Tutorial 1.5
Monday, December 21st, 2009
It's 3:21am, according to my looted watch. Bad dreams, kept me from getting food sleep. It's too early, my fatigue bar isn't full, but apparently full enough that the 'you're not tired enough to sleep yet' bullshit prevents me going back to sleep again. It's dark, I'm bored. I should figure out a plan for learning and taking advantage of my weird ass powers better.
I guess that starts now. I'm just winging it so far, trying to survive. My notifications say I've gained 5 HP while sleeping and 34 MP. For MP, that's 10 times better than the approximate 3 per hour I was regenerating while awake yesterday.
I grabbed a watch with a stop watch function from the store, and put it to use. Turn notifications for MP gain back on, turn auto-minimize notifications back off and wait. Hit start as soon as a +1 MP message appears, dismissed. 9 minutes 36 seconds later, the next +1 MP gain message appears. Hmm, I'm confused now… that's 6 something MP an hour, but 34 for sleeping about 5 hours is only about 5 times that not 10. What changed? I've twice as much MP as before, and am at level 2 compared to yesterday. The regen rate is tied to level? I need paper, a pen, and a calculator if I'm going to figure this out.
Not going to wait around to see how long it takes to regen 1 HP. Don't think it ever even did yesterday. It's disappointing I'm not regaining full HP after sleeping. That's a common theme for most games. Except for some of the hardcore rouge-likes, another point toward this being more like one of those. I really need to get my HP back to full. Sleep, food, and time, are the only things that do that. Each has their own annoying limits built in. Also, unlike a lot of games, getting bandaged up doesn't give any HP. It only reduces the penalties for status effects of wounds, and the timers, for what I presume is how long it takes them to heal and go away.
I try meditation again, get another failure message. The environment is peaceful enough this time, it's dark and relatively quiet, but I'm still 'too uncomfortable to succeed at my current level'. Probably due more to my current status effects, than how I'm sitting. Well, try changing positions anyway. I'm sitting on something hard. What the heck? Damn clothing security tag.
Shit, I completely ignored those trying to get the fuck out of there. I rummage through my backpack to check for more, yes, lots. There's one cheap t-shirt that doesn't have one, I switch shirts. Now how to remove the damn things? Take all my crap outside, damn thieves. Hypocrite, I know.
It's dark, but there are generator lights, the glow from my interface windows helps a little too. I find a rock and a piece of scrap metal and break the thing off my stolen shirt. "Fuck!" Ink is all over my hands, and the shirt, tiny hole in it also. Not going to put that back in the bag and get ink on the rest, to the wash station then. Fuck, the ink doesn't wash out, not off the shirt or my hands. At least it's stopped spreading. If I wasn't homeless and living out of a backpack at a temporary FEMA shelter, I might call this shirt ruined. Don't know what standards I had before, but right now they're fuck all. The shirt's intact and doesn't smell horrible, so it's good.
Sigh. Another one on my stolen pants, on my spares in the backpack too. I tie the ink stained shirt around my waist and let it cover the tag, and head to the porta-potty with my rock and metal. I have to be more careful this time. I took my pants off and popped the tag off. Result is better this time, still got some ink on stuff. A new notification pops up.
For performing a repeated action you may gain the 'Disable Device' skill.
Disable Device (PER, AGI) (Active): Level 1 (0.00%)
Disable Device allows you to bypass a variety of physical security devices which are primarily mechanical in nature. In many cases, appropriate tools will be required.
Would you like to accept this skill? Y/N
Accepting a skill takes up a skill slot, this cannot be undone.
Click to shrink...
Um, ok sure I can definitely go for that. I press the 'Y' button. I immediately think of ways I could bust these security tags off better, if I find a screwdriver, rubber bands or a freezer to freeze the ink to stop it from spilling. Hmm, a freezer and other tools aren't immediately nearby.
It's still dark out; that restricts a lot of things I can do. I walk around a bit to think.
"Hey, there's a curfew active, go back to the tent area " a national guardsman yells at me.
"Curfew?"
"10 pm to 5 am, now go on."
God damn it, whatever. I bet Julia has some of these security things stuck on her clothes too. She's probably still asleep though. My sleep schedule is abnormal what with this whole fatigue bar thing.
