Lin Yuan’s comprehension of time-space had stepped into the seventh level. As long as it was within the scope of time-space he could sense, he could condense an avatar at any location.
At the sixth level of time-space, Lin Yuan could move in an instant to wherever his mind reached. The so-called “instant” still required time, albeit extremely brief. But reaching the seventh level of time-space allowed Lin Yuan to manifest simultaneously.
This was far beyond what he could do at the sixth level of time-space. At the sixth level, one had to traverse an actual distance in between—and there might be barriers along the way. Some perilous zones of time-space, for instance, could not be bypassed simply through time-space transmigration.
However, the seventh level of time-space was different. No matter how many perilous labyrinths lay in between, so long as the location remained within the time-space range Lin Yuan could sense, he could descend there directly.
At present, the scope Lin Yuan could perceive was roughly equivalent to dozens of Immortal Realms in size. An Immortal Realm was boundlessly vast—about one percent of the main universe’s territory. Thus, dozens of Immortal Realms already equaled over half of the main universe.
In other words, if he returned to the main universe, Lin Yuan would be able, with one thought, to appear anywhere throughout most of it. He could even station his two great Primordial Spirits as “focal points” in strategic places across the main universe, allowing him to materialize instantly at any location within it.
The only shortcoming was that what descended would merely be an avatar. Yet given Lin Yuan’s current rule-based insight and the power of his mental will, even just one avatar could wield a level of strength far exceeding that of a Fiend Emperor. And whenever necessary, he could rely on that “avatar” as a coordinate to bring in his true body.
Previously, Lin Yuan had been guiding the many Martial cultivators of the Spirit Realm to the Immortal Realm through a time-space passage, and during this he sensed the Abyss of Demons Progenitor’s surveillance. Hence, he decided to meet the Abyss of Demons Progenitor.
In fact, even if the Progenitor had not tried to spy on him, Lin Yuan had planned to seek him out anyway. The man was the master of the Abyss of Demons and a rank-twelve existence.
“Martial Ancestor?”
The Abyss of Demons Progenitor’s face grew serious as he carefully examined Lin Yuan standing before him, noticing that it almost seemed the latter did not exist in this same time-space. What was before him was nothing but an image—a mere projection.
“I’ve never heard of you,” the Progenitor said, puzzled.
Although he spent most of his time asleep, anyone with Lin Yuan’s level of strength would surely have left traces in ages past. But in truth, the Abyss of Demons Progenitor had never heard the name “Martial Ancestor.”
“It doesn’t matter that you haven’t heard of me yet. Now you have,” Lin Yuan replied. Indeed, over the past few centuries, the Yin Primordial Spirit had been pushing for the Martial Path’s dissemination, but its scope was small. Even most forces of the Xuantian Immortal Domain had not heard of it, let alone someone as high up as the Abyss of Demons Progenitor.
At those words, the Progenitor fell silent for a moment and then asked, “So, for what purpose has the Martial Ancestor come here today?”
“There are indeed two matters,” Lin Yuan nodded and said, revealing the main reason he had come to see the Abyss of Demons Progenitor.
“Let’s hear it,” the Progenitor said, meeting Lin Yuan’s gaze. At his level, no one had ever dared come with ‘requests.’ Yet Lin Yuan’s display of time-space mastery placed him under enormous pressure.
“I am called the Martial Ancestor because I follow the Martial Path; I’ve also trained some disciples and followers who will soon move freely through the Immortal Realm,” Lin Yuan sighed.
“I hope the Abyss of Demons Progenitor will refrain from attacking my weaker disciples and refrain from actively suppressing or eradicating the Martial cultivation system.”
For the Martial cultivation system to endure in the Immortal Realm long-term, it required not just a base of ordinary practitioners but also an attitude of non-hostility from a rank-twelve existence like the Abyss of Demons Progenitor.
If the Progenitor despised the Martial Path, then no matter whether the system might someday spread across the Immortal Realm’s Thirty-Three Domains, it would ultimately face annihilation—assuming Lin Yuan did not step in personally.
“The Martial cultivation system...” The Abyss of Demons Progenitor’s eyes glinted darkly. After a long moment of thought, he said, “I will not interfere.”
With his lofty strength and status, he would hardly stoop to targeting the weak in any case. In each past Immortal-Demon War, the catastrophe was wrought by the countless fiends he casually conjured. As for himself, the Abyss of Demons Progenitor had never acted directly.
