Chapter 182

Chapter 182: Infinite World, Infinite Possibilities

Dao King eyed him suspiciously. This kid’s manner of speaking somewhat resembled the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion—similarly unwilling to move without guaranteed profit.

Nevertheless, Dao King naturally didn’t connect Ye Xu to the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion.

After all, the master displayed power and skill undoubtedly at the immortal dao level, peerless in the world, while the one before him was merely a Great Emperor.

Dao King preferred to believe Ye Xu was an Innate Divine Being.

Lin Qianmo frowned slightly, clearly harboring some doubts herself. But with so many ears present, she remained silent.

"Benefits?"

Emperor Venerable Mi Luo laughed heartily. "Boy, name your price. Given your strength, what you desire surely lies within this one’s means."

"Daoist brother’s generosity is admirable!" Ye Xu gave a thumbs-up. "With just one immortal artifact, I will fully reveal the secrets of the Sea of the Universe."

"…"

Everyone stared in shock.

An immortal artifact at the first ask?

Emperor Venerable Mi Luo’s face darkened like coal. While Emperor Venerable’s treasures he possessed, an immortal artifact ranked among the mightiest treasures in the mortal realm. Even if he had one, he’d never hand it over.

Ye Xu was plainly mocking him.

"Daoist friend, your appetite is truly staggering. Aren’t you afraid of choking?" Emperor Venerable Miao Fa’s eyes gleamed ominously, a trace of killing intent flickering deep within.

"Amitābha!"

White-browed Buddha of Little West Heaven Temple pressed his palms together reverently. "Should we succeed in crossing the sea, it would accumulate immense merit. I implore the benefactor to enlighten us without reluctance."

"Pfft!"

Great Emperor Ziwei cursed inwardly. These Buddhist monks were utterly shameless, constantly invoking "merit" while plainly angling for free information.

But mindful of his recent lesson, he only dared complain in his thoughts.

"Five Emperor Venerable’s treasures, exchanged for the secrets of the Sea of the Universe." Su Miao Zhen’s voice sliced coldly through the air. "Otherwise, I shall scatter your soul to the winds instantly."

"Care to test whether that Tai Sui can withstand my single sword strike?"

Su Miao Zhen pressed aggressively, her gaze icy.

Ye Xu smiled.

He knew this woman’s capabilities well. Able to rival Dao King in reputation, she was undoubtedly a ruthless character.

"You must understand—it is you who need me now." Ye Xu crossed his arms, speaking calmly. "If you wish to stop here, then strike."

Losing one primordial spirit avatar, Ye Xu could afford.

But none present could endure the weight of his retribution.

"Daoist friend Su, refrain from haste." Emperor Venerable Yama interceded placatingly. "Negotiation determines the price."

"Reasonable."

Ye Xu nodded in approval.

Emperor Venerable Yama’s face darkened. If it weren’t for needing Ye Xu’s help, he would have been the first to strike.

"The fixed price is ten Emperor Venerable’s treasures." Dao King said coldly.

That was his bottom line.

Back at Heaven’s Secret Pavilion, the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion had demanded fifteen Emperor Venerable’s magical treasures for information on a single supreme treasure. Dao King hadn’t agreed then, and it made no sense for him to be fleeced by some unknown brat here in the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest.

"If you agree, we’ll make the trade right away." the Palace Master of the Holy Mother Palace said.

"Wait a moment."

Emperor Venerable Zi Zai furrowed his brow and said, "These things shouldn’t be paid by us. We paid a great price to the master of Heaven’s Secret Pavilion to learn the whereabouts of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest."

"Now, those who weren’t supposed to come have appeared here. They should be the ones to pay."

"What do you all think?"

"That makes sense."

Emperor Venerable Miao Fa nodded.

"Amitabha." White-browed Buddha smiled gently. "Your proposal is very fair, benefactor."

Cultivators from the Five Realms voiced their agreement one after another.

"Mi Luo, what’s your view?" Dao King stared at Emperor Venerable Mi Luo.

"Acceptable."

Emperor Venerable Mi Luo spoke calmly. "I will provide one magical treasure. The rest of you, each must produce nine Emperor Venerable-level treasures. If not, you may leave now."

"Daoist friend Su, what do you say?"

Su Miao Zhen gave a slight nod.

"This…"

The faces of the Emperor Venerables and Great Emperors turned ashen.

"I’ll count to three…" Dao King extended one finger. "One…"

"I’ll pay."

One Emperor Venerable gritted his teeth and produced an Emperor Venerable’s treasure.

"I’ll pay too."

With one taking the lead, the rest began bringing out their treasures.

After a quarter of an hour, dozens of Emperor Venerables and Great Emperors finally gathered nine Emperor Venerable’s treasures and twelve imperial weapons, barely meeting Ye Xu’s demand.

"Brother, you’ve hit the jackpot." Great Emperor Ziwei’s eyes blazed with envy.

"Now you can tell us about the secret of the Sea of the Universe." Dao King’s gaze sharpened like a sword. "If you dare deceive us, you know the consequences."

Ye Xu collected the treasures with great satisfaction.

"Rest assured."

Ye Xu grinned. "I’m always fair and honest."

He did know a small fragment of the secret about the Sea of the Universe—just a vague outline he’d picked up while probing the mysteries of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest.

He only knew the Sea of the Universe.

Apart from that, he knew almost nothing.

However, after discussing the Dao with Duobao Daoist and witnessing the wonders of the Sea of the Universe, he had gained some understanding in his heart.

