The first moment Chen Xiang woke up, the first feeling he had was suffocation.

A terrifying, indescribable torrent of brilliant, colorful light surged toward him, overwhelming his entire vision! He was dazed.

Infinite starlight converged into a sea, accompanied by the dazzling glow of ancient celestial bodies and the vastness of the cosmic deep space. Every cell in his body began to radiate the brilliance of stars, as the forces of all dimensions converged at this moment!

[Fundamental Authority of Creation has been partially restored]

[Exceeding the soul's carrying limit, authority seed transformation]

Then came the profound essence of destruction, purified within Chen Xiang's body.

[Fundamental Authority of Destruction Seed has been partially restored]

Following that were endless explosive murmurs, the absolute silence of death, and the hymn at the birth of the first life!

[Pseudo-Truth Authority Seed has been partially restored]

[Fundamental Authority of Oblivion Seed has been partially restored]

[Fundamental Authority of Life Seed has been partially restored]

[Pseudo-Time Authority Seed has been partially restored]

[Fundamental Authority of Nihility Seed has been partially restored]

Chen Xiang didn't listen to these murmurs; he let out a low roar, his soul fracturing.

Such immense power of authority, even transformed into a seed like in the time of loss, far exceeded the limits that his soul could contain!

As his soul shattered, Chen Xiang abruptly closed his eyes, collapsing into an amorphous cloud of chaos that contained infinite possibilities. Every possible outcome that could occur after bearing the seeds of supreme authority was played out upon him!

In that instant, Chen Xiang experienced death, shattering, obliteration, and decay.

With his final will, he manipulated this infinite potential, ensuring that the scant few possibilities of his survival were the last to occur.

After the myriad possibilities of death, shattering, and obliteration, a nearly impossible [Balance] emerged. The five fundamental authority seeds and the pseudo-time and pseudo-truth authority seeds achieved a delicate equilibrium amid countless coincidences and innumerable attempts.

When Chen Xiang collapsed into the formless chaos, he was never one to ignore any attack.

The truth was that he would undergo every possible [Outcome] that would occur after suffering such an attack.

He simply made choices among these [Possibilities].

The [Result] was determined by him.

However, in the process, Chen Xiang had genuinely and vividly experienced every kind of [Possibility]—a myriad of pain and suffering.

The sense of weariness on his body grew more profound with each transformation into formless chaos.

A moment felt like an eternity, and that was all there was.

He did not know how much time had passed.

The formless chaos re-expanded into human form.

Chen Xiang floated quietly, his eyes half-open, surrounded by a dark hue, flowing with the primordial starlight, breath of destruction, and forbidden knowledge.

The reflections of the seven authorities flickered and then completely melded into his being.

Extraordinary, sage, saint, emissary of heaven!

Walking on the ancient path, Chen Xiang's body surged, and the remnants of the seven authorities circulated beneath his skin.

"The fundamental authority of stupidity and the traveler is indeed [Creation]."

Many pieces of forbidden knowledge surfaced in Chen Xiang's mind:

"Emperor Titan is the first Creator, reality was initiated by him;"

"Stupidity is the second Creator; wherever his steps go, reality extends;"

"Countless years ago, there was only reality, without the many dimensions, the traveler is the third Creator, and all dimensions beyond the nine realities emerged from his steps."

"No wonder stupidity is the eldest."

Chen Xiang's will stirred, and the [Fundamental Creation Seed] transferred to his legs.

When he became strong enough to accommodate the fundamental authority, this seed would sprout and flourish until it bore fruit.

At that time, each of his steps would carve out a brand new world.

"Foolishness and the dancer are both fundamental destruction; they represent the end of everything and the silence of all."

The fundamental destruction seed was placed in Chen Xiang's left hand. He lightly touched a wooden chair with his left hand, which began to decay and wither at a visible speed, as if it were experiencing countless years in an instant, ultimately collapsing into basic particles.

The pseudo-truth seed settled in his brain; even without opening the Eye of the Thinker, Chen Xiang could still hear the layered forbidden knowledge.

He felt a hint of regret; it was a pity it wasn't a true truth seed, or else when the seed blossomed, his thoughts would be truth, and his ideas would become rules.

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The fundamental oblivion seed merged with Chen Xiang's shadow, while the fundamental life seed sank into his heart. His shadow was both stillness and silence, night and shadow.

His heart began to thrive, and with each beat, it brought him a complete rebirth; the heartbeat represented life, while stillness signified death, and between each cycle of life and death, he underwent a rebirth.

"With each heartbeat, I undergo a rebirth; my whole body is equivalent to experiencing a resurrection."

Without hesitation, Chen Xiang severed his right hand; before the severed arm even hit the ground, his heart had already completed its first beat, and the right hand was whole once more.

He swallowed, astonished. This was merely the authority seed!

Almost every second, he experienced a new birth, growing stronger!

In his previous life, the phoenix's fiery rebirth was just a heartbeat for him.

How terrifying would the complete fundamental life authority be?

Chen Xiang was not overjoyed; his expression grew more serious. The deeper he delved into these profound and highest mysteries, the more he understood the horror and power of the Outer Gods!

"And now, it's the pseudo-time seed."

Chen Xiang closed his eyes and silently sensed. Fool and the Oblivion Master seemed to grasp history, memory, and forgetfulness, but in reality, they wielded time. Yet like Stupidity and the Thinker, they were also pseudo-fundamental authorities.

The true fundamental truth and fundamental time should be in the hands of the pillars of truth and time, namely the 'book' and 'hourglass' referred to by the dwarfs.

What authority does the fate pillar, referred to as a weaving machine by the dwarfs, hold?

