Chapter 302: The Road to Level Nine

Transparent storms swirled around him, as if he existed in a unique temporal rift, immune to assault.

He was currently a Sixth-Tier being, with his future goal set on becoming a Seventh-Tier Heavenly Emperor. Advancing beyond that level would no longer be a matter of pure energy accumulation, or relying on the energy of the Great Extinction to break through. Instead, it would be the first and most significant threshold, demanding profound comprehension. This meant clarifying one's path – for the Wizard World, it was 'seeing the truth'; for the Ancient Desolation World, it was 'enlightening the Dao Heart'.

A Heavenly Emperor was already an extremely high-tier, peak existence. Even on a living planet, the highest being was a Seventh-Tier Heavenly Emperor, capable of suppressing the world. A deity, one level higher, could already begin to leave the planet and slowly traverse space.

If he could break through one more realm, Xu Zhi would become the true strongest force on Earth, a Heavenly Emperor of Earth. Even if he were to reveal himself in reality, he could do so with composure. Of course, this was without considering a direct hit from a nuclear attack. Unless one possessed a unique system like Hu Ren Nong's, capable of immortal rebirth, only a deity could withstand such terrifying instantaneous destructive energy.

"This is the first time I've truly experienced the aftermath of their clashes up close, feeling their immense power," Xu Zhi exclaimed excitedly while watching and eating. He was at the center of the battle storm between two Heavenly Emperors, benefiting immensely from constantly observing.

It was crucial to understand that an ordinary Sixth-Tier expert would never have such a heaven-defying opportunity. Two peak Heavenly Emperors were battling around him, not harming him, each demonstrating their unique Dao techniques for his observation. Xu Zhi naturally watched intently, aware of his lower cultivation level. After all, he had originally created the sandbox to deduce and cultivate the transcendent system by learning from the geniuses of each era. He would wait for them to perfect their cultivation systems, and now, with ready-made teachers right before him, he certainly couldn't miss this chance.

Soon, a sudden thought occurred to him, and he began to ponder: "Currently, every Heavenly Emperor has their own path: Medusa has the Domain of Death, Ermin has Life Ripples, Phoenix has Nature and Space, and Emperor Copycat embodies the integration of all things, the Great Luo Heavenly Scripture. What about me?"

A faint sense of anticipation and curiosity stirred within him. His own realm had broken through too quickly. He had reached the Sixth-Tier without much time to ponder, and while becoming a Seventh-Tier Heavenly Emperor still required an enormous amount of energy, representing a long journey for him, his Sixth-Tier self could now begin to contemplate the path and power of his future.

"For Dao techniques, I need to explore my own path of arts, and only by seeing the truth and my true heart can I break through. Although I could first cultivate a physical body system, directly breaking through with brute force and bypassing the need for enlightenment to reach Heavenly Emperor, both body cultivation and magic cultivation must still proceed simultaneously." Pursuing both paths simultaneously was the prevailing trend. To be invincible among peers, this was the inevitable route.

Xu Zhi felt that having created three large-scale transcendent worlds, each birthing a deity, it was now his turn to seek his own path to advancement. He continuously weighed and pondered.

Meanwhile, the two fighters became increasingly fierce, truly unleashing their full power. Their initial power was controlled, but as they gradually erupted with full force, their strength became uncontrollable.

"Let's take this fight up higher!" Medusa snorted coldly. Both instantly erupted and ascended into the sky.

"Let's seize this chance to escape quickly!" Meng Mei pulled her disciple, dragging Bai Xiaosheng, and fled.

Medusa merely glanced at them calmly. She had already seen through the nature of the Earth Mother Qing Teng, and knew that Bai Xiaosheng, now in her hands, could be reclaimed sooner or later. She had already received Ermin's reply and had largely deduced the true identity of this being.

Ermin's reply to her was simple:

"Medusa, I have re-read your letter several times in its entirety. The Way of Go within it is truly astounding, aligning perfectly with the rules of the world and possessing infinite profundity. The concepts of the Guixu and the truth and falsehood of worlds are even more shocking.

After deep thought, I felt our own insignificance. The world is an epoch; one epoch comprises 129,600 worlds? Are we merely one of them? How tiny! Even becoming a deity, we cannot be proud. The stronger one becomes, the more insignificant one feels.

Regarding Bai Xiaosheng, there are three hypotheses. First, among the vast and expansive 129,600 worlds, there might be various celestial phenomena. Bai Xiaosheng could be one such condensed phenomenon of natural law, symbolizing 'the recorder,' 'the observer,' and 'the truth-seeker.' Possessing him grants immense knowledge, making him a rare treasure of heaven and earth, capable of truly stepping through the door of truth, which aligns with Bai Xiaosheng's name.

Second, Bai Xiaosheng is an ancient, eternal existence beyond deities. What forms do Ninth-Tier and Tenth-Tier life, above Eighth-Tier, take? We do not know. When the Creator God descended and bestowed upon us the Other Shore Flower, it was mentioned that it seemed related to laws. Bai Xiaosheng is also connected to laws. Perhaps Bai Xiaosheng is an unknown Ninth- or Tenth-Tier existence, manifesting thousands of avatars scattered across various worlds. If this is true, Bai Xiaosheng might awaken at any moment, with his true form regaining control of his wisdom. Perhaps cautious contact is advisable.

Third hypothesis: Bai Xiaosheng is indeed an unknown Ninth- or Tenth-Tier existence who perhaps suffered severe injuries, causing him to lose himself. It was once said that epochs face great calamities; the previous epoch was destroyed, and 129,600 major worlds were shattered. Bai Xiaosheng might be one of the ancient, supreme existences from the previous epoch who escaped into this current epoch, only having lost his original self.

