Chapter 702: Epilogue

With Xi Xuanyan and his group no longer causing disturbances, the inheritance of Astral God Yin Luo proceeded without further incident.

When Li Pin returned to the inheritance site, he could clearly see a continuous stream of astral energy being drawn from every civilization within the Yin Luo Galaxy, flowing into Li Yunyao.

Each strand of astral energy had been meticulously refined by intelligent beings, rendering it exceptionally pure. As a result, Li Yunyao encountered almost no obstacles during the fusion process.

The reason this energy was so pure was that it had been forged through the lifelong dedication and sacrifices of countless individuals. Centuries of relentless effort had now become nothing more than the foundation for another's rise.

This kind of inheritance was undeniably brutal. Yet, in a remote star system where even a single Eternal Solar Flare might not emerge in billions of years, sacrificing a generation to elevate an inheritor to the Cosmos Radiance Realm was a price almost anyone would agree on. The cost-benefit ratio was simply too high to ignore.

Even the Homo Sapien Alliance had never explicitly banned such practices. At most, they intervened only to maintain order, ensuring fairness so that anyone had a chance to stand out in the inheritance process.

As for other concerns, like using the lives of billions upon billions to nurture a single being into the Cosmos Radiance realm, to both the Homo Sapien Alliance and the vast factions of the universe, this was an undeniably profitable trade.

***

The Homo Sapien Alliance.

Qing Yu, one of the palace lords of the Heaven Oracle Palace, reviewed the latest report submitted by her disciple and remarked with genuine admiration, "To defeat a Cosmic Radiance avatar as a Divine Being... truly worthy of being personally acknowledged by the Black Abyss Highlord and catching the attention of the Supreme beings. In ten thousand years, another Cosmic Tyrant will likely rise from our human race."

Her tone carried a hint of sentiment, but more than that, she felt a deep sense of joy at the growing strength of their faction.

The stronger their forces, the more territory the human race could claim in the Astral World, providing space for more Astral Gods.

And with more Astral Gods, the likelihood of producing Supremes, Highlords, and Transcendents would increase. This, in turn, would allow them to dominate more of the cosmos and amass even greater fortune for their race.

Yet, as she pondered further, another thought crossed her mind.

Li Pin might have caught the Black Abyss Highlord’s eye and earned his recognition—even drawing the notice of the Supremes—but his opportunities had not yet reached the level where he could defy fate and ascend in a single leap. At best, he was an exceptional talent, perhaps the most outstanding of this era.

In fact, he was so exceptional that even Cosmic Radiances could not help but feel a hint of envy toward him. But to those standing at the pinnacle—the Supremes, Transcendents, and Highlords—this level of excellence still fell short.

"The Black Abyss Highlord may not have taken him in as a disciple, but there's no denying his exceptional talent. To have nearly reached the fourth level of a Supreme Technique in just ten stellar years suggests that, at the very least, he is destined to become a Cosmic Tyrant in the future.

"While the unique environment of the Heavenly Prison World may have contributed to his rapid progress, if he avoids an untimely demise, the possibility of him ascending to the ranks of a Sacred Monarch or even a Divine Emperor cannot be entirely ruled out."

After some thought, Qing Yu shifted her attention to the latter part of the report.

"His sister, Li Yunyao, has inherited the legacy of the Light of the Ark, Yin Luo... and will soon be brought into the Homo Sapien Alliance for further cultivation."

After a brief deliberation, Qing Yu forwarded the information regarding Xi Xuanyan to one of the deputy leaders of the Homo Sapien Alliance, who was responsible for maintaining order. Simultaneously, she shared the details of the inheritance with several Cosmic Radiance experts overseeing matters related to Yin Luo's legacy.

Not long after, Qing Yu received an invitation.

When a projection of her consciousness entered a virtual meeting space, several Cosmic Radiance figures had already gathered.

"Raising Li Yunyao's cultivation priority? Palace Lord Qing Yu, what prompted this suggestion now?"

"The Homo Sapien Alliance has always had a well-established process for the return, reception, evaluation, and training of Astral Gods. If her assessed talent proves exceptional, her cultivation priority will naturally be elevated. If not, we must adhere to the established protocols."

"Has the final outcome of Yin Luo's inheritance been determined? Speaking of Yin Luo, even on the alien battlefield, he was a figure of remarkable prowess. The number of Cosmic Radiance beings from other races who fell to his hands is beyond count. Yet, it was precisely because he always fought on the front lines that he accumulated such an overwhelming burden of Eternal Oblivion Force."

As they spoke, a note of solemnity tinged their voices.

Qing Yu sighed and said, "I only suggested raising Li Yunyao's cultivation priority slightly as a form of compensation. Astral God Yin Luo's inheritance had faced considerable turmoil from within the Homo Sapien Alliance.

"Xi Xuanyan took advantage of his ties to the Light of the Ark and his position within the Alliance to plant his influence in the Yin Luo Galaxy well in advance, nearly causing a catastrophic outcome."

As she spoke, she transmitted a detailed report to the assembled Cosmic Radiance experts. "This document outlines the specifics of the incident. I urge you all to review it."

One by one, they reviewed the information.

"The Beta Fusion Art?"

The mention of this forbidden secret art caused a ripple of reaction among the group.

