301: Chapter 301 The Void and the Star-Gazing Pavilion

The indestructible primordial space barrier of the Great Desolate True Realm was like a thin water curtain beneath Zhou Wannian's feet, easily rippled open into a crack leading to an unknown dimension.

As he took a steady, leisurely step forward, the spatial crack behind him closed silently, completely isolating the heavy Law Aura of the Great Desolate True Realm in another time and space. There was no dizzying sensation of the world spinning, nor the tearing pain that often accompanies crossing universal boundaries. Zhou Wannian only felt a cool breeze brush against his face before the scene before him underwent an earth-shaking transformation.

What met his eyes was a vast and boundless, magnificent firmament of interwoven purple and gold colors.

The sky here had no rotation of sun, moon, or stars; that touch of eternal purple-gold radiance seemed to emanate naturally from the deepest Origin of this world, exuding a Supreme charm of immortality and eternal existence. What permeated the air was no longer the heavy and dull Spiritual Qi of the Great Desolate True Realm, but a strange energy that appeared faintly milky-white and drifted like a light veil.

Zhou Wannian stood with his hands behind his back atop a purple-gold cloud, taking a deep breath.

That milky-white strange energy surged into his body through his nasal cavity. This energy seemed gentle, but it actually contained a terrifying mass sufficient to easily crush the Dao fruit of a Daluo True Monarch. Within every wisp of energy, tens of thousands of complex Law chains were interwoven; if an ordinary powerhouse from the Lower Realm dared to recklessly breathe here, they would likely explode and die within half a breath, turning into a puff of dust in this void.

However, the moment this violent and high-dimensional energy entered Zhou Wannian's body, it was like a mud cow entering the sea, failing to stir even the slightest ripple.

The perfect inner universe of the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art demonstrated an absolute inclusiveness that transcended all external Heavenly Dao at this moment.

One hundred and eight clusters of time dao patterns slowly circulated in his Qi Sea like a brilliant galaxy, emitting a warm, jade-like golden divine light. On that heavy and boundless continent of grandmist mother earth, the golden mineral veins transformed from primal geng metal divine iron acted like the dragon bones of the earth, supporting the sturdy architecture of the entire inner universe. At the continent's edge, great sea true water gathered into a deep and boundless black ocean, magnificent in its waves. In the center of the continent, the sky-obscuring green leaves of the chaos jianmu stretched into the void, greedily absorbing the milky-white energy pouring in from the outside. And on the highest firmament, the nine nether earth core lotus transformed into a dark sun burning with black nether fire, casting down the most Yin and pure fire Origin.

Metal generates Water, Water generates Wood, Wood generates Fire, Fire generates Earth, Earth generates Metal.

The Five Great Primordial Origin Divine Objects achieved an absolute balance and a perfect cycle of endless growth within Zhou Wannian's body. The high-dimensional milky-white energy from the outside was merely nourishment for the operation of this perfect Major Thousand Worlds. It was easily crushed, stripped, and purified by the Five Elements millstone, eventually turning into the purest inner universe Origin, nourishing his Physical Body and Divine Soul, which were already comparable to the Origin of ten thousand worlds.

Zhou Wannian slowly opened his eyes, his deep pupils reflecting this purple-gold firmament, his expression remaining just as calm and relaxed.

Zhou Wannian spoke softly to himself in a steady tone, "The Law architecture here is several levels higher than that of the Great Desolate True Realm. Space is not only dense but also carries a natural repulsive force. This milky-white Aura should be the unique Origin Essence Qi of this world. The water is deep enough; I hope the fish in this pond can grow a bit sturdier, lest they break at a touch, which would be too boring."

He casually brushed his Green Robe and did not linger long on the clouds, stepping forward and walking leisurely toward the depths of the purple-gold sea of clouds ahead.

