this infinite world

—They saw through me.

Although his physical essence had been transformed into an ancient tree, and his daily routines remained unchanged—walking, sitting, and lying down—and were far removed from his human form, Andil had never been so grateful for his transformed soul essence. If it weren't for the thick bark on his face obscuring all his expressions and concealing all his inner thoughts, the great sage's expression at this moment would surely have been quite remarkable.

How... is that possible? In just two or three exchanges, he has already seen through my secret?

This was Andy's only thought at the moment. He believed he hadn't revealed the slightest flaw. At most, he was just unhappy that Yang Yun compared him to Logan and White Dragon Heath, so he wanted to demonstrate his crystal magic to make the other party reassess his strength...

In all honesty, this "Soul Torrent" was indeed a spell created by Andil himself. However, after being casually evaluated by Yang Yun and then dodged without a scratch, even this usually calm sage couldn't help but experience some emotional fluctuations... Yet, it was this brief moment of "not confronting" that caused him to expose his own information and reveal corresponding weaknesses.

What Andy didn't know was that while there were "research geniuses" like him in this world, there was also another type: "combat geniuses." The latter might seem less perceptive in daily life, but in life-or-death battles, they could use extraordinary intuition to grasp the core of a problem and find its weaknesses with incredible speed…

...And coincidentally, in that world called "God Space," where life was precarious and people constantly worried about their own lives, there were far more "geniuses of combat" than "geniuses of research."

Andy underestimated the amount of information he had inadvertently revealed. What he saw as a "slight display" was, in Yang Yun's eyes, like opening an open book. The sudden increase in spell power, the unusual simplification of the casting process, the special pattern of energy fluctuations... these details, which seemed insignificant to Andy, were strung together into a clear clue in Yang Yun's eyes, pointing directly to the truth of spacetime manipulation.

"...But what good will knowing do?"

Seeing that Yang Yun had basically exposed his secrets, Andil stopped pretending. The great sage waved his oak staff and said coldly.

Andy's meticulously designed spacetime manipulation system, which he considered flawless, was unexpectedly seen through from a completely different perspective. This over-focus on one's own area of ​​expertise, while neglecting other possible angles, is a common problem among researchers.

However, this cannot be blamed on Andil. Since the death of his brother King Fancrad, he has been studying in solitude for thousands of years; if the time spent in "fragments of past time" is also included, the number would be dozens or even hundreds of times greater... The fact that he could keep his soul from falling in such long solitude is enough to show the strength of Andil's will.

This is why, when facing Ocelotius earlier, Adil chose to lure him into this dark world; and now, encountering the equally unfathomable Yang Yun, his long-dormant research fervor has been reignited. If his prized spacetime manipulation technique is so easily seen through, then this system clearly still has room for improvement—and the being before him might just be the best opportunity to help him perfect this technology…

With his mind made up, Andir no longer hesitated. Behind him, space began to distort and fold, and countless rays of soul light emerged from the void. At first, they were just scattered specks of pale blue light, but they multiplied and spread at an astonishing speed, filling the entire sky in the blink of an eye.

Each torrent of souls contains distinctly different energy characteristics—some are as cold and piercing as glaciers, radiating a chill that freezes the soul; some are as fiery and turbulent as lava, surging with heat waves that burn everything; and some even present a strange crystalline state, refracting dazzling iridescent light.

These torrents of energy did not simply exist side by side, but rather intertwined and resonated, forming an incredibly complex three-dimensional magical array. Like a well-trained army, they maintained exquisite coordination under Andil's command, their radiance so intense that it even briefly dispelled the eternal darkness of this world, dyeing everything a deep blue hue… Yes, even if one knew the truth, what difference would it make?
In the end, victory or defeat will be determined by strength on this battlefield.

The power Andyle is displaying now clearly touches upon the very essence of this world, and it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say it has touched upon the "authority of the world." Perhaps there was still a chance in the era when Gwyn was still alive and the First Flame was at its peak; but now that the First Flame is nearly extinguished, it wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Andyle is already half the ruler of this world… How can Yang Yun alone contend with the entire world?
“Tell me your origins, you who have no cause and no effect.”

Countless torrents of soul energy were already poised to strike, and Andil spoke with renewed confidence. He was absolutely certain that if all these attacks were unleashed simultaneously, his opponent would be annihilated. Feeling certain of victory, his words naturally carried an air of self-assurance: "Otherwise—"

"Otherwise, what will you do?"

To his surprise, Yang Yun showed no fear whatsoever. He simply stroked his chin thoughtfully and said, "However, what you said makes some sense. For me now, dealing with an opponent of your caliber is indeed a bit difficult... It's not that I can't do it, but adhering to the principle of respecting the elderly and caring for the young, I'm afraid that if I really fought you, I might extinguish the small flame burning in this world like a candle in the wind, which wouldn't be good."

"It's shameless to talk big."

Andy was almost laughing in anger at these arrogant words. However, before he could retort, Yang Yun had already raised his right arm, his five fingers together pointing straight to the sky: "No need to rush. Although 'I' am indeed unable to do anything to you right now, that may not be the case in the future."

"Therefore, I've decided to request off-field assistance—"

As if in response to his words, in the next instant, something indescribable cast a gaze from beyond the world.

What kind of gaze was that? High as the sky, yet as heavy as a mountain; vast as the sea, yet as unfathomable as a trench. In an instant, Andil felt a chill run down his spine, and when he came to his senses, he was drenched in sweat…

Why look at me like that?

Unlike Andy, who was sweating profusely and finally couldn't help but show a look of fear in his eyes, Yang Yun remained calm and simply smiled slightly: "You wouldn't think..."

"You're the only one who's been holding back, aren't you?" (End of Chapter)