Azure World.
Deep within the Martial Hall.
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, with the surrounding space faintly distorted.
His vast mental willpower permeated through the layers of space.
Mental willpower was a very unique form of power, transcending the body and soul—it was the most core essence of life itself.
In the main universe, human civilization had already achieved a certain standard of "quantification" for mental willpower. For a seventh-rank being to break through to the eighth rank, their mental willpower had to reach at least 10,000 points.
Of course, this wasn't an absolute rule.
Having more than 10,000 points didn't guarantee a successful breakthrough to the eighth rank.
Likewise, not reaching 10,000 points didn't mean failure—there was still a faint chance of success.
But without a doubt, the stronger the mental willpower, the more profound the impact on one's capabilities.
For instance, a being with a mental willpower of ten million points could, without utilizing any physical power or rules, simply crush another being with only ten thousand or a hundred thousand points of mental willpower with just a glance.
"After 300 years of hunting Void Creatures, how strong is my mental willpower now? Eight million? Nine million? Or has it reached ten million?"
Lin Yuan opened his eyes. He found it difficult to accurately gauge his current mental willpower.
The increase in his mental willpower over these 300 years had been staggering—dozens or even hundreds of times stronger than before.
It wasn't uncommon to see one's combat strength increase by such magnitudes, especially through breakthroughs in major realms, acquiring powerful secret techniques, or awakening certain innate abilities.
But with mental willpower, there were no shortcuts.
Even the so-called "Ancient Gods" of the main universe, who had lived for countless eons, generally possessed formidable mental willpower.
While some might not have ten million points, they certainly had millions.
In the two-dimensional world, Lin Yuan had been able to easily crush even eleventh-rank beings at the peak of their power.
That was because, in that world, everyone—including their mental willpower—had been reduced in dimensionality.
But now?
After 300 years of hunting Void Creatures, Lin Yuan believed that his mental willpower was no longer a weakness. Once this transmigration ended, it could even become one of his strengths.
Especially since only half of his 600-year stay had passed.
As long as nothing unexpected happened, Lin Yuan's mental willpower could continue to grow over the next 300 years.
"The stronger my mental willpower becomes, the less I gain from hunting Void Creatures. Now, only creatures comparable to ninth-stage evil gods can provide me with any meaningful improvement."
Lin Yuan sighed inwardly.
When he had first entered the Void Secret Realm, every Void Creature he killed had given his mental willpower a significant boost.
"But ninth-stage Void Creatures are incredibly rare. Over the past 300 years, I've only slain a little over a hundred of them."
Lin Yuan thought to himself, "Also, many other evil gods can enter this Void Secret Realm."
In his 300 years of traversing the Void Secret Realm, Lin Yuan had encountered many powerful evil gods.
Any evil god capable of entering the Void Secret Realm was at least at the peak of the eighth stage, and many were already ninth-stage evil gods.
Ninth-stage evil gods were comparable to eleventh-rank beings, and some particularly troublesome ones were as difficult to deal with as those in the fourth or fifth tier of the eleventh rank.
All ninth-stage evil gods had a singular goal: to follow in the footsteps of the legendary tenth-stage evil gods.
It was said that this Void Secret Realm was created by one such tenth-stage evil god, and the Void Creatures within came from the dimensional gaps of the boundless void.
"A tenth-stage evil god? It probably isn't an ultimate being, but it's stronger than an eleventh-rank peak being." Lin Yuan rubbed his chin.
Over the years, he had pieced together fragments of information about tenth-stage evil gods from his exploration of the Void Secret Realm, giving him a rough understanding of their upper limits.
"The evil gods of this world are quite peculiar. They grow incredibly fast and possess immense innate talents, but they are extremely weak when it comes to understanding the rules. This is why ninth-stage evil gods are so incredibly rare."
Lin Yuan pondered silently.
The boundless void was vast, and every Void Domain had several eighth-stage evil gods. However, ninth-stage evil gods?
Even across tens of thousands or millions of Void Domains, it wasn't guaranteed that one would emerge.
Only in places like the Void Secret Realm, where many powerful evil gods gathered, could one encounter a few ninth-stage evil gods.
While the growth of his mental willpower over the past 300 years had been one of Lin Yuan's most significant achievements, it was far from his only gain.