I sit back down on my cot. What the hell are my goals? Besides the 'become friends with Julia' quest. Hmm, learn more about who I am or was. Get my HP and Stress points back to maximum, get rid of all those damn negative status effects, figure out more about my weird gamer power, and meet the requirements for the Golem skill. More notifications appear; they're new quests.
Get Healthy Again!
Get all your bars to maximum, and eliminate all negative wound or mental based status effects.
Time Limit: None
Success: +300 XP
Failure: Continued miserableness.
Click to shrink...
Learn more about yourself and your past.
Discover 20 unique things about yourself. You've learned 7 things already.
1. Your name is Simon Anderson.
2. You were born in 1994 and are 15 years old.
3. You are a heterosexual male.
4. You love video games.
5. You're a Parahuman with a video game themed power.
6. You live/lived in Galveston, TX.
7. You had friends named Sandy, Dirk and Joe.
Time Limit: None
Success: +500 XP
Failure: None
Click to shrink...
Tutorial Quest: Get to the Mainland
Get off the wrecked, beaten and flooded Galveston Island and start a new life elsewhere.
Time Limit: 30 days
Success: +250 XP, a fresh start.
Bonus Success: Bring your friends or companions with you, increased relation with friends and companions.
Failure: ???
Click to shrink...
Um ok. I accept them all. Is it that simple? Set a goal for myself and it turns into a quest? I was thinking about the third already. Why didn't I get one for 'figure out my weird gamer power' and 'meet the pre-reqs for the Golem skill'?
Hmm, time to experiment a little. 'I have a goal of folding up my FEMA blanket'. Nothing? I folded up my FEMA blanket and placed it neatly on my cot. Still nothing, figures. Remove all those security tags from my looted clothes? Nothing. Help Julia remove all the security tags from her looted clothes? Nothing. Help Julia get to her house? DING.
Help Julia reach her house.
Navigate the flooded and battered island and help Julia reach her house by any means necessary.
Success: +100 XP, increased relationship with Julia Mendez, ???
Failure: Decreased relationship with Julia Mendez.
Click to shrink...
I accept before I even finish reading. I spend the next hour and half trying to come up with more goals and plans, hoping they trigger more quests. Damn, I don't get any, but at least a lot of plans and ideas are worked out in my head, short and long term. I get ready to focus on the here and now and find some breakfast. I get more notifications, so I read them.
For careful thought and consideration of your decisions you have gained 1 WIS.
You have recovered 10 Stress points
The Status Effect 'Extremely Stressed' has been downgraded to 'Very Stressed'
The Status Effect 'Very Stressed' has been partially negated by Gamer's Mind.
More wisdom, sweet. It's like a fog just lifted from my brain. Stress is 55/330 now and that status effect downgrade just cut the penalties in half.
I need to do this a lot more often, and figure out how to get gains in the rest of my stats. Strength? There's no gym handy, and a broken arm, low hit points, and a bunch of injuries makes that difficult. Agility? I don't see myself prancing around much, major movements make my arm hurt. My injuries really limit this. Constitution? Running jostles my arm and I don't have a bicycle. If taking a beating trains that, I can't afford it right now. Intelligence? My last message said I gained a point from 'careful study of important information'. There's not a lot of that available right now but I'll be on the lookout for it. Being contemplative and introspective seems directed more toward Wisdom so far. Perception? How the hell do I train that? Get some binoculars, a microscope? Eavesdrop? Fuck all if I know, sure as hell would like to not need glasses, if higher perception can solve that. Wisdom, keep doing what I am doing I guess. Charisma? Be more charismatic and make more friends? Already working on that. Luck? No goddamn idea, and can't afford to put myself in a risky situation right now if that's how that works. My stomach rumbles, I get up to find the food line. It's finally after 5 am now, so I can go off premises.
I wander and ask around. Yes there's some food. No it's not open yet, breakfast handouts available from 6 to 8 am. I go look for Julia at the women's section, even though it's early.
"Can I help you?" Some night watch volunteer lady asks me.
"I'm looking for Julia Mendez."
"What's your relation?"
"Not related, she is a friend."
"Can't help you, you'll have to wait until she comes out."
"What, why?"
"Women's section, no unrelated men allowed inside. Come back later."
