As the Yin Demons relentlessly assaulted the Quintessence Shield, a surge of Primal Void energy erupted from Liang’s body once more. The shield flickered and vanished, leaving Liang exposed to the onslaught.
However, to the astonishment of the Yin Spirit Lords and the Demons, Liang was nowhere to be found.
They searched frantically, but Liang had vanished without a trace.
"Where did he go?!" Longlock roared in frustration.
"He must have used some kind of teleportation technique," growled the second Yin Spirit Lord.
"No, that’s impossible!" exclaimed the third Yin Spirit Lord. "We would have sensed it if he had used teleportation."
The Yin Demons and the Yin Spirit Lords were at a loss. They had never encountered anything like this before.
"Let’s split up and search for him," Longlock suggested. "He can’t have gone far."
"Order all of our followers to block all exits. I don’t want to see even an ant exit the periphery without our knowledge," the third Yin Spirit Lord commanded
The Yin Demons and the Yin Spirit Lords nodded and dispersed, scouring the area for any sign of Liang.
Meanwhile, Liang had used his Chaos Shift to teleport himself several thousands kilometers away. He knew that he couldn’t defeat three Yin Spirit Lords and twenty Yin Demons simultaneously, so he had chosen to retreat.
Liang pondered whether to leave the Yin and Yang Mountain Range or persist in his quest. In a moment of contemplation, he revealed something extraordinary—a purple flame encapsulated within a void energy sphere, the true Yin Essence.
He had cleverly preserved the real essence, deceiving the Yin Spirit Lord with a mere imitation crafted from chaos energy.
"Should I consume this Yin Essence?" Liang mused, his brow furrowing slightly.
The possibilities raced through his mind. It wouldn’t manifest as chaos essence, so the outcome would likely be fire, ice, Yin, or void essence.
Without further ado, Liang made his decision. Mere minutes later, he found a secluded cave deep within the mountains.
Once secure, surrounded by protective arrays, he sat down cross-legged, sporting a mysterious smile. He then ingested the sphere with the Yin Essence. As it reached his dantian, the sphere gradually unfurled, releasing vast quantities of Yin Essence into his body until it was fully absorbed.
At that moment, an ethereal sensation enveloped him, permeating his being - The Origin.
Linag experienced a profound understanding that beneath the Origin, all things returned to their fundamental essence. Trees reverted to their roots, and roots germinated anew.
Everything coalesced into a single point, the Origin, from which all had emanated and to which all would eventually return.
Orgin birthed all things, and all things found their end in the Origin.
This sensation and comprehension diverged significantly from the Dao, a concept that for long had puzzled Liang but now bore some clarity.
The Dao embodies the natural order of the universe, the intrinsic patterns that govern all things. In contrast, the Origin represents the primal source of existence, the starting point from which all emanates.
The Dao encompasses the entirety of existence, from the subatomic realm to the cosmic expanse. The Origin, on the other hand, focuses primarily on the inception of existence, not its ongoing processes. Thus, the path of the Origin holds limitations in terms of longevity.
Furthermore, the Dao is a dynamic and ever-evolving concept, characterized by constant flux and transformation. The Origin, conversely, is static and unchanging, representing the primordial state before differentiation and manifestation.
Though outwardly similar, the Dao and the Origin possess fundamentally distinct natures.
As Liang contemplated this profound understanding of the Origin, an inexplicable transformation occurred within his body.
The Yin Essence he had absorbed intertwined with his innate primordial chaos energy, forming a swirling vortex within his dantian. This vortex pulsated rhythmically, emanating a faint humming sound.
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Gradually, the vortex solidified into a crystalline orb. Its appearance was as dark as night, yet it shimmered with a faint violet hue, the Essence of Absolute Void.
The Essence of Absolute Void epitomized the purest form of emptiness and nothingness. It wielded the power to absorb and neutralize all forms of energy, rendering them inert and harmless.
However, as Liang delved deeper into his newfound comprehension, he realized that the Essence of Absolute Void was not the only essence taking form from the fusion of Yin Essence and chaos energy.
"Impossible," Liang uttered in disbelief, witnessing the astounding transformations within his body.
One portion of the Yin Essence coalesced into an orb of blazing crimson fire. The flames danced and flickered, suffused with immense heat and destructive force. It was the essence of Absolute Fire.
The Essence of Absolute Fire embodied the most potent and destructive force in the universe.
