This villain is too popular.

Chapter 203 From this day forward, I shall stand at the pinnacle of the heavens [Bonus Chapter for Monthly Tickets]

On the 13th station, the audience in the anime/manga world looked at the iconic pair of azure blue eyes on the screen.

The barrage of comments came like a tidal wave.

"Wow! I knew something was off with the ink painting style, it really is a trap!"

'That was classic hindsight bias too, wasn't it?'

'A pink-haired little girl accompanies the ink-wash painting, while a green-haired little girl accompanies the mysterious masked man; a simple mathematical equation.'

As the barrage of comments continued, the previously restrained aura emanating from the Heavenly Dao was instantly released.

As a result, Chen Kong and the others, who were already at their limit, were pressed to the ground and unable to move under the influence of this pressure.

The Heavenly Dao hovered high in the sky, like a god sitting in the heavens, looking down at everyone prostrate on the ground below. His moon-white captain's robe fluttered in the air currents.

Having reached this point in his plan, he no longer cares whether his identity is exposed or not.

Because he has already met all the conditions of the plan.

All that remains to be seen is how he plans to wrap things up.

Therefore, even though he had seen many members of the Fifth Division contacting other association star envoys in the Steam City.

But Heaven still did not stop it.

After all, to him, no matter how many ants gather, they are still just ants.

He stood atop the crowd and, in a condescending manner, explained why he was there.

"Kong, you just asked me why I did this, right?"

Chen Kong lay prostrate on the spot, his gaze fixed on the familiar yet unfamiliar figure in the sky. He was clearly still reeling from the shock that the Heavenly Dao was the instigator of everything.

Seeing him like this, Heaven calmly gave its answer.

"It's very simple, because I want to pursue a higher level."

"A higher realm?"

Upon hearing this, Chen Kong, who thought he understood the ways of heaven, couldn't help but question, his voice filled with incomprehension and pain.

"Why must we use this method to hurt so many people?"

"Brother Tiandao, have you fallen too? Fallen to the point of resorting to any means to pursue power!"

Chen Kong couldn't understand it at all; the Heavenly Dao in his memory was clearly a gentle yet powerful person.

But why would he choose to pursue what he calls a higher realm by harming others?

Isn't there a better way?

In response, Heaven gave only a kind of indifference that bordered on pity.

"Kong, you're being too naive."

As he spoke, Tiandao raised his hand, and with his slender fingers, he gently removed the black-rimmed glasses he used to obscure his own presence.

"So naive as to believe that 'success' can always be achieved without bloodshed."

Without the 'passerby's glasses' making him less noticeable, everyone was surprised to discover that Shuimo and Tiandao looked exactly alike.

Especially after he revealed his signature azure eyes that day.

The only difference between the two was their black, tousled hair.

The Heavenly Dao stood high in the sky, looking down at Chen Kong, who was filled with resentment and clenched his fists.

"Kong, your vision and strength determine that the scenery you see is completely different from what I see."

"You think I was standing in the sky from the beginning, but that's just your opinion."

"After all, the scenery that truly lies high in the sky is not what you see."

Tiandao paused for a moment, then ran a hand through his hair.

"There was no one in the sky from the very beginning, but the period of vacancy for the throne of heaven is about to end."

The moment Tiandao finished speaking, his hair turned from black to a frosty silver-white, with each strand seemingly wrapped in tiny glimmers of light.

At the same time, Tiandao's eyes revealed a kind of indifference that Chen Kong had never seen before, like a god looking down on ants.

"For from this day forward, I will stand at the top of the heavens."

After saying that, Tiandao turned to look at Vivian beside him.

Vivian was trying to break free from the hand that Tiandao had placed on her shoulder, but her so-called resistance was ultimately futile.

Ignoring Vivian's futile struggles, Tiandao calmly said, "A key to unlock the realm of miracles."

"I've put a lot of effort into her."

As they were speaking, a semi-transparent quantum cube with light green data patterns flowing across its surface suddenly appeared behind Tiandao.

Under the influence of that Rubik's Cube, the brass road in the distance suddenly creaked under the strain, and the entire bridge surface shook violently.

Immediately afterwards, a pitch-black quantum spatial rift, tearing apart the boundary between reality and illusion, slowly unfolded behind the Heavenly Dao.

Through this special quantum space rift, everyone quickly saw a 'brass road' paved entirely with quantum data.

This path is the one that truly leads to the interior of the 'steam furnace' and reaches the 'gear hub'.

