But Gustavo wouldn't let his prey escape.
His sealing spiderweb unfolded in an instant.
Countless silvery-white threads surged forth from his body, spreading outwards like living things. These threads pierced through the Void, through the remnants of the realm, and through the escape trajectory of the Spirit Wisdom, covering the entire Domain of Fragments in just a few breaths.
A spider web large enough to cover light-years was completed under Gustavo's Law of Sealing.
The moment those Spirit Wisdom collided with the spider silk, they were bound by sealing runes and unable to move. Their light flickered on the spider silk, like fireflies trapped in a web, beautiful yet desperate.
Gustavo has begun harvesting.
His eight blades worked simultaneously, each blade like a precise pair of tweezers, picking up the Spirit Wisdom trapped in the spiderweb one by one and bringing them into his mouth. His movements were elegant and efficient, like a Gourmet savoring the most exquisite banquet.
Every spark of Spirit Wisdom that enters his body transforms into a pure power of perception. These perceptions explode within his soul, transforming into countless images, countless pieces of knowledge, and countless experiences—a realm's understanding of the essence of matter, a realm's insight into the operation of laws, and a realm's wisdom in constructing the world.
Gustavo could feel his laws constantly being perfected.
Those insights into matter gave him a deeper understanding of the essence of the universe—matter is not dead, but alive; not static, but fluid; not independent, but interconnected. Every substance has its memory, every substance has its will, and every substance has its Fate.
Those insights into the laws gave him a deeper understanding of the rules of the universe—laws are not external to the world, but internal to it; they are not created, but discovered; they are not fixed, but constantly evolving. Every law is a living entity, and every law has its own life trajectory.
Those insights into the world—though few in number—gave him a deeper understanding of the universe itself. The world is not simply a superposition of matter and laws, but an organic whole, a living entity composed of countless interconnected, mutually influential, and interdependent parts.
Gustavo's devouring was accelerating.
At first, he devoured one Spirit Wisdom at a time; then ten at a time, a hundred at a time, a thousand at a time, and ten thousand at a time. His Law of Devouring grew continuously through devouring, his soul was constantly sublimated through comprehension, and his power was constantly rising through accumulation.
The Spirit Wisdom within the Domain of Fragments is diminishing at a visible rate.
The countless points of light that once filled the entire area have now become sparse. Gustavo's body, on the other hand, is constantly expanding—not in size, but in aura. His aura is growing stronger, denser, and closer to the barrier.
That Eternity barrier.
After devouring the Domain of Fragments, Gustavo did not linger.
He passed through the barrier between the Domain of Fragments and the Domain of Laws, and entered the second level of the Spirit Ruins.
The Domain of Laws.
The world here is completely different from the Domain of Fragments. There are no countless remnants of realms, no dense points of Spirit Wisdom, only a vast Void, in which countless enormous crystals of Void float.
These crystals are the carriers of the Spirit Wisdom of the laws, each crystal containing a complete understanding of a law. The crystals of the Law of Time are like flowing crystals, the crystals of the Law of Space are like folded mirrors, the crystals of the Law of Life are like pulsating green hearts, and the crystals of the Law of Death are like silent gray tombstones...
Gustavo's eight spider eyes scanned the crystals, a greedy glint flashing in them.
These are exactly what he needs most.
His Law of Devouring can Containment all laws, but only if he understands them. Each time he devours a law of Spirit Wisdom, his understanding of that law deepens; with each deepening of understanding, his Law of Devouring becomes more perfect.
When his understanding of all laws reaches its ultimate level, his Law of Devouring will also reach its ultimate level.
The ultimate is Eternity.
Gustavo began a new round of devouring.
This time, he no longer needed to seal the spiderweb—those crystals of law wouldn't escape. They simply floated silently in the Void, awaiting their Fate of being devoured.
He first arrived before the crystallized form of the Law of Time.
