The Master-level Edict, though concerned with the soul, was intertwined with the material world by countless threads. Yet, half of these connections reached into the void of the spiritual realm, rendering them invisible to those who had not achieved the Master realm.

Yang Ying was no exception. As a pinnacle figure among the quasi-Masters, his spiritual power had fully expanded his cerebral domain; his thoughts were swift and sharp, his reactions instantaneous as lightning, and he commanded every muscle fiber and nerve in his body with absolute precision.

This was the so-called bottleneck. If he could not ascend further from this precarious height, there would be no deeper path for him to tread.

Yang Ying understood this intimately. He knew well that even if he resolved himself now, employing every conceivable form of rigorous ascetic practice and redoubling his efforts tenfold, his strength would not increase further.

However, this resolve still held immense utility. After declaring his determination to Katerina, Yang Ying felt as if an indomitable spirit of relentless progress infused his entire being.

It was an awe-inspiring will, as if nothing—not the collapsing heavens nor the shattering earth—could impede him, rendering all difficulties and dangers trivial in the pursuit of his goal. As for everything else, things continued as they had been.

The avatars Yang Ying had left on the Floating Continent continued their rigorous training in various techniques and spells, while his other avatars on Earth roamed various locations. Thus, a week passed.

The Floating Continent remained eternally springlike, with sunlight and rainfall distributed evenly. Majestic mountains complemented flowing waters, and across several broad plains, the three races busied themselves, evolving and developing according to their established routines.

The Protoss Sanctuary, situated in the southeast corner of the continent, had expanded manifold due to its rapidly growing population, transforming into a magnificent complex spanning one thousand hectares, nestled against mountains and beside water. Walls of pure gold, enigmatic Protoss script, and gracefully curved lines, combined with polished, slick crystal stone, perfectly fused the Protoss's splendor with the Sanctuary's solemnity.

After the Jupiter Campaign, Yang Ying increased the number of his avatars stationed at the Sanctuary for cultivation to six. At this moment, the six avatars were each engaged in their own practice within the Sanctuary’s central plaza.

Some sat in silent meditation, cleansing their minds of stray thoughts to uncover inner power; others sparred with swords, two light sabers flashing up and down in their hands; still others held a sphere of lightning, freely casting it about to grasp its essence, the brilliant bolts shifting into myriad forms as if alive. At this juncture, one of the meditating avatars suddenly snapped his eyes open, his gaze radiating an almost overflowing brilliance.

“It’s time. Through that dense fog, there is a path!” Though the words were never spoken aloud, in an instant, the other five avatars immediately ceased their actions, extinguishing their lightning and powering down their light sabers.

They gathered around the meditating avatar, sitting down together to absorb that feeling. Simultaneously, the external Yang Ying felt the shift deep within his heart.

A light seemed to appear before his eyes, piercing the thick mist shrouding his mind, pointing him in a direction. It was a sensation profoundly mysterious and ineffable, impossible to describe even through focused, heart-to-heart telepathy—something only he could truly “see.” Yang Ying had been listening to Kalia’s phased progress report.

When the light appeared, he immediately closed his eyes, entirely ignoring the sounds around him, focusing all his attention on that illumination, striving to see the path more clearly. Yet, though the fog was lit up, it did not vanish; it remained indistinct, tantalizingly veiled.

Yang Ying willed his consciousness to push desperately toward the light, but the light seemed almost sentient, receding. After a long time, he felt as if he were still treading water in place.

Gradually, the light dimmed, and Yang Ying’s vision returned to the familiar haze of fog. He opened his eyes and shook his head.

“Sir, what happened?” Kalia had stopped her report and waited patiently when Yang Ying suddenly closed his eyes. Now, seeing him return to normal, she immediately asked.

Yang Ying smiled faintly. “A historic breakthrough just occurred in my cultivation; I had to concentrate fully to comprehend it.” “That is truly cause for celebration.” “Where were we?

Please continue.” “As you command.” On the Sanctuary plaza, the six avatars opened their eyes and shook their heads in unison. The avatar who first saw the flash murmured to himself, “To achieve sudden enlightenment all at once was indeed impossible.

However, having seen it once means there will be a second time. Success is inevitable.” Turning back, he saw two large fireballs, one red and one blue, that seemed to have been waiting behind him for some time.

“Glimorun, Boktana, what is it?” the avatar asked. The arrivals were none other than the Protoss Chief Dark Executor Glimorun and the Chief Light Executor Boktana.

