novelsite Chapter 171, Level 4
Chapter 171, Level 4
The Sky Bridge plane, the central square of the island.
Baffin stood at the edge of the plaza, watching Lin Yun fly towards the Cosmic Bridge. Lin Yun's progress was being displayed in real-time on the screen on his arm. As the overseer, he had the authority to share this footage with the relevant senior executives of the Virtual Universe Company.
"Lin Yun, a newcomer from the Primal Secret Realm, has begun his journey across the Cosmic Bridge," Baffin said softly, tapping the screen a few times to synchronize the image with several high-ranking officials who were paying attention to the matter.
A moment later, the space above the island distorted slightly, and several figures appeared out of thin air.
The first figure was robust, clad in golden armor, with golden down on his face and piercing eyes like copper bells. He exuded an aura of domineering pressure, like an ancient war god. This man was none other than True King Yan, one of the sect leaders of the Nine Universes School, a super existence among the immortals, and a top expert who had passed through the eighteen levels of the Heavenly Bridge.
Behind him, a white figure slowly materialized. It was a woman dressed in a white robe, with a cold expression, long hair flowing like a waterfall, and a slender sword hanging at her waist. She was Longyu Wang, a powerful figure under the Nine Swords Venerable, holding an extremely high position in the Virtual Universe Company.
Immediately afterward, two more figures appeared. One was a woman in a purple robe, surrounded by a faint purple light, exuding a mysterious and noble aura—the Purple Spirit King, a King-level expert of the Cosmic School. The other was a burly man with a resolute face, radiating golden light—the Radiant Universe King, also a King-level expert of the Cosmic School.
"Baffin, that little guy has started his adventures?" King Zhenyan's voice boomed as he strode to Baffin's side, his gaze fixed on the cosmic bridge stretching to the ends of the earth in the distance.
"Yes, Lord Zhenyan." Baffin bowed respectfully. "Lin Yun has just entered the first level and chosen his opponent as the controller."
"The Cosmic Chaos Stele..." King Zhenyan stroked his chin and tugged at his golden beard. "This kid has quite the ambition. I also considered the Cosmic Chaos Stele back then, but in the end I chose the Nine Universes. Parallel spacetime, too difficult."
"That's why we need to see just how capable he really is." Longyu Wang's voice was cold as he stared at the screen. "The champion of the Genius Battle, yet he's been hiding his true strength. Only at the very end did he reveal the Laws of Wind and Light. Many people want to know just how much he's been hiding."
King Ziling and King Guangyu exchanged a glance without speaking, but their eyes were filled with expectation.
The first level of the Cosmic Bridge.
Lin Yun stood on the bridge, his opponent already materializing before him. A black mask, a silver staff, a psychic shuttle under his feet, and a cosmic weapon on his back—this was an opponent with the exact same setup as Lin Yun.
"Let the battle begin!" The opponent's mechanical voice rang out, and then he flashed and charged towards Lin Yun.
Lin Yun didn't rush to attack. He hovered in mid-air, riding the Dark Cloud Shuttle, observing his opponent's movements. He had practiced the use of the cosmic divine weapon in the virtual universe for three years, and the first level, "Fleeting Flow of Light," was already thoroughly mastered. But he wanted to see how well the guardian of the Heavenly Bridge understood the first level.
The opponent moved with lightning speed, a thin, hair-like beam of light illuminating the tip of his silver-gray staff—the Swift Light Strike. The beam of light moved at extreme speed, instantly traversing hundreds of meters, aiming straight for Lin Yun's chest.
Lin Yun dodged to the side, and at the same time, the cosmic weapon in his hand also lit up. The two streaks of light collided in mid-air, producing a sharp metallic scraping sound. Lightning flashed, and the space trembled slightly.
"The speed is good, but the power is insufficient," Lin Yun thought to himself. Although his opponent's Swift Light Style was fast, the power was scattered and not concentrated enough. When he practiced the first level in the virtual universe, he had already concentrated the Swift Light to the extreme, and each strike was as sharp as a needle tip.
He no longer passively defended, but took the initiative to attack.
