Chapter 353: The Mysterious Black Planet

Chapter 353: The Mysterious Black Planet (5000 characters, please subscribe)

In the desolate and quiet universe, beneath the starry sky, Lin Yuan gazed intently at the distant black planet.

Although he had held back with that slap, using only a minuscule amount of his strength, it was still enough to annihilate a high-level life-bearing planet. Even a star would have been sent flying.

Yet, the black planet hadn't even budged.

Not only that, but it seemed completely unaffected.

This was truly baffling.

Next, Lin Yuan began to gradually increase his strength, testing the black planet of life.

But still, there was no reaction.

Even when Lin Yuan increased his power to the level of a billion spatial layers, there was no effect.

Seeing this, Lin Yuan stopped testing and instead concealed his power. He was confident he could perfectly contain the energy fluctuations of a billion spatial layers. If he continued to increase his power, he wouldn't be able to hide it, and he might attract the attention of other ninth-stage evolvers passing by nearby or even be detected by the Monitoring Bureau of the Human Civilization.

"This planet has a significant origin," Lin Yuan's heart raced.

The power of a billion spatial layers was already considered the upper limit of a ninth-stage powerhouse in the main universe, especially since Lin Yuan's internal world was far larger than those of the same stage.

Yet, it seemed useless against this black planet.

This made Lin Yuan realize that the value of the black planet was even greater than he had anticipated.

"Should I take a closer look?"

Lin Yuan gazed at the black planet of life.

Theoretically, with Lin Yuan's strength, he wouldn't encounter any dangers within the jurisdiction of the Human Civilization.

Even black holes were like toys to Lin Yuan and posed no threat.

But this black planet made Lin Yuan feel a little uncertain.

Being able to effortlessly block Lin Yuan's attack with the power of a billion spatial layers was comparable to some small secret realms.

"It's just one avatar, anyway."

After some thought, Lin Yuan stored all the treasures he was carrying in a certain spatial layer. Then, he hid a drop of his essence blood in another place.

This way, even if something extreme happened and his solar avatar fell on the black planet, he could quickly return to the outside world and resurrect himself with a drop of blood. The Xuanhuang crystals and countless treasures he had brought out from the Xuanhuang Secret Realm would not be lost.

After making all the necessary preparations, Lin Yuan slowly approached the black planet.

Buzz.

As Lin Yuan drew closer, he faintly sensed the fluctuations of space-time.

The black planet, which was less than a million li in size, suddenly seemed majestic and imposing.

"It actually contains such profound spatial rule applications?" Lin Yuan was astonished. This level of spatial rule manipulation was far beyond his current capabilities.

"Is time also changing?" Lin Yuan also perceived a difference in the flow of time.

However, compared to the flow of time in the outside world, the difference was not significant. Perhaps he had not yet entered the crucial areas of the planet.

Boom.

After a while, Lin Yuan finally descended onto the black planet.

The surrounding environment was filled with black rocks, and occasionally, there were ancient architectural complexes, although they seemed abandoned. Lin Yuan carefully explored the area but found no valuable information.

Half a day later, Lin Yuan arrived at the center of the planet.

Here, a black valley lay.

A mysterious, ancient aura began to permeate the air.

Lin Yuan entered the valley and discovered that within it stood twelve black gates.

The gates were tightly closed, and complex patterns were engraved on their surfaces.

Lin Yuan looked at the pattern on the first black gate on the left.

Before long, a subtle message entered Lin Yuan's mind.

"Understanding the rule of life and death cycle will grant entry."

"Oh?" Lin Yuan's expression turned solemn.

The rule of life and death cycle? This was a fusion rule, born from the fusion of the life rule and the death rule, both of which were pillar rules of the universe.

Understanding this fusion rule would instantly grant one peak tenth-stage combat power, or Grade A tenth-stage.

"Only a tenth-stage pinnacle can enter this black gate?" Lin Yuan frowned.

He then looked at the second black gate on the left.

Soon, another subtle message entered his mind.

"Understanding the rule of great destruction will grant entry."

"The rule of great destruction?" Lin Yuan sighed inwardly.

This was also a fusion rule, and a violent one at that, born from the fusion of two pillar rules that leaned towards slaughter.

Understanding this fusion rule would make one a strong Grade A tenth-stage.

