259: Chapter 259 Border Anomalies

Shen Zhao sat under the tree of civilization for an entire night.

The golden leaves swayed gently in the night wind, making a rustling sound, like countless people singing in low voices.

The trunk was much thicker than it was ten years ago, requiring three people to embrace it together, and the canopy covered the entire sky of the star.

The roots plunged deep into the earth, fusing with the Spiritual Vein of the entire star.

This star had now been named "Guardian Star," serving as the direct territory of the Guardian Academy and the new home of the tree of civilization.

Shen Zhao leaned against the trunk, closing his eyes and listening to the sound of the leaves.

A faint voice sounded in his mind, clearer than ten years ago, carrying a hint of joy.

"Father, you are here."

Shen Zhao opened his eyes, the corners of his mouth turning up slightly.

"This Disciple has come to see you. You have grown a lot taller."

"This Disciple works hard to grow every day. Disciple wants to grow up quickly, so that I can shelter Father from the wind and rain."

Shen Zhao reached out and gently stroked the trunk.

The touch of the trunk was warm and smooth, as if a Life was beating within it.

He recalled that giant tree imprisoned for countless epochs before the core of the tree of civilization back then.

Now, its new generation was growing here freely, breathing freely.

This was the meaning of what he fought desperately to protect.

"Child, grow slowly. No need to rush. Father can afford to wait."

The little tree's leaves swayed gently, making a rustling sound, as if singing.

Shen Zhao leaned against the trunk and closed his eyes again.

In the early morning, the first ray of sunlight shone on the canopy, coating the golden leaves with a layer of golden light, as beautiful as a dream.

Shen Zhao got up and patted the dust off his robes.

Today, he still needed to go take a look at the Investigation Department.

He walked out of the forest, boarded the spacetime flying boat, and flew towards the direction of New Yongning City.

Thirteen-colored light—no, it was now the colorless Origin Power—flowed around the hull, almost invisible, but the flying boat's speed was even faster than ten years ago.

From the Guardian Star to New Yongning City, it only took half an hour.

When the flying boat landed on the Star Port, Director Su Yun was already waiting.

Her expression was even more solemn than usual, holding a Jade Slip in her hands, her fingertips slightly pale.

"Shen Zhao, the Investigation Department has an urgent discovery."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

An urgent discovery?

For the past ten years, the Investigation Department had never used the word "urgent."

The threat of The Designers had been lifted, the harvest system had collapsed, and the various domains of the New Universe had stabilized.

What else could be an urgent matter?

He took the Jade Slip, and his Divine Thought probed into it.

The information in the Jade Slip was very brief, containing only a star map and a flashing light point.

The location of the light point was at the edge of the New Universe, extremely far from New Yongning City.

"What is this?" Shen Zhao's brows furrowed.

Director Su Yun took a deep breath and slowly spoke.

"The Investigation Department discovered an unidentified object at the edge of the New Universe. It appeared suddenly three days ago, without any warning, without any energy fluctuations, as if appearing out of thin air."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

Appearing out of thin air?

"What about the Investigation Department's monitoring Magical Artifacts? Did they capture any data?"

Director Su Yun shook her head.

"No. That object seems to be able to shield all monitoring methods. The Investigation Department sent out three batches of exploration teams, and neither of the first two batches found any anomalies. The third batch... accidentally captured it."

She raised her hand, and a beam of spiritual light condensed into an image in the air.

In the image was a pitch-black Void Realm.

In the Void Realm, there was an almost invisible object.

Its color blended with the Void Realm, and if one didn't look closely, they wouldn't discover it at all.

However, its outline was very regular, not naturally formed.

It was an octagonal object, with slender lines extending from each corner, resembling the array base of some kind of magical array.

Shen Zhao stared at the object, and an ominous premonition surged in his heart.

"Did the Investigation Department send people to approach it?"

Director Su Yun shook her head.

"No. After the third exploration team captured this image, Shen Zhao gave the order for them to evacuate immediately. That object is too bizarre; we cannot approach it rashly."

Shen Zhao nodded and put the Jade Slip into his bosom.

"This Disciple will go take a look."

Director Su Yun's brows furrowed.