The spatial barriers here were incredibly sturdy; even a Dao Venerable Peak expert from the Great Desolate True Realm would likely be unable to fly here, forced to trek laboriously on the ground like a Mortal. But Zhou Wannian's Great Perfection Space Law had long since transcended the constraints of the external environment. He seemed to be strolling idly, yet the sea of clouds beneath his feet receded at an illogical speed; with every step, he could cross a distance of ten million miles.

He traversed the purple-gold sea of clouds for an unknown amount of time.

In the void ahead, a vast and boundless floating structure emitting a dazzling white light faintly appeared.

Zhou Wannian stopped and looked over calmly.

It was a grand platform large enough to accommodate tens of thousands of Qinghe Immortal Cities. The platform was built entirely of Primal White Jade that emitted a warm luster, with its edges carved with countless strange divine birds poised for flight. In the very center of the platform stood nine purple-gold pillars, each a hundred thousand feet high, wrapped in thick Law chains that faintly emitted a terrifying pressure capable of suppressing the heavens.

This platform floated in the void, with subtle spatial cracks constantly appearing and disappearing around it, as if it were an important hub connecting countless lower planes.

This was the 'Ascension Divine Platform' specifically used to receive Ascenders from the heavens and myriad worlds below in this high-dimensional world named 'Grand Void Firmament'.

At this moment, the atmosphere on the Ascension Divine Platform was exceptionally oppressive and cold.

On the cold white jade floor in the center of the platform, three figures were kneeling with great difficulty. These three were all wearing tattered, once-magnificent robes; though they were in a wretched state now, they still possessed an innate Supreme majesty from having long held high positions and once ruled over a Universe.

Any one of these three, in their original lower planes, was an absolute Dominator comparable to the Great Desolate Saint Ancestor. They had endured countless hardships and severed countless Karmas before finally breaking through the world barrier and ascending to this Grand Void Firmament.

However, what awaited them was not the leisure of eternal life, but the cruel suppression of this high-dimensional world, like a blow to the head.

The incredibly heavy Origin Essence Law of Grand Void Firmament was like a hundred thousand primordial divine mountains, pressing down ruthlessly on their backs. Their once-proud Lower Realm Dao fruits were suppressed here to the point where they couldn't even circulate a sliver of magic power, leaving them to rely solely on their powerful Physical Bodies to struggle and keep from collapsing completely onto the ground.

In front of these three Ascenders hovered dozens of massive Crystal Wyverns covered in sparkling scales.

Seated on the back of each wyvern was a 'Dao-Guarding Divine Guards' clad in silver heavy armor and holding a lightning spear. The cultivation of these guards, even the most ordinary one, emitted an Aura that far surpassed the Great Desolate Saint Ancestor of the Lower Realms, reaching the terrifying level known as the 'Creation Realm' in this Grand Void Firmament.

The leading guard commander rode the largest double-horned Crystal Wyvern. He wore intricate dark-gold battle armor, his face as cold and sharp as a blade, and a silver divine mark like a vertical eye on his brow, emitting the thick pressure of the Middle Stage Creation Realm.

This man was named Mo Lingyuan, the highest guardian of this Ascension Divine Platform, serving under a massive power in Grand Void Firmament known as the 'Limitless Dao Court'.

Mo Lingyuan looked down from his high position at the three former Lower Realm Dominators kneeling on the ground, his eyes filled with high-and-mighty disdain and indifference.

Mo Lingyuan shouted coldly, "You Lower Realm ants, since you have luckily ascended to Grand Void Firmament, you must recognize your status. Here, your former glory is worthless. Hand over the Origin Dao fruits you condensed in the Lower Realms, accept the Divine Slave Seal of my Limitless Dao Court, and go serve for a hundred thousand eons in the Primal Mineral Veins. If you survive, this commander will grant you the qualification to linger on the outskirts of this divine city. This is your only way out."

The red-robed old man kneeling in the middle, the Cangyan Saint Ancestor who once ruled a Star Domain, felt his eyes nearly burst with rage upon hearing this. He violently raised his bloodshot face, his bones letting out a mournful creak under the heavy Law pressure.

