Chapter 475: Life Struggle Technique

"I've… done my best."

"I just couldn't win."

Feeling the inner burst technique beginning to dry up, Fang Xing sighed inwardly.

The so-called "burst technique" is not a tree without roots or water without a source.

It burns vast quantities of low-grade Qi to transform it into high-grade Qi!

Naturally, this creates serious endurance problems!

Even so, a vast chasm still lay between Fang Xing and the Creator.

That he had held out this long was due to his extraordinary wit, unmatched tactics, and the Creator's own weakened state.

"It's time!"

Fang Xing glanced at his attribute panel:

【True Self Law: Master → Grandmaster!】

Every moment he survived, he absorbed more of the Creator's divine infusion in the Dao Struggle.

By now, the True Self Law had surged ahead, reaching the fifth level of Law — Grandmaster!

"Too bad… If I could have held on just a little longer, I might have ascended to Celestial Immortal through the True Self Law!"

"Then, with the power of the Panwu Scripture, who would truly prevail?"

The Panwu Scripture pursues the Panwu Dao as its ultimate goal, and the True Self Law is its most vital component!

But now, as more and more eyes opened within the Creator's palm, Fang Xing had nowhere to flee and no time to delay.

"Fortunately, the True Self Law is strong enough… Let's begin."

Fang Xing formed hand seals and activated a secret technique from the Panwu Scripture.

Pangu Wu was, after all, an Eternal Realm existence beyond the Chaos Realm.

The Panwu Scripture contained countless secret techniques, several of which were perfectly suited for Dao Struggles.

Yet even so, without the True Self Law reaching a certain level, one could never master these techniques.

Fang Xing had previously hit this exact bottleneck when simulating the technique via his attribute panel.

Fortunately, once the True Self Law broke through to the fifth level, everything fell into place naturally!

In an instant!

Fang Xing felt his entire being connect, beyond cause and effect, to an unfathomable entity.

That entity was the Creator — and the bond between them was the Dao Struggle!

"No!!!"

The Creator finally let out his first roar, feeling something slipping utterly beyond his control.

Then…

The entire universe seemed to freeze in a single instant.

All the followers of the demonic gods, the border troops of the Blue Star Federation, the endless alien races... including Blue Star, Nie Ying, Nan Gong Xue, Duan Hai, Jian Qiu, and the Three Elders.

Even the Creator and Fang Xing himself!

All appeared as if turned to statues.

Just moments before, Fang Xing had been doomed — obliterated by the Creator's countless eyes.

But now, that moment was infinitely suspended, unable to truly arrive.

The entire universe fell silent, even regressing into chaos, as boundless transformations stirred within…

"Come!"

Fang Xing's eyes could not move, but his martial will still struggled to function: "What is the Dao Struggle? Come… stake everything we have — let's gamble once more!"

The secret technique within the Panwu Scripture was called "Life Struggle!"

Its sole function: to amplify the Dao Struggle.

Both sides wagered everything, entering a newly evolving world to compete — the victor gains all, the loser loses everything.

Fang Xing dared to gamble with the Creator only because he still had his True Spirit Talisman as a backup, and his golden finger.

He was already cornered — any change, good or bad, was now hope.

As for the universe freezing — even re-evolving?

It was simply a new casino — no, a brand-new world.

As for rebooting the universe?

That was not Fang Xing's ability — it was the Creator's.

After awakening, the Creator could erase all life in the original universe, for he possessed the power to reboot it.

But now, he was being forced by Fang Xing to initiate the reboot.

If Fang Xing ultimately won, everything he cherished would return.

If he lost, all was lost.

…

"The Life Struggle technique… so this is how it feels?"

"It's somewhat similar to crossing through the Gates of All Realms…"

This was Fang Xing's first time using the Life Struggle technique — the sensation was profoundly novel.

"A brand-new spacetime, a new world… both sides enter, reincarnate, and fight again… If luck is terrible, even memories might be erased?"

He keenly sensed that the Creator, as a peak Celestial Immortal, was swiftly adjusting despite temporary setbacks.

In that evolving spacetime, he had surely slipped in countless hidden advantages.

But there was no helping it.

Rebooting the universe relied entirely on the Creator's power.

Without Life Struggle, Fang Xing's Dao Struggle had already ended in total defeat.

The "Life Struggle technique" merely forced both sides onto the gambling table for a so-called fair duel.

But one side had more chips, the other fewer — that was unavoidable.

Fang Xing had prepared for this.

The one with truly more chips was himself!

After all, not counting the True Spirit Talisman, he still had his attribute panel — his golden finger! He could not possibly lose to a mere peak Celestial Immortal!