“We sensed the Leader’s spirit fluctuating violently just now, with the potential for a breakthrough, but failing to seize the opportunity at the last moment—what a pity,” Boktana communicated telepathically. Glimorun’s voice entered Yang Ying’s mind.

It was deep and magnetic, unlike fire, sounding instead like celestial music descending from the heavens. He was the complete antithesis of Glimorun, whose voice resonated like the voice of a demon rising from the abyss.

“If the Leader could reach the Master realm, your soul could shoulder the burden of activating the Protoss Mind Link, establishing the Path of Khala. Then, both the development of the Protoss race and the Leader’s own spiritual strength could advance further,” Glimorun stated.

“Isn’t it too early to bring up the Path of Khala now? The Leader has not yet met the requirements to undertake it,” Boktana said, turning toward Glimorun.

“You are too conservative. The Leader is already very close to the Master level; it is not too early to discuss Khala,” Glimorun countered dismissively.

“Hold on, both of you,” the avatar interjected, asking, “Tell me first, what is the Path of Khala? I seem to recall seeing this term several times in the Sanctuary archives.” “The Path of Khala is the ultimate form of Protoss society.

The minds of every Protoss citizen are linked together, forming a perfect network centered around the High Council, allowing every Protoss citizen to hear the voice of the entire collective.” Glimorun conjured an illusion in the air. A three-dimensional network materialized out of nowhere, filled with countless nodes, each connected by fine red threads to several, sometimes dozens, of other nodes.

Glimorun presented the network to Yang Ying. “This view is more intuitive.” Yang Ying observed it closely but couldn't glean much, as it was merely a simple model.

After a moment’s thought, he asked, “Even now, aren’t your spirits already connected? You should be able to hear each other’s voices.” “Yes,” Glimorun and Boktana replied simultaneously, with Glimorun continuing, “But this connection is primitive.

To use an analogy, it is like human society thousands of years ago, in a primitive state. At that time, the productivity of the entire human collective was low, and efficiency was poor.

However, the Path of Khala can bring the Protoss’s innate spiritual power to its absolute maximum, fusing the entire Protoss race into one entity, where every citizen can advance and be sublimated within the Khala structure.” As Glimorun elaborated on the Path of Khala, Yang Ying largely grasped its meaning. The Path of Khala represented an order, the highest form of the Protoss’s theocratic government.

It transcended simple mental linkage; it was a political system, a religion, and something that would permanently alter the state of Protoss life. In the words of Glimorun and Boktana, the Path of Khala was the manifestation of the Protoss’s perfect essence.

However, this raised another question for Yang Ying: “Since the Path of Khala is so advanced and perfect, why don’t you use it now?” “Because establishing the Path of Khala requires importing the energy from the Crystal Stones—that is, the energy matrix—into one’s body to activate the full mind link, ultimately forming an order centered on the High Council. The Chairman of the High Council serves as the guide of the Protoss’s overall direction, or, in other words, the Supreme Ruler.

And that position, rightfully, should be occupied by the Leader,” Glimorun explained. “However, the Leader should know that in terms of soul essence, we Protoss citizens are naturally on par with human Masters.

The energy matrix technology was specifically created for Protoss citizens, and the strain the matrix energy places on the body and soul is calculated based on the Protoss citizenry. This means that to channel that energy into one’s body, one must possess a Master-level soul essence to bear the load normally.

And the Leader’s current state is still insufficient to undertake the Path of Khala,” Boktana added. “I see,” Yang Ying nodded.

“So, once I advance to the Master realm, I can channel the energy from the Crystal Stones into my body, activate the Path of Khala, and become the Chairman of the High Council—is that right?” “Precisely,” the two Chief Executors replied simultaneously. Yang Ying nodded.

“What is the difference between being this Chairman of the High Council and being your Leader as I am now?” “The title of ‘Leader’ sounds like the head of a tribal system, and it is so in reality. Although you possess the authority of the Protoss, you are still an individual, unable to draw upon the strength of the entire race.

However, once you establish the Path of Khala and become Chairman of the High Council, you can gain the support of the entire Protoss collective through the mind link. The power of the Protoss collective is imaginable—it is far more potent and refined than the strength of the Swarm you currently rely on as Leader.” Glimorun’s voice carried a hint of arrogance, but it was clearly the truth.

Every Protoss was an awakened being; even if their numbers were not superior, their combined strength would inevitably far surpass the total strength of the Swarm.