The Saint Empire?
This name resonated with them.
Outside the Chaos Heavens, there was often no need to form a collective power.
Their Dao fields were almost always fixed, making external conquests impossible. In a sense, they already constituted a unified force, presenting a consistent front to outsiders.
All beings understood that after this great war, the integration plan for new forces was inevitable, involving compromises, planning, and redistribution of interests.
The current Saintly Discourse would determine the structure of this land!
"Is this for expansion, to conquer distant lands?" a Saint chuckled.
The black-robed Saint shook his head slightly. "Long ago, I heard that some Saint regions would form power groups—also known as dynasties or alliances—comprising individuals with special blessing-type bloodlines. Their cohesion is so strong that they can even conquer the surrounding Saint lands and break out of their predicaments. I never imagined we would have such a day."
Some heaven-defying bloodlines were not bound by Dao fields and could undertake distant expeditions.
"If that is the case, it would greatly benefit our land..."
A Saint chuckled, "We can unite into a single force and expand outwards. With this miraculous 'game' bloodline, we can dispatch all our mighty subordinates to play the 'game' and expand, allowing them to fear no death as they explore the surrounding lands and map out the Chaos Grand Land!"
A map of the Chaos Grand Land!
How vast was this land?
Even a Saint might not be able to reach its end.
Moreover, Saints found it difficult to travel far; they were rooted in one place, making it almost impossible for them to see the landscapes of distant lands!
One by one, the Saints were finally moved.
For beings of their caliber, very few things could stir their hearts, but this was certainly one of them!
In reality, for beings of this level, scheming and manipulation no longer existed; it was impossible to deceive these ancient monsters. Their actions were simply driven by clear self-interest.
And the current benefits were more than enough.
"So, you can now accept these 'game computer' beings," Zhang Youling said with a proud smile. "After all, with your discerning eyes, you can see that this computer has no hidden tricks; you are simply using it. This is a terrifying bloodline that aids cultivation, even useful for Saints. Most importantly, it doesn't occupy a gene slot..."
The Saints nodded.
With their insight, they naturally saw no hidden tricks or backdoors, yet it still represented a powerful leverage against them.
What if there were no backdoors?
Once you became accustomed and addicted, could you withstand it if access were suddenly cut off in a dispute?
This was an overt strategy, known to all Saints, but the immediate benefits still compelled them to use it.
"We will popularize it within our Dao fields," a Saint stated.
Elder Hua Ya chuckled and said, "In that case, should you not return the soldiers and citizens from the divine cities outside our territories?"
Zhang Youling replied innocently, "They have already settled here and are reluctant to leave."
The faces of several Saints darkened!
Their Dao fields could not accommodate so many deities and their peripheral Ninth-Tier civilizations, so they had been allowed to exist outside the Dao fields. Yet, these vital foundations had been shamelessly appropriated by this plump individual?
They secretly cursed his shamelessness, knowing they wouldn't get them back. Consequently, one Saint changed the subject, saying, "So, if our land is reformed according to this game civilization... in the future, our true bodies can reside in the Dao field, while our game avatars go out. This Dao field will become the game's main city and resurrection point!"
"Exactly! Our dozen or so Dao fields will become more than ten game main cities!"
"We resurrect in our main city, then venture out."
"The entire structure will change. Our Dao fields will only need computers, as all beings will be immersed in the game. There will be no need for markets, streets, or various living areas. With just a computer, powerful beings can stay indoors, allowing us to accommodate a larger population. We can even bring in the outer cities of our Dao fields."
Migrate all cities outside the Dao fields into the Dao fields?
The Saints pondered this; the proposal was highly constructive!
Previously, they couldn't accommodate them, but with this reform, everyone could indeed gather. All would "play games" on computers within the Dao field, while their game bodies would establish cities outside.
"A good suggestion."
"This is an excellent idea."
The Saints smiled; this way, they would no longer fear shameless beings stealing their subordinate civilizations.
After all, divine descendants could procreate. For the Saints, this loss was not too great; common folk could proliferate like weeds again in a few hundred years.
Soon, at the suggestion of the Saints, small televisions were experimented with, and rules were reformed one by one.
At the same time, they discovered various other mysterious abilities.
"Incredible! The entangled game body can actually prevent bloodline plundering?"
"Precisely, it's not the true body, so how can the bloodline be plundered?"
For these Saints, their Dao fields—their Tenth-Tier civilizations—meant that their clansmen could not easily venture outside. This was because their native Saint bloodlines would be stolen by other powerful beings if they left the Dao field...
That would be a huge problem!
Consequently, almost no one of a Saint's native bloodline was seen moving about outside the Dao fields in this land. It was for this reason that Xu Zhi had not encountered a single powerful, heaven-defying bloodline since arriving here.
"Are they planning something big?" Xu Zhi watched with delight. "So, the Saint Sons of those Saint families are finally leaving their Dao fields? I can take this opportunity to observe their bloodlines... though I still can't acquire them."
Soon, the era began to change.
Over twenty years passed in the blink of an eye.
Dao fields, one by one, began establishing game main cities.
