By the time one reached the level of a Time Being, actual fights to the death were the minority.
For example, in this current conflict between the Chaotic Void and the Celestial River Dimension, the strongest on both sides hadn't even made a move.
Instead, they mainly focused on observing more future timelines. Before they found a timeline favorable to themselves—
Mo Xu-Jun and the Taixu Lord probably wouldn't clash much at all.
Nor would the Time Beings of the two dimensions truly go all out.
And this was just for first-realm Time Beings.
As for second-realm Time Beings? Their schemes were even more silent and unseen.
Even when they took action and set up arrangements, it was all done from the shadows, pushing things from behind the scenes.
Second-realm Time Beings could see far more, and far deeper, along the timelines.
If they deliberately concealed their existence, first-realm Time Beings would find it very hard to notice anything.
Of course, nothing was absolute.
If a second-realm Time Being interfered too much, or sought too much—
The traces left behind would grow messy.
There was still a chance for a first-realm Time Being to sense some subtle abnormalities.
Especially as they drew closer and closer to some particular point in the future—
The probability of discovery would grow higher.
Only, this time, the second-realm Time Being behind the Celestial River Dimension, the one called Hui Zu, was plotting only for that Heart of the Celestial River, and didn't have much real killing intent toward the seven Time Beings of the Chaotic Void.
His degree of interference was not great.
If nothing unexpected happened, Hui Zu had no intention of personally striking at all.
Thus, up to this very moment, Mo Xu-Jun and the other six Time Beings still hadn't seen anything amiss.
"What?"
"There's a second-realm Time Being pulling strings behind the scenes?"
Mo Xu-Jun and the other Time Beings couldn't help but change expression.
A second-realm Time Being?
In this great stretch of interdimensional void they called home, there were only two second-realm Time Beings.
Both were pursuing the path to becoming Lords—making a move over the Celestial River Dimension? Basically impossible.
"No wonder the future timelines I've been seeing lately are much more obscure than usual. I thought it was just because they involved many Time Beings from the Celestial River Dimension."
Mo Xu-Jun looked thoughtful.
He did not doubt Lin Yuan's words.
He believed them at once.
In fact, even before this, he had faintly sensed something off.
He just hadn't associated it with a second-realm Time Being.
First, because second-realm Time Beings were rare.
Second, because the Heart of the Celestial River shouldn't be enough to attract a second-realm Time Being to personally lay out a scheme.
"I knew there was something off with how hard those guys from the Celestial River Dimension were pushing."
Many doubts in the hearts of the other Time Beings were also resolved.
"Milky Way, why would a second-realm Time Being be manipulating things from the shadows?"
The serpentine Time Being with a human head spoke in a low voice.
His name was Zhu Yin, the very first lifeform born from the Chaotic Void.
He was similar to "Yuan Long" of the first Source World.
Only, at the twelfth-rank level, Zhu Yin's strength had been inferior to Yuan Long's.
But in the end, Yuan Long never stepped into the thirteenth rank, whereas Zhu Yin successfully became a Time Being.
"Right, what is that second-realm Time Being after?"
Mo Xu-Jun was also puzzled.
Time Beings were divided into three levels.
First realm, second realm, third realm.
At each level, their pursuits were different.
What first-realm Time Beings desired, second-realm Time Beings basically disdained.
The Heart of the Celestial River born from the Celestial River Dimension wasn't of much use to a second-realm Time Being.
As for experiencing the fundamental operation of the Celestial River Dimension? In a special non-repulsive dimensional space like the Celestial River Dimension, if a second-realm Time Being wanted to observe its fundamental workings—
They didn't need to rely on the Heart of the Celestial River at all.
"The Heart of the Celestial River being birthed this time is very special."
Lin Yuan gave a simple explanation.
With a Lord's authority bolstering him, the depth of timelines he could see surpassed even Hui Zu's, so it was natural he also discovered the potential of this Heart of the Celestial River.
"So that's how it is."
Mo Xu-Jun nodded slightly.
He hadn't thought that much about the Heart of the Celestial River.
He only assumed it was about the same as those birthed in the past.
