Chapter 413: Void Realm within a Void Realm?

Handling the re-entry procedures for James Wali went much more smoothly than expected.

With Prince Kelin personally coming forward, the mages in the Academy's administration department, who had always used "acting according to regulations" as a shield, showed unprecedented work efficiency.

In less than half a day, all the cumbersome processes were settled.

Walking out of the administration office, James had an extra badge symbolizing the identity of "Guest Scholar of Kelin Tower" in his hand, and a set of keys to the teacher's dormitory.

Looking at the proof of being an Academy mage that he had regained, James felt a sense of a lifetime away in his heart, and the life of the past year was like a dream.

"Next is the accommodation problem."

Luo Yan smiled, beckoned to a thin young man waiting not far away, and continued in a chatty tone.

"Although the procedures are done, there are still many trivial matters... I will introduce a helper for you. This is Keji, Professor Heketuo's teaching assistant, if you have anything, you can find him directly."

The young man ran over all the way. He was not tall, but his steps were light, his eyes were bright, and his whole body revealed a shrewd and capable temperament.

"Highness, are you looking for me?"

Luo Yan smiled at Keji and introduced him.

"Keji, the one beside me is Mr. James Wali, he will join the Great Sage's Tower again as a special researcher and work in my Magic Science Laboratory. Although he lived in the Great Sage's Tower before, he has been away for a period of time, and many things have happened in this Mage Tower during this time... If he encounters any trouble in life or research, please solve it for him."

"Okay Master! Please rest assured and leave it to me!"

Teaching Assistant Keji nodded with bright eyes, responded cleanly, then turned to James and bowed respectfully.

"Hello Mr. Wali, I am Keji! Do you have any special requirements for the residence? For example, orientation, floor, or whether you need an additional soundproofing magic array? I can take you there now."

His series of questions made James, who was still in a trance, stunned for a moment, then he smiled embarrassedly and said cautiously.

"My dormitory has been decided, just... take me there normally."

He had a good impression of this enthusiastic young man, but no one had ever treated him so enthusiastically before, so he was at a loss for a while.

For Mr. James's caution, Keji didn't care, just smiled and said.

"Okay! Mr. James, please follow me! By the way, what about your luggage? I can arrange for someone to send it to your room..."

Thanking Prince Kelin for his appreciation again, James Wali followed Teaching Assistant Keji and left the corridor outside the administration office.

Watching the two leave, Luo Yan was about to return to the laboratory.

Just then, a young magic apprentice ran over in a hurry from not far away.

The young man stopped before him, panting because he ran too fast, and his face was flushed because he saw his idol, and said out of breath.

"Kelin... Highness! Teaching Assistant Miller asked me to tell you, on the side of Kelin Tower, the research on the 178th Void Realm... has new progress!"

178th Void Realm?

Luo Yan's eyebrows raised slightly, a touch of unexpected surprise rising in his heart, looking at the apprentice whose face was flushed with excitement, he ordered.

"Tell Miller for me, I will go over early tomorrow morning."

"Okay sir!" The apprentice nodded excitedly, feeling proud from the bottom of his heart for being able to help Prince Kelin, and left in a hurry after saying goodbye.

Although the situation in the upper levels of the Great Sage's Tower was treacherous, and the attitudes of many professors and masters toward Prince Kelin swayed with the swaying of the Sages, those young magic apprentices were different.

For this Highness who reached out a helping hand to them in times of danger, they respected and worshipped him from the bottom of their hearts...

The next morning, Luo Yan took the Pegasus carriage borrowed from Professor Heketuo and landed on the frozen soil outside Kelin Tower.

Stepping on the stone steps covered with frost, he just walked into the second-floor Void Realm laboratory and felt the irrepressible excitement.

All researchers were gathered before the lens of the 178th Void Realm, whispering excitedly, not even noticing his arrival at first.

The scene in the lens was no longer the war-torn scene of two months ago.

With the "Spirit of the Universe" sect achieving final victory, the time behind the Void Realm leaped forward by more than a century!

Not just the change of time, the world behind the Void Realm also underwent earth-shaking changes.

Buildings far more magnificent than in the past rose from the ground, and transportation tools shuttling between the building complexes were orderly.

Everything seemed the same as before, yet had completely different distinctions.

