Chapter 373: The Celestial Gate Theory
Chapter 373: The Celestial Gate Theory (End of Chapter)
"A lower-dimensional space?" Lin Yuan's expression turned solemn. Based on the six-armed figure's description of a 'lower-dimensional space', Lin Yuan was almost certain that the 'blank paper' was indeed such a place.
"Master, have you seen a 'lower-dimensional space'?" The six-armed figure asked curiously. 'Lower-dimensional spaces' involved exploring even lower dimensions, and not even the Emperor of Chaos had obtained a complete one.
After countless eons in the Chaotic Void, countless treasures and wonders had been lost to time. It was possible that some remnants of these 'lower-dimensional spaces' might be found in the depths of dangerous and ancient lands. Perhaps the Emperor had only gained intelligence on these spaces during his explorations, but never encountered one himself.
"Not only have I seen it," Lin Yuan replied, "but one of my avatars fell into it." He then proceeded to briefly recount the events that had transpired. There was no need to hide anything from the six-armed figure, a being he could trust completely.
"Do you mean to say that countless other powerful beings also fell into the lower-dimensional space with you, Master?" The six-armed figure asked, its eyes widening in surprise.
"Yes," Lin Yuan nodded. "The number should exceed one hundred million."
The A098 Alien Battlefield was a large-scale battlefield, and during regular periods, countless powerful beings resided there. Furthermore, just before the 'blank paper' descended, the major forces were about to engage in an intense battle, and numerous powerful beings were being gathered from all directions.
Lin Yuan estimated that there would be over three hundred 11th Tier powerhouses on this battlefield. As for 10th Tier beings, the number would reach two hundred thousand, and the 8th and 9th Tier beings together would number close to one hundred million.
And this was just the count of powerful beings, not including puppets and the like. For example, the strong ones from the Insect Tribe were adept at cultivating countless Insect Tribe warriors. These warriors, lacking independent thought, were not counted among the powerful beings.
"One hundred million?" The six-armed figure was stunned. "How could a lower-dimensional space, which is merely a simplified space, accommodate so many lives in an instant?"
According to the intelligence the Emperor of Chaos had obtained, normal lower-dimensional spaces, whether for entertainment or gambling purposes, could only accommodate a very limited number of lives at the same time. The most it could hold would not exceed one hundred.
As for one hundred million? The very foundation of this lower-dimensional space was far inferior to that of the normal Chaotic Void, and it simply couldn't support so many lives.
Unless... The six-armed figure's expression turned solemn. "Master, I suspect that the lower-dimensional space you fell into is one of the very first ones created. It is a lower-dimensional space crafted by those near-perfect timeless beings at a tremendous cost and with infinite resources."
Lower-dimensional spaces originated from the exploration of dimensions by near-perfect timeless beings. The ones that spread throughout the later ages were all imitations of these first-generation spaces.
"A first-generation lower-dimensional space?" Lin Yuan's expression turned slightly puzzled.
"Yes," the six-armed figure replied. "As for these first-generation spaces, His Majesty doesn't know much, only that they contain opportunities bestowed by those near-perfect timeless beings."
"Any life that falls into this kind of lower-dimensional space will receive a bestowal as long as they meet the conditions," the six-armed figure continued.
"How do I leave?" Lin Yuan asked the crucial question.
"The method of leaving shouldn't be difficult to discover. I think if you explore the lower-dimensional space a bit more, you'll figure it out, Master," the six-armed figure said hesitantly.
Inside the blank paper, Lin Yuan still knelt within the narrow room. Through his communications with the strongest being, Xia Qinzhi, the spirit of the Emperor's Secret Realm, and the human-shaped stone statue, Shen Ji, he had formed a basic understanding of his current situation.
First, if his Solar Nascent Soul died within this two-dimensional world, he would lose this Nascent Soul at its root. Second, there should be a way to leave, but smoothly exiting this place wouldn't be easy. Leaving this lower-dimensional space midway would likely incur severe punishment, and he might have to defeat the other fallen beings before being allowed to depart.
