Chaos Venerable

Heaven have mercy, he had only wanted to show off and secure a spot in the Hong Alliance along the way!

How had he become the pride of the Fang Family in the blink of an eye?

On the plaza, the gazes of the Fang Family disciples grew even more fervent.

Several elders murmured among themselves, though no one knew what they were discussing. Yet every one of them looked at Fang Yan with an indescribably complicated expression.

It was the gratification of seeing one's own child suddenly grow up.

"Ancestor, actually, I..."

"No need to say more."

Flame Ruins King cut him off, his smile growing ever more benevolent.

"I understand your patience and restraint over the past two hundred years now. You were accumulating strength, waiting for the right moment—like a fierce tiger lying low upon a mountain ridge, silent until it made a world-shaking roar."

Fang Yan: "..."

He had really just wanted to take it easy.

Nine Universe King clapped and laughed from the side.

"Brother Flame Ruins, this junior of your family has limitless prospects."

Crimson Flame King walked directly up to Fang Yan and handed him a crimson Fire Crystal.

"Kid, this is my token. Since you have such ambition, come find me if you run into trouble in the future. I can't promise much else, but if anyone dares bully you, I'll be the first to go deal with them alongside you!"

Fang Yan woodenly accepted the Fire Crystal, then woodenly gave a salute.

"Thank you, Senior."

Nine Universe King raised his head and glanced toward the stars before speaking aloud.

"Brother Flame Ruins, our business here is done. We shall take our leave first."

Flame Ruins King nodded and exchanged cupped-hand salutes with Nine Universe King and Crimson Flame King in farewell.

Before leaving, Nine Universe King looked back at Fang Yan and said meaningfully,

"Kid, there is news from Chaos Venerable. I'll inform you."

Fang Yan's heart skipped a beat. Just as he was about to ask more, Nine Universe King had already transformed into a streak of silver light, pierced through the roof of Flame Ruins Palace, and vanished into the endless starry sky.

Crimson Flame King followed close behind, not forgetting to wave a fist at Fang Yan before departing.

Outside the hall, silence returned.

Flame Ruins King turned around and looked at Fang Yan, his gaze full of affection.

"Yan'er, come with me."

He reached out and grasped Fang Yan's arm. The two of them teleported away once more, leaving behind a group of Fang Family disciples still deep in discussion on the plaza.

At the summit of Sky Pillar Peak, the two moons still shone against one another.

"Cultivate well. From today onward, your reputation as the Six-Wing World Lord has officially spread."

Fang Yan froze for a moment, then coughed awkwardly twice.

"Ahem, Ancestor, well... I'll go back and comprehend the laws first."

Fang Yan slipped into the cultivation chamber atop Sky Pillar Peak as though fleeing for his life, with Flame Ruins King's hearty laughter ringing out behind him.

Another hundred years passed.

When Fang Yan opened his eyes, the blue light in them had completely receded, replaced by an exceedingly faint, empty hue. It was as if an unceasing storm lay hidden in the depths of his pupils.

His comprehension of the Law of Wind had reached ninety-nine percent.

Only a trace remained before completion.

"It was faster than I expected."

Fang Yan muttered to himself and drew a line through the air with his hand.

Where his fingertip passed, an invisible wind blade sliced open a hair-thin crack in space. The edges of the crack were smooth and even, refusing to heal for a long while.

"That should be enough."

Fang Yan rose to his feet and walked out of the cultivation chamber.

The scenery atop Sky Pillar Peak was no different from a hundred years ago: two moons, crimson earth, and a vast, desolate grandeur as far as the eye could see.

Fang Yan raised his head toward the sky.

"Next comes breaking through to immortality. As long as the Origin Core transforms into a Divine Kingdom, the Spring Autumn Cicada Clone will also step into immortality. Only then will I truly have a foundation to stand on."

He took a deep breath and was just about to send a message to his ancestor when the space before him suddenly split open with a silver fissure.

A silver figure stepped out from the fissure and landed atop Sky Pillar Peak.

It was Nine Universe King.

The refined and composed King-level expert from a hundred years ago now wore visible gravity on his face.

"Senior Nine Universe?"

Fang Yan was startled.

Nine Universe King took a deep breath, calmed himself, then fixed Fang Yan with a blazing gaze.

"There is news from Chaos Venerable."

Fang Yan's heart tightened.

Nine Universe King looked at him and said, word by word,

"The Venerable watched the recording of your battle with Ice Qiong King and heard what you said at the end."

Fang Yan swallowed.

"What... did the Venerable say?"

Nine Universe King did not answer directly. He merely played a recording.

"Fang Yan, come see me."

A burly man spoke indifferently. He wore ancient, dark-red battle armor and combat boots, with an armored tail trailing beneath his battle skirt and a pair of fiery red horns growing from his head.

At that moment, Nine Universe King handed over a Virtual Universe Sensor.

Fang Yan's hand trembled slightly. With it, even though he did not yet possess Origin's top-tier Tenth Order secret technique, he could log into a Virtual Universe account and enter the Virtual Universe within the Human Race Territory.

Fang Yan fastened the Virtual Universe Sensor around his wrist and sank his consciousness into it.

The scene before his eyes exploded in an instant, as if an invisible hand had spread out the star map of the entire universe before him.

Countless stars glittered in the darkness, streams of light weaving among them into a vast net that covered the entire Human Territory.

Fang Yan's consciousness was drawn by a gentle yet irresistible force, speeding along a predetermined path.

The next moment, he stood within a great hall.

The hall's dome was extraordinarily high. Looking upward, he could scarcely see its end; only a sea of Chaos-colored mist churned and flowed overhead.

At the center of the hall stood a burly figure with his hands clasped behind his back.

The man wore ancient, dark-red battle armor and combat boots, while the armored tail trailing beneath his battle skirt swayed gently.

A pair of fiery red horns grew from his head. Faint golden patterns flowed across their surface, and every flicker of those patterns caused the surrounding space to tremble slightly.

Chaos Venerable!

With just one glance, Fang Yan felt his soul tremble.

Even if it was only a projection within the Virtual Universe, an existence at the level of a Universe Overlord was enough to make any World Lord feel suffocated.

Fang Yan respectfully bowed.

"This junior, Fang Yan, pays respects to the Venerable."

Chaos Venerable turned around.

His features were rugged and imposing, his eyes flame-red, with churning Chaos mist faintly visible deep within his pupils.

There was little expression on his face, yet with that single look, Fang Yan felt as though he had been seen through completely, inside and out.

"Rise."

Chaos Venerable's voice was low and resonant, each word like a meteor striking Fang Yan's heart.

Fang Yan rose as instructed, doing his best to keep his breathing steady.

Chaos Venerable said nothing and merely looked at Fang Yan in silence.

His gaze was calm and profound, devoid of any discernible emotion, yet more oppressive than any scrutiny.

Fang Yan felt sweat forming on his back.

The sweat in the Virtual Universe was not real, of course, but the sensation of having thorns at his back was incomparably real.

After an unknown length of time, Chaos Venerable finally spoke.

"I watched your battle with Ice Qiong King."

Fang Yan's heart tightened.

"World Lord Ninth Order, ninety percent comprehension of the Law of Wind, having touched the threshold of Time Pause through the Time Law, and possessing a flying treasure at the level of an Ordinary Supreme Treasure."

Chaos Venerable spoke neither quickly nor slowly, yet every statement was so precise that it made one's blood run cold.

"Two hundred years, from an ordinary World Lord to this point. Nine Universes said you were a genius, but I believe he did not praise you highly enough."