NOVEL WEB Chapter 319: A Heart
Once Lin Qing had put away all the stone sculptures, he followed the Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor into the hidden space.
After passing through the space-time rift, what appeared before them was an ice world.
At the center of this vast ice world stood a towering ice pillar, crystalline and clear like crystal, emitting an endless chill, seemingly the source of the cold here, with even space-time fluctuations faintly frozen.
This was no mere absolute zero but a chill that completely transcended the limits of the universe, existing almost conceptually.
"The ice origin from beyond the universe?"
Lin Qing looked at the ice pillar gathering infinite cold power in front of him and immediately confirmed this.
Within the universe, there are only six origins: Life, Destruction, Order, Chaos, Nature, and Power. Even when integrated with the Space-Time Mystery or transformed into different Space-Time Origins, they cannot surpass the cosmic limit.
Yet this icy power clearly did not belong within the universe and had already surpassed its limits.
"This rebellious disciple is indeed trying to master the ice power beyond the universe, but this should be an ice pillar formed by a mystical treasure from outside the universe... Is there a life aura within the ice pillar?"
The Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor looked at the towering ice pillar and immediately flew over.
As the two approached and carefully sensed, they discovered that deep within the ice pillar seemed to be frozen... a human heart?
Even shrouded by endless cold power, the heart appeared vibrant and continued to beat strongly.
"A human heart?"
Lin Qing was somewhat astonished, "How could the Space-Time Island Ancestor have frozen a heart here?"
"It seems like some kind of seal." The Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor slightly frowned, "This ice power, which transcends the cosmic limit, can freeze space-time fluctuations and isolate all auras."
"Sealing?" Lin Qing examined the vibrant heart within the ice pillar, "Even a mere heart can resist such cold?"
"My rebellious disciple did receive several inheritances from the Third Level Civilization."
The Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor softly said, "Relying on treasures that resist chaos erosion, he even voluntarily left the universe to explore the Endless Chaos. Although it was only at the edge of the universe, he did have some gains."
He looked at the heart beating within the ice pillar, "Perhaps this was one of his gains from exploring the Endless Chaos?"
Lin Qing pondered.
He also knew that transcendent experts, by mastering the Space-Time Origin, could leverage space-time to actively leave the universe.
But within the universe is safe, while beyond it is filled with endless dark chaos. A transcendent expert entering the dark chaos would be eroded and assimilated by that most original chaos power, and even they could not dispel such erosion.
Each departure from the universe into the Endless Chaos would increase the erosion.
As the erosion accumulates with each entry, eventually, there would come a day when it cannot be resisted, and the chaos would completely erode and assimilate them.
Moreover, transcendent experts could not remain within the universe forever; whether avoiding the Great Annihilation or exploring treasures beyond the universe, entering the Endless Chaos is necessary.
This is quite contradictory for transcendent experts.
To live longer, they must avoid the Great Annihilation by exploring methods to enhance their strength within the dark chaos. Yet this also subjects them to chaos erosion, inevitably leading to death.
Like the Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor, who had survived for dozens of epochs, every time evading the Great Annihilation meant entering the Endless Chaos for exploration. Nowadays, the chaos erosion he faced had reached a critical point, and after leaving the universe again during the next Great Annihilation, he was destined to the erosion and death by chaos.
The number of rare treasures beyond the universe, obtained by the Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor, would only be more, so he did not care about the Space-Time Island Ancestor's treasures.
"The Space-Time Island Ancestor actually had such a finding?"
Lin Qing carefully observed the vibrant heart beating in the ice, instinctively knowing it either hailed from the Endless Chaos or originated from some Third Level Civilization.
When he previously killed the Space-Time Island Ancestor, he acquired his legacy, yet there was no record or related artifacts concerning this heart.
In simulated futures, the Space-Time Island Ancestor neither died nor ever mentioned anything regarding this heart.
"Lin Qing, what do you think we should do with this heart?" the Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor asked.
Lin Qing pondered for a moment and said, "Let's just leave it here."
"Leave it here?" The Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor looked at him.
Lin Qing slightly nodded and said, "Since the Space-Time Island Ancestor took such great efforts to seal this heart in ice here and deliberately isolated its aura, it's likely because he couldn't make use of the heart and feared the aura would leak and reveal the heart's existence."
He scrutinized the heart, "I also have no means to utilize it, so the best choice is to temporarily leave it untouched, reinforce the seal, and above all, ensure it is well hidden."
The Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor gently nodded and said, "Indeed, Mr. Lin Qing is destined to become a figure in the King Realm, and perhaps by then, he could trace the information of this heart. Leaving it untouched is indeed the best choice."
Lin Qing pondered again and said, "However, with the Space-Time Island Sacred Land abandoned henceforth, the Pantheon Master might come to inspect, and by then, she might also discover this heart."
"No need to worry."
The Tianyuan Constellation Ancestor smiled and said, "The secret technique in origin and past rule I studied specializes in sealing and protection. I will thoroughly seal the entrance of this independent space, effectively hiding it. Even if the Pantheon Ancestor discovers the entrance, she'd have to first break my seal, and by then, I would have ample time to notify Mr. Lin Qing to come and stop her."