“All of this is still hard to grasp… but how well do you think we are faring?”

“Hmm… can I be frank?”

“Sure…”

“I’m not sure if this will be of much help, I’m not a mage but a cultivator, I’m not entirely sure how to bring you up to a higher level but… Nevertheless, we’ll need all the help that we can get.”

Zhang Dong exchanged a smile with a beautiful woman to whom he had once been tied. Her name was Beatrice Hohenberg of Dawn Lake, and the once young fifteen-year-old had transformed into quite a stunning beauty. Despite her current age being close to fifty, she managed to maintain a youthful appearance thanks to her magic and knowledge. It was quite a surprise for him to find her still among the living, considering that in the cultivation world he came from, much more time had passed.

The world he revisited had undergone a few changes after the defeat of the demon king and the subsequent king. There were some wars and battles, but eventually, things had managed to settle down. Beatrice, with her newfound talent somehow boosted by him, had become the most powerful mage in her kingdom. Hanging around his great soul had elevated her mana capacities to the limits of this world.

“But, for your peoples' sake, it would be better if you don’t give out this information…”

“Very true… I still can’t believe how such a thing could be possible…”

Both of them were in a hidden chamber with various magical charms, blocking out any prying eyes and ears. The power base of this world was much lower than other cultivation worlds, which wouldn't allow for much progress power-wise. A certain limit was imposed when magic was used by itself, as it required mana from the outside world. Cultivators, on the other hand, strengthened their bodies and very essence. They tempered themselves to create their own worlds within themselves ascending to the immortal level and didn't require outside sources for their powers to work. On the other hand, a mage could only work with what was around them.

What they needed was a force that didn’t require outside sources. If Zhang Dong’s theory was correct, then they were within the domain of one such immortal - someone who created countless worlds within his own universe. The energies within belonged to them and would be cut off during the last confrontation.

This didn’t mean that all was lost, as there were seemingly ways of adapting. His own cultivation realm was quite unique in itself. He was not sure yet, but it did look like he could keep building his own universe within that was not affected by the world around him. The being that they were up against was not omniscient and omnipotent. Such a being would not drain other people of their experiences if they knew everything. This one fact gave him and the others some future prospects.

“The council of Arch-magi will be informed.”

“Good, I’ll stay in contact, if you have any problems just call me. Remember, we need to have those obelisks placed on specific locations around the globe.”

“Don’t worry, we might not be the strongest but we are thorough.”

“I’m glad that I can count on you Beatrice but I hope you’ll forgive me for involving you and your people in all of this.”

“It’s fine, I’d rather not live my life without knowing the truth.”

“Then I’m glad.”

Both nodded at each other before Zhang Dong’s third clone decided to make his exit. He was tasked to start with Beatrice’s world, but there were many others. The obelisks were devices that he came up with to better take control away from the master of this reality. While he had the administrative console at his disposal, it didn’t let him do everything. He devised a plan to place giant planet-sized formations on as many worlds as possible. When the time came, they would be activated and perhaps give him the edge to win over his enemy.

If he considered his enemy as the main body of this world, then the various people living inside were cells. Perhaps if he got hold of enough of these parts of the main body, then an uprising of cells could take hold. They would spread like a disease from the inside; even the strongest creature could succumb to the common cold if not treated and left to fester. He could only hope that his plans weren't in vain.

Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“I guess it’s time to move on to the next one, this is going to take a while…”

The clone gave out a sigh as he had finished up in this world, but there were many like it out there. Thanks to the administrative console, they knew which ones were the most susceptible to their dominion. He needed to place many formations at these locations and also have Overseer puppets protect those locations instead. There was a possibility of system-holders being involved, but at the time, things were progressing smoothly.

…

“Things are progressing smoothly at the clone side, is there something that I can do more?”