Fuck, whatever, I should've lied or something. I go back to my cot to sit for a bit, more notification demand my attention. 'Narcotic Pain Reduction' status effect has been removed. 'Antibiotic Infection Resistance' status effect has been removed. Damn, when did those get applied? I must have missed them. I turned off the modifier notifications so hadn't even noticed the fluctuations of the 'Severe Pain' and 'Infected' effects. I suddenly feel them get worse now. What's this, another new skill?
For performing a repeated action you may gain the 'Disease Resistance' skill.
Disease Resistance (CON) (Passive): Level 1 (0.00%)
Disease Resistance allows you to enhance your natural ability to resist disease from microbial, parasitic, or viral sources. This reduces the damage and status effect penalties that any would occur in such a situation, in some cases outright negating them.
Would you like to accept this skill? Y/N
Accepting a skill takes up a skill slot, this cannot be undone.
Click to shrink...
Yeah, I want that. I wonder if I should keep to my antibiotics or try to train this skill up by skipping them? No, better safe than sorry; I want those negative effects gone, so I can 'Get Healthy Again'. Should probably use more cream too, I get up again to take care of that and pop my pills. I need a new water bottle.
****
I palm a screwdriver and some needle nose pliers out of some dudes toolbox while he's underneath a generator. I steal a pen, clipboard, and a small stack of blank forms from the shelter registration desk. I notice my status screen changes.
I'm a 'Petty Thief' now? Is this is an upgrade from Looter? My class description went from 'Refugee / Looter' to 'Refugee / Petty Thief'. I didn't have to 'steal' those, they're meant to be temporarily taken by people. I just don't plan to bring them back. I have goals to meet after all. First, getting these security tags off. There, now got all of the ink ones off, but some are magnet ones and harder to crack, so let them be for now. Only spilled a little bit of ink from one and only splashed my shoes slightly. I watch my Disable Device skill percentage go up a little with each one.
I'm standing in line doodling on the form papers with my pen, grinding Artistry. It's working but slowly. Doodling one handed on a clipboard loosely held by my broken arm is inefficient. I'm glad I got in line cause its getting long despite not being 6 am yet. Who knows if they will still have enough for everyone.
I finally get to the front of the food dispensary line, and blow all my MP on 'Observe'. I find the most HP gaining foods I can get. I get fruit, milk and plain oatmeal packets. Sugary crap foods don't give squat for HP gain, or is this my power's way of forcing me to eat healthy? I'll get enough for me and Julia.
"That's too much man, one serving per person, supplies are limited." The dispensary guy says.
"What? I'm getting some for someone else too?"
"They need to be in line also."
"She can't stand in line, her legs are injured. I'm not losing my place in line to get her either."
"What's the hold up?" someone shouts from further back in line.
"Fine, go.." the dispensary guys waves me.
Whatever, I bring it back and eat breakfast (+8 HP) and doodle, glancing toward the curtain to the women's section to see if Julia makes an appearance.
Quest Failed: 'Get to the Supplies'. Time Expired.
Oh? Who cares, fuck those guys. Julia appears an hour later. I observe her to see if there's any changes.
Name: Julia Mendez
Level: ??
Alias: ??
Gender: Female
Age: 14-18
Ethnicity: Hispanic, ???, ???
Class: Refugee / Looter
Faction: None
Summary Description:
A former high school student and fellow survivor from an Endbringer attack. She has lost her sister, and possibly her parents and home as well.
Her left lower leg is badly burned. It is bandaged. Her first toe, right foot is very bruised. The nail on her first toe, right foot is broken. Her left cheek is lightly torn. It is stitched and bandaged. Her...
...She has a dazed grief-stricken look about her.
Currently feeling: Depressed, Traumatized, Lethargic, Pained, ...
Click to shrink...
Hmm, the phrasing of her injuries looks strangely familiar. Still, it's stuff I already know, just laid out there in verbose detail. When is this Observe skill going be useful? "Hey, Julia!" I call out. Oh and what the hell, an hour should have got me 6 MP, but now I got 4 left? Did my regen rate raise or did I mistime that?
"Here, got you some breakfast. Have to get in line early or you're out of luck. Opens from 6am to 8am, dispensary tent outside near the one where we got the meds yesterday." I say as she approaches.
"Thanks"
A notification fires off, probably telling me I gained relationship with Julia. Yep, only 1 point this time. Hmm, I should change these to only tell me when the relationship status changes, not the damn bar.
