Xu Yuan ascended into the sky and gazed far into the distance.
If no measures were taken, this world was destined for destruction.
"Where is Xiao Jia?"
Yun Ming pointed in a direction and flew toward it.
Xu Yuan quickly followed.
Without using spatial teleportation, Xu Yuan could still keep up with Yun Ming's speed.
The exit of the spatial channel was at the peak of a high mountain. The two swiftly advanced in one direction.
The land ahead was split open, and the ground had turned into a sea of magma, as if the surface of the earth was on the verge of collapse.
As they continued forward, the situation improved slightly. Eventually, Xu Yuan spotted Xiao Jia.
"I had him stabilize the surface here temporarily using the power of the Mountain Dragon King. Though the effect isn't significant, it should earn some recognition from the plane."
Even planes without their own intelligence still possessed instincts. For entities aiding in its recovery, the plane's instincts would grant them certain permissions.
The two descended to the ground and looked closely. The relatively calm mountainous area turned out to be a massive dragon.
The dragon turned around, causing the earth to tremble. Its enormous dragon eyes opened and fixed their gaze on the two.
"Master Xu Yuan, Master Yun Ming."
Xiao Jia's voice was deep and somewhat rigid, likely due to his transformation into such a vast expanse of mountains, which had slowed his thought processes.
Xu Yuan wasn't surprised—this was a characteristic of the Mountain Dragon King's lineage.
The Mountain Dragon King clan could transform into continents and mountains, a natural ability. However, as they evolved into true continents, their mental activity would cease, cutting off communication with the outside world. Yet their consciousness still existed, regulating the ecological balance of the continent they had become, much like a Plane Lord.
This was why Yun Ming believed Xiao Jia had the opportunity to become the Plane Lord of the Dragon Plane.
At this moment, the vast expanse of land before Xu Yuan and Yun Ming was all transformed by Xiao Jia, filling the void left by the collapsing earth.
"Teacher, what's next?" Xu Yuan looked at Yun Ming and asked.
To be honest, he hadn't given much thought to how one becomes a Plane Lord.
"A complete plane has a highly internalized essence that even I can't probe. But this Dragon Plane is already broken, its internal ecology imbalanced, and its essence is at its most exposed state. If you try sensing it with the Seven Forbidden Techniques, you'll understand."
Yun Ming reminded Xu Yuan.
Xu Yuan immediately expanded his essence, energy, and spirit. As these merged with the surrounding environment, he immediately sensed a distinct change.
"The fluctuations of the laws are so clear, yet so violent."
If his essence, energy, and spirit weren't unified and in control of the surrounding environment, Xu Yuan felt that merely perceiving these law fluctuations would have damaged his consciousness.
"The fluctuations of the laws are intense, making them easier to sense but also more likely to cause backlash. Using the Seven Forbidden Techniques to control the surrounding environment can mitigate this issue to some extent, but you'll still be affected. It's best to combine it with your domain."
As Yun Ming spoke, he unfolded his domain.
He was far from Xu Yuan, and the domain he unleashed spanned over a thousand meters. From outside the domain, Xu Yuan couldn't see anything within it, as if the domain had become another world entirely, forbidding any observation.
"This is the result of my cultivation based on your dream space. I've made my domain into an alternative world. Even so, it still can't fully contain all my power, so I'm experimenting with the path of the martial soul as a medium, compressing this domain further. It's now integrated into my Atlas Spear."
Yun Ming's words left Xu Yuan speechless.
No wonder this man had been stuck at the pinnacle of soul masters for sixty years—his accumulation was immense. In just a few years, he had tested all the new ideas thoroughly.
Of course, Xu Yuan understood that this was inseparable from Yun Ming's experiences over the past two years.
Accumulation alone wasn't enough. The stimulation, opportunities, and insights Yun Ming had gained during this time must have been substantial. For example, traveling through multiple planes had greatly aided his cultivation of transforming his domain into an alternative world.
Wait.
Xu Yuan suddenly paused.
He had tested everything and reached the limits of almost every path.
The blank world before him began to turn transparent, allowing Xu Yuan to finally see everything within this domain. It wasn't much different from before the domain was activated, except for an overwhelming presence of spear energy permeating the space.
"When I return to the continent, I'll need to find a way to break through."
Yun Ming's voice reached Xu Yuan's ears, filling him with excitement.
"However, no matter how deep my accumulation is, even if I break through, it will still be difficult to immediately reach a level capable of opposing the Abyssal Sage King. He mentioned five years, but I think three years is the limit." Yun Ming sighed and continued, "After all, you sent Ghost Emperor and the others into the Abyss, while Ardent monarch remained on Douluo Planet. This has deepened the integration of the rules between the two planes."
Yun Ming explained his understanding of the current Stellar (Celestial) Phenomenon and the relationship between the two planes.
