The man known as King Shang Jiang stood, veiled behind a beaded curtain, his sharp gaze seeming to pierce through time and space into his own realm. Even across an unfathomable distance, that gaze, laced with supreme dominion, caused Qin Yi's entire body to tense. It was as though the very fabric of space around him had been locked in place, frozen by sheer will.
Qin Yi couldn't even begin to comprehend the level of power King Shang Jiang possessed… nor how advanced his civilization had become within the universal Civilization Ranking System.
From his past-life memories, Qin Yi had come to understand bits and pieces of this multiverse: worlds of Saints, Divine Immortals, Spiritual Deities, and Cosmic Kings. But never, never, had he imagined such overwhelming grandeur.
That aura, it was like a blazing star tearing through the darkness. Even through the Eye of the King, even from the vastest of distances, it felt as if his soul might be scorched by simply perceiving it.
"Phew…"
Qin Yi exhaled slowly, trying to regain his composure and suppress the tremors coursing through his body.
"What is it? What did you see?" The ever-watchful Uchiha Madara stood beside him, voice calm but sharp, reading the tension in Qin Yi's eyes.
"I saw… the true world." Qin Yi's voice was low, filled with awe.
A world far greater than anything he'd known. A reality woven with myth, teeming with power that dwarfed everything he once believed possible. He had glimpsed the bones of the cosmos, and it left him shaken.
What is mythology?
This is mythology incarnate.
The Eye of the King, a power that allowed him to observe stars, worlds, and even pierce into alternate dimensions, had been activated to scout Other-Dimensional Realms. Qin Yi's goal was simple: find the best entry point for his next breakthrough.
But the appearance of the Immortal Continent and the emergence of King Shang Jiang had utterly transformed his understanding of the multiverse. It expanded his vision… and ignited a boundless ambition.
Before him stood a living King, whose power rivaled Immortals, Spirits, and even Divine Beings. His words were law. His presence was commanding. Even when facing legendary factions like the Ziliu Sect, his declaration had been absolute:
"Refuse, and your mountain shall be leveled. Your sect, destroyed."
How domineering. How supreme.
So Qin Yi asked himself, 'Why not me?'
The potential of the King's World was limitless. If it continued to evolve… it might one day even surpass King Shang Jiang's empire and the Immortal Continent itself.
Breathing in deeply, Qin Yi once again activated the Eye of the King. This time, his focus narrowed, his target: Other-Dimensional Worlds.
Compared to other Kings wandering through the multiverse, he held a significant edge.
While countless realms were still shrouded in mystery, there were many whose names, stories, and powers he knew intimately.
"Primordial Chaos,
Investiture of the Gods,
Journey to the West,
Dragon Ball,
Stellar Transformation,
Swallowed Star,
Divine Grave (Shen Mu),
Shrouding the Heavens…"
As the Eye traversed these universes, Qin Yi caught fleeting glimpses, each more awe-inspiring than the last.
Compared to the Naruto World, which was merely the size of a planet, these realms were incomprehensibly vast, many of them spanning galaxies, or even entire cosmological domains. The ancient, primordial aura emanating from them made the hairs on his neck stand on end.
He dared not extend the Eye too deeply, only skimming the surface. Even the faintest attempt to probe deeper stirred something… terrifying.
"These realms are no weaker than the King's World. They brim with ancient monsters, divine artifacts, and unfathomable power. If I push further… I'll be noticed."
Indeed, even the initial sweep triggered warning signs.
He felt it, a chilling sensation, as if countless gazes from the void had turned toward him. Observing. Judging. Waiting.
Saints, Heavenly Buddhas, Zen'ō (King of All), God Kings, Emperors of the Dao, and other legendary figures, beings whose mere existence distorted fate itself. Qin Yi could sense them. And he feared them.
Even the strongest of Kings would tremble before these apex entities.
He also sensed the presence of other Kings, observers like himself, hiding in silence. Though they had also cultivated the Eye of the King, none dared act recklessly. Each one lurked, careful not to draw the wrath of those sleeping giants.
Five or six minutes passed. Qin Yi finally severed his connection with those realms, withdrawing the Eye.
Cross-referencing the data, he discovered something unsettling:
The Civilization Rank of those worlds had already surpassed the Sun, Moon, and Stars,
And were now marked with… a question mark.
It meant one thing:
These realms had ascended beyond measurable levels.
