Chapter 1004 – The 12 Chaos Stones
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Lin Ming immersed himself within the chaos stones. He soon entered a selfless state and lost sense of everything around him.
Xiao Whitesnow was a bit stunned as he watched from the side. They were only given several quarter hours to choose a totem stone and they had to make their choice within that time. There were still many others waiting outside. If everyone took too long then it would take several days and nights for all the geniuses of the three branch palaces to choose their totem stones.
“Brother Lin, you really aren’t planning to choose the chaos stones right? We don’t have much time left.” Xiao Whitesnow tentatively asked. But, Lin Ming didn’t reply. His consciousness was still immersed within the chaos stones, feeling the boundless and ancient grandmist atmosphere coming from them.
This was the taste of the years. Carved at the forming of the universe, these chaos stones had accumulated the infinite years of time. They were objects that had existed longer than anything else in the world. Every trace upon the chaos stone told a story about the myriad changes of the universe. They recorded the birth of countless celestial bodies, their glory, their radiance, and even their death!
At the same time, this chaos stone also carried it with the aura of endless space. This universe was truly infinite. 3000 boundless worlds and the 3000 Great Worlds of the Divine Realm did not account for the entirety of the universe! Within this world, there were countless mystic realms and too many unknown enigmas and riddles that were waiting for mankind to explore. A simple Law could evolve into countless mysterious and limitless incomprehensible phenomena. Even an Empyrean would find it difficult to fully understand all the Laws of the universe.
The universe with its three axis held infinite space. From ancient times until now, countless eons had passed and would continue to pass without end! The largest of the 12 chaos stones was a 10 foot square; it was only 1% of the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal’s size. But, the mysteries contained within were everlasting and interminable. It was not what the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal could ever compare with.
That wasn’t to say the one who carved the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal was insufficient in boundary. In truth, the weakest of the Ancient Phoenix Clan Patriarchs was a powerful Holy Lord level existence, and the most outstanding amongst them neared becoming a World King. The one who carved the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal was an existence that approached a World King. This existence had used up 360 years of time to carve the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal. From this alone, the number of mysteries within could be imagined!
But, no matter how powerful that Patriarch had been, he was still a martial artist and he still wasn’t able to compare with an Empyrean. And an Empyrean couldn’t compare with the universe! This was because what an Empyrean perceived was the Laws of the universe!
The chaos stones were carved by the universe itself! How could a totem stone carved by human hands be comparable to a chaos stone carved from the universe?
Thus, this 10 foot square chaos stone recorded the most source Laws of the universe. In just Fire Laws alone, it was far more profound and mystical than the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal!
The reason that Lin Ming could faintly feel the endless mysteries within these chaos stones was not because his perception was high. In fact, there were countless geniuses within the Divine Realm with abnormally high perception, but there had never been a heroic young elite among them who could sense the mysteries within the chaos stones during the Life Destruction realm.
The only reason Lin Ming was able to accomplish this was that he had once entered into the Road of Emperor’s grandmist space. The opportunities he gained there were the equivalent of inheriting a portion of Empyrean Primordius’ inheritance!
Lin Ming looked over every chaos stone. His soul had entered into a deep empty state.
And in Lin Ming’s spiritual sea, the nearly gold level battle spirit trembled. A hazy mist condensed around the spear-shaped battle spirit. That was the elementary form of grandmist energy!
Grandmist was primal chaos. When the universe was forming, before the heavens and earth had been formed, the universe had been filled with energy and impossibly dense matter. This was grandmist energy.
A wisp of grandmist energy could crush a star!
This was because if a star was condensed and turned into grandmist energy, it would only be the size of a walnut!
Lin Ming could feel that this chaos stone seemed to form a resonance with the grandmist battle spirit in his spiritual sea. This sort of resonance allowed him to swim within the mysteries of Laws within the chaos stone, deriving sustenance from within.
“This is the feeling of yin yang!”
Lin Ming’s mind stirred. The first chaos stone only contained two black and white stripes. These stripes curved and twisted together like twin snakes. When he first looked at them, he couldn’t identify what these abstract lines were. But, as he sank his consciousness into them, he felt as if he could actually make out the sundering of the universe when yin and yang both split apart and formed.
“Atlas World’s chaos stone number one is the Yin Yang Chaos Stone. It contains the Yin Yang Laws…” The name of this chaos stone emerged from within Lin Ming’s mind. These 12 chaos stones did not have illustrious names like those totem stones left behind by supreme elders of the Ancient Phoenix Clan. For instance, the Extreme Dao Tablet, 100 Foot Royal Skyseal, and all the others with their wonderful names.
These chaos stones were only numbered from one to 12, with their respective domains announcing them.
“Chaos stone number two, the Endless Years Chaos Stone, it contains the power of endless years!”
Lin Ming’s thoughts stirred. Chaos stone number two recorded the passing of time. On the surface of this chaos stone was inscribed the power of time. Compared to the traces on the Yin Yang Chaos Stone, the traces formed from the power of time were even more ethereal and faint. As he casually swept over them, the phantom images were produced in his spiritual sea. But as he investigated more carefully, they became far more faint until they finally vanished from his mind without a trace of having ever been there! This was as uncertain as time itself. Although the past couldn’t be altered, it could still be buried in the sands of history. If one tried to look, they could see that the future was misty and uncertain, hidden behind infinite variables. These variables were endless, to a degree that even an Empyrean could not solve them!
