Apollo opened his eyes. They were no longer just sharp but endless—like swords that could cleave through the universe itself and weren't bound by it. And one word came to his mind as he was feeling the improvement: 'strong'.

He felt his current eternal sword rule even though it just broke through the second layer but wasn't weaker than his fourth-layer fire rules, even though it might be a bit stronger.

It had to be known that the gulf between the third and fourth layers of any rule was an insurmountable chasm, one that even the rarest laws—such as Space, Life, or Death—could not easily bridge. Yet his Eternal Sword Rule, still only at the second layer, had reached a strength equal to, if not beyond, a fourth-layer law.

It was absurd. Unprecedented.

His sword rule had transcended all known boundaries, surpassing every rule of the universe and shattering the limits written into history.

Slowly the chaos energy decreased, and finally, as the system absorbed the last bit of its power, it cracked.

Crack!

Fragments of light scattered like dust in the void.

[Energy assimilation complete.]

The calm, mechanical voice of the system rang in his mind.

Apollo blinked. "…That's it?"

A trace of disappointment coloured his tone. No new function unlocked, no mysterious boon revealed. The system remained the same, silent and unyielding, as though nothing had happened.

Yet when he turned inward, he could feel it—the profound shift in his Eternal Sword Rule, now far stronger than before. Even if the system had given no outward sign, the harvest was undeniable.

He exhaled softly, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "Hah… unexpected surprises are still surprises."

Then he focused on the dimmed stone that seems to have lost most of its power and looks like it has turned into an ordinary stone.

But even then he still felt it was extraordinary and might have some other use.

After this he started to understand what was different about this cave and why there was such an extraordinary item within this cave. From the look of it, this was clearly intentional, and somebody placed this thing with great care.

As Apollo and the Guardian examined the cave, far away at the very heart of Rion, a change was taking place.

The vast runic formation that sealed the continent began to tremble, faintly at first, like ripples across a still pond. Ancient glyphs lit up one after another, glowing with a cold, ominous brilliance. From the outside, it seemed as though the seal itself was struggling against something deep within.

Those with sharp senses across Rion felt the disturbance. Supreme beings in their secluded domains raised their heads, their expressions grim. For countless years, the runic seal had remained steady and unyielding—an eternal wall that even Hegemons could not shake. Yet now… faint cracks of power seemed to stir within it.

As the cracks deepen, the aura of entire Rion seems to start to change. The heaven and earth aura on Rion started to rise.

Across mountains, seas, and ancient forests, storms of energy erupted without warning—violent gales tearing through valleys, seas roaring in rebellion, and lightning lashing the skies as if the world itself had gone mad.

Warriors, mortals, and divine beings alike froze in shock.

"What is this pressure?!"

"The heavens… they're changing!"

"Impossible—the very aura of Rion is rising at a speed unseen since ancient times!"

From remote clans to the most desolate wilderness, voices of disbelief echoed. In sacred lands, old monsters who hadn't stirred for centuries opened their eyes, their gazes sharp and wary. Even the supreme clans and the hidden guardians of Rion trembled.

Numerous warriors felt signs of breakthroughs, and even the mortals who still hadn't broken through the first limit one after another started to make breakthroughs.

It was like the entire Rion was being upgraded, and every living organism within it.

Such a shocking phenomenon was also naturally noticed by Apollo, who can guess the reason, feeling like his unknown adventure seems to lead to some heavy consequences.

He could feel it clearly: the suppression on his strength that had weighed upon him since stepping into Rion was beginning to loosen. The invisible shackles placed upon all cultivators were fracturing. At first glance, this should have been cause for joy—yet Apollo's expression grew solemn.

Because if his strength was being released… then so too were the powers of others.

Being far stronger than him, those buried deep within the forgotten corners of Rion, sealed away by ancient design, would now be able to awaken. Old monsters of a bygone era—beings whose names had been erased from history—would step once more into the world.

And when that happened, suppressing them would be nearly impossible for the so-called great forces of Rion.

Apollo exhaled slowly, his eyes reflecting both anticipation and dread. "It seems," he murmured, "I've opened the door to an age of chaos."

Before, they barely managed to remain in control because only peak void-level gods' strength can be used, but now it will be difficult for this era's powers.

Crack! Crack!

Boom!

The upper limit of Rion seemed to have increased; whether it was the intensity of heaven and earth energy or the minute rules, all seemed to have upgraded a grade.

Apollo's aura immediately surged as well, his cultivation snapping back to the level of a True God in an instant. His heart pounded at the sudden rush of power, yet his sharp instincts caught the deeper truth—

The seal was not gone.

It still existed, but it had shifted. The ceiling of Rion's suppression had been raised, from the peak of Void God to the peak of Eternal God.

When Apollo tried to merge his Eternal Sword Rule with his fourth-layer Fire Rule, he could feel it clearly: the pressure was still there, faint but undeniable.

Still, it wasn't the worst-case scenario, as although facing the peak eternal god would be troublesome, still it was manageable; otherwise, if those transcendent beings were able to use all their strength, even he wouldn't be able to handle it.