After a while, Bulieni spoke again. "Luo, I've got good news and bad news for you.
"The good news is that once you reach the Immortal Level—and even when you become a Universe Venerable—you won't have to worry about finding a full set of defensive armor, offensive treasures, soul treasures, Flying Palace-type treasures, or Domain Type treasures. Old Mystic has them all. He even has a few Supreme Treasures used by Universe Masters.
"He also refined some of his own divine power and left you a Beast God Avatar and a large quantity of Beast God Essence Blood. The Beast God Avatar is a condensed form of his soul. It can demonstrate in detail how Light and Time Laws are fused.
"The Beast God Essence Blood can raise your Life Gene Level, make it easier to comprehend the various laws, and help you understand the path of Fusion Law. They're all extremely rare and precious treasures.
"The bad news is that there are very few treasures below the Immortal Level. Old Mystic was, after all, a Universe Master. He probably didn't care much for things below the Immortal Level. I only found a few odds and ends.
"But you're human. I remember that when I wandered the universe with Old Mystic, he secretly opened an account at the Universe First Bank in human territory. He may have left some things he didn't need for the time being in there. You can go see what's inside.
"I only know the account number and how to unlock it. I have no idea what's in there, so just pray there's something useful for you."
Listening to all this, Luo Zhiyuan felt like he was on an emotional roller coaster.
At first, when he heard there were plenty of treasures suited to those above the Immortal Level, he'd grinned so broadly he was nearly drooling. Then he heard there were practically no suitable treasures below the Immortal Level, and his face crumpled. Finally, he learned about a bank account that might hold something useful, and he was itching with anticipation!
He hurriedly asked, "Bulieni, are there any special requirements for withdrawing from that account? Like having to verify my Spiritual Force in person? If not, can I check it directly through the Virtual Universe?"
"Virtual Universe? What's that? You need to verify the ring I'm possessing to unlock the account, so of course you have to do it in person," Bulieni said, sounding confused.
Luo Zhiyuan was confused, too. Bulieni didn't know about the Virtual Universe? He knew Bulieni and Chenxi were both ancient beings, but he'd never imagined they came from an era before the Virtual Universe existed.
That meant that when the Light Beast God fell, the human race's top powerhouse, Yuan, hadn't yet created the Virtual Universe technique.
That's right: the Virtual Universe was Yuan's Strongest Secret Technique, and there was nothing else like it in the universe. No other race had a communications network with a reach almost spanning the entire universe. Only a few isolated places were beyond its coverage.
The Virtual Universe had played a crucial role in making humanity one of the Six Great Peak Races. It allowed humans across the universe to stay in contact at any time and was vital for intelligence and military operations. It had also proven invaluable in countless wars between the races.
After briefly explaining the Virtual Universe to Bulieni, he exclaimed in shock, "What? The human race has such an incredible ability? Yuan Zu created it? It can reach across the entire universe?
"That's amazing! Old Mystic and I dealt with Yuan Zu back then. I knew he was extraordinarily skilled in battle, but I had no idea he had such an incredible ability, too.
"Wait. If people can communicate through the Virtual Universe, doesn't that mean Yuan Zu knows all their secrets?"
Luo Zhiyuan's mouth twitched again. He still wasn't used to chatting with an ancient senior like this. Keeping a straight face, he said, "Don't worry about that. Yuan has been permanently suppressed by the Primal Universe. He can't do much in the Virtual Universe.
"The Virtual Universe is currently controlled by a Machine Race Universe Master who's been Soul Enslaved by Yuan. He doesn't sense everything all the time, either. He only expends the effort when it's necessary.
"Constantly monitoring everything would be too much of a burden for that Machine Race Universe Master."
Bulieni spoke into Luo Zhiyuan's mind in a strange, astonished tone. "What a pity about Yuan Zu. To think the Primal Universe permanently suppressed him.
"He was once hailed as the strongest among the universe's strongest beings. Not a single one of them dared face him head-on; they practically all kept out of his way. What a glorious reputation!
"Luo, you certainly have connections! This must be the highest-level secret of the human race. There's no way you should know it, yet you know the details so well. You really are mysterious!"
Luo Zhiyuan felt like smacking himself. How had he let so many secrets slip to Bulieni? At least Bulieni was an Intelligent Life that had recognized him as its master and wouldn't betray him. Otherwise, his loose tongue might have brought disaster on him!
Luo Zhiyuan fell silent for a moment, then changed the subject. "All right, that's not important. I don't actually know that much. These are just a few things I happen to know.
"Let's hurry and see which of the items Chenxi left behind I can use right now, and which treasures can improve my strength.
"Oh, right. I'm a Spirit Reader who specializes in illusions. Do you have any weapons, armor, or anything like that suitable for me?"
Bulieni didn't press him further and picked up where he'd left off. "So far, I've only found a few things that can increase your body's energy, one energy fruit for breaking through your body's limits, and some miscellaneous materials. There aren't any other ready-to-use treasures."
After hearing this, Luo Zhiyuan was utterly speechless. The gap between Senior Chenxi's level and his own was just too great. There were practically no treasures for lower levels. It was truly heartbreaking. He could only pin his hopes on the account at the Universe First Bank.
"By the way, Bulieni, I have a few Azure Fruits. After eating them, I can reach Planetary Level Nine as a Spirit Reader. How far can the energy fruit you have take me?"
"If you use it sparingly, it'll be enough to get you to the World Lord Level. But if you want the fastest, force-fed kind of advancement, it'll only get you to Domain Lord Level One."
Luo Zhiyuan was a little puzzled. What was the difference?
"Using it sparingly means waiting until your body has fully absorbed and mastered its energy before advancing again. That'll take around five hundred years, but you'll reach the World Lord Level.
"Force-fed advancement means not waiting for your body to fully master its energy. As soon as the energy from one fruit has dissipated, you use the next. That way, you'll reach Domain Lord Level One in about fifty years. Which do you choose?"
Luo Zhiyuan was shocked once again. Five hundred years to the World Lord Level, or fifty years to Domain Lord Level One—this had to be one of the most absurdly fast advancement rates in the universe. Even the universe's most exceptional bloodlines needed at least a thousand years to reach the World Lord Level. It was no wonder this was part of a Universe Master's collection.
Luo Zhiyuan was about to choose the force-fed approach, but then he reconsidered. Given the plot of Swallowed Star, the Universe Human Peak Genius Competition would be held in a few years. It would be a pity to miss it.
The Universe Human Peak Genius Competition was a major event held once every five thousand years, with all 1,008 high-level Universe Countries taking part.
This time, the competition was being led by the Virtual Universe Company, one of the human race's Five Great Powers. It was the best chance to enter the company's Core Layer. He needed the protection of a powerful organization, and the Virtual Universe Company was a good choice.
But only Star Level participants were allowed in the competition. If force-fed advancement pushed him beyond the Star Level, he'd miss this opportunity. It wasn't worth it. He decided against it and told Bulieni, "I'll use it sparingly. A few hundred years won't matter."
Bulieni said approvingly, "That's right. I don't recommend force-fed advancement, either. It would leave your foundations unstable, and you'd have to spend a lot of time rebuilding them once you reached the Domain Lord Level.
"Now, I'll plan out your cultivation path so you can reach the World Lord Level as quickly and efficiently as possible!"
P.S. I managed to write another half chapter. You guys have been amazing, too. I just refreshed the page and saw 201 favorites and 312 recommendation votes. Thanks, everyone! But after seeing how long I've been writing, surely you've got a few more votes to spare? Toss them my way, hehe.
Before you continue