Another Epiphany

While the little spirit silently sorted through the data, Bai Yuan was also rapidly recalling the original story.

His true body belonged to the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, and the place he was currently in should be the "Black Dragon Mountain Continent" corresponding to the Virtual Universe.

Once the little spirit finished organizing all the basic information, Bai Yuan began to browse quickly.

Over ninety percent of the content he skimmed past—those entertainment games and pleasure venues held no appeal for him.

After some searching, he finally locked onto his target.

"Found it, the Slaughter Arena!"

The little spirit looked at Bai Yuan and said with a smile, "Master, the route has been marked for you."

Bai Yuan nodded. An intelligent lifeform really was convenient; it saved him from having to ask around himself.

"From today on, you shall be called 'Xingwu,'" Bai Yuan said after a brief moment of thought, settling on a name for it.

Xingwu was clearly delighted, spinning lightly on Bai Yuan's shoulder.

"Thank you, Master, for the name!"

Arriving at the entrance of the Slaughter Arena, Bai Yuan couldn't help but let out a soft sigh.

The fees here were truly steep.

For the Planet Realm, a single day cost one million Black Dragon Coins, or seven hundred Ganwu Coins.

With his current funds, he could only afford a little over three hundred years of usage time.

But he had a reason he absolutely had to come.

The Slaughter Arena hall was bustling with people coming and going.

After all, the Slaughter Arena created by the Virtual Universe was extremely suitable for cultivating secret techniques and honing combat skills.

However, true life-and-death breakthroughs often required real-world trials of life and death.

The Slaughter Arena mainly offered two services: one was to select any opponent for actual combat; the other was to "customize" an opponent.

Set the physical constitution, spiritual power, will intensity, mastered secret techniques, and even weapons to be identical to one's own.

The only difference was that this opponent was endowed with exceptionally rich combat experience.

"Simulate for me a Planet Realm first-stage Martial Artist with rich combat experience, mastery of Sharp Metal Thirty-Three Slash, and possessing the Gold Domain."

As the command was issued, a figure holding a battle blade quickly materialized.

Bai Yuan stood ready, not daring to be careless in the slightest.

Yet, the moment the opponent appeared, they transformed into a blinding flash of golden light, and the Gold Domain exploded outward.

Bai Yuan couldn't even mount an effective response before he instantly "died" amidst the blade light.

He wasn't surprised by this. Mastering a domain at the Planet Realm was already considered invincible among peers of the same rank, let alone the fact that his opponent's secret technique mastery and combat experience far surpassed his own.

"Again!"

Since the money was already spent, he certainly couldn't give up.

Thus, Bai Yuan pulled himself together with full focus and threw himself back into the fight.

Unfortunately, the result didn't change at all—he was taken down in a single slash every time.

Once, ten times, a hundred times, a thousand times...

Until the ten-thousandth exchange, his practical combat reactions had improved significantly, and he could barely last two moves under his opponent's blade.

Deeply imprinting the image of the moment before each "death" into his consciousness, Bai Yuan finally stopped.

Returning his awareness to reality, he immediately entered a state of seclusion.

"It's time. System, use Enlightenment Points!"

This was Bai Yuan's true goal—through countless confrontations with that perfect opponent, to memorize and analyze their advantages, rhythm, and even domain usage as thoroughly as possible.

Then, with the aid of enlightenment, turn it all into his own.

Boom!

The familiar sensation descended once more.

His mind entered an extreme state of clarity and emptiness. All previous confusion and stagnation crumbled away, and his comprehension seemed to have been elevated millions of times over.

Bai Yuan casually swung his blade, and the thirteenth form of Sharp Metal Thirty-Three Slash smoothly executed, leaping across two entire realms!

At the same time, the Sharp Metal Concept, which had already reached its peak, faintly trembled, showing signs of transforming into a domain.

Blade light rose again, and the fourteenth form emerged in succession, the Sharp Metal Concept growing ever more condensed and sharp.

Until the moment the fifteenth form landed, the Enlightenment state suddenly faded.

And in that final instant, the accumulation of the Sharp Metal Concept finally broke through the critical threshold.

Hum!

The Sharp Metal Concept finally completed its ascension. An invisible ripple spread outward with Bai Yuan at its center, and a faint golden radiance enveloped his entire body.

Gold Domain First Layer!

"It's even harder than I expected." Bai Yuan was somewhat surprised inwardly.

If not for the tens of thousands of "deaths" in the Slaughter Arena, accumulating a vast wealth of practical combat experience, even with enlightenment, it would likely have been difficult to cross that chasm so smoothly.

Between the pinnacle of artistic conception and a true domain, the gap may seem slight, but it is as vast as clouds and mud.

No wonder many Universe Realm experts cannot even touch the threshold of a domain.

Bai Yuan took a deep breath. Regardless, the outcome was ultimately good.

Moreover, the inspiration from enlightenment had not yet fully dissipated, so he immediately continued his seclusion to cultivate.

This seclusion lasted a full three months.

Only when his strength had completely reached the current bottleneck did he push open the door and step out.

By then, his cultivation had stabilized at Planet Third Rank.

With an abundance of resources to support him, his training speed naturally far surpassed before.

No longer like in the Apprentice Realm, where he could only rely on himself to accumulate bit by bit through hard work.

"Time to take a stroll."

Bai Yuan walked out of the castle and wandered aimlessly through the streets.

Before long, a lavishly decorated restaurant caught his eye.

Following the principle of "since I'm here, I might as well," Bai Yuan immediately stepped inside.

"Brother Kulu truly lives up to being a disciple of Hundred Tiger Tower—gifted and exceptional, breaking through to Planet Fourth Rank at such a young age. Advancing to Star Realm and Universe Realm in the future must be only natural."

As soon as he entered the shop, a slightly fawning voice drew Bai Yuan's attention.

He followed the sound and saw the young man with two horns and dark skin, accompanied by three Star First Rank guards—wasn't that the arrogant young master from before at the Black Dragon Mountain Affairs Building?

But at this moment, this young master, usually accustomed to arrogance, was respectfully toasting someone beside him.

That person wore a haughty expression, a faint glow surrounding his body, and a single vertical pupil on his forehead, giving him a spirited and imposing look.

"Of course! Once I advance to Star Realm, Hundred Tiger Tower will arrange for me to take the post of squad leader. By then, the troops under my command will all be Star Ninth Rank elites."

Kulu's tone was brimming with pride.

Though it was only a small squad leader, it was a position of real authority, far from ordinary.

Take this Luwa beside him—his father was merely Star Ninth Rank, already a local power on this planet, which wasn't even a core world of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire.

But when Kulu assumed the squad leader position, Star Ninth Rank? They would be nothing more than soldiers under his command.

To this, Bai Yuan merely let out a light laugh.

If he truly went to serve in his uncle Bai Tianning's army, with his status and talent, securing a squad leader position would likely be no trouble.

But that wasn't his ambition. His goal had long been set on Immortality.

First and foremost, he had to break through to Immortal, gaining endless lifespan, so he wouldn't have to worry about running out of time.

After that, he would settle the old grudges with the five great races.

As for the distant "World Beast" calamity, Bai Yuan wasn't overly anxious.

With that destined rising star Luo Feng leading the way, he only needed to ensure he didn't fall midway, steadily walking his own path.

After all, when the sky falls, there will always be taller people to hold it up.