Deep within Guming Chaos Continent.
“Who’s watching me?”
Guming Venerable opened his eyes, his expression flickering with surprise.
“It must be a passing venerable.”
He soon sensed the probing gaze retreat rapidly and made a guess in his heart.
To be able to pierce through the numerous formations of the Chaos Continent and spy on his secluded cultivation spot—
The other party had at least reached the eighth stage of time-space comprehension.
“Just arrived in this void, drew the attention of nearby venerables, and came to check it out?”
Guming Venerable speculated.
Comprehending the eighth stage of space-time already placed one in the domain of seasoned Chaos Venerables.
Ordinary newly ascended Chaos Venerables were still stuck at the peak of the seventh stage in space-time mastery.
Star Tear “Fragment World”.
Lin Yuan was currently perceiving the eighth stage of space-time, constantly observing the surrounding spacetime.
“Whether it’s the distance of void travel or the control over time and space, I’ve improved by a huge margin.”
Lin Yuan marveled inwardly. Most importantly, from now on, if he faced enemies at the venerable level, he would no longer be suppressed in the space-time domain.
Attainment in the space-time layer was like seizing the initiative—it allowed one to advance or retreat freely.
“I wonder what the ninth stage of space-time is like.”
Lin Yuan thought to himself.
The eighth stage belonged to the domain only Chaos Venerables could touch, while the ninth stage was the realm of Chaos Great Saints and even Supreme Saints.
His Majesty the Mysterious Sovereign, as a Supreme Saint, could create 33,333 Mysterious Emperor Secret Realms with a wave of his hand, scattering them across various universes. It was all thanks to his peak comprehension of the ninth stage of space-time.
“This round of seclusion is over.”
Lin Yuan gathered his thoughts. Although he had reached the eighth stage of space-time, he felt no pride. This only made facing Chaos Venerables easier and more relaxed.
But what about Chaos Great Saints?
Lin Yuan still remembered how his home universe was annihilated in the aftermath of the battle between the Shadowfiend Great Saint and the Nine Phoenix Great Saint.
From beginning to end, he had never even seen their shadows. The lingering power fluctuations from their clash destroyed everything, leaving him with a sense of utter helplessness.
“With my current foundation, if I step into the Dominance realm, even if I’m still no match for Saints, I should at least have some power to protect myself, I wouldn’t be just an ant to be crushed at their whim”
Lin Yuan thought.
From the Path-Clearing realm to the Dominance realm was a major leap between realms within the twelve ranks, bringing a qualitative transformation in strength.
The same applied to Lin Yuan. At that point, he could continue cultivating the likes of “Infinite Void.”
“Dominance realm is very close.”
Lin Yuan could feel how close his body and soul were to their limits and silently contemplated.
“This time in seclusion, achieving the eighth stage of space-time was an unexpected bonus.”
He thought to himself.
Many newly developed martial branches emerged in his mind—“A total of seventy-three martial branches. In theory, each of them could give birth to a twelfth-rank evolver.”
Lin Yuan was quite satisfied.
The more martial branches, the wider the martial path. If the foundation weren’t vast, how could so many branches be created?
No matter how one carves out a muddy trail, it can’t become a road to the heavens.
“Xuanyuan and the others asked me to buy some twelfth-rank evolution paths—why bother? Aren’t they right here?”
Lin Yuan’s face broke into a smile. These seventy-three martial branches that directly led to the twelfth rank were enough to sustain human civilization for a very long time.
“Truth is, I could stay in seclusion and develop even more martial branches, but there’s no need.”
He thought.
The core martial evolution path was already there. Once the ideas for the branches opened up, countless paths would naturally emerge.
All Lin Yuan had to do was guide them.
“Hmm?”
“Wan Qu is looking for me?”
Lin Yuan’s expression shifted slightly. He immediately sent out an avatar and left the Star Tear “Fragment World,” heading to Guming Chaos Continent.
In a pavilion within Mingchuan City, Lin Yuan and Wan Qu sat facing each other.
“Brother Milky Way, I didn’t let you down.”
Wan Qu smiled as he looked at Lin Yuan.
Ever since Guming Venerable personally ordered him to hand over the Star Tear “Fragment World” to Lin Yuan, practically as a gift, Wan Qu realized Lin Yuan’s background might be unimaginably terrifying.
