My skills have mutated again!

Chapter 426 Advancement to Level Eleven and the Mountain King
Xia Lin was completely stunned when he saw the video footage sent back by Barclay...

Seriously, are you guys that brave?!
However, upon further reflection, Xia Lin gasped in shock.

"It doesn't seem impossible..."

Because those were not the real immortal and demon emperors, but merely the old reflections derived from the primordial dark side!

They are not the Six Pillars, but only the twelfth level who have mastered the core skills of the Six Pillars.

Even Xia Lin felt that these two dummies created by the primordial dark side were probably not as powerful as the two immortal and demon emperors of the same era.

And who are these people who attacked them at this moment?

Wang's biological sons and adopted sons, Dajun.

The strongest group of level twelve below the six pillars!
In essence, they are no weaker than the afterimages of the Immortal and Demon Emperors, and they outnumber them. This battle is definitely something to fight.

Even the Wang family's side has a very high chance of winning!

After carefully examining the Wang character flag in the video, Xia Lin quickly understood.

The main force behind this wave of attacks consisted of five of the eight sons of the Wang family.

The second son is Wang Yanhai, the fourth son is Wang Yanxing, the fifth son is Wang Yanlin, the seventh son is Wang Yanqing, and the eighth son is Wang Yanhong.

This corresponds exactly to the faction among the eight sons of the Wang family that was hostile to Xia Lin, as mentioned by Zhou Xinglin.

—The Three Phases Gang's intelligence network was ultimately unable to perfectly monitor the precise movements of a level 12 powerhouse.

The intelligence report only mentioned seeing the figures of Wang Laowu and the Binding Spirit Immortal Venerable, but in reality, this group had long since penetrated deep into the Dark Realm, reached the first level of the Dark Realm, and had even begun to attack the afterimages of the Immortal and Demon Emperors.

Besides the five princes, more than ten adopted sons of the King of Kings also appeared in the video. These people were the six adopted sons of the five princes, and they were all considered the main members of this faction.

"But why? Why would they do that?"

The odds of victory are in, and it is an undeniable fact that the afterimages of the two emperors, the immortal and the demon, are no pushovers.

Even if they win, the Wang family will have to pay a very heavy price.

Then what is the goal incurred at this cost? That's highly debatable...

Surely it's not just about fighting for the sake of fighting? The Wang family wouldn't do something so pointless.

After a brief moment of thought, Xia Lin had a hundred guesses pop into his head.

However, without clues and evidence, speculation is meaningless.

He is neither a fortune teller nor a mind reader.

One thing is certain: this matter is most likely related to the struggle for power among the six pillars, and may be a preliminary step in the struggle for power.

Finally, after telling Barclay to be careful and prioritize his survival, Xia Lin ended the communication, clearing his mind of distractions to continue witnessing the aftermath of the six pillars' battle.

The progress of the Permanent Foundation talent is gradually increasing.

……

After a full ten days, the permanent foundation stone finally underwent a transformation!

[After a long period of witnessing, your talent, the foundation of your enduring strength, has been solidified, and your level has been raised!]

[Current Level: Racial Foundation Level.]

The number of permanent skill slots has been expanded to 20!

The promotion from SSS-level to racial heritage level increases the number of permanent skill slots from 10 to 20.

This can be described as a meteoric rise.

However, Xia Lin didn't really care about the further expansion of the skill bar.

They value level progression even more!
After the talent is upgraded, promotion is a natural progression.

Suddenly, a beam of light gathered overhead and shone precisely on Xia Lin's body on the starship.

Enveloped in the light, Xia Lin felt completely comfortable.

The ethereal voice echoed in my ears, like a hymn to the Great Dao, or a blessing from the universe.

The properties panel blurred for a moment, but then new text quickly appeared.

The system notification sound from the professional system rang in Xia Lin's ears.

Your level has been increased due to talent advancement!

[Congratulations on reaching Level 11! All your talent skill assessments have been increased by 3!]

Your regular skill slots have been expanded to 11.

The notification tone ends here.

