Amidst the blinding white light, Lu Sheng's figure slowly came into focus.
The aura of the Dark Side universe that permeated this space melted away as swiftly as ice under the scorching sun the moment the Extreme Yang Dao manifested.
The Extreme Yang Dao is the embodiment of all light and heat, it is the ultimate Yang and righteousness in the universe. Meanwhile, the monstrous beasts are precisely the product of the convergence of all dark matter from countless universes. The two are as incompatible as water and fire, like the opposing sides of light and darkness that can never coexist.
Among the countless Powers of Laws, none suppresses the power of the Dark Side universe more effectively than the Law of Extreme Yang. This was something Lu Sheng had only just realized.
"The Extreme Yang Dao is the natural nemesis of the beasts of the Dark Side universe… And I, who bear the mission to resist the invasion of the entire Dark Side universe, have, of all things, come to comprehend and master the power of the Supreme Yang Law through the Stellar Dao…"
At that moment, Lu Sheng was suddenly overcome by an inexplicable sense of destiny.
"Perhaps..." Lu Sheng stared at his palm and murmured softly, "It really is meant for me to be this savior."
After a momentary lapse of thought, Lu Sheng's heart grew calm once more. His gaze swept across the arena, finally settling on a corner of the space where he spotted that General-rank Beast, its body curled up to the size of a fist.
As Sheng's gaze fell upon it, the General-rank Beast—which, like him, was at level 13—began to tremble even more violently. Back when Sheng was at level 12, he had already been able to overcome the odds and slay General-class Beasts using the Seven Emotions Blade, which harnessed the power of two Emotion Laws.
Now that he had officially reached level 13, his primary cultivation path, the Stellar Dao, had transformed and ascended into the Extreme Yang Dao. Moreover, the total number of his Extreme Yang Immortal Cells had reached an unprecedented 367 million.
The power of the Extreme Yang—which inherently held a suppressing effect over cosmic beings of the Dark Side—permeated every pore and corner of Sheng's body. To the point that even beasts of the same rank could scarcely bring themselves to look him in the eye.
"I am the end of darkness, your natural enemy…"
Sheng spoke softly, gazing calmly at the crouching beast. Under his gaze, all the Extreme Yang energy within this space surged. The forces belonging to the Dark Side universe were pushed aside and annihilated… And the General-rank Beast, the very source of all that Dark energy, was constantly melting and disintegrating under the relentless pressure of this boundless Extreme Yang energy. Until it was completely obliterated.
In the end, only a crystal stone, glowing with a hazy, evil green light, remained in its place. Sheng casually plucked the crystal core left behind by the General-rank Beast into his hand, then crushed it effortlessly, absorbing all the energy it contained. Feeling the number of Immortal Yang cells within his body rapidly increase, Lu Sheng projected his spiritual energy outward.
Sure enough, he soon located the blue light gate leading to the next stage within this space.
"Defeat or kill the gatekeeper, and the entrance to the next stage will appear." Lu Sheng's eyes flickered slightly as he muttered to himself, "It's just like clearing levels in a game. Interesting."
As he spoke, his figure flickered, and he had already appeared before the next entrance. Gazing at the swirling entrance leading into the unknown before him, Lu Sheng walked in once more with a calm expression.
"Perfect. I'll use this opportunity to refine my combat skills following my ascension to level 13."
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In another location, there was a complex of structures perched atop a group of stars. On each burning star stood a magnificent palace—ancient, yet exquisitely ornate and solemn. These palaces slowly orbited the cosmos along predetermined paths, connected by countless streams of brilliant light, resembling a celestial paradise.
In the center of this cluster of palaces, figures stood in the void. Each of these figures exuded an aura of unparalleled power. Each possessed the might to effortlessly shake an entire region of the cosmos. Even the weakest among them was a genuine level 13 martial artist who had mastered Powers of Law. This was the place that serves as the cradle of the elite of the Celestial Serpent galaxy—the Celestial Throne academy.
At this very moment, these powerful figures—each with their own distinct appearance and aura—were watching a series of battle scenes projected high above the center of the starry sky. They were critiquing the battles unfolding on the screen, chatting and laughing animatedly. Occasionally, a faint snort of derision would escape their lips, and at times, soft claps of admiration could be heard. They were all extremely relaxed.