For example, the dark alleys without light disappeared, replaced by city gardens that grew together with high-rise buildings like gardens.

Enjoying life seemed to no longer be the patent of "high-level residents" and "elites with floor-to-ceiling windows".

Whether it was suffering or happiness, they were averaged without distinction under the "empathy ability granted by the huge spiritual network".

One person's misfortune is the misfortune of all resonance-sharers, one person's joy is the joy of all resonance-sharers.

Not only that.

The slums that grew like moss in the shadows also disappeared together. The houses planned by the "Spirit of the Universe" sect seemed just enough to fit every Gray Man inside.

Those who possessed power absolutely did not allow any Gray Man who trusted them and handed their power to them to receive salvation later than them—

If the pain of history is inevitable, then let the noble ones bear it first, rather than replacing those who suffer to enjoy it first.

Because that is what Jon did.

After that catastrophe that destroyed everything, they did spend a difficult period of time, but soon after the tide fell, the tide rose.

And this rise was different from the past. What the Gray Man civilization obtained after reconstruction was not just prosperity, but unprecedented cohesive power.

They proved that they could build a kingdom of God on earth without relying on lies, and it was a kingdom of God belonging to every Gray Man.

Of course, this might also have something to do with the fact that they couldn't lie.

Once consciousness was linked to the "spiritual network", the spiritual ripples of every sub-individual in the network would become "transparent".

Luo Yan could see with his own eyes that every face that occasionally flashed through the Void Realm lens was written with serenity and peace.

He could see neither impetuosity nor joy, anger, sorrow, or happiness from it, as if what was averaged was not just property, but their emotions.

Or perhaps it was because of this, every individual that occasionally appeared in the Void Realm exuded a "Buddhist" detachment from worldly affairs.

Or rather—

Divinity.

The researchers in Kelin Tower whispered.

"Their emotions are too stable, what exactly do they have to 'lose' to make them feel surprised?"

"Don't know, but I think we'd better not break this balance."

"Agree, the Highness asked us to carefully observe and study their spiritual network, but didn't ask us to test its resilience..."

Until Prince Kelin approached, the excited discussion gradually subsided, and everyone bowed respectfully.

Luo Yan looked around, didn't see Moke's figure, and suddenly remembered that Moke was Alisite's disciple, recently implicated because of the Thorne Society incident, seemingly under investigation by the Sage Council.

Don't know if the Gray Men would feel complicated after learning about this.

Their "Ancient God", this time probably really fell.

"Master!"

Miller was the first to greet him, stepping forward quickly, his voice trembling slightly with excitement.

"You finally came! Under your wise guidance, our research on the 178th Void Realm has made breakthrough progress again!"

"Flattery is unnecessary, just get to the point." Luo Yan smiled friendly, looking at the excited Miller and said.

"Okay Master!"

Miller took a deep breath and began his report.

"At first, we thought the Gray Man population had a universal spiritual awakening, because we observed that whether it was construction workers or doctors, they seemed to have mastered spiritual techniques. However, with our subsequent in-depth analysis, we overturned this conclusion—the truth is, not everyone awakened spiritual power, but they are sharing each other's power!"

He pointed to the lens, his expression becoming incomparably awe-struck, and vaguely there was a trace of irrepressible longing.

"Their spiritual network has completely evolved! That invisible medium that shares their spirits is no longer just a platform for exchanging information, but has formed a 'spiritual network' that truly possesses power! Every individual can access this giant network through specific rituals, and temporarily possess abilities they didn't originally possess during specific rituals or work!"

"For example, when a doctor is treating the wounded, even if he didn't show any potential for spiritual power before this, he can 'borrow' powerful healing spiritual power from the network to help the wounded stabilize their injuries! And at the same time, he who finished the work will return the borrowed ability, or perhaps it is automatically returned... In short, according to our tracking observation of a Gray Man, he didn't show any traits related to spiritual power in daily life, but he suddenly had it at work!"

Miller turned his head, looking at Prince Kelin with eyes that seemed to have witnessed a miracle, unable to suppress the excitement in his voice.

"Master! Do you know what this means? They redefined the way of using extraordinary power!"

"The civilization behind the 178th Void Realm no longer produces extraordinary people who gather infinite power in one body by creating gods, nor do they pray for those who are different to be kind, fantasizing about them pitying the ordinary people struggling in the mortal world! They distributed extraordinary power to every ordinary Gray Man, souls no longer have high or low distinctions!"

