Enemies, Dual Laws, and a Shaken Cosmic Nation

Deep within a colossal palace complex on the Galactic Empire's capital planet, Luomuer Fojing stood in a daze. "A Law! That Zhonghuang Taiyi actually comprehended a trace of a Law!" To comprehend a Law at the Stellar rank was unheard of—not just in a remote star system like their Galactic Empire, but across the vast Divine Light Empire as well. You wouldn't find a second person like him anywhere in either nation. Only the Yuanzhong Cosmic Nation could nurture geniuses of such a caliber! Yet how immense was the Yuanzhong Cosmic Nation! It spanned thirty thousand star fields, and the Divine Light Empire made up barely a thirty-thousandth of it! As for the Galactic Empire, it was merely one thirty-to-forty-thousandth of the Divine Light Empire! In other words, the Yuanzhong Cosmic Nation held at least a billion galaxies! Only from an expanse that vast could a mere four or five hundred geniuses arise who had crossed the threshold of a Law at the Stellar rank! Those individuals were either inducted into the Yuanzhong Secret Realm to cultivate diligently or studied secret arts under godly powerhouses! One would never run into them in reality! Only occasionally in the Saint Martial Arena of the Virtual Universe could anyone catch a glimpse of them sparring and practicing secret techniques against peers of their level. Toward such figures, Luomuer had always looked up with reverence, never harboring the faintest notion of competing with them. The gulf between them was simply too vast! She had only just grasped an initial understanding of a domain, far from attaining great mastery or perfection, let alone stepping across the threshold of a Law. In a real clash, she couldn't have withstood even a single move. "So getting killed by him in one strike was only natural..." Luomuer murmured to herself. "But who on earth is he? "Where did he spring from? I've heard of over ninety percent of the peerless geniuses in the entire Yuanzhong Cosmic Nation, yet I've never heard the name Zhonghuang Taiyi. And on top of that, he claimed to be from our Galactic Empire?" "Luomuer, come see me!" A sudden voice called into her ear while she was still lost in thought. "Father?" She snapped her head up. With a blur of motion, she darted from her sleeping quarters and arrived in a magnificent, sprawling palace in less than twenty seconds. Inside the hall sat a man draped in a purple astral robe. He was none other than the founder and first emperor of the Galactic Empire, a mid-stage Domain Master powerhouse: Jiangdu Fojing! In the void before Jiangdu hovered a light screen replaying the video of Huang Tian's clash with Luomuer. "Father," Luomuer saluted. Jiangdu nodded. "Sit." Luomuer took her seat, unable to keep her eyes off the light screen. "Father, this man named Zhonghuang Taiyi actually claimed to be from our Galactic Empire—" "I have already looked into it, but found neither his true identity nor his homeworld. Even his login to the Virtual Universe was through an unregistered consciousness-induction helmet," Jiangdu said. "A consciousness-induction helmet?" Luomuer was utterly flabbergasted. In this day and age, what person of any status would use a consciousness-induction helmet, a cheap gadget meant only for the poor? Under normal circumstances, even Planetary-rank and Stellar-rank martial artists could afford intelligent brains, to say nothing of a prodigy of cosmic-nation caliber like Huang Tian. Luomuer doubted such geniuses had even heard of what a consciousness-induction helmet was. "There is no need to find it strange," Jiangdu said slowly. "Perhaps he has cultivated under some hermit powerhouse for a long time and has no interest in technological creations." The universe was vast, full of all manner of wonders. Some powerhouses held peculiar philosophies of cultivation, deliberately having their disciples train on technologically backward worlds and shun technological devices. It was said this helped disciples preserve a pure, uncorrupted heart, which benefited their cultivation. "Or perhaps he resides on an undiscovered native planet within the empire's borders, chanced upon a consciousness-induction helmet, and used it to log into the Virtual Universe," Jiangdu added. "Naturally, we cannot rule out the