Swallowing the Stars: 100x Return for Teaching Apprentices

Chapter 144 Initial Universe
"A quota for initial universe comprehension at the World Lord level."

Qi Yuan stared at the last auction item with some surprise.

Besides the unexpected turn of events, he also felt a sense of helplessness, both amused and exasperated.

The initial universe can be considered a sacred place for cultivation for the entire human race.

There are primordial law runes that can be manifested at any time and observed with the naked eye; there are chaos steles that inherit the insights of one of humanity's most powerful overlords; and there are numerous imprints of insights left casually by many powerful figures throughout history.
More importantly, the Chaos City Lord, one of the most powerful figures in the human race, is stationed there, making it absolutely safe.

Years ago, when he first obtained his clone, Qi Yuan also desperately wanted to obtain a spot to comprehend the primordial universe.

After all, if he had such a spot, he could have his main body carry the life core into the Chaos City of the Initial Universe, which would be safe and allow him to quickly improve his understanding of the laws by taking advantage of the special characteristics of the Initial Universe.

However, each opportunity to comprehend the initial universe is extremely precious, and all of them are controlled by the five major giants, including the Virtual Universe Company. Even for a single universe nation, obtaining an opportunity is extremely difficult.

Outside the company, aside from becoming a core elite of the five major companies and being awarded a title for outstanding performance, the only other way to try one's luck is at auctions held by the Virtual Universe Company.

Unfortunately, Qi Yuan had never encountered a World Lord-level comprehension slot in all the previous auctions he had attended, but unexpectedly, it appeared at this moment.
"This spot is a bit late."

Having roamed the battlefields beyond the realm for over a thousand years, Qi Yuan's understanding of the laws has advanced by leaps and bounds, reaching an astonishing level!

How exaggerated is it?

Regarding the laws of time, thanks to the perfect harmony and resonance between Yuqing's clone and the laws of time, he had already gained partial recognition of the fundamental laws of time more than a hundred years ago, and even the recognition of 'time stop,' one of the three major branches of the fundamental laws of time!

Time and space are the two most difficult laws to cultivate. Because cultivating them as a whole is difficult, over the long years, countless cultivators have categorized them and cultivated them one by one.

The laws of time are categorized into three types: 'deceleration', 'pause', and 'acceleration'; the laws of space are categorized into three types: 'teleportation', 'strangulation', and 'blockade'.

Under the three main categories, there are also subcategories. As long as you can fully understand a complete subcategory, you can gain partial recognition of the laws of time or space.

Furthermore, mastering any one of the three major categories will earn you extremely high recognition!

Mastering these three categories will allow you to become a supreme being in the universe!
Qi Yuan's ability to gain recognition from 'Time Stop', one of the three major branches, indicates that he has an extremely high level of understanding of the laws of time, comparable to the level of a King-level Immortal. Once he breaks through, he will have the opportunity to directly reach the King level!
As for the laws of space, although he is a little behind, he is not far from fully comprehending the 'sealing' category and gaining its recognition. It is estimated that he should be able to easily complete it in a few hundred years.

In fact, even without the special reward 'Heart of Law' he received before, the time he planned to break through to immortality was not too far off.

The arrival of the Heart of Laws merely brought this plan forward a little.

However, the Heart of Law also has the effect of counteracting the rejection of the divine body, which will greatly help him comprehend other lower-level laws in the future, and its importance remains indispensable.

Therefore, the fact that this initial universe comprehension slot at the World Lord level has only arrived at this point in time seems rather pointless.
"However, it wouldn't hurt to go and see it beforehand. With my current understanding of the laws, I should be able to pass the test of the 18th level of the Virtual Universe Sky Bridge. Once I pass, I can obtain a permanent residence permit in Chaos City. Anyway, I'm going to Chaos City anyway, so it's convenient to go there."

"Besides, it's also a good opportunity to show my face under the nose of that Chaos City Lord. Although my several clones are all humanoid, it's better to have an extra layer of insurance. After all, gaining the trust of such a high-ranking person will make it easier to take on disciples in the future."

At the Lanting Auction, the appearance of a World Lord-level spot caused Qi Yuan to slightly adjust his plans.

After winning the cultivation spot in this initial universe through the auction, he has gained access to the headquarters of the Virtual Universe Company. There, he will take a spaceship and enter the initial universe through the cosmic passage.

