In the Core Land of Glory Sacred Mountain in the Virtual Universe stood a palace cast entirely from pitch-black metal. Its savage design made it resemble a primordial beast lying in wait. This was Yuan Huang's residence on Glory Sacred Mountain.
Whoosh.
Hu Yanbo appeared out of thin air before the imposing palace doors.
Looking at those oppressive doors, Hu Yanbo couldn't help grumbling inwardly!
Teacher, honestly! Last time, he could clearly have granted me access so I could teleport straight to the entrance, but he insisted that I fly all the way up from the King Rank area.
How many King Rank experts saw me along the way?
They must have been green with envy, right? Hahaha!
Despite those thoughts, he dared not show the slightest negligence. He bowed respectfully toward the palace doors.
"Teacher, your disciple Hu Yanbo requests an audience."
After a moment of silence, the enormous, menacing doors slowly opened without a sound.
Hu Yanbo collected himself and stepped into the palace, which he had visited only twice before.
The light inside was dim, and the space seemed to stretch endlessly. A heart-pounding pressure permeated every corner.
"What is it?" Yuan Huang's voice sounded directly in his consciousness.
Hu Yanbo reported respectfully, "This disciple recently went to the Nether God Secret Realm to rescue an old friend. During the rescue, a chance encounter led me to obtain something."
He then simulated the appearance of the dark-silver, multifaceted crystal. "This disciple has never seen anything like it. It is quite peculiar. When its energy is activated, countless mysterious characters appear on its surface."
"Using my access privileges in the Virtual Universe, I learned that this is... an Inheritance Crystal of the Rift-Splitting Divine Envoy."
The indistinct silhouette deep within the palace rippled slightly, and Yuan Huang slowly descended from his throne.
A vast pressure naturally spread outward, making Hu Yanbo hold his breath at once.
However, compared to when he had become Yuan Huang's disciple and nearly buckled under that pressure, his strength had now advanced greatly. His divine body, soul, and even his will had all progressed.
Though the pressure remained immense, he could endure it with greater composure!
"Hmm?"
Yet Yuan Huang did not immediately look at the simulated image of the Inheritance Crystal. Instead, his piercing gaze carefully examined Hu Yanbo, an almost imperceptible gleam flashing through his eyes.
This left Hu Yanbo somewhat bewildered. Instead of discussing the Inheritance Crystal first, Teacher is examining me? What can he examine in the Virtual Universe? Even this body is virtual!
Unless he's examining the essence of my consciousness and the strength of my will, but that...
After a brief silence, a rare look of amazement appeared on Yuan Huang's normally impassive face. He spoke slowly.
"Hu Yanbo, you... after just this one trip out of Chaos City, your will and consciousness have become stronger and more condensed than when you left!"
His gaze seemed to pierce through virtual space and see the real Hu Yanbo.
"And... you've already gained the recognition of the space origin!"
"That mark of recognition represents Teleportation, doesn't it?" Yuan Huang's tone carried a hint of confirmation.
At those words, Hu Yanbo was briefly startled before understanding dawned.
That's right! It's Teleportation!
He immediately recalled the moment he had drawn upon the mysteries of Teleportation in advance. An immense flood of comprehension of space law had surged into his soul, instantly raising his connection with the universe's space origin to a new height!
It was at that very moment that a deeper connection had formed between his divine body and the universe's space origin law. An extremely tiny yet incomparably complex silver secret-pattern mark had naturally condensed between his brows, representing the mysteries of Teleportation within space law.
This mark was not physical. Rather, it was a symbol of "recognition" naturally bestowed by the universe origin law when one's law comprehension reached a certain depth, and it contained a trace of the power of space law.
Although he was currently in the Virtual Universe and his body was virtual, the Virtual Universe System automatically scanned each connected user's actual physical condition and perfectly reproduced it in the virtual world to simulate reality with 100% accuracy.
As part of his actual condition, the law recognition mark between his brows had naturally been scanned and projected onto this virtual body as well.
How keen was Yuan Huang's gaze? With a single glance, he had seen through the virtual projection to its true essence, instantly discerning Hu Yanbo's astonishing breakthrough in reality.
The surprise in Yuan Huang's eyes quickly faded, replaced by pure admiration.
"Good! Very good!"
"Your talent is far greater than I imagined!"
"Not only did you break through successive realms in just a thousand years in Chaos City and reach King Rank, but in the short time since leaving, you've tempered your will in actual combat and even gained the recognition of the space law origin in one stroke!"
Yuan Huang shook his head slightly, his tone carrying a complex emotion that seemed both gratified and wistful.
"If I had hesitated a little while ago and failed to take you as my disciple, then with the speed of your progress and the potential you're displaying now... I probably wouldn't have had the chance to take you on at all."
"A few of those old fellows in the Human Race who stand above me would probably be willing to take you as their disciple!"
Hu Yanbo's heart jolted at those words. He hurriedly bowed. "Teacher, you praise me too highly! The meager progress this disciple has made is largely thanks to your Abyssal Seal. How could I dare become arrogant?"
The "old fellows" his teacher mentioned were probably those Universe Masters who stood at the true pinnacle of the Human Race, looking down upon the birth and destruction of countless galaxies and deciding the rise or fall of their race with a single word!
Still, Teacher isn't wrong! Hu Yanbo reflected inwardly.
Who could see such potential without coveting it?
It was true that Universe Masters had lofty standards!
They might not even take an interest in an ordinary genius who appeared only once in ten million eras, because even among such geniuses, only one-third could ultimately break through to become Universe Venerables.
Yet the momentum he was displaying now was even more extraordinary than that of the "once in ten million eras" geniuses recorded in history!
If he did not already have a powerful teacher, once word spread, quite a few Universe Masters would be willing to personally inquire about him and take him as their disciple!
At that thought, even with Hu Yanbo's strength of mind, he couldn't help feeling a trace of awe and faint excitement.
But he quickly suppressed those emotions, his manner growing even more respectful.
Potential was one thing. As he was now, he remained as insignificant as a speck of dust before beings like Universe Masters.
Maintaining reverence and humility while moving forward one solid step at a time was the proper path.
Yuan Huang took in all of Hu Yanbo's reactions. Seeing that he understood inwardly yet showed not a trace of arrogance, becoming even more composed instead, greater satisfaction flashed through Yuan Huang's eyes.
Wouldn't I know exactly how much help the Abyssal Seal could provide?
When I first took him as my disciple, judging by his foundation and opportunities, I thought that reaching Peak King in the future would already make him worthy of being my disciple.
Now it seems...
Yuan Huang's gaze seemed to pierce through time and space, seeing the burgeoning, increasingly unfathomable potential within Hu Yanbo.
My vision was too limited back then. I underestimated this little fellow's fortune.
Peak King? That is nowhere near his limit!
If he continues like this, as long as he doesn't fall along the way, then given enough time, after so many eras of silence, another Universe Venerable may well emerge from among my disciples!
To think that taking a disciple after countless eras could add another Universe Venerable to the Human Race-even with Yuan Huang's state of mind, he couldn't help feeling a surge of delight.
"Hahaha!"
"Excellent!"
Before you continue