possibility that he simply dislikes intelligent brains and is accustomed to using a consciousness-induction helmet. "However, regardless of which possibility it is, none of that matters. What matters is that there is an eighty or ninety percent chance he hails from our Galactic Empire. That gives us a natural connection to draw close to him." Jiangdu looked at Luomuer, his gaze burning. "A genius who has comprehended a Law at the Stellar rank will almost certainly become a World Lord in the future, so long as he does not perish prematurely. And even among World Lords, he will be far from weak!" Satellite rank, Planetary rank, Stellar rank, Star Vortex rank, Domain Master, World Lord, Eternal rank! A World Lord powerhouse possessed a lifespan of ten million years! A single one could effortlessly flatten a low-tier civilization like their Galactic Empire. Even the emperor of the Divine Light Empire had to treat a World Lord with utmost deference! Meeting her father's eyes, Luomuer instantly understood, and a blush crept over her face. Jiangdu smiled. "Previously, the thirty-first prince of the Divine Light Empire pursued you, but you looked down on him, judging his character poor and his potential low—over sixty thousand years old and still only at mid Star Vortex rank. "Yet this Zhonghuang Taiyi is genuinely a peerless genius, a fellow native of the empire, and possesses fine demeanor and appearance. He is a suitable match for you. "If you are willing, I will send him an invitation at once and host a banquet in the Virtual Universe to matchmake the two of you. If a marriage can be arranged, I can promise him ten thousand life-bearing planets and three hundred thousand first-grade resource planets—" The more Luomuer listened, the redder her face grew. She lifted her eyes toward the imposing warrior on the light screen and murmured, "I only fear he might be unwilling..." Jiangdu laughed heartily. "No matter. It costs nothing to try. If it succeeds, wonderful; if it doesn't, we will find other ways to befriend him." "Mm," Luomuer softly replied. *** While Jiangdu and Luomuer were discussing Huang Tian, on Yangfa Star of the Divine Light Empire, Fifth Prince Mo Jia was leisurely savoring a cup of Spirit-Clearing Brew. This Spirit-Clearing Brew could enhance source energy—or spiritual energy—and cleanse the mind, making it exceptionally popular among the high-ranking nobility and powerhouses of the Divine Light Empire. "Ding— Master, Yu Hua invites you to meet in the Virtual Universe," Mo Jia's personal intelligent life-form suddenly announced. "Yu Hua? What does he want with me?" Mo Jia arched a brow. Yu Hua was his full brother by blood, ranked thirty-first among the imperial princes. The two shared an acceptable relationship, but Yu Hua possessed mediocre cultivation talent, indulged in pleasure, and occasionally acted under Mo Jia's name. As a result, Mo Jia did not hold his younger brother in high regard. "Oh well, I might as well see him..." Mo Jia set down his cup and projected his consciousness into the Virtual Universe. A second later, he appeared on a floating island—real estate he had purchased within the Virtual Universe, which served as his default spawn location upon logging in. Whoosh! A green-robed man standing over two meters tall with shoulder-length hair materialized. "Fifth Brother!" Mo Jia gave a slight nod, his tone lukewarm. "Speak. Why did you look for me?" Yu Hua took no offense at his brother's attitude, grinning cheekily. "Fifth Brother, do you still remember Luomuer from the Galactic Empire?" "The Luomuer you pursued ninety years ago?" Mo Jia frowned. "What, you still haven't given up? Let me warn you, don't harbor any crooked thoughts. Jiangdu is not someone to provoke." As a mid-stage Domain Master powerhouse, Jiangdu possessed substantial strength. Before founding the Galactic Empire, he had been an interstellar mercenary who survived countless life-and-death trials and possessed several dependable former comrades. Those comrades were almost all Domain Masters, and perhaps even World Lords. Thus, even Mo Jia was unwilling to offend him. Yu Hua cried out in distress, "How would I dare have crooked thoughts! Besides, I forgot about her long ago. Mentioning her this time isn't about her—it's about the person who fought her!" He