Emperor Ye's expression was grim. If this was truly Chi Yao, even with his full strength restored, he would be no match. Even if the Chi Yao before him was likely just a clone, or not fully recovered, he still stood no chance.
However, until he uncovered Lady Serena's true identity, he would not leave this place.
Just as Emperor Ye was about to put away his communication pearl, another message arrived: "The laws Chi Yao cultivates do not belong to the Vast Chaos. They are beyond my understanding of the rules. This person has definitely crossed into the Fourth Step. If you encounter him alone, leave immediately—neither of us are a match for him..."
A conjecture is only a conjecture because there remains a sliver of hope it is not true. But once it becomes fact, that hope vanishes completely.
Emperor Ye trusted Joe Di would not deceive him. If Joe Di said Chi Yao had crossed into the Fourth Step, then it must be true.
He absolutely could not waste a year or two waiting here in vain. Before the Dao Comparison event set by Lady Serena began, he had to find a way—ideally to meet Lady Serena in advance. Time was of the essence...
That time was now. Emperor Ye made his decision instantly, choosing the moment without hesitation. The longer he delayed, even by a breath, the more variables could arise.
...
Joe Di himself had no idea which realm his meteorite had been taken to. His face was pale. At this moment, he was certain that the law left behind by Chi Yao, which he had stripped away, did not belong to any universe.
Now, all universes had emerged from the fission of the Vast Chaos. Since Chi Yao's law did not belong to any universe, it meant that his law transcended this entire expanse.
Chi Yao's law transcended the Vast Chaos, making it clear: Chi Yao had indeed stepped into the Fourth Step—not merely come close.
Joe Di still didn't understand why Chi Yao was scheming against them, even forcing Miles Gray to self-destruct. By rights, having already crossed into the Fourth Step, Chi Yao should have no trouble doing so again. Once he did, wouldn't every universe within the Vast Chaos be at his mercy?
If it was so simple and direct, why didn't Chi Yao just do it? Instead, he was wasting time with Third Step cultivators like them, putting off the crucial breakthrough to the Fourth Step.
These questions weighed heavily on Joe Di, suffocating him. He longed to break free from the fog of confusion, but had no clue how. With his strength unable to improve further, he didn't know what to do—or even where to go next.
...
The Great Thistle Divine Realm was merely a tiny domain within the Kaihe Universe. In the Great Thistle Divine Realm, not a single person had ever reached the Third Step.
But the Great Thistle Divine Realm did have one famous place: Great Thistle Peak.
The higher one climbed Great Thistle Peak, the stronger the suppression of spiritual sense and cultivation. Thus, even within the Great Thistle Divine Realm, no cultivator had ever reached its summit.
Yet at this moment, a young man landed directly atop Great Thistle Peak—almost as if he had stepped from the base to the summit in a single stride.
This youth was Nick Ning. He had traversed countless universes, comprehended endless laws, and strove to perfect his own Grand Way.
To Nick Ning, the Kaihe Universe was just one stop among the many universes he had traversed. His reason for coming to Great Thistle Peak was simply because it was so famous. Within the Kaihe Universe, no one was unfamiliar with this peak.
Although few powerful cultivators emerged from the Great Thistle Divine Realm, many came to observe Great Thistle Peak. Nick Ning was one such observer, curious to see if the peak could suppress his cultivation and spiritual sense.
To his relief, Great Thistle Peak was unable to suppress him.
Nick Ning knew he couldn't afford to waste time here, yet standing atop Great Thistle Peak, he still couldn't bring himself to leave immediately.
The feeling of overlooking all the mountains below, without using any spiritual sense or Dao techniques, gave Nick Ning a rare sense of comfort and ease.
Perhaps with his eyes closed, everything would be within his spiritual sense; but now, without using spiritual sense or any techniques, everything he saw was laid out at his feet.
The distance he could see hadn't changed; it was simply the feeling of standing atop Great Thistle Peak that brought it about.
Whether it was the range he could see or the reach of his spiritual sense, it all served to bring the most beautiful scenery into his mind.
"All under heaven converge in unity, though their paths differ..."
When these words surfaced in Nick Ning's mind, he suddenly awoke. Unity Dao had always been his path—it was simply fused by him.
He had never truly understood the Way of Unity until now, searching endlessly through the universes for cosmic laws he had never encountered...
It was as if a thin veil had been torn away—at that moment, Nick Ning was plunged into sudden enlightenment.
After his Dao's nirvana, he realized he no longer needed to roam all the universes. The laws of each universe might differ, but ultimately, they shared the same origin—different paths leading to the same destination.
The scattered Grand Way began to converge; Dao rhythm surged madly around Nick Ning, merging Dao with self and growing ever stronger...
He had no idea how much time had passed before he stood tall and let out a cry of pure joy.
He had thought it would take hundreds of thousands of years to perfect his Grand Way. Yet, unexpectedly, he attained enlightenment atop Great Thistle Peak in the Kaihe Universe.
From this day forth, he would no longer need to roam the universe.
Suddenly, a new existence emerged—within Nick Ning's consciousness, the presence of the Fourth Step appeared.
Within the Vast Chaos, there can be only one Fourth Step existence.
Nick Ning shuddered instinctively, and all his insights abruptly ceased. He stared blankly into the distance. No matter how many powerful cultivators Genesis City had, at this moment, they were all insignificant in his eyes. But the Fourth Step—no matter how deeply he comprehended the Way of Unity, the existence of the Fourth Step could still erase him in an instant, unless he too could cross into the Fourth Step and transcend this Vast Chaos.
Within the Vast Chaos, only one person can step into the Fourth Step. Nick Ning suspected that person had already crossed over—how could he possibly follow suit?
"Who are you? Why have you come to Great Thistle Peak in my Kaihe Universe?" a sudden voice rang out, but Nick Ning didn't even turn his head.
With his current strength, Nick Ning had nothing to fear from any cultivator below the Fourth Step. The only one he worried about was that Fourth Step existence.
"You're Nick Ning?" The newcomer finally saw Nick Ning's face, and called out, both excited and overjoyed.
He had to find Emperor Ye as soon as possible, and figure out a way to face that Fourth Step together. Nick Ning forced himself to set aside this thought, turning to look at the man standing not far before him. This was a powerful cultivator, likely at the Creation Realm, with formidable strength—Dao rhythm condensed around him, and his domain was nearly tangible.
Nick Ning nodded. "That's right. I am Nick Ning."
The man's domain intensified. "My name is Ji Xi. Surely you've heard of me?"
The newcomer was Jason Key, also a Dao Lord of the Kaihe Universe. Fearing Joe Di, he had fled Genesis City and returned to Kaihe Universe. Jason Key planned to use the Kaihe Universe as a stepping stone to reach the Vast Chaos. For a cultivator as powerful as him, being crushed in terms of strength was intolerable. He had to enter the Vast Chaos and further elevate his power.
"So it's you?" Nick Ning understood, his tone unchanged. "Your son is Billy Key, isn't he? I killed him."
Billy Key, Jason Key's son, was known for always wearing white—and it was Nick Ning who had killed him.