Chapter 138: I Want Them All

Initial Universe, Chaos City.

Luo Yuan’s spiritual energy swept across the area, picking up golden law-attribute bubbles—inscriptions left behind by countless predecessors. These bubbles contained their insights into the laws, though they were quite chaotic. Sensing them, he realized that actual law-attribute bubbles were rare, which only highlighted how arduous the path of comprehending the laws truly was.

"Alright, time is precious; do not waste it."

The black-robed envoy leaped directly from the rooftop, landing on the ground below. Immediately, the other 1,000 geniuses followed, dropping down like dumplings, swarming the wide street in front of the villa complex.

"Follow me to the City Lord’s Mansion," the envoy said. "That is where the City Lord resides, and it is the heart of all Chaos City."

"The City Lord of Chaos?" Luo Yuan raised an eyebrow. This was a peerless, mighty figure.

As the black-robed envoy walked, he continued, "You are only temporary residents of Chaos City. At the Universe level, you have a thirty-year residency limit. Of course, if you have the ability, you can become permanent residents, granting you many special privileges, though that is as difficult as ascending to heaven."

The young people were shocked. One couldn't help but ask, "Then how does one become a permanent resident?"

The envoy smiled. "As long as you make a great contribution or possess overwhelming strength, you can be recognized by the Alliance and become a permanent resident."

Luo Yuan’s heart stirred. The "Alliance" likely referred to the five great powers that governed Chaos City. However, gaining their recognition was difficult, given the internal conflicts among those five giants.

"May I ask, what are the specific conditions for gaining the Alliance's recognition?" asked Uka, the prince of the Manka Planet.

"The conditions are extremely harsh," the envoy replied with a smile. "When you become Immortals, you will know what those conditions are. It is useless to ask now."

The geniuses were left speechless. The envoy only told half the story, leaving them itching with curiosity.

...

The black-robed envoy led the bustling crowd of young people from various human races through the streets, creating quite a spectacle.

Yet, Luo Yuan noticed that the powerful practitioners meditating on the rooftops of the villas along the streets rarely opened their eyes to look at them; most remained immersed in their cultivation and contemplation. Many had grown long beards and hair, as if they hadn't groomed themselves in hundreds or thousands of years.

Most were ascetics who had not yet reached the Immortal stage, sitting still, relying on their own comprehension of the laws. Perhaps they would turn to dust before ever grasping the laws, for without immortality, one’s lifespan is limited. To go against the heavens, one must endure loneliness and master one’s own desires.

...

"That is the City Lord’s Mansion ahead," the envoy said, suddenly pointing forward.

Everyone looked up at the majestic and austere building, which stood over three hundred meters tall. Even from a distance, one could see the three most dazzling characters in the Universal Common Tongue: ‘City Lord’s Mansion.’

Merely looking at the script, one felt drawn in, as if the characters contained a universe or a world of their own. One’s spirit felt as if it were being constantly absorbed into the cosmic space within the calligraphy. Terrified, the geniuses quickly lowered their heads, afraid to look any longer.

"You have seen the three characters of the City Lord's Mansion; once is enough. Do not look at them often," the envoy chuckled. "They will leave your spirit dazed. Even Immortal existences generally dare not stare at them for long."

The geniuses nodded, feeling even more awe for the City Lord of Chaos.

...

Things look close but are far away. Even though the geniuses walked at a brisk pace, it took several minutes to reach the gates of the City Lord’s Mansion. At a glance, one could see black-robed envoys coming and going, and occasionally, Immortal beings or World Lords entering and exiting.

"Chaos City is the only city in the Initial Universe," the envoy smiled. "In Chaos City, there are three treasures."

"The first of these three treasures, as you all know, is the manifestation of the laws of the universe, which can be seen with the naked eye."

"As for the second treasure, it is located within the city, right here in the City Lord’s Mansion."

"The third treasure is located outside of Chaos City."

"What exactly are these treasures?" a group of young people couldn't help but ask.

The envoy said solemnly, "In our Chaos City, there are 52 most precious Chaos Tablets. Each tablet records a vast number of mysterious patterns and more. These 52 Chaos Tablets are 52 Great Daos of cultivation, leading directly to the ultimate peak! If you fully comprehend a single Chaos Tablet, you will become a true super-existence in the universe; even if you wish to establish a Universe Kingdom, it would be a simple task."

The thousand young men and women were stirred with excitement. 52 Chaos Tablets, containing the Great Daos to the peak—if comprehending one could allow one to establish a Universe Kingdom, it sounded almost unbelievable.

"These 52 Chaos Tablets are the second treasure of our Chaos City," the envoy smiled. "As for the third treasure... it is located outside Chaos City. There is a detailed description on the stone tablet at the city gate; go and see for yourselves."

The group was filled with anticipation. Since the first and second treasures were so beneficial, the third was likely just as remarkable.

"52 Chaos Tablets," the envoy stated. "Every practitioner who enters the Initial Universe has one chance to contemplate them, and the time allowed for each person is seven days!"

"Seven days?" The group widened their eyes. So short?

"The Chaos Tablets are the supreme treasures of our human race. They convey the Great Daos leading to the peak more clearly than any secret technique. Seven days of contemplation is sufficient for you."

The black-robed envoy then walked toward the main gate of the City Lord’s Mansion. "Come in, and prepare to choose a Chaos Tablet to observe."

...

The City Lord’s Mansion occupied a vast area. Given that even the residential rooftops for ordinary practitioners were a hundred meters wide and long, the sheer scale of the Mansion was unimaginable.

"Each person may only choose one Chaos Tablet to observe and comprehend." The envoy led Luo Yuan and the others to a dreamlike corridor.

On the walls on both sides of the corridor hung massive pictures. With a single glance, Luo Yuan knew there were 52 pictures in total.

"The 52 rubbings hanging on these walls correspond to the 52 Chaos Tablets. Observe them first. Although these pictures cannot convey the aura contained within the actual tablets, they will allow you to sense a fraction of it. Observe these 52 pictures... and then decide which Chaos Tablet you will choose," the envoy said.

The young people were stunned as they looked at the pictures along the walls; it turned out they had to choose based on these images. Each picture was a standard ten meters long and wide, with its name inscribed beside it.

"You have half an hour," the envoy said, standing at the entrance of the corridor.

Luo Yuan’s gaze swept across the pictures. He could tell that these 52 images were essentially manifestations of various laws, created by those great beings so that successors could grasp the true meaning of the laws by studying them. It was a pity that these pictures did not drop attribute bubbles, likely because they were merely rubbings.

However, since Luo Yuan practiced all-attribute laws, he actually wanted to collect from all 52 Chaos Tablets. Unfortunately, the rules of Chaos City stated that each person could only comprehend one, a restriction meant to prevent geniuses from being overly ambitious and straying onto the wrong path. But for Luo Yuan, that was not an issue.

He thought to himself: if he could pass the third level of the Heavenly Bridge, he would be able to attend lectures at the dojos of various King-level Immortals. That would be a substantial way to collect law-attribute bubbles.

The 1,000 geniuses were like starving wolves, their eyes gleaming as they stared at the pictures. While they had been annoyed by the selection process earlier, they were now completely lost in contemplation.