Third, as long as he could meet certain requirements, he would be able to receive a bestowal from the creator of this two-dimensional world—the near-perfect timeless being. Fourth, the flow of time here was different from that of the main universe, with a ratio of about one hundred to one. In simple terms, one year in the main universe was equivalent to one hundred years in this two-dimensional world.
For now, Lin Yuan's primary concern was finding a way to leave this two-dimensional world. Whether or not he could obtain a bestowal was not within his current considerations.
"In this two-dimensional world, the methods of improving one's strength from the main universe are rendered useless." Lin Yuan thought to himself. In the main universe, the strength of the myriad tribes, be it the human civilization or others, was improved through the comprehension of the myriad rules.
By borrowing the power of these rules, one could easily unleash strength far beyond their limits. Moreover, once one's comprehension of the rules reached a certain level, they could create a world within their body and draw upon its power, causing their strength to increase a hundredfold or even a thousandfold.
But here? Rules? There were none.
Internal world?
Without the support of spatial dimensions, the very concept of an internal world was nonexistent. Lin Yuan's internal world had been compressed into a piece of paper.
Therefore, in this world, there were only two ways to improve one's strength.
The first was the physical body. The stronger one's physical body was, the stronger their overall power would be. This was a primitive contest of raw power.
The second was technique. While technique was useless in the face of absolute power, if the power levels were similar or the gap wasn't too large, the one with superior technique would undoubtedly have the advantage.
Currently, Lin Yuan didn't know what the conditions for leaving this two-dimensional world were, but improving his strength was undoubtedly the right path to take.
Ever since the near-perfect timeless beings created 'lower-dimensional spaces', these 'spaces' have been widely used for entertainment or gambling purposes to test one's 'comprehension'.
The reason being, the various cultivation methods that worked in the 'lower-dimensional spaces' were now virtually useless, and in order to strengthen oneself and become powerful, one had to start from scratch and create new cultivation methods adapted to this 'lower-dimensional space'.
"With my heaven-defying comprehension, creating a cultivation method suited to this world shouldn't be difficult at all." Lin Yuan thought to himself.
However, he did not underestimate the other powerful beings who had fallen into this two-dimensional world.
Especially those 11th Tier beings, at the same level, Lin Yuan believed that no one could match his comprehension.
But when compared to higher-level beings, the gap between them would undoubtedly narrow.
Furthermore, without the boost of the rules, the upper limit of power in this two-dimensional world was bound to be low.
"Slow and steady."
Lin Yuan calmed his thoughts.
Now that he had fallen into this two-dimensional world, he could only take it one step at a time.
"I wonder what's outside this room?" Lin Yuan took a moment to gather himself before standing up and pushing open the wooden door.
Outside, lush greenery filled his vision, and in the distance, there was a stream where a middle-aged man with dark skin was fishing.
"Wa ka ka."
The middle-aged man spotted Lin Yuan stepping out of the room and immediately strode over, speaking in a language Lin Yuan couldn't understand.
"A new language?"
Lin Yuan listened carefully, observing the middle-aged man's facial expressions as he spoke.
After a moment, he tried responding with a few phrases, continuing to observe the man's reactions. After three to four minutes, he was able to communicate with the middle-aged man fairly well.
Although Lin Yuan was suppressed in this two-dimensional world, his main body in the main universe could share memories with his current self.
With the 'thought processing speed' of a 10th Tier being, coupled with his heaven-defying comprehension, learning the language of this world was child's play for Lin Yuan.
In fact, if it weren't for the limitations of this two-dimensional world, Lin Yuan could have silently read the middle-aged man's memories, which would have been far more efficient than this verbal exchange.
"You mean that two days ago, countless 'meteors' fell from the sky, and one of them landed near here. When you went to investigate, you found me?"
Lin Yuan spoke with the middle-aged man for a while, his expression thoughtful.
The so-called 'meteors' were probably powerful beings like himself, who had been sucked into the battlefield within the white paper.
A moment later.
Through his conversation with the middle-aged man, Lin Yuan was able to gather some basic information about this two-dimensional world.
From the middle-aged man's perspective, he lived on an endless continent.
The way of life on this continent was extremely backward, with most people living in tribal gatherings.
