Chapter 282 - Stairway to Heaven (1/2)

Hua Tuo held Zero by his hand as they ascended the stairs after crossing the portal at the Ten-Path Crossway. Zero knew that other domains and planes have started building connecting portals for the sake of convenience. However, their current method of travel doesn't seem too convenient. Shouldn't portals be automatic? Zero had only been through portals that opened from one point to another point. Nobody told him that there were portals that required travelling within the portal space!

The Sage God looked confident as he led the way. Zero followed closely behind and wondered how his teacher knew which staircase to take. IN this portal, there were millions of staircases leading to millions of mirrors. Zero had never seen a more confusing hub. These staircases moved at times and if they weren't careful, they would take the wrong flight of stairs.

”Where are we going?” he asked, finally unable to suppress the curiosity.

The Sage God sighed and stopped. They were in the middle of what looked like a neverending flight of stairs. The first time Zero came to Heaven, he used the Great Gods' personal portal. In fact, many Gods who resided in Heaven had a personal portal. Hua Tuo didn't have one after he left Heaven to live on Earth in seclusion. He usually borrowed Buddha's and usually walked over from Nirvana.

”We're going to attend the meeting,” he told his disciple.

Zero sighed. ”Why can't we fly or use a portal that leads there directly?”

Hua Tuo felt his eyebrow twitch. He wanted to do the same but thanks to the ridiculous security checks and registration now that Zero officially represented Mammon, they had to take the long route. Apart from the residences of Heaven, all other guests had to report before the pearly gates.

Lucifer had his Archangel identity left so the Demon Lord was a special exception. None of the other Demon Lords was attending and as a responsible teacher, Hua Tuo had the task of escorting his student through the labyrinth.

”Not we... you. You can't fly or take a portal because you're representing Hell. There are strict procedures to follow so be careful of what you say. Although everyone else will do most of the talking, you still have to watch your conduct. Those archangels will try very hard to find faults with you.”

Zero paled. ”Why? I didn't do anything wrong!”

Hua Tuo sighed. ”Uriel's prophecies are never wrong. He saw that you were a destroyer of the abyss. Even if the vision was avoided, you cannot be written off as harmless. They still strongly believe that you'll end up destroying the world.”

At this, the young doctor didn't comment. It was the truth after all. Zero's ability wasn't creation like Solo's. However, the path of a doctor wasn't one that Zero had chosen carelessly. He might not be able to create things but he could improve them. He could help save lives and improve the cycle that Solo created. To destroy such a beautiful world would be a shame. There was still hope if Zero looked hard enough.

”I'm not going to destroy the world,” he told his teacher with seriousness.

Hua Tuo nodded. It wasn't his student's nature to destroy things intentionally. In fact, Zero treasured the value of life very much. He loved creation more than anything else so destroying something that existed pained Zero. While Zero never said it aloud, Hua Tuo knew that he kept the graves of lives he'd taken and things he'd destroyed in his heart. Zero mourned the loss of lives after his chimaera creation. He mourned the deaths of the fishes he failed to save trying to perfect the revival magic. However, Zero didn't mourn the death of animals he hunted for food. Apparently, food had a special category of its own and Zero strongly believed in the cycle of life to support sustenance.

”I know,” Hua Tuo said and continued the long climb up the neverending flight of stairs.

It was only two very simple words stated in a matter-of-fact manner like commenting on the passing of the weather. However, for Zero, these two words cemented the faith in Zero's heart that he was more than just the void.

The steps winded and there were lesser mirrors in view as they climbed higher. Zero also understood a little about how the labyrinth worked. Hua Tuo would sometimes go through some mirrors that act as a portal to the higher floors in this maze-like portal world. There were so many mirrors and portals leading to different places and Zero wondered if this is why Heaven is so busy. Each portal that led outside was on a different plane or planet as Hua Tuo explained. The portal at Ten-Path Crossway was one of the latest portals created so it was on the lower levels.

”Once you see the colour start to change from bluish-white to pure white, you will know we're near. It's easy to identify the portal leading to the Heavenly Gates.”

Zero nodded. He learnt a few things about accessing Heaven the legal way. Souls that passed the judgement in the Purgatory will be escorted to Heaven. All new souls must register at the Pearly White Gates and are shifted to a garden while their residences were being prepared. Residences in Heaven need not work unless they want to and more often than not. The souls in Heaven must be kept happy by all cost by the cupids and seraphs working. Happy souls in Heaven play an important part in contributing to the mana generation in Heaven. The plane is almost as unstable as the abyss after the huge plate break. The hole in the plane couldn't be plugged and the plane is slowly losing power with the rapid mana drain. The amount of souls entering Heaven in recent years has also decreased significantly. It was a rather worrying thought and Zero didn't know if there was anything he could help with.

Hua Tuo knew that look. He didn't know what his disciple was thinking but the Sage God warned him not to try anything funny.

”Unlike in Hell, these archangels do not tolerate nonsense. Lucifer might be uptight and strict but compared to archangels like Michael, he's a saint,” Hua Tuo warned.

Zero looked up. The portal leading to the Pearly Gates can now be seen. ”I understand, shifu. I must be escorted at all times while I'm there and cannot eat or touch anything that isn't mine.”

Hua Tuo nodded. ”Also, be sure to bow to anyone who has more than two pairs of wings or two halos. Also, greet any Gods and Goddesses you see even if they aren't very significant. It's very easy to make enemies in Heaven and the last thing you want is for a God or Goddess to find reasons to curse you.”

Zero nodded. ”Did Goddess Athena curse the most people?”

Hua Tuo coughed lightly. ”You should ask Zeus or Hades that when you see them. It is not my place to answer.”