Lin Yuan looked at the avatar before him.
Though the avatar shared the same mind and will as his true body, its strength was far inferior. Why?
First, because only a small portion of his mental will was invested in the avatar.
Second, the avatar's body was casually formed, incapable of unleashing Lin Yuan's true power.
In comparison, a clone was far stronger, as its physical form was carefully cultivated and powerful enough.
Whether in the Chaos Void, the First Source World, or the Second Source World, cultivators placed great importance on clones—especially battle-oriented ones.
Losing a battle clone meant wasting countless years of effort.
And now—
The avatar Lin Yuan had casually formed hadn't gone through any cultivation.
Yet, thanks to his mastery of the Tao of Runes, its power had undergone a qualitative transformation, reaching a level close to Abyss Dragon.
"Even just this avatar of mine should be comparable to the eternal children in the Second Source World, right?" Lin Yuan marveled.
What were the eternal children?
They were beings nurtured with full force by major Eternal sects, even gaining the personal attention of Eternal Lords before finally being brought into existence.
Their strength far surpassed the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns in the First Source World.
The Master of Wu Shan, using his own Path of Painting, had drawn three masterpieces. The power of the beings within the first two barely reached the threshold of Abyss Dragon.
And now Lin Yuan's casually created avatar had already reached that level of power?
"My true body's strength?"
Lin Yuan sensed the changes within himself.
His deepened understanding of the Tao of Runes allowed him to wield it far more flawlessly. If the Thirteenth-Rank inheritance Infinite Void merely enhanced his inner universe...
Then his current mastery of the Tao of Runes elevated every aspect of himself—not just his internal universe, but his physical body, soul, mental will—everything.
"And this is just my initial insight into that inheritance."
Lin Yuan centered his thoughts. The inheritance created by the Lord of Heavenly Radiance focused primarily on the understanding of runes.
According to the Lord of Heavenly Radiance, the inheritance was divided into five levels. Upon grasping the fifth level, one could use rune power within the time loop.
Right now, Lin Yuan had only fully understood the first level.
Of course, Heavenly Radiance had admitted that for most cultivators, reaching the fifth level was unrealistic—it was a level of insight akin to the Eternal Lords.
But even reaching the third or fourth levels was enough to help one break through the time loop. The understanding of runes at that level, even if not directly usable, could still be partially leveraged.
"Unfortunately, even now, I'm still far from the strength of Thirteenth-Rank time lifeforms."
Lin Yuan pondered. What made Thirteenth-Rank time lifeforms truly powerful was their ability to glimpse future timelines.
Their decisions based on future possibilities outweighed raw power.
Even without that ability, Lin Yuan was no match for a Thirteenth-Rank lifeform.
"Take it step by step."
"With this inheritance, my chances of breaking the time loop have increased significantly."
Lin Yuan was in good spirits. The Lord of Heavenly Radiance had thought it unrealistic for cultivators to reach the fifth level of the inheritance—
—but that applied to other cultivators.
Lin Yuan was not one of them.
With his Unrivaled Insight, if he truly put his mind to it...
Even if he couldn't guarantee reaching the fifth level, his chances were still considerable.
Insight on par with Eternal Lords? Lin Yuan wasn't incapable—it was just a matter of how much time and effort he was willing to spend.
At the edge of the Chaos Void—
A rift connecting to the dimension beyond.
A massive eye stared from afar.
It was the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws.
"This dimensional rift..." The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws studied it closely.
The Chaos Void wasn't flawless. Even with countless time lifeforms mending it, dimensional rifts would still appear along its borders.
These rifts connected to the interdimensional gaps—spaces outside any known dimension.
These gaps were full of peril, but also brimming with opportunity.
This particular rift connected to a gap that contained a certain resource the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws needed.
To obtain it, the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws had called in favors and sent over ten Supreme Saints.
Whoosh!
At that moment—
A figure condensed into a silver-robed elder.
"Senior Ten Thousand Laws."
The silver-robed elder was known as Supreme Saint Fengzhu, a Supreme Saint who had once received protection from the Pavilion of Ten Thousand Laws in his youth, owing the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws a favor.
"Well?" the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws asked, looking at Fengzhu.
"The native lifeforms outside that rift, on the small continent, are incredibly troublesome. Taking that Law-Source Fruit will be extremely difficult," Fengzhu said honestly.
The Law-Source Fruit was a rare dimensional treasure that drifted in the interdimensional gaps, absorbing fragments of "law" from any dimension it neared.
Thus, the fruit itself contained the core laws of multiple dimensions.
This treasure could greatly replenish the power of the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws.
Of course, such fruit usually grew near dimensional lifeforms.
These beings, born in the gaps between dimensions, were naturally powerful.
What's more, outside the dimension, even Supreme Saints from the Chaos Void could only fight with limited strength.
They couldn't rely on the power of the Chaos Void.
So, even though the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws had gathered over ten Supreme Saints to retrieve the fruit—
—they were still met with fierce resistance.
"If you can retrieve the Law-Source Fruit, I will reward you handsomely," the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws said to Fengzhu.
"If Senior Ten Thousand Laws says so, I will do my utmost," Fengzhu nodded.
Having lived through countless cosmic eras, the rewards offered by the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws could tempt even Supreme Saints.
Just then—
Buzz~
A faint ripple slowly spread from outside the dimensional rift.
The rift, which had been stabilized, began to shrink.
"This isn't good."
"It's a dimensional tide."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws' expression changed slightly.
Dimensional rifts in the Chaos Void couldn't remain open indefinitely.
They responded to external environmental changes—sometimes stabilizing, sometimes vanishing.
Now, a dimensional tide had arisen in the interdimensional gap, affecting the current rift, which was about to close completely.
"This is troublesome."
Fengzhu's face darkened.
Once this rift closed and healed, it was uncertain when it might reopen again.
Ten thousand cosmic eras?
A hundred thousand?
Any of those were possible.
By then, Fengzhu might have already attempted a breakthrough to the Thirteenth Rank.
Compared to Fengzhu, the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws was just as anxious.
No matter how long the wait, the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws could endure.
But it couldn't guarantee the Law-Source Fruit would still be there when the rift reopened.
The fruit drifted across dimensions. Miss this chance, and it might vanish forever.
"The rift, even if healing, will take time—about three days before it completely closes."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws observed carefully, then looked to Fengzhu. "As long as the fruit is retrieved within three days, it's enough."
"Three days?"
Fengzhu understood what the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws meant.
"Impossible."
He shook his head. "We've only explored the outskirts of that small continent. Just getting past the outer dimensional lifeforms is hard enough. To reach the core region, retrieve the Law-Source Fruit, and retreat safely in three days? I can't do it."
Fengzhu spoke plainly.
It wasn't about the cost.
It was simply impossible.
"I understand."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws fell silent for a while. He knew that retrieving the fruit within three days wasn't reasonable.
"Law-Source Fruit..."
He looked again at the shrinking rift. It was visibly closing.
"Forget it."
He made up his mind.
In a desolate patch of void—
Lin Yuan's true body sat cross-legged, drifting with the currents of chaotic energy.
Just then—
Power of space-time gathered, forming a massive eye.
"The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws?"
Lin Yuan glanced at it and said casually, "What do you want?"
The two shared a deep karmic tie, so it wasn't surprising that the Eye came looking for him.
"Milky Way Great Saint."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws lowered its tone, unlike the way it spoke to Fengzhu.
"There's something I need your help with."
"Speak."
Lin Yuan looked at the eye.
Moments later—
"You want me to go outside that dimensional rift and retrieve the Law-Source Fruit?" Lin Yuan understood its intent.
"Yes."
"That fruit is extremely important to me."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws nodded.
Retrieving the fruit within three days was an impossible task for any Supreme Saint.
After much thought, the Eye realized Lin Yuan was the only one who might succeed.
Not long ago, Lin Yuan had revealed his power and was recognized by beings like the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws as the strongest Invincible Supreme Saint in history.
"You should think carefully."
Lin Yuan looked calmly at the Eye. "You once spread a martial evolution path for me in exchange for a future favor."
"You're sure you want to use that favor on this?"
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws fell into deep thought again.
The most valuable use of that favor was to wait until Lin Yuan reached the Thirteenth Rank.
But who could say for sure that Lin Yuan would reach it? Many Invincible Supreme Saints had appeared in history—very few ever became time lifeforms.
And this Law-Source Fruit was vital.
Miss it now, and it would be gone forever.
"Milky Way Great Saint, I'm sure."
The Eye finally answered seriously.
"Alright."
Lin Yuan nodded.
Then asked, "What's the situation outside that dimensional rift?"
"It's dangerous. Even a normal Invincible Supreme Saint would struggle to retrieve the fruit in three days," the Eye answered honestly.
He didn't dare conceal anything.
"Any Thirteenth-Rank presences?"
Lin Yuan rephrased his question.
"Thirteenth Rank?" The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws was startled.
"No."
He immediately answered.
What a joke.
If a Thirteenth-Rank presence guarded the fruit, he wouldn't even consider it.
Besides—
Any Thirteenth-Rank presence near the Chaos Void would immediately attract the attention of the time lifeforms within.
"Absolutely not."
The Eye assured Lin Yuan.
He thought Lin Yuan was worried he was being sent to his death.