All the Saints knew that a great trend was descending upon the world, so they began to seek opportunities within it by any means possible.
The Dao fields became extremely quiet, with houses densely packed like honeycombs. The beings inside rarely ventured out, as they had all entered the "second world."
Outside the Dao fields, cities were established one after another.
An unprecedented era of Saintly prosperity unfolded, with Enlightened Ones and deities roaming the streets, setting up stalls, selling wares, leveling up, fighting monsters, and honing their martial arts.
"This is truly marvelous! So marvelous! I never imagined it would evolve this way!"
"Who could have predicted it?"
A group of players from the Dao fields, the descendants of Saints, looked out at the bustling streets.
They, too, were like caged birds, destined to live their entire lives within their Dao fields, their transcendent Tenth-Tier civilizations. Now that they could venture out, they were naturally overjoyed.
"This is a bloodline."
"Indeed, the universe is vast and full of wonders. To think there's such an exaggerated, heaven-defying bloodline that can turn the entire world into a game!"
Elsewhere, along the streets.
"Heavens! Those are members of the Flowing Wind Saint family! So, their bloodline can actually control the flow of air, it's terrifying!" An Enlightened One exclaimed in surprise, looking into the distance.
"Before, we strong individuals from the outer cities would have no chance to meet those from the Dao fields. But now, powerful beings with such heaven-defying bloodlines are everywhere, walking through the cities!" A deity said with a face full of longing and envy. "It's truly eye-opening, so eye-opening..."
"Alas, the world is inherently unfair. How wonderful it would be if we were born into that family... if only we could plunder their bloodline..." An Enlightened One whispered, looking at the Saint family members walking across the land.
"Hush! Be careful what you say! It's precisely because of this game that they don't fear their bloodlines being plundered, which is why they left their Dao fields... We can't take them; haven't some already secretly tried?" An Enlightened One quickly pulled that person away.
Regardless, all deities knew that an unprecedented golden age had dawned upon the world.
Another ten years passed.
The Nether Heavens Saint Dynasty was established.
Zhang Youling, calling himself "Nether Heavens Undying Reincarnation Saint Emperor," successfully ascended the throne, residing at the center. He established over ten Saints from the Western and Eastern hidden Dao fields on either side, allowing them to dispatch their disciples to serve as officials and jointly govern the world.
This era was historically known as the First Year of the Saints.
Subsequent generations held this Saint in high regard.
Saint Emperor Zhang Youling possessed the talents and strategic vision of a great hero. He swept away the desolation and stagnation across the entire Chaos Grand Land, bringing a glimmer of opportunity to the common people and infusing vitality into the entire land.
He established the game-based reincarnation system and a clear hierarchy for advancement.
He also granted immortality to the common folk, sought benefits for ordinary beings, and secured positions for cultivators across the land.
"No Saintly monopolies, no extinction for the common people!"
He sought welfare for all beings and announced it to the world. With the dawn of his reign, many young powerhouses emerged.
These relatively ordinary civilizations began vying for that sliver of hope, shaking off their stagnant atmosphere. Countless powerhouses surged forward, striving for a great era!
With immortality, combined with the appearance of the Ginseng Fruit—even though this treasure was scarce and had low yields—it could pry open the bloodlines of beings, allowing even incomplete Enlightened Ones to perfect their Dao foundations and potentially achieve sainthood!
"This is a wise and benevolent Saint!"
"Compassionate and righteous, a sage for all creation!"
"We may not be born into Saint families, but we now have the chance to compete for opportunities with the Saints' descendants!"
Previously, the peripheral Tenth-Tier civilizations had no intention of submitting, but now, they felt a strong sense of belonging towards this being who sought welfare for mortal common folk.
Yet, no one knew that the true power behind this dynasty, ruling it completely, was merely... an Enlightened One.
With his hands clasped behind his back, Zhang Youling spoke to the unseen void, "After this war, don't you think it was worth it now?"
Year 98 of the Nether Heavens Saint Dynasty.
Saint Emperor Youling issued a decree, seated on his throne, gazing down at his ministers with the magnificent aura of one overseeing the world. He spoke with authority:
"Since my ascension, nearly a century has passed. We have established a ranking system and a power leaderboard, and surprisingly, many prodigies from our affiliated civilizations have emerged!"
His voice boomed, and his youthful face subtly held an air of majesty. "Their bloodlines might be somewhat mediocre, but their combat power is extraordinary, capable of fighting higher bloodlines... Perhaps we can grant them some powerful Saint bloodlines, allow them to marry into Saint families, and join our court as officials."
This was a grand era, with geniuses and prodigious talents emerging.
The power leaderboard truly reflected their combat prowess, ranked through countless life-and-death struggles where no one held back.
Below, a minister stepped forward and said, "It is all due to Your Majesty's wise governance. Previously, there was no lack of brilliant talents! However, they came from humble backgrounds with limited resources, so to become stronger, they had to seek resources outside... But their margin for error was low; there was a high probability of perishing while seeking opportunities somewhere. They would fall midway, even before their talents were fully discovered!"
"Precisely!"
