Stone Golems

As soon as the portal appeared, the Angels swiftly made their way toward it. With their incredible speed, they arrived within minutes.

If their bodies were stronger, they could have reached it almost instantly, but even so, compared to most species, Angels were already quite powerful physically. Their cultivation technique of the Primordial-Grade, continuously tempered their bodies as they cultivated. A perfect foundation for any cultivator required the tempering of energy, body, and soul, though the soul could only be tempered starting from the Nascent Soul Realm.

Upon arrival, the Angels noticed that no other species had crossed the portal yet. It seemed the inhabitants of the planet on the other side were either unaware of its presence or too fearful to approach.

The Angels formed a disciplined military formation, with all the Sea Expansion and a few Foundation Establishment Angels leading the way through the portal. Ezequiel, observing through his connection with Thanatos, noted that the teleportation felt different from what he was used to in the Divine Realm. It was as though the Angels were traveling an immense distance at an incredibly high speed, arriving on the other side after just five seconds. A thin energy shield surrounded them within the portal, protecting them from the chaotic energy that roiled in the passage.

When they emerged, they were greeted by darkness. Since the day- and nighttime was not synced on all planets in the universe this was to be expected. As they stepped out, the Angels in the front and on the sides immediately formed shields of light-attributed spiritual energy under the command of the Archangels positioned at the center of the formation. These shields not only deflected the incoming attacks but also illuminated the surrounding area.

They had arrived in a vast mountain range filled with towering trees and deep valleys. The mountains, some as high as 12,000 meters, were steep, sparsely vegetated, and lightly covered with snow. 

The projectiles launched at them were made of stone, but there were few of them. They were hurled by a small group of less than a hundred golem-like creatures that surrounded the portal. These golems stood tall, up to four meters high, and were broad and stout. Their bodies were composed of various earth-toned stones, some brown, others gray. Their faces were rudimentary, consisting of only a mouth, with empty eye sockets and no nose.

The golems were relatively weak, with the strongest among them only reaching the middle of the Energy Refinement Realm.

Their attacks were effortlessly deflected by the Angels' light barriers, leaving no trace.

Several Angels began condensing individual light swords, each targeting a golem. With the vast difference in true combat power—three major realms—the swords easily shattered the golems, leaving only small fragments of stone scattered on the ground.

'Stone Golems,' Ezequiel thought. 'They're a weak race but by absorbing rare ores and minerals they can actually increase their talents. This makes them decent believers for a low-level species, but not useful for my plans.'

As the Angels secured the area to extend their God's consciousness, Ezequiel pondered the future of the planet. 'I don't need them. Their numbers and reproductive capabilities are low due to their relatively high individual strength. I doubt there are more than a million of them on this planet. With their limited intelligence, turning them into believers wouldn't be worthwhile—the Faith Points they'd generate would be negligible.'

One Angel could generate a thousand times more Faith Points than a golem of the same level, even if that golem prayed fanatically all day. It just wasn't worth the effort.

However, Ezequiel hesitated to kill them without reason. Stone Golems were typically peaceful, attacking only when their territory or lives were threatened.

Once the Angels established their first base of operations, essentially by occupying a mountain peak, Ezequiel felt his consciousness expand. He could now see the entire mountain range in his mind while still overseeing the main planet. It was as though there was a gap in space between the two locations, making it feel like he was viewing two different scenes, one in each eye, without any overlap.

"Capture the entire planet," Ezequiel commanded. "Eliminate every Stone Golem at or above the Energy Refinement Realm, as well as any others that resist. Tell the weaker ones that they will be spared if they cease cultivation and do not resist."

Ezequiel intended to use this planet as a training ground. He would establish an energy-gathering array to concentrate the planet's energy in a small area, using it as a reward for Angels who performed well in battle or were on the brink of a breakthrough.

The higher energy density would accelerate their cultivation, as they were accustomed to more intense energy environments. As long as the original inhabitants remained peaceful Ezequiel didn't have a problem with continuing to let them live here.

The Archangels immediately relayed Ezequiel's orders, setting the plan in motion.

Meanwhile, Ezequiel turned his attention back to the main planet, confident that his Angels would conquer this one without issue. It was almost like unleashing a bloodthirsty dog on a chained squirrel—the outcome was inevitably his victory.

He then created another Void-Anchor, spending another 20 billion Faith Points, a cost that pained him. But with the Angels likely to conquer the planet within two days, he wanted the next one ready as soon as possible.

The coming weeks would be filled with conquest, executed with ruthless efficiency. Ezequiel planned to bring as many low-level worlds under his control as possible, increasing the flow of Faith Points and accelerating the cultivation of his subordinates.

Planets with sparse populations, like this one, would be converted into vast training grounds to enhance cultivation speed. In contrast, densely populated planets would be turned into centers of worship, generating even more Faith Points. This strategy would quicken his path to the Lesser God Realm, bringing him closer to condensing his divinity, a goal he was eager to achieve.