Chapter 451 -451-The Sea of Universes
The voice of the Master of Sacred Mountain continued echoing beside John’s ear.
"The place you are currently in is known as the Sea of Universes."
"The Sea of Universes lies beyond the outer boundaries of all universes."
"From here, you can see countless universes, each as vast and unfathomable as an ocean."
"And every choice you make here—whether you move left or right—may lead you into an entirely different universe."
Hearing the Master of Sacred Mountain’s explanation, John finally understood.
No wonder the universe could seem as endlessly vast as the Milky Way seen from Earth.
When an ordinary person looked out across the galaxy, all they saw was an endless sea of stars stretching beyond sight.
But what John was looking at now...
was not a sea of planets.
It was a sea of universes.
So this place is called the Sea of Universes.
It exists outside all universes.
Everything around him was shrouded in a gray haze.
John could not even sense the aura of the Chaos Law.
Looks like I really have been transported into the future.
According to the rules announced by the Will of the Universe, anyone sent into the future only needed to survive for a certain period of time to receive part of the reward.
But if he wanted to truly complete the Top Eight round...
he still had to break through to the peak God King level.
With that thought, John raised his gaze toward the vast Sea of Universes.
His figure flashed.
Then he began racing through the unknown cosmic expanse at terrifying speed.
He was less than half a day away from his destination.
Starships belonging to various universes passed through the region from time to time.
Those who were too weak could not even perceive the astonishing sight of someone crossing the cosmic void with their physical body alone.
And those who were strong enough to notice...
still could not clearly make out John’s appearance or figure.
Just then—
an extraordinarily luxurious starship suddenly slowed down and began traveling alongside John.
A calm voice came from within.
"Senior, if you don’t mind, I can give you a ride."
John glanced at the starship beside him.
"No need."
With his current sensitivity toward the power of laws, John could determine the vessel’s level with a single glance.
It was only a High God-grade flying vessel.
John genuinely had no need for it.
If he wanted to travel aboard a flying vessel, his own Starlight Flying Vessel was far superior to the one before him.
The expert inside immediately replied,
"Understood. Forgive the disturbance."
The moment he finished speaking, the flying vessel suddenly accelerated.
Whoosh!
It disappeared into the distance.
...
Inside the flying vessel...
there were actually quite a few High God-level experts.
Yet most of them were performing the duties of servants.
Some used treasure-grade cloths to polish the furnishings inside the cabin.
Others washed High God-grade fruits with High God-grade spirit water.
Only two High God-level experts sat side by side before a table, quietly conversing.
One was male.
The other female.
Both appeared to be young.
The young man possessed cultivation at the peak of the High God level.
The young woman, meanwhile, had only recently entered the High God level.
At this moment, the girl let out a soft snort.
"Hmph. That expert is really hard to understand."
"There was a perfectly good flying vessel available, yet he insisted on crossing the cosmic void with his physical body."
She looked genuinely baffled.
"My elders told me that crossing the universe physically means risking encounters with chaotic spatial currents."
"Some of the stronger chaotic currents are dangerous even for High Gods."
"Ivar, can you understand why he would do that?"
So the young man was named Ivar.
Hearing her question, Ivar smiled and picked up a flask of High God-grade wine from the table.
He poured her a cup.
"The very fact that he dared cross the universe with his physical body is why I invited him aboard."
"I’ve met quite a few experts like that."
Ivar spoke unhurriedly.
"They believe in ascetic cultivation."
"Walking, sitting, traveling, resting—everything they do becomes part of their cultivation."
"I can’t live like that myself."
"But I do admire them."
The young woman giggled.
"Hehe. Everyone says the young master of the Ye Family is a heaven-blessed genius."
"You’ve cultivated for only a few hundred years, yet you’ve already reached the peak High God level."
"A genius like you naturally doesn’t need to cultivate so bitterly."
"That’s only because I’m lazy."
Ivar laughed.
"But no matter how lazy I am, I still have to enter forbidden zones for trials sooner or later."
"There’s no helping it."
"In the era of the Apocalypse Tribulation, more than half of our strength has already been drained away by the [Erso Blood Source]."
"In terms of actual combat quality, experts of our level are weaker than those who lived before the Apocalypse Tribulation."
"What does that matter?"
The girl smiled.
"It isn’t as though you’re the only one who’s been weakened."
"Everyone’s strength has been reduced."
"So in a way, it’s the same as no one being weakened at all."
"That’s true."
Ivar nodded.
"The forbidden zone we’re heading to this time was only formed a hundred years ago."
"It currently falls under the control of a faction in this universe called Tarlon."
At the mention of Tarlon, Ivar frowned slightly.
"Tarlon only rose recently."
"I heard it was founded by a God King who left some major faction."
"They’ve been expanding very aggressively."
"And they don’t show much respect toward the other factions in this universe."
"When we arrive, we should keep a low profile."
"Doesn’t the Ye Family also have a God King ancestor?"
The girl looked surprised.
"Even you, Ivar, need to be this cautious around Tarlon?"
Ivar gave a bitter smile.
"This is the era of the Apocalypse Tribulation."
"All living beings are caught within the tribulation."
"Everyone carries killing calamity upon themselves."
"My Ye Family may have some status locally, but across the countless universes, we’re barely worth mentioning."
"We’re small players."
"It’s better to be cautious."
"Have you forgotten how many God Kings have already fallen since the Apocalypse Tribulation began?"
"Even Sovereign-rank experts have died."
The girl’s eyes widened.
"Aren’t Sovereign-rank experts supposed to stand outside the killing tribulation?"
"How could even Sovereigns fall?"
"The only ones capable of killing Sovereigns are other Sovereigns."
Ivar sighed.
"Sovereigns are still living beings."
"It isn’t as though they’re incapable of dying."
"And as long as something can die..."
"what’s so strange about it eventually falling?"
...
John continued on his way.
Half a day later...
the outline of the forbidden zone finally appeared in the distance.
Within his vision...
a black vortex roughly the size of a planet slowly rotated in the void.
At this moment, numerous experts were piloting flying vessels directly into the enormous black vortex.
Outside the vortex...
a temporary encampment had been constructed from various treasures.
Many flying vessels were parked around it.
Inside the camp, numerous powerful beings flew between the buildings.
John shifted his gaze away from the black vortex and toward one of the flying vessels.
He immediately recognized it.
It was the same luxurious vessel whose occupants had invited him aboard earlier.
Seeing this, John flew directly toward the entrance of the encampment.
The camp completely surrounded the black vortex.
No matter which direction someone approached from, they had to pass through the encampment first.
John flew straight inside.
The moment he entered...
a flood of noisy voices reached his ears.
Countless powerful beings appeared throughout his field of vision.
John swept his gaze across the camp.
The most common sight...
was merchants setting up stalls.
They were selling treasures brought out from the forbidden zone.
John’s objective was the black vortex itself, not the treasures.
So he merely gave the stalls a cursory glance before heading toward the place where the largest crowd had gathered.
The black vortex.
The entrance to the forbidden zone.
At this moment, numerous experts preparing to enter were being stopped by several guards.
A heated argument was already underway.
"This territory belongs to Tarlon."
"Anyone who wishes to enter the forbidden zone must register first."
"You will record your name, your background..."
"and every treasure you are carrying."