Because this is actually the complete change from level ten to level eleven.

From Xia Lin's current perspective, in his understanding, level eleven is more like a transitional level, a prerequisite for transcending the professional system.

Therefore, the promotion is not very difficult—at least not for Xia Lin.

Correspondingly, the rewards offered by the professional system at this stage are not very high.

The expansion of the skill bar is another story; it's just a regular reward.

The key is that the skill judgment level is increased by 3!

This is the reward that truly differentiates levels 11 from 10.

However, Xia Lin doesn't really need this kind of reward—because his opponents are almost all level twelve, and level twelve opponents don't bother with skill judgment permissions.

In short, the greatest reward for the other eleven levels is useless to Xia Lin.

This resulted in Xia Lin's theoretical knowledge improving almost nothing after his promotion.

"The normal process should be that after advancing from level 10 to level 11, one should use the judgment authority of these three levels to widen the gap with other level 10 professionals, thereby gaining better growth space, seeking and pursuing more resources to prepare for level 12."

"But I have already accumulated enough foundation in the Ashes Zone. Even if I advance to level eleven, I will still be constrained by the professional system and find it difficult to increase my strength."

Xia Lin is the type who reaches the peak immediately after advancing.

The newly crowned number one of the myriad races is no joke.

"So the biggest significance of advancing to level eleven for me is that it fulfilled the prerequisite for advancing to level twelve..."

Yes, that's the greatest significance of Level 11 for Xia Lin.

To advance to level 12, level 11 is a prerequisite, and that goal has now been achieved.

In addition, Xia Lin also needs a cosmic bug—which he now has.

Originally, Xia Lin intended to give this cosmic bug to Scarlett, but since Scarlett went to the Super Star, where she would also be provided with a clean cosmic bug, Xia Lin decided to keep the one he had and use it himself now.

Of course, Xia Lin has another option—to create a cosmic bug by creating a conflict between two professions, thereby completing the promotion.

The former is fast and efficient, while the latter can deepen Xia Lin's understanding of his profession.

Both choices have their merits.

"Theoretically, if I wanted to, I could immediately use this cosmic bug to reach level twelve."

Breaking through levels 11 and 12 consecutively is a rare feat even in the main universe!

But Xia Lin chose to endure it.

He didn't care about heroic deeds or anything like that.

He cares more about his potential.

He had witnessed firsthand the difference between a level 12 Black Domain cultivator and a normal level 12 cultivator.

This is the impact of foundational knowledge at level twelve—it can even determine the upper limit of potential at level twelve!
Xia Lin felt that she still didn't have enough experience.

Right now, there is an opportunity for him to build up his foundation once again.

Xia Lin turned her head and looked into the distance.

Over there, there exists a hidden passage...

The promotion to level eleven has been successfully completed. The next step is to delve into the Dark Realm and fleece the Primordial Dark Side.

However, the problem now is that the Wang family has gathered in the Dark Realm.

Over the past ten days, Barclay has been sending back messages that the battle in the first layer of the Dark Realm is still ongoing and is far from reaching a decisive point.

—Existences like the two fake immortal and demon emperors, who are at the top of level twelve, or even the strongest at level twelve... do not have any weaknesses that can be detected.

Whether it's combat power, recovery ability, or the sustainability of combat power, it's ridiculously strong.

Let alone ten days, it would be perfectly reasonable for them to fight for ten years without a clear winner.

So now, with Wang Lao Er and his group blocking the first level of the Dark Realm, Xia Lin is destined to get beaten up if he sneaks in.

They were, in effect, blocking Xia Lin's path.

But this was a situation that was bound to happen sooner or later.

Since you're aiming for the Six Pillars, you can't be afraid of competition, and you can't even care about the factions of your competitors.

The number of positions in the six pillars is limited.

Therefore, opportunities are limited.

Right now, the original dark side is the one of the six pillars with the biggest flaw, which will surely attract the attention of all those with ambition!

If you don't try to take this position on the original dark side, are you going to try to take the position on the top three pillars?

