After fully absorbing the golden finger's legacy, Lucas Veloria felt a surge of unprecedented power, reaching the 7th layer of the Emptiness Ascension Realm.
The clarity of this newfound strength, combined with the insights he had gained from his previous simulations, filled him with exhilaration.
He now understood the vast potential of his golden finger, which not only allowed him to accelerate his cultivation by a thousand times without facing bottlenecks but also granted access to countless artifacts and legendary items.
This legacy was the complete inheritance of a 9th-layer peak Emptiness Ascension Realm cultivator who had abolished all their cultivation in a quest to break through to a higher realm.
Lucas realized that this was no ordinary gift; the simulations were tied to the nine layers of the Emptiness Ascension Realm, and he had already used the system three times. With six simulations left he had reached the 7th stage, and enabling him to fully comprehend the secrets of the Emptiness Ascension Realm.
His suspicions about his rapid cultivation speed after receiving the golden finger had been put to rest—this was a system designed to catapult him to the pinnacle of power.
Yet, despite his progress, Lucas knew that the nature of the Emptiness Ascension Realm made true dominance elusive.
At this level, cultivators were capable of traveling through the river of time, existing across past, present, and future timelines. This ability made them practically invincible and near-immortal.
They could manipulate history and reality with ease, making it impossible for any lower-level being to challenge their authority.
Lucas now stood at the 7th layer, but he recognized that even those at the same level were extremely difficult to kill, as the power dynamics among Emptiness Ascension cultivators were almost static.
True conflict between them could only be resolved with immense effort or cunning.
This realization led Lucas to a crucial decision: he could no longer remain in the Fairy World, where his cultivation realm would draw the attention of the other Emptiness Ascension powerhouses, potentially leading to conflicts or alliances that could limit his freedom.
He needed a place where he could grow in secret, away from the gaze of those capable of matching his strength.
He needed to build his own force, where he could be the absolute ruler, without external threats.
This is where his plan took shape: he would leave the Fairy World and find a more backward world, one where he could rule from the shadows as the sole overlord.
Before leaving, Lucas ensured that his mother, Olivia, was well taken care of.
He secretly provided her with numerous cultivation resources and life-saving treasures, securing her position in the Veloria royal family.
Although his relationship with the family had always been strained due to his lack of support in the competition for the throne, Lucas no longer cared about such petty power struggles.
With his current strength, the affairs of the Veloria Kingdom, or even the Human Empire, seemed trivial.
His ambitions now lay beyond these small matters.
Lucas ventured into the vast void between worlds, using his newfound powers to travel through dimensions in search of a suitable place to begin his plans.
His mastery of the Emptiness Ascension Realm allowed him to perform a quick divination, pointing him toward a hidden world that existed outside the influence of higher powers.
After five years of traveling through the void, Lucas arrived at the Grand Magus World. This world was a stark contrast to the Fairy World.
Instead of focusing on martial arts and physical cultivation, the Grand Magus World's inhabitants relied on mind power to manipulate mana, drawing it from nature to weave spells.
Here, magic reigned supreme, with mages divided into twelve tiers based on their mastery of mana.
Tier 1 to Tier 3: Mage
Tier 4 to Tier 6: Great Mage
Tier 7 to Tier 9: Archmage
Tier 10: Demigod
Tier 11: God
Tier 12: High God
The power of the strongest Tier 12 mages, or High Gods, was roughly equivalent to that of a mid-stage Soul Embryo Realm cultivator from the Fairy World.
This meant that, while powerful in their world, even the strongest mages in the Grand Magus World posed little threat to Lucas, who had reached the late stage of the Emptiness Ascension Realm.
The potential of this world excited him—it was an untapped opportunity where he could establish himself as an unchallenged ruler.
Lucas quickly realized that, given the current power structure, the Grand Magus World was perfect for his long-term ambitions.
Not only did it operate independently from the Fairy World and other high-end worlds, but the highest beings in this world were far beneath his current cultivation level.
This provided him with the opportunity to cultivate his own power base without interference from the Emptiness Ascension powerhouses of the Fairy World.
But Lucas knew that ruling a world, especially one as large as the Grand Magus World, required more than just personal strength.
He needed followers—loyal individuals who could carry out his will and manage the day-to-day operations of his growing empire.
He couldn't risk exposing himself too early, so he decided to build his influence from the shadows.
Using his ability to travel through the river of time, Lucas orchestrated the creation of a secret society known as the "Truth Order." This organization would serve as the foundation of his rule in the Grand Magus World, operating in the shadows to manipulate events and gather followers.
The Truth Order's stated goal was to uncover the mysteries of the universe and, eventually, discover a realm beyond Tier 12—a goal that would naturally attract the most ambitious and talented mages from across the world.
Through the Truth Order, Lucas would be able to identify and cultivate promising individuals who could rise to positions of power.
These followers, unknowingly serving his grand design, would become the hands and feet of his future empire.
With Lucas silently guiding their every move, the Truth Order would expand its influence, eventually controlling the Grand Magus World from the shadows.
No one would suspect that behind this seemingly ancient and powerful organization stood Lucas Veloria, an Emptiness Ascension Realm cultivator from a distant world.
As he finalized his plans, Lucas felt a renewed sense of excitement.
The Grand Magus World would be his playground, a realm where he could build an empire free from the constraints of other Emptiness Ascension cultivators.
The path ahead was clear, and Lucas was ready to carve his place in the universe.