Mysterious Realm of Mysterious Emperor
Deep within multiple layers of space, two presences were engaged in a chase. It was evident that the pursuer was far stronger than the one fleeing. As time passed, the escapee's aura gradually weakened.
However, each time the pursuer closed in, the escapee managed to slip through the cracks between the layers of space.
This scenario resembled a hundred-meter giant chasing an ant, with the latter using the terrain to its advantage to evade capture to some extent. However, the pursuit and escape between ninth-rank powerhouses, traversing multiple layers of space, were far more complex than a single-layer chase.
Even in the unique environment of the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, the longer the chase, the more space layers the stronger party occupied, narrowing the space the escapee could maneuver in.
Eventually, the escapee would be like a bird in a cage, completely trapped, and capture would be inevitable.
"It's been two and a half years."
Xi Lan seized an opportunity, crossing from one space layer to another, temporarily widening the gap between himself and Huny. But it was only temporary; within half an hour, Huny would catch up again.
"I can feel it—more and more space layers are being occupied. My room to maneuver is getting smaller."
Xi Lan sighed inwardly. This was the disparity brought about by absolute strength. He had developed fewer than a million space layers, while Huny, the strongest ninth-rank life form of the pinnacle race Tianyu, had developed over thirty million!
If it weren't for the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm suppressing any teleportation techniques, and Xi Lan burning everything, including his mind and will, to achieve a significant power boost, he would have been captured by Huny long ago.
Even so, Xi Lan felt he might not hold out much longer. Huny was about to completely occupy all the nearby space layers, and Xi Lan's mind and will were nearly exhausted.
"Just half a year more."
Xi Lan steadied himself, glancing at the corner of his internal world where Lin Yuan sat with eyes closed. He trusted Lin Yuan implicitly. Since the Milky Way Lord had said that as long as they held out for three years, reinforcements from his 'senior' would arrive, Xi Lan had never doubted it.
"I wonder which powerhouse from our human civilization is the senior of the Milky Way Lord?" Xi Lan was curious. The Milky Way Lord's teacher was the Red Kun Star Lord, but the Red Kun Star Lord was only invincible at the eighth rank.
Even if he broke through to the ninth rank, he wouldn't be able to provide the needed support. For a newly ascended ninth-rank evolver, facing someone like Huny, the strongest ninth-rank life form of a pinnacle race, would be a death sentence.
Xi Lan himself had managed to hold on by burning everything and using escape techniques from a supreme evolutionary path of human civilization, along with the unique environment of the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm.
"If not the Red Kun Star Lord, then it should be one of our human civilization's ninth-rank powerhouses who have developed over twenty million space layers," Xi Lan thought, musing on the possible identity of the mysterious senior. This speculation was his only entertainment during the chase.
To rescue them from Huny, ordinary ninth-rank evolvers at the ten-million-layer level would not suffice. They needed someone with at least twenty million space layers to hold Huny off and buy time for their safe retreat.
"Twenty million space layers…" Xi Lan sighed. The further one advanced in the ninth rank, the more difficult it became to develop additional space layers.
Developing space layers was just the surface; the real challenge lay in understanding the essence of space. Without sufficient comprehension, maintaining the layers would be impossible, and they would collapse even if forcefully created.
Truthfully, Xi Lan had a certain respect for Huny, who had developed far more than ten million space layers, because he understood the difficulty involved.
Just then, Huny's voice transmitted from behind.
"Xi Lan, I know you're desperately escaping to buy time, hoping to keep the treasures you've obtained in the secret realm."
"I can promise you this: hand over the Milky Way Lord, and I'll let you leave. You can keep all the treasures you've found in the secret realm."
Huny continued, "You know what my promise means. Even though we are on opposing sides, I will keep my word."
Huny was growing impatient with the chase. If this dragged on, he might waste another three to five months. His sole target had always been to kill the Milky Way Lord's avatar, to exact some revenge for recent battlefield grudges. Xi Lan was never his main concern.
"Ha ha ha ha! You birdmen think you can sow discord between me and the Milky Way Lord?" Xi Lan was unmoved.
As an evolver of human civilization, Xi Lan was well aware of his roots. His biggest crisis was merely losing this avatar and the treasures he'd gained in the secret realm.
Betraying the Milky Way Lord? Not only would that mean betraying human civilization, but given the Milky Way Lord's current potential and talent, Xi Lan would have to be a fool to do so.
On the contrary, fighting alongside the Milky Way Lord and dying in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm would only deepen their bond.
"Very well, then prepare to lose this avatar," Huny said, giving up on persuasion. Throughout the two-year chase, he had transmitted his voice many times, only to be met with mockery from Xi Lan.
"The escape techniques of the Void Evolution Path are indeed formidable," Huny's expression grew solemn as he accelerated his occupation of the space layers.
The Void Evolution Path was Xi Lan's chosen evolutionary path, one of the nine supreme evolutionary paths of human civilization. The ultimate existence of this path was the Void God, one of human civilization's nine Strongest Ones.
The Void God might not be as formidable in combat as the Supreme War God or the Supreme Ancient One, but his mastery of the void was unmatched among the nine Strongest Ones.
In human civilization, the paths with the most cultivators were those of the nine Strongest Ones. Despite these paths having reached their ultimate form, most human evolvers had no intention or ability to challenge the ultimate level.
To them, the supreme evolutionary paths were mature, perfect, and if they had the talent, they would naturally choose one of these paths.
Xi Lan had a natural talent for space, with a special spatial attribute physique, allowing him to utilize numerous escape techniques from the Void Evolution Path, thus surviving Huny's pursuit until now.
"It's almost over."
