Outside the Mysterious Emperor Universe.
Many Chaos Venerables were stirred, their minds reeling for a long while before they could collect themselves.
“Just now, was that… a Supreme Saint who entered?”
“To shape a void with a single thought, replacing the rules of chaotic void operation—that must be a Supreme Saint. Only Supreme Saints can forge new rule Daos in an instant.”
“A Supreme Saint…”
One after another, the Chaos Venerables discussed rapidly. The chaotic evolution path of a Supreme Saint possessed profound depth, capable of supporting countless rule Daos within the chaotic void—only then could one establish a new rule Dao.
To become a Supreme Saint, strength alone wasn’t the deciding factor.
It meant the path they had chosen was vast enough, expansive enough.
Though it’s often said that all Daos lead to the same end, and no path is inherently superior...
A muddy footpath and a grand avenue both reach the destination, yet the journey is vastly different.
Simply put, for a Chaos Great Saint to become a Supreme Saint, it has little to do with talent or aptitude.
What matters is whether the path of power one treads is deep and broad enough.
Why did the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws, upon sensing that Lin Yuan's disseminated path of evolution stemmed from a branch of his own evolutionary path, immediately conclude that Lin Yuan could become a Supreme Saint?
Because the martial evolution path could, even at the Path-Clearing stage, branch out into so many offshoots—branches with the potential to reach the Chaos stage.
That alone speaks volumes about the breadth and depth of the martial evolution path.
As long as he continues growing smoothly along such a path, becoming a Supreme Saint is all but inevitable.
“Were there two Supreme Saints just now?”
“Two Supreme Saints?”
The Chaos Venerables exchanged words quickly—one of them had caught a fleeting glimpse of two indistinct figures arriving from distant spacetime.
Supreme Saints Hun Xiao and Yu Lin never intended to enter the Mysterious Emperor Universe quietly.
As Supreme Saints, they should dominate the chaotic void—how could they act sneakily?
So they didn’t even bother concealing their presence. Yet even so, most Chaos Venerables couldn’t lift their heads under their overwhelming pressure—only a few caught sight of their hazy figures.
“Both Supreme Saints entered this acquired universe?”
“Seems this acquired universe holds a significant secret.”
“Whether it does or not, I don’t care. It has nothing to do with me anyway.”
“True, but that Milky Way Great Saint… he’s in for it.”
Suddenly, many Chaos Venerables recalled the situation inside the Mysterious Emperor Universe.
After subduing Chaos Great Saints Heiyao, Savage, and six others, this acquired universe had been fully claimed by the Milky Way Great Saint.
Given his displayed power, no other Chaos Great Saint dared to enter. As for the Chaos Venerables who were already inside? The Milky Way Great Saint didn’t drive them out, but they wisely kept to the outer regions.
In short, this acquired universe had become the Milky Way Great Saint’s private domain.
But now, with the arrival of two Supreme Saints, that situation was thoroughly shattered.
Though the Milky Way Great Saint was strong—his domain could force the retreat of many rule Daos—after deliberation by several Chaos Great Saints, it was concluded he hadn’t yet reached the level of a Supreme Saint.
Under these conditions, with two Supreme Saints entering, the fate of the Milky Way Great Saint inside the universe was nearly certain.
If he’s lucky and the two are in good spirits, he might survive—but all his gains inside the universe would surely have to be handed over.
If not? He might be suppressed just like Heiyao and Savage were—forced to pay a “ransom.”
Worse still, if the two Supreme Saints disliked him, death was entirely possible.
Supreme Saints dwell on a level too high—they’re not overly concerned with “ransoms.”
In a distant void domain.
Chaos Great Saint Savage met with many old friends, none of whom were willing to step in on his or the Milky Way Great Saint’s behalf.
Just then—
News reached Savage.
“Two Supreme Saints also entered that acquired universe?”
Savage’s expression shifted, not with joy, but alarm.
One of his primary combat bodies was in the hands of the Milky Way Great Saint. He kept a close eye on developments there and knew instantly when the two Supreme Saints arrived.
“This complicates things.”
