After what felt like an eternity, I had noticed that my father had tried to contact me. However, I quickly acted so he wouldn't burst from the response. This was, after all, a breakthrough that was currently rearranging the outside Chaos. The 3000 Worlds had several dozen brand new Great territories added onto it as a result of this very breakthrough.
"I hope he learned to leave me the hell alone for a while. If he wasn't a dragon I don't think he would have survived that…"
My breakthrough continued, causing massive changes in the whole of the outside Chaos. Eventually my lightning had spread to every corner of this place. For perspective, it's like one of the plasma balls, where the shocks arc around the inside of a ball. The only difference was that I was the source, and not the outside observer.
Inside my small universes' the turmoil from my breakthrough was beyond anything the people had ever experienced. However, it was something they didn't have an answer for. See, after my ascension to the 8th rank, the number of cultivators who could channel the world's energy in their drumming chants had exploded. Before, there were only about 3 people per city, now there are no less than a thousand. This allowed them enough time to rest and recuperate before ultimately needing to begin their most important job once more.
People who knew what was going on, told stories of how great their lord was. And one part of the story was enough to spark a huge change in the mentality of the people living in my small universes. That was the noticeable change in resources after the last giant storm, which led to a population explosion. And once again, a similar event took place once more. At this point, trying to keep count of them by numbers isn't even possible, even if one used pentation notation as a replacement for the exponent portion of scientific notation. For, at this time, there was already an infinite number of people in small regions, let alone the massive cities. That's not a bluff, or figure of speech either… It was true infinity.
"This really is a whole new level… I wonder if it's even possible to go beyond this?" I shook my head. "No, I know there's power beyond this. Now, time to focus, the final part is about to come…"
And just like I had predicted, the lightning that had spread out through the outer chaos, well, it empowered itself, and then came collapsing into me all at once. This was the final trial to achieve my 9th rank status. In a single, brilliant flash lighting up all of the versus contained within the outer chaos, I broke through.
Then immediately assuming the Dragon form, I grew to peak Divine Dragon. And right away transformed to Phoenix form and had a similar result, achieving peak Divine Phoenix. All that and then back to human form, my small universes calming down, each now a peak 9th rank.
Furthermore, my spirit sources began creating some sort of inter connection, with my small universes orbiting around them. Like planets orbiting a two star solar system. Energy flowed much more freely between each individual source of strength. There was something else too…
"Huh, interesting… There's some sort of film-like thing forming around my cultivation. It's like a thin membrane. It kinda feels similar in nature to the membranes isolating the small universes. Wait, no… It's different somehow…" I looked around as I continued to inspect myself carefully. "It's forming a membrane to mimic the effects of a Great Domain? Interesting… So there really is something that comes after the 9th rank. But, it's not related to an improvement of the small universe. It's an entirely different concept altogether."
A few moments later I finished my inspection and just like normal, my consolidation took an automatic effect. This time it was much faster than normal.
"Alright… Now then, time to… Huh? Is that the place I think it is? Heh, no wonder why it's so hard to get out of it for those stuck there. Hmm, perhaps one day I'll help them out. But for now, I have to return…"
Suppressing my strength by an absurd degree, I re-entered the Ink Battlefield. Joining my Father at the Great Evolution Pass.
"Wow, they really did quite a number on everything here. Ugly brutes really don't understand what's good for them."
"Wow son, you finished already? You look good."
"Thanks mother Smiles. I was actually a little worried towards the end there. But it seems like I was a tiny bit stronger than the breakthrough expected."
Smiles had one of those cute spit takes, and giggled. "So, how is your strength now? This clearly isn't your full strength. There's no point in hiding it from me."
I chuckled and scratched my head. "Well mother Smiles, let's just say if i showed it off… The 3000 Worlds would try its best to send me to the Taboo Realm."
"Are you confident in your ability to fight Ink though?"
My expression turned into one of serious contemplation. "I'm not sure… If nothing had changed from his previous limits, then I'd say there's a 9 in 10 chance I obliterate him, or at the very least seal him away under significantly worse conditions until he's too weak to continue fighting. However…"
"However, there's been a few things that have surpassed your initial measurements."
"That's right, it seems like even with this new power… It'll be an extremely difficult and hard fought battle regardless. So I'll say it again, don't expect me to come to anyone's aid while I'm fighting Ink. My hands will definitely be full."
The two former 9th rank Ink Disciples flew over to see what was happening. And Smiles smiled, placing a hand out, ushering the two to come closer. "I see, well, it's best not to worry too much about it then. In the meantime, these two were quite eager to thank you for your help several years ago."
"Oh? I helped them a few years ago? What do you mean by that?"
"Greetings, it was several years ago that Young Master's lightning purified the ink force's corruption within my being. I'd been holding out waiting for the chance to see the one who could do it-"
The woman piped up next. "And seeing you now, it's obvious you're the one who did it. Thank you for showing us the light once more."