Chapter 263: Three Choices

The highest meeting space of the Tianqi Lake Group in the Second Universe Web.

"The plan to hunt down that Star God has been confirmed; the details are as follows."

Ji Zao Zhi Zhu tapped his fingertip, and a miniature projection of a Void Star instantly materialized in the conference room, rotating and enlarging according to his will.

"Although the Star God's movement route through the Misty Fog Sea follows no clear pattern, it is evident that his target is the 108 life-type Void Stars within the Misty Fog Sea."

"Currently, that Star God has already planted soul imprints on 106 of those life-type Void Stars."

"Furthermore, over the past century, because we feared his background, we never truly attacked him, only offering warnings; thus, the Star God has remained utterly reckless, and after planting soul imprints on each life-type Void Star, he also destroyed our Tianqi Lake Group's outposts."

"Next, the Star God's destination is most likely these two life-type Void Stars: number 89791, and number 257788."

"We only need to concentrate our forces and ambush one of these life-type Void Stars to kill him."

Ji Zao Zhi Zhu spoke slowly: "Next are the personnel arrangements for this operation: I, Jiu Yan Zhi Zhu, and Tianlu Zhenzhu will handle the main combat; Xing Li will handle the covert assassination; Bai Xu Xia will handle reconnaissance..."

After he finished explaining the plan, one of the Void Lords spoke softly: "There is still one main life-type star in the Misty Fog Sea, right? Perhaps that Star God will go to the main star?"

"The possibility is very small."

Ji Zao Zhi Zhu frowned slightly. "We Void Lords command the complete spatial rules; our minds align with the universe's origin, and with the nurturing of the spatial divine body upon our minds, only our wills have hope of planting soul imprints on the main star. Even if a Void creature possesses high comprehension and great strength, the gap between its mind and will and that of a Void Lord is as vast as heaven and earth."

He continued: "Even if his mind and will could ascend to the main star, under the oppression of the universe's will, he would likely have little strength remaining, let alone leave a soul imprint."

The assembly of Void Lords nodded slightly.

One of the three conditions to achieve the state of Void Lord is a mind and will capable of bearing the complete spatial rules.

If a Void creature could ascend to the main star, it would mean its mind and will have already reached the level required to become a Void Lord.

But such a mind and will is merely the baseline for a Void Lord.

Once one commands the complete spatial rules, under the influence and immersion of the universe's origin, the mind and will will become increasingly terrifying.

Any Void Lord who has lived for tens of millions of years possesses a very terrifying mind and will.

A Void creature's strength may stem from high comprehension, self-created divine techniques that are powerful enough, or perhaps great opportunities and high gene indices, but mind and will can only be honed slowly over time.

"If that Star God dares to ascend to the main star, he is truly seeking death."

Ji Zao Zhi Zhu stated coldly: "Even we Void Lords, when at the main star under the oppression of the universe's will, can only exert a fraction of our strength; let alone a mere Void creature. If he barely manages to ascend to the main star, he would likely retain only one or two percent of his strength."

He sneered: "Once we discover he has ascended to the main star, we will rush there immediately; it would actually be easier to kill him then."

A Void Lord nearby laughed and said: "Ji Zao Zhi Zhu, if you are willing to intervene, even in a one-on-one fight you could easily kill him; why would we need to wait for the main star?"

The assembly of Void Lords also nodded in agreement.

They had all witnessed Ji Zao Zhi Zhu's methods; not only was his gene index quite high, but he also possessed several seven-colored divine artifacts, and his strength was absolutely at the peak of the Yu Xingyuan seventeenth layer!

And although the strength displayed by that Star God was unimaginable, it had only just crossed the threshold of the Yu Xingyuan seventeenth layer.

Both being at the Yu Xingyuan seventeenth layer, the gap between one who has just crossed the threshold and a peak existence is extremely shocking.

"There are two Void Stars remaining in the Misty Fog Sea; which one should we go to first?"

Lin Qing looked at the two Void Stars on the map of the Misty Fog Sea; out of caution, he naturally would not choose the nearest one to avoid being ambushed.

Although he could resurrect through the Eternal Gate of his clone, and the Eternal Gate would constantly record his gene status and other conditions, so that upon resurrection both secret arts and bloodlines would be retained, all his divine artifacts would be lost.

Therefore, he still had to be careful.

However... fortunately, he also had his own method.

"Qi Yuan Xiang."

Lin Qing's heart stirred, and he immediately activated this secret art.

This secret art is suitable for mazes and for choosing paths; in the current situation, it could also be applied slightly to choose the luckier path.

"Hmm?"

Lin Qing then discovered that the path leading to Void Star number 89791 had Jin Guang representing fortune that was extremely dim, whereas the path leading to Void Star number 257788 was clearly much more normal.

