Chapter 1067: Lius's Obsession

From beneath the wooden bucket, Rheos extended an eyeball, secretly peeking. The more he saw, the more alarmed he became.

He had initially thought it might be a flawless setup, complex to execute but potentially a trap to lure him in. However, the life evolution unfolding before him...

This could not be faked!

Only a species that truly understands its own bloodline structure could evolve so rapidly to create this kind of creature. Essentially, any transcendent species capable of evolving upon arrival here must be native to this place.

He stealthily observed Shi Ji, his thoughts suddenly sinking. "A new member of the Iron-Base species, Renimansga's daughter? Or has she practiced some martial arts technique never seen before?"

Iron-Base lifeforms utilize field collapse, creating a destructive field within themselves that absorbs and collapses everything, forming a unique kind of black hole.

This is a combat style that combines mystical arts and physics. However, it was clear that she was using the Iron-Base properties to create a purely close-combat fighting style, which was quite bizarre.

"But Renimansga, I witnessed his downfall with my own eyes... Even my father, who was the patriarch of the Bird species at the time, said there was no chance of survival!" He looked extremely troubled. "I was too young to know exactly what happened back then... Even my father didn't dare speak of it! He didn't know either!"

"But Renimansga, the Cosmic Garden... how could he still be alive?"

"I vaguely recall that on that day, Mr. Dark, the garden's steward, committed suicide amidst his murmurs."

"He was a weak Tenth-Tier being! And one adept at controlling dark emotions. As I recall, his combat power was absolutely not inferior to the Three Heavenly Venerates of Abyssal Blue; he wasn't just any weak Tenth-Tier, but a being with incredibly formidable combat power. He kept murmuring: 'Renimansga... Everlasting Stone Town Garden... We are destined to sink into the dark forest of the universe... to enjoy stagnation in eternal crimson...'"

Rheos wasn't sure what kind of enemy they had encountered.

But it was definitely a taboo so profound that one dared not even speak of it.

Even this being, the Cosmic Garden's steward, the strongest under Renimansga, a weak Tenth-Tier, had committed suicide out of despair.

For an enlightened being to commit suicide was inherently an utterly inconceivable act.

Let alone a weak Tenth-Tier, try asking a Ninth-Tier enlightened being to commit suicide.

Beings of such a level possess incredibly resilient minds!

They could endure even the most degrading acts without flinching.

No matter how severe the torment or suffering, it would only transform into strength for them to advance.

This terrifying ancient Tenth-Tier taboo, having walked the path of ultimate enlightenment and fought against heaven and earth, he believed it was impossible for such a being to break down and commit suicide!

Even if one dared not fight, they could still escape.

Why not escape and then plan for the future at leisure?

Even if the opponent was a Tenth-Tier ultimate enlightened being, so what? A weak Tenth-Tier still had the chance to break through to that level in the future. Why not fight?

Rheos couldn't comprehend it.

These ancient questions, the mysteries of the Cosmic Garden, had haunted his mind for tens of thousands of years.

This fog had deeply enveloped his heart over the years, transforming into a thick, dark shadow and an unspeakable fear... He had thought he was going to forget it, but never imagined...

"It's impossible, absolutely no false death!"

"This is inherently extremely contradictory. If he had faked his death, how could his weak Tenth-Tier confidant still commit suicide? The cost would be far too great."

"Could it be that my memories are muddled, or perhaps... in the old days, he truly faked his death in some way, transcending everything, using the genuine death of a weak Tenth-Tier as proof to evade surveillance and escape catastrophe, surviving until today?"

He watched the young Shi Ji, full of youthful vigor, chattering excitedly with a few treants.

A sudden bitterness welled up inside him, filled with a complex, tearful emotion.

This complexity certainly didn't stem from the Iron-Base species, nor from Renimansga, whom he had barely met back then and thus had no significant connection to. Instead, it was born from the destruction of his own kin and everything they had in the past. To save him, they had sent him away early, resulting in the downfall of their entire species.

"Renimansga, he's actually still alive..."

"How is that possible? He's still alive!!"

Rheos gripped the bottom of the bucket, his nose stinging. He clutched a clump of mud tightly, peering fixedly through the crack at the outside, and murmured, "Can you tell me what happened back then?"

"Our species was destroyed, it doesn't matter; we were too weak back then. But what kind of enemy did we truly encounter?"

"And Mr. Dark? Why did he commit suicide? How many years has it been? How many years?! I've explored ancient ruins one after another, seen countless historical relics, but I've never seen a weak Tenth-Tier being commit suicide...! Mr. Dark is the first weak Tenth-Tier existence I've ever encountered in history to commit suicide."

Weak Tenth-Tier civilizations are inherently rare!

He had journeyed through dozens of them. The Fallen civilization spent millions of years continuously expanding and exploring, creating nebula maps that he had traversed completely. Yet, he had never seen the destruction of ancient ruins where a weak Tenth-Tier being had committed suicide.

This was too bizarre.

"What truly happened back then?"

"What kind of enemy did you encounter?"

His eyes were bloodshot as he secretly watched Renimansga and his daughter outside.

A powerful urge surged within him, a desire to rush out frantically and ask loudly:

"Do you remember the young Bird species individual you met in the study back then? What exactly happened to the Cosmic Garden!"

This was critically important!

Extremely important to him.

However, he fell silent for a moment, hesitating and struggling, not daring to rush out... Compared to the ancient historical truth, his life was still paramount.

At that moment, several players also looked puzzled, watching the large octopus bathing while seated. Where had Rheos gone?

However, they quickly stopped caring.

After all, in their eyes, he truly was just a very ordinary enlightened being.

Not particularly special. Although Caroline and the others were currently no match, they had the Super Ancient God, Renimansga, and other such beings to hold the fort.

All enlightened beings below the weak Tenth-Tier were essentially the same.

Would they dare to challenge, even with a hundred times their courage?

They'd be smacked dead with one blow.

The growth of these beings was limited; their genes were fixed.

Don't let their current strength deceive you; in at most half a month, once Caroline and the others break through and fully solidify their Ninth-Tier realm, they'll sweep aside everything!

Half a month was roughly a thousand years.

For these beings, a thousand years to consolidate a breakthrough to the Ninth-Tier was truly not a long time.

"Everyone, you are our guests, please feel free to look around."

The SpongeBob player looked around, then at Shi Ji with a fawning expression. "I didn't expect you to be traveling around instead of cultivating in seclusion at the Cosmic Garden."

"If you can come here, why can't we?"

Shi Ji was already extremely disgusted with these individuals, and her tone was very unfriendly. "That previous battle was one thing... We are neutral in your affairs, so don't force us to side with the other party. And now, what exactly are you Buddhist and Daoist civilizations evolving? It's so stinky and disgusting."

"Ahem, ahem, how could it be something evolved by our ancient Buddhist and Daoist civilizations?" Several players said with grave seriousness. "Our systems are very righteous and honorable. Buddhism, Daoism—aren't they both about moderation and peace? This disgusting species evolving in a cesspool was thought up by the Bird Octopus species."

This was utterly humiliating.

They could mess around themselves, but outsiders couldn't see it. This was an embarrassment to the Chinese transcendent system, completely disgracing their ancestors.

"Huh?"

Shi Ji was clearly somewhat skeptical. "The octopus evolved it itself?"

She looked at the large, endearingly clumsy octopus, sitting in the wooden tub with a silly grin, bathing and playfully wiggling its tentacles. It didn't seem like its own idea at all.