Afterward, Wan Qu sought an audience with Guming Venerable to inquire about Lin Yuan, but the only thing the venerable said was:
“If you offend Milky Way, the entire Chaos Continent will be destroyed.”
Wan Qu still remembered the expression Guming Venerable had when he said that—extreme fear and dread.
Because of that, Wan Qu had granted Lin Yuan’s every request without question during this period.
“Hahaha, many thanks.” Lin Yuan was in good spirits.
Not long ago, he had asked Wan Qu to help sell eighteen unique trees of the Dominance level he got from the senior ‘Cang Weiyang’ in exchange for specific resources or chaos stones.
Each of the eighteen trees bore spiritual fruits at intervals, making them living treasures for any force—a money tree that could be passed down endlessly.
But to Lin Yuan, they were rather useless.
These trees had a fruiting cycle of at least a million years. At Lin Yuan’s current growth rate, he would likely already reach the Chaos realm by then.
To a Chaos Venerable, eighteen such trees weren’t worth much—let alone their fruits.
They weren’t like the World Tree born from Lin Yuan’s internal universe, which helped stabilize it and had high potential to grow into a Chaos Tree.
That was why Lin Yuan had kept them until now.
Their greatest value had been to help him understand how to absorb and exhale chaos energy.
“These are the resources you needed, Brother Milky Way. I exchanged them easily.”
Wan Qu waved his hand, revealing a purple cloth pouch—a storage treasure containing the resources Lin Yuan requested.
In truth, he hadn’t profited from this trade at all—in fact, he even lost out a bit.
But to build ties with Lin Yuan, and following Guming Venerable’s instructions, any price was worth it.
Lin Yuan accepted the pouch, scanned it with his mind, and then put it away with satisfaction.
“By the way, there’s something I want to ask you about.”
“Ask away, Brother Milky Way,” Wan Qu said without hesitation.
“What’s the background of the Myriad Dao Pavilion?”
Lin Yuan asked.
The information left behind by senior Cang Weiyang had a vague description of the Myriad Dao Pavilion. After all, Cang Weiyang was only a peak Dominance-level cultivator.
Wan Qu, while also at the peak of the Dominance realm, was the disciple of a Chaos Venerable and had been overseeing the “Fragment World” on Guming Chaos Continent for years.
In terms of intelligence and connections, he was far beyond a lone wanderer like Cang Weiyang.
Furthermore, even the Mysterious Sovereign Lineage had knowledge of the Myriad Dao Pavilion, though it was from so long ago that its accuracy was questionable.
“Myriad Dao Pavilion?” Wan Qu blinked. “You’re curious about it, Brother Milky Way?”
“A little.”
Lin Yuan admitted. Any force capable of trading in evolution paths must have a powerful origin, and he wanted to know more.
“Myriad Dao Pavilion, full name ‘Ten Thousand Laws, Ten Thousand Paths Pavilion,’ deals in the trade of evolution paths. Whether you’re buying or selling, you can go through them.”
Wan Qu’s tone grew serious.
“But there’s one thing—you must never cause trouble in Myriad Dao Pavilion. Otherwise, even my master may not be able to save you.”
“Even a Venerable can’t save you?” Lin Yuan was surprised.
This continent was the domain of Guming Venerable, who was the supreme ruler here. Yet even he couldn’t save someone who caused trouble in Myriad Dao Pavilion?
“Correct.”
Wan Qu nodded.
“What we see are just branch pavilions. No one knows where the main pavilion is—it’s located in some mysterious part of the chaotic void and only select ‘honored guests’ may enter.”
“And every Myriad Dao Pavilion branch contains a projection of the ‘Eye of Ten Thousand Laws.’ That Eye is the true controller of Myriad Dao Pavilion. It is impartial and will not show favoritism. Normally, the Eye’s projection won’t appear—only when a particularly uncertain evolution path needs verifying will it awaken.”
Wan Qu lowered his voice.
“Even a projection of the Eye is enough to make a Chaos Great Saint wary.”
“A projection?” Lin Yuan was shocked inside.
For a mere projection to wield such power… The Mysterious Sovereign once speculated that Myriad Dao Pavilion might be a legacy left behind by a thirteenth-rank time lifeform—and that guess might hold water.
