Virtual Universe Company

After Shen Mu exited the duel space, his figure appeared directly in a corner of the Slaughterfield. Standing before him was the Slaughterfield's person in charge, the Undying God Manluo.

"Greetings, sir." Shen Mu reacted instantly, then bowed slightly and spoke in a low voice.

Manluo's identity was no secret. Everyone in the Slaughterfield knew that he was an Undying God.

"Are you interested in coming to a meditation room with me for a talk?" In the green-skinned old man's cloudy eyes lay an expansive, boundless aura.

Naturally, Shen Mu did not refuse and obediently followed behind Manluo.

Shen Mu was not the least bit surprised that he had attracted attention on his first visit to the Slaughterfield.

In a backwater like Black Dragon Mountain, it was already remarkable for a Planet-Level cultivator to possess a domain. Shen Mu had never intended to conceal his Law Attainment, so it would have been strange if he had not drawn notice.

"Who is that young man? He's only Planet-Level, yet Lord Manluo values him so highly!"

"I don't know him. I've never seen him before."

"He's Mu. My son just lost to him. He's suspected to be a Planet-Level cultivator with a domain," said a Dragon-Human Race Domain Lord-Level cultivator.

A moment later, inside a meditation room.

The surrounding walls displayed a vast, resplendent river of stars, as though the entire room were floating above the galaxy.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Manluo. I am the Minister of the Martial Department of the Virtual Universe Company's Black Dragon Mountain Branch, stationed in the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, and also the person in charge of the Slaughterfield. You may call me Senior."

The green-skinned old man sat there, an unusual special fluctuation surrounding him. The starlight throughout the space seemed to echo his presence.

"Greetings, Senior Manluo."

Shen Mu bowed slightly, maintaining the respect due to an Undying powerhouse.

No matter how great his future might be, he was currently only a tiny Planet-Level cultivator. If he strutted around like some arrogant young lord, he would probably die before he knew it.

Manluo smiled. "Our Virtual Universe Company gathers gifted elites from the major universe countries. And you are the strongest genius I have ever seen in the Black Dragon Mountain Empire. Would you be willing to join the Virtual Universe Company?"

Manluo's cloudy eyes turned toward Shen Mu. With a light raise of his hand, a virtual screen appeared before Shen Mu.

"These are the detailed terms. You may take a look."

The contract was not complicated; in fact, to those with ulterior motives, it could even be said to be riddled with loopholes. But the Virtual Universe Company did not care, because no one dared to sign a contract and then violate it.

As long as Shen Mu was willing to join the Virtual Universe Company as an internal member, he would be sent to the Qianwu Universe Country headquarters of the Virtual Universe Company and become a direct elite of the Martial Department.

Direct elites of the Martial Department were also known as Core Layer seeds, a rank higher than the branch's special-grade elites.

After breaking through to Cosmic-Level, Core Layer seeds could participate in a qualification battle once every hundred years. They would have the chance to pass the qualification battle and become members of the Virtual Universe Company's Core Layer, the Doomsday Mystery Realm.

Beyond that, there were other benefits.

For example, a free S-grade Bloodline Evolution Potion, allocations of various cultivation resources—including a biological evolution chamber and its accompanying nutrient solution—10 billion Cosmic Coins in training funds, and so on.

10 billion Cosmic Coins was no small sum. It was enough to purchase a ninth-stage Cosmic-Level slave.

"These are the standard benefits for a Core Layer seed, but you are different. If you are willing to join our Virtual Universe Company, I can apply for a Domain Lord-Level Bloodline Evolution Potion for you."

Manluo remained very confident. A Domain Lord-Level Bloodline Evolution Potion was definitely extremely expensive. Ordinary Core Layer seeds did not receive such treatment; only those who had truly entered the Core Layer could obtain it.

Of course, generous benefits came with strict restrictions. There would be rigorous control over every aspect of life and cultivation; it could even be said that one would be under constant surveillance.

Shen Mu frowned slightly. If the Replication Secret Method of his Azure Dragon Avatar were discovered by a great existence like the Chaos City Lord, he would receive vigorous nurturing.

But if it were discovered by certain Undying beings in the Qianwu Universe Country branch, things might be different. After all, Shen Mu was only Planet-Level. It was not impossible that they might forcibly suppress him and have one of their descendants perform a Body Snatch.

"Senior, may I choose to become an external member?"

Seeing Shen Mu choose to become an external member, Manluo sighed faintly. Sure enough, geniuses like this found it difficult to accept strict restraints.

"Very well. These are the benefits for external members. You may take a look."

External members received no supply of cultivation resources and no training funds.

Nor could they directly pass internal selection and join the Virtual Universe Company's Core Layer.

The only benefit was access to the Virtual Universe Company's internal marketplace, where they could purchase all kinds of resources, including Bloodline Evolution Potions and more.

What Shen Mu valued was precisely the authority to purchase resources through the Virtual Universe Company's internal marketplace.

I hope you won't disappoint me, Shen Mu silently thought.

As long as the internal marketplace contained the remains or genetic information of powerful lifeforms, his talent could rise to another level.

There were only six years left until the Genius Battle began. The time was still far too tight.

If he could not obtain a powerful avatar at Star-Level, or replicate a secret method that enhanced his spatial talent—

Then with his current talent, Shen Mu was only confident that he could charge into the Heaven and Earth Mystery Realm six years later. As for directly joining the Primordial Secret Realm, the hope was exceedingly slim.

By the time Shen Mu's consciousness left the virtual universe, it was already late at night.

"What's going on!?"

Babata's startled cry suddenly rang out beside Shen Mu's ear.

"My access privileges to the virtual universe network have suddenly increased... Shen Mu, did you join the Virtual Universe Company!?"

A virtual projection emerged from the optical computer, and Babata appeared before Shen Mu with a face full of delight.

"Mm. I spent the entire day in the Slaughterfield and deliberately revealed my introductory grasp of the Source Laws. That earned me the favor of an Undying God from the Virtual Universe Company."

"Besides that, I also earned over 12,000 Cosmic Coins. It should be enough to buy quite a lot of resources!"

Babata nodded vigorously. "Over ten thousand Cosmic Coins—at last, we have the money to buy Mu Ya Crystals for you and cultivate the Mo Yun Vine."

Babata still had plenty of top-grade Mo Yun Vine seeds, but without Mu Ya Crystals, none of them had been cultivated.

"Let me think about what resources you'll need in the early stages. Two hundred Mu Ya Crystals will cost around 48 Cosmic Coins, and then, and then..."

Babata began excitedly browsing through the various resources in the marketplace.

As for Shen Mu, he entered a search for the most heaven-defying innate secret techniques into the virtual network's search engine.

He had searched for them before, when he had first registered on the virtual universe network.

But the results he could view had not been detailed, and what he found left Shen Mu greatly disappointed.

"Top-tier innate talent: Clones. Possessors: the Holy Son lineage of the Kongwan Race, the Golden Horn Lineage of the Starry Sky Behemoths..."

"Top-tier innate talent: Time Stop. Possessors: imperial bloodline of the Cosmic Nether Race, the Huisha Clan of the Starry Sky Behemoths..."

"Top-tier innate talent: Spatial Lockdown..."

"..."