"Saint Xisi above... this is too incredible!"

After listening to Miller's report and summary, Luo Yan, who was watching the Void Realm lens, gradually changed his expression to shock.

"That is indeed quite incredible."

The Gray Men solved two problems at the same time.

The problem of lack of production motivation in an averaged society, and the problem of the "Extraordinary Paradox".

If a person needs to possess extraordinary power at work to become a legend or hero in people's eyes, I think even a lazy rat man would stand up.

As for the "Extraordinary Paradox", that is if everyone possesses extraordinary power, then extraordinary power itself does not exist.

Unless the Gray Men, like the Suolipuxi people in the 440th Void Realm, have stepped across the universe they are in, able to obtain that power close to the origin of the universe from distant worlds, at the cost of the ordinariness of the vast majority of young civilizations to achieve their own extraordinariness.

But obviously—

The Gray Men have not developed to that extent.

They just suspected that they colonized several distant and desolate worlds with starships, and have not yet had contact with other civilizations in the universe they are in.

Luo Yan could understand the shock in Miller's heart, and as an ordinary researcher, the irrepressible yearning for the world behind the 178th Void Realm.

On the Aosi continent, even in a place like the Academy, the most powerful extraordinary power is not in the hands of those who truly study it.

Power and resources are firmly held by Sages and a few professors like Alisite Thorne, and these people are not much higher than ordinary people in terms of morality and cultivation.

They built academic barriers, determined the flow of knowledge, and let most researchers become worker ants digging ore for them.

Researchers spend their whole lives, longing to break the shackles of soul levels, but even a researcher like Alisite who almost climbed to the top of the tower couldn't do it.

And the Gray Men on the other side of the Void Realm have already established an extraordinary power distribution mechanism that is almost ideal in their own way.

In the century or so after Jon died, they truly pushed down the Gao Ta in their hearts with their own hands.

Luo Yan could even assert that if it weren't for himself, an Imperial Prince, standing here, Miller's "Saint Xisi above" would have to be changed to "Gray Men above".

Longing is always the most beautiful distance.

When these researchers are observing and influencing the Void Realm, the world behind the Void Realm is also subtly influencing their spirits.

At this moment, an interesting thought suddenly arose in Luo Yan's heart.

Looking at those eyes that were shining because of longing, he opened his mouth in a chatty tone.

"Miller, if God let you make a choice, would you rather become the master of this Gao Ta, a Sage overlooking all living beings? Or become one of them, an ordinary Gray Man?"

Miller was stunned by this question.

He opened his mouth, but found that he didn't know how to answer, and only after a long time did he smile bitterly and say truthfully.

"Highness, this question is too difficult."

"Don't mind, I just asked casually."

Luo Yan smiled, didn't continue to pursue.

It can be seen that this teaching assistant was seriously thinking about this question, instead of perfunctorily giving himself an answer he wanted to hear.

And his answer also just shows that this question is still too early for people on the Aosi continent.

If this group of researchers continues to observe, the 178th Void Realm and the "Spirit of the Universe" sect behind it will probably become a "corrosion" no less than Chaos.

As for the reason, it is not because the doctrine they preach is unrealistic, or the picture they describe is not beautiful enough.

On the contrary, the utopia they created is too beautiful, so that it cannot find soil to take root and sprout on the ground outside the Void Realm.

And if it's just drawing cakes, Saint Xisi draws better than it.

At least for the vast majority of ordinary people on the Aosi continent, this is the case.

Just then, a researcher responsible for monitoring the "spiritual network" suddenly let out an exclamation, pulling everyone's attention back to the huge Void Realm lens.

"Master! Spiritual power is gathering on a large scale at high altitude!"

Luo Yan cast his gaze back to the Void Realm.

Only in the Void Realm screen, those countless spiritual light streams originating from the surface, like brilliant star rivers pulled by invisible gravity, pierced through the gray clouds, and finally gathered above the world... or planet where the Gray Men were.

There, sat a silver-white palace.

It was built of some unknown silver-white metal, its surface shimmering with light, like a man-made star.

The researchers in Kelin Tower whispered excitedly, discussing the metal structure that didn't know what it was.

