Thunder Dragon Step
A close-combat secret technique. By controlling changes in the flow of time, it could affect the speed of attacks and movements, whether those of the enemy or the user. It could only be cultivated by someone with Thunder Dragon Bloodline who had crossed the threshold of the Thunder Law. It had only three levels.
The secret technique had only three levels.
The first level, a single Phantom Body, altered the flow of time within a small area and marked the beginner stage of Thunder Dragon Step. It could only be cultivated after crossing the threshold of the Time Law.
The second level, Thousand Phantom Bodies, marked the intermediate stage of Thunder Dragon Step. It could accelerate time and slightly increase speed, achieving the effect of one side waning as the other waxed.
The third level, Thunder Step, could accelerate time within a certain area. For example, by applying Time Acceleration to himself, the user could reach a speed comparable to Teleportation. This marked the advanced stage of the secret technique.
"Thunder Dragon Fall is a long-range attack secret technique, while Thunder Dragon Step is a movement-based combat secret technique. Could there be an area-of-effect attack secret technique too?" Li Yilin drew a sharp breath.
The system's powers far exceeded what he had imagined. He couldn't help wondering whether it contained a complete legacy.
So far, the items the system had bestowed were all related to the "Thunder Dragon." Could the "Thunder Dragon" be the system's creator?
The thought flashed through Li Yilin's mind for less than a second before he dismissed it.
Whoever had created the system, and whatever their ultimate goal was, it wasn't something a Domain Lord like him—who hadn't even solved the problem of his lifespan—could know. He might as well focus on cultivating in peace.
Noah Universe Kingdom.
Deep within the "Space Interlayer" in an obscure, hidden secret-realm starfield, stood a vast God Kingdom.
This enormous God Kingdom was the base of a Zerg covert organization.
Atop a towering mountain in the God Kingdom stood a temple tens of thousands of kilometers high. Inside its resplendent halls, a low voice echoed through the silence.
"Master, most of our forces stationed in the Lulun Empire have been wiped out."
"Oh?" Mother Emperor Nayue's gentle voice came from the throne. "What happened?"
"That Domain Lord native from Wunuo Star earned the title of 'Giant Axe Warrior,' and the Giant Axe Arena returned Wunuo Star to him. Our people feared he'd notice something amiss if he went back, so they sent assassins after him." Yike knelt on the ground, eyes lowered in reverence.
"We never expected that native to have a connection with Sawatdee, the manager of the Giant Axe Arena. Red Blood King stands behind Sawatdee... He even enlisted Red Blood King's influence to investigate, and our people were discovered after all."
"Fortunately, we cut off our control of Wunuo Star in time and killed everyone who knew the truth... The Giant Axe Arena shouldn't know our true identity, but they must have their suspicions. I've already ordered everyone in the Lulun Empire to withdraw and avoid crossing paths with the Giant Axe Arena's people..."
Unlike the Machine Race, the Zerg had to expend a great deal of precious resources to raise powerful, talented Zerg Warriors.
One of his subordinates had stumbled upon Wunuo Star by chance. It was a native planet rich in resources, and he'd planned to develop a foothold there to please his master. He hadn't expected the native to act so decisively. As soon as he learned that an outside force had discovered his home planet, he'd sold himself to the Giant Axe Arena without hesitation, all to protect his home.
With his master's orders, he couldn't afford to cross the Giant Axe Arena. If he ruined his master's plan, even a thousand deaths wouldn't make up for it. But Wunuo Star's resources were so vast and valuable that his subordinates couldn't bear to abandon them. That was why they'd continued their covert operations on Wunuo Star for the past thirty thousand years.
The Giant Axe Arena didn't know they were involved with Wunuo Star, but given its influence among the Human Race, ordinary forces wouldn't dare provoke it. They'd repeatedly dared to flaunt themselves right under its nose, so the arena was bound to grow suspicious.
"What you described was an unexpected bonus. We can let it go." Nayue's voice remained gentle. "The most important thing is to keep our existence hidden.
"Our mission in the Noah Universe Kingdom is far more important than the resources of a single planet."
