Chapter 182: Opening up the Holy Land, Reincarnation of the Universe
The hastily formed Overwatch Alliance was like a flimsy dam forged with the blood and will of countless struggling souls amidst a storm of despair. It provided a common direction, united scattered hearts, and kept the flame of hope swaying amidst the raging winds. However, every leader within the alliance knew that facing the imminent awakening of the "Lord of Annihilation" from the dark side of the universe and the conceptual "Void Devourer" behind it, their current combined strength, even if they expended all the spiritual realm, would be as insignificant and powerless as a speck of dust attempting to shake a mountain. The terrifying intervention on the Falling Star Plains, while temporarily halting destruction, served as a wake-up call, forcing Ye Li and Qin Yixuan to realize that their previous strength was insufficient to avert the inevitable outcome. They needed transformation, transcendence, and an unprecedented form of power capable of fundamentally opposing the "Law of the End."
The alliance's complex internal affairs were efficiently delegated to a five-member temporary council consisting of Lay Buddhist Muyun (representing the former Xuanyun Sect and traditional cultivation forces), Palace Master Yaoguang (representing the Jiuxiao Heavenly Palace and the forces of divine purification), Ascetic Alvin (representing the awakened faction within the Temple), Conspirator Mephisto (representing the survivalist faction within the Demonic Abyss), and the now capable and capable Sun Xiaohou (representing the Youge and the emerging alliance forces). The council's primary task was to integrate this complex and diverse force at all costs before Ye Li and Qin Yixuan returned, calming the internal turmoil and panic caused by the revelation of the truth. Using the full power of the universe, they frantically began to collect and stockpile every possible resource for the Star Sea Expedition and the final battle—from the most basic spirit stone veins, to rare crystals imbued with spatial power, to jade slips containing ancient formations and forbidden knowledge, and even certain beings with special bloodlines or talents—all were included in the scope of recruitment. The entire spiritual world, like a war machine that was forcibly started and overloaded, emitted a heavy and mournful roar.
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan, the two Sanctuaries entrusted with the ultimate hope, had no respite. They knew full well that every moment of delay could spell ultimate defeat. After forcing themselves to their peak condition (though the weariness of their souls and the hidden wounds to their essences still lingered), they joined hands in reaching the weakest point in the spiritual world's barrier. There were no grandiose words, only a tacit understanding and resolve that met in their gaze. They raised their hands simultaneously, the vast power of the Sanctuary converging into a single point, ruthlessly ripping through the crystalline barrier that had shielded the spiritual world for eons. They resolutely stepped into the endless sea of stars, a land said to have buried countless stars and hopes, cold and silent, yet harboring the universe's original mysteries and ultimate dangers.
Upon entering the starry sea, a primal, heart-wrenching feeling, distinct from the spirit world, overwhelmed them like a tide. Their familiar sense of direction vanished, and the concepts of up, down, left, and right blurred. Beneath them lay nothingness, overhead an abyss. Only the boundless, all-consuming black void stretched to the horizon, and in the distance, strange stars, like cold diamonds set on black velvet, emitting a faint yet constant glow. The rich, gentle spiritual energy of the spirit world had thinned to near nothingness here, replaced by a more primitive, more violent, chaotic, and uncertain energy, reminiscent of the remnants of the universe's earliest days. Even more unsettling, this chaotic energy mingled with a subtle yet pervasive, cold, corrosive aura of "nothingness." Like background radiation within the starry sea, it silently permeated and assimilated everything, as if this vast sea of stars itself were being slowly digested and devoured by its ultimate "destination." The spatial structure here is far more stable and resilient than that of the spiritual world, and is difficult to tear apart, but it is also more complex and strange, hiding countless invisible death traps - silent and space-time turbulence that can annihilate everything, hidden gravitational vortexes that not even light can escape, fragments of broken laws that float like sharp blades, and even some terrifying star beasts that only exist in ancient records and have been sleeping in the depths of the starry sea for countless epochs. The territorial aura of these beasts lurks in the surrounding darkness like undercurrents.
They didn't advance, but stopped in a "calm" void area, still within a faint sense of the spiritual barrier and relatively far from known dangerous star regions. The emptiness here was disconcerting, surrounded by eternal, pure darkness. Only the indifferent stars in the far distance, like eternal bystanders, silently watched the two uninvited guests.
