In the depths of the cosmic starry sky.
A vast scroll slowly unfurled.
The strongest beings and ultimate existences stood outside the scroll, carefully observing every detail of the massive canvas.
Ever since that "blank sheet of paper" squeezed into this universe and then anchored itself here, unfolding in the form of a "scroll," all Twelfth-Rank powerhouses in the universe had descended upon this place.
This "blank sheet of paper" was far too mysterious, far too unbelievable, containing an entire two-dimensional world.
Any existence below the Twelfth Rank, as long as it got close, would automatically be reduced in dimension.
"There's nothing we can do."
"Even if we join forces and refine it for millions or even tens of millions of years, we couldn't possibly refine this 'scroll.'"
"That's right. This scroll feels as vast as the universe itself. How could we refine it?"
"Perhaps it's impossible to refine it from the outside, but if we descend into the 'scroll,' we might have a chance?"
The ultimate existences exchanged ideas rapidly.
During this time, they had used almost every method they could, but they hadn't even been able to shake the 'scroll,' let alone refine it.
In fact, the reason the 'scroll' had eventually stopped moving was not so much because of the intervention of these powerful beings, but more because the 'scroll' itself had simply run out of momentum.
"Descending into the 'scroll'?"
The one-horned powerhouse glanced at the other mighty beings. Indeed, this method seemed the most promising of all the ones they had theorized, but none of the strongest beings were willing to try it.
The strongest beings could resist the 'scroll's' dimensional reduction, but if they stopped resisting, they would naturally fall into the two-dimensional world within the 'scroll.'
But while entering might be easy, getting out would be far from simple. If something went wrong inside and the avatar they sent in perished, the loss would still be felt by their true selves.
For those Tenth or Eleventh-Rank powerhouses who had fallen into the scroll, even if their avatars died inside, it wouldn't greatly impact the forces backing them.
The peak race alliances certainly wouldn't be shaken just because a few Eleventh-Rank beings were lost.
But for the strongest beings, it was different. If they suffered a severe decline in power or sustained significant injuries, the consequences would be profound, potentially altering the balance of power among the cosmic races.
"Let's wait and see."
"My race has so many powerhouses that have already fallen inside."
"Let's see if they can come out when the next Heaven's Gate opens."
The strongest beings and ultimate existences were all very cautious. They all recognized how important this 'scroll' was. Whoever could refine it would gain power equivalent to that of two or three more supreme beings.
But for now, they had to be patient.
Two-Dimensional World.
Dongyuan City, Blood Rain Tavern.
The hunchbacked old man was dozing off when suddenly, he seemed to sense something and snapped his eyes open. He saw that, at some point, a young man had taken a seat not far away.
"My lord."
The hunchbacked old man's heart trembled, and he immediately stood up, bowing respectfully.
"I'm here to make a deal with your Blood Rain Tavern," Lin Yuan said, his tone calm and steady.
Over the years, he had gradually purchased numerous cultivation resources through the Blood Rain Tavern, so the two were quite familiar.
Although the Blood Rain Tavern originated from the Blood Rain Ancient Kingdom, it operated independently, with branches spread across the Twelve Ancient Kingdoms and an excellent reputation.
Of course, to be absolutely safe, Lin Yuan always used the bronze compass to confirm there were no dangers in the area before coming. Since arriving in this two-dimensional world, Lin Yuan didn't trust anyone easily.
"Please go ahead, my lord," the hunchbacked old man replied in a low voice.
The more he interacted with Lin Yuan, the more he sensed Lin Yuan's terrifying power.
At first, the hunchbacked old man had thought Lin Yuan was a powerhouse close to the level of a Witch Sovereign.
But by now, he realized how laughable that assumption had been. Close to a Witch Sovereign? With Lin Yuan's strength, he was likely one of the strongest even among Witch Sovereigns.
As for Lin Yuan's youthful appearance?
In this world, there were certain rare items, such as the Blood Rain Tea Tree of the Blood Rain Ancient Kingdom, and other treasures that could maintain eternal youth.
In the hunchbacked old man's mind, Lin Yuan was probably an ancient hidden monster who had lived for an unknown number of years, with his young appearance being merely a facade.
"I want some cultivation methods, specifically Witch Ancestor cultivation methods," Lin Yuan stated directly.
"Witch Ancestor cultivation methods?"
The hunchbacked old man was startled but then found it understandable. Given Lin Yuan's strength, only the cultivation methods representing the pinnacle of this world, those of the Witch Ancestors, would likely interest him.
