The Wheel of Time used Cosmic Crystals as its energy source, and its time acceleration effect could soar again. But just as Jiang Ming planned to push the acceleration beyond a hundredfold, the consumption instantly increased by hundreds of times, if not more.
"What is this?"
Noticing the situation, Jiang Ming immediately stopped.
After examining it carefully, Jiang Ming quickly understood what was happening.
"So that's how it is."
Whenever the Wheel of Time's acceleration effect reached a new stage, its consumption would increase by a hundredfold or even a thousandfold.
Before reaching tenfold acceleration, the Wheel of Time only needed to draw in external cosmic energy to accelerate successfully, with almost negligible consumption. But once it exceeded tenfold, the consumption increased by hundreds of times.
At the time, Jiang Ming had used Stellar Energy as the power source, and it had barely been enough.
Now that he had Cosmic Crystals as an energy source, the Wheel of Time's driving effect naturally surged countless times over.
"Looks like I can only use a hundredfold acceleration for now. If I go beyond that, I still can't afford the consumption."
Jiang Ming estimated the rate at which Cosmic Crystals would be consumed at speeds beyond a hundredfold.
A hundredfold acceleration was already an immensely powerful effect, more than sufficient for the current Jiang Ming.
"Once I deal with the people from Ruo Lan Shan, I'll take the Universe Mercenary Alliance assessment."
Jiang Ming thought of the Cosmic Crystals scattered everywhere in the World within a World inside Thunder World. As long as he could obtain that batch of Cosmic Crystals, he would no longer need to worry about consumption before the Genius Battle.
However, when Jiang Ming thought of the enormous commotion caused by the emergence of the World within a World, he could not help but ponder it.
"I need to find a backer."
Jiang Ming thought to himself. With his talent, it would be easy for him to draw the attention of the major powers in the universe.
Joining those great powers would naturally bring many benefits, but there would also be many restrictions. That was why Jiang Ming had not intended to join a major power too early.
He had only wanted to cultivate steadily until the Genius Battle began.
But the Wheel of Time's acceleration effect had now given him a new idea.
"Perhaps it will work."
Jiang Ming soon made his decision.
The most suitable force for him was naturally the Virtual Universe Company. With his strength and talent, attracting the Virtual Universe Company's attention would not be difficult at all.
"Once I have enough Cosmic Crystals, I can accelerate time as I please. By the time the Genius Battle begins, perhaps I'll set an unbelievable record."
Jiang Ming thought to himself.
Having made his decision, Jiang Ming stopped letting his mind wander and entered a state of cultivation.
Although the consumption would skyrocket if he wanted to raise the hundredfold time flow any further, expanding its range did not increase the consumption by much.
Previously, Jiang Ming had always accelerated time within the minimum range of 0.1 cubic meters, barely enough to cover his entire body.
Now that he had Cosmic Crystals, Jiang Ming could expand the covered area.
After expanding the time acceleration range to ten cubic meters, Jiang Ming stopped.
December 23rd, Huaxia time.
A silver-gray saucer-shaped spacecraft appeared at the edge of the Solar System.
"Look, that is the destination of our journey. That life planet orbiting that star."
Inside the spacecraft's control room.
The captain, dressed in a blue combat uniform, pointed at a section of the virtual star map as the screen zoomed in.
A blue planet appeared before everyone.
"Excellent! Praise it! It will bring us status and wealth!"
At the sight of that blue planet, everyone aboard the ship let out excited howls. They had wandered through the universe for a long time.
Now, they had finally reached the time to reap their rewards.
"That planet was once occupied by an invincible Expert. There may very well be treasure left behind by that invincible Expert."
Just as everyone sank into their fantasies, their bodies began to burn.
In only a few moments, those who had been celebrating aboard the spacecraft were reduced to dust.
In the starry void, Jiang Ming's God of Fire clone, with its crimson hair, stood silently in space.
To ensure nothing went wrong, Jiang Ming had personally sent out the Universe-level God of Fire clone.
With a hundredfold time flow, even though the God of Fire clone's hundredfold Body Gene required an enormous amount of resources to feed.
The God of Fire clone had now reached the third rank of the Universe level.
With the God of Fire clone's strength, even if this Ruo Lan Shan exploration fleet had been prepared, they still would have found it difficult to escape instant annihilation.
"Zero, check whether they sent any messages back."
Jiang Ming raised his hand and spoke to his intelligent optical computer. When shopping in Qiu Long City, Jiang Ming had also bought several intelligent optical computers. Too lazy to name them, he simply called them all Zero.
After Zero hacked into the spacecraft system and searched through it, Jiang Ming reached out and stored the spacecraft away.
With the super Space Ring he had obtained from Babata, storing several motherships would be effortless.
Before long, Jiang Ming's God of Fire clone returned to the Sun with the spoils.
Earth.
West Lake Villa.
"The Purple Light Dew has begun pilot trials around the world, and it's already producing results."
Luo Feng looked at the data sent in by the major nations and base cities, and his mood improved considerably.
If everything went smoothly, Earthlings' bloodlines would soon be improved.
"Jiang Ming has come out of seclusion. He has a call for you."
Babata's voice sounded beside Luo Feng's ear, and the call connected.
"Come see me."
After the call connected, Jiang Ming only gave him a set of coordinates and said nothing more.
Seeing Jiang Ming's manner, Luo Feng immediately realized something had happened.
Four hundred kilometers above the ground, a silver triangular spacecraft hovered in the void. This was the C5-class cosmic spacecraft Jiang Ming had bought on Qiu Long Star.
Hong, Thor, and Luo Feng were all in the spacecraft's control room.
Their expressions were extremely grave. From Jiang Ming's state during their call, it was not difficult to tell that something had happened.
"We may be in trouble."
Jiang Ming spoke. Without waiting for their reactions, a projection appeared in the control room.
The screen showed the Ruo Lan Shan Family spacecraft approaching the Solar System. Jiang Ming had recorded it through a stellar detection device he had placed on the nearby planet.
"This is a Universe Adventurer spacecraft."
Universe Adventurers sounded like adventurers, but in truth, most of them were wandering gold seekers. The vast majority of slave planets had been discovered and enslaved by Universe Adventurers.
They were an extremely notorious group.
Therefore, when Jiang Ming mentioned Universe Adventurers, Luo Feng and the other two immediately darkened.
Universe Adventurers appearing near the Solar System meant that Earth had already been discovered.
"The most critical part is here. Look."
Jiang Ming pointed at the screen. There was an insignia on the spacecraft.
"I found information on it. This is the symbol of a Universe-level family in the universe. Their patriarch is at the ninth rank of the Universe level."
"Ninth rank of the Universe level!"
Hearing Jiang Ming say that, cold sweat broke out on Luo Feng, Hong, and Thor. Panic began to rise in their hearts.
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