"It wasn't this dim before..." Lin Qing couldn't help but narrow his eyes slightly. "Could it be that someone intends to kill me on this path, or on Void Star number 89791?"

He pondered for a moment and naturally chose to go to Void Star number 257788 first.

He was just somewhat surprised.

Previously, the Tianqi Lake Group always believed he had a great background and dared not act against him, offering only warnings or negotiations at most; why did they dare this time?

However, this was not important.

At worst, he could abandon this Void Star, leave the Misty Fog Sea first, and return later after he had achieved the state of Void Lord.

After all, his goal in adventuring in the Void Sea was to gain a sufficiently broad understanding of the world and to hone his mind and will, striving to become a Void Lord as soon as possible.

His mind and will had been improving constantly, after all, as he was the Lord of the Secret Realm; once his mind and will merged with the world's origin, it was as if he had become the Heavenly Dao itself.

However, this carried the risk of losing his true self, making him become increasingly heartless and indifferent.

As for understanding the world, it was difficult to say exactly how broad it needed to be.

Some say it is like drawing a map in the heart; the paths walked and the scenery seen all become part of one's understanding of the world, ultimately allowing one to anchor the complete spatial rules.

At least, the world in Lin Qing's heart that he had understood over these years was still far from sufficient to anchor the spatial rules.

Under the astonishing speed of the divine artifact, only half a month later, Lin Qing had already arrived at Void Star number 257788.

And the Tianqi Lake Group outpost on this Void Star had already been withdrawn.

Although some Tianqi Lake Group spies remained, Lin Qing was too lazy to sift through them slowly; after successfully planting a soul imprint, he departed.

At the same time, the Tianqi Lake Group spies relayed this intelligence to the higher-ups.

"The suspected target has already left Void Star number 257788."

"I wonder if my current will is strong enough to ascend to the main star?"

Lin Qing rode the divine artifact boat across the Void Sea, hesitating slightly: "Should I go to the main star and try?"

Although he could gauge the progress of his will through the Bronze Demon Mountain, he remained unclear on what level of will was required to bear the complete spatial laws.

And the Main Star was the best tester.

—Any Void creature capable of ascending the Main Star represented that its mental will was sufficient to bear the complete spatial laws.

However, with his current will, even if he could ascend the Main Star, the Cosmic Will would oppress him there until little strength remained, making it dangerous to face other Void lords.

"Forget it."

Lin Qing gathered his thoughts. "Take it slow. Continue tempering first, and strive to comprehend a sufficiently vast world within ten thousand years to become a Void Lord."

Less than thirty-seven thousand years remained before the Shanhai Realm began to encounter civilization wars.

Only by transforming into a Void Lord early and breaking the growth limit of the Shanhai Realm could the Shanhai Realm evolve into a higher-grade world, thereby giving birth to more geniuses and powerful beings.

Suddenly—

"Hmm?"

A trace of joy appeared in Lin Qing's eyes. "That girl, Yuan Xueqiu, has finally returned."

Shanhai Realm.

"Chairman."

The beautiful young woman, Yuan Xueqiu, stood before Lin Qing's Blood Cauldron King avatar and respectfully said, "I have not failed my mission; Yuan Xueqiu has passed the final trial of the Cangxue Divine Palace."

Lin Qing showed a faint smile and asked, "What level of strength do you possess now?"

"Somewhere in the upper-middle range of the Yu Xingyuan's eleventh layer," Yuan Xueqiu said.

"Not bad." Lin Qing nodded slightly in satisfaction. "If you had learned a Perfect-grade Combined Divine Skill inheritance, you would have reached the absolute peak of the eleventh layer. Of course... what you have now is also good."

Back when he was in the Star Stage, the reason he could reach the strength of the Yu Xingyuan's twelfth layer was because of the two Perfect-grade Divine Skills, his extremely high Gene Index, and the Combination Technique, which together produced such strength.

And since Yuan Xueqiu's Gene Index lagged far behind his, and she only possessed a normal Combined Divine Skill, it was natural that her strength was inferior to his.

"Let's go. I will take you to the Vacuum Great Tomb to undergo the inheritance trial."

Lin Qing said no more and directly shifted space and time to take Yuan Xueqiu to the Vacuum Great Tomb.

Floating in the dark void, the Vacuum Great Tomb was filled with an eternal sense of silence.

This was Yuan Xueqiu's first time here; she could not help but look at the surrounding dark void with awe. Those pyramids standing in the darkness exuded a lonely and ancient aura.

"Oh? Found the first disciple?"

The Host Princess sized up Yuan Xueqiu and casually commented, "Not bad. She is indeed quite suitable for the Feiyue City Lord's inheritance."

Lin Qing smiled and said, "Her name happens to be Yuan Xueqiu, and she has also fused with the Tianxue Yuan bloodline of a natural-born Void Lord. Seems quite coincidental, doesn't it?"