"Why do you make such weird movement patterns with your hand?" Julia asks me between bites.
Oh shit, I'm getting too relaxed or apathetic here. "Um, just nervous habit I guess." I lie.
"Oh, thought you had Tourette's or something like that, on account of the mutterings too."
Damn, she must have a higher perception stat than me, time to change subjects. I lean over slightly. "Do, uh, the clothes you acquired yesterday still have security tags on them? I totally forgot to check for those. I managed to remove most of mine this morning." I whisper to her.
Her eyes widen and she swallows. "Uh, yeah, I didn't really pay attention to that either."
"If you give them to me I can take them off. Except the magnet ones, can't do those yet. I'd need a powerful magnet, from a hard-drive or a speaker to get those off."
"You've done this before? I though you couldn't remember shit."
"No, except what I did this morning. Trial and error, first few tries were errors." I point out the ink stains on my clothes and hands. "It got easier when I got a hold of a screwdriver and pliers."
"Okay"
"Might be better to do it away from people, just in case. I removed mine while it was still dark out."
Julia nods and continues to eat her oatmeal in silence, while I wait and keep doodling. Artistry is going up faster now that I can keep the clipboard level in my lap.
"What are you drawing?"
"Nothing in particular, just doodles. It keeps my mind busy and focused on something, so I don't dwell too much on…other stuff. I hear it helps to take up a hobby." Hmm, Psychology and Empathy bump up a bit with that. Maybe I should actually close the screen and focus on the conversation.
I don't know what else to say by the time she finishes eating. Wait, no I do, the quest. "You still want to go to your house?"
"Yeah"
"Pack everything; someone is liable to take it if it is left behind."
We really do pack it all. At least we have backpacks now. I have spare clothes, soap, shampoo, Meds, that weird shower in a can thing. Guess I should use it soon. A screwdriver, pliers, clipboard, pen, papers, a FEMA blanket, yeah I took that shit. Oh, my new wallet and $240 in cash.
****
"...so you don't remember where your house is, or family or friends or anything, but you remember video games?" Julia asks me as we duck under some roped off caution tape and enter a residential area.
A lot of roads had been blocked off and manned by guardsman, shore patrol or police. It took some time to move out of the way and circle around and find way past the perimeter, and avoid being spotted.
"Yeah, I can't explain it at all. I know the early-classics, old arcades, Commodore 64, Atari 2600, Pac-Man, Donkey Kong, Tron, all that. I remember the late 8-bit classics NES, Zelda, Mario, Dragon Warrior series, the early Final Fantasy series before Square went bankrupt. I even know the Konami cheat Code. That he entire industry nearly died in 1983 before the 16-bit era, Super NES, Sega Genesis, when all the cape themed games started coming out. The non-cape gam backlashes. Later, 32 bit and 64 bit era, the dawn of MMO's, Hero City, which actually isn't the first MMO like many claim, but the second, but nobody talks about the first.."
"Simon, stop. I get it. Most of that is before or just after we were born, though why would you remember all that? No, don't answer, that's rhetorical. I remember Zelda though; my mom had a NES…"
"Well, you never told me what you played."
"Later, we're in my neighborhood now."
It's well after noon; the entire neighborhood is wrecked, and smells like dead fish and garbage, we pass by a couple dead bodies too. Roads are buckled, houses are lopsided or crushed. Cars are overturned in weird places, boats too. Clearly the place was hit by big waves several times.
"We're here" Julia says. Her house was still standing but a truck at some point had been smashed into the side, leaving a big hole in the wall. The front door was busted open. There was a big red X spray painted on the door, and a smaller black zero spray painted beside it. Julia rushes inside and yells.
"Mom? Dad?"
She calls for them for a while, in between labored sobs. The downstairs is a wreck, I help look, we go upstairs and Julia finds her room and starts sobbing on the bed, heedless of the damp and the smells. The downstairs has clearly been flooded. The upstairs has not, but the windows are broken and waves, wind and rain had definitely gotten in.
There were no notes to be found, no directions or any sort of sign. I only get a few answers out of her as she cries.
"Are your parent's cars at the house?"
"No"
"Do you want me to help you gather things?"
"Yes."
"Where are the suitcases?"
"Hall closet."
