“Give it to him?”
Wan Qu kept his outward smile calm, but inwardly, huge waves of shock roiled within him.
Give it to him? That “fragment world” valued at 1.2 million Chaos Stones, just hand it over to Lin Yuan?
Yet the one sending him the voice transmission was none other than his teacher, Venerable Guming, the master of this Continent. If Guming said to give it, then it must be given.
“Teacher, how exactly should I give it to him?”
Wan Qu quickly sent a voice transmission back.
As a disciple of Venerable Guming, Wan Qu had ways to contact his teacher directly.
“Just find some reason to give it away. Remember, don’t make it too obvious.” That voice continued to echo in Wan Qu’s ear.
It set Wan Qu’s thoughts running wild.
He discreetly sized up Lin Yuan.
From the tone of his teacher’s words, Wan Qu could tell he wanted to form a good relationship with Lin Yuan, possibly even curry favor.
A “fragment world” worth 1.2 million Chaos Stones was to be given away just like that, with instructions to find a suitable excuse so Lin Yuan would not become suspicious.
If this was not an attempt to forge a friendly connection or curry favor, what else could it be? Wan Qu was very familiar with that sort of tone. As a disciple of a Venerable, he often received such flattering gestures from other powerhouses.
But now, it was Venerable Guming himself who wanted to curry favor with Lin Yuan.
Venerable Guming was a Chaos Venerable, and a rather powerful one at that. Someone to whom even Guming was willing to extend favor?
Wan Qu trembled within, not daring to pursue the thought too far.
“Could Brother Milky Way have some extraordinary backing?”
Given Wan Qu’s perspective, he could only assume Lin Yuan must have a formidable background.
“These ‘fragment worlds’?”
Lin Yuan examined the other several dozen “fragment worlds” closely.
Judging by their quality, they all met Lin Yuan’s demands. Although they fell far short of the Star Tear Stone fragment world, at least they were in his price range.
“All right, I’ll take this one.”
After comparing for a while, Lin Yuan finally chose a particular “fragment world.”
This “fragment world” was only about one ten-thousandth the size of a normal universe, but its strong point was the absence of any harmful radiation, so it would pose no danger to weak human citizens.
“Milky Way.”
Wan Qu waved his hand, causing all the miniature “fragment world” projections to vanish except for the Star Tear Stone world.
“Brother Wan Qu?”
Lin Yuan looked at Wan Qu, visibly puzzled.
“I feel an instant rapport with you, Brother Milky Way. If you really want that Star Tear Stone fragment world, I can take the initiative to transfer it to you first.”
“As for the Chaos Stones? You can pay whenever you have them in the future.”
Wan Qu said.
“Transfer it to me first?”
Lin Yuan was somewhat stunned by what he heard.
He would receive the “fragment world” now and pay the Chaos Stones later, when he got them?
Everywhere, the basic rule of trade was payment upon delivery. Sometimes, one even had to pay a deposit in advance.
Getting the goods first and only paying later—how was that any different from just giving it away?
“I have no choice. That Star Tear Stone fragment world is too expensive, and it’s unlikely to find a buyer. Rather than leaving it idle, we might as well let you have it first, Brother Milky Way.”
Wan Qu smiled.
“No worries, Brother Milky Way. This is a perfectly proper transaction. You won’t owe any special obligations, and there’s no pressure on you.”
“A normal transaction?”
Lin Yuan regarded him, feeling somewhat strange inside.
He understood what Wan Qu was getting at.
The stronger someone was, the more they avoided incurring favors or karmic debts; no one wanted to owe a personal debt.
Now, Wan Qu was basically handing him the “fragment world” at no cost, and if he did not clarify this as a normal transaction, Lin Yuan might wonder if he was incurring a karmic obligation.
First, the “fragment world” was being given for nothing. Then, he even promised Lin Yuan no karmic burden.
Lin Yuan suddenly did not know what Wan Qu’s motive was.
“Is it Venerable Guming behind this?”
Lin Yuan speculated inwardly.
Though Wan Qu, as a disciple of the Venerable, wielded significant authority, it was still limited. To give away a “fragment world” worth 1.2 million Chaos Stones just like that? Impossible without Venerable Guming’s approval.
“What do you say? If you agree, let’s finalize it. The ownership of that Star Tear Stone fragment world can be transferred to you right away.”
Wan Qu said.
“Many thanks.”
Lin Yuan did not hesitate.
A “fragment world” worth 1.2 million, even if there had been a karmic obligation, Lin Yuan would still have considered it. Let alone when there was none?