"Got it."
Lin Yuan nodded. "I'll send an avatar into the rift to retrieve the fruit for you."
"Thank you, Milky Way..."
The Eye was about to express gratitude—
Then froze.
An... an avatar?
"Milky Way Great Saint, that rift is extremely dangerous. Can just an avatar really handle it?" the Eye asked cautiously.
He deeply respected Lin Yuan's strength.
Believed him to be the strongest Invincible Supreme Saint in history.
But just one avatar?
"It's enough." Lin Yuan gave the Eye a sideways glance.
Right now, even his avatar could fight at a level close to Abyss Dragon. All the Invincible Supreme Saints in the Chaos Void combined probably couldn't defeat one of his avatars.
And his true body was still observing everything.
Lin Yuan was quite curious—given his current strength, unless a Thirteenth-Rank time lifeform appeared, who could possibly stop him?
Even in the mysterious interdimensional gaps—was there truly anyone who could match him?
...
The vast, desolate void.
Lin Yuan drifted along with the faint currents of chaotic energy.
Aside from beings like the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws, who shared deep karmic ties with him, even other powerful beings passing nearby would sense nothing of his presence.
His body and spirit seemed to merge completely with the endless chaos and vast void.
"That dimensional rift?"
Lin Yuan casually glanced in a certain direction. He had already sent an avatar there.
He remained cautious about dimensional rifts.
The Thirteenth-Rank weapon Heavenly Void Cauldron obtained by His Majesty the Mysterious Sovereign had been retrieved from such a rift.
Back then, even with his Invincible Supreme Saint strength, the Mysterious Sovereign had nearly been severely injured—proof of how dangerous those rifts were.
Lin Yuan's current strength far surpassed the Mysterious Sovereign of that time, but he was not arrogant.
Sending only an avatar was a sign of confidence—but also a way to test the waters.
Even if some danger was hiding within that rift, unnoticed by the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws...
At worst, he would lose an avatar.
He could form another with a single thought.
It wouldn't affect him in the slightest.
"Let's hope it goes smoothly."
Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Even though the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws had promised that the karmic tie would be resolved whether or not Lin Yuan succeeded—
—he still hoped things would go well.
After all, the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws had once done him a great favor.
Without that help, even with Lin Yuan's current strength, spreading the martial evolution path would've cost him immense effort and time—and might still have fallen short of what the Eye achieved.
Even Invincible Supreme Saints could only dominate their era—they still needed to pursue the Thirteenth Rank.
But beings like the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws were different—nearly eternal. As long as the Chaos Void endured, they would continue to exist.
"Hm?"
"Infinite Void, fourth level—almost complete?"
Lin Yuan's mind stirred, and he sent an avatar of his consciousness into his internal universe.
The vast internal universe was on the verge of a great transformation.
"Stop."
Lin Yuan immediately halted the final stage of Infinite Void's breakthrough.
"The Infinite Void inheritance I cultivate was created by a time lifeform of the Chaos Void. Its ultimate goal is the Chaos Void itself. In theory, mastering the seventh level would allow one's internal universe to grow comparable in scale to the Chaos Void."
Lin Yuan pondered.
Of course, even the time lifeform who created it had never reached the seventh level.
If one truly achieved it, they would be among the most powerful even at the Thirteenth Rank.
Even without becoming a Time Lord, they'd be close.
In the Second Source World, the Master of Wu Shan pursued the creation of a painting of an entire Source World.
Once he achieved it, he would become a Time Lord.
Meanwhile, the Infinite Void inheritance aimed to birth a Chaos Void within.
Different methods, but with the same ultimate goal.
"If I had never descended into the First and Second Source Worlds, I might have thought this inheritance was flawless. After all, it was crafted by a great time lifeform—how could it be wrong?"
"But..."
Lin Yuan shook his head slightly.
After experiencing both Source Worlds, he realized—even time lifeforms could be wrong.
It wasn't that Infinite Void was flawed, but... was an internal universe modeled after the Chaos Void truly perfect?
Even the Chaos Void itself wasn't perfect—its flaws required time lifeforms to constantly patch it by creating special zones.
How could an internal universe based on that be perfect?
But the time lifeform who created Infinite Void had only ever accessed the Chaos Void dimension.
They had no reference for anything more perfect.
Even though time lifeforms could traverse interdimensional gaps, reaching and exploring other dimensions was exceedingly difficult.
First, they were nearly impossible to find.
Second, even if found, those dimensions would fiercely reject outsiders.
Not to mention being blocked by the Thirteenth-Rank time lifeforms born of those dimensions.
For example, if time lifeforms from other dimensions tried to enter the Chaos Void, they'd be blocked by the native time lifeforms.
But Lin Yuan was different.
With the Gate of Myriad Realms, he could silently merge into countless worlds across dimensions.
He had even accessed two Source Worlds more perfect than the Chaos Void.
In the First Source World, he observed the world's core operations and the micro-Source World within Abyss Dragon's heart.
His comprehension of that Source World surpassed even the Chaos Void.
In the Second Source World, he studied the semi-finished Eternal Painting created by the Master of Wu Shan—depicting that very Source World.
There was also the Lord of Heavenly Radiance's insight into the all-encompassing nature of runes.
Lin Yuan had gained deep understanding from all this. While he didn't fully grasp the core of the Second Source World, his insight surpassed any expert of the Freedom Realms.
"My internal universe cannot aim to become a replica of the Chaos Void."
Lin Yuan thought silently. Using the Chaos Void as a goal might not even guarantee becoming a Time Lord.
"Basing it on all worlds and endless dimensional layers—that is the direction of my internal universe's transformation."
In his mind flashed countless scenes from both Source Worlds, especially their fundamental operations. He began gradually integrating them into his internal universe.
This had to be done before completing the fourth level of Infinite Void.
Only by doing so could he lay the foundation before the universe's structure was fixed—making future integration of more Source World essences possible.
"Source Worlds are called such because they are more perfect than other same-tier worlds, closer to true perfection. If my internal universe draws from them, it will edge closer to perfection—and may eventually become perfect."
"A Perfect World... that's a world only Fourteenth-Rank Perfect Time Lifeforms can create. If my internal universe reaches true perfection, then becoming one of them may not be far off."
Of course, that was just Lin Yuan's theory. He had little concrete understanding of becoming a Fourteenth-Rank Perfect Time Lifeform.
Perfect Time Lifeforms could traverse timelines at will, exist in past, present, and future simultaneously, and even create the future they desired. Such beings were beyond comprehension.
The Master of Wu Shan only aimed to create a Source World and become a Time Lord.
As for becoming a Perfect Time Lifeform? Lin Yuan only knew one thing—it required perfection.
If his internal universe truly became perfect, perhaps he'd be close to that realm?
"One step at a time."
Lin Yuan continued merging the core operations of both Source Worlds into his internal universe.
Right now, the Perfect Time Lifeform realm was too far—he wasn't even a time lifeform yet.
Rumble—
His internal universe rumbled continuously.
Its essence was changing.
This was different from the structural overhaul of Infinite Void.
This was a transformation of its very foundation.
Like changing an iron blade into a golden one.
In just a few hundred breaths—
The fundamental principles of both Source Worlds fully merged into his internal universe.
In truth, Lin Yuan had long been preparing for this integration.
So when he finally began, it progressed swiftly.
"Let's advance to Infinite Void, fifth level."
After careful sensing, Lin Yuan began the final transformation of his internal universe.
The fifth level of Infinite Void was a turning point.
A typical Supreme Saint who reached this level would be at the Invincible Supreme Saint level.
Lin Yuan had fused the core principles of both Source Worlds just before breaking through.
Buzz—
As his internal universe underwent its final transformation—
A formless aura swept out.
Soon after—
The transformation completed.
"A merged internal universe... and reaching Infinite Void's fifth level."
Lin Yuan felt another leap in power.
"Now, even my avatar alone should be comparable to Abyss Dragon."
He thought quietly.
Though the avatar hadn't been nurtured—
Its internal universe had still been properly formed.
While not as vast as that of his true body—
With the integration of the Source Worlds and his fifth-level breakthrough—
The avatar's power skyrocketed, fully reaching Abyss Dragon's level.
"An avatar equal to a Abyss Dragon?"
Lin Yuan shook his head slightly. The first Source World only birthed a single Abyss Dragon after countless epochs of fortune and karma.
Yet now, he could casually create an avatar of equal strength.
"Well, that improves the chances of retrieving the Law-Source Fruit."
Lin Yuan was in good spirits.
Within his internal universe—
Beside the jade gourd—
The red-clothed girl sat swinging her legs.
Suddenly—
A strange wave swept through.
"What's this?"
She jumped up instantly.
"Fifth level of Infinite Void?"
Her eyes widened in awe.
Even though she had long known Lin Yuan would reach that level eventually—
—when the moment actually arrived, it still felt unbelievable.
His cultivation speed was simply too fast.
Infinite Void was a Thirteenth-Rank inheritance—not something just anyone could reach the fifth level in.
Even those who passed the initial test and were highly compatible with the path—very few could reach the fifth level.
Maybe one in several hundred.
But Lin Yuan?
For him, it was no longer about whether he could reach it—
—it was about how impossibly fast he did.
The red-clothed girl's understanding of the world began to crack.