Amidst the resentful gazes of Chen Kong and the others, Tiandao, carrying the pale-faced and resistant Vivian, turned and walked towards the peculiar rift. Just before their figures were about to disappear into the data stream, Tiandao stopped and glanced down at Chen Kong, who was immobilized by his oppressive aura.

He was unusually praised.

"Kong, actually, as an ordinary person, you've done quite well."

"But you can't change my mind with just these things."

A meaningful smile seemed to appear on Tiandao's lips as he said, "If you think what I'm doing is wrong, then try to get up and catch up with me, and find a way to stop me."

"Of course, all of this is contingent on you being able to meet me again."

"After all, the road to the heavens is far more difficult than you can imagine, and I am not the only one walking this road."

Having said that, Tiandao forcibly took Weiwei and completely merged her into that unknown torrent of data, disappearing from sight.

At the same time, the quantum cube and its complete 'quantum key' are no longer there to maintain the connection between it and the gear hub.

The quantum spatial rift that had appeared before everyone, tearing apart the boundary between reality and illusion, closed instantly with a 'whoosh'.

Along with this crack, the terrifying pressure that Heaven had imposed on everyone also disappeared.

[Inside the steam furnace, outside the gear hub]

In the illusory quantum space, Chen Xing gazed at the giant, suspended gear not far away and asked a question out of curiosity.

"Is the Way of Heaven what you've always wanted?"

Heaven smiled and nodded.

"Yes, that's the important piece of the puzzle, standing high in the sky."

"To obtain that puzzle piece, in addition to using the knight lady beside me, we also need to use our clever Danica."

Upon hearing Tiandao mention her, little Danica immediately puffed out her chest proudly, her digitized green hair sticking up proudly.
Although she didn't understand exactly where her intelligence lay, since Mr. Tiandao had said so, it meant that she was indeed very intelligent!

"Alright, Xing, now it's your turn to play with your brother and the Steam Club members."

"After all, the current Steam Branch should have been fully mobilized."

As he spoke, Tiandao unfolded the quantum cube in his hand.

The next second, ripples suddenly appeared on the periphery of the entire quantum space.

Then, the previously continuous quantum space seemed to be suddenly cut by an invisible knife, instantly splitting into countless independent rooms.

The walls and ceiling are made of flowing data light films, and the room numbers on the doors are constantly changing.

The dimensional viewers, standing at God's-eye view, quickly discovered that the quantum room before them was constantly changing its original position at an astonishing speed every second.

It's easy for someone who steps into it to get completely lost without even realizing it.

This wasn't the first time they'd seen a similar scene, because in the first season of Stellaris, the Heavenly Dao had activated a similar defense mode—the Infinite City—within the Ember base.

"Alright, Xing, I will share the exact location of this Quantum Space Infinite Maze with you. You can freely decide the location of everyone who enters here."

"And I only have one request for you, which is... don't go too far."

After saying that, Tiandao led Vivian and Danica onto the road that was covered with quantum data and looked like brass, and headed toward the huge illusory gear in the distance.

Meanwhile, shortly after the Heavenly Dao embarked on the 'Bronze Road'.

A large number of Association Star Envoys dressed in Steampunk guild uniforms gathered at the top of the brass tower.

And it was at this time that they received news that shocked them immensely.

That is, of the twelve bronze nobles, apart from Layton, all the remaining nobles died in the meeting hall.

"President."

"I understand, Yu Chen. This has nothing to do with you. It's just that kid is too strange."

Liam stared at the steam furnace not far away, his face grim, and said, "All Association Star Envoys, listen to my command! I want you to go into this damned furnace at all costs and find out who dared to mess with our Steam Association!"

“I want him to kneel under our chapter’s flag and loudly confess everything he has done.”

"Yes!"

After everyone had gone inside, Liu Ma looked at Liam, who was left alone outside, and asked in a simple and honest way, "Strange, old man, why aren't you going in?"

Upon hearing this, Liam punched the idiot on the head without hesitation.

"Let me in? Do you want to destroy the first furnace, which is invaluable to our Steam City and even the entire New Federation?!"

Do you even understand what the word "natural disaster" means?

Liu Ma raised his barely movable arm and awkwardly scratched his head.

To be honest, he really didn't understand what the word "natural disaster" meant.

Is this shameful?
P.S.: I've made up for all the updates I missed last month. As usual, I'm asking for your monthly votes!

There will be a bonus chapter for monthly pass holders at midnight tonight. The content does not involve the main storyline and does not require spending any coins. You can unlock it simply by voting for monthly passes.

[37 chapters owed from last month's monthly votes and alliance leader requests]

[Repaid: 37]

(End of this chapter)