Three Years Later

The Virtual Universe Company's points were incredibly precious. As a new member of the Taichu District, the initial 10,000 free points were certainly to be valued. Although there were countless secret arts available that could drive even Immortals mad, their prices were astronomically high—millions, tens of millions of points...

Luo Feng could only stare and drool.

“No, I should choose this one.”

“Luo Feng, you need to be practical. You have to be frugal with your points.”

“So expensive!”

“Bought it.”

Luo Feng and Babata debated and discussed, constantly reminding themselves that they only had 10,000 points in total. After nearly half an hour, they finally completed all their exchanges.

...

The Golden Horned Beast clone consumed zero points.

The Demon Killer Clan clone consumed 9,820 points, purchasing a complete set of complementary secret arts and weapons.

This included the relatively expensive warrior close-combat movement technique, 'Phantom Illusion Body,' valued at 3,200 points; the more basic shield technique, 'Phantom Shield,' valued at 800 points; and an excellent knife technique, 'Seven Phantom Blades,' valued at 5,800 points. The Shadow Gold Blade cost 12 points, and the Void Shield cost 8 points. The movement technique, shield technique, and knife technique formed a complete set, renowned for its ghostly movement and fierce knife attacks.

Luo Feng's original body consumed 180 points: 20 points for a Shadow Gold Blade and a Void Shield, 100 points for two life fruits, and 60 points for 30 units of Lanke Fruit.

All 10,000 points were spent!

...

The spaceship continued its journey through the Dark Universe at 20 times the speed of light.

Inside the ship.

Luo Feng, holding a wine bottle and glass, walked directly into the private lounge next to his bedroom. He opened the screen and watched some news programs.

The screen was broadcasting the recently concluded genius battle.

“Points are spent so quickly.”

Luo Feng poured himself a glass of fruit wine, then lay directly on the soft sofa. “Especially secret arts; a complete set almost drained all my points. I hope it doesn’t disappoint me, or I’ll be heartbroken.”

“Luo Feng, this complete 'Phantom Secret Manual,' comprising 'Phantom Illusion Body,' 'Phantom Shield,' and 'Seven Phantom Blades,' will absolutely not disappoint you,” Babata said. “Although it’s considered a relatively basic secret art, you are, after all, just a Star-level junior. This set of secret arts will be sufficient until you reach the Immortal level.”

Luo Feng nodded.

He understood that some secret arts were unfathomably profound, requiring even Immortals to painstakingly study them. Giving them to him would be like handing him a heavenly book—what good would it do if he couldn't understand it? It was more effective to buy these cheaper secret arts that focused on solid foundations. Even his teacher’s self-created 'Soul Imprint,' which contained various soul imprint secret arts, was estimated by Babata to be worth around 10,000 points after reviewing the treasure vault.

This Phantom Secret Manual, containing three secret arts, totaled over nine thousand points, making it comparable to the 'Soul Imprint.'

“Babata, what combat secret art should the Golden Horned Beast cultivate?” Luo Feng asked.

“Are you already planning for the Golden Horned Beast to cultivate combat skills?” Babata pressed. “Why not continue building its foundation first?”

The Golden Horned Beast currently only knew 'Original Body Heaven and Earth' and 'Absolute Space.'

'Absolute Space' was a movement technique.

'Original Body Heaven and Earth' was purely a method for shrinking and enlarging its body. It had no combat skills whatsoever... Currently, the Golden Horned Beast fought entirely by relying on its innate talent 'Reinforce' or its physical prowess, without systematic combat techniques. In Babata's view, laying a solid foundation first would make learning combat techniques much easier in the future.

Moreover, the Golden Horned Beast’s inherited memories contained plenty of combat secret arts, so it could cultivate combat skills whenever it wished.

Various physical combat techniques!

Its hooves, scaled wings, tail, and strong body were all killing weapons. Generations of Golden Horned Beasts had created many brutal combat secret arts to maximize their fighting power.

“Building a foundation?” Luo Feng mused. “That’s fine. I won’t need the Golden Horned Beast for killing for a long time.”

Luo Feng then tilted his head back, drained his glass of fruit wine, and stood up, his eyes filled with fighting spirit: “It’s time to begin!”

...

Time flew by, month after month.

The F-grade spaceship, forged from Guiyan Motherstone, continued its journey towards the 'Virtual Universe Company's Universal Headquarters,' located in the very center of the entire human territory in the universe. Luo Feng, naturally, spent every day inside the ship, his consciousness entering the virtual universe, absorbing knowledge like a sponge.

And within his internal world.

The golden continent had already reached 9,000 kilometers in length and width. Evidently, during the long period of Luo Feng’s genius battle, the Golden Horned Beast had evolved to Universe Level Ninth Tier. To advance from Universe Level Ninth Tier to Domain Lord First Tier normally required 500 years, and even with the 56-fold increase from metal combination, it would still take about 9 years.

Feeling the rich Law of Gold Origin fluctuations as his 'internal world' continuously expanded, the Golden Horned Beast listened intently, observed, and carefully comprehended the Law of Gold Origin.

Meanwhile, the Demon Killer Clan clone would transform into a small Golden Horned Beast to cultivate 'Absolute Space,' enhancing its comprehension of Space Origin. Or it would transform into a human, using a knife and shield, to cultivate the 'Phantom Secret Manual'...

...

In the Virtual Universe, Taichu District, Manor No. 1136’s training ground.

The fully enclosed training ground was empty.

Luo Feng, barefoot and wearing shorts, held the hexagonal 'Void Shield' and carried a 'Shadow Gold Blade' styled like a blood-shadow battle knife on his back.

“Simulated battle!” Luo Feng called out. “Opponent: Rongjun. Combat power: set to his strongest performance during the peak genius battle.”