"The void structure here is relatively stable. While the energy is thin and complex, it's closer to the origin of the universe. It's the perfect place to experiment with deducing and integrating new powers." Ye Li, suspended in the void, her black clothes seemingly merging with the darkness, carefully sensed the subtle rhythms of laws and the flow of energy in the surrounding void, and spoke in a deep voice. At the same time, her extremely keen sanctuary perception could clearly capture a soul-shaking, cold, and immense will in the deeper, darker unknown reaches of the starry sea. Like an inflated balloon, it continuously condensed, expanded, and intensified! This was the irreversible precursor to the awakening of the "Lord of Nirvana," like a noose slowly tightening around their necks, reminding them of the urgency of time with every second.
The pure starlight flowing naturally around Qin Yixuan stood out against the absolute darkness. She attempted to establish a deeper resonance with the distant stars, nodding in response. Her voice was clear and calm. "The core of the 'Lord of Annihilation''s power is the product of a distorted combination of absolute order and the pure devouring instinct of 'Nothingness.' The ultimate goal of its 'Law of the End' is to completely disintegrate all 'existence'—matter, energy, laws, consciousness—into absolute 'nothingness.' Our power must not merely remain at the level of confrontation. We must be able to fundamentally counter it. We must even attempt to understand, embrace, and even transform the power that represents 'the end' within its cycle."
Determined, the two no longer hesitated, sitting cross-legged in the void, facing each other, their bodies steady as a rock. This time, it was no longer the relatively gentle fusion of consciousness and coordination of power as before, but an unprecedented and extremely dangerous attempt - a deep, thorough, and almost daring fusion of each other's most fundamental sacred origins, the most core and essential understanding of the great way they wielded!
Ye Li acted first. Holding her breath, she concentrated her mind, sinking her entire being into the deepest depths of her sea of consciousness, fully channeling the power of the already complete Samsara Mirror. The chaotic-colored mark between her brows suddenly lit up, no longer a phantom light, but gradually solidifying, ultimately transforming into an ancient, mysterious, and seemingly timeless image of the Samsara Mirror. It slowly emerged from her brows and hovered three feet above her head. Across the mirror, chaotic currents flowed endlessly like living things, clearly reflecting the vast and subtle cycles of birth and death in the universe: the budding, brilliant blossoming, helpless withering, and the passing of souls; the birth of vast stars in gravitational collapse, the stable and blazing rise of main-sequence stars, and ultimately the spectacular annihilation of red giant expansion or supernova explosions, their remains transforming into white dwarfs, neutron stars, or all-consuming black holes, before ultimately evaporating into nothingness; the rise and fall of glorious civilizations, their peak, and then their demise due to internal conflict or external adversaries, their wisdom and legacy scattered across the starry sea, becoming new seeds... A majestic cyclical realm, encompassing the rise and fall of all things, bearing all cause and effect, nurturing new life in destruction, and containing the end in rebirth, spread from her as the center, enveloping the vast void! This was the natural manifestation of the ultimate cultivation of the law of reincarnation, representing the dynamic balance, eternal cycle, and incredible resilience of the "existing" universe.
At the same time, Qin Yixuan completely released all restraints on her Xuannv Sacred Domain origin. She seemed to become the embodiment of the will of the celestial sphere at that moment. Endless, radiant star shadows emerged from behind and around her, coalescing and aligning to form a vast and boundless celestial landscape! The Big Dipper, with its austere edge, governed destruction; the Southern Dipper, radiating gentle vitality, governed birth and growth; the radiant Milky Way, winding like a ribbon, nourished all things; countless stars slowly rotated along mysterious paths, maintaining the order and stability of the celestial sphere... Pure and majestic stellar power, carrying a powerful will to purify all impurities, create new vitality, safeguard the light of hope, and guide the long river of destiny, swept forth with all its might! This was the ultimate expression of the laws of the stars, representing the sacred order, endless vitality, and unwavering protection and guidance of the future within the "existing" universe.
