Tianwen Planet

The core of a living being is the soul, and soul enslavement is irreversible.

"Once the soul solidifies, it is truly difficult to peel away," Chen Beixun gritted his teeth in pain, beads of sweat tinged with blood trickling down his forehead.

Chen Beixun felt the five crystals within his sea of consciousness.

"The secret manual says that after refining the fifth crystal, the strength of the soul can ascend to a new level."

"The secret manual says: Transform the Five Elements, spread the path of life. Transform the Four Symbols, arrange the north and south, suppress the east and west... Why does this sound so familiar?"

"Must be the translation."

"However, after learning this secret technique, it feels as if... my comprehension has improved significantly."

"During my time drifting through the universe, I had already cultivated my domain to the ninth stage, yet I only understood the superficialities of the ethereal laws mentioned by that World Lord."

For a normal Star-level being, comprehending a domain is already a rare feat. Chen Beixun relied mainly on bitter cultivation, guidance from secret manuals, and a pile of treasures; that he could comprehend a domain while at the low Star-level based on his own aptitude was truly a blessing.

Back then, Chen Beixun took advantage of the chaos on the slave planet to escape. The journey was filled with biting frost and wind, rising from a lowly slave to a cosmic mercenary, and finally to the Universe-level powerhouse he is today.

It was truly a rare achievement.

"It has come to this." Chen Beixun released several Sound-Direction clansmen from his world ring. The strongest among them were only at the fifth stage of the Planet-level. Their eyes flashed with suspicion, but more so with terror.

"You need not be afraid. I am simply... conducting a small experiment. And no more nonsense!" Chen Beixun said coldly.

The Sound-Direction clansmen looked at each other, not daring to make a sound. At this point, any further persistence or resistance would be futile.

Chen Beixun faced the Sound-Direction clansmen and closed his eyes. An invisible force drilled into their minds, reaching toward their souls.

Immediately, several agonizing howls echoed through the cabin, leaving only sparse whimpers after a short while.

"Finished. They've all become idiots," Chen Beixun sighed, looking at the Sound-Direction clansmen lying on the floor.

"No, I must master Soul Control." Chen Beixun's eyes revealed a chilling gloom that made one shudder.

I do not know how much time passed since the first experiment...

Chen Beixun looked at the Sound-Direction clansmen who had just undergone the experiment and said, "After some time, I will let you leave. There is no need to be afraid."

He was in a pleasant mood at this moment.

"Chapter One of Soul Control is complete!" Chen Beixun sat cross-legged on the animal hide, excited, and immediately ordered Chunqiu to release Luoduo.

Hum, hum, hum—

A coffin made of C-grade metal slowly rose from the floor, standing upright before Chen Beixun. As the coffin opened, a young Sound-Direction clansman with two curved horns on his forehead appeared.

The Sound-Direction Clan values lineage, distinguishing the level of bloodline by the number of horns. A single-horned clansman can reach the sixth stage of the Apprentice-level upon adulthood, two horns reach the ninth stage, and three horns are born at the Planet-level. Such genetic lineage was far superior to Chen Beixun's own unremarkable bloodline.

"Who are you?" Luoduo looked at the man before him with vigilance, then at the Sound-Direction clansmen behind him. A sense of unease welled up in his heart. "That day, I was snatched away by a strange force. After a bout of dizziness, I passed out; when I woke up, I was in this iron coffin."

"I am only conducting an experiment; you need not fear. You may ask them if anything is wrong." Chen Beixun stared straight at him, then turned to those behind him.

The Sound-Direction clansmen shook their heads immediately. A few of the bolder ones said, "No problems. We are still alive after the experiment."

"But—" Before Luoduo could finish, Chen Beixun erupted with the pressure belonging to a Universe-level powerhouse.

"Ancient... Ancient Emperor Realm!" Luoduo was pinned down by the pressure, kneeling halfway before Chen Beixun.

"My Lord, calm your anger! I, Luoduo... dare to beg to become your disciple, My Lord!" Luoduo gritted his teeth and spat out the words.

"Good, good. You have some guts. I shall see if you are worthy," Chen Beixun said coldly, then waved his hand to store the Sound-Direction clansmen behind him back into his world ring.

"Do not resist. I am just checking your aptitude," he said with a stern, cold face.

"Yes," Luoduo replied with utmost respect.

Chen Beixun frowned and activated soul enslavement.

In an instant—

The invisible force invaded Luoduo's sea of consciousness. Suddenly, the force transformed into a golden light, reaching into Luoduo's sea of consciousness and leaving a brand upon his soul source.

"It is done!" Chen Beixun was overjoyed.

Luoduo's eyes looked toward Chen Beixun with nothing but respect—respect from the bottom of his heart—and he immediately spoke, "Master."

