One of the biggest changes after becoming a King-level Immortal and gaining permanent residency in Chaos City was that Hu Yanbo no longer needed to live in one of the standardized Cultivation Residences.
He could choose an unoccupied spot within Chaos City and build a palace that reflected his own style and status.
Just as the Nine Universes Tower, looming indistinctly within a veil of hazy black mist, belonged to Black Mist King;
or the Flame Dragon Hall, forged entirely from flame crystals and seemingly burning for all eternity, belonged to Flame Dragon King.
Each unique palace represented a powerhouse who had put down roots in Chaos City.
Without much hesitation, Hu Yanbo chose a relatively secluded area within the city.
With a thought, he used his newly acquired permanent resident privileges to send a construction request directly to the Palace Construction Bureau under the Chaos City Lord's Mansion.
A moment later, a professional team dispatched by the City Lord's Mansion arrived at the site.
They transported special metals, inscribed reinforcing secret patterns... The entire process was efficient and swift.
A complex of palaces built entirely from black metal, with an ancient, understated style, soon rose from the ground.
Almost the instant construction was completed, the Virtual Universe's intelligent system in Chaos City automatically updated his new address in every resident's access records.
Soon, congratulatory messages and communication requests sent through the Virtual Universe Network began pouring into his Virtual Universe inbox.
Babata's excited voice rang out in his mind, carrying a trace of disbelief. "Master! Master! Look at your Virtual Universe inbox! Besides the Universe Mercenary Alliance, lots of King Rank Sect Masters of the Nine Universes Chaos Stele lineage have written to you!"
"Heavens, even... even True Yan King sent his congratulations!"
"True Yan King?" Hu Yanbo paused in surprise.
Not only was this man the leading figure among the Nine Universe Lineage's King Rank Sect Masters, but he was also the teacher whom his future "beloved disciple," Luo Feng, trusted most!
Of course, that only held true before he had transmigrated!
"Yes! True Yan King himself!" Babata sounded thrilled, as though sharing in the honor. Then, as if someone had dumped a bucket of cold water over him, his voice dropped, taking on a slightly sour note.
"Ah, Master! Did you know that the Zhenyan Secret Technique he created sells for a whopping 800,000 points in the treasury? That's 800,000 points!"
Babata couldn't resist making a comparison, his tone growing wistful. "Secret techniques created by some ordinary Universe Country Lords only sell for around a million points. But your proudest creation, Master, the Soul Seal secret technique, was valued at just 10,000 points when we last submitted it to the alliance for appraisal."
He paused, apparently realizing how discouraging that sounded, and hurried to make amends. "Even... even if you strengthen and perfect it later, I think... I think it would be worth 100,000 points at most, wouldn't it? It still can't compare to a monster like True Yan King..."
Listening to Babata ramble from excitement to envy and then console himself, Hu Yanbo shook his head with a laugh.
"Babata, you ought to have more faith in your master."
"True Yan King is stronger than me now. Much stronger."
"I've never denied that."
"He's an Invincible King who dominates the Outer Domain Battlefield, someone whose name alone strikes terror into alien King Rank warriors. I've only just reached King Rank. The gulf between us is like that between the clouds and the mud."
"But!" Hu Yanbo changed tack, his gaze sweeping over the still-unnamed black palace and the empty space reserved for its plaque.
"That says nothing about the future."
"His strength is what he has now. As far as I know, he's been stuck at King Rank for countless eras."
"Your master, on the other hand, is still making rapid progress!"
"Otherwise, why would my teacher, Yuan Huang-the fourth-ranking figure in the Universe Mercenary Alliance-have taken an interest in me?"
"True Yan King's teacher, meanwhile, is merely a Universe Venerable of the Virtual Universe Company."
Babata seemed stunned by those words and fell silent for a moment.
Master's words made so much sense!
In the eyes of Yuan Huang, and even those above him, the heights his master Hu Yanbo could reach in the future, his potential and possibilities, were enough to rival, or even... surpass True Yan King!
Hu Yanbo said no more. Gathering his thoughts, he sent a thank-you reply to each of the fellow cultivators who had congratulated him.
Once he finished, the palace's black gates slowly closed.
Hu Yanbo began another period of secluded cultivation, digesting what he had gained from the Abyssal Seal.
After all, Yuan Huang was not only incredibly powerful in physical attacks; his attainments in the soul path were equally extraordinary!
Hu Yanbo could use this time to shore up his own weaknesses in the soul path.
"Beep."
"Master, there's an incoming call," Babata called out.
"Accept it." Hu Yanbo tapped lightly at the air, and a screen appeared.
An Immortal God wearing the alliance's standard battle armor appeared on the screen, his presence steady and composed. "Lord Hu Yanbo, the resources you ordered have arrived!"
"Oh?" Hu Yanbo's eyes lit up.
"Come in."
The palace gates opened. The Immortal God respectfully delivered two World Rings, then bowed and withdrew.
Hu Yanbo extended his consciousness into the rings and saw the resources he had ordered neatly arranged within.
He had ordered these resources after deciding to leave Chaos City.
He had exchanged all his available wealth, worth nearly ten billion Hunyuan Units, for a vast quantity of rare treasures from the Universe Mercenary Alliance's treasury in one go!
He had spent points by the bucketload!
Of those ten billion points, a paltry three hundred million or so remained. Everything else had been turned into various items, which would give Hu Yanbo ever more ways to handle danger once he left Chaos City.
Besides materials that could help the Cloud-Touching Vine evolve, there were treasures for rapidly reconstructing his divine body, restoring divine power, and more.
For the rest of his time in Chaos City, Hu Yanbo cultivated the Cloud-Touching Vine while studying the soul path in seclusion.
His original plan had been to create at least one usable, top-tier soul attack secret technique before leaving Chaos City to venture into the wider universe.
Yet plans could never quite keep up with change.
One day, he was absorbed in a crucial stage of his deductions, combining the combat version of the Void Tower with the soul mysteries contained in the Abyssal Seal-
"Beep!"
"Master! You have mail!" Babata's voice rang out with a hint of surprise. "The sender is... Marquis Glorious Light!"
"Glorious Light?" Hu Yanbo stirred and emerged from his deep contemplation.
He connected his consciousness to the Virtual Universe and opened the message.
Rather than text, the email contained a brief message conveyed through a spiritual thought:
"Hu Yanbo..."
"Thank you for saving my life all those years ago. The years I spent knowing you are among the most precious memories of my long life."
"May you advance along the great path and soon reach even greater heights."
"Take care."
"-Glory!"
Before you continue