Chapter 793: Abyssal Rift

The You Ying Palace was named after Divine Emperor You Ying.

The Abyssal Rifts were far more than just a bridgehead for the invasion of the Material World by Abyssal Beasts and Void Creatures. They also possessed mysterious and far-reaching properties.

If the entire Astral World were likened to a river, then the Abyssal Rifts were the whirlpools within it. These rifts not only connected to hidden underground streams but also disrupted the river's natural flow.

For example, they could dramatically speed up the current in nearby areas or even alter the river's course altogether. In the Astral World, this meant they could affect the fundamental operation of Astral World Fragments.

Some powerful beings could even harness the rifts' effects to manipulate the movement of these fragments across vast regions—shifting one from its original orbit into another, potentially causing collisions with entire continents and unleashing catastrophic devastation.

What set powerful races apart from ordinary ones in the Astral World was their ability to control the power of the Abyssal Rifts. The more rifts a race controlled, the greater their influence over the Astral World.

In mortal terms, this was the difference between a first-rate power and a second-rate nation.

Such high stakes meant that the struggle for control over the Abyssal Rifts was incredibly fierce.

Because of the potential for immense destruction and the disruption of the Astral World's natural order, the use of these powers was strictly forbidden.

Of course, the Nine Sovereign Races, the ones who established these rules, were exempt from them.

***

The most revered figure within You Ying Palace was naturally You Ying herself. She was one of the exceedingly rare Divine Emperors of the human race. She stood shrouded in radiant light, draped in a cloak woven from the stars.

At a glance, she appeared to be in her early thirties. She lacked both the lively charm of youth and the graceful dignity of age. What she exuded was a detached, cold indifference that kept others at arm's length.

Of the three Divine Emperors, she had the fewest disciples. In fact, the only one present now was Heavenly Emperor Ling Hua, clad in ceremonial robes and carrying herself with poised elegance.

As for children or descendants, You Ying had none.

One could hardly find a more fitting example of solitude.

At that moment, the Divine Emperor, bathed in starlight, turned her gaze to Ling Hua. "Exclusive use?"

"Yes," Heavenly Emperor Ling Hua gave a slight nod. "Not long ago, a message arrived from the Supreme Council, relayed through the Myriad Astral God Hall. It's said the Light of Origin is the central figure in this cycle's Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War. Before the tournament begins, any reasonable requests he makes are to be granted to the fullest extent possible."

"The Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War...." You Ying's expression remained cold. "The fortune of the Nine Sovereign Races and the top-tier races is already stretched thin. With so many factions fighting over it, how could a true Universe's Child possibly be born?

"Rather than fighting endlessly, it would be better if everyone came together and agreed to focus that fortune on a single individual. Only then could someone gather enough luck to ascend in one leap and claim the Supreme throne as Heavenly Emperor."

Ling Hua didn't respond to that. She understood her master was simply voicing her thoughts. They both knew such a thing could never happen.

Foster a few, then help the others rise, and ultimately lead everyone to eternal life? Impossible.

Those who rose first would only suppress the rest, securing their own power and status forever.

Instead, she said, "Still... the Ten Thousand Tribes Dominion War... even if the participants in the Overlord Competition are just juniors with a single epoch of cultivation behind them, anyone who manages to reach the Tyrant level in that short time is already exceptional. And this Light of Origin... he's a Tyrant."

You Ying's tone remained nonchalant, "A Tyrant... who wants to claim exclusive control over Abyssal Rift No.3? How arrogant. I've watched over this place for three hundred epochs. In that time, I've seen more Ancient Abyssal Beasts than I can count. The number of Apex ones is even greater.

"For a Tyrant, even one at their peak, fully armed and empowered, matching a Common Abyssal Beast is already pushing the limit. Where does he get the confidence to think he can conquer Abyssal Rift No. 3 alone?"

"There are fewer than forty years left before the tournament," Ling Hua said. "And factoring in the time needed to reach the battlefield, he can remain here no more than thirty years. In thirty years... if luck is on his side, he might not even encounter an Apex Abyssal Beast."

She paused, then added, "Besides, this Light of Origin... is somewhat unusual."

You Ying turned to Ling Hua. "Oh?"

Ling Hua didn't keep her guessing. "He's cultivated for less than three hundred years."

"A Tyrant... in just three hundred years?"

"And," Ling Hua added, "he seems to be walking the path of the Supreme."

As she spoke, she transmitted a brief overview of Li Pin through her inner spirit.

You Ying studied the information. After a moment, a rare flicker of emotion crossed her fair face. "The path of the Supreme..."

Three hundred years of cultivation and the Supreme path... these two traits...

They brought to mind someone from her own time: Ling Yunxiao, a peerless prodigy.

It had taken Ling Yunxiao just over a thousand years to become a Tyrant. At the time, his brilliance was unmatched. With one man and one sword, he reigned across the starry heavens, eclipsing every other prodigy of his generation.

Back then, all eyes were on him.

His master, Supreme Tai Cang, had already begun planning to gather fortune upon him, paving the way for his ascension to the Supreme throne.

It was his brilliance that led to his rise—yet it was also his brilliance that brought about his fall.

