"This giant core pillar... it's right next to me?"
Lin Yuan looked closely at the massive pillar, towering ten times higher than any other, rapidly taking form from the void. His heart was far from calm.
This space-time treasure land was vast beyond measure—the giant core pillar could have appeared anywhere. And yet, it emerged right beside him? That probability was like stumbling upon a thirteenth-rank legacy while walking down the road.
"What do I do?"
Lin Yuan stared at the giant core pillar for only a moment before making his decision.
Refine it.
Buzz!
Lin Yuan activated his external universe and immediately began the refining process.
Liyang Kingdom capital, independent space—
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign stared in disbelief. "You're saying... the giant core pillar is right next to you?"
"Yes."
Lin Yuan nodded.
The other Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns were stunned as well. Moments ago, they were still speculating on where the giant core pillar might appear—only to learn it was practically within arm's reach of Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.
"I've already started refining."
Lin Yuan added immediately.
"Good."
"Start refining now."
"I'm already rushing there at full speed."
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign's tone was serious.
He had initially given up on the first giant core pillar, believing it unwise to fight Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign head-on.
That was based on the assumption that Fuxu would be the first to reach and begin refining the pillar.
Trying to wrest it from Fuxu would cost too much, and there was no guarantee of success.
So Red Flame had made the rational choice to let it go.
But now?
The giant core pillar had appeared right beside Lin Yuan.
That meant Lin Yuan was the first to make contact. In that case, Red Flame didn't hesitate at all—he chose to go for it.
There was no helping it.
This was practically being handed to them.
If Red Flame still backed off now, it would be overly cautious.
"Three breaths. If I use a special method, I can reach you within three breaths. You only need to hold out for two."
Red Flame said solemnly.
He had brought a powerful secret weapon from the Liyang Kingdom. Once activated, it could completely protect the giant core pillar.
At that point, even Fuxu would need to pay a price to forcibly refine it. Given his rationality, Fuxu might just choose to pursue the next one instead.
"I'll do my best."
Lin Yuan nodded.
Fuxu could arrive within one breath. Red Flame could make it in three.
That meant Lin Yuan had to stall Fuxu for two breaths.
Actually, he didn't even need to resist him—just delay his refining process for two breaths.
Before the giant core pillar—
Lin Yuan completed the refining in just one-tenth of a breath.
Instantly, he felt the suppressive force of this treasure land's space-time drop significantly.
And with the giant core pillar, many of his avatars could now instantly descend to its location.
"Hmm?"
Lin Yuan's expression shifted. He saw space-time ripple not far away, and a man in a dark robe emerged.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign?"
Lin Yuan's face grew solemn. This was indeed Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign—a being on par with the Lord of the Devil Jade Tower.
"So fast?"
Lin Yuan felt a surge of pressure. Only a tenth of a breath had passed—yet Fuxu was already here?
That left two possibilities:
First, Fuxu had been hiding his true strength—what he had shown in the past thousand years was only part of it.
Second, Fuxu had just happened to be nearby, allowing him to arrive faster than expected.
"Your luck's not bad."
Fuxu gave Lin Yuan a glance and smiled.
At his speed, to arrive and find Lin Yuan not only already here but having completed the refinement could mean only one thing:
The giant core pillar had appeared right beside him.
"But unfortunately, you've run into me."
Before he even finished speaking, the surrounding space-time dimmed and darkened.
An aura of "all things are illusion" descended.
From his arrival to his second sentence, not even a ten-thousandth of a breath had passed. Fuxu made his move instantly—no delay at all.
"What...?"
Lin Yuan's brows tightened. Under this dim and illusory power, his divine art World began to unravel and disintegrate.
"Out of my way."
Fuxu slapped with his right hand. Lin Yuan's expression changed drastically as his external universe collapsed by more than half, and he himself was flung away.
Whoosh.
Fuxu stepped forward and stood beside the giant core pillar. He immediately began refining it, and in a blink, removed Lin Yuan's mark and successfully refined the core pillar.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign?"
Lin Yuan's face darkened. From Fuxu's arrival to now, only half a breath had passed.
"So this is the power of someone on par with an Invincible Supreme Saint?"
Lin Yuan took a deep breath. Though he wasn't injured, he had no means of resistance against Fuxu's attack—only getting flung away.
"Fuxu must have cultivated a thirteenth-rank legacy related to time."
From their brief exchange, Lin Yuan inferred much. Against Fuxu's strike, the very concept of time had become disordered—he had no thought of counterattacking at all.
He had relied entirely on his external universe for passive defense.
"To withstand my strike without injury—you've done well."
After refining the giant core pillar, Fuxu gave Lin Yuan a glance and spoke with slight appreciation.
He knew exactly what technique he had used. In an instant, it could obscure the enemy's perception of time, forcing them to take multiple strikes unprepared.
Under such conditions, the fact that Lin Yuan was merely flung away without serious injury meant his defenses were extraordinary—rare even among top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns.
Whoosh.
Suddenly—
Ripples of space-time surged nearby.
A towering figure appeared, his face dark as he looked toward the giant core pillar.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign, you're fast."
The towering figure spoke coldly. He had rushed here with all his might—not even a breath had passed—and still, Fuxu had beaten him.
"Your Barbaric Wild Kingdom really put in the effort this time."
Fuxu smiled faintly.
"Hmph."
The towering figure snorted and vanished.
Had he arrived before the refinement was complete, he wouldn't have hesitated to fight.
But now?
With the core already refined, there was no point.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh—
Next—
More figures appeared.
They looked toward the giant core pillar from a distance.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign refined it."
"As expected. Who could beat Fuxu to the first giant core pillar?"
"Sigh… let's wait for the next one."
The Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns who had rushed over conversed among themselves and gradually dispersed.
"What a pity."
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign shook his head slightly, then looked at Lin Yuan with a serious expression. "But we've still gained something—at least we now know that Fuxu has more than one thirteenth-rank legacy, including one related to time."
Lin Yuan had described the earlier clash in full.
As Lin Yuan suspected, Red Flame also concluded that Fuxu had used a time-related thirteenth-rank technique.
Otherwise, Lin Yuan wouldn't have been unable to even think of resisting.
After all—
Top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns weren't Fuxu's match, but the gap wasn't that enormous.
Especially Lin Yuan, whose foundations ran deep. If needed, he could even detonate his external universe. At worst, he could stall for several breaths until Red Flame arrived.
But Fuxu hadn't even given him the chance to go all out.
"Don't worry about it—we weren't aiming to get the first giant core treasure anyway."
Red Flame gave Lin Yuan a few words of comfort.
Lin Yuan nodded and didn't say much more.
Chaotic Void—
Deep within the Milky Way Chaos Continent—
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged, reviewing the disparity between himself and a powerhouse like Fuxu.
"Compared to those who've perfected their realm and mastered more than one thirteenth-rank technique, my advantages are almost nullified." Lin Yuan reflected on himself.
In terms of thirteenth-rank techniques, Lin Yuan had the Infinite Void legacy, and his divine art Sunborn Genesis counted as a half—together equaling about two such techniques.
But Fuxu had the same—and more.
Fuxu also had advantages Lin Yuan lacked:
Like a chaos power evolution path—
And realm superiority—
And Fuxu wasn't alone. The Grand Ancient Void Kingdom had more like him.
Even the other five kingdoms—Liyang, Xuanyin—had such beings.
But those experts had no desires left. They were all preparing for the final step. Even if a new top-tier treasure land appeared, they wouldn't be stirred.
Fuxu only showed up this time because he happened to be idle.
"Step by step… I still have plenty of room to grow."
Lin Yuan withdrew his thoughts, feeling no frustration.
Next—
Lin Yuan resumed his cultivation.
Infinite Void. He focused on the third layer of this thirteenth-rank legacy. He could feel he was very close to mastering it, which would trigger a transformation of his internal universe.
Just then—
Dong!
Dong!
