this infinite world

"arrive."

——The end of the stairs is the endless void.

It was vast and boundless, neither matter nor energy, but more like some kind of living "concept", an ocean composed of pure "non-existence"... and now, as if sensing the passage opened by Lin Xuwen, this ocean began to surge, turning into a tumbling whirlpool, waiting for Yang Yun to enter.

“…Does it have to be expressed in this way?”

Looking at the swirling vortex in front of him, Yang Yun glanced at Lin Xuwen behind him, who replied with a smile: "What else? There must be a sense of ritual to match this long journey to other multiverses."

In other words, whether it is the red staircase that seems to lead to heaven or the background music playing around, they are actually things he deliberately created for the so-called "sense of ritual" in his words: "You know, although this is a small step for you, it is a big step for all mankind——"

"That's not what I'm talking about... Never mind."

Although Yang Yun knew that in this boundless void, the so-called distance was just a narrow concept of the mundane world. As long as he had the exact coordinates, crossing the multiverse would only take a moment... Moreover, with the blessing of Lin Xuwen's non-existence-level ability, the "ritual" at this moment was more like a symbolic procedure.

However, when facing the void that swallowed everything, Yang Yun still instinctively trembled. The gray void was not simply nothingness, but a concept that could assimilate everything. Even looking at it seemed to carry the risk of being assimilated... At this moment, Yang Yun could clearly feel his holy way trembling slightly, just like the instinctive fear that rose from the depths of his bones when he stood on the edge of a cliff.

After all... this is something that even the Human Emperor Fuxi would lose and assimilate.

"It's okay, brother. Jump down. You won't die."

As if sensing Yang Yun's uneasiness, Hou Tu spoke in a gentle tone, which made him feel shocked: "Although you may suffer a little on the way, it shouldn't be a big problem... After all, he is my brother who has had experience once."

"…Thanks to your words, I'm starting to feel uneasy about the rest of the journey."

Yang Yun looked back and saw Hou Tu with a meaningful smile on her lips, while Lin Xuwen stood with his arms folded, with similar expressions on his face... Although there was no evidence, Yang Yun felt that the expressions on the faces of these two people were quite like watching a good show. Moreover, the sight of a rolling whirlpool at the end of the stairs made Yang Yun feel that he was being carried to a diving stage, and Lin Xuwen and Hou Tu were the judges sitting in the judges' seats, waiting to score his diving posture.

"Well, since you are so uneasy, I will give you a piece of advice before starting this journey."

As if sensing Yang Yun's gaze, Lin Xuwen touched his chin and said, "Although I'm not very good at finding things, I still have some experience in how the multiverse works... Remember, if you want to achieve your goal, the easiest way is to start with the 'protagonist'."

"main character……"

Seeing Yang Yun thoughtful, Lin Xuwen nodded and continued: "Yes, Dr. Manhattan also said that, right? The 'protagonist' is the key among the keys."

"Just like the original story of your multiverse revolved around the man named Zheng Zha, and now it revolves around you, there are always some heart-wrenching stories around the protagonist, or this kind of character itself is a collection of troubles... But at the same time, they are also people favored by luck, so it shouldn't be difficult to find them."

"If you can establish a relationship with him, you will probably be able to quickly get clues about the fragment of the Lord God's highest authority."

"Hmm... good advice, I'll take note of it."

Yang Yun nodded obediently, then turned his gaze to Hou Tu on the other side, only to see this dignified and elegant woman suddenly giggle and say, "Well, since Lin Xuwen has told me good news, I will tell you bad news."

"What? Bad news?"

"Well, it's not bad news? In fact, brother, this is news that you can probably guess." In Yang Yun's shocked eyes, Hou Tu smiled and said, "Brother, you are a high-level saint now, right? But if you go to other multiverses, neither your strength nor your sainthood can be retained."

"After all, the so-called holy way is something engraved on the fetal membrane of the multiverse. Of course, it cannot be used in another multiverse."

"That's true...

Yang Yun's initial reaction was shock, but then he suddenly realized. Because let alone going to other multiverses, even within a single multiverse, the sainthood can still be lost. The former Emperor Fuxi led Nuwa, the Three Pure Ones and others to the negative multiverse, which was a lesson for us... If not for this, a noble person like Xihe would not have been humiliated by the God Hand Medivh for billions of years.

...However, although the truth and concealment are often only a thought away, understanding and accepting is one thing, and being kept in the dark is naturally another.

Yang Yun sighed and looked at the smiling woman in front of him with complicated eyes. He should have thought that this emperor, who was known for "the earth embraces everything", also understood the wisdom of "keeping silent at the right time": "Why didn't you tell me earlier?"

"Because you didn't ask, I thought you already knew it."

Hou Tu's eyebrows trembled when she heard this. She blinked her eyes and said something that made Yang Yun feel helpless, but it was quite consistent with her dark personality: "Besides, even if I told you in advance that it was dangerous..."

"Brother, are you really going to back down and stop moving forward?"

"...Of course not."

Listening to Hou Tu's words, which were as soft as a whisper but every word was as loud as a bell, Yang Yun was slightly stunned. In the end, he could only smile bitterly and sigh.

Even if the road ahead is full of danger, some roads have to be walked by someone after all.

So did our predecessors, and so will our descendants.

"Don't worry, brother. You have simply returned to the state before you became a saint, which is the state you were in during the final battle."

Seeing Yang Yun acquiesce, Hou Tu's eyes flashed with an inexplicable glow. She smiled and said, "Whether it is the gene lock, the cultivation technique, or the bloodline item exchanged from the Lord God, there will be no restrictions."

"So, brother, is there anything else you want to ask?"

"No."

Yang Yun exhaled, as if to dispel all the confusion and uneasiness about the "unknown": "I'm off."

After saying this, Yang Yun no longer hesitated and stepped into the vortex of Taixu, leaving behind only Hou Tu's words, which for some reason had become somewhat heavy and sentimental.

"Brother, Tu will be here waiting for you to come back..."

"…No matter how long it takes, I will wait." (End of this chapter)