Him and their stars.

Chapter 2163 The Primarch Project Endures
Holding the same weapon as the crystal cluster the emperor had used before, Yu Lian felt that he understood this scene all too well.

He now also experiences the power of heaven and earth working together.

In the starry sea of ​​consciousness formed by his psychic energy, blank star positions began to flicker.

The emperor, equally focused on the crystal cluster weapon in his opponent's hand, couldn't help but exclaim in the same admiration: "Look! My friend, look at this! Aren't you a quick learner?"

With a sudden burst of strength, Yu Lian felt an overwhelming force surge through the point where their weapons clashed. Continuing to resist wouldn't necessarily put him at a disadvantage, but there was no need.

Yu Lian deftly dissipated the immense force, using the recoil to slide backward more than ten meters. However, as his shoes rubbed against the ground, a strange melody naturally rippled out. It was as if another layer of crystals, the same material as his weapon, had emerged from the ground and covered his body.

The emperor remained motionless, only slightly retracting his sword-wielding arm, the blade pointing diagonally at the ground, as he looked at Yu Lian, whose upper body was beginning to crystallize: "Spirit Ruins Forge! How dare you use my spiritual energy to fight against me?"

Despite saying that, the emperor's voice contained not a trace of resentment. He looked at the young Earthling with great interest, his eyes burning with admiration and interest, as well as a fierce fighting spirit.

At this moment, he was as fanatical as a martial arts fanatic.

Yu Lian answered frankly: "I suddenly realized that in the realm of the eighth ring, the so-called 'super-sensory intuition' and 'psychic weaponry' should not be used merely to predict and replicate the enemy's physical skills."

“Indeed! Absolutely!” The Emperor smiled with satisfaction. “We psionicists can dodge bullets, deflect beams, and predict the skills of opposing psionicists. We don’t use our eyes to capture light; we rely on our senses to anticipate energy and danger. In a sense, what’s the difference between us and navigators reading star paths? Once you understand the essence, the Spirit Ruins Forge can adapt to the circumstances and create the most powerful spiritual weaponry for you.”

"So that's how it is! So that's what it's called." Yu Lian felt a star position beginning to condense in the outermost ring of his sea of ​​consciousness, and nodded slightly in thanks: "It feels like a high-level skill in all alchemy."

"That's superficial. Yu Lianqing, its essence is an extension of the spiritual particles of the Void Realm's power, which can take on any form according to your will. But in essence, it is a power bridge between you and the Void Realm." The Emperor laughed. "Furthermore, it's arrogant. Alchemy is a vast subject. It's about creation, not killing. What will be tested in the future is imagination, and no one can teach this; you can only learn from the stars and nature."

Yu Lian thanked him, saying, "I am deeply grateful for your guidance. You remind me of a top lecturer wielding a spiked club."

The Emperor smiled: "You see. That's why I told you that the best way to cultivate and evolve is through a battle of the highest levels. Now, Yu Lianqing, do you know why there's the Primitive Project?"

"So, the Primarch Project is your scheme to reach the ninth ring and above?" Yu Lian stared at the other party: "Didn't you ever consider whether there was anything absurd about it? The so-called ninth ring and above, the so-called truth beyond truth, is just a theory, and it hasn't even been publicly acknowledged."

"That's precisely why it's worth a try," the emperor laughed. "Young man, aren't you the one who thinks civilization has stagnated?"

Yu Lian had to admit once again that what the other party said made sense. If he were already a ninth-ringed being, and had the unrestrained power and almost unlimited resources of an imperial emperor, he would indeed have the same thoughts.

"If the ninth ring is the pinnacle, then let me ask you: what exactly is psionic energy?" the emperor laughed.

His voice, amplified by psychic energy, echoed like thunder across the mountaintop. He stepped forward, his light blade dancing in the air. Though still held in his hand, the energy blade, with a casual flick, instantly transformed into a destructive light curtain, enveloping all of Yu Lian's escape routes.

Each strike seemed to contain a high-dimensional power capable of tearing apart the heavens and earth and shattering the soul.

Spiritual storm? Or some other similar overlay barrage?

No, at this level, there is no difference between techniques and martial arts skills.

Yu Lian had to admit that even such a heinous and reactionary slave owner had some qualities worth learning from. For example, he learned the crystallization ability known as the "Spirit Ruins Forge" through his battles with him.