"Tianxue Yuan?" The Host Princess nodded slightly and said, "The 'Cosmic Sky Yuan' bloodline that the Feiyue City Lord once fused with was the source of the Tianxue Yuan bloodline you mentioned, so it is not really a coincidence."

"Oh?"

Lin Qing understood.

The Yuan Marquis founded the Yuan Xue family precisely because he fused with the Tianxue Yuan bloodline.

And since Yuan Xueqiu possessed astonishing talent in fusing the Tianxue Yuan bloodline, it was normal that she suited the Feiyue City Lord's inheritance.

Looking at it this way, it was not really a coincidence.

After all, Yuan Xueqiu was also chosen by the Boundless Heart.

"Go."

The Host Princess said no more and directly sent Yuan Xueqiu into the tomb of the Feiyue City Lord.

Immediately, she turned her gaze to Lin Qing and said softly, "It seems you are not far from becoming a Void Lord. Perhaps you will truly become a Chaos God in the future, but... I must remind you of one thing."

"What?" Lin Qing could not help but ask.

The Host Princess pondered for a moment before saying, "I did not expect you to truly have a chance of becoming a Chaos God, so I did not think too much about it. However... if you truly become a Chaos God, either do not become a Main God, or you must break away from the Shanhai Realm."

"Break away from the Shanhai Realm?" Lin Qing asked in confusion. "Why?"

"A Chaos God, once becoming a Main God, will be targeted by the Yu Xingyuan Will."

The Host Princess said, "At that time, whether it is the people around you or the Shanhai Realm that nurtured you, both will be destroyed by the Yu Xingyuan. Even the Vacuum Great Tomb cannot protect you."

"What?" Lin Qing was stunned.

"So, either do not become a Main God, or break away from the Shanhai Realm."

The Host Princess said, "Of course, becoming a Main God of a Void Sea brings boundless benefits. Giving that up would be too foolish. Therefore, after you become a Chaos God, it is best to first break away from the Shanhai Realm. For example, use the Reincarnation Technique to be reborn in another Level Two civilization. After becoming a creature of another secret realm and restoring your strength to become a Main God, the Yu Xingyuan Will will not implicate the Shanhai Realm."

Lin Qing was astonished. "Is that possible?"

"When a Chaos God becomes a Main God, although the benefits are boundless, they are often alone."

The Host Princess said, "You must also consider clearly; doing this will inevitably lead to the destruction of a Level Two civilization, and your biological parents after your reincarnation will inevitably be implicated and die."

Lin Qing frowned slightly and asked, "Are there any other methods?"

"Yes."

The Host Princess nodded and said, "If you become a Chaos God and then reincarnate into a Level Three civilization, since a Level Three civilization is a true small universe that has transcended the cosmos, the Yu Xingyuan Will alone cannot invade a Level Three civilization."

"Level Three civilization?" Lin Qing could not help but ask. "What about the 2.9-level civilization Sacred Lands?"

"Although a 2.9-level civilization has jumped out of cosmic space-time, only the Ancestors who created the Sacred Lands can transcend the cosmos." The Host Princess shook her head. "They still cannot block the Yu Xingyuan Will's prying."

"Alright..."

Lin Qing shook his head slightly. "The premise is that I must be able to enter a Level Three civilization."

The Host Princess smiled and said, "Did you not go to the Bronze Demon Mountain? As long as you can reach the hundred-thousandth floor, you will obtain the Level Three civilization's invitation mark."

"The hundred-thousandth floor..." Lin Qing said. "That is still quite far off."

Over a hundred years ago, he had stopped at the thirty-four-thousandth floor in the Bronze Demon Mountain, which was far from the hundred-thousandth floor.

"If your mental will can reach the hundred-thousandth floor, it will also mean it is sufficient to meet the will requirements of the Void Divine Officer level."

The Host Princess thought for a moment and said, "I recall that the Feiyue City Lord once created a secret technique to temper the mental will. It requires a supreme treasure born at the beginning of the universe, the 'Source of the Mental Realm,' to cultivate. Theoretically, it can allow the mental will to grow to the limit of the universe, which is extremely miraculous."

"Oh?" Lin Qing's eyes lit up.

"However..." Host Princess glanced at him, "the secret technique is one thing, but the Source of the Liao Xinjie is her most precious treasure; she would never give it to you."

"Isn't this the relic of the Fei Yuan City Lord?" Lin Qing was stunned.

"She left behind an information life identical to herself," Host Princess said. "Even for her own inheritance, she would not directly hand over the Source of the Liao Xinjie; it is surely meant to cultivate successors. If one dies, she cultivates the next."

She glanced at Lin Qing and said, "If the successor you find is excellent enough, the Fei Yuan City Lord might lend you the Source of the Liao Xinjie for a while."

Lin Qing nodded slightly, lost in thought.