"Hahaha, good, good." Chen Beixun was very happy; it was the first time in three hundred years he had laughed so unrestrainedly.

"Luoduo, what stage is your Wood Spirit Domain at now?" Chen Beixun asked, his eyes filled with appreciation.

"Reporting to Master, I am currently at the ninth stage of the Wood Spirit Domain!" Luoduo replied respectfully.

"Mm, good, good, good!" Chen Beixun felt that with time, this child would surely become a hegemon-level powerhouse who could suppress a region; perhaps he could even reach the Immortal Realm.

Immortal Gods were the strongest beings Chen Beixun had ever seen. As for the Universe Country Lords above them? He had heard of them, but never seen them.

"Luoduo, perhaps you will reach the Immortal Realm. But as for me... I must leave it to fate," Chen Beixun sighed inwardly.

"Very well, I will give you a few treasures and secret manuals. Go and cultivate well." Chen Beixun flipped his hand, revealing a long blade, several white stones, and a helmet linked to the Virtual Universe.

"This long blade is called 'Fuyecheng' (a Grade 5 weapon), created by a powerhouse whose strength far surpassed that of an Ancient Emperor. This powerhouse named it after their hometown. There are secret inscriptions on the blade for you to contemplate; I have discovered that you are best suited for using the blade." Chen Beixun said, pointing at the long blade.

"This is a Wood Spirit Stone, used to assist in cultivation. And this is a helmet to connect to the Virtual Universe. In short, put it on, and there are secret techniques inside..." Chen Beixun introduced the items one by one.

"Thank you, Master!" Luoduo said respectfully.

Chen Beixun merely smiled faintly.

A few days later...

On a relatively flat piece of ground.

Chen Beixun hovered in mid-air, looking down at the Sound-Direction Clan members, and said, "You may go."

After being put through the wringer by Chen Beixun, the Sound-Direction Clan had suffered heavy casualties, and now fewer than eight hundred remained.

"Thank you, My Lord!" the Sound-Direction Clan members said.

For these Sound-Direction Clan members, the past few days had been nothing short of hell.

Chen Beixun glanced at them indifferently and then departed.

In the rest cabin of the spaceship.

There were only two people in the cabin.

"How is Luoduo's cultivation coming along?" Chen Beixun asked.

"Replying to Master, I have already broken through to the fourth stage of the Matter-Penetration Realm. As for the 73 secret inscriptions on the 'Fuyecheng' blade, I still do not understand them," Luoduo said respectfully.

"Hmm, continue your cultivation," Chen Beixun said, stroking his chin, while marveling inwardly, Not bad! That dose of genetic evolution agent was quite effective; it actually allowed Luoduo to break through to the fourth stage of the Planetary level in such a short time.

The bloodline evolution agent was a treasure provided by the Virtual Universe Company to its internal members, but Chen Beixun was not a member of the Virtual Universe Company. He had obtained two doses after emerging from the World Lord world by using the Demon Island Vine to kill a Universe-level powerhouse; he had used one himself and given the other to Luoduo.

"Chunqiu, let's leave this planet tomorrow," Chen Beixun said.

"Understood, Master," Chunqiu replied.

As so much time had passed, the Temple on Tianwen Planet also sensed that something was wrong.

In the underground world of Tianwen Planet.

Inside an underground palace on Tianwen Planet, a man in white robes sitting at a round table looked puzzled.

"It has been so long; have the two Holy Envoys not departed yet?"

The entire palace was very empty; the main hall contained only a round table, with five people seated around it.

"Replying to the Priest, the Holy Envoys have not responded for the past three days, though they did respond a few days ago (intercepted and forged by Chunqiu)."

"It's only two locations; how could it take this long? According to the normal schedule, they should be about 30% of the way through their return journey by now." Although the man in white robes was puzzled, he did not suspect that the Holy Envoys had been harmed. After all, the Holy Envoys represented Tianwen Planet, and harming them was a capital crime punishable by the annihilation of one's clan.

The man in white robes pondered, feeling that something was off.

"Lisi, take a few dozen Bone Hall guards to Dili Planet to look for the two Holy Envoys. If the Bone Hall elders ask, just say you are going to Dili Planet to purge the Anti-Saint Alliance," the man in white robes said.

"Yes, Priest," said a green-faced, fanged warrior in armor, who then walked out.

In the stratosphere of Dili Planet... inside a spaceship.

"Chunqiu, how long will this voyage take?" Chen Beixun asked.

"About 3 days, as we need to avoid the surveillance methods of Tianwen Planet and conserve fuel," Chunqiu said.

Chen Beixun nodded, thinking to himself, The issues of spaceship maintenance and fuel have never been resolved. Since coming out of the World Lord world, I've been frantically switching ships, with a large number of them being abandoned or destroyed.

