Use first and repay later: Advance the future cultivation fruits

Of course, it's just theoretical; in reality, it requires support from realms, comprehension, opportunities, and various other aspects.

He relied on the 'Heart Realm Source' to get started, and then prepaid for the Perfection of the first stage, which is the pinnacle of the Universe's limit.

Further beyond, he must enter the Time River and witness the reality of space-time to continue cultivating this secret technique.

This is a necessary condition.

Otherwise, even with the will of cultivation and the secret technique, there's no way to prepay.

"Both possibilities are slim... what to do?"

Lin Qing pondered for a long time, "Never mind, I'll thoroughly explore the whole Survival World first; maybe there will be some discovery?"

He glanced at the ultimate Holy Island deep within the mist and immediately piloted the Abyss to leave.

Before having enough strength, he wouldn't return.

Going back would only mean death.

So, there's no need to worry about being overtaken by other survivors.

If not for the Demon King being restricted by the world and only able to operate on the Holy Island, even if all the survivors in the world gathered, they would just be slaughtered by it.

...

Day by day passed.

More and more survivors arrived to set foot on the Holy Island, but regardless of their strength, they only met dead ends before the Demon King.

Gradually, no one dared to approach the Holy Island anymore.

Lin Qing couldn't be bothered with other survivors; this world was created to select the one and only, and everyone else was competition—he had no interest in helping these survivors.

With his power, there was nothing to fear in this world besides the Demon King.

Every day, he sailed the Abyss, chasing Miracle Fate, searching everywhere for that unknown glimmer of hope.

Yet in this pure oceanic world, shrouded in mist, the search was inefficient indeed.

In the blink of an eye, three years had passed.

Then one day.

"Hmm? What is that..."

On the Abyss, Lin Qing gazed towards the dim sea in the distance, and through the mist, he vaguely saw a gold glow flickering within the water.

He immediately jumped off the ship, racing across the water at top speed.

It was a Golden Treasure Chest floating on the surface.

"A Golden Treasure Chest?"

Lin Qing's eyes lit up.

Throughout these years, he had found all the Silver Treasure Chests, and even searched through other survivors but found nothing that could assist him.

He had heard from the Night Traveler that there was a Golden Treasure Chest in this Survival World, but it was unique, and no one knew its location.

The Golden Treasure Chest randomly appeared worldwide, completely reliant on luck for anyone to encounter it.

"Perhaps there's hope."

Lin Qing immediately brought the chest onboard and eagerly opened the unique Golden Treasure Chest.

However—

"Resurrection Stone?"

Lin Qing frowned, looking at the oval gray stone in his hand, "What's the use of this? Resurrection?"

This Resurrection Stone could, based on the rules of this world, forcibly resurrect any life he knew of, as long as they died within this world, and even if the soul had dissipated, it could still be revived.

"Resurrection... who to resurrect?"

Lin Qing sighed helplessly; the hope that had just ignited was extinguished instantly.

The lives he knew in this world, whether survivors or demons, wouldn't help him even if resurrected.

So what if they're brought back?

"The ability to resurrect even souls that have dissipated, it's indeed marvelous, but what's the use?" Lin Qing shook his head slightly.

In the past, being the Lord of the Mountain and Sea, he had resurrected beings from the Mountain and Sea Realm.

But typically, resurrection requires the presence of a soul; the Origin of the Mountain and Sea Realm would shelter the souls of its beings, and he merely assisted in recreating their bodies.

Yet once a soul had dissipated, it was certain death.

This Resurrection Stone could revive even dissipated souls, which was indeed impressive, but regardless of who he resurrected, it was of no aid to him.

"Hope... where is it exactly?" Lin Qing furrowed his brows.

He once thought that within this unique Golden Treasure Chest, there might be hope.

But now it seemed to be just a chance for resurrection.

"I'll ask the Merchant about the secrets of this Resurrection Stone tonight." Lin Qing shook his head slightly, "Keep searching..."

...

That night.

"Resurrection Stone, huh..."