The silver-gray staff in his hand transformed into a streak of light, moving at a speed too fast for the naked eye to follow. His opponent retaliated with a streak of light as well; the two beams of light intertwined, collided, separated, and then intertwined again in mid-air. The dense clanging of metal was like a continuous downpour.
Lin Yun's stream of light grew faster and more refined. Although his opponent's stream of light was not slow either, it gradually fell behind Lin Yun's attacks.
"break!"
Lin Yun let out a low shout, and a stream of light pierced through his opponent's defenses, striking his shoulder. His opponent's body stiffened slightly, then dissipated into specks of light.
"First level of the Cosmic Bridge, cleared." Baffin's voice echoed in Lin Yun's mind. "Time taken: 48 seconds."
In the central plaza of the island, King Zhenyan looked at the screen and nodded slightly: "The first level was used well, very solid. However, the depth of his understanding of the laws of spacetime is not apparent from the first level."
"Keep watching," said Longyu Wang.
The second level of the Cosmic Bridge.
Lin Yun stepped onto the bridge, and the fog ahead surged once more. A new opponent materialized, also wearing a black mask and wielding a silver-gray staff, but his aura was far stronger than that of the opponent on the first level.
"Let the battle begin!"
The opponent launched the first attack. In an instant, the speed of the streak of light was nearly twice as fast as the first level, and the trajectory of the streak of light was even more unpredictable, leaving a winding afterimage in the air, making it difficult to catch.
Lin Yun did not use the second level, but instead faced the opponent with the first level. He wanted to see how long his first level could last against a stronger opponent.
The two streaks of light collided once more. This time, Lin Yun felt the pressure. His opponent's streaks of light were not only fast, but also cunning, each attack aimed at his vital points. Although his first layer of attack was solid, it was gradually being suppressed under the opponent's dense barrage.
"Hold on." Lin Yun gritted his teeth and pushed the first level to its limit. The flowing light in his hands became more condensed, and each counterattack accurately hit the opponent's attack points.
The two fought fiercely on the bridge for nearly ten minutes. Sweat beaded on Lin Yun's forehead, and his arms ached slightly, but his gaze remained resolute. He was searching for his opponent's weakness—although his opponent's attacks were relentless, every attack had its own pattern.
Finally, after countless exchanges, Lin Yun discovered a subtle habit of his opponent's—after each attack, the opponent's streaks of light would pause for an extremely short time, only a fraction of a second. That pause was the opening.
Lin Yun seized that moment, and a streak of light shot out like a venomous snake, piercing through his opponent's defenses.
"Second level of the Cosmic Bridge, cleared," Baffin's voice rang out again. "Time taken: eleven minutes and twenty-one seconds."
In the central plaza of the island, King Zhenyan's eyes lit up: "This kid's first level is very solid. It's not easy to maintain the first level for so long on the second level. Moreover, his understanding of the laws of time is more than just the beginning. The ability to accelerate time to this extent with the 'Instantaneous Flow of Light' technique shows that his understanding of the laws of time has at least reached a minor level of mastery."
"During the Genius Battle, he displayed the Law of Thunder and the Law of the Fusion of Wind and Light," said King Zi Ling. "Now it seems that his understanding of the Law of Time is no less profound. This young man has been hiding his true strength for a long time."
"It's not just the law of time." King Guangyu's gaze fell on the screen. "In the battle on the second level, there were traces of the law of space in his movements. Although he didn't use spatial attacks, the subtle folding of space when he dodged couldn't be hidden from us."
Longyu Wang nodded slightly: "It seems his understanding of the laws of space is quite profound. Wind, thunder, light, time, space... just how many laws has this little fellow mastered?"
The third level of the Cosmic Bridge.
Lin Yun stepped onto the bridge and took a deep breath. The opponents on the second level had already put him under pressure; the third level would only be stronger. He held nothing back and prepared to use the second level—the Void Shadow Strike.
The opponent materialized into a form. This time, the opponent's aura was significantly stronger than that of the second level. What concerned Lin Yun even more was that the light emanating from the opponent's cosmic weapon was no longer a single stream of light, but had split into dozens of afterimages.
second weight.