"Then how should we respond to the Celestial River Dimension now?"
Zhu Yin looked to the other Time Beings and spoke gravely.
As soon as he said this—
The surroundings fell into silence.
Mo Xu-Jun's expression also turned hesitant.
To be honest, if they hadn't known a second-realm Time Being was secretly pulling strings—
They'd still have had the confidence to fight, at least not allowing their side's name to be tarnished.
But now that they knew a second-realm Time Being was involved, Mo Xu-Jun and the others grew hesitant.
First-realm Time Beings found it very hard to contend with second-realm Time Beings.
This wasn't just a gap in strength; more importantly, it was a gap in control over future timelines.
If not for Lin Yuan's warning this time, all seven of them would never even have noticed Hui Zu's existence.
They would have ended up watching the Heart of the Celestial River get taken away in confusion, not knowing the truth, and assuming only that they were inferior.
It was simply too hard for first-realm Time Beings to struggle against second-realm Time Beings.
On the matter of viewing time alone, second-realm Time Beings held absolute initiative.
Mo Xu-Jun and the other Time Beings exchanged a look, and the thought of retreat arose in their hearts.
Because with a second-realm Time Being influencing events, they had no chance at all of seizing the Heart of the Celestial River.
The more they invested, the more they would lose in the end.
Rather than that, they might as well give up directly.
Losing to a second-realm Time Being wasn't something to be ashamed of anyway.
"Are second-realm Time Beings really that hard to deal with?"
The newly advanced Time Being Rahu sensed the oppressive atmosphere and couldn't help asking.
He, too, knew about the situation in the Celestial River Dimension; Mo Xu-Jun had even planned to have him stabilize his thirteenth-rank realm, then head to the Celestial River Dimension to help.
"It's not that they're hard to deal with. It's that we can't deal with them."
Mo Xu-Jun shook his head slightly, then looked at Lin Yuan. "Milky Way, what do you think?"
"My thoughts are…"
Lin Yuan smiled and said, "Since we've already made a move, we might as well see it through to the end."
"See it through to the end?" Mo Xu-Jun looked at Lin Yuan in surprise.
Knowing full well there was a second-realm Time Being acting behind the scenes, and still choosing to act?
It wasn't hard for Mo Xu-Jun to infer more from that—such as that Lin Yuan now had some way to contend with a second-realm Time Being?
Mo Xu-Jun held Lin Yuan's strength in very high regard. Just from the size of the time-loop region Lin Yuan created when he fell into the time loop, he could see how terrifying that strength was.
Now that he had stepped into the thirteenth rank and become a Time Being, in terms of frontal combat alone, he might already have reached the second-realm level.
But being able to fight at a second-realm level in direct combat didn't mean he could truly vie with a second-realm Time Being.
"Relax. I know what I'm doing."
Lin Yuan said with a smile.
Struggles at the thirteenth-rank Time Being level were no longer limited to brute fighting; they were far more about planning and schemes.
Now that Lin Yuan had stepped into the thirteenth rank, he naturally had to familiarize himself with the combat style at this level.
It was just that, with Lin Yuan's current methods, directly picking a first-realm Time Being as an opponent would be a bit bullying.
Someone like Hui Zu, a second-realm Time Being, was just right.
Besides, Lin Yuan was quite interested in this Heart of the Celestial River being birthed by the Celestial River Dimension.
It was a wondrous treasure with the potential to become Lord-level material, extremely valuable. Even if Lin Yuan didn't use it himself, he could trade it away.
"Take this. If you run into danger, just bring it out and activate it."
With a thought, a jade stone composed of countless runes appeared before Lin Yuan, then flew to Mo Xu-Jun.
This jade stone was a method Lin Yuan had condensed using the Dao of Runes from the second Source World, crafted specifically to counter that palm-sized axe Hui Zu had gifted the Taixu Lord.
"This jade stone…"
Mo Xu-Jun examined it carefully, only to feel that the runes within were as vast as the Chaotic Void itself.
The other Time Beings were also stunned. From Lin Yuan's words—"I know what I'm doing"—and this jade stone, even if they were fools, they could tell Lin Yuan had the confidence to stand against a second-realm Time Being.