At this stage, this ship is also an antique, a product from ten million years ago. Moreover, most of the components are aged, and the power system damage has reached a full 12%.

The 12% power system damage caused the ship's speed and acceleration capabilities to drop significantly. While a standard spaceship only takes a few minutes to warm up for travel, Chen Beixun's ship required dozens of times longer.

An antique. I'll have to upgrade it when the time comes, Chen Beixun couldn't help but lament.

"Turn on stealth when we reach 45% of the journey; no need to wait until 55%," Chen Beixun said.

"Understood," Chunqiu responded.

The model of the spaceship used by Chen Beixun was: XC45-8, belonging to the Dilante Empire, a subsidiary of the Xuyu Universe Kingdom. It was an improved version of the Dilante Empire's XC45 model, serving as an export military reconnaissance ship. The entire body was constructed from C7-grade alloy, equipped with one C4-type matter-separation heavy cannon and five small-caliber light-particle cannons. Its maximum speed reached 1.45 times the speed of light in the dark universe and 92% of the speed of light in the main universe. Its original price was 3 million Xuyu coins, but Chen Beixun had scavenged it from a small asteroid belt; at current market rates, it was worth 150 Xuyu coins per cubic meter.

Tianwen Planet, when viewed from space, looked like a planet heavily polluted with excessive heavy metals, emitting waves of foul odors and composed of greenish water sources. 91% of it was ocean, with only 9% being land. Storms and giant tsunamis frequently accompanied this planet.

In the troposphere of Tianwen Planet, inside a spaceship.

"The surface resources of this planet have basically been exhausted, and radiation levels in many areas exceed the habitable standard line; it is approximately 9 million units higher than the original standard line! Apprentice-level beings cannot survive here, and even Planetary-level beings would suffer from various issues. In some places, the radiation is enough to kill a Planetary-level being!" Chunqiu stated in the report on Tianwen Planet.

"Given the harsh environment of Tianwen Planet, Master, I have already activated the protective shield," Chunqiu said.

"What is the situation in the underground world of Tianwen Planet?" Chen Beixun asked, toying with the Gold Soul Stone in his hand.

"Due to the extreme depth and the presence of special measures that do not align with the planet's technological level, we have been unable to obtain effective intelligence regarding the underground environment of Tianwen Planet," Chunqiu replied.

"Alright, prepare for landing, then initiate underground survey mode. Enter the low-radiation range," Chen Beixun ordered.

Could this planet possibly hold an immortal treasure?! Chen Beixun thought, an involuntary look of joy appearing on his face.

Happiness is one thing, but I mustn't get myself killed here. Better to be cautious, Chen Beixun reminded himself.

After some time...

"We have reached a depth of 9,854 meters. Radiation levels have reached the third-tier protection threshold," Chunqiu announced after completing the docking procedures.

"Chunqiu, I am going out to scout the situation. I leave Luoduo's training tasks to you," Chen Beixun said after donning his armor.

"Understood!" Chunqiu replied.

Chen Beixun stepped out of the airlock, using the spaceship's underground survey drilling mode to carve out a larger area.

Under the coverage of his telekinesis, he roughly determined the direction and used the eighteen flying blades of the Tier 4 telekinetic weapon, the Tianqu Cone, to form a drill bit and bore forward. Since there were Universe-level beings on Tianwen Planet, using the Demon Island Vine would cause too much of a commotion.

The Tianqu Cone is a low-grade Tier 4 telekinetic weapon, extremely difficult to control. Most users are at the Universe or Domain Lord level. It consists of 64 flying blades and has three forms. The first form, the 'Flying Ring' composed of 12 blades, has a minimum attack power reaching 85 times that of a ninth-tier Star-level (the maximum depends on the user's level). The second form, the 'Heavenly Path Lower Formation' composed of 32 blades, has a minimum attack power reaching 200 times that of a ninth-tier Star-level. The third form... omitted.

"At my current stage, my telekinetic amplitude has reached 39. Using my full telekinetic power to control the Tianqu Cone and execute the 'Flying Ring' would easily kill a first or second-tier Universe-level expert in seconds."

Dozens of minutes later...

With his telekinesis fully extended, Chen Beixun discovered a gigantic palace, roughly 5.6 times the size of the Forbidden City. Inside the main hall, there was a Universe-level powerhouse.

"Universe-level 6th tier!" Chen Beixun was shocked.

"Someone is spying!" The woman on the throne in the main hall stood up abruptly. A terrifying wave of energy swept through the surroundings, sending nearby attendants tumbling.

The woman was graceful and curvaceous, with long hair reaching her waist. She stood nearly three meters tall, clad in copper-colored chainmail, and held the Seven-Star Radiance Sword.

"Haha, I wonder which sacred land you hail from, powerhouse? Why have you never shown your face?" The woman's gaze sharpened as she sent a telepathic message to Chen Beixun.