Every talent selection event at the Celestial Throne academy was a grand occasion for those outside the academy. For the senior students—who had long since been admitted to the academy—it was also a rare gathering and a chance to let loose, a welcome respite from their years of constant combat and arduous training.
"Phew—"
Amid the starry sky, a figure emerged from a massive palace. The man was handsome and possessed an elegant demeanor. However, at that moment, he seemed slightly dazed and distracted.
"Chi!" An acquaintance hurried over and greeted him. "How'd it go? How does it feel to crush the newbies?" The man asked with a grin. "Wasn't it satisfying to see those newbies get their butts kicked? Man, too bad I missed the sign-up for the Gatekeepers because I was in seclusion. Otherwise, I would've definitely enjoyed that rare thrill of crushing them. Isn't that how we all started out?"
Faced with his friend's probing, the young man known as Chi shook his head with a wry smile and replied, "It wasn't fun at all. I lost."
"No way, are you serious?" The other man looked utterly incredulous.
Chi sighed wistfully. "It's true. Not only did I lose, but I was one-shot by him. I didn't even…"
Chi paused for a moment before finally sighing deeply, "I didn't even get a clear look at how he executed the move."
"What?!"
This time, his companion's expression completely fell apart. His face was filled with shock. As a fellow senior at the Celestial Throne academy, he knew his friend Chi's martial prowess better than anyone. After all, Chi wasn't just any ordinary level 13. He was born with an Immortal constitution and had mastered two types of Law Power.
Moreover, his mastery of one of those Laws had reached the "Control" tier. He was simply incomparable to the ordinary level 13s found outside the academy. A typical level 13 whose mastery of Law Power remained at the "Activation" tier—no matter how gifted they are—would never stand a chance against him. Let alone… reach an outcome as absurd as instantly defeating Chi with a single move.
"Did you run into one of the monsters from this year's cohort?"
His companion's expression turned serious.
"Probably." Chi nodded. "But I'm not sure which one. At first, I thought it was Dilius, but he denied it."
"Of course it couldn't be Dilius." His companion turned and pointed at an enormous projection in the starry sky. "Everyone is watching Dilius' battle. If you'd shown up on the other side, I would've seen you by now."
Only then did Chi notice the projection in the sky: a young man with a vertical eye on his forehead, commanding Thunder and Storms, utterly domineering.
At that moment, he was battling a General-rank Beast that resembled a giant centipede with a billion legs. The Beast had been completely reduced to a punching bag; within a few breaths, it had been beaten into a pile of mud.
"It definitely isn't him." Chi nodded.
"Then it's likely one of the Monarch-level Bloods." His companion's eyes flickered as he analyzed, "In this cohort, aside from Dilius, the undisputed new leader, there are three other monsters, with a Monarch-level Blood. You most likely encountered one of them, which is why you were defeated so quickly."
"Do we have any information on them?" Chi asked instinctively.
He was equally curious about the man's identity. That youth, as dazzling as the light of the cosmos, had torn through his barrier of laws with nothing but a bare hand, even leaving a glaring crack on his indestructible battle blade. Thinking back on it now, it still filled him with dread. If the battle were to happen again, setting aside all arrogance and giving it his all, Chi still had not the slightest confidence. He wasn't even sure he could survive a single strike from that opponent.
The sheer dominance of the Law-based power the other possessed was almost unparalleled in Chi's lifetime. The fundamental gulf in power was truly despair-inducing.
"Follow me." His companion motioned to Chi, gesturing toward the other combat projections on the screen.
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Translation notes by dhoo
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atop a group of stars
羣星之巔, qún xīng zhī diān: 羣星 galaxy (羣 multitude 星 star), 之 's, 巔 summit/peak
See chapter #638, Galaxy Summit
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New concept: the Law mastery level
"Chi's mastery of one of those Laws had reached the 'Control' tier. He was simply incomparable to the ordinary level 13s found outside the academy. A typical level 13 whose mastery of Law Power remained at the 'Activation' tier"
We'll learn more about it later. It will explain the title, Five Tiers of Law [Mastery] (法則五境)
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Extraordinary Bloods/Physiques: Immortal, Monarch, Sovereign (Galaxy Lord level), Eternal