"Where do you want me to start?" No answer, she keeps crying. "Julia?" She stops responding, too distraught
I spent time, disabling the security tag from the clothes in her backpack. For some reason, it feels a bit selfish, but I want to make the most of my time while waiting too. By the time I was done (except for the magnetic ones), I had gained a level in disable device. Though, now that she has access to her own clothes, if they weren't ruined, Will she need these anymore?
I don't want to push her, she is traumatized enough, still quietly sobbing, she's moved to her parent's room now, and the suit cases aren't all that full, just mementos and photos so far. She can't stay here. Notifications are flashing, calling for my attention, but they're not important right now.
"Tell me what to pack for you and I will. I know you want to, but you can't stay."
"You should leave me. I'm not any good, just a wreck. Everything is gone, you have a new start. I just have an end. Just get out."
"No"
"GET OUT!"
"No, that's just the depression, the PTSD and the grief talking. I know, its hitting me too, despite the fucked up stuff that came with it. If I have to I'll carry you, I will, but that is going to be really, really difficult with a broken arm."
Then we hear noises, the sound of water rushing. Fuck, my heart starts racing, Julia is starting to freak out. I look down stairs and see water lapping at the bottom, steadily rising. "What the fuck?" It's not even storming out side, it was sunny and clear. The whole houses shifts ever so slightly, and creaks and moans. I can hear other houses and the wrecked car and shit rattling in the waves. The street, the entire ground was below water. "Holy fuck, the tide is coming in!"
Gazing at the "meteor" speeding toward him, Lin Yuan's eyes lit up.
Though the chaotic void was full of countless opportunities, it was indeed rare to encounter such a stroke of luck so soon after setting out to explore.
Over the course of Humanity's domain, many treasures and inheritances had once fallen inside through permanent spatial fissures in the void.
This was because, in the chaotic void, the universe itself existed as a colossal celestial body that, invisibly, influenced a vast surrounding region of space and time. Anything drifting by would eventually be pulled in and fall through one of those permanent fissures into the universe.
But Lin Yuan's situation was different. Compared to the main universe, he was simply too tiny. The odds of randomly finding a treasure were extremely slim.
"Judging by this 'meteor's' trajectory, it will pass near the main universe," he mused.
"If it isn't intercepted, maybe it'll be pulled in by the main universe and, millions of years from now, fall through some permanent spatial fissure, becoming a fortune from 'beyond' for someone inside."
Lin Yuan realized he was effectively cutting off a future opportunity that might have dropped into the main universe and been taken by certain Rank Twelve Ultimates.
"I'll see if I can stop it here in advance."
Examining the meteor, he noted, "There's an aura of formation energy. This 'meteor' must be someone's estate."
While it was true the chaotic void could naturally spawn massive formations, such naturally occurring arrays possessed terrifying power on an immense scale. The formation aura of this meteor was far weaker than that, so Lin Yuan figured it was a dwelling someone had arranged.
"I suspect its owner is gone. If they were still here, I wouldn't be able to sense this 'meteor' at all. Anyone's estate typically stays hidden in deep layers of Space-Time. Even mobile dwellings keep a low profile. The chaotic void may offer unlimited possibilities, but it's also fraught with danger. My own avatar has been moving carefully. This meteor's aura is so exposed, it must be untended."
"Space-Time vortex."
With that thought, Lin Yuan used his Seventh Stage Space-Time comprehension to interfere with the meteor's path. He was, after all, merely an avatar; if he tried to stand in front of it, he'd be obliterated in a blink by its speed. His only option was to slow it down indirectly by manipulating its flight path with repeated Space-Time interference.
Fortunately, the effect was clear. He had worried his interference might prove too weak, but the meteor's velocity was indeed decreasing. That was thanks to the enormous power Lin Yuan could command through his Seventh Stage Space-Time insights.
If a typical Rank Twelve Ultimate from the main universe, who only possessed Sixth Stage Space-Time comprehension, tried this, the effect would have been much smaller.
"At this rate, in about half a day, I can stop the meteor completely."
With that plan in mind, Lin Yuan continued applying Space-Time energy. Half a day later, the once-speeding meteor had slowed to a standstill before him.
Up close, Lin Yuan finally saw its true form: it was a gigantic island over ten thousand miles wide, with a palace at its center, surrounded by rolling mountains and a multitude of lakes.
