As Eternal Tower Master flipped through the pages of the Monhado rock book, the consciousness carrier of Spacetime Island Lord arrived.
"Spacetime Island Lord," Xu Jingming greeted, bowing respectfully.
The mysterious figure seemed to exist in another dimension, making it difficult to see her clearly. She acknowledged Xu Jingming with a slight nod before turning her attention to the rock book.
"A complete legacy at the half-step third realm?" she asked the dean, her eyes turning solemn.
"That monster's name was Monhado Xiong E," the dean explained. "This is the best legacy I've ever seen for the body."
"A legacy for the body?" Spacetime Island Lord's expression grew serious.
No matter what kind of high-dimensional lifeform they were, they all had to pay attention to their bodies as they were the carriers of life.
Xu Jingming watched obediently from the side as the dean, Tower Master, and Island Lord finished reading the legacy and began discussing it.
"Monhado's death was a catastrophic event in our universe. High-dimensional creatures swarmed in to claim its legacy." Tower Master gritted his teeth. "Rumor has it that someone was able to obtain the legacy. And now, we're finally seeing it for ourselves."
"We humans have advanced our heritage." The dean grinned.
"My expertise in the Abyss and Primordial Star lineages is limited at best," Spacetime Island Lord admitted. "I can use this legacy as a reference, but the two of you will be able to fully cultivate it. If either of you can master this legacy, our standing in high-dimensional space will improve drastically."
"Master it?" The dean and Tower Master exchanged a knowing look and chuckled.
Their ultimate goal was to reach the third realm, even if it meant only taking half a step.
The first step was to enter the half-step third realm, but their ultimate goal was to fully achieve it. However, even the first step was a near impossible feat.
"What's suitable for others might not be suitable for us," the dean said. "We've gotten our hands on some half-step third realm legacies, but we haven't cracked the code on any of them yet."
"We may not be able to reach the heights of Monhado, but we can tap into its essence and take our physical body techniques to the next level." Eternal Tower Master sneered. "I'm confident that I can raise my physical body technique to a whole new level."
"Another level for your body?" Spacetime Island Lord exclaimed with excitement.
"The key to using the body as an abyss is in this legacy," Eternal Tower Master revealed. "My inner universe can become a true abyss."
"I'm also optimistic about improving my body." The dean smirked. He had put in countless hours of work into the Primordial Star lineage. The Monhado legacy gave him the chance to build an even stronger body.
Spacetime Island Lord was thrilled for her two companions.
While they might still be a ways off from the half-step third realm, the significant improvement in their bodies would increase the trio's overall strength by leaps and bounds.
"Wu Ming." Spacetime Island Lord's eyes locked onto Xu Jingming.
"Island Lord." Xu Jingming gave a slight bow.
"You may not understand the significance of this legacy," Spacetime Island Lord said, her voice low and menacing. "But to some high-dimensional lifeforms, this legacy could be worth more than an entire species."
Xu Jingming's eyes widened in shock. "Worth more than a species?"
"Every species has a price," the Spacetime Island Lord continued. "Take the Hellions for example; they are test subjects for the Hellion Progenitor. And the Frosts… they are also part of an experiment conducted by the Frost Progenitor as part of his evolutionary path. They are natural high-dimensional lifeforms, and they only exist in our universe for experimentation purposes."
Spacetime Island Lord leaned in, a sinister smile creeping across her face. "From my analysis, this Monhado legacy will be particularly attractive to the Hellion Progenitor. He cultivates both the Abyss and the Primordial Star, and he's particularly skilled in physique cultivation. This legacy is enough for him to sell off the entire Hellion race and territory to us humans."
"But we aren't strong enough to occupy that territory," Eternal Tower Master interjected.
The dean nodded in agreement. "But if one of us can have one step into the third realm, we will have nothing to fear, no matter how vast the territory we attempt to occupy."
Xu Jingming was in shock.
He had always known that the Hellion race was created by the Hellion Progenitor, but never before had he heard that it was simply an experiment for the Progenitor's evolution.
"High-dimensional lifeforms will do anything to evolve," Spacetime Island Lord said, her words heavy with meaning. "Gumo once wiped out an entire universe to nurture his third-realm weapon."
Xu Jingming couldn't believe what he was hearing. "An entire universe wiped out?"
"If a universe's high-dimensional lifeforms aren't strong enough, they become a resource for other powerhouses," the dean explained. "Gumo teamed up with another half-step third-realm being, and together, they were able to breach that universe's defenses. All living beings were destroyed, all treasures were harvested, and the universe ultimately fell into the hands of the other half-step third-realm existence."
"But our universe is stronger," the dean reassured him. "The Void Celestials, Fogtails, Frosts, Humans, and Ancient Holiness—the five species—have the strength to stand alone against half-step third realm powerhouses. If outsiders were to invade, the five species would come together and fight as one."
Xu Jingming learned something new.
In the eyes of some high-dimensional lifeforms, life in a universe was nothing more than a resource to be used to cultivate weapons.
And Gumo and the other half-step third-realm existence had split a universe like that.
The Frosts and Hellions were massive in size, but they were nothing more than test subjects.
"Most natural high-dimensional lifeforms don't give a damn about low-dimensional lifeforms," the dean explained. "That's why it's extremely rare for someone like Monhado to pity the weak. Monhado protected the weak out of pity, and that made enemies with too many high-dimensional lifeforms. Eventually, that led to its death."