"Wait—what?!"
Suddenly, her expression changed.
Although the aura sweeping through the universe felt similar to Infinite Void's fifth level—
Upon close inspection, she realized it was... different.
Similar, but not the same.
"How can this be?"
She couldn't believe it.
"No need to worry."
Lin Yuan's figure appeared nearby, smiling at her. "I just modified Infinite Void a bit."
Originally, Infinite Void pursued the Chaos Void as its ultimate goal.
Now, he had changed that goal to a higher, more perfect world—and naturally, the method had to change as well.
"Modified?"
The girl fell silent.
A Thirteenth-Rank inheritance, a masterpiece of a time lifeform—already perfected in every way. Even other time lifeforms might not be able to modify it...
And Lin Yuan just... did?
Even more astonishing—after the modification, the fifth level gave her a grander, more profound feeling.
This was unlike Lin Yuan's previous use of other Thirteenth-Rank techniques.
This was a change from the very foundation of the inheritance. A totally different matter.
"Indeed."
"I think the new Infinite Void suits me better."
Lin Yuan smiled. Only secret techniques and inheritances he crafted himself could perfectly match him.
As for those created by others—even great Thirteenth-Rank beings—they could never fit everyone perfectly.
Only relatively well.
"Mm…"
The red-clothed girl was a little dazed, but nodded.
At the edge of the Chaos Void—
Before a rapidly shrinking dimensional rift—
Over ten figures stood nearby, watching it from a distance.
All of them were Supreme Saints, invited by the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws to retrieve the Law-Source Fruit.
But now—
Each of them wore a grim expression.
The dimensional rift was closing rapidly, and their battle bodies were still trapped inside, fighting dimensional lifeforms on that small continent.
The interdimensional gap was vastly different from the Chaos Void. Even Supreme Saints were greatly suppressed in such unfamiliar environments.
"If this rift fully closes in three days and we don't get our battle bodies back..." one Supreme Saint muttered.
Compared to the Chaos Void, the interdimensional gap was extremely dangerous. Any lifeform below Thirteenth Rank risked death at all times.
If the rift closed, their battle bodies would be trapped outside the Chaos Void—essentially dead already.
It would only be a matter of time.
Even for Supreme Saints, cultivating a battle body required immense effort and energy.
"Fengzhu, did you tell Senior Ten Thousand Laws? That Law-Source Fruit is nearly impossible to retrieve. We should just retreat."
The second Supreme Saint spoke.
With only three days left, the chance of retrieving the fruit was almost zero.
Under these circumstances, they were unwilling to continue the fight—they'd rather preserve their battle bodies.
"It's fine. Senior Ten Thousand Laws said he's called for reinforcements. There's still hope."
Supreme Saint Fengzhu replied. He had the closest relationship with the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws and was privy to more information.
"More reinforcements? The native lifeforms on that continent are terrifying. Even with more Saints, it's nearly impossible to retrieve the fruit in three days."
The first speaker said in a low voice.
"Fengzhu, who exactly did Senior Ten Thousand Laws call?"
A third Saint asked. He figured the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws wouldn't insist unless he had something solid in hand.
As soon as he said it—
All the other Supreme Saints looked to Fengzhu.
"Senior Ten Thousand Laws said..."
Fengzhu glanced around at everyone and slowly said, "He called Milky Way."
...Milky Way Great Saint.
The moment those four words were spoken, over a dozen Supreme Saints couldn't help but tremble inwardly.
Milky Way Great Saint?
The Milky Way Great Saint of this era—the Invincible Supreme Saint himself?
He was one of those who had seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Before displaying the might of an Invincible Supreme Saint, he had barely ever made a move.
Yet it took only one battle—just one—for the Milky Way Great Saint to ascend to the ranks of those who could dominate the Chaos Void.
That single battle crushed all thought of rivalry; even Supreme Saints no longer dared to imagine competing with him.
Beyond the Milky Way Chaos Continent, two Supreme Saints had descended together.
But before the Milky Way Great Saint, they hadn't even been able to resist—they had simply dissolved into nothing in an instant.
Who could stand against such a means?
And as that one-sided battle ended, more and more details began to surface.
For instance, it turned out that the two Supreme Saints weren't the only ones involved—there had also been an imprint left by "Rahu Great Saint."
Rahu Great Saint was a well-known Supreme Saint, said to have mastered a thirteenth-rank inheritance.
He possessed power equal to a conventional Invincible Supreme Saint.
Yet even he had melted away before the Milky Way Great Saint—like snow beneath the sun.
It was utterly inconceivable.
There was another rumor.
Rahu Great Saint had originally planned to sweep across the Chaos Void and claim the title of "Invincible."
But it was Lin Yuan's strike that extinguished that ambition, driving him to immediately attempt a breakthrough to the thirteenth rank instead.
"The Milky Way Great Saint… Senior Eye of Ten Thousand Laws actually managed to invite the Milky Way Great Saint?"
One of the Supreme Saints couldn't help but exclaim.
Since that battle, countless powerful beings had sought an audience with the Milky Way Great Saint.
Chaos Great Saints? Supreme Saints? Even special entities such as the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws.
However—
The Milky Way Great Saint seemed wholly uninterested in interacting with such beings, never once receiving a single one of them.
And with his level of strength, if he chose not to meet anyone, there was nothing even those special beings could do but quietly withdraw.
Those entities were bound by the rules set by the Time beings—they could not directly interfere. So, even when facing a Supreme Saint who could sweep the Chaos Void, they maintained humility.
Moreover, they could see far deeper than the Supreme Saints themselves, and many had deduced that Lin Yuan was not merely an Invincible Supreme Saint—he was the strongest among all Invincible Supreme Saints born of the Chaos Void.
With such power, only a lunatic would dare to provoke him.
"Senior Eye of Ten Thousand Laws naturally has his own methods."
Even Fengzhu Supreme Saint didn't know how the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws had managed to invite the Milky Way Great Saint.
But since the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws had said as much, it must have been true.
"However…"
Fengzhu Supreme Saint thought for a moment, then continued, "Senior Eye of Ten Thousand Laws said the Milky Way Great Saint will only be sending a single incarnation."
"An incarnation?"
The many Supreme Saints were stunned.
No matter how much they revered his strength—just an incarnation?
After all, an Invincible Supreme Saint was still only at the twelfth rank. How powerful could a casually condensed incarnation be?
It might not even rival a true Supreme Saint.
Even if the Milky Way Great Saint was immensely strong, wasn't it reckless to send only an incarnation to retrieve the Law Source Fruit within three days?
"If the Milky Way Great Saint chose this, then he must have his reasons."
Fengzhu Supreme Saint looked toward the gathered Supreme Saints and spoke.
He too had been shocked when he first heard the news.
But upon reflection, someone of the Milky Way Great Saint's height surely had considerations beyond their comprehension.
How could beings like them possibly fathom his thoughts?
If he acted this way, he must have full confidence.
And given his status, if he had promised the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws to act, he would never do so half-heartedly. If he hadn't wanted to, he would've simply refused.
"True enough."
The Supreme Saints nodded, understanding dawning on their faces.
"Yes, that makes sense."
"I suspect the Milky Way Great Saint sent only an incarnation to scout the situation beyond the dimensional fissure—once he's confirmed there's no threat, his true body will descend to sweep through and claim the Law Source Fruit."
Fengzhu Supreme Saint voiced his reasoning.
The dimensional fissure was riddled with danger—even an Invincible Supreme Saint couldn't guarantee leaving unscathed.
Given the Milky Way Great Saint's cautious nature, it was only logical to send an incarnation first to verify safety before acting personally.
Upon hearing this, the other Supreme Saints nodded in agreement.
Indeed.
It all made perfect sense.
"With the Milky Way Great Saint's help, retrieving the Law Source Fruit within three days is nearly certain."
Smiles spread across their faces.
Though they had come at the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws' request as a favor, if the mission succeeded, that entity would surely reward them handsomely.
At the level of Supreme Saints, most treasures of the Chaos Void had long since lost their value.
But whatever the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws offered would no doubt satisfy them.
"This time, we might even get to witness the true power of the Milky Way Great Saint."
One Supreme Saint said expectantly. In all of Chaos Void's history, among all Invincible Supreme Saints, none were as mysterious as the Milky Way Great Saint—he had acted only a handful of times.
Suddenly—
At that very moment—
The power of time and space converged, forming a figure not far from the dozen Supreme Saints.
"The Milky Way Great Saint has arrived?"
Excitement surged in their hearts as they turned to look.
The figure was a young man with his hands clasped behind his back. Between his brows faintly revolved a Yin-Yang Tai Chi mark.
"This is just one incarnation of the Milky Way Great Saint?"
The Supreme Saints were shaken. Even as a mere incarnation, the pressure he exuded was immense—it came from his utter mastery of time and space.
"As expected of the Milky Way Great Saint."
Fengzhu Supreme Saint silently sighed in awe—he had still underestimated him.
From his senses alone, he wasn't even sure he could defeat this incarnation.
In other words, the Milky Way Great Saint's incarnation was equivalent to a Supreme Saint? In the entire history of the Chaos Void, such a thing had never been seen.
"That fissure there?"
Lin Yuan took one step forward, appearing before the Supreme Saints, and spoke casually.
"Yes."