Cangyan Saint Ancestor roared with a trembling voice, "We have ascended after enduring ten thousand tribulations, all to pursue the Supreme Dao. Your Limitless Dao Court makes no distinction between right and wrong, wanting to strip our Dao fruits and turn us into slaves. How is such conduct any different from demons? I would rather die than suffer such a great humiliation!"

Mo Lingyuan seemed to have heard the funniest joke in the world, the mockery in his eyes deepening.

Mo Lingyuan mocked in a chilling tone, "Pursue the Dao? Is the Dao of Grand Void Firmament something you commoners tainted with the filth of the Lower Realms are qualified to touch? Since you seek death, this commander will fulfill your wish, extract your Divine Soul, and use it to light the Everlasting Wayfinding Lamp of this platform."

He slowly raised the lightning spear in his hand, and a purple-black lightning ball emitting destructive fluctuations gathered at the tip, preparing to completely obliterate Cangyan Saint Ancestor in one blow.

However, at this critical moment.

In the void at the edge of the Ascension Divine Platform, a transparent ripple like water appeared without warning.

Immediately after, a youth wearing a Green Robe, with his hands casually behind his back, walked out of the ripples in such an unhurried, leisurely manner, stepping steadily onto this white jade plaza filled with a murderous atmosphere.

Zhou Wannian's appearance did not trigger any Formation alarms, nor was it accompanied by any earth-shattering phenomena. He was like a Mortal scholar who had wandered into this place by mistake, his ordinary Green Robe fluttering slightly in the gale on the platform, his whole being exuding an absolute sense of relaxation that was completely at odds with this oppressive environment.

Cangyan Saint Ancestor and the other two Ascenders stared blankly at this suddenly appearing green-robed youth.

Stormy waves surged in their hearts. Powerhouses of their Saint Ancestor level found even standing straight a luxury under the Law pressure of Grand Void Firmament. Yet this youth, who seemed to have no cultivation fluctuations at all, could actually stroll so easily and comfortably on this platform, as if that incredibly heavy worldly pressure simply did not exist for him.

Mo Lingyuan and the dozens of Dao-Guarding Divine Guardss were also momentarily stunned, their gazes instantly locking onto Zhou Wannian.

Mo Lingyuan's brow furrowed as his Creation Realm Divine Sense repeatedly scanned Zhou Wannian, only to find that an absolute void seemed to exist around the other's body; as soon as his Divine Sense approached, it was like a mud cow entering the sea, vanishing without a trace.

This eerie situation caused a hint of wariness to arise in Mo Lingyuan's heart. But as a commander of the Limitless Dao Court with the power of life and death on this Ascension Divine Platform, he naturally wouldn't lose his Aura before an unidentified person.

Mo Lingyuan sat on the back of the Crystal Wyvern and pointed his lightning spear at Zhou Wannian from afar.

Mo Lingyuan shouted sternly, "Who are you? How dare you bypass the Ascension Grand Formation and privately tear through the spatial barrier to infiltrate the divine platform? You have no passage token of the Limitless Dao Court on you; could you be a rebel who forcibly smuggled yourself up from some remote Lower Realm?"

Facing this high-and-mighty, murderous questioning.

Zhou Wannian didn't even lift his eyelids much. His eyes, deep as an ancient well, calmly swept over Mo Lingyuan and the guards standing in battle readiness, then landed on the even more vast Taixu sea of clouds behind the platform.

Zhou Wannian spoke in a steady tone, carrying a hint of annoyance at having his peace disturbed.

Zhou Wannian said composedly, "I am merely passing through this place, looking for a quiet spot to have a cup of tea and perhaps obtain a World Map of this land. You people always enjoy shouting at others with such a condescending posture. It is truly too noisy and far too rude."

These casual words, which completely disregarded the Creation Realm commander, echoed across the silent platform.

