Chapter 522

Chapter 522: Setting up a Death Trap (Part 2)

There were presences at the level of the Royal Path or the intervention of a True Immortal.

This was what Yun Ye understood immediately when he saw Ye Cang’s Fate dramatically changing direction.

Moreover, this was a backup plan that had been set long ago; it was something that was supposed to happen, or else Ye Cang’s Status wouldn’t have reversed so swiftly at the moment of its fall.

Such a reversal did not mean everything was over. The power of the Royal Path might derive from a royal family, while the power of a True Immortal could originate from celestial clans possessing the Dao Classics. It didn’t necessarily point to a tangible Supreme Ruler or a True Immortal from the heavenly realm.

Having reached this point, Yun Ye could intervene only once more.

If he couldn’t kill, then there was no need for further action.

He remained confident that he would become the strongest in the end; it would just be harder. Facing the Royal Path or a True Immortal now would indeed be unwise.

The Heavenly Dry Universe could amplify Spiritual Law by trillions of times—a number so extreme it seemed invincible. However, this level of enhancement essentially resulted from the convergence of multiple powers, forming rules. Honored Positions possessed similar strengths, and the Royal Path was even more so.

Yun Ye had not delved into this area of knowledge and could not predict how powerful these two realms truly were. He would only charge in if absolutely necessary.

Right now, he still had many choices.

“Proceed, destined protagonist.”

……

When Ye Cang awoke once more, he found himself in a human tribe. The people there were simple, and they had rescued him from the turbulence of space.

As a firsthand participant of the story, Ye Cang felt nothing amiss. He had already defeated several Powerful Figures of the Qian Yuan Dynasty, so it was entirely normal for them to pursue him with all their might. He had successfully escaped using the Fixed Sea Pearls, suffering significant damage to his foundation, but at least he was still alive.

For what came next, he would take it step by step, as he had no clear direction in mind.

He had damaged his Ninth Turn Foundation and the essence of his soul, and as an ordinary being, he had no idea how to recover.

As for the True Dragon’s Nine Transformations, while it could elevate himself, it did not restore his foundation; he still needed external assistance.

After a few days of staying there, Ye Cang gradually lowered his guard.

He realized his location was quite unique—a secluded space cut off from the world. It resembled a Secret Realm but was distinctly different; it sat atop the land, with thin spirit energy, and the highest cultivation level of the tribe was only in the spiritual realm.

He did not understand the situation but noted that there were no Calamities here, only a large number of monsters. The tribe united to survive, creating a pleasant atmosphere.

They saved him thinking he was from a nearby tribe and might become a marriage prospect, thus forging a good connection.

In the end, it was only basic care; whether he survived depended on Ye Cang himself, and the cost was minimal. They lacked able-bodied young men to fend off the monsters, not food.

As he became accustomed to this place, Ye Cang found his recovery slow due to the thin spirit energy, and he had no idea how to leave. He lingered in the camp for a while, hunting and driving away monsters with the tribe.

During this time, he was astonished to discover that monsters could ‘refresh’—much faster than those in the Secret Realm. They had to be cleared daily; otherwise, if they accumulated, trouble would arise, potentially spawning a Monster Tide that could overwhelm surrounding human camps.

Furthermore, after certain intervals, demon kings would emerge, powerful beings that could only be slain by a top-tier team working together.

The deeper one ventured, the stronger these demon kings became. In the past, tribes had to suffer significant sacrifices to eliminate these demon kings.

As for now, for some unknown reason, the tribes had gained power to defeat monsters, which significantly reduced their pressure and gradually expanded their survival space.

It was said that in recent years, some tribes, having the surplus energy, even went to war against each other.

The Bi Ling Tribe, where Ye Cang found himself, was a small tribe and could not comprehend such behavior, yet they felt a sense of urgency to recruit more warriors in anticipation of possible attacks from other tribes.

Ye Cang caught their attention; despite his difficulty in recovering magic power and not using much strength, his displayed combat power was still impressive.

For these reasons, Ye Cang was invited to join the challenge against a demon king.

In conversation, Ye Cang learned of a legend that had been handed down since ancient times. It spoke of a hero who single-handedly killed all the demon kings, reaching the deepest part of the world to obtain blessings and then leaving for the heavenly realm to live a happy life free of battles.

This intrigued Ye Cang. Perhaps the way to leave was through this narrative, and the story itself was quite fascinating—what do people pursue if not fame and longevity?

Becoming a hero to gain fame and entering the heavenly realm to attain immortality—that was the domain where only True Immortals could tread!

While such a small place could not truly access the heavenly realm, the journey would be meaningful enough; even if it wasn’t a path to leave, he wanted to gain this experience.

Then, to become a hero, Ye Cang revealed his strength, effortlessly defeating the demon king, earning countless shocked and admiring gazes.

Upon returning to the tribe, the chief brought out food and drinks to celebrate lavishly, and Ye Cang naturally integrated into the festivities.

At that moment, a drunken man continually praised Ye Cang’s strength and ultimately asked,

“Brother Ye Cang, do you think a person without talent, background, or resources can reverse their fate to surpass those with talent, background, and resources? If I put in tenfold, a hundredfold effort, can an ordinary being like me ever exceed them?”

Ye Cang was familiar with this man and knew his talent was inadequate. No matter how hard he tried, he could only be a minor player in the monster-hunting team; he would never become a true combat force.

As he asked this question, his face was filled with despair. He already knew the answer, but he hoped Ye Cang would tell him otherwise, that Ye Cang’s strength didn’t come from resources, background, or talent. He longed for such a miracle.

After listening, Ye Cang slowly shook his head.

This question was essentially meaningless to answer.

People inherently possess differences; an individual’s talent directly dictates their limits. Those without talent can try as hard as they want, but they cannot leap beyond their capabilities.

If they did, it would mean there was some inequality at play, like having a low talent but substantial background, wealth, or luck, allowing them to surpass those with talent through external means.

Ultimately, strength consists of these elements; someone lacking all of them cannot possibly be a strong opponent, as it defies basic logic.

The premise for effort surpassing talent is that all other conditions must not have too great a gap. In this world, any disparity in even one aspect is unbridgeable through mere effort. After all, there are only 24 hours in a day—no matter how hard they try, it won’t change that.

“Stop having such fantasies; it’s impossible. Background and resources, talent and effort—all these fundamentally define personal strength. If one could defy this principle and reverse their fate without any of these elements, it would mean the very laws of the world have been overturned. If you want to blame anyone, blame your ancestors for not trying hard enough to pass down great talent to you.”

Ye Cang responded.

And thus,

The Status he had just forged shattered.

This time, his Fate was completely shattered, leaving him with no chance to recover.