Deep within Abyss.
Dead silence reigned.
Lu Chen's enormous Black Tortoise True Form still lay submerged beside the Abyss Sea Eye.
The murky gray Chaos Tortoise Breathing Method enveloped his true body.
From the outside, this was nothing more than a pitch-black, deathly seabed forbidden zone that devoured all things.
No one could have imagined that beneath the seemingly lifeless Abyss, a Primordial Black Tortoise lay sleeping.
Still less could anyone have imagined that a small world had already been opened within that Black Tortoise's shell.
Over these ten thousand years, Lu Chen had lived very peacefully.
Truly peacefully.
The Dragon Clan had not come knocking.
The Phoenix Clan had not fallen from the sky.
Nor had the Qilin Clan happened to pass by and step on his shell.
And no great Primordial World expert had suddenly lost their mind and come searching for treasure in the Abyss Sea Eye.
This gave Lu Chen a long-lost sense of happiness.
What was cultivation?
This was cultivation!
No fighting. No competing!
No listening to great experts preach the Dao.
No joining in the excitement of some Great Tribulation.
Just pull his shell in.
Close his eyes, sleep, and grow stronger.
Wasn't that far more comfortable than going outside to fight people to the death?
On this day.
Lu Chen sank deep into his Primordial Spirit as the Chaos Shell-Shedding Method slowly circulated.
Strands of gray Dao patterns flowed slowly along his shell.
The sensation was profoundly mysterious.
It was as though another, deeper and more concealed vitality was being nurtured beneath his Old Shell.
Although this divine ability was only at its first level and was still far from allowing him to truly evade the future Heaven-Mending Death Tribulation, it had at least given Lu Chen hope.
Before, whenever he looked at his four legs, he always felt they were four pillars already reserved by a Saint.
Now that he looked at them again, he felt slightly better about it.
"As long as the Chaos Shell-Shedding Method keeps improving."
"If Nuwa really comes looking for me in the future, I might be able to leave behind the Old Shell and quietly slip away with my true body."
"She can use the shell to prop up the sky, while I take the Merit and run."
"Perfect."
The more Lu Chen thought about it, the more feasible the plan seemed.
Unfortunately, system rewards could not be forced.
He could only keep lying low.
As long as he did not court death, the system would eventually grant him further divine abilities.
Just as Lu Chen was about to immerse himself in cultivation again, the system's voice suddenly rang out.
"Congratulations, host, on completing ten thousand years of sealing Abyss."
"The stability of the Abyssal Womb Membrane has greatly increased."
"Current number of living beings in the Inner Realm of the Abyss: 36,721."
"Number of clans in the Inner Realm of the Abyss: 36."
"The order system of the Inner Realm of the Abyss has taken initial form."
At first, Lu Chen did not react.
Hm.
He had completed ten thousand years of sealing Abyss.
That was normal.
The Womb Membrane's stability had increased.
That was normal too.
The number of living beings...
Wait.
How many?
36,721?
The number of clans...
Thirty-six clans?
Lu Chen abruptly opened his eyes.
The Black Tortoise True Form that had slept for ten thousand years shifted slightly.
Rumble!
The undercurrents outside the entire Abyss Sea Eye instantly erupted into countless whirlpools.
Several nearby underwater mountain ranges were directly cracked apart by the aftershock.
Lu Chen no longer had the mind to care about the changes outside.
His consciousness instantly entered the Inner Realm of the Abyss.
The next moment.
He fell silent.
If the Inner Realm of the Abyss had been nothing more than a desolate little island ten thousand years ago.
Then it had now become an entirely different sight.
The Inner Realm of the Abyss, once only thirty thousand li across, had been developed over vast areas.
At its center stood an enormous city.
The city was located where spiritual veins converged.
Its walls were built from Abyssal Northern Stone, their surfaces covered in water-element formation patterns.
Pale blue curtains of light hovered above the city, gathering spiritual energy into clouds and mist that descended throughout the city.
