Liu Hui saw the sheer excitement on Xiaoyaozi’s face and said, “Senior, I have one more thing to give you.” Xiaoyaozi merely grunted in response to Liu Hui’s words, showing no other reaction, his eyes still shining brightly as he gazed at the high-grade Spirit Stones on the ground, not even turning his head. After all, in Xiaoyaozi’s estimation, nothing could be more valuable than the one hundred thousand high-grade Spirit Stones spread before him.

Liu Hui chuckled, “Senior, I found this item among those high-grade Spirit Stones. It looks far superior to them at a glance. Are you really not interested in it?” Hearing this, Xiaoyaozi finally shifted his gaze toward Liu Hui. He saw Liu Hui holding a Magic Beast Crystal Core that radiated a crimson light. The core was enormous, its color vibrant, and it was enveloped by a thick aura of spiritual energy fluctuations. It was immediately clear that this object was exponentially more valuable than a high-grade Spirit Stone.

“Little friend, you mentioned giving me something. Is this what you are holding in your hand?” Xiaoyaozi had never witnessed a Spirit Stone of such pristine quality; he was certain this must be an extraordinary treasure. That was why he asked Liu Hui so foolishly, unable to believe Liu Hui would gift him something so valuable without reason.

Liu Hui smiled, placed the Grade Eight Demonic Beast Crystal Core onto the Planar Trading Device, and clicked ‘Trade.’ Xiaoyaozi quickly followed suit, seizing the Grade Eight Magic Beast Crystal Core the moment it appeared in his hand.

The instant the Grade Eight Magic Beast Crystal Core entered Xiaoyaozi’s grasp, he felt the immense spiritual energy contained within. This energy was actively leaking out, and upon inhaling even a fraction of it, his long-stagnant True Essence showed a slight surge of growth. He instantly understood: this crimson object was not merely a high-grade Spirit Stone—no, this must be the Divine Crystal Stone, something countless times better than any high-grade Spirit Stone, a legendary item.

Legends in the Cultivation World spoke of a Divine Crystal Stone. A single such stone, it was said, would be enough for a cultivator from the beginning of their path all the way to achieving Immortality, negating the need for any other Spirit Stones. However, no one had ever actually seen one; it was all hearsay. Yet here he was, encountering something so unbelievably precious today. Possessing this would immediately elevate his strength by leaps and bounds.

Liu Hui watched Xiaoyaozi clutching the Grade Eight Magic Beast Crystal Core with a face full of exhilaration, clearly understanding how vital this gift was to the senior. Liu Hui was quite pleased with Xiaoyaozi’s reaction. Xiaoyaozi was his trading partner, and therefore, his natural ally. Despite the senior’s usual cunning nature, their fates were truly intertwined.

Liu Hui stood to gain much from Xiaoyaozi—from the senior’s True Essence to his seemingly impossible arrays and artifact refining skills, all of which were immensely helpful to Liu Hui. Since Xiaoyaozi currently faced danger, Liu Hui naturally wished to bolster his strength, hoping to help him repel the invasion of the Celestial Demon Clan and safeguard the entire Artifact Refining Sect.

Only then could Xiaoyaozi refine practical Dharma Treasures for Liu Hui without reservation.

He had selected a piece of the highest quality from the Grade Eight Magic Beast Crystal Core specifically to gift to Xiaoyaozi, boosting his ally's power for the sake of their shared security.

Having settled this, Liu Hui finally began scrutinizing the giant white sphere before him, as well as the helmet and jade slip in his hands. He asked, “Senior, do I just put this thing on?”

Xiaoyaozi was still reeling from excitement. Liu Hui’s Grade Eight Magic Beast Crystal Core was akin to a pie falling from the sky, leaving him dizzy. He managed, “Yes, put it on and press the button. For the jade slip, you need to attune your Divine Sense to it to read the contents.”

Liu Hui inquired further, “What is the effective range of this helmet and the Grand Illusory Array?”

Xiaoyaozi replied, “As long as the spiritual energy fluctuations are not blocked or interfered with by anything else, you can enter the Illusory Array regardless of the distance.”

Liu Hui’s current communications relied entirely on spiritual energy fluctuations, giving him deep insight into their properties. Thus, the effective range of this “game” didn't pose a problem. This meant he could play this game from any corner of Earth.

Liu Hui felt a rush of joy. “Senior, this is truly incredible. Such a small object holds the capacity to allow so many people to experience another life. It truly can be considered a second world, one filled with boundless variety, I imagine?” Suddenly, Xiaoyaozi snapped back to reality. With a sweep of his hand, he gathered all the high-grade Spirit Stones on the ground into his storage space and appeared ready to close the Planar Trading Device. Liu Hui startled, an important thought striking him, and he quickly asked, “Senior, wait! What content did you set up inside this array?” Xiaoyaozi paused in his action to close the device, forcing a dry chuckle. “Ah, Little Friend, you wouldn't know! We are currently facing a massive assault from the Celestial Demon Clan. Just managing to refine this thing was a feat; where would we find the time to set content inside it!”