Dong, dong, dong!
A deep, powerful sound rang out.
Sensing something, Lin Yuan immediately set aside Infinite Void and sent his consciousness to the highest point of his internal universe.
There, chaotic energy floated, numerous essences of chaos rules winding through the space. A giant egg formed entirely of chaos energy hovered silently.
Dong, dong, dong!
The low rumble echoed from within the egg, as if something was evolving inside.
"My Chaos Tai Chi Dao... is about to emerge?"
Lin Yuan carefully observed the egg.
As time passed—
Cracks began to form on its surface, accompanied by crisp snapping sounds. From those cracks emerged two interwoven streams of power—one black, one white.
The black and white forces melded constantly, carrying the ultimate essence of Yin and Yang. A terrifying aura radiated from the two forces, instantly shattering layers of space-time, even causing large portions of chaotic energy to collapse.
"What is this power?"
The red-clothed young girl who had been sleeping on the jade gourd suddenly jolted awake. Vaguely, she sensed a pressure surpassing that of any previous Infinite Void inheritor.
...
The red-clothed girl glanced around, trying to locate the source of the pressure, but the world felt vast and unfathomable, as if it could not be looked upon directly.
Infinite Void had existed for countless ages, passed down through generations of cultivators, some of whom had cultivated it to the fifth layer, attaining the level of Invincible Supreme Saints who towered over the entire chaotic void.
She knew very well the pressure such beings could emanate, yet compared to what she felt now, it still fell short.
"What exactly is going on?"
Her mind raced as she observed. Her first thought was—had Lin Yuan become an Invincible Supreme Saint?
But she immediately dismissed it. First, Lin Yuan hadn't even reached the Chaos Realm yet—how could he be an Invincible Supreme Saint?
Second, the internal universe she sensed hadn't undergone the kind of microscopic structural reorganization that would indicate mastery of the third layer of Infinite Void.
Clearly, he hadn't achieved that yet.
Given that, she was curious as to what exactly had caused this transformation—one so intense that even she could feel its pressure.
Had he mastered a second thirteenth-rank legacy?
But by "mastered," she didn't mean mere initiation—she meant cultivation at least to the fifth layer, like Infinite Void.
Yet that was nearly impossible. Thirteenth-rank legacies weren't roadside cabbages one could pick at will. Each came with stringent prerequisites.
That much was evident from how Lin Yuan, despite years of cultivating Infinite Void, was still at the second layer.
Besides, the red-clothed girl faintly sensed that this pressure wasn't born of some legacy's power surge.
It had to do with the transformation of his life essence or a breakthrough in his personal Dao—something like the ultimate leap from eleventh-rank to twelfth-rank life, or the complete sublimation of one's Dao.
The giant egg composed of chaos rule veins was now shattering inch by inch, and massive flows of interwoven black-and-white energy spilled out, converging before Lin Yuan.
"This… is the chaos power path I've been evolving?"
Lin Yuan gazed at the black-and-white energy before him, feeling both unfamiliar and deeply familiar.
This was a completely new kind of rule-based power he had never grasped before, yet he felt as if it had always been part of him.
The vast black-and-white energy fused and twisted together. Every strand contained the essence of rules Lin Yuan had mastered across the ages. Eventually, as the chaos egg fully shattered, all the black-and-white energy condensed into a single black-and-white Tai Chi diagram.
The white half contained infinite Yang energy—unyielding and pure.
The black half flowed with vast Yin energy—endless and boundless.
Yin and Yang were perfectly balanced, constantly merging and separating every moment.
Rumble～～～
As Lin Yuan looked upon the Tai Chi diagram, even his consciousness seemed to quake. In the instant the diagram formed, a miniature Tai Chi mark appeared at the center of his forehead.
Not just on this avatar in his internal universe, but also on his true body and all his soul avatars scattered across the chaotic void—each bore a Tai Chi mark between their brows.
"Chaos Tai Chi?"
Lin Yuan's gaze became deeper and more distant than ever. The black-and-white Tai Chi diagram before him instantly expanded countless times, fusing seamlessly with his internal universe.
Though his internal universe spanned trillions of light-years, the Tai Chi diagram covered and merged with it in less than an instant—the very moment Lin Yuan formed the thought.
A thought was all it took.
In the moment the boundless Tai Chi diagram fused with his internal universe, the entire cosmos within began to transform. Space-time grew more perfect, Dao rules rapidly advanced, and the size of the universe began to expand at a furious rate.
Why are those who evolve a chaos power path called Chaos Great Saints, rather than just Venerables?
Because the strength of a Chaos Great Saint far surpasses that of a Chaos Venerable in every way, due to the evolved power path.
When a Chaos Great Saint evolves a power path, their entire being receives a feedback effect—from body and soul to mind, will, and internal universe—everything gets an immense upgrade.
Though Lin Yuan hadn't reached the pinnacle of the Chaos Realm, the evolution of the Chaos Tai Chi Dao alone triggered a comprehensive transformation.
The internal universe's change was immediately sensed by the red-clothed girl.
"This change…?"
She was shocked.
This transformation wasn't like the restructuring from cultivating Infinite Void.
Infinite Void essentially restructured the most microscopic components of the internal universe—like turning carbon into diamond, the particles were still the same.
But now, the transformation was on the most direct level: from one to two, from a hundred to a thousand to ten thousand.
Everything was ascending and evolving—like rising into the clouds in broad daylight.
"A chaos power path… He's evolved one?"
The girl finally deduced the key point. Few things could cause this level of transformation in the internal universe—entering the Chaos Realm or evolving a chaos power path were among the only possibilities.
"But what kind of chaos power path is this? How can it cause such a commotion?"
She took a deep breath. She had no doubt Lin Yuan could evolve a chaos power path, given his talent.
But now—
The sheer magnitude of the transformation, and the immense pressure she felt, made her question everything she thought she knew.
What kind of path could carry such power at the very moment of its birth?
Outside, deep in the Milky Way Chaos Continent—
Lin Yuan was immersed in the full-body transformation, feeling the Chaos Tai Chi Dao taking root like a great pillar holding up all of reality.
"Hmm?"
The Tai Chi mark on his brow slowly rotated, and an unknown ripple spread from him—
In all directions, through heaven and earth, across the chaotic void.
"Is this the process of imprinting my Dao into the chaotic void?"
Lin Yuan's expression turned contemplative. Every Chaos Great Saint, upon their emergence, would go through this: marking their Dao within chaos.
"It's like an anchor or a beacon." Lin Yuan didn't resist. Imprinting one's Dao into chaos created a connection—should he ever fall into a time loop, this anchor might help him break free.
Whether it was imprinting one's Dao into chaos, or spreading offshoots of one's evolved path—the purpose was to establish anchors and waypoints.
But breaking through time loops ultimately depended on oneself—these measures could only help.
Still, Lin Yuan would not miss a single opportunity to aid that breakthrough. He would push every external condition to its peak.
The Chaos Tai Chi Dao quickly fused into the infinite void.
At that moment—
Hidden beings in various secret corners of the chaotic void seemed to sense something. They turned to gaze distantly toward the Milky Way Chaos Continent.
"A Chaos Great Saint is being born, imprinting his Dao into chaos?"
"A new chaos power path is emerging. But is this really new? How can it be more terrifying than some Supreme Saints?"
These special existences found it hard to believe.
As thirteenth-rank-related entities—such as the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws, or the spirits of mysterious lands—they were unimaginably ancient, having witnessed countless Chaos Great Saints, Supreme Saints, and even Invincible Supreme Saints rise and fall. A typical Dao imprinting couldn't attract their attention.
But now, as the Chaos Tai Chi Dao expanded and etched itself into chaos, it caused subtle yet massive changes throughout the chaotic void—so significant that even they were shaken.
"That's the Milky Way Great Saint. Not long ago, he suppressed several other Chaos Great Saints in the Mysterious Emperor Universe. At the time, his strength was only close to that of a Supreme Saint."
