The Golden Core Cultivator tasked with guarding Ai Changyuan witnessed the most inexplicable phenomenon of his life. He saw the heterodox youngster suddenly turn around at a sluggish pace and embrace the girl behind him. Meanwhile, on the other side, Heavenly Master Wang launched an attack toward them. The attack was fierce, swift, and well-known. Yet, as it crossed a certain boundary, it suddenly seemed unable to "catch up with the slow movements of the heterodox boy."

The fast, could not catch up with the slow.

A completely illogical event.

Because although Ai Changyuan's spatial coordinates had remained unchanged, he had already left that place on the temporal axis.

............................................

This was the relative time and space created by the Cave Heaven Comparison Ruler, forcibly extracting three seconds from a thousandth of a second from the planet Shenzhou.

A dark orb of fire was only two feet away from Ai Changyuan—A dangerously close distance. The function of the Cave Heaven Comparison Ruler was not to target "a specific object" but rather "a specific range." Within the scope of the Cave Heaven Ruler's influence, all material movement was altered, breaking free from the current frame of reference. The only things that could traverse between two frames of reference were entities carried at the speed of light, such as gravitational and electromagnetic interactions. This was the near-absolute defense of the Cave Heaven Ruler.

However, if an attack entered the range of the Cave Heaven Ruler before it was activated, then the Cave Heaven Ruler would become meaningless.

To include Wu Shiqin within his Cave Heaven Ruler's range, Ai Changyuan set its range to a two-foot square. The two of them stood back to back, barely fitting within. Just one more inch and Ai Changyuan's painstakingly created Cave Heaven Ruler would become utterly irrelevant!

Even someone as composed as Ai Changyuan was scared out of a heartbeat. Nevertheless, he remembered what he had to do. An order was sent out in the form of gravity waves. Since gravity waves travel at the speed of light, the order could pass between the two coordinate systems and reach its target. However, because the target's reaction was not at light speed, he had to wait until the Cave Heaven Ruler was dismissed to verify his results.

The command took one second.

Then, he turned around and embraced Wu Shiqin, using the remaining mana in his body to weave a second spell.

The process took half a second.

Wu Shiqin watched blankly. She calmly watched the Golden Core Cultivator lift his right foot, seemingly intending to deliver another kick to Ai Changyuan; she indifferently watched an attack from a Divine Separation Stage Cultivator pass through her body. Since neither she nor Ai Changyuan were in the same frame of reference as the attack, it was rendered meaningless, and the rules of space prevented the attack from having any effect. Wu Shiqin even felt as if she were suspended in midair because the planet maintained only its gravitational pull on her, and beyond that, the material of the planet no longer bore any significance to her. She could exert no pressure on the ground, nor could the ground provide her with a reactive force. Her body was passing through rock, falling toward the core of the planet.

Before that, however, they would plunge into the ninth layer of the ruins, directly facing the inexplicable "Eternal True Color."

Fortunately, Ai Changyuan's second spell prevented this from happening.

Gravity was released, stirring the dimensions of space, and the curvature changed. Space sprung and retracted like a spring. Wu Shiqin felt as if a giant hand had thoroughly kneaded her body.

During this change in relative time, Heavenly Master Wang managed to react within this time slowed by a factor of a thousand! He lunged through the air. The sluggishness of time made his movements grotesque and comical.

Within a span of one and a half seconds, the curvature of space changed three times, like three successive shots. Ai Changyuan, carrying Wu Shiqin, passed the eighth layer, the seventh layer, and directly arrived at the sixth layer.

Three seconds, over.

The absolute defense of the Cave Heaven Ruler, lifted.

"Divine Separation Stage's speed is much faster than I imagined. Even without using his Spiritual Sense, he could search through the entire seventh layer within twenty seconds... especially since he already has a detailed map!"

The instant the Cave Heaven Ruler's effect ended, Ai Changyuan entered an extremely tense state. He let go of Wu Shiqin and then took a lock from his belt. The lock, which looked like an amulet lock and contained Spiritual Power but did not seem strong, was something Ai Changyuan had been allowed to keep.

An artificial Mana System hub, an Artificial Golden Core. And the raw material for this lock was "Newton's Apple," capable of elevating Ai Changyuan's strength to a state between Foundation Establishment Perfection and Core Formation.

Unfortunately, the matching Calculator Belt, which looked no different from an ordinary belt buckle when not infused with mana, was likewise retained by Ai Changyuan. The Ancient Method Practitioners' lack of recognition of the functionality of artifacts when compared to the Modern Method allowed Ai Changyuan to keep these two pieces of sophisticated equipment on him.

He fastened the lock into the belt buckle and then snapped it shut, biting down tightly.

The process, two seconds.

A faint Mana Flow entered the belt buckle, then into the lock, and subsequently, the feedback of mana instantly broke open three Restrictions within Ai Changyuan's body. A steel needle was forced out from within him.

Another two seconds passed.

That lock, now just like a real Golden Core, reverberated with Ai Changyuan's own mana, causing the bans set by Foundation Establishment Cultivators to crumble under its influence. Also, Ai Changyuan's gravity-based mana was continuously dissolving the outer bans. But Ai Changyuan no longer had the time to deal with these. He placed his hand on the ground and using the newly liberated mana, released the laws of the Wanxiang Heavenly Attraction, starting to receive the results of the previous order.

Underground were countless sources of energy, bright as candle flames.

