This...
Was Hongmeng energy—the only force in the Hongmeng Space surpassed by Xuanhuang Energy!
Fortunately, the place where Locke currently resided was the Magic Universe's Origin Plane.
Here, the power of Hongmeng energy was significantly weakened.
At the same time, as soon as the Hongmeng energy entered the Elemental Plane, the universe's origin rapidly gathered into the Laws of Heaven and Earth, decomposing the Hongmeng energy into the four elemental essences of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire.
Locke's gaze remained fixed upon the clash between the Magic Universe's Laws of Heaven and Earth and the Hongmeng energy.
Although his soul power was powerful, it still hadn't reached the point where it could directly confront Hongmeng energy.
If Locke dared extend his soul power toward it, the power of that Hongmeng energy would inevitably dissolve it completely.
Thus, he could only rely on his eyesight to observe the process by which the Laws of Heaven and Earth broke down the Hongmeng energy, using the illusionary technique Mirror Flower, Water Moon to assist him in analyzing its mysteries.
Using the Space Laws to reverse-engineer the four elemental Laws of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire, then fusing those four elemental Laws into Hongmeng energy...
This was the second path to Transcendence that Locke had prepared, in addition to the Space-Time Laws.
However...
At present, Locke's four elemental essences of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire had all been reverse-derived from the Space Laws.
As such...
Whenever he attempted to fuse the four elemental Laws together, what emerged was the Space Laws themselves, rather than Hongmeng energy.
Now, Locke's cultivation within the Elemental Plane consisted of three objectives.
First, continuing to comprehend the fundamental nature of the Magic Universe.
Second, evolving a universe in an attempt to fuse the Space Laws and the Time Laws.
Third, observing how the Laws of Heaven and Earth decomposed Hongmeng energy.
The Elemental Plane...
Was the Origin Plane of the Magic Universe.
Whenever Hongmeng energy entered the Magic Universe, it would inflict tremendous destruction upon everything within it.
Just as during Locke's very first test of his own power...
He had once pierced the Magic Universe's barrier within the spatial turbulence, allowing some Hongmeng energy to enter.
That portion of the universe had been completely dissolved.
It was precisely because of that incident...
That Locke had drawn Hongmeng's attention...
And received Hongmeng's warning.
If Locke dared once again destroy the Magic Universe's barrier and allow even greater quantities of Hongmeng energy to enter, causing widespread dissolution of the Magic Universe...
Then Hongmeng might personally intervene.
He might erase Locke outright.
Or...
He might send Locke into the primary universe of Hongmeng's own cosmos.
However...
If Locke only broke through the Magic Universe's barrier here within the Elemental Plane, while carefully controlling his strength so that the breach remained small...
Then the Hongmeng energy entering from the Hongmeng Space outside the universe would improve the Magic Universe more through the decomposition performed by its Laws of Heaven and Earth than it would damage it.
As long as that remained the case...
Hongmeng naturally wouldn't trouble himself over such a minor matter by either erasing Locke or sending him into the primary Hongmeng Universe.
In truth...
Locke also had a fair understanding—and several guesses—regarding Hongmeng's mindset.
Back when Locke had achieved Paragon in the Space Laws and stepped into the Divine King Realm...
It had happened far too quickly.
At that time...
Although Hongmeng was lonely...
He had only recently created the universe.
Everything within it still filled him with novelty.
Yet Locke, even then, already possessed the power to destroy the Magic Universe.
He had even gone so far as to shatter the universe's barrier himself.
How could Hongmeng possibly have developed a favorable impression of him?
After all...
The subsidiary universes served as the support pillars of the Hongmeng Universe.
If Locke destroyed one of those subsidiary universes...
Then the primary Hongmeng Universe Hongmeng had created would lose its balance within the Hongmeng Space.
Eventually...
The remaining three subsidiary universes would gradually become unable to withstand the pressure exerted by the Hongmeng Universe.
They would collapse one after another...
Causing the Hongmeng Universe to sink endlessly through the Hongmeng Space until it ultimately disintegrated.
Of course...
The Hongmeng Space itself contained neither time nor space—it consisted entirely of Hongmeng energy.
Thus, saying that the Hongmeng Universe would "sink" was merely a figure of speech.
In reality...
When Hongmeng first created his universe, he simply wasn't yet familiar with constructing a stable cosmic framework.
That was why he required four subsidiary universes to support it and prevent the Hongmeng Universe from collapsing.
Now...
After more than a thousand Ordinal eras...
Among the five universes Hongmeng had created—one primary and four subsidiary...
Only Locke possessed the potential to break free of his universe and become a Hongmeng Controller.
Precisely because of that...
Although Hongmeng had once warned Locke with a mere glance over a thousand Ordinal eras ago...
He now simply ignored Locke's repeated acts of breaking through the universe's barrier within the Elemental Plane.
After all...
Locke exercised excellent restraint.
Through all these years of experimentation...
The elemental density within the Elemental Plane had risen by yet another level.
