"Finally... I've fully comprehended the time rules."
Lin Yuan was radiant with energy. To be able to comprehend the time rules while still at the ninth rank was something unprecedented in the vast main universe.
It was nearly impossible to achieve.
Even in the records of the Devil Jade Tower and the Mysterious Emperor lineage, only the legendary innate time beings or a very few unique creatures had managed to do this.
The so-called time beings are mysterious entities that can move back and forth along various timelines.
The ultimate goal of a twelfth-rank Strongest One's cultivation is to transform into a time being.
"Time rules..." Lin Yuan closed his eyes.
After comprehending the time rules, Lin Yuan's physical body and soul didn't undergo any changes. However, he could distinctly sense the existence of the vast river of time.
Before comprehending the time rules, even an eleventh-rank evolver couldn't perceive the river of time.
"Now, I can significantly slow down the flow of time for myself," Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Before fully comprehending the time rules, Lin Yuan could already slow down time, but it was far from being significant.
But now, Lin Yuan could slow down the passage of time he experienced by a thousandfold, ten-thousandfold, or even hundreds of thousands of times.
While hundreds of thousands of years might pass in the outside world, Lin Yuan would only experience one year.
This is the main way those ancient gods in the depths of the universe extend their lifespans.
Some of these ancient gods have the conditions to attempt the final breakthrough but dare not try for fear of failure.
So, they keep waiting for the right opportunity, using the technique of slowing down their personal time flow to survive eons.
Of course, to these ancient gods, the time they experience might be just ten or dozens of years, while millions or billions of years pass in the main universe.
"Slowing down time is useless for me," Lin Yuan shook his head slightly.
He still had plenty of lifespan left, so there was no need for him to prolong it through such means.
"The river of time?" Lin Yuan looked around and vaguely saw a mighty river flowing.
After fully comprehending the time rules, the most crucial point was to realize that he was struggling within the river of time.
Compared to when the Strongest One Xia Qin had helped him escape the constraints of the river of time and view it from the "shore," Lin Yuan's current perspective was from within the river itself.
The two perspectives were entirely different.
The latter offered much less depth and breadth than the former.
"My form in the river of time is too small," Lin Yuan shook his head slightly.
The stronger one's power, the larger their form in the river of time. Although Lin Yuan had comprehended the time rules, he was still just a ninth-rank being.
Even though his life essence was comparable to that of an A-level tenth rank, he was still insignificant in the river of time.
In the river of time, an ordinary eleventh-rank being could only be considered a "small fish." Only an eleventh-rank being who had comprehended the time rules could be called a "big fish."
As for Lin Yuan? Although he had comprehended the time rules, his life essence was still too weak. He was probably just a tiny speck of dust in the river.
"Earlier, when I observed the river from the 'shore,' I saw a 'big fish' that covered almost half the riverbed. I wonder what level of eleventh-rank being that was?" Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Since it was within the river of time, it was still an eleventh-rank being.
However, to cover almost half the riverbed? That indicated a terrifyingly strong life essence.
"The shore?" Lin Yuan tried to look toward the shore but found it blurry. Beings within the river couldn't see the scene on the shore.
"I could leap out briefly, but it's not worth it," Lin Yuan shook his head slightly.
A being who has comprehended the time rules can, with all their might, briefly leap out of the river of time, but doing so would draw the attention of the Strongest Ones on the shore.
Lin Yuan wasn't worried about the nine Strongest Ones of human civilization, but in this universe, there were other Strongest Ones... Some of whom harbored deep malice toward human civilization.
"Reverse the flow?"
Lin Yuan turned his gaze toward the distant past.
Countless beings who had died in the past appeared before Lin Yuan, and the further back he looked, the more life shadows appeared.
These beings all started from the sixth rank. Lin Yuan couldn't see the shadows of those below the sixth rank.
"In theory, I now have the ability to 'retrieve' someone," Lin Yuan thought.
However, in theory, even if Lin Yuan managed to "retrieve" a sixth-rank being, they would be instantly crushed by the backlash from the main universe and the river of time.
Even an eleventh-rank being can't withstand the backlash of reviving a sixth-rank being. So far, only the Strongest Ones can easily retrieve dead beings and bring them back to life in the current timeline.
The Strongest Ones are immensely powerful. Only reviving an eleventh-rank being might make them exercise a little caution, and only if it's a particularly terrifying eleventh-rank being.
In the river of time.
On the shore.
The nine Strongest Ones of human civilization stood one after another.
In the distance, the Strongest One Xia Qin did the same, quietly overlooking the river.
Suddenly, Xia Qin's expression shifted slightly.
A faint ripple from the depths of the river of time made him aware that a certain being was trying to peer toward the shore.
Typically, this ripple signified that a being had comprehended the time rules, realized they were just a "fish" in the river of time, and was attempting to look toward the shore.
"Someone has comprehended the time rules?" Xia Qin's thoughts spread out.
