Chapter 1542: Siege! The Dark Universe

Amid the flames, Lin Yan let out a soft hum and advanced again.

The shadow surged with all its power to block Lin Yan's approach.

Even if Lin Yan's flame form reached its peak, it would not be this easy to draw near the shadow—unless Lin Yan wielded the power of time or elevated space's laws to the highest principle.

Yet Lin Yan had no intention of using the power of time so soon.

This shadow had revealed no real cards yet; its attacks were always just those few simple moves.

Simple, but highly effective.

At its level, the Dao truly is simplest.

Power not of the same tier had no right to even make it blink.

Yet Lin Yan did not believe that, as the first life born at the dawn of the world, it had no other cards.

Though Lin Yan knew the shadow's weaknesses, he still needed to force out its hidden cards first.

Moreover, this shadow had suddenly shifted from light's power to the extreme of darkness—there was something suspicious here.

So Lin Yan would not reveal his own cards so soon.

In fact, if Lin Yan had not slain the Eight Great Gods and completed the transformation of his flame form this time, he likely would have launched his strongest move immediately, risking it all to kill this shadow.

But now, after his flame form had transformed, he had grown more cautious.

Risking it is because you have no other choice.

Caution is because you already control the situation—you must avoid all surprises!

That is the difference.

Now, even without using the rule of time, Lin Yan could suppress the shadow together with Xi Hua—so there was no need to take excessive risks.

Slowly tightening the noose, trapping the shadow with no escape, no evasion—until even its last card could not save it—was the best approach.

Thus, Lin Yan's flame form continuously attacked the shadow from all directions.

The shadow was also incredibly formidable; even as Lin Yan nearly surrounded it, he could not get close to its body.

Probably it knew that being touched by Lin Yan's flames would be disastrous.

On the other side, after seeing Lin Yan act, Xi Hua struck again, joining him in surrounding the shadow.

As soon as Xi Hua attacked, the shadow began to struggle, nearly getting struck by Lin Yan's flames several times.

"Strange creature."

The shadow spoke, then surged its power and slammed a punch forward.

Instantly, the flames blocking its path were blasted apart by that single punch.

Then, it leapt violently into the black hole and vanished inside.

Lin Yan did not hesitate—a burst of flame plunged straight in after it.

Xi Hua followed closely behind, diving in as well.

As soon as they entered the black hole, Lin Yan felt the darkness here was overwhelmingly thick.

As if the entire world were made of darkness.

Xi Hua had never been here before either.

Though she had imprisoned the shadow beneath the Sea of Darkness for countless years, she had never reached its depths.

Thus, everything within was equally unknown to Xi Hua.

"It's over there."

Lin Yan sensed the shadow's movement and gave chase.

Xi Hua followed closely behind Lin Yan, chasing after it.

"What place is this?"

As Lin Yan delved deeper into this black hole, he saw that the space resembled the cosmos—floating in the air were countless planets, yet none rotated; instead, they were fixed like the strange stones of the Abyss of Darkness, rooted in midair.

In other words, these planets were completely motionless.

Yet the place held nothing—no life of any kind, not even dark life.

The shadow continued moving deeper.

Lin Yan and Xi Hua chased after it, observing carefully.

The shadow showed no intention of fighting, fleeing ever deeper.

Lin Yan and Xi Hua pursued from behind.

Time passed slowly.

In the Abyss of Darkness, the many gods of the Heavenly Realm still guarded the area, not leaving.

All the Great Gods remained there as well.

One day, two days, three days.

Soon, a year, two years, three years.

Ten full years passed, yet Lin Yan and Xi Hua had not emerged from the black hole.

Yet none of the Heavenly Realm's gods showed impatience.

Wars between Great Gods could last for ages—hundreds or even thousands of years were possible.

How much more so for a war at the highest level?

To these gods, waiting for hundreds of years was no issue at all.

Yet the Great Gods of the Heavenly Realm did not merely wait—they surrounded the black hole and began making preparations.

Though these preparations would have little impact on the battle, if both sides were exhausted to the brink, they might become the final straw that broke the camel's back.

Time continued to flow.

In the blink of an eye, another ten years passed, and the shadow still plunged deeper.

Below the black hole, the space seemed like a complete universe!

Yet, within this universe, there was only darkness—nothing but darkness—no light, no life, only utter stillness.

"The Dark Side of the World."

Lin Yan whispered.

"The Dark Side of the World?"

Beside him, Xi Hua heard Lin Yan's voice and asked in confusion.

Lin Yan nodded slightly and said, "This may be a dark universe entirely opposite to the world of light. The Dark Abyss originates from here. Now I know where the 'other' was first nurtured."

Xi Hua looked at Lin Yan, who continued: "The shadow was originally light. The other darkness—perhaps it was born from this place filled with endless darkness. They may have waged war, or perhaps clashed for other reasons, and merged. But from the shadow continually returning to its birthplace, if it was war, the shadow likely won; if fusion, the shadow likely dominated. Yet I don't know why the shadow transformed all its power entirely into dark power."

Xi Hua gazed ahead. The shadow refused to engage her or Lin Yan, pressing deeper into this dark universe, and within it, she felt her own power growing stronger.

"Where will it go?"

Xi Hua asked.

Lin Yan shook his head; he could not guess the shadow's purpose.

Here, spatial laws were useless. Even a main god entering would be like stepping into a void. Only the Supreme Law might influence this place—but no Supreme Law exists yet.

Yet, Lin Yan's flame form remained unaffected.

The temporal rule was unaffected as well.

So even if the shadow fled further inward, Lin Yan felt no concern whatsoever.