Chapter 2403 Battle Stele of the Domains

Lin Xun took note of everything, but said little.

Before meeting Yuan Qingheng, he too had known nothing about the other side of the cosmos.

“In truth, it’s not just us. Ever since the taboo law power blanketing the Ancient Nebula Road lost control ten years ago, many cultivators from the sects across the world began crossing the starry sky in hopes of seeking fortune on the other side of the cosmos.” Jintian Yueyun said respectfully.

“I originally thought the path would be clear with the suppression gone. Who would’ve imagined the journey would be so perilous?”

Only then did Lin Xun realize that since the fall of Heavenly Emperor Shi, many powerful factions across the Ancient Nebula Road had already taken action.

However, how many of them truly understood the dangers ahead?

Lin Xun said, “If you trust me, I suggest turning back now. This path is not one to tread lightly. Even Emperors are not guaranteed safety. Throughout history, countless Emperors have fallen before even reaching the other side of the cosmos.”

Jintian Xueyun nodded. “Thank you for your warning. Even if you hadn’t said anything, after barely surviving, I wouldn’t have dared to go any further.”

She couldn’t help but sigh, emotion thick in her voice. “I used to believe that reaching the Emperor Stage meant that I could roam freely across the heavens. But only now do I realize how treacherous the path of the great dao truly is.”

After a brief exchange, Lin Xun took his leave.

As he vanished into the distance, the young cultivators of the Jintian Clan finally dared to speak, each carrying a deep sense of emotion.

“I remember that when Senior Sister Xuanyue announced she wanted to follow Emperor Daoyuan and cultivate under him. The clan elders strongly objected. She even gave up her family name because of it. It caused a huge uproar,” said a pretty woman.

“But now, facts speak louder than words. Senior Sister Xuanyue made the right choice!”

The others’ hearts surged with emotion.

Back then, Emperor Daoyuan was surrounded by peril and treated as a threat by the ancient orthodoxies. Who would have imagined that, in the end, those very sects would be intimidated by the might of Emperor Daoyuan?

Who could have imagined that in the Ancient Nebula Road, Emperor Daoyuan’s reputation would instill fear into even the Great Six Courts, such ancient orthodoxies?

“He is a legend, peerless through the ages. It’s a shame our Jintian Clan, afraid of being implicated, never forged ties with someone like him,” Jintian Xueyun sighed with regret.

......

Lin Xun walked alone in the vast expanse of the starry sky.

To him, rescuing Jintian Xueyun was a mere trivial matter.

However, her words made him realize one thing: On the road to the other side of the cosmos, he would undoubtedly encounter many powerful figures from the Ancient Nebula Road.

Half a month passed.

Lin Xun finally stepped out of the calamity-ridden and shattered universe and entered a completely unfamiliar starfield.

According to the green sparrow, this was the White Crow Starfield, one of the Great Thousand Worlds. This was a place where cultivation civilizations flourished, and it was currently ranked around 90th among the Great Thousand Worlds.

The mention of rankings stirred Lin Xun’s curiosity. From what he knew, the Great Thousand Worlds was just a general collective name for the countless cosmic planes and worlds across the universe.

For example, the Ancient Nebula Road was one of them.

However, with so many worlds in existence, who had the authority to rank them?

Furthermore, what criteria were used for such rankings?

The green sparrow soon gave him the answer.

In the Great Thousand Battle Domain stood a monument known as the Battle Stele of the Domains. The rankings of the worlds in the universe were determined according to this stele.

The Battle Stele of the Domains was formed from the dao law power of the Great Thousand Battle Domain and had unique and powerful properties.

Whenever an expert passed through the Great Thousand Battle Domain, their power would be perceived and evaluated by the law power, and their performance would be recorded on the stele.

This ranking of a cultivator would in turn influence the standing of their world among the Great Thousand Worlds!

For example, Lin Xun hailed from Ancient Nebula Road. If he entered the Great Thousand Battle Domain and achieved great feats, his accomplishments would contribute to raising the Ancient Nebula Road’s position in the rankings.

This system was simple, even crude, but it was direct and intuitive.

After all, the more powerful a cosmic plane was, the more likely it was to give birth to formidable experts, and not just one or two. And the strength those experts displayed while traversing the stars and battling within the Great Thousand Battle Domain was enough to represent the pinnacle of power of their world!

In truth, most ordinary characters could never even step foot in the Great Thousand Battle Domain.

Those able to enter the Great Thousand Battle Domain had to be a powerful figure of the Great Thousand Worlds.

After saying this, the green sparrow went on to comment specifically about the Ancient Nebula Road, “Two hundred thousand years ago, cultivators who emerged from the Ancient Nebula Road and journeyed to the other side of the cosmos all shone brilliantly. Their achievements in the Great Thousand Battle Domain were remarkable. At one point, the Ancient Nebula Road consistently ranked within the top three, and even took first place multiple times.

