Chapter 1375: Strong

The battle suddenly subsided.

In less than three days, a terrifying piece of news spread throughout the entire Kingdom of Engel.

The Milcy Medical Institution, a terrifying multinational pharmaceutical giant that produces various martial arts elixirs, the true underground ruler of the kingdom, and an international power ranking among the top hundred even within the vast Secret Encossa Autonomous Federation, had actually chosen to surrender and pledge allegiance to a local, provincial martial arts organization called "Flame Venerable Hall."

"What exactly happened?"

"It's said that their chief disciple, Colson, has been invited by His Majesty Engel to a grand state banquet, to be broadcast live on television tonight at six o'clock, with the Flame Venerable Hall even being declared the state religion!"

"I heard it's a powerful new Ninth-level martial artist, unmarried and not even fifty years old. His Majesty is reportedly planning to arrange a marriage between him and his beloved young Princess Sena."

Countless rumors circulated, and the entire kingdom was abuzz. Even neighboring countries heard the news, and this martial arts organization instantly entered the sights of many powerful individuals.

The Kingdom of Engel, though seemingly small, actually encompassed an area larger than the surface of an entire Earth.

However, the entire transcendent great world was so immense that it wasn't measured in individual planets but rather interconnected as a vast, flat continent, making it appear interconnected and accessible.

Precisely for this reason, in this flourishing era of martial arts, powerful individuals would often enter underground arenas for sparring matches and frequent exchanges, leading to astonishing development.

Flame Venerable Hall.

In the immense main hall on the thirtieth floor.

Towering bronze-skinned giants stood in place with extreme discipline.

They were all dressed in the Flame Venerable Hall's fiery red martial arts uniforms, with vibrant flame stripes on their backs and a mythical bird emblem on their chests.

Everyone here was part of the foundation absorbed from the Milcy Medical Institution.

As a force with a Ninth-level existence, it commanded a considerable number of Seventh-level Heavenly Emperors and Eighth-level Divine Spirits.

"From now on, you are all disciples of our Flame Venerable Hall. When you walk the martial world, blades have no eyes. If you are killed by someone of the same level, it is due to your own lack of skill, and no one else is to blame. However, if anyone uses their power to bully or oppress a disciple of our Flame Venerable Hall, the elders of the sect, and even the Hall Master, will stand up for you."

"All of you present have at least reached the Seventh-level Heavenly Emperor realm. I can impart to you our sect's martial art, 'Thunder Emperor,' which can lead you to the Ninth-level."

Sitting elevated, the Emperor Venerable said calmly, "If you possess strong aptitude, you may learn the more powerful 'Quantum Martial Arts' in the future, and even have the opportunity to go to a mysterious world, the Myriad Worlds, and embark on the path to immortality."

Gilchrist was also something of a martial arts prodigy, and it was only with the explosion of this era that such talents appeared so frequently; in previous universes, the emergence of such a genius would have been extremely rare.

How could Xu Zhi not accept them?

As long as they joined the Myriad Worlds, they would become part of the knowledge base for his "Grand Universe Cultivation Method," further strengthening Xu Zhi's power. This was, naturally, entirely beneficial.

"Immortality?"

"They can actually grant us eternal life? Does that mean even if our bodies die, we can still live?"

"Indeed, this mysterious place is connected to the 'Myriad Worlds' outside."

They were astonished.

Naturally, they knew about the planetary map previously revealed by Regnal.

"Power, ambition, transcendence, slaughter, beauty, courage... What do you pursue? Regardless of whether it's righteous, you need martial force to achieve it."

Xu Zhi finished speaking softly and said, "You may leave."

"Yes."

Everyone looked up at the elevated figure.

There was a subtle aura about him, or perhaps the oppressive feeling unique to powerful beings. His muscles seemed carved from white jade by knives and axes, perfect and streamlined.

A Ninth-level enlightened master, a grand martial artist.

A terrifying man capable of easily suppressing their leader, the most perfect, most powerful, and most valiant man.

As everyone watched with reverence, like subjects gazing upon an ancient monarch, the door closed behind him as he departed.

Xu Zhi waited until everyone had left before sitting on the throne, silently organizing his thoughts. With one hand propped on his chin, he slowly smoothed his magnificent martial arts robe. "Quantum martial arts can still be cultivated, but the Grand Universe Cultivation Method still has no effect on these life forms."

The Grand Universe Cultivation Method was based on a bloodline system and seemed ineffective for beings without bloodlines.

The core principle of the Grand Universe Cultivation Method was to imprint one's bloodline onto the constituent molecules and energy of a body, making them a part of one's own body.

"Your physical matter is, in essence, my physical matter."

"If this were in the previous universe, it would naturally work... because bloodlines existed in every part of the universe's matter – molecules, particles, energy... I would simply replace the universe's bloodline matter and imprint it as my own bloodline matter."

"But in this new era, the composition of matter no longer includes bloodlines... So, I have no way to imprint myself onto these entities without bloodlines." Xu Zhi mused, finding this a difficult problem.

But this didn't mean he could no longer 'steal' from them.

By using the "Myriad Worlds," he was now forming bloodline universes, each of which was essentially his own matter, a part of the Grand Universe Cultivation Method, already pilfering the Grand Universe's matter and energy.

In a sense, if there were enough Myriad Worlds, sooner or later, he could devour and dismember the "nine multi-universes," transforming them into countless trillions of fragmented small Myriad Worlds.

However, this process was too long. He wouldn't have time to fully absorb them before their guardian armies would come to eradicate him.

Just like cancer cells, the universe's self-protection mechanisms and inevitable grand trends wouldn't wait for him to spread throughout. They would clear out this anomaly.

In other words: they were the white blood cells, the main force of cosmic immunity, attacking viruses. They inherently could not become his cancer cells.

"However, my Grand Universe Cultivation Method still has its uses. My wisdom encompasses all ages... Ninth-level martial arts are becoming increasingly clear to me; they truly involve microscopic mechanics, controlling the body's particles," Xu Zhi murmured. "I wonder how far the geniuses of this era have progressed?"

"Are their derived Ninth-level concepts as clear as mine?"

"Can the heights of their martial arts bring me new insights?"

Currently, he had only defeated a Ninth-level practitioner from a remote region, who wasn't very strong; he was much more powerful than that individual.

Even frontline geniuses like Emperor Qi and the ancient immortal saints would emerge. They were unreasonable, and even with the Grand Universe Cultivation Method, he might not be guaranteed a steady victory against them.

"Indeed, even though I now possess the Grand Universe Cultivation Method and a wealth of wisdom and accumulated knowledge from the minds of geniuses, I still wouldn't dare guarantee a victory against Emperor Qi... and if other geniuses are comparable to Emperor Qi, I would also find it very challenging."

A faint smile appeared at the corner of Xu Zhi's lips. "This is good too... It is precisely their strength that will give this era more hope."

"Life has become a bit dull. I hope they grow stronger quickly so I can see just how powerful I truly am now..."

Xu Zhi leisurely stretched.

He stood up and went to the window of the main hall, looking down from the thirtieth floor at the bustling streets and city below, the entirety of the vast and immense Kingdom of Engel.

"The stronger they become, the better. It would be ideal if they could even defeat me, despite my Grand Universe Cultivation Method. As long as I absorb them into the Myriad Worlds, providing their ideas and knowledge to my Grand Universe Cultivation Method... it will only make me stronger."