"Host, drop your blood on it," Queen's voice echoed softly.
"Since it's granted by the system, the scroll will instantly recognize you as its master once it accepts your blood."
Rei Lin gave a small nod, understanding.
Without hesitation, he reached to the side, grabbing the thin utility knife he kept for quick crafting or cooking. He winced slightly as he sliced across the tip of his finger, crimson welling up instantly. Holding the scroll in one hand, he let a single drop of blood fall onto its surface.
The moment it touched the scroll — the reaction was instant.
WHOOM!
A golden ripple surged across the surface like a shockwave. The scroll trembled in his hand, then slowly unfurled by itself — not outward like before, but upward.
A dazzling 3D projection formed above the scroll — a towering, inverted pyramid made of light and runes, suspended in the air like a divine artifact.
There were nine tiers, each one stacked above the last, floating in reverse order — with the smallest point at the bottom glowing brightly.
Only the lowest tier was lit.
It shone in soft blue light, and within it, Rei Lin could see a vast continent, boundless mountain ranges, and swirling oceans of Origin Qi — the Human World.
"This is it…" he whispered.
"This is just the lowest tier… and it's already ten times bigger than Earth. Just how massive are the other worlds above it?"
His heart pounded.
If this was only the beginning — if this was just the foundation — then the other eight realms… they must be beyond comprehension.
Each world was locked behind a seal.
Each one… waiting for his strength to catch up.
The holographic pyramid vanished, but a stream of light remained. It surged into Rei Lin's mind — not aggressively, but like a gentle current. Knowledge flowed into him, whispering of rules, secrets, and limitations.
He saw it all.
A realm hidden from the world. A sanctuary that did not exist in space or time. Suspended quietly in the void, untouched by mortals or gods.
His vision blurred—and when it cleared, he was standing inside the first world.
A soft breeze brushed against his face. He found himself on a vast green grassland, stretching endlessly in all directions. Not far ahead stood a modest wooden hut, simple and serene. Its roof was tiled, its door slightly ajar, and yet it radiated a strange comfort, like a home untouched by war or worldly concerns.
He looked around.
To the north, he saw shimmering ice plains.
To the south, towering black mountains.
To the east, golden sand dunes of an endless desert.
And to the west, waves of crimson fire — an ocean of flames swaying like a mirage.
"Seems like each direction represents an element…" Rei Lin muttered thoughtfully. "So rich... the natural energy is even beyond the best."
He exhaled, awe in his voice.
"This isn't just a space. This is a full world, no — more like a divine domain. Here… I can play god. I can build cities. I can shape mountains. I can summon storms if I want."
His heart burned with possibility.
But then he remembered the limitations. The scroll had whispered them to him.
"I can't bring anyone stronger than me here," Rei Lin muttered. "The world rejects anything more powerful than my soul foundation. Anyone weaker than me… they can exist inside freely. But if someone stronger enters… they'll break it."
That was the terrifying balance.
The Nine Heavens Painting was invincible to the outside world — no one could scan it, break it, or steal it. But inside, if Rei Lin allowed someone more powerful than him… the internal world would be at risk. Even a child stronger than him could collapse it from within.
"Wait... Cultivation Online's world is real, right?" Rei Lin muttered, a sudden realization hitting him. "Then… does that mean I could bring people from there to Earth through this?"
His heart pounded with excitement. If that was true — he could bring beings from Cultivation Online to Earth through the Nine Heavens Painting — the possibilities were endless.
"I really want to test this..."
He took a deep breath.
The Qi here was incredible. Richer than anywhere else he'd ever been — purer, denser, and more primal.
"Damn… this Qi is on another level," he exhaled slowly. It felt like he had been breathing smoke all his life — and only now was he tasting real air. "If I cultivate here, my speed will skyrocket — easily a 10,000% boost compared to the outside."
The thought alone made him clench his fists with anticipation.
But he didn't rush.
This treasure — this world — couldn't be wasted on blind excitement. He needed to understand it better first. As much as he wanted to test if Cultivation Online entities could enter, caution came first.
With a thought, Rei Lin exited the inner world.
The scroll hovered for a moment in front of him, glowing faintly, before folding itself up and vanishing into a crystal-like mark in his soul. The Nine Heavens Painting was soul-bound — it could be stored inside his spiritual sea, ready to be summoned at any moment.
Rei Lin nodded to himself and leaned back on the sofa, picking up the plate of food beside him. He began to eat casually, one hand holding his chopsticks while the other scrolled through the Cultivation Online forums on his phone.
"Hmm… Yuan?" he muttered, his brows raising. "This guy is trending really big"
He clicked the top thread and skimmed through the comments.
[Heaven-grade cultivation technique… Divine-grade Servant… and even a soul-bound weapon?!]
Rei Lin blinked. "What the hell? That's insane."
He tapped into another post that detailed Yuan's journey — not much is shown as most of it is just an speculation but someone saw him in beast tide.
"Did he also get a system like me…?" Rei Lin thought aloud. It was the only explanation that made sense. No one could rise this fast without some serious cheat — They should have an cheat like him.
"I wonder if I can meet him someday…"
He smirked, curiosity mixing with a hint of competitiveness.
"Would be fun to see how my Primordial Elephant Hell-Suppressing Art stacks up against whatever he's using."
Finishing the last bite of his food, Rei Lin stood up and stretched. His gaze flicked toward the VR headset nearby, pulsing faintly in standby mode.
"Alright," he muttered, cracking his neck with a grin. "Let's get back to work."
Moments later, he slipped the headset — and logged back into Cultivation Online.