Swallowing the Stars, Hu Yanbo's Pre-Godhood

Chapter 264 The Will to Rise Again

Inside the palace, the door to the quiet room closed silently.

Hu Yanbo sat down cross-legged, his consciousness sinking into his mind.

"Pre-emptively drawing upon the will of a mid-stage God Emperor."

There was no earth-shattering fanfare.

The rules of the Origin Continent acted like an invisible shield, firmly confining his surging will to its original "size".

Inside.

But internally, the density, rotation speed, and radiance of that star of will are completely different.

Hu Yanbo raised his hand, and with a single thought, he was drawn in.

Dozens of "rings of cause and effect" have already formed at my fingertips.

The thought crossed my mind again.

The numerous causal loops trembled slightly, and the rings transformed from a two-dimensional plane into a three-dimensional structure, from a single ring into multiple rings, interlocking and nesting in rotation.

The threads no longer merely connect cause and effect, but begin to weave simple fragments of "effect" and "cause" on their own, arising and ceasing within the loop.

As his mental will was elevated once again, his control over the "Tao" became incredibly refined.

Hu Yanbo stared at the three-dimensional causal model, whose structure was several times more complex.

He locked onto the center point of the model with his own light and activated it with his will.

hum!

All the nested rings suddenly contracted, and countless threads twisted all their power into a single, extremely refined silver needle, piercing towards a specific point in the void. He designated this point as "penetration."

The solid spatial barriers of the quiet room were easily pierced, revealing the chaotic dimensional interlayers behind them.

The fine needle pierced through and continued to penetrate, its power gradually diminishing until it finally disappeared silently after reaching a certain distance into the interlayer.

Hu Yanbo withdrew his gaze, and the causal model at his fingertips vanished.

Its power is greater than before.

Its operation is ten times more sophisticated and complex than before.

But the upper limit is clearly visible.

That attack just now was the limit of the pure causal power that this "Cycle of Cause and Effect" model can currently mobilize.

It is enough to severely injure any second-level God King, and enough to contend with a powerhouse at the Emperor level.

But that's all.

Killing the Emperor is not enough.

Hu Yanbo lowered his eyes. The strength of his will made the use of the Dao easier, but whether it was the Dao of Effect or the Dao of Cause and Effect, the level was too low.

No matter how flexibly you use it, there is a limit.

As Hu Yanbo pondered, he focused his mind on his divine body, touching the "Illusory Labyrinth" that had already merged into his body.

He extracted 20 million units from the mountain of Hunyuan crystals.

With a focused thought, withdraw.

Deep within the labyrinth of illusion, the sea of ​​light formed by the Primordial Crystal silently lost a corner at its edge, revealing the void beneath.

The sea of ​​light remains vast, piled up like mountains.

Hu Yanbo sensed the total amount remaining in the maze.

Approximately 300 million units.

This number reminded him of the scattered records in the original work he had read about top-level transactions at the God Emperor level.

A "natural treasure" circulates in those circles, and the asking price is often three billion Hunyuan Crystal.

Three hundred million is far from enough.

"It seems that the teacher sold the special remnants of the Chaos Origin Life that she obtained."

The remains of special primordial life forms have no practical combat power and are only used for comprehending the Great Dao. Their value is usually less than one-tenth of that of "natural treasures" of the same level.

Hu Yanbo's eyes flashed past the blue figure of his teacher sitting quietly on the futon.

Without that apprenticeship ceremony back then, and without the resources laid out by his teacher, he might still be roaming the borders of two ancient kingdoms, just to gain a chance to enter the "Infinite Space."

After the thought flashed through his mind, Hu Yanbo began to gather all his thoughts.

The will of a mid-stage God Emperor surged into the depths of his consciousness like a tide, heading towards the suspended "egg".

The "egg" floated in the air. Under the watchful gaze of the mid-stage God Emperor's will, the secret patterns on its surface were the first to change.

The texture is no longer a smooth flow, but rather undulates like breathing.

Then, the material that makes up the eggshell begins to become transparent, as if a layer of solid ice is melting under the light and heat inside, revealing a deeper and more complex structure beneath.

The internal patterns have come to life.

They no longer cling tightly to the shell wall, but break free and swim and collide in the core of the egg.

Each collision sparks a tiny glimmer of light, which doesn't dissipate but remains in place.

As the number of light spots increased, they gradually outlined a very faint and blurry shape.

The outline is covered with secret patterns.

Hu Yanbo stared at the moving points of light and patterns.

That familiar stirring deep within my soul resurfaced once more.

The understanding of "cause and effect" extends on its own, and how the branches and threads are integrated into the consciousness is automatically generated and extended.

His understanding of "cause and effect" has taken another step forward.

At the same time, a familiar throbbing pain came from deep within my head.

The heavy mental pressure that accompanied his insights weighed on his will once again.

"With each step forward on the path of cause and effect, the demands on will double."

