Chapter 1280: Ancient Stele

Author: The Smile of Three Hundred Jin

The entire Algae Universe rapidly submerged.

In the chaotic ocean, like looking through the transparent glass of an aquarium, they vaguely saw something floating outside, hazy and indistinct.

"Even though I possess the 'White Sea,' my power in the Sea of Chaos is actually very weak," Zhi Ji chuckled softly. "I rarely enter it because it's simply too vast, larger than a single universe." She continued, "However, I've circled this area, and there's an ancient ruin here that might be worth exploring. We can have the Algae Universe directly engulf this ruin, and then we'll check our findings." The Algae Universe could consume inanimate objects; it would swallow them first, then study them, and if there was nothing valuable, it would simply digest them.

Although Zhi Ji was ancient, she was still a being from the Post-Natal Era, having risen during the Cosmic Bridge Era. She had not experienced the even more terrifying Era of Creation, when ancient Chaos Sages and divine demons battled to attain enlightenment for life. So, she felt a certain anticipation. Furthermore, some later cosmic eras also concealed mysterious and powerful artifacts, remnants left behind, such as those from the ancient civilization of the "Meteorite Cosmic Rain." After all, they weren't omniscient or omnipotent; they hadn't truly lived for such an immense duration but had instead slept and slipped into the distant future, making it impossible for them to monitor every single era. Therefore, if something mysterious from a particular era proved to be extraordinary, it would indeed be a significant gain.

Xu Zhi watched Zhi Ji's diligent efforts, maintaining his relaxed, supportive role and not intending to interfere. He simply asked, "Can we then submerge to the bottom of the Sea of Chaos to find that transit device?"

"Impossible," Zhi Ji shook her head and chuckled. "Haven't you noticed that no matter how powerful a cosmic life form is, it can't submerge too deeply? To put it simply, the sea pressure is too immense; it would crush everything. And that place is at the core, the most terrifying zone of the multiverse. This is the raw power of the universe itself; no living being can survive there."

Xu Zhi grew curious again. "Then how did you get out?"

Zhi Ji glanced at him. As expected of her Dao companion, he was very clever, having guessed her origin from the so-called Tenth Universe. She explained, "I possess the 'White Sea,' but I didn't simply swim out directly; I would have been crushed to death. As I mentioned before, the Tenth Universe is a transit hub, naturally connecting nine multiverses. I emerged through one of those universes, then entered the Sea of Chaos from the chaotic coast outside that universe to explore the surroundings."

"It's good to have an insider," Xu Zhi mused, "though I would have quickly deduced this place myself..." He seemed to have grasped the true structure of the universe. Originally, the universe was a sphere, gradually splitting into nine separate universes, like nine inverted conical icebergs. The flat base of each iceberg floated on the coastline, while their pointed tips all converged toward the deepest part of the Sea of Chaos, the Earth's core. That place, it seemed, was the location of the Immortal Realm. Positionally, it was likely indeed the connection point for the nine universes, serving as a transit hub.

"This means that while the nine parallel universes appear distant and incapable of transmitting power... they can, in fact, transmit power," Xu Zhi narrowed his eyes. "They control a strategic core hub; no wonder they're so high and mighty."

*Whoosh.*

The Algae Universe continued its stealthy descent into the Sea of Chaos. Soon, they approached the ruin, an ancient complex of buildings.

*Gurgle...*

If it were any other small universe, they would certainly find themselves in a difficult situation, figuring out how to explore this ruin. But at this moment, the colossal shadow of the Algae Universe swiftly engulfed the entire ruin, drawing it into its own internal space, making it a part of its own matter. This was the advantage of a massive universe.

"The style of this ruin is from the Post-Natal Era..." With Sages observing around them, Zhi Ji inwardly noted as she looked at the damp, newly excavated ruin: "It seems to have been deliberately left in the Sea of Chaos for future generations, waiting for some distant era to wash it ashore. Most likely, it was also intended to evade the surveillance of our Immortal Dao Palace. I wonder what they left behind, perhaps something meant to rebel against us? But now, it's all going to benefit me."

She continued her exploration and discovered that within this ruin, there was subtly an inner ruin. "It's a nested ruin," Zhi Ji took a deep breath. After all, it was common for two ancient ruins to collide and become intertwined due to ocean currents. She continued her investigation and found that it was a ruin from the era of sculpture art, featuring numerous crude, simple clay figurines and clay pots.

"The sculpture art era from the dawn of chaos?" Zhi Ji shook her head. "Not necessarily. Later, in our Cosmic Bridge Era, there were also many who enjoyed ancient artifacts and loved sculpture... For instance, that mysterious civilization that secretly plotted against us used ancient sculpture civilizations as a pretext, claiming they were prophecies from the mysterious chaotic era to undermine us."

Upon mentioning that civilization, Zhi Ji looked at the clay figurines and her expression suddenly shifted slightly. "I'm actually sensing a cosmic aura within these..." Her heart pounded fiercely. Following the path through this ancient clay-sculpted castle, she pushed open its main gate. On either side were fire-filled clay basins and various statues. Underfoot were pale red stone bricks, lending an air of pallid decay and a deathly, profound silence.

Continuing forward, she saw that in the center of this ancient castle, submerged in the ocean, stood a stone tablet. Adhering to it were countless wriggling marine creature eggs, packed densely together.

"What is this!?" Zhi Ji's pupils contracted, and her scalp tingled instantly. She distinctly felt the aura of cosmic origin within them, despite it being incredibly fragmented. These were wriggling cosmic embryos! The wriggling biological eggs slowly withered and separated, gradually revealing the inscription on the tablet.

"Could this be that ancient, mysterious Buddhist-Daoist civilization...?" the surrounding Sages exclaimed.

The inscription on the tablet read:

"Heaven creates all things to nourish humanity, yet humanity still blames Heaven for its unkindness.Unaware that locusts and pests infest the world, making all suffering commoners servants to kings.The lives and deaths of common folk are like those of dogs, while nobles live in luxury and attain immortality.Such a desolate cloud-wilderness is not a human world; defying Heaven will surely incur divine wrath.Suddenly, a madman sharpens his blade by night, shaking the Earth's core to slay kings and gods."

Witnessing this scene, Zhi Ji felt her mind in turmoil, utterly shocked, her body swaying precariously. "Suddenly, a madman sharpens his blade by night, shaking the Earth's core to slay kings and gods..." This line caused Zhi Ji's mind to churn like a turbulent sea. The words seemed to hold a profound meaning, suggesting that perhaps the overwhelming tide of their destruction was truly at hand.

Who could it be? Which old failure, even in death, could not rest peacefully, calculating the coming era of meteor showers, intending for all beings to scheme against them...? She clenched her teeth, her wide eyes filled with terror.

Xu Zhi quickly stepped forward, supporting Zhi Ji, and spoke seriously, "Perhaps this truly is a civilization from an ancient era that calculated this day, but was unfortunately unable to survive until now. That's why they left these things for us, presenting this opportunity at the dawn of this new era."

"Yes, yes, perhaps so..." Zhi Ji's face was slightly pale.

Xu Zhi continued, "However, this appears to be an ancient legacy. If we continue to study it, we might gain some inherited opportunities, which could help us contend for the grand destiny." The surrounding Sages were also very excited. After all, they were all in the same boat, in every sense of the phrase. If there was an opportunity, they would all gain immense benefits.

Zhi Ji's mind was still turbulent, but a startling thought arose. She grasped Xu Zhi's hand and spoke words that would previously have seemed sacrilegious: "Husband, perhaps this truly is our great opportunity. Let's see what's inside."