"My lord, any Witch Ancestor cultivation method has a significant background. It either originates from one of the ancient kingdoms or from a transcendent force." The hunchbacked old man was somewhat troubled.
Although the Blood Rain Tavern's influence was extensive enough to obtain Witch Ancestor cultivation methods, obtaining them was one thing, and daring to sell them openly was another.
Witch Ancestor-level cultivation methods were heavily monopolized by the various ancient kingdoms.
Anyone who privately disseminated these methods without the kingdoms' approval would face a bounty from all twelve ancient kingdoms.
"Rest assured, the Witch Ancestor cultivation methods I obtain will have no connection to the Blood Rain Tavern," Lin Yuan assured him.
"Since you've said that, it would be improper for me to refuse." The hunchbacked old man relaxed. He couldn't say much, but Lin Yuan's reassurance made it easier for him to proceed.
"So far, our Blood Rain Tavern has collected a total of eight Witch Ancestor-level cultivation methods. Does my lord intend to acquire them all?" the hunchbacked old man asked tentatively.
"All of them," Lin Yuan nodded.
The greatest value of the Witch Ancestor-level cultivation methods for him wasn't in the actual cultivation but in the insights they provided into the fundamental principles of this world.
In terms of power, Lin Yuan, who had only been in this world for just over twenty years, had already surpassed all past Witch Ancestors.
"Very well."
The hunchbacked old man bowed respectfully and left. He returned shortly afterward, carrying a box.
"My lord, all eight Witch Ancestor-level cultivation methods are inside."
Using a special technique, the hunchbacked old man opened the box, revealing neatly arranged booklets.
Without the specific method, anyone else who obtained this box would find it useless, as forcibly opening it would trigger a self-destruct mechanism inside.
"How many Witch Crystals?" Lin Yuan asked casually as he glanced over the contents.
"Each Witch Ancestor-level cultivation method costs one billion Witch Crystals, so all eight together total eight billion Witch Crystals," the hunchbacked old man replied immediately.
The Blood Rain Tavern had paid a considerable price to obtain these Witch Ancestor-level cultivation methods. Most importantly, selling these methods carried the risk of exposure.
"Put it on my tab." Lin Yuan casually picked up one of the Witch Ancestor-level methods, flipping through it and committing it to memory with just a few glances before moving on to the next.
Given the mental processing speed of a Tenth-Rank being, memorizing these brief textual descriptions was a simple task.
"Understood," the hunchbacked old man nodded.
After years of interaction, he had come to trust Lin Yuan to some extent. A peak Witch Sovereign like Lin Yuan wouldn't bother cheating him out of a mere eighty billion Witch Crystals.
"Oh, by the way, my lord,"
"The Witch Ancestor-level methods we've obtained at the Blood Rain Tavern are incomplete. The most crucial sections are typically passed down orally, making them difficult to obtain," the hunchbacked old man added as he recalled something.
Without those critical sections, it would be challenging to fully cultivate these Witch Ancestor-level methods.
In fact, missing key information could even lead to cultivation errors.
"I'm aware."
Lin Yuan continued flipping through the booklets.
He wasn't reading these Witch Ancestor-level methods to practice them himself, but merely to use them as references.
All he needed was to understand the overarching principles of each Witch Ancestor-level method.
Moments later, Lin Yuan finished reading all the Witch Ancestor-level methods and then stood up to leave.
The hunchbacked old man bowed deeply as he departed.
Once Lin Yuan had disappeared from view, the hunchbacked old man pondered, "Could it be that the lord is trying to..."
He swallowed hard, vaguely guessing at something.
Atop a mountain peak. Lin Yuan appeared and sat cross-legged.
"The eight Witch Ancestor-level methods provide insights into the essence of power, though they are not perfect. However, they do offer many valuable perspectives," Lin Yuan thought to himself.
One method, in particular, the "Changqing" cultivation method from the mysterious Changqing Ancient Kingdom, provided Lin Yuan with significant insights into life extension.
Powerhouses who had reached the Witch Ancestor level through this method had lifespans twice as long as those of other Witch Ancestors.
Of course, the "Changqing" method wasn't without its flaws. It was lacking in direct combat strength. Although the Changqing Witch Ancestor lived the longest, his combat ability was the weakest among the Witch Ancestors in history.
But with Lin Yuan's Unrivaled Insight, he could extract the essence of the method and integrate its life-extending effects into his own cultivation method.
