You, a living person, are telling me I've served in the underworld for ten years?

Since she has chosen to join, she is now on this ship.

She gave a bitter smile, with a hint of determination.

"it is good!

Then I'll risk my life to accompany you! But we've agreed, it's two thousand people, no more than that!

And you must be extremely careful and plan meticulously!

Chen Yang was satisfied to see that she was finally completely on his side, and readily agreed.

It's a deal!

Only two thousand people.

With the important matters settled, Liu Piaopiao looked at this unfamiliar new world and, thinking of the dangers outside, made a suggestion.

"Then... shall we rest here for the night?"

Should we set off again at daybreak?

Chen Yang nodded.

“That’s exactly right. You can take this opportunity to adjust your breathing and adapt to the spiritual environment of this world. Li Rou will arrange temporary accommodation for you.”

Liu Piaopiao agreed and, guided by Li Rou, found a flat bluestone not far away, filled with spiritual energy. She sat down cross-legged and began to try to circulate her cultivation technique, absorbing the incredibly rich and pure spiritual energy of this world.

As soon as she circulated her energy, she was shocked and her face showed a look of surprise. The spiritual energy in this world was not only rich, but also exceptionally gentle and pure. The efficiency of absorption and refinement far exceeded that of the outside world, and even surpassed that of the blessed land where her family lived!

This left her with no doubt about Chen Yang's identity as the "realm master" and the potential of this realm, and also filled her with anticipation for her future cultivation.

As night deepened, the simulated stars and moon in this realm cast their gentle light, creating a serene and peaceful atmosphere that stood in stark contrast to the bloody and chaotic night of demons outside.

Chen Yang walked to the side, and Li Rou appeared silently beside him.

"How are the people here?"

Chen Yang asked, his gaze fixed on the faint lights in the distance.

"They have been initially resettled in several relatively safe areas with sufficient resources."

Li Rou reports.

"I have roughly investigated before, and the strength level is indeed as we have seen. It is mainly at the early and middle stages of Foundation Establishment, with a few at the later stages. Some individuals have some secrets or unique inheritances, but overall, those who can cross the chasm to reach the core area have a decent temperament and basic strength."

I have distributed some basic guidance information and area maps so that they can explore the surrounding ruins and familiarize themselves with the environment on their own.

Initially, let them adapt and integrate on their own through a balance of competition and cooperation. In a competitive environment, the strong will naturally emerge and form the initial outlines of groups or power. We only need to pay some attention at a macro level and provide guidance when necessary.

Chen Yang nodded in agreement.

"Yes, it's best to let them evolve naturally."

Oh, right.

He recalled the battle just now, looked at Li Rou, his eyes filled with doubt and a hint of excitement.

"When I fought those red monsters just now, it felt... particularly easy."

Previously, dealing with white demons required some effort, but this time, against the stronger red demons, I felt they were... somewhat 'all bark and no bite'? My Demon-Suppressing and Exorcising Techniques and Soul-Splitting Iron Fork were surprisingly effective, and they seemed to be easier to use, with less energy consumption.

What's going on? Is it my imagination, or...?

A knowing smile appeared on Li Rou's cool face. She looked at Chen Yang and said slowly.

"This is not your imagination. Master, do you remember that I told you before that as the Lord of this Realm, you coexist and prosper with this Realm?"

The number and strength of beings within this realm, as well as the incense offerings and prayers they generate, and their feedback to the world's rules, will directly or indirectly influence and enhance your own strength and control over the rules.

Chen Yang's heart stirred.

"You mean..."

"Yes."

Li Rou affirmed.

"Although these hundred-plus people have just entered and their willpower is negligible, and the world's feedback is extremely weak, this is a qualitative change from nothing to something!"

It's like your base strength has gone from 'zero' to 'one'.

This fundamental change makes your connection with the origin of this world closer and deeper.

Outside this realm, you might not feel it clearly, but when you mobilize forces related to the origin of this realm—for example, the Pure Subtle Primordial Descent Technique you cultivate inherently possesses the ability to harmonize and communicate with heaven and earth; the rules of heaven and earth's malevolent energy invoked by your Evil-Suppressing and Exorcising Techniques; and even treasures related to souls and the netherworld, such as the Soul-Splitting Mysterious Iron Fork—all will receive the subtle blessing and resonance of the origin of this realm!

She paused, looking at Chen Yang's thoughtful expression, and continued.

"Those demons are essentially a collection of evil and malevolent energy. As the Primordial Realm Lord, even if you are only in your nascent stage, your power naturally carries a trace of the pressure of 'world rules' and the ability to restrain evil and malevolent things."

