"Ancestor, I'm telling the truth," Maduo Walker quickly added when he saw the look on his Ancient God Ancestor's face. "I saw it with my own eyes."
Maduo Walker could see his Ancestor's skepticism.
In fact, not only the Ancestor, even Maduo Walker himself found it hard to believe when he witnessed Huny self-destructing in front of the Milky Way Star Lord. He instinctively doubted that the cause of Huny's death was anything but Lin Yuan's doing.
Perhaps some hidden expert had intervened, or maybe the Milky Way Star Lord had used some powerful weapon? But after ruling out all other possibilities, he reluctantly accepted that it was indeed Lin Yuan who had forced Huny to self-destruct.
Although Huny died by his own self-destruction, it was clear that without the pressure from the Milky Way Star Lord, Huny wouldn't have done so. Therefore, it was fair to say that Lin Yuan killed Huny.
This act only highlighted the Milky Way Star Lord's terrifying power. Huny, the strongest ninth-rank life form of the Tianyu Clan, didn't even dare to engage in combat and chose to self-destruct, indicating he felt he could be thoroughly suppressed at any moment.
To avoid letting his clone fall into human hands, he decisively chose self-destruction.
In battles between powerful beings, the easiest outcome is to defeat the opponent, the next is to kill them, and the hardest is to suppress them.
Suppression means capturing alive, rendering the opponent unable to resist or even commit suicide, a scenario rarely seen among beings of equal rank. Even when Huny chased Xi Lan, he aimed to kill the clone rather than suppress it.
"I understand now," said the Ancient God Ancestor, nodding. Just a few breaths ago, he had confirmed with several Tianyu Clan lords that Huny indeed died in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm at the hands of the Milky Way Star Lord.
"Show me the scene," the Ancestor ordered.
The Tianyu Clan lords only confirmed the fact but didn't provide details about what exactly Huny faced. The Ancestor sensed that this incident caused a significant stir within the Tianyu Clan, alarming even the tenth and eleventh-rank lords and several ancestral beings.
Huny's death alone wouldn't cause such a commotion. The key was how he died and what the Milky Way Star Lord used.
Originally, the Milky Way Star Lord was already on the assassination lists of various alien races as the youngest ninth-rank in human history. His current display of overwhelming power even worried the Tianyu Clan.
When he advances to the tenth or even eleventh rank, who could suppress him on the battlefield without intervention from the strongest ones?
"Okay," Maduo Walker nodded, aware of the gravity of the situation. The Milky Way Star Lord's power was so extraordinary that it seemed he intended to break the myth of the 'special ninth-rank' as he did at the eighth rank.
Special ninth-ranks are those who have developed over 20 million space layers, possessing the ability to advance to the tenth rank but choosing to continue expanding their space layers instead.
These beings are much stronger than ordinary ninth-ranks with ten million layers, thus earning the title 'special ninth-ranks.'
Maduo Walker moved his hands, showing the scene in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm where the Milky Way Star Lord revealed himself and forced Huny to self-destruct.
Although these scenes only reflected Maduo Walker's perspective, the Ancestor could still glean some truth from them.
"Hmm?" The Ancient God Ancestor's expression grew heavier as he watched, especially before Huny's self-destruction.
"The Milky Way Star Lord must have occupied at least 100 million space layers," the Ancestor concluded. The exact number was unclear due to Maduo Walker's limited perception, but it was clear the space layer fluctuations were immense.
"100 million layers? At least?" Maduo Walker took a deep breath. As a ninth-rank himself, even though his talent wasn't as terrifying as the Ancestor's, he had developed nearly a million layers.
He knew the difficulty of developing space layers deeply. The essence of space often left him with a headache. If even a million layers were that challenging, how much more so were 100 million layers?
Developing space layers isn't a simple one-plus-one equation. Expanding a million layers might take ten thousand years, but expanding to 100 million layers doesn't just proportionally extend the time needed. The difficulty rises exponentially.
"The Milky Way Star Lord's talent is the strongest I've ever seen among all beings," the Ancestor sighed.
As an eleventh-rank peak being who comprehended the complete time rules, the Ancestor could deduce that the Milky Way Star Lord must have had a great opportunity, otherwise, he wouldn't have turned the tables so quickly.
Such opportunities often relate to time, like 'Great Dream of Eternity' or 'Outside the World,' utilizing exaggerated time flow to achieve rapid power leaps.
These methods are known in the circles of tenth and eleventh ranks, especially among peak clans. Otherwise, how could human civilization, which left its home planet only 2.4 million years ago, produce so many terrifying powerhouses?
Two million years is just the time flow of the main universe. The actual time experienced by those tenth and eleventh-rank human powerhouses is another story. But regardless of the time experienced, some things aren't achievable just by having more time.
Developing a billion space layers isn't something even a genius like Huny could achieve, even given a billion or ten billion years. The essence of space rules becomes infinitely obscure when the time flow differs from the main universe.
Without comprehension of the main universe's space rules, it's practically impossible to develop space layers out of nothing.
"Ancestor," Maduo Walker was also profoundly shaken. The Ancient God Ancestor had lived for countless ages, even aiding two yet-to-become strongest ones.
He had seen many exceptional talents and unique beings. Yet now, he claimed that the Milky Way Star Lord was the most talented and gifted being he had ever encountered?
"Ancestor, are you saying the Milky Way Star Lord could become a strongest one?" Maduo Walker trembled. The strongest? He had just recently interacted with the Milky Way Star Lord.