Just stepping into the first realm at the thirteenth rank, and already capable of contending with a second-realm Time Being?
Even though they were long since used to Lin Yuan's many terrifying feats, at this moment, all the Time Beings couldn't help but feel shaken.
"Since you've said so, Milky Way, then leave the Time Beings of the Celestial River Dimension to us."
Mo Xu-Jun stowed the jade stone away and spoke at once.
Zhu Yin and the others had warlust in their eyes as well.
Even the newly advanced Time Being Rahu was excited.
If not for his still-unstable realm, he would have wanted to rush to the Celestial River Dimension immediately.
"Hui Zu…"
Lin Yuan's gaze grew deep, and he couldn't help looking forward to it a bit.
He wanted to see just how many trump cards and methods a true second-realm Time Being had, and to what extent they could force him.
Back when Lin Yuan had first seen that a second-realm Time Being stood behind the Celestial River Dimension—
He had already sent his Taiji Primordial Spirit to the Celestial River Dimension.
After stepping into the thirteenth rank, the Taiji Primordial Spirit had also received an infusion from the source of the Chaotic Void.
Together with its own opening of infinite sands-of-time particle worlds—
The battle strength of the Taiji Primordial Spirit was not much weaker than that of Lin Yuan's true body.
Having the Taiji Primordial Spirit handle the Celestial River Dimension was more than enough.
As for Lin Yuan's true body—
It was focused on contemplating the seventh level of Infinite Void.
Infinite Void, this thirteenth-rank inheritance, had originally come from Mo Xu-Jun's cultivation of his inner universe.
Its ultimate goal was the Chaotic Void.
Only, long before stepping into the fifth level, Lin Yuan had already made many modifications to it, especially by adding many operational details from two Source Worlds.
As a result, this inheritance had long since diverged from its original path.
But out of habit, Lin Yuan still referred to the seventh level as the stage he currently needed to cultivate.
"The seventh level was Mo Xu-Jun's limit, but it's not mine. With the potential of my inner universe now, there'll definitely be an eighth level, a ninth level…"
Lin Yuan thought to himself. After integrating the fundamental operation of a Source World, his inner universe had undergone extremely subtle changes, leading to massive improvements in all aspects.
"How should I open the seventh level of Infinite Void?"
Lin Yuan pondered.
From the first to the sixth level, he'd had Mo Xu-Jun's prior path to reference.
He'd never encountered any real obstacles.
But the seventh level?
Even in the original Infinite Void inheritance, the seventh level was only a theoretical stage; in reality, it didn't exist—Mo Xu-Jun himself had never cultivated it out.
Let alone the seventh level Lin Yuan was trying to forge, which had already deviated far from the original path and was countless times harder.
"Right now, my inner universe is roughly one percent the size of the Chaotic Void. If I manage to complete the seventh level, I should be able—before stepping into the second realm—to elevate my inner universe to nearly match the Chaotic Void in size."
Lin Yuan mused. "But how do I open it?"
[Your Unrivaled Insight stirs. You attempt to forge the seventh level of Infinite Void, and your comprehension of it rises rapidly…]
Floods of insights and inspiration surged through Lin Yuan's mind, constantly pushing the development of the seventh level of Infinite Void.
For a time, the essence of his inner universe—
The essence of worlds—
And even the essence of dimensional spaces—
All surfaced bit by bit in his heart.
One had to remember, Lin Yuan had experienced dozens of transmigrations. Even though the dimensional spaces he'd visited in the first dozen or so weren't strong and fell far short of the Chaotic Void—
As independent dimensional spaces, their level was still equal to that of the Chaotic Void, and their internal operations had many things worth learning.
Why were first-realm Time Beings so eager to explore more dimensional spaces? It was precisely because this practice held enormous benefits for themselves.
Before stepping into the thirteenth rank, Lin Yuan hadn't thought too much about the first ten-plus dimensional spaces he'd explored.
But now, as a Time Being, his vantage point gave him a "suddenly looking back, only to find what I sought was always right behind me" kind of understanding.
