Chapter 1468: From Never Ending

Xu Zhi frowned slightly. "In fact, if it were me, and I had attained the Eleventh-Tier through normal means instead of being infected by the Great Universe, I would most likely do the same... leave the Great Universe.

"Because if I were to stay here for billions of years, I would be bored to the point of collapse. Rather than adhering to convention here, it would be better to search for what might exist beyond..."

Both of these Eleventh-Tier deductions are plausible. In Xu Zhi's eyes, the probability was fifty-fifty, and the two theories weren't even mutually exclusive. If this was the first cosmic epoch, the first deduction would apply; if it wasn't, then the second would.

In any case, regardless of which was true, prehistoric existences couldn't possibly remain. Just like the Longevity Realm, even if seemingly invincible, with the passage of time, it wouldn't be able to remain eternally supreme. Everything would fall; nothing could last forever or remain perpetually dominant. This was the predetermined cosmic trend, an unseen certainty. Even an Eleventh-Tier being would follow their best future path, unable to remain eternally supreme.

"Now, it seems the last piece of the cosmic mystery has been completely filled in. It's too perfect..."

Xu Zhi's expression grew strange, and he chuckled softly: "Thinking back to my previous speculation, I'm increasingly convinced that 'It' is indeed like a life form: growing, developing, maturing, and then giving birth to ten lives... which then branch out and scatter like spores, drifting into the distance. At a certain time, or in the void of a certain place, these singular lives would encounter scattered matter, collapse and absorb it, and grow into a new Great Universe?"

Xu Zhi felt this was an infinite cycle of reincarnation. A perfect cosmic ecological system. Other singularities outside the universe... might be the universe's singularity infants, taken there to absorb and collapse the matter and energy in that void, condensing it into a universe. Everyone is a part of nature.

"How tragic it is," Xu Zhi's lips curled into a cold, indifferent smile, "that an Eleventh-Tier singular life, seemingly transcending the cosmic trend, surpassing the universe, and becoming truth itself..."

The surroundings were quiet. Time passed minute by minute, yet it felt as if it had never moved.

"But have they truly transcended? They haven't fundamentally transcended the cosmic trend, because the trend is 'growth.' Perhaps they are merely emotionless tools for procreation and proliferation, like 'spores' scattered by a 'mushroom' into the outside."

Xu Zhi found the thought terrifying upon closer inspection. What is transcendence? What is a false path? What is truth? You might think you've transcended everything, shed false paths, and achieved truth, yet you remain shrouded in an unknown cosmic trend, unknowingly following it, branching out and proliferating...

Beyond one circle, there is another outside of the void. This, perhaps, was another kind of sorrow.

"Others cannot deduce this, but I, already an unprecedented Twelfth-Tier being, can see this terrifying secret that would horrify and shatter the dao hearts of all 'Eleventh-Tier' beings."

"Well, well, the last shred of mystery is clear now. Eleventh-Tier beings either don't exist, or if they do, they leave their 'mother' to branch out and proliferate."

"In any case, what mysteries lie in the next 'circle' for these Eleventh-Tier beings within the endless void, what will they encounter? What does that have to do with me? I have already jumped out of the cosmic trend; I am no longer in this cycle. They are still trapped within the trend, branching out and proliferating... While I don't know the specifics, I can study it slowly when the time comes."

Xu Zhi put his hands behind his back and gazed at the Great Universe in the sky. He smiled slightly, then reached out and gently made a grabbing motion towards the sky, as if to hold the entire spherical Great Universe in his hand.

"The universe is truly wondrous."

He simply watched the distant Great Universe in silence. The enormous, vast, spherical entity was his own body, yet Xu Zhi still felt no different from himself. This was because he had sealed away 99.99...99% of his power, making it impossible for him to experience its true beauty and might, though doing so would mean death.

A long silence followed.

"Ultimately, humans cannot become nature, the unconscious 'Heaven.' To have no self is the most terrifying transcendence of all ages."

Xu Zhi abruptly turned into sand, vanishing from his spot. He then chuckled lightly and clearly, "Ten days have passed. It's time to confer the Holy Positions and establish the Ten Seats of the Great Dao."

Outside the palace, powerful beings slowly entered one by one. Over a thousand years, they had already deduced certain possibilities, which now awaited practical application.

Meanwhile, on the distant bluestone plaza, the Three Pillar Gods sighed with emotion. "Alas, this is not yet our era," they lamented, their eyes filled with envy as they watched the powerful individuals enter. They were not yet Eleventh-Tier, remaining Tenth-Tier Sages. Those who had jointly fought against Emperorzun were Spirit Eleventh-Tier, or even pseudo-Twelfth-Tier in spirit, their realms far surpassing them. There was nothing that could be done about it. They were still too young. The two sides belonged to different eras; those entering were peak overlords from the prehistoric cosmic age.

"What is there to fear?" Medusa said, her gaze indifferent as she watched the powerful beings enter. "Let them be arrogant for a while. We are still growing; we are the reserves for the second-generation seats. In the future, I can take their place and push them all off their pedestals!"