A little E6 Grade Metal was of no benefit to her. But if it compromised her plan, the cost could be hundreds or even thousands of times greater.
"Yes."
Virtual Universe.
As soon as Yike entered the castle, Bertin hurried over to greet her.
"Teacher." Bertin dropped to his knees with a thud, his face filled with remorse.
Yike walked straight past him, took her seat on the throne above, then lowered her gaze to her kneeling eldest disciple. Her slender, pale fingers tapped lightly on the armrest, her eyes indifferent.
"You've disappointed me greatly." A glint of cold light crossed her eyes. She looked at him not as her disciple, but as a stranger she could kill at any moment. "You're a World Lord, yet you couldn't even assassinate a Domain Lord. What have you been doing all this time—stuffing your cultivation into a beast's belly?"
"This disciple was simply too foolish." Bertin lowered his head, cold sweat beading on his forehead. He didn't dare make excuses.
"Hmph!"
After leaving his teacher's castle and returning to his own villa, Bertin stared at the empty hall and swept his sleeve violently.
"Smash!"
"Clang, clang, clatter..."
The fine ornaments on the table crashed to the floor, shattering in an instant. Sharp shards of every size littered the once spotless floor.
"Crack!" He ground a shard beneath his toe. As it broke with a crisp snap, Bertin's expression darkened.
"Li Yilin!" He clenched his fists so tightly they creaked, rage battering his reason as his eyes turned bloodshot.
"You dared to toy with me and get me scolded by my teacher. She even said I'd disappointed her. I'll kill you sooner or later!!!"
Virtual Universe.
Noah Island.
The independent space belonging to the Giant Axe Arena's Noah Branch.
Inside an elegant villa, three Human Race members of different appearances sat facing one another.
"Li Yilin has given up the metal-mining resources on Wunuo Star... and handed everything over to our arena to handle. What do you think?" Lord Luojia asked his two friends.
"That kid's clever. He's tossed the problem back to us." Lord Guden gave a derisive laugh.
"He wouldn't have lived long enough to earn the title of 'Giant Axe Warrior' if he weren't clever." Lord Lance smiled and shook his head, then picked up the drink on the table and poured himself a glass.
"The Virtual Universe estimates the Leimai Galaxy, where Wunuo Star is located, to be worth around 230 billion Universe Coins. The metal deposits on Wunuo Star alone are valued at over ten thousand Hunyuan Units—and that's without accounting for any E6 Grade Wunuo Essence being found... All in all, trading the Leimai Galaxy for Wunuo Star's metal resources is a good deal," Lord Luojia said leisurely.
"The only catch is that the kid insists we mustn't shorten Wunuo Star's lifespan or damage the planet when mining its metal. Filling in the cavities left by the mining would cost us at least five Hunyuan Units' worth of resources. It's hard to part with that much." Lord Luojia shook his head, regret plain in his voice.
"Don't be too greedy," Lord Guden said with a cold laugh. "We're spending less than five Hunyuan Units to obtain returns worth over ten thousand. Even if most of the profits go to the arena, we'll still make a fortune from our share."
"His demands are already very modest. He's giving up Wunuo Star and all its benefits just to protect the Wutuo Clan. Luojia, you should work on that habit of yours—never wanting to give anything away." Lord Lance glanced at Luojia and spoke at an unhurried pace.
"Li Yilin is only forty thousand years old, yet he's already at Domain Lord Level. Who can say for certain that he won't surpass us someday?" Lord Guden added.
"It's unwise to make an enemy of him."
With both his friends criticizing him, Lord Luojia looked sheepish.
Dark Universe.
A spaceship traveled aimlessly through a sea of "points of light."
Spaceship control room.
Inside the World Ring.
Li Yilin floated in the air, holding the horn of the Heaven-Swallowing Bull Beast as his expression shifted back and forth.
"Should I use it or not?" He ran his fingers over the flame patterns on the horn, hesitation written all over his face.
He didn't know its Gene Level or its innate inheritance, and he had no idea where it came from. He only knew its name.
Using it to create a clone was even more thrilling than gambling!
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