*Sizzle~*

In the enormous training ground, 50 kilometers long and 30 kilometers wide, a figure vaguely condensed, then transformed into the savage Rongjun, over three meters tall. Rongjun carried a giant battle knife, the Earth-Splitting Blade, and wore only simple animal skin, also barefoot. His eyes were blank, and he stood motionless.

“Begin!” Luo Feng shouted.

*Boom!*

Rongjun’s simulated eyes immediately lit up, and he charged towards Luo Feng like a mountain.

“Come on.” Luo Feng drew his battle knife, shield in hand, transforming into eighteen Luo Fengs, like eighteen ghostly golden streaks, directly colliding.

“Clang!”

The two clashed head-on.

Luo Feng unleashed his knife technique, with tens of thousands of strikes exchanged almost instantly. It was incredibly fast; Luo Feng’s movement was astonishingly ghostly, and his knife technique was equally so. It seemed elusive and not particularly powerful, yet at times, its explosive power was terrifying.

“Slash!” The savage Rongjun’s hair flew, his eyes like lightning, roaring like thunder as his giant battle knife cleaved down!

“Slash!”

“Slash!”

Each roar was overwhelmingly powerful.

In the genius battle, in terms of attack power, he was second only to the strongest, Bolan. In terms of strangeness, it was the illusions of Jialaixi. In terms of unstoppable force, it was Luo Feng’s 'Sky-Piercing Style.' And in terms of domineering might, it was the savage’s knife technique!

They fought fiercely for several minutes.

“Pfft!”

Spitting blood, Luo Feng was sent flying, falling to the ground like a broken sandbag.

*Rumble~~~* The training ground shifted, the simulated Rongjun disappeared, and Luo Feng’s injuries fully recovered.

This specially equipped 'training ground' had the effect of a 'killing space,' capable of simulating any desired opponent, though the 'training ground' itself had limited simulated space.

“Hmm, I’ve made progress.” Luo Feng stood up with a smile. “My close combat might now qualify me for the top 100 in the genius battle.”

Close combat!

Yes, close combat was Luo Feng’s greatest weakness. In the previous 'peak genius battle,' he lost twice—once to Rongjun and once to Longyun—both times defeated by a single move after they closed in. As a Controller, Luo Feng could wreak havoc from a distance.

But once an opponent got close, he was finished.

Because a person’s energy is limited, Luo Feng didn’t have time to divide his attention, but now it was different. The Demon Killer Clan clone was inherently a close combat expert, so it naturally had to cultivate the 'Phantom Secret Manual.' The three bodies shared the same soul and consciousness; what one learned, the other two naturally learned!

“In terms of law comprehension, I’m stronger than Rongjun, but I still lose in close combat…” Luo Feng shook his head. “There’s indeed a gap between the human body and the Demon Killer Clan body.”

When the Demon Killer Clan clone unleashed the 'Phantom Secret Manual,' that was the true 'Phantom'!

With the Demon Killer Clan clone, even compared to Bolan, the difference wasn’t significant. But the human body was far weaker.

“Keep working hard!”

“I want to be strong not only in long-range attacks but also in close combat. That’s truly having no weaknesses!”

...

Luo Feng continued to train diligently.

Finally, after about two years and three months into the cosmic journey, he managed to defeat Rongjun purely through close combat!

“I defeated the Rongjun from the genius battle. The current Rongjun must also be using the resources provided by the Virtual Universe Company to effectively strengthen himself, so he’s definitely stronger now.” Luo Feng dared not relax in the slightest.

Indeed.

Over the three-year journey, all 1,000 absorbed geniuses dared not slack off. This genius battle had a profound impact on all of them. Before, they rarely met opponents, but the series of life-and-death battles in the genius battle truly affected many. After the genius battle, many reflected on those few years and made significant progress.

Coupled with the ability to choose any desired secret art, for individuals like Rongjun, Wuka, and Aopatela from the Taichu District, 10,000 points were enough for them to buy many things they wanted.

At their level, there was no need to buy overly expensive items.

Three years of dedication led to great progress for all of them.

...

In the spaceship’s main hall.

A black-haired young man, wearing a perfectly fitted combat suit and boots, stood there. Beside him, a lean, silver-haired elder respectfully said, “Your Highness, we are about to arrive at the company’s Universal Headquarters.”

“Mm.” Luo Feng nodded.

Three years!

These were the years of his fastest progress, but the deeper he delved, the more Luo Feng felt the unfathomable depth of the universe’s origin laws, the profound complexity of the universe’s operation. His secret arts could only be considered those used by 'below Immortal' or 'ordinary Immortal' beings, yet he still found them profound, indicating the difficulty of this path.

“I’ve improved so much, I wonder how the others are doing.” Luo Feng thought to himself. “I have the Golden Horned Beast and the Demon Killer Clan clone; this is a unique opportunity! However… the universe is vast, what kind of miraculous encounters won’t happen? Perhaps among these 1,000 geniuses, some have even more astonishing opportunities.”

Never underestimate anyone, never be arrogant.

The universe is vast and infinitely mysterious, with billions of races, humanity being just one of them. One must always maintain reverence for the universe.

“Initiating cosmic transit, entering the Original Universe.”

“10…9…8…7…6…5…4…3…2…1!”

Luo Feng felt the entire spaceship tremble slightly. Ten seconds later, everything returned to normal. He immediately called out, “Exterior simulation 100%.” Instantly, the entire hall became transparent and vanished, revealing a dreamlike starry sky. In the distance, a vast, incredibly immense supercontinent floated in the starry expanse.

Luo Feng was completely stunned.

The Virtual Universe Company’s Universal Headquarters had been reached.