As for what Locke was attempting...
Hongmeng had long since understood it.
For most people...
Finding even a single method capable of breaking through the barrier of their universe would already be an extraordinary achievement.
But Locke...
Was walking on two paths simultaneously.
Advancing both in parallel.
Within the Magic Universe...
The only path to Transcendence was to fuse the four elemental Laws of Earth, Wind, Water, and Fire into the Hongmeng Laws.
Then...
By transforming the four elemental essences into Hongmeng energy...
One would forge a Hongmeng Body and a Hongmeng Soul.
Within Hongmeng's primary universe...
The path to Transcendence required one to completely comprehend both the Space Laws and the Time Laws.
Then...
Fuse those two into the supreme Space-Time Laws.
Only afterward could one evolve a universe through the Space-Time Laws...
Become the Lord of a Universe...
And attain a realm equivalent to that of a Hongmeng Controller.
Just as Qin Yu would do in the future Linmeng Universe.
The Stellar Transformations technique created by Qin Yu was, in essence, the very same path as Locke's method of evolving a universe through the Space-Time Laws.
The only difference...
Was that Stellar Transformations began with a single mote of dust.
Then progressed through Nebula...
Meteor...
Star Core...
Planet...
Star...
Dark Star...
Black Hole...
Origin Point...
Step by step...
Until it ultimately evolved into a Universe.
Locke, however...
Was taking the opposite approach.
He began from the highest level.
Using the Space-Time Laws to evolve a universe first...
Then creating the Three Realms within that universe.
His was a top-down approach.
By the time one reached that realm...
It was no longer Qin Yu who required the Hongmeng Golden Ranking to become a Hongmeng Controller.
Rather...
The Hongmeng Golden Ranking required Qin Yu in order to produce a Hongmeng Controller.
Because...
The Hongmeng Space itself possessed limits.
At most...
It could only support four highest-grade universes.
That was precisely why the Hongmeng Golden Ranking contained only four positions for first-grade Hongmeng Controllers.
Qin Yu had created a first-grade Hongmeng Universe.
That universe occupied one of the Hongmeng Space's four first-grade universe slots.
Yet...
He himself had not yet become a first-grade Hongmeng Controller.
If Qin Yu ultimately failed to leave his name upon the Hongmeng Golden Ranking...
Then the fourth first-grade Hongmeng Controller would possess only the title...
Without the actual qualification.
After all...
The Hongmeng Space could never accommodate a fifth first-grade universe.
Nor could it provide another space in which a fourth Hongmeng Controller could create one.
At the same time...
In Locke's opinion...
The potential of a first-grade Hongmeng Controller who advanced through a first-grade universe created entirely by himself...
And one who relied upon the Hongmeng Golden Ranking's guidance to create a universe...
Was vastly different.
Even though Locke had yet to break free from the Magic Universe and become a Hongmeng Controller...
He was already planning for what lay beyond.
Hongmeng Controllers...
Were already the strongest beings within the Hongmeng Space.
Yet...
Locke still wished to climb even higher.
After all...
When a universe was created, it gave birth to Xuanhuang Energy—
A force even greater than Hongmeng energy.
Didn't that imply...
That beyond the Hongmeng Space...
There might exist a so-called Xuanhuang Space?
Within the Magic Universe...
One could fuse the four elemental Laws into a single whole.
Merge the four types of Sovereign power into Hongmeng energy.
Forge a Hongmeng Body and Hongmeng Soul.
Then enter the Hongmeng Space and become a Hongmeng Controller.
So...
If one created a universe...
Used the Xuanhuang Energy born alongside that universe to forge a Xuanhuang Body and Xuanhuang Soul...
Then shattered the Hongmeng Space itself...
Could one enter an even higher realm—the Xuanhuang Space?
However...
Locke could also guess that even Hongmeng, despite possessing both a Xuanhuang Body and Xuanhuang Soul, had failed to accomplish such a feat.
That alone proved...
Breaking through the Hongmeng Space was no easy matter.
It was much like the Heavenly Exalts of the primary universe.
Although they had comprehended both the Space Laws and the Time Laws...
And stood at the very pinnacle of their universe...
They still couldn't shatter the primary universe itself and survive within the Hongmeng Space.
Perhaps...
A Xuanhuang Body and Xuanhuang Soul alone functioned similarly within the Hongmeng Space.
Just as those in the primary universe had to fuse the Time Laws and Space Laws into the Space-Time Laws before opening a universe through space-time and surviving within the Hongmeng Space...
A Xuanhuang Body and Xuanhuang Soul likely possessed a similarly more advanced application.
Perhaps...
Only by completely mastering the Xuanhuang Laws could one break through the Hongmeng Space itself and enter the Xuanhuang Space.
Of course...
Locke wasn't worried that after entering an even higher realm...
He would become one of the weakest beings there.
Watching as the Hongmeng energy that had entered the Elemental Plane was completely decomposed by the Laws of Heaven and Earth...
Locke closed his eyes...
