Two planets suddenly appeared in the starry sky.
"Done!" Chen Beixun clapped his hands, then returned to the ship.
In the vastness of space, a red star radiated heat and light. Three life-bearing planets orbited it, arranged in order: Dili Planet, Tianwen Planet, and Demon Island Planet.
The nuclear radiation on Tianwen Planet had mostly been absorbed by the Demon Island Vine. With a little more work, its ecosystem could be restored.
Outside this star system...
A silver spacecraft shot past an asteroid 7.5 kilometers in diameter.
Inside the ship, in the lounge.
The lounge covered about fifty square meters. It contained only three sofas and a low table. Across from the sofas stood an antique glass liquor cabinet displaying several bottles of aged liquor that looked extremely expensive.
Three men sat on the sofas. They appeared to be of the same race. The man in the middle was noticeably taller than the other two. His luxurious clothes marked him as the captain of the ship.
The other two were likely his assistants or navigators.
"Captain Teami, our target this time is an unknown star," the man on the right said.
The ship was called the Voyager. Its main mission was to explore unknown regions or search for newly formed stars.
Teami clasped his hands and said, "If we complete this mission, we'll receive a hundred million Tianchen coins."
A hundred million Tianchen coins was a huge sum for them.
Beep, beep—
The Optical Computer on the left-hand man sounded.
"What is it, Buer?" Teami asked with a frown.
Buer first looked confused, then astonished, before exclaiming in disbelief, "Captain, we've found three planets! One already has a lord, but the other two don't!"
Teami looked at his assistant Teyi in surprise, then lowered his voice and asked, "What's the lord's name?"
"Chen Beixun. I've never heard of him," Buer replied.
Teami fell into thought:
"Should we report this to the family?"
"Someone with territory usually isn't weak. Or perhaps he just broke through to Universe Level, so he isn't famous yet, and the organization he belongs to gave him the three planets. The other two might still be awaiting approval for transfer?!"
Approval could take only a few seconds, or it could take days or even months—it depended on who was involved. World Lords barely needed to go through approval. As for the Undying, anything they took a liking to was theirs.
"Check the identification numbers of those three planets first," Teami said.
"Got it!" Buer stood up and left the lounge.
He returned not long afterward, followed by an Intelligent Life that looked just like an ordinary human girl.
"Tuluo, report the findings to the captain," Buer said, leaning against the doorway with delight on his face.
The Intelligent Life bowed, then excitedly said, "Only one of the three planets has a Tianchen Empire identification number. It's BYCF55, its code name is 996, and its current name is Demon Island Planet!"
Teami lowered his head and thought it over calmly.
"Judging by its number, the planet is in a remote region. There may be secrets there, or even a major opportunity!"
"I'll report it to the family. With my strength, I'd be killed before I even reached the border region!"
"I hope that if the family finds any treasure, they'll let me have a share."
Teami raised his head and glanced around. Buer and Nite were quietly waiting for the captain's orders. When they saw him look up, they both stood.
"Um..." Teami slowly rested his hands on the table. "Just report this to the family. We don't need to get involved."
After all, they'd spent decades scrambling for a few Tianchen coins. Why risk their lives?
The two exchanged glances. Nite was the first to speak. "I agree."
Buer nodded in approval.
Teami turned to the Intelligent Life, Tuluo. "Explain the situation to the crew."
"Understood, Captain!" Tuluo replied respectfully.
Teami's family was the Luote Family, the foremost of the Ten Great Families in the Tianchen Empire. Its patriarch was a World Lord who had earned the recognition of the Origin Law of Wind. A powerful World Lord, he enjoyed considerable prestige in the Tianchen Empire and was the one most likely to break through the limits and become an Undying.
The Luote Family mainly focused on terraforming life-bearing planets and commercial investment.
The Virtual Universe, Tianchen Island.
"You found two unclaimed planets?" A barefoot giant, nearly three meters tall, stared at the "little fellow," Teami, before him.
"Y-yes, E-Elder." Teami spoke cautiously. The person standing before him was a Universe Level powerhouse, a Universe Level 9 powerhouse from the family: Luote Temir!
In the Luote Family, only those who reached Star Level 9 were entitled to use the Luote surname. This showed just how low Teami's standing in the family was. Fortunately, he was far-sighted and extremely tactful, so he had managed to build a few connections.
Temir laughed. "Good lad. If I get my fill, I won't forget you. At the very least, I'll give you a few titles or something."
Another empty promise! Teami thought. Outwardly, he smiled obsequiously. "Th-thank you, E-Elder!"
Teami spoke haltingly and seemed timid, but there was a purpose behind it. In the universe, strength was everything! His main aim was to make the elder think he had a commanding presence, though it all depended on who he was dealing with.
"Um... E-Elder... I-I'll take my leave." Teami bowed slightly.
Temir waved him away.
Teami then exited the Virtual Universe.
After he was gone, Temir picked up the small wineglass on the table and said, "Find out who this Chen Beixun is!" An Intelligent Life appeared before him and replied, "Yes!"
A few minutes later...
"Please take a look, Master!" The Intelligent Life projected a compiled, condensed report.
Temir had been calm at first, but when he saw that Chen Beixun had apparently entered the Ghostly World Lord Realm, his body jolted. Trembling, he said, "He might have the information the patriarch wants!"
Temir hurriedly ordered the Intelligent Life to email the clan elder and have him pass the news on to the patriarch.
When the Ghostly World Lord Realm was first discovered, it triggered a bloodbath among Universe Level powerhouses! The treasures inside were simply too extraordinary. Later, the fighting escalated to battles between Domain Lords, and then between World Lords!
To maintain order and prevent battles between Undying from breaking out, the Universe Mercenary Alliance and the Giant Axe Arena joined forces and took control by force, sealing off the entire World Lord World. They then announced that it would open in a few decades and laid down the rules in advance. In short, only Universe Level cultivators would be allowed to enter.
As time passed, the day it would be unsealed drew near!
On the Luote Family's ancestral planet.
"Patriarch!" A clan elder hurried over and urgently gave him the full report.
"He may have entered the World Lord World?" The Luote Family's World Lord looked astonished, then ordered a family meeting to be convened.
The meeting hall was several hundred meters wide. Seated inside were 180 Universe Level powerhouses, twelve Domain Lords, and three World Lords!
At the head of the hall sat Luote. Beside him was a Domain Lord—the Virtual Company's envoy and a member of the Heavenly Primordial Secret Realm. He was the family's prodigy, Luote Tejieer!
Luote Tejieer was handsome and seemed cold, but his personality was the opposite. He was also exceptionally eloquent. Luote had entrusted him to preside over this meeting, while he himself sat to one side and listened.
Luote Tejieer's younger brother was also a prodigy. A century ago, he had made a name for himself in the Genius Tournament, earning a respectable ranking and gaining entry to the core of the Giant Axe Martial Arena. His name was Luote Tejieni.
It was said that Luote Tejieni had been unusually lucky in love and had some kind of relationship with the daughter of a reclusive Undying family. You know how it is.
"That concludes the meeting," Luote Tejieer said with a smile. The elders and clan elders applauded.
Luote Tejieer looked at everyone's flattering smiles, his expression calm and faintly smiling. He thought, Chen Beixun?
Chen Beixun, cultivating on Demon Island Planet, suddenly sneezed. "That's strange." He was practicing the Twilight Art at the time. He didn't think much of it and continued.