Gates of the Myriad Realms Chapter 604

Ice coke!

Cigarettes!

A sip, a puff.

What bliss!

The panda lay on the roof outside the zoo, legs crossed, contentedly smoking a post-coital cigarette.

Life—

This is how it should be.

Next, it was time to be a hero.

Special training!

To undergo high-intensity special training, to further deepen its soul characteristics into the gate ability, and to push it to a higher level of development.

This was a must!

After all, having just helped Shen Ye, it realized how incredibly powerful the enemy’s gate ability was.

The gap was too wide.

So wide that it could ascertain this fact purely by feeling.

It put people out of reach.

—Even Shen Ye’s gate ability was of a higher level than its own.

This wouldn’t do!

Go, time to improve abilities!

The panda stood up, about to move, when it involuntarily reached out a paw and rubbed its belly.

…Why was it a little hungry?

Oh well.

I’ll go eat something first, like hotpot and burgers, and then go online to play a few games.

Training, you say—

Later.

That’s the plan!

As the panda was thinking, lines of emerald green text suddenly appeared before it:

“The multi-layered universe’s understanding of gate abilities has improved significantly.”

“As a gate ability user, you have received a cosmic gift.”

“Do you wish to use the universe’s overall enhancement to strengthen your gate ability?”

“Please note.”

“This enhancement is destined to raise your gate ability to Tier 1.”

“Yes/No.”

—There’s such a good thing?

The panda was overjoyed and immediately nodded:

“Yes!”

The next moment.

Its “safe house” door automatically appeared, emitting rhythmic power fluctuations.

The panda sensed it briefly and understood.

—This required its cooperation to improve.

“Come on!”

The panda unhesitatingly pressed its paw against the door.

The door vibrated.

Lines of emerald green text appeared on the door:

“You have agreed to enhance your gate ability.”

“Currently entering the multi-layered universe’s mandatory enhancement mission:”

“Large-scale epic gate mission:”

“Summit meeting.”

“Description: Your gate ability is about to be enhanced, but as the master of the ability, you are too obese and your strength is too weak.”

“The current multi-layered universe is at a critical juncture, so you must adjust your self-state.”

“Please complete the sub-mission immediately:”

“The initial warm-up preparation.”

“Eight million punches, sixty million rolls, one hundred and twenty million fat-reducing Pilates exercises.”

“Upon completion, you can continue the ‘Summit meeting’ mission.”

The panda finished reading and couldn’t help but smile.

“This kind of thing should be handled by fellows like Shen Ye, who like to suffer.”

“Me, I’ll—”

“I’ll gradually improve, just let things take their course.”

The panda shook its head, took out its phone, and prepared to find a highly-rated hotpot restaurant.

But the next second—

Bright red characters suddenly appeared before its eyes:

“Warning!”

“You have agreed to embark on the ‘Summit meeting’ cosmic mission.”

“If you fail to complete the mission requirements within a certain period, the will of the universe will reclaim your gate ability and grant it to someone else; as for your fate—”

“You will be annihilated!”

The panda froze, mumbling involuntarily:

“What kind of joke…”

Before it could finish, its door suddenly burst with intense light.

The light flew into the void, seemingly preparing to leave.

—This was the gate ability transforming into pure talent essence, leaving the panda’s body!

Once the door completely left, annihilation would follow!

“I’ll do it! I’ll do it, okay?!”

The panda jumped up and frantically threw itself into training.

Eight million punches!

Sixty million rolls!

One hundred and twenty million fat-reducing Pilates exercises!

—Failure meant death!

The panda gritted its teeth and forced itself to punch with all its might.

Damn it!

How did this happen!

I should have never agreed!

It worked out, sweating profusely.

On the other side.

The Destruction camp.

In a vast city of destruction.

Kaelon and Shen Ye had quietly teleported there.

This was Kaelon’s territory.

The two appeared directly in Kaelon’s palace.

“Finally back safely—I’ll go see what’s been happening recently—how about you?”

Kaelon asked.

“Don’t worry about me, contact me anytime if anything comes up,” Shen Ye said.

He stared at the void, seemingly sensing something.

“Alright, you can command the servants here, tell them if you need anything.”

“—Stay in touch.”

Kaelon said, then disappeared.

Only Shen Ye remained, walking slowly down the palace corridor, his eyes fixed on the void, as if looking at something.

Faint shimmering words had been appearing before him for a long time:

“You have activated the term ‘Pole Remover’, targeting Old John.”