This is also a means of forging weapons and armor using the energy of the void singularity, and even making the concept of lethality tangible in the world.

Previously, he could only make his body ethereal, but now he can extend the ether to both realms to attack enemies.

Yu Lian gritted his teeth, letting the blue crystal clusters naturally extend in his hands, growing into an impenetrable canopy, manifesting as a tough barrier.

He certainly didn't choose to take the hit head-on, but instead created countless deflections and traversals within the open crystal.

Since there is no longer a distinction between martial arts skills and techniques, shouldn't various conceptual methods be included as well?
This naturally includes techniques for guiding and deflecting attacks.

Endless energy was poured into the spatial cage formed by the crystal clusters. The instantaneous clash and bursts of dazzling energy sparks ceased to flicker before exploding, only to be carried into another dimension by the psychic's own force field jump.

At the top of this silent steel forest, apart from the unseen figures and the occasional ripples in the space, everything remained perfectly calm.

Those millions of defective products still lie peacefully in the cage of the bio-battery, playing the role of an endless consumable.

The alchemical golem, like a diligent Sisyphus, continued its endless patrol.

However, on the smooth mountaintop, the high-speed movement, intersection, and separation of the two figures in the spatial rift have gradually created an anomaly in this small world.

The air of the illusory floating island seemed to be affected by a strange force, turning from gas into liquid, and then into a viscous wall of air that kept appearing on the plaza at the mountain peak.

After hundreds of stagnant and turbid air walls appeared, dividing the space on the mountaintop into many completely isolated spaces, a dull explosion finally broke out uncontrollably in the center.

Yu Lian and the Emperor appeared simultaneously, uncontrollably retreating and crashing through the air barrier into a separate space. They then struggled on the ground for a moment, taking more than three times longer than usual to regain their footing before quickly resuming their stances.

"What is this phenomenon?" Yu Lian asked.

"The spatial turbulence and the intersecting dimensions of spiritual particles—from now on, let's call this the 'Elisell Phenomenon,'" the Emperor said proudly.

"..." Yu Lian looked up and gave him a disdainful look.

"Alright, whoever gets out of here alive, let's call it the 'Ilian Phenomenon'."

Although something about the name seemed off, Yu Lian accepted it for the time being. Overall, although the emperor was a villain, he still had some sense of shame most of the time.

"We've expanded the boundaries of knowledge in the fields of mysticism and space. Even if we die now, our names can still be recorded in textbooks," Yu Lian laughed.

"Is this your only expectation for the future? If so, I will be very disappointed," the emperor said. Meeting the emperor's probing gaze, Yu Lian also looked at the qi wall surrounding them: "If we fight any more fiercely, it is very likely to attract the attention of other Void Realm experts."

The Emperor nodded: "You can rest assured about that. I placed bio-batteries on this island to power my steel ethereal body. This was a counter-current operation that went against the laws of the ethereal realm, and you can imagine how incongruous it felt. I can be proud that I have been able to hide here until today! If I am destroyed here, it will be my destiny."

"You are such a magnanimous person. How could someone who enjoys playing 'Gabriel Online' and watching 'Legend of the Space Heroes' be a villain at heart?"

"Ha, Yu Lianqing, I can feel your gratitude and respect for me, but only this sentence is truly moving!" The emperor gazed at the other party, revealing a clear emotion.

Even this supreme ruler who had dominated half the universe for nearly two centuries must still have a soft spot deep down. He looked at Yu Lian gently, his smile conveying closeness, yet his aura surged like a tangible flame: "Continue!"

The energy on the light blade suddenly surged, and the platinum color became even more violent, losing all its charm and color variation, just like a sun that suddenly expanded.

The intense heat made it almost impossible for Yu Lian to breathe, but he didn't need to breathe anyway.

The principle of the crystal cluster transferred the emperor's boundless power to the void dimension, and then sent it outside the floating island, returning it to the vast and boundless void realm.

Now, through the concept of the Spirit Void Crystal, he is controlling the Void Realm. The displacement and transfer of space, the transformation of elements and mimicry, are both his sword and his shield. More importantly, they are all within his control.

He no longer needs his "first wife," Dawn Sword. And of course, he no longer needs his various "second wives" and "middle wives."

This refers to a metaphor.

Yu Lian finally understood why, at the level of his master and the emperor, they were no longer bothered to rely on any external aids. Even the Enlightened Ones...