"Realms above Sun, Moon, and Stars… are completely beyond my current grasp."
A long sigh escaped his lips.
Qin Yi could only accept it for now. He was still too weak, but the path was clear.
Next, Qin Yi turned his attention to several Sun and Moon-level worlds, a diverse mix of sci-fi epics, cultivation realms, and anime dimensions. Though not as overwhelming as the universes he'd previously witnessed, these Other-Dimensional Realms still broadened his horizons and filled him with awe.
Unlike the truly vast cosmos that spanned galaxies and dimensions, these worlds were confined within more localized domains. Some were limited to realms like Heaven, Earth, and the Human World, while others took place on colossal yet singular landmasses.
They lacked that ancient, universe-spanning scale and mythic gravitas. The disparity between them and the higher-level worlds was clear and humbling.
Even so, Qin Yi understood that for now, these too remained beyond his current strength. In these worlds, a single misstep could result in his utter annihilation.
Finally, he refocused on the Starlight-level realms, dimensions that struck a more delicate balance between challenge and opportunity.
Having witnessed the majesty of King Shang Jiang and the grandeur of other multiversal titans, Qin Yi's hunger for progress only intensified. He longed to forge a flourishing, transcendent civilization, a kingdom of divine warriors and transcendent sages. What magnificence would such a nation radiate?
"Akame ga Kill!" straddling the line between the mundane and Starlight-level.
"One Piece", firmly within the Starlight tier, akin to the Naruto World.
"Detective Conan", mundane.
"Slam Dunk", mundane.
"The Legend of Qin (Qin Shi Ming Yue)", Starlight-level.
"Under One Person (Yi Ren Zhi Xia)", fluctuating between mundane and early Starlight.
"Zhu Xian (The Legend of Chusen)", Starlight level 4.
"Fairy Tail", Starlight-level.
"Attack on Titan (Shingeki no Kyojin)", Starlight-level.
"Guilty Crown", "Sword Art Online"…
····
Countless familiar names flashed rapidly across the Eye of the King, dazzling Qin Yi with their variety and potential. After nearly an hour of scanning, he massaged his aching temples.
"Too many choices… It's hard to pick. But they fall into three broad categories: power-centric, entertainment-centric, and wisdom-centric worlds."
His eyes lit up as the possibilities unfolded before him.
Following his most recent upgrade through the Way of Kings, his Void Star Realm had expanded again, now fifteen times the size of the Earth from his previous life. To fully populate and cultivate this realm, a single world wouldn't suffice.
For now, he had no intention of targeting the higher-tier dimensions like:
The Legend of Sword and Fairy 1, rated Starlight 5,
The Legend of Sword and Fairy 3, an overwhelming Starlight 9,
Marvel Cinematic Universe, spanning levels 3 to 9 depending on the era,
And One Punch Man, also rated Starlight 9.
These would have to wait until King's World was fully matured, until he could mobilize his entire civilization for full-scale, multiversal conquest. By then, his deep familiarity with these universes would become a decisive advantage, enabling rapid evolutionary leaps in civilization development.
"After reviewing so many worlds, I've realized something: the civilization rankings seem to be based on the most powerful individuals in that world's history."
"Immortal-heroic (xianxia) realms generally rank higher. Sci-fi realms, too. There's chaos in the ranking logic… but some underlying pattern does exist."
After a moment of deep thought, Qin Yi hovered between the flashing worlds displayed before him. Then, at last, he made his choice.
He slowly closed his eyes.
The complex array of images dissipated, and when he opened them again, clarity returned. His decision had been made.
"The next major conquest, my first target at the Starlight level, will be this world."
"As for a mundane-level world, I'll choose this one. The difficulty is low, and with my newly awakened King's Skills, I can seize it easily."
His finger moved, and the Eye of the King zoomed in on two selected worlds.
In one, an endless sea stretched beneath the sky. Countless islands dotted the waters, and majestic ships, sailing under skull-and-crossbones flags, cut through the wind. Crews filled with fiery ambition chased after treasure, dreams, and freedom.
In the other world, hundreds of thousands of terracotta warriors stood in solemn formation, frozen in time. At their forefront towered a majestic stone figure, its expression cold, eyes sharp, radiating an aura of dominion. A king in form, a tyrant in spirit.
These two worlds would be his proving grounds.
(End of Chapter)
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