"So, Teacher, do you believe the ultimate relationship between the two planes is one of yin and yang unity?" Xu Yuan asked in astonishment.
This was a direction he had never considered.
But now, setting aside everything else and simply observing the two planes from the outside, it was undeniable—they were intertwined. The material aspect was represented by Douluo Planet, while energy formed the Abyss. The Stellar Phenomenon fused them together in a virtual-real combination, creating a node.
"Yin-yang unity might very well be a direction of plane evolution," Yun Ming said pensively.
He gazed at the ruined Dragon Plane, his eyes distant, as if recalling the many planes he had encountered.
After a long silence, he finally spoke.
"Planes that give birth to life are four-dimensional. Three-dimensional existence serves as the most basic foundation, with independent essences that generate unique laws, adding another dimension. Furthermore, if other three-dimensional spaces are stacked, there's a chance to elevate to yet another dimension."
"A four-dimensional plane is like our Douluo Planet."
"On Douluo Planet, soul masters begin interacting with dimensions of energy that overlap with our material dimension from the start of their cultivation. This is already a characteristic of four-dimensional existence, setting them apart from ordinary people. Especially as their soul cores condense, soul masters have nearly transcended the three-dimensional realm, deepening their connection to the energy dimension. However, since our bodies haven't yet evolved to four-dimensional levels, we can only be considered quasi-four-dimensional beings. Achieving godhood involves touching the laws, elevating the soul master's dimension once again. This is overstepping boundaries, surpassing the plane's limits, and thus cannot succeed."
Yun Ming shared his understanding.
(A/N: These concepts are unrelated to Douluo IV; the dimensional system of Douluo IV is not referenced.)
Xu Yuan could follow all of this.
The stacking of countless three-dimensional spaces creates a four-dimensional space.
This was the spatial aspect of four-dimensionality.
However, what influenced dimensional hierarchy wasn't just spatial stacking—it also included abstract aspects like laws and essence.
As for whether stacking four-dimensional spaces could lead to a five-dimensional space, Xu Yuan didn't know and couldn't comprehend.
With his current understanding, comprehending the stacking of countless three-dimensional spaces was already his limit.
Yun Ming continued his teaching.
"For Douluo Planet to ascend to a god-level plane, the fundamental requirement is dimensional elevation. To achieve this, stacking is the most basic and common method. Perhaps overlaying another Douluo Planet onto the existing one would count as an elevation, and it wouldn't necessarily require progression toward four-dimensional space."
Xu Yuan revealed a look of surprise.
Is this feasible?
In his mind, he imagined: according to Yun Ming's explanation, could a plane in the universe spread its laws, develop another life-bearing planet as a second entity, and through mutual connection, become a god-level plane?
"In fact, it's exactly like that." Yun Ming gave a bitter smile.
He wasn't a creator god or a maker of worlds, nor even a god-level powerhouse.
These insights were his own subjective understanding of laws and his summarization of reality.
"From what I know, the vast planes in the universe encompass entire star systems, and some even span across galaxies. Yet their planes don't show a trend of stacking toward four-dimensional space. Instead, they expand within the material realm, continuously evolving."
Xu Yuan furrowed his brow.
"Of course, this form of dimensional elevation through stacking is limited. It's similar to soul masters being quasi-four-dimensional beings. It may appear to be an elevation, but in reality, it hasn't truly transformed. As for why godhood can emerge, it's likely because their planes are more deeply integrated with the universe itself."
Yun Ming's perspective was unique and formed a relatively complete loop.
"These aren't the key points. What matters is that our Douluo Planet now has the opportunity to truly expand into four-dimensional space and elevate its dimension." Yun Ming brought Xu Yuan's thoughts back on track and continued, "The Abyss resides in the energy dimension, while Douluo Planet resides in the material dimension. The fusion of the two planes through the Stellar Phenomenon represents an extension of each plane. As the fusion of laws continues, the two planes will become one. At that point, this unified entity will be a larger, higher-dimensional world."
The reason the two planes still maintained considerable independence was that the fusion of their laws wasn't yet complete.
Xu Yuan recalled something Yun Ming had said earlier—Ghost Emperor had entered the Stellar Phenomenon, and Ardent monarch had remained on Douluo Planet, accelerating the integration of laws.
So, would this also hasten the formation of the Stellar Phenomenon?
"The Stellar Phenomenon is rooted in the stars. How it evolves specifically, I don't know, so we'll have to take it step by step. However, when I return this time, I'll break through within the Stellar Phenomenon."
Yun Ming looked at Xu Yuan as if giving him a heads-up.
"The Stellar Phenomenon was created by you, so it should be your opportunity. But I'm not confident I can quickly gain the strength to oppose the Abyssal Sage King, so I can only walk the path of becoming a Plane Lord."
