A Lower-Level Human World, the Prelude to the Game's Invasion

Amidst shock and confusion, the monster suddenly uttered a phrase befitting a player.

Clearly, his world had also been invaded by games.

He then vanished completely, and Zhang Mingzhen made no attempt to explain.

He never cheated.

Because it has never been turned off.

How can you talk about "cheating" then?

This fierce battle has finally come to an end.

Although somewhat reluctant to rely on this power, the "Heart of Undeath" has saved his life several times in life-or-death situations.

This made Zhang Mingzhen sigh: Damn it, the cheat code is still not big enough.

You can't rely on your own attributes to overwhelm others; you have to rely on the equipment you obtain.

As the demons vanished, the Black Mist that filled the room gradually thinned, eventually leaving only his and Xi Feng's silent bodies.

The high priest of the Azurewave Clan was finally freed, and it was time for him to deliver his mission to Xi He.

Just as he was about to turn and leave, he saw Xi Feng's body begin to slowly disintegrate, and light dust rose up, coalescing into a hazy phantom in mid-air.

The translucent spirit was not new to him—could it be another remnant of a soul?

The formed soul of Xi Feng seemed to retain some memories, and looked at him with apologetic eyes. "I'm sorry... because of my mistake, you were put in such a dangerous situation."

Xi Feng's soul was not as solid as Xi He's, with light particles constantly drifting from its edges, making it difficult to maintain for long.

Having broken free from her shackles, Xi Feng finally regained all her memories.

"A thousand years... I never imagined the Tide Clan would ultimately come to this." His voice was as soft as a sigh. "Thank you."

"I never expected that you could actually defeat the Demon Race."

"Did you make a mistake with the seal you placed?"

Faced with Zhang Mingzhen's question, Xi Feng slowly shook her head. "No, that demon is not something we can completely eradicate."

"Using myself as a prison to imprison him was the only feasible method at the time... but I never expected that someone would actually be able to defeat him before even reaching the summit."

What ethnic group do you belong to?

Confusion appeared in his gaze as he looked at Zhang Mingzhen.

Demon Race are already rare high-level beings in the world, could there be beings even higher than them? Perhaps my perspective is ultimately limited.

"Those Demon Race don't seem to be invincible after all."

Zhang Mingzhen recalled the scene of their earlier struggle.

Although the process was difficult, it was ultimately because there was a gap of 22 levels between them— Xi Feng was already level 100, while he was only level 78.

"It's because it's no longer at its peak." Xi Feng sighed softly. "The Demon Race is a fourth-order being that has undergone four transformations. In the past, you would have had no chance of winning easily."

"I sealed it behind my back, and its innate supernatural powers were completely lost, leaving it only with a foundation slightly better than that of an ordinary cultivator."

"Moreover, Demon Race excel at close combat combined with spells, while my Tide Clan is only proficient in far-reaching spells. This body actually restricts its strength... A truly complete Demon Race can take on a hundred men."

Zhang Mingzhen fell silent immediately.

It turned out that what he had witnessed was nothing more than a desperate struggle between trapped beasts. If the opponent had not lost its true form, the outcome would likely still be uncertain.

What exactly is the meaning of the so-called hierarchy of living beings?

"Different world levels give rise to different levels of life," Xi Feng explained. "For example, my Tide Clan is born with the ability to control all waters; this is the talent of a second-tier being."

"The Demon Race ranks fourth and is revered as a superior life form—they have a natural ability to suppress lower races, and at the same level, those of lower rank almost never have a chance of winning."

"This is also the reason why high-level races have always stood firm in the God's Domain."

They didn't realize that this was due to the Game System.

Gao Linzhi had already guessed this.

The higher the Source Energy of a world, the higher the talents and base levels that beings from that world will acquire when they are transformed into players.

Its base attributes are also high.

That's why Xi Feng was so shocked when he saw Zhang Mingzhen overcome such a formidable obstacle.

He had resigned himself to eternal damnation with this demon, but who knew he would live to see the starlight again.

Zhang Mingzhen, however, thought of the humans on his home planet Earth who had no special abilities and only reached the level of the extraordinary when the God's Domain descended upon them.

Compared to the Azurewave Clan, they were perhaps even more humble.

"I come from the human race, and before the appearance of the God's Domain, I was no different from ordinary people, so my level was probably not high." He paused, "These things are not important."

What are your plans for the future?

Xi Feng's figure began to glow faintly, a relieved smile blooming on his lips, "This remnant soul is about to dissipate into the world... A thousand years of imprisonment, finally freed."

"Could you please pass on a message to Xi He? Like that demon, I can never leave this place again."