The Night Traveler smiled at Lin Qing and said, "You want to know its secret? There's actually nothing special; it's just using the damage to this world as a price to exchange for a resurrection. Don't you have someone you'd like to resurrect?"

"World damage?" Lin Qing casually asked, "How can it resurrect even dissipated souls?"

"In reality, the key is not this unremarkable stone; it's just representing an opportunity, like a shopping coupon. Does the coupon itself hold any meaning?"

The Night Traveler smiled, "This Resurrection Stone signifies you have the right to command the world once, to command this world crafted by eternal existences to forcibly extract the soul of a once-existing life from the Space-Time River and have the world reconstruct its body, nothing more."

"Space-Time River?"

Lin Qing suddenly looked at him, with an unbelievable thought emerging in his mind.

"What else?" sighed the Night Traveler: "Once the soul is dissipated, only traces remain in the great Space-Time River. Besides reversing time, what other methods could revive them?"

He raised his head, seemingly gazing at this world, or perhaps at the deity that created the world, "This Survival World, crafted by these eternal existences, contains various space-time mysteries, naturally including the mystery of 'Time Reversal'."

Lin Qing took a deep breath and immediately asked, "Since this Resurrection Stone is meant to resurrect a life I know, does this mean I can locate the soul through the Space-Time River?"

"Yes." The Night Traveler smiled, "You can communicate with the World's Will, locate the life you want to resurrect from the Space-Time River."

Lin Qing looked at him, suppressing the excitement in his heart, and asked, "Then... can I glimpse the Space-Time River?"

"Of course. Although it's just a moment, under the protection of the World's Will, your soul will be guarded by multiple eternal existences, and won't be swept away by the Space-Time River."

"I understand now..."

Lin Qing finally understood and said with a deep breath, "I have no more questions."

After the Night Traveler departed, a trace of joy couldn't help but flicker in his eyes.

"So that's it..."

"This is indeed that sliver of hope!"

Lin Qing finally realized, joyfully looking at the Resurrection Stone in his hand, "To glimpse the Space-Time River in an instant? Isn't this exactly what I need?"

The secret technique 'Three Thousand Purgatories,' a necessary condition for the next level, requires perceiving the reality of space-time!

"Let's give it a try."

Without hesitation, Lin Qing recalled the 'Three Thousand Purgatories' secret technique he had attempted numerous times in his mind, then activated the Resurrection Stone.

Whom to resurrect didn't matter to him—anyone would do!

What mattered was the resurrection process!

The next moment, Lin Qing felt an overwhelming and majestic invisible will enveloping him.

World's Will!

This world, created by multiple eternal existences, possessed a formidable will, even capable of reversing time by relying on the Time River where this world was located.

"Boom!!"

As the consciousness roared, Lin Qing suddenly felt his consciousness being engulfed by the immeasurably powerful World's Will, seemingly elevated to a countless number of levels, surpassing all perspectives, instantly 'witnessing' a magnificent sight.

It was an immensely grand and infinitely long river, seemingly condensed from endless space-time, with all things originating from and ending within this river.

It spanned infinite space above and below, through boundless time from ancient to present, as the beginning of all, and the end of all.

Time River!

Only High Level Chaos Creatures are qualified to enter the Time River!

Even just barely sensing its presence requires one to be a Transcendent Expert, showcasing its greatness and mystery.

And now, enveloped by this World's Will, Lin Qing seemed to be standing on a giant's shoulders, fortunate to glimpse this exceedingly magnificent panorama!

Just this moment, Lin Qing was reluctant to be distracted by thoughts of whom to resurrect, instead immersing in this instant miracle.

Immediately following, his consciousness separated from the Time River once more.

"So this is the Time River?" Lin Qing's eyes shone brightly.

It's said that frequent entry into the Time River greatly aids in understanding space-time rules.

Though Lin Qing saw it for just a moment, in that moment, a faint but tangible insight into the reality of space-time emerged in his heart.

Yet…

No matter how insignificant it is, it is no longer an unknown that amounts to zero.

"It's enough already."

Lin Qing slowly closed his eyes and silently chanted in his mind: "Order."

"Prepay, 'Three Thousand Purgatories'!"