The Lord of Chaos, the Lord of Ice Peak, and the Lord of Darkness led the way, with the Lord of Dragon Walk, the Lord of You Hou, and the Galaxy Lord Luo Feng following behind.
Six figures streaked through the void.
In the boundless void, the closer they got, the clearer the infinitely towering, majestic statue became.
“The greatest existence in the history of the Human Race? The strongest existence even beyond the Primordial Universe Sea? Who cultivated three Universe Masters like the Lord of Chaos as disciples?” Luo Feng gazed at the imposing statue from afar. Though he had only heard his teacher speak of it, his heart was already filled with awe and reverence.
What a heaven-defying existence!
He constructed the Virtual Universe!
Forcing the other strongest beings in the universe to yield! Elevating the Human Race to the pinnacle of cosmic divine might, so much so that even the Ancestral God Sect would not dare provoke them.
Glorious achievements!
“This is ‘Yuan’?” Luo Feng observed silently.
Yuan was a man of slightly slender build, clad in simple white robes, a gentle smile gracing his face. His smile was one of perfection born from seeing through everything. Just looking up at the statue from this distance, observing the slight smile on his face, rendered Luo Feng’s state of mind utterly tranquil… a warmth like returning to a mother’s embrace flooded his heart.
His eyes seemed to pierce through everything in the infinite universe; nothing was unknown to him.
His figure was magnificent, touching heaven and earth.
The infinite universe revolved around him as its core.
“Teacher.” The Lord of Chaos, the Lord of Ice Peak, and the Lord of Darkness halted. The Lord of Chaos bowed deeply, “Our Virtual Universe lineage has gained another Universe Master. He is also my disciple, MP the Galaxy Lord Luo Feng. Today, I bring him to pay his respects to you, Teacher.”
“Luo Feng,” the Lord of Chaos turned to Luo Feng, “Pay your respects to your Grand-Teacher.”
Luo Feng immediately stepped forward, moving beside the Lord of Chaos, and bowed respectfully, “Luo Feng pays respects to Grand-Teacher.” Towards this legendary existence, Luo Feng held absolute admiration. The Human Race could rise precisely because of ‘Yuan’; even the Giant Axe Creator was guided by him.
The Virtual Universe itself was his creation. Without Yuan, perhaps the history on Earth would have unfolded differently.
“Disciples follow Teacher’s command.” The Lord of Chaos looked up at the majestic statue, his eyes flashing with a particular light. “Guarding Chaos City, protecting our Human Race, for endless ages, we have not dared to slacken. Now that Luo Feng has become a Universe Master, our Human strength has increased yet again! I believe our Human Race will certainly grow ever stronger and more prosperous.”
The Lord of Darkness and the Lord of Ice Peak also bowed, uttering soft words, though the sound was entirely shielded from others.
The atmosphere before the statue was intensely solemn. An invisible pressure affected the six Universe Masters present; even the sinister Lord of Darkness seemed like a docile child. After a moment,
“Disciples take our leave,” the Lord of Chaos bowed, the other Universe Masters followed suit, and then they flew away.
Air currents swirled, and their six figures vanished into the depths of the flow.
The majestic statue remained, just as it had for endless epochs. Only now, the statue’s eyes subtly moved, glancing towards the direction the six figures had disappeared. A faint, almost imperceptible voice echoed, “Luo Feng?”
As the six figures traversed the currents, Luo Feng couldn't help but ask, “Teacher, why did I sense numerous fluctuations of the laws near Grand-Teacher’s statue, as if it were the origin point of the universe?” The Origin of the Universe—how powerful and heaven-defying! Even the strongest beings in the universe dared not resist it, and countless lives across myriad races perceived the Origin of the Universe to cultivate, receiving the divine power supply from the ‘Ocean of Origin’ to achieve everything.
“That is the Origin of the Universe,” the Lord of Chaos looked at Luo Feng.
“Yes,” the taciturn and aloof Lord of Ice Peak spoke up… “But, that is the Origin of the Universe within the Virtual Universe!”
“The Origin of the Universe within the Virtual Universe?” Luo Feng was shocked.
Could there truly be another Origin of the Universe?
“In the Virtual Universe, everything can be virtual; any law can be comprehended and cultivated within it,” the Lord of Darkness spoke this time, his voice elegantly sinister. “If one can sense it within the Virtual Universe, then naturally the Virtual Universe possesses an Origin of the Universe. If it were merely some illusion, how could it allow true cultivation?”
Luo Feng fell silent.
Right, based on the illusions he knew, none of them could truly aid cultivation for powerful beings.
“Illusions can also allow cultivation,” the Lord of Chaos interjected. “They can even feel indistinguishable from reality. However, firstly, only a handful of the strongest beings in the universe can conjure such illusions. Secondly, the laws cultivated within must be ones that the strongest beings themselves have mastered. Thirdly, creating an illusion that allows strong beings to cultivate requires immense energy expenditure.”
“The Virtual Universe was created by Grand-Teacher,” Luo Feng murmured again… “Does the fact that laws can be cultivated within the Virtual Universe mean that Grand-Teacher masters all of them? Can the Virtual Universe form an Origin of the Universe because Grand-Teacher understands every law?”
Luo Feng found it hard to believe.
Did he learn all the laws—the fusion laws, the five elements, and the operation of cosmic laws?
“No!”
The Lord of Chaos smiled at Luo Feng. “When You Hou became a Universe Master and went to visit Grand-Teacher, he had the same doubts. Haha… You Hou, you should explain it to Luo Feng.”
