The Virtual Universe Network

The trading markets on Molian Star were lined with shops of every size. Yu Duan eventually chose one that belonged to the royal family of the Chilian Divine Empire—the Chibao Store.

Within the territory of the Chilian Divine Empire, any business with "Chi" or "Lian" in its name was likely to have ties to the royal family.

The Chibao Store was a large-scale interstellar "superstore," with an enormous footprint comparable to a major shopping plaza on Earth. On Molian Star, where every inch of land was worth a fortune, it was a true extravagance.

The store was filled with a dazzling array of goods, arranged by category into equipment, cultivation resources, technology, spacecraft, and more. The energy shields Yu Duan had come to buy were in the northeast corner of the first floor.

Holographic projections of shields in various models floated in the energy-shield section, each accompanied by detailed specifications.

The moment the three of them entered the area, a female Dream Fish attendant glided gracefully over. She was tall and slender, her lower body a fish's tail covered in milky-white crystal scales. Her smooth, luminous skin gave off a faint glow, and her delicate features were almost human.

"Honored gentlemen, how may I assist you?" The Dream Fish woman bowed slightly, her voice ethereal.

Yu Duan pointed at one of the projections and said simply, "One A1-type large unified force-field energy shield."

"Sir, this is the flagship product in the 'Chixing' series, developed by the Imperial Academy of Sciences. Its performance..." The woman immediately began an enthusiastic explanation.

"I know this series. There's no need to explain. Just ring it up." Yu Duan cut her off.

"...Of course, sir." The woman reacted quickly, her smile unchanged. "The A1 Grade Chixing Unified Field Shield costs twelve thousand Chilian Coins. Store members receive a twenty-percent discount."

Even the lowest-tier membership at the Chibao Store required at least a hundred million Chilian Coins in cumulative purchases. As a result, most of its members were Universe Level powerhouses.

Fortunately, Yu Duan's lack of membership caused no trouble with the purchase.

By the time Yu Duan and the others left the Chibao Store, Kun Zhu was holding a dark-blue crystal sphere about the size of a soccer ball.

It was crystal-clear, like the purest sapphire, and shimmered with a dreamy light. This was the inactive form of the A1 Grade Celestial Shield, powerful enough to protect an entire planet.

"This little thing... can withstand a Planetary Level bombardment?"

Kun Zhu's voice rang out in their encrypted virtual network channel, filled with incredulous amazement. "The methods of a cosmic civilization... are simply beyond belief!"

Yu Duan replied through the channel, sounding relaxed. "Once we're aboard the ship, Big Brother Kun Zhu, you can take your time studying it."

Having achieved all their objectives, the three wasted no time. They headed straight to the starport and set off for Light Source Planet that same day.

In the Dark Universe, the Chilian Star sped along at a constant speed of light.

At such a speed, according to Light Source Planet's scientific theories, all forms of communication should have been cut off, since signals could travel no faster than light.

Yet the Virtual Universe Network was unaffected by speed.

Compared to other communication networks, the Virtual Universe Network was simply an "impossibility."

In the ship's main control room, Kun Zhu lounged on the sofa, using the optical-computer bracer to explore the Virtual Universe Network. The more he learned, the more amazed he became.

"The Virtual Universe Network can be accessed from anywhere, and it allows absolutely real-time communication. That's just absurd."

Kun Zhu had not been born in Light Source Planet's new era and had received no scientific education, but that didn't mean he failed to understand the implications.

Shen Jian, dressed in a white robe, nodded. His expression was somewhat helpless as he said, "The Virtual Universe Network is great in every way, except that everything costs money."

In the Virtual Universe Network, practically everything cost money—and the prices were exorbitant.

Yu Duan had just checked the cost of the "Killing Field" and immediately decided against it.

In the original story, Luo Feng and the others spent their days cultivating in the Virtual Universe by training in the Killing Field. They could simulate powerful opponents of all levels for special training and duel with geniuses from across the universe.

As long as you had money, anything was possible.

Take Yu Duan, a first-tier Planetary Level fighter, for example. One day of cultivation in the Killing Field cost two hundred thousand Chilian Coins.

For Kun Zhu, a fourth-tier Planetary Level fighter, one day of cultivation cost five hundred thousand Chilian Coins.

Shen Jian was a Spirit Reader. Though he was only a third-tier Planetary Level fighter, a day of cultivation cost two million Chilian Coins—five times the price for a fighter.

Kun Zhu waved a hand, an optimistic smile appearing on his face. "We can make money little by little. At least our trip through the universe has gone smoothly. The crisis posed by Death Omen Star is over, which gives us plenty of time to cultivate. Once we get stronger, we'll find a way to make money!"

Shen Jian pressed his lips together, looking wistful. "I wonder how many years it'll take for us to become strong."

Earlier, while handling various formalities on Molian Star, the three of them had passed by a massive slave market.

Slave traders of all kinds stood in neat rows with their "merchandise," waiting for buyers to choose them like livestock.

Out of curiosity, Shen Jian had used his intelligent optical computer to scan the slaves' auras. The strongest among them had energy levels that had astonishingly reached the peak of the ninth tier of Star Level!

Ninth-tier Star Level... Shen Jian didn't even know if he could reach that level in his lifetime.

At present, only Yu Duan on Light Source Planet had a chance of becoming a Star Level powerhouse.

Yet in the vast universe, even someone at the peak of the ninth tier of Star Level could end up a slave.

Yu Duan was also troubled.

"Money..."

He leaned back in his seat, fingers tapping unconsciously on the armrest, his brow furrowed.

Even if he sold the Chilian Star outright, he would only get about 1.6 million Chilian Coins—enough for just eight days of lavish spending in the Killing Field!

Outside places like the Killing Field, everyone in the Virtual Universe had the same physical abilities, at the peak of Apprentice Level. They also couldn't use domains, laws, or other such abilities.

He couldn't exactly hold up a sign in the Virtual Universe saying, "I'm a Planetary Level genius with a domain. Please, a master, take me on as a student," could he?

"Let's first look into how to join the major powers."

Through his intelligent assistant, Number One, Yu Duan searched for information about the various major powers.

Half an hour later, the results were in.

The Five Peak Powers had no open application channels. Only after demonstrating their talent could one wait to be recruited.

Setting those five towering powers aside, the largest talent-development organization in the Chilian Divine Empire—and the one with the lowest entry requirements and fewest restrictions—was the Beiming Divine Realm!

The Beiming Divine Realm was the only "higher academy" in the vast territory of the Beiming Universe Kingdom that could recruit students across regional boundaries.

Apart from the Five Peak Powers, the many powerful figures under the Beiming Universe Kingdom could only recruit talented people from their own territories as disciples. Only the Beiming Divine Realm could ignore those restrictions and recruit students on a large scale.

Though the Beiming Divine Realm's foundation and resources were far inferior to those of the Five Peak Powers, it had one major advantage: it had virtually no entry requirements.

As long as you had a legal Universe Citizen identity, paid a thousand Chilian Coins to apply and ten Chilian Coins in annual tuition, you could become a student at the Chilian Divine Empire branch of the Beiming Divine Realm.