The crystal was tens of thousands of kilometers long, completely transparent, with countless bands of light flowing inside—a manifestation of timelines, an interweaving of the past and the future, a microcosm of countless eras.
Gustavo opened his mouth and swallowed the crystal whole.
His understanding of the Law of Time exploded within him, transforming into countless images—he witnessed the birth of the universe, the evolution of stars, the rise and fall of civilizations, and the Termination of all things. He saw the flow of the river of time, the weaving of the web of cause and effect, and the turning of the wheel of Fate.
He could feel his understanding of the Law of Time rapidly increasing. From the initial rudiments to the basics, to mastery, to the pinnacle—in just a few breaths, his control over the Law of Time reached a height that countless Supreme God of the time system could not achieve in their entire lives.
Then comes the crystallization of the Law of Space.
After absorbing everything, his understanding of space reached its peak. He could sense every fold of space, touch every dimension of space, and manipulate every string of space. He could traverse countless light-years in an instant, fold a galaxy into a point, and unfold a plane into a sheet of paper.
Then comes the Law of Life.
The Law of Death.
The Law of Creation.
The Law of Destruction.
Law of Order.
Even the Law of Chaos.
Gustavo devoured the crystals of law one by one. With each crystal he devoured, his understanding of that law reached its peak; and with each peak he reached, his Law of Devouring became more perfect.
His aura was rising rapidly.
He had long since left the barrier of the Peak Supreme God far behind, and he had also broken through the barrier of Half-Step Eternity in one fell swoop. His power was rushing wildly toward the realm of Eternity, and each absorption brought him one step closer to that barrier.
Finally, after consuming the last crystal of law, Gustavo stopped.
He sensed it.
That barrier.
The barrier to the realm of Eternity.
It was right in front of him, within reach.
Gustavo passed through the barrier between the Domain of Laws and the Domain of the Core, entering the deepest part of the Spirit Ruins.
The Domain of the Core.
This place is more vast than the Domain of Fragments and the Domain of Laws combined, but the amount of Spirit Wisdom here is far less than the former two. This is because the Spirit Wisdom here is not ordinary Spirit Wisdom, but rather the Spirit Wisdom of world perception—the experience and wisdom of that realm in constructing the entire multiverse.
Each world's insightful Spirit Wisdom is like a small sun, radiating a warm and powerful light. They float in the Void, moving along a mysterious trajectory, like a miniature universe.
Gustavo was not in a hurry to devour these Spirit Wisdom.
His gaze was drawn to that thing in the center of the Domain of the Core.
The heart of Spirit Ruins.
It is the size of a star, completely transparent, with countless rays of light flowing inside. Those rays of light beat in its heart, like blood flowing in its veins, like laws operating in the universe, like life breathing in the world.
Gustavo could sense that the heart contained the entire wisdom of the realm—not just laws and matter, but also the construction of the world, the evolution of civilization, the origin of life, and the destiny of the universe.
If only I could devour that heart...
A greedy glint flashed in Gustavo's eight spider eyes.
But he didn't act impulsively.
Because there is a barrier around the heart.
That barrier was not physical, not energetic, not even a law—it was the final will of that realm before its Destruction, the dignity and pride accumulated over countless eras. It would not allow anyone to desecrate its core, nor would it allow anyone to take away its last legacy.
Gustavo could sense the strength of that barrier.
That was a barrier that even a powerful Eternity supreme being could not break through.
But Gustavo is not that Eternity being.
He possesses the Law of Devouring.
He possesses the Law of Sealing.
He has gained countless insights from the Domain of Fragments and the Domain of Laws.
He possesses the power to shake the Eternity barrier.
Gustavo took a deep breath, his eight sword legs bent slightly, and his eight spider eyes stared at the barrier.
Then, he moved.
The Law of Devouring and the Law of Sealing erupted simultaneously, like two giant dragons bursting forth from his body and crashing into the barrier. The Law of Devouring aimed to engulf the barrier, while the Law of Sealing aimed to seal it—the power of the two primordial laws intertwined, forming a terrifying force capable of tearing everything apart.