Initially, when these two forces, representing different aspects of the universe and diametrically opposed in nature, first came into contact and collided at the deepest level within this void, a catastrophic repulsion and conflict erupted! The chaotic, inclusive, cyclical power of samsara instinctively sought to incorporate the orderly, constant, and creative power of the stars into its own vast and relentless cycle of birth and death, viewing it as part of samsara. Meanwhile, the orderly, stable power of the stars, representing life and hope, instinctively resisted this "inclusion" that seemed to drag everything into chaos and uncertainty, viewing it as a stain and destruction of its own purity and sanctity! The two vast currents of law violently collided, squeezed, and annihilated within the void, triggering wave after wave of silent energy storms powerful enough to rip apart even ordinary supreme beings! The surrounding void, like the surface of a lake into which a boulder had been dropped, violently twisted and trembled. Tiny spatial cracks flashed like black lightning, as if this relatively stable region could collapse completely at any moment, unable to withstand the internal conflict!
"puff--"
"snort……"
Ye Li and Qin Yixuan's bodies trembled violently almost simultaneously, their faces turning pale. They uncontrollably spat out a small mouthful of blood imbued with their own Daoist aura. The backlash of the Sacred Domain's essence directly impacted their souls and Dao foundations, inflicting pain far greater than physical trauma. Yet, their gazes grew sharper and more resolute at that moment, like ships firmly locked on course amidst a storm. They chose not to resort to brute force to suppress this repulsion stemming from the very essence of the Laws, which would be tantamount to self-destruction. Instead, they used their own unbreakable wills, forged through hardships, as a bridge, and their unwavering trust as a bond. They carefully guided and soothed these two raging currents of the Laws, attempting to allow them to deeply perceive each other's essence, to understand the meaning of each other's existence, and to seek, within this seemingly absolute opposition, a possible point of symbiosis and balance at a higher level.
It was a perilous process, like dancing on the knife-edge of an endless abyss, building a nest on the foam of boiling magma. Their consciousnesses were intensely focused, stretched to their limits, and every moment felt like they were teetering on the brink of life and death. Time lost its meaning here; perhaps it was just a blink of an eye, or perhaps it had already passed through eons of reincarnation.
In this stalemate and painful tug-of-war, after countless seemingly futile collisions and countless extremely subtle adjustments to the rules, a faint ray of light, but representing new possibilities, finally penetrated the pervasive darkness!
Amidst the endless cycle of reincarnation, Ye Li suddenly caught a flash of inspiration. Isn't the birth and death of those distant stars itself a cycle on a cosmic scale, even grander, slower, yet more inevitable? The birth and death of stars, the formation and disintegration of galaxies, even the potential heat death and Big Rip of the universe itself... aren't all these the perfect manifestations of the law of reincarnation at the stellar level? And if the seemingly chaotic operation of reincarnation could be modeled on the "order" of the stars, which follow strict physical laws and follow predetermined trajectories, wouldn't it become more stable and directed, rather than a mere aimless cycle?
At almost the same moment, Qin Yixuan, amidst the dazzling starlight, grasped a deeper meaning—reincarnation doesn't simply signify the end and the beginning of chaos; it represents the alternation of the old and the new, and infinite possibilities! The annihilation of stars (such as supernova explosions) isn't pure destruction; the heavy elements they release are the foundation for the next generation of stars, planets, and even life! If the power of the stars could truly be integrated into the "living towards death" concept of reincarnation, its purification would no longer be a cold and ruthless annihilation, but rather a guidance and decomposition of the energy, returning it to its source, ready to participate in the next, even more magnificent cycle of creation. Its creative power would thus break free from the constraints of a single mode, becoming more layered and resilient, capable of blossoming even more brilliantly from the ruins of destruction!
A kind of enlightenment that transcended individual cognition and seemed to originate from the origin of the universe, exploded simultaneously in the hearts of Ye Li and Qin Yixuan, like the first lightning in the creation of the world:
With reincarnation as the basis and the order of the stars as the basis, it can bear all changes!
Only by following the order of the stars and the path of reincarnation can one achieve eternal immortality!
The birth and death of stars is the macroscopic manifestation of reincarnation!
The operation of reincarnation requires the trajectory of stars as a constant guideline!
