Li Pin traversed through the chaotic laws of the universe. The Great Dao Radiance shone deep within his inner spirit, while singularities formed from matter, energy, time, and space continuously collapsed, carving out a path through the disorder. The Black Abyss Highlord did not stop him. Similarly, Li Pin knew, and believed, that the Highlord would not stop him. Because, as he had said, this might very well be the answer the Highlord had been seeking all along. Even if it wasn't the definitive answer, Li Pin had at least presented a possibility. Suddenly, the void before him cleared, and the sensation of being engulfed by nothingness and chaos surged once more. Matter, energy, time, and space all blurred and dissolved, fading into oblivion. Apart from the awareness of his own "existence," he could perceive nothing and touch nothing. He realized he had emerged from the miniature universe created by the Black Abyss Highlord and had returned to the Abyssal Rift. Li Pin spoke softly. "Matter, energy, time, space—none of it exists." This was his understanding of the Abyssal Rift, and at the same time, it was the manifestation of his Dao. With a single thought, the four fundamental forces he had forged from his Great Dao Radiance—matter, energy, time, and space—swiftly expanded outward from him. Through sheer force, they carved out a realm of "existence" within the void of the Abyssal Rift. Anchoring his Dao of "existence" as the foundation, he projected matter, energy, time, and space outward—like the mythical Pangu, who split the chaos to create a world.[1] However, his comprehension of this path had only reached the second stage: the initial derivation of matter, energy, time, and space, followed by their unification. The next step would be to compress all energy into a singularity and merge the four forces into a cohesive whole. Then, by unleashing them in a cosmic explosion, birth a true universe. For now, the essence of his projected "existence" was merely his Dao, or more precisely, the Great Dao Radiance. Once the Great Dao Radiance was exhausted, he would be powerless against the Void of Chaos and would once again be devoured by the Abyssal Rift. To draw an analogy, he was still far from constructing a mothership capable of sustaining an ecological cycle and preserving civilization. At best, he had only acquired the ability to venture into space. And even then, he was merely clad in a spacesuit. Once the oxygen and energy within the suit were depleted, only death awaited him. However... he didn't need to sustain it for long. Li Pin turned and gazed behind him. There, a starry sky stretched endlessly—a vast, unfathomable expanse of stars. It was as though the cosmos itself had become part of his sight. And yet... the Abyssal Rift was the Abyssal Rift, and the universe was the universe. Their nature was fundamentally different. Space began to distort rapidly. Li Pin could clearly sense space contracting at an alarming rate, while time twisted violently. Mass and energy were being compressed at an unprecedented speed—not vanishing, but condensing. This compression harnessed the properties of time, reducing what should have taken tens of thousands of stellar years into mere minutes, breaths, or even an instant. Similarly, it utilized the properties of space. Vast quantities of matter spanning millions—or even tens of millions—of light-years were folded and compressed through spatial contraction, traversing unimaginable distances in a single moment. Yet, whether it was space or time, they merely accelerated processes. They didn't erase them. In other words, mass and energy still remained. As this compression continued, an incomprehensible amount of energy and mass condensed into a single, visible entity. Even if that entity had once achieved absolute control over itself, even if it had condensed a True Spirit, at this moment, it could no longer restrain the energy leaking from its form. It was like the heat emitted by a human body. Even without movement, it could annihilate countless microorganisms. The gravitational collapse caused by this energy leakage made Li Pin feel as if he were standing before a black hole. He could distinctly sense an immense celestial body of terrifying mass pulling him in, as if about to drag him into its depths. He could distinctly sense an immense celestial body of terrifying mass pulling him in, as if about to drag him into its depths. The Great Dao Radiance continued to flow, and the concepts of gravity and space became utterly distorted. Only then did Li Pin barely manage to halt his descent into the "black hole." However, the consumption of the Great Dao Radiance was now countless times faster than before. Finally, the boundless starlight that had filled his vision dissipated. Before him stood a towering lifeform, spanning a hundred thousand miles. It was the same burly figure as before, but now its gaze was fixed on Li Pin. Within that gaze lay an unfathomable torrent of information, sending a shudder through Li Pin's inner spirit. A force was probing the depths of his being, compelling his inner spirit to sound alarms and resist instinctively. It was akin to a mortal who, upon learning that a supreme ruler at the pinnacle of power had decreed his death, would succumb not to illness or injury but to sheer terror and pressure, resulting in an instant collapse. In a way, this too was a form of power, one born from "information" itself. "What is this?" the Black Abyss Highlord