The Great Hall of the Longshan Family.
Lin Yuan was listening to a report from Longshan Ling.
Now, all the mundane affairs of the Longshan Family were handled by his trusted subordinates, among whom Longshan Ling was one. Lin Yuan only needed to hear periodic reports to grasp the overall direction.
This world was extraordinary, where individual power surpassed organizations. As long as Lin Yuan maintained absolute strength, he didn't need to worry about being "marginalized" due to delegation.
On the contrary, the members of the Longshan Family knew that their current glory was entirely due to Lin Yuan. Without him, the Longshan Family would still be a mere viscount-level force in a corner, instead of dominating the southeastern region of the empire as the Count of Longshan.
"Patriarch, in recent years, more and more powerful individuals have been staying in Longshan City. Fourth-level knights, fifth-level great knights, and even sixth-level legendary knights have appeared in the city," Longshan Ling reported, her heart in turmoil.
A hundred years ago, the Longshan Ridge and its surrounding areas couldn't produce a fifth-level great knight in centuries.
Now, they appeared frequently, along with sixth-level legendary knights? This was something Longshan Ling could hardly believe, even in his dreams. In the Silan Empire, such figures were deeply influential.
"I understand," Lin Yuan nodded calmly.
In fact, with the continuous spread of the martial cultivation method, this phenomenon would become more apparent. Those rare experts would want to understand the origin of the martial cultivation method and whether there were even more profound cultivation methods.
People were greedy. Some could suppress their desires, while others could not.
"What should we do?" Longshan Ling hesitated.
"Don't worry about them," Lin Yuan shook his head.
With the deterrence of the Silan Empire, no one below the seventh-level demigod would dare act recklessly. The Silan Empire's public bestowal of the Count title to the Longshan Family was equivalent to supporting them.
As for seventh-level demigods? If they had any ideas, Lin Yuan could crush them with a thought.
"Understood," Longshan Ling responded respectfully.
To her, the Count of Longshan, who was about her age, inspired a near-reliance type of trust. It felt like no matter what happened, even if the sky fell, Lin Yuan could hold it up.
Outside Longshan City
Several hidden auras communicated with each other.
"What are you old guys doing here?"
"What you're here for, I'm here for."
"Hahaha, in the end, it's all about the secret behind the Count of Longshan."
The owners of these auras were all demigods. By the seventh level, demigods lost interest in most worldly matters. Their only obsessions were becoming gods and growing stronger.
The emergence of the martial cultivation method sparked hope in these demigods' hearts. The method's intricacy suggested it couldn't have been created by mere demigods. Therefore, many demigods speculated whether the Count of Longshan had stumbled upon divine fortune.
Divine fortune referred to divine-level opportunities. To most beings, gods were immortal, but long-lived demigods knew better. Gods could die. For instance, if a god fell in divine warfare, their divine kingdom, transformed into a star, would fall from the heavens.
If lucky enough to enter the remnants of such a star, one might obtain the deceased god's treasures. This was why so many demigods gathered here.
Though divine fortune couldn't make them gods, it could reveal more secrets. If they were lucky enough to acquire a true divine artifact, they could become invincible below true gods.
A true divine artifact could protect a demigod, helping them gather more faith and possibly raise their divine kingdom to enter the Sea of Light or the Abyss of Darkness.
"If this Count of Longshan truly obtained divine fortune, we can split it," said a gray-robed figure, a well-known demigod.
"Of course."
"We're all peers; there's no need for conflict."
"Agreed. Let's promise to share the secrets of the Count of Longshan."
Though the demigods spoke of sharing, each had their own thoughts. Secrets could be shared, but what about a true divine artifact? Only one existed; how could it be divided?
These demigods were cunning enough not to fight now, speaking amicably without turning on each other.
"Let's quietly sneak in, capture the Count of Longshan, and directly read his soul," suggested a thin old man hidden in the shadows.
"Agreed."
"Sounds good."
The demigods nodded.
To them, the Count of Longshan was already a dead man. Besides the true gods in the Sea of Light and the Abyss of Darkness, who could resist the combined attack of several demigods?
These weren't just any demigods; they were strong even among their kind. Lin Yuan, being targeted by them, had no chance of survival.
"Let's go."
"Move in."
The eight demigods cautiously infiltrated Longshan City.
They were strong but not foolish, aware that many other demigods had their eyes on the Count of Longshan. No one had acted yet due to mutual apprehension.
Even when acting, they aimed to keep things quiet, lest they attract other demigods.
Soon, the eight demigods entered Longshan City and sneaked into the Great Hall of the Longshan Family.
"Is that the Count of Longshan?"
"A kid just over a hundred years old?"
The demigods hid, observing Lin Yuan without making a move.
They speculated that Lin Yuan might have divine fortune, so they had to consider if he had any hidden cards.
Divine fortune could contain more than just divine artifacts; it could include other means that could harm demigods even after countless years.
Thus, the demigods were cautious.
The closer to success, the more they had to stay calm, a common-sense known to all demigods.
"There shouldn't be any issues."
"I don't sense any danger."
"Right, I don't feel any eighth-level true god aura."
The demigods exchanged glances, disappointment showing on their faces.
This meant the divine fortune Lin Yuan had obtained might be ordinary, without even a treasure carrying true god aura.
But any benefit was still worth it. Having come this far, they couldn't leave empty-handed.
"Wait."
Suddenly, the thin old man in the shadows changed his expression, looking gravely at the other seven demigods.
