"Senior Brother," Darkness Master said.
"Junior Brother," Primal Chaos City Lord said.
These two Fifth-rank Universe Masters had clear differences. When Primal Chaos City Lord sat there, that area became endlessly harmonious, open, and peaceful!
However, the area where Darkness Master was located was filled with endless darkness and malevolence, making one tremble.
The two exuded completely opposing auras, yet neither was inferior to the other.
"He can teach two Disciples, both Fifth-rank Universe Masters, with such vastly different styles."
Ender secretly thought, "Ancestor Yuan is truly impressive in teaching Disciples..."
"Junior Brother, is this your Disciple Void River?"
Darkness Master, who was in the darkness, had taken his seat and looked at Ender, praising, "His will is excellent."
As Darkness Master looked at Ender, it was as if a malevolent song echoed continuously in his mind, making him involuntarily affected.
If "Illusion Flow" was about subtly infiltrating and drawing others into illusions, then Darkness Master made no attempt to conceal it.
Everyone knew of his invisible influence, but it was very difficult to break free!
"What a bizarre Soul attack method..."
Although Ender was unaffected, he could confirm that Darkness Master's Soul attack method was far more powerful than Banff Master's.
"Void River, greet your Senior Martial Uncle," Ice Summit Master's voice rang out.
"Greetings, Senior Martial Uncle," Ender said.
"I heard that you Cultivated for hundreds of thousands of years and already possessed Heaven-Defying Top-tier Universe Overlord strength."
Darkness Master nodded slightly. "Now that you've Breakthrough to become a Universe Master, your strength should rank among the Third-rank. You are indeed Junior Brother's most outstanding Disciple throughout the endless years."
"Disciple only had a Heaven-Defying Opportunity," Ender said humbly.
"Heh, Opportunity is also part of one's strength."
Darkness Master turned to You Hou Master. "Not just Opportunity, in many things, you are far stronger than your Senior Brother."
You Hou Master smiled awkwardly. Just as his teacher said, Ender's Opportunity, talent, and Comprehension Ability seemed to be beyond anything he could compare to.
"Good."
Primal Chaos City Lord swept his gaze around. "Currently, all six Universe Masters of my Virtual Universe lineage are gathered."
Immediately, Long Xing Lord, Ice Summit Master, Darkness Master, You Hou Master, and Ender all looked over, listening to Primal Chaos City Lord speak.
In the current Virtual Universe Company lineage, Primal Chaos City Lord, as Ancestor Yuan's first Disciple, was naturally the leader.
"The birth of another Universe Master is a blessing for my Virtual Universe lineage, and also a blessing for our Human Race."
Primal Chaos City Lord smiled. "In terms of survival and self-preservation, Void River should be comparable to some Fifth-rank Universe Masters."
"Oh?" Darkness Master looked over upon hearing this.
Ice Summit Master merely nodded slightly and did nothing else.
"Really?"
You Hou Master and Long Xing Lord were both surprised.
"You all know that Void River had a Heaven-Defying Opportunity. Not only is his life gene level extremely high, but he also possesses the ability of a Clone."
Primal Chaos City Lord stated directly, "Void River's Gu Yu Ancient Tree Clone has a divine body tens of millions of kilometers tall."
"Tens of millions of kilometers?"
Darkness Master, Long Xing Lord, and You Hou Master looked at Ender.
"Void River, the Gu Yu Ancient Tree you self-destructed in the Extraterritorial Battlefield's Great Battle... was it a divided avatar?"
You Hou Master couldn't help but ask, "According to Senior Martial Uncle, that divided avatar of yours should have been hundreds of thousands of kilometers tall, right?"
"It was indeed a divided avatar, but only a portion of the divine body of the self-destructed divided avatar."
Ender smiled and explained, "If I had self-destructed the entire divided avatar at that time, I wouldn't have been sure of surviving under that self-destruction power."
Upon hearing this, You Hou Master couldn't help but nod in agreement.
He was also present at that battle and naturally knew the power when Ender self-destructed a portion of his divided avatar's divine body, which directly annihilated and severely wounded several Universe Overlords from the three races.
"With a Clone whose divine body reaches tens of millions of kilometers in height, his self-preservation ability can indeed rival some Fifth-rank Universe Masters," Long Xing Lord also nodded.
Although some Fifth-rank Universe Masters' strength could rank at the Fifth-rank, their divine bodies were not large due to not reaching Perfect Gene, and if they also lacked the ability of a Clone, their self-preservation ability might even be inferior to Ender's.
Considering that Ender had the strength to directly fight Banff Master for a long time even before becoming a Universe Master.