This kind of restraint was almost non-existent when you were alone and the world was empty.

But now that there are 'residents', the world comes alive, and this restraint begins to show.

Therefore, when you feel that they have become 'weaker', it is actually because your power has been amplified from your own world in a way that you have not yet fully realized.

The effects are particularly pronounced when casting targeted spells or utilizing magical artifacts that resonate with the essence of the world.

Chen Yang suddenly realized, and then a surge of indescribable excitement welled up inside him.

"So, my strength... has actually already been 'broken through'? A unique breakthrough based on my status as a realm lord? But why don't I have the obvious feeling of a surge in spiritual power and a sublimation of the soul that usually occurs when breaking through a realm?"

Li Rou explained.

"Because this is not a breakthrough in cultivation level in the traditional sense."

It leans more towards the enhancement of 'authority' and 'status', and it strengthens the components of your 'strength' as ​​the 'lord of a realm'.

It won't directly and significantly increase your total spiritual power or soul strength, but it will allow you to achieve twice the result with half the effort when mobilizing the power of heaven and earth, utilizing the rules, and restraining specific enemies, thus exerting an effect far exceeding your own cultivation level.

You can think of it as... you gaining a powerful, growth-oriented 'domain blessing' or 'identity halo,' and the brightness of this halo depends on how prosperous and powerful your world is.

Chen Yang's eyes grew brighter and brighter. He clenched his fist, feeling the magical power within his body that seemed to have not changed much, yet was resonating more deeply with the earth beneath his feet and the sky above his head. A new sense of power and responsibility welled up within him.

"I see……"

He suppressed the excitement in his heart, turned to look at Li Rou, and asked the question he cared about most.

"Li Rou, you just said that my power has been blessed by this world, so what level of strength am I now...? I can feel the changes, but they are very vague."

Li Rou pondered for a moment, seemingly sensing Chen Yang's current state of merging with the Primordial Realm, before slowly speaking, her clear and cold voice carrying a hint of certainty.

"Master, because your identity has undergone a fundamental change, from an ordinary cultivator to the 'Lord of a Realm,' even though this realm is newly born, the power of this 'status' has already begun to manifest. Your cultivation foundation is still at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, and you are still a hair's breadth away from condensing the Golden Core."

However, in terms of actual combat power, especially in mobilizing the power of heaven and earth, suppressing evil spirits, and within this realm... it has already surpassed the ordinary level of a 'True Immortal.'

"Surpassed True Immortal?"

Chen Yang was taken aback. His understanding of the immortal realms mainly came from rumors and ancient texts. He knew that above Foundation Establishment were Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Deity Transformation... and above that was Tribulation Transcending and Ascension, achieving immortality. True Immortals were often a relatively basic level of immortals after ascension. He hadn't even reached the Golden Core stage, yet his actual combat strength was being evaluated as surpassing that of a True Immortal?
"Yes."

Li Rou affirmed.

"The 'true immortals' here refer to those immortals who have just ascended, whose immortal bodies are newly formed, and who mainly rely on their own immortal essence and magical power to fight."

They are powerful, but their strength is still limited.

As for you, Master, with the blessing of the Primordial Realm's origin, especially your natural restraint against evil and malevolent energy, and the amplification of 'World Resonance' gained when using specific spells and magical treasures, the power you can unleash when dealing with specific enemies and environments has indeed reached the level of 'Celestial Immortal' in terms of destructive force and influence over rules.

Of course, this refers to peak performance under specific circumstances, not your overall strength under normal circumstances.

Moreover, once you leave this realm too far, or face an enemy who doesn't rely on evil power and whose strength far surpasses yours, this blessing will be greatly reduced.

Chen Yang was deeply moved, yet also somewhat dazed.

Fairy!

That person was considered a powerful figure even in legends!
My speed of improvement is like riding the legendary ladder to the Thirty-Three Heavens!
"My improvement is too fast!"

He couldn't help but say, his eyes sparkling with excitement.

"If another one or two thousand people come, making this world even more prosperous, wouldn't my strength increase accordingly, directly reaching the Golden Immortal level? Or even... surpassing the Golden Immortal?"

He remembered what Li Rou had mentioned before: Golden Immortals often need a blessed land to support them.

Upon hearing this, Li Rou gently shook her head, pouring cold water on the situation.

“Master, you’re dreaming. The improvement of strength, especially with the support of external aids, is not a simple linear accumulation.”

