When Lan Xiaobu landed on the Void Plaza of Mortal Star, the entire plaza was teeming with people. A rough scan with his divine sense revealed at least several million.
Though Mortal Star hadn’t yet been dissolved, the dissolving cosmic rules in the void would inevitably consume it; it was only a matter of time.
Since Mortal Star was doomed to dissolve, staying meant certain death. Leaving, however, meant dying even faster. Thus, billions of people lingered in the Void Plaza, gripped by fear and unable to advance or retreat.
As Lan Xiaobu’s Seven Realms Stone landed on the plaza, a man and a woman approached.
Lan Xiaobu recognised them both, clasping his fists with a smile. “Lan Xiaobu greets Fellow Daoist Qingyi and Fellow Daoist Tongming.”
The two were Qingyi Saintess and Tongming Daoist. Lan Xiaobu didn’t see Lian Yingxian, Cen Shuyin, Tian Hen, or others he’d met before.
“You’re Senior Lan?” Tongming exclaimed with joy.
Lan Xiaobu nodded. “Indeed. Just call me by name. But why haven’t I seen Fellow Daoist Hou Yucheng?”
Despite Hou Yucheng’s low strength, Lan Xiaobu genuinely admired his character and demeanour, prompting the question.
Tongming quickly replied, “Fellow Daoist Hou was concerned for his partner and left Mortal Star years ago. Many others also left to seek opportunities for their Great Path.”
“I see,” Lan Xiaobu nodded, guessing Tian Hen, Kun Yun, and others likely left Mortal Star for the same reason.
“Brother Lan, we’ve encountered an apocalyptic calamity once before, but I never imagined I’d see a second in my lifetime,” Qingyi Saintess sighed.
This calamity was far worse than the first. During the initial apocalyptic calamity, they had places to go. Now, they had nowhere. Despite their strength increasing a hundredfold, they couldn’t survive this dissolution.
Tongming added, “The first calamity was a low-level rule apocalypse. This time, I sense it’s far more terrifying, possibly dissolving even higher-level voids.”
Lan Xiaobu said, “Fellow Daoist Tongming’s premonition is correct. This calamity’s dissolution is indeed different from the first…”
Under such a calamity, Tongming and Qingyi Saintess, lacking Creation Realm strength, were insignificant. Lan Xiaobu trailed off, pondering how to save them.
He could take a few or even dozens of people, but this was a planet with billions. Refining Mortal Star into his Universe Dimension Model was impossible.
As the void’s dissolution continued, Lan Xiaobu thought of his Seven Realms Stone, split into two parts, ideal for teleportation. If he used it to send Mortal Star to Mo Wuji, wouldn’t that solve the problem?
The Seven Realms Stone couldn’t cross planes in high-level universes, but teleportation between its two halves should work, shouldn’t it?
The only concern was the Universe Wall, whether it would block the teleportation.
Regardless, Lan Xiaobu wanted to try. He said, “I have a plan to teleport Mortal Star to Mo Wuji’s side, but it carries risks. If it fails, Mortal Star might end up in an unknown cosmic corner. At best, that’s the outcome; at worst, it could be torn apart by the void or dissolved by these rules.”
“Brother Lan, you know our sect leader?” Qingyi Saintess asked, elated.
Lan Xiaobu smiled. “What do you think? Otherwise, I wouldn’t be lingering here.”
“We’re willing. Let me discuss with everyone,” Tongming responded immediately.
He knew Lan Xiaobu’s extraordinary abilities, likely at an unimaginable realm. If Lan Xiaobu acted, they had a sliver of hope. If he abandoned them, they’d face death in this calamity. Surviving by luck was impossible.
Tongming turned to the crowd, speaking loudly, “Fellow Daoists of Mortal Star, we’ve seen a cosmic rule dissolution and calamity before, but this one is far worse. If we don’t act, we’ll dissolve with Mortal Star in this vast void…”
“We’ll follow Elder Tongming’s lead. Tell us what to do,” someone called out via Great Path transmission.
“Good,” Tongming shouted, then continued, “Senior Lan Xiaobu, a friend of our Sect Leader Mo, has come here with a plan to teleport Mortal Star. There’s a fifty percent chance it’ll reach Sect Leader Mo, and a fifty percent chance of failure. Do you agree or not?”
The answer was obvious: they agreed.
Even if they suspected Lan Xiaobu was deceiving them, they’d agree. Staying meant certain death.
“Brother Lan, all of Mortal Star agrees,” Tongming said, turning to bow to Lan Xiaobu.
Lan Xiaobu nodded, projecting his voice via Great Path sound. “Since we’re teleporting, you can’t stay on the Void Plaza. I’ll envelop Mortal Star in a barrier. Even if the teleportation fails, you’ll at least have a chance to survive.”
With or without Tongming and Qingyi Saintess directing, everyone returned to Mortal Star, retreating to their cave dwellings to await teleportation.
“Lord Lan, we also wish to enter Mortal Star and leave together,” Chen Manxing said, stepping forward to bow after Lan Xiaobu spoke.
Lan Xiaobu looked at Tongming, who promptly said, “As friends of Brother Lan, you’re my friends. You may reside on Mortal Star and choose your own sites to establish cave dwellings.”
Tongming sensed Chen Manxing’s strength might surpass his own, but as Lan Xiaobu’s friend, he foresaw no issues.
“Thank you, Fellow Daoist Tongming,” Chen Manxing and the others said joyfully, stepping forward to express gratitude.
They all understood that Lan Xiaobu, such a powerful cultivator, was in this low-level universe for important matters. Following him would only hinder him.
Lan Xiaobu didn’t activate the Seven Realms Stone’s teleportation immediately, saying, “Wait a moment. I need to refine a treasure first, then proceed with the teleportation.”
The treasure was the Chaos Path. Refining it would perfect his Chaos Road, enabling him to possibly bypass the Universe Wall with its Great Path charm. He worried that if the Seven Realms Stone’s teleportation succeeded but was blocked by the Universe Wall, all would be for naught.
Meanwhile, Mo Wuji halted his Seven Realms Stone.
Not just him, but all cultivators aboard stared in shock at the void ahead. The places they’d just passed were beginning to dissolve.
Ding Zhongchen murmured, “It’s starting again. That Huan is a cosmic scourge, a disgrace to the universe.”
Mo Wuji turned to Ding Zhongchen. “Fellow Daoist Ding, are you saying this void’s dissolution is caused by Huan’s Great Universe Technique?”
Ding Zhongchen nodded. “It’s him. Without him, the vast cosmos would be far more prosperous.”
Mo Wuji frowned. “But Huan is at most at the eighth step of the Great Path. Could his cultivation cause such massive void collapse and rule dissolution? Even the ninth step might not manage that.”
Ding Zhongchen paused, then realised Huan’s Great Universe Technique, while potent, couldn’t collapse the entire vast void.
He sighed. “Whether it’s Huan or not, this terrifying dissolution might not spare even the Great Universe. Low and mid-level universes, if touched even slightly by these dissolving rules, have no hope of survival.”
As Mo Wuji pondered what could cause this vast dissolution if not Huan, Ding Zhongchen’s words shifted his expression. If this dissolution continued, his Mortal Star in the low-level universe would also dissolve.
At that moment, amidst the void’s dissolution, a vast chasm appeared before the Seven Realms Stone, extending as the dissolution progressed. Across the chasm, a colossal wall, its height and reach unknown, emerged, visibly stretching.
“No, it’s the Universe Wall! We must detour quickly, or once it forms, we’ll be trapped on this side, dissolving with it!” Ding Zhongchen shouted, his urgency palpable.