Now that he had become a Universe Master, relying on his extremely high life gene level and his massive divine body Clone reaching tens of millions of kilometers, he could already rank among Third-rank Universe Masters.
"Among the Universe Masters of my Virtual Universe lineage, you are the weakest," Darkness Master stared at his Disciple.
"Yes, Teacher."
You Hou Master respectfully nodded. With his strength being what it was, he couldn't argue.
Ice Summit Master suddenly spoke, "The highest-level meeting of our Human Race is about to begin. Void River, do you plan to change your Universe Master title?"
Upon hearing this, Ender murmured, "Universe Master title..."
"Titles often have special meanings. Like your teacher's title, it comes from an Arcana Treasure."
Primal Chaos City Lord said, "And I, entrusted by my teacher to guard Primal Chaos City, in order to always remember my teacher's entrustment, I changed my name to 'Primal Chaos City Lord'."
Ender nodded; he understood all of this.
When some Universe Masters were weak, they dared not take on overly Heaven-Defying titles, as this would invite contempt from other existences.
Moreover, as one's strength changed, so would their ambitions and goals, and changing Universe titles was common.
"My title, huh..." Ender murmured.
Some strong individuals take their titles from the weapons they are skilled with.
Others commemorate their hometowns or a certain obsession in their hearts.
Still others are purely based on ambitions.
If it were his obsession, it would be to return to his hometown without restraint, and to explore the source of his Legacy and memory issues in the Universe Ocean.
For the former, now that he had become a Universe Master, he could ignore the assassinations of the three races and return as he pleased.
As for the latter, it was still too distant, because with his current strength, he was not yet sufficient to deeply explore the three Dangerous Lands.
Ender's current achievements were all thanks to the "Nine Revolutions Yuan Heavy Body Refining Method" Legacy secret technique.
Furthermore, "Yuan Heavy Ru Yi Body," the three Legacy knowledge within the Molten Crystal, and Dragon Awakening Spear were all related to this secret technique.
"Naming it 'yuan heavy'..."
As this thought arose in Ender's mind, he quickly suppressed it. "The meaning of the two characters 'yuan heavy' is extraordinary; I cannot use it!"
"Yuan Heavy Ru Yi Body" and Dragon Awakening Spear both came from a certain place within the three Dangerous Lands of the Universe Ocean. If he took "yuan heavy" as his title, it might expose the secret of obtaining the Legacy.
Because he couldn't rule out that strong individuals from other forces had obtained similar Legacies to "Yuan Heavy Ru Yi Body."
Moreover, there were still two Void True God's mini-Universes in the Universe Ocean, and the two Void True God's in Continent of Origin might even learn that he obtained the Legacy from his title.
"Since 'yuan heavy' cannot be used, what about taking a name from the treasures on me...?"
Ender pondered, "Melting fire? This clearly doesn't align with the Wood-Space Beast God Path I Cultivate. Dragon Awakening Spear... Forget it, I'll just stick with Void River."
After a brief thought, he softly said, "Void River, I'm already used to this title."
"Void River Master."
The five Universe Masters present pondered for a moment, then all nodded.
A title was just a designation; if one set their own title, other strong individuals wouldn't interfere.
Unless it was truly too unpleasant or taboo, like taking the title "Lord of Exterminating Humans" which would naturally displease other strong individuals of the Human Race. Generally, as long as it didn't violate taboos, no matter how strange it was, it was fine.
"Good, then the sixth Universe Master of my Virtual Universe lineage shall be Void River Master."
Primal Chaos City Lord stood up and said, "Void River has already met Teacher, so theoretically, there's no need to go again. However, Void River becoming a Universe Master is a fortunate event for my Virtual Universe lineage and our Human Race, so we should report it to Teacher."
"Hmm?"
Darkness Master, Long Xing Lord, and You Hou Master all looked at Ender.
Primal Chaos City Lord smiled and explained, "Void River's Breakthrough to become a Universe Master was also due to Teacher's guidance."
Upon hearing this, the three Universe Masters suddenly realized that Ancestor Yuan had contributed to Ender's Breakthrough.
"Let's go, to see Teacher," Darkness Master stood up.
"Let's go see Teacher," Ice Summit Master also stood up.
...
Immediately, the six Universe Masters flew directly towards the endless chaotic airflow in the high sky, continuously advancing along the endless airflow.
"Void River, you also know," Primal Chaos City Lord said as he flew, "I, Darkness, and Ice Summit are all Teacher's Disciples."