He could even greatly enhance the life-extending effects, far surpassing the theoretical limits of the "Changqing" method.
For the powerhouses who had fallen into this two-dimensional world, especially for Lin Yuan, lifespan was far more critical than one might imagine. It was a fallback option.
If, three hundred years later, when the Heaven's Gate opens, Lin Yuan hadn't grown powerful enough to overpower the numerous Eleventh-Rank peak beings and reach the Heaven's Gate, he would have to wait for the next opening.
And the Heaven's Gate only opened once every ten thousand years.
Of course, that was the worst-case scenario. Given Lin Yuan's Unrivaled Insight, starting on an equal footing, after three hundred years of cultivation, those Eleventh-Rank peak beings wouldn't stand a chance against him.
"If I can fully integrate the Changqing method into my cultivation, I could extend my lifespan by twenty to thirty thousand years."
Lin Yuan silently calculated.
This life extension referred to his lifespan within this two-dimensional world. Extending his life by twenty to thirty thousand years would allow him to witness three to four openings of the Heaven's Gate.
With such a long period, even if the strongest beings descended, Lin Yuan would have the confidence to utterly dominate them.
"The other seven Witch Ancestor-level methods also contribute significantly to my understanding of the Witch Ancestor level."
Details of the Witch Ancestor methods flashed through Lin Yuan's mind, each piece of knowledge gradually integrating into his own understanding and helping him perfect his cultivation at the Witch Ancestor level.
Main Universe.
Virtual World.
Lin Yuan and Deputy Tower Master Nalan were having their routine exchange of information.
Deputy Tower Master Nalan and a group of human evolvers had established a base in the capital of an ancient kingdom, gradually expanding their influence.
Naturally, their intelligence gathering exceeded that of Lin Yuan.
"Milky Way Star Lord, among the powerhouses of the myriad races in the two-dimensional world, ninety-eight have definitively reached the Witch Ancestor level. Of these, nine are significantly stronger than the others," Deputy Tower Master Nalan said gravely.
"Ninety-eight Witch Ancestors?" Lin Yuan's expression turned serious.
All the Witch Ancestors who had ever been born in the two-dimensional world probably didn't number as many as ninety-eight.
Moreover, these ninety-eight Witch Ancestors, although classified as such, would surely far surpass the native Witch Ancestors of history in combat power, given the levels of their true selves.
"These are the combat recordings I've collected of the nine strongest Witch Ancestors," Deputy Tower Master Nalan said, and a series of virtual images began to play.
The footage was derived from the memories of those who had witnessed the battles of these nine Witch Ancestors.
Lin Yuan focused on the recordings.
The first video showed a four-armed figure walking across a flat wasteland, with many hidden presences faintly surrounding him from all directions.
"You ants dare to surround and kill me?"
The four-armed figure spoke with contempt, then took a powerful step forward, stomping hard on the ground.
Rumble!
The terrifying force spread in all directions, causing the earth to split as if the sky had collapsed, severely injuring the hidden powerhouses of the myriad races who had planned to ambush him.
With just one step, the terrifying power unleashed by the four-armed figure inflicted heavy casualties on the surrounding powerhouses.
The four-armed figure took another step, appearing in front of a strong being with sixteen wings on his back.
This sixteen-winged being was also at the Witch Ancestor level and tried his best to resist.
But in the end, the four-armed figure simply extended his four arms and effortlessly tore the sixteen-winged being apart, spilling blood across the land.
Deputy Tower Master Nalan explained:
"This battle was part of a siege plan by the Sky Feather Clan. The one they tried to ambush is known as one of the 'Four Divine Kings,' a unique being in the universe at the sixth level of the Eleventh Rank, on par with the 'Mother of the Tree Realm.'"
Nalan's tone revealed a trace of awe. Although he was also at the Eleventh Rank, there was still a significant gap between him and the 'Four Divine Kings,' who had reached the pinnacle of the Eleventh Rank.
"Indeed, very strong," Lin Yuan nodded.
This Four Kings figure had clearly been a Witch Ancestor for some time and had an incredibly deep mastery of his power.
"This Four Kings figure is currently the strongest of all the myriad race powerhouses who have descended."
Deputy Tower Master Nalan sighed.
He continued playing the second video.
This was a duel between two Witch Ancestor-level powerhouses.
The auras of both were terrifying to the extreme. One was a burly figure, as imposing as a mountain, while the other was a small figure wielding a blood-red long blade.
Judging by their auras, the burly figure seemed stronger, but the battle itself was shockingly swift.