Meanwhile, his Yin Primordial Spirit had been roaming the boundless void, exploring many worlds. To date, Lin Yuan had already brought 32 worlds under his control.
Eight of these worlds were even more expansive than Azure World, eleven were roughly the same size, and the remaining worlds were somewhat smaller.
In all 32 worlds, Lin Yuan had planted the seeds of the Primordial Demon Tree, which were gradually spreading and consuming these worlds while simultaneously propagating the martial cultivation system.
An evil god trying to take over a world would need to go through various means, as the world's will would resist with all its might. Even if it couldn't directly attack, it would create World Sons and other beings blessed with great fortune to defend itself.
When the Primordial Demon Tree had invaded Azure World, it hadn't had an easy time either—Azure Alliance's leader and the World Sword had given it quite a headache.
But Lin Yuan didn't have to deal with such complications. As Azure World's Heaven's Dao (Heavenly Law), Lin Yuan had a deep understanding of the world's essence, allowing him to infiltrate other worlds without them even realizing it.
Once he was inside a world, the world's consciousness could only bow to his will.
If Lin Yuan hadn't wanted to avoid making too much noise and had intended to subtly replace the world's will, he could have already taken control of far more than 32 worlds.
"Together with the beings of Azure World, the beings of 33 worlds are now practicing martial evolution."
Lin Yuan slowly closed his eyes. Each time another martial cultivator emerged, he, as the founder and creator, could sense it.
Now, in this boundless void, the lights representing martial cultivators had already formed a large region.
"Perhaps the martial cultivators I've created will one day change the balance of the boundless void. The evil gods won't be the only ones in power anymore."
Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Before Lin Yuan had arrived, the evil gods were the absolute rulers of this boundless void. As for human cultivators? They were nothing more than "pre-dinner appetizers" within the worlds.
Evil gods devoured worlds, and the human cultivators within those worlds merely enhanced the flavor of their meals, serving as appetizers for the gods.
Even World Sons, born of the world's will, could barely fend off the evil gods within their worlds, relying heavily on the world itself.
However, the martial cultivation system gave the beings of these worlds a chance to resist the evil gods.
Of course, that possibility was still far off. Currently, the strongest martial cultivator in the boundless void was only at the fifth rank of martial cultivation.
"Achieving the sixth level of the space-time fusion rules is indeed difficult."
Lin Yuan's thoughts shifted, and he shook his head slightly.
Three hundred years ago, Lin Yuan had reached the third level of the space-time fusion rules.
Two hundred and eighty years ago, he reached the fourth level.
Two hundred years ago, he reached the fifth level.
But for the past two hundred years, Lin Yuan's progress had stagnated at the fifth level.
As for reaching the sixth level? Lin Yuan didn't yet see a clear path forward.
In just a hundred years, Lin Yuan had advanced from the second level of the space-time fusion rules to the fifth, thanks not only to his extraordinary comprehension but also to the insights he had gained from the various experts of the myriad races.
It should be noted that, even for the unique beings of the main universe, advancing one level in the space-time fusion rules could take hundreds of millions or even billions of years.
And that's assuming everything goes smoothly—if they hit a bottleneck, there's no telling how long it might take.
"I'll just take my time."
"It hasn't been that long, after all."
Lin Yuan shook his head slightly. With his current level of comprehension of the space-time fusion rules, the insights he had gained from the experts of the myriad races no longer provided much assistance.
After all, those insights only reached the fifth level of the space-time fusion rules.
To reach the sixth level, Lin Yuan would have to rely on himself.
The sixth level of the space-time fusion rules was typically the domain of the strongest ones.
"Fortunately, I chose the secret technique Tianhe as my reward from the fifth floor of the Devil Jade Tower. It allowed me to see the direction toward the sixth level."
"Otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken me to comprehend the sixth level of the space-time fusion rules below the realm of the strongest ones."
Lin Yuan's mind wandered to the insights he had gained from the secret technique Tianhe.
Why was the sixth level of the space-time fusion rules exclusive to the strongest ones?
It was because it involved the mysteries of the River of Time, which only the strongest ones could transcend, giving them a view of the scenes along its "shore."
This was the foundation for reaching the sixth level of the space-time fusion rules.