The fate authority felt similar to the reality loophole he controlled—[Observation].

Chen Xiang did not continue pondering; it was meaningless. After much contemplation, he ultimately placed the pseudo-time seed in his right hand.

Lastly, the fundamental nihility seed failed regardless of where it was placed. Ultimately, Chen Xiang chose to collapse into the formless chaos, successfully embedding the nihility seed within the [Chaos Form].

The seven seeds each had their place, yet the altar remained open.

The final grand blessing came from 'himself'.

From his dream self.

"In the name of reality."

"In the name of Emperor Titan."

"In the name of Emperor Xiang."

The solemn voice echoed through the rift in space-time, resonating in Chen Xiang's ears. He sat silently in midair,

advancing his realm from Emissary of Heaven and continuing to push forward!

The blessing came from another version of himself.

Chen Xiang's physique expanded once again, fully stepping into the level of a pseudo-god. He stood on the first step of the Ascension Ladder, specifically on the Firewood step. His ancient god-like body had now reached one-third of its complete form.

A divine domain was emerging.

"My divine domain is..."

Chen Xiang gave a bitter smile. He had gained something, but not fully.

The path of the Ancient Ones was different from the path of the Outer Gods. On the Ancient path, power resided within one's own physique, and authority was born from it, along with the divine domain.

In other words, the Ancient path had no external divine domain; their domain was their own body. The Outer Gods infused their power into their soul, using the world as their divine domain. The Ancients, however, infused their power into their physique, using their body as their world.

Now, Chen Xiang's legs represented creation, his left hand destruction, his right hand held time, his head truth, his shadow was silence, and his heart embodied life—though they were merely seeds.

"My body... seems to be becoming reality."

"A new, different reality."

"To be precise, it's a seed of reality."

Chen Xiang realized:

"In the future, when I am strong enough, this seed will sprout. I will become a universe—a whole new universe."

"You are indeed becoming a new reality," said the mirror, which had been silent all this time, speaking suddenly with a tone of confusion. "But I don't understand. The current reality, this universe, is your former body. Why... why do you want to become a new one?"

Chen Xiang was stunned:

"Mirror, what do you mean?"

The mirror, in the form of a crack-like tattoo, murmured:

"As I said... the universe and reality are your remains. Why don't you reclaim them, instead of creating a new reality? I don't understand."

A chill ran down Chen Xiang's spine.

"The universe is my remains?"

He was shocked:

"Then what is the thing I saw in my dreams, in that subspace?"

The mirror replied in astonishment:

"Isn't that your soul shell?"

"Soul shell? Explain it more clearly."

The mirror coughed twice:

"As I said earlier, when I saw you absorbing the seeds of authority into your body, these thoughts suddenly came to me, but that's all I remember—no more than this."

Chen Xiang frowned. His dream-body was not his real body, not the remains he had thought, but merely a shell for his soul? And the universe was his real body?

Then what was he now?

A spiritual shell? A weak source within the spirit body? His will?

The soul seemed to be divided into two parts: the outer, the shell—his spiritual body, and the inner, the source—his spiritual will.

It made sense; perhaps what the mirror said was true. This would also explain the concept of dual bodies. What he experienced in his dreams was merely a return to his spiritual body, to his soul shell.

But this brought up an even bigger problem.

Yes, if what the mirror said was true, his current path was about creating a new body, a new reality. But there was no need for that!

Yet at the moment, it was the only path he could take. He had no idea how to reclaim his original body—his true body— the universe and reality.

After pondering for a long time, Chen Xiang let out a slow breath, quietly closed the altar, and glanced at the time. It was already past noon.

At this moment, it was the evening of July 7th, 11:46 PM.

A rumbling sound came from outside.

Chen Xiang furrowed his brows slightly, putting away the ancient altar and other items into the mirror. He stepped out of the basement. The night sky was dazzlingly bright; the twin moons and stars were nowhere to be seen.

All that could be seen—

Was light, reaching from the heavens to the earth. Within the light was death—death so pure and intense that it was palpable.

Chen Xiang could clearly sense the endless killing intent surrounding and locking onto him. There was nowhere to escape, no way to hide, the terrifying pressure piercing straight into his soul!

The entire outer three rings of the Great City shimmered under the pure light filled with death.

The light was descending.

Divine Punishment.

Divine Punishment had arrived.

...

11:50 PM. Sixth Ring Villa.

"Make sure you drink your milk!" Chen Shaoyan shouted from outside the room. "You must finish it! If I find out you've poured it out, there'll be hell to pay!"

"I know," Lu Saleng replied, pursing his lips. He finished the glass of milk Chen Shaoyan had poured for him and glanced out the window at the overwhelming light that symbolized the impending Divine Punishment.

He sat quietly.

At 11:59 PM, the light outside grew even more intense, and the Divine Punishment was imminent.

12:00 AM. It was now July 8th.

The low murmurs from the Red Moon echoed in Lu Saleng's ears:

"The meeting is convened."

"So..."

Lu Saleng gazed into the far distance, at the familiar figure bathed in the light of Divine Punishment.

"If the mentor doesn't appear at this meeting..."

"Then it will confirm my suspicion."

"You are the mentor."

Under the targeting of the Divine Punishment, if Chen Xiang was indeed the mentor, he wouldn't be able to attend the ancient meeting.

Lu Saleng's vision darkened, and in the next instant, he appeared in an ancient and solemn hall.

He saw a figure, holding a cane, wearing a monocle, and shrouded in a veil of secrecy, slowly walking forward. Each time the cane struck the ground, fragments of time would ripple forth.

The mentor had arrived as usual.