However, the result of the inheritance trial depended entirely on Yuan Xueqiu's performance; he could only wait silently.

Just three days later.

In the distant dark void, the tomb belonging to the Fei Yuan City Lord trembled slightly, and Yuan Xueqiu was instantly teleported out.

Lin Qing's spirit surged, and he immediately asked, "How was it?"

"Chairman, thank you for your cultivation. I will surely repay this great kindness." Yet Yuan Xueqiu bowed respectfully with some excitement, as if she had gained some enormous benefit.

"Oh?"

Host Princess raised an eyebrow slightly, revealing a hint of a smile, and said to Lin Qing, "Go meet the Fei Yuan City Lord; she is waiting for you."

"Now?" Before Lin Qing could speak, he found the space and time before him shifting; in the instant darkness enveloped everything, he had already appeared within a space as dark and void-like as outer space.

Not far away in the darkness stood a tall woman wearing a blue-green long robe; her appearance was very similar to an Earthling, and her attire leaned toward a retro style.

An information life identical to the Fei Yuan City Lord?

"The first tomb guardian is indeed not bad."

The tall woman looked at Lin Qing with calm eyes and said softly, "The successor you found is poor in other aspects, but his soul is indeed very suitable for fusing with the Cosmic Sky-Feather bloodline; barely, he counts as second grade."

"Second grade?" Lin Qing couldn't help but think inwardly: poor in other aspects, yet still counted as second grade?

"I give you three choices."

The tall woman said, "Choose one of them, and consider it your reward."

Lin Qing immediately listened carefully.

"First, is a method to refine a set of Life-type Chaos Divine Artifacts, very suitable for wielding god techniques like World God."

The tall woman said, "If you possess a Chaos-colored Divine Seat and gather enough materials, you can refine your own innate Divine Artifact. Chaos contains infinite possibilities; as long as materials are sufficient, it can absolutely grow to an extremely high level."

"Second, is the secret technique for tempering the mind and will, 'Three Thousand Purgatories,' but it must be cultivated in conjunction with the cosmic treasure 'Source of the Liao Xinjie.' In view of your finding a second-grade successor, the Source of the Liao Xinjie can be lent to you for ten thousand years."

"However, this secret technique is quite perilous; after failure, it will not only affect the mind and consciousness but may even cause one to lose oneself."

"Each failure requires you to spend a vast amount of time readjusting your own mind, but how far your mind and will can ultimately grow is uncertain; mind and will... are by nature the most difficult existence to observe and grasp."

The tall woman spoke slowly, "As for the third, it is the supreme secret technique I created myself, 'Fei Yuan.' This secret technique far surpasses those inheritances of the Sky Archipelago; it refines the cosmic origin into one's own body for the transformation of body and soul. It is extremely useful for cultivation and combat in all aspects, and also contains a mind-attack secret technique. Even after transcending the universe, it remains highly useful."

She looked at Lin Qing. "Although you have not refined the Fei Yuan bloodline, with the Void God race bloodline, you can barely cultivate it."

"Even after transcending the universe, it remains highly useful?" Lin Qing was inwardly shocked.

God techniques belong to the expression of energy skills, while bloodline gene indices are the foundation.

As for secret techniques, many actually belong to 'external forces.' Although they can bring astonishing combat power, and even surpassing perfect-grade combined god techniques in the early stages is normal, they often have a ceiling.

For example, among the powerful secret techniques Lin Qing knows, there is one that can refine stars, turning stars into part of the body; as the number of stars increases, the power grows ever greater.

Theoretically, even the most ordinary void creatures, who cannot even create their own god techniques, could reach the peak of the Yu Xingyuan Thirteenth Layer if they could cultivate this secret technique to its extreme.

But this is the ceiling of this secret technique. No matter how many stars are refined, relying on the secret technique to barely suppress a powerhouse at the peak of the Yu Xingyuan Thirteenth Layer is the limit.

For higher levels, stars and small sparks make no difference; the quantity loses its meaning.

This is still a very famous powerful secret technique, worthy of being called a high-grade void-level secret technique.

Many secret techniques in the Void Sea are like this.

Although they can make one a powerhouse, because they rely on external forces, the ceiling is always just that high.

True peerless powerhouses mainly rely on their own foundation, god techniques, and divine artifacts; this is the path with the highest ceiling, making the path of secret techniques seem unworthy of the stage.

Yet one still cannot deny the power and rapid advancement of the secret technique lineage.

And the Fei Yuan City Lord's secret technique is actually highly useful even for powerhouses who have transcended the universe?

Transcending the universe.

That is the level of the Three Sacred Sites' Ancestors!

Therefore, without thinking, one knows this secret technique must be extremely powerful.

"However..."

Lin Qing recalled the first two choices and couldn't help but hesitate.

"How about it? Which one do you choose?" the Fei Yuan City Lord asked softly.

(End of this chapter)