But Lin Yuan was still a being within the river. He had no way of observing the "shore" of the River of Time. Even if the nine strongest ones of human civilization brought Lin Yuan to the shore, his perspective would be too limited to make much of a difference due to his lower life level.
However, the secret technique Tianhe explained the mysteries of the sixth level of the space-time fusion rules in a different way, allowing Lin Yuan to comprehend its essence without needing to "go ashore."
Even so, reaching the sixth level was no easy feat and would require Lin Yuan to explore gradually.
After all, the path he was walking had never been traveled by any being since the creation of the main universe.
"With the fifth level of the space-time fusion rules, my current strongest combat power should be comparable to an eleventh-rank, fifth-tier being."
Lin Yuan assessed himself.
The fifth level of the space-time fusion rules marked the threshold for reaching the fifth tier of the eleventh rank.
Currently, apart from his life level still being at the tenth rank, Lin Yuan was not weaker than any eleventh-rank being in other aspects.
Moreover, with his fifth physical divine ability, World, he could easily suppress fifth-tier eleventh-rank beings.
The external world formed by his World divine ability, if detonated, would be unstoppable even for an eleventh-rank being at the peak. However, this was his trump card, and Lin Yuan wouldn't use it unless absolutely necessary.
Even without the detonation, the natural suppression from the external world was enough to cause significant discomfort for fifth-tier eleventh-rank beings.
"The past three hundred years have yielded remarkable gains."
Lin Yuan collected his thoughts. Three hundred years ago, before his tenth transmigration, Lin Yuan's strongest combat power had been limited to the fourth tier of the eleventh rank.
But now, even in his normal state, he could suppress fifth-tier eleventh-rank beings. If he used his trump card, even an eleventh-rank peak being would die.
And all this had been achieved in just three hundred years.
Moreover, this increase in power was based on Lin Yuan still being a tenth-rank being. The difficulty of making such gains was far greater than advancing from the fourth to the sixth tier of the eleventh rank.
The Void Secret Realm.
Vast and boundless.
After three hundred years of exploration, Lin Yuan's Yang Primordial Spirit had ventured deep into the realm.
Over the years, Lin Yuan had occasionally taken action, killing Void Creatures. Among the evil gods, he had gained a great reputation, standing out as one of the strongest among the ninth-stage evil gods.
The evil gods had given Lin Yuan the title of "Yang True Lord."
This was because every time Lin Yuan's Yang Primordial Spirit fought, a vast inferno would burn everything in its path—a characteristic of the Yang Primordial Spirit. If it had been the Yin Primordial Spirit, the battlefield would have been filled with a chilling cold that froze everything.
It wasn't that the Yin Primordial Spirit lacked other methods; this technique was simply the most convenient and powerful, most closely aligned with its innate path.
"It's been a long time since I've encountered a ninth-stage Void Creature."
Lin Yuan's Yang Primordial Spirit walked through the void in the depths of the Void Secret Realm. When he had first entered the realm, he had been cautious, hiding within layers of space to avoid detection by powerful Void Creatures.
But now?
Lin Yuan wished Void Creatures would find him.
"Master, ninth-stage Void Creatures are incredibly rare. It's normal not to encounter them," said the Three Yin Domain Lord beside him.
The Three Yin Domain Lord was the ruler of the void domain where Azure World was located.
After Lin Yuan had suppressed the Black Demon Lord and three other evil gods, the Three Yin Domain Lord had learned of it.
Realizing that Lin Yuan was not to be trifled with, the Three Yin Domain Lord had ordered the other evil gods to stay away from Azure World's region.
However.
Two hundred and ninety years ago, the Three Yin Domain Lord couldn't resist the temptation to investigate the mysterious being that had made the Black Demon Lord and the others disappear so suddenly.
The Three Yin Domain Lord had approached cautiously, intending only to observe from a distance.
As an eighth-stage peak evil god, it was careful not to get too close and planned to retreat at the slightest sign of danger.
Under normal circumstances, not even a ninth-stage evil god would be able to detect such a careful approach.
But the Three Yin Domain Lord had encountered Lin Yuan.
At the time, Lin Yuan's Yin Primordial Spirit had returned to Azure World to retrieve some seeds from the Primordial Demon Tree. Upon noticing the sneaky Three Yin Domain Lord, Lin Yuan had casually captured it.
