Under the desolate starry sky of the universe, Lin Yuan solemnly observed the distant black planet.
Although he had just used a minimal amount of power in that strike, it was still enough to annihilate a high-level life-bearing planet, and even a star would have been knocked out of its orbit. Yet, the black planet hadn't moved at all?
Not only did it not move, but it also seemed completely unaffected, as if the attack had never happened.
This was truly astonishing.
Next, Lin Yuan began to gradually increase his power, continually testing the black planet.
But still, there was no effect.
Even when Lin Yuan elevated his power to the level of a billion space layers, there was still no impact.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan decided to stop his tests.
He was confident that he could perfectly conceal the energy fluctuations at the level of a billion space layers. However, if he were to push further, he would no longer be able to guarantee that his actions would go unnoticed, possibly attracting the attention of passing ninth-rank evolvers or even triggering a detection by the Human Civilization Monitoring Bureau.
"This planet has a significant background," Lin Yuan's heartbeat quickened.The power at the level of a billion space layers was already at the upper limit for ninth-rank experts in the main universe. Furthermore, the size of the internal world within Lin Yuan far exceeded that of other ninth-rank beings at the same level. Yet, it had no effect on this black planet.
This realization made Lin Yuan aware that the value of this black planet was beyond his initial expectations.
"Should I descend and take a closer look?"
Lin Yuan gazed at the black planet.
Theoretically, given Lin Yuan's strength, there was virtually no danger he could encounter within the boundaries of human civilization. Even a black hole would be nothing more than a toy to him, posing no threat.
But this black planet made Lin Yuan feel a bit uncertain.
The fact that it could so easily withstand a strike from Lin Yuan's billion space layers of power was comparable to some small secret realms.
"Anyway, it's just a Primordial Spirit."
After contemplating for a moment, Lin Yuan carefully stored all the treasures he was carrying in a particular space layer. He also hid a drop of his own blood in a different location.
This way, even if the worst-case scenario occurred and his Yang Primordial Spirit perished on the black planet, he could quickly regenerate through the drop of blood, ensuring that the numerous treasures he brought from the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm would not be lost.
With all preparations in place, Lin Yuan slowly approached the black planet.
Buzz.
As Lin Yuan drew closer, he faintly sensed the shifting of time and space.
The black planet, which appeared only about a million miles in size from a distance, suddenly seemed towering and vast.
"It contains such profound applications of space laws?" Lin Yuan was astonished; this level of manipulation of space laws was far beyond his capability. Rä𝐍𝘰ʙĘș
"Is time also changing?" Lin Yuan also sensed a difference in the flow of time.
However, compared to the external flow of time, the difference wasn't significant, possibly because Lin Yuan had not yet entered a key area within the planet.
Boom.
After a moment, Lin Yuan finally descended onto the black planet.
The surroundings were mostly composed of black rocks, with occasional clusters of ancient buildings, all of which had been abandoned. Lin Yuan explored them carefully but found nothing of value.
After more than half a day, Lin Yuan arrived at the center of the planet.
Here, a black valley was situated, and a mysterious, ancient aura began to permeate the air.
Lin Yuan walked into the valley and discovered twelve large black doors standing tall within.
The doors were tightly shut, their surfaces etched with intricate patterns.
Lin Yuan focused on the pattern on the first black door to his left.
Before long, a cryptic message entered Lin Yuan's mind.
"Only those who comprehend the laws of life and death can enter."
"Hmm?" Lin Yuan's expression became serious.
The laws of life and death? This is one of the fusion laws, born from the fusion of the laws of life and the laws of death.
The law of life is one of the pillars of the universe, as is the law of death.
When these two pillar laws are successfully fused, the resulting law of life and death immediately grants the individual peak tenth-rank power.
In other words, A-level tenth rank.
"Only peak tenth-rank beings can enter this black door?" Lin Yuan frowned.
Then he looked at the second black door on his left.
A moment later, another cryptic message entered his mind.
"Only those who comprehend the laws of great destruction can enter."
"The laws of great destruction?" Lin Yuan sighed inwardly.
This is also a type of fusion law, and one particularly skilled in slaughter, born from the fusion of two pillar laws that lean toward destructive power.
Comprehending this fusion law would also make one an A-level tenth rank, and a powerful one at that.
Lin Yuan continued to observe the remaining ten black doors.
Without exception, the conditions for entering each of these doors were based on comprehending a specific fusion law.