"What is the strength of the Count of Longshan?" he asked via spiritual communication.
"What strength?"
"Fourth level, I think?"
"No, fifth level."
The seven demigods answered.
After all, Lin Yuan was right in front of them; they weren't in a rush. A sure prey wouldn't escape.
"Regardless of fourth or fifth level, can you sense the Count's strength now?" The thin old man sounded uneasy.
This question made the seven demigods' expressions change.
To seventh-level demigods, there was little difference between fourth, fifth, or even lower levels. But no difference didn't mean the same.
Yet in their perception, the Count of Longshan's aura was so restrained he seemed like an ordinary person. This was unusual. For ordinary knights, this might suggest unfathomable depth, but for demigods, it meant something was wrong.
"This feels off."
The thin old man frowned. Though their divine senses didn't warn them, something felt wrong.
"I agree."
"Should we retreat for now?"
The other demigods hesitated.
The Count of Longshan felt too strange, unsettling them.
Just as the eight demigods were about to leave and reconsider, a gentle voice rang in their ears.
"As guests, you should stay."
To their horror, Lin Yuan looked at them.
"Fuck"
The demigods were on high alert, preparing to defend themselves.
Lin Yuan's words meant he had noticed them long ago.
But how was that possible? They had been cautious, and even other demigods might not detect them. Could it be that the Count of Longshan was also a demigod?
Before the demigods could figure it out, a terrifying force from the void crushed them.
In the Great Hall.
Under Lin Yuan's gaze.
The eight demigods were reduced to dust without resistance.
"You thought you could kill me for my fortune?"
Lin Yuan shook his head. He had anticipated this when he made the martial cultivation method public. Without sufficient strength, he wouldn't have stayed in the Great Hall.
"Is this the first time I've directly killed demigods?"
Lin Yuan mused. He had killed the Mother Goddess of Lust before, but that was through a curse from billions of miles away without meeting in person.
"Hmm?"
"These must be demigod cores."
Lin Yuan looked at the original positions of the demigods. After their bodies and souls turned to dust, eight round crystals fell.
These were likely demigod cores.
In this world, knights at the seventh level ignited divine fire to form demigod cores. When they raised their divine kingdoms, these cores would transform into god cores.
Whether demigod or god cores, they were the absolute essence of these beings.
Eight crystals floated before Lin Yuan, spinning.
Each crystal was a different color, emitting different auras. For instance, the thin old man's core was shadow-colored with a faint spatial fluctuation.
Another, from a gray-robed figure, was gray with a toxic aura.
Lin Yuan examined them, holding the shadowy spatial core and slightly probing it with his mind.
"Hmm?"
Lin Yuan's expression changed.
When his mind entered the demigod core, he gained the perspective of the core.
Suddenly, the world appeared different.
The originally rule-filled world now contained only space and shadows.
With only these two elements, Lin Yuan's perception became incredibly clear.
Even in the main universe, aided by the dense spatial fluctuations of the alien battlefield, his understanding of space was still vague. But now, it was crystal clear.
In this world's myriad spatial and shadow mysteries, especially the countless spatial layers, everything unfolded before Lin Yuan.
"Your insight is unparalleled. Observing the world's fundamental rules, your understanding of space and shadows continues to rise."
"Your insight is unparalleled. Observing the world's fundamental rules, your understanding of space and shadows continues to rise."
"Your insight is unparalleled. Observing the world's fundamental rules, your understanding of space and shadows continues to rise."
Boom.
Inside his inner world.
Vast, nearly 200 million miles in circumference, with spatial layers nearing 300,000.
Moreover, the number of spatial layers was increasing by dozens daily.
However, using the demigod core's perspective to observe this world and its spatial layers.
The development of spatial layers in his inner world took a fixed direction, skyrocketing.
Dozens a day.
Hundreds a day.
Thousands a day.
Boom.
Layers of spatial development made the inner world's earth heavier and the sky deeper.
"This?" Lin Yuan's eyes snapped open, exiting the perceptual insights.
"In this world, demigods' cores condense world rules, allowing them to perceive the most fundamental rules of the world?" Lin Yuan was astonished.
In simple terms, this world's demigods' rule-based attacks relied entirely on their cores.
Using the core's power, they could unleash rule-based attacks.
"This shadowy spatial core could help me develop a million spatial layers." Lin Yuan refocused.
This wasn't because the core contained a million layers of spatial mysteries but because the spatial essence the core could perceive was so vast.
Seeing and having were different.
Lin Yuan, being a ninth-rank with Unrivale Insight, could utilize an ordinary demigod core to such an extent.
"Unbelievable," Lin Yuan marveled, "Truly unbelievable."
"If demigod cores are like this, what about god cores?" Lin Yuan's eyes burned with desire and greed.
This shadowy spatial core was dual-attribute. Of the other seven cores, two involved space.
Three combined could add two million spatial layers.
Since reaching the ninth rank, Lin Yuan had developed just under 300,000 layers.
Now he could directly add two million layers?
"Demigods?"
"Those with spatial attributes?"
Lin Yuan took a deep breath. Each spatial-attribute demigod core could reveal parts of space's essence, aiding his spatial development.
"Next, my two Spirits will focus on seeking these demigods."
Lin Yuan decided. He didn't necessarily wish to kill spatial demigods. If they cooperated and allowed him to sense their cores, he would only seal them until his thousand-year limit passed.
A thousand years was nothing to a demigod's long life.
Time Flew By...
Three hundred years later...
...
20 chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
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