Only their Prince Kelin, the expression on his face didn't change at all.

Luo Yan knew very well that it was just a space station, which was not an amazing technology for Gray Men who had already started interstellar colonization.

They had mastered it long ago!

However, soon, the picture in the Void Realm changed again.

And this time, even he, who was particularly able to hold on, was shocked by the incredible scene that came into view.

Directly outside the space station, all the gathered spiritual power was compressed into a singularity, and then tore open a crack flashing with unstable light!

"It's the Void Realm! They actually opened the Void Realm too!"

Miller exclaimed, followed by an irrepressible ecstasy, his hands clenching tightly because of excitement.

He remembered the research records of the 440th Void Realm—

The Suolipuxi people behind the 440th Void Realm were the ones who broke through the limits of their own vision through reverse exploration of the Void Realm, casting their gaze toward the "Creators" behind the void!

Now, the Gray Men of the 178th Void Realm were repeating this historic scene!

And it was under the witness of the "Creators"!

Miller's heart was full of excitement, even silently praying for this group of children who were "toddling".

If they could contact the Academy like the Suolipuxi people, maybe they would make a "more generous and selfless" choice!

For example—

Like how the researchers of Kelin Tower "cared for" them meticulously at the beginning, turning back to feed back these "Creators" who were still in deep water!

Although Miller didn't say his inner voice, Luo Yan saw through what this young man was fantasizing about at a glance.

This is almost a fantasy that every father who becomes a father for the first time can hardly avoid, pinning the wishes he can't realize on his son.

Although understanding is understanding, he doesn't hold a very optimistic view.

The civilization behind the 178th Void Realm is still too young, and the exploration of the Void Realm has just started. It took countless centuries for the Suolipuxi people of the 440th Void Realm to truly find the "Creators" behind the Void Realm.

And, when the Suolipuxi people first discovered that their "spiritual father" was just an ordinary person, they were quite disappointed.

As for the final "reconciliation" and finding back the umbilical cord connecting each other's spirits, it was all a matter of the 40th century.

At that time, the Suolipuxi civilization was already in its twilight years.

Whether there was such a long time for the intersection in the limited life of both sides was still an unknown, and the reunion of the 440th Void Realm was more like a miracle.

Perhaps by the time the Gray Men completed the final "reconciliation", they would never meet again.

The time behind the Void Realm was still flowing.

That crack suspended outside the space station was much larger than the crack in Kelin Tower, just like a wound appearing in the deep space, even able to stuff the entire space station in.

Of course.

Those Gray Men didn't do that, but like the researchers in Kelin Tower, kept a distance from the crack and observed the blue world behind the crack carefully...

Through the analysis of the spiritual network and the switching of perspectives, the researchers in Kelin Tower were pleasantly surprised to find that they could take all this into view.

Including the situation inside the space station, including that "Void Realm within a Void Realm"!

"... Doesn't this mean we can study the Void Realm in the Void Realm?" A researcher couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, his shoulders trembling slightly because of excitement and agitation.

This is a discovery even more amazing than the 440th Void Realm!

At the same time, the reactions of the Gray Man researchers behind the Void Realm were strangely similar.

Looking at the blue world behind the Void Realm, every ordinary face showed a look of longing, and their shoulders were also trembling slightly.

Everything was just because that world was too beautiful, like heaven compared to their mother planet that was about to burn out!

So-called longing is the most beautiful distance... Obviously, this sentence is also applicable to Gray Men.

Even if they knew very well that they couldn't cross the void to that beautiful world, they still couldn't suppress the yearning in their hearts.

They wanted a planet full of clean air and water too much.

It's a pity that their universe was too desolate, and those seemingly beautiful planets were too far away, just like a mirage in the universe.

Driven by this longing, they mobilized more spiritual power from the spiritual network and invested it in the exploration of the Void Realm.

However, it was precisely with their in-depth exploration that they soon discovered that it was too early to describe this strange world as heaven.

That is not heaven.

On the contrary, that place is more like their past—their past that has not yet woken up from the dream and is still immersed in the beautiful dream woven by neon.

Perhaps it was the 30-second advertisement that evoked the "post-traumatic stress disorder" deep in their souls. Looking at the group of humanoid creatures with similar shapes to them destroying their own world, the spiritual ripples that had been calm for I don't know how many years appeared for the first time with ups and downs.