"Shen Zhao, it's too dangerous for you to go alone."

Shen Zhao shook his head.

"This Disciple is not alone. This Disciple has Origin Power, the tree of civilization, and the Monument of Heroes. This Disciple will not be harmed."

Director Su Yun looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then nodded.

"Be careful. Take the communication talisman, and communicate immediately if anything happens."

Shen Zhao took the communication talisman, put it into his bosom, turned around, and boarded the flying boat.

The cabin door closed, and the colorless light flowed around the hull.

The flying boat slowly rose into the air and flew towards the direction of the edge of the New Universe.

Shen Zhao stood in front of the porthole, looking at the sea of stars ahead.

For the past ten years, he had almost never left New Yongning City and the Guardian Star.

It wasn't that he didn't want to leave; it was that he couldn't bear to leave.

Here were his parents, the Disciples of the Guardian Academy, and those names on the Monument of Heroes.

This was the home he fought desperately to protect.

But now, an uninvited guest had come to his home.

He had to go take a look.

The flying boat sped through the sea of stars, the colorless light flowing around the hull, reaching the ultimate speed.

The edge of the New Universe was extremely far from New Yongning City, and even the fastest flying boat required three days.

During these three days, Shen Zhao hardly closed his eyes.

He stood in front of the porthole, looking at the increasingly distant stars ahead, his mind full of thoughts.

The threat of The Designers had been lifted for ten years.

The harvest system had completely collapsed, and all imprisoned Souls had gained freedom.

The survivors of various regions had also integrated into the Star Sea Alliance, and the Myriad Realms Alliance had become a part of the sea of stars.

The New Universe had ushered in true peace.

But what if that octagonal object was a new threat?

What if there were still remnants of The Designers?

What if there existed something even more terrifying than The Designers?

He did not know.

But he knew that no matter what it was, he would face it.

Because he was the Guardian—not the Guardian Patriarch, not the Chosen One, just an ordinary Guardian.

To protect this sea of stars, to protect the people here, to protect everyone who needed protection.

This was his original intention that would never change.

On the morning of the third day, the flying boat finally arrived at the edge of the New Universe.

Looking from afar, that piece of the Void Realm was pitch-black, without any abnormalities.

However, Shen Zhao's Origin Power perceived it—there was something there.

It was not energy fluctuations, nor spiritual power traces, but a sense of existence that could not be clearly described.

It was as if something was watching him in the darkness.

Shen Zhao slowed down the flying boat and slowly approached.

He stepped out of the cabin door and floated in the Void Realm.

The colorless light flowed over his body surface, fusing with the surrounding darkness.

He closed his eyes and spread his Origin Power in all directions.

Perceiving every inch of space and every trace of change.

Finally, deep within the Void Realm, he "saw" that object.

Octagonal, with slender lines extending from every corner, resembling the array base of some kind of magical array.

The ends of the lines connected to the depths of the Void Realm, leading to unknown destinations.

The surface of the object was densely carved with runes, which were slowly flowing and emitting a faint light.

Those lights were so faint that they were almost imperceptible, but in Shen Zhao's Origin perception, they were clearly visible.

Shen Zhao opened his eyes and flew toward that direction.

The closer he got, the stronger that sense of existence became.

It was not a sense of oppression, nor a sense of threat, but a kind of... summon.

It was as if something was calling him.

Shen Zhao stopped in his tracks and floated in the Void Realm.

He was only a hundred zhang away from that object.

He could clearly see its full appearance.

It was an octagonal platform about ten zhang in diameter, forged entirely from some unknown silver metal.

In the center of the platform floated a transparent crystal the size of a fist, with light and shadow faintly flowing inside the crystal.

On the eight corners of the platform were slender silver pillars, carved densely with runes.

Those runes were very ancient, so ancient that Shen Zhao had never seen them before.

However, his Origin Power could feel it—those runes contained the Power of Space, and it was an extremely profound Power of Space.

More ancient and profound than the runes of the Spirit of the Gate.

Shen Zhao slowly approached and reached out his hand, wanting to touch the transparent crystal.

Just at the moment when his fingertips were about to touch the crystal—

A voice rang out in his mind.