Around the city lay Spirit Fields, herb gardens, pools, Martial Practice Arenas, artifact workshops, scripture pavilions, and storehouses.
Farther away were clusters of settlements belonging to different clans.
Merfolk with fish tails and human bodies, the Ice-Scaled Tribe with icy scales on their backs, and the Cold Whale Tribe, whose bodies were like mountains.
There were also Black Pearl Clams born with twin shells and bodies shimmering with pearly radiance, as well as branches of the Black-Shelled Turtle Tribe, clad in turtle shells and slow-moving yet possessing heavy, imposing auras.
And there were some small clans whose names Lu Chen could not even recognize.
They moved about the city in orderly fashion.
Some tended the Spirit Fields.
Some transported spirit stones.
Some drilled formation techniques in the Martial Practice Arena.
Others lined up before a tall stone hall to register.
Above that stone hall hung a plaque.
Bureau of Calamity Avoidance.
Beside it stood another stone hall.
Bureau of Realm Patrol.
Farther away.
Register of Ten Thousand Tribes.
Abyss Treasury.
Realm Guard camp.
Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
Lu Chen stared at it all, his mind somewhat blank.
What was going on?
He had told the Sea Spirit Clan to manage the inner realm themselves.
Didn't managing it themselves mean planting some grass, building a few houses, and not disturbing his secluded cultivation?
Who told them to build a city?
Who told them to establish government offices?
Who told them to turn the place into something like a miniature Heavenly Court?
Most importantly, there were four large words above the city gates.
Abyss Divine City.
Lu Chen stared at those four words for a long time.
He suddenly had an extremely bad feeling.
Just then.
Within the Northern Darkness Dao Palace at the center of Abyss Divine City, a figure seemed to sense something and abruptly looked up.
She was a silver-haired woman.
Compared to ten thousand years ago, her aura had grown by far more than a single level.
When she had fled into Abyss in the past, she had only been at the late Mysterious Immortal realm.
Yet now, she had actually entered the Golden Immortal realm.
She was Lan Shuang, chieftain of the Sea Spirit Clan.
She was initially stunned.
Then unconcealable excitement appeared in her eyes.
The next moment, her figure transformed into a streak of watery light and appeared directly outside the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
"Welcome, Emperor, out of seclusion!"
Her voice spread out.
The entire Abyss Divine City instantly fell silent.
Countless living beings looked up.
Then, everyone dropped to their knees in unison.
"Welcome, Emperor, out of seclusion!"
The voices of more than thirty thousand living beings converged, causing the spiritual energy of the Inner Realm of the Abyss to churn violently.
Lu Chen: "..."
He now wanted to close his shell.
And pretend he had seen nothing.
Unfortunately, it was already too late.
Lan Shuang had already led the leaders of the various clans respectfully before the Northern Darkness Dao Palace.
Her expression was excited, and her gaze was full of reverence.
"The Emperor has cultivated in seclusion for ten thousand years. The clans of Abyss have not dared to slacken."
"Now, the thirty-six clans of Abyss contain a total of 36,721 living beings, all of whom have been entered into the Register of Ten Thousand Tribes."
"The Bureau of Calamity Avoidance is responsible for settling newly arrived clans."
"The Bureau of Realm Patrol is responsible for patrolling the borders of the inner realm."
"The Spirit Field Office is responsible for planting spirit herbs."
"The treasury temporarily stores items contributed by the various clans."
"The Realm Guard now has eight hundred members, dedicated to maintaining order in Abyss."
"Abyss Academy has also begun teaching the children of every clan literacy, spirit discernment, and the foundational methods of cultivation."
"Please inspect them, Emperor."
Lu Chen's eyelids twitched wildly as he listened.
Inspect them?
What was he supposed to inspect?
Had he told them to do all this?
Lu Chen took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice calm.
"What did I say before entering seclusion?"