Cangyan Saint Ancestor and the other two Ascenders felt their scalps go numb and broke into a cold sweat. They felt this green-robed youth was simply a lunatic who didn't care about life or death, actually daring to use such a tone of lecturing a junior to talk back to those guard commanders who viewed them as mere grass.

Mo Lingyuan's face instantly turned ashen, the veins on his forehead throbbing. In the tens of thousands of years he had guarded the Ascension Divine Platform, he had never seen such an arrogant smuggler.

Mo Lingyuan laughed out of extreme anger, a cruel and bloodthirsty light flashing in his eyes.

Mo Lingyuan gnashed his teeth and roared, "What an arrogant smuggling commoner. To think you dare to criticize this commander. Since you seek death, I will first tear you into ten thousand pieces before dealing with these wastes. Divine Guards, hear my command! Form the Nine Palaces God-Slaying Formation and grind him into fine powder!"

Rumble!

Following his command,

the dozens of Dao-Guarding Divine Guardss hovering in mid-air simultaneously let out a uniform roar. The Crystal Wyverns beneath them flapped their wings and quickly scattered across the sky, occupying the positions of the Nine Palaces and Eight Trigrams.

Dozens of lightning spears pointed at Zhou Wannian at once, their tips erupting with blinding purple-gold divine light. This light quickly intertwined and fused in the Void Realm, transforming into a massive purple-gold light prison that completely sealed off the hundred-zhang space around Zhou Wannian.

The Nine Palaces God-Slaying Formation was a combined strike Formation used by the Limitless Dao Court to suppress and kill powerful enemies. Once the Formation was complete, the internal space would be forcibly sliced into countless tiny fragments. Even a powerhouse at the Late Stage of the Creation Realm trapped within would be instantly ground into a pool of blood by that violent strangling force.

The moment the light prison formed, a world-destroying strangling Law—like countless invisible primordial divine weapons—rushed toward Zhou Wannian at the center of the Formation with ear-piercing sonic booms, cutting frantically.

The Great Desolate Saint Ancestor closed his eyes in despair, unable to bear the sight of the young man who had stepped forward being sliced into mincemeat.

However,

facing this thunderous, terrifying strangulation capable of tearing apart a Major Thousand Worlds,

Zhou Wannian maintained that absolute relaxation rooted in his very bones. He did not summon any Magic Treasure, nor did he condense any defensive light screen on his body. He even kept his hands casually behind his back, his upright figure standing firm amidst the violent astral winds of the Formation.

He merely tilted his chin slightly, looking at the purple-gold divine light interweaving across the sky.

Zhou Wannian's tone was easygoing, as if he were evaluating a boring game between children.

Zhou Wannian said plainly, "A crude Formation built by stacking numbers, riddled with holes; it hasn't even locked down the most basic spatial nodes of this Grand Void Firmament. Using such a thing to trap me is simply laughable."

He did not perform any fancy counter-movements, but simply lifted his right foot with extreme casualness and lightly stepped on the incredibly hard white jade ground beneath him.

Zhou Wannian uttered a single word in a steady tone: "Disperse."

Buzz.

As his foot landed,

the flawless inner universe rules of the Great Five Elements Illusory World Art poured out unreservedly from the sole of his foot at that moment.

Space Law Great Perfection, Five Elements Disintegration Great Perfection.

A clear and transparent ripple, yet one that stood above all Acquired Laws of this world, rippled out instantly like a pebble thrown into a calm lake.

An unbelievable scene truly played out on the Ascension Divine Platform.

The Nine Palaces God-Slaying Formation, claimed to be able to strangle those at the Late Stage of the Creation Realm, the moment it touched this transparent ripple—

no earth-shattering sound of energy collision erupted, nor was there any blinding explosion of light.

The purple-gold lightning divine light interweaving the sky was like winter snow meeting a blazing sun, or more like a fragile painting soaked in water. Starting from the center of the ripple's contact, that incomparably violent strangling Law could not even hold out for a ten-thousandth of a nanosecond before it rapidly dimmed, decomposed, and shattered at an illogical speed.

