Chapter 42: Advancing Yet Another Level

Those supreme beings of immense might had long since transcended this microcosm, ascending to a higher and deeper realm above the heavens.

Within this boundary, however, it was exceedingly difficult for one's cultivation to make even the slightest further progress. Having reached the pinnacle of his cultivation and achieved complete mastery, Li Chen felt a profound sense of listlessness. Yet, the thought of his family filled him with an overwhelming desire to return home as swiftly as an arrow shot from a bow.

Just as an endless yearning for his family surged within his heart and he prepared to tear through the void to return to the mortal realm, an anomaly suddenly manifested in the firmament. Five-colored auspicious clouds intertwined amidst peals of celestial music, and an ancient, mysterious call seemed to echo from the depths of the void.

His spirit shook when he realized that the legendary "Gate of Realms" had unexpectedly opened, leading to an unknown and formidable extraterrestrial world. This gate appeared only once every ten thousand years, serving as the sole pathway to break through the shackles of cultivation and explore the ultimate mysteries of the universe.

An unprecedented desire ignited within Li Chen's heart. He resolutely decided to abandon his journey home and stepped through that unknown portal in pursuit of a vastly broader path of cultivation.

With a flash, Li Chen transformed into a streak of light, darting toward the dazzling Gate of Realms. Passing through the threshold, the scenery before his eyes shifted abruptly, and he arrived in a bizarre space condensed from fragments of stars.

Here, time and space seemed to lose all meaning. Countless ancient runes flickering with the light of wisdom floated all around, as if recounting the secrets of the universe's birth.

Suddenly, a strange fluctuation of energy caught his attention. Following the trail, Li Chen discovered a crystal containing supreme laws, which was slowly revolving and emitting a mighty force that guided the evolution of all things.

Just as Li Chen stepped forward to explore this crystal, space distorted abruptly. A gigantic, ancient eye suddenly materialized, its pupils swirling with the trajectories of cosmic stars, exuding an ancient and majestic aura.

That eye seemed capable of discerning all things in the world, gazing straight into Li Chen as though conducting a dialogue across space and time. Though turbulent waves crashed in Li Chen's heart, instead of retreating, he advanced, meeting this unknown challenge with an unwavering will.

At that very moment, the crystal burst into brilliant radiance, resonating with the cultivation within Li Chen's body, and a warm, powerful force surged into him.

Just as Li Chen stood in a standoff with the ancient eye, the light released by the crystal grew increasingly dazzling, enveloping his entire body. Within the brilliance, he seemed to traverse endless years, witnessing the birth and destruction of the universe, the rise and fall of myriad stars.

Suddenly, the light dissipated, and Li Chen found himself within an ancient ruin surrounded by fractured statues and runes, which emanated a faint yet mysterious power. Beneath his feet, a stone tablet slowly rose, inscribed with an ancient prophecy that bestowed upon Li Chen the mission of saving the universe from peril. He raised his head to gaze into the distance, where a dark force was quietly awakening.

Gazing at the prophecy upon the stone tablet, an unprecedented sense of mission surged through Li Chen's heart. At that moment, a deep rumble echoed from the depths of the ruins, as though some ancient entity were awakening. Following the sound, he traversed intricate corridors, ultimately arriving at a colossal underground palace.

In the center of the palace, an ancient stone coffin slowly cracked open, emanating an aura that chilled the heart. Within the coffin, a robed figure with a ferocious expression slowly sat up, its eyes resembling abysses that devoured all surrounding light.

Li Chen stared intently at the figure slowly rising, feeling an unprecedented sense of oppression. At that instant, the ancient runes beside the stone coffin suddenly illuminated, transforming into chains of light that bound the robed figure. Yet, the figure seemed utterly indifferent; with a light chuckle and a wave of its hands, the chains shattered instantly. It slowly stood up, its gaze burning like a torch as it locked eyes with Li Chen, seemingly evaluating his strength. Tension and unease permeated the air. Li Chen took a deep breath, clenched his fists tightly, and prepared to meet this unknown challenge. Just then, the walls of the palace suddenly split open, and a powerful force gushed from the fissures, intertwining with the aura of the robed figure and causing the entire palace to tremble.