"Even for an A-level tenth rank, this only qualifies them to enter the black door. Whether or not they can actually enter depends on the specific fusion law they've comprehended."
Lin Yuan mused to himself.
There was no doubt that the twelve black doors corresponded to extremely high-level fusion laws. Comprehending any one of them would allow someone to become an A-level tenth rank.
But not all A-level tenth-rank experts necessarily comprehend one of these twelve fusion laws.
"Forcing my way in won't work..."
Lin Yuan took another look. Since the information on the black doors indicated that one must comprehend the corresponding fusion law to enter, it was clear that without this comprehension, entry was impossible.
This was a restriction even for A-level tenth ranks, let alone for someone of Lin Yuan's current strength, which was still below that level.
Lin Yuan could surpass Deputy Tower Master Nalan, who was also an A-level tenth rank, only because they were comparing their understanding of the laws of time. If it came to a full-on battle, where all means were allowed, Lin Yuan would certainly be no match for Nalan.
Of course, while Lin Yuan couldn't defeat Nalan, it would also be difficult for Nalan to kill Lin Yuan. With the "Steps of Space and Time" technique, Lin Yuan was confident that even an eleventh-rank expert would not be able to kill him. At most, Nalan could defeat him.
After wandering around the black planet a few more times without making any other discoveries, Lin Yuan decided to leave the planet and return to the starry sky.
"Let's see if I can bring it into my internal world."
Lin Yuan looked at the distant black planet. He knew that, based on his findings so far, the value of this black planet was no less than that of a supreme eleven-star cosmic treasure like the World Tree.
The twelve black doors, which required A-level tenth-rank comprehension just to qualify for entry, undoubtedly contained some kind of opportunity within.
Buzzing.
Spatial fluctuations slowly rippled through the area.
Even with Lin Yuan exerting all his power to activate his internal world, he was unable to bring the black planet into it.
The black planet seemed to act like an "anchor," tightly connected to countless layers of space.
For Lin Yuan to bring the black planet into his internal world, it would be equivalent to incorporating this entire star domain and countless layers of space along with it.
The difficulty was too great.
Even if Lin Yuan could do it, he wouldn't. The disturbance it would cause would be impossible to conceal. Taking away a large section of a star domain and space layers in one go would likely prompt the three goddesses to question what Lin Yuan was up to.
"Can't bring it into my internal world?"
Lin Yuan found this situation troublesome. This meant that the black planet would have to remain where it was.
Although it hadn't been discovered by other powerful beings for many years, that didn't mean it would remain hidden forever.
"I could 'rent' this nearby star domain."
"In doing so, I would gain the usage rights to all the planets in this star domain."
After thinking for a moment, Lin Yuan came up with a compromise.
As long as it was within the boundaries of human civilization, one had to follow the charter laws, which even eleventh-rank experts couldn't violate.
Once Lin Yuan became the temporary owner of this star domain, in theory, the black planet would also belong to him. No one else would be allowed to encroach on it, as that would mean going against human civilization.
"Let's see if this star domain has an 'owner' already." Lin Yuan immediately connected to the virtual world to check the information on this star domain.
This star domain was incredibly barren and desolate, so it was unlikely that anyone would have an interest in it. After all, renting a star domain wasn't cheap.
If this star domain had already been rented, it would indicate that someone else had discovered the uniqueness of the black planet long ago. In that case, obtaining ownership of the black planet would be much more troublesome for Lin Yuan.
Soon, Lin Yuan input the coordinates of this star domain and waited for the virtual world network to respond.
"Honorable Milky Way Star Lord, this star domain does not currently have an 'owner.' Would you like to 'rent' it?"
An electronic voice asked.
"Rent it," Lin Yuan sighed in relief and immediately responded.
"This star domain has a diameter of 12.35 light-years. Please select the rental duration."
"One thousand years," Lin Yuan thought for a moment.
A thousand years in the main universe would be enough time for him to fully uncover the secrets of the black planet.
Even if he hadn't uncovered everything by then, Lin Yuan could always extend the rental period.
"The rental fee is 8,000 universe crystals. Would you like to proceed with the payment?" the electronic voice asked again.
"Pay," Lin Yuan responded quickly.
Soon, 8,000 universe crystals were deducted from his account, and the ownership of this desolate star domain was transferred to Lin Yuan.