The opponent launched the first attack. Dozens of afterimages attacked simultaneously from all directions, each seemingly real, leaving behind layers upon layers of trails in the air. The folding of space allowed the attacks to be launched from multiple directions at the same time, and the lingering effect of time ensured that each strike carried the residual force of the previous attack.
Lin Yun's pupils contracted, and he also unleashed the Void Shadow Technique. Dozens of afterimages surged from the divine weapon in his hand, meeting his opponent's attack head-on.
The afterimages collided, producing a dense metallic clang. The entire bridge surface seemed to be sliced apart by countless blades, and even the air itself was torn to shreds.
Lin Yun discovered that his opponent's second level was far more refined than his own. The number of afterimages was greater, their trajectories more unpredictable, and their coordination more seamless. His own afterimages were steadily pushed back by his opponent's attacks.
"Learn," Lin Yun thought to himself. He was no longer in a hurry to win, but carefully observed his opponent's every move and learned his techniques.
How do the opponent's afterimages differentiate? How do their trajectories intertwine? How is the residual force of time superimposed? How is the angle of spatial folding chosen? Lin Yun integrated these techniques into his second level as he fought.
The number of his afterimages increased from thirty-six to forty-two, and then to forty-eight. The trajectories became orderly from chaotic, and the coordination became smooth from clumsy.
After a stalemate of nearly twenty minutes, Lin Yun's Void Shadow Style was now on par with his opponent's.
"It's time to end this," Lin Yun said softly.
He pushed the second level to its limit, increasing the number of afterimages to fifty-four. All the afterimages attacked simultaneously, sealing off all of the opponent's escape routes. Although the opponent tried his best to resist, he was ultimately struck by one of the afterimages and vanished into specks of light.
"Third level of the Cosmic Bridge, cleared." Baffin's voice held a hint of surprise. "Time taken: 19 minutes and 8 seconds."
In the central square of the island, King Zhenyan suddenly stood up, his eyes wide open.
"He learned in battle?" King Zhenyan's voice was filled with disbelief. "His second level, from thirty-six afterimages to fifty-four, increased during battle?"
"It's not just the second level of improvement." Longyu Wang's voice carried a hint of solemnity. "Have you noticed that his understanding of the fusion of spatial and temporal laws is also improving rapidly in battle? The Void Overlapping Style requires the fusion of space and time. At first, he seemed a little awkward with it, but later he used it smoothly and effortlessly."
"During the Genius Battle, he demonstrated the fusion of wind and light," said the Purple Spirit King. "The fusion of wind and light is a fusion of lower-level laws, far less difficult than the fusion of spacetime. Now it seems that his understanding of spacetime fusion has also reached a considerably high level. This little guy's talent is even more terrifying than we imagined."
"Moreover, he hadn't demonstrated the laws of space before," said King Guangyu. "Now that he's using the Void Overlay Technique with such mastery of spatial folding, it means his understanding of the laws of space has at least reached a minor level. Add to that a minor level of mastery of the laws of time, and he's even touched the threshold of spacetime fusion... How exactly did he cultivate?"
King Zhenyan was silent for a moment, then slowly spoke: "During the Genius Battle, we all thought his strengths lay in the Law of Thunder and the fusion of wind and light. Now it seems that those were just the tip of the iceberg. The Law of Spacetime is his trump card."
The fourth level of the Cosmic Bridge.
Lin Yun stepped onto the bridge, his armor already showing several cracks. The battles on the first three levels had taken a toll on his stamina, but his mind remained highly focused.
The opponent on the fourth level materialized. His aura was significantly stronger than that of the third level, and the number of afterimages on the cosmic weapon in his hand reached over a hundred—this was the highest level of the second stage.
Lin Yun's expression turned serious. Although his second level had only just reached fifty-four afterimages, the difference was still too great compared to having over a hundred afterimages.
"Let the battle begin!"
