Seemingly sensing Han Xiao's confusion, the King of the Boundless explained in a deep voice:
"This Secondary Dimension is nurturing one of my children. It's quite special; it was just an embryo when it was taken away, and it hasn't fully formed yet. The dimensional entities that stole it intend to devour it once it matures. Therefore, I hope you can reclaim it while ensuring that the Secondary Dimension doesn't shatter."
"So it wasn't your old... cough, I'll try my best." Han Xiao coughed and asked, "By the way, what's the background of those dimensional entities?"
The King of the Boundless shifted his posture, making a rustling sound, and slowly said:
"They are extraterrestrial entities. I was born in this area, and this whole region is my territory. Originally, I was the only dominant life form here, with no natural enemies or competitors. But ever since those dimensional entities arrived here from the spatial storm, my situation has changed. They've set their sights on me and made their home on the edge of my territory. I've tried to drive them away many times, but I've failed each time. However, they can't do anything about me..."
As the King of the Boundless recounted the story, Han Xiao quickly understood the situation.
Secondary Dimension World have independent ecological patterns. Due to the unpredictable nature of space, the division of regions is generally based on certain special Secondary Dimension or overlord-level life forms as landmarks. For example, the territory controlled by the King of the Boundless is a representative stable region. The regions outside these areas are like the Desolate Universe Belt of the main universe, but they are not desolate; rather, they are full of unknowns.
This is like a fragmented world, only the area is too vast and the boundaries are unknown. Most of the stable areas are unaware of each other's existence and do not want to be discovered by outsiders. After all, the environment here is more treacherous and difficult to nurture civilization. The life forms that are born here adhere to the law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak.
But order can also be born from chaos. There is communication between a small group of stable areas. For different reasons, their names spread and connected some stable areas, just like primitive tribes in the wild period discovered each other, forming a new complex power ecosystem.
The King of the Boundless is a member of a complex ecosystem, knowing the coordinates of several stable zones, which have always remained peaceful.
In short, the situation encountered by the King of the Boundless was like a local bully meeting a dragon crossing the river. The Secondary Dimension was so vast, yet the other party refused to leave and even tried to take advantage of him, thus creating a neighborhood dispute.
Han Xiao obtained information about these dimensional entities from the spiritual messages shared by the other party. These were summaries of the King of the Boundless's experiences fighting against them over the years, showcasing their various abilities.
However, this information was only of little reference value to him. Once they actually fought, he could obtain more detailed information through the battle information panel. Han Xiao didn't pay too much attention to the exaggerated descriptions of the enemy by the King of the Boundless based on past impressions.
Although the Secondary Dimension World is bizarre and wonderful, as long as no one reaches a higher level, the Peak Beyond Grade A beings in the main universe are still the absolute apex predators in the food chain. No matter how famous the dimensional gods are here, they are no match for them.
"I understand the situation. Send one of your projectiles with me."
Han Xiao spoke casually, his body swaying as a Dominion clone separated, surging Mechanical Force arcs erupting from his body and pouring into the Dominion clone, activating the Dominator's Descent state.
He had no intention of leaving. His main body would stay behind to keep an eye on the King of the Boundless, lest he make any trouble. Sending his Dominion clone would be enough to handle this mission.
"Alright, if you don't mind, I'd like him to temporarily bear my power. It will only benefit him and not harm him. Consider it a small apology."
The King of the Boundless raised an arm and waved it, and Harrison spun around and landed in front of Han Xiao. His eyelids twitched, and he slowly opened his eyes, looking bewildered as if he had just woken up from a coma.
Upon seeing Han Xiao, Harrison's eyes focused immediately. He slowly recalled his experience before losing consciousness, and his face twitched, revealing an expression of disbelief.
"Lord Black Star?! I... I'm still alive?"
Han Xiao pressed down on Harrison's shoulder, sparks flying from his fingertips, giving him a light shock that made him yelp. He then glanced at the control panel before withdrawing his hand, nodding calmly and saying, "Your vital signs are all normal. It's good that you're alright."
"I remember the fleet was attacked... Did you come specifically to rescue me?"
Harrison was immediately moved.
He still remembered his last memory before he lost consciousness: the overwhelming black tide swallowed the entire fleet. The fleet did not put up any resistance. He had no time to do anything. For a moment, he thought he was doomed. His mind subconsciously flashed Jenny's beautiful face, which was always stern, and her shiny forehead. His heart was filled with reluctance and despair.
Upon waking up and seeing Han Xiao, Harrison's anxious heart instantly calmed down. His fear, panic, and tension vanished in an instant. He knew that Black Star's arrival meant he was safe.
Before he could ask what was going on, Harrison felt himself involuntarily turn around and look behind him, while a mental message sounded in his mind:
"Boy, I am the King of the Boundless. Relax your mind and body and accept my infusion."