“A sentry post has been established on Old John.”

“Observing target.”

Shen Ye watched and waited silently.

—Could this Old John discover his sentry post?

What was he doing now?

Old John quietly appeared in an obscure part of the dream world.

“Mandarin Duck Blade…”

“This blade technique does not exist.”

“But this blade technique mixes many laws, at least four.”

Old John held a silver short staff in his hand.

It was called a short staff, but in fact, lines of rapidly changing small characters were engraved on it.

The small characters kept refreshing.

From the three characters “Mandarin Duck Blade” it changed to “Mandarin Blade, Linked Mandarin Duck Slashes, Dream Soul Dual Slashes…”

Countless options and move names appeared on the short staff.

But the small characters never stopped.

—It seemed that the silver short staff was hesitating, unable to confirm the name of the technique.

Wait a minute.

What do you want to confirm about my blade technique!

Shen Ye felt curious, and even a strange feeling arose in his heart.

As if—

If the other party found the name of the blade technique, something unbelievable would happen to him.

“Stop.”

Old John suddenly spoke.

The small characters on the silver short staff all disappeared.

The old man, dressed in a tailcoat with a full head of white hair, grinned, his tone chilling:

“What is this?”

“—Using a term’s power on me, to spy on me?”

Shen Ye’s heart sank, then felt a chill.

He found it!

He actually found it!

He clearly remembered that the term “Pole Remover” had an explanation—

“Unless the other party possesses a ‘Saint’ level term, or you actively inform them, they may only then perceive the sentry post you’ve placed on them.”

Old John had a Saint-level term!

—What kind of existence was this guy?!

Charlotte’s voice suddenly rang out:

“Be careful—I mean, if it really comes down to it, we must immediately return to the Truth World, hiding deep within the Truth Continent.”

“Why?” Shen Ye asked.

“Only Saints can obtain ‘Saint’-level terms, Shen Ye.”

Charlotte tried to keep her voice steady.

Shen Ye was somewhat bewildered.

Saint?

What the hell, you’re a Saint, what kind of gate ability deal are you making with me?

What can’t you obtain?

…I really don’t understand.

On the other side, the wrinkles on Old John’s face twisted into shape, as if smiling, or as if seeing a dish placed before him, ready to eat.

“Interesting term… but you think you can spy on me with this term?”

Old John said.

Shen Ye remained silent.

“Of course, I can destroy this term at any time, but now I will make you watch as your technique completely disappears.”

“Not only that.”

“I will utterly strip you of everything.”

Having said that, Old John, disregarding the “sentry post” on him, continued to wave the silver short staff and said:

“There is a blade technique.”

“It possesses dream, time…”

He pondered for a moment, then continued:

“There should also be the law of death, and finally one more law.”

Old John fell into thought.

On the other side.

Charlotte’s urgent voice came to Shen Ye’s ear:

“Quickly, think of a way.”

“If he guesses your blade technique, something extremely disadvantageous to you might happen.”

“I know,” Shen Ye said.

But the next moment—

In the dream world, Old John had already deduced the principles and laws of the blade technique:

“The last law is control.”

“Then, dual blade continuous slash, cycling through four laws…”

Old John gripped the silver short staff with one hand, raised it high, and roared:

“Immediately search for such blade techniques.”

“—As long as they exist, they must be presented!”

On the silver short staff, countless small characters changed frantically.

But as time passed—

It still failed to search successfully.

Old John showed surprise, thought for a moment, and understood.

A surge of murderous intent suddenly erupted from him.

“It’s not a dual blade continuous slash!”

“Nor are there four laws!”

“The strike you dealt me, did it hold back, not giving your all?”

“…How many years has it been since someone dared to hold back when striking me.”

His murderous intent was almost tangible, causing deep, bottomless cracks to appear in the surrounding ground.

Shen Ye sensed it.

But Shen Ye remained silent, listening to the other party continue:

“So you’re humiliating me with this?”

“Yes,” Shen Ye said.

Old John was so direct that he was momentarily stunned.

“I am humiliating you, yes.”

Shen Ye added.

The two sides were now in a state of irreconcilable conflict!

In this situation.

—Admission was also a form of deception!

Anger was the only unavoidable strategy!

Otherwise, the other party might discover another truth—

Yes.

He deliberately said “dual slash” to mislead the other party.

In fact.

The core of this “Horse Lantern” technique was a three-strike continuous slash.

