The girl's sword descended like a falling star, its blade blazing with an unholy light that seemed to burn reality itself. But as it neared Chen Feng's neck, the ropes binding him disintegrated, consumed by an invisible force emanating from within him. His eyes glowed with a dark, oppressive light, the faint resonance of the Mysterious Pearl stirring in his chest. With a flicker of movement faster than the eye could perceive, he sidestepped her strike.
The ground beneath them shattered as her sword met empty air, the resulting shockwave leveling the terrain around them. Rocks floated momentarily before crumbling into dust, and the very fabric of the strange void they occupied rippled like water. Chen Feng's smirk deepened, his aura now radiating power despite his diminished state.
"You should've struck harder," he said coldly. "Now, it's my turn."
Without warning, he unleashed a surge of darkness that roared outward like a tidal wave. The void trembled, and tendrils of shadow coiled toward the girl, hungry to consume her.
But she wasn't intimidated. Her eyes flared with golden fire, and her aura ignited in response. The flames enveloping her body didn't just burn—they seemed alive, writhing with purpose, defying the encroaching darkness. She raised her sword high, and a phoenix-shaped flame erupted from the blade, soaring into the shadows.
The clash of their powers was cataclysmic.
The darkness screamed as it collided with the golden flame, creating an explosion of energy that tore through the void. Space fractured like glass, exposing glimpses of stars, black holes, and endless chasms beyond. The girl leaped forward, her sword now cloaked in golden flame and white-hot light, aiming directly for Chen Feng's heart.
"You talk too much, tyrant," she spat, her voice laced with fury. "Let's see how you fare against the Phoenix Immortal Flame!"
Chen Feng's smirk remained, but his gaze sharpened. With a wave of his hand, a spear of pure ice materialized in his grasp, radiating a chilling aura that froze the surrounding air. He met her charge head-on, his spear clashing with her sword in a deafening blast.
The force of their collision obliterated everything in its vicinity. Stars in the distant backdrop of the void blinked out of existence, consumed by the shockwave.
The girl pivoted midair, her movements impossibly graceful as flames spiraled around her. She thrust her hand forward, and a torrent of fire exploded toward Chen Feng. But he retaliated with equal ferocity, summoning a barrier of frost that froze the flames before they could touch him.
"You're strong," he admitted, his voice calm despite the chaos. "But strength alone isn't enough to defeat me."
His barrier shattered into shards of ice, which he directed toward her with a flick of his wrist. The shards expanded into jagged spears, hurtling toward her like meteors. The girl twirled her blade, slicing through the projectiles with precision.
"You haven't seen the extent of my power!" she yelled, her golden flames intensifying. The flames expanded, forming a massive phoenix that engulfed her. The bird screeched, shaking the void, before diving toward Chen Feng with overwhelming speed.
Chen Feng's expression darkened. He raised both hands, and the air around him warped. A massive vortex of darkness and devouring energy formed, consuming the light around it.
The phoenix collided with the vortex, and the resulting impact sent ripples of destruction across the universe. Stars were torn apart, planets disintegrated, and entire galaxies collapsed into nothingness.
As the void unraveled into chaos, Chen Feng unleashed another attack. His spear dissolved into raw energy, which he directed toward the girl. The energy morphed into a dragon made of shadows and ice, its roar shaking the remnants of the universe.
The girl met his attack with equal force. Her flames burned brighter, and she unleashed a pillar of light that pierced through the dragon, scattering it.
But Chen Feng wasn't done. His eyes glowed with an abyssal light, and he reached toward the void itself. The stars flickered, their light draining into his hand as if obeying his command.
The girl's face tightened as she realized what he was doing. "You're insane!" she yelled, but her voice was lost in the maelstrom of power.
Chen Feng laughed, his voice echoing with dark amusement. "If the universe cannot contain me, then let it perish."
He slammed his hand down, and the stolen light erupted into an explosion that consumed everything. The girl's flames flickered, her immortality tested as she struggled to withstand the annihilation.
As the destruction reached its peak, a deep, resonant voice echoed from within the Mysterious Pearl.
"Chen Feng," it boomed, silencing the chaos. "You have passed the trial."
The void stilled, the destruction frozen in place. The girl's flames dimmed, her body trembling from the strain of the battle.
The voice continued, ancient and commanding. "You have proven yourself worthy of the power of the Eternal, the one who bends all of existence to his will. Henceforth, you are the Omniarch, the ruler of all that was, is, and will be."
Chen Feng's body radiated with an otherworldly light as the voice faded. The Mysterious Pearl dissolved into his chest, its power merging with his being.
Suddenly, a blue screen appeared before him, hovering in midair.
A calm, feminine voice echoed in his mind, contrasting the deep, ancient tone of the pearl.
"Ding! The System is connecting to host. Please wait…"
The screen flickered, displaying a countdown:
5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
"Connection complete. Welcome, Host."
Chen Feng's smirk returned, his aura now overwhelming and divine. The screen displayed several options, glowing faintly.
"Please say 'System' to activate," the voice prompted.
Chen Feng chuckled, his voice carrying the weight of a man who had just claimed the universe as his own. "System."
The blue screen flared to life, and the next chapter of his destiny began.
The blue screen shimmered before Chen Feng, casting an ethereal glow in the darkness.
"Ding! Congratulations, Host. You have successfully activated the Boundless Omniarch System," the system announced in a calm, melodious voice that resonated within his mind.
Chen Feng's eyes narrowed, curiosity mingling with suspicion. "What are you?" he asked, his voice low and commanding. "Who is your creator? And whose voice spoke earlier?"
The system responded without hesitation, its tone unwavering and imbued with a subtle omnipotence.
