Flying through the air towards the numerous skyships berthed within the skies, Yan Zaizen cautiously observed about. The skyships didn't have any uniform markings with many having various insignias from forces he'd never learned about.
Before, the only source of information he had was from Esi's group and soul jade, but now that he had the Source Ring of the Oneuli Empire's Prince, there were bountiful information regarding the numerous regions and zones within the Heavenly Origin Grounds. Having yet to peruse the many soul jades within, he still felt somewhat ignorant.
However, just from the formations that decorated each and every skyship, they were likely all high-tier forces. This was terrifying, and if a person didn't have a strong will, it's possible they'd cower at just the sight, unlike Yan Zaizen who held only boundless curiosity.
"To gather all these various forces with experts with profoundly powerful cultivation bases each...I wonder what their purpose is," Yan Zaizen quietly muttered. This was reminiscent to the stories of alliances being formed for war.
Even if a war was the purpose, Yan Zaizen had complete confidence in surviving. As an Eighth-Floor Heavenly Genesis expert with understanding in all Mortal and World-level Laws to the Sovereign-level, and comprehending Spacetime, Rebirth, Mimicry, and Samsara, he had no fear.
"Mimicry…" Yan Zaizen silently pondered. Earlier, when he met those three manifestations, they all represented Imperial Laws he'd comprehended except the Imperial Law of Mimicry. He couldn't help but be slowly filled with confusion, as if a profound question was lingering on his lips and within his mind was the answer, but it was buried infinitely deep.
However, before he could search carefully through his mind, he entered the complex and hazy space of the skyships. This area felt stifling as his heavenly, soul, and even physical senses were limited heavily within it. Looking about, he could see various concealment and restriction formations working in unintentional conjunction to prohibit senses to a great extent.
He looked towards Yri. Her facial expression was calm, unlike before where animosity filled her every glance. He frowned slightly but didn't pursue the thoughts of this woman. She was an enigma that didn't follow common sense. After all, her Dao was literal obsession.
Before long, Yan Zaizen felt gazes on his body. These gazes weren't intense, but the fact they could gaze at his body from afar in this mess of formations made him feel slightly interested. His vision was severely restricted, let alone his external senses, yet several gazes of others could still touch him.
"Multiple Heavenly Creation experts…" Yan Zaizen wished he could pierce through this veil and see them. As his thoughts directed towards this point, his Dao Soul glowed like a luminescent lightbulb. The glow outlined the veins and arteries of his body, even his blood was affected.
The blood in his body circulated like usual but now infused with amber-gold radiance mixed with Dao Energy far beyond what Yan Zaizen had experienced before. The blood reached his heart, his brain, and then his eyes.
Woosh!
A sound like the soaring of a bird resounded in his mind as the world that was like a misty veil was lifted. His eyes shimmered nearly imperceptibly with the amber-gold glow, mixing well with his natural eye color.
"This is!" Yri, who maintained at a relatively close distance to Yan Zaizen, felt a tremble within her own Dao. The resonating waves within Yan Zaizen were thoroughly felt by her. As the person who produced the theoretical art that was 'Grand Soul, Dao Heart,' she knew more than anyone how the technique felt.
As she was left in wonder, Yan Zaizen surveyed the surrounding area with his newfound visual prowess. The concealment formations and arrays that melded together to form a rock-solid blocking force and misty veil felt like they no longer existed to him.
He could see everything.
Even the Dao's of others, the experts who were idle, cultivating, or observing him were also clearly seen through. It was as if a new sense was born within him, one that surpassed all others.
He had known that Dao Energy could amplify all types of powers, allowing that power to express further strength. The Dao Energies could even be used as a cohesive for the heavenly law, hence why Heavenly Shrines needed Dao Energy. But he had never heard of a sensory power of the Dao.
As he focused, he applied this new sensory power in much the same way as Soul Sense. It wasn't long before he swept through each and every ship with light-speed quickness. All the information about the ship's occupants, grade, and hidden structures was made known to him.
"So many Heavenly Cultivators!" He couldn't help but gasp slightly knowing that within these tens of thousands of skyships were separate dimensions and within those separate dimensions were hundreds of millions of heavenly cultivators. Only those at the Fifth-Floor or above were directly on the skyships, manning and protecting it.
The number on the surface wasn't even a thousandth of the number hidden. However, those within these dimensions were of the lower floors in the Heavenly Genesis Realm, namely the second and third, with relatively fewer fourth-floors. However, those fourth-floor experts numbered over a hundred times those visibly on the skyships.
