The Universe Ship

“A continent? A continent?” Luo Feng stood inside the Universe Ship, his eyes wide as saucers as he gazed at the boundless continent suspended in the distant Cosmic Starry Sky.

Planets, stars, nebulae, and various other celestial bodies drifting through the cosmos were common sights. Even occasionally seeing the wreckage of Universe Ships or living Starry Sky Behemoths wouldn't surprise Luo Feng. But to see an infinitely vast continent floating in the Cosmic Starry Sky... it was truly astonishing!

This wasn't the Virtual Universe; this was reality!

“Just how massive is this?” Luo Feng secretly gasped.

The stars and planets near this colossal landmass floating in the starry sky were mere specks. Even as the Universe Ship continuously flew towards it, after flying for quite some time, the continent still felt incredibly distant.

“It's tens of millions of times larger than any planet I've ever seen. It's too big,” Luo Feng held his breath.

“Your Highness, what do you think of the Virtual Universe Company's universal headquarters?” the lean old man beside him smiled.

Luo Feng asked, puzzled, “How big is the headquarters?”

“How big?”

The lean old man shook his head. “If you don't enter the Dark Universe through cosmic travel, it would take at least several decades for a Universe Ship to fly from one side of the headquarters to the other.”

“You mean...” Luo Feng was greatly startled. “Its diameter is around several tens of light-years?”

One light-year is more than nine trillion kilometers.

Earth's diameter is only a little over ten thousand kilometers.

No wonder the distant stars and planets looked like sesame seeds. This continent floating in the cosmos... was truly absurdly large.

“Indeed,” the silver-haired lean old man nodded.

“Where did such a massive landmass come from?” Luo Feng couldn't help but ask. “Can such a huge continent naturally form in the cosmos?” Although the cosmos was mysterious and held many wondrous places, the birth of a continent tens of light-years in diameter was still too incredible.

“Unclear,” the lean old man shook his head.

Luo Feng asked no more questions.

...

Although the infinitely vast continent in the distant starry sky was visible, it took the F-grade Universe Ship, flying at near-light speed, approximately thirteen hours to reach one of the entrances to the Virtual Universe Company's universal headquarters. During the flight, Luo Feng felt the entire continent was magnificently beautiful.

It seemed to be composed of natural cosmic scenery, but as the Universe Ship entered the continent, Luo Feng still sensed the advanced technology hidden behind this 'natural' facade.

“Your Highness, those stars, planets, asteroids, and other celestial bodies surrounding the headquarters continent are actually formidable technological weapons,” the lean old man introduced in the luxurious hall of the ship.

“Oh?” Luo Feng nodded. “With the Company's capabilities, those stars and planets are indeed like toys to be molded at will.”

Even Immortal experts could manipulate stars.

Given the Virtual Universe Company's incredible technological means, and since even a Sector Lord knew those modified stars and planets were weapons, they were likely just for show. The true defensive trump cards of the Virtual Universe Company's headquarters wouldn't be so simple.

Whoosh!

After flying at sub-light speed for several minutes through the continent's entrance passage, the Universe Ship finally decelerated and came to a stop.

Luo Feng, accompanied by Sector Lord Sha Wu and others, flew out of the hatch.

Outside, more than ten men and women in uniform were waiting. As Luo Feng arrived, a silver-armored, green-horned man, who seemed to be their leader, stepped forward and said respectfully, “Your Highness Luo Feng, I was ordered by the Venerable to wait here. Please follow me.”

“Understood,” Luo Feng nodded.

“Sha Wu, thanks,” Luo Feng turned back to the lean old man.

Sector Lord Sha Wu smiled. “It was my honor to accompany Your Highness for three years.”

Then, the two parted ways.

...

Luo Feng, the silver-armored, green-horned man, and the others walked along the dreamlike corridor. The latter half of the corridor was transparent, offering a clear view of the beautiful starry sky outside, as well as the surrounding mountain scenery.

“Your Highness Luo Feng, Your Highness Luo Feng.” Three people were already waiting at the front of the corridor.

“Hmm?” Luo Feng looked at the newcomers in confusion.

“Your Highness, these are the items you purchased. As per your request, they are being delivered here at the headquarters,” the three said, presenting the items.

Because Luo Feng's three-year journey was in the Dark Universe, and he had spent those three years cultivating in the 'Virtual Universe,' he hadn't requested immediate delivery for the 'Shadow Gold Blade,' 'Void Shield,' 'Life Fruit,' and 'Lank Fruit' he had exchanged with points. The Moyun Teng still had food reserves, so the delivery was scheduled for the headquarters.

Of course, secret techniques like the 'Shadow Secret Manual' were learned directly within the Virtual Universe.

“Heh, thanks,” Luo Feng opened and inspected them, then stored them directly into his Spatial Ring.

...

Just a moment later, Luo Feng was led into an oval-shaped hall. The entire hall, including its walls and ceiling, was transparent. Looking up, he could see the infinite starry sky. Gazing into the distance, he could admire the beautiful scenery of the headquarters, and at any time, he could spot Universe Ships, and even Immortal beings streaking past like meteors.

“Luo Feng.”

“Crazy, you're here.”

“Haha, Crazy.”