Crash.

The massive purple-gold light prison collapsed instantly in mid-air like a sand sculpture losing its support. Countless rays of divine light capable of tearing stars apart were forcibly reverted into the most primitive and gentle Great Void Origin Qi, passing softly by Zhou Wannian like a harmless breeze, without even fluttering a corner of his Green Robe.

One strike.

Just a casual, light step.

The ultimate killing Formation jointly laid by dozens of Creation Realm Divine Guards was completely dissolved into nothingness with such casual ease.

In mid-air,

the dozens of Dao-Guarding Divine Guardss all suffered the terrifying backlash of the broken Formation. They felt as if their chests had been slammed by billions of divine mountains, and they spat out mouthfuls of golden blood mixed with visceral fragments. The Crystal Wyverns beneath them let out shrill wails and fell from the sky like kites with broken strings, crashing into the white jade plaza of the platform and creating massive craters.

"This... how is this possible? What Demonic Technique did you use?!"

Mo Lingyuan, riding on the back of a double-horned flying dragon, had his face—originally filled with cruelty and coldness—completely distorted by extreme terror and incomprehensible shock.

His eyes stared fixedly at the unharmed Zhou Wannian below, the pride deep in his eyes shattered to pieces. He was a commander at the Middle Stage of the Creation Realm; he clearly felt that the power that had neutralized the Formation just now was not a known Law of this Grand Void Firmament at all. It was a Supreme power that was completely independent, forming its own world, and achieving absolute suppression in terms of dimension.

Fear, like a cold venomous snake, instantly coiled around Mo Lingyuan's heart. He finally realized that he had kicked a steel plate today capable of crushing the Limitless Dao Court.

But driven by the desire to survive, he did not sit and wait for death.

Mo Lingyuan let out a hysterical roar, unhesitatingly burning half of his Origin essence blood, and slammed his right hand against his glabella.

Mo Lingyuan roared with a distorted face, "No matter who you are, if you dare to ruin the great affairs of my Dao Court, you must pay the price. Great Void Soul-Severing Blade, break!"

A narrow curved blade, black as ink and emitting an Aura of universal extinction, shot out from his glabella. This Great Void Soul-Severing Blade was a Lifebound Treasure he had spent tens of thousands of years nurturing. It contained a trace of the destruction Origin of the Grand Void Firmament and specifically targeted a Cultivator's Divine Soul and Dao fruit; it was incredibly insidious.

The curved blade turned into a black bolt of lightning invisible to the naked eye, tearing through the heavy spatial barriers and heading straight for Zhou Wannian's throat with desperate madness.

The speed of this blade was extreme; even the Great Desolate Saint Ancestor lying on the ground could not see its trajectory.

However,

facing this desperate strike from a Creation Realm commander burning his Origin,

Zhou Wannian's expression remained as calm as water, and not even a ripple appeared in his deep eyes.

He slowly pulled his right hand out from behind him.

No hand seals were formed, and no heaven-toppling magic power was mobilized. He simply extended his index and middle fingers in a very ordinary manner and pinched forward plainly toward that black lightning.

Ding.

A crisp and ethereal sound, like jade striking stone, rippled clearly across the deathly silent platform.

The scene was completely frozen at this moment.

The Great Void Soul-Severing Blade, claimed to be indestructible and capable of slaying Creation Divine Souls, stopped steadily just three inches from Zhou Wannian's throat.

Zhou Wannian's two long, fair fingers were like two unshakable pillars, casually pinching the black blade. No matter how much terrifying destruction fluctuated from the curved blade, it could not advance even a single hair's breadth further.

Mo Lingyuan's eyes were instantly filled with desperate bloodshot veins.

Zhou Wannian looked at the black curved blade between his fingertips, a faint mock curling at the corner of his mouth.

Zhou Wannian evaluated in a steady tone, "The material is barely acceptable, but the refining method is crude beyond belief. Bringing such scrap metal out to make a fool of yourself is simply dirtying my hands."