Liu Hui asked, “If the Grand Illusory Array has no content, then what use is this piece of junk to me?” Xiaoyaozi suddenly adopted an intent listening posture, his face etched with anxiety. “Little Friend, trouble! The Artifact Refining Sect is being invaded! I must go fight! We’ll discuss matters later! By the way, do not contact me for a short while; I will be extremely busy. If you truly cannot wait, you can always add content inside yourself!”

With that, Xiaoyaozi spared no glance at Liu Hui’s expression and rapidly shut down the Planar Trading Device.

“This… did I just get played by that old fellow again?” Liu Hui watched the rapidly disappearing Xiaoyaozi, feeling utterly frustrated. He had generously given him a Grade Eight Magic Beast Crystal Core, only to have it thrown to the dogs.

Liu Hui was now certain that the old scoundrel had feigned an invasion to confuse him because he couldn't face Liu Hui directly. Despite all his precautions, he had overlooked one crucial issue: the Grand Illusory Array was blank. Since Xiaoyaozi had vanished now, he wouldn't reappear for some time. His newly ignited dream of a true virtual game would have to wait.

Liu Hui had returned from Mars with an air of superiority, feeling he stood above ordinary Earthlings and could look down upon them. Instead, Xiaoyaozi had immediately delivered a harsh slap, reminding him that the world was not so benevolent.

However, Liu Hui quickly rallied. Being tricked by that old cheat wasn’t something to dwell on; hadn't he been duped countless times before? He had spent nearly four months on Mars, and now was the time to reunite with his family. Why waste energy being angry at the despicable old swindler Xiaoyaozi?

Thinking this way, Liu Hui truly set Xiaoyaozi’s matter aside, and his mood brightened once more. He returned to his home. As the door opened, Hu Xian'er stood there, radiant with joy, her eyes alight with happiness as she looked at him. “Shuinniu, you’re finally back!”

Looking at his wife, Liu Hui felt a wave of peace and joy wash over him. He replied, “My lady, I have returned.”

After spending a few days with Hu Xian'er at home, Liu Hui secretly visited Liang Jingyue and An Qi a few times, offering them comfort for their bodies and minds. Though Hu Xian'er was aware of his little excursions, she couldn't stop him and chose to pretend ignorance. Liu Hui, in turn, was wise enough never to mention the other two women in Hu Xian'er's presence.

To Liu Hui’s surprise, Little Treasure actually sought out Hu Xian'er to learn the art of cultivation from her. Hu Xian'er, who had never had children of her own, instantly took a liking to the adorable Little Treasure and began teaching him her cultivation methods.

Upon returning to the "City of Starlight," Liu Hui quickly handled the remaining tasks that required his personal oversight.

Currently, the development of the "City of Starlight" was surging ahead vigorously. Even during Liu Hui’s absence on Earth, the City had progressed remarkably well. Many new products had been launched, most of which were research breakthroughs from the Starlight Science Academy. These results generally led the world in their respective fields, ensuring excellent market sales and generating massive profits for the City.

Liu Hui’s years of heavy investment in the Starlight Science Academy were finally yielding rich rewards. It could be said that even if Liu Hui received no external aid from other planes, the technological strength of the "City of Starlight," relying solely on the Academy's research, could easily surpass all other nations on Earth. A healthy cycle of scientific research and product sales had formed, meaning the City was entirely self-sufficient and no longer dependent on any single individual to function.

Seeing the splendid outlook for the "City of Starlight," Liu Hui was naturally delighted.

After clearing all his pending work, he realized he was unexpectedly idle, as specialized personnel handled the day-to-day operations. The boss finally had some spare time.

Whenever Liu Hui found himself free, he somehow started thinking of Xiaoyaozi, and then the Grand Illusory Array he had traded for. He suddenly became interested in it. He retrieved the array from his storage space, donned the so-called game helmet, and pressed the button.

A vast space materialized before Liu Hui. He stood within it, yet the space was utterly empty. Liu Hui then mentally commanded: I wish to enter the Illusory Array!

His vision instantly darkened, then brightened again, revealing that he had moved from the massive empty space into a strange world.

In this world, there was no sun in the sky, no mountains on the ground, no vegetation on the soil, and not a single animal in sight. The entire world was barren—just Liu Hui existing between heaven and earth. He found the experience marvelous; though desolate, everything felt profoundly real, identical to the real world.

Liu Hui knew he had entered the Illusory Array—this was illusionary—but his senses insisted the world before him was true, even in its emptiness. This bizarre sensation made it hard for him to discern if he was inside an illusion or had been abruptly teleported to another world entirely.