It was essentially free; why refuse? After all, humanity had just left their universe, and having a better environment for their new homeland would be greatly beneficial for future development. Lin Yuan would not refuse out of pride.
“Great.”
“This is the formation control core of the Star Tear Stone fragment world.”
Wan Qu turned his hand over to produce a crystal. As soon as the Chaos Dragon Beast had shattered the giant asteroids and the fragments were sorted out and merged into Guming Chaos Continent’s array, Wan Qu had prepared this in advance.
That crystal represented control over the Star Tear Stone fragment world.
Lin Yuan accepted the crystal and did a brief check, feeling more at ease.
Afterward, Wan Qu chatted with Lin Yuan for a while, mostly explaining how to use the “fragment world.”
Then Lin Yuan took his leave and walked out of the hall.
“Why would Venerable Guming give me that ‘fragment world’ for free?” Lin Yuan wondered while wandering the trading district.
First, Guming obviously had no hostility toward him.
Given Guming’s status as a Chaos Venerable, if he wanted Lin Yuan dead, his avatar would have been obliterated long ago. There would be no chance for survival.
There was no animosity or conflict of interest between Lin Yuan and Guming.
Lin Yuan also sensed that Guming bore him goodwill. If there were ulterior motives, Guming would at least have left some karmic conditions or insisted on a favor in return. He did not even do that.
“At least I’ve settled on a new home for our race.”
Lin Yuan raised his head and looked at the Star Tear Stone fragment world, thinking to himself.
Originally, he had intended to pick a lesser “fragment world,” but unexpectedly, he ended up with the one he most desired, practically as a gift.
In the deepest part of the Chaos Continent.
Venerable Guming and the black-robed youth were observing the events in the hall.
“That ‘Milky Way’ fellow accepted the fragment world.” Guming let out a slight sigh of relief, his face revealing a smile.
Based on the black-robed youth’s “foresight,” he deduced that Lin Yuan had a high likelihood of becoming a future Chaos Great Saint. Faced with a being of such limitless potential, it was only logical to avoid offending him—that would be suicidal.
The next step was figuring out how best to win him over.
There was much technique involved. You could not apply too much pressure or make him uncomfortable. For instance, if Guming personally appeared and offered him various treasures, it might only raise Lin Yuan’s suspicions.
That would be counterproductive.
So the best approach was to help from behind the scenes, precisely when he needed something.
“This ‘Milky Way’ must have guessed that you were behind Wan Qu’s actions,” the black-robed youth remarked.
Anyone who made it to Rank Twelve was no fool. For Wan Qu to present such a lavish gift out of nowhere, how could there not be direction from Guming?
“Naturally,” Guming said with a nod.
“But you sensed certain-death danger with your ‘foresight.’ It’s truly incredible.” Guming was still amazed.
The future is not set in stone. Even a small shift can create countless timelines.
This was hardly the first time the black-robed youth had come across a genius with huge potential, including children or heirs of Great Saints.
But for those individuals, he only felt a mild sense of threat, meaning that in the future, the odds of them growing strong enough to threaten him were very slim.
Out of a million potential future timelines, maybe one or two led them to become a Great Saint.
Yet with Lin Yuan?
That sense of impending doom was so intense it nearly overflowed. If he did not know that Lin Yuan in front of him was only at the peak of Path-Clearing, the black-robed youth might have believed the man could become a Chaos Great Saint at any moment.
“It really is baffling.” The black-robed youth nodded. At the time, it had startled him so deeply that he nearly doubted whether his “foresight” had malfunctioned.
“What a pity your ‘foresight’ can only detect danger and not give more specific information. Otherwise, you could fully exploit it to form a bond with ‘Milky Way’ more directly.”
Venerable Guming sighed in mild regret.
For now, all he could do was avoid offending Lin Yuan and try to form a connection. As for a true bond of goodwill? That was much more difficult.
Forming a real bond was never easy. Without knowing Lin Yuan’s temperament, Guming did not dare overreach. One misstep would spoil everything.
He only gave away that “fragment world” because Lin Yuan genuinely seemed to want it; otherwise, Guming might not have done so.
“If I could foresee things beyond danger, would I still be stuck at the peak of Dominance?” The black-robed youth rolled his eyes.
“Foresight” is a time-based ability. Under normal conditions, that belongs in the domain of Rank Thirteen time life forms. He could barely sense danger only because his bloodline was strong enough.
