Chapter 364: Destruction
Chapter 364: Destruction
After thoroughly exploring this pocket universe, despite not gaining much, Chen Mu's understanding of the pocket universe greatly improved. In the past, the void was a mystery, but now he faintly grasped a trace of its essence.
"This pocket universe exists within the Earth Abyss, but it belongs to an independent space, unaffected by the Earth Abyss. However, it is also disconnected from the Grand Proclamation World, resulting in an extremely thin and deficient concentration of heavenly and earthly energy, even lacking the fundamental aspects of heaven and earth, such as the most crucial Heaven and Earth seals."
Chen Mu stood on a floating stone, gazing into the distance, carefully sensing and contemplating.
Compared to the Grand Proclamation Mountains and Rivers and the Earth Abyss, this pocket universe was indeed 'incomplete.' Not only was there hardly any heavenly and earthly energy to manipulate within, but many essential aspects of heaven and earth were also missing, such as the most critical Heaven and Earth seals.
Due to the absence of the Heaven and Earth seals, there was no heaven or earth in this place, and even in Chen Mu's perception, there was no wind or thunder, only a few aspects like mountains, marshes, water, and fire.
Consequently, this pocket universe couldn't form a complete heavenly and earthly cycle.
Chen Mu wasn't sure if a world like the Grand Proclamation Mountains and Rivers, which possessed a complete heaven and earth, also had the concept of a 'lifespan.' However, it was evident that this pocket universe did have a lifespan.
At the edge of the void within this pocket universe, countless fine white cracks were visible, weaving together. These were signs of the void's fracture, and these cracks were slowly expanding inward.
In other words, one day, these cracks would crisscross and connect, forming genuine spatial rifts, ultimately leading to the complete collapse of this pocket universe, signifying its ultimate destruction.
"The world must be multi-layered."
After multiple encounters with ancient demons and heavenly demons, Chen Mu had already vaguely guessed this, and now, upon entering this small pocket universe and sensing its differences from the outside world, this concept became even clearer in his mind.
Since there exists such a small pocket universe, there must be larger ones, perhaps even as vast as the Grand Proclamation Mountains and Rivers.
With such distinct worlds, there could also be fundamentally different aspects of heaven and earth. For instance, the ancient demon clan's power essence was clearly outside the realm of the eight cosmic aspects.
However, even with this knowledge, Chen Mu had only lifted a corner of the veil of mystery surrounding heaven and earth.
Even knowing that the ancient demon clan must have come from another world, the possibilities were still numerous. Perhaps this clan once existed within a 'large pocket universe' that, after countless ages of change, eventually collapsed, causing them to fall into the Grand Proclamation World. There was some evidence to support this, as the ancient demon clan seemed to have suddenly appeared in ancient times.
But there was another possibility: the ancient demon clan originated from a world even more vast and 'complete' than the Grand Proclamation World, possessing a more diverse range of heavenly and earthly aspects. Compared to this, the Grand Proclamation World might be considered a 'pocket universe.'
However, this speculation lacked concrete evidence for the time being.
Even with Chen Mu's current status and position, the information he could access was still limited to within the Grand Proclamation World. He had never heard of anything beyond it.
He had asked Qin Mengjun about this, but she, too, was clueless. Qin Mengjun must have inquired Yin Heng, who, despite his century of roaming the world, also had no knowledge... Or perhaps, in the eyes of many Blood Replacement Realm cultivators, this Grand Proclamation Mountains and Rivers was the center of the universe, and even if other worlds existed, they were merely 'pocket universes' dependent on the Grand Proclamation World.
This was quite normal.
Born into this world, without seeing other realms, it was natural to consider it the center of everything.
Only Chen Mu had never held such a belief. He understood the vastness of heaven and earth, his own insignificance, and the immense expanse of the Grand Proclamation's ninety-nine states and rivers. Yet, he also knew that even such a vast world might be but a drop in the ocean.
However, these fleeting thoughts held no significance for Chen Mu at the moment, as he hadn't yet reached the final stage of his martial cultivation.
After gathering his thoughts, Chen Mu retraced his steps.
He stepped back out of the small pocket universe, carefully sensing his surroundings. Soon, he once again felt the breath and oppression of the Earth Abyss, which intensified as he moved outward.
Finally, as he exited the passage within the stone vein, the breath and oppression of the Earth Abyss no longer hindered him.
"Indeed, this entire stone vein... no, the integrated heavenly and earthly energy within this stone vein is what supports that pocket universe. No wonder this place is so bizarre, with numerous disorderly mineral veins piled together, unable to be compressed into a solid mass by the Earth Abyss. The internal and external balance complements each other."
Chen Mu's Analysis
Chen Mu placed his hand on the stone vein, once again sensing the condition of the entire vein. Within the stone vein, the Earth Pulse Energy brewed, sustaining the existence of the Pocket Universe within. It was this very universe that withstood the compression from the Earth Abyss, allowing the stone vein to maintain its current state.
This was a delicate balance.
Chen Mu yearned to get his hands on the legendary Heaven and Earth Flask, not for possession, but to study how it achieved internal and external equilibrium. If he could reference its mechanisms, perhaps he'd find a clear path forward.
"No wonder there's a map for this."
Chen Mu rubbed his forehead, his gaze fixed on the stone vein.
Even if Feng Hongsheng, Shi Zhenyong, and others were here, encountering such a place, they'd know it could be an invaluable treasure if utilized, yet they'd also be unable to harness its power. Most likely, they'd create a map, record it, and depart.
However,
Although Chen Mu was clueless about crafting a Spirit Armament, he wasn't about to give up. Instead, he continued his research, circling the stone vein for further investigation.