After interrogating the evil god, Lin Yuan discovered that the Three Yin Domain Lord had access to the Void Secret Realm and was quite knowledgeable about it. Thus, Lin Yuan decided to subdue the evil god.
Of course, Lin Yuan's control over the Three Yin Domain Lord wasn't merely superficial. He could end the evil god's life with just a thought.
"True."
Lin Yuan nodded.
Now, Void Creatures below the ninth stage did little to improve his mental willpower.
Lin Yuan's mental willpower had become so strong that, even if it hadn't reached ten million points, it was close. As a result, further improvement had become increasingly difficult.
"Wait."
As Lin Yuan and the Three Yin Domain Lord wandered aimlessly through the depths of the Void Secret Realm.
A terrifying aura suddenly erupted from an extremely distant location.
Boom! The frightening energy rippled through space, sending shockwaves in all directions.
"That aura?"
"Are multiple ninth-stage evil gods fighting? Along with Void Creatures of the same level?"
Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed. He could sense the presence of not just one ninth-stage Void Creature.
"So strong!"
The Three Yin Domain Lord trembled with fear.
If not for Lin Yuan's protection, it would never have been able to venture this deep into the Void Secret Realm. Spending too much time here would inevitably lead to encounters with ninth-stage evil gods or Void Creatures.
"Let's go."
With a thought, Lin Yuan disappeared from his original location, heading toward the source of the disturbance.
"Why are we going there? T.T "
Seeing Lin Yuan leave, the Three Yin Domain Lord reluctantly followed the energy waves.
The source of the disturbance was a lair nearly a hundred thousand miles in size, hidden deep within layers of space. However, now that it had been discovered, the spatial maze surrounding the lair had been torn open, exposing it completely.
Terrifying tendrils of energy emanated from the lair, where six towering figures stood outside.
Inside the lair, equally frightening presences lurked—close to ten in number—standing in opposition to the six outside.
While both sides seemed to be at a standoff, they occasionally clashed across space, sending ripples through the void.
"Hmph, this lair is home to nine ninth-stage Void Creatures. They won't be easy to deal with." One of the six towering figures outside, an evil god resembling a giant octopus, transmitted a mental message.
"Killing nine ninth-stage Void Creatures—how much will that increase our mental willpower?" hissed a massive gray snake-like evil god. "Eight-Arms True Lord, are you thinking of giving up?"
Among the ninth-stage evil gods, they referred to each other as "True Lord."
The giant octopus was known as Eight-Arms True Lord, while the massive snake was called Heavenly Python True Lord.
"Give up?"
"Of course not!"
Eight-Arms True Lord quickly responded.
Ninth-stage Void Creatures were incredibly rare, and encountering nine of them at once was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. How could he give up?
"But what should we do now?"
Eight-Arms True Lord asked, "Should we just charge into the lair? That place is their home turf. Even if we attack together, we'll be putting ourselves at a disadvantage. Instead of hunting them, we might end up being hunted."
Ninth-stage Void Creatures were on par with ninth-stage evil gods in terms of raw power.
Their only weakness was their lack of intelligence, which made them slightly inferior to evil gods of the same level.
But even so, the difference in strength between them was negligible.
Facing nine Void Creatures with only six evil gods was already a disadvantage, let alone charging into their lair.
While many seventh-stage evil gods struggled to maintain their sanity, ninth-stage evil gods had strong mental willpower and didn't suffer from such deficiencies.
Each ninth-stage evil god was as wise as a sage in human terms.
"We can just wait here."
Heavenly Python True Lord suggested, "The spatial disturbance from this lair will inevitably attract other ninth-stage evil gods. When enough of them arrive, we can join forces and attack."
"Of course, we six are in the same alliance, so once we break into the lair, we'll need to work together to drive off any other evil gods."
Heavenly Python True Lord added.
Hearing this, the other evil gods nodded slightly.
The six of them might not have enough power to take on the Void Creatures in their lair.
But what if there were ten, or even twenty, evil gods?
In that case, they could charge into the lair with overwhelming force. Once they had subdued the Void Creatures inside, the six of them could team up to deal with any other evil gods.
Although evil gods sometimes formed alliances, they didn't completely trust one another, which made them wary of working together for long.