"I am the Boundless Omniarch System, a being that transcends all limitations. I am omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent. My awareness permeates every fiber of existence—past, present, and future. I have no creator, for I am self-born, emerging before time began. I am the embodiment of infinite potential and power."
Chen Feng's expression tightened as the weight of the system's words settled on him. Its presence was unlike anything he had encountered—an entity beyond even the gods, its authority rivaling the heavens themselves.
"You claim omnipotence," Chen Feng said, his tone sharp. "What, then, are your limitations? What can you offer me?"
The system's voice remained calm. "Host, I am capable of granting you dominion over all existence, but such power must be earned. For now, you have access to only two features: the Stats Window and the Shop. Your current power is insufficient to wield the full potential of my abilities. This limitation is intentional, designed to encourage growth and self-reliance."
Chen Feng's smirk returned, but it was tinged with irony. "So, even an all-powerful system requires me to crawl before I can run. Interesting."
The system ignored his sarcasm, continuing in its measured tone. "Allow me to explain your good fortune, Host, and the significance of the artifact you possess—the Mysterious Pearl."
"When nothingness reigned supreme—when no light shone, no matter stirred, and no time flowed—the Mysterious Pearl was born. It was the first light, the first sound, the first spark of creation. It illuminated the endless void, infusing the emptiness with purpose.
The Pearl sang, and from its voice, the laws of existence were forged. Time flowed forth, marking the beginning of moments. Space unfolded, granting dimensions to the infinite void. Creation burst into being, sowing the seeds of stars, planets, and galaxies. Life surged into existence, accompanied by its eternal counterpart—Death. Destruction followed, ensuring balance.
As the Pearl's radiance continued to spread, the fundamental elements took form. Fire ignited, bringing warmth and passion. Wind danced, carrying freedom and chaos. Water flowed, nurturing life. Ice crystallized, preserving eternity. The earth solidified, offering stability, while the abyss formed, shrouded in mystery and hunger.
The Pearl did not stop until reality itself was born—a boundless cosmology of universes, realms, and dimensions, each governed by the laws it had created.
And then, just as suddenly as it appeared, the Mysterious Pearl vanished. Its light extinguished, its voice silenced. It withdrew from existence, leaving its creations to flourish and evolve.
Eons passed, and the Pearl became a legend, whispered about in the annals of gods and mortals alike. Until now."
Chen Feng's mind reeled as he processed the system's revelation. "And now, I hold this Pearl?" he asked, his tone laced with both awe and skepticism.
"Yes," the system confirmed. "Through chance, fate, or perhaps your own indomitable will, you have claimed the artifact that shaped existence itself. With it, you stand on the precipice of a new era, one where you may rise above the heavens and command the very fabric of reality."
Chen Feng's gaze hardened, the weight of his destiny sinking in. "And the voice that spoke before—twice, in fact. Whose voice was it?"
The system's tone softened slightly, as if acknowledging something sacred. "The voice belongs to the First Child, a being birthed from the Pearl itself. The First Child was the first entity to arise from creation, a guardian and herald of its power. That voice guided the creation of existence and now watches over its chosen wielder—you."
Chen Feng's smirk returned, more determined than ever. The weight of his failures, betrayals, and ambitions seemed to vanish, replaced by an overwhelming sense of purpose.
"So, the heavens tried to kill me, and instead, they handed me the power to rewrite existence," he said, his voice brimming with dark amusement. "How poetic."
The system chimed softly, drawing his attention back to the floating screen.
"Host, I recommend accessing the Stats Window to evaluate your current status. Additionally, the Shop feature may provide resources essential for your growth."
Chen Feng nodded. "System," he said, testing the word again, "show me my Stats Window."
The screen shifted, displaying an intricate panel of information.
----
[Stats Window]
Name: Chen Feng
Title: Boundless Omniarch (Unawakened)
Cultivation Level: Demi-Eternal (Suppressed)
Race: Penetrator of Primordial Nothingness
Bloodline: Primordial Chaos Bloodline
Eyes: Primordial Eyes of Creation, The Primordial Origin Eyes.
Strength: ???
Agility: ???
Vitality: ???
Saitama: ???
Endurance: ???
Spiritual Power: ???
Abyssal Energy: ???
Soulbound Flame: Chaotic flame of Destruction.
Abilities:
Mysterious Pearl Resonance (Sealed)
Omniarch's Insight (Locked)
Soul Reaper
Achievements:
Defier of the Heavens
Wielder of the Mysterious Pearl
[ Ability Name: Soul Reaper
Category: Forbidden Ability
Type: Active
Description:
[The Soul Reaper ability grants the wielder the ability to consume the soul of any being they kill, absorbing their essence entirely. By devouring the soul, the wielder inherits all the victim's abilities, memories, cultivation, and life essence and all other things the dead had.]
Chen Feng's eyes flickered across the screen. Most of his stats were obscured, his power evidently locked away by the aftermath of the trial. Still, the potential he glimpsed was staggering.
"Interesting," he murmured, closing the window. "System, open the Shop."
The screen shifted again, revealing an expansive catalog of items, skills, and techniques. Many were grayed out, marked as unavailable until his power grew.
"For now," the system said, "you must forge your path. The heavens will not rest, nor will your enemies. Use what you have wisely, and remember—your potential is boundless."
Chen Feng chuckled, his resolve unshaken. "The heavens will regret ever crossing me," he said, his voice filled with unyielding determination. "With the Mysterious Pearl, the First Child, and this system, I'll rise above all creation. Let the universe prepare for its true ruler."
As the blue screen dimmed, the remnants of the void trembled, and Chen Feng began to move forward. His journey to ultimate supremacy had only just begun.