The Epic Tale of Chaos vs Order

Chapter 2236: Samsara Runic Set (I)

The rush of rising power was exhilarating, yet Cain did not allow the sensation to cloud his judgment.

After only a few seconds, the overwhelming aura that surged from him began to settle, folding inward until his presence became almost imperceptible. Even so, as he slowly exhaled and tightened his fists, he could feel the unmistakable truth pulsing through his flesh and soul: he had ascended to a realm of strength that made the impossible suddenly appear reachable.

What had seemed like a suicidal mission only weeks earlier now carried—even if faintly—the possibility of survival.

Of course, caution remained paramount. One could never be too prepared for entities born beyond the veil of the universe.

Cain refused to waste even a breath of the precious time left to him. "There are still a little more than a week before the six-month deadline."

It was not much—certainly not enough to achieve another meaningful breakthrough—but it was sufficient to refine what he already possessed.

With that in mind, Cain returned to training his Tribulation Enhancement abilities. Energy gathered in his palm, blooming into unstable flames as he attempted to awaken the elusive forty-second color. Time flowed quietly, the Scarlet Crown wrapped in deep stillness as he worked.

He had just swallowed an unstable Revolution Flame when his eyes sharpened. Without hesitation, he vanished from the cultivation chamber.

Cain reappeared above the Scarlet Crown before reaching the void a heartbeat later, standing in endless streams of chaotic energy.

A faint smile tugged at his lips as he felt how the evolution of his Inner Universe had significantly increased his dominion over the cosmic forces surrounding him. But the expression faded almost instantly, replaced by solemn focus as he looked toward Anark.

Their gazes met. No words were needed. Together, they crossed the portal that led into the Golden Hall shaped by the Universe Will.

They entered the command center and waited, but not for long.

A ripple tore through the air as a massive figure materialized. Uriel, the crimson giant of the Legio Eldritch Race, stepped into the hall. His eyes immediately narrowed as they fell upon Cain.

Even though Cain concealed his aura, the sheer gravitational density around him—born from the Black Hole Star within his Inner Universe and Gravastar Singularity—made the surge in strength impossible to ignore.

Cain greeted him with a calm smile and motioned for him to sit. One by one, the others arrived: Amara, Cipher, Zephirax, and Arkam. Each sensed Cain’s recent breakthrough, but none commented on it. Their minds were weighed down by another matter entirely.

A silent exchange passed among them before they raised their hands simultaneously. Dozens of strange spatial artifacts appeared, each one humming with restrained power.

Cain’s gaze sharpened. Through each artifact, he sensed millions of living beings—99% Divine cultivators, and among the remaining 1% numerous Third-Realm Masters, as well as several ArchDieties. The resources he had requested.

It was clear the representatives of the Six Sacred Races had not taken the mission lightly. They had scoured their Empyrean Worlds and collected an immense number of evil cultivators. Yet for all that effort, none of them stepped forward to hand the artifacts to Cain.

They hesitated.

It was not difficult to understand why. Harvesting so many hostile cultivators had cost them dearly. They were unwilling to surrender such valuable resources without certainty that Cain would keep his word.

Cain observed their stiff expressions and felt a subtle sigh rise in his chest. Their reluctance revealed just how far they remained from becoming a unified force.

"If they are not able to trust me even with these resources, then how can I lead them into battle?" The thought flickered in his mind, but he did not linger on it. Trust was not built in a day. They were still far from the cohesion he envisioned, but he would guide them there—dragging them forward by the throat if necessary.

"Hand me the resources," Cain said calmly. "I will enter a dimension inside my Inner Universe, but I will not leave this hall."

The group exchanged glances. The moment the words sank in, their hesitation dissolved. They sent the spatial treasures toward Cain.

A flash of thrill crossed his eyes as he received them, and he barely suppressed the rising excitement. Cain knew precisely what these millions of souls represented and what step forward they would allow him to take.

But excitement had its place. This was not the time for distraction. His expression sharpened, and he nodded respectfully to the powerhouses of the Six Sacred Races before placing a hand on Anark’s shoulder. The two vanished instantly.

The others tensed, scanning the Golden Hall, but their nerves eased when they saw a spatial anchor hidden among the layered folds of space. To them, it seemed Cain had anchored a dimension of his Inner Universe to the hall, just as he had promised.

Of course, that anchor did not lead to his Inner Universe. It led to the Samsara Arsenal Module.

Cain and Anark soared through the sky of the Third Level, moving swiftly until they reached the Samsara Sacrificial Ground. This was Anark’s first time standing before the Samsara Flame, and even the True Primordial of the Void—who could face the Heart of the Root without hesitation—fell silent. Awe flickered across his normally impassive face.

Cain smiled faintly. It was impossible for anyone, regardless of their realm, to gaze upon the purple flame of the Samsara Lord without feeling reverence. Few forces in existence could equal its majesty.

But there was no time to bask in wonder. What came next was too important.

"If the numbers are sufficient," Cain murmured, "I will complete a full set for the first time."

A solemn, almost hopeful light glimmered in his eyes. With a wave of his hand, he released the contents of the spatial artifacts. Millions of wicked cultivators from five Empyrean Worlds materialized above the sacred ground, their screams swallowed instantly by the purple inferno waiting below.