MTLNOVEL CHAPTER 179
Just as Hachima An resolved to end Lu Ming's training paradise, the entire Void space surrounding Lu Ming shuddered violently.
He's trying to cancel the Eye of Void! Lu Ming realized with a jolt.
He wants to cut my training short!
Though it had only been a few months in the real world, Lu Ming had spent what felt like half a year immersed in the Void's accelerated time flow.
"You useless fool!" Lu Ming cursed inwardly, frustrated by the premature end to his training bonanza.
Good things never lasted.
But Lu Ming wasn't one to give up easily. He immediately ceased his cultivation and scanned the empty expanse around him. There had to be a way to stabilize this space, to maintain this incredible opportunity.
The time dilation was a gift. One second outside was a full day within the Void. This gave Lu Ming precious time to think, to strategize.
After what felt like an hour of contemplation, a spark of inspiration ignited in Lu Ming's mind. He rose, determination etched on his face, and began a new round of training.
This time, however, he wasn't focusing on Origin Power Skills. Instead, he turned his attention to the Knight Body Forging Technique.
Each movement was deliberate, precise, executed with the focus of a seasoned warrior.
As he trained, Lu Ming's mind raced.
When I first entered this place and upgraded my skills, the system displayed 'Void Domain (Awakening).' That means this space is called the Void Domain, and my second transcendent ability is somehow linked to it, to my growing strength here.
Every time I level up a skill, my connection to this place deepens.
But it's not just the skill upgrades themselves... it's the attribute increases that come with them.
Lu Ming's eyes narrowed in concentration.
Increasing my attributes here strengthens my bond with this Void Domain, pushing the awakening of my second ability.
He didn't fully understand the mechanics behind it, but he could see the pattern, the undeniable connection.
His hypothesis was likely on the right track.
Previously, Lu Ming had focused solely on honing his Origin Power Skills within the Void.
But now, a new strategy took shape. If increasing his physical attributes could deepen his connection to this realm and trigger the awakening of his second transcendent ability, why not harness the rapid gains of the Body Forging Technique? It might even be the key to escaping his current predicament.
It was a gamble, but wasn't all experimentation a form of risk-taking?
Lu Ming dedicated himself to the Body Forging Technique, each repetition taking half an hour within the Void. But in the outside world, that half-hour was a mere blink of an eye. Hachima An had no time to react to the accelerated pace of Lu Ming's growth.
Just as Hachima An was on the verge of releasing Lu Ming from the Eye of Void, a subtle suction tugged at him from the void. It wasn't as forceful as before, not enough to make him cough blood, but it was relentless, constant.
And that was precisely what made it so terrifying.
The Eye of Void had created a link between them. Every time Lu Ming grew stronger in the Void, he siphoned energy from Hachima An.
Before, the drain had been intermittent, giving Hachima An moments of respite. Now, it was a ceaseless trickle, a constant erosion of his strength and focus.
He couldn't maintain the Eye of Void under such conditions. It was like trying to concentrate while being slowly bled dry.
The effects were immediate and devastating. Hachima An's body visibly withered, his middle-aged appearance rapidly aging, his hair turning white. He trembled uncontrollably, his body wracked with spasms he couldn't suppress.
The inky blackness in his eyes, the manifestation of the Eye of Void, began to fade, replaced by a chilling, lifeless white.
Meanwhile, within the Void Space, Lu Ming was oblivious to the turmoil outside. He continued his relentless training, completing four hundred repetitions of the Knight Body Forging Technique.
200 hours in the Void, a mere 8 seconds in reality.
Suddenly, Hachima An let out a choked gasp, a grotesque gurgle escaping his lips. His pupils shattered, his body swayed, and then he collapsed, lifeless, onto the ground.
The life force had been drained from him completely.
Hachima An's lifeless body lay sprawled on the ground, a husk devoid of the energy that had once animated it. It was a chilling sight, a stark reminder of the price of defying Lu Ming.
Yamanaka Hitomi and Shin Kanazawa, oblivious to the events unfolding within the Void, stared in stunned silence. Their leader, their strategist, their anchor, was dead. The suddenness of it left them reeling, their minds scrambling to comprehend the impossible.
Meanwhile, Lu Ming, released from the grip of the Eye of Void, slowly opened his eyes.
At first, he was disoriented. Half a year had passed for him within the Void, and the abrupt return to reality left him momentarily dazed.
But the fog cleared quickly, and memories of the "half a year ago" flooded back.
He looked at the bewildered Shin Kanazawa standing nearby, then glanced at Hachima An's crumpled form in the distance, and finally, at the remaining zombies huddled together, their fear palpable.
Lu Ming's brow furrowed.
"Trash!" he muttered, his voice laced with frustration. Hachima An's foolish actions had interrupted his training, his precious time within the Void.
Anger simmered beneath the surface, but Lu Ming quickly shook his head, pushing it aside.
Ignoring the remaining zombies for the moment, Lu Ming's attention was riveted to the attribute panel. A new entry gleamed, demanding his full focus.
New Transcendent Ability,
Void Domain (Entry): This is a special ability that can break the rules of time and space! However, because of the current low level of your Void Domain, you can't fully manifest the power of this ability!
- When used against an enemy: You can pull their consciousness into the Void Space. Their body in the outside world becomes immobile, while their consciousness in the Void Space experiences a terrifying time dilation of 1 second = 1 day. During this time, you also cannot move, and the effect lasts until your Origin Power is depleted.
- When used on yourself: Your consciousness can enter the Void Space, but time flows at the same rate as the outside world.
Lu Ming's brow furrowed in contemplation.
The effects are different when used on enemies and on myself? he thought. That limits its usefulness to me...
However, this was merely the Entry level of the Void Domain. Lu Ming couldn't help but wonder what powers it might hold at higher levels.
But how to increase its level remained a mystery...
Lost in thought, Lu Ming suddenly considered the potential benefits of the Void Domain in its current state.
Can I use the Void Domain while sleeping to save time on cultivation?
It seemed possible, but he would need to test it to be sure.
After spending a few seconds familiarizing himself with his new ability, Lu Ming closed the system interface and turned his attention back to the remaining zombies.
A faint smile touched his lips, a hint of something almost...kind in his expression.
"It's your turn," he said softly.
The zombies, still reeling from Hachima An's demise, looked up in terror. They had no idea what awaited them, but they knew one thing for certain: Lu Ming was not someone to be trifled with.