Chapter 1381: Virtual Law?

When Xiao Lingxi verbally translated the Heaven-Defying Tome for him, word by word, he truly understood nothing, as if listening to an incomprehensible scripture. Yet, there were a few fleeting moments when he felt a faint spiritual tremor, prompting him to suspect it might not be a mere text, but rather a profound art.

In terms of profound comprehension, he was unparalleled; no one in the current era dared to claim second place. His prowess was so immense it even daunted himself. From the humble Yun family's Purple Cloud Art to the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra and Golden Crow's Record of the Burning World—relics of true gods—and even the Life God's Miracle, which originated from the Creator God level, most people struggled their entire lives to comprehend even a fraction of high-tier divine arts. Yet, he could quickly grasp them just by glancing at them, even without the divine blood and soul that were typically essential prerequisites.

While others needed countless years of accumulation, insight, and fortunate encounters to achieve a flash of enlightenment, he could directly enter such a state by merely glancing at a profound art... Everyone who witnessed this—Jasmine, Xia Qingyue, Yun Qinghong, Mu Xuanyin, Caizhi, and Shen Xi—was profoundly shocked.

It was virtually a given: if Yun Che wished to cultivate a profound art, there was none he couldn't master.

Jasmine had even once told him, in a peculiar tone, that "even the Ancient Evil God might not have been capable of this."

The sole exception was the scripture of the Heaven-Defying Tome, which Xiao Lingxi had translated for him and which he had committed to memory. He found the entire text utterly incomprehensible.

Consequently, he became even more convinced that it was merely an abstruse scripture, and he had paid it no mind over the years.

Yet, just today, this scripture, which he had all but forgotten, transported him to an utterly peculiar world.

Enlightenment, a moment in profound cultivation that is rarer than gold and seldom seen even once in a millennium. Yun Che had experienced many such states of enlightenment in his life:

When he intensively cultivated the Phoenix Nirvana Sutra, his spirit plunged into a world of flames, where he distinctly perceived the fire laws unique to the phoenix.

During his enlightenment on the "Ice God Art," he felt as if trapped in an icy prison, every corner of his soul and profound veins suffused with incredibly high-level ice laws...

When he achieved enlightenment on the Golden Crow's Record of the Burning World, colossal and majestic ancient Golden Crows soared through his world, showering the realms with world-destroying flames...

The enlightenment state for every profound art involved his spirit immersing itself in its world of laws—a precious moment of truly touching its core principles... a world of fire, a world of lightning, a world of swords, a world of destruction...

However, at this moment, Yun Che's spirit was immersed in... a world of nothingness.

This world was utterly dark... No, an undeniable sensation, whose origin he couldn't pinpoint, conveyed that this wasn't darkness, but "nothingness"—devoid of living beings, inanimate objects, sound, and even without time or space.

He perceived no existence of anything, nor even of himself.

Where was this place...?

Here, there seemed to be only eternal darkness, eternal emptiness, and eternal stillness. He was at the very center of this void world, unaware of his location, his destination, or how to depart.

Fortunately, his will persisted, allowing him to think.

"What was happening? How did I suddenly plummet into this world? Was it because my soul was empty?"

Suddenly, a glimmer of light and shadow appeared within the empty world.

It was the silhouette of a person, seemingly as distant as the horizon yet as close as a whisper, illusory as a dream, and ethereal as mist. From its blurred form, he could vaguely make out a woman, seemingly completely nude, without any clothing...

"Who are you... Where is this place...?"

He wanted to ask, but no sound escaped him.

Yet, from within this utterly empty world, a woman's voice resonated:

"'This is the genesis of primal chaos, the dawn of the cosmos, and the origin of all laws.'"

It was a voice beyond description; a soft, gentle female voice, each syllable capable of instantly captivating the entire soul of any living being. It was so exquisitely beautiful that one could scarcely believe such a sound could exist in the world... not even in dreams, nor in an immortal realm...

"'Who... are... you...?' He desperately projected his thoughts, sensing that she could perceive his intentions.

However, she did not answer him. Every corner of Yun Che's soul was once again overwhelmed by her hauntingly beautiful voice...

"'The Laws of Water, the Laws of Fire, the Laws of Wind, the Laws of Thunder, the Laws of Earth... these are the five fundamental elemental laws of the chaotic world.'"

"'The Laws of Light (Life) and the Laws of Darkness (Death) are higher elemental laws, transcending the fundamental ones.'"

"'The Laws of Space (Dimension) and the Laws of Time (Reincarnation) are supreme laws, beyond the elemental laws.'"

"'And finally, the origin of all laws, beyond even the supreme laws... the Laws of Nothingness.'"

Yun Che felt as though he was listening to an incomprehensible scripture.

"'Having traversed life and death, having crossed dimensions and cycles of reincarnation, a living being has finally touched the Laws of Nothingness—laws even the Creator Gods never reached.'"

Yun Che: "'Nothingness... Laws?'"

"'For you, who can touch the Laws of Nothingness, I can no longer discern your fate. Go and seek the other two parts of the Heaven-Defying Tome. I await... the day I truly meet you.'"

Whoosh—

The light and shadow vanished, and the void world before him silently dissipated. Yun Che's gaze now met the anxious, concerned eyes of Xiao Lingxi, Su Ling'er, and the others.

