After repeated confirmation, Caspian was finally certain.
His predecessor's great Universe Lord teacher had indeed fallen!
Moreover, Caspian discovered something even more troubling.
The great teacher that his predecessor had apprenticed to was named Ghost Nation Lord!
Upon realizing this, Caspian felt like the sky was collapsing!
Who didn't know the name of Ghost Nation Lord—the "Chief Debtor"?
Throughout endless years, Ghost Nation Lord had fallen three times, and each time he was resurrected by reversing time itself.
But the price of each resurrection was extremely steep.
Each time he died, a supreme treasure was lost. Even resurrection by the race demanded an enormous cost!
According to what was said in the original story, Ghost Nation Lord owed six Universe Venerables and his race.
In total, his debts amounted to 3.8 supreme treasure points.
3.8 points could be exchanged for two or three ordinary supreme treasures—an amount generally equal to the entire wealth of a Universe Overlord!
A High-Level Universe Venerable owing the wealth of a Universe Overlord—it was absurd!
Had Ghost not later clung to Auron, he likely wouldn't have been able to repay the debts even by the end of this reincarnation era!
Although Caspian was miserable, he was still better off than his teacher, Ghost Nation Lord.
Currently, he had no wealth, but at least he didn't owe anything!
Free from debt, life is light!
"Alas! My teacher is already a penniless ghost struggling to protect himself. It's unrealistic to rely on him for help!" Caspian sighed.
"Forget it, I'll just lie flat.
Since Auron hasn't risen yet, I'll scout the Ghost Universe Nation in advance. When Auron enters the universe, I'll latch onto him and wait for City Lord Auron to take me soaring!"
There's no shame in clinging to a strong backer!
Latching onto City Lord Auron was something countless beings dreamed of!
"If you latch onto the right person, you'll live a good life!"
"City Lord Auron will take me to explore the Origin Continent!"
Just as Caspian was indulging in sweet fantasies, a notification from his virtual universe assistant sounded.
"Ding-dong! You have a new email, please check it!"
"Who sent me an email?" Caspian wondered.
After falling, a person couldn't receive emails. Now that he had been resurrected, he guessed the email was from someone close to his predecessor.
He opened the mailbox without much concern.
Sure enough, there was a new email lying quietly inside.
Caspian casually opened it—and immediately, his expression darkened.
"Caspian: The race will charge 2 heavy treasure points for your resurrection this time. Please pay promptly!"
It was a debt collection email from the race!
"Damn it! Two heavy treasure points—that's equivalent to two ordinary heavy treasures! That's the entire wealth of an ordinary Venerable!
What am I going to use to pay it back?
Lie flat... definitely lie flat…"
Caspian decided to become a deadbeat, just like his teacher, Ghost Nation Lord.
Unlike other resurrected Kings who hurried away from Chaos City, Caspian remained quietly within its borders, cultivating bitterly.
Though he inherited his predecessor's body and strength, he still needed to sift through the memories to fully grasp all the law insights and ultimate techniques.
This was a complex process that couldn't be completed overnight.
Caspian wasn't worried—after all, an Undying God's lifespan was infinite, and no one was rushing him to leave.
His goals were twofold:Absorb and master all his predecessor's knowledge and strength.Wait for his teacher, Ghost Nation Lord, to be resurrected.Universe Venerables—especially High-Level ones like Ghost—were precious resources for the race.
Thus, their resurrections were prioritized.
Ghost Nation Lord, being both a High-Level Venerable and the ruler of a High-Level Universe Nation, would surely be resurrected before long.
Caspian waited in Chaos City, hopeful he could leave with Ghost once he revived.
Although Ghost was infamous for his debts, a lean camel is still bigger than a horse.
Even a fallen Universe Lord held valuable opportunities!
(Ghost Nation Lord: "I'm already this miserable, and someone still wants to loot my gold coins?")
Time passed slowly.
In the blink of an eye, a thousand years had gone by.
During these thousand years, with the terrifying deduction ability and formidable divine power of an Undying, Caspian finally absorbed all his predecessor's insights, techniques, and memories.
At last, he fully became the real "Blood Cloak Marquis" Caspian!
"When I entered Chaos City to cultivate, I chose the 'Nine Universe Chaos Tablet'," Caspian mused.
"From the start, I embarked on analyzing the essence of space."
He had gained recognition from the Space Laws as a World Lord.
Later, on the Extraterritorial Battlefield, he comprehended a sliver of the Beast God Realm, initiating his study of the Fire-Space Beast God Path.
