Pursuit of the Truth

”You have to search for another clone soon. It does not matter whether it if from the four Great True Worlds or the fifth True World. There might not be many whose physical bodies can become those of Paragons, but it isn’t rare either.

”More accurately speaking, no one talks about anyone’s physical bodies having reached the level of World Paragons. In truth, you have not become a Lord of World Planes. It’s only that your physical body can now resist the divine abilities from the initial stage of World Plane Realms without being injured. You can also use the power of World Planes to make your Qi be as powerful as the divine abilities of World Paragons.

”You have to continue to use the Art of Swallowing Hollow Shadows Whole to devour other people’s power of World Planes. In fact, once you become slightly stronger, you can devour the Essence of a World from a planet.

”But this isn’t a long-term plan. A real World Paragon is someone who can obtain the acknowledgement of an Essence of the World. When he obtains the acknowledgment from ten thousand worlds, a wisp of Plane Kalpa’s essence would be born within him. This is the true Great Dao. Only when your cultivation base also reaches the level of World Paragons will you be able to head towards this great path.

”Your physical body is what will help you to walk even further down this road. When your cultivation base is also refined to the state of a World Paragon, then with the aid of your powerful physical body, you will be truly strong. It can be said that at that time, your foundation would become solid. As you accumulate your strength and let this power explode forth, you can become an incredibly strong warrior within whatever Realm you reach!” the Duke of Crimson Flame said in a low voice as he looked at Su Ming.

”I suggest that you Possess a cultivator with great talent as your clone. If you do that, you will not need another identity. You can also speed up your training by using the potential of the person you Possessed.

”Abyss Builders rely on their clones to train and grow stronger. The number of clones that each Abyss Builder can form is different. When the day comes that you reach the limit for the number of clones you can create and find your real body, you will be able to execute one of the strongest divine abilities among Abyss Builders… the Change of Abyss Builders.

”With this Art, all of your clones will fuse with your real body, and you will be able to bring forth your strongest combat prowess.

”In my memories, there weren’t many who could execute the Change of Abyss Builders among the Abyss Builders in the fifth True World, and there were also distinctions of strength between each caster. I’m not entirely certain of the details, since I’m not of their race.

”But I’ve heard of a rumor that the Sovereign of the fifth True World, who is also your people’s ancestor, could fight against one of the four True Progenitors from the four Great True Worlds that could already control fate, lives, and deaths and not be at a disadvantage once he gathered all his clones together and executed the Change of Abyss Builders. That was before he reached the Realm where he could control fate, lives, and deaths.

”When our Sovereign reached that Realm himself, he executed the Change of Abyss Builders once again and could win against the four Great True Progenitors alone while fighting against all of them!” When the Duke of Crimson Flame said those words, his tone was full of excitement. As a person of the fifth True World, he was clearly proud of the glory that his land had had in the past.

Su Ming looked at his own fist. As he slowly relaxed his fingers, he listened to the Duke of Crimson Flame’s excited voice and cast his gaze into the distant galaxy.

’The powerful Sovereign of the fifth True World and the ancestor of the Abyss Builders couldn’t protect his own home as well, so his people were nearly wiped out.

’Could there be a Realm that surpasses the state of controlling fate, lives, and deaths in this vast galaxy and can determine the lives of all the living? Can that power… kill those who can control fate, lives, and deaths..?’ Su Ming looked at the galaxy, and for some unknown reason, this thought appeared in his head.

’Compared to those people, I am still as weak as an ant.’ Su Ming fell silent.

After a moment, he asked in a low voice, ”How many clones did my ancestor have?”

”He had six great clones, and all of them were incredibly powerful,” the Duke of Crimson Flame immediately answered.

Su Ming did not speak anymore. He looked at the galaxy, and a powerful light gradually begun to shine in his eyes. An invisible, mighty pressure spread out from his body. The ripples coming from it meant that Su Ming’s heart was trembling violently at that moment.

’Even my powerful ancestor could not protect his people and his home… and there is a possibility that he has already died.

’The fifth True World has been reduced to a broken world, and countless of its people are suppressed and sealed.

’Just what reason could have caused the four Great True Worlds to work together and fight against the fifth True World..? What reason could have to pushed them to completely destroy the fifth True World… and by the looks of it, their main targets were the Abyss Builders.

’I’ve already had enough of being fate’s puppet. Di Tian controlled me in the past, that will from Yin Death Region is controlling me now, and perhaps in the future, there will be other people who will control my fate until… I die.

’I don’t want to be controlled anymore. I want to control my own fate. I want my will to not be affected by anything. I want the people I want to protect to forever be safe. I want to be strong!

’I have to become powerful. Only by making myself stronger endlessly and surpassing the level of my ancestor can I truly protect the people and the home I want kept safe. Only then… will I be able to be myself!’ The brilliant light in Su Ming’s eyes grew even brighter. Only after a long while did it gradually disappear, hidden in the depths of his heart, having become his desire.

”Let’s go. We’ll head to Black Ink Planet.” Su Ming averted his gaze from the galaxy above his head and sat down cross-legged.

The meteor hummed and charged towards the depths of the galaxy.

Several days later, Su Ming suddenly opened his eyes from his meditation. The Duke of Crimson Flame’s voice also reached his mind at that moment.

”Su Ming, there is someone who is coming towards us from up ahead. Judging by the looks of it, he doesn’t know where we are, but is just heading our way by pure coincidence.”

Su Ming did not speak. He cast a glance at the galaxy above him and closed his eyes once again. He was not a person who loved killing, and his personality was that if no one provoked him, he would not attack. However, if someone provoked him, then his callous personality would turn him into a cold-hearted person.