Therefore, being blocked is inevitable.

Competition is inevitable.

"But we can't win..."

Xia Lin had witnessed the divine power of those two fake immortal and demon emperors.

They are beings that I can never fabricate a story about.

Then Wang Lao Er and his group directly started fighting with them—which means that Wang Lao Er and his group's strength is actually at this level, and they are the strongest among the twelve levels.

Right now, Xia Lin has no original ruler to back him up.

Crushing Xia Lin would be no harder for the princes of the Wang family than crushing an ant.

Going to the Dark Realm means death.

It's that simple.

"Tsk, this is troublesome."

The benefits are desirable, but the risks are too high.

Xia Lin was momentarily caught in a state of internal struggle between her left and right hemispheres.

But a day later, two communication requests gave Xia Lin a new opportunity.

……

"Hain? You've already breached the contract, why are you contacting me?"

"It's not Hein, it's me, Cheng Lin."

The panoramic communication image quickly converged, transforming into the silhouette of a forest.

He said to Xia Lin with a slightly embarrassed expression, "Hain is dead, killed by the primordial sin..."

Xia Lin: "??"

No, that fast?

As soon as Cheng Lin spoke, Xia Lin quickly learned what had happened over there.

Currently, most of the evil gods are concentrated in the depths of the Dark Realm, but there are also a few scattered evil gods hidden in various parts of the Dark Domain that did not enter the Dark Realm during the previous Sequence War.

Original sin is one of them.

This became Cheng Lin's first goal.

Without Xia Lin, Cheng Lin forced Hai En to go and cause trouble for the evil god.

Anyway, someone has to do the work. If Xia Lin doesn't do it, then it's just up to you, Hai En.

What? You mean I should go?

That won't do... I bear the mission bestowed upon me by the Primordial Ruler, and I cannot easily take risks.

An eleventh-level evil god, the Primordial Ruler wouldn't even look at him.

Therefore, the target can only be a level 12 evil god.

However, the strength of a level 12 evil god is even stronger than that of a normal level 12 professional, and far surpasses that of a crippled level 12 like Hein, the Blazing Light.

So there's only one outcome—the person died, and the job wasn't done. "After thinking it over, I've decided I still have to ask you for help; you're the only one capable of it."

It's not that Xia Lin is the only one with this ability, but that Cheng Lin knows Xia Lin...

Xia Lin was speechless. Before he could speak again, Cheng Lin continued, "There's also the situation in the Dark Realm. There's a fierce battle going on there right now. On one side are the fake Immortal and Demon Emperors, and on the other side is the Wang family army led by Wang Lao Er."

"By the way, aren't you on good terms with the people from the King of Kings' side? Do me another favor and put in a good word for them so they can open the passage to the second level of the Dark Realm and let us in."

Xia Lin had a lot of complaints she wanted to vent.

But think about it and forget it.

Cheng Lin, that's all there is to him.

You can't expect him to understand the interpersonal relationships involved.

However, before Xia Lin could refuse, a new communication request appeared.

Originating from the black hole Dean...

This kid had been harassing Xia Lin for half a month, and Xia Lin had almost given up on having such a subordinate. But unexpectedly, at this moment, this person called.

connected.

The person who appeared before Xia Lin was not Dean, but a man in a python robe with a majestic air.

He is nearing middle age and possesses the air of a mature and successful man.

One can see a resemblance between his eyebrows and that of the King of Kings.

Upon seeing this person, Xia Lin immediately stood up and bowed.

"Greetings, Mountain King."

Wang Yanshan, the eldest son of the Wang family.

Xia Lin had never met Wang Yanshan, but she had heard of his name and seen his portrait.

At that moment, Wang Yanshan called. Xia Lin bowed and pondered to herself.

He pondered the purpose of the mountain king's visit.

Thinking about Wang Yanhai's purpose.

Thinking about it, the eldest son of the Wang family looks older than Wang Wei, but the two are indeed father and son...

Hmm, a strange thought got mixed in. But that's not important.