"Eighteen twelve-star wonder trees?" Lin Yuan immediately spotted eighteen trees of that tier swaying near the central palace. Their branches bore fruit that emitted vast energy.
"Jackpot." Lin Yuan grinned.
Compared to Rank Twelve weapon materials, these fruit-bearing twelve-star wonder trees were like money trees. Every so often, they would produce fruits of high value. Additionally, the island itself was rare, despite only being at the entry level of the twelve-star tier. It was huge, extending over ten thousand miles, so there was a lot of it.
"The estate's control core should be inside the palace."
He ignored the eighteen wonder trees for now. Each was surrounded by Space-Time power, likely left by the island's owner. The simplest way to bypass these barriers was to refine the estate's core. That way, he'd automatically gain control over the entire island.
"Let's go."
Because Lin Yuan was just an avatar formed of chaotic energy, he split off another wisp of consciousness and created a second avatar. Not knowing whether the palace hid any threats, he naturally took precautions.
Whoosh!
His newly formed avatar descended onto the island, heading for the central palace.
"There's no apparent defense." Lin Yuan scanned it carefully before stepping inside.
The palace was massive. He took a quick circuit, eventually arriving at an inner hall. There, a dodecagonal crystal hovered, seemingly the nexus of energy for the entire island.
"This should be the control core," he thought, then began attempting to touch and refine the crystal.
Suddenly—rumble…
The palace started to quake. The once-quiet crystal began glowing, and intangible energy gathered to form a round, chubby figure with stunted limbs, like a big ball of flesh. It had large, round eyes. Appearing, it stretched, then turned its gaze upon Lin Yuan.
"The owner?" Lin Yuan tensed and prepared to let his avatar disperse at any moment.
"Don't worry," said the round figure, "My true self is long gone. I'm only a lingering imprint."
It spoke in the common tongue of the chaotic void, which anyone could understand and use automatically.
"Greetings, Senior," Lin Yuan said at once.
An imprint was not even a true wisp of consciousness, merely a leftover message or mark.
"Ugh, had I known, I never would've gone to that Tai Yuan Ruins. Sure enough, my true self didn't make it out alive." The round figure sighed under its breath.
"Tai Yuan Ruins?" Lin Yuan's heart stirred. Though he'd never left the main universe before, he had heard the name. The Tai Yuan Ruins were a famous perilous region in the chaotic void, also one of the greatest lands of opportunity. The outer aurora that once fell into the main universe and the "white paper" likewise originated there. Many opportunities and legacies mention the Tai Yuan Ruins.
"But I couldn't resist the temptation," the round figure muttered, "I heard rumors that something close to a perfect Time-Life Form might be in there. I've been stuck at the peak of Dominance for dozens of cosmic eras. If I found some luck, maybe I'd finally step into Chaos Realm."
Peak of Dominance? Lin Yuan was amazed.
Rank Twelve had three levels: Path-Clearing, Dominance, and Chaos. A peak Dominance being was strong even in the chaotic void. Back at its peak, the Mysterious Emperor Lineage or Devil Jade Tower might have only had a handful of such formidable individuals.
But that very being had died in the Tai Yuan Ruins? Lin Yuan couldn't believe a powerhouse of that caliber had no fallback plan. Usually, they'd retain a backdoor even if their main body fell. Yet from the imprint's words, it seemed to have truly perished.
"Latecomer, which chaotic epoch is it now?" the imprint asked Lin Yuan.
"Which chaotic epoch?" Lin Yuan hesitated, then said, "Senior, I don't know."
He'd just left his home universe; naturally, he knew nothing about the chaotic void's current era.
"You don't know?" The imprint frowned slightly. Practically any being who'd matured in the chaotic void would be aware of the epoch. How could Lin Yuan be clueless?
"I'm not a native of the chaotic void. I come from a universe," Lin Yuan explained.
"A universe?" The imprint looked puzzled.
"So your universe already underwent a Great Collapse?"
"It hasn't collapsed yet," Lin Yuan said.
"How did you leave, then?" The imprint stared at him, clearly more and more astonished.
"Your Space-Time comprehension is Seventh Stage, I see. Tsk, tsk. No wonder you can send out an avatar to roam the chaotic void. With that level of Space-Time insight, you—wait, your avatar is formed of chaotic energy. You've comprehended the chaos rule?"