"No matter how strong your will is, it seems it's never enough in the face of this path," Hu Yanbo sighed.

Suddenly, a thought flashed through my mind: "What if I were to try to understand it from a higher level of will?"

"Reduced pressure leads to accelerated comprehension."

The thought had barely formed—

Deep within my mind, the pre-projection panel shimmered with light, and words appeared:

[Pre-funded project: The late-stage will of the God Emperor.]

Repayment conditions (completing any one of them is sufficient):

[1. Advance the Great Dao of Fusion to the early stage of God Emperor.]

[2. Obtain the Three Tribulations Marrow Pill.]

[3. Reach the level of a late-stage God Emperor on any major path.]

[4. Obtain 300 million Chaos Origin Crystals.]

Leaving aside the first three items, Hu Yanbo's gaze lingered on the last line.

Three hundred million Hunyuan crystals.

He just transferred 20 million from the total amount given by the teacher.

The rest are close to that number, but not enough.

He can't very well go back to the teacher.

He couldn't bring himself to say it.

"Since we can't ask the teacher, we'll have to ask someone else," Hu Yanbo pondered.

"Others aren't as friendly as teachers."

"If you want it, you'll have to show off your muscles."

"Advance payment"

"The mental will of a late-stage God Emperor."

The moment the words fell—

Huyanbo's head snapped back as if struck by an invisible hammer.

His seated body trembled uncontrollably, and the surrounding space began to twist and wrinkle silently. The sudden surge of his will, with nowhere to go, overflowed uncontrollably from every pore of his body, grinding against reality.

Previously, the will of the mid-stage God Emperor was already the limit that this divine body and soul, supported by the three and a half Great Daos of cause and effect, life, and the nascent "cause and effect," could coordinate and accommodate.

At this moment, the level of will is forcibly elevated, while the "foundation" that supports it remains unchanged.

This has led to his current splitting headache.

"Miscalculation—the will was too strong, and the foundation was not compatible."

A body at the second level of the God King realm was stuffed with the will of a late-stage God Emperor.

This configuration is unheard of.

Perhaps only those special groups in the Hunyuan Space who have no physical body and specialize in cultivating their minds can achieve this.

For a powerful figure like Hu Yanbo, who cultivated based on the Great Dao, this should be unheard of.

With his thoughts racing, Hu Yanbo suppressed the feeling of being "bursted" out of his body and sank his consciousness into the depths of his mind, staring at the outline and patterns formed by the egg.

"The Great Dao of Cause and Effect" is the foundation, allowing one to inherit the will of a mid-stage God Emperor.

"If it is pushed to the second level, it should be able to contain the terrifying will of this late-stage God Emperor."

Hu Yanbo's mind and will observed the secret patterns on the outline.

As the will of the late-stage God Emperor descended, the moving points of light and patterns no longer brought the heavy pressure they had before.

The outline became stable, the flow of the secret pattern became clear, and even the slightest collision and derivation could be seen.

The burden of observation has been greatly reduced.

Of course, the price is a persistent headache caused by a strong mental fortitude.

But at least, he no longer needs to withdraw after observing for a period of time and wait for his mental and physical will to recover, as he did before.

Now, he can keep "watching".

In the field of vision, the secret pattern light filaments representing different branches are continuously and slowly approaching and entwining.

A silver thread and a gold thread intertwine and merge.

The next pair of light filaments began to approach.

Next pair.

The headache persisted, but the process of observation and deduction was no longer interrupted.

Under his powerful gaze and guidance, the secret runes representing different branches such as "causal relationship" and "adverse grafting" slowly began to converge and merge, one pair of runes after another.

Time loses its meaning in deep contemplation.

In the quiet room, only the immense, invisible yet almost tangible will flowed, along with the subtle radiance of the secret pattern light threads constantly merging and generating new structures.

While Hu Yanbo focused his entire mind and body on reconstructing his own "Dao Foundation," the river of time in the outside world continued to carry all things forward.

In Dongdu, which is relatively close to Huyanbo, Jufu stood by a bustling street, watching the crowds and lights flowing by.

The Eternal Gods are commonplace here, and the aura of the Chaos Realm occasionally sweeps by, bringing a heart-pounding fluctuation.

He had been in this city for some time, acquiring resources and cultivating silently with the guidance left by Huyanbo.

Everything was "safe".

But this sense of security made his fighting spirit feel stifled.

He recalled the day he was first brought here.

Huyan Bo told him, "This is the Eastern Capital; you are safe here."

"Do not venture out of the city until you have become an eternal God."

The giant axe was gripping its handle tightly.

Having survived the cycle of reincarnation, I arrived in this long-awaited vast world, only to be placed in a seemingly prosperous "sanctuary"?

Until he began to truly observe the city.

He saw two Void Gods arguing over a transaction in the market. One of them angrily attacked, but before the aftershocks of their divine power struggle could spread, they were restrained by an invisible formation within the city.

