Chapter 667: Answer

"I've sent you the relevant information about that area," Wang Fuyun said. "There is no shortage of outstanding talents in our Worldbreaker Peak. Some among them have even performed exceptionally well in the Eternal Ascent of Humanity Initiative.

"While they may not be among the absolute top tier that the Cosmic Radiance secretly watches over, their knowledge and insight far surpass those of ordinary people. Based on their assessments, that perilous land is divided into three levels."

Li Pin retrieved the information Wang Fuyun had sent earlier and carefully reviewed it.

"Of the three levels, the outer layer is filled with various thunderstorms, hurricanes, raging flames, and extreme frost, focusing primarily on physical and energy-based damage. The intensity of these forces is overwhelming, but fortunately, anyone who has reached the third level of Supreme Technique has attained the Perfect Realm.

"As long as they don't encounter large-scale annihilation forces, they can generally withstand the onslaught. The inner layer, in addition to even more intense energy assaults, includes mental and inner spirit attacks. Many believe that only by condensing a True Spirit can one fully navigate through it. As for the core layer..."

Wang Fuyun's expression turned solemn. "No one has ever truly ventured into it because no one has condensed a True Spirit to pass through the inner layer. The only available information is based on existing knowledge and speculation, leading to the conclusion that the core layer is a place devoid of any rules."

Li Pin was taken aback. "A place without rules?"

"Yes. It appears to be a space caught between the Astral World and this world, a remnant left behind by the Supreme being. The rules of the Astral World and this world clash and nullify each other out..."

Wang Fuyun paused briefly, then added, "Just like the Abyssal Rift."

"The Abyssal Rift..."

That was another gap in Li Pin's knowledge.

Fortunately, Wang Fuyun could tell from his expression and went on to explain, "The Abyssal Rift exists within the Astral World, marking the boundary between existence and nothingness—like holes in the universe. Whenever an Abyssal Rift emerges, a massive number of Void beings invade the realm of existence.

"At such times, an Astral God must issue a warning and spread the message, summoning the most powerful beings to repair the rift. Otherwise... Void beings will continue to flood in, bringing disaster."

He added, "You've likely heard of the theory of universal contraction, haven't you? It's precisely because of the countless Abyssal Rifts. The universe's inherent regulatory mechanisms are forced to divert immense energy to patch these tears. Over time, with all this constant mending, the universe grows smaller and smaller."

"Is the 'Abyss' in Star Abyss related to the Abyssal Rift as well?" Li Pin asked.

"Yes. The full term is Abyssal Domain. It refers to the remnants left after an Abyssal Rift has been repaired. These remnants are like scars that exist within the Astral World, disrupting its normal operations. The most noticeable effect is the difficulty they create for traversing the Astral World."

Wang Fuyun elaborated, "The outer layers of the Abyssal Domain are somewhat easier to navigate. Travelers can bypass them by moving through the inner layers. However, crossing the inner layers of the Abyssal Domain becomes significantly more challenging.

"Only beings of Cosmic Radiance can bypass them by entering the core layer. As for the core layer itself, its Abyssal Domains are truly insurmountable barriers. There is no way to pass through them."

"What about bypassing them through the material universe?" Li Pin asked.

"It's possible, but Abyssal Domain doesn't just affect the Astral World. It also interferes with the material universe. An Abyssal Domain that spans merely tens of thousands of kilometers in the core layer of the Astral World could stretch over ten thousand light-years in the material universe.

"Within this span, both wormhole travel and warp drives are heavily disrupted. To avoid the risk of being consumed by the Abyssal Domain, the only viable method is to travel at sub-light speed. And to cross ten thousand light-years at sub-light speed... that's a cost few can afford."

Wang Fuyun sighed. "Because of this, Abyssal Domains also serve as natural borders between civilizations."

"Star Abyss, Abyssal Rift, Abyssal Domain..." muttered Li Pin, reflecting on these terms.

He recalled Wang Fuyun's description of the world's boundary as something similar to an Abyssal Rift. He had a feeling that the true goal of the Black Abyss Highlord might not be as simple as pushing individuals to master Supreme, Transcendent, and Highlord Techniques up to the fourth level within ten thousand stellar years.

Perhaps... his true objective was for someone to cross that Abyssal Rift-like boundary and leave this world. Yet, even he himself had no concrete method to achieve this goal. That's why he had devised such a rigid and demanding cultivation plan, requiring everyone to refine a top-tier technique to the fourth level within 11,110 stellar years.

"The Abyssal Rift... a place where rules cease to exist..."

Li Pin thought of his own Dao Realm power.

Would the Great Dao Radiance, a force entirely rooted in the "self," still function in a place devoid of rules?

To confirm my hypothesis, I just need to go there and see for myself.

Li Pin thought,

If that boundary truly bore artificial traces, deliberately designed to mimic the Abyssal Rift and challenge those within the Heavenly Prison World to conquer and cross it, then his theory would be correct. But if it were a natural formation, a remnant left behind by a Supreme being...

Would that mean I am overthinking it? No!

"I am certain of my theory."

The path to leaving the Heavenly Prison World was becoming clearer in his mind.

He looked up at Wang Fuyun. "I need to go into seclusion for a while to digest the insights from these Supreme, Transcendent, and Highlord Techniques."

"Go ahead," Wang Fuyun said with a casual wave. "You don't need to concern yourself with the affairs of Worldbreaker Peak."

