The Second Level of the "Ring"

"Master, you've received 1,000 points."

Xiao Le's voice sounded especially sweet.

"Just leave them there. It's only a thousand points—won't get me much anyway." Li Dui was in a good mood and, for once, felt like chatting with his Auxiliary Intelligence.

Of the thousand geniuses in this batch, Li Dui was the 306th to pass the first level of the Heavenly Bridge.

If that could be considered a ranking, then his standing among the thousand had probably risen quite a bit since the Genius Battle.

Originally, geniuses who ranked below 100 in the Genius Battle didn't have exact rankings. But taking their Trial Tower rankings and performances in the three Arena Tournament rounds into account, Li Dui had probably been somewhere between 700th and 800th. He'd been near the bottom.

That kind of rise should be within the normal range. It wouldn't attract the attention of any big shots.

Li Dui left his residence and flew straight toward the City Lord Mansion.

Passing the first level of the Heavenly Bridge automatically earned him a chance to study a Chaos Stele. Li Dui planned to use it right away.

With the "Ring," Li Dui could study a Chaos Stele at any time—or so it seemed. In fact, its effects surpassed those of a Chaos Stele.

But cultivation wasn't as simple as having resources and making progress.

Take the Human Race's Top Universe Overlords, for example. Palace Master Tian Shi, who suppressed the Xueluo World, couldn't become a Universe Master. Was that because he hadn't had enough chances to study a Chaos Stele?

Li Dui believed that if Palace Master Tian Shi wanted to study one, he could pick whichever stele he wanted and study it for as long as he liked.

There had to be a point where it stopped being useful.

Li Dui also had to plan ahead. If one day the "Ring" wasn't as effective, could combining it with the Giant Axe Chaos Stele produce an effect greater than the sum of its parts?

He needed to find out.

In front of the bronze doors to the Giant Axe Chaos Stele's cultivation chamber, Li Dui bowed to the kindly-looking old man standing there. "Lord Kandeli."

This old man was considered terrifying even among the Venerables, particularly because of his extraordinary ability to survive. The cultivation chambers for all 52 Chaos Tablets were guarded by his 52 clones.

An undying powerhouse like him was the most troublesome kind of enemy.

"Mm, Li Dui. Here to study a Chaos Stele? Ah, good. You've just passed the first level of the Heavenly Bridge, so you've earned a chance. Go on in; there's no one inside right now." Kandeli checked Li Dui's records, confirmed he was eligible, and spoke in a calm voice.

The bronze doors slowly swung open. Li Dui thanked him and stepped inside.

Chaotic airstreams swirled through the chamber. At the far end stood a massive stone stele, over a hundred meters tall and nearly a hundred meters wide.

As he approached, he looked up at it from bottom to top.

The Giant Axe Chaos Stele had twelve diagrams in all. But the top three were obscured by chaotic airstreams, their images only faintly discernible. Only the nine lower diagrams were clearly visible.

The first diagram showed a long gash, as though carved by a blade or an axe. Beside it were nine cracks, as if they had burst outward from the gash.

The second diagram showed three gashes, each with nine cracks.

The third diagram showed twelve intersecting gashes, with a total of 108 cracks.

The fourth diagram showed a giant boulder split in two, with debris scattered around the break.

The fifth diagram showed a palace collapsing. Dozens of its pillars seemed to have been swept by a single axe stroke, all of them shattered.

The sixth diagram showed a planet cleaved nearly in half by an axe. Countless fragments flew outward and magma sprayed everywhere, painting a scene of destruction.

The seventh diagram showed a burly man wielding a battle axe and striking toward the heavens, creating seven phantom images of the axe.

The eighth diagram showed two men, each wielding a battle axe and attacking the other. Their axes each transformed into eight phantom images.

The ninth diagram showed countless axe-wielders battling in a chaotic melee. Each person's axe produced nine phantom images.

The section above the ninth diagram was hidden by chaotic airstreams. Li Dui could tell there were three more diagrams, but couldn't see what they depicted.

Li Dui silently studied the nine diagrams. From the first to the sixth, he could sense that they represented six axe techniques. The Giant Axe Founder had used these six techniques to explain his understanding of the laws.

Normally, each diagram corresponded to three levels of the Heavenly Bridge. In other words, fully comprehending the first diagram would let someone pass the third level. Fully comprehending the second would let them pass the sixth.

But Li Dui had a feeling that if he completely grasped the first diagram and created a blade technique corresponding to it, he could probably pass the fourth level of the Heavenly Bridge by challenging someone above his level.

As expected of the Giant Axe Founder—the pillar that held up the Human Race.

As for the seventh, eighth, and ninth diagrams, Li Dui could only guess that they represented three secret techniques. He had no idea how they could be performed.

Time was limited; he couldn't afford to waste it. Li Dui sat down cross-legged. The moment he entered a state of contemplation, he sensed something was off. First, he could clearly feel that his comprehension speed was far greater than before—at least ten times faster.

Also, on the "Ring," he had previously sensed only one level of the Flowing Light. The rest had been nothing more than a revolving display to him.

But this time, another level of the Flowing Light stirred a special feeling in him.

Was it because I've reached Universe Rank? Li Dui wondered. Every time a cultivator advanced, their life level underwent a leap.

He calmed down and studied the second level carefully. Gradually, he understood. The first level guided him in understanding and using the Ten Great Laws.

The second level, then, showed him how the Ten Great Laws could be combined with one another to produce even greater power and mysteries.

By the time he grasped this, more than half a day had passed. But Li Dui didn't begrudge the time at all. Instead, he was filled with delight.

From what he understood, in this world, if someone had enough talent in a single law, becoming an Immortal wasn't too difficult.

And if they also had a strong talent for combining laws, they might reach the level of a Venerable.

Venerables were true powerhouses in the universe.

If reaching Universe Rank already brought this benefit, could Domain Lord Rank let him sense a third level? What guidance would the third level offer? The fusion of laws?

The fusion of laws could take someone to the level of a Universe Overlord—or even a Universe Master.

Big brother Hula Hoop, you really are something. Li Dui took deep breaths, doing his best to calm his excitement.

He forced himself to clear his mind, focusing half of it on the "Ring" and the other half on the first diagram of the Chaos Stele.

Axe marks...

Nine cracks...

Laws...

Essence, mysteries...

"Come out."

A voice rang out in Li Dui's mind, echoing again and again.

"Come out." "Come out." "Come out." Each time, the voice grew louder.

"Ah!" Li Dui clutched his forehead and hurried toward the bronze doors, which had already swung open.

The moment he rushed outside, the voice echoing in his mind vanished.

Li Dui smiled wryly, saluted Kandeli, who was resting with his eyes closed nearby, then quickly left.

After seven days of study, he'd confirmed one thing: the Giant Axe Chaos Stele was excellent—powerful, too. It pointed straight to the essence of the laws and was an invaluable cultivation treasure.

But judged solely by that function, it was far inferior to the Hula Hoop.

For Li Dui, the Giant Axe Chaos Stele's real value was in how the Giant Axe Founder analyzed and expressed the laws.

The first, second, and third diagrams had been Li Dui's main focus this time. The three secret techniques depicted in them had given him a great deal of inspiration.