Luo Feng sat cross-legged before the palace, yet his eyes gazed out at the infinite divine kingdom. In his mind, he ceaselessly replayed the carved secret patterns, occasionally recalling the profundities of Teleportation, Strangulation, and Sealing... Because of the secret pattern stream, some of the secret techniques Luo Feng had created already embodied the complete laws of space, so recalling those carved patterns offered him subtle, new insights.

"Almost, just a little bit more."

"That feeling is getting closer and closer."

"Like I could comprehend and break through at any moment, but it’s just that tiny bit short." Luo Feng frowned slightly, halting his cultivation. His consciousness, linked to the virtual universe, had just received a notification—a highly important one at that.

In his notification settings, any message from general friends was configured to prevent interruption during his cultivation. Only messages from crucial figures like his wife, son, or teacher could bypass the virtual assistant filter to break his focus.

"Chaos City Master wants to see me?"

"He wants to see me?"

"Could it be..." A thought surfaced in Luo Feng’s heart, bringing a wave of worry.

On Thunder Island in the virtual universe, beneath an enveloping flow of endless chaotic energy, there was a winding corridor behind the main palace. Luo Feng was walking side-by-side with Chaos City Master down this passage.

"Teacher, you summoned me without stating the reason; it makes your disciple anxious," Luo Feng spoke.

"I hadn't spoken because I was contemplating exactly how to persuade you. Luo Feng, you must have guessed the matter already," Chaos City Master glanced at Luo Feng.

Hearing this, Luo Feng immediately nodded. "When I was in Chaos City, the virtual universe system identified the Qijing Stone... I knew this moment might come. Previously, I had hoped the system would keep this information confidential, not publicizing the finding." Before the identification, Luo Feng hadn't anticipated that the Lord of Fanuo Fortress would desire the Qijing Stone.

If the matter held less significance, it wouldn't have caused such a massive stir. Once the identification was complete... Luo Feng realized it was the Qijing Stone, but it was already too late.

"The virtual universe system generally maintains confidentiality," Chaos City Master said. "This matter underwent careful logical judgment by the system and was ultimately confirmed to affect the entire race, which is why it was transmitted to every Universe Master."

Luo Feng nodded.

"Now the situation is simple."

Chaos City Master walked toward a table set up outside the corridor. He casually summoned attendants, and two servants respectfully brought forth exquisite delicacies. "Luo Feng, sit down, let's talk."

Luo Feng followed him and sat. Seeing the food and drink arrayed on the table, he knew that Teacher Chaos City Master clearly placed great importance on this matter; the preparation was far too refined otherwise. In the past, when he discussed matters with his teacher, they usually chatted near the cliff edge outside the palace or inside the main hall—never like this, taking seats in the corridor behind the palace.

"The situation is simple: because you authenticated the treasure in Chaos City, the virtual universe system forwarded the information to the Creator of Giant Axe and all other Universe Masters of the Human Race." Chaos City Master looked at Luo Feng. "Meaning... the highest echelon of the Human Race is now fully aware."

"We have reached a resolution on how to handle this matter."

Luo Feng's ears twitched. A resolution? He immediately looked toward his teacher.

Chaos City Master saw this and said, "I believe you can already guess the outcome."

"What outcome?" Luo Feng couldn't help but ask.

"The race is in dire need of this Qijing Stone," Chaos City Master stated gravely. "The Qijing Stone is linked to a Super Ultimate Treasure, the 'Qishen Palace,' which represents the greatest treasure to emerge during the entire opening of the Primal Planet. This Ultimate Treasure is critically important! Although our Human Race is mighty, we possess no Ultimate Supreme Treasure. Having even one more treasure of the caliber of a peak domain-type Ultimate Treasure would be an immense boon to our Human Race."

"No Ultimate Supreme Treasure?" Luo Feng was startled.

The Human Race...

No Ultimate Supreme Treasure...

"Does our Human Race truly not possess an Ultimate Supreme Treasure?" Luo Feng asked involuntarily.

Chaos City Master hesitated slightly and shook his head. "We do not. We once did, but not now."

"Once did?" Luo Feng grew even more perplexed. There seemed to be a story hidden here. However, based on the information he had managed to glean from the virtual universe network with his current status, he had uncovered many significant pieces of intelligence... Looking through the data, Ultimate Supreme Treasures were indeed exceedingly rare.

According to what Sitting Mountain Guest had said, even some Universe's Strongest Ones did not possess Ultimate Supreme Treasures! An Ultimate Supreme Treasure was enough to drive the Strongest Ones of the Universe into a frenzy.

Even the supreme treasure safeguarding the universe's greatest power, the Ancestral God Sect, was an Ultimate Supreme Treasure.

From this, one could gauge the rarity of Ultimate Supreme Treasures, yet Luo Feng had never expected the immensely powerful Hong Alliance, the Human Race, to lack one.

"There are none," Chaos City Master looked at Luo Feng. "Of the nine major supreme powers in the universe, five possess them, but our Human Race truly does not."

Luo Feng felt a rising anxiety.

This was a definite weakness for the Human Race.

"Therefore, the treasure connected to the Qijing Stone should be comparable to our Human Race's most important Ultimate Treasure," Chaos City Master looked at Luo Feng. "And nearly every Universe Master believes that if you, with the Qijing Stone, venture into the Qishen Palace, the outcome might be quite poor. If the Creator of Giant Axe were to enter it, the probability of success would certainly be much higher."