A minister spoke with excitement, "At this time, there is absolutely no possibility of a powerful individual perishing! Because they can be resurrected, the margin for error is extremely high! As long as they are a genius, no matter how poor their background, they have the chance to display their talents, with no possibility of perishing midway. Absolutely no genius will be missed; it is incredibly fair!"
"This power leaderboard is undoubtedly the most perfect and fair imperial examination! It allows our dynasty to recruit many monstrous talents with the potential to become Saints to serve in our court!" A minister whispered, "However, while our Heavenly Court is the leader, the Saints of the East and West have not yet submitted. They have been secretly recruiting the prodigious game players who lead in rankings and combat power."
Zhang Youling fell silent for a moment. These Saints didn't obey orders; they were merely allies, and they would certainly be the first to snatch any benefits that arose.
Previously, the continuation of Saint families greatly feared a lack of successors!
Most of the time, their next generation couldn't produce Saints. Many Saint families would select talented individuals from other races, integrate them into their own bloodlines, and have them marry into their civilization.
Currently, they were doing just that.
The current rules of the land allowed previously buried talents to be discovered, and these Saints immediately began snatching them up.
In this current situation, with no prodigious talent being overlooked, the possibility of extending their Saint families became much greater for them.
"Hmph!" Zhang Youling snorted. "Before, the vast and complex civilizations outside the cities were not cultivated or explored by them, as they felt the efficiency of cultivation was low... So, they only nurtured their own race, hoping for a genius to emerge. But now, that I've reformed the rules of the land and commoner geniuses are emerging, they come to plunder?"
"These existing Saints are a persistent ailment in my heart," Zhang Youling lamented to his confidant ministers. "They continue to monopolize the era, stabilize their Saint families, and remain aloof... This is detrimental to the development and prosperity of our universe!"
"Your Majesty is right."
The ministers were immediately moved, feeling that their Great Emperor held a grand vision.
Zhang Youling knew he still couldn't move these Saints, so he issued a decree to those below: "Since the land is on the right track, prosperous cities stand tall, and the Saint Dynasty's fortune is flourishing, then let us begin... the Great Expedition!"
"Spread my decree."
"To all directions, let various forces launch their own expeditions, establishing strongholds. Every few hundred million light-years, a major town shall be established, each accommodating ten thousand deities and setting up spatial teleportation arrays, expanding outwards and carving out the territory of the Chaos Grand Land!"
Instantly, the ministers boiled with excitement, and the world buzzed with anticipation.
At once, many player groups and factions from wealthy powers began to explore outwards and build cities.
After all, building cities offered numerous benefits to players. When others teleported there, they would collect teleportation fees. Other players would also surely consume resources within the cities, leading to various forms of wealth expenditure.
Year 173 of the Saint Dynasty.
Strongholds proliferated, and deities charged outwards, unafraid of death. Driven by self-interest, they achieved great success, continually expanding their territory, even advancing along the coasts of Chaos.
Concurrently, vast amounts of uncultivated resources were transported, and more and more deities began to emerge. The factions under the dozen or so Saints grew larger, and an increasing number of deities broke through to become Enlightened Ones.
Year 231 of the Saint Dynasty.
Civil war erupted.
Due to resource conflicts, the main cities under the Saints of the Flowing Wind Dao Field and the Peaceful Water Dao Field had long been at odds, finally leading to a major war.
This war was unprecedented in history; they even began attacking each other's main cities to plunder resources.
Both sides fought fiercely. In the later stages, resurrection points continuously spewed out combatants, who were then teleported to front-line cities to join the war.
Civil war broke out...
But it was tacitly approved by the Saints!
In this war, there was no fear of death; instead, it served as training for both sides!
While resurrection and the restoration of quantum combat bodies certainly consumed vast resources, they had cultivated so much in this fertile land that it was sufficient!
This war lasted a full thirty years, day and night.
Even other Saints subtly encouraged their subordinates to join, initiating a massive internal conflict within the dynasty. During this period, countless deities broke through to become Enlightened Ones, heralding a new era of enlightenment.
Year 281 of the Saint Dynasty.
A piece of news that electrified all beings spread across the land:
"The game's main host has broken through to the Ninth-Tier Enlightened One!"
For the Burning Legion's expedition, a new version update was released: the level cap was raised from the limit of Level 89 for deities to the limit of Level 99 for Enlightened Ones!
Countless Enlightened Ones became thoroughly excited.
"Is it finally our turn?"
"It's our turn!"
"Before, it was frustrating; even though our realm was extremely high, we could only control a deity-level body!"
"Now, it's finally our chance to show what we can do!"
All beings were thrilled.
They knew this marked the dawn of a new era for civilization, as a grand door slowly opened.
The land expanded by deities was too slow. The pace of the expedition so far had not yet led to the discovery of another gathering place for Saints.
However, with Enlightened Ones now embarking on expeditions, it was likely that other Chaos Heavens Saints in the periphery would soon be discovered, allowing for a true grand expedition.
[1 minute ago] Chapter 249: I will find you
[2 minutes ago] Chapter 307: One Step Not Allowed
[3 minutes ago] Chapter 153: One Day of Instant Fame
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