"Twilight Art sure was hard to master!" Chen Beixun thought with his eyes closed.
The twelfth crystal in his mind was gradually taking shape!
Boom!
The crystal suddenly shattered!
The attempt to condense the twelfth crystal had failed!
"Phew." Chen Beixun let out a long breath. He seemed to have gotten used to it and didn't feel discouraged.
"I'll find somewhere else to cultivate." Chen Beixun stood up, then turned into a streak of light and flew into the sky, beginning his search for a suitable—or rather, pleasing—place to cultivate.
The sun blazed overhead, bathing the world in light.
In the center of the Yelun Clan's territory on the northern continent of Dili Planet, a strange cluster of buildings resembling a stone circle sent up a stream of eerie, icy-white vapor. It curled upward like cooking smoke, then spread across the sky into a huge dark cloud that blotted out the sun.
The Yelun Clan members had long since gotten used to this and carried on with their lives as usual.
Chen Beixun rose from the floor paved with pitch-black stone slabs and gazed up at the dark cloud stretching across the sky. He held a small piece of Ice Domain Crystal in his hand. After absorbing the last trace of energy within it, he tossed it aside and turned into a streak of white light that shot into the sky.
"Flame Star Behemoth, how are things going?" Chen Beixun communicated directly with the Flame Star Behemoth through their souls.
The Flame Star Behemoth, dozing deep inside a star, raised its head and replied, "Universe Level 5."
Aside from cultivating, Chen Beixun spent his time making awkward small talk with Luoduo and the Flame Star Behemoth. It was mind-numbingly dull.
A few days ago, he had managed to contact the Immortal God Li Di. Li Di had already recommended him to the Virtual Universe Company, making him an internal member. Internal members weren't as free as external ones; their actions were strictly restricted in many ways.
Chen Beixun passed through layer upon layer of gloom and flew to a black spaceship. Li Di had given it to him. It was made entirely of D9-class metal and would serve him well for a long time.
At Chen Beixun's thought, the spaceship's hatch opened, and he flew inside.
"The Ghostly World Lord Realm is about to open. As one of the few who escaped back then, I'm sure plenty of people have been looking into me over the past few decades. I need to plan ahead." Chen Beixun thought to himself.
Meanwhile...
269 million kilometers from Demon Island Planet.
A 1,250-meter-long Machine Race spaceship flew through space.
Inside the ship, Luote Tejie'er sat on a long chair, eyes closed as he pondered.
"Chen Beixun became an internal member of the Virtual Universe Company in just a few days, and he's even connected to some powerful Marquis Immortal. The usual methods won't work."
After all, Luote Tejie'er was an envoy of the Virtual Universe Company. Every word and action of his represented the company. Wouldn't it be ridiculous if one of their own turned against another?
Luote Tejie'er furrowed his brow. He had heard about the treasures in the Ghostly World Lord Realm for years, but the Giant Axe Arena and the Universe Mercenary Alliance held all the important information. Most of the people who had escaped the World Lord World had been recruited by those two great powers.
It was worth noting that those taking part in the treasure hunt represented their respective organizations. The Lotte Family, for example, represented the Virtual Universe Company. The various powers merely observed and maintained order.
"Chen Beixun!" Luote Tejie'er's eyes flashed. If his original plan had gone ahead, Chen Beixun would have been nothing more than a disposable sacrifice sent to scout for treasure.
"How did you manage to get close to a Marquis Immortal?"
"If I were a Primal Secret Realm Member, I'd have plenty of authority and could order him around as I pleased."
"But the Qualification Battle won't begin for another thousand years!" Luote Tejie'er rubbed his forehead.
As one of the strongest members of the Taichu Secret Realm, Luote Tejie'er naturally had a chance to compete for a place in the Primal Secret Realm. But that was a matter for later.
"Time waits for no one. I can make a deal with him and trade for useful information. Given my status, I hope he'll know what's best." Luote Tejie'er thought.
On a mountain peak on Dili Planet.
Chen Beixun had just received a massive flood of emails and was completely at a loss.
"I've already received hundreds of emails. This is a serious problem!" Chen Beixun raked a hand through his hair, not daring to waste a moment as he thought it over. Time was crucial now.
Eight emails were important to him. The Giant Axe Arena had sent the most, with three; the Universe Mercenary Alliance had sent two. Next came the Virtual Universe Company, followed by the Tianchen Empire and the Lotte Family.
The Lotte Family had especially great influence. He couldn't afford to overlook them.
Chen Beixun had no intention of going to the Ghostly World Lord Realm to fight over treasures. But he possessed information about the Ghostly World Lord Realm, and it was obvious how the various powers would respond.