"The Law Source Fruit Senior Eye of Ten Thousand Laws desires lies on a small continent beyond the fissure…"
Fengzhu Supreme Saint's heart tightened as he swiftly explained the situation.
He emphasized that the small continent was inhabited by native dimensional creatures—beings born strong, instinctively manipulating time and space. Combined with their home-field advantage, even Supreme Saints found them troublesome to face in large numbers.
"Milky Way Great Saint, our true bodies are stationed within. We can join you when needed."
Fengzhu Supreme Saint added.
All their true bodies were currently on that small continent.
"Understood."
Lin Yuan nodded.
He stepped forward again—
And entered the dimensional fissure.
Elsewhere—
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws was watching the rift from afar.
"Milky Way's incarnation has arrived already? Such speed… he must have been nearby."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws gazed at Lin Yuan's incarnation.
"I can't even see through his incarnation anymore…"
It shook its head slowly.
Long ago, it had already lost the ability to perceive Lin Yuan's true body.
Now, it couldn't even see through an incarnation.
Within its vision, even this single incarnation distorted the laws of time and space around it like a black hole.
"That little fellow from back then… to think he's grown to this level."
The Eye of Ten Thousand Laws was filled with wonder. When it had first met Lin Yuan, he hadn't even reached the Chaos stage.
Most of the dimensional gap was shrouded in gloom.
Once Lin Yuan's incarnation entered, he soon saw the small continent where the Law Source Fruit grew.
The landmass was roughly the size of a Void Domain, but since it lay outside the Chaos Void, the dimensional gap's environment suppressed all laws and rules. Even Supreme Saints found it difficult to instantly cross the continent to seize the fruit.
"Milky Way Great Saint."
"Milky Way Great Saint."
The true bodies of several Supreme Saints gathered around.
"Milky Way Great Saint, the Law Source Fruit is right there."
Fengzhu Supreme Saint gestured. Lin Yuan followed his gaze to the heart of the small continent, where a tree swayed gently.
Its bark was dark, faint ripples of law pulsing across its surface, and from its branches hung a single fist-sized fruit.
"The Law Source Fruit."
Lin Yuan understood immediately.
The fruit had absorbed the essence of laws from multiple dimensions, making it of immense value to beings like the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws, whose existence was rooted in the Way itself.
The so-called "laws and principles" were the very breaths of evolutionary paths across dimensions.
"Milky Way Great Saint, the closer you get, the more dimensional creatures appear. We've only secured the outer perimeter for now," Fengzhu Supreme Saint explained.
Lin Yuan observed the native creatures.
He had encountered similar beings before during his previous transmigrations through the Infinite Void—weak variants, captured and brought into secret realms. Those were known as void creatures.
"Not bad."
Lin Yuan nodded.
After just a few glances, he had gauged their strength.
They were indeed formidable.
Even a regular Invincible Supreme Saint might struggle to claim the Law Source Fruit within three days against such numbers.
"Milky Way Great Saint, what should we do now?"
Fengzhu Supreme Saint asked.
The rest of the Supreme Saints waited obediently.
Before this, they had followed Fengzhu Supreme Saint's lead.
But now that the Milky Way Great Saint was here, his word was absolute.
"You needn't do anything."
Lin Yuan glanced at them lightly. "I'll handle it myself. I'll take the Law Source Fruit directly."
"Understood."
Fengzhu Supreme Saint was inwardly stunned, but he chose to trust in Lin Yuan's power.
"When will your true body descend, Milky Way Great Saint?"
He asked, excitement spreading among the others.
They too wanted to witness the arrival of his true self, to see him crush the native dimensional beings and seize the Law Source Fruit.
"My true body?"
Lin Yuan smiled faintly. "That won't be necessary."
In the next instant—
Before the stunned eyes of the Supreme Saints—
Lin Yuan extended a hand.
Whoosh!
That palm expanded, vast as the heavens themselves, reaching toward the depths of the small continent.
Dimensional creatures roared and hurled themselves upward, but each vanished silently beneath the descending palm.
In a single moment, the tree bearing the Law Source Fruit, along with a large patch of land around its roots, was lifted away and brought before Lin Yuan.
"That'll do."
Lin Yuan smiled as he gazed at the tree in his hand.
The nearby Supreme Saints were utterly blank, their minds empty.
As they stared at Lin Yuan—calmly examining the tree—
A single thought surged up unbidden.
This… was just an incarnation?
...
What the Law Source Fruit tree meant by "can't compare," was not size, scale, or depth of foundation.
By those measures, the Chaos Void was the largest and most undisputed existence in the surrounding dimensional gap.
Dimensional spaces have ranks as well, and the Chaos Void is definitely top-tier.
In those aspects, Lin Yuan's inner universe is still far from the Chaos Void.
But setting those aside, judging purely by the perfection of the spatial world—
the Law Source Fruit tree actually felt the Chaos Void was inferior to this inner universe.
In the minute operation of laws and the Dao, this inner universe was more complete.
"How is that possible?"
The Law Source Fruit tree was in disbelief.
What kind of existence is the Chaos Void? It is a colossal entity in itself, further refined and perfected by one time being after another.
It has already reached a certain extreme—how could it be surpassed?
"Who is this lord… what is his origin?"
Its mind trembled. The saying "the student surpasses the master" almost never applies to world-nurturing.
Worlds birthed by the Chaos Void have their foundations set—surpassing the Chaos Void is basically impossible.
Yet Lin Yuan's inner universe broke that rule, shaking the Law Source Fruit tree on a deeper level.
For example: perhaps Lin Yuan's background is terrifying; perhaps he is a time being from another dimensional space, who infiltrated the Chaos Void for some design?
And a time being who can silently blend into a dimensional space like the Chaos Void must at least be a lord, and would have paid a tremendous price.
"A Time Lord?"
The Law Source Fruit tree shuddered.
Even in the mysterious dimensional gap, actions at the Time Lord level are extremely rare. The tree had only ever watched time beings battle from afar.
But a Time Lord?
It had never even seen one.
At the Time Lord level, what they scheme for is their own timeline—past, present, and future become one. They seal their own timeline, cut it off from all, and attempt to impact the Perfect Domain.
Such beings even possess a sliver of the capability of a Perfect Time Being—able to go to the past and alter it within a small range.
Of course, short of the fourteenth rank, even a Time Lord must pay a brutal price to change the past.
In truth, once at the thirteenth rank, the struggle among time beings is no longer in the spatial domain, but gradually shifts to the level of timelines.
They scheme in the past, and scheme for the future.
This is what it means to be a time being.
Some time beings abandon gains and losses in the present solely to secure a successful future.
Victory and defeat among time beings are not confined to the present; one must stretch the timeline and judge from a distant future.
"No wonder… no wonder."
The Law Source Fruit tree suddenly understood.
If Lin Yuan were a great Time Lord, then everything made sense. Such terrifying power would be much more reasonable on a Time Lord.
"Only—what would a great Time Lord be plotting, paying a terrible price to enter this dimensional space?"
The tree couldn't help but wonder.
From the height of a Time Lord, what would justify such infiltration?
"Forget it."
"These aren't things I can fathom."
The tree shook its head. With the far future that a Time Lord beholds, there must be profound meaning in this. It wasn't even a time being; it could never grasp a Time Lord's plans.
"This might be a great opportunity for me."
It suddenly thought: being taken by a Time Lord isn't a bad thing—at the very least, it would count as the Time Lord's "tree," no?
Second Source World, Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
Lin Yuan's true body had long since returned from the trial space opened by the Lord of Wu Shan.
But he had left an incarnation there to constantly comprehend the inheritance left by the Lord of Heavenly Radiance.
"The Tao of Runes."
Sitting cross-legged, Lin Yuan's mind was immersed in the Lord of Heavenly Radiance's understanding of runes.
"Condensing runes with mental power, blood energy, soul power, and so on is the simplest use of runes—and the most superficial understanding."
The Lord of Heavenly Radiance's gentle radiance shone everywhere, and Lin Yuan studied intently.
The original volume of the inheritance left by the Lord of Wu Shan contained the Lord of Heavenly Radiance's imprint. With that imprint, it was tantamount to directly "facing" the Lord of Heavenly Radiance, greatly aiding comprehension.
This was why an original inheritance was precious.
No matter how valuable a copied inheritance is, it always strays a bit from the founder's intent.
"The inheritance I created is divided into five tiers. The first tier: the carrier of runes is no longer one's own power, but all things under heaven—mountains and rocks alike can form runes."
"The second tier: anything with form, including living beings, can serve as a carrier and condense runes."
"The third tier: formless things such as the seven emotions and six desires can also condense runes. At this tier, even if you fall into a time loop and cannot directly use the Tao of Runes, you can still use it indirectly."
The Lord of Heavenly Radiance spoke gently, like a patient teacher.
"Heaven and earth are runes, things with form are runes, and the seven emotions and six desires are runes as well?"
A flood of inspiration surged through Lin Yuan's mind.
His understanding of runes rose rapidly.
[Your Unrivaled Insight defies the heavens. Comprehending the rune inheritance has greatly deepened your grasp of the Tao of Runes.]
With his Unrivaled Insight, he comprehended the third tier in just over half a month.
"The seven emotions and six desires?"
With a thought, Lin Yuan stripped away his own anger and formed a tiny rune.