Due to the ever-present threat of the Eternal Oblivion Force, every step taken after achieving the Astral God level required extreme caution.

Under normal circumstances, the transition from Cosmic Radiance to Cosmic Tyrant would not be particularly daunting. However, with the looming danger of the Eternal Oblivion Force, even a minor misstep could lead to the collapse of one's domain. The resulting energy surge would trigger an uncontrollable backlash of Eternal Oblivion Force, potentially crushing a Cosmic Radiance under its immense weight in a single failed attempt.

This was why most Cosmic Radiance beings remained stagnant at this stage for extended periods, proceeding with painstaking care. When the pressure became unbearable, some inevitably turned to unorthodox methods.

Thus, while Xi Xuanyan's decision to use the Beta Fusion Art to forcibly bridge the gap between Cosmic Radiance and Cosmic Tyrant was met with disapproval, it was not entirely incomprehensible.

However, it didn't take long for them to grasp the true gravity of the situation. One of the Cosmic Radiance figures couldn't help but ask, "Could there be a mistake in this report? It claims that Li Pin, the prodigy who escaped from the Heavenly Prison World, defeated the Light of Mystic Flame's avatar in direct combat.

"And it's not just any avatar, but the combat-specialized one specifically crafted to safeguard the Beta Fusion Art Project. This seems... unbelievable."

Qing Yu, calm and composed, responded, "As you all know, Yan Qing is my disciple. She is currently stationed in the Yin Luo Galaxy, overseeing matters related to the inheritance of the Light of the Ark. She has submitted this information through official channels, so it is highly unlikely to be false."

She let out a sigh. "No one could have anticipated that the Light of Mystic Flame would act in such a manner. While the enforcement division will handle his punishment, we cannot overlook the internal oversight within the Homo Sapien Alliance. Nor can we ignore the losses suffered by Li Yunyao. That is why I proposed elevating her cultivation level as compensation. What are your thoughts?"

Another Cosmic Radiance figure, still skeptical, began to speak, "Setting aside the matter of the Light of Mystic Flame, this report claims that Li—"

He abruptly stopped mid-sentence, as if struck by a sudden realization. "An official report?"

Qing Yu nodded.

As this was an official report, the information it contained was absolutely legitimate! Otherwise, Yan Qing's career would be on the line. Would Yan Qing gamble her future on something like this? Clearly not. That left only one explanation... The report was true.

Li Pin... truly defeated the Light of Mystic Flame's combat-specialized avatar!? A mere Divine Being had crushed a Cosmic Radiance's combat-specialized avatar!?

"Yes, an official report," Qing Yu affirmed. "And there's more. Xi Xuanyan... almost succeeded. After all, that was a fully prepared combat-specialized avatar of a Cosmic Radiance."

At these words, the Cosmic Radiance figures in the room exchanged uneasy glances.

At that moment, they all came to the same realization.

A long pause followed before one of them finally spoke. "If this is indeed the case, it is a failure on the part of the Homo Sapien Alliance to act in time. Compensation is necessary. Perhaps we should raise her cultivation standard by one tier."

"With Xi Xuanyan's interference, could Li Yunyao's innate talent have been affected? As I recall, the successors of fallen Cosmic Radiance Astral Gods have always been cultivated under the prodigy standard.

"If Li Yunyao's assessment results fall short of that due to this interference... it would be a grave oversight on our part. I suggest we guarantee her the prodigy standard at the very least. If she proves to be exceptionally talented, we can elevate her to the elite prodigy standard."

"That seems reasonable."

The other Cosmic Radiances voiced their agreement.

Hearing this, Qing Yu knew the matter was settled. She smiled and nodded. "With this, Li Yunyao will undoubtedly feel the care of our Homo Sapien Alliance, allowing her to integrate seamlessly into our great family."

"Then let's make the necessary preparations to bring Li Yunyao into the Celestial Mystery Domain."

Qing Yu volunteered, "I will go personally."

Some of the other Cosmic Radiances seemed tempted, but after a moment of consideration, they held back.

Li Pin's potential was extraordinary, but he had yet to fully translate it into actual combat power. Whether he could smoothly advance to the Tyrant level remained uncertain.

In any case, Li Yunyao had already joined the Homo Sapien Alliance. They had shown their goodwill, and there would be plenty of opportunities to engage with Li Pin in the future.

***

The inheritance process continued smoothly.

As Li Yunyao approached the final phase of the Astral God Yin Luo's inheritance in the material world, Qing Yu's avatar, known as the Light of Revival, descended.

The Cosmic Radiance exchanged a few words with Li Pin, reaffirming the Homo Sapien Alliance's commitment to investigating Xi Xuanyan's forbidden practices and promising that Li Yunyao would receive special care.

Only then did she lead Li Yunyao into the Astral World.

Before leaving, Li Yunyao turned to look at Li Pin.

Li Pin met her gaze, offering an encouraging look.

Understanding what she meant to him, Li Yunyao gave a firm nod. She cast one last, lingering glance toward Gaia, where she had spent nearly a century, then turned resolutely and followed the Light of Revival into the Astral World.

As her figure disappeared into the ripples of the Astral World gateway, the grand saga of the Cosmic Radiance inheritance in the Yin Luo Galaxy finally came to an end.