Star Level 9

"Hmm, do you wish to continue contemplating the Law of Fire?" The Temple Envoy stared at the traces of the Law of Fire within Ling Xuan's domain, a brilliant light flickering in his eyes. "Now that you have broken through to the Star Level, you will have one month of time for contemplation."

"That goes without saying." Ling Xuan held his head high, his eyes burning with intense longing. "I feel that after this breakthrough, I have accumulated many questions; it is time to contemplate the secret patterns."

The increase in power brought by the breakthrough and the inheritance he received left him with many more puzzles regarding the Law of Fire that urgently needed answering. At this moment, he was like a parched sponge, eager to absorb more knowledge.

The Temple Envoy nodded slightly and waved his wide sleeves, causing the door to the secret chamber, which was engraved with runes of the Law of Fire, to slowly open.

"Go."

After Ling Xuan stepped into the secret chamber, the Temple Envoy watched his back and muttered to himself, "What a gifted little fellow. I originally thought it would take him at least a year to comprehend this Law of Fire; I never expected him to grasp it right after his breakthrough."

He shook his head gently, a smile tugging at the corners of his mouth. "It seems the goal we set initially was a bit too conservative. I should have let this kid aim for the top one hundred in the entire universe. No, no, I can't make it too easy for him; I need to increase the intensity."

Inside the secret chamber, Ling Xuan sat down in his usual spot, only to suddenly discover a strange figure sitting in front of the Divine Bird Secret Pattern.

The person was surrounded by a faint, reddish halo. Although he had his eyes closed, fully focused on contemplating the Divine Bird Secret Pattern, the aura he inadvertently emitted was like a towering mountain, pressing down so hard that Ling Xuan's breathing hitched.

Ling Xuan was horrified, knowing full well that this must be a World Lord Level existence.

To avoid being disturbed by the other party's aura, Ling Xuan dared not delay in the slightest; he quickly shifted his seat and retreated toward the depths of the secret chamber.

Fortunately, the secret chamber was extremely vast, with a dome that reached into the clouds and black stone slabs on the floor extending into the endless distance.

He found a relatively quiet corner, sat down cross-legged, took a deep breath, and immersed his entire mind into the Divine Bird Secret Pattern.

This contemplation was completely different from the past.

After breaking through to the Star Level, Ling Xuan's mental power and perception had been greatly enhanced. It was as if he possessed a pair of brand-new eyes, capable of seeing more subtle changes within the secret patterns.

Those runes that were once obscure and difficult to understand now became vivid in his eyes, as if they were dancing fire sprites, telling ancient stories of the laws.

His consciousness followed the fluctuations of the secret patterns, traveling through a world of fire. At times, he was at the core of a scorching sun, feeling the violence and destruction of fire; at other times, he arrived in a tranquil field of fire flowers, experiencing the gentleness and vitality of fire.

When the month of contemplation ended and Ling Xuan walked out of the secret chamber, his entire temperament had changed.

The Temple Envoy had been waiting outside for a long time. Seeing Ling Xuan step out with faint, illusory flames flickering around his body, he couldn't help but let a hint of appreciation flash in his eyes. "Not bad. It seems you gained a lot from this contemplation. However, battles in the Virtual Universe are ultimately virtual; they are not real life-and-death trials."

Ling Xuan nodded upon hearing this. He understood clearly that while the Virtual Universe could hone combat techniques, it was ultimately a greenhouse that could not cultivate super-powerhouses.

This could be seen from the fact that the Coming-of-Age Ceremony for the Manlong Planet people was based on actual combat, showing the tribe's emphasis on real-world experience.

"Please give your instructions, Senior." Ling Xuan bowed slightly, guessing that the tribe must have arranged adventures and trials for him.

"Hmm, neither arrogant nor rash; your temperament is also very good." Even though the Temple Envoy tried to maintain a cold demeanor, he couldn't help but praise him at this moment. "You remember the Zhulong Secret Realm you visited during your Coming-of-Age Ceremony, right?"

"Of course I remember; it hasn't even been a year yet."