"The Creator of Giant Axe?" Luo Feng's heart jolted; that was a Universe's Strongest One!

"Of course, we won't force you," Chaos City Master picked up his wine goblet, gazing into the liquid. "It is entirely up to your willingness." He then looked up at Luo Feng, his eyes meeting his directly. "Teacher hopes you can assist the race this one time."

Luo Feng trembled.

Assist?

He was no fool. Having cultivated to this level and wandered the universe for fifty thousand years had given Luo Feng exceptional perspective and a thorough understanding of the schemes and deceit in the world. Luo Feng had already surmised much of the situation the moment Chaos City Master summoned him, but Chaos City Master's negotiation style was remarkably upright.

There were no veiled tactics; he simply analyzed the entire situation, laid everything bare for Luo Feng, and sincerely requested, as a Universe Master and as his teacher—that Luo Feng help the race just once!

This made it difficult for Luo Feng to refuse outright.

"Teacher," Luo Feng began.

Chaos City Master looked at him.

"There are a total of Nu Qijing Stones scattered across the 10,081 Primal Planets. Has our Human Race not obtained even one?" Luo Feng asked.

"No," Chaos City Master tilted his head back and downed a cup of wine. He sensed from that question that Luo Feng was reluctant. He then set down the cup. "The number of powerhouses in the Human Race constitutes only a small fraction of the entire universe. Take the North Frontier Alliance, for instance; they possess the largest number of powerful beings in the entire universe. Their number of Universe Venerables is more than a hundred times ours in the Hong Alliance! With more powerhouses distributed across the Primal Planets, their probability of obtaining a Qijing Stone is naturally higher. I estimate that the North Frontier Alliance might have obtained at most one or two Qijing Stones, as even they represent only a small portion relative to the whole universe."

"If even the North Frontier Alliance might only have one or two, how many could we humans possibly have?" Chaos City Master looked at Luo Feng.

"So few?" Luo Feng was taken aback.

Indeed.

The number of inheritors and Universe Venerables in the Hong Alliance was far less than that of the North Frontier Alliance. During this Primal Planet opening, Luo Feng himself had slain over twenty Universe Venerables from the North Frontier Alliance.

"There are still a vast number of top-tier factions in the universe, led by the Nine Regions Alliance, the Thorn Ring Alliance, and others, along with other weaker joint forces... Although they are weaker, their sheer numbers are great. Consequently, many of the Luo Qijing Stones are likely to be obtained by these forces. When they enter through separate passages into the Qishen Palace... those factions might actually gain powerful Ultimate Treasures."

"Perhaps this is a balancing mechanism of the universe."

Luo Feng listened and nodded secretly.

Chaos City Master looked at Luo Feng. "Give me an answer. Are you willing or not."

"Teacher, your disciple is unwilling," Luo Feng stated directly.

Chaos City Master frowned slightly, then his brow relaxed. "You are unwilling? Of the thirty-six powerhouses entering the Qishen Palace this time, or perhaps slightly fewer if some qualified ones are absent—those who obtain a Qijing Stone will not necessarily recognize it. Over half of those who enter will be Universe Masters or even Universe's Strongest Ones. The rest will likely be peak Undying or Undying powerhouses. If one doesn't even have the strength of an Undying powerhouse, they aren't qualified to enter! This is a pattern observed in the greatest treasure access during every historical opening of the Primal Planet. And the one who ultimately obtains that Super Ultimate Treasure... is almost always a Universe Master or a Universe's Strongest One!"

"Do you know... what a Universe's Strongest One is?" Chaos City Master looked at Luo Feng, his tone urgent. "Even I might perish if I encountered one. They are existence-defying, terrifying entities."

"You still want to go?" Chaos City Master sounded anxious.

"I will," Luo Feng nodded.

Precisely because he knew the detailed situation—knowing that the Qijing Stones were distributed randomly, not based on strength—allowing powerful factions, weak factions, and others to obtain them, and that they would enter through different channels—he felt he could take the gamble.

It was noted that according to history, the greatest treasures accessed during every historical opening of the Primal Planet, as Chaos City Master said, were almost always claimed by Universe Masters or Universe's Strongest Ones!

"If I were to advance to the Universe Venerable level..."

"My divine body would be much stronger, and the 'Jie Armor' could activate its third form!"

"I could even go and retrieve the fifth piece of black metal plate. Back then, Sitting Mountain Guest suggested... the fifth plate might present a rather unexpected situation. But regardless, by that time, I would be able to activate the Star Tower. Even if I encountered a Universe's Strongest One, as long as I hid inside the Star Tower, they still couldn't touch me!"

The Star Tower... was an Ultimate Supreme Treasure!

The Human Race didn't possess one, yet the ownerless Star Tower, left in the Outer Universe Battleground, had incited wars among the four peak races and driven the Strongest Ones of the Universe into madness—yet no one could seize it.

That was its might!

Relying on the Star Tower, Luo Feng naturally feared no entity.

Since that was the case! Since he possessed such confidence, he would venture into the Qishen Palace himself! His own strength was also the strength of the race.

"Don't you think your current strength is insufficient?" Chaos City Master couldn't help but ask. "Going there is too dangerous."

"Teacher,"

Luo Feng looked at Chaos City Master. "Your disciple currently possesses the strength of a peak Undying power."

PS Chapter one ends. (To be continued.)