Lin Yuan continued to look at the remaining ten black gates.

Without exception, the condition to enter each of these gates was to understand a specific fusion rule.

"Even for a Grade A tenth-stage, this is just the threshold for entering the black gates. Whether one can truly enter depends on the specific fusion rule they've comprehended."

Lin Yuan thought to himself.

Undoubtedly, the fusion rules corresponding to these twelve black gates were extremely high-level. Anyone who comprehended them would surely become a Grade A tenth-stage.

However, not all Grade A tenth-stage powerhouses would have necessarily comprehended one of these twelve fusion rules.

"Forcing my way in won't work."

Lin Yuan observed once more. Since the information on the black gates indicated that understanding the corresponding fusion rule was necessary for entry, it could be deduced that one couldn't enter without comprehending the rule. This applied even to Grade A tenth-stage powerhouses, and Lin Yuan's current strength was still inferior to that level.

Lin Yuan could defeat the likes of Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang, a Grade A tenth-stage, because their battle only involved a contest of understanding of the time rule.

If they were to go all out and utilize various means, Lin Yuan was sure he wouldn't be a match for Nalanhuang.

Of course, while Lin Yuan couldn't beat Nalanhuang, the latter also wouldn't find it easy to kill him.

With the 'Step of Space-Time', even an eleventh-stage powerhouse would struggle to catch Lin Yuan, and Nalanhuang could, at most, defeat him.

Lin Yuan gazed at the distant black planet, well aware that with his current findings, the rarity of the planet was undoubtedly on par with an eleven-star supreme cosmic wonder like the World Tree.

The twelve black gates, which required one to be at the pinnacle of the tenth-stage to even qualify for entry, surely held some opportunity within.

Buzz.

Space fluctuations rippled gently.

Even with Lin Yuan's full power directing his internal world, he was unable to draw the black planet into it.

The black planet seemed like an 'anchor', firmly connected to countless layers of space.

For Lin Yuan to bring the black planet into his internal world, it would be akin to absorbing this entire star domain and countless layers of space along with it.

This was far too challenging.

And even if Lin Yuan could accomplish this feat, he wouldn't dare attempt it.

The commotion it would cause would be impossible to conceal. Absorbing a large star domain and its layers of space all at once would surely attract the attention of the three goddesses, who would inquire about his actions.

"Can't bring it into my internal world?"

Lin Yuan felt a sense of difficulty. This meant that he could only leave the black planet where it was.

Just because it hadn't been discovered by other powerful beings so far didn't mean it wouldn't be found in the future.

"I can 'rent' this area of the star domain."

"That way, I will have the right to use all the planets in this star domain."

Lin Yuan pondered for a moment and came up with a compromise.

As long as it was within the jurisdiction of Human Civilization, one had to abide by the Charter and Laws, and even an eleventh-stage powerhouse couldn't defy them.

Once Lin Yuan became the temporary owner of this star domain, theoretically, he would also own the black planet.

No one would be allowed to trespass, or they would be considered an enemy of Human Civilization.

"Let's see if there's a 'renter' for this star domain." Lin Yuan immediately connected to the virtual world to check the information on this star domain.

This star domain was incredibly desolate and barren, so it was unlikely that anyone would be interested in it.

After all, renting a star domain was not cheap.

If this star domain had already been rented, Lin Yuan would have reason to believe that someone else had discovered the peculiarity of the black planet.

In that case, it would be much more challenging for Lin Yuan to acquire ownership of the black planet.

Soon.

Lin Yuan entered the coordinates of the star domain and waited for the virtual world network to search.

"Honored Galaxy Star Master, this star domain does not currently have a 'renter'. Would you like to 'rent' it?"

An electronic, mechanical voice replied.

"Rent." Lin Yuan's heart relaxed, and he immediately responded.

"This star domain has a diameter of 12.35 light-years. Please select the rental period."

"How about ten thousand years?" Lin Yuan thought for a moment.

Ten thousand years in the main universe was more than enough time for him to thoroughly uncover the secrets of the black planet.

And if he still hadn't figured it out by then, Lin Yuan could choose to extend the rental period.

"The rental fee is eight thousand cubic universe crystals. Would you like to pay now?" The electronic, mechanical voice inquired again.

"Pay." Lin Yuan replied promptly.

Soon.

