Star Rank

Half a month later, in the Cultivation Room at Storm Port, Black Dragon Mountain X4396.

Tang Ping sat cross-legged with his eyes closed, a faint halo of energy swirling around him.

On the jade table before him lay a neatly arranged Star Rank Basic Breakthrough Package, three bottles of Star Source Liquid shimmering with a blue glow, their surfaces traced with fine energy patterns; a fist-sized Constant Crystal, translucent throughout, with starlight seeming to flow slowly within; and ten orange-red Body Tempering Pills, giving off a rich medicinal fragrance.

There was also a Moon Thought Flower, specially prepared for Spirit Readers, its petals as pure as moonlight, and Constant Moon Water to stabilize the sea of consciousness, held in a crystal bottle so clear it reflected a person's image.

"Sure, I'm not a bad student, but there's no harm in being fully prepared." Tang Ping's lips curled slightly as he mused to himself.

He had always believed in "safety first." Even though he had long met the requirements for a breakthrough, he wasn't willing to take risks. This breakthrough package, worth fifty million Black Dragon Coins, was his "double insurance."

Remembering the little incident from a few days ago, Tang Ping couldn't help laughing.

He'd been practicing secret techniques at the training ground according to his schedule when Luo Xiaoyu suddenly showed up, waving around several photos of him chatting with female students, her eyes carrying a hint of "killing intent."

Tang Ping had laughed on the spot. Before Luo Xiaoyu could make a move, he'd immediately "taught her a lesson." Half a day later, Luo Xiaoyu had left with a hand over her backside, limping away. Before she left, she hadn't forgotten to threaten him: "Next time, I'm definitely beating you!"

"Hmph, that's what it means to have the upper hand at home. 'Three obediences and four virtues'? A husband without authority? Not a chance." Tang Ping felt smug, but the next moment he couldn't help clutching his lower back.

He hadn't controlled his strength well during their tussle and had worn himself out, too. He'd hurried into the Cultivation Room to meditate, absorb Cosmic Origin Energy, and take supplements to recover. Only today had he gotten back into peak condition, ready to break through to Star Rank.

In theory, he was already far more prepared than necessary: the Origin Energy in his body was so abundant it was almost overflowing, his will had already reached Star Rank Level Two, and his Mental Power Amplitude had reached an astonishing twenty times. The breakthrough should have been completely risk-free.

But Tang Ping looked at the resources on the table without the slightest regret. After all, life's greatest tragedy was "dying with money left unspent." Fifty million Black Dragon Coins for a guaranteed breakthrough was worth it!

He took a deep breath, put aside his distracting thoughts, and began recalling the keys to a Star Rank breakthrough.

The difference between Star Rank and Planetary Rank was like the gap between heaven and earth. A Star Rank powerhouse had more than ten times the basic strength of a Planetary Rank warrior, measured in hundreds of millions or even billions of tons. With a wave of their hand, they could destroy a small planet.

In the universe, Star Rank powerhouses also had a place of their own. They could take part in small-scale interstellar wars and, even in a starfield like Black Dragon Mountain, counted as people of some standing.

High status came with high difficulty. To break through to Star Rank, one had to overcome two major hurdles: comprehending the laws of the universe and tempering the body with cosmic energy.

Tang Ping first picked up the Moon Thought Flower and gently crushed its petals. A cool energy surged into his sea of consciousness, and his previously restless spiritual telekinesis instantly settled.

He cast aside every distracting thought. His consciousness rose like a feather, merging with the vast universe beyond the Cultivation Room.

The laws of the universe were mysterious and unfathomable, invisible and intangible, yet present everywhere. Tang Ping's consciousness drifted slowly through the "dark ocean." Drawing on his comprehension of the Wind-Thunder Fusion Domain and the keen will he'd honed in the Deep Cold Ice Cave, he soon caught a fleeting glimpse of the light of the laws.

The agility of wind and the fury of thunder intertwined in his consciousness, two streams of light that he effortlessly brought under his control.

"Sure enough, having a foundation makes all the difference." Tang Ping was secretly delighted, then picked up a bottle of Star Source Liquid and gulped it down.

The spicy yet sweet liquid slid down his throat and instantly transformed into a torrent of cosmic energy, surging through his limbs and body. Tang Ping circulated the Wind-Thunder Secret Canon, guiding the energy to temper his body.

Wherever the energy passed, his muscles, bones, and cells trembled violently, as though countless little knives were slicing through him. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead from the pain.