As soon as Luo Feng entered, he was immediately greeted by many.

“Longyun, Wuka, Jiangmo,” Luo Feng smiled and greeted them one by one. During their three years of arduous training on Yuxiang Mountain, the young people who entered at the same time naturally had a lot of interaction. Over these three years, except for a very few reclusive individuals, most had become friends, or at least could chat and laugh together.

Perhaps many of them were very arrogant in the past, but arrogance often stemmed from loneliness, from not encountering excellent opponents of the same caliber.

Those who made it into the top 1000 of the genius battle's universal ranking at least acknowledged each other's strength, so forming friendships was normal.

“Has Rongjun not arrived yet?” Luo Feng looked around.

“He'll be here soon; he's almost inside the headquarters,” the Manka Star youth Wuka said casually. “Come, sit here.”

“Okay.”

Being in the Taichu District, the eight individuals from the Taichu District generally stayed close. The seating arrangements in the hall clearly showed how the 1000 people had naturally formed into various circles.

“Bolan,” Luo Feng called out, seeing the white-clad youth sitting by the window.

The white-clad youth turned his head and glanced. “Hmm.” He merely responded, then turned back to silently observe the scenery outside. During these three years on Yuxiang Mountain, 'Death God' Bolan had always been very solitary, only having slight contact with a dozen or so people, and rarely speaking. However, upon interaction, Luo Feng and the others found that while Bolan was cold and reclusive, he was generally a good person.

“Those few from the Taichu District seem quite arrogant, always sticking with Bolan... as if they're so much stronger than us.”

“Exactly, when we broke into the top 100, the Virtual Universe system directly selected 20 of us to compete for the top ten, without giving us a chance.”

“And it's been three years. In these three years, all of us in the Tiandi District have made progress, some even astonishing progress. Many of us are probably stronger than those in the Taichu District now.”

“Just wait, there will be opportunities to compete.”

On the other side, more than ten young people chatted amongst themselves, their voices shielded by their spiritual force.

Unconvinced.

Ever since the Virtual Universe system directly selected individuals for ranking, many geniuses felt unconvinced. Moreover, after three years, everyone had made significant progress, especially some who previously lacked good secret techniques. Those who had exchanged for suitable secret techniques during these three years had made immense progress and were very confident.

...

After about six more hours, all 1000 people had gathered.

“Everyone, please follow me.”

When the 1000 people were assembled, a tall, slender, red-eyed man shrouded in a simple white robe spoke in a hoarse voice. The faintly emanating aura sent shivers down the spines of all 1000 young people, making them feel as if ordinary people had encountered an incredibly terrifying venomous snake. After exiting the hall, this tall, slender, red-eyed man immediately enveloped the 1000 young people present in a powerful, irresistible force.

Whoosh!

Instantly transforming into a stream of light, they flew for several minutes before arriving in front of a peculiar ship parked on a lawn. Only then were the 1000 young people released.

“Phew.”

Luo Feng finally let out a sigh of relief. That feeling of helpless chill had indeed been heart-pounding. The other geniuses around him felt the same.

“Everyone, please enter the ship,” the tall, slender, red-eyed man said indifferently.

Luo Feng looked up and saw the peculiar ship in front of him.

“Is this a ship?” Luo Feng was greatly astonished. The ship before him was too unique; it was entirely shaped like a giant fish! The enormous, dark blue fish was immense, its caudal fin gently swaying. It was a fish nearly a thousand meters long. Yet, the 'giant fish' ship had a hatch open in its belly, and through it, one could see the corridors inside.

Dumbfounded.

Among the 1000 geniuses, except for a very few who seemed to know about such ships, the others looked bewildered. Under the urging of the tall, slender, red-eyed man, they all entered through the hatch.

“The inside is like any other ship, but why does the outside look like a fish?” Luo Feng and his group walked through the ship's internal corridor. “F-grade Universe Ships are made of pure natural metal. The ships that brought us 1000 people were F-grade Universe Ships. Now, heading to the Primal Universe, this Universe Ship must be at least F-grade.”

Pure metal should be hard and tough.

It was incredible, just like a real fish.

“Fool!”

“You don't even understand this? This is a Universe Ship integrated with other life forms,” Babata's voice rang out. “And it's a very high-level life form, at least Immortal-level. Some special species among metal life forms and plant life forms can integrate with a ship and become one. This ship... is much better than your teacher's Yunmo Star. If my guess is correct, it should be considered a G-grade Universe Ship, surpassing F-grade. To possess such a ship, one must be a super-existence standing at the peak in the vast universe.”

“A ship integrated with an Immortal-level life form?” Luo Feng hadn't fully processed it before he was swept along with the crowd into the ship's main hall.

Inside the hall.

An invisible pressure made all 1000 geniuses dare not speak. Even the other ten-plus Immortal beings in the ship, including the tall, slender, red-eyed man, bowed slightly.

Luo Feng immediately saw the purple-scaled man in a green battle robe standing at the very front. Although he stood there, he exuded a sense of etherealness, making him seem like a virtual projection rather than a real person. The purple-scaled man looked at the group of young people and then said, “Depart for the Primal Universe.”

Rumble~~

The giant fish-like Universe Ship, with a flick of its tail fin, instantly vanished from its spot.