The Void Emperor was not one who got shocked easily. In the universe, where stars were born and destroyed in the span of a breath and where sects wielded enough power to alter cosmic tides, true surprises were rare. Yet the moment his eyes passed over the first portion of Sylas' report, his normally unshakable composure wavered.
The Origin Ink.
His gaze sharpened, reading the same paragraph three times to ensure he hadn't misunderstood. Each word confirmed what his mind refused to accept.
Even among the vast universe, divine formations required divine essence crystals, crystals painstakingly created by infusing mana crystals with divine essence. These formations could never be powered by natural essence crystals, because divine concepts were artificial constructs. They were higher-tier amalgamations of arcane concepts, but never natural. Thus, no one could ever use naturally occurring essence to fuel them, even if they discovered a world rich with elemental crystals.
This limitation had governed resource flow for countless eras. Divine formations remained the exclusive domain of those who could afford the astronomical cost of divine essence crystals. Entire galaxies bankrupted themselves acquiring enough for a single large-scale formation.
But now Sylas reported that this Origin Ink, something created inside a backwater galaxy, allowed pure mana, the most basic and abundant energy in the universe, to act as a universal fuel source. If this ink could convert mana into any essence according to the concept etched into the formation, then in theory…
"…a divine concept could be inscribed directly into a formation," the Void Emperor muttered, "and the formation would then convert mana into divine essence."
His words echoed softly within the chamber, though the implications thundered across his mind.
The projection flickered as data streams flowed past, images of formations powered by simple mana crystals, warriors wielding multiple essence types without corresponding seeds, and an entire galaxy restructured around this impossible ink.
If such a thing was possible, then any sect possessing this ink, which basically meant unlimited divine essence, would stand unrivaled. Resource bottlenecks, limitations that had shaped the structure of the universe for billions of years, would be smashed in a single stroke.
The Void Emperor's hand clenched slowly. If pure mana could be converted into any essence whatsoever… It would ignite the greatest war the universe had ever seen.
Even Primal Beings would covet it. Even the oldest forces lurking beyond time would intervene. Something like this could not simply shake the universe; it could destroy it. Every alliance would fracture, every treaty would burn. The delicate balance maintained across billions of years would collapse overnight.
And the Origin Empire sat at the centre of it all.
For the first time in billions of years, the Void Emperor felt a genuine chill. No wonder Sylas marked the report as confidential.
"Lyria," he said quietly, "has anyone else accessed this report?"
"No, Master. Sylas encrypted it specifically for you. The transmission bypassed all standard channels."
"Good."
The Void Emperor exhaled slowly, void essence rippling outward in waves. He needed to understand the full scope before making any decisions. Wars had started over far less. If word of this ink spread beyond his control…
He continued reading, wanting to understand how the Origin Empire discovered something so unreasonable. His eyes scanned through descriptions of Adrian Blackwood's rapid ascension, the fall of the Demon Emperor, the restructuring of the Milky Way's power hierarchy.
But as he kept reading, his senses came to a halt.
The projection froze mid-scroll. He saw the words, "100% Authority."
For three full seconds, the Void Emperor simply stared.
Then he read it again.
Then once more, slower, parsing every character.
"How?" he whispered, stunned into silence, "How is that even possible?"
His hand moved toward the projection, fingers trembling, an impossible sight for a being of his stature. He touched the glowing text as if physical contact might reveal some hidden error, some misinterpretation by Sylas.
But the words remained unchanged.
Subject demonstrated complete reality override. Demon Emperor's self-detonation sequence nullified through absolute authority assertion. Estimated authority percentage: 100%.
Every being in the universe sought this exact unreachable state. Entire sects existed solely to pursue the theory that absolute authority was the key to transcendence, the ultimate realm beyond Rule, Astral, and Divine. A realm no one had ever reached. A realm most believed was nothing more than philosophical fantasy.
The Void Emperor himself had spent eons studying the nature of authority, pushing his own divine concept to its absolute limits. At his peak, he commanded roughly ninety-seven percent authority within his specialised domain. That achievement alone placed him among the strongest beings in the universe.