The barrier trembled.
It developed cracks—tiny, almost invisible cracks.
But the moment the crack appeared, it began to repair itself. The will of that realm was resisting, struggling, and using all its strength to protect its last vestige of dignity.
Gustavo's eight spider eyes narrowed slightly.
He knew that brute force alone could not break through this barrier.
He needs wisdom.
Gustavo closed his eyes, his soul sinking into the countless insights he had just gained. Those insights flowed through his consciousness like rivers, converging into a boundless sea of wisdom.
He is searching.
Find the weakness of that realm.
Every realm has its weaknesses, and every will has its flaws. As long as you find that weakness and apply enough power to that flaw, even the Sturdiness barrier will crumble.
Time is passing.
Gustavo's soul roamed the sea of wisdom, sifting through countless insights, searching for that crucial clue.
Then, he found it.
In a moment of Spirit Wisdom enlightenment in another world, he witnessed the truth behind the Destruction of that realm.
That realm was not Destruction by external forces, but torn apart by internal forces. Irreconcilable contradictions arose between its laws, an unquenchable war broke out between its worlds, and an intractable hatred ensnared between its civilizations.
Ultimately, it collapsed due to its own contradictions.
At the heart of that contradiction lies a lack of underlying principles.
That realm lacked a law—a law that could balance everything, encompass everything, and unify everything.
The Law of Devouring.
Gustavo opened his eyes.
His lips curled up slightly—if spiders had lips.
He knew what to do.
He no longer attempted to break through the barrier with brute force, but instead Law of Devouring into the cracks of the barrier. The Law of Devouring began to devour the contradictions within the barrier, the conflicts between those laws, and the hatred between those worlds.
The barrier was trembling.
It's not the trembling of being attacked, but the trembling of being understood.
The will of that realm sensed the power of the Law of Devouring, the power that could balance, encompass, and unify everything. It was a power it had longed for but never possessed throughout countless eras, its final regret before its Destruction.
The barrier began to melt.
It's not a collapse, not a shattering, but rather—melting. Like ice meeting sunlight, like darkness meeting dawn, like hatred meeting understanding.
The will of that realm laid down its last resistance before the Law of Devouring, because it had finally encountered an existence that could understand it, an existence that could make up for its regrets.
The barrier disappeared.
The heart of Spirit Ruins lay exposed before Gustavo.
Gustavo stared at the heart.
It slowly rotated before him, radiating a warm and powerful light. He could feel all the wisdom contained within his heart—the accumulation of countless eras in that realm, the entire experience of that multiverse from its birth to its Destruction.
That was the power that allowed him to cross the barrier of Eternity.
Gustavo did not hesitate.
He opened his mouth and swallowed the heart whole.
At that moment, the entire Spirit Ruins trembled.
Countless Spirit Wisdom simultaneously erupted with dazzling light, as if cheering for their destiny. Those lights converged into a pillar of light, shooting straight up from the Domain of the Core, passing through the Domain of Laws, passing through the Domain of Fragments, passing through the crack at the top of the Spirit Ruins, and shooting into the depths of the Chaos Sea.
The Chaos Sea boiled.
The Eternity, turbulent, chaotic primordial energy ceased its surging before this pillar of light, as if trembling under some kind of force. Countless ancient beings navigating the Chaos Sea sensed that aura—the aura of Eternity, the aura of the birth of a new Eternity being.
Inside Gustavo's body, his heart was melting.
Its power merged with Gustavo's soul, with his Law of Devouring, with his Law of Sealing, and with the insights he gained from countless Spirit Wisdom. All power, all wisdom, and all experience converged into one at this moment, forming a torrent powerful enough to break through all barriers.
Gustavo sensed the barrier.
The barrier to the realm of Eternity.