The person who left that map might have been just a Grandmaster, powerless against this stone vein. But Chen Mu was different; although he was also a Grandmaster, he possessed strength comparable to the Blood Replacement Realm and had cultivated the Eight Cosmic Aspects.
Even if he failed...
He could, at the very least, destroy this stone vein!
This stone vein relied on the balance between the internal Earth Pulse Energy and the Pocket Universe. With his current strength, disrupting this balance wasn't overly challenging, and the stone vein would naturally collapse.
Once the Ice Province's Earth Abyss sealed, it wouldn't reopen for at least another century. Chen Mu wouldn't let this treasure slip away; if he couldn't find a method, he'd resort to extreme measures.
Even if he gained nothing, destroying the stone vein and the Pocket Universe wouldn't be a total loss. Witnessing the collapse of a Pocket Universe up close would undoubtedly offer him an extraordinary insight.
And so,
Chen Mu thoroughly examined the stone vein, inside and out. His findings revealed that the stone vein had only one cave entrance leading to the internal Pocket Universe, with no other entry points.
Furthermore, even if they forcibly created a rift from another direction, they couldn't reach the internal Pocket Universe. Only the unique passageway allowed access.
Finally,
Chen Mu returned to the front of the passage.
"Seems there's no other way."
His gaze penetrated the depths of the passage, his eyes sharpening as he took a decisive step forward.
With his current abilities, destroying the stone vein was feasible, but extracting it whole was akin to a fantasy. Internalizing and refining it was equally impossible; aside from the question of capability, it wasn't something achievable in a short time. With no viable options, he'd have to take an extreme approach.
After all, this small Pocket Universe held no rare treasures, and even after a century, it wouldn't spawn any. Destroying it wouldn't be a significant loss, and shattering the stone vein didn't necessarily mean total destruction. This was an experiment, and Chen Mu wasn't sure how it would unfold.
Soon,
Chen Mu reached the interior of the small Pocket Universe.
At the universe's edge, white cracks lined the void, a barrier Chen Mu couldn't penetrate. Each crack held the power to tear the void, something he could achieve only with his utmost effort, and they were densely packed along the universe's perimeter.
"It's here..."
Chen Mu carefully sensed the small Pocket Universe's entrance, quickly identifying a critical node.
After pinpointing the critical node connecting the stone vein to the miniature pocket universe, Chen Mu took a few steps back, positioning himself within the channel beside the stone vein. His eyes flashed with a subtle glow, and with a swift motion of his hands, he formed a fist seal.
Vibrant energy surged from the vastness of the universe, gathering before him as he channeled the primordial essence of his Yuan Gong True Force.
"Heaven and Earth Domain, gather and condense the Heaven Seal! Heaven and Earth Body, with the power of Yuan Gong, manifest the Earth Seal!"
The two brilliant seals merged, rotating and transforming into the complete Heaven-Earth Seal!
"Huff..."
Chen Mu's body tensed, not daring to show any negligence. This was his first time unleashing his full power, pushing all his strength to the limit, and manifesting the most powerful Heaven-Earth Seal.
With a forward sweep of his hand, the Heaven-Earth Seal, enveloped in radiant light, shot forward, tearing through the void and landing precisely on the critical node connecting the stone vein and the pocket universe, over ten zhang away.
Crack!
A shattering sound echoed.
The tiny Heaven-Earth Seal exploded at the node, leaving behind a faint white crack in the void, barely two fingers wide.
In the outside world, such a small crack would have instantly healed.
But here, the white crack, forcefully torn by Chen Mu's strike, not only persisted but also began to quietly expand with each passing breath.
Crackle, crackle...
Sounds akin to shattering ice reverberated.
The balance within the stone vein, where the power of Heaven and Earth converged, was disrupted. The energy within the pocket universe, the power of the Earth Abyss, immediately exerted pressure on the entire stone vein and the pocket universe within.
The initially slender crack, barely two fingers wide, swiftly expanded to nearly a foot, then spread like a spider web in all directions, shattering the void inch by inch.
Swish.
Chen Mu, having executed the Heaven-Earth Seal, had already retreated into the stone vein channel. Witnessing the irreversible shattering within the pocket universe, he wasted no time in withdrawing further into the channel.
The stone vein channel itself was unstable, with cracks appearing on the stone layers above, below, and on all sides, continuously spreading.
Not just the channel, but the entire stone vein, spanning over ten li in all directions, began to tremble and shake.
Chen Mu quickly exited the stone vein channel, emerging from the ground and hovering in the air. He surveyed the stone vein below.
The ground, spanning dozens of li, trembled incessantly.
Within the stone vein's vicinity, an area of over ten li, the once tranquil wasteland now bore witness to a chaotic web of cracks. The entire stone vein shook violently, with increasing ferocity and fury.
This was not the extent of Chen Mu's power; he had merely disrupted the internal balance of the stone vein. In reality, it was a violent clash between the Earth Abyss, the stone vein, and the miniature pocket universe!
Crack! Crack!!
A terrifying sight unfolded as the surface of the stone vein, spanning over ten li, began to crack. Simultaneously, the nearby void within the Earth Abyss mirrored this destruction, erupting with dense white cracks.
However, these cracks in the Earth Abyss swiftly healed, only to shatter again, repeating this cycle within the ten-li radius. Each crack represented a clash and tremor between the voids, unleashing power surpassing Chen Mu's previous all-out Heaven-Earth Seal!
"How insignificant are humans in the face of such forces."
Chen Mu gazed upon this spectacle, feeling his own insignificance despite his Heaven-Earth Grandmaster status and blood-exchange prowess.
Seal Activation and the Clash of Realms
Confronting the clash between the voids and the power of the pocket universe, even a Blood-Exchange practitioner would face certain death.
(End of Chapter)
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