30 times the speed of light!
Inside the spaceship...
"I can find the main information." Qishan waved his hand, projecting it in front of Chen Beixun.
The Tuosi Clan was one of the twenty-five major clans of the Wenpan Empire. Its founder and clan leader was Tuosi, a Universe Level 8 powerhouse.
He ruled over 1,200 life-bearing planets. His clan was involved in the slave trade, and had three Universe Level powerhouses in total, including Tuosi himself, along with over ten thousand Star Level and a million Planetary Level members!
The Tuosi Clan was not only a member of the Wenpan Trade Alliance, but also had ties to the Tianchen Society, an organization of the Tianchen Empire's royal family.
Clan leaders:
Tuosi, Universe Level 8, Universe One-Star Mercenary, Controller, Flame Domain.
Tuosi Feng, Tuosi's grandson, Universe Level 3, Controller, Earth Ravine Domain.
Jin Heng, Tuosi's younger brother, Universe Level 6, martial artist, Flame Domain.
Chen Beixun rested his hand against his chin, his gaze fixed on the information projected in front of him as he pondered. The Tuosi Clan actually managed to get in with the Tianchen Society.
"We'll need to think this through." Chen Beixun furrowed his brows, his mind working without pause.
First, Tuosi might already know about the Demon Island Vine. Even if he didn't, Chen Beixun had to assume that he did, to be safe and cautious!
Second, Tuosi was a Universe Level 8 powerhouse and a Controller, so he was formidable. Chen Beixun still needed to consider whether to assassinate him or kill him head-on.
Third, as clan leader of the Tuosi Clan, Tuosi held great influence in the Wenpan Empire and was bound to have many allies. That meant there would only be one ideal chance to kill him.
Fourth, whether the mission succeeded or not, Chen Beixun would have to withdraw quickly. The F9 spaceship was a major means of ensuring his survival, but he couldn't expose it so casually as he had last time!
But Tuosi had to die! This was about getting justice for his people. If one attempt failed, he'd try again!
After thinking it through, Chen Beixun took out the Gold Soul Stone. "I'll try to condense an eleventh crystal. If I succeed, my Soul Attack will reach a whole new level."
Soul Attack was currently Chen Beixun's strongest offensive technique. The more crystals he condensed, the more lethal his attacks would be against his enemies, improving his chances of killing Tuosi reliably!
The key to this operation against Tuosi was speed: a swift decapitation, a swift retreat, and a swift disappearance!
As Chen Beixun condensed his Soul Crystal, Qishan was also frantically gathering intelligence.
A long, conical object was released from beneath the Linkong. It was, simply put, a probe. The entire probe was made of G-grade metal, specifically Star Tear Gold, a relatively precious variety. It was six meters in diameter.
The moment the probe was released, an explosion erupted from its rear. The blast was compressed, like a bullet fired from a gun barrel, and propelled the probe to 35 times the speed of light, far faster than the Linkong. Then the space in front of the probe seemed to be "ironed flat," and its speed rose along with it, all the way to 60 times the speed of light!
The probe alone would have been enough to carry out the assassination. But they were being cautious: what if the Tuosi Clan recorded the probe and posted it in the Virtual Universe? G-grade metal was something most undying beings coveted!
One had to handle things personally to avoid unnecessary trouble!
Inside the Linkong's cultivation chamber.
Chen Beixun sat cross-legged, beads of sweat trickling down his forehead. In his sea of consciousness, a spherical crystal was being compressed and engraved until it took shape.
"Whew!" Chen Beixun breathed heavily. After repeated trials, his willpower had improved by more than twice what it had been before!
"My attributes have nearly reached their limit. It's time to cultivate my Origin Energy." Chen Beixun entered a meditative state and began absorbing cosmic energy. As he did, he sent part of his consciousness into the Killing Space to train.
Some time later...
"Universe Level 6!" Chen Beixun opened his eyes, his expression calm. Unhurriedly, he took a small jade-green bottle from his Space Ring. It contained about 20 milliliters of Green Jade Liquid. He tipped his head back and drank it in one gulp, and his aura surged until it reached the peak of Universe Level 6!
Chen Beixun stood up and first took a moment to feel the changes brought by his breakthrough to Universe Level 6, then examined the eleven crystals in his sea of consciousness.
Finally, he tried to sense and comprehend the Origin Law. He found that he was no longer looking at flowers through a fog; he could now sense the Water Origin Law with relative clarity.
The feeling of suddenly seeing everything clearly intoxicated Chen Beixun. "Maybe I really can step into the undying realm!"
Overjoyed, Chen Beixun summoned Qishan.
Qishan appeared in front of him out of thin air.
Qishan looked at Chen Beixun in puzzlement and asked, "Is there something you don't understand about your cultivation?"
Chen Beixun calmly explained, "My Law Comprehension has improved quite a bit. I wanted to ask whether there are any related secret techniques."
Qishan smiled faintly, then took out a metal disc. "No need to rush. Put your hand on this, and I'll check your current level of comprehension."
Chen Beixun did as he was told and placed his hand on it.
(Beep, beep—Law Comprehension level: Poor)
Chen Beixun couldn't help but feel relieved. At least it's not worthless.
"When your Law Comprehension reaches an acceptable level, I'll make arrangements," Qishan said evenly. "You can use the Ice Domain Crystal now. It'll help considerably with both your cultivation and your comprehension of the Water Origin Law!"
The Ice Domain Crystal had a clear requirement for comprehending the Water Origin Law: one had to have crossed its threshold. If not, using it would be no different from staring blankly at a broken rock.
At first glance, the Ice Domain Crystal looked like a piece of blue ice. But once someone had crossed the threshold of the Water Origin Law, they could see that strange symbols seemed to be engraved on its surface. To use it, one first had to study and understand the symbols, then use mental power to activate them. The immense power within would then flow directly into the user's body—but the process was difficult.
Chen Beixun nodded.
At that moment, his eyes seemed distant, as if looking back on the past. When he'd first arrived in this world, he'd been excited, lost, and confused. He'd thought he'd unlock a cheat like other protagonists and rise to the top, but all he got in response was the alloy whip in the overseer's hand.
The whip lashed his body, torturing him and crushing his spirit.
When the planet erupted in rebellion, he'd stood frozen in place, like a statue, until the crush of the crowd shoved him aboard an escaping spaceship.
Pain and despair, and a long life of enslavement, had bred servility in him. His spirit had nearly collapsed.
The cruel reality had forced him to fight to survive, wringing every last bit of his instinct for self-preservation from him. It was under these conditions that Chen Beixun broke through to Planetary Level.
At Planetary Level, he could barely scrape by.
He'd known love, too. When he was at Star Level, Chen Beixun had stood on one side of a wall and she on the other. He'd looked up to her and admired her from afar.
But he was just a crawling insect begging to stay alive, while she loved the prodigy who'd dazzled everyone at the Genius Tournament.
Chen Beixun briefly recalled the past, then smiled calmly.
Without enduring a bitter winter, how could one know the warmth of a spring day?
*******
At that moment... on the Tuosi Clan's homeworld, Tuosi Planet.
Tuosi Planet was a blue-and-white world, its surface marked by enormous, swirling storm systems. The planet remained in winter for most of the year, with a few relatively calm springs now and then.