"Teacher has made great contributions to our Human Race. If not for Teacher, the Human Race would not have become a Pinnacle Race so easily. Even Huge Axe Creator received his guidance and benefited from his grace."
"Teacher is the first True God of our Human Race!"
"Because of Teacher, I, Darkness, and Ice Summit are who we are today."
Following the words of the Primal Chaos City Lord, the Dragon Walk Master, who was beside him, also said, "I also received Senior's guidance."
Ender nodded slightly, as he was aware of these secrets.
"Teacher, his name is 'Ancestor Yuan'."
The Primal Chaos City Lord continued, "Back then, our Human Race was merely a powerful race. Under Teacher's leadership, we continuously grew and strengthened. Teacher traversed the Universe, ventured into the Universe Ocean, slaughtered countless foes, and his prestige was boundless! This also caused our Human Race's influence to continuously expand."
"In our Original Universe, there are quite a few True God, but Teacher could truly be called unrivaled. Other True God could only flee far away when they encountered Teacher."
"Even in the vast Universe Ocean… he was the most renowned."
"Invincible!"
"There was no one who could compare to Teacher."
The Primal Chaos City Lord's eyes held a hint of reverence, as if recalling the scenes from back then.
Even the Darkness Master, Ice Summit Master, and Dragon Walk Master fell silent, each immersed in memories of the past.
"The Human Race back then could be called the greatest power in the Universe. Even the Ancestral God Sect, protected by the Universe Origin, did not dare to provoke our Human Race."
"That was the strongest period for our Human Race!"
The six powerhouses flew through the void, the surrounding chaotic airflow continuously parting, and a profound silence reigned, broken only by the voice of the Primal Chaos City Lord.
Ender knew how truly powerful the Ancestor Yuan was. He was the first Pinnacle True God of the tenth stage in this Reincarnation Era. If he hadn't been suppressed by the Original Universe's Origin consciousness, he would probably have been close to Breakthrough into a Void True God.
"We've arrived!" the Primal Chaos City Lord said.
The surrounding endless airflow had already thinned, and in the distant Void, there stood a colossal, infinitely tall statue.
Ender looked up. Enveloped by the airflow, that infinitely tall and majestic statue soared!
Upon the statue, there were endless Law fluctuations: Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, Earth, Wind, Lightning, Light, Space, Time, Metal Space, Wood-Space, Water Space… Numerous Laws, and even the Law fluctuations in operation, all surged forth from that boundless statue.
Seeing that statue, he felt as if it bore a strong resemblance to the Universe Origin.
…
The Primal Chaos City Lord, Ice Summit Master, and Darkness Master were in the front.
The Dragon Walk Master, You Hou Master, and Void River Master Ender were in the back.
The six figures flew through the void.
In the endless Void, the closer they got, the clearer the infinitely majestic and towering statue became.
Ancestor Yuan was a man with a slightly thin build, wearing a simple white robe, and a smile on his face. His smile was one of perfect understanding after seeing through everything.
Just looking up at the statue from afar, at the faint smile on his face, made Ender's mind become incomparably serene, filled with a warmth like returning to his mother's embrace.
Ancestor Yuan's eyes seemed to see through everything in the infinite Universe, with nothing unknown to him.
His figure was grand, reaching to the heavens and standing on the earth.
The endless Universe revolved around him as its core.
Compared to the Ancestor Yuan Ender had seen before, this statue seemed to better illustrate his might and greatness!
"Teacher." The Primal Chaos City Lord, Ice Summit Master, and Darkness Master all stopped.
The Primal Chaos City Lord then bowed and said, "Our Virtual Universe lineage has gained another Universe Master. He is Junior Brother Ice Summit's Disciple, and Teacher, you once guided him. Today, I specially brought him to pay his respects to Teacher."
"Void River."
The Primal Chaos City Lord turned to Ender, "Come and pay your respects to your Ancestor."
Ender immediately stepped forward, walked beside the Primal Chaos City Lord, and respectfully bowed, saying, "Void River Ender, greets Ancestor."
For Ancestor Yuan, this legendary existence who had guided him, Ender naturally held admiration and respect, as he had shaped the Human Race of today.
The Virtual Universe, this human-exclusive virtual world, was a gift Ancestor Yuan left for humanity before he was suppressed.
"This Disciple acts on Teacher's command." The Primal Chaos City Lord looked up at the majestic statue, his eyes shimmering with a unique light, "To guard Primal Chaos City, to protect our Human Race, for endless years, I have not dared to be negligent."
"Now that Void River has become a Universe Master, our Human Race's strength has increased by another fraction! I believe our Human Race will surely grow stronger and more prosperous."