In summary, both of us must obtain Bai Xiaosheng, at all costs, and have him as our Dao companion. With him, the Ninth-Tier is within reach. We might even come to know the ultimate secrets of heaven and earth, the mysteries of the 129,600 worlds, and even explore the previous shattered epoch."

The moment she received the letter, Medusa's resolve was absolute. She silently watched Meng Mei leave with Bai Xiaosheng. "Given your personality, I know where you're going," she thought. "A net of heaven and earth is already waiting for you there."

For Medusa, Bai Xiaosheng was something to be obtained at all costs. He might hold the key to the truth of the Ninth-Tier path, beyond even deities! He was also her best Dao companion!

Thump, thump, thump.

Sitting in the carriage, Xu Zhi was secretly taken away by Meng Mei and her companion, who looked as if they had stumbled upon a treasure, their faces filled with blissful elation. He couldn't be bothered with the two of them, but inwardly he thought, "Sigh, I'm still only Sixth-Tier. To break through to Seventh-Tier and become a Heavenly Emperor, I don't know how much more energy I'll need, and I still have to comprehend the Dao Heart. This is truly difficult for me!" Medusa believed he could help her break through to the Ninth-Tier, while Xu Zhi himself was troubled by being only Sixth-Tier, completely unaware of the letter's contents.

"The players in this world consist of Meng Mei, this 'salted fish,' and a few 'red-named' players in seclusion. I don't fear them interfering too much in this world's two-realm war. Do they even have the ability to cause more trouble? I don't think so," he mused. "After all, compared to the tide of war, the red-named players have too little power, and while Meng Mei has great opportunities, she's merely a 'salted fish' with energy but no combat power." Xu Zhi walked on, thinking, "Perhaps I need to embark on a journey myself to truly enlighten my Dao Heart."

Boom!!

In the sky, the furious battle continued.

"Since it has come to this, it's time to begin," Medusa coldly remarked, watching the Earth Mother Qing Teng depart. As she fought Hu Ren Nong with her eight arms, one snow-white arm suddenly rose, its hand opening wide. "I, Medusa the Gorgon, Demonic God of All Origins, Ancestor of the Potion World, controller of all death, the one true Sorceress, hereby issue my command!"

Crack!!

Countless black lightning arcs flashed across the sky, and the gate to the demon realm rapidly expanded. "In my name, my people, descend!!" Medusa roared fiercely.

The black sky suddenly grew gloomy, clouds ceaselessly rolled, transforming into dense black mist that was almost suffocating. The entire city, once celebrating the Mid-Autumn Festival, completely collapsed, turning into an boundless black sea.

"No!!!" Hu Ren Nong roared loudly, trying to stop Medusa, but in their fierce battle, he was utterly powerless to do so.

On the other side.

A colossal demonic god, standing between heaven and earth, her long hair like countless tentacles, twisting and writhing, dancing wildly behind her in the wind. Immense and vast, working in concert, she suddenly gripped the world gate with both hands, as if a giant had seized both sides of a curtain!! She pulled her arms wide, instantly enlarging the entire gate to the demon realm.

Boom!!

The sky lit up with a vast net of deep red light, countless dark red runes flickering, transforming into a massive howling wind that swept across the land. The intricate, swirling demon realm gate slowly chose to expand, pressing outwards in all directions.

Countless survivors, fleeing far from the town, suddenly turned their heads. Black rain, viscous like swamp water and carrying a scent of blood, dripped onto their dazed faces.

"What is that?" Someone looked at the colossal, vast black figure holding open the sky-gate and instantly collapsed.

Thud! Thud! One by one, people turned their heads, and one by one, they silently collapsed.

"Don't look!!" "You'll die!" "We mustn't look!" After a group of people had fallen, someone suddenly realized and shrieked. "That's an unknown, incomprehensible, indescribable terrifying existence! Just seeing her face will kill you instantly!" someone cried hysterically.

Waaah!! Someone wailed, their face contorted with extreme fear, snot and tears uncontrollably streaming down.

Through the world gate, a magnificent, mountain-sized head emerged, sending out waves of immense ripples. "The gate to the world is fully open! Disaster, death, and suffering shall descend upon you!" It was the pure language of the demon realm, utterly incomprehensible, yet it transformed into countless mental surges that flooded everyone's minds. All the fleeing people collapsed to the ground.

Medusa had no intention of killing or humiliating the weak, yet they collapsed merely from seeing and hearing her. "This is the powerlessness of the weak," she mused. "They can only be swept along by the tide of history, unable to change anything." "This is war…"

Medusa wore a faint smile. "Our world is about to enter deep winter, a realm of ice and snow. Come, I have granted you the right to battle!" She spoke as if a tyrant seated on a blood-red throne, her arrogant and fierce aura surging skyward. "Come challenge me! Defy me! And then, kill me!"

"Descend!!" Medusa raised her arm high and laughed.

"Descend!!"

Medusa's roar drowned out the world's cries.

With a thunderous crash, more and more demonic beasts surged forth from the entire dark-red swirling world gate. Their eyes gleamed with bloodthirsty ferocity, and they writhed forward like a viscous, black muddy tide.

Gradually, wizards from various Potion Kingdoms and professional academies emerged: staff-wielding maidens in beautiful, slender stockings, and men in wide cloaks, striding forth. They paused, slightly stunned.

"What a beautiful world," they murmured.

War and slaughter had now begun.