Turning around, Harrison saw the bizarre sights of this dimension and the terrifyingly Massive Body of the Lord of the Boundless. A fear, stemming from instinct, rose from the depths of his soul, like a chill spreading through his bones, instantly freezing his body.
But that feeling vanished in the blink of an eye. If he were alone, Harrison felt he might have gone mad with fear, but the thought of Black Star, a cosmic powerhouse of father-like strength, standing behind him gave him an unparalleled sense of security that instantly dispelled all the panic in his heart.
With fear gone, the explorer's spirit was instantly ignited. Harrison looked at the King of the Boundless, his tone unconsciously tinged with intense curiosity:
"Lord Black Star, what is this thing?"
"He's not a thing, he's called the King of the Boundless, Secondary Dimension life form, a scrap collector." Han Xiao replied casually, then patted Harrison on the shoulder and said, "Listen to him, relax, let it enter your body, it won't hurt."
As soon as he finished speaking, the King of the Boundless blinked simultaneously. Then, as if drawn by a force, the surrounding black mist surged toward the bewildered Harrison and entered his body.
Soon, thin, black and red lines appeared on his body, like bulging blood vessels, but they were chaotic and twisted irregularly. However, Harrison did not feel any pain, only a burning sensation all over his body.
Unseen by him, every cell in his body was being cleansed and purified by the black mist-like energy, undergoing benign mutations towards optimization. Although he was still a low-level superhuman, his basic physical attributes were rapidly improving.
After a long while, the black and red lines on Harrison's body finally converged on his chest, forming a mark. This mark represented the contract made by the King of the Boundless. With it, one could borrow the King of the Boundless's power remotely in most situations.
Dimensional deities like these can project power onto living beings through contracts, which is their primary means of entering the prime material universe. Some religious sects in interstellar space have connections with dimensional deities, and the Netherland Mark on Han Xiao's body is something similar.
The amount of power borrowed depends on both the individual strength of the contractor and the level of the contract. Out of consideration for Han Xiao, the King of the Boundless concluded the contract with the highest level. In times of crisis, the King of the Boundless can even temporarily take over and provide a "grandpa's substitute service".
Harrison received such treatment entirely because of his connections.
'Holy crap, this High-Level Lucky Halo is really something...'
Han Xiao gritted his teeth in secret envy.
At his current level, he is already a source of luck for those with Lucky Halo, because it was Harrison's presence that allowed him to turn this danger into a stroke of good fortune.
If I could find someone like myself to rely on when I'm weak, that would be incredibly awesome!
Unfortunately, I've already reached this level, and there aren't many people I can rely on anymore... Han Xiao sighed inwardly.
At this moment, Harrison's pupils had turned pure black, King of the Boundless took over his body, bowing in greeting:
"I'm ready, shall we set off now?"
Han Xiao nodded, controlled his Dominion clone to take out the dimensional travel vehicle, took Harrison with him, and disappeared in a flash of light.
Suddenly, he remembered something, pulled out the container that had imprisoned Babu Aenica from his pocket, and said, "Oh right, I captured this guy, but forgot to return him to you."
The King of the Boundless glanced at the container, a hint of human-like disdain in his eyes. "Keep it. Release it after you're done."
Han Xiao curled his lip, put away the container, and it seemed that this liquid was indeed bragging when it claimed to be a confidant of the King of the Boundless.
The Dominion's avatar needed to travel for a while, so Han Xiao rose up, sat cross-legged in mid-air, and hovered at the same height as the King of the Boundless's head. The two of them stared at each other.
The Dominion's avatar set the dimensional coordinates provided by the King of the Boundless, and the vehicle traveled through them, arriving at its destination in no time.
This is still a dark Secondary Dimension, but unlike the apocalyptic scene on the King of the Boundless, the darkness here exudes a tranquil and peaceful aura.
Han Xiao could sense that the energy flow throughout the entire Secondary Dimension was converging on the same location, and in that direction, an incomplete life signal was faintly stirring, as if the entire dimension was nurturing something.
"This is it. Those dimensional entities have been entrenched here all along. Be careful," the King of the Boundless conveyed the message through Harrison.
Han Xiao nodded, opened the Dimensional Barracks, summoned an endless mechanical legion, and simultaneously activated a portion of his warriors to combine and form a normal version of Mechanical Deity, ready for battle.
At this moment, several powerful energy sources approached from different directions, and three enormous figures, each blotting out the sky, quickly filled the field of vision as they drew nearer. They were different in appearance and were the alien dimensional deities who occupied this place. Their appearance brought a strong sense of oppression.
"Who is it?! How dare they disturb us... Holy crap, Black Star!"
"If you can't beat them, run!"
Upon seeing the Mechanical Deity, the three dimensional entities immediately turned and ran, even faster than when they arrived.
Upon seeing this, both Han Xiao and the King of the Boundless were taken aback.
He thought he would have to take action to solve the problem, but to his surprise, these multidimensional entities ran away like startled rabbits as soon as they saw him, as if they really knew him.