It stared, dumbfounded.
As a peak Dominance expert, it understood how cosmic life worked. Even for a Rank Twelve being, the maximum they could live was one cosmic epoch. When that epoch ended, a Rank Twelve would face the Great Collapse alongside the universe. Normally, at least half of them would perish just enduring that cataclysm, leaving only those who truly made it past that point to enter the chaotic void.
Yet Lin Yuan hadn't even gone through the Great Collapse, yet he already grasped Seventh Stage Space-Time and even the chaos rule?
The first might be somewhat plausible. But the second? The chaos rule was among the hardest barriers between Dominance and Chaos. This imprint itself had entered the Tai Yuan Ruins hoping to stumble upon some opportunity that would help it grasp the chaos rule.
"I just got lucky," Lin Yuan said after a pause.
He wasn't surprised the imprint had deduced his Seventh Stage Space-Time—he'd used it outside to halt the island's flight, and now that the imprint was in control of the island once more, it was obvious.
In the records of the Mysterious Emperor Lineage and the Devil Jade Tower, the Seventh Stage of Space-Time was incredibly rare inside a universe. In the chaotic void, however, it wasn't quite so special. A peak Path-Clearing expert might reach it, and for those in Dominance, their Space-Time comprehension started at Seventh Stage.
But the chaos rule was an entirely different story. Many peak Dominance beings never grasped it at all.
"In a single cosmic epoch, you've reached Path-Clearing and even comprehended the chaos rule," the figure remarked.
"Astonishing—truly astonishing."
If it knew that Lin Yuan was only Rank Eleven, not even Path-Clearing, it would be even more shocked. There had been rumors in the chaotic void about those who reached Chaos after mastering the chaos rule during Path-Clearing—usually thanks to the painstaking efforts of mighty Chaos Realm "Grand Saints."
Yet an Eleven-Level being comprehending the chaos rule was so far beyond its imagination that even the likes of Mysterious Emperor or the Devil Jade Tower Master were just names it had heard of in legends.
"Never would I have thought that after my death—who knows how long ago—I'd see such a genius," said the imprint, introducing itself as Cang Weiyang.
He knew about those who had mastered the chaos rule at the Path-Clearing level, typically heirs of the chaotic Grand Saints. But Lin Yuan came from within a universe, where knowledge was limited, and still he'd managed to do it.
Lin Yuan just stayed silent, listening.
Though only Rank Eleven, he possessed forty million points of mental will and was enveloped by chaotic energy, so it was difficult for others to gauge his true level.
"A single epoch spent at Path-Clearing with the chaos rule in hand. You have a high chance of stepping into Chaos Realm in the future," Cang Weiyang observed.
Even the disciples nurtured by Grand Saints wouldn't dare say they'd absolutely succeed in entering Chaos Realm. Comprehending the chaos rule was just one of the biggest thresholds, not the only requirement.
Yet Lin Yuan was different. By Cang Weiyang's estimation, Lin Yuan's potential far exceeded any normal "disciple," so he might genuinely have a good chance.
"A good chance" was already his greatest praise.
"The Chaos Realm is too distant for me," Lin Yuan said quietly.
He was still just Rank Eleven. First, he needed to become Path-Clearing.
"Too distant?" Cang Weiyang gave him a look.
"All right, on to business." The imprint composed itself.
"This estate is one of three I used frequently for cultivation. It holds eighteen wonder trees of Dominance level, plus three Dominance-level treasures and one Chaos-level treasure."
"Additionally, there are many secret arts I cultivated."
"Three Dominance-level treasures? And one Chaos-level treasure?" Lin Yuan was surprised.
Rank Twelve weapons and artifacts were likewise categorized from low to high as Path-Clearing, Dominance, and Chaos. In the main universe, the 'Strongest Weapons' of the top champions and other twelve-rank weapons typically belonged to the Path-Clearing tier. Even the ancestral weapons of various apex races were usually at best peak Path-Clearing or special Path-Clearing items.
"Logically, with all these inheritances and artifacts left in my estate, I should be selecting a successor, making them pass various tests and swear all kinds of oaths, then finally bestowing it all…"
Cang Weiyang paused, an odd look in his eyes.
"But I'm not worthy of taking you as my disciple."
"So everything here in this estate is yours."
...
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