On the other end of the call, Wang Yanshan first greeted him politely, and after a few words of small talk, got straight to the point.

"I've heard that you have a past connection with the primordial ruler, is that true?"

Xia Lin was taken aback, then nodded.

"We did have some contact before..."

"Do you know if the Primordial Sovereign has sent anyone to the Dark Domain? And are you able to contact them there?"

Xia Lin opened her mouth, looking at Wang Yanshan with her left eye and Cheng Lin with her right.

She realized why Wang Yanshan had come to see her.

—Wang Yanshan really treated Xia Lin like a social butterfly… And now, Wang Yanshan is preparing to let the social butterfly play her role.

Become a broker...

Without saying a word, Xia Lin directly put the two communication screens together.

"Then, you two can talk?"

Cheng Lin looked completely bewildered, while Wang Yanshan's face lit up with joy.

"Then I won't be polite."

……

Seeing Wang Yanshan start talking to Cheng Lin without saying a word, Xia Lin felt a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"So, this counts as me finding my initial place in the main universe? As a middleman?"

It’s not impossible…

With Xia Lin's strength, he could naturally dominate the Ash Zone.

However, once outside the Ember Zone and into the main universe, Xia Lin's strength was indeed somewhat lacking... at least not commensurate with the events he was involved in.

As we all know, if you want to benefit from someone else, you must first have value to them—value is your ticket to the game.

In the previous Heavenly Palace incident, Xia Lin's entry ticket was the Eternal Freeze skill.

In the current round, Xia Lin hadn't found the entry ticket yet.

Either he no longer wants to work for the original ruler, or he has no use for Wang Lao Er's group.

But at that moment, an opportunity arose.

In Xia Lin's eyes, using his connections as a middleman to obtain an admission ticket was a fairly worthwhile deal.

So... what kind of plan does Boss Wang have in mind when he seeks out people from the Primordial Ruler's side?

As Wang Yanshan explained in detail, Cheng Lin was completely bewildered—his mind couldn't support his understanding of what Wang Yanshan meant.

But Xia Lin heard almost everything correctly.

Only after Wang Yanshan finished speaking did Xia Lin take a deep breath and gain a fairly clear understanding of the current situation.

……

Ultimately, everything is for greater power and the position of the six pillars at the pinnacle of everything!

The struggle for the throne among the six pillars has reached a fever pitch, and the window of opportunity is within this span of nearly a century.

The opportunity was rare, so the conflict between the two factions within the Wang family has come to the fore, and is about to reach the edge that the King of Kings can tolerate.

One side was led by Wang Yanshan, the Mountain King, and the other side was led by Wang Yanhai, the Second Prince.

These are the two strongest forces currently involved in this game.

But besides that, there are actually many more ways...

For example, Zhang Hai, the vice leader of the Three Phases Gang, known as Superstar Left Hand.

For example, a certain Demon Emperor's soul pet.

They also had some ideas about the six pillars of destiny.

Xia Lin never expected that these people would also come to the Black Domain, and now they don't know where they are hiding. It was only after Wang Yanshan revealed this information himself.

Of course, there is also that name that cannot be ignored: the Primordial Ruler.

Wang Yanshan's initiative to contact the Primordial Ruler this time had a simple purpose: cooperation.

"My second brother's current situation is actually not complicated. He plans to suppress the fake Immortal and Demon Emperors and turn the entire first level of the Dark Realm into his own home ground."

The Lord of All Armies is a typical representative of the farming-style profession.

Don't be fooled by the fact that the Lord of Ten Thousand Armies is already strong enough under normal circumstances; this class has an even stronger form—the home-field battle form!
Too many building-type treasures can amplify the power of the military lord's skills.

A reliable home ground can boost a military leader's combat power several times over!
The Dark Realm is clearly not Wang Yanhai's territory... but that doesn't matter.

If it's not my home ground, I'll make it my home ground, and that's all that matters, right?

"Once the second brother's plan succeeds, the Dark Realm will no longer have any place for any of us to interfere."