"Right now! The Dao is complete!" Ye Li and Qin Yixuan abruptly opened their eyes. Within their visions, no longer were they merely the images of chaotic reincarnation or the radiant brilliance of the stars. Instead, a vast Dao diagram emerged, a fusion of the birth and death of stars and the cycle of reincarnation, a far more complex, profound, and even closer to the essence of the universe! Without holding back, they poured all of their spiritual power, vast spiritual energy, the most fundamental source of the Holy Domain, and even their entire love for the world of "existence," their protective faith, and their unyielding will. Like a galaxy bursting its banks, they poured it unreservedly and frantically into the violently trembling, seemingly imminently collapsing core of the Laws, yet imbued with infinite vitality!
"In the name of my reincarnation, I cite the Great Dao as my witness, accept the order of the celestial bodies, and forge the foundation of eternity!"
"Using my stars as my guide, I inherit the will of the universe, determine the path of eternal reincarnation, and open up a new universe!"
"The laws merge! The origins unite! The holy land reopens! — The universe of samsara, give me...establish!"
Boom!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! ————————————————————!!!
A roar, indescribable in human words, as if emanating from the explosion of a singularity, the birth of the universe, erupted with unbridled force! This sound wasn't transmitted through the air, but directly affected the laws of space, time, and even all existence! With Ye Li and Qin Yixuan at its core, a vast, brand-new, nascent "territory" suddenly emerged from the void, its vastness unfathomable by ordinary standards, expanding and taking shape in all directions at speeds exceeding the speed of light!
That has long surpassed the concept of an ordinary sanctuary force field, and is instead a real, nascent, microcosmic prototype with unlimited growth potential!
In this new holy land named "Samsara Universe", the background is not pure darkness, but a deep, constantly flowing and changing chaotic background that seems to contain infinite mysteries and possibilities. This symbolizes the essence of the law of reincarnation that encompasses everything and evolves all things. And against this chaotic backdrop, countless miniature yet incredibly real stars are performing an eternal cycle of reincarnation according to some incomparably mysterious trajectory that seems to point directly to the origin of the Great Dao. Some nebulae are slowly condensing under the influence of gravity, igniting nuclear fusion and transforming into brand new stars. Some stars are in their prime, steadily emitting light and heat, or surrounded by planets, nurturing the embryonic forms of life. Some stars are entering their twilight years, expanding into red giants, or collapsing into dense white dwarfs or neutron stars after exhausting their fuel. There are also those extremely massive stars, which, in their final moments of life, stage a splendid funeral of supernova explosions, scattering their core matter into the universe, or completely collapsing into black holes, symbolizing the "return to the abyss", from which not even light can escape... However, even these black holes are not the absolute end. They slowly evaporate through Hawking radiation, and eventually return everything they have swallowed to the universe in a new form, participating in the birth of the next round of stars! Life and death, creation and destruction, order and chaos—here, they are not opposites, but rather a perfect, dynamic, and endlessly balanced and cyclical existence! The light emanating from the stars is no longer simply energy radiation; their spectrum naturally contains the miraculous power to purify negative energy, infuse life into all things, and stabilize spiritual consciousness. And the "returning abyss" regions (such as black holes and neutron stars) formed after the extinction of stars are not completely dead and stagnant. They are like "compressed packages" and "seed banks" of the universe, containing even greater potential and the mysterious power to reshape everything, waiting to be released in the next cycle of reincarnation!
This "Sarsara Universe" has become a world unto itself, its internal laws complete and self-consistent. It perfectly inherits the mystical qualities of the power of samsara, which dissolves all phenomena, eliminates cause and effect, and returns everything to its original cycle. It also fully integrates the powerful qualities of the power of the stars, which maintain order, purify evil, create life, and protect hope. It seems a perfect creation born specifically to counter the "Law of the End" of the "Lord of Annihilation," which aims to drag all things into eternal death and silence. Can you devour death and end? But here, the cycle of life and death is endless, and destruction is the prelude to rebirth, endless and boundless! Can you distort order and impose a single "purity"? But the order here stems from the natural rhythm of the birth and death of the stars. It embraces change, allows for diversity, and seeks balance in dynamics. It is itself a higher level of order, full of vitality!
At the moment when the "Reincarnation Universe" was completely stabilized and the cycle of birth and death of the stars within it was on track—
Boom! Boom!