Eight thousand cubic universe crystals were transferred out of his possession.

And the ownership of this desolate star domain fell into Lin Yuan's name.

Changes in star domain ownership were commonplace in Human Civilization, occurring every second.

Furthermore, Lin Yuan chose to hide his information, so his name would not appear on any public lists.

Thus, no one else knew that Lin Yuan had acquired ownership of this star domain.

"It's done." A smile appeared on Lin Yuan's face.

From this moment on, for the next ten thousand years, he would be the master of this star domain.

And by extension, the master of the black planet.

"Eight thousand cubic universe crystals in exchange for this black planet. It's worth it, too worth it." Lin Yuan felt elated.

Eight thousand cubic universe crystals were equivalent to the entire fortune of a typical eighth-stage evolver, yet the exploration threshold of this black planet was at the pinnacle of the tenth-stage.

Lin Yuan stood in the starry sky, gazing at the distant black planet.

"Actually, discovering this black planet is an extremely rare occurrence. At the very least, one would need to be a tenth-stage evolver, passing through this star domain, happen to be near the black planet, and then take a glance at it to notice its abnormality."

Lin Yuan thought to himself.

He was not an ordinary ninth-stage evolver; his perception was no different from that of a tenth-stage evolver.

And how many tenth-stage evolvers were there in Human Civilization? The jurisdiction of Human Civilization was vast and expansive, spanning billions and billions of light-years. Most tenth-stage powerhouses traveled by using Great Relocation, crossing thousands of light-years in one go.

It would be incredibly difficult to end up in this vicinity by chance.

Lin Yuan's discovery of the black planet's abnormality was a testament to his good fortune.

This was what Lin Yuan meant when he spoke of encountering a 'lucky break'.

As everyone knew, 'lucky breaks' were heavily dependent on luck.

Without luck, one wouldn't even be able to recognize a 'lucky break' if it was right in front of them.

After confirming the ownership of this star domain once again, Lin Yuan left behind a means of surveillance near the black planet.

Should any life form approach, Lin Yuan would swiftly sense it.

Given the uniqueness of the black planet, even Lin Yuan couldn't move it an inch. It would be nothing but a pipe dream for other ninth or tenth-stage powerhouses to try and secretly relocate the black planet.

The surveillance method Lin Yuan left behind served primarily as a warning system.

Apart from deterring other life forms from approaching, its most important function was to lock onto the black planet's position.

The universe as a whole was constantly in motion, and countless planets were no exception. Lin Yuan was concerned that if he wasn't careful, the black planet might move on its own.

Of course, the likelihood of that happening was slim, but planets were always in motion, and Lin Yuan had already rented out the nearby star domain spanning over ten light-years.

In the Star Master's Hall, Lin Yuan's true body and the Solar Avatar sat facing each other.

Whoosh!

Countless Xuanhuang Crystals and secret treasures were handed over by the Solar Avatar to Lin Yuan's true body.

At the same time, the mysterious gourd also landed in the Solar Avatar's hand.

After the ninth shuttle, Lin Yuan had made significant progress in absorbing the liquid within the mysterious gourd in the Shuttle World.

As for the Solar Avatar and the other two main avatars, they had yet to absorb the gourd's liquid and were focused on expanding the size of their internal worlds to their maximum limit.

Over the past twenty years, the size of Lin Yuan's internal world had already reached a massive two hundred and twelve million li in area. Additionally, he had absorbed about half of the seventh drop of purple liquid.

A month later, the Solar Avatar's internal world reached its limit.

It then headed to the alien battlefield, swapping places with the Taiyin Avatar, which returned to further its cultivation.

Virtual World:

During his cultivation and enlightenment, Lin Yuan occasionally connected to the virtual world to relax.

On this day, as Lin Yuan was enjoying some delicacies in his personal space, he received an invitation from the Black Star Master to visit another personal space.

Lin Yuan accepted the invitation.

Soon, he arrived at an ancient-style manor.

The Black Star Master, the Liuli Star Master, the Skull Elder, and several other Grade A tenth-stage cultivators were chatting casually.

The Black Star Master and the others belonged to an exclusive circle that only Grade A tenth-stage cultivators could join. Although Lin Yuan was only at the ninth stage, his future progression to the tenth stage was almost guaranteed, so they were happy to include him.