'We cannot watch this group of materialists go astray! They will bring disaster to themselves, and also bring disaster to the universe they are in.'

'Intervention is a necessary option, we will not force them to become the same as us, but we need to give better choices to friends who are suffering in another universe.'

'Do it!'

They reached a consensus.

This was another unity since the Gray Man spiritualists decided to overthrow the Federal Council by force. This time they decided to send the most beautiful gift to the people on the other side of the Void Realm, helping them end the council on the other side of the Void Realm.

Just like their father "Kelin", who had done for them.

At the same time, the researchers in Kelin Tower were also shocked, exchanging astonishment in their eyes, and discussing and communicating.

The Void Realm within the Void Realm is an extremely prosperous material civilization.

Countless skyscrapers far more towering than Gray Man cities pierced the sky, streamlined transportation tools shuttled between the buildings, and the crowds on the ground were bustling. Although the clothing styles were different, from the appearance, they seemed to be... humans?

And, these "humans" almost stepped their feet on the edge of the starry sky, just not as thorough as the Gray Men.

"Saint Xisi above, they are repeating our path?!" Miller's voice carried a dream-like absurdity, and after swallowing a mouthful of saliva, he muttered and continued, "They are actually spreading the gospel of 'Kelin' to another world!"

The facts are as he said.

The researchers in Kelin Tower soon discovered that the Gray Men easily mastered the way to interfere with the Void Realm, and the technique of using power similar to Source Power to accelerate the passage of time in the Void Realm.

They are very smart and know how to adapt.

They didn't use the oldest way to spread the most primitive doctrine, but after fully studying the society behind the Void Realm, they wove a set of doctrines that fit their actual situation for the "humans" living there, guiding them to re-examine their souls and hearts.

Not only that, they also quietly established an organization called "Spirit of the Universe Foundation" behind the Void Realm.

The ideological preparation and material conditions were satisfied, they were full of confidence in the upcoming change, and even made preparations for the aftermath.

However, just when they were about to succeed, something unexpected happened.

History repeated itself in a way that was almost mocking, but what was repeated was not the story of "Jon and Kelin", but the story of "Ancient God Moke and Kaier".

Under the corrosion of power and desire, the "Spirit of the Universe Foundation" became an organization similar to the "Ark of Salvation".

They no longer pursued noble ideals, but sank into secular desires, and used any means to achieve their goals.

This change that started with a beautiful original intention finally triggered the vigilance of the "humans" behind the Void Realm against the void.

The foundation was defined as a cult, and a war involving the whole world was on the verge of breaking out, burning the Gray Men's hard work of several years to ashes.

The only luck is that, perhaps because of the higher level of civilization, this catastrophe ended quickly, and stimulated the "humans" enthusiasm for exploring distant worlds.

A magnificent starship set sail from that blue world, heading to the distant starry sky.

It's just that in contrast, the first Void Realm channel that the Gray Men had just mastered became precarious because of this, almost about to go out.

In the lens, the spiritual network of the Gray Men was full of regret and incomprehensible fluctuations. This failed intervention seemed to have shaken their society.

The vast majority of Gray Men were criticizing this failed intervention, believing that their behavior did not guide the lost lambs to the right path, but brought deeper suffering to innocent souls.

Because the spiritual network refused to open the spiritual permission for the Void Realm channel, the Gray Man civilization's research on the Void Realm fell into a standstill for a time.

At the first crossroads, they seemed to have embarked on a path completely different from the Suolipuxi people.

The researchers in Kelin Tower also felt the same, sighing one after another. But more sighs were focused on the fact that these Gray Men actually gave up like this.

It's really a pity.

Unlike those researchers who sighed that the reunion opportunity was slim, the expression on Luo Yan's face became a bit strange.

Irrelevant to whether it is a pity or not, he just feels... that blue planet seems a bit familiar?

"It shouldn't be such a coincidence..." Luo Yan muttered to himself, until a holographic billboard flashed past him.

The square characters flashing in the neon light and shadow made him incomparably familiar, pulling his thoughts back to more than twenty years ago in an instant.

Good guy—

It really is Earth?!

Although it doesn't seem to be the Earth he is familiar with, but another timeline, the Earth that has already entered the future...

(End of chapter) ===== CHAPTER 414 =====