Back in the Dragon County.
In the face of such overwhelming force, they found themselves unable to control their bodies, forced to kneel and prostrate before the divine power.
A singular thought raced through the minds of the Emperors: "This is no mortal's breakthrough phenomenon, but that of a god."
With mounting horror, they contemplated their inevitable fate: "We will likely perish as mere collateral damage."
...
In Lin Wei's room, seated on his bed, he could keenly sense the tumultuous events unfolding through his very being. The influx of energy coursing through him induced a profound sense of relaxation, unlike anything he had ever experienced. As he absorbed the familiar energy, he detected another ancient force, far more potent than anything he had encountered before.
"This energy is at least four billion times stronger than the surrounding energy. But where did it originate?" pondered Lin Wei inwardly. Despite his lesser strength compared to the Emperors, he could gauge the immense potency of this energy, for he was the one absorbing it. The sensation it evoked was indescribable, transcending any prior experience.
Moments later, amidst the tumult, the land shook violently, and the servant's quarter where Lin Wei had resided for over a decade crumbled around him. His already broken bed collapsed, yet astonishingly, Lin Wei remained oblivious to the earthquake raging outside. Encased within a thin, golden membrane, he was shielded from the chaos enveloping him. Within this protective barrier, the cacophony of destruction outside was muted, as if Lin Wei inhabited a different world apart from the turmoil surrounding him.
Seconds later, a new surge of energy, shimmering in silver-grey hues, swept over Lin Wei, leaving him awestruck by its potency. Though he struggled to articulate its intensity, the sheer pleasure coursing through his veins was undeniable as the energy flowed directly into his dantian. After completely absorbing a single strand of this remarkable energy allowed Lin Wei to grasp its incomparable potency.
"Even if I were to absorb the ancient energy from before for eons, I doubt I could amass even half the power contained in this single strand," sighed Lin Wei in awe.
Immediately following the descent of the new energy, the golden membrane enveloping Lin Wei underwent a transformation, shifting from radiant gold to a shimmering silver-grey hue. Simultaneously, the golden glow surrounding Lin Wei coalesced into a majestic silver-grey cocoon. As the cocoon gently ascended from the ground, hovering three feet above the surface, Lin Wei could sensed a tremendous increase in his absorption rate and the pace of his bodily evolution.
As Lin Wei emerged from the cocoon, his transformation was nothing short of miraculous. Hovering effortlessly in mid-air, he appeared as if touched by divine grace. Gone was the short, scarred figure of before; in its place stood a towering figure, radiating an otherworldly aura of beauty and power.
His once-tan skin now gleamed with a porcelain-white complexion, flawless and ethereal. The burnt scar that marred his face had vanished without a trace, replaced by the smooth contour of a straight, unblemished brow. His eyes, once a mundane brown, now shone with a mesmerizing golden hue, captivating all who beheld them.
The transformation extended beyond his visage, as his stature grew to a commanding 1.8 meters, and his facial features became even more refined, accentuating the natural V-shaped symmetry of his face. His long black hair cascaded around him like a cloak, swaying gently in an unseen breeze.
Indeed, if anyone were to lay eyes upon Lin Wei in his current form, they would be forgiven for mistaking him for a celestial being, an embodiment of immortal beauty.
As he gazed at his transformed hand, a surge of power coursed through him, filling him with a sense of invincibility. "This... I feel such strength," he murmured, his voice tinged with awe and disbelief. "It's as if I could shatter this world like mere dust."
Lin Wei was about to fathom his newfound strength when suddenly,
"Warning! Warning! Warning!" The repeated alerts echoed in his mind. As the scarlet system interface materialized before Lin Wei, his heart skipped a beat at the urgency of the warnings flashing before him. "Host, please don't casually move, or you will destroy this world," the message reiterated, each word laden with an ominous weight that hung heavily in the air.
