Darkness.

When Bai Zemin stepped through the strange curtain that somehow functioned as a separator between the heart of Hero City and the rest of the city, what greeted him was something that could only be described as absolute darkness.

'Where is the supposed spatial attack?' Bai Zemin surveyed his surroundings trying to see something but all he saw was the representation of a moonless, starless night far away from the city.

However, the supposed spatial attack that the angel named Sonnata said never arrived.

Did Sonnata lie? It was a possibility.

'But, I feel there is something else...'

Just at that moment, the silver-colored ring that had remained silent ever since he took it out of its storage ring shone.

"Oh?" Bai Zemin let out a faint sound of surprise as he raised his hand to better observe the phenomenon.

_________

[Sky Emperor's Copy Ring.]

[Type: Special Item.]

[Rank: 5.]

[Special Characteristics *]

[* Grants its wearer partial control over Sky City.]

[* It possesses basic intelligence.]

[Description: A copy of the true key to mastering and controlling one of the oldest and most powerful artifacts in the universe. The ring possesses a basic intelligence Heavenly Rune which allows it to judge and make decisions on its own in certain circumstances]

_________

It was a very simple object that did not grant attack power to its wearer nor did it serve as a support at all, but this ring was undoubtedly worthy of occupying one of Bai Zemin's fingers.

This ring was the second item he had obtained after killing Thao Zi several months ago, along with the pagoda that belonged to the Forgotten King and had now fused with the Limitless Pagoda in Bai Zemin's possession.

(A/N: For reference, chapter 998)

It was precisely this small silver ring that allowed Bai Zemin to mock the jewel on the golden sword formerly wielded by Xian Luo, the First Prince of the Eastern Sea.

Although Bai Zemin did not know what kind of treasure that jewel was, it was clear that it was of a lower quality compared to his ring; even if the ring he had was just a copy of the real deal.

Just as he was wondering how to get out of this place, a road that seemed to be made of luminous fog slowly formed around him.

A few seconds later, as Bai Zemin looked straight ahead, the silver ring on his hand glowed faintly before fading again.

"Do you want me to follow this way?" Bai Zemin asked.

Unfortunately, there was no answer or sign from the ring this time.

Bai Zemin shook his head silently, and after a slight hesitation began to walk to the front while raising his guard to the maximum for the entire time.

After walking for several minutes, Bai Zemin finally noticed that beyond the walls of darkness surrounding him was a zone of almost absolute death.

Although the walls of darkness protected him, the chaotic storm of space was so fierce that he could feel it even from inside the barrier. He didn't even want to imagine how miserable he would be if he fell there."I just hope Shun is still alive..." Bai Zemin sighed in worry as he continued to move forward.

If Corruption Demon died and Bai Zemin couldn't steal his records, wouldn't that be a great loss for him? The only thing that reassured him a little was the knowledge that Shun had the Heaven-Devouring Flame whose power was said to be able to devour anything, even the heavens.

'The Heaven-Devouring Flame should be able to devour void lightning energy at least to a certain extent...' Bai Zemin thought not too sure.

After about 30 minutes and not seeing the end of the road but not encountering the slightest danger, Bai Zemin realized that he would be fine if he let his guard down at least a little to focus on something else that was troubling him.

"Evolution records... Evolution records..."

About 1 or 2 minutes later, he finally found what he was searching for.

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[Complete the following requirements to advance to the next Order - ]action

[Absorb the Spiritual Power of 'Bai Zemin' : Incomplete].

[Take control over 5 of the 6 fragments of the Key of Destiny: 3/5]

[Absorb the fragments of the Key of Destiny: Incomplete.]

[Use the first activation of your Record Devastation skill, Record Degradation, and take over the deepest records of the following ancient existences:

-Headed Immortal Dragon: Complete.

Saint of the Absolute: Incomplete.

Demon of the Corruption: Incomplete.

Mana Eater Tree: Complete].

[Get control over the Earth and make the other factions no choice but to retreat].

[If you join a faction or submit to any other Leader you will fail the trial and will not be able to advance to the Third Order].

_________

Bai Zemin's footsteps stopped and a glint of surprise flashed in his eyes for a moment before disappearing as he stared at the evolution requirement that had replaced the previous two.

The previous two requirements were where he was asked to evolve Shadow Blink and Void Fist had disappeared without a trace, something Bai Zemin naturally expected as both skills were selected by himself to merge and grow into a higher level and quality record.

However, he was expecting a requirement that demanded him to evolve some skill...

"Absorb Bai Zemin's Spiritual Power?" he felt ridiculous as he forced a smile, "The hell am I supposed to absorb my own Spiritual Power then?"

Unfortunately and to his dismay, he received no answer from anywhere.

'I'll have to ask Lilith or Fire Sorrow about it when I return later.' Bai Zemin shook off those thoughts and continued to move forward with slight caution in his steps.