The opponent's attacks came down like a storm. Hundreds of afterimages attacked simultaneously from all directions, each carrying the residual force of time, layered upon each other, with astonishing power. Lin Yun's afterimages almost instantly collapsed under the opponent's attacks. He could only desperately dodge, barely managing to block with the first layer of his Flowing Light.
pressure.
Immense pressure.
Lin Yun felt as if he were in the midst of a raging storm, each breath difficult to take. His opponent's attacks were too fast, too dense, and too fierce. Wounds kept appearing on his body—his left arm was slashed open by a blur, his right shoulder was struck by another, and his back was grazed.
But he did not give up.
He is feeling.
He sensed how his opponent's second layer operated. The coordination of hundreds of afterimages, the superposition of residual force from time, the angles of spatial folding... every detail gradually became clear in his perception.
His second level rapidly increased under pressure. Fifty-four, sixty, sixty-six, seventy-two...
The number of afterimages was increasing, the coordination was improving, and the power was rising. But the opponent's hundreds of afterimages still overwhelmed him, making it hard for him to breathe.
"That's not enough," Lin Yun gritted his teeth. "We must use the third level."
After comprehending the Chaos Stele, he had reached the threshold of the third level, "Time-Traces Rift Style." However, the third level was still unstable. Using it in battle was extremely risky.
But now, he has no other choice.
Lin Yun took a deep breath and held the cosmic weapon horizontally in front of him. Light began to condense on the silver-gray staff. It was no longer a flowing light, nor an afterimage, but a more solid, almost etched mark in space.
"Time-Traces Rift Style!"
A mark appeared in the air. The mark was only the length of a finger, but the air around it was subtly distorted, as if space itself was trembling. The mark wasn't the trajectory of an attack, but rather a mark left by the power of time in space. Wherever the mark was located, the flow of time became disordered—in some areas it accelerated, in others it slowed down, and in still others it stood still.
The engraving flew towards the opponent.
The opponent's hundreds of afterimages collided with the engraving and were instantly torn apart. The engraving continued forward, striking the opponent's true form. The opponent's body stiffened abruptly, then began to distort—not in space, but in time. Different parts of his body experienced different rates of time flow; some parts aged rapidly, while others remained stagnant. Ultimately, his entire body collapsed, dissipating into specks of light.
"Fourth level of the Cosmic Bridge, cleared!" Baffin's voice was filled with shock.
Lin Yun stood on the bridge, panting heavily. His body was covered in wounds, and his armor was almost shattered, but his eyes remained bright. He had succeeded in the third stage.
The central square of the island was deathly silent.
King Zhenyan stood in front of the screen, his hands trembling slightly. His eyes were wide open, and his mouth was agape, unable to close for a long time.
"The third level..." King Zhenyan's voice was somewhat hoarse, "...the third level of a cosmic divine weapon?"
"And it was used in battle." Longyu King's voice trembled slightly. "He wasn't stable before, but he succeeded under the pressure of life and death."
"During the Genius Battle, he never used any cosmic divine weapons." The Purple Spirit King's gaze fell on the screen. "He always fought in close combat, and we all thought he was good at swordsmanship. We never expected that his spiritual mastery was so profound."
"What's even more terrifying is the difficulty of the third level of the Cosmic Divine Weapon," King Guangyu said slowly. "The first level of the Cosmic Divine Weapon is equivalent to the second level of other divine weapons, and the third level is equivalent to the fourth level of other divine weapons. Among our batch of newcomers, Bolan is a martial artist who passed two levels by relying on spatial laws and swordsmanship. But Lin Yun, as the controller, directly reached the fourth level by using the third level."
"Moreover, his understanding of the laws of spacetime is in no way inferior to the three laws of wind, thunder, and light he demonstrated in the Genius Battle," King Zhenyan said in a deep voice. "He has reached the minor mastery of the laws of wind, thunder, and light. He has also reached the minor mastery of the law of spacetime. This little guy is not only good at one type, but is proficient in multiple types simultaneously."
"Such talent is extremely rare in the entire history of Virtual Universe Company," said Longyu Wang. "No wonder he dared to choose the Cosmic Chaos Monument."