then explained Huang Tian's matter in full while sharing the recorded video with Mo Jia. Upon watching it, Mo Jia was deeply stunned. "Our Divine Light Empire could actually produce such a genius?!" The Galactic Empire was a vassal nation of the Divine Light Empire, so considering Huang Tian a member of the Divine Light Empire was not inaccurate. "Come, let's head to the Saint Martial Arena and see!" "Alright!" The two teleported, appearing inside the main hall of the Saint Martial Arena the very next second. Scanning the light screens throughout the hall, they quickly located the name "Zhonghuang Taiyi." At that moment, however, Huang Tian had not yet found a match, so his status showed "Matching." Yet barely a dozen seconds later, he matched with a new opponent: "Zhonghuang Taiyi (early Stellar rank / first-rank elite) vs. Shaye (peak Stellar rank / first-rank elite)!" Inside the hall, tens of thousands of martial artists who had rushed over upon hearing the initial news instantly grew excited. "Anyone evaluated as a first-rank elite by the Saint Martial Arena is a peerless genius who stepped across the threshold of a Law at the Stellar rank!" "Shaye must be one of the most active peerless geniuses in the Saint Martial Arena. He crossed the threshold of the Law of Earth over a hundred and forty years ago. After being admitted into the Yuanzhong Secret Realm, he cultivated diligently for over a century, only occasionally appearing in the Saint Martial Arena in recent years to challenge others and hone his battle methods." "Let's go, let's go spectate!" "Together!" Amid the boiling clamor of discussion, Mo Jia and Yu Hua exchanged a glance and submitted their requests to spectate simultaneously. In the next breath, they appeared on a gigantic virtual spectator platform capable of holding millions of people. Opposite them, Jiangdu and Luomuer were also watching. Below the spectator platform stretched an undulating, continuous sprawl of ancient palace halls, complete with vermilion walls, glazed tiles, carved beams, and painted pillars. Above this expanse of palaces, two figures stood facing each other across the sky. Huang Tian hovered in midair, holding his war saber, his expression completely composed. Shaye was clad in tight-fitting red combat clothes, grasping a heavy pitch-black staff in his hands. Curiosity and burning fighting spirit mingled in his gaze. "Zhonghuang Taiyi... having crossed the threshold of the Law of Water, how is it that I have never heard your name before?" Huang Tian smiled faintly. "You will hear plenty of it from now on." "Oh? You seem quite confident!" Shaye chuckled. "When I first crossed the threshold of the Law of Earth, I was just as confident—even arrogant. But there is always a mountain beyond a mountain, a heaven beyond a heaven. Only after entering the Yuanzhong Secret Realm did I realize just how many supreme talents exist. You—" Boom! Before Shaye could finish, Huang Tian had already plummeted from high above, bringing his war saber down in a vertical cleave! The strike carried the momentum of the heavens collapsing, powerful enough to cleave a towering mountain cleanly in two! Faced with this strike, Shaye instantly clamped his mouth shut. Gripping the heavy black staff with both hands, he locked his waist and stance into one, channeling his entire body's force into his arms in that single instant before thrusting upward to meet the descending blade! Clang! The clash of saber and staff was deafening. Shaye's body felt as though it had been struck head-on by a falling star, crashing violently into the palace halls below! Rumble! The magnificent palace complex crumpled like flimsy paper, collapsing in an instant. Beams and pillars fractured, tiles cascaded down, roofs caved in, and a massive gray mushroom cloud soared skyward, engulfing everything! After cleaving downward with that first strike, Huang Tian swept his gaze across the wreckage and plummeted sharply toward a specific spot, unleashing another slash! Amid the billowing dust, Shaye had just climbed out of a deep crater, covered in grime and looking thoroughly disheveled. Yet when he saw that blade light slashing down once more, he didn't hesitate, swinging his staff upward to meet it again! CLANG!!! Another world-shaking blast erupted. The ground beneath Shaye's feet caved in instantly, and thick, massive fractures spider-webbed furiously in all directions, spreading thousands of meters outward. His body, meanwhile, was hammered nearly a hundred meters deep into the earth like a nail! "Such ferocious, domineering power!" Shaye was deeply shaken. *Didn't he comprehend the Law of Water? How is his raw force even more overbearing than mine?!