A Fleeting Moment

On Purple Mist Planet, the Dream Palace was not only Krachi's residence but also housed part of the planet's administrative headquarters.

The quiet palace was filled with man-made wonders and the height of luxury.

Beautiful women of every appearance could be seen everywhere, but they all kept their heads down, acting cautiously.

When the defense system's alarm sounded, they remained expressionless. Only a rare few showed any change in their eyes; most looked utterly lifeless.

Soon, squads of soldiers came running out, and only then did the noise begin.

"How could anyone dare attack?"

"They must be looking to die!"

"Someone's obviously forgotten how terrifying our lord is. What's the point?"

"Heh, this should be fun to watch."

In a manor beside the palace, Lu Xiu, the head of the governing council, had a very leisurely job. He didn't even have to handle many matters himself.

Most of the time, he cultivated deep inside the manor. Whenever he felt like it, or was in a bad mood, he could arrange all kinds of entertainment.

Hearing the alarm outside, he cursed under his breath, then quickly uploaded the footage. Before long, he received a call from Krachi.

"Lu Xiu, use whatever means necessary to defend Purple Mist Planet. Sha Pu is on his way to reinforce you. Don't disappoint me!"

Seeing Krachi's bloodshot eyes, Lu Xiu couldn't help shivering. As he checked the transmitted footage, he hurriedly assured him, "You can count on me. I won't let you down!"

"Good. The organization rewards those who get things done. You can keep all the spoils from those riffraff!"

As soon as the call ended, a layer of menace spread across Lu Xiu's face.

It had taken this long for only a few Universe Levels to show up, and not one was even at the peak. Where had these natives come from?

At the thought of natives, Lu Xiu grinned viciously. That was right—the organization ranked among the top thirty World Lord factions in the Cuilang Star Sector!

It also had friends everywhere. He'd heard that a few years ago, it had even enjoyed cordial talks with the Virtual Universe Company.

Who else would be so brazen? They had to be natives, or even former slaves!

"Universe Level slaves are worth a fortune. These spoils are all mine."

Muttering to himself, Lu Xiu picked up his greatsword and shot straight into the sky.

"Oh, a ninth-level Universe Level. You're mine!"

Seeing Lu Xiu charging toward him, Thor immediately perked up. He could feel his blood beginning to boil.

Unlike opponents in the Virtual Universe, who could only help him verify his insights, he'd long since lost his passion for fighting them. And they were ridiculously expensive, too!

He'd been out of action for over a hundred years. He was almost starting to forget what battle felt like!

"Clang—Boom!"

As the two long blades collided, the clear ring of metal and the burst of compressed air rang out at the same time.

With the planet's gravity behind him, along with the boost from his domain and laws of lightning, Thor knocked his opponent back.

"Hahaha! Good! Now this is a fight! Come on!"

Unlike Thor's excitement, Lu Xiu's face darkened. "As if I'm afraid of you!"

Fast! The utmost speed—that was the path Thor had been pursuing all along.

Ever since Chen Qing had told him about Law Essence, especially after he finished cultivating The Basics,

both he and his eldest brother had decided that this was the path they would follow!

He'd always had decent comprehension, and now his lifespan had doubled. His perception of the laws was clearer than ever. Why should he be worse than anyone else?

Faster. He could go even faster. Thor repeated it to himself as his blade flashed like lightning and the moves of his secret technique became instinct.

To pick up speed, he kept adjusting his movements, working all his insights into them!

"Bang!"

A tremendous crash tore through the air. Thor's eyes shone brighter and brighter, while the Origin Energy in his body surged like wave after wave!

Even when he broke through to the sixth layer, Thor paid it no mind. He had a feeling he could go faster still!

Suddenly, his opponent slowed before his eyes. He could clearly see Lu Xiu's blade, and his own movements grew more and more fluid.

In that instant, Thor saw the ripples of time. Following their flow, he could easily keep his opponent's blade at bay!

Thor was having the time of his life. Lu Xiu, on the other hand, was in for a terrible time.

He'd only just seen Thor move when the blade was already in front of him. The movements that came before felt like illusions!

That was the might of time. Lu Xiu wasn't seeing things—Thor's time flow had accelerated.

By the time Lu Xiu saw one of Thor's movements, Thor had already completed several!

"Boom!"

With a deafening crash, Lu Xiu's left hand turned to particles, and he slammed hard into the ground.

Hearing the crash, Hong easily dodged a weapon sweeping toward him. He glanced up at Thor, and a faint smile crossed his face.

Then he looked at his opponent, who was trapped in an illusion without even realizing it, and shook his head in boredom.

These few Universe Level opponents were no threat at all, even though they were two levels above him. The ones below Universe Level were even less of a challenge!

If Chen Qing hadn't suggested they screen them first, these people would have ended up in far worse shape than simply being knocked down.

Still, his second brother had gained a lot this time. Thinking of how Thor had pulled two levels ahead of him, Hong couldn't help smiling wryly. At least he'd started on the path of the laws a little earlier.

He turned to look at the two women. Each had taken on an evenly matched opponent.

Yao Rao's blade flickered unpredictably. It wasn't as fast as Thor's, but it carried its own magnetic field, faintly blending with its surroundings. It darted to and fro, mysterious and elusive!

Jiang Fang's blade was different. Its strikes flowed without pause, sending tremors through the surrounding space. Chen Qing must have put a lot of effort into helping them comprehend their domains.

"Charge!"

Distant shouts suddenly roused Hong. Seeing the ragged natives in the distance, he couldn't help smiling.

Though his heart held the whole world, the sight of their spoils still left him satisfied, and his soul felt more alive.

"This isn't a bad feeling, either!"

While the group fought, a black figure watched silently from an unknown place several light-years away.

His black robes made him seem indistinct, and though he was bald like Thor, strange black secret markings covered him!

If Chen Qing had seen him, he would probably have recognized the Dark Lord of the Virtual Universe Company.

"His illusions are formidable and terrifying. He must have been through setbacks and trials. More remarkable still, his soul is brimming with vitality. A promising talent!"

The Dark Lord nodded as he commented, as though he'd found a new toy. Then he seemed to remember something, and his interest waned.

"Both have had some lucky breaks. They each have a slim chance of becoming a Venerable. But I have more important things to do. Keep working hard, little one. If fate brings us together again, I'll give you a chance!"

"But these pieces of trash are an eyesore. Since I've come across them, I might as well give you a hand. It'll only take a word."

In the blink of an eye, the figure vanished without a trace, as if he had never been there at all!

At that moment, in the Baleful Qi Vortex of Xueluo World, Luo Feng panted as he forced himself to endure.

"Whew. Even with help from The Basics, I barely managed to fuse two Blood Luo Crystals the first time.

"It's a shame the Demon Slayer Clone and the Golden Horned Beast can't cultivate this. Otherwise, I'd progress even faster!

"I've done fewer missions than other people, but gained far more than they have. Fourth brother was right: some things can't be rushed. Only by taking steady steps can I go further!"