One special being immediately recognized Lin Yuan—it was that broken two-part longsword. "This Milky Way Great Saint must have cultivated the thirteenth-rank legacy that represents that being's foundational strength. That's how he swept other Great Saints without a power path."
"That legacy? It's remarkable. But if he was near Supreme Saint level without a power path, and now he's evolved one—one this powerful—doesn't that make him a Supreme Saint immediately?"
The special beings conferred with one another. They had lived too long to care about ordinary Saints. But an Invincible Supreme Saint? Only one appeared every few cosmic eras. Each left an indelible mark upon the chaotic void—worthy of their attention.
Especially someone like Lin Yuan—an unconventional Invincible Supreme Saint? To be one the moment his power path evolved? That level of transformation might never have occurred since the chaotic void's birth.
"This Milky Way Great Saint... If nothing goes wrong, and he keeps growing, he'll rank top five—maybe top three—among all Invincible Supreme Saints in our chaotic void's history."
One special being sighed in awe.
To become an Invincible Supreme Saint, one had to defeat all Saints of their era, commanding full submission. Thus, theoretically, there shouldn't be direct clashes between them.
But in the minds of these special beings, they had still ranked them all. And Lin Yuan's current display was so dazzling, it was unbelievable—even among Invincible Supreme Saints.
"Milky Way Great Saint…"
Among them, the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws was deeply moved. He had always believed Lin Yuan would at least become an Invincible Supreme Saint. But this day had come far too soon.
And if Lin Yuan kept growing? Top five—top three—in the entire chaotic void's history?
Don't underestimate that. The chaotic void had existed for endless ages and birthed countless monstrous geniuses. To rank in the top five or three?
That was staggering.
Especially considering certain eras when thirteenth-rank time-beings personally took interest and trained disciples.
Deep in the Milky Way Chaos Continent—
After evolving his power path, Lin Yuan's perception soared. In the moment he imprinted his Dao into chaos, he sensed subtle gazes upon him.
"Those special beings?"
He didn't pay them much mind. Whether it was the Lord of the Devil Jade Tower or His Majesty the Mysterious Sovereign, they merely held a level of wariness toward such entities—not fear.
Those beings couldn't act on their own. As long as you didn't provoke them, nothing would happen. Even if you did, it might not attract the attention of the thirteenth-rank being behind them.
"My current strength..."
Lin Yuan calmed his thoughts. The violent surge at the beginning had slowed somewhat. But even slowed, his growth was still far beyond the reach of ordinary Chaos Great Saints.
The boost from a chaos power path depended on the path itself. Most paths differed only slightly—so the power-ups were similar.
But Lin Yuan?
Just the prerequisite for evolving the Chaos Tai Chi Dao—peak second-stage chaos rule comprehension—was already unreachable for nearly all Chaos Great Saints.
And for anyone but Lin Yuan, without Unrivaled Insight, even third-stage comprehension wouldn't be enough.
Internal universe—
Beside the jade gourd, the red-clothed girl stood still, feeling the changes in the Dao of time and space every instant. She didn't know what to say.
Buzz.
Lin Yuan's form condensed nearby. He smiled at the red-clothed girl.
"What kind of chaos power path did you evolve?" she couldn't help but ask.
"What kind?" Lin Yuan paused briefly, then said, "I call it Chaos Tai Chi."
As soon as the words left his mouth—
The red-clothed girl saw Lin Yuan raise his right hand. Black and white energy swirled at his fingertips. Though confined to just his hand, its influence rippled through layers of space-time.
"Chaos Tai Chi? That might be the most powerful chaos power path I've ever seen."
Then, as if remembering something, she quickly added, "Excluding my old master."
By "old master," she meant the creator of Infinite Void, that thirteenth-rank time-being.
"Of course, I can't compare to such a great time-being."
Lin Yuan smiled and shook his head. The further he cultivated, the more he felt the gap between himself and thirteenth-rank life.
He had studied the thirteenth-rank weapon Tianxu Cauldron, and from its residual imprint, he sensed that even a sliver of power from a time-being could obliterate tens of thousands—hundreds of thousands—of void realms.
"Do we still have any Immortal Essence Gold?"
He looked at the red-clothed girl and asked.
Immortal Essence Gold was a special metallic material used to measure the strength of one's internal universe.
Earlier, when Lin Yuan reached the second layer of Infinite Void, he had used this metal to gauge his universe's tier.
"There's still a little left," the girl nodded. "But what do you want it for?"
With a calm voice and a faint smile, Lin Yuan replied, "I want to see just how strong I am now."
...
Having evolved the Tao of Chaos Tai Chi, Lin Yuan was certain that his strength had completely surpassed that of a Supreme Saint.
But whether he had truly reached the level of an Invincible Supreme Saint, he still wasn't sure.
The gap between a Supreme Saint and an Invincible Supreme Saint was simply too vast.
Back in the day, His Majesty the Mysterious Sovereign could effortlessly hunt down top-tier Supreme Saints like Saint Hun Xiao and Saint Yu Lin, leaving them with no escape until they were forced into reincarnation.
Even among the six ancient Kingdoms of the Source World, the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns comparable to Invincible Supreme Saints—such as Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign—stood far above the top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns.
In front of Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign, Lin Yuan hadn't even had a chance to fight back. He could only endure the assault passively, as the opponent's power and techniques were completely beyond his capacity to handle.
So now, Lin Yuan was curious about his own strength—was he merely close to the Invincible Supreme Saint level, or had he already fully stepped into that realm?
"Want to know how strong you really are?"
The red-clothed girl twitched the corner of her mouth at his words.
If she weren't already familiar with Lin Yuan's character and hadn't known that he had just undergone a massive transformation as the inheritor of Infinite Void, she might have doubted the seriousness of his question.
"Alright."
The red-clothed girl nodded and flipped her hand.
At once, the jade gourd trembled lightly, and a chunk of Immortal Essence Gold several hundred meters in size flew out and floated in front of Lin Yuan.
"If you can pierce through this piece of Immortal Essence Gold, you roughly possess the strength of the fifth level of Infinite Void," the red-clothed girl said.
Infinite Void had seven levels in total. The seventh was purely theoretical, while the fifth was the norm for reaching the thirteenth-rank inheritance—once one cultivated to the fifth level, they would possess the power to dominate the Chaos Void and become an Invincible Supreme Saint.
As for the sixth level? Throughout history, very few inheritors of Infinite Void had ever reached that level.
"Pierce through it?"
Lin Yuan gazed at the Immortal Essence Gold before him.
The second level of Infinite Void required leaving a mark over ten centimeters deep on this metal.
But the fifth level? It required piercing through a piece of Immortal Essence Gold several hundred meters thick—a huge leap in difficulty.
Hua la la.
The cosmic power in his body surged, and a vast black-and-white Tai Chi diagram shimmered faintly into view.
The massive chunk of Immortal Essence Gold in front of Lin Yuan began twisting and disintegrating rapidly. In just a single breath, the entire block was pierced through, and the remaining parts were still crumbling.
"That kind of force?"
The red-clothed girl took a deep breath. She had barely sensed any fluctuation in power before the Immortal Essence Gold was penetrated—this was a sign that the power had been fully restrained.
In other words, Lin Yuan hadn't even used his full strength.
Once someone struck with full power, it was nearly impossible to contain all the force so perfectly.
"Your internal universe has already reached the fifth level of Infinite Void... No, it should be close to the sixth level. Your strength has fully stepped into the Invincible Supreme Saint realm."
The red-clothed girl quickly said this, while glancing at the ruined Immortal Essence Gold with a bit of heartache.
Immortal Essence Gold was left behind by the founder of Infinite Void. Every bit used meant less remained. Normally, the red-clothed girl would only produce a piece one or two meters in size. If Lin Yuan's power hadn't been so overwhelming, she never would have taken out such a large chunk.
"Invincible Supreme Saint?"