“Chaos stone number three, Universe Space Chaos Stone. This chaos stone contains the boundlessness of space!”
The element that paired with time was space. Lin Ming’s grandmist space was able to annihilate all Laws, but its effects against the Laws of Space and Time were actually greatly weakened. Time and Space were known as the most mysterious Laws for a reason. Before the universe had formed, time and space were compressed within the grandmist. At this time, the universe didn’t have the Concepts of Space and Time. But after the universe formed, before yin and yang separated, before the world was sundered open, and before the five elements were created, space and time had already existed. They had existed before the yin yang primal chaos!
On the Universe Space Chaos Stone, the traces were shallow and deep, long and short. Some lines diverged to the limit of the chaos stone, as if their end lay somewhere in the endless void. Some lines ended and collapsed within a single spot, as if the space inherent had returned to a point of singularity. The many mysteries were impossible to clearly see.
“Chaos stone number four, the Five Elements Chaos Stone, it contains the power of the five elements!”
The power of the five elements was birthed at the final stage of the creation of the universe. When the universe evolved, first there was chaos, then there was space and time, then there was yin yang, then there were five elements, and finally celestial bodies were formed. On these celestial bodies, all forms of life were bred.
Although the Five Element Laws didn’t appear to point towards the source of the universe like yin yang and chaos, this didn’t mean that they weren’t mysterious. In fact, things that came later may have been even more complex.
The power of the five elements; metal, wood, water, fire, earth, as well as wind and thunder that were derived from them. Every single one of them was the most direct application of energy. In terms of speed, in terms of destructive power, in terms of regeneration, or even in terms of defense, each of these elements had reached the peak in some aspect. In just these extreme points, the power of the five elements was the most incomparably simple Laws of the Great Dao. In order for source Laws to be converted into striking power, they first had to pass through the power of the five elements.
“Chaos stone number five, the Star Chaos Stone, it contains the power of the stars…”
Lin Ming continued to look over the chaos stones. Stars existed all over the universe. The power of stars was the power to annihilate all matter. Although they seemed weak and not dangerous, that was because they were too far away. If one approached them, the power was incomparable! Not just that, the stars contained the winding path of destiny. This was because the movement of and rotation of stars contained the Heavenly Dao. By understanding their movements and positions, one could learn to faintly see through the fog of the future.
“Sixth chaos stone, All Life Chaos Stone, it contains the Laws of Life…”
Lin Ming continued to look through all 12 chaos stones, immersing himself in their secrets until he finally woke up from his ethereal condition. As his consciousness perked up, he found that Xiao Whitesnow had already been calling out to him for a long time.
“Brother Lin, hello, can you hear me? It’s time for us to leave. Have you chosen a totem stone yet?”
As Lin Ming heard Xiao Whitesnow’s voice, a reflective and contemplative feeling washed over him. It was like being within the chaos stones was a completely different time and space.
Xiao Whitesnow saw Lin Ming’s confused look and couldn’t help but say, “Brother Lin, I want to advise you that while these chaos stones are profound and mysterious, they are simply not practical at all. We are mainly involved in perceiving the Concepts of Fire, and these chaos stones are far too large and expansive. If you want to meditate on them you will need to expend a great deal of effort to just understand a tiny bit. Even then, you might not be able to use these understandings on the Concept of Fire.”
Xiao Whitesnow was aware that Lin Ming hadn’t looked at any totem stones, thus he reminded Lin Ming out of kindness. He certainly didn’t know of Lin Ming’s luck or fortune. In his mind, although Lin Ming was indeed talented, that talent mostly manifested in his combat strength. As for his perception, that was relatively normal, otherwise how could his understanding of Fire Laws be so bad?
If Xiao Whitesnow had to be extremely blunt about this situation, then he would say that Lin Ming was a simple-minded man with a very strong body. Of course, Lin Ming being simple-minded was only in comparison to peak talents such as Yan Littlemoon. Even Yan Littlemoon wasn’t able to perceive these chaos stones, much less Lin Ming.
He naturally wouldn’t believe that Lin Ming would have a deep impression and understanding of these chaos stones. “Brother Lin, I know that you haven’t chosen yet but our time limit is over and we must leave. How about this, if you trust me then I can recommend you a totem stone that will undoubtedly be good for you. What do you think?”
Among Totem Tower’s totem stones, besides the 100 Foot Royal Skyseal, the other heaven-step totem stones weren’t too different in quality. Xiao Whitesnow had given a cursory glance over them just now and had settled on three or four of them. In any case, he was only able to choose one, so recommending one to Lin Ming as a good way to befriend him was fine also.
Lin Ming knew that Xiao Whitesnow was trying to be helpful. He smiled and said, “No need Brother Xiao, I’ve already chosen.”
“Okay, then let’s go.” Xiao Whitesnow thought that Lin Ming might have already read up on these totem stones beforehand and had made his decision long ago. It didn’t matter too much in any case.
He left Totem Tower with Lin Ming.
At this time, outside of Totem Tower, the disciples of the three branch palaces were waiting. The black-robed messenger stood high above a platform outside Totem Tower and patronizingly looked down at Lin Ming and Xiao Whitesnow.
“You two, have you made your choice?”