Young Shen Ye, adult Shen Ye, original spirit body—

Taking turns striking.

This cycle ensures that the dream never ends.

That’s why Augustus, the Old Blind Man, and even Ojar couldn’t break free!

Because if they broke free from one layer, there were still two; if they broke free from two layers, the destroyed ones would reappear, endless.

When he struck Old John, he wasn’t holding back, but instinctively testing the waters.

Why did I test him, instead of going all out?

Shen Ye suddenly asked himself.

…Right.

He was testing him.

—A testing move, naturally, couldn’t be full strength.

Because in the back of his mind, he felt the other’s power, and subconsciously felt—

Even if he went all out, he couldn’t defeat the other party.

That was the answer!

So his strategy was:

To stall for time.

—Stalling for time naturally didn’t require an all-out fight.

It was also a subconscious attempt to prevent the other party from grasping his true intelligence.

—So Old John deduced two strikes and four laws, yet it still wasn’t the true nature of this move!

Because he hadn’t gone all out.

Who would have thought—

This turned out to be his path to survival!!!

Shen Ye felt a little emotional.

A strategic choice in battle had decided his life and death.

Saint.

It was truly beyond his imagination.

This “Old John” took one strike and could deduce the several law origins summoned by the blade technique.

Simply terrifying!

Shen Ye’s heart suddenly skipped a beat—

He actually had some experience with searching for information.

When searching, if some content couldn’t be found, what would he do?

—Try entering similar search data.

For example.

Change “dual slash” to “triple slash” or “quadruple slash.”

If this terrifying guy wanted to try his luck, wouldn’t he discover the truth?

To be safe—

Shen Ye suddenly drew his long saber and struck himself with full force!

Horse Lantern!

He needed time now to evolve his blade technique again, so that the other party couldn’t possibly guess the truth of this strike.

In the void.

A clock suddenly appeared:

“You have unleashed another three thousand years of time flow?”

“Beware!”

“Your blade technique law has become strong to a certain degree, and is about to reach the monitoring range of the Time World.”

“—You must decide quickly whether to accept the conditions of the Time Saint.”

“Otherwise, the next time you use your blade technique, you will not be able to normally invoke the power of the time law!”

The clock finished speaking, then disappeared into the void.

The next moment.

Shen Ye returned to normal.

In the time flow opened by that strike, he spent another three thousand years refining his blade technique.

Faint shimmering words appeared quietly:

“Your blade technique has entered a new realm.”

“The upper limit of this blade technique has been locked, and it cannot be further improved.”

“—Unless the approval of the three laws of time, death, and control are obtained, only then can a larger scale of law power be invoked!”

“Furthermore, you can no longer use the time law on yourself.”

“Unless the Time Saint’s demands are met.”

Clang—

A Horse Lantern strike was completed and the blade returned to its sheath.

Three thousand years passed in an instant.

Shen Ye silently experienced the changes in his strength.

Three thousand years.

Most of the time was spent honing his blade technique, because he was indeed facing the threat of Old John.

As for his overall strength, it had only barely reached the True Realm Stage Sixteen.

—If only he could do it again!

But the power of his blade technique had been noticed, and the master of the time law wouldn’t allow him to do so again.

The Time Saint wants to control all of humanity!

How could he agree?

Shen Ye felt a slight regret.

No deal.

He couldn’t improve his blade technique anymore!

All this seemed slow in description, but only the time of one strike had passed.

One strike.

Less than a second.

The second hand slowly ticked one grid—

Opposite.

Old John suddenly probed: “Actually, it’s not just four laws?”

“Five?”

“Six?”

“Seven?”

He patiently, repeatedly probed.

The small characters on the silver short staff scrolled crazily, yet couldn’t stop.

—No!

That kid couldn’t possibly exceed seven laws.

The direction was wrong!

Old John paused for a moment and then spoke again:

“The four laws remain unchanged—”

“More than two people are slashing, but three?”

“Four people?”

“Five people?”

“Six people?”

“…No more than that!”

“How could it be!”

Old John’s face grew increasingly ferocious, then he paused, and sharply said:

“Improved?”

“You struck yourself and cultivated your blade technique to improve it, didn’t you?”

He guessed right!

Shen Ye’s heart trembled.

This old man was truly capable!

He actually guessed the reason he couldn’t guess!

—What kind of monster was this!

“Hahahaha, it must be! It must be!”

Old John let out a series of strange “giggling” laughs, twisting all over, seemingly about to break free from his human “form” and revert to his original appearance!

