The Primordial Cube, the Source of All Laws

Although the cold, absolutely orderly scanning fluctuation had vanished, the lingering warning of crisis within rule fragment did not subside.

That ancient will awakening deep within the broken star belt was like a sword hanging over his head, bringing an invisible sense of oppression.

However, Nightmare's eyes remained calm.

Having been a Supreme in his past life, he had traversed the myriad realms of the heavens; what bizarre scenes had he not witnessed?

While this unknown threat was certainly alarming, it was not enough to make him panic.

The immediate priority was to figure out exactly what the container protected by the strange shield within the wreckage beneath his feet was.

His gaze fell back onto the dark golden metallic wreckage. rule fragment operated at full power, no longer attempting to forcibly break the "absolute reflection" shield, but instead, like the most patient archaeologist, began to search for clues from the shield's energy fluctuation frequency, composition principles, and even its interaction with the material bearing the wreckage.

At the same time, he split his focus; the vast sea of Cultivation Techniques, Secret Manuals, insights on Artifact Refining, and essentials of Formations from his past life were rapidly circulated, compared, and deduced with the assistance of rule fragment.

"Absolute isolation... energy inertia... physical anchoring... this technical style seems seventy percent similar to the 'Eternal Barrier' theory of the 'Primal Civilization', but it is even more exquisite..." A flash of realization crossed Nightmare's rule fragment.

The Primal Civilization was a legend he had heard in an extremely ancient ruin during his travels in his past life. It was said to be one of the first sparks of wisdom of a certain era, its path of merging technology and Law had reached its peak, and it was particularly skilled at sealing and preservation.

If it was truly a creation of the Primal Civilization, then the method to break this shield was not through brute force, but through "resonance".

"Wan Qing, act as my Protector. I am going to attempt to communicate with this object," Nightmare said in a deep voice, then sat down cross-legged, rule fragment hovering above his head, emitting an increasingly profound light.

Upon hearing this, Su Wanqing immediately summoned her Magic Treasure, keeping watch by Nightmare's side with a solemn expression, her Nine Aperture Exquisite Body fully sensing any minute energy changes in the surroundings.

Nightmare closed his eyes, his mind completely immersed in rule fragment.

He no longer attempted to erode it with the Power of Annihilation, but instead mobilized rule fragment's nearly Origin-level analytical and simulation capabilities, which transcended the Laws of this world, and began to reverse-engineer the "core frequency" of the shield.

On the surface of rule fragment, countless tiny runes seemed to come alive, combining, disassembling, and evolving, simulating countless possibilities of the shield's energy operation.

This was an extremely mentally exhausting process; if not for Nightmare's experience and vision as a Supreme in his past life and such a Heaven-Defying object as rule fragment, he would have had no way to even begin.

Time passed bit by bit, the surrounding broken stars continued to drift silently, but the sense of being watched from the depths seemed to intensify slightly.

Suddenly, the light of rule fragment stabilized!

[Frequency locked! Beginning simulated output...]

An extremely weak, yet strange fluctuation that resonated at the same frequency as the "absolute reflection" shield slowly emanated from rule fragment. Like a drop of water merging into the ocean, it silently touched the indestructible shield.

Hum...

On the surface of the shield, the mirror-smooth energy layer rippled slightly for the first time, like water waves!

It was no longer repulsion, but a kind of... recognition and response!

It worked!

Nightmare's heart steadied, and rule fragment continued to stably output the simulated resonant frequency.

Click.

With a barely audible crisp sound, the shield that had troubled Nightmare for so long quietly dissipated like snow under the sun, revealing the true form of the shuttle-shaped container within.

It was a strange container about two meters long, streamlined throughout, made of a material that was neither gold nor jade, with a chaotic-colored halo flowing on its surface.

It floated quietly in the interlayer of the wreckage, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

Nightmare's rule fragment cautiously reached out towards it.

This time, there was no obstruction.

The moment rule fragment touched the container, a massive, chaotic, yet incredibly profound torrent of information surged into his Sea of Consciousness!

This was not text, nor was it a Divine Thought Legacy, but more like a... direct infusion of Origin Law information!

[Receiving information: Basic material composition Laws (Primal standard model)... Receiving information: Introduction to energy string theory (eleven dimensions)... Receiving information: Basics of spacetime curvature application... Receiving information: Overview of information entropy increase and negative entropy sealing technology...]