Ownership changes of star domains were very common in human civilization, with numerous transactions happening every second. Lin Yuan also chose to keep his information hidden, so his name wouldn't appear on the public list.
Therefore, outsiders would have no idea that this star domain now belonged to Lin Yuan.
"Done," Lin Yuan smiled.
From now on, he would be the owner of this star domain for the next thousand years.
In other words, he was now the owner of the black planet.
"8,000 universe crystals for this black planet? Definitely worth it," Lin Yuan was delighted.
8,000 universe crystals were merely the net worth of an ordinary eighth-rank evolver, whereas the black planet required an A-level tenth rank just to begin exploration.
Standing under the starry sky, Lin Yuan looked at the distant black planet.
"Actually, discovering this black planet is incredibly difficult. At the very least, it would require a tenth-rank evolver passing through this star domain, happening to be near the black planet, and scanning it closely to notice anything unusual."
Lin Yuan pondered.
He was not an ordinary ninth-rank; his perception was on par with that of a tenth-rank evolver.
And as for tenth-rank evolvers? How many tenth-rank evolvers did human civilization have? Moreover, human civilization's territory was vast, spanning billions of light-years. Most tenth-rank experts traveled by teleporting across thousands of light-years at a time.
Landing nearby by chance was incredibly unlikely.
Lin Yuan's discovery of the anomaly in the black planet owed much to luck.
This was why Lin Yuan was grateful for the "chance encounter" he had stumbled upon.
As everyone knows, "chance encounters" require a lot of luck.
Without luck, even if a "chance encounter" were right in front of you, you wouldn't recognize it.
After confirming the ownership of this star domain, Lin Yuan left a monitoring measure near the black planet.
If any life forms approached, Lin Yuan would be immediately alerted.
Given the black planet's uniqueness, even Lin Yuan couldn't forcefully move it, so other ninth- or tenth-rank experts would have no chance of secretly relocating it. That would be nothing short of a fool's dream.
The monitoring measure Lin Yuan left behind was mainly for early warning.
Besides preventing other life forms from getting close, it was also crucial to track the position of the black planet.
The universe as a whole is in constant motion, and countless planets are no exception. Lin Yuan was concerned that if he wasn't paying attention, the black planet might move on its own.
Of course, this was unlikely. While planets are constantly moving, Lin Yuan had already rented the surrounding star domain.
Given the black planet's slow movement speed, it would take millions or even tens of millions of years to move even one light-year.
Soon, Lin Yuan's Yang Primordial Spirit returned to the Milky Way's main star.
In the Star Lord's Hall, Lin Yuan's true body and Yang Primordial Spirit sat facing each other.
Whoosh.
The numerous Mysterious Emperor Crystals and treasure weapons were handed over by the Yang Primordial Spirit to the true body.
At the same time, the mysterious gourd fell into the hands of the Yang Primordial Spirit.
After the ninth transmigration ended, Lin Yuan made significant progress in absorbing the liquid inside the mysterious gourd while in the transmigration world.
The Yang Primordial Spirit and the other two Primordial Spirits had yet to absorb the liquid within the gourd to increase the size of their internal worlds to their limits.
Over the past twenty years, Lin Yuan's internal world had grown to a size of 212 million miles in radius, and the absorption of the seventh drop of purple liquid had reached halfway.
A month later, the internal world of the Yang Primordial Spirit reached its limit.
He then headed to the alien battlefield, swapping places with the Yin Primordial Spirit for further enhancement.
In the virtual world.
Aside from cultivating and comprehending the Dao, Lin Yuan occasionally relaxed by connecting to the virtual world.
One day, while Lin Yuan was enjoying some food in his personal space, the Black Star Lord invited him to another personal space.
Lin Yuan accepted the invitation.
Soon, he arrived at a courtyard with a traditional, ancient aesthetic.
The Black Star Lord, the Glazed Star Lord, and the Skull Elder, along with a few other A-level tenth ranks, were chatting there.
The Black Star Lord and the others formed a small circle that only A-level tenth ranks could join. Although Lin Yuan was still only at the ninth rank, his future advancement to A-level tenth rank was almost certain.
The Black Star Lord and the others were happy to invite Lin Yuan to join them.
"Hahaha, the Milky Way Star Lord is here," the Black Star Lord smiled as he saw Lin Yuan.