But in the next instant.

He suddenly became polite again, speaking in an elegant yet indifferent tone:

“Your blade technique should have reached its limit.”

“Unless you obtain permission from several great laws and reach an agreement with the Saints who govern them, you cannot continue to improve your blade technique.”

“In other words—”

“The next time we meet, as soon as you make a move, I will definitely grasp it.”

“And your moves can no longer change.”

He guessed right again!

Old John clapped his hands and continued:

“The fact that you can create such a blade technique indeed makes you a formidable hero, and even among king-level existences—I guess—you should be top-tier.”

“But please believe me.”

“You will die.”

He raised his hand and snapped his fingers.

The sentry post screen cut off.

Shen Ye could no longer see what was happening on the other side.

Only a line of faint shimmering words quietly appeared before him:

“The opponent activated an unknown ‘Saint’-level All-Worlds Term, breaking your ‘Pole Remover’ and destroying the sentry post you established.”

Within the Palace of Destruction.

A breeze swept through.

Shen Ye stood in the breeze, his expression grave.

“Don’t worry,” Charlotte’s voice rang out, “World D-0314 and the Cataclysm of Destruction envelop the Eternal World, and the Truth World is hidden behind the Eternal World.”

“As long as you return to the Truth World, the other party cannot find you.”

“On the surface, that’s how it seems,” Shen Ye said.

“On the surface?” Charlotte asked.

“Because I don’t know what other methods Old John has,” Shen Ye said.

At this moment.

The God of Destruction, Adrian, was a guest in the dream world.

Although he had stirred up conflict between Adrian and the Dream King Urick, if Old John interfered—

Who knew what would happen?

If the God of Destruction was dealt with, then the other party could immediately enter the Truth World.

He absolutely couldn’t let his guard down!

Furthermore.

His blade technique had advanced by another three thousand years.

But the other party’s tone seemed utterly unconcerned, even to the point of—

The other party was convinced that after his improvement, one strike would not pose a threat to his life.

So.

Who exactly was this Old John?

Why was he in the dream world, following the Dream King?

No.

He needed information.

Not just information—

He also needed to further improve his strength!

Shen Ye pondered, then suddenly said:

“We must further assist Kaelon.”

“Why?”

The voice of the Boat of Chaos rang out.

“Given Old John’s strength, he is actually the true master of the dream world.”

“I’m worried he might unite the dream world with Adrian.”

“In that case, we’d have no barrier.”

“—Kaelon must seize power in the Cataclysm of Destruction!”

As he spoke.

In the dream world.

Old John had already arrived before the Dream King Urick.

“Your Majesty, your old servant has something to report.”

“Speak.”

“That assassin has been caught, and he seems to have no connection with Adrian—I personally interrogated him.”

“Is that so? Bring him in.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

…

On the other side.

Control side world.

After a day’s work—

Good Duckling was exhausted.

But the distant battle in the dream world left no time for rest.

It didn’t want to rest either.

“Do you think you’re the only one who can use search spells?”

Good Duckling murmured.

A noble Entropy Badge appeared before Good Duckling.

It pondered for a few breaths, then spoke:

“How many entropy points do I have now?”

“Three million,” the badge responded.

“I need answers,” Good Duckling said.

The badge rang again:

“Alright, answering questions also falls under the category of intelligence. Please state the information you wish to search for.”

Good Duckling cleared its throat and said:

“I want to search for: ‘How can I search for the information of the target I searched for last time with the least cost?'”

“—The ‘target’ here refers to the ‘target’ I last saved in my search history.”

“Please proceed with the search.”

The badge fell silent for a breath.

Ding!

“You can search for all information on the ‘Dream Collapse War’ by paying two million Entropy points.”

“The name of the entity involved will be hidden and marked with a red ‘?’ to avoid alarming him.”

“This information is the answer you seek.”

“This search is valued at 200 Entropy points.”

“200 Entropy points have been deducted.”

Good Duckling flapped its wings:

“Pay two million Entropy points, immediately search for ‘Dream Collapse War’!”

“Assembling top-secret files, please wait!”

“—The staff assembling the files for you would like to request your signed photo, esteemed performing superstar: Your Excellency Duckaduck.”

Good Duckling immediately put on a familiar, kind, and friendly expression, and said warmly:

“No problem—”

“Bring me my legendary signing pen.”

“Also, please tell my fans that I love them and thank them for their support.”