Lei Bao Star. After sailing through the cosmos for more than half a month, the silver-gray spacecraft finally pierced through the endless thunderclouds and slowly descended onto the planet's surface.
Not long afterward, in the grand hall of a lavishly decorated Castle, Qi Yuan finally met the "master" who had bought him for the first time.
He was a youth dressed in splendid robes, with a somewhat chubby face. Aside from the dark red horn, around half a foot long, growing from his forehead, his build and appearance were quite similar to those of a human from Earth.
However, this "master" was not particularly powerful, only around Planetary Level Eighth Stage.
The four black armor guards standing behind him, on the other hand, each possessed deep and unfathomable auras that placed immense pressure on Qi Yuan.
Qi Yuan did not dare stare at the youth for too long. After a brief glance, he immediately lowered his head and bowed.
"This subordinate, Qi Yuan, greets Master."
"Oh? Your name is Qi Yuan?"
The youth seated upon the throne was taken aback. He muttered strangely, "Damn, why is this name so similar to that old bastard's?"
Seeing the youth's expression change instantly, Qi Yuan thought he had somehow exposed himself and could not help feeling uneasy.
Fortunately, the youth's expression returned to normal the next second.
He sized up Qi Yuan and nodded with a deliberately mature smile.
"Haha, I heard you came from a native planet? Without guidance or resources, you cultivated to the Star Traveller level using nothing but a pieced-together incomplete method. It seems your talent is quite good."
On the way here, a device resembling a wrist guard had already been fitted onto Qi Yuan's arm. With the translation function of the Auxiliary Brain, he could now easily understand the language of these "people from beyond the heavens."
Hearing the youth's words, he immediately replied respectfully, "Thank you for your praise, Master."
"Mm."
The youth gave a faint grunt through his nose, then pointed at a gaunt middle-aged man in black robes with fine scales covering his cheeks. "From now on, you'll be assigned to my Guard Team. Follow Old Wu later. He'll issue you the Guard Team's exclusive Battle Armor and cultivation technique."
"Battle Armor? A cultivation technique? There's actually something this good?"
Qi Yuan could not help feeling delighted!
He had just been worrying about not having a complete cultivation technique. Who would have thought that the pillow would arrive just as he was getting sleepy!
This youthful-looking "master" was quite considerate. Right from the start, he had solved Qi Yuan's greatest problem!
"Thank you for your reward, Master!" Qi Yuan immediately put on a grateful expression.
"Haha, don't worry. Follow me from now on, and you won't lack secret techniques or resources!"
The youth smiled proudly. "I like subordinates with potential. Even if they are slaves, as long as they have talent, I will never be stingy with the resources used to cultivate them!"
"Of course, besides serving as my guard, you have another very important task."
The young master's tone shifted. "Outside of cultivation, you must manage your clansmen well and have them work hard to mine Thunder Crystal Ore for me. As long as the output satisfies me, rewards for all of you will certainly not be lacking."
"If any of your clansmen break through to the Star Traveller level, they may also become members of the Guard Team and enjoy the same treatment as the other Guards."
"Rest assured, Master. We will swear our lives to serving you!"
Qi Yuan offered up a thoroughly insincere display of loyalty.
"Mm." The horned youth nodded in satisfaction. "Go. Just listen to Old Wu's arrangements from here on."
"Oh, right. Remember your master's name. My name is Hugo Ortega!"
Outside the great hall, after Qi Yuan followed the guard captain named Old Wu away, he directly boarded a small disc-shaped spacecraft.
Old Wu was gaunt, with bluish-gray skin. He looked like a green-faced, fanged evil ghost from a novel.
Perhaps because they were both slave guards, his attitude toward Qi Yuan was fairly good.
"Your clansmen have all been assigned to Mine No. 5. I'll take you there first to look over the situation and make arrangements for your people."
As Old Wu spoke, he started the spacecraft. "Normally, my master's Guard Team does not have many tasks. In the future, you may stay at Mine No. 5 or return to the Castle to cultivate. As long as you arrive promptly whenever Master summons you, that will be enough."
"Understood."
Qi Yuan nodded, secretly delighted.
As long as he did not have to remain under the Castle master's watchful eye, many things would become far more convenient for him.
On the way to Lei Bao Star, he had been uneasy over where he would be taken and whether he would be treated as cannon fodder in some power struggle and thrown directly into a dangerous battlefield.