Lin Yuan felt a sense of certainty in his heart.
At the same time, he thought of His Majesty the Mysterious Sovereign and the master of the Devil Jade Tower.
Back when his home universe was still extremely weak, he had already heard of these two peerless powerhouses. Now, he had finally reached the same level of strength they once stood on.
Of course, His Majesty the Mysterious Sovereign had eventually broken free from the cycle of time and surpassed the twelfth-rank boundary. He no longer belonged to any conventional level.
"What do you plan to do next?"
The red-clothed girl put away the Immortal Essence Gold and asked curiously.
"First, I'll finish cultivating the third level of Infinite Void."
Lin Yuan replied. He had been working on the third level for quite some time, and evolving the Tao of Chaos Tai Chi had pushed his internal universe through a massive transformation, which had greatly accelerated his progress in this thirteenth-rank inheritance.
"The third level of Infinite Void?"
The red-clothed girl looked at him fixedly and suddenly realized—this inheritor hadn't even fully mastered the third level of Infinite Void yet.
And he already had this kind of power before completing the third level. If he succeeded, how high could he go? The sixth level?
After chatting a bit more with the red-clothed girl,
Lin Yuan threw himself fully into cultivating the third level of Infinite Void.
At its core, this thirteenth-rank inheritance reshaped and restructured the micro-particles of one's internal universe. Under the guidance of the Tao of Chaos Tai Chi, this transformation became significantly easier.
Plus, Lin Yuan had already completed most of the third level.
So—
In just one or two years, Lin Yuan's internal universe underwent yet another transformation.
At the microscopic level, the structure of his internal universe was becoming ever more complete and perfect.
"The third level is done."
Lin Yuan opened his eyes and gazed down at his vast internal universe.
Not to mention how stable the Dao of time and space had become in this universe—just its sheer size alone had undergone two transformations: first through the evolution of the Tao of Chaos Tai Chi, and now through completing the third level of Infinite Void.
Lin Yuan's internal universe had reached five hundred trillion light-years across.
Five hundred trillion light-years—far greater than the naturally-born universes of the Chaos Void. Even among Supreme Saints, few possessed internal universes of this scale.
And this was despite the fact that Lin Yuan's internal universe wasn't even specialized in size and area.
"With my current strength, I might even count as strong among the Invincible Supreme Saints?"
Lin Yuan pondered. The Chaos Void was unlike the Source World—the Invincible Supreme Saints here were solitary figures, making direct comparisons difficult.
"Time to keep cultivating."
Lin Yuan took out the thirteenth-rank weapon, the Heavenly Void Cauldron, and continued to comprehend the endless Dao principles within it. Meanwhile, his body, soul, and internal universe were still growing, pushing ever closer to their ultimate limit.
When that time came, it would mark Lin Yuan's step into the Chaos realm.
Source World.
Inside a treasured land.
Lin Yuan opened his eyes and felt the surge of power in his true body.
Having evolved the path of Chaos power and completed the third level of Infinite Void, his strength in the Source World had also received a huge boost.
"The time-space suppression in this treasured land can't hold me back anymore."
Lin Yuan observed the surrounding space-time.
This newly revealed land was connected to the Source World's source and produced strong space-time suppression. It not only greatly reduced the detection range of Heavenly Sovereign-level beings but also severely limited the distance of space-time transmigration.
Even top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns would need considerable time to traverse the entire land on their own. Only the likes of Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign could cross the area in a single breath.
But now—
Lin Yuan had already sensed that the suppression here could no longer restrain him. That meant he too could traverse the entire land in a single breath, just like Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign.
Perhaps even faster.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign?"
Lin Yuan narrowed his eyes slightly, looking in a certain direction.
That was the location where the first colossal core pillar emerged. Lin Yuan had happened to be nearby at the time and had the best chance to refine it.
But that opportunity had been seized by the late-arriving Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign.
Back then, Lin Yuan hadn't even had the strength to resist and had been slapped away like a bug.
Capital of the Liyang Kingdom, in an independent space—
"Everyone, next we'll have to confront the powerhouses of other ancient Kingdoms head-on to compete for the core pillars."
Heavenly Sovereign Red Flame spoke solemnly.
After more than a thousand years in the treasured land, most of the unclaimed core pillars had been refined by ancient Kingdom powerhouses.
Now, to refine more, they would have to seize them from the hands of other ancient Kingdoms.
"Alright."
"No problem."
"Red Flame, who are you planning to target first?"
The Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns all nodded. They had long been prepared. The first millennium in the treasured land was only the warm-up. The scuffles among ancient Kingdoms had been measured and restrained.
But in the five hundred years to come, the competition would escalate rapidly. The final five hundred years would be the peak of conflict, with all top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns going all-out and each ancient Kingdom deploying their most terrifying trump cards.
"Hmm."
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign nodded and suddenly turned to Lin Yuan, asking gently, "Milky Way, what do you think?"
As one of the only four top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns from the Liyang Kingdom, Lin Yuan was someone Red Flame took very seriously.
"What do I think?"
Lin Yuan was slightly taken aback, then after some thought replied, "Can we wait a little longer?"
"Wait a little longer?"
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign looked puzzled.
The other Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns were also a bit surprised.
Why wait?
"I plan to—"
Lin Yuan grinned. "—take back that colossal core pillar!"
Colossal core pillar.
Several top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns of the Grand Ancient Void Kingdom were seated in meditation around it.
The colossal core pillar was simply too important. Even though it had already been refined by Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign, Grand Ancient Void's other powerhouses still stationed a battle-ready body nearby in case of any unexpected events.
"Hahaha! In this treasure land competition, Grand Ancient Void has already refined seventy-two core pillars. Add this colossal one, and that makes eighty-two total."
"We're nearly thirty ahead of the second-place Barbarian Ancient Kingdom."
The Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns of Grand Ancient Void were quite relaxed. Their ancient Kingdom already held an absolute advantage. Even if the last two colossal core pillars both ended up in the hands of a rival ancient Kingdom, Grand Ancient Void would still come out on top in core pillar numbers.
Not to mention—the chances of both colossal core pillars falling to the same Kingdom were very low. Even Grand Ancient Void wasn't confident of that, let alone the others.
"It's all thanks to Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign. Without him, this pillar might've ended up with the Liyang Kingdom."
"That's right. That Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign from Liyang had incredible luck—the pillar descended right next to him. But so what, when Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign's power is unmatched?"
"Tch, luck doesn't mean anything. Didn't he still get smacked away by Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign?"
The Grand Ancient Void Kingdom's Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns chatted casually. As the oldest ancient Kingdom, they held a subtle sense of superiority over their peers—even when speaking of someone like Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign, the first to elevate an ancestral bloodline to the Heavenly Sovereign level.
So what if it's an ancestral bloodline at the Heavenly Sovereign level?
Just then—
A young man appeared near the colossal core pillar.
At the center of his brow faintly glowed a black-and-white Tai Chi diagram. Yin and Yang qi swirled gently as he stood openly in the sight of all Grand Ancient Void's stationed Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns.
He stood there silently, making no move.
Yet all of Grand Ancient Void's Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns felt their hearts tremble. Regardless of strength—be they top-tier or ordinary—all felt their state of mind shaken, their breath stifled.
...
Capital of the Liyang Kingdom, within an independent space.
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign stared at Lin Yuan in a daze.
The other Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns were the same, their eyes filled with disbelief as they looked at Lin Yuan.
Take back the colossal core pillar?
That pillar had already been refined and occupied by Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign—one of the most powerful among the six ancient nations, capable of descending upon the battlefield with a mere thought.
Moreover, there were certainly other Grand Ancient Void Kingdom Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns stationed there with battle-ready bodies guarding it.
Even if the Liyang Kingdom threw everything it had into a full-scale war against Grand Ancient Void, using all of its ancestral trump cards, the chances of seizing that core pillar were still incredibly low.
Let alone sending Lin Yuan alone.
