Yi Chen jumped in fright and hurriedly raised his head, searching all around for traces of that mysterious being.
But judging by his position and the surrounding environment, Yi Chen concluded that he was somewhere in the void.
Moreover, there were still no spatial rifts around him. Otherwise, he would have been sucked into one long ago.
"Hm? Such formidable law power." The mysterious being's voice rang out again. "Unfortunately, you alone-can you manage it?"
Yi Chen pondered in silence, staring at his surroundings.
The mysterious voice suddenly rose into a shrill scream. "Ah... I remember now! You actually understand law power? You damned bastard, whose disciple are you?"
Yi Chen retorted coldly, "Who are you? Why are you attacking me?"
"Hahahaha! You have something I need." The mysterious being roared madly. "I'll kill you, I'll kill you! Possess your body, possess your body! Kill you and steal your treasures... I am the great Law Spirit! The purpose of my existence is to destroy everything."
Yi Chen's heart jolted. He said quietly, "The Law Spirit? You're... the Heaven and Earth Laws?"
The mysterious voice roared, "Utter nonsense! How could a mere ant-like existence represent me? I am the embodiment of the laws nurtured by heaven and earth. I am the wielder of the laws... I exist to destroy this entire world, to destroy this universe! You, and you, every living thing among you-I will destroy you all! Hahahaha..."
Yi Chen stood rooted to the spot, utterly dumbfounded. What exactly was this so-called "law"?
Why was he so insane? Not only was his speech a jumble of contradictions, but his entire purpose was actually to destroy the universe?
How was that any different from a lunatic?!
And to think Yi Chen had believed he had encountered some transcendent master!
Fury surged from the depths of Yi Chen's heart. "You damned bastard! I swear I won't stop until I've smashed you to pieces today."
Yi Chen fled swiftly into the distance while shouting, "Catch me if you have the ability! Otherwise, just wait to crumble to dust and ashes!"
The mysterious voice laughed coldly. "Oh? Really? You can actually escape my Law Seal? You can break through the Law Seal I laid here? Heh, I don't know who your master is, but he certainly doesn't understand the mysteries of law power. And you... how could a human understand the laws? So be good and stay here to keep me company..."
Yi Chen suddenly stopped running and looked back. He could now confirm that he was within an enormous nebula. Clusters of meteoroids, large and small, filled his surroundings, while countless stars radiated dazzling red light and revolved ceaselessly around him.
Yi Chen narrowed his eyes. "Are you the order behind the laws? I finally understand why this world is so strange. Then what are you, and why are you blocking my way?"
The mysterious being gave several icy snorts. Countless strange whistling sounds suddenly rang in Yi Chen's ears, and even the sky turned pale blue. Stranger still, a sharp pain tore through Yi Chen's spirit platform, as though some peculiar force was trying to rush into his Sea of Consciousness.
With a hum, endless Seven-Colored Radiance flashed across Yi Chen's body. The radiance transformed into tiny Sword Rays that slashed outward, instantly dispelling that strange fluctuation. Yi Chen breathed a sigh of relief. It seemed he had withstood the mysterious being's attack.
"You... hmm..." The mysterious being seemed startled, but he said nothing. After merely murmuring, "Hmm?" he vanished without a trace, as though he had never existed at all.
Yi Chen's expression grew uglier still. "Damn it, what the hell are you?"
Yi Chen frowned in deep thought. Suddenly, a thunderous boom erupted inside his head, and a torrent of information, overwhelming in its intensity and vast as an ocean, washed through him.
"This, this is... the laws?"
Yi Chen's eyes widened in horror-the mysterious being had just employed the most basic application of the laws, the most commonplace application in this world. Its power was merely greater.
Yet to him, it was nothing short of heavenly music. What he lacked most was the power of the laws, and this fellow could casually hand him an entire body of it, allowing him to slowly comprehend its mysteries.
But soon, that overpowering torrent of information filled Yi Chen's head. He clutched his skull and howled desperately.
It concerned the application of every law in the universe, the methods of using and controlling their power, and countless taboo laws and forbidden arts.
The history of civilization, laws, truths, and taboos flashed rapidly through Yi Chen's mind. His body trembled violently, every inch of his flesh convulsing. His bones crackled explosively, and his skin turned crimson.
"The laws... all things between heaven and earth move in accordance with the power of the laws... that's right. The laws are the sole power, the sole rules..."
Yi Chen muttered to himself as powerful soul force suddenly erupted from his body. His frame swelled abruptly, growing a hundredfold in an instant until he towered like a mountain.
He threw back his head and let out a shriek, then swung his right fist forward.
Countless runes flashed, drawing together the countless flowing strands of light within the space. A golden tornado a thousand miles long swept forward with destructive force.
"Hmm, you can actually summon a trace of the laws' power?" The voice sounded somewhat surprised. "But... your strength is far too feeble..."
As he murmured, the nebula before Yi Chen abruptly contracted. Endless Law Chains drew power from the void and condensed into a gigantic black iron hammer, which smashed heavily into the tornado Yi Chen had unleashed.
The tornado collapsed. Countless Law Chains wound around Yi Chen's body, binding him tightly. Threads of law power rampaged through him, tearing apart his flesh, tendons, and meridians.
Yi Chen gritted his teeth and endured the assault of those powers, a vicious gleam in his eyes. Dense, pure soul power burst from the depths of his soul, merging with the essence of his memories to form a formidable cultivation method. Then, a new power of the laws slowly came into being.
"The application of the laws? I understand now. So that's how it works." Yi Chen smiled faintly and flicked a finger. A wisp of pale blue water element appeared out of thin air and drifted lightly onto a meteoroid roughly the size of a basketball court. Then that mass of water element began twisting like a living creature.
"Not bad, not bad. Your cultivation of the laws is quite impressive," the mysterious being praised.