"The fusion of two planes will create a new world. Both planes already have their own Plane Lords, and the fusion node—relying on the relatively independent Stellar Phenomenon—is anchored in the starry expanse. I also want to try becoming a Plane Lord within the Stellar Phenomenon, serving as an alternative sovereign overseeing the fusion node of the two planes."
Xu Yuan was genuinely astonished this time.
He hadn't expected Yun Ming's imagination to be so vast.
"But, Teacher, both planes already have their own Plane Lords. If you become the intermediary existence, they would essentially have to depend on you. Otherwise, if the new plane connection were severed, it could cause the entire plane to regress. But clearly, they wouldn't accept the existence of someone like you.
Moreover, from another perspective, a new world should have a completely new World Sovereign to govern the unified whole. By positioning yourself in the middle, they would need to contend with you to achieve that step."
This clearly placed him in opposition to both sides.
Yun Ming gave a wry smile.
"Do you really have so little faith in your teacher?"
Xu Yuan looked at Yun Ming innocently.
It wasn't about lacking faith in his teacher—it was about the lack of time.
That was something Yun Ming had mentioned earlier.
"If I can't quickly close the gap, why would I choose this path?" Yun Ming chuckled. "I once attempted to condense a divine throne, but only managed to complete half of it. I couldn't progress further because there was no divine realm to support it. Although I stopped pursuing it, I've been searching for a vessel to house the half-completed divine throne. The Stellar Phenomenon is suitable—I once sensed that it could accommodate my half-divine throne. Moreover, rather than saying the new Plane Lord would be me, it would more accurately be my divine throne—a fusion of that rank. Perhaps I could call it a god core?"
"The power I can harness is the energy of the Stellar Phenomenon's space. Although the Stellar Phenomenon is currently inferior to the two planes, it's still developing. In this process, perhaps I can draw upon the energy it absorbs from the universe to strengthen myself while slowing down its evolution, thereby empowering myself as well."
The god core would be the true Plane Lord, while Yun Ming would merely be its controller.
"When this half-divine throne solidifies into a god core, I estimate that I'll directly ascend in dimension. At the same time, by following the normal cultivation path to reach godhood, I'll essentially leap from quasi-four-dimensional existence to five-dimensional life."
A true five-dimensional life form. Because Yun Ming would directly touch the laws and delve deeply into their essence, his life level would elevate. By fusing with the existence of the god core, he would raise the quasi-dimension that communicates with the energy dimension.
No, perhaps these last two aren't the same thing. Could Yun Ming in this state be considered quasi-six-dimensional? By enriching himself and filling his body to four-dimensional space, would he then become a six-dimensional life form?
Numerous thoughts flashed through Xu Yuan's mind. He felt that his teacher's path had suddenly broadened immensely.
"This is my thought as well. However, doing so means I might only be able to 'intercept' the energy the Stellar Phenomenon uses to evolve itself with basic consciousness. I won't be able to maintain full awareness until the two planes are fully formed," Yun Ming explained.
Weaker planes cannot sustain powerful life forms.
This is true on a dimensional level.
Whether Yun Ming could break through while positioned between the two worlds was still uncertain. If not for the Stellar Phenomenon relying on the stars and being able to partially escape the constraints of the planes, he wouldn't dare attempt this plan.
After breaking through, the dimensions of the two original planes would be surpassed by him, which might very well lead to his own collapse.
"After I break through, I don't know if it'll count as expanding the soul master system. You'll have to decide based on the situation," Yun Ming said.
Choosing this method was also a way to hedge risks.
After all, establishing a new cultivation system was an incredibly difficult task. It was even unclear whether his breakthrough would truly expand the path of cultivation or if he'd simply leaped ahead without foundation.
Thus, he intended to use the method of becoming a Plane Lord to mitigate the risks, ensuring that he could ascend to godhood without falling due to a lack of groundwork beneath him.
Xu Yuan took a deep breath and nodded firmly.
"Let's go. Both of you enter my domain first, and I'll guide you to find the essence."
Yun Ming expanded his domain directly, increasing its range from the previous one kilometer to ten kilometers instantly.
This terrifying domain range hadn't yet reached its limit, and Yun Ming appeared to still have reserves of strength.
"The essence is closely tied to the laws. By following the laws, we'll inevitably find the essence of a plane."
Yun Ming was explaining to Xu Yuan rather than exploring blindly.
Because he had already investigated before deciding to make Xiao Jia the Plane Lord here.
Xu Yuan observed the changing scenery around him—everything was twisting.
The spear-like aura permeating the space grew denser, as if countless spears were pointing at him, releasing their intent indiscriminately.
Xu Yuan felt this way, but Xiao Jia felt it even more intensely, lying motionless on the ground, too afraid to move.
Feeling his essence, energy, and spirit being absorbed, Xu Yuan's mind stirred—he seemed to gain some control over this domain.