"Milky Way, you mustn't be impulsive," Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign said at once.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign's strength is unfathomable. He... he has the power to kill top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns."
The only reason Lin Yuan had survived previously was because Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign had focused most of his attention on refining the colossal core pillar. He had simply swatted Lin Yuan away without following up.
But now?
If Lin Yuan dared to approach the core pillar alone, Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign would certainly not hesitate to strike.
Strictly speaking, the Liyang Kingdom was a threat to Grand Ancient Void. Eliminating a top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign early would be a huge advantage for Grand Ancient Void.
"I know Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign is very powerful," Lin Yuan nodded.
The most powerful Heavenly Sovereigns of the six ancient nations were comparable to Invincible Supreme Saints of the Chaos Void.
These kinds of beings either had overwhelming advantages—such as mastering the fifth level of Infinite Void, their internal universe thousands of times stronger than others of the same tier—or possessed unique rule-based techniques. Fuxu's chaotic manipulation of time, for example, left even the strongest unable to resist.
"Don't worry. If I dare to go, I definitely have the confidence to do it."
Lin Yuan looked at the many Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns. "I've made a breakthrough. I should be no weaker than Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign."
The moment he said this—
Red Flame and the other Liyang Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns were shocked.
No weaker than Fuxu?
Did that mean he'd reached the level of the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns?
Had Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign already stepped into that realm?
It was unbelievable.
If Milky Way could one day grow his ancestral bloodline to the peak of the Heavenly Sovereign tier, then yes, reaching that level was possible.
But how long had it been since Lin Yuan became a Heavenly Sovereign?
Though they found it hard to comprehend, they chose to believe him after seeing the expression on Lin Yuan's face.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign, why don't you wait for me? While I may not be Fuxu's match, I have many ancestral killing tools. I can at least hold him off," Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign immediately offered.
If Lin Yuan truly wasn't weaker than Fuxu, then with the Liyang Kingdom going all out, they might just have a chance at taking that pillar.
"No need."
Lin Yuan declined without hesitation.
Though this breakthrough had rekindled his desire to reclaim the pillar and wash away his past humiliation, there was no reason to risk the Liyang Kingdom's ultimate trump cards—they would be needed in the final, decisive phase of the treasure land conflict.
"Alright."
Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign nodded, not pressing the issue.
He trusted Lin Yuan knew what he was doing.
Outside the colossal core pillar—
The world's energy swirled like a mire, and black and white qi spiraled. From a height of billions of miles, one would see a massive black-and-white Yin-Yang Tai Chi diagram forming with the pillar at its center.
The Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns of Grand Ancient Void were breathless. Their expressions grew grave as they stared at Lin Yuan like they were facing a mortal threat.
Their instincts as powerhouses screamed that this young man was terrifying—standing there without releasing a single wisp of aura, yet still making them all tremble.
What level of power was this?
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign? He's from the Liyang Kingdom?"
One of the Grand Ancient Void Heavenly Sovereigns recognized Lin Yuan. In fact, the others had as well, but none had the time to think deeper.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign, you'd best leave now. This is Grand Ancient Void territory."
Vuyu Heavenly Sovereign said in a deep voice, keeping most of his focus on the surroundings. He suspected Milky Way wouldn't show up here without some backup. Perhaps the other top-tier Liyang Heavenly Sovereigns were hiding nearby?
Maybe that terrifying pressure was coming from them?
"Is that so?"
Lin Yuan looked at the towering core pillar and smiled faintly. "If you hand over this pillar now, you may live."
"Hand over the pillar?"
Vuyu Heavenly Sovereign stared at Lin Yuan.
Grand Ancient Void had always been the one issuing such ultimatums to others. Since when did the Liyang Kingdom dare speak like this?
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign, let me deal with you."
At that moment, Vuyun Heavenly Sovereign strode forward, eyes cold as he faced Lin Yuan.
Vuyun was a top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign of Grand Ancient Void, and his strength had once rivaled Lin Yuan's before his recent breakthrough.
Rumble—
Around Vuyun, time and space transformed into drifting clouds, surging toward Lin Yuan.
This was his signature move: clouds that would corrode the enemy. Even those of the same tier would be suppressed under this attack.
Vuyu and the others simply watched. None moved to help.
From their perspective, if Milky Way dared show up here, he must have backup—likely from other Liyang Heavenly Sovereigns hidden nearby.
To deal with Milky Way, Vuyun was enough. Their job was to guard against the rest.
"Did Red Flame and the others already deploy the ancestral killing tools?" Vuyu wondered, growing even more cautious.
Normally, these trump cards were saved for the very end.
First, because they were final killing moves to be used in decisive moments.
Second, they were incredibly rare and precious—once used, they were gone.
But who knew what the Liyang Kingdom was planning? If they were already using such tools now, Vuyu had to consider the worst.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign, I've long wanted to test you."
Vuyun manipulated the vast clouds, preparing to crush Lin Yuan.
This move was designed specifically for powerhouses of the same tier—suppress with clouds, then corrode.
Except—
"Hm?"
Vuyun suddenly found his vision empty and void. Only black and white Yin-Yang forces remained, crashing toward him with such terrifying might that he despaired.
"No—!"
Before he could react, his body, soul, and will all disintegrated in an instant.
Whoosh.
Lin Yuan raised his hand and casually collected Vuyun's weapon.
Silence.
Vuyun's fall stunned all the Grand Ancient Void Heavenly Sovereigns into silence.
Even if it was only a battle-body that died—not his true self—it was enough to send chills down their spines.
After retrieving the weapon, Lin Yuan glanced at the spot where Vuyun last stood.
"You dare split your attention when facing me?"
That's right. Lin Yuan had clearly sensed that even while attacking him, Vuyun had kept part of his attention on the surroundings.
Not just Vuyu, Vuyun too had believed that Liyang powerhouses were hidden nearby—so he hadn't fully focused on Lin Yuan.
Still—
Even distracted, Vuyun had been a top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign. Being instantly killed by Lin Yuan was unbelievable.
"The Tao of Chaos Tai Chi... its first level already has this kind of power?"
Lin Yuan thought to himself. Facing the Grand Ancient Void Heavenly Sovereigns, he hadn't held back—he used the power of Chaos Tai Chi immediately.
"This energy…"
Vuyu Heavenly Sovereign shuddered. His path involved a unique form of chaos power, allowing him to glimpse a bit of Vuyun's death.
What he saw was two powers—one black, one white, one Yin, one Yang—entwined and clashing, crushing everything Vuyun had.
"Don't get distracted—go all out against Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign!"
Vuyu immediately commanded the others. He now vaguely sensed that Milky Way's confidence wasn't from backup—it was from himself.
"Vuyun was a top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign, and yet he fell instantly? Just how powerful is this Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign?" The other Grand Ancient Void Heavenly Sovereigns were restless, though none thought of fleeing.
The core pillar was right behind them—who dared retreat?
Besides, just because Lin Yuan could kill Vuyun didn't mean he could kill them all, especially now that they were on guard.
"How did Milky Way grow this strong?" Among the Grand Ancient Void Sovereigns, Fu Dang was especially shaken.
Back when they first entered the treasure land, Fu Dang had tried to seize a pillar discovered by Hong Lian Heavenly Sovereign, only for Lin Yuan to arrive and destroy his battle-body.
At the time, Lin Yuan had felt powerful—but not invincible.
"Form the battle formation!"
Vuyu's voice had barely faded when the remaining ten Grand Ancient Void Heavenly Sovereigns connected their auras, strands of chaotic qi wrapping around them, integrating their power into a single great cycle.
"Hm?"
"The use of chaotic rules?"
Lin Yuan observed them.
Back in the war between Qingfen and Zimeng Domains, he had seen the ancient nations' war machines fuse thousands or tens of thousands of cultivators' powers together.
The core reason: chaos rules governed all energy.
Now, ten Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns—five of them top-tier—were fusing their strength into one vast force.