Ye Xu walked towards the chaos, Tai Sui squirmed, plunged headlong into the chaotic tide, and absorbed the power of chaos.

He stood on Tai Sui’s head, his gaze resting on the bubble closest to him, his eyes distant.

"Do you know why this place is called the Sea of the Universe?" Ye Xu asked.

"Please do tell, fellow Dao friend."

Emperor Venerable Mi Luo resembled a refined gentleman, modest and courteous.

Dao King, Emperor Venerable Yama, and Su Miao Zhen, among others, showed expressions of impatience.

"It is because of these bubbles."

Ye Xu said with a laugh.

Above the Sea of the Universe, stars sank and the sun and moon revolved as if in a galaxy system, but the name "Sea of the Universe" did not come from them; instead, it came from the countless floating bubbles.

"What do you mean?" Emperor Venerable Yama frowned and said.

"Come and have a look," Ye Xu said lightly.

Dao King, Su Miao Zhen, and others moved closer to Ye Xu, half-doubting and half-believing, and observed the bubble at close range.

The bubble was not big, only the size of an adult’s fist, but within it, a wondrous world had formed.

Living beings were like tiny dust motes, stars rotated automatically, spring, summer, autumn, and winter changed in cycles, and the figures of people could even be seen.

There were cultivators flying through the sky and burrowing underground, reaching for the moon across the heavens.

There were also mortals working at sunrise and resting at sunset.

This was an orderly world.

"This is a world," a Great Emperor marveled. "Is this the very wonder of the Sea of the Universe?"

"The master of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest is truly formidable for creating such mystery."

Lin Qianmo, without anyone noticing, came to Ye Xu’s side and observed the bubble world.

"This is a miniature world."

Ye Xu corrected that Great Emperor, saying, "Strictly speaking, this world has reached its end and can no longer develop further."

"Its destruction is a matter of mere moments."

"If you do not believe me, feel free to channel a trace of magical power into it."

"Hmm…"

Everyone exchanged glances; no one dared make a move.

This was an unknown entity, and no one wanted to be the next Emperor Venerable Zi Zai.

"Let me."

Great Emperor Ziwei appeared eager; he activated the Ziwei Rising Dragon Path, lightly touched the bubble with his fingertip, and a wisp of purple energy flowed into the bubble world.

Pop!

In the next moment, the bubble world underwent earth-shaking changes.

A thread of magic power surged in; the firmament began to collapse, the earth sank, earth, water, fire, and wind became completely chaotic, countless natural disasters broke out simultaneously, resulting in a cataclysmic end.

In a few breaths, the bubble world perished and vanished.

"What is happening?" someone asked with a surprised expression.

"The balance has been broken."

Su Miao Zhen’s voice rang out; she perceived a subtle mystery and said, "Without that thread of magic power, this miniature world could have continued to exist."

"But the influx of that wisp of magic power shattered the balance, triggering natural disasters."

"As strong as cultivators are, under such calamities, they are mere ants."

"Exactly."

Ye Xu showed an appreciative look.

The reason he could see this was his knowledge gained from discussing with Duobao Daoist about the Three Yuan Proof.

This realm was the peak of the universe.

The next realm was transcendence.

The moment he saw the Sea of the Universe, he guessed the cultivation level of the Master of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest: the Three Yuan Proof!

Perhaps he hadn’t attained it, but he wasn’t far off.

This senior had already begun exploring the universe’s secrets, even probing methods to transcend beyond it.

The countless bubble worlds evolving freely were proof of this.

"This bubble seems more complete than the previous one."

Great Emperor Ziwei approached another bubble, the size of a washbasin; inside it, mountain ranges stretched, rapidly transforming, seeming younger and thriving.

"If I infuse a thread of magic power, would it also cause the bubble to perish?"

Holding the idea to test it, Great Emperor Ziwei channeled magic power into the bubble.

The next second, cracks emerged on the firmament, the earth fractured, volcanoes erupted, and tsunamis surged violently, devouring the land.

However, this did not result in a massive destruction.

It was merely a natural disaster, insufficient to destroy the world.

"What is happening now?"

Many people voiced their confusion.

Not a few Great Emperors, even Emperor Venerables, were in utter bewilderment.

"This thread of magic power is insufficient to break the balance."

Su Miao Zhen seemed to comprehend; she pointed her jade-like finger, and another ray of magic power surged in.

Pop!

The bubble burst immediately.

"Is this the secret of the Sea of the Universe?"

Su Miao Zhen murmured.

She seemed to have grasped something profoundly important.

Dao King’s face twitched slightly; he, too, understood much.

"Who exactly is this person?"

Emperor Venerable Yama was inwardly terrified.

Based on such insight alone, it proved Ye Xu’s background was extraordinarily unusual.

Ye Xu was deeply intrigued.

The Master of the Seven-Treasure Mystic Forest was a visionary; he truly wished to know who stood behind it.

"Among so many bubbles here, has any truly birthed a perfect world?" Suddenly, a question broke the group’s contemplation.

Nangong Zhandao gazed steadily at Ye Xu, eyes filled with intense curiosity.

Ye Xu smiled faintly and said, "Continue observing, and won’t you find out?"

"But in my view, the master’s initial intent wasn’t to evolve a perfect world."

"What was it?"

Everyone focused their gazes on Ye Xu.

"Kindly explain plainly, Daoist friend."

Emperor Venerable Mi Luo cupped his hands in salute and spoke.

"Infinite worlds, infinite possibilities."

Ye Xu chuckled.

Upon hearing this, Duobao Daoist, concealed in shadows, wore a shocked expression.

These words were truly an epiphany.