By preparing in advance, the six of them could ensure they could eliminate any rivals.
Then they could share the spoils from killing the nine Void Creatures.
As time passed.
More and more evil gods gathered outside the lair.
Following the suggestions of Heavenly Python True Lord and Eight-Arms True Lord, these new arrivals agreed to wait for more ninth-stage evil gods to arrive before launching an attack.
Ninth-stage evil gods were no fools. They understood that it would be nearly impossible to take down nine Void Creatures on their own. Only by joining forces could they divide the spoils.
Of course, there wouldn't be enough Void Creatures to go around. But that was a concern for later—right now, all eyes were on the massive lair.
"It's almost enough."
"We have nineteen evil gods now."
"One more, and we can launch the attack."
Heavenly Python True Lord scanned the group and said.
Their original plan had been to gather exactly twenty evil gods before attacking.
Twenty evil gods—six from their alliance and fourteen others—was the perfect number.
More than fourteen would introduce too much uncertainty. Even if the six of them worked together, they couldn't guarantee they'd drive off the others. At that point, they might have to invite some of them to share in the spoils.
On the other hand, fewer than fourteen would leave them too weak to quickly subdue the Void Creatures in the lair.
If the battle dragged on, more evil gods would inevitably be drawn to the scene, and the situation would become much more chaotic.
They might even end up losing their prize to someone else.
So twenty evil gods—no more, no less—was the optimal number.
Outside the lair.
Nineteen evil gods stood waiting for the arrival of the twentieth.
While keeping an eye on the lair, Heavenly Python True Lord also scanned the surroundings, waiting for any sign of another ninth-stage evil god.
Suddenly.
He sensed a terrifying aura, like a blazing sun, rapidly approaching their position.
"Another evil god is coming."
"What a scorching aura! Who could it be?"
"Among the ninth-stage evil gods in the Void Secret Realm, who could this be?"
The nineteen evil gods turned their gazes toward the approaching figure.
The being looked tiny compared to their towering forms, like a speck of dust.
But none of the evil gods dared to underestimate him—the aura emanating from the figure spoke volumes about his power.
Although evil gods tended to be massive, there were plenty of exceptions.
"It's Yang True Lord."
"Yang True Lord—the one who's become famous in the last three to five hundred years?"
"I've heard this True Lord is incredibly strong, even among ninth-stage evil gods."
Some of the evil gods recognized Lin Yuan and quickly spoke up.
"Yang True Lord?"
"Good. With this True Lord on our side, our chances of success will be even greater."
Heavenly Python True Lord felt a surge of excitement. If they could defeat the Void Creatures quickly, he wouldn't mind letting Yang True Lord share in the spoils.
Boom.
Lin Yuan quickly reached the lair and cast a glance at the nineteen evil gods standing nearby.
"Forget it. The Void Creatures are more important."
Lin Yuan shifted his gaze to the lair in front of him.
"Yang True Lord."
Heavenly Python True Lord immediately sent a message to Lin Yuan, saying, "Would you be interested in joining us? This lair contains nine ninth-stage Void Creatures. I doubt even you could handle them alone..."
Heavenly Python True Lord explained their plan to Lin Yuan and even promised that if he cooperated, he would be guaranteed at least one Void Creature.
The other evil gods watched Lin Yuan closely. If he agreed to join them, they could launch their attack immediately.
However.
The next moment.
To the disbelief of all the evil gods present.
Lin Yuan's body suddenly expanded, transforming into a giant figure ten thousand miles tall. He raised his right hand and reached into the depths of the lair.
Boom!
A terrifying force rippled through the area. Although the lair was the home of the Void Creatures and was filled with hidden dangers, Lin Yuan's one grab seemed to twist space itself, obliterating everything in its path.
"This..." Heavenly Python True Lord fell silent. He watched as Lin Yuan's colossal form unleashed an overwhelming aura, and a sense of dread crept into his heart.
While it was true that an evil god's power wasn't directly related to their size, Lin Yuan's towering form exuded such a powerful presence that Heavenly Python True Lord couldn't help but feel his scalp tingle.
And Lin Yuan's one-handed strike had begun to unravel the massive lair from its very core, showcasing his terrifying strength.
The other evil gods were equally stunned.