"No wonder the Lord of Heavenly Radiance was confident that merely grasping the third tier would aid in breaking a time loop."
He nodded slightly. Though he didn't know what kind of time loop he would face, as long as there is life, there are seven emotions and six desires—thus they can serve as carriers for runes.
Blood energy, soul power, mental power, even world and universe power might be sealed and unusable. But the seven emotions and six desires? Without them, would one still be alive?
Surely he wouldn't end up in a time loop with no life at all? Even if there were no other beings, he himself is alive and can generate the seven emotions and six desires to act as carriers.
Of course, within a time loop, even if he found carriers for runes, their final power would be greatly diminished—but at least he wouldn't be completely helpless.
"The fourth tier."
Lin Yuan looked to the fourth tier of the inheritance.
The reason he had grasped the first three tiers so quickly, and could now undertake the fourth, was his own Unrivaled Insight and that Eternal Painting of the Lord of Wu Shan.
The latter gave him a broad understanding of the rune Dao of this Source World; then, with the Lord of Heavenly Radiance's inheritance and his Unrivaled Insight, he advanced by leaps and bounds.
"What are runes? They are everything. Whatever you see and feel can likewise become carriers for runes." The Lord of Heavenly Radiance smiled, explaining carefully.
"What I see and feel?"
Lin Yuan nodded. That scope is much broader—especially within a time loop. Perhaps the loop he falls into will have few living beings—only him. In that case, even if he can generate the seven emotions and six desires, they are limited.
Whereas what he sees and feels, anything he witnesses or perceives can become a carrier.
"Lord of Heavenly Radiance."
Once again, Lin Yuan sensed how formidable this Eternal Lord was. The Lord of Wu Shan sought to paint an Source World.
The Lord of Heavenly Radiance sought—everything.
"Yet even a time being this powerful was trapped? Or did they willingly allow themselves to be trapped?"
Lin Yuan's heart grew heavy. According to the spirit of the trial space the Lord of Wu Shan had opened, all the Eternal Lords, including the Lord of Wu Shan, were trapped.
Only thus could there be the slightest chance in the future.
If they were not trapped, perhaps the Eternal Lords could survive, but this Source World was doomed to perish without even a sliver of hope.
Precisely because of this, the Eternal Lords like the Lord of Wu Shan chose to be trapped, all their power sealed, unable to affect the heavens and earth after the "demon" calamity descended.
"Continue comprehending."
Lin Yuan collected his thoughts and began studying the fourth tier.
Compared to the first three, he progressed a bit slower on the fourth.
But with his insight, it was only a matter of time.
In fact, many powerhouses had cultivated this inheritance created by the Lord of Heavenly Radiance.
But most stopped at the first tier—or the second.
As for the third? Since this inheritance began spreading, those who truly grasped the third tier were exceedingly few.
And no one had comprehended the fourth.
Not everyone possesses Lin Yuan's accumulation and insight.
In the eyes of those in the Three Stages of Freedom, this inheritance was akin to a celestial tome. Even knowing that comprehension would greatly aid in becoming an Eternal Lord, one still has to be able to comprehend it.
Even among the Eternal Lords, a great many had not grasped the fourth tier.
The grand hall atop Qingyun's holy peak.
The sect master and elders had been quite at ease lately.
Because of Lin Yuan's presence, "demons" had virtually vanished around Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
At first, the sect master and elders speculated wildly, but once they confirmed it was Lin Yuan's doing, they relaxed at once.
With Lin Yuan here, the Qingyun Sacred Sect was as solid as Mount Tai, with no fear of being breached by Great Demons or giant fiends.
How could the sect master and elders not be delighted?
With demon calamity everywhere, even sacred sects and supreme sacred sects, though they endured, faced unending pressure every moment.
The Eternal Sect at the world's center was no exception.
Its foundations were unfathomable, and it had methods laid down in advance by the Eternal Lords—but its burden was even greater.
A host of Source Demons, and even that Demon God?
"Hm?"
Just then, the sect master's expression shifted slightly. On the distant high dais of the great hall, a cyan rune slowly lit up.
"This rune can sense messages from the Eternal Sect at the world's center. Is an Eternal Envoy about to arrive?" The sect master's heart trembled.
Who knew how long it had been since the last Eternal Envoy came.
So long the sect master had begun to wonder whether something had gone terribly wrong with the Eternal Sect at the world's center.
Deep in the Qingyun Court.
Upon learning that an Eternal Envoy would soon arrive, the sect master immediately informed Lin Yuan.
"An Eternal Envoy? The Eternal Sect is sending a powerhouse here?" Lin Yuan looked at the sect master.
...
Strictly speaking, the arrival of the Eternal Envoy should have been top secret within the Qingyun Sacred Sect.
After all, it concerned the Eternal Sects at the center of the world.
In a world overrun by the demon catastrophe, the fewer people who knew about such things, the better.
But the Sect Master understood clearly—Qingyun Sacred Sect's survival now completely depended on Lin Yuan.
An Eternal Envoy?
Compared to Lin Yuan's protection of the sect, what did an Eternal Envoy count for?
Even if all past Envoys' aid was added together, it couldn't compare to Lin Yuan wiping out every trace of "demon" near Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
So between the Eternal Envoy and Lin Yuan—
The Sect Master chose the latter without hesitation.
He told Lin Yuan everything about the Eternal Envoy's imminent arrival, leaving nothing out.
Lin Yuan fell into brief thought.
In truth, he didn't harbor much resentment toward the Eternal Sects at the world's center.
In fact, his goals aligned with those of the Eternal Lords.
They didn't want this source world to be destroyed by the demon catastrophe.
Neither did Lin Yuan.
Among the myriad worlds and infinite dimensional spaces, very few had reached the level of a source world.
A world like this could definitely become one of Lin Yuan's strongholds to counter unknown threats.
The barriers between different dimensional realms were enough to block perception and attacks from Rank Thirteen Time Beings.
Even Time Lords would struggle to cross them.
"What business does the Eternal Envoy have here?"
Lin Yuan looked at the Sect Master and asked.
"Based on past visits, they usually investigate nearby demon activity and share some rune secret arts to help counter the demons."
The Sect Master answered honestly.
"Besides that, they also tend to recruit some powerful cultivators from the sects—especially talented disciples—to bring back for training at the Eternal Sects."
He continued.
So Qingyun Sacred Sect had always felt both hope and dread about the Envoys' arrival.
The rune secret arts they shared were indeed useful.
But taking away talented disciples and strong cultivators? That posed the risk of a talent gap in the sect.
Disciples born in the small world within Qingyun Sacred Mountain already had less talent than outsiders.
And if the Eternal Sects kept siphoning them off?
In the short term, it might not matter much, but over time, the effects would be severe.
Right now, Qingyun Sacred Sect had only three or four peak experts in the Longevity Sixth Realm, far fewer than before the world upheaval.
The main reason was the widespread demon catastrophe—but the repeated recruitment by Eternal Envoys also played a role.
"I see."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
Nothing unexpected there.
For sects like Qingyun Sacred Sect, their value to the Eternal Sects boiled down to two things:
First, to serve as a distraction to draw more demons away.
Second, to act as a talent reserve.
That was why the Eternal Sects were willing to send envoys to aid the major sacred sects.
Without sufficient benefit, the Eternal Sects—facing threats from one Source Demon after another—would never bother with such kindness.
"Give me the rune used to communicate with the Eternal Sects."
Lin Yuan thought for a moment and spoke.
During the demon catastrophe, many means of communication were suppressed.
He was curious about how the Eternal Envoys directly contacted the sacred sects and pinpointed their exact locations.
After all, over the long years, to avoid powerful demons, Qingyun Sacred Mountain had shifted locations seven or eight times.
"Yes, sir."
The Sect Master immediately took out a green rune and respectfully handed it to Lin Yuan.
"This rune?"
Lin Yuan examined it carefully.
At first glance, the green rune appeared ordinary.
But in Lin Yuan's vision, it was composed of billions of smaller runes.
Each micro-rune spun endlessly, interweaving and colliding with others, forming a delicate balance.
"Interesting."
Lin Yuan studied it.
He had already begun cultivating the fourth level of the inheritance left by the Lord of Heavenly Radiance, where all that one sees and senses is rune, and can be made use of.
This green rune was highly complex and obscure. Other than the Eternal Sect's experts and the Qingyun Sacred Sect's Master, no one else could use it.
Even the Sect Master could only utilize it in a crude way, mainly to receive occasional messages from the Eternal Envoy.
Anything beyond that... was impossible.
But in Lin Yuan's eyes, he began rapidly seizing control of every micro-rune.
Whoosh—
The next moment, the complete green rune suddenly disintegrated, forming billions of micro-runes floating in front of Lin Yuan.
In mere moments, those billions of micro-runes recombined, reforming the original green rune.
But now, this green rune was completely under Lin Yuan's control.
"This—"
The Sect Master, watching from the side, was utterly shocked.
Even though he didn't know why the green rune collapsed,
he could see clearly that the recombined rune was no longer the same.
If the original green rune still essentially belonged to the Eternal Sect, with the Sect Master having only limited access— then now, this green rune had completely shifted from being theirs to being Lin Yuan's.
But how was that possible?