He snapped his two fingers slightly downward.

Crack.

Accompanied by a crisp sound of breaking,

the Lifebound Treasure that Mo Lingyuan valued as his life was snapped into two pieces by Zhou Wannian's fingertips as if it were a fragile dry leaf.

"Pfft—"

With his Lifebound Treasure destroyed, Mo Lingyuan suffered a fatal Origin backlash. He sprayed a mouthful of black blood and slumped onto the dragon's back like a pile of mud, his entire Aura instantly withering to the extreme.

But he didn't even have time to say a word of mercy.

Zhou Wannian's right hand, which had snapped the blade, already casually swept his wide sleeve toward Mo Lingyuan in the air and the guards lying on the ground.

Great Perfection Five Elements Disintegration.

A clear wind of Law, carrying an absolute will to erase, whistled out from his sleeve.

This wind brushed over Mo Lingyuan's body, over the dozens of guards, and over those massive Crystal Wyverns.

There were no shrill screams, no grisly scenes of flesh and blood flying.

From the moment they touched this breeze, the tempered Creation Realm bodies of Mo Lingyuan and the others were like they had undergone billions of years of weathering. In an instant, from flesh and bone to Divine Soul and Dao fruit, everything disintegrated into the most basic dust.

Puff. Puff. Puff.

A series of extremely faint muffled sounds echoed across the platform.

Dozens of high-and-mighty Limitless Dao Court Divine Guards, along with their commander and mounts, turned into a sky full of flying grey powder in less than half a breath's time.

A slightly chilly Great Void Origin wind blew past.

The powder scattered across the white jade plaza of the platform, completely turning into nothingness, as if these people had never existed in this world.

Instant kill.

An absolute instant kill, clean and efficient without the slightest hesitation.

The Ascension Divine Platform fell into a deathly silence.

The Great Desolate Saint Ancestor and the other two Ascenders were now completely petrified. They stared blankly at the empty air, then at the Green Robe youth standing in place without even a wrinkle on his clothes; their brains had lost all ability to think.

Those were Creation Realm Divine Guards! They were the enforcers of the Grand Void Firmament!

Before this youth, they couldn't even last a single move and were completely blown away like someone brushing off dust.

This Supreme power, which transcended their lifelong understanding, left them without even the courage to prostrate in worship. They could only lie slumped on the ground, trembling violently.

Zhou Wannian slowly withdrew his right hand and placed it behind his back again.

He didn't spare another look at the three terrified Ascenders on the ground, nor did he collect any spoils of war. To him, this insignificant conflict didn't even count as a warm-up; it was utterly boring.

Zhou Wannian took steady, leisurely steps, no longer paying attention to this Ascension Divine Platform, and walked straight toward the edge of the platform.

He stood at the edge, gazing at the vast, boundless sea of purple-gold clouds in the distance.

At the limit of his vision, he could faintly see a vast giant city with a silhouette so massive it was beyond imagination, emitting endless brilliant divine light and floating quietly at the center of the Grand Void Firmament. The scale of that giant city was tens of millions of times larger than Qinghe Immortal City in the Great Desolate True Realm, like an ancient behemoth lurking in the depths of the Universe.

In Zhou Wannian's deep eyes, a hint of easygoing interest finally flashed.

Zhou Wannian whispered to himself in a steady tone, "That city seems to have quite some presence. I expect I can find a decent tea house inside and also figure out the specific layout of this Grand Void Firmament."

He did not summon any flying boat, nor did he use any escape light.

He simply took a very ordinary step with his right foot, treading upon that purple-gold cloud sea filled with violent pressure, and strolled leisurely toward that unknown Great Void Divine City with composure.

His green long robe fluttered gently in the wind.

A brand new legend belonging to the Green Robe Supreme—continuing his absolute suppression in this higher-dimension, deeper-water new world—was slowly pulling back its grand curtain with his leisurely footsteps.