The Yuan Realm: Expanding the Horizon of the Void
The establishment of the Sky-Watching Pavilion was like implanting a sensitive neural network into the smoothly functioning body of the Yuan Realm. The first batch of members, personally selected by Gelake and Moshi, were elites from all departments of the former community—they possessed an extraordinary understanding of the new-born rules, coupled with the resilience honed through surviving the chaos of the Demon Realm.
They rode "Sky-Patrol Shuttles" powered by primordial energy, traversing the Yuan Realm's mountains, rivers, lakes, seas, energy nodes, and rule boundaries. The twisted "Mutated Woodland" gradually calmed down under the effect of "Rule-Stabilizing Anchors" laid by the pavilion members working together; though the land could not be used for farming temporarily, it no longer posed a threat. An "Energy Vein Node" on the verge of erupting due to energy stagnation was dredged in advance, transformed into a stable secondary energy source.
The Yuan Realm General Principles was also refined and supplemented through repeated practice. Safety thresholds for energy use were clarified, quantitative standards for spatial structure stability were established, and even provisions for protecting and interacting with "Spirits"—native to the Yuan Realm, born from the natural condensation of pure energy and rule fragments with faint consciousness—were set in place.
The Yuan Realm grew steadily at an efficient and orderly pace. Workshop scales expanded, and new materials were continuously developed. Agricultural areas expanded; beyond Dawn Grass and Yuan Crystal Trees, more plants with practical or research value were discovered and cultivated. The prototypes of cities, built on energy nodes and new materials, began to emerge across the land.
The number of living beings also increased slowly—not only through the natural reproduction of original demons, but also the appearance of various native races, naturally nurtured by energy and matter under the Yuan Realm's new rules. Most were ignorant, yet innately compatible with the Yuan Realm's rules.
The entire society exuded a vibrant vitality.
However, Lin Mo did not indulge in this superficial prosperity. Standing above the world's rules, he perceived more clearly than any being that the Yuan Realm was like a bubble blown in absolute void—orderly on the inside, yet still fragile and... isolated.
The wisp of "Order" thread at his fingertip had not severed its connection to the chaotic origin after the world's creation; instead, due to the Yuan Realm's independence, the connection became clearer and... more dangerous. Chaos was a source of power, yet it constantly sought to erode and assimilate this new world of order.
More importantly, he could feel that the cold gaze from the "higher places" had not disappeared with the "excision." They had merely temporarily lost the Yuan Realm's precise coordinates—like a hunter losing track of its prey in mist—but the instinct to hunt remained.
Passive defense was never a sound strategy.
On this day, Lin Mo summoned Gelake, Moshi, and several core members of the Sky-Watching Pavilion to the top of the Administrative Center.
He still sat cross-legged, his figure ethereal, yet when his gaze swept over the demons, it carried a tangible weight.
"The Yuan Realm's foundation is now stable, but external threats persist, and chaos surrounds us," he said, cutting to the chase. His voice echoed directly in the demons' consciousness. "The Sky-Watching Pavilion has achieved remarkable results in internal monitoring, but your vision must not be confined to the realm alone."
He raised his hand and tapped the void.
A star map composed of pure energy unfolded. At its center was a soft gray光点 representing the Yuan Realm. Beyond this light lay an endless darkness symbolizing "absolute void." But in the deepest part of that darkness, there were faint, barely perceptible... other light spots, and some twisted, unnatural shadow trails.
"This is a rough map of the surrounding 'Void Sea,' deduced based on the induction between 'Order' and chaos, and residual memories of the Demon Realm's coordinates before the 'excision.'"
The demons held their breath, staring at the star map, their hearts filled with overwhelming shock. Their Lord... had already begun mapping the void?
"These light spots may be lost worlds that, like us, were 'excised,' or they may be strange objects that naturally exist in the void," Lin Mo pointed to the faint lights. "And these shadow trails..."
His finger traced the twisted lines, his voice turning slightly cold.
"...bear the technical characteristics of the 'Observers.' Are they patrol routes, or... search paths?"
Gelake's soul fire condensed sharply. "They... are still looking for us?"
"Undoubtedly," Lin Mo said with certainty. "The existence of the Yuan Realm is an anomaly they must eliminate. Temporary loss of contact will only make them deploy more powerful detection methods."
He withdrew his hand, and the star map dissipated.
"Therefore, the responsibilities of the Sky-Watching Pavilion will be expanded. Two new divisions will be established: the Void Sea Exploration Division and the External Contact Division."
"The Void Sea Exploration Division will be responsible for piloting specially made 'Void Vessels,' using the Yuan Realm as a base to explore outward, mapping the details of the Void Sea, searching for other worlds that may harbor civilizations or resources, and... monitoring signs of the Observers' activities."
"The External Contact Division will be responsible for formulating plans and guidelines for contacting forces outside the Yuan Realm. If we encounter other civilizations, there must be rules to follow—whether to fight, make peace, trade, or form alliances."
With the order issued, the demons felt the burden on their shoulders grow heavier, yet more than that, they felt excitement at participating in an epic grand cause.
"Additionally," Lin Mo said finally, his gaze sweeping over Gelake and Moshi, "the beings of the Yuan Realm need to understand their current situation. When the time is right, we will publicly disclose the existence of the 'outside world' and potential threats to a limited extent."
"We must let all Yuan citizens know that we are not just hiding in a corner. Our world sails on an unknown sea filled with opportunities and dangers."
"Survival and development require the concerted efforts of all living beings."
After the meeting, the demons left with agitated hearts, beginning to prepare for this first step into the unknown.
Once again, only Lin Mo remained on the top platform.
He slowly raised his hand. In his palm, the wisp of "Order" thread no longer merely swayed gently; instead, it actively drew in the surrounding chaotic energy, outlining and combining in his palm, gradually forming an extremely complex, self-optimizing three-dimensional rune.
This rune was no longer just for defense or purification.
It exuded a sense of... "exploration" and "connection."
It was time to take the initiative to see this "Void Sea."
It was also time to let the Observers know that the "pathogen" they had "excised" had not perished—in fact, it had grown into a new neighbor they must take seriously.