He turned to Li Pin. "Have you come up with something?"

"Same as you," Li Pin replied. "I believe the key to escaping the Heavenly Prison World lies at the world's boundary."

Wang Fuyun wasn't surprised. Within Worldbreaker Peak, the theories on how to leave the Heavenly Prison World had always been divided into two main schools of thought: either mastering a top-tier technique to the fourth level or venturing through that perilous land.

However, both paths ultimately hinged on one crucial factor: the True Spirit. In essence, the two schools of thought were two sides of the same coin. At least when it came to cultivating the True Spirit, everyone shared the same goal.

"Let's hope you can truly surprise us," Wang Fuyun said with a sigh. "Someone who mastered the Supreme Technique to the third level in just ten years is bound to be extraordinary."

He didn't press further. Everyone had their own secrets, after all. What he could do was offer Li Pin as much support as possible, ensuring that nothing would interfere with his cultivation.

With that, Wang Fuyun left.

After their spar, Wang Fuyun, as the Hall Master of Worldbreaker Peak, had freely shared invaluable cultivation insights and classified information about the Heavenly Prison World, asking for nothing in return.

Such trust, along with the high expectations placed upon him, added a subtle weight to Li Pin's shoulders.

***

"Matter, Energy, Time, Space."

In the room, Li Pin reflected on the inspiration he had gained during his spar with Wang Fuyun, when the latter unleashed his Galactic Starburst.

Hundreds of thousands of Creation Gold Coins were piled around him, radiating a brilliance befitting a "Krypton Lord."

The interwoven light never ceased, keeping him in a constant state of inspiration, his mind operating at its peak.

"Strictly speaking, I haven't even completed the first level of the Supreme Technique. To this day, I still haven't grasped the four fundamental forces I need. That so-called third-level certificate of completion was merely a shortcut, achieved by exploiting the Great Dao Radiance."

As he organized his thoughts, his mind grew increasingly lucid.

"But now..."

Deep within his inner spirit, the Great Dao Radiance, which had transformed from the intangible to tangible, began to subtly shift. The concepts of Matter, Energy, Time, and Space began to separate from the Great Dao Radiance, like four branches sprouting from a single tree.

With Great Dao Radiance as its foundation, these four branches extended outward, forming a unique macroscopic concept.

However, at this stage, it was like a rootless floating weed, entirely dependent on the Great Dao Radiance. It consumed energy but lacked any true mystical essence.

However....

"The four fundamental forces... Matter, Energy, Time, and Space should be enough to encompass them all."

Li Pin refined these macroscopic concepts, making them more precise and tangible. Within them, the four fundamental forces—strong force, weak force, gravity, and electromagnetism—flowed and interacted in an endless cycle.

This framework not only embodied the fundamental forces of the Supreme Technique but also integrated the concept of All Things from the Highlord Technique, as well as the Transcendent Art's profound understanding of these forces and their transformations.

"It's done. The framework of Matter, Energy, Time, and Space can fully accommodate the Supreme, Transcendent, and Highlord paths..."

At least, until he formally embarked on the other two paths, this structure could seamlessly integrate them.

"The second step is to unify Matter, Energy, Time, and Space through a cultivation method centered on the Great Dao Radiance and the concept of 'self'..."

But what is the core of this unification?

Li Pin pondered.

Under the radiant golden light, his thoughts flowed effortlessly, becoming increasingly clear. Until... he reached a conclusion.

"The soul."

The soul manifested in the form of the inner spirit. And the inner spirit, when combined with the fluctuations emitted by matter and energy, gave rise to the mental spirit.

Since the mental spirit was formed from the combined forces of matter and energy, it possessed the ability to manipulate both.

The human body itself was composed of matter and energy.

If life were to evolve to a higher level, it would first transition from a material lifeform to an energy-based one, and ultimately to a mental spirit existence independent of matter and energy.

Such a lifeform would attain true immortality.

Beyond a mental spirit lifeform lay the ultimate essence—True Spirit Lifeform.

Whether it was the material, energy-based, mental spirit, or even the True Spirit lifeform, everything originated from a single source.

That source... was himself.

"My heart is the universe, and the universe is my heart."

The moment this profound realization dawned in his mind, a powerful tremor resonated deep within his inner spirit.

The Great Dao Radiance, which had previously seemed faint and fragile, suddenly blazed with unparalleled brilliance. It expanded rapidly, doubling in intensity in an instant.

Bathed in its brilliance, the concepts of Matter, Energy, Time, and Space were all encompassed and unified.

At the same moment when the Great Dao Radiance surged uncontrollably, spilling out from him, the surroundings of his bamboo hut underwent a profound transformation. Matter, energy, time, and space seemed to be forcefully pushed aside, as if expelled by an invisible force.

It was as though a world filled with dazzling illusions had been stripped of its fantastical veneer, revealing a stark, unadorned reality—simple, clear, and utterly transparent. In fact, it was so transparent that he could glimpse the very framework governing the rules of this Heavenly Prison World.

In that instant, under the illumination of the Great Dao Radiance, the entire structure of the Heavenly Prison World unfolded before him, laid bare in its entirety.

"Is this... the universe as crafted by the Supreme being?"

Li Pin was struck by a sudden epiphany.

The answer to the fourth level's challenge was now right before his eyes.