Chapter 768: Balance Must Be Maintained |
Antares began with a story.
In the greater world, there existed an extraordinary race whose power lay in their talents. They called themselves the Heaven-Chosen.
From birth, every Heaven-Chosen could awaken a talent.
By adulthood, each would possess at least five, while the most exceptional could awaken seven or even eight.
With such an abundance of powerful talents, they could easily challenge opponents far beyond their level.
To them, being invincible among peers was as effortless as breathing.
If this continued, then even at the levels of Transcendent God, True God, or higher, the Heaven-Chosen would remain unmatched, even capable of instantly killing enemies of the same level.
It would not be an exaggeration to say they were destined to become the strongest race in the greater world.
But everything changed after level 90.
Beyond level 90, the power of talents began to fade.
As one’s strength increased, the influence of talents diminished further, until eventually the gate to the talent world closed completely.
At that point, talents no longer affected one’s power.
Everyone returned to the same starting line.
Among those of the same level, strength depended solely on one’s understanding and mastery of power.
This was balance.
With his sharp mind, Lin Moyu grasped it instantly.
In the greater world, an unseen force seemed to maintain balance.
No one could become an absolute hegemon; no race could reign supreme.
Antares asked, “Do you know who created the method to bring out talents?”
“It must have been them.” Lin Moyu replied.
Antares gave a dry chuckle, “Exactly. But fortune and disaster often come hand in hand. The result was something no one expected.”
After a brief pause, Lin Moyu said, “If I’m right, the Heaven-Chosen were nearly wiped out.”
“Smart.” Antares said with a hint of approval, “How did you guess that?”
Lin Moyu answered, “The powerhouses of the various races in the greater world wouldn’t allow a race like that to exist unchecked. As you said, balance must be maintained.”
Antares nodded, “That’s right. The Heaven-Chosen were almost exterminated. Their strongest ancestor fell under siege, and they only were allowed to survive by making their method of bringing out talents public.”
Lin Moyu thought for a moment before saying, “It couldn’t have ended there. The other races must have imposed restrictions on them, to prevent another overwhelming prodigy from rising.”
A sharp glint flashed in Antares’s eyes, “You really do think far ahead. It’s true. Though spared on the surface, they were effectively confined in secret.”
Lin Moyu sighed softly. The greater world was as cruel as he had imagined.
To possess a great treasure was to invite disaster. The tallest tree was the first to face the wind.
Perhaps the Heaven-Chosen had simply been too conspicuous.
Had they hidden their strength and grown quietly, they might have one day stood above all races.
Antares’s story carried two lessons.
The first was balance. Both the will of the greater world and its countless races adhered to it.
No matter how powerful or extraordinary their talents might be, they would eventually fade away.
Even attempts to defy this rule came at a terrible cost.
Fortune and disaster were intertwined; such was the nature of fate.
The second was restraint. Whether for an individual or a race, one must not be overly conspicuous before possessing absolute strength.
Otherwise, the tides of the greater world would eventually swallow you whole.
With that, Antares revealed to Lin Moyu the method of bringing out talents.
“All right. You’re ready to begin comprehending law.”
“The process of comprehending law is the same as cleansing the soul.”
“Remember, the soul is the foundation of everything. That holds true for every race.”
“I’ll rest for a while. Call me if you need me.”
With that final advice, Antares slowly closed his eyes.
Comprehending law was never a matter of days. It was a pursuit measured in years.
Within Lin Moyu’s soul world, bone-type and summon-type law arts had already evolved into two distinct multiple-star law art systems.
At their centers, law coalesced.
Lin Moyu focused, observing and comprehending.
The eyes of his soul-form opened, and soul force flowed out, gently enveloping the law as he examined every intricate detail.
The benefits of law manifestation became immediately clear. An overwhelming surge of insight followed, one revelation after another.
Lin Moyu’s soul became completely immersed.
It was a wondrous sensation, entirely different from his previous encounters with law.
Every shred of insight felt countless times magnified.
…
Days passed, though Lin Moyu no longer noticed their passing.
In the Human World, armies gathered.
This time, it wasn’t just the military mobilizing. A massive number of class users had joined the fray. Guilds, dungeoneering parties, and various private organizations were all out in force.
The expedition against the Dragonkind was not a campaign of conquest, but one of annihilation—a war between races.
There would be no prisoners, no mercy. It was a simple truth: them or us.
Naturally, the Shenxia Empire could not bear such a burden alone.
As the fate of humanity hung in the balance, other nations joined the effort.
Meng Anwen, the only God-level Formation Master of humanity, a high-tier God-level Formation Master at that, personally established a large number of teleportation formations.
At this moment, the Shenxia Empire revealed its true strength.
Meng Anwen, Bai Yiyuan, Ning Tairan, Mo Xinghai, Feng Xiu, Ye Hao…
One high-tier God-level after another appeared before the world, each wreathed in law aura, standing like deities above the mortal realm.
The strength of the Shenxia Empire silenced all other nations and factions.
While other nations were still busy counting their few God-level experts, the Shenxia Empire’s high-tier God-level appeared in droves.
A single high-tier God could dominate an entire nation, let alone multiple.
There was no longer any doubt: the Shenxia Empire had become humanity’s supreme power.
Meng Anwen hovered in the air, the Shenxia Tower slowly rotating above him.
On the ground, twelve colossal cross-realm teleportation formations stretched across the land, each spanning a thousand meters.
Arranged in a circle, the twelve formations shimmered with faint light.
Beyond the formations, an endless sea of troops stretched into the horizon.
Closest to the formations stood the military of the Shenxia Empire, followed by class and forces from different factions.
Meng Anwen’s gaze flashed like lightning, “Activate teleportation!”
A thunderous roar answered him. The twelve teleportation formations activated simultaneously.
Pillars of light erupted skyward, illuminating the heavens as they converged upon the Shenxia Tower.
The Shenxia Tower absorbed their power and expanded abruptly.
A powerful law aura surged as the laws of formations manifested.
A terrifying force spread across the land. Within a thousand kilometers, all felt as though a mountain weighed upon them.
Meng Anwen formed runes with his fingers, each infused with the law aura.
At last, the Shenxia Tower released a single, unassuming beam of law light.
A black hole formed instantly in the sky, revealing the Dragonkind World beyond.
“Advance!”