Before the merit was determined, Lin Yuan had anticipated earning a lot.
But he hadn’t expected this much—360 billion merit points.
Upon closer thought, it was entirely reasonable. The entire Golden Mist Treasure Land had been brought under the control of the Liyang Kingdom solely because of Lin Yuan.
It was equivalent to Lin Yuan single-handedly seizing the treasure land from the hands of Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns of other ancient kingdoms.
Such a high amount of merit was only fitting.
As for the treasure land currently being entirely under Lin Yuan’s control, it wasn’t considered a loss to the ancient kingdom.
The Emperor had long said that when Lin Yuan attempted the final step and passed the treasure land to his descendants for guardianship, the relationship between him and the Liyang Kingdom would return to normal.
In other words, the Golden Mist Treasure Land would still belong to the kingdom.
From a long-term perspective, the Liyang Kingdom wasn’t losing out.
If Lin Yuan successfully stepped into the Ancestral level and established the seventh ancient kingdom, achieving eternal existence, he could naturally continue to control the treasure land.
However, at the Ancestral level, treasures produced within the treasure land would likely hold no appeal.
Up to now, none of the Ancestors in the six great ancient kingdoms had shown any need for those treasure lands.
“Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.”
At this moment, Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign cautiously asked, “How much merit did you receive?”
Realizing the question might be presumptuous, Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign quickly added, “I’m just curious.”
“360 billion merit points,” Lin Yuan answered bluntly, without hiding anything.
At his level, many treasures and merit points could be used for protection, so there was no need to hide or keep a low profile.
“So much merit!” Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign was stunned.
Even the commander of a full-scale war against other ancient kingdoms would never receive so much merit.
But recalling Lin Yuan’s overwhelming strength within the treasure land, Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign had no other thoughts.
This merit was well-deserved by the Milky Way Heavenly Sovereign.
Next.
Lin Yuan exchanged a few more words with Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign.
Then the latter got up and took his leave.
Since returning from the treasure land conquest, Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign had frequently visited, seeking Lin Yuan’s guidance on how to awaken the Ancestral bloodline to reach the Heavenly Sovereign level.
Lin Yuan had naturally offered advice. In his future plans, he intended to spread a branch of the martial evolution path, which included methods to awaken one's own Ancestral bloodline.
By guiding Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign now, he was subtly drawing him into the martial path branch, which would serve as an effective 'anchor' and 'beacon' for Lin Yuan's efforts.
A top-tier Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign actively walking the martial path branch would have far more influence than billions upon billions of ordinary cultivators.
This was also why Lin Yuan was generally willing to provide guidance whenever other Heavenly Sovereigns sought his teachings.
It was all to lay the groundwork for spreading the martial path branch.
Compared to spreading the martial path from the bottom up, a top-down approach would certainly be faster and more effective.
“360 billion merit points... what should I exchange them for?”
As he watched Red Flame Heavenly Sovereign leave, Lin Yuan began contemplating how to use such a massive amount of merit.
In the Liyang Kingdom’s treasury, the most expensive items cost 100 billion merit, including opportunities to be possessed by an Ancestor, supreme inheritances, Ancestral weapons, and so on.
The supreme inheritances referred to were thirteenth-rank inheritances; Ancestral weapons were thirteenth-rank weapons.
“Let’s take a look first.”
Lin Yuan split off a sliver of his mind to enter the ancient kingdom’s treasury and quickly began browsing.
The treasury was filled with countless inheritances, treasures, and rare items. Lin Yuan first exchanged for all the remaining Chaos Secret Pattern Diagrams.
What he once had to redeem piece by piece, he now claimed without blinking an eye.
“Chaos Secret Pattern Diagrams”—Lin Yuan skimmed over them. All he acquired were the remaining diagrams for the third tier of Chaos.
These diagrams, which contained the foundational structure of Chaos, were definitely worth redeeming—they had the best cost-performance ratio among all inheritance guides.
“The rest…”
Lin Yuan began scanning the items from highest to lowest value.
“Ancestral weapon…”
Lin Yuan examined a crimson spear.
This spear was once a weapon of the Liyang Ancestor, a thirteenth-rank weapon. What Lin Yuan saw was only a projection, yet he felt it could pierce through the entire Source World, through time and space itself, through the bonds of causality—through all obstacles.
“A pure offensive thirteenth-rank weapon. Nothing can stop this strike. I feel like if I unleashed its full power, it could punch a hole through the entire Source World.”
Lin Yuan murmured.
He already possessed a thirteenth-rank weapon, the Heavenly Void Cauldron bestowed by the Mysterious Sovereign.
However, that cauldron wasn’t purely offensive; it had defensive and suppressive capabilities as well.
This crimson spear had only one purpose—to pierce through everything before it.
“A hundred billion merit points to comprehend this Ancestral weapon for ten thousand years.”
Lin Yuan read the introduction and shook his head slightly.
This weapon wasn’t particularly useful to him.
In terms of strength, Lin Yuan had already reached the Invincible Sovereign level and had no need to rely on an Ancestral weapon.
In terms of insight—Lin Yuan was currently using the Golden Mist Treasure Land to comprehend the workings of the Source World. Though this spear held the Liyang Ancestor’s understanding of the Dao, it was still derived from this world.