"Hahaha, the Galaxy Star Master has arrived!" The Black Star Master smiled upon seeing Lin Yuan.

The Black Star Master was affiliated with the Black Source Evolution Tower, while the Liuli Star Master came from another Evolution Tower. Technically, Lin Yuan should have been associated with the Xiaoyu Evolution Tower.

However, as fellow human cultivators, they felt no sense of estrangement.

"Galaxy Star Master, I heard that Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang has stepped down," Liuli Star Master said softly, her eyes gentle as she looked at Lin Yuan.

Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang was the deputy tower master of the Xiaoyu Evolution Tower and held significant influence among the tenth-stage circle in Human Civilization.

Moreover, Nalanhuang's strength was formidable, ranking among the top hundred on the alien records for Grade A cultivators.

"Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang has stepped down?" Lin Yuan was taken aback.

He had met with Nalanhuang not long ago, and they had even sparred in their understanding of the time rule.

"Galaxy Star Master, you should know that once one assumes the position of deputy tower master, it's rare to be replaced midway," the Black Star Master said with a smile.

"What do you mean?" Lin Yuan asked, his expression thoughtful.

"Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang must be about to advance to the eleventh stage," the Skull Elder beside them sighed, his expression filled with envy.

The position of deputy tower master in the nine major Evolution Towers was held by tenth-stage cultivators.

And once a deputy tower master advanced to the eleventh stage, they would automatically step down because eleventh-stage cultivators had more important responsibilities.

They would prepare for their ultimate ascension or be dispatched to major alien battlefields to oversee operations.

Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang still had a long way to go before reaching the limit of his lifespan, and he hadn't committed any significant mistakes.

For him to abruptly step down from his position without any apparent reason, it could only mean that he had the blessing of a superior approving his advancement to the eleventh stage.

"The eleventh stage..." The Black Star Master also sighed.

They, as Grade A tenth-stage cultivators, all had the potential to reach the eleventh stage, but the possibility of achieving it was another matter entirely.

Now, seeing Nalanhuang take that step ahead of them, the group couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions.

"How did Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang suddenly break through the critical fusion rule bottleneck that had held her back for so many years?" Liuli Star Master asked, unable to contain her curiosity.

"Who knows?" The Skull Elder shook his head. "Maybe she received some sort of stimulation."

"When you have the chance, Galaxy Star Master, please ask Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang what insight helped her overcome that bottleneck," Liuli Star Master requested, looking at Lin Yuan with soft eyes.

Lin Yuan was associated with the Xiaoyu Evolution Tower, and Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang was the deputy tower master of the same tower.

Naturally, their relationship would be closer than with the others.

"Of course," Lin Yuan nodded.

"I'll definitely ask when I see her next."

Lin Yuan was also curious about how Nalanhuang had managed to break through.

Even though he might not need that insight immediately, it wouldn't hurt to listen and learn.

"Speaking of which, Galaxy Star Master, you're about to enter the tenth stage as well, right?" the Black Star Master suddenly asked.

With Lin Yuan's display of creating a two-hundred-million-layer spatial world in the Xuanhuang Secret Realm, advancing to the tenth stage should be as easy as eating and drinking for him.

"Indeed, with Galaxy Star Master's talent, he might even surpass us and reach the eleventh stage before we do," the Skull Elder joked.

He was just making a casual remark, as everyone present was a Grade A tenth-stage cultivator, and any one of them could potentially break through to the eleventh stage with a period of seclusion and cultivation.

Lin Yuan was still at the ninth stage, and even after reaching the tenth stage, he would still have a long way to go.

After chatting with the Black Star Master and his friends for a while, Lin Yuan disconnected from the virtual world and continued his cultivation and enlightenment.

Deputy Tower Master Nalanhuang's breakthrough gave him added motivation.

"The two-thousandth new time rule model... is it a ring? A snake ring?"

Lin Yuan's mind was filled with images of the river of time, flowing endlessly from the ancient past to the distant future.

But in reality, within local tributaries of the river, time took on the form of a snake ring, curling back on itself.

"In other words, time is a closed loop, and no matter where one starts, they will eventually return to the beginning?" Lin Yuan pondered, his mind flooded with insights and enlightenment.

As he continued to contemplate, his understanding of the time rule rapidly improved.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end