This transformation from nothing to something is a qualitative change, so the improvement feels enormous, as if I've reached the sky in one step.

But from now on, every step forward will be ten times, a hundred times more difficult!

She looked at Chen Yang and patiently explained.

"It's like pouring water into an empty bottle. The first bowl of water goes in, and the water level rises noticeably."

But to go from half a bottle to a full bottle, the amount of water needed is far greater than initially. The transformation of the beings in this world from zero to one hundred brings about a fundamental 'activation'.

But going from one hundred to one thousand, ten thousand, or even one hundred thousand or one million brings more of an accumulation of 'quantity' and a 'slow growth' of the world's origin.

This growth, and its feedback to you as the realm lord, is subtle and gradual, requiring a long period of time to accumulate and for the world's rules to be further refined before it can gradually transform into a clearly perceptible and usable increase in your own strength.

"Even if this place develops into a stable cultivation civilization with a population of one or two hundred thousand, it will be difficult for your strength to be enhanced to the level of a Golden Immortal in a short period of time."

That would require the world's origin to reach a considerable depth, the rules to be further perfected, and even the emergence of native Golden Immortal-level powerhouses to give back to the world, forming a powerful virtuous cycle.

This is a long process measured in centuries, or even millennia.

After hearing this, Chen Yang's excitement subsided slightly, but he was not disappointed; instead, he felt more at ease.

While the allure of instant success is undeniable, a castle in the air built on an unstable foundation is far more unsettling.

Now that he has a clearer understanding of the path and the patterns, he has a clearer plan for the future.

"So, does that mean the Realm Lord's blessing power is explosive in the early stages, but becomes a slow and steady stream later on? That seems... a bit unsatisfying."

Chen Yang stroked his chin and said half-jokingly.

Li Rou glanced at him, seemingly seeing through his hypocritical act of getting the better deal, and said calmly.

"You will understand later that the true power and responsibility of a realm lord goes far beyond the enhancement of personal combat strength."

She seemed unwilling to explain too much about the issue and instead asked a question.

"What are your plans next, Master?"

Regarding these new 'residents' of this world.

Chen Yang also put away his joking attitude and thought for a moment before speaking.

"For now, let's do as you say and let them develop on their own for a while. If we interfere too much, we might stifle their potential and the possibility of natural evolution in this world."

As long as no extreme situation arises that threatens world stability, let them go and strive. We only need to guide the overall direction and provide some 'opportunities' or 'tests' when necessary.

Li Rou nodded.

That's exactly right.

"So, do the master and Miss Liu intend to continue their activities outside?"

"Ah."

Chen Yang looked at the gray spatial barrier, as if he could see through it to the night outside.

"It's almost dawn, and Piaopiao and I still have to go out. The plan to recruit people can't be stopped."

Two thousand people is the initial target.

Li Rou said no more, her figure slowly fading away, returning to the origin of this world to continue her work of sorting and guiding.

Chen Yang also walked to the side, sat down cross-legged, not in deep meditation, but with his eyes closed to rest his mind. At the same time, he carefully felt the mysterious connection between himself as the world lord and this new world, and felt the subtle and indescribable influence of the more than one hundred faint but real "life force" on this world and on himself.

Time passed in silence.

As the simulated light in the dimensional realm gradually brightened and synchronized with the outside time, Chen Yang and Liu Piaopiao opened their eyes almost simultaneously.

After several hours of recuperation, Liu Piaopiao not only regained her full magical power and was full of energy, but more importantly, the shock and hesitation that had lingered on her face were replaced by a brand new look—a look of confidence in her choice and a clear goal.

The environment of this realm has greatly benefited her, and she no longer doubts Chen Yang's identity as the "realm master".

"Awake? How are you feeling?"

Chen Yang asked with a smile.

"Excellent!"

Liu Piaopiao stood up, stretched her arms and legs, and looked excited.

"The spiritual energy here... is simply incredible! I feel my bottleneck is loosening!"

Brother Chen…no, Lord Realm Master, what do we do next?

Chen Yang waved his hand.

"Just call me Brother Chen. Don't mention 'World Lord' or anything like that in front of outsiders. We should head out now."

The two of them once again passed through the portal to outer space and returned to the giant rock in the outside world.

The first light of dawn was faint, but the scene before me was even more shocking than the night before.

The hillside was littered with corpses, including not only those of trial participants but also many monsters, especially the numerous remains of white monsters. Clearly, the battle that last night continued fiercely, and it's possible that a stronger team launched a counterattack. (End of Chapter)