"Who the hell is the Time Traveling Cultivator?" Tyler asked. He had heard the name once, when he glimpsed a fragment of the distant past, millions of years ago, where the strongest races discussed conquering the Dream World.

Decateron’s mechanical eye dimmed, as if recalling something terrifying. "He is the most feared entity in the multiverse. If he wished it, he could erase anyone, anything, and every alternate version of them across all timelines. Permanently."

Tyler stiffened.

That wasn’t power. That was omnipotence.

Before Tyler could respond, a small red padlock appeared before Decateron, floating weightlessly. It had no keyhole, no runes, no aura. It looked like a child’s toy plain, unimpressive, almost cute.

But Tyler’s divine sense couldn’t detect it at all.

Nothing.

His skin prickled. "What is that?"

"This is the Karma Lock," Decateron explained. "It was given to us by him long ago. He instructed us to use it only on a visitor capable of solving our problem."

Tyler frowned. "Are you telling me he knew I would come here? That this moment was planned?"

"He sees past, present, and future as easily as you see the palm of your hand," Decateron replied. "He also told us that you would believe us the moment you touched the lock."

That statement made Tyler pause.

A stranger—someone with the power to rewrite timelines—was predicting his thoughts and reactions? Manipulating events so they would end up meeting?

It was unnerving.

With a heavy exhale, Tyler reached out. "Fine. Let’s see what this Karma Lock is about."

His index finger touched the lock.

Instantly, his vision blurred, as if the entire Tesseract folded around him. And then he saw them:

A man and a Pixie perched upon his shoulder.

"Huh—?! Adam?" Tyler blurted out.

He recognized that silhouette, that confidence, that impossible presence.

Adam, the mysterious wanderer who had saved him during the Feng Family incident, the same cosmic traveler who seemed to slip through universes as easily as stepping through a doorway.

He saw his future self once and past self once.

At the same time, Tyler had never felt hostile intent from Adam.

Decateron’s voice echoed beside him, even though Tyler wasn’t sure where "beside" was in this warped space. "So you know him. That confirms it. He shaped the timeline so we would meet at this specific point."

Tyler felt his mouth go dry.

Someone was controlling fate ? Or controlling his fate? If anything, he felt oddly reassured seeing Adam again, even if it was just a karmic impression.

I guess... that weird guy is on my side?

Tyler wasn’t sure whether to feel safe or terrified. For now he hopes Adam is not an enemy.

"Alright," he said at last. "Let’s make the contract."

Decateron’s cube-shaped body touched the red lock ever so gently. Tyler pressed his index finger against it as well.

The lock chimed. From the lock, a thread of color emerged. A color Tyler had never seen before. Not red, blue, silver, gold, or anything within the normal spectrum. He couldn’t comprehend it. It was a whole new colour he never saw before

"What... is that colour?" Tyler whispered in astonishment. Even an Immortal cannot Imagine a Colour that doesn’t exist.

"The color of karma," Decateron replied. "The purest form of cause and effect. It manifested because the contract is witnessed beyond time by the Threads of Karma."

Decateron then said, "I do heard of Chaos Treasure that looks like a Thread. I wonder if this has same effects."

The threads spun around Tyler’s hand and wrapped around Decateron’s body. They intertwined, forming ancient runic symbols Tyler didn’t recognize.

Then Decateron spoke the contract aloud, and Tyler repeated after him...

In short the content was

Tyler White will complete five trials and assist Decateron in repairing its fragmented body.

In return, Decateron will grant Immortal-level ascensions, up to the limit of its reconstructed power, to anyone Tyler designates.

When the final word was spoken, the karmic thread flashed and sank into their bodies, binding the agreement across timelines.

Just like that, the contract between a human and a pseudo-chaos treasure was sealed.

Tyler released a long breath and muttered to himself, "Well... looks like there’s no backing out now."

Decateron’s mechanical eye glimmered faintly.

"About the ship inside your Infinity Cauldron," Decateron said, its mechanical eye shifting into a softer glow. "I can sense that your consciousness contains a small inner world where a World Tree sapling is growing. That space is already forming into a proper storage realm. You can store objects there directly. Even large ones."

Tyler blinked. "Wait... you mean I can just put stuff inside my mind? Even the one has pocket dimension?"

"Correct."

With a single thought, Tyler focused on his ship. A ripple echoed through his consciousness, and the entire Shadow Pearl vanished from the Cauldron and reappeared inside his inner world.