Liu Hui pinched his own arm and immediately felt pain. Everything was exactly like the real world. This forced him to admire Xiaoyaozi’s formidable skills. While Xiaoyaozi couldn't articulate his cultivation, array formations, or artifact refining in scientific terms, he could use these mysterious arts to forge such an astonishing world, an achievement centuries ahead of Earth’s current technology.

Looking at the barren world before him, Liu Hui felt a pang of regret. But then he remembered Xiaoyaozi’s words: the senior lacked time and told Liu Hui to fill the world with content himself. This thought immediately broadened Liu Hui’s perspective. Right! His original plan was to design an entirely new Virtual Reality Online Game and build it within this Illusory Array world. Players from all over the globe could then immerse themselves in this game. If Xiaoyaozi had filled the array’s content, Liu Hui wouldn't have control over the game, rendering it useless to him. Therefore, Xiaoyaozi handing him a blank array was actually a huge favor, as it allowed Liu Hui to design the game and maintain complete control.

Once this realization struck him, Liu Hui could barely contain his excitement. He exited the Grand Illusory Array, returned to the real world, and stored both the array and the helmet in his storage space. He then went to the Starlight Science Academy and found An Qi. He pulled her conspiratorially into her office, closing the door tightly and drawing the curtains.

An Qi looked at Liu Hui’s actions with a shy blush. She whispered, “Liu Hui, this is the office, and I’m still in my work clothes. Are you planning on having me here?”

Liu Hui realized she had misunderstood, but he didn't bother explaining. He told An Qi, “An Qi, I brought something amazing today. Take a look for me.”

With that, Liu Hui took out the Grand Illusory Array and the game helmet from his storage space and placed them in the room, unafraid that An Qi might discover his secret. An Qi had already witnessed Liu Hui’s incredible ability to conduct interstellar transport several times and had long guessed he possessed something akin to a storage space. Thus, Liu Hui decided not to conceal his storage ability from her.

An Qi was very composed. Since Liu Hui hadn't explained where these items materialized from, she didn't press the issue. She merely examined the Grand Illusory Array and the game helmet before asking, “Liu Hui, what exactly are these things?”

Liu Hui handed her the game helmet. “Put this on, and you’ll know what it is.”

An Qi complied, putting on the game helmet. Under Liu Hui’s guidance, she was instantly transported into the Grand Illusory Array. After a while, she withdrew, her face filled with shock. She asked, “This thing… is this a Virtual Reality Online Game?”

Liu Hui had to admire An Qi’s intellect. After just one brief experience, she had grasped the optimal use for the Grand Illusory Array. He smiled, “That’s right. This is a Grand Illusory Array capable of hosting virtual online games. Anyone wearing this helmet can enter and play.”

An Qi gently stroked the Grand Illusory Array. “This is utterly unbelievable. That such a thing could exist in the world! I thought true virtual gaming was still decades away!” Liu Hui laughed, “An Qi, with this Grand Illusory Array, I plan to develop a massive VR online game. This array will serve as our game server; all players will game within it. However, since the array was just completed, it’s currently blank. Our next task is finding a way to connect our computers to it, allowing us to design a tremendously powerful online game and transform the interior world into what we desire.”

Although An Qi was shocked by where Liu Hui procured the Grand Illusory Array, and she was accustomed to him pulling out unexplained items, she never pressed for details. She understood these were Liu Hui’s secrets, and if he wished her to know, he would tell her in due time.

An Qi found Liu Hui’s proposal for a virtual game extremely promising. She said, “Liu Hui, your idea is excellent, but I must first study this Grand Illusory Array to figure out how to interface it with a computer. Otherwise, how can we input the virtual game and manage it?”

Liu Hui knew that a large-scale virtual online game couldn't be completed overnight, especially given the need to bridge the gap between cultivation artifacts and Earth computers, a process that would certainly consume significant time. Thus, he wasn't in a hurry. He replied, “An Qi, I’ll have to rely on you then.” A flash of brilliance crossed An Qi’s eyes as she said, “Actually, I should thank you. If it weren't for you, how would I ever get to encounter such bizarre and wonderful things!”

Having concluded their serious discussion, Liu Hui prepared to leave the Science Academy. An Qi said mournfully, “Are you just going to discuss business and leave every time?”

Liu Hui paused. “This is an office; of course, we discuss serious matters. Is there anything else we should be doing?”

An Qi chuckled, “That depends on whether you are willing to do it…”

Liu Hui looked at the alluringly beautiful An Qi and finally understood. He swept her up into his arms, and they tumbled onto the sofa. Liu Hui growled fiercely, “Daring to seduce me, you better watch how I deal with you…” An hour later, An Qi stood up, her face glowing with energy, while Liu Hui lay motionless on the sofa like a dog with a broken spine.

An Qi looked at Liu Hui’s exhausted state and laughed. “Considering how hard you worked just now, I’ll show you the scientific achievements we’ve made in the last few months. I guarantee it will instantly restore your spirit.”

Liu Hui executed a perfect somersault, springing up instantly. “Are you serious? Show me right away!”