As a strange force that could act across infinite distances and penetrate different dimensions, gravity was not obstructed by mere layers of rock.

....................................................................

The Heart Demon Curse and the Divine Plague Curse Technique occupied the major part of Nie Tianren's attention. The majority of his focus was on suppressing the disgusting Worm**, preventing him from reacting immediately.

By the time he realized what was happening, Ai Changyuan had already disappeared with Wu Shiqin at a "leisurely" pace right before their eyes.

Heavenly Master Wang, without uttering a word, dashed towards the seventh level at the fastest speed he could muster. Just his running created a fierce wind in the corridors of the seventh level. The residual winds blew down through the passageways, causing the cheeks of the Emperor's Extreme Split Sky Dao Divine Separation Stage Cultivator to sting in pain.

—It was as if the wind itself were mocking his helplessness.

Suddenly, Nie Tianren heard a panicked cry for help: "Junior Master Nie! Save me!"

A Nascent Soul Stage Cultivator of the Emperor's Extreme Split Sky Dao once again sparked a wave of mournful wails.

"My mana won't obey me!"

"That brat... He really did tamper with our Law Gate!"

"Those Heterodox are truly vicious... Does our family's Cultivation Technique need a tailored version just to trap outsiders? Or is it that everyone on their side knows these kinds of devious tricks?"

What was in their hands, a shovel suddenly became as venomous as a viper and scorpion. Gentle pets revealed their true nature as Gu worms. The recently cultivated Gravity Magic Power finally showed its ferocious face. It swiftly plundered everyone's mana, then transmitted it outward in the form of Gravity Waves.

Every Ancient Method Practitioner felt their mana rapidly depleting inside them.

"Junior Master Nie! Save me!"

"Junior Master Nie! You were the one who told me to practice that kid's Law Gate!"

Someone had finally given these Ancient Method Practitioners a direction to vent their emotions.

"Senior Nie! You can't ignore us!"

"Junior Master Nie..." "Senior Nie..." "Lord Nie..." "Lord Nie..." "Junior Master Nie..." "Junior Master Nie..." "Senior Nie..." "Senior Nie..." "Lord Nie..." "Senior Nie..." "Lord Nie..."

"All this... was it really done by a Heterodox Foundation Establishment?" Nie Tianren watched it all unfold, and for the first time, a hint of confusion appeared on his face.

......................

The sound of the "wild wind" roared in the corridors.

Ai Changyuan knew it was the commotion caused by that Divine Separation Stage Witch, and it was getting closer.

Ai Changyuan was clear that the moment the Divine Separation Stage discovered him, he would be killed. Only four seconds... three seconds... two seconds of safety remained...

The stored mana was enough to maintain the Cave Heaven Ruler for seven seconds... nine seconds... twelve seconds...

Time is life.

Mana can be exchanged for time, can protect life. The time spent accumulating mana and the time spent on its consumption would push Ai Changyuan towards the brink of danger.

If he activated the Cave Heaven Ruler before the Divine Separation Stage noticed him, there was a chance for life. On the other hand, if the Divine Separation Stage saw him and he hadn't unfurled the Cave Heaven Ruler, his death was certain.

Countdown, one point seven seconds... one point five seconds... one point one seconds...

The accumulated "time," thirteen seconds... thirteen point five seconds... fourteen point one seconds...

The sound of the howling wind grew closer and closer.

Wu Shiqin stood up, positioning herself in front of Ai Changyuan. Perhaps it wasn't much, but at least she wasn't doing nothing.

Then, Ai Changyuan's arm wrapped around Wu Shiqin's neck, and the Cave Heaven Ruler activated once again. The two seemed to have distanced themselves from the entire world, and everything went quiet.

"This time was more cautious, didn't get caught by timing," said Ai Changyuan, who had already recovered a portion of his mana. Holding Wu Shiqin, he ascended straight upwards. To them, in a different reference frame, surrounding substances appeared like phantoms, incapable of providing any obstruction.

On their way to the surface, Wu Shiqin remained silent. Ai Changyuan continued to unseal the strength within his body. The Gravity Magic Power, acting outside of norms, directly shook the spatial existence of the seals, making them weak. The Artificial Golden Core generated conventional mana, continuously assaulting the remaining seals inside Ai Changyuan.

More and more mana fell back under Ai Changyuan's control. However, the power sustaining the Cave Heaven Ruler was also depleting. If this continued, his strength would run out before the seals were undone, but the Cave Heaven Ruler would deactivate first. This too was part of the calculation. When he took Wu Shiqin to the second level, Ai Changyuan, using the part of his mana he had unsealed, executed his most familiar Wanxiang Heavenly Attraction. The gravity of the stars began to coalesce towards him. This degree of power would certainly catch the attention of Divine Separation Stage Cultivators. But at that point, Ai Changyuan was no longer afraid of being discovered.

The gravity he had seized was used not only to maintain the Cave Heaven Ruler but also to infuse some into Wu Shiqin, helping to shatter the Restriction on her. Ai Changyuan said to Wu Shiqin, "Junior sister, listen carefully. I may have to fight that guy again in a moment. At that time, I won't have the luxury of looking out for you. Once I get up there and release the Cave Heaven Ruler, you escape to Dragon Five Island! Do you remember?"

Wu Shiqin nodded, and then she was blinded by a flash of light.

They had arrived on the surface. (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it on Qidian (qidian.com), your monthly ticket vote; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)