Judging by the current circumstances, he would not need to worry about his safety for the time being.
As they spoke, the spacecraft carrying the two of them had already shot into the sky.
The instant they left the Castle's boundaries, purple lightning exploded madly across the sky beyond the portholes. Violent winds far beyond Force 12 whipped up countless rocks and streams of sand, continuously battering the spacecraft's hull.
"This is simply the environment of Lei Bao Star. You'll get used to it slowly."
The "Green-faced Ghost," Old Wu, smiled as he handed Qi Yuan a silver ring.
"This is a small Space Ring. You can open it by imprinting it with your mental force. According to the rules, Master's Guards may receive one C2 Alloy Battle Suit, one Tier 2 Force Weapon, and some cultivation resources. They're all inside. As for the Guard Team's exclusive cultivation technique, I've already sent it to your Auxiliary Brain. You can check it yourself when you return."
"A Space Ring? Thank you, Master. Thank you, Lord Wu!"
Qi Yuan happily accepted the Space Ring.
He had not expected the Lord of Lei Bao Star to be so generous to his subordinates. Not only had he provided a cultivation technique, but he had even prepared a battle suit, weapon, and cultivation resources.
Suddenly, as if recalling something, he asked Old Wu expectantly, "Lord Wu, can the cultivation technique Master bestowed only be cultivated by me? Can I pass it on to my clansmen?"
"No."
Old Wu rejected him directly. "The cultivation technique Master grants to his Guards was exchanged for with a great deal of resources. It can be cultivated all the way to the peak of the Universe Level, and it also comes with matching Combat Secret Techniques. It absolutely must not be passed on casually."
"All right. I understand."
Qi Yuan replied somewhat dejectedly.
He had been thinking of using the System Return function to obtain an even more advanced cultivation technique, but it seemed that would not work.
As for teaching it in secret, he did not even need to consider it.
All his clansmen were controlled by Biological Chips. In their consciousness, they were absolutely loyal to their master.
Even he, the "Lei Yuan Star Ancestor," would be exposed and abandoned without hesitation if he infringed upon his master's interests.
"It seems staying here forever is not a long-term solution. Otherwise, my growth will be restricted at every turn."
Qi Yuan felt somewhat restless. No. Once I'm settled in, I must rapidly increase my strength through the System Return function, then find an opportunity to escape as soon as possible.
"You don't need to be so disappointed."
Seeing him remain silent, Old Wu assumed he was worried about his clansmen's fate and smiled as he comforted him.
"Don't worry. The Guards' exclusive cultivation technique cannot be passed down, but I have plenty of techniques for Planetary Level cultivation. I'll send you a few sets later."
"Ah?"
Qi Yuan hurriedly composed himself and put on a grateful expression.
"Then thank you, Lord Wu."
Their spacecraft was extremely fast, and the journey of several thousand kilometers passed in an instant.
Soon, the spacecraft landed at the bottom of a deep gorge dozens of kilometers deep yet only a little over a hundred meters wide.
Shielded by the natural terrain, this place was almost completely free from the harassment of lightning and fierce winds.
On the stone walls on both sides of the gorge, black caves of varying sizes could be seen leading into the mountain rock.
"Mine No. 5 is a newly opened Thunder Crystal Ore mine. For now, only your clansmen have been assigned here."
"Master's requirement for you is that this place must produce at least three million tons of Thunder Crystal Ore every year."
"You should note that the Thunder Crystal Ore veins contain extremely intense lightning energy. Even ordinary Planetary Level cultivators will be unable to endure prolonged contact. Although your clansmen have somewhat stronger endurance, they must still know their limits."
"It would be best to have them enter in shifts and leave to rest at regular intervals, avoiding physical damage that might ultimately delay Master's task."
"I've sent everything else you need to be aware of to your Auxiliary Brain. You may also contact me at any time if anything comes up."
Old Wu led Qi Yuan on a quick inspection of several main mine shafts. After giving a few more instructions, he directly boarded his spacecraft and left.
Only then did the heart Qi Yuan had been holding tense finally relax somewhat.
"Phew... I've finally passed the first hurdle. Thankfully, I wasn't thrown into some deadly place right from the start!"
As he watched Old Wu's spacecraft completely vanish above the gorge, an indescribable gleam gradually spread through his eyes.
"Now that I'm temporarily out of danger, I can find an opportunity to test the System Return function!"
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