Tyler stared blankly ahead. "Wow... I didn’t even know it could do that."

"Creating an inner world within one’s consciousness is something Heaven Immortals achieve after countless years," Decateron said. "Yet you have already done it in the Mortal Realm. This is unusual, even for a Chaos Treasure holder."

Tyler rubbed the bridge of his nose, feeling overwhelmed. "My life just keeps getting stranger..."

Decateron continued, "If you wish, you can allow your companions to take the Trials themselves. It is better for their foundation if they strive for Immortality on their own rather than receiving it directly."

"Hmmm. You’re right," Tyler admitted. "If they earn it, they’ll value it more."

He pulled out an Orion Cube fragment. It vanished instantly as he summoned two figures out from the Cauldron, Mana and Mathilda.

"Two person per cube, right?" Tyler asked.

He retrieved three more cube fragments and summoned Darla, Zuzia, Myrtle, Su Fei, Lanny, and Taka. Then, grabbing a handful more, he also pulled out Serena’s body, GG, Tuman, and several other crew members.

"That is enough," Decateron interrupted sharply. "Do not summon more. The rules that we set ourselves has limitations, it restrict the number of participants entering the Trial."

Tyler raised a brow. "Is the Trial that dangerous?"

"You will not die," Decateron replied. "But you may be reincarnated several times. Some worlds may require centuries... others millions of years. Do not worry, time here flows differently from the outside world."

Tyler turned to his crew. "So basically, if anyone wants to take the Trial, you can go. The reward is reaching Immortal-level, guaranteed. Oh By the way, we are inside The Orion Tesseract."

"I’m taking it!" Mathilda raised her hand instantly.

"Who wouldn’t?" Su Fei rolled her eyes. "Becoming Immortal is every practitioner’s dream."

A wave of agreement echoed from the group. Even Taka nodded nervously.

Decateron hovered closer. "Very well. I will begin preparations. The Trial functions differently for each participant. Every person will be paired with other practitioner who was summoned by same cube fragments."

"Paired?" Mana tilted her head.

"Oh no... So do I have to get paired with this Fox..." Myrtle cried.

Su Fei clicked her tongue...

"Yes. You will enter the same fractured world but arrive with different conditions. The goal may differ as well, conquer the world, survive its calamities, become its strongest, or achieve great influence. It varies. Also you get three slots...."

Tyler rubbed his chin. "So what about these... slots?" 𝐟𝗿𝐞𝚎𝚠𝐞𝚋𝕟𝐨𝚟𝐞𝕝.𝕔𝕠𝚖

"Each participant receives three slots," Decateron explained. "You may store three items, skills, or powers you currently possess. After that, you will draw via Gacha, and only one of those three will carry over into the Trial world. Choose wisely."

"Three slots, three abilities or objects..." Tyler repeated.

Before he could think further—

"Tyler! Give me your Copper Pot..." Mathilda demanded eagerly.

Tyler blinked. "Huh? No...."

"No hesitation in reply at all... then give me the Ladle, I want it—"

"I’m pretty sure you can’t borrow someone else’s abilities," Tyler countered.

"You can borrow objects," Decateron corrected calmly. "Abilities cannot be transferred. Objects are allowed."

Mathilda puffed out her chest triumphantly. "See? Give me the ladle."

Tyler sighed and placed the Copper Ladle in her hand. Without hesitation, Mathilda selected her three slots:

• Copper Ladle

• Pocket Dimension Pearl

• Another Pocket Dimension Pearl

Mana, who was paired with her, selected:

• Phasing Power

• Pocket Dimension Pearl

• Another Pocket Dimension Pearl

Myrtle stared at both of them, her mouth twitching. "Just how many pocket dimension pearls do you people have...?"

Tyler shrugged. "How about all of you pick three pearls as well? It’s 100% Guaranteed Gacha..."

Even Decateron glitched for a moment, its cube-body flickering like corrupted pixels. It had thoroughly underestimated what a real Chaos Treasure could causally do. That’s why they are called Chaos Treasure.

"Please remember," Decateron said once it stabilized, "You won’t have any powers you will start a new life in different world at different timelines. That world might have different power systems."

Everyone Nodded.

"Oh by the way... Can you bring some Cube Wielders here?.. Start with Lily." Tyler asked.

As soon as he asked, Decateron immediately pulled Lily there another figure is tightly hugging her.

Lily appeared in Temptress outfit and she was actually Kissing and Hugging Isadora Nightkiss.