Lan Shuang immediately lowered her head.
"The Emperor said that we were not to expand outward, not to recruit an army, and not to claim the title of Emperor in his name."
"Then what are you doing now?"
Lan Shuang respectfully explained, "Reporting to the Emperor, Abyss has never taken the initiative to expand outward."
"These thirty-five clans were all conscripted, hunted, and driven into desperation by the Dragon Clan. With nowhere else to go, they found Northern Sea Abyss on their own."
"We have obeyed the Emperor's decree and have never actively recruited anyone."
Lu Chen fell silent for a moment.
That actually seemed somewhat reasonable.
"What about the Realm Guard?"
"Rest assured, Emperor. The Realm Guard is only responsible for maintaining order in the inner realm and will not wage war outside. It is absolutely not an army."
Lu Chen fell silent again.
That actually sounded somewhat reasonable.
"What about Abyss Divine City?"
Lan Shuang's expression did not change.
"This city is merely a place for the various clans of Abyss to avoid calamity and live in peace. It has absolutely no intention of contending for supremacy."
Lu Chen: "..."
There seemed to be a huge problem with that statement.
Lu Chen looked toward the towering city gate, his tone turning several degrees heavier.
"Change the words 'Divine City.'"
Lan Shuang immediately bowed.
"Emperor dislikes empty titles. This junior understands."
She turned and instructed a Sea Spirit Clan cultivator behind her, "Pass down the order. Abyss Divine City shall be renamed Abyss City."
Lu Chen let out a breath.
At least the word "Divine" was gone.
What he feared most now were titles that could easily draw the Heavenly Dao's attention.
In the Primordial World, names could not be used carelessly.
Things like Divine Court, Heavenly Court, Imperial Palace, and Divine City sounded like they were asking to get struck down.
Just as Lu Chen was about to continue questioning her, the system's voice suddenly rang out.
"Detected that the Inner Realm of the Abyss has initially formed the beginnings of a power. Please choose, Host."
"First: Officially proclaim yourself Emperor, establish the Northern Nether Divine Court, and rule over the myriad clans of the Northern Sea. Reward: thirty percent of northern Fortune and the Supreme-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, Northern Nether Emperor Seal."
"Second: Dissolve Abyss City, expel the thirty-six clans, and sever all cause and effect. Reward: the Innate Spiritual Treasure, Calamity-Averting Pearl."
"Third: Maintain the current state, continue secluded cultivation, and allow the clans of Abyss to establish their own order. Reward: prototype of the Book of Cause and Effect."
Lu Chen saw the first option and ignored it outright.
Proclaim himself Emperor?
Establish the Northern Nether Divine Court?
Wasn't that just deciding he had not died quickly enough?
The second option sounded very safe.
Expel the thirty-six clans.
Sever all cause and effect.
Reward: the Calamity-Averting Pearl.
But the problem was that if those thirty thousand-odd living beings were driven out, they would likely soon die amid the wars of the three clans.
Lu Chen might have feared death, but he was not cold-blooded enough for that.
Besides, they had indeed managed the Inner Realm of the Abyss quite well over the years.
The spiritual veins had increased.
The realm membrane had stabilized.
The formations had been improved.
Even his sense of security while cultivating in seclusion had increased considerably.
Most importantly, there was the third reward.
The prototype of the Book of Cause and Effect.
It sounded perfectly suited for managing the inner realm.
Abyss's greatest problem now was that there were too many people.
When there were too many people, disorder came easily.
With the Book of Cause and Effect, they could investigate origins, assess merits and misdeeds, and guard against infiltrators.
It was more practical than the Calamity-Averting Pearl.
Lu Chen barely hesitated.
"I choose the third."
"Congratulations, Host. You have obtained the prototype of the Book of Cause and Effect."
The next moment.
A ray of intertwined black-and-white light appeared above the Inner Realm of the Abyss.
The light slowly condensed into an ancient book.