Absorbing everything he had managed to understand.
A long while later...
Locke slowly opened his eyes.
A satisfied sigh escaped his lips.
As expected...
The ultimate mysteries of the universe truly lived up to their reputation.
Every time he directly observed the secrets revealed when the Laws of Heaven and Earth decomposed Hongmeng energy...
His understanding of the universe deepened another step.
The most obvious manifestation of that improvement...
Was that the universes he evolved could now remain stable for longer periods of time.
Naturally...
Locke also knew that with his current abilities...
Even if those universes became somewhat more stable and persisted somewhat longer...
It held no real significance.
Only when a universe became completely stable...
Could it truly be called a Universe.
Only then could it produce Xuanhuang Energy.
Before reaching that point...
The universes Locke evolved within his palm...
Were like a Deity who had comprehended ninety-nine point nine percent of a single Law...
Only one final step away from becoming a Paragon.
Unless the Laws within that universe reached complete perfection...
That "universe" could not truly be called a universe.
It couldn't even be considered a plane.
Having concluded this session of cultivation...
Locke casually slashed his hand through space.
Tearing open the Elemental Plane...
He stepped out.
...
Within the Netherworld...
Inside Mount Nether's Sovereign Palace...
All the Sovereigns of Locke's lineage had gathered together.
"I'm sorry, Rena."
"Your great-great-grandfather never expected this period of secluded cultivation to last several hundred Ordinal eras."
"I even missed the gathering celebrating your ascension as a Sovereign."
"Then how are you going to make it up to me, Great-Grandpa?"
"You have no idea."
"The day I became a Sovereign just didn't feel as happy without your congratulations."
Beside Locke...
The now fully grown Rena clung to his arm while acting spoiled.
Seeing her like this...
Locke felt somewhat dazed.
In the blink of an eye...
That adorable little girl from several hundred Ordinal eras ago...
Had already grown up.
Though...
Aside from her appearance...
Her personality hadn't really changed.
Within the Divine Planes and Higher Planes...
Because everyone possessed extremely long lifespans...
Family members within three generations generally still addressed one another according to family relationships.
Beyond three generations...
They addressed one another according to cultivation.
The strongest held the highest seniority.
However...
Within Mount Nether...
Locke's family had never followed that custom.
After all...
Ever since Locke and Death Chief Sovereign Lilia had descendants...
Every one of Locke's family's five generations had eventually become Paragons and ascended to the ranks of the Sovereigns.
Within Locke's lineage...
The strongest was naturally Locke himself.
Next came the Death Chief Sovereign.
After them...
Were Locke's son, Loran, and his daughter-in-law, Levlenxia.
Both possessed strength comparable to that of the Law Chief Sovereigns.
Below them...
Came Rena.
At present...
Rena had fully comprehended twenty-five percent of the Space Laws.
Furthermore...
Her fusion of the Wind and Space Laws had also progressed smoothly.
She had already fused part of them.
Once she broke through one more major bottleneck...
She would reach the level of a Law Chief Sovereign.
The weakest members of Locke's family...
Were still Veer and Grant.
Neither of them had yet broken through the bottleneck of twenty percent comprehension of the Space Laws...
Much less the fused Laws of Water-Space or Wind-Space.
Therefore...
The two of them still remained Lesser Sovereigns.
Even so...
Whenever Rena saw Veer and Grant...
She still addressed them as Grandfather and Father.
"Hahaha, that's Great-Grandpa's fault."
"Great-Grandpa apologizes to Rena first."
"How about this?"
"As compensation..."
"Whatever Rena wants..."
"Just tell Great-Grandpa."
"I'll make it happen."
Locke's laughter echoed throughout the Sovereign Palace.
Below them...
Grant couldn't help curling his lips.
"Tsk..."
"Great-Grandfather really dotes on Rena too much, doesn't he?"
Watching his daughter happily chatting with his great-grandfather...
Grant Locke felt more than a little jealous.
He wanted to be that close to Great-Grandfather too...
But unfortunately...
It seemed that only when he had been a child had he received such affection from his great-grandfather.
After growing up...
All he received was Great-Grandfather's look of disdain, constantly saying things like,
"You grew up ugly."
"You were much cuter when you were little."
The only thing that made Grant Locke feel somewhat better...
Was remembering how, after he had once been driven out of the Sovereign Palace looking thoroughly dejected...
His father Veer had worn an expression that clearly said,
"Just as I expected."
It was obvious...
His own father had suffered the very same treatment from Great-Grandfather back then.
Only Grandfather Loran had escaped such disdain.
After all...
Grandmother and Great-Great-Grandmother were very close.
Great-Great-Grandmother doted heavily on him.
As a result...
Great-Grandfather wasn't nearly as harsh toward him.
Originally...
Grant had thought that now that his daughter Rena had grown up...
Perhaps, during this reunion with Great-Grandfather...
He would finally get to enjoy the feeling his own father once had—
"Well then, your carefree days are over now."
(End of Chapter)
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