My attributes are increasing infinitely Chapter 529: Going outside

Time flowed silently within Ethan’s domain. Years passed. Then decades. Then centuries.

The accelerated temporal field transformed the passage of time into something almost meaningless. While only minutes passed in the outside world, millions of days flowed within Ethan’s territory. Throughout that entire period, Ethan never moved. He remained seated upon the grasslands with his eyes closed.

The Tree of Infinity towered behind him like an eternal pillar connecting countless layers of existence. Vast oceans of gray mist continuously poured from his body and entered the tree. Its growth never stopped. Its roots extended deeper into unseen dimensions. Its branches spread farther across reality. Its leaves multiplied endlessly.

Every moment of growth produced unimaginable quantities of energy that flowed back into Ethan. Evolution points accumulated. Faith accumulated. Power accumulated. The process continued uninterrupted for thousands of years.

Within the accelerated temporal field, entire civilizations could have risen and fallen countless times. Yet Ethan remained still. The aura surrounding him became increasingly profound.

Finally, after 27000 years of cultivation, something changed. A tremendous wave of energy erupted from Ethan’s body. Boom! The entire domain shook violently. The sky darkened. The earth trembled. The Tree of Infinity released a brilliant silver radiance. Every leaf illuminated simultaneously. The roots pulsed with boundless vitality. A powerful pressure spread throughout the domain.

For a brief moment, even space seemed unable to withstand the force. Then everything calmed. Silence returned. The endless energy storms disappeared. The trembling earth settled. The sky became clear once more. Only Ethan remained seated at the center of it all.

A few moments later, his eyes slowly opened. Brilliant silver light flashed through them. His gaze alone seemed capable of piercing through worlds. A smile appeared on his face.

"Level 200." His voice carried a trace of satisfaction.

Thousands of years of cultivation had finally produced results. Although he had not become one of the truly powerful beings of the Grand Axiom, he had finally reached the point where he could begin exploring the outside world.

Slowly, Ethan rose to his feet. Crack. Crack. A series of sounds echoed throughout the area. He stretched his arms, then his shoulders, then his back. The simple movement caused space itself to distort slightly. A comfortable expression appeared on his face.

"That felt surprisingly good." After remaining seated for millions of years, even someone like Ethan appreciated the opportunity to move around again.

His gaze shifted toward the distant edge of his domain. The barrier protecting his territory remained intact. Beyond it lay the unknown. A vast world filled with opportunities and dangers. Excitement appeared within his eyes.

"It is time to go out and see what is waiting for me."

Before he could take a step forward, Yumiko’s voice sounded within his mind.

[Master, outside your domain exists an extremely powerful forest.]

Ethan raised an eyebrow. "A powerful forest?"

[Yes. The Ancient Death Forest harbors creatures above Level 500.]

Ethan paused. Level 500. That was significantly stronger than his current level. Although he possessed many advantages, blindly provoking such creatures would not be wise.

"Is that so?" He folded his arms. "Should I remain here and cultivate a little longer?"

Yumiko answered immediately.

[No, Master. Now that you have reached Level 200, the protection granted to newborn Lords has weakened significantly. Monsters can now enter your domain and attack you.]

Ethan’s expression became thoughtful. That was unfortunate. His peaceful cultivation period had officially ended.

[Furthermore, it would be beneficial for you to leave.]

"Oh?" His interest was immediately piqued.

[The ruler of the Ancient Death Forest sensed a fragment of the Tree of Infinity’s aura. Afterward, he ordered every creature within the forest to leave your domain untouched.]

Ethan blinked. The ruler of the forest had protected him? That was unexpected.

[You should go meet him. Perhaps he may become your subordinate. If that happens, your advancement within this region will accelerate considerably.]

A smile appeared on Ethan’s face. Now that sounded interesting. A Level 500 plus subordinate would certainly be useful. However, another question suddenly came to mind.

"Yumiko."

[Yes, Master?]

"The system mentioned that Lords need subjects to grow stronger. Where exactly do those subjects come from? Not everyone can be one of those pocket dimensional beings, right?"

Yumiko quickly explained.

[That is correct, Master. The beings born within the Grand Axiom exist in dimensions completely separate from the dimensions occupied by Lords. Those dimensions contain countless civilizations and races. However, Lords cannot access them until reaching Level 1000.]

Ethan listened attentively. This was the first time he had received detailed information about the true inhabitants of the Grand Axiom.

[The subjects obtained by Lords originate from those dimensions. Many of them willingly choose to follow powerful Lords.]

"Why?"

Yumiko’s answer was immediate.

[Because life there is extremely difficult. The Grand Axiom follows the principle of survival of the fittest. The weak are oppressed. The strong dominate. Entire civilizations can disappear overnight. For many people, serving a powerful Lord provides safety, resources, and opportunities.]

Ethan slowly nodded. That made sense. A dangerous world naturally encouraged people to seek protection.

[Furthermore, dimensional supreme beings cannot directly attack Lords below Level 1000. This protection encourages subjects to join Lords without fear of immediate retaliation.]

A thoughtful expression appeared on Ethan’s face. The system was surprisingly sophisticated. The Grand Axiom clearly wanted Lords to expand.

"Interesting." Then another thought occurred to him. "If I cannot access those dimensions until Level 1000, how am I supposed to obtain subjects now?"

Yumiko laughed softly.

[You can create a Gate of Summoning.]

Ethan’s eyes brightened. "And what does that do?"

[It establishes a connection with nearby dimensional settlements. Potential subjects can voluntarily enter your territory through the gate. Creating one requires 100 Lord Points.]

"Only 100?"

[Yes. You currently possess 1000 Lord Points as part of your starting resources.]

Ethan immediately became interested. However, after thinking about it briefly, he shook his head. "I will handle that later." His eyes shifted toward the forest beyond the barrier. "First, I want to meet this mysterious ruler."

After making his decision, Ethan began walking. His pace was calm and unhurried, yet every step seemed to contain immense power.

Several minutes later, he arrived before the edge of his domain. The barrier stood before him like an invisible wall separating two worlds. Inside existed safety. Outside existed uncertainty.

Ethan smiled. Then he stepped forward.

The moment his foot crossed the boundary, something extraordinary happened. Boom! A deafening sound echoed throughout the region. The earth trembled violently. Mountains shook. Rivers surged. The sky itself seemed to ripple.

Countless creatures throughout the Ancient Death Forest abruptly raised their heads. Shock appeared within their eyes. An indescribable pressure spread across the land. It was not oppressive. It was not hostile. Yet it carried an overwhelming sense of authority, as though the Grand Axiom itself had acknowledged the birth of a new participant, as though the world had noticed Ethan’s existence.

Deep within the forest, countless monsters froze. Several ancient creatures opened their eyes. Even the hidden ruler of the forest felt a slight tremor run through his enormous body.

At the center of the disturbance, Ethan calmly lowered his foot onto the ground outside his domain. The phenomenon immediately vanished. Silence returned.

Before he could continue exploring, a powerful aura suddenly descended. Space distorted. The surrounding forest became deathly silent. Every creature within thousands of kilometers instinctively lowered it’s head.

A gigantic figure emerged from the distance. Its body was so large that mountains appeared insignificant beside it. Its scales shimmered like ancient silver stars. Its eyes resembled twin suns.

Ethan looked at the creature. The ruler had personally come to meet him.