The book began turning its pages without wind.
Blank pages flipped open one after another.
Upon them, faint threads of cause and effect gradually emerged.
Lan Shuang and the others were instantly stunned by the sight.
Even without knowing this object's exact origin, they could sense the terrifying power contained within it.
This was absolutely no ordinary treasure.
It was a treasure capable of reflecting cause and effect.
Lu Chen looked at the Book of Cause and Effect with satisfaction.
Not bad.
With this, he would be able to tell at a glance who in Abyss was good, who was bad, who carried cause and effect from the outside world, and who might bring trouble in the future.
With a casual gesture, he lowered the Book of Cause and Effect before Lan Shuang.
"You will oversee this item for now."
"From today onward, everyone entering Abyss must be registered."
"Those of unknown origin may not enter the inner city."
"Those with excessive slaughter karma may not approach the Dao Palace."
"If there are Dragon Clan spies, expel them immediately."
Lan Shuang accepted the Book of Cause and Effect with both hands, her entire body trembling.
That trembling came from excitement.
The Emperor had cultivated in seclusion for ten thousand years. Upon waking, his first act had not been to enjoy the worship of the myriad clans, nor to gather power into his hands, but to bestow a treasure of cause and effect and establish Abyss's order.
What did that mean?
It meant the Emperor had long foreseen Abyss's present day.
That was why, upon emerging from seclusion, he had bestowed such a foundational divine treasure.
Lan Shuang took a deep breath and heavily kowtowed toward the direction from which Lu Chen's voice had come.
"This junior will not fail the Emperor's trust."
"The Bureau of Cause and Effect shall be established from this day onward."
"All who enter Abyss shall undergo Causality Illumination, be recorded in the Register of Ten Thousand Tribes, have their merits and misdeeds assessed, and be assigned a place of residence."
The leaders of the thirty-six clans around them were deeply shaken.
The Bureau of Cause and Effect, the Bureau of Calamity Avoidance, the Bureau of Realm Patrol, the Register of Ten Thousand Tribes.
And now, the Book of Cause and Effect.
Abyss's order had finally taken complete form.
The leaders of some weaker clans even reddened their eyes on the spot.
In the outside world, if the strong said you were guilty, then you were guilty.
If the Dragon Clan said they wished to conscript you, then you had to offer up your clansmen.
If the Phoenix Clan said they wished to borrow your spirit mountain, then you had to move away.
If the Qilin Clan said they wanted you to submit, then you could only kneel.
No one had ever asked whether they were willing.
Even less had anyone ever looked at the cause and effect of their good and evil deeds.
But Abyss was different.
For the first time, this place told them that those burdened by slaughter karma could not oppress the weak.
Those with merit could receive Spirit Fields.
Those who followed the rules could live in peace.
Those who contributed greatly could enter the Academy to cultivate.
To these small clans barely surviving in the cracks between the three clans, this was practically a new world they had never seen before.
No one knew who was the first to kowtow.
Immediately afterward, the leaders of all thirty-six clans knelt in worship.
"The Emperor is benevolent and virtuous!"
"The Myriad Clans of Abyss are willing to obey the Emperor's decree!"
Lu Chen felt a headache coming on.
Here it came again.
Emperor again.
But he no longer had the energy to correct them.
Forget it.
As long as they did not go outside and shout it everywhere, they could call him whatever they liked internally.
After all, he only wanted to continue cultivating in seclusion now.
Before withdrawing his consciousness, Lu Chen gave one final instruction.
"Remember."
"Abyss does not contend for supremacy."
"It does not proclaim an Emperor."
"It does not enter the Great Tribulation."
"Whoever dares cause trouble will be the first one I punish."
Lan Shuang and the leaders of the thirty-six clans responded in unison.
"We respectfully obey the decree of the Mysterious Abyss Emperor!"
Lu Chen: "..."
He suddenly felt that.
They had not listened to a single word.