“And the second matter—” Lin Yuan smiled faintly, continuing, “I’ve heard the Immortal Realm’s origin contains the most fundamental rules of this realm, so I intend to visit the Immortal Realm’s origin.”
At that, the Progenitor’s eyes narrowed.
“I fail to see what this has to do with me. The Immortal Realm’s origin isn’t located in the Abyss of Demons.”
His meaning was plain: the Immortal Realm’s origin belongs to the Dao Ancestor of the Immortal Way. Lin Yuan should take it up with the Dao Ancestor, not him.
“Haha...” Lin Yuan laughed.
“All the immortals in the Immortal Realm and the fiends in the Abyss of Demons believe that the Dao Ancestor of the Immortal Way and the Abyss of Demons Progenitor are sworn enemies, and the Immortal-Demon War exists because of that. But in truth, the Dao Ancestor and the Abyss of Demons Progenitor must share the same consciousness, right? Asking you or asking the Dao Ancestor is no different.”
Lin Yuan kept his gaze on the Abyss of Demons Progenitor. It was impossible not to notice that, while the two looked quite different, one wouldn’t necessarily see that they were the same being unless one was at a level beyond typical rank-twelve existences.
However, upon achieving seventh-level time-space comprehension, Lin Yuan had deduced from hints within the time-space field—and from the structure of the Immortal Realm and the Abyss of Demons—that, from beginning to end, there was only one ultimate being in the so-called Immortal Realm.
As for the Dao Ancestor of the Immortal Way and the Abyss of Demons Progenitor, they were merely two sides of the same coin.
“So you actually saw through it,” the Progenitor said. His face betrayed no particular expression. Lin Yuan’s remarks were so specific that he had no more need to keep up the disguise.
“By chance,” Lin Yuan replied with a smile. Even had he not reached seventh-level time-space, he would have harbored suspicions about the “two” rank-twelve beings in the Immortal Realm. Unlike the realm’s common knowledge, Lin Yuan came from the main universe, which abounded in Strongest ones.
He well understood how extraordinarily difficult it was to produce even one rank-twelve life-form. And yet here, the Immortal Realm supposedly had two? That alone might not have raised suspicion, since the Immortal Realm was large enough to host them. But their paths were polar opposites.
It wasn’t simply a matter of polar opposites; the immortals and fiends showed signs of complementing each other as well. All fiends hungered for immortal flesh, while immortals could, in principle, consume fiendish power—but fiendish power was so corrosive that any immortal who tried this would risk corruption.
Nonetheless, the fact that they could still complement each other made Lin Yuan suspect a deep connection. If fiends stemmed from the Abyss of Demons Progenitor and immortals walked the cultivation path bequeathed by the Dao Ancestor, and if fiends and immortals could complement one another, then by extension the Progenitor and the Dao Ancestor must also be complementary.
Rank-twelve existences, each the apex of its own evolutionary path, should be singular and incomparable. If they were complementary, there was only one possibility: they were in fact one and the same.
“If you wish to enter the origin, you must agree to one condition,” the Progenitor said, looking at Lin Yuan.
“What would that be?” Lin Yuan responded with a smile. He was reluctant to provoke any irreconcilable conflict with the Progenitor unless necessary. After all, Lin Yuan’s time in this realm was limited. Short of a one-and-done solution, it was best to keep things “peaceful.”
“I sense that you have not stepped into the Dao Ancestor rank,” the Progenitor said.
“Yet your time-space mastery is at such a level. I want to spar with you.”
“Spar?” Lin Yuan nodded.
“No problem.”
Likely, the Abyss of Demons Progenitor wanted to figure out Lin Yuan’s nature. Merely observing hadn’t let him pinpoint Lin Yuan’s coordinates, but launching a direct attack would risk a total fallout. Hence, he intended to test Lin Yuan under the guise of a friendly match.
Lin Yuan was just as willing. To date, he had never officially fought a rank-twelve Ultimate. In that huge battlefield in the main universe, he had rampaged across parties that only possessed rank-twelve weapons at the rank-eleven.
As for truly rank-twelve powerhouses, he had only brushed contact with the Insect Race’s broodmother, and that had been instantly shut down by the Mysterious Sovereign.