He would rather break than bend. In his relentless pursuit of an invincible sword path, he confronted every formidable opponent head-on. In the end... the Divine Race lured him into a trap. Just as he was on the brink of reaching the realm of the Sacred Monarch, he perished, filled with regret.

Back then, You Ying had only just embarked on her path of cultivation. She had not even formed her True Spirit yet. From afar, she watched him, captivated by his figure, like a brilliant beacon of light, his sword's sharpness too dazzling to behold directly.

But now... she had become a Divine Emperor, overseeing Abyssal Rift No.3.

As for Ling Yunxiao, once celebrated as the supreme prodigy of his generation, he had long returned to dust.

And today, not even a trace of that dust remained.

"Master... all these years, you've never taken that final step forward. Isn't it because of that knot in your heart? That lingering regret... that you never had the chance to fight him? You've always felt you were just one step away from becoming the true, unrivaled supreme prodigy."

Ling Hua looked at her master, who was equally stunning in her talent. "If this so-called Light of Origin one day becomes a Heavenly Emperor... or even a Divine Emperor... maybe then, you'll finally get the closure you've been waiting for."

"To have him take Ling Yunxiao's place..." You Ying murmured, then shook her head. "That would be unfair to him."

After some thought, she continued, "But I understand what you mean. Very well... let me see just how much he resembles Ling Yunxiao. Whether he can truly do what Ling Yunxiao once did—stand alone with his sword, suppress the galaxy, and etch the name of an invincible Tyrant across the heavens."

Ling Hua nodded slightly. "Then I will make the arrangements. Since he needs to gain experience and temper his secret arts through battle with Abyssal Beasts, we'll grant him this chance."

"Go."

***

Following You Ying's decision, You Ying Palace swiftly sprang into action.

Since You Ying had taken only one personal disciple, Ling Hua had immense authority.

She had not only founded one of the top continents, home to billions of living beings, but had also continuously drawn in talents cultivated by major powers.

Within the Humanity Sanctum of the Sacred Flame Hall, whenever a prodigious talent emerged, Ling Hua would take an interest in them. Over time, the number of her personal disciples exceeded a hundred, and her registered disciples numbered over a thousand. Including various other followers, the force under her command grew vast and formidable.

𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

Under her leadership, You Ying Palace operated with remarkable precision and order.

Meanwhile, You Ying herself directly oversaw the Astral Gods.

The entire palace functioned like a hive. Countless Astral Gods scattered across the areas, tirelessly searching for any signs of Abyssal Beasts. Once a sighting was confirmed, they would immediately withdraw and report it.

These reports would then be passed through the Palace's departments to available Tyrants, who were dispatched to eliminate the threat.

Now, all the gathered information had been handed directly to Li Pin.

With that, he found himself busier than ever, constantly moving across Abyssal Rift No. 3, yet he enjoyed every second of it.

In the battle against Abyssal Beast, his cultivation in both the Primordial Abyss True Demon Form and the Infinite Star Abyss Body progressed rapidly.

Repeated close encounters with the beasts deepened his understanding of their power, and that of the Void.

Even his grasp of the elusive Power of Reincarnation gradually shifted from mere theory to tangible insight.

As for the danger... of course, it existed.

When facing a Common Abyssal Beast possessing Tyrant-level strength, even Ling Hua personally asked if he needed assistance.

But after Li Pin killed the beast with his own hands, without suffering serious harm, the Heavenly Emperor finally set her worries aside.

***

Fourteen stellar years later.

Li Pin once again slew a Secondary Abyssal Beast.

Feeling the residual power of its death impacting him, he quickly circulated the Primordial Abyss True Demon Form to refine it.

After a while, Li Pin completed his cultivation.

He spoke to himself, "The Primordial Abyss True Demon Form and the Infinite Star Abyss Body have both reached major mastery."

Sasha's voice echoed in his mind, "Your Sovereign Divine Weapon application was approved several years ago. Don't you plan to go out and retrieve it?"

However, the strength of her transmission was noticeably affected.

The Abyssal Rift was a place where rules ceased to exist. Not only matter and energy, but even information would lose its medium for transmission.

"One thing at a time. I will retrieve it after I complete the Primordial Abyss True Demon Form, the Grand Oblivion Art, and the Infinite Star Abyss Body," Li Pin replied.

"One Supreme Secret Art and two top-tier battle techniques.... Even for a peerless genius, it's impossible to fully master them in such a short time. According to my calculations, even with the help of Abyssal Beasts speeding up your progress in the Primordial Abyss True Demon Form, you would still need eighty to a hundred years to fully master all of these arts."

Sasha paused for a moment. "This speed is already astonishing. Among the thousands of supreme prodigies recorded in history, the average time needed to master a Supreme Secret Art alone is a thousand years. Based purely on secret art cultivation, your speed would rank among the top ten. It's just that your standards for yourself are too high."

"Eighty to a hundred years?" Li Pin raised his head and looked into the depths of the Abyssal Rift. "I can be faster."

At the far end of the Abyssal Rift... lies what is known as the forbidden zone for non-Supreme beings, the Void of Chaos.