World of Rules

...... 

On the fifth night of his isolation, the silence in the room was as thick as smoke, wrapping around "Di" like an invisible cloak. No sound could be heard except for the faint pulses of primordial energy twisting through the air, searching for an entrance into his being.. but no door was easily open to them.

"Di" was in no hurry. He had understood that any form of haste in the world of Foundations only led to collapse.

His eyes were closed, but his soul was wide awake, carving its path within his inner world, observing the bends of the path, contemplating the laws of existence as he perceived them.

Within his being, there were two clear and radiant Laws, like twin suns:

The Law of Devouring.. a deep-rooted hunger anchored in his core, insatiable and unquenchable.

The Law of Darkness.. an eternal shroud wrapping his intentions, hiding all that should never be seen.

And within that balance, "Di" was constructing something new.

He knew others would recklessly stack law after law upon their path, thinking that more meant strength. But they didn’t realize.. inner contradiction kills more than it fights.

"Di" wasn’t at war with himself. He was designing himself.

On the sixth night, "Di" opened his eyes.

He felt his energy grow heavier. Not in the sense of slowness.. but in the spiritual weight of depth. As if every strand of energy within him now carried will.

He slowly raised his right hand, then lowered it again with control. He wasn’t testing strength; he was feeling the subtle tremor in the space around him.

He had begun anchoring his Foundation.. not by adding a new Law, but by deepening the harmony between the two. He was trying to merge them. Interweaving, not stacking.

And he knew.. this kind of construction was rare.

On the seventh day, he didn’t leave the room, but he sensed something outside.

As if the city was shifting. As if the air itself warned of something approaching.

For the first time in days, "Di" stood from his seated posture. He walked to the small window and glanced out.

The streets of Black Sand City were the same.. but in the sky, there was a faint aura.. barely visible. Something gray. Something pulsing like a distant heart.

On the ninth day, the final preparation began.

His body was calm, but his soul was ready for war.

He knew what he was about to enter wasn’t just a hidden dimension.. but the possibility of being changed forever.

At dawn on the tenth day.. "Di" opened his room's door.

The air was different. As if the world itself had shifted.

He walked out without looking back.

His destination: The Black Hajar Oasis.

And the meeting with the old man..

..

The sun still cast its pale rays over the edge of the city when "Di" reached the Black Hajar Oasis. There was nothing remarkable about the place.. just sand dunes stretching into the distance, and two withered palm trees like ancient sentinels guarding a forgotten truth.

"Di" stood quietly, watching the silence until it broke.

From behind a black rock, the old man emerged, leaning on his staff, wearing a smile that concealed far more than it revealed. But he wasn’t alone.

To his left stood a figure entirely cloaked in black, his face wrapped completely in fabric. He didn’t move, but his presence was overwhelming.. as if the very air refused to touch him.

The old man spoke first, his voice calm, tinged with amusement:

"I didn’t expect you to come so quickly, boy.. Seems you're more serious than I thought."

"Di" didn’t answer immediately. His eyes were fixed on the veiled figure.

He asked,

"And who is this?"

The old man chuckled softly,

"Sometimes.. it takes more than a sharp tongue to protect one’s secrets."

Second realm.. early rank, Di thought to himself.

He knew that a Second-Realm Foundation Master rarely appeared. Each was like a walking catastrophe. The presence of one here meant that what was at stake was far from ordinary.

The old man inhaled slowly and then drew out a small object from his robe.. a palm-sized stone, and tossed it toward "Di."

"Di" caught the stone firmly.

It contained the details of the secret dimension.

Through the information stone, Di learned that before the secret dimension was discovered, a small sect had been secretly controlling it.

But that didn’t last long. Once the news leaked, powerful forces caught wind of it. The small sect was annihilated without warning.. by the Blood Spirit Sect.

The Blood Spirit Sect had fought several other powers over control of the secret dimension.. but none ended up claiming it for themselves.

Di also learned that the dimension was said to hide ancient materials.. and countless treasures.

There were even rumors that one disciple from that small sect had obtained a pill that allowed him to break into the Second Realm.. even though he hadn't yet reached the peak of the First.

Quickly, Di withdrew his spiritual sense.

.....