Chen Beixun was caught between the various powers, swept up in the tide. It was like being forced into something against his will—whether he wanted to go or not, he had no choice.
"Even though only Universe Levels are allowed in, I can't bring my Demon Island Vine with me." Chen Beixun felt a bitter ache in his heart. This was one of the main reasons he didn't want to go.
First, without the Demon Island Vine, Chen Beixun's defensive and offensive abilities would be greatly reduced.
Second, he had only reached Universe Level 6, and his comprehension of the Origin Law was still limited. The World Lord Realm was full of Universe Level 9 powerhouses, some of whom had a much deeper understanding of the Origin Law.
It would be extremely dangerous to go. But if he didn't, they wouldn't let him stay behind. The various organizations had plenty of ways to force his hand!
"If only I had a clone!" Chen Beixun said, shaking his head in frustration.
Beep, beep—
Chen Beixun raised his arm to check. His expression turned bitter, and he said with a wry smile, "Looks like I really have no choice."
He sent a strand of his consciousness into the Virtual Universe.
The Virtual Universe, Tianchen Island.
Beneath a pavilion made of what looked like white jade, a man with an aquiline nose, a long beard, purple hair, and red eyes sat facing a black-haired man with a rueful smile.
"I can prepare a fifteen-person escort team for you. None of them have crossed the threshold of the laws."
"What do you think?" Li Di asked.
Chen Beixun thought for a few seconds, then carefully phrased his question. "What's the objective of the mission?"
Li Di stroked his long beard and replied, "A secret technique. It looks like a small silver-gray cube."
"What kind of secret technique would make the organization go to such lengths?" Chen Beixun thought, as if a thousand alpacas were stampeding through his mind.
"Could it be the Twilight Art?!"
Chen Beixun pursed his lips. After thinking it over, he cautiously asked, "Just one secret technique?"
"That's right. This secret technique has only appeared once in the World Lord Realm, and it nearly sparked a battle between Immortals."
"All right. Don't ask about anything else. Once you've thought it through, email me." With that, Li Di left the Virtual Universe.
Chen Beixun angrily pounded the stone table in front of him and cursed under his breath. "Damn it."
"I need to sort out the situation." Chen Beixun rested his hand on his forehead and swept it back over his head, scratching a few times before speaking. "Chunqiu, please help me gather information on the various powers."
A snail suddenly appeared in front of him and called out, "Sure thing, boss!"
Then it vanished.
After watching it leave, Chen Beixun fell back into thought.
"A secret technique that appeared there?"
"Then it probably isn't the Twilight Art. The Twilight Art was found inside the Space Ring of a Universe powerhouse killed by the Demon Island Vine."
At that thought, Chen Beixun let out a long sigh. A few seconds later, he left the Virtual Universe.
Dili Planet, still on that same mountain peak.
Chen Beixun rubbed his chin. "I need to make some preparations."
A few days later...
Dili Planet, still on that same mountain peak.
Yes, he just liked it here.
He stood on the summit, watching a streak of fiery red in the eastern distance swallow the dark green sky and form an arc. The arc shifted in color from its center outward. His armor was no longer crimson; it had been replaced by black alloy armor.
"The World Lord Realm will open in a month."
At that thought, an immense wave of resentment rose within Chen Beixun.
"Stay calm." The words repeated in Chen Beixun's mind several times. He turned his gaze back to the horizon. A fiery orb now hung in the east.
"Ah, whether before or after I crossed over, I've never seen a sunrise with my own eyes." Chen Beixun couldn't help feeling a little wistful.
He had rarely had the leisure to climb to a mountaintop and watch the sunrise. Now, he could only head back.
"Maybe next time." Chen Beixun shrugged and turned into a streak of light as he flew away.
28 days until the World Lord Realm opens
Tianwen Planet, underground, inside Qinggan Palace.
"Normally speaking, that unknown secret technique is most likely to end up at an auction," Qishan said calmly.
"An auction?" Chen Beixun rubbed his chin, pondering the words. "Why do treasures always end up at auctions?"
"How's your cultivation of Starry Sky Tower coming along?" Qishan asked.
"I'm still a little way from the first level. Give me another dozen days or so," Chen Beixun replied.
Qishan nodded. "Once you master the first level, you'll be able to handle ordinary illusion attacks."
"This mission will be extremely dangerous. Don't let your guard down!"
The Starry Sky Tower in Emperor Jing's treasury was only an incomplete fragment. The complete version was in Qishan's hands.
Beep, beep—
Chen Beixun glanced at his arm and asked in confusion, "What is it, Chunqiu?"
"Master! Someone sent you the complete list of organizations taking part in the treasure hunt!"
"What?" Chen Beixun was surprised. Then he projected the list...