Before Parting

War Bone, who was usually quiet and unassuming, had made such a stunning breakthrough that many King-level masters in Chaos City couldn't help but turn to look. Reaching the Thirteenth Floor at World Lord Level was practically the average standard for the Core Layer of the Heavenly Region. Not only had he successfully become a Core Member of the Giant Axe Dojo, but several King-level powerhouses had also come to take him as a disciple.

A talent like his, if he avoided falling, had an extremely high chance of reaching Immortality in the future. There was even a chance he could attain Marquis Rank. That was enough to catch the interest of some Kings.

On the rooftop of a gray building, a man dressed in black sat cross-legged in quiet meditation. His gaze rested on the Law Secret Patterns that flickered in and out of view overhead. After a long while, a faint smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

One era in the Primal Universe amounted to three thousand two hundred and eighty years in the Initial Universe. And ten years from now, their group of World Lords would be leaving Chaos City!

Immortals, as well as "quasi"-Immortals who broke through in Chaos City, were allowed to train there for an entire era. That was why some World Lords who had the chance to break through to Immortality seized it at once. Once they succeeded, they gained more than six thousand additional years to study the Laws. In other words, they paid the price of a World Lord's lifespan to gain the training time allotted to an Immortal.

The Human Race's higher-ups were naturally pleased to see this. Even if an Immortal who broke through under these circumstances had almost no chance of becoming a King in the future, an Immortal was still precious. At the very least, they could become a mentor to the Human Race's rising talents.

In ten years, he would have to leave Chaos City. After that, to return, he would either have to become an Immortal and attain King Rank, spend a fortune to buy his way in, or go back to the army and fight, earning an enormous amount of Military Merit to exchange for entry.

Moreover, even those who entered the Initial Universe for a second time would no longer receive reward points or an allowance of points to exchange for Secret Techniques, even if they had joined one of the Five Great Powers.

However, Ye Muxuan had chosen to challenge the Heavenly Bridge directly while he was still in Chaos City.

During his first millennium in Chaos City, he had "successfully" cleared the Fifteenth Floor. Aside from making Zhendan, Kong Yan, Li Zheng, and the others gasp in admiration, grit their teeth, and seethe with envy, the feat had also earned him a super powerhouse at Venerable Level as a nominal disciple.

A few years after Heavenly Feather King began instructing him, he had already passed on the news on his master's behalf. The powerhouse who had accepted Heavenly Feather King as a disciple was at least a Venerable, possibly even a High Venerable, or perhaps an Overlord. Ye Muxuan was willing to enter the tutelage of someone of such stature and take her as his master, even if he was only a nominal disciple for now. With such a powerful backer, he finally had a foothold in the universe.

After further refining his plans, Ye Muxuan closed his eyes and immersed himself in Law Comprehension, preparing for his final ten years.

Not far away, Heavenly Feather King quietly watched Ye Muxuan. He had guided him for more than three thousand years, but said nothing. After a long while, he turned and left.

According to the plan laid out by his teacher, White Phoenix Palace Master, Heavenly Feather King would return to the Outer Battlefield. This time, he wouldn't retire until he reached Limit King Level.

To that end, White Phoenix Palace Master had even bestowed a Top-tier Heavy Treasure armor upon him, greatly enhancing his ability to stay alive.

Only a super powerhouse like White Phoenix Palace Master, who was so close to becoming a Top Universe Overlord, had the courage and resources to do this. She could afford it because she had also gained something on the Primal Star this time. Ordinary Venerables, even Overlords, usually had only one or two Ordinary Supreme Treasures for their own use. Top-tier Heavy Treasures were extremely precious; they themselves had only a few, and might not even have a complete set. Bestowing one upon a disciple was out of the question.

Time passed. Three thousand two hundred and eighty years went by almost imperceptibly, as if time had frozen. In Chaos City, apart from the brief bustle every ten thousand years when members of the Genius Battle and the Strongest Battle entered or left the Initial Universe, the only other disturbances came when powerhouses occasionally traveled in and out. For the rest of the time, the city seemed unchanged.

On the rooftop of the gray building, Ye Muxuan opened his eyes. This time, he had been immersed in meditation for only a little over eight years. It had allowed him to review his Law Comprehension from every angle, both to make one last attempt at the Heavenly Bridge before leaving and to prepare for his return to the Outer Battlefield.

In ten days, their group of World Lords from the Outer Battlefield, along with the Immortals from the auction house and the three "quasi"-Immortals, would leave Chaos City together.

During those final ten days, the World Lords from the Outer Battlefield had gathered once in the Virtual Universe on the first day to chat and catch up. Afterward, many who weren't ready to give up went to challenge the Heavenly Bridge again—a last struggle before parting. Within that single day, ninety-nine of the hundred World Lords had gone to challenge it, but not one had managed to advance another level!

Two days later, Ye Muxuan opened his eyes on the rooftop of the gray building, stood, and went downstairs. In his bedroom, he tidied himself up until he was clean and presentable, tied back his long hair, and hung the Wind Shadow Blade at his waist. After calming himself, he stepped outside and headed toward the City Lord Mansion.

He had already asked ahead of time. If he set out now, he would reach the City Lord Mansion just in time to study the Chaos Stele. As for having used up all his opportunities to study it, by the time he arrived, he would have earned another chance to challenge the Heavenly Bridge.

At the same time, he sent a wisp of consciousness into the Virtual Universe.

Virtual Universe, Heavenly Bridge, Jinghong Chaos Stele. More than two thousand years later, Ye Muxuan had returned. With Bafen's permission, he entered the Jinghong Heavenly Bridge. Since he had already cleared the first fifteen floors, he flew straight to the entrance of the Sixteenth Layer.

"Choose your opponent: Fighter, Spirit Controller, or Illusionist. Defeat your opponent to pass!" a voice called from within a mass of pitch-black clouds.

Ye Muxuan planted his feet and gazed at the distant black clouds. "I choose... Fighter."

A cloud shot out of the black mass. It dropped to the ground, rolled, and transformed into a masked figure clad in black armor, looking almost exactly like Ye Muxuan.

"You were last here more than two thousand years ago, right? You look pretty good this time. Let's see how many of my blades you can withstand!" The masked figure in black armor spoke in a hoarse voice.

More than two thousand years ago, after Ye Muxuan had "cleared" the Fifteenth Floor, he had come here once before. Back then, he had withstood two of the Gatekeeper's blows before "losing" to the third.

"We'll see," Ye Muxuan replied, slowly drawing the Wind Shadow Blade from his waist. "I want to see the scenery at a higher level!"

"Good!" The Gatekeeper's voice sharpened abruptly. From dozens of meters away, he swung his long blade at Ye Muxuan. "Then take a good look!"

Ye Muxuan drew his blade slowly. The Gatekeeper seemed to move slowly, but was actually using the Law of Time to influence the space around him. His downward slash was incredibly fast, while Ye Muxuan's draw was so slow that he only finished pulling out his blade just as the Gatekeeper's lightning-fast strike came down on his head.

"Clang—"

He blocked the long blade, then followed through with a downward slash!