The same things could feel completely different to a non-Time Being and a Time Being.
"Dimensional spaces! Dimensional spaces!"
"I understand now."
Lin Yuan's spirit blazed with vigor.
The seventh level of Infinite Void rapidly took shape.
From this round of comprehension, although he hadn't completely perfected the seventh level, he had at least grasped the first third of it.
That was normal. The comprehension of Grand Dao methods couldn't happen in one burst; it had to proceed step by step. The fully complete seventh level of Infinite Void involved a disparity in power far too vast.
Rumble.
Within his inner universe—
The surrounding spacetime suddenly roared.
As the seventh level of Infinite Void took preliminary form, its effects immediately manifested in his inner universe.
In an instant, the spacetime Dao of the inner universe grew even more solid. The most microscopic particles tangled and interwove instead of existing independently.
"This…"
By the jade gourd, the little girl in red stared around in shock.
Back when Lin Yuan had completed the fifth level of Infinite Void, she'd already lost all concept of the path he walked.
Now, as the inner universe transformed yet again, the little girl in red couldn't help but feel a kind of suffocation.
"The master's inner universe is probably stronger than the old master's ever was…"
Her thoughts churned, unable to calm.
She had personally felt Mo Xu-Jun's inner universe before, but compared to Lin Yuan now, it clearly fell short.
In truth, what the little girl in red sensed of Lin Yuan's inner universe was only a portion of the real thing.
Even so, in her mind, it had already surpassed Mo Xu-Jun.
"Old master…"
The little girl in red steadied herself. Mo Xu-Jun had disseminated his own inheritance for two purposes.
One was to cultivate a new Time Being for the Chaotic Void.
The other was to use the myriad beings of the Chaotic Void to perfect his own Dao.
Yet now, seeing how immeasurable Lin Yuan's inner universe had become, clearly surpassing Mo Xu-Jun's, the little girl in red naturally felt all kinds of emotion.
On the other side of the inner universe—
As the spacetime around it grew increasingly stable—
The spirit of the Law-Source Fruit Tree, which had been drifting in this region, couldn't help but tremble.
"Master, master."
The Law-Source Fruit Tree's spirit immediately began calling out to Lin Yuan.
"What is it?"
A clone of Lin Yuan descended, looked at the Law-Source Fruit Tree whose aura was slowly surging, and showed a trace of surprise in his expression.
"Master, I'm about to break through."
The tree spirit's tone was quite urgent.
Compared to the breakthroughs of lifeforms within a dimension—who had a complete Grand Dao to follow—
A being like the Law-Source Fruit Tree, birthed in the interdimensional void, had breakthroughs that were often uncontrollable.
"A breakthrough?"
Lin Yuan looked at the Law-Source Fruit Tree.
In terms of realm, the Law-Source Fruit Tree had long since reached twelfth-rank perfection.
If it was going to break through, it could only be from the twelfth to the thirteenth rank.
Which meant the Law-Source Fruit Tree was about to become a Time Being.
Of course, that was on the premise that it could pass the trial and break through the time loop.
"Go ahead and break through."
Lin Yuan did not stop it.
With his current strength, the Law-Source Fruit Tree was basically a decorative vase.
Only by stepping into the thirteenth rank could it offer him some help.
In truth, across the vast interdimensional void, many Time Beings were willing to follow powerful thirteenth-rank beings.
Take Time Lords, for example—
Every Time Lord had Time Beings following under them.
The most important reason was that Time Lords had ways to truly kill a Time Being.
Time Beings could observe future timelines and manifest countless avatars; killing them was like reaching for the heavens.
But if a Time Lord abandoned all scruples and traveled to the past, killing that Time Being's weak past self—
The difficulty dropped dramatically.
Hum~ The instant Lin Yuan gave his permission—
The Law-Source Fruit Tree chose to break through immediately.
A formless power seeped into Lin Yuan's inner universe, wrapping the Law-Source Fruit Tree and dropping it into a looping region formed of filaments of temporal power.
The time loop from the twelfth to the thirteenth rank was formed by the operation of the supreme rules and Grand Dao. Even as the creator of his inner universe, Lin Yuan could not interfere at all.