"Hehe, so it is Ancient Emperor Longzun. This Humble One is a cultivator from the Fanwu Land, here to pay respects to the Source Tree," Chen Beixun replied via telepathy.

Fanwu Land is a moon of Dili Planet, home to many cultivators.

The Source Tree is located in an underground world. Legend has it that it was born from a meteorite that fell from the sky. It bears a strange fruit; after consuming it, an ordinary person can reach the peak of the Object-Understanding Realm from the Melting Realm, and an Ancient Emperor at the peak can break through to the legendary Undying Realm (Domain Lord).

"Hmm, the Source Tree is about to bear fruit. There aren't many Ancient Emperors in this era; it is great fortune that you could cultivate to this level," Ancient Emperor Longzun replied telepathically.

"According to ancient texts, the Source Tree usually bears only 5 to 19 fruits. I came here for that fruit as well."

"Six thousand years ago, a rebel against the Ancient Emperors consumed that fruit and advanced to the Undying Realm, attempting to break through the cage of this world, but was swept away by a strange black mist and has been missing ever since," Chen Beixun sighed.

Chen Beixun truly felt pity for the people of this star system. They were trapped here for their entire lives, yet so many powerhouses had emerged.

If they had been properly nurtured, they might have produced a few Sector Lords.

With the coordinates from the Virtual Universe, Chen Beixun could leave at most with a bit of time.

"Alright, outsider, how long do you intend to keep up this act?" Ancient Emperor Longzun transmitted.

"Damn it," Chen Beixun cursed, then frantically drove the Tianqu Cone to shatter the rock wall and flee at high speed.

"Wait, wait, wait! We can negotiate!" Ancient Emperor Longzun transmitted anxiously. As a martial artist, how could she possibly catch up to the heavily armed Chen Beixun? She had roughly calculated his speed when she sensed him.

Negotiate what? You're a Universe-level 6th tier, I'm a Universe-level 1st tier. Should I bet my life on a negotiation with you? Chen Beixun thought.

"Emperor Mu has reached the peak of the Ancient Emperor realm! Once he eats the Source Tree fruit, what will you use to run?!" Ancient Emperor Longzun chased from behind, transmitting anxiously.

I'll use my spaceship to run, you idiot! Can his two legs outrun my spaceship that travels at 1.45 times the speed of light in the dark universe? Chen Beixun cursed inwardly.

"Please! I just want to leave this place! If you take me with you, with my peak mid-stage Ancient Emperor strength, wouldn't I be able to sweep through everything?!" Ancient Emperor Longzun transmitted with anger.

You're a powerhouse here, but outside, there are piles of Universe-level beings! A top-tier Star-level genius from the Virtual Universe or the Giant Axe Dojo could beat you to a pulp! Chen Beixun thought, too lazy to waste breath on this primitive.

Seeing no response, Ancient Emperor Longzun cursed in a rage.

Chen Beixun was getting genuinely annoyed, so he transmitted, "If you keep talking nonsense, I will publish the location of this place and contact a bunch of slave traders. Let's see how you cry then. I'll have you sold to some pervert and see what you do."

Ancient Emperor Longzun was nearly on the verge of a breakdown, transmitting, "If you have the guts, let's fight one-on-one!"

"No guts. Goodbye, primitive!" Chen Beixun sped away in a flash.

Ancient Emperor Longzun's aura of violence was so intense it nearly condensed into droplets. In a fit of rage, she punched the surrounding rocks into dust. "I... I will notify all the major temple inheritance grounds! You bastard, you're finished!"

BOOM!

With several scarlet vines, Ancient Emperor Longzun flew out from the rock wall above. The violent sound echoed in the narrow space for a long time.

"Eh?" Ancient Emperor Longzun was stunned by the sudden turn of events, but she quickly reacted, gripping her long sword to slash at the vines attacking her. The severed vines repaired and grew back rapidly.

Suddenly, a strong white light erupted from Ancient Emperor Longzun's body and expanded rapidly, compressing the surrounding rocks into a spherical space with a radius of 25,410 meters.

"Hehe, I'm at the Universe level now. The Demon Island Vine is almost at the eighth tier. Now, are you going to give me an explanation?" Chen Beixun said calmly.

That was how he appeared on the surface, but inwardly, he was speechless: Damn it... I've gotten used to running away.

Looking back at his growth: 26 years old, Planet-level; 97 years old, entered Star-level; 114 years old, realized a Domain; 125 years old, Star-level 6th tier, began focusing on Domain; 176 years old, Domain 5th layer; 247 years old, Domain 7th layer; 255 years old, Universe Genius Competition began, didn't even survive the first preliminary round; 256 years old, Domain 9th layer; now, Universe-level 2nd tier!