King Ziling nodded: "Parallel spacetime is extremely difficult. But judging from his performance today, he certainly has the ability to do so."
The fifth level of the Cosmic Bridge.
Lin Yun stood at the entrance, his wounds still throbbing. But instead of resting, he stepped directly onto the bridge.
The opponent on the fifth level materialized. This time, the opponent's aura was much stronger than that of the fourth level, and the cosmic weapon in the opponent's hand was no longer an afterimage, but an engraving—the Time Mark Rift Style.
Moreover, the opponent's engravings were more refined and stable than Lin Yun's. Each engraving was as if it were tangible, leaving a deep imprint in the air.
"Let the battle begin!"
The opponent launched an attack. A mark shot straight towards Lin Yun at incredible speed. Lin Yun also unleashed his third level, sending a mark to meet it.
The two engravings collided, emitting a strange hissing sound. The collision of time forces caused the surrounding space to distort. Lin Yun's engraving collapsed in less than a second, and his opponent's engraving continued forward, striking him in the chest.
Lin Yun's body stiffened abruptly, then turned into specks of light and vanished.
"Fifth level of the Cosmic Bridge, failure." A mechanical voice echoed in Lin Yun's mind.
In the central square of the island, King Zhenyan let out a long sigh of relief.
"The guardian of the fifth level has already mastered the third level," said King Zhenyan. "Lin Yun has only just entered the third level, so it's normal for him to lose."
"But he used the third level on the fourth level, which exceeded everyone's expectations," said Longyu Wang. "Bolan cleared two levels by relying on close combat as a martial artist. Lin Yun cleared four levels by using the third level of the Cosmic Divine Weapon as the controller. Among this batch of newcomers, Lin Yun's strength is clearly a level higher."
"It's not just about strength," said the Purple Spirit King, "it's about his comprehension and mindset. He learns in battle and breaks through under pressure. That's what a true genius is."
Guangyu Wang nodded: "The Cosmic School has finally produced a decent prospect."
King Zhenyan turned around and looked at Baffin: "Save his combat videos. I need to study them carefully."
"Yes, Your Majesty King Zhenyan," Baffin said respectfully.
Virtual Universe, Yuxiangshan Primitive Area.
Lin Yun appeared in his manor. He had no wounds on his body—the battle in the virtual universe did not affect reality, but the feeling of being hit still made him linger.
"Master, you've passed the fourth level!" Xiao Lan's excited voice rang in his mind. "Four extra opportunities for comprehension! Plus a points reward—1000 for the first level, 2000 for the second, 4000 for the third, and 8000 for the fourth, for a total of 15000 points!"
Lin Yun nodded, but his heart remained largely unmoved. Four opportunities to comprehend meant he could enter the secret chamber four more times to study the Cosmic Chaos Stele, each session lasting seven days. Combined with the thirty years of study in Chaos City, his understanding of the laws of spacetime would undergo a qualitative leap.
With 15000 points, plus the nearly 90,000 points he originally had, he now had over 100,000 points, enough for him to exchange for more items in the treasure vault.
"However, the guardian of the fifth level is indeed strong." Lin Yun recalled the battle just now, "His third level is far more proficient than mine. To pass the fifth level, I need to completely master the third level."
Lin Yun sat cross-legged on the rooftop, gazing up at the spatial rift in the sky. The shimmering, thread-like patterns became even clearer in his eyes. He would make good use of his four opportunities for comprehension.
He closed his eyes, immersing his consciousness into the Time-Space Nightmare Beast clone. His golden and silver eyes opened simultaneously, golden and silver light swirling within them. He needed to master the third level of the Cosmic Divine Weapon in the shortest possible time.
In the higher echelons of the virtual universe, Lin Yun's name began to be known by more people. A newcomer who could pass through the fourth level of the Cosmic Sky Bridge as soon as he arrived in Chaos City, a member of the Primordial Secret Realm who had mastered the third level of the Cosmic Divine Weapon, a young man who learned in battle and broke through under pressure—his future was worth looking forward to.