Zhang Dong Prime glanced at the many monitors while sighing to himself. He could see everyone working diligently on the plan he had produced, but he wasn’t sure if it would go anywhere. Some of the stations outside this one had been taken over, but there were thousands to go. The scale of the real world outside was humongous, and he wasn’t sure how much time they all had left. Nevertheless, this was better than twiddling his thumbs; as long as there was a will, there was a way. Until these worlds started to crumble, he needed to resist and prepare himself for the final confrontation and the real truth of it all.

“I can’t be slacking while everyone else is working hard, let me see what I can do with this world of my own…”

Zhang Dong didn’t know much about his current form, but after seeing what his predecessor had created, he had an idea of how to progress his strength. Within him, a universe was forming that began as a solar system and finally generated one whole galaxy filled with stars and possibilities. One planet, in particular, that stood in the center, was what he was focusing on as this would be where it would all start.

“I’ve prepared myself for this but it still feels odd… to create life…”

This seemed like the only way of boosting his cultivation. At the start, when the galaxy within him was being created, he could feel his power skyrocketing. However, at some point, it stopped. Even when he formed more stars or large planets, they would not add much more to his power. There was something missing, and that thing was life.

Zhang Dong pondered on the nature of life and its connection to cultivation. In his previous world, cultivation involved refining one's own essence and energy, transcending the limits of the mortal body. However, in this new reality, it seemed that life itself played a crucial role in enhancing one's power. It all made sense; everything produced a certain amount of energy, and living beings were filled with it. The way forward was clear, he needed to start creating his own universe with beings being born of his very essence.

With a deep breath, he focused his attention on the barren planet at the center of his galaxy. Channeling his energy, he began to mold the elements and breathe life into the desolate land. Gradually, oceans formed, mountains rose, and the atmosphere became conducive to sustaining life.

As he continued his creation, Zhang Dong Prime felt a surge of energy coursing through him. It was as if the act of bringing life into existence directly fueled his cultivation. The more diverse and vibrant the life on the planet became, the stronger he felt. It was a revelation that challenged the very core of his understanding of cultivation.

A big decision needed to be made. As the god of this place, he could do whatever he wanted. The creatures inhabiting this planet could look like anything - beautiful or monstrous. They didn’t need to be carbon-based lifeforms like humans; they could be created from silicon if he so desired. However, making a being too different from its creator would probably hinder his further progress. Somewhere deep inside, he knew that they needed to be somewhat humanoid in nature.

With a focused mind, Zhang Dong began sculpting the lifeforms on his newfound planet. He decided to imbue them with traits that mirrored the cultivation practices he was familiar with, making them capable of harnessing energy from their surroundings to strengthen themselves. These beings started out small, just like he learned in old biology books, it all began with a single cell that could produce spiritual energy aligned with his Dao.

This was a new experience for him and signified a drastic change within his being as he was beginning to understand the true meaning of life. He made mistakes; sometimes, the tiny creatures that arose didn’t last for long and took millions upon millions of years to change. He wondered if the species that was made from this would question their existence that he was shaping with his fingers. Even though he didn’t wish to bear the obligation for a whole civilization, his life prepared him for it.

He had witnessed the birth of his own children and became a father to them. There were ups and downs in their relationships, but all of this would help him with this current endeavor. Within this world, he was almighty and could hasten the development of the life forms that he produced. Soon, beings of more complex forms were taking shape and populating the landmasses he had produced.

The evolution of the beings that he created made him feel a mix of awe and responsibility. As everything unfolded the primitive beings populated his world. They started off as unintelligent beasts but soon started developing themselves further. Finally, one of them arose to take over, this would be his own version of humanity. He watched as primitive societies formed, developed language, and started to explore the vast world he had provided for them. It was a surreal experience, knowing that he was their creator, their god, and the one who held their destiny in his hands.

“Hm… does the essence of the creator shape the beings inside?”

As he witnessed the primitive cultures progressing, he noticed one thing: they weren’t as violent and prone to warfare as their human counterparts from the many worlds he saw in this reality. While they still got into conflicts, it wasn’t as bad as old history foretold. Instead, their capability to work with each other was quite astonishing. Together, they faced off against various other beasts populating this world and emerged as the victors…