Savage frowned. Though regaining his combat body from Lin Yuan would require a steep price, at least the cost was known.
For instance, the Milky Way Great Saint had agreed to return it in exchange for ten billion chaos stones.
A being of such strength usually keeps their word.
But now? With two more Supreme Saints involved, things were out of Savage’s control.
If the Milky Way Great Saint was suppressed, then their combat bodies would fall into the hands of those two Supreme Saints.
Just because the Milky Way Great Saint was willing to trade for ten billion chaos stones didn’t mean they would do the same.
“Milky Way Great Saint, you must escape...”
Savage gazed into the Mysterious Emperor Universe, secretly hoping the one who had suppressed his combat body could escape from the hands of the two Supreme Saints.
Not just him—Chaos Great Saints Heiyao and Tianlu felt similarly uneasy. The involvement of Supreme Saints had made the situation much more complicated.
Previously, they could safely recover their bodies by paying a fixed number of chaos stones.
But now? Who knew what the cost would be.
“Two Supreme Saints?”
Chaos Great Saint Dual-Source, who had already reached another void domain, was stunned for a moment—then inwardly rejoiced.
“Milky Way Great Saint, it seems I ought to thank you.”
Dual-Source thought to himself.
If not for the Milky Way Great Saint, he’d still be inside the Mysterious Emperor Universe exploring.
With two Supreme Saints entering now, what fate would await him?
He had only barely escaped Lin Yuan with his life.
But against Supreme Saints? No matter how hard he fought, there would be no escape.
His outcome would’ve been far worse.
“The Milky Way Great Saint held out against Hun Xiao for so long? Impressive.”
“Maybe Hun Xiao doesn’t want to pay the price—he’s trying to suppress him without losses.”
“Even so, it’s remarkable. The Milky Way Great Saint doesn’t even have chaotic evolution power.”
Several special beings—like the broken sword, the ancient altar spirit, and the Eye of Ten Thousand Laws—also observed the situation in the Mysterious Emperor Universe.
A Supreme Saint’s “void-born thought” could form a completely independent void world, beyond the observation of even these beings.
But based on faint spacetime ripples, they could infer quite a bit.
These entities had lived through countless cosmic eras, their eyes sharp—they could deduce much from the smallest clues.
At this moment—
The entire Mysterious Emperor Universe suddenly froze.
Not just space, but time itself had halted.
If before the universe was a flowing stream—
Now, it had turned solid.
All energy fluctuations, auras, and rules vanished without a trace—nothing escaped.
“What is this?”
The broken sword, ancient altar spirit, and other special beings changed expression simultaneously—the same thought surfaced in their minds:
“Mysterious Sovereign?”
A towering man appeared, standing silently with no aura at all.
But from the moment he appeared, the entire Mysterious Emperor Universe began to change. The Dao rules, previously suppressed by Hun Xiao and Yu Lin, began to surge and push back.
But compared to the universe’s changes—
Hun Xiao and Yu Lin’s attention was entirely on the towering man, their eyes locked in disbelief, as if witnessing someone who absolutely should not exist.
“Mysterious Sovereign?”
“Weren’t you attempting to break into the thirteenth rank?”
Hun Xiao’s voice trembled with dread.
He was certain the towering figure before them was not some remnant will—but the Mysterious Sovereign himself. Over thirty million cosmic eras ago, he was the Invincible Supreme Saint who had swept through his peers.
Back then, before attempting to breach the thirteenth rank, the Mysterious Sovereign had hunted down many Supreme Saints to eliminate future threats. Hun Xiao and Yu Lin were among them.
In the end, they had no choice but to reincarnate to escape his pursuit.
At the Chaos stage, one could reincarnate. A Chaos Great Saint who had perfected the stage could retain some memories after reincarnation—a Supreme Saint could retain even more.
But—
Even with memories intact, reincarnation is the weakest stage for any Saint. If reborn into a powerful race, it’s manageable; but if into a weak one—it’s dangerous.
Reincarnation at the Chaos stage is random—whether one is a Supreme Saint or a mere Venerable.
In the vast chaotic void, with its countless natural universes and secret realms, the weak races made up 99.9%—the powerful ones were extremely rare.
