Master Wyatt closed his eyes and pondered for a long moment before finally opening them.
"The aura on your body is very strange, fluctuating wildly. Even I cannot say for certain what it is."
He paced with his staff. "The foundation of a deal lies in trust. How can I trust that you possess the corresponding sincerity and power?"
"Furthermore, I still do not know which faction your Excellency belongs to, or what your background is."
Master Wyatt put the matter plainly. An old fox like him could strike directly at the core of the issue with a single sentence. He fixed his piercing gaze on Zoran.
It was true that being caught in the vortex of the impending reincarnation storm put him at a disadvantage. Leaving aside the fact that his disciple Phoebe was the daughter of Hades, in terms of sheer strength, she was still far too weak. As for Kino and Thales, even though they were the Ultra Beast Warriors of the previous hundred thousand years, they were currently at a stage where they would scream about ghosts just at the sight of him.
At a time like this, the sudden arrival of a mysterious entity offering to cooperate was certainly enticing, but not quite enough to make him let his guard down.
"My background?" Zoran smiled faintly. "Master Wyatt, I believe no one understands the concept of parallel universes better than you."
"Of course," Master Wyatt said instinctively.
"Then are you aware of the concept of the Multiverse, the countless worlds beyond?" Zoran continued, his tone neither heavy nor light.
"The Multiverse?" Master Wyatt stroked his beard, his voice suddenly filled with uncertainty.
This universe was comprised of the Seven Parallel Universes. The concept of a Multiverse containing countless worlds sounded far grander than mere parallel universes.
Zoran looked up, explaining calmly, "The so-called parallel universes mean that outside of this universe, there are other universes running parallel to each other. As for the Multiverse..."
"It means that outside of this world altogether, there exist countless other entirely distinct worlds."
Zoran's words fell into Master Wyatt's heart like a heavy hammer.
Possessing a hundred thousand years of experience and pride in his own wisdom, the master was incredibly sharp. He instantly connected Zoran's strange, shifting state to the power he had displayed earlier, a force completely distinct from Hetero-Energy.
He blurted out, "You are not from this world!"
"Precisely." Zoran clapped his hands lightly. "Every world is a book with its own unique story. Some people are readers, while others are participants."
"But the person standing before you is different. I am a reader, and I am also a participant."
With just a few short sentences, Zoran bluntly laid bare his identity. He had always been this way; he saw no reason to hide his status as a traveler from another world. Whether entering a weak world or a powerful one, he never disdained to conceal his identity or his authority.
"I see... so that's how it is," Master Wyatt murmured repeatedly, a deep look of astonishment surfacing in his eyes.
To be honest, even with his hundred thousand years of experience, this was the first time he had encountered such a situation. An entity from another world had appeared right in front of him.
Zoran's words were undeniable. The bizarre state of his body at this very moment served as a testament to his claim, he commanded a force entirely separate from Hetero-Energy, yet Hetero-Energy was intertwining itself with him.
Since this stranger had sought him out, it meant that if this world were viewed as a book, the Zoran before him had already read it once. Otherwise, the newcomer would have simply thrown his lot in with Hades or the Snow Emperor.
Master Wyatt asked instinctively, "What does the future look like?"
Zoran shook his head. "Why do you think I spoke of change and assistance?"
Master Wyatt nodded silently, understanding the implication behind Zoran's words.
"Kino and the other are still far too weak, and the future enemies will be extremely formidable, no matter which angle they strike from." Master Wyatt sighed. "I can also take a guess as to why you sought me out."
He was a wise man, and at this moment, he pointed his staff toward Zoran's body. "It is because of the bizarre state you are currently in, am I right?"
Zoran nodded. As he extended his hand, the Moon Demon Chi coiled complacently around his palm, radiating waves of subtle, obscured fluctuations.
"This world seems to reject me a bit," Zoran said calmly.
"This is also my first time encountering a visitor from another world like you. There are certain aspects that I am equally uncertain about."
Master Wyatt paced back and forth, examining Zoran from head to toe.
"But one thing is certain: our world is absolutely not rejecting you," he stated with absolute conviction.
"The Hetero-Energy on your body fluctuates constantly. Looking at it now, it must be because you are intermittently suppressing it."
"Correct," Zoran agreed with a nod.
"As a visitor from another world, it is only natural that you do not comprehend Hetero-Energy." Master Wyatt smiled. "But you must understand that the Hetero-Energy you are currently suppressing is by no means harmful to you. Hetero-Energy is the most primal manifestation and the very essence of a living organism, at least, that is the case within our universe. The Hetero-Energy naturally generated by a living being will never pose a threat to its own existence."
"Oh? And what do you mean by that?" Zoran lowered his eyes.
"My friend from another world," Master Wyatt looked at Zoran, his expression turning grave. "Hetero-Energy is the existential form of cosmic life within our universe. The existence of any object you can see or perceive is a manifestation of energy..."
"Non-living matter contains Nuclear Energy, while living organisms contain Hetero-Energy. Furthermore, the level of that Hetero-Energy dictates the tier of one's life level."
"The tier of one's life level..." Zoran repeated Master Wyatt's words, a sudden realization dawning on him.
Master Wyatt continued, "For example, the Hetero-Energy contained within plants is relatively low, while the Hetero-Energy within animals is higher. As for humans, the Hetero-Energy they possess is immensely powerful!"
Master Wyatt suddenly halted his steps, pointing his staff directly at Zoran. "And you, a visitor from another world, must naturally abide by the rules of our universe upon your first arrival!"
"When faced with a foreign presence, the universe adopts one of two attitudes: rejection or acceptance. The Hetero-Energy currently swirling around you is the universe attempting to match you with the corresponding level of Hetero-Energy based on your life level. In other words, our world is accepting you!"
Master Wyatt spoke faster and faster, but then he suddenly paused, sinking into his own thoughts as he muttered to himself:
"Wait... no, that's not right. Based on the peak values your Hetero-Energy is displaying, even for a human, the matching energy level shouldn't be this high."
Master Wyatt scratched his head. "Where exactly is the contradiction?"
He had explained it clearly. The world was accepting Zoran's presence as an otherworldly guest, preparing to integrate him into its existing laws of operation. Therefore, it was matching him with a corresponding level of Hetero-Energy based on his life level. Consequently, the sole reason Zoran's Hetero-Energy was fluctuating so wildly right now was because he was passively resisting the world's alignment.
The solution was equally simple: acceptance. It would be enough to just let himself integrate into the laws of this world.
As he had just stated, plants had lower Hetero-Energy, animals had higher energy, and humans possessed an even greater amount than both. This logic held true for any race. This was the most fundamental rule of power in this universe, unquestionable and unshakeable!
Yet, even for a human like Zoran, the Hetero-Energy the universe was trying to match him with shouldn't be anywhere near this high.
Filled with doubt, Master Wyatt looked at Zoran and asked, "What race do you belong to?"
This was the core of his curiosity at this very moment.
Across from him, Zoran merely smiled, offering no direct answer to Master Wyatt's question.
"I see. The rules of a higher-tier world are indeed quite numerous," Zoran soliloquized.
"However, this is actually for the best!" Zoran let out a sharp laugh.
This world would match him with a corresponding level of Hetero-Energy based on his life level to accept him. But for him, Zoran, how should his life level be calculated?
That truly was a difficult riddle to guess.
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