But the pain was nothing to him. The biting winds and mental attacks of the Deep Cold Ice Cave had already made his body and will incredibly resilient.

Gritting his teeth, he swallowed a Body Tempering Pill. Its gentle energy balanced the violent force of the Star Source Liquid, easing the pain of tempering while greatly improving its efficiency.

In just one hour, he easily overcame both major hurdles.

At that moment, the miniature planet that had formed in Tang Ping's sea of consciousness when he reached Planetary Rank began to tremble violently.

The grooves on its surface steadily contracted, and its energy patterns grew ever clearer. At its core, a power far greater than anything before began to take shape. First, it appeared as a dazzling speck the size of a grain of rice. Then it rapidly expanded, absorbing the surrounding Origin Energy and power of the laws, its light growing brighter and brighter.

"Now!" Tang Ping's eyes flew open. He formed hand seals, guiding the changes in his sea of consciousness.

After absorbing enough energy, the speck burst through the miniature planet's confines and became a tiny star, radiating a blinding light.

Several faint rings formed around the star, slowly revolving around it. A brand-new miniature star system had been born in his sea of consciousness!

"Whoosh!"

The halo of energy around Tang Ping suddenly burst outward, then instantly drew back, merging completely into his body.

He slowly stood up and stretched his limbs. His body felt filled with inexhaustible strength, and his spiritual telekinesis was several times stronger than before. Even his physical strength had broken through to Star Rank Level One.

[Realm: Star Rank Level One Spirit Reader/Star Rank Level One Martial Artist]

[Will: Star Rank Level Three (300/1000)]

[Laws: Wind Domain Level Two (2200/10000), Thunder Domain Level Two (2200/10000)]

Looking at the information on the panel, Tang Ping couldn't help smiling.

Both his Spirit Reader and Martial Artist cultivation had broken through, with no weaknesses at all. Was this what it meant to be rich?

Sure enough, money could solve 99% of life's problems. If it couldn't, there probably just wasn't enough money!

Having just broken through to Star Rank and feeling a surge of power unlike anything he'd known before, Tang Ping's first thought wasn't to stabilize his realm or plan his future cultivation. It was... to show off.

He turned and headed straight for Luo Xiaoyu's Cultivation Room. Its alloy door was shut tight, and a faint halo of energy could be seen inside. Luo Xiaoyu was clearly still in seclusion.

Tang Ping cleared his throat and knocked on the door. He could barely contain his smugness as he called, "Honey, open up! I have big news. I broke through to Star Rank! How about coming out to throw me a celebration? Maybe a full banquet, and a couple of compliments like, 'Honey, you're amazing!'"

There was no response from inside.

Tang Ping didn't give up. He knocked again. "Don't pretend you didn't hear me! I'm Star Rank Level One now, and both my Spirit Reader and Martial Artist cultivation broke through. If you fought me, you wouldn't last three rounds before giving in! Come at me if you don't believe it!"

Still no response.

His eyes shifted as he tried a different tactic. He deliberately raised his voice, sounding a little urgent. "Honey! There's a fire in the Cultivation Room! I think I can see smoke!"

There was still no reaction from inside.

Tang Ping gritted his teeth and brought out his trump card, his voice suddenly turning plaintive and panicked. "Honey! Something terrible happened! The Galaxy Liquor stock we bought, and that investment we made, have both crashed! We've lost all our money!"

As soon as he'd said it, he perked up his ears and waited for a sound from inside, but all he got was silence.

At last, Tang Ping was completely out of ideas. He leaned against the door and pleaded, "Honey, I'm begging you. Just open the door and let me show off before I leave, okay? I'm bursting here!"

He waited a while longer, but the Cultivation Room door still didn't open. There wasn't even the slightest ripple of energy.

Tang Ping could only slump his shoulders and turn away, looking utterly crestfallen.

"Fine, if my wife won't humor me, I've still got my good buddy!" He pulled out his Personal Terminal and opened his chat with Liu Hui, fingers flying as he typed: "Brother Hui, I've got something to tell you. I went to bed last night, woke up this morning and started cultivating, and accidentally broke through to Star Rank.

"By the way, my family says they're raising my allowance to a hundred million Silver Blue Coins a year. What am I supposed to do with money I can't spend? I can't eat barbecue every day, can I?"

Liu Hui's reply popped up less than two seconds after Tang Ping sent the message. It was just three characters, brimming with resentment: "You bastard!"

Seeing those three characters, Tang Ping instantly grinned, his mouth stretching from ear to ear. His earlier frustration vanished, and he felt utterly satisfied.

Gagaga~