It did not come from a certain direction, but resounded from all directions simultaneously, like countless people speaking at the same time, yet it was only a single voice.

That voice was very soft and distant, as if coming from the end of the Universe.

"Latecomer, you have finally come."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly, and he withdrew his hand.

"Who are you?"

The voice fell silent for a moment.

"This seat... Transporter. The second consciousness before the birth of the Universe."

Shen Zhao's heart sank abruptly.

The second consciousness before the birth of the Universe?

He had met the Spirit of Nothingness, which was the first consciousness before the birth of the Universe.

Now, a second consciousness had appeared?

"Have you been waiting for Disciple all along?"

"Yes. This seat has waited for seven cycles, waiting for someone who can break the cycle. The Chosen Ones of the previous six cycles all failed. You are different, you succeeded. Therefore, this seat has come to find you."

Shen Zhao frowned.

"What do you want with Disciple?"

The voice was silent for a long time.

"This seat wants to tell you a truth. The Designers are not the only threat. The Void King is not the only enemy. Outside your Universe, there is a larger world, and even more terrifying beings."

Shen Zhao's hands were trembling slightly.

Outside the Universe, there is a larger world?

"What should Disciple do?"

The voice chuckled softly.

"No rush. This seat will tell you slowly. But first, you need to pass this seat's trial. Only by passing the trial can you gain the recognition of Teleportation Power, leave this Universe, and go to a broader world."

Shen Zhao took a deep breath.

"Disciple is willing to accept the trial."

The voice fell silent once more.

Then, the transparent crystal on the platform suddenly lit up.

Silver light surged from the crystal, shrouding Shen Zhao completely.

Shen Zhao felt his vision blur, and the scenery abruptly changed.

He stood in a huge space, with a figure suspended in the center of the space.

That was a young man with delicate facial features, deep eyes, wearing a silver-white robe, and holding a silver-white scepter in his hand.

Embedded at the top of the scepter was a transparent crystal, identical to the crystal on the platform.

"This seat, Transporter. Friend of the Spirit of Nothingness, and also his opponent."

The young man's voice was very soft, yet it clearly reached Shen Zhao's ears.

Shen Zhao knelt in the Void Realm, bowing deeply toward that figure.

"Disciple Shen Zhao greets Senior."

The Transporter looked at him, a trace of complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

"The Spirit of Nothingness passed the Power of Nothingness to you, and this seat can also feel the Origin Power within your body. That is the power of the Fusion of thirteen colors, the will of all the Chosen Ones of the previous six cycles. You are strong, stronger than this seat expected."

Shen Zhao looked up, gazing into those silver-white eyes.

"Senior, what else is outside the Universe?"

The Transporter was silent for a long time.

"Another Universe. No, countless Universes. Every Universe has its own rules, its own living beings, and its own civilization. Some Universes are stronger than yours, and some are older than yours. Between them, there are passages connected."

Shen Zhao's hand paused slightly.

"Passages?"

"Correct. Teleportation passages. This seat is the existence responsible for maintaining these passages. The Spirit of Nothingness is responsible for the birth and end of the Universe, and this seat is responsible for the connection between Universes."

A wave of realization surged in Shen Zhao's heart.

As it turned out, the Universe was not isolated.

Between them, there were connections, passages, and the Transporter.

"Senior, could The Designers... also come from other Universes?"

The Transporter nodded.

"Yes. The Designers came from another Universe, which had already been swallowed by the Void King. They were refugees. After coming to your Universe, they chose to harvest your Souls to continue their own civilization."

Shen Zhao clenched his fists, his knuckles turning white.

Refugees turned into invaders.

"Senior, is the Void King of that Universe... still around?"

A trace of compassion flashed in the Transporter's eyes.

"It is. And it has already sensed your Universe. It is on its way. Perhaps a thousand years, perhaps ten thousand years, or even shorter. But it will definitely come."

Shen Zhao fell silent for a long time.

Another threat.

More terrifying than The Designers, older than the Void King.

A destroyer from another Universe.

"Senior, what should Disciple do?"

The Transporter looked at him and said word by word,

"Become stronger. Become even stronger. Then, go to that Universe and kill the Void King. This is the only way."