asked softly. "It is the Dao," Li Pin replied. "My Dao." The Black Abyss Highlord seemed momentarily dazed. "The Dao..." He had heard this term before. Li Pin extended his hand in invitation. "If you are willing to believe in it, I can teach you." He sincerely hoped more would walk this path alongside him, just as he had once established the Celestial Martial God Hall on Gaia, hoping others would follow the path of the Martial God as he did. But reality had proven otherwise. The people of Gaia lacked the talent to keep up with his Dao. The Black Abyss Highlord, however, was different. To become a Highlord was proof of his extraordinary talent. Thus, Li Pin's invitation was genuine. Yet, to Sasha, who had also materialized nearby, this invitation was utterly incomprehensible. She felt as though her CPU was about to overheat. A Divine Being—fine, let's call him a Cosmic Tyrant—is asking a Highlord, one who stood at the pinnacle of the starry cosmos, to abandon his own cultivation and follow his path instead. What did this mean? Is he expecting the Highlord to admit inferiority? To acknowledge that his own path is lesser than that of a mere Cosmic Tyrant? This is... utterly absurd. How could he even say such a thing? Yet, the Black Abyss Highlord's response left Sasha questioning whether her understanding was outdated by several eras. "I want to learn," Black Abyss answered. His words carried an indescribable sense of melancholy and desolation. "But I dare not gamble... to bet that your Dao is truly the right one," said Black Abyss. He looked away, gazing into the depths of the cosmos. "For billions of stellar years, I have tried countless times and failed just as many. "There were moments... when I thought I had glimpsed the dawn of a new path. I even abandoned my Highlord form, choosing to reincarnate and start anew. But in the end, all those paths proved to be wrong." Hearing this, Li Pin understood what he meant, so he did not try to persuade the Highlord further. "I won't interfere with you, nor will I guide you," said Black Abyss. For a brief moment, a ripple seemed to stir within the Black Abyss Highlord's emotions. It was as if a planet, long shrouded in darkness, had finally been pierced by a ray of sunlight breaking through the clouds. "I will watch quietly and wait... until the day I see a truly viable path in you, until I see a future worth pursuing. When that time comes, I will step onto this path, move forward, and walk toward hope, transcendence, and eternity." As he spoke, the Highlord extended his hand and made a subtle gesture toward Li Pin. In the next moment, a unique insignia appeared in Li Pin's palm. Li Pin glanced at it and immediately understood its purpose. "When you call, I will come," said Black Abyss. The surrounding space twisted violently, and a surge of dark red light erupted from the Black Abyss Highlord. This was the redshift phenomenon caused by an ultra-massive celestial body moving away at an immense speed. At the very center of this dark red radiance, a black void emerged, so dense that even the red light could not escape. The black void distorted for a moment before exploding into a dazzling burst of crimson light and vanishing completely. Only remnants of red brilliance lingered, as if marking the departure of a cosmic entity of unfathomable mass. Sasha appeared beside Li Pin. "His Majesty truly holds you in high regard." Li Pin glanced at the insignia in his palm. "I'm not referring to that insignia," she clarified. "I mean his current state. His emotions have fluctuated so strongly that they nearly spilled over. The reason you could face His Majesty's true form unharmed isn't just because your Dao is special. Another reason is that he also cultivates the Transcendence path, which allows him to suppress his own presence." She smiled. "If his emotions fluctuate, this suppression weakens. When that happens, the energy waves of a Highlord will fully manifest... and with your current strength, you would be obliterated by the high-energy reaction radiating from him. So..." She glanced at the last traces of the dissipating red light. "His Majesty left in advance." No matter how astonishing the essence of his Dao was, for now, he was still too weak. He was too weak to be convincing. It was like an elementary school student solving an unsolved global mystery—no one would believe he had done it. Even if it were eventually proven, the best he could expect would be some educational privileges, not an immediate invitation to the world's top research institutes. In the eyes of the Black Abyss Highlord... Li Pin was probably no different from that child who had solved a world-class puzzle. Sasha gave him a slight bow. "I'll be in your care from now on, Lord Li Pin." Li Pin looked at her. The Black Abyss Highlord had transferred her authority to him. "I should be the one saying that," he replied. "But I hope you won't interfere with my cultivation decisions." Sasha nodded slightly. "Of course." Even the great Black Abyss Highlord chose not to interfere or guide him, fearing that doing so might lead his path astray and reduce him to mediocrity. Naturally, she wouldn't disrupt it either. "Then, I look forward to our cooperation." 1. In Chinese mythology, Pangu is the primordial being who created the world. Legend has it that he emerged from a cosmic egg and separated heaven and earth, holding them apart until he perished, with his body transforming into various elements of the natural world. ☜