"Feel along with me," Yun Ming's voice entered his ears.
Xu Yuan immediately activated the Seven Forbidden Techniques, finally seeing the distorted scene within the domain.
They were threads, intertwining with each other, seemingly penetrating deep into a certain area of the domain.
No, there was no change in position.
"The so-called essence is omnipresent. The concept of distance is merely a perceptual difference," Yun Ming spoke again.
Everything within the domain continued to change. The threads of law that were previously distant drew nearer. Xu Yuan felt the threads around his body grow dense, as if all the threads of law were now before his eyes.
At the intersection of all the threads, a pulsating sensation resonated with him.
That was—
"This is the essence of the Dragon Plane. Different people perceive it differently, depending on their own cognition."
The normal perception of the essence of laws, like Xu Yuan's, was to view it as the 'heart' of a world, regulating all operations of the plane.
Thus, he heard the pulsating sound and felt the resonance of his own blood and qi.
"This is just the beginning."
Yun Ming deepened the Seven Forbidden Techniques' penetration of heaven and earth, causing the scene Xu Yuan saw to continue changing.
The pounding of the heartbeats seemed to merge directly with Xu Yuan's own heartbeat. The sense of alien intrusion disappeared, replaced by countless images flashing by rapidly.
In the depths of cosmic space, a great dragon soared. The dragon seemed to have reached the end of its lifespan. After losing its vitality, its body drifted through the universe. Over time, countless fragments of rock gathered, fusing with its body.
Meteorites fell, collided, and the corpse shattered completely.
All primitive elements were reorganizing.
After an unknown span of time, the planet changed, giving birth to the first dragon—the ancestor of the dragon race.
The birth of life caused the entire planet to transform. It seemed that the essence of the dragons became the foundational framework, forming the initial essence and deriving the first laws.
The Dragon Plane was born.
With the birth of the plane came the qualification to nurture life, and other races successively emerged.
What followed was the history of a planet's transformation.
Xu Yuan felt as if his mind were about to explode. Countless images flooded his brain, leaving him disoriented.
"Don't focus too much on those images. This is the information contained within the essence—it's too vast. Even with your brain-type martial soul, you can't handle so much information," Yun Ming reminded him.
Xu Yuan took a deep breath, steadied his mind, and reined in his thoughts, no longer probing the 'memories' deep within the essence.
Sure enough, everything returned to normal.
Though his brain no longer felt swollen, Xu Yuan's mind churned.
So, this was the truth behind how the essence could elevate dimensions?
"Essence, time."
Within the essence lay the entire history of the plane from its birth to the present—and possibly even the future. Time was involved!
The existence of time was intangible and elusive.
Some perceptions defined time as the change of matter. This view wasn't wrong—time seemed to be a concept derived from the changes of matter, with its most fundamental meaning being the explanation of the speed of material change.
However, time was also a concept, existing in the consciousness of all living beings.
Personally, Xu Yuan believed that with consciousness came time.
The chicken-and-egg paradox couldn't be resolved—it was a simultaneous emergence through mutual entanglement.
When the first consciousness arose in the universe, time was born.
When the universe had time, it began recording it, nurturing the essence, and laying the foundation for the birth of life.
As for why the first consciousness seemingly predated time, it was merely a way to conceptualize things.
Everything was the result of evolution. Everything simultaneously emerged in a hazy, accidental birth.
Planes were small entities within the universe. During their gestation, time already existed. Thus, in the Dragon Plane, it could be said that time existed first, guiding the rapid formation of the plane and the nurturing of life.
The universe was the mother body.
"So, does the essence contain past information? Can it reach into the past?" Xu Yuan pondered.
Does the essence merely record time?
Or does it truly exist as countless temporal nodes of the plane, strung together into a timeline, with the essence running through everything?
Xu Yuan's thoughts swirled.
Yun Ming's voice pulled him back from his myriad reflections.
"Xiao Jia, as I taught you earlier, condense everything about yourself into a dragon pearl."
Below them, the vast expanse of land within the ten-kilometer domain began to stir. Streams of earth-yellow energy condensed, forming a pearl in midair.
Around the pearl, dragon qi swirled.
With the condensation of the dragon pearl, the mountains and rivers seemed devoid of vitality, and Xiao Jia appeared to have entered the final stage of his life.
Yun Ming summoned the dragon pearl, pressed it forward, and integrated it into the essence of this world.
In that instant, a mighty roar of dragons echoed throughout the plane.
Xu Yuan felt a sense of familiarity.
It seemed to be the roar of the dragon that had roamed the cosmos until the end of its lifespan, its corpse forming the foundation of this plane.
Before him, a vision emerged: the image of that dragon roaring skyward. This was the feedback of the essence, not a recorded 'history.'
At this moment, the Dragon Plane awakened.
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