The next instant, a cold will swept across, and the one who made the move, along with his opponent, vanished into thin air and never reappeared.

The pedestrians around them remained calm, as if they had merely brushed off two insects.

He overheard the conversation of the eternal gods in the restaurant.

On the border of a small country, a caravan composed entirely of Void True Gods, along with their guards, was silently annihilated by the aftershocks of a Chaos Realm expert practicing a secret technique while passing by in the wilderness. Their goods became ownerless and were divided up.

The speaker spoke in a flat tone, as if discussing the weather.

I have also heard that beneath the bright order of other cities, there are often some more covert movements.

Hu Yanbo's words felt more real at this moment.

The Void God is not a "warrior" here, and it's even hard to call him an "adventurer".

In the wilderness where there are no absolute strongmen to protect them, they are mobile, fragile sources of energy and materials.

In the seemingly orderly city, they are at the bottom. A small conflict or unintentionally blocking the path of the strong can become a reason for being erased.

The greatest sinners have been purged, and blatant massacres have decreased. But the fundamental rule of the survival of the fittest on the Origin Continent has never changed; it has simply transformed from "the terror of chaos" to "the cruelty of order."

Without sufficient strength, one is nothing but dust.

The eternal God is a threshold.

Only when one reaches this level can one's divine body and soul grasp some of the fundamental mysteries.

Only then are they qualified to become the backbone of major cities.

The giant axe withdrew its gaze and looked at its rough palm.

In the primordial universe, he could split the heavens and the earth with a single axe stroke.

Here, he will start as an apprentice.

Giant Axe turned and headed toward the cultivation cave that Huyanbo had arranged for him.

That was the best cave dwelling.

There, he will surely be able to quickly become an eternal true god and venture into the vast continent.

The dream realm region, which is far from Huyanbo, is currently the boundary between the outer layer and the surrounding space.

Several figures swept past a distorted barrier of light and shadow at an extremely fast speed.

The leader was none other than the God King Wuxin, whose body was enveloped in a layer of almost transparent ripples, which contained the Emperor Guixu, the God King Yuntian, and the newly joined Luo Feng.

Under the influence of this ripple, the array traps that were powerful enough to ensnare and kill ordinary god-kings were rendered useless, and they were passed through silently.

"Luohe, this is the place we visited last time." The voice of the God King Wuxin rang in their minds as he pointed to a seemingly calm area with an abnormally chaotic spatial structure.

"We encountered that person. One look from him filled us with terror, and we had no choice but to flee for our lives."

Luo Feng listened silently, his gaze sweeping across the area.

"They can't be talking about..."

'

"Now it seems," Emperor Guixu interjected.

"We all speculate that the one we encountered must be the mysterious being who has been the subject of much speculation on the continent recently, who has successively annihilated many powerful figures such as Tiankun, Xuejie, and Qifeng."

The God-King Wuxin activated a secret technique, leading everyone around the forbidden divine chain array of the Yanfeng Ancient Kingdom. He nodded slightly: "It's most likely him."

"It's impossible for two such terrifyingly powerful individuals to suddenly appear out of thin air in this Origin Continent."

"He really is a teacher!" Luo Feng thought to himself without replying.

"Luo He, do you know that even after encountering such a ruthless person, I was still able to escape with Gui Xu and Yun Tian?" Wu Xin God King smiled.

"So, you can rest assured that you're following me."

.

The Cloud Heaven God King, who had been silent all along, stirred slightly in his black robe: "I've always felt at ease here with Brother Wu Xin."

At this moment, Emperor Guixu turned his head and looked at Luo Feng: "Luo He, is your teacher Xiao Feng still in deep seclusion?"

Luo Feng nodded: "Yes. Before the teacher went into seclusion, he said that this time he would need to meditate quietly for a long period of time."

Emperor Guixu sighed softly, "What a pity. Ever since Fengdu led him into the building and he made that appearance, he has never shown up again, and he has never accepted any invitations from the Reincarnation Pavilion."

"But you, his apprentice, are more actively involved in our little group's invitations."

Emperor Guixu paused for a moment, then continued, "To be honest, after this encounter, I think you might have already surpassed your teacher."

Not long ago, Luo Feng proposed to venture deeper into the Dream Realm together. Emperor Guixu did not directly agree, but instead offered to "lend a hand".

The two had a brief confrontation in a special space within the Reincarnation Building.

There were no earth-shattering scenes, only the clash of the great principles and the tempering of wills.

After several moves, Emperor Guixu stopped on his own initiative.

After that battle, the Emperor of Guixu showed this clear approval of Luo Feng.

Upon hearing this, Luo Feng's lips moved, but he ultimately uttered only two words: "Hope."

He gripped the hilt of his sword, no longer looking at Emperor Guixu, his gaze fixed on the darkness deep within the Dream Realm that swallowed up light.