... hoosh!

Across the blue sky, a flying vehicle skimmed past the clouds.

Fang Xing lowered his head and inserted a coin into his gas meter.

Gazing at the labyrinth of pipes and buildings, he felt a strong sense of dissonance for no clear reason.

"Why, in an age with flying vehicles, do every household still rely on gas for energy?"

The teenager was puzzled.

He appeared about sixteen, with brown eyes and black hair — a university student of "Black Ring City."

Black Ring City was built atop the ruins of the ancient mechanical metropolis — Hasting — said to harbor its ancient legacy: steam pipes stretching across the entire land.

After paying his gas fee, Fang Xing turned on the gas lamp, flooding his cramped, dark room with bright light.

Even in daylight, the lower districts of Black Ring City remained dim.

With the lamp's glow, Fang Xing pulled open a rosewood desk, drew out a parchment, and prepared to write a letter home.

He had a happy family: both parents alive, older siblings employed, and a younger sister.

Yet they all lived and worked in their hometown — "Cui Ting City" — while Fang Xing, due to his exceptional academic record since childhood and true genius, had been specially recruited by the Black Ring City Private Mechanical Academy into the mechanical engineering program, with a full scholarship.

"Dear sister…"

Fang Xing dipped his pen in ink and began writing.

Beside the ink bottle lay a quill.

Since arriving in Black Ring City, he had grown fond of its steel pens — he could no longer tolerate quills.

Though quills did produce elegant, flowing script when used for calligraphy.

But for a university student drowning in coursework, efficiency, efficiency, and damn it — efficiency — was what mattered!

With a soft scratching sound, his pen continued.

"... lack Ring City's environment is excellent, especially its strange mechanical creations, possessing an indescribable beauty — the beauty of machinery… My diligent study has earned recognition from my mentor, 'Monachi'… He gave me a genuine advanced textbook, which I am still struggling to master…"

"Also, please stop sending me living expenses — my scholarship is sufficient… Your archaeological team is said to be on the verge of bankruptcy — you should focus more on yourself…"

After finishing the letter, Fang Xing picked up a brass candlestick and an iron spoon, lit the candle, and melted sealing wax.

When the wax softened, he poured it onto the sealed envelope's flap, then pressed his personal seal into it.

Having completed this, Fang Xing planned to mail the letter tomorrow and prepared his dinner.

The staple was black bread — as hard as a baguette, a serious test for the teeth.

"Wait… what's a baguette?"

He rubbed his brow, feeling his recent daydreams growing increasingly frequent.

Yet it was precisely these "odd thoughts" that his mechanical academy mentor had deemed a sign of unique creative talent — hence his special admission.

Dinner was bread with vegetable soup; comparatively, Fang Xing preferred seafood fried rice.

Unfortunately, Black Ring City was inland — rice and seafood were expensive.

After dinner, he turned on the gas lamp and began studying.

"Mechanical Materials, Conductive Mechanics, Steam Theory…"

"Graduating is so hard... but if I succeed, I'll become a mechanic and land a well-paid job at any number of companies or government departments..."

Fang Xing murmured softly, preparing to burn the midnight oil.

After opening the thick textbook given by his mentor, he rubbed his eyes and felt something strange.

In his vision, shadowy afterimages appeared, flickering with inexplicable runes.

As if... they had been directly seared onto his retinas.

"What even is a retina?"

"Could my eyes be damaged? I should see a doctor tomorrow..."

Fang Xing grumbled, rubbed his eyes again, and got up to make himself a cup of hot cocoa.

But this time, the runes did not fade—they grew clearer with every passing moment.

Even... he could faintly 'read' their meaning:

【Name: Fang Xing】

【Age: 16 (114)】

【Occupation: Immortal Warrior??? Star Warrior???】

"What is this? I'm 114 years old?"

"And occupation—I'm just a college student..."

Fang Xing muttered a complaint when suddenly, searing pain exploded at his temples!

A torrent of memories surged like a flood, instantly drowning the worldview he'd spent over a decade building...

Huhuh!

The room fell silent, save for heavy breathing.

Long after.

Fang Xing finally rose: "So it took this long to break the fetal veil? I've got the 'True Spirit Rune' guarding my true spirit, and a stat panel as a golden cheat... and still I awakened so late? Heh, the Creator probably suffers even more than I do..."

He finally remembered—he was engaged in a "Struggle for Fate" with the Creator!

Fang Xing opened the window, gazing at the hazy moonlight and the lurid moon hanging in the sky, and sighed: "World... "

(End of Chapter)