About 20 to 25 minutes later, Bai Zemin finally saw a flash of warm white light waiting for him at what seemed to be the end of the luminous foggy path.

He entered there without hesitation, as he did not even have the option of returning because the path that had led him this far could no longer be seen anywhere.

Bai Zemin felt as if he stepped through a teleportation gate, a different feeling compared to being teleported using magic circles.

When his vision cleared the next instant, what he saw left him slightly dumbfounded.

Bai Zemin was greeted by the sight of a huge, extremely exquisite hallway with white walls and gold decorations along the length and height that helped to highlight the huge windows that ran from floor to ceiling over 10 meters high.The floor appeared to be made of delicate and carefully polished jade that made one feel inferior just walking on it. On both sides of the hallway were large pumpkin-sized magical stones glowing with a faint radiance of warm blue light and illuminating the surroundings brightly.

Although it was just a corridor, Bai Zemin realized that if he tried to compare this palace to the East Sea Royal Palace it would be no different from blaspheming.

Bai Zemin came from a normal family so he never visited European palaces and such, but after becoming the Leader of the Transcendent faction his worldview grew.

At the very least, his current self was able to distinguish between the wooden hut of a beggar and the palace of a real King; that was how he felt in his heart when trying to compare the two palaces.

Bai Zemin closed his mouth slightly open and narrowed his eyes slightly as he forcibly suppressed the strange beating of his heart.

'It's calling me.'

He took his first step forward, and after that, he did not stop anymore but continued to move on as if he had a clear destination in his mind.

The strangest thing was that even after finding himself in the middle of 3 possible paths he didn't even hesitate; he turned right or left when he had to turn and continued straight ahead when he didn't have to turn anywhere.

Approximately 15 minutes later, Bai Zemin finally arrived outside the only room whose doors were wide open.

The doors were gigantic as was the frame, and on either side were two platinum statues representing two soldiers in plate armor and spears guarding the entrance to the room.

Bai Zemin could feel his heartbeat increasing to the point where even with Blood Manipulation it became challenging to calm his blood flow.

Although the two statues of soldiers were just that, statues, they somehow made him feel the same kind of danger that he felt when he faced the Dragon God Long Tian in America.

Could these two platinum statues be soldiers in the Eighth Order? Bai Zemin wanted to laugh at his own thoughts but the more he thought the more he sweated bullets.

Very cautiously and hoping that the silver ring would not lead him to his death, Bai Zemin advanced step by step until he passed beyond both statues and stepped through the wide open door.

'Heaven! Eighth Order statues? That's the maximum level of the current universe!' Bai Zemin almost fell to the ground as he thought to himself.

Just, whose palace was this? It could be Hero's... No, Sky City's owner's?

Bai Zemin found himself walking across a golden carpet with silver embroidery inside the most luxurious and impressive throne room he had ever seen in his entire life.

Forget the Gales Royal Palace or the East Sea Royal Palace, even Bai Zemin with his greatly developed imagination thanks to the possession of two Manipulation-type skills could not imagine a better throne room than the one before his eyes.

The room was large enough to settle at least 5.000 people with ease. On either side of the wide, long carpet that stretched all the way to the end were two rows of statues of soldiers that seemed to be made of diamonds as if they were welcoming the esteemed guest.

'These soldiers seem to be stronger than the ones outside...' Bai Zemin wanted to cry but had no tears.

His only consolation was that all those statues were lifeless, because if only one of those soldiers could move forget about the ones in the throne room but only the ones guarding the door outside could easily sweep the floor with him.

Bai Zemin took a deep breath before continuing along the carpet path until he reached the end.

In front of his eyes, a seven-step staircase with two large golden statues in the shape of a dragon and a phoenix seemed to guard what was on the last level.

Bai Zemin felt that, although the pressure of both statues was not as great as that of the diamond soldiers, they somehow made him feel much smaller for some unknown reason.

He looked up and saw two objects.

One of them was a silver-colored scepter floating silently two or three inches above the floor.

However, Bai Zemin could not help but let his eyes fall on the other object next to the silver scepter.

Next to the silver-colored scepter, a majestic throne also silver-colored but with countless extremely complex golden runes stood silently and, like the whole place, did not even have a speck of dust on it even though no one had been there to take care of it for billions of years.

Bai Zemin's mouth moved as if it had a mind of its own and said three words he was unfamiliar with.

"Throne of Creation."

He had never heard or read such a thing anywhere, but for some reason, he felt extremely familiar with the throne standing on the seventh level even though he knew nothing about it.

It was an extremely mysterious feeling.

Even though his whole body was sweating due to the pressure inside the hall and even though his reason was telling him to get out of there, Bai Zemin decided to grit his teeth and with great difficulty passed beyond the phoenix and the golden dragon, taking his first step towards the throne and the scepter.

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