Could it be that my name has truly spread throughout the Secondary Dimension World?
Han Xiao narrowed his eyes, his thoughts racing.
--These three dimensional entities are outsiders, perhaps they came from somewhere near the shallower layers... Could it be that decades ago, when they were traveling with Ames, they accidentally beat up some dimensional gods who didn't realize they were being a third wheel, and that's how their reputation spread?!
While Han Xiao pondered the reason, his hands moved swiftly, and the mechanical legion immediately surrounded and intercepted him.
These three dimensional entities were beyond the control of even the King of the Boundless; in his hands, they were nothing more than one-sided torture.
Han Xiao originally intended to kill him, but since the other party recognized him, he restrained his strength and spared his life.
After being brutally beaten, the three dimensional entities with bruised and swollen faces sat down in front of him, only remaining obedient.
"This..."
The King of the Boundless's face twitched; things weren't going as he'd imagined.
The powerful outsider that he had tried so hard to get rid of, but who turned up his nose and ran away as soon as he encountered Black Star, and even failed to escape and was caught and beaten up, which made him feel somewhat disillusioned.
Having witnessed Black Star's attack firsthand, the King of the Boundless was both wary and increasingly glad that he hadn't acted rashly. The top powerhouses of the prime material universe were indeed not to be trifled with.
While he was thinking these thoughts, Han Xiao stood with his arms crossed, curiously interrogating the three dimensional entities.
"Where have you three heard of me?"
"We... we've seen you kill dimensional gods..."
The three dimensional gods, who were powerful enough to dominate a region in Secondary Dimension World, became incredibly docile and recounted the whole story in one go.
After listening, Han Xiao realized that there was indeed a reason why these three guys had run to the territory of the King of the Boundless.
These three dimensional deities originally resided near the "shallow Secondary Dimension" controlled by the Three Universal Civilizations. Because a cosmic-level civilization was expanding there, the three had long planned to migrate.
Decades ago, when he and Ames were traveling, they passed through that area and beat up another dimensional deity. The three of them witnessed a horrific scene and were filled with fear. So they made up their minds to migrate and enter the deeper layers of the Secondary Dimension. Many years ago, they finally arrived at the territory of the King of the Boundless. They finally encountered a lone one and planned to eat the King of the Boundless before continuing on their way.
The three of them hadn't expected to be no match for the other party. They were about to leave when they stumbled upon this Secondary Dimension that was nurturing a special embryo. They instinctively felt that consuming this life form would be of great benefit to themselves, so they stayed.
"What a coincidence!"
Han Xiao's lips twitched; he didn't know what to say.
If this task were done by someone else, the difficulty would be commensurate with the high reward. Ordinary Beyond Grade A would be basically helpless against a three-dimensional entity. But if it were him, he wouldn't even need to lift a finger. That's how convenient it is to have high reputation.
"Um, I've told you everything we know, can you let us leave now...?"
"It's a dimensional entity," one said cautiously.
Don't even think about it.
Han Xiao refused without hesitation.
At this moment, the King of the Boundless couldn't help but speak, saying, "Black Star, this Secondary Dimension has been reclaimed. I'll retake it."
As he spoke, streams of black liquid emanated from his body, attempting to refill this dimension and reclaim his territory.
Han Xiao was about to agree when he suddenly paused, changed his mind, and said, "Don't be in such a hurry, I want to see what the embryo looks like first."
"My child isn't even fully developed yet, is this really necessary?"
"This is the first time I've seen this phenomenon; I'm curious."
Han Xiao casually replied, then turned and flew towards the Land of Conception, leaving the King of the Boundless to follow behind.
After traveling some distance, Han Xiao saw a grayish-white sphere suspended in the center of the Secondary Dimension, like mist condensed together and then wrapped by a translucent amniotic membrane. Streams of energy poured in from all directions, nourishing the embryo.
In his perception, this embryo possessed an incomparably vigorous vitality, shining as brightly as dozens of stars.
Han Xiao leaned closer and glanced inside. He saw a long, slender figure flash by in the gray mist flowing within the amniotic sac, as graceful as a dragon.
The King of the Boundless followed, saying helplessly, "He's not even born yet, what's so interesting about him?"
Han Xiao ignored him, raised his hand to stroke the embryo, and found that although the amniotic sac was very thin, it was very tough.
Just then, the item description popped up on the panel.
Han Xiao glanced at it, then suddenly stopped, and slowly turned to look at the King of the Boundless, a half-smile on his face.
You said... this is your child?
"What's wrong?" The King of the Boundless met Han Xiao's gaze and suddenly felt a little guilty.
"Bullshit! No wonder you risked everything to get me to help you get it back; it turns out it's some kind of strange object... You were betting that I wouldn't discover its amazing features, weren't you?"
Han Xiao flicked the embryo with his finger, his playful tone tinged with barely suppressed surprise, and grinned.
"You're playing a game of nine parts truth and one part lies, huh? I almost fell for your trick."