...Of course, my martial uncle is not considered an external thing.

Thus, despite the more frequent and intense collisions of energy, and despite the spiritual confrontation reaching a higher dimensional level, no power diffusion was ever achieved.

The entire mountaintop platform sat stably in the center of the floating island. Below, in countless culture tanks, the "emperors" in the liquid remained peacefully asleep. Only in their respective petri dishes did the decisive battle of light and shadow on the mountaintop unfold.

If there were truly experts on the scene, they would be utterly awestruck by this high-level, seamless psionic battle.

Perhaps that's why they had room to continue communicating.

Or perhaps, the way high-ranking psychics communicate is to fight to the death while chatting and laughing.

With a crackling sound leaking from the intertwined flames in the space, the two once again uncontrollably widened the distance between them.

Yu Lian slightly adjusted his state, feeling the expansion of the star ring within his sea of ​​consciousness and sensing the aura of the side of truth.

He genuinely wanted to address the emperor as "Teacher Yi," so when his gaze lingered on the through-and-through wound on the other's chest, a hint of guilt immediately crept in.

"I could fight all day long." The emperor smiled nonchalantly, as if preparing to use this argument to put pressure on Yu Lian: "I have several backups."

Yu Lianze seemed to be thinking: "If my master and I hadn't come, your 20,002 good items would have had to fight to the very end like we have, right?"

"They cannot contain the physical body of a god's soul; they can only receive the echoes of information," the emperor said. "Even so, their battles hone each other, weeding out the weak and refining the most exquisite combat techniques. As for the others, I cannot even use their fighting style. Before you or Lan Jiufeng, they are merely puppets in a biological sense."

That being said, even the bodies within the machines are still perfectly forged and refined. It is precisely because of such powerful consumables that such a surging forest of bio-batteries has been formed.

It's still quite anti-civilizational, though.

Also, the battery jungle without the octopus robot is a bit lacking.

"Since they cannot bear my complete will and power, then making the best use of them is their only fate. Defective products can serve as biological batteries to maintain the energy circuit of this field and support the rest of my body."

His gaze swept over the bodies still in the eco-pods once more, and this time his complex expression had the air of a craftsman, like those various "immortals" scrutinizing their unsuccessful creations.

“Those you and Lan Jiufeng just killed in the ‘Conflict Domain’ were the 20,002 ordinary good-quality members. All their combat experience and skill templates are based on the foundation that these failed prototypes copied from me.”

"...You don't actually think that this will allow those defective products to evolve, do you?"

"No, I only want to evolve. Their battle memories before their deaths can be returned here." The emperor tapped his temple.

Yu Lian now understood why this person had developed schizophrenia and couldn't help but feel sympathetic:

"Why did it come to this? Why destroy your own destiny with such obsession? After this battle, even if I am the loser, even if all my warriors are wiped out in the Heavenly Realm, your historical reputation will not be good. A ninth-ring psionicist's historical reputation will probably rival that of Boro III, who died in the flames."

"Then let it fail." The emperor paused slightly, and after flashing wildly and chaotically, a trace of enlightened understanding appeared in his vibrant golden eyes.

Well, as expected, people who enjoy playing games and reading novels for young adults aren't bad people at heart.

“Even if I fail, even if we lose the power of that Spirit Core, the Primarch Project will still be carried out. Yu Lianqing, even if Brin inherits my power, she will still follow in my footsteps and carry it out. You must know that the ultimate purpose of the project has never been just for personal power.”

Before the two began their next round of combat, a headband-shaped crown, seemingly crafted from deep black iron, suddenly appeared in the air between them.

That was the Void Crown. It was unremarkable and didn't possess any profound or mysterious spiritual energy, but its silent appearance here spoke volumes.

The emperor looked at the crown, his tone filled with deep and complex emotions:

"It is the greatest artifact of the Galactic Empire. It responds to the collective desire of the Tyrellians to explore the stars and rule the universe. It appeared in the world to echo the vision of all people and was thus placed within the bloodline of the royal family. Perhaps, in the mechanism of the Void Crown, the royal family that led the Tyrellians out of their home planet is the representative of the entire nation. It is a national treasure belonging to the Dawn Royal Family and a source of power. Under its influence, the family has many offspring who are born strong and healthy. Moreover, every family leader who sits on the supreme throne will surely be a perfect ruler."