Friend and Battle Space

"Ding! Greetings, Prince Wu Ye. You have a visitor. Shall I grant them entry?" The household intelligence system chimed, signaling an arrival.

Huang Wuye paused for a moment, then, realizing who it might be, instructed Dasheng to open the gate.

Dasheng acknowledged the command. With a soft click, the heavy door slowly swung open.

Two figures stepped through the threshold.

They were a man and a woman, both sporting flowing, fiery red hair and standing roughly ten meters tall.

The man had rugged features and a burly frame, clad in blood-colored armor with a jade wine flask hanging at his waist. He moved with the force of a gale, resembling a prowling beast.

The woman had delicate, refined features and a slender, curvaceous figure. Her long, lithe waist was accentuated by a tight-fitting purple battle suit that highlighted her sultry physique. A faint smirk played on her lips, and her fiery hair radiated a wild, untamed charm.

Upon spotting Huang Wuye, the burly man's eyes lit up, and he boomed:

"Haha, Uncle, congratulations on reaching the Stellar Level. You certainly move fast."

The woman's beautiful eyes sparkled as well.

"Haha, just doing my best," Huang Wuye replied with a hearty laugh.

The man was Huang Hu, the son of one of Huang Wuye's elder brothers, and the beautiful woman was Huang Xue. Though they were a few years older than Huang Wuye, the three had grown up together and shared an incredibly close bond.

Because they were slightly older, Huang Hu and Huang Xue had already broken through to the Planetary Level last year.

"Why are you two here? Shouldn't you be out on missions?" Huang Wuye asked after the initial pleasantries.

"Didn't you say a few days ago that you planned to reach the Stellar Level? We came to check on you, and to invite you to visit the Battle Space," Huang Xue replied with a smile.

"Battle Space? What is that?" Huang Wuye asked, looking puzzled.

"Uncle, you're so focused on cultivation that it's no surprise you don't know. But once you break through to the Stellar Level, the family intelligence, Atana, should have sent the information to your personal assistant," Huang Hu rumbled.

"Boss, I did receive the notification, but since you had just broken through, I hadn't had the chance to inform you yet," Dasheng's avatar suddenly appeared to explain.

"The Battle Space is a virtual arena created by the family as a training ground for its disciples. Every talented descendant or member of an affiliated force receives a notification upon reaching the Stellar Level.

"Talents from the Stellar Level all the way to the Domain Lord Level within the family's affiliated forces compete there for rankings.

"Those who achieve high rankings in the Battle Space are rewarded with family points.

"These points are awarded annually based on your ranking at the time.

"For the Stellar Level, the top 100,000 get 10,000 points, the top 10,000 get 50,000 points, the top 1,000 get 100,000 points, the top 100 get 500,000 points, the top 10 get 1,000,000 points, and the first place gets 10,000,000 points. You should know that a single point is worth at least 100,000 Universe Coins."

"Oh? Then we must go and see it for ourselves," Huang Wuye said, his interest piqued.

He then turned to Huang Hu and Huang Xue, "Let's meet in the Battle Space."

In the virtual universe, a sprawling complex of palaces stretched for tens of thousands of miles, housing spectator halls, battle rooms, and shops selling fruits and drinks.

Figures clad in battle armor moved about—some sparring, others gathered around massive screens, all interspersed with beautiful attendants in uniform.

Huang Wuye and his two companions sat at a round table, surrounded by other groups of people in exotic attire.

In front of Huang Wuye sat a glass of green liquid—a drink called Gu Ming. Its taste was similar to tea, and it was a personal favorite.

Huang Hu had a flask of wine and a cup, already filled with a shimmering, glazed-colored liquid that emitted a captivating aroma.

Huang Xue had a glass of fruit wine, brewed from a rare plant found on a unique life-bearing planet. A single glass cost as much as an uninhabited planet—though that was the real-world price; it was far cheaper in the virtual universe.

"This virtual universe is truly miraculous. This Glazed Night tastes exactly like the real thing. For those of us who love a drink, it's a godsend," Huang Hu said, shaking his head in satisfaction after downing a cup.

"Indeed, such miraculous methods are beyond our imagination. But let's watch the matches," Huang Xue agreed.

Before the three of them hung a massive light screen, currently projecting a live duel.

On a desolate planet, two figures hovered in the air, separated by tens of thousands of meters—a distance they could bridge in the blink of an eye.

"I am Alona of the Shiro Clan, a seventh-rank Stellar martial artist," said the purple-haired woman in white armor, holding a long sword, her aura held in check.

"I am Moke of the Mosuo Clan, a seventh-rank Stellar martial artist," replied the man holding a broadsword, his voice cold.

After introducing themselves, their auras erupted.

"Die!" The woman shouted, launching the first attack.

She brandished her sword, a blue domain expanding around her, and closed the distance in a few flashes. She thrust her blade toward the man's heart.

"Well met!"

The man with the broadsword did not flinch. A purple domain flared around him, and with a cold snort, he swung his blade toward the woman's face.

"Clang! Clang! Clang!" The sound of steel clashing rang out incessantly.

Sword and blade danced, hundreds of strikes exchanged in the blink of an eye. They collided and separated, a fierce display of skill.

"Sword Falls Like a Rainbow!" Alona shouted. A brilliant, dazzling light erupted from her blade. A blue arc of energy shot from her tip, reaching Moke in an instant.

Moke's expression shifted. Startled by the speed, he desperately swung his blade, releasing a flash of purple light to counter.

"Blade Breaks the Heavens!"

The blue sword light and purple blade energy collided. Ultimately, Moke was a fraction too slow. The purple energy was shattered, and Alona's sword momentum continued, driving straight toward him.

Moke could only struggle to parry. Alona pressed her advantage, her strikes becoming faster and more relentless.

Before long, Moke failed to react in time and was defeated by a single strike from Alona.

"This..."