Chapter 123: The Art of Sealing the Heavens

Bai was speechless.

Although planetary-level strength meant nothing in the vastness of the universe, the fact that Lan Tian was on the verge of reaching it in such a short time was truly startling.

One had to consider that City Lord Naba had cultivated for many years only to reach the peak of the mid-planetary level. Even the Master of Planet Lanque, who had not escaped Bai's scan, was only one stellar level above Naba, reaching the low-galaxy level.

How long had Lan Tian been cultivating, and yet he was already on the verge of matching Naba’s strength?

The most critical point was that once Lan Tian broke through to the planetary level—even just the entry-level—he would be able to crush someone like Naba, who lacked sophisticated combat techniques and relied only on crude power. Whether using the Azure Blood Starfire, the Soul-Suppressing Tower’s mental attacks, or even just the amplification of his divine essence, Lan Tian would likely defeat him in a single encounter.

This rate of progress was absolutely terrifying.

"In that case, I shall teach you another technique," Bai said helplessly. "Wait a moment, let me search for it. Such techniques are rare; I have no idea which corner I stored it in."

"Hmm... The 'Heaven-Sealing Art'? Found it!" After a search, Bai finally discovered a suitable method.

"The 'Heaven-Sealing Art'? What a domineering, high-sounding name! It sounds much better than those 'Basic Combat Techniques' or 'Nameless Arts'! What exactly does it do?" Upon hearing the name, Lan Tian’s heart skipped a beat, and he felt a surge of excitement. The name alone sounded incredibly powerful.

"Heh, the 'Heaven-Sealing Art' certainly has a grand name, but in reality, it was just a desperate measure devised by ancient fossils nearing the end of their lifespans to preserve their strength and prolong their lives," Bai scoffed. "Do you really think I would be idiotic enough to misplace a powerful technique?"

"Once mastered, the only function of the 'Heaven-Sealing Art' is to seal one's own primordial universe, significantly reducing energy consumption and thereby achieving a sort of alternative longevity."

"That... that's it?" Lan Tian was speechless. This felt like a bit of a scam.

"Yes, what else were you expecting?" Bai confirmed firmly.

"Fine... what a waste of such a good name," Lan Tian finally gave up hope.

"Oh, get over it. If those old relics knew that you were using their desperate survival tactic for such a wild purpose, they would probably group up to come and fight you to the death!" Bai said with a strange expression. "It’s infuriating!"

"Stop talking nonsense and teach it to me! If I don't restrict this soon, something is going to happen!" Lan Tian said urgently. Just as they were speaking, the endless nebulae within his primordial universe were rapidly rearranging themselves. If he didn't contain them immediately, a dangerous energy planet might manifest the next second.

Fortunately, the 'Heaven-Sealing Art' was not complex. After receiving the technique from Bai, Lan Tian immediately comprehended it and followed the steps to seal his primordial universe.

It was a strange sensation, like closing every pore in one's body. Once the art was fully activated, the channels connecting his internal universe to the outside world gradually closed off. Deprived of its external source of cosmic energy, the endless nebulae within him finally fell into a state of dormancy.

"As long as you do not voluntarily deactivate the 'Heaven-Sealing Art,' your strength will remain frozen here. You will never grow even a fraction more," Bai said solemnly. "Honestly, you are a one-of-a-kind oddity in this universe. I never imagined the 'Heaven-Sealing Art' could be used like this."

"Whatever the use, as long as it achieves the result I need, isn't that enough?" Lan Tian finally relaxed and joked, "Young man, you are still too naive. Do not get bogged down by rules and conventions. A great thinker on Earth once said: it doesn't matter if a cat is black or white, as long as it catches mice, it's a good cat. I think this applies to cultivation as well."

"Regardless of the technique—whether it's for attack, defense, or reducing consumption like this one—as long as it helps me achieve my goal, it's a good technique!"

"Hey, are you lecturing me now?" Bai found himself unable to laugh or cry, but upon reflection, the sentiment was correct. Simple and crude as it may be, if it works, why dwell on the rest?

*Boom!*

Just as Lan Tian and Bai were chatting, the passenger starship seemed to collide with something mid-flight, emitting a deafening roar followed by violent tremors. Then, it came to a dead stop!

*Oh no!* Had the people from the Yuan Lan Empire found him this quickly?

Lan Tian instinctively felt exposed and broke out in a cold sweat. He immediately summoned the Scarlet Gold Divine Armor, covering his entire body.

"Bai! What's happening? Are the people from the Yuan Lan Empire really that capable? Did they find us already?" Lan Tian’s voice, filled with panic, echoed from within the armor. He was deeply unsettled, as he wasn't prepared to face enemies yet, nor did he know their strength.

Lan Tian made a split-second judgment: with his current peak high-nebula-level strength and the amplification of the Scarlet Gold Divine Armor, he could reach the peak of the high-stellar level. Though he lacked attribute-based combat skills, with the Azure Blood Starfire and the boost from his divine essence, he should be able to rival a low-galaxy-level enemy.

Of course, that was assuming the enemy didn't possess powerful techniques or secret arts. Otherwise, with his current strength bolstered by external forces, even holding his own against a high-stellar-level opponent would be difficult.

"Don't rush. The people from the Yuan Lan Empire shouldn't be that omnipotent. Wait and see," Bai analyzed calmly. That was the benefit of being an intelligent life form. No matter how critical the situation, they could always think with a cool head.

Just as Bai finished speaking, a sweet yet hurried voice sounded over the starship’s intercom: "Attention passengers, attention passengers. The starship has encountered spatial fluctuation interference. Please do not panic and remain in your seats or private rooms. The starship will resume its journey as soon as possible."

"Impossible! She is lying! This situation is absolutely not caused by spatial fluctuations!" Bai scoffed immediately, certain that the other party was lying.

However, this caused Lan Tian to breathe a sigh of relief. As long as the Yuan Lan Empire hadn't tracked him down, everything else was manageable. Even if the starship were in danger, he still had the Scarlet Gold Divine Armor as a final trump card to escape.