"During the Coming-of-Age Ceremony, you were only allowed to operate within a range of ten thousand kilometers around my Mangu Temple. This time, your range of activity will be deeper and more extensive. Go and fight those truly powerful exotic beasts. My requirement for you is to slay at least ten Universe Level exotic beasts."

Ling Xuan said in a deep voice, "Understood."

It was just Universe Level exotic beasts, wasn't it?

Although it was a bit difficult with his Star Level 1 strength, he possessed the laws and held a Grade 5 Force Weapon; it wasn't impossible for him to fight those Universe Level 1 exotic beasts in the secret realm that lacked a solid foundation.

Most importantly, he might be able to soak in a Nutrient Pod in a while to reach Star Level 9, at which point killing Universe Level exotic beasts would be very easy.

However, for the sake of the training's effectiveness, he would not take shortcuts this time by specifically seeking out Universe Level 1 beasts to bully.

"Wait a moment. Slaying Universe Level exotic beasts is only the content of your trial assessment. There are countless treasures in the secret realm, so it depends on your own fortune. Before you leave, go soak in the Nutrient Pod first. Go only after you have reached Star Level 9. However, this is the only chance you get to use the Nutrient Pod, so you must work hard to break into the top one thousand in the entire universe. Otherwise, even with the tribe's foundation, we cannot afford to keep supplying you with Nutrient Pods to raise your level."

When the Temple Envoy mentioned the Nutrient Pod at the end, the corners of his mouth twitched slightly, his heartache evident.

There was one more thing he didn't say: if he couldn't even make it into the top one thousand, then there was no need to use the Nutrient Pod; he might as well wait and grind slowly through the Universe Level powerhouse battles.

One had to know that the price of a Star Level Nutrient Pod was countless times more expensive than a Planetary Level one; even an Immortal existence like him usually couldn't bear to squander resources so casually.

As soon as he finished speaking, the Temple Envoy waved his hand to summon a virtual operation panel, his fingertips tapping rapidly on it to issue a series of commands.

"In three days, your Star Level Nutrient Pod will arrive. By the way, take this. With your current cultivation progress, your Auxiliary Optical Computer can no longer keep up. Use this from now on."

As he spoke, he placed another order on the virtual panel.

Ling Xuan quickly bowed in gratitude. This additional order was not part of the cultivation rewards; it must be the Temple Envoy's personal sponsorship.

"Thank you, Senior."

"You're welcome. If you can achieve a better ranking, you are also bringing glory to my Zhulong clan and the Manlong Planet people. Work hard, and don't let me down." The Temple Envoy waved his hand, signaling for Ling Xuan to withdraw.

Three days later, another massive roar came from the sky.

A giant transport ship bearing the logo of the Virtual Universe Company landed slowly.

The hatch in the belly of the transport ship opened, and dozens of staff members wearing special silver-white protective suits filed out.

"Mr. Ling Xuan, your Nutrient Pod has arrived." The lead staff member bowed respectfully and pulled up a holographic inspection report. "This is the inspection report for the various parameters of the Nutrient Pod, including the concentration of the nutrient solution, the stability of the energy supply, and the safety protection level. All have passed the highest standard tests."

Ling Xuan carefully checked the report, confirmed it was correct, and after signing for it, the staff began the installation and debugging.

They placed the Nutrient Pod on a special energy base and connected the complex pipelines. With a flash of blue light, the Nutrient Pod started successfully, and pale green nutrient solution began to be injected inside.

"Lord Ling Xuan, the Nutrient Pod is ready. You may use it at any time." After the staff bowed again, they boarded the transport ship and left.

Ling Xuan took a deep breath and slowly stepped into the Star Level Nutrient Pod. The moment the hatch closed, the thick, honey-like nutrient solution instantly enveloped him, and a gentle yet powerful energy seeped into his body through his pores.

For a time, light flickered within the Nutrient Pod, and energy fluctuated violently. Under the nourishment of this powerful energy, Ling Xuan's cells were like seeds meeting sweet rain after a long drought, dividing and strengthening crazily. Every transformation pushed his strength to a higher level.

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