"What?!" Lin Wei exclaimed, his voice trembling with a mixture of horror and disbelief. The gravity of the situation hit him like a tidal wave, as he contemplated the catastrophic consequences his unchecked power could unleash upon the world.
"If the system hadn't intervened... I could have actually destroyed this world? Killing everyone?" His thoughts trailed off, the magnitude of the scenario unfolding before him sinking in like a heavy weight upon his shoulders. Despite the brutal nature of the world he inhabited, Lin Wei could not reconcile himself to the idea of being responsible for such widespread devastation and loss.
Despite Lin Wei's acceptance of the harsh realities of his world, his moral compass remained steadfast. While he might not hesitate to take the lives of a few individuals in combat, the thought of causing harm on a scale that could potentially result in the deaths of billions of innocent mortals weighed heavily on him.
"Detected, that the host's strength has surpassed the maximum capacity of this world. Would the host like to suppress his strength to a level that this world can accommodate?" queried the system.
"System, can't I just directly leave this world and look for a world that can bear my full strength?" he asked, his voice tinged with curiosity.
The system's reply was swift and matter-of-fact, its mechanical voice echoing in Lin Wei's mind. "Host needs to adapt to his strength, understand the structure of the universe, and fully be prepared for the bigger world," it explained. "So learning the customs of this world and studying the life of a lower world would give the host a stable foundation if he were to find a higher world. Additionally, the system has requirements that its host must stay in each world for at least two decades. It is unexpected for the system that the host would be able to wish for such an exaggerated one."
Lin Wei frowned at the system's response, frustration bubbling within him at the seemingly arbitrary restrictions placed upon him. Despite his reluctance, he understood the necessity of complying with the system's directives.
"System, suppress my strength," he uttered.
The system's reply was swift, but not without its own caveat. "Host, suppressing your strength is not free, and would require you to use 1 major wish," it stated matter-of-factly
An ugly tone crept into Lin Wei's voice as he responded, "But I already used the major wish."
The system paused for a moment before offering a solution. "Since the host is required to stay in this world for a minimum of 20 years, and since the host has no longer any major wish, the system will use the host's 5 remaining Minor Wishes to act as a major wish. Note: this is only an exception."
Lin Wei sighed in resignation, begrudgingly accepting the system's terms. Though he chafed against the limitations imposed upon him, he knew that he had no choice but to comply.
With a heavy heart, Lin Wei issued the command to the system. "Then use the 5 Minor Wishes to suppress my strength," he said, his voice tinged with resignation.
As the command echoed in the depths of his mind, Lin Wei couldn't help but feel a pang of regret at the loss of his remaining Minor Wishes. Each one had represented a potential opportunity or advantage, now sacrificed in exchange for the stability and safety of the world around him.
Despite the ache in his heart, Lin Wei knew that he had made the right decision. The preservation of innocent lives and maintaining a clear conscience were worth far more than any fleeting desire or personal gain.
A moment later, the power that coursed through Lin Wei's body was slowly being suppressed. The feeling of being able to easily destroy the world and the invincible feeling was slowly fading away.
Minutes later, the strange power that was slowly sealing his strength was gone. Although the sensation of being invincible had disappeared, he still felt a strength greater than he could imagine. "This should be the strength that this world can nearly withstand."
"Although I can be considered already at the top of the pyramid of this world, I still have to be cautious," Lin Wei mumbled, not growing arrogant from the strength he obtained by wishing. "I've read in those novels that there are people who can go to such lengths and descend to lower worlds, even though they have the power that transcends the world. In other words, I might find someone who is like me, suppressing their strength."
Although he already had the strength to be truly invincible in this world, he would never use his sealed strength. If he used this strength, either he would leave this world or ascend to a higher plane.
Composing his thoughts, Lin Wei looked at the system interface with the words 'Granting the host wish. 100%.'
"Now, let me see what my realm is now." With a will from Lin Wei, his interface appeared in front of him.