Chapter 1361: The Strongest Martial Artist in the Universe

What appeared to be a sandbox was, in fact, another hostile super-civilization! It was as if they were enemies from another cosmic civilization.

Xu Zhi gazed into the distance, his eyes slightly narrowed. "Given this situation, they've already developed their own cultivation techniques in what feels like just two hundred years — it's an incredibly rapid advance. I estimate they'll break out and turn the world upside down within a month... This is like an alternative zombie apocalypse, set to destroy everything."

"Our cosmic era has taken a vast 14 billion years to develop to this point, yet they only need a brief moment to overthrow us."

Xu Zhi still felt the overwhelming vastness of the era, realizing, "Dynastic changes can happen overnight."

There was no right or wrong in this. This was a war of races.

Xu Zhi had preemptively assisted them, allowing these adversaries to emerge early. While seemingly a foolish act of digging his own grave, it was, in truth, the most effective approach. If he waited for them to burst forth all at once, who could possibly stop them? It was better now, to let them appear gradually, bit by bit. This way, while the Age of Dharma Decline had not fully descended, heaven and earth hadn't undergone radical changes, and bloodline beings could still wield the power of laws, the myriad worlds of this universe would have time to adapt to their terror and seek methods of salvation.

This was already the best countermeasure Xu Zhi could conceive. If they couldn't be defeated even with this plan, then there truly would be no way out. They, the old beings, would deserve to be extinguished, eliminated by natural selection.

"The enemy is right before us, and we're watching them grow." Xu Zhi found the situation utterly bizarre. He turned to look at Sheila and the other person with her. "One of you will be responsible for observing them, studying their martial arts techniques, and examining their cultivation methods. The other will manage that bloodline sandbox. Who will do what?"

Mu Yuling thought for a moment and said, "I'm more proficient at learning martial arts techniques, so I'll observe them. Let Sheila manage the bloodline sandbox here." One person for each task was perfect.

Xu Zhi entrusted the task to the two of them, then continued to refine the biological constraints of the bloodline, ensuring that cultivation would not cause them to regenerate their original bloodlines.

Time flew by. Another thirty years passed. Xu Zhi successfully devised a method to prevent them from regenerating their bloodlines, but this was only the first step. Though no new bloodlines grew, the existing deficiencies persisted. Even when they cultivated to the level of an eighth-tier god, they still couldn't break through further.

Another hundred years passed. "Martial and soul cultivation require immense eighth-tier resources, which are extremely scarce for those who achieve enlightenment," Sheila reported. "I've provided them with many resources. Some powerful individuals are already over two hundred years old, having achieved the Seventh-tier Heavenly Emperor realm, and are on the verge of breaking through to God. However, they'll soon reach their limit, and we still haven't found a solution."

Xu Zhi frowned. The deficiencies no longer caused bloodlines to regenerate, but their foundational life structures remained incomplete, making further advancement extremely difficult.

Meanwhile, news arrived from Mu Yuling: The first Ninth-tier martial arts being among the Chaos life forms had emerged! Though Mu Yuling was observing secretly, she could no longer comprehend the true nature of a Ninth-tier martial arts existence. It was a qualitative leap, akin to the vast difference between an Eighth-tier God and a Ninth-tier being.

"I didn't dare observe from close quarters, only from a distance," Mu Yuling said softly. "But it's difficult to discern the specifics of their cultivation; I just know they feel incredibly powerful."

"This is already excellent; it's not your fault," Xu Zhi said, frowning even more deeply.

Both reports brought discouraging news. "We need to find talent, martial arts talent specifically... It's absolutely crucial. Without it, we'll be stuck."

The thought of talent immediately brought Rong Cheng to mind. That talent market had previously yielded numerous individuals skilled in evolving the Mother River's flying bloodlines, so he would certainly have connections for martial arts talent too. However, that old schemer would undoubtedly agree to help if approached, but he would also demand a share. Playing both sides — secretly dealing with both the Mother River civilization and his own — was something such an individual was exceptionally adept at. Unfortunately, this person was quite vexing.

Xu Zhi took a deep breath. "There's no need to rush to him; I can ask Zhi Ji instead." After all, he had his own consultant.

Soon, within the Underworld Reincarnation, two hundred years had passed. The cosmic Great Dao and its rules were rapidly perfected, leading to incredibly swift development. The myriad worlds of the heavens had also fully entered an age of prosperity. In stark contrast, the Natural Heavenly Dao, which had previously been at a disadvantage, had grown increasingly stronger over these years, now reaching parity with the Human Heavenly Dao. It was feared that soon, the Human Heavenly Dao would be utterly crushed.

After all, it was a usurpation, not a naturally whole system.

"From a certain perspective, humans truly are tragic," Zhi Ji said, seated on a sofa. "If we can't defeat the dominant forces of the myriad worlds, we'll be kept as livestock by the Natural Heavenly Dao... And even if we defeat the Natural Heavenly Dao, an even greater challenge awaits: if we don't defeat the Chaos life forms, we'll be kept as livestock by them too..."

Zhi Ji sighed as she spoke. "It's truly miserable; we can't seem to overcome any of these immense obstacles."

"Humans are indeed tragic, with a seemingly inescapable fate," Xu Zhi nodded, thinking to himself. "But we will definitely surmount these two insurmountable obstacles and continue the glory of our bloodline!"

"Really?" Zhi Ji asked, somewhat unconvinced, taking his words merely as comfort.

"It's important to have dreams," Xu Zhi said. "Defeat both of them, and we'll be free." Though he said this, he secretly thought: Freedom, my foot. Even if they successfully escaped the fate of being cultivated by these two dominant life forms, seemingly free, they still wouldn't escape the fate orchestrated by his own hidden hand, the third one. Ultimately, humans were destined to be cultivated.

However, he had to encourage them to resist, otherwise he too would be eliminated.

"By the way," Di Zun asked, getting down to business, "do you know of any powerful geniuses in martial and soul cultivation?"

"Powerful martial and soul cultivation geniuses?" Zhi Ji looked at Di Zun in surprise. "Of course, I do. The members of our Longevity Dao Palace are all the strongest geniuses in their respective fields. Among them is one hailed as the strongest martial artist in history, named Kuang Tu."

Zhi Ji, however, suddenly shook her head. "But that fellow lives a more miserable life than even me. Although his combat prowess is incredibly formidable, specializing in martial and soul cultivation, he's developed a unique variant combat style. He's not adept at deriving bloodline techniques nor does he seek opportunities in new eras... Currently, he's the most forlorn member of our Dao Palace."

Xu Zhi was stunned. It seemed the Longevity Dao Palace truly housed prodigies at the pinnacle of every field.

"It's quite easy to find the fellow you're looking for," Zhi Ji said, seemingly having read her husband's expression, and smiled. "His 'miserable' situation is relative; he's still in the myriad worlds and currently controls a second-tier force... While not comparable to us first-tier superpowers, it's decent enough."

Zhi Ji seemed to sense what her husband intended to do but didn't press for details, understanding he naturally had his own plans.

Soon after, Xu Zhi secretly noted the information and checked the individual's location.

*Splashing sounds* On a beach by the Sea of Chaos, a powerful and imposing martial artist, exuding the fierce majesty of a general on the battlefield, was practicing his forms.

From a distance, a young man with black hair and black eyes approached. "Are you interested in saving the universe? In joining our Martial God Palace?"

"You are... Messiah?" The man turned, his expression profoundly serious, and asked curiously, "What do you seek from me? Martial God Palace – that sounds like an intriguing name."