As Liang’s body adjusted to the presence of the Essence of Absolute Fire, his skin flushed with crimson heat, and his eyes emitted an intense fiery glow. An aura of scorching power radiated from him, as though he could consume anything in his path with fervent flames.
Another portion of the Yin Essence transformed into an orb of crystalline ice. The ice emitted an otherworldly chill, seemingly capable of freezing the very fabric of reality. It was the essence of Absolute Ice.
The Essence of Absolute Ice represented the harshest and most unforgiving force in the cosmos, able to freeze and immobilize even the mightiest of beings.
As Liang’s body attuned to the Essence of Absolute Ice, his skin turned icy blue, and his eyes mirrored the cold vacuum of space. An aura of freezing cold enveloped him, as if he could freeze any who dared approach.
Finally, a third portion of the Yin Essence merged with Liang’s understanding of the void, giving birth to an orb of swirling darkness. The darkness was so profound and unending that it seemed to devour all light and sound. It was the essence of Absolute Darkness.
As Liang’s body synchronized with the Essence of Absolute Darkness, his skin became as black as the void of night, and his eyes took on the appearance of an impenetrable abyss. An aura of impenetrable darkness enveloped him, as if he were a shadow that could not be perceived or touched.
"As expected, the Yin Essence’s effects were dramatically amplified by the chaos Qi from the Chaos Rune. But, it was still the initiator," Liang mused, unable to hide his astonishment.
This revelation illuminated why the Yin Spirit Lords were so desperately searching for the Yin Essence. It was a rare substance, born from the combined powers of heaven and earth, transcending the forces of any Path, including Dao or Origin.
Now, with the four essences bolstering his runes, Liang’s prowess had soared, equating him to a peak Enlightened level expert—a Late-Stage Seventh Order Realm Expert.
The transition felt almost mystical to Liang, too swift to fully comprehend. It seemed he was destined for the path of Runic System.
Since arriving in this solar system and acquiring the Chaos Rune, fortune had favored his journey with an abundance of serendipitous encounters.
"Though my strength has significantly improved, Still..." he pondered, his rapid advancement left him uncertain whether it was entirely beneficial.
However, his foundation remained unshaken. The seven hundred years devoted to studying Formations and Runes appeared to have prepared him for this precise moment.
With his newfound capabilities, Liang left his secluded retreat. He had spent considerable time refining his understanding of the Origin and synchronizing his body with the four essences.
Upon his emergence, he sensed the Yin Demons and Yin Spirit Lords still fervently searching for him.
"It seems my ruse didn’t fool them," Liang smirked, undeterred. "But it matters little now. These fools will soon know true fear."
With a mischievous grin, Liang vanished into thin air.
***
"The situation is perplexing," the Yin Spirit Lord with the crimson mask remarked with concern.
"It’s challenging to ascertain what’s occurred. Not only has this individual vanished, but the Yin Essence has as well," Sonkou, the third Yin Spirit Lord, mused thoughtfully.
"If there had been a bit more diligence on your part, we might have captured this individual," Longlock stated with a hint of frustration.
"Hmph, your intentions weren’t exactly noble. You wished to claim the Yin Essence for yourself," Korcown, the Yin Spirit Lord in crimson, responded with a cold sneer.
Longlock’s face twisted in displeasure. "Misguided accusations. My intent was to negotiate the surrender of the Yin Essence without conflict."
"Such discussions are futile at this juncture," Sonkou cut in, his demeanor shifting to one of grave seriousness as his gaze fixed on something in the distance. "Curious... the presence of the Yin Demons is diminishing..."
The Yin Spirit Lords whipped their heads around, their eyes widening in alarm as they witnessed a sight that defied their expectations. The Yin Demons, who had been relentlessly pursuing their target, were suddenly disintegrating, the presence vanished.
"What sorcery is this?!" Longlock exclaimed, his voice trembling with trepidation.
"That realization comes all too late," echoed a chilling voice through the air.
They gasped in unison and scrambled backward the moment they identified the source of the voice and the chilling aura emanating from him.
Standing some distance away was Liang, his body enveloped in a hazy glow. His eyes shimmered with a blend of glacial ice and molten fire, while an ethereal darkness surrounded him like a cloak. His expression held an enigmatic serenity, a contrast to the chaos that unfolded around him.
"Run!" the Crimson-masked Spirit Lord frantically urged his companions.