Now that Red Leaf Star's development is fully on track, and with several Realm Lord-level disciples overseeing it, there's not much to worry about.

After making some arrangements, Qi Yuan's main body and Taiqing's clone immediately set off, quickly heading to the headquarters of the Virtual Universe Company aboard an F9-class spaceship that had been returned over the years.

Meanwhile, Yuqing and Shangqing, the two clones returning from the battlefield outside the domain, also changed course and converged towards the main body.

After a year and two months of flight, Yuqing, Shangqing's clones, and their main bodies successfully reunited in a deserted starry sky, and then continued their journey without stopping.
This is a vast continent suspended in the endless starry sky.

The vastness of the continent has completely exceeded the limits of what ordinary human beings can imagine!

What should have been enormous stars and planets appear as tiny specks, like sesame seeds, in the face of this vast continent.

Even some spaceships flying towards the mainland, despite having been flying for a long time, seemed not to have gotten any closer.

This is the headquarters of Virtual Universe Corporation, the base of this super-giant force.

The entire vast continent has a diameter of tens of light-years. If you don't travel through the dark universe, it would take at least several decades to cross this continent by flying!

A patch of starry sky some distance from the vast continent.

Wow~~~
The space rippled slightly, and an ancient sword-shaped spaceship, dark gold in color and faintly marked with cloud-like patterns, suddenly appeared in the starry sky.

"This is the headquarters of Virtual Universe Corporation!"

Inside the spaceship, Qi Yuan was utterly awestruck by the scene he saw in the exterior simulation.

A massive landmass tens of light-years in diameter—that's a whole concept!
The entire solar system is only about 2 light-years in diameter, but this one continent, in terms of sheer depth, is comparable to the diameter of dozens of solar systems!
Without the virtual exterior simulation of the spaceship, it would be impossible to take in such a vast continent with the naked eye.

Before it, no matter how tall a human being is, they will be so small that they are not even worth a speck of dust!

"If those astronomers from my past lives saw this, their brains would probably be drained dry."

Qi Yuan sighed inwardly with deep emotion before ordering the spaceship to accelerate and approach the vast continent.

Even at sub-light speed, the vast continent still appeared extremely distant, as if it were not getting any closer.

The headquarters of the Virtual Universe Company is such an important place. The surrounding starry sky has long been modified by the peak power of the human race. The entire continent is faintly a space-time of its own, so it is impossible to travel directly to it through the dark universe.

Even if a strange spaceship appears in the surrounding space without permission, it will be immediately suppressed or destroyed!
The dark gold spaceship traveled at near-light speed for nearly 12 hours before receiving a guidance signal from headquarters on the mainland.

Following the signal, after another hour of flight, we finally approached an entrance to the vast continent, and then arrived at an incredibly grand and spacious hall through the entrance passage.

The spaceship gradually slowed down until it came to a complete stop.

Wow~~
The hatch opened, and Qi Yuan, dressed in dark gold patterned armor, stepped out.

"A realm lord traveling in a spaceship made of F9-grade metal Flowing Cloud Stone Mother?" In the hall, a silver-robed, bald immortal god in charge of the reception was slightly surprised, but then stepped forward.

"Qi Yuan of the Lanting Universe Kingdom obtained a spot for enlightenment in the initial universe at the World Lord level at the auction, and his application for permission to travel to the initial universe was approved one year and eight months ago."

The screen quickly identified Qi Yuan's information on the silver-robed immortal god arm guard.

"Is this an application to travel to the initial universe?"

The immortal deity in silver robes smiled and spoke to Qi Yuan.

These immortals, who work at the headquarters of the virtual universe company, usually have a great sense of superiority, but they also have to consider who they are dealing with.

The fact that a mere realm lord could afford an F9-class spaceship suggests he must have an extremely powerful background, and he naturally wouldn't want to treat such a person with disrespect.

"Yes, it's about going to the initial universe."

Qi Yuan stored the spaceship inside his body and responded with a smile.

"If you are heading to the Initial Universe, please follow the passage ahead to the waiting hall to rest and wait. Someone will notify you before the next batch of ships heading to the Initial Universe departs."

The silver-robed immortal deity said politely.

"How long will it take?" Qi Yuan asked casually.

"Your timing is a bit off."