The green rune came from the Eternal Sect. According to the previous Eternal Envoy, these runes were personally crafted by Eternal Lords, used as a last resort communication tool between the sacred sects and the Eternal Sects.
And now?
That same technique of an Eternal Lord had been cracked by Lin Yuan?
The Sect Master felt a deep confusion.
Even with the demon catastrophe raging, he had never doubted the capabilities of the Eternal Lords.
Sure, the green rune could be destroyed—but to reforge and take control of it, like Lin Yuan just did?
That was far beyond the Sect Master's understanding.
In his view, only other Eternal Lords could do something like this.
But Lin Yuan?
"Don't overthink it. I just used a clever trick."
Lin Yuan gave the Sect Master a glance and casually explained.
If he had tried to forcibly refine the green rune, he wouldn't have been able to.
But using the Lord of Heavenly Radiance's understanding of rune essence—where all that is seen and sensed can be used, he could restructure the rune, bypassing the Eternal Lord's technique.
Having cultivated the fourth level of that inheritance, Lin Yuan was already on par with many Eternal Lords.
"Yes, sir."
The Sect Master composed himself and answered respectfully.
Although Lin Yuan called it a trick, the Sect Master didn't see it that way at all.
To overpower a method crafted by an Eternal Lord and reforge the green rune—this was a clear sign of supreme strength.
A trick?
Eternal Lords can use tricks too?
"Our Qingyun Sacred Sect is truly blessed."
The Sect Master couldn't help but think.
The stronger Lin Yuan became, the more pleased he felt.
After all, Lin Yuan still held some sentiment for the sect.
Otherwise, he wouldn't have stayed.
With his terrifying ability to slay Demon Titans like ants, the outside world plagued by demons wasn't much different from within the sect.
Those vicious, brutal demons—before Lin Yuan, they were like ants.
—
After fully taking control of the green rune,
Lin Yuan naturally discovered all of its functions.
For example, through it, he sensed the exact coordinates of other sacred sects and Supreme Sacred Sects within the source world.
"There are currently 892 surviving sacred sects, and a little over 20 Supreme Sacred Sects."
By obtaining the "highest authority" of the green rune, Lin Yuan easily accessed all this information.
"The losses really are severe."
Lin Yuan shook his head.
Compared to the number of sects before the great upheaval in this world— the number of surviving sacred and Supreme Sacred Sects had dropped by more than ninety percent.
And among the nearly 900 surviving sacred sects and 20-odd Supreme Sacred Sects, who could say whether they still possessed the true foundation of a sacred sect?
Take Qingyun Sacred Sect, for instance.
In name, it was a sacred sect.
But who knows how long it had been since it had a Freedom Realm cultivator in residence.
Before the great upheaval, it wouldn't have counted as a sacred sect at all.
"The locations of these sects…"
With the green rune's highest authority, Lin Yuan easily locked them in.
To ensure survival under the demon catastrophe, every sacred sect had concealed itself well.
Even Lin Yuan would have had trouble finding them without being nearby.
But with the green rune, the location of every sacred and Supreme Sacred Sect was crystal clear to him.
He could even track movements in real time—if a sect moved, he would see the trajectory.
"I can send clones to infiltrate these sects and acquire their rune inheritances."
Lin Yuan thought to himself. This was something he had long intended to do, but he hadn't been able to locate the sects.
Now?
That problem no longer existed.
Even the rune inheritances of ordinary sacred sects had reference value for him.
"…This is…"
Through the green rune, Lin Yuan sensed several fast-approaching auras.
"The Eternal Envoys?"
A glint of thought crossed Lin Yuan's face.
These moving auras were clearly different from those of sacred or Supreme Sacred Sects.
They were most likely the approaching Eternal Envoys.
Now that he had fully refined the green rune and obtained its highest authority—almost equivalent to an Eternal Lord—he could sense much more, including the movement of the envoys.
"Senior, how should we receive the Eternal Envoys?"
The Sect Master asked in a low voice. He had informed Lin Yuan of their arrival to understand his stance.
Lin Yuan's stance would be the Qingyun Sacred Sect's stance.
"Just greet them as usual."
Lin Yuan said, "They'll arrive in about a year. When they do, let me know."
He was still quite curious about the current situation at the center of the world—and that information could come from the Eternal Envoys.
"They'll arrive in a year?"
The Sect Master looked at Lin Yuan.
He had no way of knowing the exact arrival time.
Normally, after receiving a signal via the green rune, the Eternal Envoy would arrive in about a hundred years.
But Lin Yuan had pinned it down to a year?
"Yes."
"Around that time."
Lin Yuan nodded.
He had estimated it based on the envoys' current location and speed, using the green rune.
Of course, delays could happen if they encountered a powerful demon.
But overall, the error margin wouldn't be too large.
"Yes, understood."
The Sect Master bowed and withdrew respectfully.
He had no doubts about Lin Yuan's words.
—
First Source World.
In the capital of the Liyang Kingdom, Lin Yuan sat across from the Liyang Ancestor.
"Ancestor's Flame God Drunk really is fine wine," Lin Yuan said with a smile, taking a sip.
Flame God Drunk was brewed personally by the Liyang Ancestor. Even Rank Thirteen Time Beings would feel euphoric after one sip. Lin Yuan, strong as his body was, only dared to drink tiny amounts.
"Hahaha!"
The Liyang Ancestor laughed heartily. This was the finest wine in all creation—and he was its maker.
Only Lin Yuan could drink it. The other Ancestors didn't even get a taste.
"How's your cultivation going lately?" the ancestor asked. "Planning to take that step anytime soon?"
"No rush."
Lin Yuan shook his head. "I'll keep accumulating for now."
"Alright then."
The ancestor nodded.
He had seen many of Lin Yuan's future timelines—very few showed Lin Yuan rushing to make the breakthrough.
"Ancestor… will this world be destroyed?" Lin Yuan looked out over the vast source world and casually asked.
"Destroyed?"
The ancestor thought for a moment, then nodded. "Naturally. All worlds end. But it's not true destruction—just the beginning of something new."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly at that.
In the Chaos Void, countless natural universes were born and then met great destruction, only to begin again.
It reflected the laws of countless worlds and heavens.
The source world was no exception. Compared to the Chaos Void, it was far more refined, and the cycle from birth to destruction lasted much longer.
"When this world is destroyed, we Time Beings will have to leave and wander the dimensional gaps."
The Liyang Ancestor said, "But that day is still far off."
"Mm. Still far off."
Lin Yuan nodded.
The First Source World had existed far less time than the Second Source World.
—
Second Source World.
Demonic energy drifted.
Three indistinct figures pierced through thick demonic mist, heading in a particular direction.
These three concealed their presence extremely well. The spatial fluctuations caused by their teleportation were nearly nonexistent.
And with each jump through space, they exchanged thoughts.
"Should we head to Qingyun Sacred Sect next?"
"Amid the demon catastrophe, a sacred sect just barely qualifying like that… it's a miracle it's even survived."
The two behind—one male, one female—looked around at the endless demonic energy, their expressions somewhat grim.
These three figures were none other than envoys from the Eternal Sects at the world's center.
Just then—
The leading figure abruptly halted, eyes scanning the surroundings with high alert.
"Something's not right."
This man with silver eyes kept glancing around, his expression full of suspicion.
"What is it?"
The other two stopped as well, then asked through voice transmission.
"Don't you notice? There isn't a single proper demon in this entire area."
The more he observed, the more suspicious the silver-eyed man became.
...
The three Eternal Envoys stood suspended in the void.
The surrounding space-time warped around them, concealing their presence completely.
To reach this place from the center of the world, each of the three had to be at the Third Realm of Freedom.
They had also mastered many techniques for suppressing their auras.
Without those, if they encountered a Source Demon— let alone Third Realm experts—even Eternal Progeny would struggle to escape with their lives.
"Something's wrong."
Prompted by the silver-eyed middle-aged man, the other two—one male, one female—became more alert.
They hadn't failed to notice earlier; rather, their detection range was simply not as wide as his.
If only a small area lacked demons, it wouldn't be unusual.
But as the other two scanned farther afield, they too discovered that the entire region had surprisingly few demons.
Elsewhere, even if Source Demons weren't present, there would be a Great Demon every so often— or even terrifying Demon Titans approaching the level of Source Demons.
But here, the demons ravaging this world had practically vanished?
The three Eternal Envoys could only detect a few Demon Spirits, and those were newly born.
"Did something major happen in this region?"
The silver-eyed man exchanged glances with the other two, expressions grim.
An entire region devoid of proper demons was not a good sign.
A sect like Qingyun Sacred Sect couldn't possibly achieve that.
Even if they could, they wouldn't dare.
Unless one had absolute dominance, clearing out demons from one area would only attract more—and stronger—demons.
The demons of this world were endless. Even the Eternal Sects could barely hold them off.
For other sects, the most effective strategy was complete concealment—not confrontation.
Because you could never truly win.
Demons did not die. Even if their bodies were destroyed, they would be reborn elsewhere.
"The contact rune for Qingyun Sacred Sect hasn't been destroyed, isn't moving, and shows no signs of demon corruption."
The silver-eyed man's thoughts stirred, and a green rune appeared before him. He examined it closely.
The Eternal Sects' contact runes, given to every sacred sect, not only allowed communication and tracking, but could also sense the surrounding environment to some extent.