Huny refocused. No matter how exquisite the Void Evolution Path's escape techniques were, they still required space to maneuver. After two or three years of continuous occupation of space layers, Huny was close to trapping Xi Lan completely.
Huny's pursuit also attracted the attention of other nearby ninth-rank powerhouses.
"Isn't that Huny of the Tianyu clan, reputed to be their strongest ninth-rank of this era? Who is he chasing?"
"Don't you know? The one being chased is Xi Lan, a ninth-rank evolver from human civilization. But Huny's real target is the Milky Way Lord, who is with Xi Lan."
"The Milky Way Lord? The youngest ninth-rank in human civilization's history, who recently caused the Tianyu clan to lose face on the battlefield?"
"Indeed."
Ninth-rank powerhouses in the vicinity watched from a distance, observing the spatial fluctuations. Huny's pursuit was not concealed, and the spatial waves were easily detectable.
"The Milky Way Lord is being chased?"
Some ninth-rank powerhouses with amicable relations to human civilization considered intervening. Saving the Milky Way Lord could win them favor with this prodigious talent.
But they knew Huny's strength was overwhelming. Those who wanted to curry favor with Lin Yuan and human civilization lacked the power to hold Huny at bay.
In the cosmic starfield, human civilization was one of the few pinnacle races, a colossal entity with both enemies and allies. Beyond their established grand alliance, many other races sought to avoid offending or even wished to befriend human civilization.
"Ha ha ha, Huny has been chasing Xi Lan for over two years. The Milky Way Lord must be hiding in Xi Lan's internal world. I've heard Xi Lan cultivates the Void Evolution Path—truly impressive."
"Being chased for over two years, the Milky Way Lord is truly pitiful!"
"I wonder what the Milky Way Lord is holding out for. Xi Lan must have used secret techniques affecting his true self to hold on this long. Could it be that a special ninth-rank from human civilization is coming to their aid?"
"I haven't heard of any nearby human ninth-rank close to Huny's level."
Various ninth-rank powerhouses, across different space layers, discussed with interest. Both the pursuer and the pursued were well-known, making the spectacle all the more engaging.
Huny's reputation was widespread among ninth-rank circles, while the Milky Way Lord, though newly ascended to the ninth rank, was highly regarded due to his prodigious talent and the prestige of human civilization.
On the other side of the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm.
A human evolver in a purple robe traversed the space layers rapidly. His name was Doko, the strongest ninth-rank life form of human civilization in this era, having developed 39 million space layers.
"Hold on a bit longer. Once I arrive, Huny will pay the price!"
Doko was heading toward Huny's location. As the strongest ninth-rank of their respective pinnacle races, Doko and Huny often clashed. Doko, having developed more space layers, usually held the upper hand.
Upon learning of Huny's pursuit of the Milky Way Lord two years ago, Doko had rushed to help. Normally, the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm suppressed all teleportation, forcing any powerhouse to fly slowly.
Doko was far from Huny's location when he received the news, making it nearly impossible to reach in three years.
Nevertheless, Doko did not hesitate to go.
"Huny, if you dare kill the Milky Way Lord's avatar, the Tianyu clan's ninth-ranks won't survive the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm."
Doko thought grimly. Typically, special ninth-rank powerhouses in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm wouldn't waste time hunting each other, as it consumed too much time and effort. The realm was vast, with limited opportunities, and the chase could take months or years.
But Huny daring to hunt down human civilization's prodigy couldn't be tolerated. Doko would rather forsake the realm's opportunities than allow such an affront.
Deep within the space layers.
Mado, another observer, watched the chase from afar.
Huny had been pursuing Xi Lan and the Milky Way Lord for over two years. Upon hearing the news, 'Maduo' walker had also rushed over.
"The Milky Way Lord is really unlucky."
'Maduo' walker thought. He had warned the Milky Way Lord, who should have tried to avoid Huny. The Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm's unique environment meant that even if Huny found the Milky Way Lord's location one moment, the Lord could likely disappear the next, unless they happened to meet directly.
"But... the Old Ancestor values the Milky Way Lord so much that he gave me a trump card to block Huny and save the Milky Way Lord."
'Maduo' walker shook his head slightly. As the most favored offspring of the Ancient God Old Ancestor, 'Maduo' walker was highly cherished. He had been given a life-saving trump card upon entering the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm.
Once activated, this trump card could trap even special ninth-ranks who had developed 50 million or 80 million space layers.
"The Old Ancestor said not to use the trump card directly but to wait until the critical moment when the Milky Way Lord is about to be captured by Huny. Only then would it earn the greatest gratitude from the Milky Way Lord."
'Maduo' walker recalled the Old Ancestor's instructions, finding them quite reasonable.
"It's almost time." 'Maduo' walker observed for a while longer, noting that Xi Lan's escape was slowing. He readied himself to use the trump card at the decisive moment.
Inside Xi Lan's Internal World.
Lin Yuan silently opened his eyes.
"I'm back."
His gaze deep, memories of a thousand years in the world of the gods flashed through his mind like a dream.
Swish.
Sensing Lin Yuan's movement, Xi Lan immediately sent down his consciousness avatar to appear nearby.
"Xi Lan." Lin Yuan smiled. Successfully completing this transmigration relied heavily on Xi Lan's perseverance. Without him, Lin Yuan would have had to prematurely end the transmigration or abandon his avatar in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm.
Both options would have resulted in significant losses.
"Milky Way Lord." Xi Lan's aura was weak, but he mustered his strength to respond.
They exchanged a few words before Xi Lan cautiously asked, "Milky Way Lord, has your senior arrived?"
"Senior?" Lin Yuan glanced at Xi Lan.
...
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