"Not necessarily," the Ancestor shook his head. Becoming the strongest one requires more than talent. It involves numerous factors and crucially, luck. The two strongest ones the Ancestor aided didn't have exceptionally superior talents compared to many unique beings, yet they stood at the universe's peak.
"But at least, the Milky Way Star Lord's chances of becoming the strongest are greater than most beings," the Ancestor added.
While talent alone doesn't guarantee becoming the strongest, it provides powerful strength that can secure more resources and opportunities, aiding the journey to becoming the strongest.
"However," the Ancestor's expression showed a hint of regret, "You missed such a great opportunity?"
Maduo Walker, with the 'Time Black Hole' that could trap a special ninth-rank, could have proactively saved the Milky Way Star Lord before he acted. Even if the Milky Way Star Lord didn't need saving, it would still have earned a favor.
"Ancestor, you told me to act only at the crucial moment," Maduo Walker felt wronged.
"Can't you judge some things for yourself?" The Ancestor gave him a stern look.
Human civilization, virtual world.
In a private virtual world, several ninth-rank evolvers were chatting.
Ninth-rank evolvers have extremely strong mental wills, easily multitasking, and entering the virtual world to relax doesn't interfere with their activities.
"Huny from the Tianyu Clan is so despicable, chasing the Milky Way Star Lord after cultivating for countless millennia," one ninth-rank said. Most of their clones were in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, discussing its events.
"Unfortunately, our human civilization's special ninth-ranks are too far away to help in time," another ninth-rank sighed.
The Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm was vast and suppressed any teleportation, making rescue efforts slow.
"Doko has already announced that if the Milky Way Star Lord faces any problems, he will spend the rest of the Secret Realm's duration hunting down the Tianyu Clan's ninth-ranks," the third ninth-rank added.
Doko was the strongest ninth-rank evolver of this era in human civilization, having developed nearly 40 million space layers, stronger than Huny.
If Doko focused on hunting Tianyu Clan's ninth-ranks, it would be significant, making them fear for their lives. But the others doubted Huny would relent, considering it a fair trade to sacrifice ordinary ninth-ranks to kill the Milky Way Star Lord once.
"But even if the Milky Way Star Lord dies, he'll only lose a clone and miss the Secret Realm's opportunities. It's not unbearable," the first ninth-rank noted.
These elders sought the Secret Realm's opportunities to progress further. But the young Milky Way Star Lord didn't desperately need it.
"I'm worried this incident might affect the Milky Way Star Lord's state of mind," another ninth-rank said gravely.
At this, the others frowned slightly. Indeed, if it were them, losing a clone to Huny wouldn't matter much. But the Milky Way Star Lord was too young, having faced little adversity.
Such a setback might significantly impact him. There were historical examples of such rare cases in human civilization, though the probability was low, but the Milky Way Star Lord was too important to human civilization.
"Hopefully, the Milky Way Star Lord won't be affected by this clone's death..."
The last ninth-rank was about to continue when suddenly, they all received a message simultaneously.
"The Milky Way Star Lord killed Huny?"
"And with absolute dominance? Huny didn't even dare to fight, directly self-destructing his clone?"
"How is this possible?"
The ninth-ranks were stunned. If they hadn't received the message simultaneously and confirmed it multiple times, they would have thought it was a joke.
"Milky Way Star Lord..."
After a long pause, they exchanged amazed glances, unable to hide their shock.
It was unbelievable. How did the Milky Way Star Lord do it?
In the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, Doko, the strongest ninth-rank life form of this era in human civilization, had stopped moving. He had been trying to save the Milky Way Star Lord, though with little hope. But now?
Doko was stunned.
"The Milky Way Star Lord doesn't need my help?"
"Huny died at his hands?"
Doko was dumbfounded. As a special ninth-rank, he had fought Huny many times and knew his strength. Defeating Huny was possible, but killing or forcing Huny to self-destruct? In Doko's knowledge, no ninth-rank could achieve that without a tenth-rank's help.
"Did the Milky Way Star Lord break through to the tenth rank?" Doko speculated, but quickly dismissed it. This was the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, repelling any life above the ninth rank.
If the Milky Way Star Lord became a tenth-rank, he would be immediately expelled. "He's not a tenth rank..." Doko was incredulous, unable to fathom how the Milky Way Star Lord accomplished it.
The events in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm couldn't be hidden. Major races across the universe soon learned of it.
"Again, the Milky Way Star Lord. He could slay those invincible at the eighth rank, and now at the ninth rank, he's targeting special ninth-ranks?"
"Could the Milky Way Star Lord be a direct descendant of some strongest human? No, even a strongest one's descendant shouldn't be this monstrous."
"He's incredible. The Milky Way Star Lord is only about a hundred years old."
Various races were astonished. The Milky Way Star Lord had already created numerous miracles, but now, shortly after advancing to the ninth rank, he shattered the myth of the special ninth-rank.
Many races realized that in the long future, the shadow of the Milky Way Star Lord would loom over every ninth-rank.
At the Milky Way's main star, Lin Yuan was aware of the significant impact his killing of Huny would have on the universe's races. But backed by human civilization, he had no need to hide his power.
Besides, his killing of Huny was far from his full strength, merely using less than 200M layers, a far cry from his over 2 billion space layers.
Swoosh.
With a thought, a 'bell-shaped' treasure appeared before Lin Yuan, emitting a mysterious aura.
...
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