But despite billions of years of research, despite the greatest minds of all ages dedicating their lives to the study of rules, the truth remained: No one had ever claimed 100% authority over reality.
No one.
It was fundamentally impossible because of Prime Arcane Concepts. Certain arcane concepts like Devour, Fate, Time, Void, Space, were monstrous and powerful, yes. But they were not the true limits of reality. There existed deeper, and unfathomably vast concepts, known only to some top entities: Infinity, Mana, Nothingness, Existence… and many others lost to time.
These were the Prime Arcane Concepts, the true foundational pillars of the universe. Divine concepts, no matter how profound, could not surpass them. One could neither comprehend them fully nor dominate them entirely. They were infinite in scope and depth, woven into the fabric of existence itself.
Thus, the logic followed: If no divine concept could overpower these Prime Arcane Concepts, then no being could ever reach 100% authority. The Prime Concepts would always retain their share, always resist complete subjugation. Therefore, transcendence was unattainable.
Countless cultivators had destroyed themselves chasing it.
The Void Emperor's breathing slowed as memories surfaced, discussions, debates that spanned millennia, theories proposed and discarded across countless eras.
But now…
A young being from a sealed galaxy had achieved exactly that.
The Void Emperor calmed himself and kept reading the report, piecing together clues.
"An Energy Body Art… that white-grey form…"
He tapped the report thoughtfully, eyes narrowing as he studied the visuals Sylas had included. The image showed a humanoid silhouette composed entirely of radiant white-grey essence, features dissolved into pure concept, presence overwhelming enough to make reality itself tremble.
"Is this boy's concept one of the Prime Arcane Concepts? And did he multiply its influence with an energy body technique?"
The question hung in the silence.
Energy Body Arts existed across the universe. High-Level technique, dangerous beyond measure, practiced only by the desperate or the suicidal. Transforming one's entire being into pure energy of their concept granted overwhelming influence and power temporarily, but at enormous cost. The body became a conduit, channeling conceptual authority far beyond normal limits.
Most practitioners avoided them unless facing death. The drawbacks were severe: mental exhaustion that could last years, conceptual backlash that shredded the soul, prolonged weakness leaving one vulnerable to enemies. Some never recovered at all, their minds shattered by the strain of becoming their concept incarnate.
And if someone awakened a Prime Arcane Concept, even if only at its most infant stage, and then amplified it with such a technique… It was possible. This theory had existed for eons, debated in the highest circles, dismissed by most as impractical fantasy. Prime Arcane Concepts itself was too vast, too incomprehensible. Even touching one required extreme luck. And actually wielding one through an Energy Body Art? The mental fortitude alone would crush lesser beings. But still, this had a little possibility.
As he was thinking this, the report again shattered his thoughts. The report stated that, just with the domain, the boy was able to take control of the entire authority over reality's rules; there existed no third portion that usually existed...
"Just with the domain and no energy form...", he just came up with an explanation, but now this shattered it.
"Then is that concept omnipotent?" The Void Emperor shuddered, thinking this. He continued reading it.
The subject's domain could take over the complete authority from reality, but it could not take over complete dominance. The Demon Emperor's divine concept could stand against it and claim some authority.
Sylas even wrote that Adrian was left severely weakened, confirming that other divine concepts could stand against his arcane concept and claim authority under normal circumstances. His "absolute authority" was only temporary with the energy form boosting it, but this was extremely costly.
This report confirmed that even though the boy wielded a concept like this, he, himself, was weak, and his concept was not omnipotent.
His domain was tiny, his mana reserves were small, drained completely by a single full-power engagement. And his willforce was underdeveloped, leaving him nearly unconscious after commanding absolute authority for mere seconds.
The Void Emperor understood it now more clearly, "So the concept that boy wielded, whatever it was, must be a Prime Arcane Concept, and a rare, powerful one even among the prime ones, but it was still in an infant stage."
Still…The potential was terrifying.
Right now, Adrian was too weak. He struggled even against a Middle Rule Stage being who merely wielded a Mid-tier divine concept. Against an Astral Stage being, someone who had refined their divine concept across millennia, who had higher authority than the demon emperor, the boy would likely fall.