The silver-robed immortal god shook his head. "The last batch of ships that entered the initial universe has just set off. The next time the passage will open, it will have to wait until there are enough people, but it won't be long. It will take seven or eight days if it's fast, and a little over a month if it's slow."

"Thank you so much."

Qi Yuan smiled and nodded, then turned and flew forward along the passage indicated by the silver-robed immortal. After flying all the way, he soon arrived at an extremely spacious hall.

The entire hall has an oval, transparent ceiling, through which one can see the outer universe and starry sky.

At this moment, there were only a few dozen people scattered around the tables, chairs, and sofas in the hall, making it seem rather deserted.

"The next batch of channels will open in seven or eight days at the earliest, and a month at the latest."

Qi Yuan casually found a seat and sat down.

"Hey bro, are you also heading to the initial universe?"

A Minotaur of the Realm Lord level sitting not far from him approached him with an extremely familiar air.

"I am Baron from the Xunfeng Universe Kingdom, and I am also here to enter the Initial Universe for enlightenment," the minotaur introduced himself.

"Qi Yuan of the Lanting Universe Kingdom." Qi Yuan nodded with a faint smile.

"Haha, Brother Qi Yuan, hello."

The minotaur named Baron was extremely talkative, and soon he started chatting with Qi Yuan about all sorts of things.

However, Baron did most of the talking, and Qi Yuan only occasionally chimed in.

The two chatted intermittently, and three days passed quickly.

Over the course of three days, the number of people in the hall gradually increased to more than three hundred.

"Sigh, we're really unlucky. We just happened to arrive when the previous batch of ships that entered the initial universe were leaving."

Baron, the minotaur, scanned the hall with his bull-like eyes, muttering under his breath, "Too slow. At this rate of arrival, it'll probably be at least another half a month before we can get in."

"You've spent almost ten years on your way here, what's a little more time to you?" Qi Yuan joked with a smile.

"That's different. Back then, we didn't notice anything amiss on the way, but now that we're right at the door, they're just waiting here and won't let us in."

Baron shook his big head. "That's the legendary primordial universe! Half of the world lords who go in can break through to immortality. My teacher worked so hard to get me a spot so I could break through to immortality. How could I not be anxious!"

"There's no use in rushing."

Qi Yuan was about to respond.

Just then, a young immortal god, also dressed in a silver robe, entered the hall.

The young man glanced around the hall and shouted, "The initial universe portal is about to open! Everyone, assemble here and board the spaceship!"

"Hmm? Start it now?"

"Why open the channel now? Aren't there enough people yet?"

Those waiting in the hall got up out of curiosity, and Qi Yuan and Balen quickly followed.

"This situation probably means that some important figure is heading to the initial universe," someone speculated.

"Huh? What kind of important figure can open the Initial Universe Channel alone?"

"I don't know, but they must be at least a King-level expert, or one of the most core geniuses of the five major powers."

Amidst the curious conversation, a group of people in the hall, led by the young immortal god, quickly boarded a dark blue spaceship with a huge belly.

Not long after, with a tremendous roar, the passage into the primordial universe slowly opened, and the dark blue spaceship carrying hundreds of people quickly flew into the huge passage ahead.
The fundamental laws of space acknowledge that, as described by Luo Feng when he met the Lord of Chaos City after recognizing the Star Tower as his master, one can gain recognition by comprehending even a small category.
However, Luo Feng only gained recognition for 'Teleportation,' one of the three major branches, by relying on his Demon Slayer Clan clone and the special spatial perception when his understanding of the laws reached the 18th level of the Bridge to Heaven. Normally, it would have taken until around the 19th level. But logically, before gaining recognition for Teleportation, he should have already comprehended some of the subcategories under Teleportation and should have gained recognition much earlier. So, there seems to be a contradiction.
Let's clarify the concept here: assume that the subcategories under the three main categories are interconnected. For example, to fully comprehend a subcategory, one needs to comprehend most of the teleportation subcategory and a small part of the blockade subcategory. Only by combining these can one truly comprehend the subcategory. Luo Feng focused on the 'teleportation' subcategory and did not distract himself from comprehending these subcategories to perfection, so he directly gained the recognition of 'teleportation'.

This is the most reasonable explanation I can think of. Of course, just take it as a joke and don't take it too seriously.
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(End of this chapter)