The Black Star Lord belonged to the Hei Yuan Evolution Tower, while the Glazed Star Lord came from another evolution tower. Strictly speaking, Lin Yuan should be part of the Xiayou Evolution Tower.
However, since they were all human evolvers, there were no barriers between them.
"Milky Way Star Lord, I heard that Deputy Tower Master Nalan has stepped down," the Glazed Star Lord said, looking at Lin Yuan with a gentle gaze.
Deputy Tower Master Nalan was the deputy tower master of the Xiayou Evolution Tower and held significant influence in the circle of tenth-rank experts within human civilization.
This was mainly because Deputy Tower Master Nalan was incredibly powerful, ranking among the top 100 on the A-level threat list compiled by alien races.
"Deputy Tower Master Nalan stepped down?" Lin Yuan was surprised.
He had met Deputy Tower Master Nalan not long ago, and they had even sparred in their understanding of the time laws.
"Milky Way Star Lord, you should know that once someone takes on the position of deputy tower master, it's rare for them to be replaced in the middle of their tenure," the Black Star Lord smiled.
"What do you mean?" Lin Yuan asked, somewhat puzzled.
"Deputy Tower Master Nalan is likely on the verge of advancing to the eleventh rank," the Skull Elder sighed, his expression showing envy.
The deputy tower master positions of the nine evolution towers were all held by tenth-rank evolvers.
Once a deputy tower master advanced to the eleventh rank, they would automatically step down, as eleventh-rank evolvers had more important responsibilities, such as preparing to reach the ultimate rank or guarding large-scale alien battlefields.
Deputy Tower Master Nalan still had a long time before reaching the end of his lifespan and hadn't made any major mistakes.
If he had suddenly stepped down for no reason, and the Strongest One had agreed, it could only mean that he was about to advance to the eleventh rank.
"The eleventh rank..." the Black Star Lord sighed.
As A-level tenth ranks, they all had the potential to advance to the eleventh rank, but having the potential was one thing; the timing of the breakthrough was another.
Seeing Deputy Tower Master Nalan take the lead naturally stirred mixed feelings among the group.
"Deputy Tower Master Nalan had been stuck at the bottleneck of the key fusion rule for many years. How did he suddenly break through?" the Glazed Star Lord couldn't help but ask.
"Who knows?" the Skull Elder shook his head. "Maybe he was stimulated by something."
"When you get a chance, Milky Way Star Lord, could you ask Deputy Tower Master Nalan how he managed to break through that bottleneck?" the Glazed Star Lord said softly, looking at Lin Yuan.
Lin Yuan belonged to the Xiayou Evolution Tower, and Deputy Tower Master Nalan was the deputy tower master of the Xiayou Evolution Tower. Their relationship was naturally closer than that of the others.
"Sure."
"If I meet Deputy Tower Master Nalan, I'll definitely ask."
Lin Yuan nodded. He was curious to know how Deputy Tower Master Nalan had broken through as well.
Although he didn't need the information now, it wouldn't hurt to learn more.
"By the way, Milky Way Star Lord, you're about to reach the tenth rank soon, right?" the Black Star Lord suddenly asked.
Given the foundation Lin Yuan had shown in the Mysterious Emperor Secret Realm, with the development of two billion layers of space, reaching the tenth rank would probably be as easy as eating or drinking for him.
"Yes, with the Milky Way Star Lord's talent, you might even reach the eleventh rank ahead of us," the Skull Elder joked.
It was just a casual remark. Among the A-level tenth ranks present, any one of them could, like Deputy Tower Master Nalan, suddenly break through to the eleventh rank after a period of seclusion.
Although Lin Yuan was currently only at the ninth rank, even if he advanced to the tenth rank, there was still a long way to go.
After chatting with his friends for a while, Lin Yuan disconnected from the virtual world and resumed his cultivation and Dao comprehension.
The news of Deputy Tower Master Nalan's breakthrough greatly motivated Lin Yuan.
"The two-thousandth new model of the time law... Is it a loop? A serpent ring?"
In Lin Yuan's mind, the complete image of the long river of time kept appearing. Overall, the river of time flows continuously, from the ancient past to the distant future.
But in reality, within certain sections of the river, time takes the form of a serpent ring, where the head meets the tail.
"In other words, time is a closed loop. No matter where you start, you eventually return to the same point?" Lin Yuan pondered, his mind filled with a flood of insights.
As he continued to meditate, Lin Yuan's understanding of the time laws rapidly deepened.
...
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