"Please speak."

Tell her... I can no longer keep my promise.

"But as the tides rise and fall, there will eventually be a time for us to meet again. Thank you for waiting for me for a thousand years."

Points of light drifted from his fingertips. "I am ashamed to say that I have no treasure to repay your kindness."

"It's alright. I'll convey your message."

Xi Feng's figure gradually faded, eventually turning into a wisp of breeze.

Zhang Mingzhen stood there, stunned, suddenly recalling the past annihilation of the Azurewave Clan —was this the destined end for a weak tribe?

This is the harsh reality.

Thinking back to the War of Resistance against Japan, if it weren't for their unwavering perseverance, the consequences would have been dire.

Don't tell me you have someone to help you; if you can't handle it yourself, no one will help you.

He didn't want to become someone who could be easily crushed by others.

No matter what mysteries lie behind the God's Domain, he must keep climbing until no one can control his life or death.

Returning to the place where I first met Xi He, that slender figure was indeed waiting quietly in the same spot.

After hearing everything, her expression remained as calm as a deep pool, as if she had already foreseen this ending.

"I see... that agreement."

She gazed at the distant sky and sighed, "Before he left, he said that after sealing the Demon Race, he would return to protect our people with me."

"Throughout a thousand years, I have kept this promise without feeling lonely."

May the tides guide us to meet again.

As Xi Feng's figure faded away, Xi He's body also began to dissipate like dust.

Without obsessions, death is swift.

She had no reason to stay here any longer; she could only return to the embrace of the eternal tides.

A system notification sounded at this moment:

"Congratulations to player Chongxing for successfully uncovering the secrets of the Tide Clan, fulfilling the request of the Saintess Xi He, and obtaining the Holy Relic 'Jade Coral Conch'."

"Hello, I... may I ask you one last thing?" Xi He wanted to do one last thing for her people before she disappeared completely.

"What is it? Speak."

"By possessing this Holy Relic, one will gain the power to rule the Tide Clan."

"Could you... promise to treat our people well in the future?"

This Jade Coral Conch holds the secret to reshaping the bodies of the Azurewave Clan. Given the right time and enough years, it can enable this race to reproduce and grow stronger once again, and may become a force to be reckoned with in the future.

However, Zhang Mingzhen actually had no intention of taking on such trouble.

The time and effort involved were secondary; cultivating a race was not something that could be accomplished overnight, and he couldn't afford to wait that long.

Moreover, the Tide Clan was so easily defeated by the Demon Race before; a single high-level demon almost wiped them out. Even if they reappeared, what help could they possibly offer?

"How many years will it take for a new race to take shape? What can I gain from it? If there are no sufficient benefits, then let's abandon this matter."

He has always disliked getting involved in tedious matters.

"It seems you have not yet truly grasped the immense power of the 'God's Domain'."

"The reason why those higher life forms fight endlessly here in pursuit of power is not only because of strength, but also because of their endless lifespan."

"In the God's Domain Game, immortality is not an illusion."

"Even higher beings have a natural lifespan, but here they can draw upon infinite energy to achieve true immortality."

"This is the root cause of why the God's Domain attracts countless beings to flock there."

Xi He's voice grew increasingly ethereal, yet she still tried her best to speak:

"Moreover, the price you need to pay for possessing this Holy Relic is negligible, while the future gains are immeasurable."

"Our race is born with the extraordinary ability to condense 'Spirit Core,' and this item can help you elevate your Life Level to the second stage."

Unlike Xi Feng, Xi He, could vaguely sense that Zhang Mingzhen's current life level was quite low, probably not even reaching the first level.

As long as he continues to absorb the Spirit Core produced by the Azurewave Clan, he can steadily advance to the second level.

The elevation of Life Level... this point truly resonated with Zhang Mingzhen.

He might not care about anything else, but the Demon Race's constant talk of the difference between high and low classes made him want to explore the hierarchy of life itself.

"What are the specific effects of raising Life Level? And... it can only go up to level two? That doesn't sound very high."

Xi He hearing this, Xihe's spirit body rippled slightly, as if she were somewhat annoyed, but considering that the other party was indeed completely unaware of this, she had no choice but to suppress her anger and patiently explain:

"The Life Level is rooted in the World Source from which life arises."

"For lower beings to ascend to a higher level is almost like challenging the established rules of the world; it is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

"The only path I know of is to continuously draw upon the Spirit Core."

"As for the methods of promotion to higher levels, that is beyond my knowledge."

She then took the opportunity to provide a brief explanation:

"Individuals at different life levels have vastly different growth ceilings and inherent powers."