* Whoosh! Following the two strikes, yet another arrived! Carrying the momentum of a thunderous tempest, it slashed downward toward Shaye once more! Hum— Right at that moment, an exotic power erupted from deep within the earth! Ten thousand streams of earthy-yellow air currents surged around Shaye, resonating with the earth itself and condensing into a perfectly spherical barrier of light. Thud! The biting blade light struck the earthy-yellow barrier, producing a dull boom. Ripples spread across the barrier like water, leaving it entirely intact. Huang Tian's expression remained unchanged. Leaping skyward again, he delivered another strike, then another, then a third— In mere moments, tens of thousands of blade lights poured down upon the earthy-yellow barrier like an unceasing gale and torrential rain! Boom! Boom! Boom! Every single blade light was enough to split a mountain, yet striking the barrier now, not one could break it open. "The Law of Water is indeed formidable—continuous and inexhaustible, each wave building upon the last, delivering formidable burst power upon accumulation. Regrettably, it is still a bit shy of breaking my defense..." Inside the barrier, Shaye looked on with genuine appreciation. "Of course, if you were at peak Stellar rank like me, I might not have been able to withstand all your attacks... You are quite impressive!" With those words, he stomped hard against the ground. The earth shuddered, and his body shot skyward like a tempest. The heavy staff in his hands blazed with an earthy-yellow radiance as he smashed it aggressively toward Huang Tian! This downward swing felt as if an entire mountain range were hurtling straight into his face! The colossal force swept aside billowing shockwaves, making the air howl and violent winds surge across the sky! Without a second thought, Huang Tian slashed his blade outward, crashing directly into the heavy staff! BANG! Accompanied by a colossal explosion, Huang Tian used the rebound to soar back into the clouds, while Shaye plummeted back to the earth, his feet sinking deep into the crushed stone. "I struck with nearly everything I had, yet you took it so calmly. You really are..." Shaye looked up at Huang Tian in the sky, shaking his head in marvel. "I held the advantage this time. Once you cultivate to peak Stellar rank in the future, we can fight to our hearts' content!" "There is no need to wait for the future." A calm voice drifted down from the high sky, making Shaye's heart skip a beat. He looked up intently and saw that Huang Tian's expression had grown increasingly calm. At the same time, the war saber in his grip trembled, suddenly bursting with a wisp of brilliant white-gold radiance! That radiance was dazzling beyond measure! Piercingly sharp beyond measure! BOOM!!! High above, blade light flared intensely. Huang Tian seemed to merge into one with that white-gold blade light, transforming into a descending bolt of white-gold lightning. Bearing incomparable sharpness and destructive intent, it crashed downward! This was a decisive blade, a majestic celestial blade! Too fast! Too fierce! Too ruthless! In a mere instant, it cleaved down from the sky straight onto the earthy-yellow barrier! Squelch— The light barrier that had easily withstood tens of thousands of blade strikes moments ago proved utterly fragile. It shattered in a flash, allowing the blade light to drive straight through, shearing cleanly through Shaye's body before plunging into the earth to carve a bottomless chasm! A thin, long line of blood appeared down Shaye's body, starting right between his brows. His eyes widened, his lips trembling in complete disbelief. "Metal... Metal Law... Dual Laws?!!" Splat! As the words left his mouth, the two halves of his body collapsed to either side, hot blood spraying out before turning into shimmering motes of light and dispersing entirely. "Zhonghuang Taiyi wins!"