This force could, with a roar, topple Empires.
The surprise he felt was rather intense, but before he could ponder more, a voice, feminine and lovely, spoke out. Despite being lovely in sound, the voice felt like blades being stabbed into one's throat.
"Have you seen enough?" The displeased tone didn't cover the hint of awe and shock in its voice. It obviously didn't expect that Yan Zaizen, a Heavenly Genesis cultivator, could pierce through the veil and gaze at her.
Yan Zaizen snapped out of his absentminded state as he realized that his senses had essentially penetrated people's innate, personal barriers, revealing all sorts of things. To many, especially those who could sense that it had been done, this was an insult and a perverted action, especially to women of any race who cherished secrecy and their bodies. Before he could respond and apologize, as he was in the wrong, a fiery voice echoed.
"I hope you've seen enough in your lifetime...now that it's over." A sharp, blazing ray of heavenly might that seemed to embody the sword and fire laws of heaven shot towards Yan Zaizen with astonishing speed.
Yri was caught off-guard, but Yan Zaizen wasn't. After realizing what he had inadvertently done, he prepared for retaliation. However, this ray of power caused his heart to feel shocked. Within this ray was a world. This world was grandly structured, magnificently stable, and nearly infinite in size, but placed within this ray that was no more than two fingers in width.
"Heavenly Dimension Infusion!" Exclaiming, Yan Zaizen recalled the specifics of the Heavenly Creation Realm. In the first phase, one turned their Heavenly Spatial Dimension(Usually used to store things), supported by the foundation that is the nine-floors, into its own miniature universe completely and thoroughly governed by laws. This world could then be drawn upon for near limitless power.
It was this very characteristic that made one capable of being heaven-equalling!!
Having learned the Miniaturized Heaven Art, a profound Heavenly Art he obtained from Ezekiel's stash, he knew the specifics to a certain extent.
The ray was heaven-scorching, sky-slicing, and elegant enough to gain characteristics of heaven's grace. Luckily, it was only to the limit of a First Phase Heavenly Creation Realm, the Minor Heaven. Even more, it wasn't immaculate and perfect amongst its realm. Likely, this person had just recently broken through and didn't have complete control of their own Heavenly Dimension.
Sighing, Yan Zaizen pressed his left hand forward. At the tips of his fingers was black liquid. Droplets of inky-black liquid formed instantly. They numbered thirty-three and emanated auras of death and water within. The deathly aura seemed all-consuming, willing to siphon the essence out of any and all things. The watery aura was all-encompassing, like a World of Deluge, constant and unforgiving.
As long as these drops of water were released, a world filled with death and flooded with water would be born!
When these droplets' aura fully formed, the ray of sword light that was blazing with the intent to incinerate all seemed to halt momentarily. A slight quiver occurred that made it look frightened.
Within these droplets of water were actually very little different than that ray of searing sword light, a heavenly substructure!
Miniaturized Heaven Art!
While it was definitely weaker and lacked a certain higher dimensional charm, the laws within were of a higher level. While the ray contained a Mortal and World Law, the droplets of water contained two World Laws - Water & Death.
"Eh?" Shocked, the fiery voice couldn't help but exclaim. Without hesitation, the ray stopped and receded backwards. "Is this the expert you've invited for you, Ruin Emperor?" The voice questioned, her tone now more cautious.
A man appeared like a shadow before Yan Zaizen, without sound or warning. His grand aura and disposition would leave many in awe. It was the Ruin Emperor.
He didn't say anything as his actions alone gave all those watching an answer.
"Then, I'll forgive him this once and not gouge out his eyes. However, only this once." With a soft harrumph, the voice faded into nothingness.
Yan Zaizen was taken aback by her words. To still be forceful when you're only a First Phase Heavenly Creation expert to a Third Phase, this woman had to have a profound backing, or big, very big guts.
Another voice, the first one that sounded lovely also resounded, "A very brazen one, Ruin Emperor. Please be cautious, young one." Despite it also vanishing, the voice was laced with a threat and unwillingness. Yan Zaizen was sure that if that fiery woman hadn't taken action first, this one would've. She may even be far, far more powerful.
The Ruin Emperor didn't say anything. He calmly glanced at Yan Zaizen's hands where droplets of liquid swirled about as if they were governed by a strange yet profound array. He couldn't help but be surprised, but with that surprise, further anticipation entered his heart.