The Lord of You Hou nodded, smiling at Luo Feng. “Grand-Teacher probably doesn't master every single law, and moreover, the Virtual Universe is not an illusion! It belongs to a different category than illusions. If an environment allows powerful beings to cultivate laws, it requires massive energy, but the Virtual Universe constantly sustains the cultivation of countless beings, allowing even Universe Reverents and Universe Masters to practice secret techniques within.”
Luo Feng nodded.
“If it were an illusion, maintaining the practice of so many powerful beings—how much energy would that take?” The Lord of You Hou laughed. “Yet, the reality is, the Virtual Universe consumes almost no energy.”
“Ah.” Luo Feng started.
Almost no energy consumption?
Assuming a large virtual space requires significant energy, the Virtual Universe is almost spread throughout the entire cosmos. Countless humans are connected to its network, yet it consumes practically no energy?
“Junior Brother Luo Feng,” the Lord of You Hou smiled. “Consider this Primordial Universe. Every day it sustains the proliferation of countless races, the battles of the strong, and the consumption of divine power from the Ocean of Origin by cultivating experts. Tell me… does the Primordial Universe consume energy?”
“The energy of the Primordial Universe is eternal,” Luo Feng replied.
“The energy of the Primordial Universe is never depleted, so why must the Virtual Universe have consumption?” the Lord of You Hou countered.
Luo Feng was shaken.
Could the Virtual Universe truly rival the Primordial Universe? That seemed too impossibly heaven-defying.
“Don’t underestimate your Grand-Teacher,” the Lord of Chaos looked at Luo Feng. The Lord of Darkness and the Lord of Ice Peak also held expressions of reverence and worship in their eyes. The Lord of Darkness even scoffed, “Hmph, when Teacher was in the Universe Sea, no single strongest being dared to fight him head-on; they all retreated far away. If Teacher were still here, how would the other Three Alliances dare to plot against you? If they dared, Teacher would have already assaulted their Three Alliances directly, forcing them to offer treasures in apology.”
Luo Feng couldn't help but ask, “Then how did the First Ancestor…”
How did he perish? Luo Feng didn't fully speak the question, but the five beings, including the Lord of Chaos, understood perfectly [small new watermark].
“Teacher, he did not perish!” the Lord of Chaos stated solemnly.
“Correct, Teacher is still alive,” the Lord of Darkness nodded.
“How could Teacher possibly die!” the Lord of Ice Peak affirmed.
Luo Feng was stunned.
Then, why did everyone say the Human Race only had one Universe Master, and that the one he came to see was merely a statue?
“Teacher’s power is overwhelming; he is the strongest among the strongest beings in the universe!” The Lord of Darkness’s eyes erupted with faint black light. “No living being is a match for Teacher! But Teacher still sought a stronger path, and thus… this violated the operational rules of the Primordial Universe. This was a provocation against the Origin of the Universe!”
Luo Feng listened silently. Provoking the Origin of the Universe? When the False True Demon God came to kill him, upon erupting with super-strength, chains directly appeared in the void, binding the False True Demon God. Only when the Demon God reduced his power did those chains vanish.
“The rules of the universe operation cannot be challenged!”
“However, Teacher was a heaven-defying existence; he naturally had to break through, to transcend, to defy all this.”
“Provocation after provocation!”
“Thus, it triggered the punishment from the Origin of the Universe!” the Lord of Darkness asserted confidently. “Yet, Teacher’s might had already reached the pinnacle among all the strongest beings; even though the Origin of the Universe was enraged and tried to punish him time and again, it could not halt Teacher’s advance.”
Luo Feng was shocked.
He could imagine the Origin of the Universe’s repeated punishments, and Yuan still pushing for breakthroughs.
“In the end, Teacher engaged in a war with the Origin of the Universe,” the Lord of Darkness’s eyes were filled with worship and reverence. “The result was… Teacher was permanently suppressed by the Origin of the Universe.”
“Suppressed?” Luo Feng held his breath.
To think that a strongest being in the universe dared to fight the Origin of the Universe! It was utterly insane! But the result was tragic: permanent suppression.
“But even while suppressed,” the Lord of Darkness’s voice rang out high, “Teacher still unleashed the secret technique of the ‘Virtual Universe,’ causing this Virtual Universe… to spread its range across every corner of the cosmos. Only other strongest beings and the Origin of the Universe, who possess the ability of ‘speech becomes law,’ could slightly impede it.”
Luo Feng nodded.
The scope controlled by the Starry Sky Ancestor could not connect to the Virtual Universe! That was the will of the Starry Sky Ancestor.
The Primordial True Planet also could not connect to the Virtual Universe; that was due to the Origin of the Universe.
“A heaven-defying maneuver, with a range covering the entire universe,” the Lord of Darkness looked at Luo Feng. “Have you heard of such a powerful secret technique?”
“Teacher also has a Universe Master slave, who is a Universe Master of the Machine Race.”
“Teacher appointed that Machine Race Universe Master as the intelligent core for the entire ‘Virtual Universe,’” the Lord of Darkness explained. “You must know how complex the Virtual Universe is, handling countless programs every day. Even a powerful Universe Master would be overwhelmed and collapse. But the Machine Race Universe Master, being of intelligent life origin, became even more powerful after achieving Universe Master status… Naturally, he can maintain all of this.”
“Normally, everything is handled by that Universe Master, and Teacher does not observe our activities.”
“If one wishes to see Teacher, to make Teacher aware, the only way is to go to the origin point of the Virtual Universe.”
Luo Feng listened and couldn't help but ask, “Since Grand-Teacher is permanently suppressed by the Origin of the Universe, is there any way for him to come out?”