Shen Zhao knelt in the Void Realm, bowing deeply toward the Transporter.

"Disciple understands."

The Transporter raised his hand, and that transparent crystal floated up from the scepter, flying toward Shen Zhao.

"This is the Teleportation Seed, the second seed before the birth of the Universe. Hold it, and you can obtain Teleportation Power and become a true cosmic walker. At that time, you can shuttle between different Universes, find allies, and face enemies."

Shen Zhao reached out and grasped that crystal.

The crystal was ice-cold, as if touching the void between Universes.

A silver-white power surged into his body, intertwining with the Origin Power and merging with the thirteen-colored power.

Fourteen kinds of powers slowly rotated in his Dantian.

Primordial, Chaos, Spacetime, Karma, Life, Guardian, End, Nothingness.

Added with the power of the five Chosen Ones, and the Teleportation Power.

Fusion of fourteen colors.

Shen Zhao's cultivation climbed once again, from the Early Stage of Mahayana, to the Mid Stage of Integration.

The Transporter's figure began to fade, starting from his feet, turning into silver-white light dots inch by inch.

"Senior!"

The Transporter smiled, a smile of incomparable relief.

"There is no need to be sad. This seat has waited for seven cycles, waiting for someone who can inherit the Teleportation Power. Having waited for him, it is enough. This seat does not regret it."

"Latercomer, remember. Outside the Universe, there is still the Universe. Your mission is not yet over."

As his voice fell, his figure completely dissipated, turning into silver-white light dots all over the sky, drifting in the Void Realm.

Shen Zhao knelt in the Void Realm, bowing deeply toward the dissipated light.

"Senior rest assured, Disciple will definitely not fail the trust."

He stood up, wiped away his tears, and turned to fly toward the teleportation platform.

The crystal on the platform had dimmed, but those runes were still circulating.

The octagonal platform slowly rotated in the silver-white light, like an ancient teleportation array.

Shen Zhao stood on the platform, closed his eyes, and felt the power of those runes.

That was the power of space, the power to shuttle between Universes.

With it, he could leave this Universe and go to a broader world.

To face even more terrifying enemies.

He opened his eyes, and the communication talisman lit up.

Director Su Yun's voice came over, carrying a hint of urgency.

"Shen Zhao, are you alright? The Investigation Department monitored violent energy fluctuations over there."

Shen Zhao took a deep breath.

"Disciple is fine. Disciple just... met someone."

"Who?"

"The Transporter. The second consciousness before the birth of the Universe. It passed the Teleportation Power to Disciple."

Director Su Yun fell silent.

"Shen Zhao, are you leaving again?"

Shen Zhao was silent for a moment.

"Disciple is not leaving. At least not now. Disciple still has many things to do."

He turned around and stepped onto the flying boat.

The cabin door closed, and the fourteen-colored light circulated around the hull.

The flying boat slowly rose into the air, flying toward the direction of New Yongning City.

Shen Zhao stood in front of the porthole, looking at the octagonal teleportation platform behind him.

It was still there, the silver-white light gently dancing in the darkness, like an eye gazing at this Star Sea.

Outside the Universe, there is still the Universe.

The Void King is rushing over.

His mission is not yet over.

But he was not afraid.

Because he was not alone.

He had parents, Director Su Yun, Disciples of the Guardian Academy, and tens of billions of common people.

He had those names on the Monument of Heroes, and countless people who believed in him, supported him, and cherished him.

He took a deep breath and turned toward the control panel.

On the crystal core, those spacetime runes were slowly circulating.

He raised his hand and gently touched them.

"spacetime flying boat, target: New Yongning City."

The crystal core lit up, and the flying boat accelerated.

The stars outside the porthole began to distort and elongate, turning into countless streams of light flying past from both sides.

Shen Zhao stood in front of the porthole, looking at those streams of light, an unprecedented calmness surging in his heart.

No matter what the future held, he would face it.

Because he was Shen Zhao.

He was Shen Yuan's nephew, and the son of Shen Tianxing and Lin Ruoxue.

He was the Guardian of the Guardian Academy, and a walker of the Universe.

He was the hope of countless people.