Occasionally, there would be some walled cities, and these cities were considered powerful forces, said to be ruled by mighty 'Witch Kings'.
The 'Witch Kings' were the strongest beings the middle-aged man knew of, capable of easily splitting mountains and causing untold destruction.
"My luck isn't too bad."
Lin Yuan glanced at the middle-aged man, thinking to himself.
At the very least, the man hadn't harbored any ill intentions towards him upon discovering Lin Yuan.
According to the information Lin Yuan had obtained from Xia Qinzhi, the strongest being, many powerful beings who had fallen into this two-dimensional world were not faring well.
Some unfortunate beings had fallen into the hands of 'cannibalistic tribes' and were immediately placed on a spit roast.
9th, 10th, and 11th Tier beings, upon entering this world, had all their powers and abilities reduced to that of an ordinary person in this two-dimensional world.
The only thing that remained unchanged was their memories.
But memories alone were of little use, especially when encountering these 'cannibalistic tribes' where language was a barrier, and the outcome could be easily imagined.
Some of the powerful beings who fell into the hands of the cannibalistic tribes chose to self-destruct or erase their consciousness rather than endure the humiliation.
This led to the discovery that 'death in this two-dimensional world would result in the loss of the Nascent Soul in the main universe'.
Aside from the cannibalistic tribes, there were those who fell into dens of fierce beasts and became a meal, or those who fell into bustling cities and were captured by native powerful beings who were intrigued by them and wanted to study them.
According to Lin Yuan's knowledge, a significant portion of the powerful beings who had fallen into this two-dimensional world were not in favorable situations.
Of course, there were also those who were fortunate, such as those who were revered as heavenly 'saints' by certain tribes or those who gained the favor of native powerful beings.
Lin Yuan's situation was neither good nor bad, but he was content with it.
"Pado, where is the nearest gathering place?" Lin Yuan asked, looking at the stout middle-aged man in front of him.
Through their conversation, Lin Yuan learned that the man's name was 'Pado', and he made a living by fishing and hunting. After discovering Lin Yuan, he had brought him back to his dwelling.
"That way." Pado pointed in a certain direction. "But it's best to wait for others to join us. It's dangerous to travel alone, as we might encounter fierce beasts."
There were several other natives living near Pado, amounting to a few dozen people.
On this continent, fierce beasts roamed everywhere, and humans could only survive by sticking together.
Of course, those powerful gatherings and walled cities could hunt down these fierce beasts with ease, and their safety was guaranteed.
However, settling in such places would require an exorbitant price, something an ordinary man like Pado could not even consider.
That night.
Lin Yuan sat with his legs crossed.
At that moment, every bone in his body was trembling, and black stains were seeping out of his skin.
Lin Yuan breathed a sigh of relief. For powerful beings from the main universe who fell into this two-dimensional world, the most dangerous period was the first three days.
The first two days were spent in a deep sleep, and the third day was about adaptation.
Once they got through those three days, they would be able to gain some self-preservation abilities, more or less, depending on their own capabilities.
"Is my physical body now comparable to a 'Witch' from this world?" Lin Yuan wondered to himself.
The path of cultivation in this two-dimensional world was extremely simple: it was all about enhancing the strength of one's physical body, progressing from weak to strong, with the stages being Witch, Witch King, Witch Emperor, and Witch Ancestor.
It was said that above the Witch Emperor was the Witch Ancestor, but they were extremely rare, and each time one appeared, they would receive reverence from all living beings on the entire continent.
According to the scarce information Lin Yuan had gathered from natives other than Pado, a Witch Ancestor would appear on this continent only once every tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of years.
"Witch Ancestor?" Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow. "That's just pushing the limits of the physical body to the extreme."
"Even an Eighth Tier life form could easily achieve that given enough time."
Lin Yuan shook his head. It was predictable that as time passed and powerful beings from the main universe gradually adapted, this continent would give birth to a group of extremely terrifying powerhouses.
"Witch Ancestor is just the beginning." Lin Yuan's expression remained calm.
