NO5

After exiting the Virtual Universe, Puff immediately came over to him.

"Master, these are some Space Secret Techniques I selected for you..." As she spoke, she listed countless related techniques on the virtual screen before them, along with their key points for Ling Xuan's reference.

"Space-Time Essays: an introductory text based on studying the Space Origin Law... It comes with 10,829 techniques. The first volume contains 3,219 techniques... including combat footwork and various other techniques. It's said that if you can collect all 10,829 techniques, you can become a Universe Country Lord..."

"Black Hole Evolution: deduce the path of black hole evolution and study the Law of Space. It comes with techniques such as the Flame Crystal Nine Refinement Body and the Nine Refinement Fist. Reaching a high level of cultivation can bring you to the 'Universe Country Lord' level. At the ultimate level, a punch, a blade, a sword, or even a thought can produce a black hole... It's very suitable for geniuses with a high affinity for the Law of Fire."

Hundreds of techniques were listed, including several top-tier ones on par with Space-Time Essays.

"Puff, you really do have a good eye. You even put Space-Time Essays first." Ling Xuan praised her.

"Hehe, thank you, Master." Puff rubbed herself against Ling Xuan's shoulder, clearly pleased.

"Place the order. Buy the first three volumes of Space-Time Essays for now."

"Yes, Master!" Puff quickly tapped away, placing the order for Ling Xuan.

"Transaction successful!"

"10,000 points deducted. Remaining balance: 0 points."

"Please wait. Someone will deliver the techniques shortly."

A string of notifications appeared on the screen.

"All those points I earned by fighting so hard in the Genius Tournament, clearing the Trial Tower, and beating Cao Benqi are gone." Looking at his empty balance, Ling Xuan couldn't help sighing.

Money really didn't last long.

Before long, the Virtual Universe delivered the techniques to Ling Xuan.

As Ling Xuan began his interstellar journey to the Giant Axe Martial Arena headquarters, highlights from this year's Genius Tournament and various broadcasts continued to spread throughout the Virtual Universe.

Spies from every race had already gathered intelligence on the tournament's top geniuses and sent it to their masters through their respective intelligence networks.

In a distant stretch of endless space, a palace floated amid a sea of flames. Black, white, purple, red, green, blue... Flames of every color surrounded it, each one as large as a star.

From a great distance, none of this could be seen.

Clearly, space-time around the palace had warped, forming a world of its own.

"What did you say?" The carvings resembling eyes on the palace of solidified flames suddenly blinked. The entire palace rumbled. "Damn it! Two super geniuses, each one appearing only once in a hundred million eras, have emerged from the Human Race? They easily cleared the Trial Tower, the benchmark for human Star Level geniuses? I thought there was only one!"

"Great Lord of Sirius, this news has been thoroughly confirmed." A snow-white fox prostrated itself below. "Here is a recording of them clearing the Trial Tower."

As it spoke, it played a video.

"What a lucky Human Race. Another genius with incredible talent has appeared." After watching, Lord of Sirius cursed resentfully. "The Primal Universe really does favor humanity."

"But Ling Xuan's talent isn't enough to make him a human genius who appears only once in a hundred million eras. He's merely relying on a few powerful secret techniques. His Law Comprehension is far inferior to Cao Benqi's. And Cao Benqi is a genius from that troublesome race, too. Send word: immediately put Cao Benqi at the top of our race's kill list. We must not let him grow to maturity, or the Human Race will gain another supreme powerhouse!"

"Great Lord of Sirius, what about Ling Xuan? Not only did he defeat Cao Benqi in the finals, but afterward, he was also taken as a disciple by the great human being, Giant Axe Founder. Surely his talent surpasses Cao Benqi's."

Lord of Sirius watched the videos and read the information on Ling Xuan, then sneered dismissively. "That brat only became Giant Axe's disciple because of his ancestors. He's a descendant of that old useless Zhulong. Just put him at No. 5. There's no need to pay him much attention."

More or less the same scene played out in the territories of the Zerg Race and the Machine Race.

Without exception, every race put Cao Benqi at the top of its assassination list, above all the other dazzling geniuses. Ling Xuan's ranking varied, depending on whether the other three races had more geniuses they considered worthy of attention.