As soon as the two clashed, the small figure flashed his blood-red blade, and the burly figure was immediately sliced in two.
"What?"
Lin Yuan's pupils contracted slightly.
A one-hit kill? How could that be?
Even the mighty Four Kings took a few moves to kill the Sky Feather Clan's Witch Ancestor. But here, the small figure had instantly slain his opponent.
"It's the blade, isn't it?"
Lin Yuan immediately focused on the blood-red long blade held by the small figure.
The blade was so sharp that it seemed to tear through the void itself.
"Is it a rare item? An ultimate weapon?" Lin Yuan quickly thought of the bronze compass he had acquired.
Even through the video, the compass gave off a similar aura.
"Yes, it's the blade," Deputy Tower Master Nalan confirmed.
"The wielder, named Hou Zhu, is an Eleventh-Rank powerhouse from the Prison Race. Before falling into the two-dimensional world, he was roughly at the fourth level of the Eleventh Rank."
"Hou Zhu's strength wasn't outstanding among the many Eleventh Ranks, but with that blade, he quickly became second only to the Four Divine Kings."
Nalan paused for a moment before continuing, "In the two-dimensional world, there are many such rare items. These items are likely Twelve-Star level and can exhibit some extraordinary power even under the dimensional suppression."
"I see."
Lin Yuan murmured.
In fact, he had long been aware of the existence of such rare items, and he currently possessed one himself.
"These rare items have various effects, but all are highly valuable. Many Witch Ancestors are now scouring the world for them."
Deputy Tower Master Nalan explained.
The Prison Race's Hou Zhu was a prime example, rising to prominence with the blood-red long blade.
Next, Lin Yuan watched the third, fourth, and fifth videos.
Of the nine strongest Witch Ancestors recognized in the two-dimensional world, six were special beings.
The remaining three included one from the Prison Race, one from the Universe Race, and one from human civilization.
The Universe Race was considered the most powerful among the peak races, on par with human civilization, with nine supreme beings, but their historical legacy was far more ancient.
They were a terrifying race that had existed since the beginning of the universe.
"Our human civilization's Witch Ancestor ranks barely at ninth," Deputy Tower Master Nalan said, shaking his head.
That was still relatively good compared to other peak races like the Insect Race and Sky Feather Clan, which didn't have a single representative in the top nine.
"Are there any more videos?" Lin Yuan asked, eager to see the other Witch Ancestor-level battles.
"There are," Nalan confirmed.
Lin Yuan continued watching for a while.
Sure enough, from the tenth Witch Ancestor onward, the gap in strength between them and the top nine was quite noticeable.
"Tuoba Ancient God?" Lin Yuan focused on the twelfth video.
This meant that the powerhouse in the video was ranked twelfth among the myriad race powerhouses.
"Tuoba Ancient God is also a special being, incredibly gifted," Deputy Tower Master Nalan commented.
This two-dimensional world had truly become the domain of these special beings. In terms of innate talent, these special beings were undoubtedly the strongest.
"By the way, Milky Way Star Lord, what level have you reached in your cultivation?" Deputy Tower Master Nalan asked curiously.
"I've just entered the Witch Sovereign level," Lin Yuan replied modestly.
"That's still impressive," Deputy Tower Master Nalan praised.
Although Lin Yuan was hailed as the greatest evolution genius in human civilization's history, he was still only a Tenth-Rank being, fundamentally different from the Eleventh-Rank beings.
Even so, reaching the Witch Sovereign level in just over twenty years was a feat comparable to the cultivation speed of ordinary Eleventh-Rank beings.
Nalan himself had only recently entered the Witch Sovereign level.
In fact, of the more than three hundred Eleventh-Rank beings who had fallen into the two-dimensional world, most had also only reached the Witch Sovereign level.
What Nalan didn't know was that Lin Yuan's so-called entry into the Witch Sovereign level already placed him on par with a Witch Ancestor.
Moreover, in terms of potential, not even the mighty Four Divine Kings could compare to Lin Yuan.
The Four Divine Kings had already become a Witch Ancestor, and their future cultivation speed would inevitably slow down, but Lin Yuan was just beginning his ascent, with vast room for growth.
And the higher he climbed, the more pronounced Lin Yuan's advantages would become.
After finishing his discussion with Deputy Tower Master Nalan, Lin Yuan returned to perfecting and expanding his own Witch Ancestor cultivation method.
Time passed in the blink of an eye.
A hundred years went by.
...
20 chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
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