If even an Eighth Tier life form could easily reach that level, it would be even less of a challenge for Ninth Tier, Tenth Tier, or even Eleventh Tier beings.
In the following days,
Lin Yuan rested during the day, and at night, he would secretly leave to hunt down the terrifying fierce beasts.
After his physical body went through a transformation, Lin Yuan realized that to continue unlocking its potential, he had to absorb sufficient energy.
But where would this energy come from? From the heavens and the earth?
The concept of drawing energy from the heavens and the earth did not exist in this two-dimensional world.
All energy absorption was done in the most primitive way—
by devouring other powerful fierce beasts.
Rumble!
A ten-meter-tall giant elephant fell to the ground, and Lin Yuan sat cross-legged in front of it, tearing out and consuming the most vital part of its flesh raw.
Gush!
A large amount of blood essence flowed into his body and was quickly absorbed and refined by Lin Yuan, slowly enhancing his physical strength.
Time passed.
In the blink of an eye, more than half a month had gone by.
"Witch King."
Lin Yuan's physical body underwent a second transformation.
His strength and speed had increased significantly, far surpassing his previous 'Witch' level.
According to the scarce information from Pado and the others, Lin Yuan should now be a Witch King.
A Witch King was powerful enough to rule over a region. The strongest beings in ordinary gatherings were usually Witch Kings.
Even in walled cities, a Witch King was considered a top-tier powerhouse.
"Huff." Lin Yuan took a soft breath. The price he paid to become a Witch King was to hunt down and devour all the fierce beasts over ten meters tall within a radius of thousands of miles.
As for those below ten meters? They contained too little blood essence, and Lin Yuan couldn't be bothered with them. He also wanted to leave some for Pado and the others.
If the fierce beasts in the nearby area were wiped out, Pado and his group of natives would probably have to migrate to another place to survive.
And on this continent, migration was extremely dangerous.
"But tomorrow, I'll be able to go to the nearest gathering place." Lin Yuan thought to himself.
Every two months, Pado and the others would join forces to visit the gathering place to exchange the resources they had gathered.
Main Universe.
Virtual World.
In the two-dimensional world, more than half a month had passed, but in the main universe, only a little over an hour had gone by.
Personal Space.
Lin Yuan sat opposite Nalanhuang, the Vice Tower Master.
With the descent of that piece of white paper, one of Nalanhuang's avatars had also been pulled into the two-dimensional world within the battlefield marked A098.
However, Nalanhuang's luck was slightly better than Lin Yuan's; he had fallen into a walled city and was found by the city lord's daughter, who took him in and treated his injuries.
"Here are some cultivation techniques I gathered from that two-dimensional world. Take a look." Nalanhuang immediately handed over dozens of cultivation techniques to Lin Yuan.
As someone favored by the city lord's daughter, Nalanhuang had access to high-level resources, especially cultivation techniques.
In that two-dimensional world, cultivation techniques were almost monopolized, and it was unknown how much an ordinary person would have to pay to gain access to them.
"Thank you."
Lin Yuan nodded.
Through these cultivation techniques, Lin Yuan could directly observe the nature of power in that world.
When Lin Yuan created the Martial Evolution System, he had also studied a large number of other evolution systems and even cultivation systems from other dimensional worlds.
Therefore—
Studying the cultivation techniques from the two-dimensional world would be of great benefit to Lin Yuan.
"By the way, I heard some news." Nalanhuang seemed to remember something and spoke in a low voice.
"What news?" Lin Yuan asked immediately.
"The Celestial Gate." Nalanhuang replied concisely.
"The Celestial Gate?" Lin Yuan's eyebrows furrowed.
"According to the records in the walled city I was in, once every few millennia, the Celestial Gate will manifest in the mortal realm, and only Witch Emperors or Witch Ancestors will be able to approach it."
"In the end, only one person will be able to reach the Celestial Gate."
"If one can push open the Celestial Gate, they will be able to leave this world and ascend to a higher one."
Nalanhuang spoke with a solemn tone.
Although he wasn't sure if passing through the Celestial Gate would indeed bring one back to the main universe, this was the only method he had come across so far that mentioned leaving this world.
(End of Chapter)
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