Three hundred years had passed, bringing remarkable changes to Longshan Ridge.
The Longshan Family's territory had expanded repeatedly, occupying a fifth of the Silan Empire's land. If the legendary patriarch of the Longshan Family had not explicitly rejected the Order Church's request to settle in their land, the Longshan Family might have already established the Longshan Empire.
In the Plateau of Nations, the founding of any empire required permission from the gods' churches. This was a rule set by the gods of the Sea of Light.
However, even without establishing an empire, the influence of the Longshan Family was comparable to that of any empire.
The legendary patriarch of the Longshan Family had been confirmed as a demigod-rank strongman a hundred years ago, bringing endless glory to the family.
As long as a demigod didn't oppose the church and quietly gathered faith, they could live extraordinarily well. When the pope of the Order Church first learned that the patriarch of the Longshan Family had reached the seventh-rank demigod status, he was concerned about the potential gathering of faith in the Longshan territory.
However, after a period of observation and using the church's unique methods to detect faith, it was confirmed that there was no trace of faith gathering in Longshan Ridge, putting the pope's mind at ease.
A demigod who didn't cause trouble and had no interest in faith was a relief for the church.
With the Order Church's tacit approval, the Longshan Family's development proceeded smoothly.
On this day, numerous members of the Longshan Family gathered at the training ground within the family estate.
"Today should be the day the patriarch discusses the martial cultivation method."
"I've finally got a chance to see the patriarch. Such an opportunity only comes once every ten years."
"Our patriarch is incredibly talented. He became a seventh-rank demigod before the age of five hundred. That must be a record among the neighboring empires."
The members of the Longshan Family spoke with pride, their voices filled with fervor.
This wasn't surprising. Before Longshan Yuan took over as patriarch, the Longshan Family was just a minor force huddled in the southeastern corner of the empire.
"I heard that the pope of the Order Church has invited the patriarch to join the church multiple times and has promised to request a subordinate god position from the Order Lord."
"A subordinate god! Being a subordinate god of a main god is a high honor, much more esteemed than those who independently ascend to godhood."
"Too bad the patriarch hasn't agreed yet and said he needed to think about it."
"As expected of our patriarch. If a main god invited me to be a subordinate god, I wouldn't need to think about it. I'd laugh myself awake from dreaming."
The family members chatted quietly, all eyes on the patriarch. As a demigod invited by a main god, the patriarch's honor was unparalleled.
The Plateau of Nations were vast, and there were quite a few demigods, but it was rare for demigods to be invited by gods.
The Longshan patriarch not only received such an invitation, but it was also from one of the twelve main gods of the Sea of Light, making many demigods envious.
Though becoming a subordinate god meant losing freedom, it was under one of the twelve main gods of the Sea of Light. The number of true gods fluctuated, but the number of main gods was fixed at twenty-four.
Amidst the quiet discussions, a figure suddenly appeared on the high platform at the center of the training ground.
"The patriarch is here."
"He's arrived."
The family members fell silent, their gazes fervent as they looked at the figure on the platform.
In the Longshan Family, the Silan Empire, and even the Order Church, the patriarch was the sole 'heaven.'
Lin Yuan stood with his hands behind his back, scanning the crowd of Longshan Family members at the edge of the training ground.
"Three hundred years have passed," Lin Yuan thought to himself, feeling nostalgic. Over these three centuries, he occasionally guided his family members in the martial cultivation method, which was part of his effort to propagate the method.
Due to his occasional guidance, the number of family members practicing the martial cultivation method had rapidly increased. Over ten thousand members had reached the third rank, over two thousand had reached the fourth rank, and more than fifty had reached the fifth rank. There was even one sixth-rank practitioner, equivalent to a legendary knight.
This was just within the Longshan Family. Outside, even more practitioners had reached various ranks, although they lacked Lin Yuan's personal guidance. Nevertheless, the sheer number meant the martial cultivation method flourished.
In just three hundred years, such achievements were primarily due to the 'localization' of the martial cultivation method, focusing on tapping into the deep power of one's bloodline. Though this approach sacrificed future potential, the early cultivation speed was remarkable.
Spreading the martial cultivation method was one of Lin Yuan's least significant achievements over these three centuries.
One of Lin Yuan's most significant achievements was reaching an astounding ninety million spatial layers.
Ninety million layers were beyond Lin Yuan's wildest dreams before starting this transmigration. Even with unrivaled insight, numerous cosmic powers, high-rank cosmic powers, and a primordial-rank cosmic power aiding him, he had only dared to set his goal at ten million layers within the thousand-year stay.
