CHAPTER 794: EXCEPTION

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Fifty years passed by in a flash...

By now, the crowd around the Rising Sun Domain had dissipated, with only a handful of people left. Most of these people are waiting for those who were still inside the Unstable Heavenly Domain to get out so that they could bring them home safely.

Only a very few still haven’t given up. These people are still harboring desires to enter the domain even though it has already been made clear that they can’t anymore. They were desperate and would even be willing to disappear with the domain if it meant being allowed in.

Even the Human Council couldn’t stop these people from courting death.

Soon, though, the ones who went in started coming out.

Without any exceptions, every single one of them looked dazed and distracted when they got out. Their eyes were glazed, and their auras were a bit unstable. Signs of breakthrough were clear on them. Clearly, they spent the last 50 years very well.

Not all 1000 people came out at once. It’s a slow trickle. Some stayed behind just a little longer for some reason.

Those who already came out didn’t waste time hanging around. If they had people waiting for them, they went to them immediately and asked to be taken to a safe place to continue their breakthrough. For those who journeyed by themselves, they had to search for a safe haven on their own.

Regardless, what they needed was clear—a safe place to continue their breakthrough.

They didn’t break through inside the Unstable Heavenly Realm, and that’s for a very good reason. They didn’t want to be tainted by the air of that place.

If they made their breakthroughs there, they might lose the recognition of the Supreme Will, and that would just spell endless troubles for them.

This has actually happened before. Everybody who enters the Unstable Heavenly Domain, human or not, will be reminded of this. It’s a risk they can’t afford to take. That’s why they have to suppress their progress while they’re inside of that domain, continuing it only when they exit.

To those who came here on their own and really needed a safe place to stay for a while, they looked at the Rising Sun Domain.

The Rising Sun Domain was practically right next to where the doors to the Unstable Heavenly Domain appeared, so why go elsewhere?

Cedric had anticipated this even before the councillors entered the Unstable Heavenly Domain and had already cleared out space and built some sealed rooms for guests to use temporarily.

He informed his men that, should these people come seeking temporary shelter, they can be allowed in, but only when they agree to his terms and for a price, of course. If they’re agreeable with that, then Cedric welcomes them with open arms.

Cedric didn’t charge them exorbitantly. In fact, the price was cheap, especially for their intended purpose. This was done to show goodwill to these people, leaving them with a good impression of his domain.

As expected, these people came exactly as he predicted.

At first, they were skeptical because the price they asked was cheap. They thought that the place they’d be staying at would be bad or barren because of this.

But they were wrong.

They were provided with seclusion chambers, one that could completely withstand their breakthroughs.

To be fair, those who came into his domain seeking temporary shelter were Universe Masters to Heavenly Venerates; Empyreans and above won’t even look at this place because they know this place can’t bear the pressure they will release during their breakthroughs.

So, if it’s just Universe Masters and Heavenly Venerates, Cedric’s stuff was more than enough to handle them.

The chambers were built on a nice and lively planet, scattered across its massive continent. Each one was spaced far enough from the other to prevent complications. And each chamber had strong seals and formation to prevent their auras from accidentally leaking out and destroying everything around them without interfering with their breakthrough process.

With these, the guests find it difficult to be dissatisfied. This was exactly what they needed. A safe and quiet place to make their breakthroughs. They thanked him for this and immediately went into seclusion.

Guests kept appearing until the doors to the Unstable Heavenly Domain disappeared completely. It didn’t take an additional ten years for that to happen, only five. Everybody came out, afraid that if they delayed any longer, they’d never be able to.

Because of this, the desperate ones who were still trying to get in could only collapse in loss and defeat.

No exceptions were made, and no miracles happened. The rules were ironclad, and they weren’t special enough to change any of it. They could only lower their heads and hollowly return to where they came from.

The councillors have already exited. They did so after the 50-year deadline was up. They didn’t stay behind to speak nonsense or entertain others. They immediately hopped onto their ship and flew to the Council HQ to make their breakthroughs as soon as possible.

It’s unclear how long their breakthroughs will take. There’s also no guarantee that it’ll succeed or fail. It’s all up to their fate now.

From what Cedric saw, they were in a hurry. And if he were in their shoes, he would be, too.

They must be very anxious to make their breakthroughs as soon as possible. They didn’t want the Bug Empress to cause any trouble that would delay their progress even more.

This was the most opportune time, now that the Bug Empress was still recovering from the ass-whooping she received from the Supreme Will.

If even a single one of them could become a Primal Origin Lifeform successfully, or even a half-step closer to that realm, they’d be golden.

That would mean that the threat of the Bug Empress will be lessened considerably. Whether she liked it or not, she’d be forced to acknowledge their threat even more.

And if one of them actually steps into the Origin Lifeform Realm? The Bug Empress wouldn’t dare to recklessly charge into their territory anymore. She’d be forced to flee to the ends of the Primitive Universe because she will certainly be hunted down.

That’s why the councillors were in a hurry. They were anxious too. They want to make their breakthroughs as soon as possible because the sooner they do, the sooner they could feel more comfortable.

Fortunately, their absence doesn’t affect the operations of the council. The staff knew what they needed to do; the councillors only ever deal with major decisions anyway.

**

While all of this was happening, something happened to Cedric recently.

For one, he had stepped into the mid-stage Universe Master Realm. It’s been more than a hundred years since he became a Sector Lord, and he’d been busy. If it weren’t for that, he’d reach this stage even sooner.

With this breakthrough, his strength increased considerably, and his concept laws have made decent progress too.

But this wasn’t the highlight.

It happened exactly as the doors to the Unstable Heavenly Realm disappeared.

A mark appeared at the back of Cedric’s right palm. The mark resembled the shape of a star seen from a great distance.

This alarmed him a bit because he couldn’t recall doing anything that would result in this. The timing was also very suspicious.

Shortly after it appeared, though, Cedric’s consciousness was suddenly pulled somewhere else. Then, out of nowhere, a stream of information was unceremoniously stuffed into his mind.

Once he recovered, he gasped in shock and disbelief. He couldn’t help but look at the mark on the back of his hand and whisper,

"Seriously?"

Cedric had no idea what prompted this or why he, amongst all people, had been chosen for this. But for some reason, he now possesses the ability to enter the Unstable Heavenly Domain as he pleases.

Yes. That’s right. It’s exactly as it sounds.

Despite him not wanting to have anything to do with this place, he became its chosen one, the only exception.

If the information he received were all true, then he could truly come and go as he pleased in the Unstable Heavenly Domain. He doesn’t need to summon the doors or wait for 2,500 years. He could go there whenever and wherever he pleased. All he needed to do was to trigger the mark that was left to him.

Cedric didn’t understand. Why him? What did this unknown and mysterious domain want from him?

There are so many people who would wage a realm-wide war for this opportunity alone. Hell, even the councillors wouldn’t hesitate to stab him in the back if it meant usurping his privilege from him.

But why him, of all people? He, who showed no interest in this place at all. Why choose him?

Cedric doesn’t understand. And it seems like he could only discover it on his own.

One thing’s for certain, though. This was something that must not be leaked out.

If people were to learn about this privilege, then he’d never know peace again.

And for Cedric, whose priority is to seek stability and protect his loved ones, this will be the worst outcome.