The Laws and principles expounded by this information were completely different from the cultivation systems, technological civilizations, and even the paths of the Star Spirit Race he knew; it was more fundamental, closer to the essence of the Universe's composition!

Many Law-related conundrums that he had not been able to figure out in his past life suddenly felt clear under the impact of this information!

rule fragment frantically recorded and analyzed this valuable information at an unprecedented speed, its database expanding rapidly, and its deductive capabilities improving visibly!

Even his understanding of the Great Dao of Annihilation, the Law of Space, and the True Interpretation of Power seemed to have found a more solid foundation, becoming more transparent!

This container itself was a huge knowledge base!

A "textbook" from the Primal Civilization concerning the fundamental Laws of the Universe!

And at the end of this torrent of information, a clear thought was transmitted into Nightmare's mind:

"Qualified contact detected... Permissions granted: Temporary visitor... Information database 'primal cube' partially opened... Warning: Core storage involves 'forbidden knowledge', requires higher permissions or completion of 'Civilization Trial' to unlock..."

primal cube! So this shuttle-shaped container was called the "primal cube"!

Nightmare suppressed the excitement in his heart, rule fragment quickly browsing through the opened information.

Besides those basic Law theories, there were also some regarding efficient energy utilization, material restructuring, and... a Cultivation Technique called "Origin Point Meditation" that pointed directly to the Origin of energy and Laws!

This "Origin Point Meditation" was not a specific Cultivation Technique, but a methodology, a core technique on how to more efficiently and fundamentally absorb, refine, and control all energy!

It could be perfectly integrated into almost any cultivation system, serving as a fundamental support, greatly enhancing cultivation efficiency and control over power!

For Nightmare, who possessed rule fragment and the nirvana dao seed and needed massive resources and energy to improve, this "Origin Point Meditation" was simply timely help!

He did not hesitate at all and immediately attempted his first "Origin Point Meditation" according to the method in the information.

With rule fragment as the core and the nirvana dao seed as the energy furnace, rule fragment guided the thin but pure Spiritual Qi, metallic energy, and even the weak radiation energy ubiquitous in the Void Realm within the surrounding broken star belt into his body in an unprecedented way that followed the optimal path of the essence of energy.

The efficiency improved by nearly thirty percent compared to relying solely on rule fragment optimization and nirvana dao seed devouring!

Moreover, the energy was more condensed, and the degree of Fusion with his own Laws was higher!

Just one attempt, and he felt his Late Stage Hedao cultivation stabilize significantly, and his control over his own power became more handy!

"Good stuff!" A gleam flickered in Nightmare's eyes.

This primal cube was simply a cheat upgrade package tailored for him!

It could not only provide knowledge but also directly improve cultivation efficiency!

With a movement of rule fragment, he attempted to store this primal cube into the rule fragment space.

This time, the cube did not resist, turning into a stream of light and smoothly entering it.

With this object, his subsequent path of cultivation would surely be smoother!

It would even be of immeasurable help in his analysis of the mystery of the incomplete Laws of this world and his search for a way to leave!

However, the moment the primal cube was put away—

Boom!

The entire huge dark golden wreckage, as if it had lost its core support, suddenly vibrated violently, and the regular geometric patterns on its surface quickly dimmed and shattered!

At the same time, deep in the broken star belt, that cold and ancient will seemed to be completely enraged, like a Vicious Beast whose territory had been violated, suddenly becoming clear and violent!

A terrifying pressure, like a tangible tsunami, swept from the depths of the darkness, locking onto Nightmare and Su Wanqing!

"Not good! Let's go!"

Nightmare's expression changed slightly, he pulled Su Wanqing, activated rule fragment with all his might, and without caring about identifying the direction, instantly tore through space and fled frantically in the direction opposite to the source of the pressure!

Behind him, the huge dark golden wreckage disintegrated with a roar, and in the deeper darkness, it seemed that some behemoth was slowly turning its body, its cold "gaze" piercing through countless broken stars, firmly fixed on their backs.

The price of seizing the primal cube had already manifested!

The guardian (or perhaps a prisoner?) hidden in this broken star maze had been completely alarmed!