With a rustle, the ancient existences on the distant plaza had already entered, preparing to present their plans for the future, to become the first cornerstones of the new great era, and to contend for the Eleventh-Tier Great Dao seats.

The Three Pillar Gods watched from afar, also filled with envy. They knew that the current protagonists were those entering, and they, as young ones, could only observe the ceremony. They couldn't help but say longingly, "Indeed, no seat is eternal. It is held by those who are virtuous. Once we have grown for a while, we will surely be stronger than them."

"Mere Insecta Overlords, historical heroes, and Zhizhu... they've simply lived longer," Emperor Qi said coldly, still arrogant.

"Exactly! They're all prehistoric old gourds! Wrinkled and won't make a fuss for long! They'll be squeezed dry and utterly rot away!"

Qiu Mingshan Cheshu chuckled, making a curious analogy. With a knowing look, he said, "You are the second generation, we are the third. After your second generation rises, in a while, the seats of Great Dao Truth in the future universe will be contended for by our third generation."

Beside him, Mengmei's face darkened, and she snickered, "Those few great figures might indeed succeed, after all, they're only a little over ten thousand years old. But for you, fellow, to become the third generation..."

How many years would it take for you to reach that peak? You're talking about a third generation... that's thinking a bit too far ahead!

"Hmph! A new era is developing, and the future cosmic trend will certainly still be in the hands of our Buddhist-Daoist system."

Qiu Mingshan Cheshu snorted coldly but was optimistic, laughing heartily with joy:

"Renimansga, Moon God Season, and the Super Ancient God—these three giants will still contend in the future, continuously opening new eras. What's being discussed now are the 'Ten Cosmic Seats,' but beyond the Ten Great Universes, there are countless scattered myriad worlds, floating sparsely. We belong to one of these myriad worlds, and we will surely achieve even greater glory!"

Qiu Mingshan Cheshu believed this was not an end, but the beginning of a new cosmic era. It was a new beginning for the players, marking the unveiling of a new transcendent sandbox world system.

"Wait a minute, I almost fell for your trick! How dare you talk about me as if you can reach the top yourself?" Qiu Mingshan Cheshu suddenly looked at Mengmei, instantly furious.

Mengmei's eyes immediately widened. "Why can't I? I'm going to be the extraordinary woman who becomes Emperorzun's mother!"

Qiu Mingshan Cheshu was completely stunned. This person actually wanted to be Emperorzun's mother? To make Emperorzun call her "Mom"? What an ambition!

"Hmph, I think I'm very hopeful now."

Mengmei's eyes sparkled with excitement, and she couldn't help but say with longing, "I just met His Royal Highness the Creator God at the Heavenly Sound Sect. I've completely recovered my intelligence, and as the universe's ultimate existence, I am his subordinate. We've just become closer, even sitting down for tea and discussing the new universe's 'greening' with me."

Qiu Mingshan Cheshu was utterly dumbfounded. Had Mengmei's efforts finally started to show results?

"By the way, where is Caroline?" Phoenix Daoist, usually reserved, suddenly asked softly.

"She supposedly went to find the Super Ancient God," the Three Pillar Gods replied, their expressions suddenly calm as they looked into the distance. "Even though this overlord has revealed his true realm, she still hopes to join him and forge a new future."

The three Super Ancient Gods clearly had no intention of leading the new cosmic trend. They continued to develop in the direction of the myriad worlds, maintaining their previous low-key and mysterious style.

"Caroline is usually incredibly bold, but facing that existence, her courage falls short. Otherwise, things would have already happened," Emperor Qi said with a light shake of his head and a chuckle, glancing at Mengmei as if to say, 'You're the same.'

Mengmei immediately bristled with indignation.

Emperor Qi then turned to Ru Yun beside him and said gently, "Empress, a new era has begun..."

"Indeed," Ru Yun chuckled softly, "it seems the last few lonely individuals from our generation are all about to achieve enlightenment."

"Yes, only a few people left without a destination," said Balloonfish and Du Xue, smiling from a distance. The familiar faces around them filled them with immense emotion.

"If our generation is the third, there's almost a fourth generation now; Ermin is close to giving birth... We've grown old too; our hearts should settle down," the Alchemy Emperor said, laughing heartily.

Amidst the familiar faces, Ermin gently held Mengmei's hand, as kindly as ever. "Don't jump around all day. You must work hard."

*Thud, thud, thud.* As they watched from the sidelines, their gaze suddenly shifted to the distance. "It's about to begin! The one-hundred-million-year plan for the future of the universe, establishing its foundational cornerstones and orthodoxies! Let us witness the future together!"

Under their gaze, ancient, prehistoric beings slowly entered the palace one by one. Tuxin, the Insecta Overlords of various generations, Zhizhu—each an unimaginably powerful existence—slowly walked into the grand hall, bathed in the light of the morning sun.

Everyone wore a smile. They all knew that this had transcended reincarnation and would mark an unprecedented beginning for the universe.