“How should we handle this?”
All the alien Rank Twelve beings fell silent. If the Milky Way Star Lord were just an ordinary Rank Eleven, they would have plenty of methods at their disposal. However, in the super-large battlefield, his strength far surpassed that of a normal Rank Eleven; he could be called the strongest Rank Eleven since the universe’s birth.
That made dealing with him far more troublesome, especially since they would also have to contend with Humanity’s nine Rank Twelve powerhouses.
“If the rule models involved in the Martial Arts Rank Eleven chapter are genuine, it proves that the Milky Way Star Lord has reached an incredible level of rule comprehension. Once he successfully advances to Rank Twelve, he’ll quickly grow into a peak Path-Clearing expert. At that point, it won’t be about how we handle him, but how he handles us.”
The Prison Race Strongest One spoke slowly. Frankly, if their own race produced a peak Path-Clearing powerhouse, the first thing they would do is sweep across every force in the universe. Yet becoming peak Path-Clearing was extremely difficult; it typically took dozens or even hundreds of universes to produce a single such expert.
Though the Calamity Race had two Strongest Ones at peak Path-Clearing, they were rejected by the universal will and did not dare use their full power, so they were not true peak Path-Clearing beings.
“Peak Path-Clearing? Humanity?” The Insect Race Empress’s expression worsened. By then, her race would surely be suppressed with Humanity’s full strength, and just thinking of a peak Path-Clearing being wielding an ancestral weapon at full capacity made her uneasy.
“The Milky Way Star Lord has already reached Rank Eleven Perfection. Humanity will definitely protect his true body, so how can we handle him?” asked the Universe Race Strongest One.
Even if they wanted to act, they had to consider whether they had the means. A Rank Twelve’s curse-based assassination could indeed kill a Rank Nine or Ten body and all of its avatars, but with the Milky Way Star Lord at Rank Eleven, not even a Rank Twelve burning every resource could finish him off.
“Actually, there might be a way.” The Prison Race Strongest One suddenly spoke, looking at the Insect Race Empress.
“Years ago, a bizarre lifeform fell from beyond the universe. If I recall correctly, the Metamorphic Empress got a drop of its blood”
Early in the universe’s history, a strange lifeform fell inside, nearly causing the extinction of all cosmic life. Only by combining the power of many Rank Twelve beings did they drive it out. That lifeform was not normal, lacking consciousness, since a living Rank Twelve from outside the universe could not enter it.
Its body was terrifyingly strong, unaffected by even Rank Twelve attacks. Somehow the Metamorphic Empress tore through its hide and collected a drop of its blood.
“That lifeform’s blood has a horrifying pollution property. Even we wouldn’t dare touch it. If we can lock onto one of the Milky Way Star Lord’s bodies or at least an avatar, that drop of bizarre blood could pollute him. Even if it doesn’t kill him, it’d inflict serious damage and undermine his potential for advancing to Rank Twelve.”
The Prison Race Strongest One eyed the Insect Race Empress. The other Rank Twelve beings, unaware of this matter, perked up at his certainty.
“Bizarre blood?” The Insect Race Empress frowned.
“I’ll have to speak with the Metamorphic Empress.”
Among the various insect queens, the Metamorphic Empress was the strongest and oldest, holding the highest status.
“I hope Metamorphic Empress places the overall situation first,” said the Prison Race Strongest One.
A moment later, the Insect Race Empress looked around at the other Strongest Ones.
“The Metamorphic Empress is willing to offer the blood.”
“That’s wonderful.” The Prison Race Strongest One exhaled in relief. When that strange lifeform fell into the universe, Humanity had yet to emerge, so their Strongest Ones never knew about it. The Prison Race Strongest One had only learned of Metamorphic Empress’s acquisition through personal abilities, and was revealing it now.
“But that drop of blood, containing endless chaotic corruption, is considered a treasure by Metamorphic Empress. She’s willing to take it out, but not for nothing.” The Insect Race Empress added.
“Whatever Metamorphic Empress wants, she may name it,” the Prison Race Strongest One said.
“Rest assured, we’ll provide anything Metamorphic Empress needs,” the others promised one after another.
Shortly thereafter, the Rank Twelve beings reached an agreement.
“From here on, all we need is to track down one of the Milky Way Star Lord’s avatars, then combine our efforts to subdue it, and finally use that drop of bizarre blood,” the Insect Race Empress explained.
“Indeed.” The others nodded.
At that moment, the Calamity Race Strongest One, who had been silent all along, spoke up.
“My Calamity Race is not interested in Humanity’s Milky Way Star Lord. We’ll withdraw from this operation.”
“You’re withdrawing?” Several Rank Twelve Strongest Ones were taken aback. If Humanity produced a Rank Twelve Path-Clearing powerhouse, the Calamity Race would also be affected. Humanity wouldn’t spare them, either. A peak Path-Clearing being was invincible within the universe, leaving other Strongest Ones no choice but to flee.