To Lin Yuan, comprehending the world’s fundamental operations directly was more beneficial than studying this weapon.
Back in the Chaos Void, he had studied the Heavenly Void Cauldron only because he couldn’t observe the void’s source directly.
“Supreme inheritances.”
Lin Yuan’s gaze swept past several Ancestral weapons and landed on the supreme inheritances.
Each supreme inheritance cost a hundred billion merit points and served as a path.
Of course, cultivating a supreme inheritance and mastering it were two entirely different things.
Most Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns of the six ancient kingdoms had redeemed at least one supreme inheritance. Though costly, a hundred billion merit points could be accumulated over countless aeons.
“These supreme inheritances…”
Lin Yuan examined them carefully. There were nine supreme inheritances in the treasury. Three of them had severe side effects—like Heart of the Sun, which required the cultivator to lose most of their rationality—so Lin Yuan dismissed those.
He carefully evaluated the remaining six.
Choosing a supreme inheritance depended on compatibility. Lin Yuan had once found himself highly compatible with Infinite Void, which was why he had successfully cultivated it to his current level.
“Supreme inheritances... can wait.”
Lin Yuan composed himself and looked toward the top of the treasury listings.
That was where all Ultimate Heavenly Sovereigns aiming for the final step would focus—the guidance to possession by an Ancestor.
Though they had varying preferences for supreme inheritances, all of them redeemed the Ancestor Possession opportunity.
Many even redeemed it multiple times, as long as they had enough merit.
“Possessing an Ancestor.”
Lin Yuan focused his thoughts. To view the world from the perspective of a thirteenth-rank time lifeform—what an extraordinary encounter. Even Supreme Saints and Invincible Supreme Saints in the Chaos Void would never dream of such an opportunity.
“I’ve already reached the peak of the Chaos Stage. I can attempt Ancestor Possession.”
Lin Yuan thought to himself. Experiencing spacetime from an Ancestor’s height would certainly be profound.
Especially for someone with Unrivaled Insight like Lin Yuan, it would be even more significant.
“Exchange.”
Lin Yuan immediately made the selection.
His merit point ‘balance’ dropped by a hundred billion.
Not long after redeeming the Ancestor Possession opportunity...
Lin Yuan received a message from the Emperor of the Liyang Kingdom.
“Hahaha, Milky Way, I knew you'd choose this.”
The Emperor wasn’t surprised at all.
Every Ultimate Heavenly Sovereign who reached the 100 billion merit threshold would redeem this first.
“I only have one incarnation active right now. Will that affect the possession?” Lin Yuan asked.
“No worries.”
“That won’t be a problem,” the Emperor replied.
“Good.”
Lin Yuan nodded.
If it were a problem, he would have swapped in his true body currently guarding the Golden Mist Treasure Land.
“Come now,” said the Emperor.
“Alright.”
Lin Yuan immediately headed for the imperial palace.
Inside the great hall.
The Emperor looked at Lin Yuan and reminded him, “Possession by an Ancestor—the first insight is the most important.”
“Understood.”
Lin Yuan nodded.
“Then let’s begin.”
“I’ll send you into a time-space zone where an Ancestor has left behind a brand. Once you arrive, just call for the Ancestor,” the Emperor explained.
The Liyang Ancestor usually paid no attention to the kingdom’s affairs, with his mind focused on higher-level conflicts. He would only respond if the capital was threatened or he was summoned.
“Got it.”
Lin Yuan nodded.
Within a mysterious spacetime stood a crimson high platform.
This was the most secret location in the Liyang Kingdom, where one could directly contact the Liyang Ancestor. Only by redeeming the Ancestor Possession opportunity with 100 billion merit points could one enter.
Lin Yuan appeared out of thin air, glanced around, and walked toward the crimson platform.
The platform was empty, yet Lin Yuan felt an oppressive force—like the pressure of the Source World itself.
“Greetings, Ancestor.”
Standing before the crimson platform, Lin Yuan called out to the Liyang Ancestor.
The moment he spoke—
A vague figure began to condense on the platform.
The figure sat cross-legged and resembled the towering presence Lin Yuan had once seen in the fire world—only this was even more real, as if he were right before him.
Behind the figure were a pair of flaming wings, seemingly containing endless spacetime, vast and unending.
“The Liyang Ancestor is terrifying. Even a single brand could easily destroy all my true bodies and avatars,” Lin Yuan understood.
Of course, his true soul and avatars located in the Chaos Void wouldn’t be destroyed. They were in a separate dimension—untouchable even by time beings.
Whoosh!
The cross-legged figure slowly opened its eyes and looked at Lin Yuan.
“Ancestor.”
Lin Yuan immediately bowed his head.
The Liyang Ancestor’s gaze landed on him. As a time being, wherever his gaze fell, the future unfolded like a scroll.
“Hm?” The Liyang Ancestor showed a hint of surprise.
The past was fixed; the future uncertain. Each moment of the future branched into countless possibilities.
In an instant, the Liyang Ancestor had examined dozens of Lin Yuan’s future timelines.
But it was precisely this in-depth look that made the Liyang Ancestor extremely shocked—even incredulous.
...
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