Proto True Meaning

This guidance from a Deity had indeed brought Zhou Zheng enormous gains.

Leaving aside his firsthand experience of the Time Deceleration Profound Mystery, Zhou Zheng now had a clearer understanding of his path to becoming stronger in the future. His heart had also become more resolute and determined.

This change in mindset might have seemed insignificant, but it quietly exerted a tremendous influence on Zhou Zheng's cultivation.

In the blink of an eye, the final three years of Zhou Zheng's rest in the Temporal Temple passed.

Three days before the next mission, Zhou Zheng once again arrived on Time-Space Island No. 954.

Another three years had passed. Zhou Zheng was now twenty-four years old, but because he had become a Transcendental, his appearance had not changed much. He still looked like a youth.

Following the sensation from the Temporal Temple mark on his left wrist, Zhou Zheng soon arrived at a tavern.

Herk and Feng Zhuhong were already waiting there.

Zhou Zheng had already known that Feng Zhuhong had broken through to become a Transcendental, so he was not surprised. However, Herk's aura had also clearly grown much stronger.

"Lightning Swordsman, you're still the slowest one!" Herk's fanged mouth opened slightly, and he smiled strangely.

"Something held me up!" Zhou Zheng sat down in front of the two of them and nodded to Feng Zhuhong.

"Jit really didn't come. It looks like something truly happened to him!" Feng Zhuhong said. "Only the three of us are left!"

"It's not bad that three remain!" Herk said bluntly. "There's no need to care about the dead. The next mission is in three days, and we must make sufficient preparations. For example, we need to settle the matter of the captain!"

"I nominate Lightning Swordsman as captain!" Feng Zhuhong said directly.

Hearing this, Herk smiled calmly. He then looked at Zhou Zheng and asked, "She nominated you as captain. What do you think?"

Zhou Zheng naturally understood what Herk meant. He could not be bothered to beat around the bush and said directly, "No need for nonsense. You and I will fight. Whoever wins becomes captain!"

"A fight?"

Herk had not expected Zhou Zheng to be so direct, but on second thought, it suited him perfectly.

The last time Herk learned that Zhou Zheng had become a Bronze Token Divine Envoy, he had given up on becoming captain. But over the past nine years, he had completed two solo missions. Although he had taken some risks, his gains had been considerable.

His strength had now improved tremendously. In Herk's eyes, the captain's position was his for the taking.

Although Zhou Zheng had grasped the Time Deceleration Profound Mystery, how long had it been since he became a Transcendental? Herk did not believe Zhou Zheng was more qualified than him to be captain.

Half an hour later, the three members of Zhou Zheng's team arrived at a plain roughly a thousand kilometers from the central city.

Feng Zhuhong watched from afar while Zhou Zheng and Herk stood in midair, facing each other from a distance.

"Lightning Swordsman, I've long wanted to experience your Time Deceleration!" Herk grinned. "I hope you won't disappoint me!"

"Come on!"

Zhou Zheng crooked a finger at Herk.

Boom!

In an instant, a terrifying aura erupted from Herk's body. By the standards used to classify ordinary lifeforms, he had already reached the Saint level.

Whoosh!

Propelled by the powerful dark energy within his body, Herk vanished from where he stood in an instant.

Almost in the blink of an eye, he appeared not far in front of Zhou Zheng.

So fast!

In the distance, Feng Zhuhong, who was watching the battle, was secretly startled. She had already broken through to become a Transcendental, yet she could not keep up with Herk's speed at all.

At such speed, if she faced him head-on, she would likely be killed in an instant. Even within a prepared magic array, it would be difficult to deal with Herk.

But just as Feng Zhuhong was inwardly shocked—

The next moment—

Bang!

A solid, muffled impact rang out. Herk's chest instantly caved in by a large chunk.

Boom!

Herk transformed into a streak of Flowing Light and slammed violently into the distant ground, gouging out a deep pit where he landed.

"You're quite sturdy!"

Zhou Zheng shook his hand. He had been continuously absorbing Origin Stone energy and was now very close to the peak of the Flying Heaven level. However, Herk was a Demon, and his Demonic Body was inherently powerful.

Moreover, Herk's life level was now higher, so there should have been an enormous gap between Zhou Zheng's physical body and his.

Whoosh!

Herk shot out of the pit, but as he stared at Zhou Zheng in the sky, he was speechless for a moment.

Shock, surprise, disbelief—countless emotions swirled in Herk's heart.

"Your Time Deceleration... evolved into True Meaning?"

That was the only possibility Herk could think of. He could not believe that an ordinary Time Deceleration Profound Mystery could slow him to the point where he could not even evade the speed of a Flying Celestial level transcendent.

"Just a Proto True Meaning!"

Zhou Zheng replied calmly.

True Meaning was ten times stronger than a Mystery of Time at the Myriad Realms level.

At the third level of the Myriad Realms, Zhou Zheng's Time Deceleration Profound Mystery could only slow time tenfold. But if it condensed into True Meaning, it could slow time a hundredfold.

Zhou Zheng had not yet reached that point. His Time Deceleration Profound Mystery had only become a Proto True Meaning.

Even so, a Proto True Meaning was far stronger than a third-level Mystery of Time. Relying on the Proto Time Deceleration True Meaning, Zhou Zheng could slow time thirtyfold at full power.

Even in battle, he could maintain a twentyfold deceleration.

Under twentyfold deceleration, although Herk's base speed now far surpassed Zhou Zheng's, he would still be completely crushed by Zhou Zheng.

"Proto True Meaning?"

Upon hearing this, both Herk and Feng Zhuhong, standing nearby, fell completely silent.

Time Deceleration True Meaning was a Second-grade True Meaning. How many years had Zhou Zheng taken to go from grasping the Time Deceleration Profound Mystery to reaching this point? Less than ten years, surely?

"Monster!"

Herk's impression of Zhou Zheng had completely changed.

Grasping the Time Deceleration Profound Mystery did not necessarily mean one could grasp the Second-grade True Meaning, Time Deceleration True Meaning. Evolving from a Mystery to True Meaning was an enormous hurdle; out of a hundred people, perhaps not even one would succeed.

But Proto Time Deceleration True Meaning was different. Once one grasped a Proto True Meaning, perfecting it into True Meaning was merely a matter of time.

In other words, the Zhou Zheng before him would almost certainly become a Second-grade True Meaning Transcendental in the future.

What did a Second-grade True Meaning Transcendental represent? Perhaps not even one could be born among a hundred million Transcendentals.

"Are we continuing?" Zhou Zheng looked at Herk.

"Captain, don't joke around. How would I dare make a move against you?" Herk chuckled, completely lacking his earlier momentum.

It was a joke. Herk was not an idiot, either.

Although his Demonic Body was sturdy enough, if they continued fighting, his speed would not be able to keep up at all. He would only be beaten senseless.

Besides, if they kept fighting, would he not be offending a future Second-grade True Meaning Transcendental? Not to mention that they were on the same team. If he offended Zhou Zheng, he might not even know how he died.