World of Rules

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Di returned to the Blazing Coral Island under the cover of darkness, unhurried. The island hadn't changed, but his perspective on things had.

The city before him was bustling and lively—the voices of merchants shouting their offers, the laughter of sailors drinking in the narrow alleys, the hurried footsteps of those with business to attend to… Everything was the same, yet he felt like a stranger amidst this organized chaos.

Instead of heading straight to the Shu family’s residence, he wandered through the alleys, his eyes scanning the scenes before him without any real focus. He absorbed the atmosphere, observing the people… yet he did not feel like one of them.

After a while, he decided to find a place to rest. He rented a simple room in an inconspicuous inn—an old wooden-walled room with a bed that wasn’t exactly comfortable, but sufficient.

As soon as he closed the door behind him, he sat on the bed and closed his eyes.

"I'm not far from the late stage now."

The thought passed through his mind quietly, not as an ambition but as an inevitable truth.

Previously, Di had been in the second layer—an advantage over those still stuck in the first. Even after sacrificing his foundation, he hadn’t lost all his strength. Instead, he had been rebuilding himself, slowly, carefully… with unyielding determination.

The second layer… a different world.

A Rule Master at this stage was no longer limited to a single primary rule. He could develop multiple additional laws, merging them with his own understanding to create a unique power that was difficult to counter.

As for Di…

He possessed the Law of Devouring as the foundation of everything.

Devour, grow, adapt.

It wasn’t just a law… it was an instinct.

His secondary law was darkness.

Darkness was not merely a veil to hide him from sight—it was a part of his being, something that pulsed within him, stretching with his breaths, creeping into the corners of the world around him as if it were an extension of his own existence.

And yet, he was not satisfied.

As he deepened his understanding of the laws, he was also working on something else—his body.

The body was not just a vessel for energy; it was the foundation of everything. What was the use of laws if the body could not withstand them?

That was why Di had been continuously refining his physique, transforming it into something that surpassed the limits of ordinary humans.

A faint smile curved his lips as he felt the surging energy within him.

"Everything is going as it should."

He slowly closed his eyes… and began absorbing the energy, consuming it, turning it into a part of himself, integrating even further with his own laws.

At this moment, nothing else mattered.

There was no past, no future.

There was only… Di.

---

A month passed… unexpectedly fast.

Everything in the inn had changed.

At first, it had been a modest place, crowded with travelers and sailors, filled with laughter, heated discussions, and the stench of alcohol. But as the days went by, the atmosphere became quieter, more isolated.

Strangers no longer came or left.

All the other guests had been evicted, one by one, without explanation and without resistance.

As for Di…

He was served the finest and most delicious meals daily, as if someone was trying to please him in every way possible. Even the primordial stone he had paid for the room was returned to him without him asking for it.

He didn’t need to think too hard to understand why.

"The Shu family’s head… He’s behind this."

He knew it, yet he didn’t care.

Slowly, he opened his eyes—abyss-like eyes that swallowed the light, making anyone who met them feel as though they were drowning in emptiness.

A faint, cold smile formed on his lips—barely noticeable, yet filled with meaning.

The aura surrounding him was no longer the same.

It had become denser, more terrifying, as if the world around him was beginning to bend under his presence.

He stood up from the bed… and vanished.

This time, he didn’t kill the innkeeper.

---

At the Shu Family Residence

Shu Jian sat in his room, lost in thought.

This past month had not been kind to him.

It had been a continuous nightmare.

Not a single day had passed without him feeling suffocated, as if the weight of the world had doubled upon his shoulders, the air around him becoming heavier.

He had survived, yes… but he hadn’t truly felt alive since that day on the ship.

Sometimes, he would wake up drenched in sweat, his hands trembling, the echo of that cold voice whispering in his mind.

Even in broad daylight, he felt as though a shadow was watching him, unseen eyes tracking his every move.

Then…

The atmosphere shifted.

There was no sound.

But the room had become cold.

Before he could lift his head, a black shadow entered the space.

It wasn’t human… it was something entirely different.

And from within that shadow… Di appeared.

His icy gaze locked onto the Shu family’s head, piercing deep, void of any emotion.

Then, in a quiet yet unquestionable tone, he asked directly:

"How long will it take to repair the ancient teleportation array?"

Shu Jian swallowed hard, but quickly steadied himself before answering:

"Only a few hours… It just lacks a Moon Pearl."

Di absorbed the answer without reaction. He did not appear concerned, as if this was merely a small step in his plan.

But Shu Jian knew…

Di wouldn’t ask such a question without reason.

And sure enough, after a brief silence, Di spoke again, his voice carrying an undeniable command:

"If I am to use the array, I will require many primordial stones. A great number of them."

Shu Jian lifted his gaze, his eyes flickering with subtle tension.

But before he could even form a response, Di cut through the silence with a voice as cold as an execution order:

"Use the resources of your family… and the other two—Mo and Lian."

There was no discussion.

There was no choice.

There was only a command that must be obeyed.

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