Thus, his current realm was a Marquis-level Undying who specialized in Space Laws and followed the Fire-Space Beast God Path.
No wonder he had been resurrected!
In terms of secret techniques, Caspian mainly cultivated the "Star Prison Demon Code".
The Star Prison Demon Lord—one of humanity's top three Universe Overlords—also walked the Fire-Space Beast God Path, standing only half a step away from incarnating as a true Beast God!
The "Star Prison Demon Code" served as a supreme guide for this path.
In the Swallowed Star universe, law cultivation was divided into two orthodox factions:Space Faction: Space laws as superior; metal, wood, water, fire, and earth as inferior.Time Faction: Time laws as superior; lightning, wind, and light as inferior.Mastering Space Laws alone made a Space Venerable.
Mastering Time Laws alone made a Time Venerable.
Mastering both Time and Space made one a Universe Master—wielding ultimate powers like time-space reversal!
Additionally, the fusion law paths of the Eight Great Beast Gods offered another path.
Paths like Fire-Space, Metal-Space, and Lightning-Time—mastering these fusion laws could also lead to Universe Masterhood.
The "Star Prison Demon Code" wasn't just about comprehending laws—it also contained many combat and auxiliary secret techniques tailored to each stage of progress.
Among them:Divine Body Amplification Secret Technique: "Star Prison Demon Body"Ultimate Movement Technique: "Star River Line"Attack Secret Technique: "Starfall"As a top Overlord, the Star Prison Demon Lord didn't merely imitate the Beast Gods like Aladin.
Instead, he refined the Fire-Space Beast God Path to suit himself, aiming for a future beyond even born Beast Gods!
Thus, his secret techniques no longer bore Beast God names.
The "Star Prison Demon Body" had seven layers:First layer: 2× amplificationSecond layer: 4× amplificationThird layer: 8× amplification…Sixth layer: 64× amplificationSeventh layer: Reaching the universe's limit with 100× amplification!Currently, Caspian had only mastered the first layer, achieving a modest two times amplification.
"Star River Line" was a life-saving movement technique, critical for survival.
As for "Starfall", his predecessor hadn't learned it.
After becoming Undying, he had chosen to create his own secret sword technique—one powerful enough to shatter a star river.
However, the sword technique was incomplete at the time of death and would likely only reach true perfection once Caspian reached King level.
While Caspian familiarized himself with his situation, deep inside the City Lord's Mansion of Chaos City, in a magnificent hall, events were unfolding.
Under the reversal of time and space by the City Lord of Chaos City, a tall figure slowly walked out of the chaotic airflow.
His face first showed confusion, then reverence as he bowed deeply.
"Thank you, City Lord of Chaos City, for resurrecting me!"
The City Lord's booming voice echoed:
"Ghost, this is the third time you've been resurrected."
However, the City Lord's aura was far weaker now—resurrecting a High-Level Venerable like Ghost cost more than resurrecting a thousand Kings!
The City Lord couldn't help but feel helpless.
Humanity's 1008 Universe Nations had existed since ancient times, and each Nation Lord was a historic figure of immense status.
Yet Ghost, instead of managing his Nation responsibly, ran off to seize treasures on the Primitive Star, dying once—and then twice!
His debts ballooned.
The supreme treasures and heavy sets he borrowed were all lost.
A High-Level Venerable—turned Chief Debtor of Humanity!
The City Lord of Chaos City kindly advised:
"Ghost, pay off your debts first before risking adventures again! Don't borrow supreme treasures anymore!"
Ghost Nation Lord: "…"
After resurrection, Ghost stumbled out of the City Lord's Mansion, a heavy burden clouding his heart.
"The debt to the race I can delay… but those personal debts to old friends…"
Just thinking about them gave him a migraine.
Just then—
"Teacher! I missed you so much!"
A figure in a blood-colored robe suddenly appeared in front of him.
Ghost blinked—and recognized him immediately:
His long-dead disciple, Blood Cloak Marquis Caspian!
"Disciple! You have been resurrected too!"
Joy lit up Ghost's weary face.
Later that night, inside a building in Chaos City:
"Teacher, I lost all my heavy treasures and still owe the race 2 heavy treasure points!"
Caspian looked at Ghost Nation Lord expectantly.
Ghost sighed heavily:
"Disciple, I owe 4.1 supreme treasure points… I'm even worse off than you…"
Originally, he owed 3.8 points, and after endless years of repayments, it still climbed.
Master and disciple looked at each other, both on the verge of tears.
The mournful sound of an erhu playing "Erquan Reflecting the Moon" seemed to echo in the room…