The first layer of the Dark Realm is the outermost layer of the entire Dark Realm, but it is also the only passage leading to the depths of the Dark Realm!

Once the second son of the Wang family and his group suppress the two emperors of immortality and demonhood, it's as if they've seized control of the passage to the deeper levels of the dark realm.

"They intend to use this method to eliminate all other competitors!"

Cheng Lin was completely bewildered.

Xia Lin disagreed with this.

"Including the Primordial Ruler?"

Mountain King nodded: "Including the Primordial Ruler."

These six words confirmed a fact for Xia Lin.

The King of Kings has already made his move.

The Primordial Ruler did not refuse to come; for such a momentous matter, there was no reason for Him not to come in person.

Even the reason given, such as fear of interfering with the three-way battle between the Immortal Emperor, the Demon Emperor, and the Super Star, and causing unknown variables, is quite far-fetched—they've already made a move on your six pillar positions, which is tantamount to robbing you of your lifeblood. Under such circumstances, how could you, the Primordial Ruler, have so many excuses? How could you afford to be afraid of this and that?

And now, the answer to this question has been found.

It's not that He doesn't want to come; perhaps He wants to come but can't...

Xia Lin thought of how the former King of Kings had tried to win him over.

"Once you win the internal competition, I will be your strongest backer in your fight for the position of one of the Six Pillars!"

And now is the time for this support to step in.

The problem is that the internal competition within the Wang family has not actually resulted in a winner or loser.

Instead, they placed the outcome of the competition on this final battle for the throne.

"So I contacted you to find more external forces to ruin the second brother's plan."

Judging solely by strength, the eldest son is actually inferior to the second son.

Wang Yanshan was unwilling to withdraw from the competition, so he had no choice but to use every means to find outside help.

Cheng Lin thought and thought, but still couldn't figure out what Wang Yanshan meant.

He only heard the word "cooperation," and after Wang Yanshan finished speaking, he immediately asked, "If I cooperate with you, can you help me go to the second level of the Dark Realm and help me fight against the evil god?"

Wang Yanshan: "...Definitely...In fact, you alone are not a very good partner. What I value is the fighting power of that group of evil gods."

"Therefore, I will definitely help you."

Cheng Lin's strength is insufficient; he can't even get close to the top level 12.

He certainly wouldn't be qualified to join the game on his own. What Wang Yanshan valued wasn't Cheng Lin as a person, but rather the methods the Primordial Ruler had given Cheng Lin.

Those are the methods used to target and transform evil gods.

Cheng Lin grinned: "Happy to cooperate! Give me the coordinates and I'll come find you!"

Wang Yanshan provided the coordinates, and Cheng Lin immediately ended the communication and set off without hesitation.

Instead, Wang Yanshan looked at Xia Lin with a curious expression.

"Is this matter really that simple?"

"I think I was pretty blunt, I almost said I was using them as weapons... Didn't he even try to negotiate with me?"

Xia Lin: "...It's mainly because he's a simple person."

But no matter what, Wang Yanshan has achieved his goal.

Therefore, the broker's commission also needs to be secured.

"I will take you into the Dark Realm... at least I can protect you before I completely fall out with the Second Brother."

"But once things completely fall apart, I can't guarantee what will happen. Whether you come or not depends on yourself."

Xia Lin nodded immediately without much hesitation.

He'll definitely go.

This opportunity is obviously not great, but it's probably the best Xia Lin could find.

"But won't your cooperation with Cheng Lin offend the King of Kings?"

What they are fighting for is the original dark side of the six pillar positions.

The helpers they found were actually subordinates of the original ruler.

Xia Lin felt that this matter was a bit unreliable, but Wang Yanshan just smiled calmly: "My father and I have already discussed this matter, so there is no problem."

It seems the King of Kings is confident he can completely subdue the Primordial Ruler.

The rest, including success or failure, depends entirely on the individual methods of these Wang family members.

After the communication ended, Xia Lin carefully considered, summarized, and reviewed the situation before setting off later.

A day later, Xia Lin arrived at the meeting point.

(End of this chapter)