Achieving this would have meant developing ten thousand layers per year, an unattainable feat for other ninth-rank powerhouses.
However, due to the appearance of 'god cores,' especially those with spatial attributes, Lin Yuan's development speed skyrocketed.
In simple terms, the ninth-rank powerhouses in the main universe needed to understand each spatial layer from scratch and slowly develop it. But Lin Yuan could use the spatial layers of this world as a template, instantly comprehending the essence of each layer as he developed it.
For example, while other ninth-rank powerhouses had to derive a profound 'formula' without any direction, Lin Yuan already had the formula and just needed to deduce the process, making it exponentially easier.
"Ninety million spatial layers?" Lin Yuan closed his eyes, feeling the 'immense' power emanating from his inner world.
In the main universe, ninth-rank powerhouses were classified into five ranks, with ten million layers being the peak. Ninety million layers would place Lin Yuan among the strongest, even including unique 'special life forms' in the main universe.
Even considering these special life forms, whose talents were terrifying, developing ninety million layers was a monumental task.
Moreover, Lin Yuan sensed that ninety million layers were not his limit. He still had much time left before his stay ended, allowing for further growth.
"Unfortunately, demigod cores are no longer of much use to me," Lin Yuan shook his head.
Over the past three hundred years, he had sought out demigods with spatial attributes, but the lower-rank cores only revealed a third of the spatial essence. The upper two-thirds were beyond their reach.
As Lin Yuan mastered the lower third, other spatial cores became redundant.
"God cores should help me advance further," Lin Yuan thought, looking skyward towards the Sea of Light and the Abyss of Darkness.
"No rush. Take it slow."
Though current demigod cores had limited use, they were still somewhat helpful. Lin Yuan planned to fully comprehend the lower third of the spatial essence before considering gods.
"My inner world has reached 183M miles in circumference."
Lin Yuan's consciousness descended into his inner world. Over the past three hundred years, he had absorbed most of the sixth liquid in the mysterious gourd—the blue liquid.
In theory, fully absorbing the first six liquids would expand Lin Yuan's inner world to 199.8M miles in circumference.
"With an inner world nearly 200M miles in size and ninety million spatial layers, I should be invincible at the ninth rank," Lin Yuan mused.
Unlike the eighth rank, the ninth rank had no concept of invincibility. Ninth-rank powerhouses didn't just rely on raw power; combat involved navigating countless spatial layers.
For instance, in specific environments, a ninth-rank powerhouse like Xi Lan, with less than a million layers, could evade a top-tier powerhouse like Huny, who had over thirty million layers.
But that was before. Now, with Lin Yuan's inner world's size and depth, he could suppress other ninth-rank powerhouses with ease, including Huny.
If this wasn't invincibility, what was?
"Once I finish this transmigration, the predicament in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm will be nothing," Lin Yuan thought.
However, ending the transmigration now would waste the opportunity. Though he had the world coordinates and could return, it would cost ten strands of Boundary-breaking Source Energy.
"Time."
In his inner world, Lin Yuan's manifestation raised his right hand, causing time to ripple and fluctuate—accelerating, pausing.
"Time pause?"
Lin Yuan was intrigued. Over the past three hundred years, he had comprehended over two hundred time rule models, gaining some understanding of time pause.
"Can't maintain it for long?"
He found that the longer he paused time, the greater the backlash from time rules. It was like blocking a flood; the longer it was held back, the more devastating the eventual break.
With his current foundation, he could pause time in a small area for twenty breaths. Any longer would cause irreversible damage.
The area couldn't contain overly powerful beings. Pausing time for a stone was different from pausing time for a ninth-rank life form.
Lin Yuan's thoughts returned to the present, where he saw the fervent gazes of his family members. He began his lecture on the martial cultivation method.
After several hours, Lin Yuan concluded his teaching. The Longshan Family members were deeply engrossed as he disappeared from the training ground.
Lin Yuan reappeared in his underground training room.
"Over the past three hundred years, I've captured numerous demigods, including many from true god churches, likely causing a significant impact," Lin Yuan pondered.
To better understand this world's spatial essence and develop spatial layers, he had targeted true god churches' demigods, except for the main god churches.
This was more severe than his earlier raids on true god churches for 'divine crystals.'
With true gods unable to intervene directly, demigods were the strongest forces of the churches. The divine avatars were last resorts, usually reserved for major conflicts.
"No problem."
Lin Yuan dismissed his concerns. Three hundred years ago, he had been wary of the gods of the Sea of Light and the Abyss of Darkness, but now, with ninety million spatial layers and an inner world nearing 200M miles, he was truly fearless in this world.
...
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