Which meant, unless one had truly absurd luck, even a Supreme Saint would most likely start from the bottom after reincarnating.
A low starting point—despite retained memories—meant surviving in dangerous places would still be near impossible.
If the reincarnated form died, they’d reincarnate again—with far fewer memories. Eventually, the chance to return to being a Saint would become nearly nonexistent.
At the Chaos Great Saint level—especially for Supreme Saints—their paths were broad and deep. They held the potential to become time-based beings. Unless they had no other choice, they would never reincarnate.
“You broke into the thirteenth rank?”
Beside him, Yu Lin was shaken. Seeing the Mysterious Sovereign emerge from the time loop, he first assumed the man had reached the thirteenth rank.
“No, wait.”
“You haven’t entered the thirteenth rank. The birth of a time-being always shakes the spacetime of the chaotic void—we would have noticed.”
Though filled with fear, Yu Lin forced himself to remain rational.
When a lifeform in the chaotic void breaks from rank eleven to twelve, they are infused with chaotic void’s origin.
The same applies when crossing from twelve to thirteen—but the shockwaves are far greater.
“You’re right. You haven’t reached rank thirteen.”
Hun Xiao also realized. They looked at the towering man before them—in the thirty million cosmic eras since, this man had become their inner demon.
Neither dared attempt the thirteenth rank, wishing only to erase all trace of the Mysterious Emperor Lineage to dispel that shadow.
“After all these cosmic eras, you two wastes still haven’t changed.”
The towering man smiled and spoke to himself.
“Mysterious Sovereign?”
Lin Yuan also turned toward the man, waves of emotion stirring within him.
Mysterious Sovereign?
He was the Mysterious Sovereign?
The founder of the Mysterious Emperor Lineage?
Though not an Invincible Supreme Saint, he was a Supreme Saint no less powerful than one?
Lin Yuan’s mind raced. Since stepping into the ninth rank and entering the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, he’d heard tales of this sovereign—his lineage’s legacy had greatly aided Lin Yuan’s growth.
And now, he was seeing the true Mysterious Sovereign?
“Crushing that bead summoned His Majesty?”
Lin Yuan’s thoughts surged, but a deeper question emerged—
If that was so, why had the tomb spirit urged him not to crush it unless absolutely necessary?
Hun Xiao and Yu Lin’s faces were grim. Though still terrified, when they heard the Mysterious Sovereign call them “wastes,” their eyes turned dazed, as if they’d returned to thirty million cosmic eras ago.
Back then, they too were Supreme Saints, destined to dominate the chaotic void and eventually challenge the thirteenth rank.
But in that era, the monstrous Mysterious Sovereign arose—born from a natural universe, a mere ant of a lifeform.
With no elder guidance or legacy.
Yet he rapidly grew to Chaos stage, perfected it, and became a Supreme Saint!
Hun Xiao, Yu Lin, and the other Supreme Saints of that era all lived in his shadow.
“Mysterious Sovereign, it’s been over thirty million cosmic eras. Yu Lin and I have each reincarnated once, returned to our peak, and are far stronger than we were.”
Hun Xiao’s voice rose, echoing through spacetime.
Yu Lin did the same, his gaze regaining calm.
“Is that so?”
The towering man smiled slightly, then raised his right hand from behind his back.
“Run!”
Hun Xiao and Yu Lin bolted like startled birds, fleeing toward the entrance. The Mysterious Emperor Universe was now fused as one—they couldn’t tear open spacetime. Their only hope was to escape through the entrance.
Inside his body’s universe.
In the tomb, the tomb spirit sat with a somber expression, whispering, “Your Majesty…”
“Even if thirty million cosmic eras weren’t enough to escape the time loop… and the chance to reach the thirteenth rank is minuscule… it’s still a chance. The distant future may bring change.”
“Even without change, to be caught in the time loop is still to be alive—as long as one lives, there is hope!”
Tears glistened faintly in the tomb spirit’s eyes.
“Then why give up that hope? Why abandon it?”
The tomb spirit trembled all over.
...
20 chapters ahead on patreon: patreon.com/David_Lord
41