This required power beyond even the third stage of Chaos Realm—true chaotic essence.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign, take this!"
Fu Dang felt stronger than ever. United with the other four top-tier Sovereigns, he surpassed the strength of a single peer—even ordinary top-tier Sovereigns seemed weak in comparison.
"Raw strength alone…"
Lin Yuan calmly looked at Fu Dang.
He raised a single finger. Threads of black and white Tai Chi power flowed forth.
Boom!
A formless space-time barrier instantly formed around Fu Dang—a shield created by the power of the other nine.
But Lin Yuan's finger tore through everything. The universe turned to black and white, suffused with Yin and Yang.
In a flash, the Tai Chi force pierced the barrier and obliterated Fu Dang's body and soul.
It didn't stop there—residual Yin-Yang force spread through unseen connections to the other nine Sovereigns.
"Not good!"
Vuyu's expression changed. He immediately severed the link.
The four top-tier Sovereigns also cut ties in time, but the other four reacted too slowly. The Yin-Yang force consumed their bodies and souls.
In just a few breaths—
Of the eleven Grand Ancient Void Sovereigns, six had fallen. Only five remained.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign… what level have you reached?" Vuyu stared at Lin Yuan, heart pounding. He had his suspicions—but dared not speak them aloud.
"Those who stand in my way die."
Lin Yuan had no intention of wasting words. He strode toward the core pillar.
The five remaining top-tier Sovereigns exchanged looks. Their auras once again merged.
"Stop him."
Vuyu gritted his teeth. His power boiled—he was unleashing deadly forbidden techniques.
The other four followed suit. The core pillar wasn't just a resource—it was Grand Ancient Void's pride and dignity.
Letting an outsider seize it under their watch would be a devastating blow to their pride.
Boom boom boom!
The five top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns attacked Lin Yuan with full force.
Their eyes burned with madness as they poured everything into this final stand. The Dao itself retreated. Space-time collapsed into black holes. No rules remained.
Lin Yuan frowned slightly and halted.
Five top-tier Sovereigns fighting for their lives—he couldn't ignore that.
Especially since their deadly techniques, drawn from the ancient Grand Ancient Void nation, were terrifyingly powerful.
One breath later—
One Sovereign was smashed apart by Lin Yuan's palm.
Half a breath later—
Another was crushed under his foot.
In just three or four breaths—
All five top-tier Sovereigns were annihilated, one by one.
And just then, Lin Yuan arrived at the colossal core pillar.
Before this moment—
All who stood in Milky Way's path had been reduced to dust.
...
"Colossal core pillar?"
Lin Yuan gazed at the towering pillar before him, subtle ripples stirring in his heart.
The last time he was here, this colossal core pillar had just emerged.
Back then, he was thrilled yet anxious, worried he wouldn't be able to protect it.
And indeed, even though he had refined the pillar in just a tenth of a breath…
Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign had arrived shortly after and snatched it away with a single slap.
But now—
Lin Yuan once again stood before the colossal core pillar.
This time, unlike before, there was not the slightest hint of anxiety or fear.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign."
Lin Yuan quietly observed the core pillar for a moment before suddenly speaking. "Haven't you watched enough?"
Whoosh!
As soon as he finished speaking,
A figure in a dark robe materialized—
It was Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign.
Lin Yuan glanced at him without any surprise.
In truth, the moment Vuyun Heavenly Sovereign fell, Lin Yuan had already sensed Fuxu's presence. From that point on, this strongest Heavenly Sovereign had been silently observing him.
Even as the other Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns fell one after another, Fuxu did not interfere.
And when the five top-tier Heavenly Sovereigns launched a desperate combined attack, choosing death over retreat, it was likely not only for Grand Ancient Void's honor—
But also because Fuxu had ordered it from the shadows.
"Remarkable."
Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign looked at Lin Yuan solemnly, his tone tinged with admiration.
He had indeed arrived long ago and refrained from making a move—
Because he wanted to observe Lin Yuan's true strength and methods.
As for the eleven fallen Grand Ancient Void Sovereigns? They had only lost their battle bodies, not their true selves.
And if those eleven battle bodies served to test Lin Yuan's capabilities, it had been well worth it for Fuxu.
"Your strength comes from the chaos power path you've cultivated? A path that surpasses thirteenth-rank inheritances? Incredible, truly incredible."
Even Fuxu couldn't hide the turbulence in his voice.
Normally, someone like him, a strongest Heavenly Sovereign, rose to power by mastering one or more thirteenth-rank secret arts.
As for chaos power paths? They were secondary—not comparable to true thirteenth-rank power.
But Lin Yuan had reversed this.
Or perhaps not reversed, exactly.
Fuxu had sensed that Lin Yuan was cultivating a thirteenth-rank secret art, but the power it granted him seemed no greater than that of the chaos power path he had forged himself.
"In the study of thirteenth-rank secret arts, I'm still not your equal."
Lin Yuan smiled at Fuxu.
Fuxu did not reply.
"This colossal core pillar—I was the first to refine it. Don't you think it's time to return it?" Lin Yuan said.
This was the entire reason he had come here: to reclaim the pillar.
Of course, if Fuxu's strength had far surpassed what Lin Yuan could handle, he wouldn't insist.
"Return it?"
Fuxu fell silent.
If it had been any other top-tier Heavenly Sovereign, he wouldn't have even bothered to answer.
But Lin Yuan?
Though he didn't know Lin Yuan's full strength, he knew for certain he was now at the level of the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns. In fact, Fuxu himself felt a pressure when facing him.
"I can return it."
Fuxu looked straight at Lin Yuan and said,
"As long as Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign… can take one strike from me."
He didn't want to fight to the death over a core pillar.
There was still a long time before the battle for the treasure land concluded. If he used up his trump cards now against Lin Yuan, what would he have left to face the other ancient Kingdoms' trump cards?
So, he proposed a single move.
"Alright."
Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
Although he also wanted to fight Fuxu, he understood that now was not the time.
With his current cultivation speed, he would likely grow even stronger before the final phase of the treasure land conflict. By then, he could sweep through the entire battlefield with ease.
As for now?
This was just an attempt to see if he could reclaim the core pillar. If not, it wouldn't matter much.
At the same time—
Across the treasure land, many Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns also sensed the space-time fluctuations coming from the direction of the Grand Ancient Void–occupied colossal core pillar.
"What's going on?"
"Why is there fighting over there?"
One after another, Sovereigns of various ancient Kingdoms looked toward the source. They could sense vast tracts of space-time collapsing, even the Dao itself twisting—they didn't dare get close.
This was the kind of devastation only a top-tier Heavenly Sovereign battle could cause.
"Who would dare attack the colossal core pillar now?"
Everyone was baffled. That pillar had already been refined by Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign. Any move against it was equivalent to moving against Fuxu himself.
That wasn't something just any Kingdom could do.
Even in the final phase of the treasure land conflict, when all ancient Kingdoms brought out their trump cards, it would still take a coalition to challenge Grand Ancient Void's dominance.
But now?
The Sovereigns were stunned. None could figure out which ancient Kingdom had acted.
"That Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign…"
Unlike the confused Thunder, Xuanyin, and Barbarian Ancient Kingdoms, Grand Ancient Void's eleven Heavenly Sovereigns stared at the pillar with lingering fear.
All their battle bodies had been crushed by Lin Yuan. The power gap had felt like a bottomless chasm. They still hadn't recovered from the shock.
"Vuyu, that Milky Way…"
Vuyun looked to Vuyu. He had been the first to fall at Lin Yuan's hands. Though he hadn't seen more of Lin Yuan's attacks, that final moment before death had told him enough.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign… has likely stepped into the realm of the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns."
Vuyu was silent for a moment, then nodded.
The so-called strongest Heavenly Sovereigns—this was Fuxu's realm. The pinnacle ever reached by any Sovereign in the history of the ancient Kingdoms.