The Darkness Master and Ice Summit Master also bowed, speaking in soft, completely isolated voices.
The atmosphere in front of this statue was very oppressive, an invisible atmosphere affecting the six Universe Masters present. Even the sinister Darkness Master seemed like a well-behaved child. After a moment.
"This Disciple and others respectfully take our leave." The Primal Chaos City Lord bowed, and all the other Universe Masters bowed as well, then flew away.
With the airflow spiraling, their six figures vanished into the depths of the airflow.
The majestic statue remained there, just as it had been for countless eons.
Only, the statue's eyes subtly moved, glancing towards where the six figures disappeared, and a faint, almost imperceptible voice echoed: "He has become a Universe Master, has he…?"
…
The six figures flew through the airflow.
After a while, the You Hou Master couldn't help but ask Ender, "Void River, aren't you curious why seeing Ancestor's statue feels like seeing the Universe Origin?"
"Ancestor should be the Universe Origin," Ender thought for a moment, "but it should be the Origin of the Virtual Universe."
"You can even guess that?!"
The You Hou Master was quite surprised; he had only learned this by asking his Teacher and others back then.
"In the Virtual Universe, everything can be virtualized, and any Law can be comprehended and Cultivated within it," Ender said softly, "Since Laws can be sensed in the Virtual Universe, this Virtual Universe naturally must have a Universe Origin."
"It's like a powerful illusion. Although those illusions can also allow people to Cultivate, the powerhouses capable of creating such illusions are probably few and far between in the entire Universe."
"To Cultivate Laws in an illusion, the Laws must necessarily be those that the caster themselves knows, and allowing powerhouses to Cultivate within it would surely require an immense amount of energy."
"Ancestor was able to create the Virtual Universe, which is called the Second Universe, and the Virtual Universe has all sorts of incredible aspects…"
Ender sighed, "It is estimated that this Virtual Universe is a Heaven-Defying Secret Technique created by Ancestor, referencing the Original Universe."
"Heh, you do have some insight."
The Darkness Master looked at Ender with appreciation. "Back then, in the Universe Ocean, no True God dared to directly confront Teacher; they all avoided him from afar."
"If Teacher were still here, how would the Demon race, Zerg, and Mechanical Race dare to scheme and assassinate you? If they dared to scheme, Teacher would have long since gone to the three Alliances and they would have no choice but to offer treasures as an apology."
"Teacher was too strong, too lonely. In the vast Original Universe and Universe Ocean, no living being was Teacher's opponent!"
"But Teacher still sought a stronger Dao, so he violated the operating rules of the Original Universe and provoked the Universe Origin!"
The Darkness Master paused, "The Universe's operating rules cannot be provoked!"
"However, Teacher was a Heaven-Defying existence after all. He naturally wanted to Breakthrough, to transcend, to defy all of this."
"Time and again, he provoked!"
"And so, it incurred the punishment of the Universe Origin!"
The Darkness Master said confidently, "However, Teacher's strength had already reached the Pinnacle among many True God. Even when the Universe Origin was enraged and repeatedly tried to punish him, it could not stop Teacher's progress."
Ender fell silent upon hearing this. The Ancestor Yuan was indeed Heaven-Defying, able to Breakthrough even under the repeated punishments of the Universe Origin.
"Ultimately, Teacher and the Universe Origin had a war."
The Darkness Master's eyes held reverence and admiration. "The result was… Teacher was permanently suppressed by the Universe Origin."
"But even though he was suppressed,"
The Darkness Master's voice rose, "Teacher still unleashed the 'Virtual Universe' Secret Technique, causing this Virtual Universe… to spread across all parts of the Universe."
"Only other True God who can achieve 'words become Law' and the Universe Origin itself can slightly hinder it."
Ender nodded. The Virtual Universe Secret Technique was very Heaven-Defying; it was hard to imagine it was created by a True God from the third Reincarnation Era.
The You Hou Master beside him asked, "Is there a way to rescue Ancestor?"
The Darkness Master fell silent.
The Primal Chaos City Lord sighed and said, "No."
"Huge Axe Creator also thought about it, but there's no solution," the Dragon Walk Master said in a deep voice. "Ancestor Yuan's Soul servant, the Mechanical Universe Master who serves as the Virtual Universe's intelligent core, also told us that Ancestor Yuan hasn't found any way either."
Ender listened, but understood in his heart that the only way to rescue Ancestor Yuan was to resolve the Sector Beast disaster!
…
Shortly after Ender and the others returned to Thunder Island, they all received an email from the Huge Axe Creator, inviting them to attend the highest-level meeting of the Human Race…