“I want to spread evolution paths. Can I use Myriad Dao Pavilion for that?”
Lin Yuan stated his true intention.
After developing many martial evolution branches, he had once again considered spreading them.
Naturally, he didn’t want the legacy confined to human civilization—
He wanted it to be passed on throughout the chaotic void, across the continents.
“As long as your evolution path meets the standards of the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws, you can use Myriad Dao Pavilion to spread it.”
Wan Qu shook his head.
“But that’s extremely hard to achieve. Evolution paths worthy of the Pavilion’s endorsement are incredibly rare.”
“Got it.”
Lin Yuan nodded.
After chatting a bit more with Wan Qu, Lin Yuan took his leave.
Back in the Star Tear “Fragment World,” Lin Yuan sat cross-legged. In front of him floated the purple pouch containing the resources gained from selling thirteen of the special trees.
“Senior Cang Weiyang…”
A round figure emerged in his mind—the branded image he saw in the cave left by Cang Weiyang.
“The Stonefolk of the Myriad Phenomena Void Domain…”
That branded image had handed over all his treasures for free, leaving behind just one request—
If Lin Yuan had the ability in the future, to visit the Myriad Phenomena Void Domain and accept a disciple from the Stonefolk.
Whether he fulfilled it or not was up to him—Cang Weiyang left no constraints.
“That direction should be where the Myriad Phenomena Void Domain lies,” Lin Yuan glanced in a certain direction, thinking.
The chaotic void was filled with endless chaos energy—some areas were dense, others sparse.
The regions with rich chaos energy were suitable for cultivation and called “Void Domains.”
Those with sparse energy were less populated and collectively called barren zones.
The domain Lin Yuan was currently in was called the Divine Wind Void Domain.
The Myriad Phenomena Void Domain wasn’t far—just two or three Void Domains away.
For a Dominance-level being, flying non-stop for several decades could cross one Void Domain.
“The Stonefolk?”
Lin Yuan mused.
That was Cang Weiyang’s race.
Back then, he had left them to travel across the Void Domains, eventually reaching the peak of the Dominance realm.
Cang Weiyang likely made that request out of fear that after his fall, the Stonefolk would face extinction.
According to his description, they were a weak race—aside from him, only four or five had reached the Path-Clearing realm.
“Forget it, I’ll send an avatar to the Myriad Phenomena Void Domain.”
With a thought, Lin Yuan formed an avatar from the swirling chaos energy outside Guming Chaos Continent and sent it flying toward the Myriad Phenomena Void Domain.
After reaching the eighth stage of space-time, the range at which he could maintain avatars had grown immensely. Crossing even twenty or thirty Void Domains would be easy.
The eighth stage of space-time—this was a level only seasoned Venerables could reach.
Sending an avatar to fulfill Cang Weiyang’s request was effortless for Lin Yuan.
Though there was no obligation, Lin Yuan didn’t want to take advantage.
The treasures and weapons left by Cang Weiyang were his “first bucket of gold” for exploring the chaotic void—they had helped greatly.
Naturally, Lin Yuan wouldn’t ignore him.
And most importantly, the request was easy—just accept one disciple, not protect the whole race for centuries.
The journey wouldn’t even take much time.
“Xuanyuan and the others have arrived?”
Lin Yuan sensed them—Xuanyuan and eight other Strongest ones were waiting outside.
He put away the purple pouch and walked out.
“Milky Way!”
The nine Strongest ones, including Xuanyuan, looked at him excitedly.
“You asked us here—did you manage to buy the evolution paths?”
“Not exactly.”
Lin Yuan shook his head. “But close enough.”
“Not exactly?”
“Close enough?”
The Strongest ones were puzzled—those were two opposite things.
“Let me show you something.”
Lin Yuan sent the martial evolution paths with many developed branches to the nine via the virtual world network.
“What is it?”
Xuanyuan seemed curious—anything Lin Yuan went out of his way to share wouldn’t be ordinary.
Soon—
The nine Strongest ones finished reading.
“Milky Way, isn’t this the martial evolution path you created—”
He glanced through the content, about to speak, but then his expression changed slightly.
He examined it closely, then looked seriously at Lin Yuan, a hint of disbelief in his tone.
“This… is a martial evolution path?”
...
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