After the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a long arc charged forward. It closed in on the meteor where Su Ming was within an instant but did not stop. Instead, that long arc moved straight past his side. Within that long arc was a young man with long hair. He was dressed in a long purple robe. There was a picture of a dragon sewn on his robe with golden threads. That picture of the dragon looked like a word - Zhao.

Su Ming ignored that person. He continued meditating with his eyes closed, but soon, an incredibly arrogant divine sense swept past the area. Su Ming frowned, and the young man that was about to pass by the meteor swarm suddenly let out a light gasp and turned back. When he was moving at the same speed as the meteor, he looked towards Su Ming.

When he looked over, confusion appeared on his face. He then shook his head and swiftly left. He turned into a long arc and left the meteor’s side to charge into the distance. There was a hidden hint of excitement and wariness in his eyes. As he charged forward, he immediately brought out a jade slip.

’I actually ran into him!’

”He recognized you, and he’s about to crush a voice transferring jade slip so that others will know where you are.” The Duke of Crimson Flame’s voice travelled into Su Ming’s ears as he sat on the meteor.

”I know.” Su Ming opened his eyes. If the person had pretended to not recognize him but did not crush the jade slip, then Su Ming would have let it be, but since the other had decided to send word, it meant that he was seeking death.

”Earthen Script… become a Grave.” When Su Ming spoke lightly, his body faded away and he disappeared without a trace.

In the distance, at the instant the young man in purple robes was about to crush the jade slip, a sudden powerful sense of danger rose in his heart. His expression changed, and just as he was about to throw caution to the wind and crush that jade slip—

Bang!

A ball of muddled fog appeared around him. That fog instantly froze up, burying the young man within in itself. If anyone saw it from the above, they would clearly see that a tumulus that looked like earth had appeared on the spot where the young man was.

There were torn pieces of skin manifesting on that tumulus, and they gathered together to form a tombstone. The buried young man’s face was being drawn swiftly on that tombstone.

”Die,” a flat voice stated, echoing in the galaxy. Su Ming’s body reappeared on the meteor.

Time passed. In the blink of an eye, another month went by. A bloody presence surrounded a certain meteor, and it was covered in specks of blood. During the past half a month, Su Ming had run into four pursuers.

The first time, there had been two people. The second time, there were three people. The third time, there were six people. The fourth time, there were ten people.

Besides attacking the first two times, Su Ming avoided the other two battles. As he continuously pressed towards Black Ink Planet, he sensed an increasingly greater threat from the illusory projection.

He noticed that there were more glowing spots that were heading towards him from all directions.

”Duke of Crimson Flame, someone should have broken your Art that distorts time and space for seven days,” Su Ming stated calmly.

The Duke of Crimson Flame fell silent. He could also vaguely guess this, or else he could not explain why the number of people chasing after their lives kept increasing during the past month.

”If I was someone of the four Great True Worlds, then the first step I would do is to break the seven days Art. The second step would be… since they can activate this Rune, then it is only natural that they can shut it down as well. Since the enemy is using the Rune, I would shut it down and make it so that the enemy cannot continue using it.”

Su Ming sat on the meteor and looked at the faint ripples on the projection before him. An increasing amount of glowing spots flashed about, as if the Rune was no longer stable. He then said in a cold voice, ”After that, when the seven days Art was broken and the Rune was shut down, the True Guards from the four Great True Worlds will appear en masse, and if I were the True Guards, I would use the shortest amount of time possible to lock down the area and destroy the target.”

Right when Su Ming finished saying these words, the projection before him started shining even more brilliantly, then became dark and disappeared right away. But not a single hint of surprise could be seen on Su Ming’s face.

”Damn it! Damn you all, you despicable rascals!!” The bald crane was momentarily stunned before it immediately roared in rage.

”Little boy Su! It’s over! It’s all because of that mouth of yours, you jinxed it! Everything good you say never happens, and everything bad you say always happens! I… can’t sense that Divinity Incarceration Rune anymore! It’s been shut down! Damn it all, these people cut off my path to riches! How despicable! I’ll remember this! I’ll remember it! I’m a crane that holds grudges. Sooner or later, I’ll duke it out against all of you.”

The bald crane was filled with deep hatred and resentment. It was not experiencing heartache because of the Rune, but because after the Rune was shut down, it could no longer extort Su Ming. It could no longer make deals with him. After all, when that Rune was around, it was practically a golden goose…

Every single time Su Ming used it, he had to pay with crystals.

’A thousand World Stones, a cultivation planet that has been modified and possesses a complete Essence of a World. This will no longer tempt cultivators alone… but entire families!’ Su Ming looked at the disappeared projection, and killing intent appeared in his eyes.

He remembered the word ’Zhao’ that was sewn on the purple robes on that young man whom he had killed a few days ago.

”Due to the unique conditions in the Barren Lands of Divine Essence, the criminals from the four Great True Worlds live and give birth to their offspring here. Over the years, forces of power that are formed from familial connections will naturally appear. To these families, the temptation of a cultivation planet that has been modified will surpass a World Stone.

”The four Great True Worlds and the pursuers, since all of you insist on killing me, then don’t blame me… for stepping up and playing big!” A cold smirk appeared on Su Ming’s lips, and a freezing glare shone in his eyes as he stood up.

”Bald crane, do you want to take revenge on the four Great True Worlds?” Su Ming asked as he looked at the bird.

The bald crane was livid with rage and its heart was aching at that moment. When it heard Su Ming’s question, it immediately nodded fiercely, gnashing its teeth in hatred.