The other top-tier Sovereigns voiced no objections.
If he wasn't a strongest Heavenly Sovereign, could he have crushed all eleven of them?
If he wasn't a strongest Heavenly Sovereign, would Fuxu—who had descended long ago—still refuse to strike?
If he wasn't a strongest Heavenly Sovereign, would he dare stride so boldly into a core pillar refined and held by Grand Ancient Void?
"Strongest Heavenly Sovereign…" Vuyun took a deep breath.
Even in Grand Ancient Void, such figures were extremely rare—only a few per era.
Most Sovereigns never even touched the level of a top-tier, let alone the strongest.
"Is it because of his ancestral bloodline at the Heavenly Sovereign level?" Vudang pondered silently. After hearing that Lin Yuan had reached the peak, all of Vudang's earlier resentment vanished.
"Now, we can only hope Fuxu can stop him."
Vuyu sighed, eyes fixed on the pillar.
The other Sovereigns did the same.
"Did Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign really go to the pillar?" In another part of the treasure land, the Liyang Sovereigns looked toward the source of the fluctuations.
Back in the Liyang capital, when Lin Yuan had declared he would reclaim the colossal core pillar, they had chosen to believe him—but still held doubts.
It sounded far too incredible.
A small breakthrough?
Equal to Fuxu?
What kind of joke was that?
Fuxu was a strongest Heavenly Sovereign. That kind of realm wasn't something you broke into so casually—let alone with just a "minor breakthrough."
But now, as they felt the intense battle fluctuations coming from the pillar, they were finally convinced that Lin Yuan had been telling the truth.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign… he's really become a strongest Heavenly Sovereign?" Red Lotus Heavenly Sovereign was still in disbelief. Before entering the treasure land, he had sparred with Lin Yuan, who had shown peak-level strength.
But in just a thousand years inside, he had gone from peak… to strongest?
In front of the pillar—
Fuxu's gaze deepened. The surrounding space blurred as if reality itself was turning into illusion.
"Suppress."
His expression grew grave. He struck with full force, raising his right hand and pressing down toward Lin Yuan.
As his palm moved, all of reality—laws, time, matter—turned illusory, vanishing from existence.
"Hm?" Lin Yuan watched carefully, Tai Chi power swirling around him, forming a slow-spinning diagram.
The moment the palm came down, the Tai Chi diagram remained unmoved. Lin Yuan's expression shifted slightly as he felt his sense of time distorting.
"A technique that affects time perception?"
He recalled the moment he was slapped away by Fuxu before—he had experienced this exact sensation. Back then, he hadn't even had the chance to resist.
"But to me now…" Lin Yuan's expression stayed calm.
This technique that tampered with a being's sense of time was terrifying—intangible and undetectable. Sometimes you wouldn't even know when you'd been caught.
But it wasn't without counter.
If time was a river, then living beings were like leaves drifting atop it—helpless in the current.
But if one were a heavy stone at the bottom of the river, then no matter how the water flowed, it could not move the stone.
Lin Yuan's internal universe was vast beyond measure, his foundation incomparably deep. He was now the stone on the riverbed. No flow of time could sway him.
Whoosh.
Fuxu withdrew his hand, staring deeply at Lin Yuan before turning to leave.
Though he hadn't used all his methods, that move had been full power—and it hadn't affected Lin Yuan at all. Fuxu realized he could no longer suppress him.
Unless he used Grand Ancient Void's trump cards.
But if he used his, Lin Yuan would use his too.
If both used their trump cards, it would be meaningless.
Fuxu had no desire for mutual destruction.
"He left?"
Lin Yuan watched him go without another thought and began refining the colossal core pillar.
In just a moment, the colossal core pillar was once again successfully refined by Lin Yuan.
...
After refining the giant core pillar, Lin Yuan once again felt a faint sense of control over the treasured land.
Whether it was an ordinary core pillar or a giant one, at their core, they were all key nodes of the treasured land.
In theory, refining all these nodes was equivalent to mastering the entire land.
"The core of the Black Jade Nest's treasured land had only sixty-three nodes, but this one has over three hundred, including three giant core pillars."
Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Without a doubt, this newly birthed treasured land was among the most elite of all first-class treasured lands currently controlled by the six ancient Kingdoms.
There were only six lands of this tier, three of which were already in the hands of the Grand Ancient Void Kingdom.
"That golden mist must have a special purpose."
Lin Yuan once again thought of the rare treasures nurtured by this treasured land.
So far, the Liyang Ancient Kingdom's research on the golden mist was still limited to slow absorption through the physical body.
Lin Yuan sat cross-legged before the giant core pillar, and began to review the brief exchange with Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign voluntarily withdrew and gave up this giant core treasure land—was he worried we'd both suffer and let other ancient Kingdoms benefit?"
Lin Yuan clearly understood Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign's thinking.
Given the number of core pillars Grand Ancient Void Kingdom had already refined, this giant core pillar wasn't absolutely necessary for them.
Even if the Liyang Ancient Kingdom gained this pillar, in total refined pillars, they still lagged behind the Grand Ancient Void Kingdom.
Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign believed the Grand Ancient Void Kingdom still held a decisive advantage, so there was no need to go all out against Lin Yuan.
"But between me and Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign..."
Lin Yuan fell into brief contemplation. Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign's strike had been completely blocked by his Chaos Yin-Yang Tai Chi Diagram.
But that didn't mean Lin Yuan was definitely stronger—only that Fuxu couldn't do anything to him using conventional methods.
"Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign should have mastered two rank-thirteen inheritances. His strength is terrifying."
Lin Yuan thought to himself, "I've cultivated Infinite Void, and coupled it with the divine ability Sunborn Genesis. Together, they're equivalent to two rank-thirteen inheritances."
"And the Chaos Yin-Yang Tai Chi Tao I've developed is also a rank-thirteen technique—maybe even stronger than the usual kind, since it's my personal Dao and aligns perfectly with me."
Lin Yuan analyzed inwardly.
Cultivating a rank-thirteen inheritance had a sky-high threshold, and mastering two of them was extremely rare.
His cultivation of Infinite Void might look smooth, but that was thanks to his Unrivaled Insight. If it were anyone else...
Even if someone barely passed, they'd usually get stuck at the threshold.
The treasure vault of the Liyang Ancient Kingdom held a rank-thirteen inheritance called Heart of the Sun.
One of the requirements to master this inheritance was to constantly maintain a Sunborn state of mind. In that mindset, the cultivator's rationality would be completely replaced by the power of the sun—put simply, they'd lose almost all reason, becoming impulsive and quick-tempered.
Of course, once Heart of the Sun was mastered, the heart itself would begin transforming toward that of a rank-thirteen time lifeform. Even if it only reached one ten-thousandth of a true time lifeform's heart, it would still be enough to sweep aside all Heavenly Sovereigns.
In terms of raw power augmentation, this type of transformation-focused inheritance far surpassed other rank-thirteen inheritances.
But Lin Yuan kept his distance.
Even if he met all the criteria, he wouldn't cultivate such an inheritance. Losing most of his rationality? The consequences were too severe.
"The real gap between me and Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign lies in the level of life. I'm still only at the Dominance realm."
Lin Yuan thought, though he wasn't too concerned.
At his current realm, as long as he stepped into the Chaos stage, he would instantly be at the peak of the Chaos Realm—after all, he had already developed the Chaos Yin-Yang Tai Chi Tao.
"My greatest advantage isn't my inner universe, nor Infinite Void, nor Sunborn Genesis, but the path I've personally evolved."
Lin Yuan's eyes burned with intensity.
Just the first layer of the Chaos Yin-Yang Tai Chi Tao had already granted him such a massive power boost. What would happen if he cultivated it to the second or even third layer?
Compared to that kind of potential, only Infinite Void at the seventh layer might have the upper hand.
But cultivating Infinite Void to the seventh layer was only theoretical. Even its creator wasn't confident about that. Lin Yuan knew he wasn't comparable to a true time lifeform.
