before.

As Vlad couldn't contain his excitement, he noticed a beaming smile on Marek's face.

The boy knew that his father had never let him down with the gifts he had given him in the past.

He reminisced on the time when his father had gifted him a dagger called 'Storm Eye,' which was capable of breaking through even the most challenging barriers and sneaking through them undetected

<A Sword> The sword was a masterpiece, with a pommel that curved into a perfect crescent and a hilt that was covered in the soft skin of a divine beast. The guard was shaped like fierce horns, ready to repel any danger. The blade itself was exquisite, black as a starless night, with small red veins running through it like fiery veins.

Marek handed the sword to Vlad with a solemn expression. "This sword is called 'Dragon Fall'. It is a high-grade divine sword, imbued with a very strong but rebellious spirit. I have sealed it so that you can use it, but be wary of its temperamental nature," he warned.

Vlad's eyes gleamed with excitement. "Father, do I need to drip blood?" he asked eagerly.

Marek nodded. "Yes, your blood will create a small bond, but you will only be able to fully control it when it recognizes you as its master," he explained.

In addition to the sword, Marek handed Vlad a Rune Brush, a Divine Grade tool, with intricate designs etched into its surface.

<Rune Brush (Divine Grade)> "Son, I think you know what this is for. I'll just say that I sealed it, just like the sword, so you can use it. As your cultivation progresses, you can unlock its full potential," he said.

Lastly, Marek gave Vlad an ancient scroll, its yellowed pages filled with arcane symbols and mysterious runes.

<An Ancient Scroll> "This scroll contains all my runic knowledge, plus some special runes I found in an ancient tomb. You asked me how I managed to enslave a God. Here is the answer. Study it when you have free time. I assure you that you will not regret it. Obviously, I will guide you through the difficult parts. You can ask me at any time," he said.

The next items were excellent quality cultivation resources, pills, talismans of all kinds, and weapons.

It was a well-known tradition in the divine plane for children to embark on their cultivation journey at the tender age of 8. On that fateful day, their parents would bestow upon them a small but precious inheritance, meant to aid them in taking their first steps towards greatness.

Marek had been diligently gathering resources for his future offspring, envisioning a large and prosperous family.

However, fate had other plans, and he ended up taking only one woman as his wife, limiting his potential offspring to at most two more children.

With Gods struggling to conceive, Vlad was fortunate enough to inherit much more than just a small inheritance.

And now, it was finally Celeste's turn.

<Armor> "I designed this armor. It adapts to the size of your body and can be recharged with divine crystals since you don't have divine power yet. The special thing about this armor is that it repairs itself, thanks to being made with the body of a special beast that had the unique ability of regeneration." Celeste had an expectant smile on her face.

Vlad's eyes widened with excitement, and he couldn't stop thanking his parents. "This is incredible! Thank you so much, Mom and Dad!"

<Black Metallic Disc> "This may look like a simple disc, but it's so much more," Celeste explained. "You can pour divine crystals into it, and it will transform them into spiritual energy for you to cultivate. As of now, the disc already contains a whopping 10 million grade 3 divine crystals - more than enough for you to cultivate to the peak of the False God Great Realm!"

"In the divine world, only the gods can absorb divine power. But fear not - you can still cultivate through this disk or a transformation matrix. Simply place it under your cushion where you cultivate, and infuse a bit of your Heavenly Qi to activate the disk. It will operate automatically from there."

<Rectangular white jade and a stack of talismans> "You're going to love this, Vlad," Celeste said with a grin. "This rectangular white jade is for you. And as for these talismans... they're long-range and can even contact you if they're in another divine world! Give them to the people you want to stay in touch with, and you'll always be connected."

<20 women's dresses> "And lastly, we have these gorgeous dresses," Celeste said, holding up a handful of stunning garments. "Each one is made from divine materials, providing not only protection from attacks but also blocking divine sense. And let's not forget how beautiful they are - perfect for any occasion!"

Vlad's eyes widened in shock. "Mom, I won't dress as a woman even if you cry."

Celeste laughed out loud. "Hahaha, you little fool. Obviously, the dresses are for your future wives."

"Hahaha, I know, mother. I was just kidding," Vlad let out a relieved sigh.

<Ancient Scroll> "Son, this scroll contains all of my knowledge on blacksmithing. Study it when you have time. It explains step-by-step the crafting of weapons and all kinds of treasures."

A wave of gratitude washed over Vlad as he took the scroll from her hands. He knew the value of such a treasure - it was a gift that could never be repaid. He promised to study it diligently, to learn all that he could from it.

Like Marek, his mother also gave him cultivation pills and resources, among other things.

As Vlad took stock of the items in his possession, he couldn't help but feel overwhelmed. His mother's generosity knew no bounds.

"Son, inside your ring there are also divine rocks and crystals," she said, a hint of pride in her voice.

Vlad checked inside the ring and found millions of perfect-grade divine rocks and millions of various-grade divine crystals. The sight was breathtaking - it was as if he had stumbled upon a secret stash of treasure that had been left untouched for centuries. This amount would drive any God in the divine plane crazy. All of the resources were enough to propel his cultivation up to the realm of God.

"This is too much. At the moment, I don't need so many resources," Vlad said, his voice thick with emotion.

"Son, this is all we will give you for the rest of your life. If you need more resources in the future, you will have to earn them. At this moment, it may seem like too much, but believe me, these resources will not be enough," Celeste gently caressed her son's head.

Vlad nodded with gratitude.

"Tomorrow, you will enter a small world created by your father, where the children of our clan train. You must stay there until you are sixteen years old. I don't want to be separated from you, but it is necessary for your growth," Celeste said sadly. One could see the lack of will in her eyes, "You can visit us once a year," she added.

"Don't be sad, Mom. I'll be fine, and I'll do my best," Vlad smiled.

Celeste hugged her son back and spoke softly, "Good boy."

Marek stepped forward, took out an ancient scroll, and said, "My last but not least gift is your cultivation manual. This manual is called SUN GOD." Vlad's eyes widened with excitement. He had waited a long time for this manual.

"I found this cultivation manual in a tomb in the dead divine world, also known as 'the tomb of the lonely gods'. It's a place filled with danger, but I risked my life to get this manual for you,"

Millions of years ago, the divine world was embroiled in a fierce war between the mightiest gods.

The conflict was fueled by the insatiable thirst for power and domination, as each deity sought to lay claim to the most prosperous and resource-rich domains.

From the vast expanse of space, the gods waged their battles, unleashing devastating attacks that left the land scarred and ravaged.

Despite their immense power, and ability to fight in space, the gods refused to abandon the lands they had conquered.

The war dragged on for endless years, leaving the once-thriving Divine world a desolate wasteland, known only as 'The Dead Divine World'.

Natural disasters ravaged the land, making it treacherous and uninhabitable for all but the most resilient beings.

But even in death, the divine world held a powerful allure for the gods.

When a deity was nearing the end of their life, they would journey to the dead world to build a tomb, leaving behind a legacy for future generations.

"Thank you, Father," Vald said, a grin spreading across his face. "I promise I won't let you down."

For years, Vlad had been chomping at the bit to begin his cultivation journey, eager to unlock his full potential.

But his mother had held him back, teaching him only the basics.

Now, the time had finally come for him to set out on his own, to climb to the very top of the cultivation ladder.

Marek, Vlad's father, smiled at him. "We have much to do, my son," he said. "Later, there will be a ceremony to celebrate your birthday. Many gods will come, and your fiancée will be there. You must prepare."