High-level Marquis

Across the countless rooftops of Chaos City, cultivators from every human race sat in meditation, sensing the clear fluctuations of the universe origin law as they immersed themselves in cultivation.

The rooftop where Hu Yanbo sat had originally been no different from any other.

Recently, however, the energy around him had become unusually active.

Vast amounts of cosmic energy flowed gently but ceaselessly into his divine body, as though drawn by an invisible giant hand. His method of cultivation was entirely different from that of many other Immortals.

For the other Immortals cultivating on the rooftops, this activity might not directly disturb their cultivation, but it was like a gentle yet persistent whirlpool suddenly appearing on a tranquil lake. It inevitably drew attention.

Even the mighty beings high in the heavens, near the immense spatial rifts that continually split and closed as they wove the laws of the universe, noticed something.

Several figures could faintly be seen standing in midair in this region, where ordinary Immortals could not remain for long and only those with profound comprehension of higher laws could gain a foothold.

At that moment, one of those figures, shrouded in faint starlight, paused slightly as his gaze happened to sweep across an area below.

That gaze contained no particularly powerful force, yet it seemed capable of piercing illusion and discerning the essence beneath.

"Interesting." The being within the starlight murmured softly. His voice did not travel through the air; instead, he used Void Divine Power to communicate with his friends beside him.

"A little fellow who only arrived recently, and his divine body is already undergoing a transformation?"

Another being, surrounded by invisible fluctuations of sword intent, also noticed the unusual activity below.

The sword-intent being lowered his gaze as well. A moment later, he spoke with a hint of recognition, communicating through Void Divine Power without disturbing anyone below. "Oh? It's him. That little Marquis who goes it alone. It seems he gained quite a lot from studying the Chaos Stele this time."

Although there were countless Immortal Gods throughout the Human Territory, any who had made even a modest name for themselves or left an impression could easily be remembered.

Gods had exceptionally powerful memories.

And the sword-intent being clearly knew Hu Yanbo below, or had learned about him before.

"A lone wanderer?" After hearing this, the starlit being sent a sliver of his consciousness into the Virtual Universe to retrieve some information.

Hu Yanbo came from an ordinary star region in the Ganwu Universe Country. He had no backing from a clan and no powerful master. He was a Four-Star Mercenary of the Universe Mercenary Alliance.

Over roughly sixty million years, he had struggled to rise from a Military Lord Immortal to a Marquis. (Note: his divine body appeared not yet to have stabilized.) He possessed an F-class spaceship and nine Immortal Servants, including the Marquis-level god, Iron Sword Marquis!

It was a very typical record for a powerful lone wanderer, full of struggle and traces of good fortune. Reaching Marquis was already no easy feat, but by all rights, his prospects had essentially reached their limit.

"He even enslaved a Marquis Immortal. Rather interesting." The starlit being rubbed his chin.

At least that gave his record something noteworthy.

Enslaving someone of a higher rank showed that he truly possessed distinctive abilities in the soul path, rather than relying entirely on luck.

But then his gaze paused on the note stating that his "immortal body had not yet stabilized," and his brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"Isn't the intelligence department's information a little too outdated?" He looked down at the rooftop, sensing that aura, restrained yet extraordinarily solid, which was continually rising and strengthening.

"How does this show any sign of an unstable immortal body? He's clearly forming a High-level Marquis divine body, and the process is remarkably steady and efficient."

As someone who had long since passed through this stage, he was thoroughly familiar with the energy fluctuations and characteristics of law alignment that accompanied breakthroughs at every level of Immortal God.

"So this little fellow concealed his strength first, then advanced his law comprehension straight to High-level Marquis after studying a Chaos Stele once in Chaos City?"

"Either tens of millions of years of accumulated potential erupted all at once, or... he gained far more from the Chaos Stele than anyone could have imagined. Whichever it is, his comprehension and potential are much greater than the records suggest."

The starlit being instantly reached a judgment that better matched reality.

For a lone wanderer to reach this point, strength of character and perseverance were indispensable. If his comprehension was also exceptional, then he was worth investing in.

"He's worth spending a little to recruit."

Appreciation for talent stirred within the starlit being, and he felt that he could invite Hu Yanbo to join the Virtual Universe Company.

Such invitations were not nearly as commonplace as one might imagine.

For the countless Immortal Gods across the vast Human Territory, if they had not been recruited into the core layers of the five major powers before becoming Immortals, the difficulty of entering those inner circles afterward rose sharply.

None of the five giants lacked ordinary Immortal Gods. What they truly lacked were geniuses with boundless potential and supreme experts capable of holding their own.

The claim circulating outside that "anyone can easily join the five major powers upon becoming an Immortal" was merely the fantasy of the ignorant.

Otherwise, in the original story, Babata would not have regretted that Hu Yanbo had failed to swallow his pride in his youth and follow some great figure to become an outer member of the Virtual Universe Company.

That would have allowed him to enter its core after becoming an Immortal!

As for Long Yun's so-called Four-Star Mercenary title, it was merely an affiliation powerful lone wanderers adopted to make accepting missions more convenient. The Mercenary Alliance's Core Layer was nothing like such a loose association.

At most, Hu Yanbo was on the outermost fringe of its outer members, with no meaningful ties to the alliance.

Recruiting an outer member of the Mercenary Alliance hardly breaks the rules. The starlit being felt no concern whatsoever.

Although the five major powers shared an unspoken understanding, when it came to genuine talent, they had always competed using whatever means they possessed.

I'll wait until he finishes this secluded cultivation session! the starlit being thought.

His consciousness then swept across several other places in Chaos City where Immortals were cultivating, checking whether any overlooked gems like Hu Yanbo remained.

But only a moment later, that vast consciousness withdrew.

"Tsk. Nothing remarkable." Compared with the methodical, even somewhat arduous cultivation of the other Immortals, Hu Yanbo's efficient and rapid breakthrough below appeared especially dazzling.

Without comparison, there was no sting.

After watching Hu Yanbo's breakthrough, observing the other Immortals felt utterly dull, leaving him with no interest in examining them further.

Of course, Hu Yanbo, seated on the rooftop below, knew nothing of the thoughts running through the minds of those mighty figures above.

His entire mind was immersed in the transformation of his divine body, guiding the tremendous cosmic energy as it repeatedly refined and filled every cell.

Time held no meaning within Chaos City. He continued absorbing, converting, and consolidating without distraction... and as that cycle repeated, several hundred years passed in the blink of an eye.

The surging tides of energy around Hu Yanbo gradually subsided. The intense, active fluctuations of the space law slowly drew inward as well, until they finally stabilized completely.

He slowly opened his eyes, divine radiance shining within them, and an aura far stronger and more concentrated than before naturally flowed from him.

High-level Marquis! His divine body and law comprehension had aligned completely, bringing a qualitative leap in his strength!

"It's finally done." He felt the power coursing through his body and the patterns of the space law, now countless times clearer, and his heart filled with satisfaction.

If he faced Demon Hand King again now, even if he could not win, retreating with ease would be no problem at all.