The dean went on, "Based on my experience, nine out of ten natural high-dimensional lifeforms couldn't give a damn about the lives and deaths of low-dimensional lifeforms."
Xu Jingming nodded, understanding fully.
It's just like how ordinary people could hold boiling water and scald countless ants to death, or slaughter countless pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, ducks, and geese without a second thought.
And that's how high-dimensional lifeforms viewed low-dimensional lifeforms. So what if they crushed billions? Experimenting with countless lifeforms was nothing to them.
"Even though we transcended from lower dimensions to higher dimensions, some of us still see those in lower dimensions as nothing more than bugs and ants. Take Gumo, for example.
"But let me tell you, the world of high-dimensional lifeforms is a brutal one."
Eternal Tower Master's gaze locked onto Xu Jingming. "Some of our own kind, born in the human race, have succumbed to old age. The Firstborn realm may have a lifespan limit, but most of them were killed!"
"I never thought it would be like this," Xu Jingming whispered.
"Make no mistake, the fate of a species is in the hands of those in higher dimensions. If we're strong, the species will be strong. If we're weak, the species is nothing more than a ticking time bomb. And if we die? The species will be wiped off the face of the universe," Spacetime Island Lord intoned ominously.
"You need to get stronger, and fast," Eternal Tower Master said, his eyes boring into Xu Jingming's. "Another companion will ease the pressure on us."
"I'll do my best," Xu Jingming vowed, understanding the gravity of the situation.
The human race had flourished under the watchful eyes of the three Paramounts, and now, Xu Jingming was about to become the fourth foundation.
"I'll keep this legacy safe and secure. News of it cannot be leaked," the dean warned, his eyes piercing into Xu Jingming's. "Only high-dimensional human lifeforms are worthy of learning it."
Xu Jingming nodded in agreement.
Though he had learned it in advance, it wouldn't do much good. His focus now was on constructing a high-dimensional body and becoming a high-dimensional lifeform.
…
The three Paramounts had a few loose ends to tie up with humanity, and all left on the same day. They faced rejection at every turn during their brief stay in the universe.
The Primordial Research Institute's headquarters, in a chamber of a building nestled in a peaceful orchard, Xu Jingming sat cross-legged. A black flower bud hovered before him.
Sin Flower?
Xu Jingming delved into the black flower bud with his Heart Realm Force and was immediately overwhelmed by the impact of endless sin. It was a level of pain comparable to that of Master of the Abyssal Void. Sins of all varieties attacked Xu Jingming's consciousness.
But after reaching the Heart Lotus realm, Xu Jingming had left all sins behind him.
It's too damn hard, Xu Jingming grunted through gritted teeth. With my strength, trying to control a second-realm high-dimensional weapon is practically impossible.
The infiltration process was slow and arduous, like a turtle crawling through mud. It took more than eight grueling days for him to finally gain control over the Sin Flower.
Buzz.
With a single thought, Xu Jingming soared into the black flower bud.
Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!
The flower bud slowly began to bloom, and one of the black petals emerged.
I can only open one petal out of 36? This is pushing me to my limit. Xu Jingming panted, finding it a struggle. The sin contained within this single petal is beyond comprehension.
He had once sought out misery, experiencing the suffering and fate of humanity.
He had once been locked away, subjected to intense emotional trauma.
All the painful fates I've seen, all the pain and emotions I've felt… They don't even come close to the sins contained within this one petal, Xu Jingming muttered to himself. And this is just the first petal, the one with the least sins out of all 36.
Whoosh.
The black petal unfurled from the flower bud and began to rise.
I can harness the power of this petal to attack my enemies. Xu Jingming sighed. It unleashes a wave of sins that engulfs everything in its path. Even I can only barely control it, and I can't withstand its full force. Any low-dimensional lifeform in this universe will succumb to it.
Low-dimensional lifeforms faced certain death from the petal's attack, even though they could be revived.
But its greatest value to me is protection. With the Sin Flower guarding me, I can safely explore my Heart Realm… Even if an enemy attacks me there, their assault will be directed to my true body through karma, but they'll suffer the monstrous sins of the Sin Flower's 36 petals.
He let out a sigh of emotion. The dean acquired this Sin Flower to keep me safe.
The Heart Realm Force lineage was an existence like the mind, so it was difficult to kill them. Usually, one had to track down all the clones through karma.
Their clones could be anywhere in the universe, in high-dimensional space, or in the Heart Realm. The universe had its rules, so it naturally blocked all external forces.
The rules of the Heart Realm made it difficult for external forces to enter. Therefore, it was extremely difficult to kill all the clones of a mental lineage high-dimensional lifeform.
But with the Sin Flower for protection, his life-preservation abilities would increase exponentially!
The dean, the Tower Master, and the Island Lord, wanted to ensure that the fourth Eternal Realm human could grow in strength safely.
Xu Jingming was suddenly delighted. The infinite sins contained in the Sin Flower are perfect for my cultivation of Red Lotus Fire.
Red Lotus Fire suited Xu Jingming the best.
This legacy was divided into three realms: Cleansing Lotus Fire, Black Lotus Fire, and Red Lotus Fire.
As for the external resources needed for cultivation, they were sins! The more terrifying the sins, the stronger the Mind Fire that could be condensed.