The journey to the Giant Axe Martial Arena's headquarters in the Original Universe was peaceful and fulfilling.

After receiving Space-Time Essays, Ling Xuan immediately chose to break through to Universe Level. He also asked the divine spirit of the Void Mirror to study Space-Time Essays with him.

With the Void Mirror's profound mastery of the Void, its understanding of the techniques in Space-Time Essays came quickly, thanks to its ability to see the bigger picture.

It had already thoroughly studied the first three volumes and derived the mysteries behind 108 fundamental aspects of the Law of Space.

With the Void Mirror's guidance, Ling Xuan also successfully comprehended the first twelve mysteries of Space Essence, fully understanding the first picture of the Nine Universe Chaos Stele.

After all, Ling Xuan's comprehension of the Law of Space had already reached the level of the first picture of the Nine Universe Chaos Stele—the fourth or fifth level of the Heavenly Bridge.

He simply hadn't previously followed the path of analyzing the fundamental aspects of the Law of Space.

Moreover, after breaking through to Universe Level, Ling Xuan's comprehension improved by another level. If he had previously been a genius who appeared once every ten thousand eras, he was now one who appeared once every hundred thousand eras.

He was getting closer to becoming one of humanity's greatest geniuses, the kind who left an indelible mark on history and appeared once every ten million eras.

Now that he had obtained a technique for analyzing the fundamental aspects of the Law of Space, and with the Void Mirror's guidance, he quickly absorbed what he had learned. In the first year, he comprehended the first nine fundamental aspects.

Over the following two years, he comprehended three more.

At the same time, after breaking through to Universe Level, the Heart of the Martial God worked its magic again, granting Ling Xuan a new Innate Secret Technique—Clone.

Clone Secret Technique:

Using a substance containing hereditary genes, the Internal World nurtures a clone that perfectly replicates the original's genes, body, and cultivation. The clone exists independently and cultivates on its own.

You cannot nurture a clone stronger than yourself. At most, it can match your strength.

You can have at most three clones: the first at Universe Level, the second at Domain Lord Level, and the third at World Lord Level.

Unused Clone Talent slots can be retained until World Lord Level.

You can nurture a clone with a Gene Level no more than ten times your own. Clone slots cannot be stacked, and you can have at most three clones. If a clone you nurture has the Innate Secret Technique Clone, it will automatically become ineffective.

"Your Highness, we've arrived." The voice of Napa, the Giant Axe Martial Arena's escort, came from outside the cultivation room.

After three years of travel, they had finally reached the Giant Axe Martial Arena's headquarters in the Original Universe.

"Understood." Ling Xuan walked out of the cultivation room.

"Beginning Cosmic Shuttle. Entering the Original Universe."

"10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2...1!"

The ship shuddered slightly. Ten seconds later, everything returned to normal.

"Exterior simulation: 100%."

The entire hall instantly turned transparent and disappeared, revealing a dreamlike starry sky. Far away, a vast supercontinent floated among the stars.

By comparison, the nearby stars and planets were no more than tiny specks of dust.

The continent formed a ring around a gray-white planet, encircling it like a loyal guard—or a brilliant band of stars.

The planet looked perfectly ordinary and gave off a gentle glow, while the continent around it stretched so far that it seemed endless. Every part of it radiated an astonishing grandeur.

As the ship drew closer, Ling Xuan saw rugged mountain ranges crisscrossing the continent, as if they had been hacked into shape by a giant axe. Mysterious runes covered the cliffs, exuding an ancient and fierce aura.

Rivers surged across the continent, their waters a thick crimson, like boiling blood. As they rushed onward, it seemed one could hear the deafening shouts of battle.

As the ship continued deeper into the continent's orbit, Ling Xuan saw countless enormous structures standing across the land. Each one resembled a small city. Most were built from massive stone blocks, their sharp angles giving them a primitive, imposing appearance.

Their outer walls were carved with vivid scenes of fierce battles: a powerhouse wielding a giant axe to split a star in two; a martial artist fighting a Starry Sky Behemoth barehanded to the death; and an Immortal God darting through a cosmic storm, unleashing power capable of destroying the heavens and the earth.

The carvings looked so lifelike that they seemed to freeze countless spectacular battles from the ages in place.