At least for now, Qingyun Sacred Sect's rune showed no sign of damage.
"What should we do now?"
The female Eternal Envoy asked.
The demon scarcity in this area made them uneasy.
"Let me check something else."
The silver-eyed man flipped his right hand, revealing a purple rune.
As it hovered, a subtle wave spread out in all directions.
"There are no overly powerful demons nearby."
After a moment, he put the purple rune away, frowning.
A large demonless zone might suggest an extremely powerful demon had emerged.
Demons, though mindless, possessed instincts. When facing something stronger, they would retreat.
But his probe hadn't found any trace of such a powerful demon.
"Strange… very strange."
The three looked at one another.
Even at the center of the world, such a scenario was rare.
An entire region with no demons, and no trace of a greater demon?
Of course, this conclusion was based on the assumption that Qingyun Sacred Sect lacked the strength to clear the region.
And even if they had that strength, there would be no reason to do so.
"Should we still go to Qingyun Sacred Sect?"
The male envoy asked.
"We came here carrying the will of the great Eternal Lords."
The silver-eyed man scanned the area.
"If Qingyun Sacred Sect had been destroyed, there'd be no point. But from the contact rune's readings, the sect is still intact."
In other words, they still had to go.
"True."
The female envoy nodded.
At the center of the world, the Eternal Sects were struggling to hold off the Source Demons.
Many powerful cultivators had fallen. And anyone slain by a Source Demon had their soul and will eroded— meaning life-saving techniques like avatars or clones were useless. Death was absolute.
So the Eternal Sects were in desperate need of fresh blood— part of which came from the surviving sacred and Supreme Sacred Sects.
Though reluctant, these sects dared not refuse.
Their continued survival amid the demon catastrophe was thanks to the Eternal Sects holding off the strongest demons.
If the Eternal Sects collapsed, the rest of the sacred sects would soon follow.
Only by their sacrifice could the others endure.
"Let's go."
"But stay alert."
The silver-eyed man steadied his thoughts and continued toward Qingyun Sacred Sect— but this time, at a much more cautious pace.
With their strength, they could've flown straight in with ease. But the demons' disappearance had them on edge.
—
One or two years later.
The three Eternal Envoys finally arrived near Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
"There it is—Qingyun Sacred Sect."
The silver-eyed man looked toward a distant gray mountain.
Using the contact rune, he confirmed it was indeed Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
"Looks fine to me."
The two envoys behind him observed for a while and breathed a small sigh of relief.
With their cultivation, they could see runes operating throughout the gray mountain.
That meant cultivators were still guarding it.
If demons had broken through, the place would be a ruin.
"Still… don't let your guard down."
The silver-eyed man didn't act rashly.
"If so many demons vanished here, why is Qingyun Sacred Sect still standing?"
"Good point."
The other two envoys nodded, their expressions turning serious.
The more normal Qingyun Sacred Mountain appeared, the more suspicious it felt to them.
"I'll send in a clone first to investigate. Once I'm sure it's safe, we can notify the Sect Master."
The silver-eyed man was extremely cautious—he didn't intend to let the Sect Master greet them just yet.
He wanted to find out exactly what allowed Qingyun Sacred Sect to survive in this region.
"Alright."
The two envoys nodded.
It was the safest approach.
If nothing was wrong, no harm done.
But if something was—this could save their lives.
The three had come with a mission—they couldn't afford to die here.
Three Freedom Realm experts traveling together—if they were lost, the Eternal Sects would suffer greatly.
Especially since they were carrying promising talents from other sacred and Supreme Sacred Sects in their spatial artifacts.
The silver-eyed man focused.
A portion of his energy split off and formed a clone.
The clone resembled him but had much weaker aura, making it easier to conceal.
He stepped forward, vanishing into Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
As an Eternal Envoy, he had visited many times. The sect's defensive rune array came from the Eternal Sects.
So he knew its structure well—and could easily sneak in.
Before the great upheaval, sect formations were vastly different.
Now, they focused more on concealing energy and blocking demonic influence—thanks to aid from the Eternal Sects.
Buzz—
Following the familiar fluctuations of the rune barrier, the silver-eyed man entered the mountain with ease.
Disciples were cultivating in orderly fashion. Elders carried out their duties.
The clone watched silently but detected nothing unusual.
"The Sect Master?"
He headed to the highest hall on the mountain and found the Sect Master in closed-door cultivation.
The Sect Master was only a Longevity Sixth Realm cultivator. Compared to a Freedom Third Realm expert like the envoy— even a clone could avoid detection.
"I've checked almost all of Qingyun Sacred Mountain."
The envoy stepped out of the hall, gazing downward.
"Except for there."
He looked toward Qingyun Courtyard.
His senses told him that area was… void.
Not because something was there— but because he couldn't sense anything at all.
"Let's take a look."
After a brief hesitation, he decided to investigate.
This was just a clone—if it encountered a threat he couldn't handle, the worst-case scenario was its loss.
With that, he stepped forward, arriving at the entrance of Qingyun Courtyard.
—
Deep inside Qingyun Courtyard.
Lin Yuan watched calmly as the silver-eyed man's clone wandered Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
In fact, the moment the three Eternal Envoys approached the mountain, Lin Yuan had already noticed.
Thanks to the contact rune, he was tracking their every move.
From the moment they paused outside the mountain, to the moment the clone slipped in— he had seen it all.
"Quite cautious."
"Let's meet them."
Lin Yuan shook his head and flipped his hand.
—
At the entrance of Qingyun Courtyard—
The silver-eyed clone was still pondering how to enter when— space-time around him suddenly warped.
He had been silently teleported elsewhere.
Before he could even react—
Outside Qingyun Sacred Mountain—
The silver-eyed man's true body, along with the other two envoys, suddenly saw the space around them collapse— as if time and space itself had been seized and pulled away.
"Where… are we?"
The silver-eyed man and the other two Eternal Envoys looked around— and their scalps went numb.
...
At the highest point of Qingyun Sacred Mountain stood the grand hall.
While the Sect Master of the Sacred Sect was in seclusion cultivating, he constantly monitored the situation outside the mountain.
Lin Yuan had told him that the Eternal Envoys would arrive soon.
Naturally, the Sacred Sect Master fully trusted Lin Yuan's words.
So he was already prepared to welcome the Eternal Envoys at any moment.
Although with Lin Yuan's protection, the Sect Master no longer placed much value on the help of the Eternal Envoys, behind them stood the Eternal Sects, backed by the Eternal Lords.
Naturally, they could not be underestimated.
"I wonder what Senior wants to discuss with the Eternal Envoys?"
The Sacred Sect Master was quite curious.
Lin Yuan had said that once the Eternal Envoys arrived, he should inform him.
Which meant that Lin Yuan intended to speak with them.
"Guess I'll wait."
The Sacred Sect Master gazed out toward the center of the heavens and earth, patiently awaiting the arrival of the Eternal Envoys.
What the Sacred Sect Master didn't know was—
The Eternal Envoys he was waiting for had already been completely taken away by Lin Yuan without any resistance.
Those who could intimidate entire Sacred Sects and even Supreme Sacred Sects—these Eternal Envoys—were like ants before Lin Yuan.
Deep within Qingyun Courtryard—
The silver-eyed man and the other two Eternal Envoys stared warily at Lin Yuan, who sat cross-legged nearby.
Their true bodies, which had been outside Qingyun Sacred Mountain, were taken here without the slightest struggle. This made the silver-eyed man realize—the young man before them was far beyond anything he could handle.
As a third-realm Freedom-level expert, even if he couldn't match an Eternal Son, he shouldn't be this powerless before one.
But Lin Yuan gave them the feeling of a Source Demon.
If it weren't for the complete absence of demonic aura on him, the three Eternal Envoys would have believed they had encountered an exceptionally powerful Source Demon.
Source Demons were second only to Demon Gods. Among them, there were also levels—strong Source Demons could shake the foundations of Eternal Sects.
"What is it you want from us?"
After a moment, the silver-eyed man forced himself to speak.
From the brief confrontation, he drew a few conclusions.
For example, the young man before them didn't seem to harbor any killing intent.
Otherwise, if he could snatch them all so easily, he could just as easily destroy them.
So now, the silver-eyed man kept his tone low, dropping all pretense of the Eternal Envoy's usual pride.
"I want to discuss a trade with your Eternal Sects."
Lin Yuan spoke with a smile.
He had long wanted to make contact with the Eternal Sects.
It was only because the center of the world was guarded by Demon Gods that he hadn't approached.
Now that the Eternal Envoys had come to him, he figured he might as well talk.
"Trade with the Sects?"
The silver-eyed man looked at Lin Yuan.
To start a conversation by proposing a trade with the Eternal Sects—this was incredibly arrogant.
What kind of existence were the Eternal Sects? Even now, during the calamity of 'Demons', they remained supreme, with contingency plans left by the Eternal Lords themselves, enough to keep even the most powerful Demon Gods at bay.
But thinking of how easily Lin Yuan had brought the three of them here, the silver-eyed man dared not speak rashly.
"What kind of trade?" he asked in a deep voice.
"I want all the rune inheritances of the Eternal Sects—including those created by the Eternal Lords—as well as all intelligence on the 'Demons', especially that Demon God."
Lin Yuan said it outright.