“It is said that Rank Thirteen time life forms can see timeline after timeline. To them, they can lay out the present to shape the future outcome they want.”
Venerable Guming was momentarily lost in longing.
And that was just a Rank Thirteen time life form. If it were Rank Fourteen, they might be able to customize the future. If they found it unsatisfactory, they could even return to the past and change it, repeating until the future fit their desires.
“Rank Thirteen time life forms are too remote. Even many peerless Great Saints have searched across multiple cosmic eras, roamed half the Chaos Void, and never managed to find one,” the black-robed youth said.
Countless Great Saints spent their entire lives chasing the footsteps of some Rank Thirteen time life form.
“Yes, far too distant,” Guming replied with a nod.
“But that ‘Milky Way’ is right here.”
Being so close to a potential future Chaos Great Saint, he could gradually build a connection. In times of need, extending a timely helping hand would yield endless rewards.
In the main universe.
Lin Yuan sat calmly under the starry sky.
“Space-time…”
Lin Yuan pondered. His space-time comprehension was now at the peak of the Seventh Layer, only a tiny step away from Eighth Layer, ready to break through at any moment.
“I’ve heard that after universal annihilation, when rebirth begins, one can witness the scene of chaos giving rise to all things. It’s supposed to be immensely helpful for comprehending powers that evolve from the Chaos rules.”
Lin Yuan thought to himself. But that spectacle could only be seen by those still inside the universe. Someone outside would see only a boundless gray haze.
“When universal annihilation arrives, I’ll leave an avatar in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm to watch how the universe is reborn.”
That was Lin Yuan’s plan.
Even if he did not need to observe the universe’s rebirth, he would still leave an avatar in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm as one of his fallback measures.
The Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm was indisputably safe, and it cut off all karma and time. Even if Lin Yuan faced unstoppable danger in the Chaos Void, he would still have that avatar inside the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm as a lifeline.
“Milky Way Strongest One.”
Suddenly, the nine Strongest ones, including Xuanyuan and Xia Qin, appeared.
“The migration of our race is basically complete, but lately these alien powerhouses have been asking to fully join our human civilization. They want us to take them away.”
Xia Qin the Strongest looked at Lin Yuan and asked, “What do you think, Milky Way Strongest One?”
“Bring them along.”
Lin Yuan replied casually.
When the universe undergoes total annihilation, most life forms are doomed to perish with its collapse, even leaving behind most Rank Twelve Ultimates.
The reason the human civilization could plan to evacuate everyone was solely because of Lin Yuan.
So it was perfectly natural that those remaining alien powerhouses would choose to pledge themselves to human civilization in order to survive.
Lin Yuan harbored no concerns about it. Such an absolute submission was essentially enslavement. They would be branded with all kinds of restrictions, making rebellion impossible.
“Understood.”
The nine Strongest ones, including Xuanyuan, nodded, then vanished.
Moments later.
Two figures coalesced not far from Lin Yuan’s seat.
They were the two Ultimates of the Calamity Race.
“Milky Way Strongest One.”
The two Ultimates from the Calamity Race bowed slightly to Lin Yuan, speaking in respectful tones.
“Mm.” Lin Yuan opened his eyes and looked at them.
The two Ultimates felt a chill deep within. When Lin Yuan’s gaze fell upon them, they had a powerful illusion of their spirits endlessly plunging downward.
“If he wanted to kill us, even our ancestral house’s protection would be useless,” the two Ultimates gulped, silently guessing.
“As expected from the reincarnation of a Great Saint. Even with the universe suppressing him, he’s still this terrifying.”
The Calamity Race originally came from some Great Saint-level faction in the Chaos Void, so these two Ultimates knew many secret pieces of information. They clearly understood how hard it was for Lin Yuan to reach his current state.
“Without the universe’s suppression, Milky Way Strongest One could have soared, likely returning to the Great Saint realm in no time.”
The two Ultimates thought in awe.
“With a power like his, there would have been no need to reincarnate. He must be aiming to achieve that next step.”
“What is it?”
Lin Yuan looked at the two Ultimates from the Calamity Race, asking casually.
He already knew all the secrets of the Calamity Race. He had even gleaned a solid understanding of that wooden house.
“Milky Way Strongest One, with universal annihilation close at hand, we believe you have no problem resisting the destructive calamity. But you still need to be careful…”
The Ultimate on the left spoke gravely, looking toward the void outside the universe.
“Be careful of what’s outside the universe?”
Lin Yuan likewise gazed beyond, his expression thoughtful.
...
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