"I cannot fully explain the specific mysteries, but I do know for certain that higher life forms often have a natural ability to suppress lower life forms."

"This suppression stems from a fundamental difference in life force, which cannot be compensated for by mere combat strength."

"The greater the difference in social hierarchy, the more irreversible the suppression becomes."

"If you wish to secure a place in the future war of the God's Domain, elevating your own Life Level is a crucial step!"

It turns out there is a suppression of the very essence of life... This rule is rather tyrannical.

No wonder that monster's words were full of contempt for lower life forms.

They are born with a level that lower beings may never reach in their entire lives, so they naturally regard him as worthless.

"When will your Tide Clan be able to produce Spirit Core for me? And how many Spirit Core do I need to absorb to achieve a level advancement?" Zhang Mingzhen pressed.

Xi He's figure had faded to almost transparent.

"Once the assimilation rate between your world and the God's Domain reaches over 90%, you can seek a suitable place for our race to live and activate the Holy Relic."

"Only after the Azurewave Clan unleash their innate ability to condense their Spirit Core."

"This... will take some time."

What she didn't say was that it would likely take an extremely long time.

But she feared that if she told the truth, Zhang Mingzhen would refuse to find a place for her people to be reborn.

Don't blame her for being selfish; it's ultimately for the survival of her race.

Waiting again.

A familiar sense of unease rose in Zhang Mingzhen; it was the unpleasant feeling of being powerless to control the challenges that were about to come.

Is there no other way?

"Yes."

"The growth of a race inevitably requires the accumulation of time."

"Our race has endured only because of the Holy Relic. My time... has come."

"Please, you are the last hope of our people..." Xi He's voice was filled with a sorrowful plea.

Zhang Mingzhen did not give a direct promise.

He would not violate his principles because of anyone's pleas.

His guiding principle has always been: he won't act without a profit motive.

This is the basic quality of a player.

Tide Clan has not yet demonstrated any investment value, he naturally wouldn't easily promise to help them revive.

Unable to obtain Zhang Mingzhen's consent, Xi He's last whisper before dissipating was filled with regret, "You are already the destined master of our clan... One day, you will understand..."

Before the words were finished, the light and shadow shattered into the void.

And at this time...

Gao Linzhi had already figured it out.

This is how the Skyfall Game System invades various worlds—by offering the temptation of immortality. For the system, doing this is a piece of cake.

Then they attract high-level guides (D) and subsequently invade various worlds.

Even Gao Linzhi himself, to put it bluntly, did the same thing.

However, his ambition was even greater; it wasn't just about achieving immortality, but also about seizing control of the Game System itself.

You must have the Golden Finger to success in your own hands.

Now, thanks to the Power of Space-Time, he has gained some authority and is ahead of other high-level beings. He must maintain his advantage and accelerate his progress.

Get more chess pieces.

Zhang Mingzhen is doing a good job right now, bringing him more information and making it easier for him to further explore the root of the system.

And at this time...

A strong repulsive force suddenly emanated from the entire sacred land.

In the blink of an eye, Zhang Mingzhen was standing at the entrance where he had first stepped into the Teleportation Array.

The vortex behind them vanished completely, and all traces of the formation disappeared.

It seems that it won't be long before this Secret Realm is removed from the list of dangerous places in the Dragon Palace.

Recalling the guide who was caught in the vortex, and recalling the rumors of visitors from other worlds and trials in the God's Domain, he had a vague guess in his heart... Perhaps many of the so-called Secret Realm bosses in the God's Domain were once adventurers from other worlds.

They simply lost all their memories and became completely part of the rules.

He will never repeat this path.

Just then, another system notification appeared.

"The Azurewave Clan has been completely annihilated, and the integration rate of the Earth world has exceeded 50%."

"New rules are coming soon. After a 48-hour grace period, the Bloodsport Mode will be fully activated."

"In the wilderness, danger is no longer limited to monsters—travelers from other factions, also human, can become deadly blades."

Upon hearing the report, Zhang Mingzhen immediately understood that countless killings would inevitably occur in the shadows in the struggle for the secret treasures and resources.

It seems this game is designed to subject players to a brutal internal purge before they encounter powerful otherworldly enemies.

If we broaden our perspective to encompass all realms, is the so-called cross-domain challenge also a form of survival of the fittest?

With these thoughts in mind, Zhang Mingzhen temporarily suppressed his jumbled ideas.

The road ahead is uncertain and unclear; we must proceed cautiously step by step.

We must constantly grow stronger, not only to dominate Earth, but also to confront all the heavens and myriad realms.

Perhaps in this vast sea of stars, it would be hard to find a world with a lower starting point than humanity today...