So far, he had only acquired the rune inheritances left by two Eternal Lords.
To be precise—only one.
From the Lord of Heavenly Radiance, he had obtained just a single rune.
As for the inheritance left by the Lord of Wu Shan, he had obtained it all. But precisely because of that, Lin Yuan was even more eager for the other Eternal Lords' rune inheritances— especially that of the Lord of Heavenly Radiance.
That Eternal Lord's understanding of runes amazed even Lin Yuan.
He wanted to delve deeper.
"All rune inheritances?"
The silver-eyed man took a deep breath.
After the 'Demon Calamity' began, the Eternal Sects had lowered the threshold for acquiring their rune inheritances.
Even so, ordinary disciples still had to pay a price to study the deeper ones.
Especially the core rune inheritances—only Eternal Sons could access those.
And now Lin Yuan was asking for all of them?
"I'm not authorized to make that decision." the silver-eyed man immediately replied.
The two other Eternal Envoys behind him nodded as well.
They were merely Envoys—not even Eternal Sons—so they couldn't represent their Sects.
"I know."
Lin Yuan looked at the three and said calmly, "So contact your Sect Master directly. Let him speak with me."
As soon as he said this, the silver-eyed man's expression shifted in shock.
He could indeed contact the Sect Master directly—but how did Lin Yuan know that?
What he didn't realize was, after fully refining the green communication rune, Lin Yuan had gained the same "top-level authority" as an Eternal Lord. He understood all its functions.
One of which included contacting the Sect Master.
If he hadn't been worried about startling them, Lin Yuan would've reached out to the Eternal Sect Master himself.
"Alright."
After a moment of hesitation, the silver-eyed man nodded.
Lin Yuan's strength was beyond comprehension, almost as oppressive as a Source Demon.
Such a powerful cultivator definitely warranted reporting to the Sect Master.
After a brief pause, the silver-eyed man took out the green rune.
He activated it with a flick of his hand.
In an instant, the rune trembled slightly.
Countless micro-runes inside activated, transmitting through an unseen connection straight toward the center of the heavens and earth.
At the center of the world—in a hidden realm—lay the stronghold of the Eternal Sects.
Ever since the Eternal Lords discovered the 'Demon Calamity', they had made many preparations, including merging their Sects' headquarters.
Only by uniting their strength could they resist the 'Demon' threat.
As it turned out, this was the right choice.
Had they not merged in time, when the Demon Calamity broke out and the Demon God acted, a tide of Source Demons would have overrun them. Even if not all the Sects were destroyed, at least one or two would have fallen.
Without the Eternal Lords' direct involvement—even with the protection of various thirteenth-rank techniques and weapons—individual Eternal Sects would struggle to fend off the Source Demons.
Thirteenth-rank weapons only reached full power in the hands of an Eternal Lord. Cultivators beneath that level could not unleash their full might.
"Lately, the Source Demons have been making more frequent moves. I can feel it—the Demon God is getting stronger," said an ancient-looking man seated deep within the hidden world.
This was the Sect Master of the Eternal Immeasurable Sect—the most powerful cultivator of one of the Eternal Sects. But right now, his expression was heavy.
"If worst comes to worst, we fight the 'Demons' head-on. I don't believe that even if we unleash all our Sects' foundations, we still can't destroy those Source Demons," said another figure angrily.
"If we use everything we have, sure, we can wipe them out. But what then? Once the foundations are spent, they're gone. But Source Demons—once slain—will just come back. What then?"
"Exactly. As long as the demonic aura exists, the 'Demons' are immortal."
One by one, the figures spoke. They were filled with frustration. As top leaders of the Eternal Sects, how glorious had they once been? And now, they were forced into hiding.
"To clear the Demon Calamity, we have to suppress the Demon God. But to suppress the Demon God, just us alone…"
Another Sect Master spoke. They all knew the Demon God's strength. Without the Eternal Lords, they had no way of dealing with him.
And the Eternal Lords could not interfere.
A deadlock.
Unless a new Eternal Lord emerged, this situation couldn't be reversed.
But Eternal Lords weren't born easily—especially now that demonic aura filled the world, making cultivation significantly harder.
The hope of a new Eternal Lord was even more distant.
Just then—
The Eternal Immeasurable Sect Master's expression changed slightly.
He raised his right hand. A golden rune appeared.
After thinking for a moment, he looked around and said, "Everyone, there's something I need to report."
He briefly explained.
"What? At the edge of the world, a cultivator was born with power equal to a Source Demon?"
"He wants to make a deal with us? Asking for all rune inheritances, including those created by the Eternal Lords?"
"That's insane. Those are our foundations. How could we just hand them over?"
"Also, a cultivator who can rival a Source Demon? Is that even possible?"
The figures conversed rapidly. Most of them doubted Lin Yuan's strength.
Rivaling a Source Demon?
Source Demons were more powerful than even Eternal Sons.
How could someone outside the Eternal Sects match that?
"The intel seems solid."
"The cultivator's power shouldn't be far off."
The Sect Master of the Eternal Immeasurable Sect spoke after a while with certainty.
The silver-eyed man was his disciple. He knew him well—he wouldn't exaggerate.
Since he confirmed Lin Yuan's power surpassed that of an Eternal Son, and possibly rivaled a Source Demon, it couldn't be far off.
"The intel is solid?"
The many figures exchanged glances.
Was such a powerful being really born outside the Eternal Sects?
"Actually, it's not that surprising,"
the Sect Master of Eternal Immeasurable Sect said. "Before the great upheaval, the Eternal Lords prepared many contingencies. One of them was placing access to their inheritances in various corners of the world."
Upon hearing this—
The figures immediately understood.
Indeed.
To fight the Demon Calamity, relying solely on the Eternal Sects wasn't enough.
They needed the strength of all cultivators in this world.
That's why the inheritances had been spread.
"If this cultivator is really that strong, a trade isn't out of the question."
One Sect Master spoke. The rune inheritances were indeed precious.
But if no one inherited them, they were meaningless.
"What do you all think?"
The Sect Master of Eternal Immeasurable Sect looked around.
Lin Yuan wanted rune inheritances from all Eternal Sects.
So all Sect Masters needed to agree.
"No problem."
"But I want to see what he's offering in return for our core legacies."
Several Sect Masters nodded.
"Then let's speak to him directly."
The Sect Master of Eternal Immeasurable Sect looked at the golden rune.
Then waved his hand.
The rune trembled— and projected an image.
It was the depths of Qingyun Courtryard.
Back there—
After contacting his Sect Master, the silver-eyed man stood obediently, waiting for a reply.
Lin Yuan wasn't in a hurry.
He knew the Eternal Sects wouldn't agree to such a deal lightly.
Before long, the green communication rune in front of the silver-eyed man began to tremble.
An image appeared.
It was the secret world where the Eternal Sects' headquarters now resided.
"Master."
The silver-eyed man and the two other Envoys immediately bowed.
"You're the one who wants to trade with the Eternal Sects?"
The Sect Master of Eternal Immeasurable Sect looked at Lin Yuan through the rune projection.
"Yes."
Lin Yuan smiled at the figures in the image.
"If this is a trade, what can you offer?" the Sect Master asked directly.
The implication: the demands could be met—if the price was right.
"I can help you deal with some Source Demons."
Lin Yuan smiled.
The center of the world was swarming with Source Demons— and they were putting immense pressure on the Eternal Sects.
Even without the trade, Lin Yuan had already planned to act against them.
Now that he was developing his own particle world, killing Great Demons and Giant Demons wasn't enough.
To expand his world faster, he had to try killing Source Demons.
"Deal with some Source Demons?"
The Sect Master stared at him.
So did the others.
"Your strength is enough to deal with Source Demons? Some of them?"
According to the silver-eyed man, Lin Yuan's strength rivaled a Source Demon.
But that didn't mean he could handle them.
Source Demons were immortal. Cultivators could still be wounded, could still be corrupted by demonic aura.
Even if you matched a Source Demon in power, it didn't mean you could defeat one—let alone multiple.
Was that even possible?
Fighting one to a standstill was already a miracle.
Lin Yuan smiled faintly and gave no explanation.
Instead, he stood up and took a step forward.
Bringing the three Eternal Envoys with him, they instantly appeared in a region filled with demonic aura.
"Where is this?"
The silver-eyed man looked around. He could tell they were nowhere near Qingyun Sacred Mountain.
In fact, they were unimaginably far from it.
In the image formed by the green rune—
The Sect Masters of the Eternal Sects also noticed the change in location.
Then—
Before they could say anything—
They saw Lin Yuan raise his hand. Black and white energies gathered, forming a Yin-Yang longsword.
He casually swung it forward.
Shhh!
Endless demonic aura was ripped apart. Wherever the black-and-white sword light passed, the 'Demons' disintegrated without resistance.
Great Demons, Giant Demons—even one terrifying 'Demon' at Source Demon level—was reduced to nothing beneath that sword, like ice melting under the sun.
After that single strike, there was no trace of demonic aura or 'Demons' left—only sword energy that had annihilated everything.
Lin Yuan extended his left hand. When he withdrew it, a pure mass of demonic aura had formed— the essence condensed from slaying all the 'Demons'.
He casually absorbed it into his body.
Only then did Lin Yuan glance at the image formed by the green rune.
As if to say:
"Is that enough?"
...