In comparison, reaching the third layer of the Chaos Yin-Yang Tai Chi Tao felt more realistic.
Just as Lin Yuan was examining his own strength, the Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns throughout the treasured land erupted into a frenzy.
Unlike the semi-illusory state of the regular core pillars, the giant core pillar radiated its aura far and wide—it couldn't be hidden.
Even a Heavenly Sovereign could easily sense the towering aura of the giant core pillar.
Previously, the giant core pillar was occupied by the Grand Ancient Void Kingdom and refined by Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign. Even if others could sense it, what could they do?
But now—
A subtle shift in the aura of the giant core pillar sparked a single thought in the hearts of all Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns—
The giant core pillar had changed hands.
"That giant core pillar wasn't refined by Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign? How could it change hands?"
"Who could it be? Could one of the other five ancient Kingdoms have secretly sent in someone as powerful as Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign?"
"Someone who could force Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign to give up the giant core pillar? Impossible!"
One by one, the Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns were stunned. They were already shocked when battle tremors emerged from the direction of the giant core pillar.
Now it had changed hands completely.
Given its importance, Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign had definitely shown up. And if he still lost it, then it meant he had withdrawn on purpose.
"It was Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign—the giant core pillar was refined by him."
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign? Didn't he just recently become a Heavenly Sovereign?"
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign wrested the giant core pillar from Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign?"
The many Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns were dumbfounded. They had expected that another Kingdom might be hiding a powerhouse, but didn't think it would be Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.
Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign was unique among the six Kingdoms—he was the first royal to elevate an Ancestor bloodline to the Heavenly Sovereign level.
But the time had been too short. Royal bloodlines did make power advancement easier, but only relatively so—not enough to leap directly to such heights.
"So this is what an Ancestor bloodline looks like at the Heavenly Sovereign level?" Many Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns' thoughts expanded—they were already planning to study Ancestor bloodlines thoroughly after the treasured land competition ended.
Before Lin Yuan's emergence, the truly powerful Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns had little regard for Ancestor bloodlines—the limitations were too great.
But now?
All of them had completely abandoned their old views.
In the ancient, mysterious capital of Grand Ancient Void Kingdom—this was the first city of the Source World, and the birthplace of the first Ancestor.
It held deep significance for Grand Ancient Void and the other five Kingdoms alike. It was the place where everything began.
Even though only two of the five Ancestors were actually born in Grand Ancient Void, their rise was still deeply tied to the Grand Ancient Void Ancestor.
After all, the world's original cultivation path and system all came from the Grand Ancient Void Ancestor.
In the deepest part of the capital, several figures had gathered.
Nearby, images flickered—showing Lin Yuan defeating eleven Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns from Grand Ancient Void Kingdom, and ultimately receiving a strike from Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign head-on.
Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign was also among them. He quietly watched the replaying scenes, sometimes deep in thought.
"Tsk tsk, this Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign is quite something. His evolved chaos power path is very unusual."
"Indeed, I can tell he's cultivated a rank-thirteen inheritance, but blocking Fuxu's full-power strike was mainly thanks to his self-evolved chaos path."
"A chaos path this powerful is truly rare."
One figure after another spoke, offering their evaluations of Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.
"A rank-thirteen inheritance, plus a Heavenly Sovereign-level Ancestor bloodline, and an extraordinary chaos evolution path—this Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign has a lot of room to grow."
"True. If he masters another rank-thirteen inheritance, we might not be able to take him on unless we work together."
The group continued discussing, clearly impressed with Lin Yuan.
"His chaos power path probably hasn't reached the third level yet—there's no sense of completeness to it," one previously silent voice suddenly spoke.
"Not yet reached the third level?" The others were slightly surprised.
The chaos path had three levels, each vastly different. Especially the gap between level two and level three—that was the difference between ordinary Heavenly Sovereigns and peak Ultimate Sovereigns.
"Fuxu, you fought him. Is that accurate?" one figure asked Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign.
After all, these images were just memories—even if sourced from Fuxu's own, they couldn't compare to being there in person.
"Yes."
Fuxu was silent for a moment before nodding.
The third level of the chaos evolution path was the perfect realm. Once reached, it gave off an aura of ultimate completion—a sense that no further progress was possible.
And that was something Fuxu didn't sense in Lin Yuan's Chaos Yin-Yang Tai Chi Diagram.
"Could it be that our six ancient Kingdoms are about to see a powerhouse emerge who surpasses the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns?"
Someone couldn't help but say.
Since the founding of the six Kingdoms, the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns had always been the ceiling of power. But with Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign's performance, that ceiling might be shattered.
"Heh, let's not get ahead of ourselves. The stronger the chaos path, the harder it is to reach the perfect level."
Another voice spoke up, not too worried. "Besides, even if he does reach that step, what does that have to do with us?"
"Unless he becomes an Ancestor, he won't threaten Grand Ancient Void Kingdom. And if he does reach that level, that's for the Ancestors to worry about—not us."
At that, the others paused, then nodded in agreement.
"Ancestor level... I wonder if any of us still have hope of reaching it."
Their thoughts drifted. For any Heavenly Sovereign, breaking out of the time cycle to reach the thirteenth-rank Ancestor realm was the ultimate dream.
But it was far too difficult. Since Grand Ancient Void's founding, only five Ancestors had ever emerged.
The figures present were all the strongest Heavenly Sovereigns of Grand Ancient Void. They had each possessed the Ancestor more than once—and the more it happened, the more they felt the vast gulf between them.
This gap wasn't just one of power—it was something on a higher, fundamental level.
"That Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign... as strong as he is, whether he can become an Ancestor is still unknown. His odds aren't much higher than ours," one figure said.
"Fuxu, do we still have a shot in this treasured land battle?"
After some idle conversation, the others turned to Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign.
Originally, sending Fuxu into the treasured land had all but guaranteed Grand Ancient Void's victory. No one had expected someone like Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign to appear.
"Conventional methods won't work against him, but if we truly go all-out, he may not be my match yet."
Fuxu replied.
Maybe in the future Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign would surpass him—but now?
The reason Fuxu surrendered the giant core pillar was to avoid letting other Kingdoms benefit, and because the final battle for the treasured land was still nearly a thousand years away—Grand Ancient Void still held the upper hand for now.
It wasn't out of fear of Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.
"Good."
"A pity. If I'd known such a powerhouse would appear, I'd have joined the battle too."
The figures chatted with one another. At their level, fighting someone of equal strength was a rare thrill.
Within the treasured land, outside the giant core pillar, eleven Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns of the Liyang Ancient Kingdom arrived.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign... did he really reclaim the giant core pillar?" Even now, Eternal Sun Heavenly Sovereign couldn't believe it.
As a top Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign, he knew just how strong Fuxu Heavenly Sovereign was. Even he would need to rely on ancient Kingdom trump cards to barely hold his own.
And if Fuxu also used a trump card? They'd need to join forces with other Kingdoms to fight back.
This was something bound to happen in the later stages of the treasured land battle—with Grand Ancient Void's strength, the others were sure to unite against them.
"Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign's strength is just too overwhelming."
Vast Might Heavenly Sovereign sighed. Back when the entry quotas were being decided, he'd been a little displeased with the emperor for forcing this royal in.
"Enough."
At that moment, Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign finally spoke. "Milky Way has invited us in."
"Mm."
The other Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns nodded.
At this point, the de facto leader of the Liyang Ancient Kingdom's Heavenly Sovereigns had quietly shifted from Red Flame to Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.
There was no helping it.
Among the six ancient Kingdoms, power reigned supreme—this was iron law. And Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign's strength as the top Sovereign was now widely recognized.
What's more, him seizing the giant core pillar had major strategic value for this treasured land battle.
It had eased the pressure Liyang Ancient Kingdom would face in trying to capture more core pillars later on.
With that strength came merit.
If Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign wasn't their leader, who could be?
...