Chapter 245: The Origin of the Four Directions Realm

“All six of these rings have Law Restrictions placed on them. It might be quite difficult to break them open without damaging the contents.”

Jiang Yan weighed the five spatial rings taken from Ninth Rank experts in his hand.

Each ring was protected by a faint layer of Law. While breaking these restrictions with his current Life and Death Law wouldn’t be a problem for Jiang Yan, if he failed to balance the energy between the Laws properly, the rings could easily be destroyed on the spot.

Everything inside would vanish without a trace.

Jiang Yan extended a wisp of Death Qi, slowly wrapping it around the Law Restriction on one of the rings.

This Law Restriction was scorchingly hot, likely from the fire-wielding man.

Boom!

Just as he had removed half of it, the entire ring exploded, reducing its contents to nothing.

“Sigh, next one.”

No time to dwell on the loss. Jiang Yan began attempting to break the restriction on the next ring.

[System Log Updated]

“You are attempting to use Law to counteract Law. [Heaven Rewards Diligence] triggered. You gained an Epiphany: Laws actually have a hierarchy of priority. Laws can counteract each other.”

Jiang Yan: ?

“When did I have an epiphany? Whatever, if it says I did, then I did.”

Jiang Yan tried the next ring and found his application of Law had become more precise. He meticulously used the Death Qi within his Life and Death Law to forcefully peel away the other Law, then neutralized it with Life Qi.

So the earlier epiphany wasn’t just empty words.

“Whew, success.”

With the Law Restriction broken, Jiang Yan could finally freely use this ring.

But the ring wasn’t the most important thing; the true value lay in the understanding of Law application.

“Laws have a hierarchy of priority, and there’s the ‘Theory of Mutual Counteraction.’ I’ve read about it in books before, but only by trying it firsthand can one truly grasp its meaning.”

Logically speaking, Jiang Yan’s Trait-Type Law should also be considered a Law. But with [Above Laws] as a boost, his Law would possess the highest priority.

In other words, it would trigger without fail once the conditions were met.

This was crucial.

“If only my non-Trait-Type Laws could also have the highest priority…”

Jiang Yan believed such a Trait existed, but this kind of rule-enhancing Trait was likely of very high quality, perhaps even surpassing Violet-Gold grade!

For the remaining four spatial rings, Jiang Yan broke the restrictions with practiced ease, revealing the treasures inside at a glance.

A set of Heaven-grade Armament still in its packaging. This was what the burly man intended to bring to his elderly mother, but unfortunately, he died in the Starry Sky.

A Feather Clan Secret Manual for concealing one’s Aura and disrupting perception.

Some weapons showing their age, undoubtedly used by those six Ninth Rank experts in the past. However, after reaching the Ninth Rank, weapons couldn’t compare to the power of Laws, so they were gradually phased out.

There were also some Martial Skills, mostly useless—transitional skills used before mastering Laws.

Cash: A total of one hundred Cloud Core Coins.

The wealth of six Ninth Rank experts certainly wasn’t limited to one hundred Cloud Core Coins. But in these times, every Transcendent lived on the edge, risking their lives for resources. No one wanted their treasures to fall into the hands of the enemy who killed them after their death.

Therefore, most powerful experts would transfer their wealth to banks.

Boundless Realm Bank, Eight Treasures Bank, Mystic Blue Bank…

“Sigh, banks ruin the business of killing and looting.”

Jiang Yan beat his chest in frustration.

After these experts died, 80% of their assets would be distributed to their families. The remaining 20% would serve as the bank’s custodial fee.

No one wants to die early, but it’s always wise to prepare for the future.

Of course, money can be saved, but treasures cannot.

A pile of strange and wondrous treasures had accumulated into a small mountain, but what particularly caught Jiang Yan’s attention was a book titled Law Usage Compendium.

The book roughly documented the definition, uses, methods of comprehension, ways to enhance laws, and the hierarchical relationships between different laws.

“Laws are abstract manifestations of the operating principles of things, which Transcendent beings extract and utilize.”

“Unlike principles, the non-absolute nature of laws determines that they will inevitably be countered or canceled by stronger laws. For details, refer to Law Cancellation Treatise.”

…

Jiang Yan read for days and nights, and with the help of [Heaven Rewards Diligence], he finally grasped the basic concepts of laws.

“It seems that to cultivate laws, one must seek places where the manifestations of laws are powerful.”

What does it mean for law manifestations to be powerful?

In such places, the operating principles of all things are exceptionally clear. Space gives birth to entities akin to law fragments, and Transcendent Creatures can subdue and comprehend them, achieving in a short time what would take others millennia of arduous cultivation.

The avian race’s texts specifically recorded one such place.

—The Four Directions Realm.

The Four Directions Realm is hailed by Transcendent Creatures as the origin of the Galactic Domain. There, the power of laws is dense, and clues to the trajectories of all things can be found.

The Four Directions Realm is a dream cultivation Holy Land for experts above the Ninth Rank.

Legend has it that there are precious Legacies left behind by ancient great powers, containing mysteries beyond the Tenth Rank.

Such a treasure land has drawn countless predecessors to flock to it.

However, the Four Directions Realm is not always open to the public. Approximately every ten thousand years, it opens once, often heralded by nine tolls of the Mystic Bell.

The key to the Four Directions Realm is the so-called Four Directions Boundary Stone. Only those holding the Boundary Stone will receive the realm’s permission.

Each resonance of the Four Directions Boundary Stone is often accompanied by a toll of the bell. When the nine tolls conclude, the Four Directions Realm rises.

The bell tolls are what high-ranking Transcendents call the meat grinder. Each toll results in the holders of the Boundary Stones dying in ambushes.

Thus, in the hands of ordinary people, the Four Directions Boundary Stone is nothing more than a death warrant.

The Universe, the Starry Sky.

The Four Directions Boundary Stone Jiang Yan had discarded was still drifting.

And at that moment, a hand grasped the Boundary Stone.

“Huh? What kind of treasure is this? Why does it emit a signal that attracts me?”

“And what was that bell toll I just heard?”

Three tolls of the Mystic Bell.

But the youth had no idea what was happening.

Suddenly, the youth let out a cry of delight.

“Hahahahaha, I understand! This must be a treasure! I am a person of great Luck, wu-hu~”

Squelch—

A hand pierced through the youth’s heart.

“Tsk tsk, the Four Directions Boundary Stone. How effortlessly obtained.”

A figure clad in King-grade Armament, entirely wrapped in black substance with its true appearance obscured, looked mockingly at the youth’s expression of agonizing death. With a flick of its finger, the corpse dissolved into a pool of blood.

“Heh, such a treasure, I’ll take it for you.”

Its single visible eye twisted into a perverse glee.

Just one step away! Just one step and I’ll step into the Tenth Rank! Hahahahaha, it seems the heavens are on my side this time!”

He was too excited. This step had taken him a full 5,000 years. With his lifespan nearly exhausted, the opportunity for a breakthrough had finally arrived!

“I don’t have to die anymore! Breaking through to the Tenth Rank means tens of thousands of years of lifespan, hahahahaha!”

Just then, a gray figure silently appeared before him.

“Hey, your outfit really annoys me.”