The Astral Stage being's divine concept could push the boy's arcane concept further, and could claim more authority. And even if the boy used that energy form, his small mana pool would run dry before he could finish the fight. His limited domain would be crushed.
But in the future…
If his comprehension deepened, if his mana sea expanded, if his Willforce matured into something capable of sustaining prolonged absolute authority.
"This boy might become one of the mightiest beings in the universe," The Void Emperor found himself considering something unthinkable.
Considering all this, for a moment, he genuinely contemplated accepting Adrian as his personal disciple.
The thought alone carried weight. He had never taken a personal disciple, not once in billions of years. Countless prodigies had begged for his guidance. Sect leaders had offered entire galaxies as tribute for a single conversation. He had refused them all.
But this…
He quickly dismissed the idea.
If he did that now, before Adrian even reached the Astral Stage, every major sect in the universe would fix their eyes on him. The Void Emperor accepting a mere Rule Stage cultivator, or worse, someone still considered mortal by universal standards, as his personal disciple would be shattering news. It would bring too much focus on Adrian, too much danger, too many enemies who would rather destroy a future threat than allow it to mature.
No.
But if he let Adrian enter the Void Sect as a normal disciple, treated no differently than any other talented newcomer, and then waited until Adrian grew strong enough to reveal his potential naturally…
Then the universe would not pay too much attention.
By the time the great powers noticed, Adrian would already stand among them, strong enough to defend himself, backed by the Void Sect's full resources and protection. The revelation would come as a shock, yes, but one they could no longer prevent.
And by the time they noticed, it would already be too late.
With this in mind, he continued scanning the report until his eyes landed on a particular name.
Planet Earth.
He stiffened.
A long-forgotten memory resurfaced, despite the eons that had passed. A conversation in a garden that no longer existed, beneath stars that had long since died. A friend's voice, warm and certain, speaking of home.
"Earth…?"
He remembered it. Shiva had mentioned this planet. His oldest friend, a mysterious figure even he could never fully understand. A being who had guided him when he was nothing, helped him rise from obscurity to power, and finally entrusted him with a promise before vanishing into the void. "Protect my home galaxy."
After leaving those words, Shiva disappeared, never to be seen again.
And now, a prodigy wielding a Prime Arcane Concept had appeared from Shiva's birth planet.
The Void Emperor's fingers curled slowly, "…That planet doesn't seem to be normal."
But he did not wish to disturb the place his friend once called home. Shiva had never explained why the Milky Way mattered, never revealed what secrets Earth held. He had simply asked, and the Void Emperor had agreed, sealing the entire galaxy behind barriers that most couldn't easily breach.
For billions of years, he had honoured that promise without question.
"Shiva… did you foresee this?" he whispered, "Is this the reason?"
Had his friend known? Had Shiva seen, across the vast currents of fate, that Earth would one day birth someone capable of challenging the universe's order? Was that why he asked for protection, ensuring the galaxy remained isolated until this moment arrived?
He shook his head gently, refusing to let sentiment cloud his judgement.
Speculation served no purpose. Shiva was gone. The only truth that mattered was what stood before him now: a young cultivator from Earth wielding a Prime Arcane Concept, and an ink that could reshape the universe's power structure.
Both required his direct attention. "Lyria," he said at last.
The blue sphere brightened, pulsing with attentive energy, "Yes, Master?"
"Send a message to Sylas. Tell him to open the path."
"Understood."
The sphere dimmed slightly as Lyria began composing the transmission that would traverse the impossible distance between galaxies.
The Void Emperor narrowed his eyes thoughtfully, I will meet this Adrian… and witness this arcane concept with my own eyes.
Even he was curious to see what kind of Prime Arcane Concept could take every authority from reality, even at such a low level...
If the boy proved worthy, if his potential was genuine and not some cosmic fluke, then the Void Sect would gain a disciple whose future might eclipse most prodigies in the universe.
If he joins the Void Sect, and once he becomes powerful enough, with both of our strengths, even revealing this Ink would not be a big deal.
Together, they could weather the storm that would inevitably come. The Void Emperor smiled faintly, a rare expression that held neither warmth nor cruelty.
The path to the universe would soon open in the Milky Way Galaxy.