“Where do you plan on sparring?” asked the Progenitor. The Abyss of Demons was his home ground, which gave him a tremendous advantage here. Since this was a spar, not a fight to the death, presumably they should be fair about it.
“Right here is fine,” Lin Yuan said, giving a quick glance around.
“Are you sure?” the Progenitor asked.
Indeed, it was his domain. Was the Martial Ancestor this confident?
“Absolutely,” Lin Yuan replied with a smile.
Although the Progenitor was a rank-twelve Ultimate, he had no comprehension of seventh-level time-space. That ignorance was unsurprising—while the Immortal Realm was arguably on the same tier as the main universe, beyond the main universe was the chaotic void, which housed numerous rank-twelve Dominance and even rank-twelve Chaos experts.
They possessed far greater insight into realms of power than did the Progenitor. Had the Progenitor been any rank-twelve cultivator from the chaotic void, he would not have entertained any idea of “sparring” upon discovering Lin Yuan had reached seventh-level time-space.
At the center of the Abyss of Demons, a vast and desolate space, Lin Yuan and the Progenitor stood facing each other.
“You strike first. So long as you can land a hit on me, it’s your win.”
Lin Yuan smiled as he regarded the Progenitor.
The Progenitor shrank his body to about ten meters tall, black demonic energy swirling around him like a dark hole, devouring the surrounding devilish aura.
“Does the Martial Ancestor think I can’t touch him at all?” he wondered inwardly. Indeed, he could not lock onto Lin Yuan’s precise coordinates.
But failing to pinpoint them did not necessarily make the target unassailable. Think of a sprawling anthill. You might have no idea where the ant is precisely, but you can simply destroy the entire anthill, killing the ant inside.
“Please be careful,” said the Progenitor. He lifted his hand, unleashing surging demonic energy. In a flash, a grand swath of time-space collapsed. As a rank-twelve existence, his slightest movement could ripple across the surrounding time-space like a fish stirring the water.
Crash—
An immense shock wave of time-space spread in all directions, focusing on Lin Yuan. Infinite demonic energy poured over him. Yet Lin Yuan stayed motionless, the demonic aura passing right through him as if crossing empty space. Then it roiled away behind him.
When the demonic aura dissipated, Lin Yuan was still exactly where he stood. If not for the swirling disturbance around him, it might appear that nothing had even happened.
“No effect at all?” The Progenitor felt the pressure rise. He had meant that first strike as a test, specifically a wide-range, time-space-based attack. He expected that, while it might not defeat Lin Yuan, it would at least have some residual impact, maybe ruffling Lin Yuan’s robes. Instead, it seemed to be leagues away from the real target.
“Not bad,” Lin Yuan commented with a nod.
For him, it was a rare chance to face an attack from a rank-twelve Ultimate. His seventh-level time-space kept him absolutely safe, so he could calmly observe the intricacies of that move.
“Not bad?” The Progenitor drew a deep breath. Instantly, the entire Abyss of Demons contracted.
“Then see how you fare against this next move.”
Rumble—
Up, down, left, and right, in every direction, innumerable layers of time-space solidified. Lin Yuan was like an insect trapped in amber. Then, at the far edges of time-space, small fissures emerged, swiftly stretching, branching, splitting—spreading in an eyeblink over everything in view.
Next moment, the surroundings shattered like broken glass, revealing broad streaks of pitch-black cracks that led beyond the Immortal Realm. With that blow, the Progenitor had torn through all the Immortal Realm’s spatial layers and produced a massive rift connecting outside.
“Mm?"
Again, the Progenitor looked to the spot where Lin Yuan had been standing. Lin Yuan remained there, unaffected by the time-space destruction that carried such a potent aura of devastation. The sight shook the Progenitor deeply.
“I just tore straight through the Immortal Realm’s time-space, yet couldn’t affect the Martial Ancestor in the slightest?” he realized.
“That means he must be residing in some time-space beyond the Immortal Realm. Even if the entire Immortal Realm collapsed, it still wouldn’t touch him.”
“Your second strike was certainly stronger than your first,” Lin Yuan said calmly.
“It got quite close to me. Want to keep trying?”
In truth, there was still a considerable distance between that attack and Lin Yuan’s actual time-space location—but he felt it worth offering some words of encouragement.
“No need,” the Abyss of Demons Progenitor replied at once.
“It seems I really can’t reach you.”
He fell silent for a moment, then spoke again.
...
20 chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
69