“No further discussion.” The Calamity Race Strongest One’s form vanished.
“Those two old fellows are peak Path-Clearing in name only, yet they’re so timid,” said the Prison Race Strongest One, frowning.
“Even without them, we have enough to deal with the Milky Way Star Lord,” the Insect Race Empress responded.
Within the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, Lin Yuan was studying the eighteen Dominance-level wonder trees, observing how they absorbed chaotic energy and converted that turbulent, unstable energy into nourishment.
“Amazing.”
A surge of inspiration filled Lin Yuan’s mind. Having comprehended the chaos rule, his understanding of chaos energy was already advanced, but watching the trees in action let him grasp a near-perfect approach to absorbing chaotic energy directly.
“In the chaotic void, there’s an endless supply of chaos energy. Once I fully master the direct intake of raw chaos, my reliance on external resources will drop drastically.”
Even a Chaos-level powerhouse had to refine raw chaos energy into something like the energy within a Chaos Stone before safely absorbing it. Path-Clearing or Dominance-level experts trying to learn from chaos energy would also rely on Chaos Stones, as those contained stable, purified chaos energy for comprehension. Directly attempting to draw on the wild currents of chaos was too difficult and rife with disordered energies.
Lin Yuan’s ability to form an avatar from chaos energy was just one application of it, different from converting raw chaos into personal power. One was a method of forming a body out of chaos, while the other was actual absorption.
“Let’s test this on the World Tree.”
Lin Yuan turned his attention to the World Tree in his inner world. After comprehending the chaos rule, he was already able to bring in some chaos energy from outside the universe to nurture the tree. However, that was only limited cultivation.
At Rank Eleven, the tree couldn’t directly devour chaos energy. And using Chaos Stones to feed it would be too extravagant. If the World Tree could absorb chaos energy on its own, it might help it evolve into a Chaos Tree.
“Huh?”
“Xia Qin the Strongest One is contacting me?”
Lin Yuan sensed something. Outside the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, his Yang Primordial Soul split off a wisp of will and connected to the virtual world.
Inside Xia Qin’s personal space there, Lin Yuan greeted him with a slight bow.
“Greetings, Strongest One.”
“Lin Yuan,” Xia Qin responded with a slight smile before a hint of solemnity entered his tone.
“You’re aware your identity as the founder of the Martial Arts Evolutionary Path can’t stay hidden any longer, right?”
In truth, rumors had circulated for centuries that Lin Yuan was this path’s creator, but back then, there was little real evidence. The appearance of the Rank Eleven Martial Arts chapter, however, turned those rumors into an uproar.
“I know,” Lin Yuan replied.
Previously, when he was at Ranks Six, Seven, Eight, Nine, he worried exposure would draw the attention or attacks of Rank Twelve aliens. But now, Lin Yuan wasn’t Rank Twelve, yet he might as well be. He had little to fear.
“That’s true.” Xia Qin smiled.
“They might want to curse you or sabotage you, but it’s basically pointless now.” Pausing briefly, he then continued, “Still, one can never be too cautious. With the potential of the Martial Arts Path, I can guess they’re secretly plotting how to deal with you.”
“What do you suggest?” Lin Yuan asked.
“How about bringing your true body to the Central Star Region, the safest place in our civilization? Even if more than a dozen alien Rank Twelves joined forces, we could defend you there,” Xia Qin proposed.
Though Humanity’s nine Strongest Ones were always keeping watch on the Milky Way main star and could intervene if anything happened, it was still on the civilization’s outskirts. In Xia Qin’s view, that carried certain risks.
“My true body?” Lin Yuan paused. At present, his real self was in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, which was even safer than the Central Star Region.
“Strongest One, where do you think my true body is right now?” he asked.
“Your true body?” Xia Qin tried to trace it through cause-and-effect, then said, “Isn’t it on the Milky Way main star?”
“There’s only one avatar on the Milky Way main star,” Lin Yuan answered honestly.
Xia Qin’s expression shifted.
“So your true body is...?”
“In the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm,” Lin Yuan said without hiding anything. At this point, he saw no need for secrecy. With his strength, protecting that secret realm was no problem.
“Inside the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm?” Xia Qin was momentarily stunned but also pleased. That realm was coveted by dozens of Rank Twelve powerhouses in the universe, yet here it was in Lin Yuan’s hands.
“But...didn’t it close? How did you get in?”
Lin Yuan explained, “I refined its core long ago. Now I’m its owner.”
“You’re the owner?” Xia Qin was dazed, then thrilled. Even Rank Twelve Strongest Ones had dreamt of claiming the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, and yet here it was.
He gazed at Lin Yuan and finally admitted, “You nearly gave me a heart attack.”
...
20 chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
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