In the past, he wouldn't have thought much of it. The river of time is vast and boundless, encompassing not only the present but also the countless beings of the past.
An occasional appearance of a being who has comprehended the time rules was not unusual.
The fact that the other Strongest Ones hadn't even bothered to react was evidence of that.
But Xia Qin had a faint suspicion in his heart.
Could it be that the being who comprehended the time rules this time was that little guy?
Xia Qin's heart began to feel a subtle sense of anticipation.
Milky Way Main Star
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, sending a sliver of his consciousness into his inner world.
As the time rules were fully comprehended, the inner world now had the time rules as a pillar, joining the space rules and various other rules to support the inner world.
Rumble.
A special transformation occurred within the inner world.
From Lin Yuan's direct perception, the inner world hadn't grown larger, nor had the space layers increased.
But with the integration of the time rules, Lin Yuan faintly sensed that the inner world was becoming "complete."
It was as if the inner world had been "incomplete" before, and only now had it finally been "completed," becoming "whole."
"So, this is the 'independence' of the inner world?" Lin Yuan pondered.
With the integration of time and space rules, the inner world's space-time no longer depended on the main universe. In a strict sense, the inner world now existed on the same level as the main universe.
Both were worlds with their own space-time.
The difference was merely one of scale—the main universe being millions of times larger than the inner world, but both were still worlds.
Both were direct descendants of the chaotic void.
"How wonderful, to have an independent inner world," Lin Yuan murmured. At this moment, his inner world could now isolate itself from the perception of the main universe.
It's important to know that the main universe could previously sense everything in the inner world.
For instance, when Lin Yuan returned from transmigration to the spirit realm, having comprehended dozens of cosmic powers, the main universe sensed it immediately, with the source power of the universe lingering outside the inner world.
It was just waiting for Lin Yuan to open his inner world and allow those cosmic powers to adapt to the main universe.
But now... Lin Yuan felt that even if his inner world contained treasures coveted by the main universe, they would no longer be detected.
Because the inner world and the main universe were now completely isolated—both "independent" and "complete."
"Although this doesn't directly enhance my combat power, it gives me much more 'freedom,'" Lin Yuan smiled.
Actually, saying that it didn't enhance his combat power wasn't entirely accurate. After comprehending the time rules, Lin Yuan's expertise in time had increased by leaps and bounds.
Even if he couldn't match an A-level tenth rank in direct combat, he could toy with them using his understanding of the time rules.
For example, now, if Lin Yuan used the time rules to create a time prison, those A-level tenth ranks, even if they struggled with all their might, would need at least half an hour to break free.
Half an hour? By then, it would be too late to do anything.
"Hmm?"
"After comprehending the time rules, the integration of time and space in my inner world has sped up the evolution process?" Lin Yuan's expression changed slightly.
The transition from the ninth to the tenth rank is a slow evolution process. By Lin Yuan's own estimation, it would take about a hundred years to complete.
But now, Lin Yuan estimated that it would only take sixty to seventy years.
"Comprehending the time rules has this benefit too?" Lin Yuan was in a good mood.
While his deep foundation meant that there was no doubt about his ability to advance to the tenth rank, the sooner he reached it, the better.
"The Strongest One Xia Qin once told me that when an independent inner world undergoes a major rank transition, it will receive a source infusion from the chaotic void. At that time, it will be a great opportunity."
Lin Yuan's expression was one of anticipation.
A source infusion from the chaotic void? In theory, this is a privilege reserved for eleventh-rank beings attempting the final breakthrough.
Yet Lin Yuan, while still in the ninth rank and transitioning to the tenth, would experience it. If this news got out, it would drive countless eleventh-rank beings insane with envy.
"Right."
"I should go see the Strongest One Xia Qin."
Lin Yuan gathered his thoughts and immediately connected his consciousness to the virtual world.
The Strongest One Xia Qin had instructed Lin Yuan that if he managed to comprehend the time rules at the ninth rank, he must come see him again.
Lin Yuan owed much of his success in comprehending the time rules to the Strongest One Xia Qin. Without his help in escaping the river of time, Lin Yuan might have been delayed in fully grasping the time rules, possibly even into the tenth rank.
Virtual World
Personal World of the Strongest One
The Strongest One Xia Qin sat on his throne.
"Hmm?"
"That little guy is here to see me?"
Xia Qin's heart stirred as he recalled the faint ripple he had sensed earlier on the "shore" of the river of time.
"Could it be that the ripple really came from Lin Yuan?"
Xia Qin felt a twinge of excitement, though he had only been speculating before.
Soon, Lin Yuan's figure appeared below.
"Strongest One."
Lin Yuan bowed slightly.
"Did you comprehend the time rules?" Xia Qin asked directly, with a rare hint of tension in his voice.
Lin Yuan wondered how Xia Qin knew, but he still answered, "Yes."
"You've comprehended the time rules..."
Xia Qin's tone was uncharacteristically excited. "Good, good, good!"
...
20 chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
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