Two majestic auras, many times more powerful than before, as vast as the sea of stars, incredibly pure, and imbued with a hint of the aura of creation, erupted from Ye Li and Qin Yixuan's bodies like the awakening of a primordial beast, slumbering for eternity. Their realms, previously fragile and unstable due to the damage done to their essences by repeated fierce battles, were now infused with boundless vitality, rising and solidifying at an unprecedented rate! The barrier of the peak of the Early Saint Realm that had previously troubled them was as fragile as a cicada's wing before this new power, a fusion of two supreme laws, and was easily shattered! Their realms soared through the air, directly crossing the chasm and firmly establishing themselves in the Middle Saint Realm! Moreover, because this power stemmed from the fusion and sublimation of their own laws, their foundations were so strong and their understanding of the laws of the universe so profound that they far surpassed those of those who ascended through ordinary means to the Middle Saint Realm, even rivaling some veteran Late Saint Realm masters!
The aura surrounding them grew deeper, more profound, and more mysterious, as if merging with the surrounding sea of stars and the void. Yet, a closer look revealed the order and radiance of the stars' trajectory, as seen in Ye Li's profound conception of reincarnation; and the profound radiance of Qin Yixuan's starry light, as seen in the profound vicissitudes and tolerance inherent in the cycle of reincarnation. In this moment, their power, their will, and even their very existence, truly reached a state of perfect symbiosis, a state of seamless integration, inseparable.
However, just as the overwhelming sense of power and the joy of creating a new life brought about by this breakthrough spread through the hearts of the two like a warm current, dispelling the long-standing haze -
A vast, ancient, gentle yet imbued with supreme majesty, an inexplicable wave, as if emanating from the very source that nurtured this multiverse, swept silently across this newly born "reincarnation universe" like a gentle spring breeze. This wave was gentle and swift, disappearing as soon as it touched. But the subtle yet tangible trace of recognition and blessing within it was clearly perceived by Ye Li and Qin Yixuan. It was as if the mother universe, in the endless river of time and space, had accidentally glimpsed a newborn "child" with unique potential and the potential for a different future, and subconsciously cast a ray of expectant attention and recognition.
But this wave of "blessing" originating from the Supreme Source, representing the recognition of "existence" itself, is like ringing an extremely harsh dinner bell beside the feast that is about to be completed for a certain existence lurking in the depths of the starry sea!
“Buzz——!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!”
Far clearer and closer than any before, filled with the utter fury of being forcibly disturbed, icy murderous intent, and a hint of... provoked tyrannical will, like a thoroughly enraged ancient deity that controls death and the end. From the absolute core of the starry sea, deepest and darkest, where even the laws of nature were blurred, it erupted violently, like the collective scream of billions of resentful souls, instantly engulfing the entire boundless sea! Within the starry sea, the light of those distant stars seemed to dim and sway beneath this will, and the endless void trembled and wailed!
The birth of the "Samsara Universe," with its unique, perfectly balanced primordial aura of birth, death, and order, unexpectedly triggered a faint blessing from the very origins of the universe. But this blessing, like dropping a red-hot boulder from another world into the crater of a volcano about to erupt, was like dropping a red-hot boulder from another world into the crater of a volcano. Its essence, brimming with vitality and cycles, representing the diversity and tenacious vitality of existence, was the greatest heresy, the most intolerable change and provocation to the "Lord of Nirvana," who single-mindedly pursued the return of all things to the abyss and the deadly "perfection" of silence.
"He... was completely awakened by us! His last slumber... was interrupted!" Ye Li's eyes suddenly became extremely sharp, like a peerless divine sword drawn from its sheath. She clearly felt a will full of destruction and greed, like a cold searchlight, firmly locking onto this new "Samsara Universe". She shouted in a deep voice, with unprecedented solemnity in her voice.
Qin Yixuan's beautiful face was also covered with frost. Starlight circulated around her, resonating with the stars within the "Samsara Universe," forming an invisible defense. "His final awakening has been greatly accelerated! The time left for the spirit world, for us, to prepare... is probably much less than expected, or even... possibly gone!"
The two looked at each other, and saw from each other's deep eyes that the light of joy that had just risen due to the breakthrough was quickly replaced by a stronger and more urgent pressure.
The "Samsara Universe" has been completed, and their strength has undergone a qualitative leap. They have the real confidence to compete head-on with the "Lord of Nirvana".
But at the same time, the final whistle of the final battle was...forced to be blown early because of their breakthrough!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