It stood before him like a chasm, an Abyss, an insurmountable chasm. But Gustavo was not afraid, for at this moment, the power of the entire realm was supporting him within his body.
He took the first step.
The barrier trembled.
He took the second step.
Cracks have appeared in the barrier.
He took the third step.
The barrier shattered.
Countless fragments flew in all directions, transforming into countless rays of light in the Void. Those rays of light were fragments of the barrier, the bulwark between the "finite" and the "Infinity," the final test of the Eternity realm. But at this moment, they all became stepping stones for Gustavo.
Gustavo's soul crossed the barrier and entered a realm never before seen.
That is the realm of Eternity.
Here, there is no time, no space, no cause and effect, no Fate. There is only pure existence, pure consciousness, and pure power.
Gustavo sensed the changes within himself.
His Law of Devouring underwent its final transformation at this moment—no longer "devouring all things," but "embracing all things." He could sense the existence of all matter in the universe, the operation of all laws, and the pulse of all life. He was not devouring them, but understanding them, embracing them, and becoming a part of them.
His Law of Sealing has also undergone a transformation—no longer "sealing all things," but "balancing all things." He can balance all contradictions, reconcile all conflicts, and unify all forces. He is the bridge to the unity of all paths, the intersection of order and chaos, and the unity of the finite and the Infinity.
His body is also undergoing a transformation.
The eight bladed legs became even sharper, their edges shimmering with an Eternity light. The eight eerie green spider eyes grew deeper, their pupils reflecting the entire universe. The armored exoskeleton covered in thorns became even more Sturdiness, each thorn containing the power to tear apart the laws of nature.
And that Ancient Sword of the Abyss is also undergoing a transformation.
It slowly rose from Gustavo's back, its blade flowing with Eternity Radiance. It was no longer just a weapon of slaughter, but an extension of Gustavo's will, a manifestation of his Law of Devouring and Law of Sealing, and a symbol of his Eternity power.
Gustavo slowly opened his eyes.
The eight eerie green spider eyes had now turned into an Eternity gold—a symbol of Eternity existence, proof that they transcended all laws.
His gaze pierced through the barriers of the Spirit Ruins, through the waves of the Chaos Sea, and across countless light-years, seeing every corner of the Known Cosmic Sea.
He witnessed the burning frenzy of Devils of Hell, the war between the Divine Realm and the Spirit Saint Domain, the covetous gaze of the Northern Spirit Empire, the yearning of the Primogenitor Mountain, the expansion of the Adrian Federation, the contraction of the World Alliance, and the thirst of the Bottomless Abyss.
He saw his future.
It was a path filled with devouring and conquest, a path that made countless civilizations tremble, countless planes collapse, and countless universes sink.
But that was also his path.
The path of the Devouring Demon Spider.
Gustavo's body slowly rose, passing through the Domain of the Core, the Domain of Laws, the Domain of Fragments, and the crack at the top of the Spirit Ruins, returning to the Chaos Sea.
He turned around and looked at the Spirit Ruins behind him.
This Chaos Ruins, which has existed for countless eons, has begun to crumble after losing its heart. The light of its Spirit Wisdom is dimming, the remnants of its realms are shattering, and its outer shell is cracking.
Gustavo opened his mouth and took a gentle breath.
The entire Spirit Ruins —all the Spirit Wisdom, all the remains, all the fragments—were swallowed by him.
The Spirit Ruins, a Chaos Ruins that once attracted countless powerful figures, vanished into nothingness before Gustavo.
Gustavo floated in the Chaos Sea, his eight golden spider eyes gazing into the distance.
That is the direction of the Known Cosmic Sea.
There, countless civilizations await his arrival.
There, countless planes await his devouring.
There, countless lives await his judgment.
However, at this moment, a slight discordant feeling arose in Gustavo's mind. He sensed something was wrong; he seemed to have forgotten something.
What is it?
Gustavo smacked his head hard.
Suddenly, a stern and resonant voice rang out, "Gustavo, wake up!!"