If the Law-Source Fruit Tree wanted to become a Time Being, it could only rely on itself.
"Let's hope it succeeds."
Lin Yuan looked from afar at the time-loop region the Law-Source Fruit Tree had fallen into.
One future timeline after another unfolded before him. Based on his observations, the Law-Source Fruit Tree didn't have a high probability of becoming a Time Being.
But however low, there was still a chance.
Before Rahu attempted to charge into the thirteenth rank, no Time Being had paid much attention to him either, and they had all judged his odds of success to be low.
Yet in the end, hadn't he become a newly advanced Time Being?
So—
Lin Yuan still held some expectations for whether the Law-Source Fruit Tree could step into the thirteenth rank.
He wouldn't lose anything anyway. If it succeeded, all the better—he'd gain another Time Being under his banner.
If it failed, the loss wouldn't be great either. Lin Yuan had picked up the Law-Source Fruit Tree casually and had paid no real price for it.
"The supreme rules and Grand Dao…"
Lin Yuan carefully sensed the time-loop region forming in the deepest parts of his inner universe.
At this point, his inner universe was basically equivalent to a full dimensional space. When a living being within it broke through to the thirteenth rank, a time-loop region would similarly form.
That time-loop region was shaped by the operation of the supreme rules and Grand Dao.
It couldn't be interfered with.
Nor could it be cut off.
In the depths of his mind—
Lin Yuan deliberately left behind a heart-mind avatar to observe every detail of the third Source World, eventually choosing a vessel to descend into.
"To fully open the seventh level of Infinite Void, relying only on past accumulation isn't enough. I probably need to observe the fundamental operation of one more Source World."
Through the Gate of Myriad Realms, Lin Yuan watched the third Source World from afar.
At present, he'd only developed the first third of the seventh level of Infinite Void.
The remaining two thirds had become difficult again, and he was stuck needing to comprehend more Source Worlds' fundamental operations.
"About there."
"This will be the vessel."
Lin Yuan let out a light breath. Over this period, this heart-mind avatar had been continuously selecting suitable vessels. After observing millions upon millions of timelines, he finally reached a decision.
"This Source World…"
Lin Yuan's expression inevitably grew grave. From observing so many timelines, he had gained considerable understanding of this third Source World.
"Let's begin."
Lin Yuan gathered his thoughts and split off a portion of his mental will.
After stepping into the thirteenth rank, his life essence had leapt forward greatly, causing a huge surge in his mental will.
If not for this, even without the Gate of Myriad Realms' warning, Lin Yuan wouldn't have chosen to transmigrate and descend so quickly.
All transmigrations and descents after the twelfth rank were essentially to nurture completely independent true bodies, requiring him to split off a portion of his mental will.
But if his mental will was split too much, it would impact his true self.
So even if he could transmigrate and descend, Lin Yuan would still keep the division of his mental will within a level he could accept.
Whoosh.
Very soon—
Nearly a tenth of his mental will split off and poured into the Gate of Myriad Realms.
Following the coordinates of the third Source World, it crossed infinite distance and merged into the past.
This third Source World likewise repelled foreign Time Beings, and with Lord-level Time Beings stationed there, it had basically eliminated any possibility of an outsider invading.
But carried by the Gate of Myriad Realms, Lin Yuan silently merged into the world, becoming a thoroughly native lifeform.
Even if a Time Being, or even a Time Lord, examined Lin Yuan's past timeline, they would see nothing abnormal.
Celestial River Dimension.
A mighty celestial river swept across layered spacetime between the past and the future.
At one point along the river, more than ten Time Beings were facing off.
Farther away, other Time Beings watched.
These spectators were all Time Beings stationed in the Celestial River Dimension. Now, with the seven Time Beings of the Chaotic Void and the nine Time Beings of the Taixu Dimension clashing—
The many watching Time Beings were highly entertained.
Whether it was the Chaotic Void or the Taixu Dimension, both were powerful forces in this stretch of interdimensional void.
Conflict between forces like these, for other Time Beings who'd endured endless ages, was a rare bit of amusement.