“At that time, in the Great Thousand Battle Domain, Ancient Nebula Road experts were respected and feared wherever they went. They could move freely and unhindered and few dared to provoke them lightly.

“But in the past two hundred thousand years, the Ancient Nebula Road has suffered a steep decline. Not only has the number of top-tier experts dwindled drastically, but its ranking on the Battle Stele dropped again and again down. Now, it struggles just to remain in the top one hundred.”

Upon hearing this, Lin Xun came to a conclusion.

One hundred thousand years ago marked the ancient era of the Ancient Nebula Road.

Two hundred thousand years ago was the primeval era.

In other words, during the primeval era, the Ancient Nebula Road held a lofty ranking, but it had been in steady decline ever since.

Furthermore, according to what Yuan Qingheng had said before, this decline was due to a catastrophic event during the primeval era, which caused the origin law power of the Ancient Nebula Road to collapse, plunging it into ruin.

Similarly, over the last two hundred thousand years, the Luo Clan’s law power had shrouded the heavens, cutting off the Ancient Nebula Road’s path to the other side of the cosmos. As a result, the Ancient Nebula Road’s status within the Great Thousand Worlds only continued to deteriorate.

After learning all this, Lin Xun couldn’t help but sigh.

Back at the dawn of the primeval era, towering figures like Sword Emperor Taixuan, Battle Emperor Mo Yang and Saint Buddha Xingjia had dazzled the world. How brilliant and unmatched were they?

Unfortunately, in the ages that followed, such legendary figures became increasingly rare.

“You alone won’t be enough to change the ranking of the Ancient Nebula Road. I advise you not to burden yourself with such concerns.”

The green sparrow reminded him with a hint of warning. “Although I still don’t know why the young lady asked me to stay by your side and guide you, since it’s her order, I‘ll do what I must.

“But there’s no point saying more now. Once you actually reach the Great Thousand Battle Domain alive, you’ll understand how terrifying it truly is.”

Though small in size, the green sparrow radiated a deep, unshakeable pride. Even when speaking to Lin Xun, it had an air of superiority and condescension.

Lin Xun flicked the green sparrow’s head and said with a smile, “Just focus on guiding the way. No need to worry about anything else.”

The green sparrow staggered and nearly toppled from Lin Xun’s shoulder. As if it had suffered the greatest insult, it fumed, “Outrageous! Do you even know who I am?”

Lin Xun replied, “I only know you’re here to guide me. If you dare go against your master’s orders, I’ll skin you alive and roast you.”

The green sparrow was left speechless, as if it hadn’t expected Lin Xun to be so blunt and rude. After a while, it muttered under its breath, “If it weren’t for the young lady’s sake, I wouldn't say another word to you...”

Lin Xun only smiled and paid it no mind.

As they traveled through the void, he keenly sensed the vast surging great dao power permeating the White Crow Starfield. This starry sky was indeed extraordinary. The order of the great dao here was rich, dense, and incredibly refined—far surpassing that of the Ancient Nebula Road.

Moreover, along the way, Lin Xun passed by countless worlds, each with its own unique cultivation civilization and customs.

In some, myriad sects flourished and daos thrived, but fierce competition over resources led to constant large-scale bloodshed.

In others, Emperors dwelled in towering palaces, surrounded by beauty and luxury. Their cultivation might have been formidable, but their hearts had long decayed.

In some other worlds, cultivators called themselves ‘celestial beings’ and ruled tyrannically over all living beings, treating them as prey and seizing whatever they desired with brutal and bloody means.

There were many other different worlds...

Yet no matter what Lin Xun saw, he remained indifferent. His gaze was calm and distant.

Occasionally, when confronted with something truly intolerable, he would intervene.

For example, once, when a poor village was besieged by a tide of monster-beasts, he casually summoned a bolt of heavenly lightning, annihilating the monster-beasts that swarmed the surrounding mountains. The villagers wept in gratitude, dropping to their knees and kowtowing. They believed that the heavens had heard their cries and saved them from danger.

More often, Lin Xun was just a passerby. He watched and then moved on.

He knew very well that where cultivators existed, slaughter and conflict followed.

He was no savior. At least for now, he lacked the power to change everything.

Three days passed.

In the silent depths of the starry sky, Lin Xun suddenly halted.

At the same time, violent ripples tore through the void. From every direction, Emperor-level auras surged as figures began to appear one after another.

When the turbulence faded, six more figures stood in the surroundings, men and women, young and old, all shrouded in Emperor dao laws.

At the head stood a man dressed in colorful garments, striding atop a golden divine rainbow. His aura was especially domineering—the eighth realm Emperor Stage!

They surrounded Lin Xun from all sides, forming an encirclement. Their gazes locked onto him like hunters who had found their prey.

This atmosphere, their stares, and the subtle chill in their expressions made Lin Xun frown slightly.

This is...an attempt at robbery?