Yun Che's eyes refocused. Feng Xue'er exclaimed joyfully, "Brother Yun, you're finally awake!"

Yun Che shook his head, a bewildered expression on his face.

"'What happened just now?' Su Ling'er asked. 'You looked as if you'd suddenly entered a state of enlightenment, but...'"

Enlightenment... Yun Che's brows knitted together.

The stillness of his spirit just now had indeed been a state of enlightenment.

He had suddenly entered a state of enlightenment because of the Heaven-Defying Tome's scripture...

But he clearly possessed no profound energy, and his profound veins were even in a state of decay. How could "enlightenment" occur? Furthermore, when he had profound energy, he gained nothing from these scriptures, yet now, with all his power gone... he had achieved enlightenment instead!?

"'Nothingness... Laws...' Yun Che unconsciously murmured aloud.

"'Laws of Nothingness?' Feng Xue'er and the others were momentarily stunned. They neither understood the meaning of these words nor had they ever heard them before.

Yun Che looked up, finally regaining his composure. Seeing the worried expressions on the women's faces, he quickly smiled and reassured them, "It's nothing. What just happened was indeed similar to a state of enlightenment. It's a profound art I've known for many years but couldn't understand back then. Just now, for some reason, I suddenly gained some insight."

"'That's good,' Xiao Lingxi said, gently patting her chest as she finally let out a sigh of relief.

Feng Xue'er nodded, though her phoenix brows were subtly furrowed. Unlike Xiao Lingxi, whose understanding of the profound way was rudimentary, Feng Xue'er knew that Yun Che's words defied the most basic tenets of profound cultivation. Profound enlightenment... how could one achieve it without being immersed in the profound way?

However, since Yun Che had stated it as such, she naturally wouldn't press for details.

"'Brother Yun Che, please rest for a while. I'll thoroughly check your physical condition again; otherwise, they won't be at ease,' Su Ling'er said with a gentle smile.

"'Uh... okay.'"

Yun Che returned to his room and lay on the bed. Su Ling'er knelt beside him, gently massaging his entire body with her hands. He closed his eyes, and in the silence, the peculiar scriptures and the voice from the void world continuously echoed in his mind.

The Laws of Space and Time were recognized as the highest-tier laws in profound cultivation. Not only in the current era but also during the age of ancient gods, these two remained supreme. The latter, especially, could be slightly controlled by only a handful of true gods.

Yet that void world, and the ethereal, dream-like female voice, spoke of a "Law of Nothingness."

A law transcending the Laws of Space and Time... the origin of all laws?

Such a statement, uttered by anyone and heard by anyone, would instantly be dismissed as absurd. Yet, the voice from that void world seemed to possess an uncanny magic, making it impossible for him to doubt, or rather, he simply had no doubt.

Every word she spoke seemed to transform into an invisible, irresistible, and indelible imprint, deeply etched into his soul, becoming a fundamental and unquestionable truth, akin to knowing "I am a man" or "fingers can bend."

Having traversed life and death... having crossed dimensions and cycles of reincarnation...

The Laws of Nothingness...

No...thing...ness... Laws...

An incredibly faint and elusive sensation emerged, yet no matter how hard he concentrated and exerted himself, he couldn't perceive it clearly. It felt tantalizingly close, yet no matter how he stretched, he couldn't grasp it.

What exactly are the Laws of Nothingness?

Oh, right, the voice mentioned that there are three parts to the Heaven-Defying Tome, and what he possessed was likely just one of them. If he could find the other two, would it then be possible to glimpse what the "Laws of Nothingness" truly were?

Wait! Who... was she?

Why did she say she looked forward to meeting him? Was she not merely a spiritual voice from the void world, but still existing in this realm?

Why could he enter the enlightenment world of the Heaven-Defying Tome even without possessing any profound energy?

Yun Che closed his eyes, his mind swirling with countless confusions and unresolved questions... As he quietly contemplated, he unconsciously drifted off to sleep.

Perhaps the mental exhaustion from that bizarre state of enlightenment was too intense for Yun Che in his current condition. He fell into a deep sleep and woke only after dusk had settled. Sitting up from the bed, he stretched languidly, immediately feeling his eyes clear and his mind refreshed.

Just then, the door gently pushed open, and Xiao Lingxi slowly entered, carrying a change of outer clothes for Yun Che. Upon seeing him already awake, her beautiful eyes lit up. "Little Che, you're already awake," she said.

"Mm, just woke up." Yun Che rose from the bed. As he looked at Xiao Lingxi, Su Ling'er's words suddenly echoed in his mind, and his gaze turned fervent. An uncontrollable urge surged through his body, which had been abstinent for nearly eight hours. He abruptly moved forward and, amidst Xiao Lingxi's startled gasp, pinned her against the recently closed door.

Her soft chest was pressed tightly against his, and Yun Che's face was almost touching her delicate one. She could distinctly feel his hot breath. Xiao Lingxi's heart suddenly fluttered in disarray, and she timidly whispered, "Little Che, you... Mmh!"

No sooner had Xiao Lingxi spoken than her lips were forcefully claimed by Yun Che's kiss. All her words dissolved into helpless whimpers, followed by another gasp as Yun Che lifted her by the waist and gently lowered her onto the bed.