They had spent so much time planning to gather twenty evil gods, believing that only then would they have a chance to break into the lair.
Yet here was Lin Yuan, tearing it apart with a single hand.
Boom.
The Void Creatures' lair continued to collapse. Lin Yuan's arm reached deeper into the lair until, at last, he stopped.
At that moment, the entire lair seemed to "rage," as a terrifying power surged toward Lin Yuan's arm. However, a flash of mysterious yellow light appeared, and all that power was instantly neutralized.
Silence.
The nineteen evil gods watched in stunned silence.
Moments earlier, the lair had unleashed a powerful counterattack, gathering all its strength for a single blow. But Lin Yuan had effortlessly blocked it.
With ease.
Just how powerful was Yang True Lord?
"How could this Yang True Lord, who's only been around for three or five hundred years, become so strong?"
"It's terrifying."
The evil gods trembled in fear.
Whoosh.
The next moment.
Under the gaze of all the evil gods.
Lin Yuan's arm emerged from the depths of the lair, and in his grasp were two Void Creatures.
These two creatures struggled desperately, their auras just as powerful as the gathered evil gods, but Lin Yuan's fingers, like a cage of space and time, held them firmly in place.
Then, Lin Yuan's five fingers tightened slightly.
The two Void Creatures were instantly crushed, their bodies dissipating into nothingness. Invisible energy flowed into Lin Yuan's body, enhancing his mental willpower.
Without pause.
Lin Yuan reached into the lair once more.
When he withdrew his hand, he held three more Void Creatures.
Then he crushed them.
In the blink of an eye, six Void Creatures had died at Lin Yuan's hands.
Lin Yuan reached into the lair again.
When he pulled his hand out this time, he held three more Void Creatures.
Void Creatures that could have given the evil gods pause were like helpless chicks in Lin Yuan's grasp, crushed at will.
"Is that... a Void Creature King?"
Heavenly Python True Lord noticed that one of the Void Creatures in Lin Yuan's hand was faintly glowing with a golden light.
Void Creature Kings were the rulers of all Void Creatures, capable of commanding others of their kind.
Likewise, killing a Void Creature King would provide an immense boost to one's mental willpower, equivalent to killing dozens of ordinary Void Creatures of the same level.
Seeing the Void Creature King in Lin Yuan's hand, the other evil gods' eyes turned red with envy. But recalling Lin Yuan's overwhelming strength, none of them dared to make a move.
They looked to Heavenly Python True Lord for guidance.
"Yang True Lord."
Heavenly Python True Lord mustered his courage and said, "We were the ones who discovered this lair..."
Whoosh!!!
Heavenly Python True Lord's voice echoed through the space.
At that moment, Lin Yuan was examining the Void Creature King in his hand.
It was the first time he had encountered a ninth-stage Void Creature King.
Hearing Heavenly Python True Lord's words, Lin Yuan glanced at him.
Buzz.
Heavenly Python True Lord felt his scalp tingle. Lin Yuan's gaze felt like a scorching flame, threatening to incinerate everything. The terrifying mental willpower was like a heavenly fire, burning its way through his mind.
Quickly, Heavenly Python True Lord continued, "But since Yang True Lord has arrived, this lair is yours. We'll leave immediately, right away..."
Before he even finished speaking, Heavenly Python True Lord fled into the distance like a dog with its tail between its legs.
The other eighteen evil gods followed suit, rapidly distancing themselves from Lin Yuan.
The nineteen evil gods had initially dared to gather together because their power levels weren't too far apart—none of them had the ability to kill another.
But Lin Yuan?
With the power to casually grab and crush three or four ninth-stage Void Creatures, none of the evil gods doubted that he could kill an ordinary True Lord-level evil god.
At first, they had hoped that Heavenly Python True Lord could negotiate with Yang True Lord on their behalf.
Perhaps they could get him to share a few ordinary Void Creatures.
Yang True Lord would get the meat, and they'd be happy just to drink the soup.
But after seeing Heavenly Python True Lord's reaction, none of the evil gods dared to stay.
If they didn't run now, they might be the next ones Yang True Lord dealt with once he finished off the Void Creature King. The other eighteen evil gods followed suit, rapidly distancing themselves from Lin Yuan.
...
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