"Fight, fight."
"Best if you get heated and end up both losing."
The watching Time Beings spoke quietly among themselves. If the Chaotic Void and the Taixu Dimension both suffered, they would definitely scale back their domains and influence within the Celestial River Dimension.
Then, naturally, those domains could be swallowed up.
"Both losing?"
"The odds aren't great."
Most of the Time Beings shook their heads slightly.
Time Beings were no fools; they wouldn't allow outsiders to reap the benefits.
In the future timelines they observed, the chance of the Chaotic Void and the Taixu Dimension both suffering heavy losses was extremely small.
The greater possibilities were: the Taixu Dimension seizing the Heart of the Celestial River and then withdrawing from the Celestial River Dimension, while the seven Time Beings of the Chaotic Void continued to dominate the territory within, waiting for the next Heart of the Celestial River—
Or the Chaotic Void obtaining the Heart of the Celestial River and the Taixu Dimension choosing to withdraw.
As for both sides being badly wounded? Neither the Chaotic Void nor the Taixu Dimension would ever allow themselves to be dragged into such a situation.
But whatever the result, the spectators wouldn't lose anything.
On the contrary, they could use this struggle to see more of the Chaotic Void's and Taixu Dimension's trump cards, and be better prepared to deal with them in the future.
The mighty current surged.
One Time Being of the Taixu Dimension was trading blows with Zhu Yin of the Chaotic Void.
Terrifying auras exploded, spreading in all directions, only to be fully absorbed by the boundless waters of the celestial river.
"Hm?"
The Taixu Lord, who had been casually watching the battle below, suddenly quirked his expression. With a wave of his hand, he stirred ripples in spacetime that pressed down toward Zhu Yin.
"Taixu Lord, you want to make a move? Did you ask me first?"
Mo Xu-Jun smiled and made a move at the same time, blocking the Taixu Lord's strike.
In the next instant—
Zhu Yin of the Chaotic Void suddenly expanded, transforming into a massive Candle Dragon that roared at the Time Being of the Taixu Dimension.
Time and space shattered; the Time Being of the Taixu Dimension was clearly inferior and had no choice but to fall back.
"Hmph."
The Taixu Lord snorted coldly and stared at Mo Xu-Jun from afar.
"Mo Xu-Jun, listen to me—hand over this Heart of the Celestial River obediently."
The Taixu Lord stood above the vast river, his gaze icy.
"Hand over the Heart of the Celestial River?"
Mo Xu-Jun sneered. "We of the Chaotic Void have waited endless ages for this Heart of the Celestial River, and you think we'll just hand it over because you say so?"
"Handing it over is for your own good."
The Taixu Lord said.
If possible, he still didn't want things with the Chaotic Void to become too strained.
If the Chaotic Void withdrew of its own accord and no Time Being on either side was injured, then the hatred created would be minimal, and there would still be hope for reconciliation in the future.
But if the Chaotic Void refused to yield and he was forced to use the trump card bestowed by Hui Zu, then a high-intensity battle would be unavoidable, and injuries would be inevitable.
In that case, the hatred between the Chaotic Void and the Taixu Dimension would be very hard to resolve.
Although the benefits Hui Zu had promised made the Taixu Lord unconcerned about such hatred—
If he could avoid making enemies, it was naturally better to do so.
"No need to say more."
Mo Xu-Jun shook his head.
At the same time, his heart was on high alert.
With Lin Yuan's reminder—that a second-realm Time Being stood behind the Taixu Dimension—
Mo Xu-Jun knew very well where the Taixu Lord's confidence came from.
And indeed, just as the Taixu Lord had said, if not for Lin Yuan—
The Chaotic Void withdrawing and giving up would have been the best choice.
"In that case, let's decide victory and defeat with our hands."
The Taixu Lord stepped forward. The boundless waters of the celestial river surged, sweeping toward Mo Xu-Jun's side and dragging layered spacetime along with them.
Feeling the jade stone of vast runes within his body, Mo Xu-Jun was somewhat reassured:
"You have a second-realm Time Being behind your Taixu Dimension. And my Chaotic Void has Milky Way."
...