From the Metropolis to the Strongest in the Cosmos

(Normal updates will resume tomorrow.)

Soul Ink said calmly, ”You have three heaven-defying avatars. Surpassing Lan Yu is a simple matter now, but you still have a long way to go to surpass Mixed Void.”

No one knows for sure just how long the Human Race has existed, a testament to its immense history.

To be ranked among the top one hundred in Talent across such a vast expanse of time... A Talent like that can only be described as monstrous, aberrant, and utterly insurmountable.

”I know.” Li Yang nodded.

’A top one-hundred genius in the history of the Human Race, an insurmountable existence?’ he thought. ’If I can nurture more avatars in the future, I wonder if I might have a chance to surpass him?’

Based on his past experience, he could nurture one new avatar for every major realm he advanced through.

He was currently in the Longevity Realm. What if he broke through to the Star Lord Realm, or even the World Lord Realm after that?

Li Yang wasn’t sure, but he felt it was highly likely he could nurture another avatar!

A new avatar meant his rate of progress would accelerate even further!

”Hm?”

Not far away, Mixed Void seemed to notice Li Yang’s gaze. He spared Li Yang a single glance before looking away and departing immediately.

He seemed to dislike interacting with others. To this day, he hadn’t said a single word to Li Yang, or even to any of the other geniuses.

Averting his gaze, Li Yang took a deep breath. ”Surpassing Lan Yu is my current goal. As for Mixed Void, I’ll deal with him later!”

Li Yang’s eyes burned with fighting spirit. He would never admit to being inferior to Mixed Void.

Soon, Li Yang returned to his palace.

”Time to see my family.”

With a thought, Li Yang entered the Virtual World.

He made sure to set aside some time from his cultivation each month to visit his family.

Ordinary people grow tired and irritable when they do the same thing for too long. Comprehending the laws was no different; prolonged periods of study would lead to a similar sensation—a form of spiritual exhaustion.

Thus, it was essential to take appropriate breaks.

In the Virtual World, on a quiet street within the Milky Way Galaxy, Li Yang was taking a casual stroll with Zhou Yao.

”Zhou Yao, has anything been happening on Earth?” Li Yang asked.

Zhou Yao smiled and shook her head. ”No, nothing’s happened. Although, the Yangyuan Empire’s subordinate faction in the Milky Way Galaxy suddenly sent gifts.”

”Oh?” Hearing this, Li Yang’s interest was piqued.

The Yangyuan Empire was the ruler of the Yangyuan Star Continent and maintained corresponding forces in all the major star systems.

The Yangyuan Empire’s force in the Milky Way Galaxy included one Star Lord and several Longevity Realm experts, who were stationed on Earth and had initiated some cooperative projects.

’It seems the Yangyuan Empire has learned that I passed the eighth step,’ Li Yang thought.

The Talent he was displaying now surpassed even Lan Yu’s, which increased his future prospects of becoming an Emperor. Naturally, the Yangyuan Empire was paying close attention.

Offering a little help when he was still weak was clearly a much better strategy than simply adding to his glory later on.

Previously, the Yangyuan Emperor had granted him one million contribution points, and now their subordinate factions were steadily increasing their cooperation with Earth. They were clearly banking on his future potential.

”By the way, Li Yang, we’ve been continuously surveying the planets around Earth and found another Golden Moon Ore deposit with huge reserves,” Zhou Yao said.

After Li Yang was recruited by the Eternal Saint Hall of the Human Race, no one dared to make a move against Earth. As a result, a great development of the surrounding planets began.

A decade or so had passed now, and while less than half of the Solar System had been explored, they had already discovered dozens of ore veins!

And Golden Moon Ore was the kind of deposit that could even tempt a Star Lord.

”It seems the Solar System is a real treasure trove of ore deposits,” Li Yang remarked with a sigh.

”But there must be something even more precious in the remaining areas! The entire Solar System must be surveyed completely!” Li Yang said.

Back then, Celestial Net of the Yuanlan Clan had constantly targeted Earth in pursuit of some precious item. He’d even gone so far as to have Li Yang forcibly eliminated from the Yangyuan Empire’s genius selection.

The Yuanlan Clan was a Divine Clan, and Celestial Net was one of the geniuses they were heavily investing in. A mere ore deposit that would only tempt a Star Lord would be of no interest to him.

Therefore, that precious item must not have been found yet!

”Mhm, I’ll keep an eye on it.” Zhou Yao nodded.

...

After spending some time with his family in the Virtual World, Li Yang logged out.

”Time to continue cultivating!”

”Next goal: pass the ninth step of the Staircase of the Divine Path!”

It was worth a million contribution points, a reward he would receive for passing the ninth step. Of course he was eager to claim it.

Reining in his turbulent emotions, Li Yang began studying the law secret manuals and the various attacks of Yuan Wu.

In the blink of an eye, half a year passed.

In those six months, the rivalry between Li Yang and Lan Yu over the ninth step sparked even more discussion, with a noticeable increase in the number of spectators.

When Li Yang arrived at the Blade Slaughter Sect, the Sect Master greeted him with a smile.

”Haha, Li Yang, I’ve invited someone over today to guide you for a month.”

”Oh? Someone to guide me specifically?” Hearing this, Li Yang was intrigued.

’The Sect Master’s guidance is already excellent,’ he thought. ’Could this other person be even more effective?’

”Just a moment, that expert hasn’t arrived yet,” the Blade Slaughter Sect Master said with a smile.

About three minutes later...

SWOOSH!

A figure suddenly appeared beside the Blade Slaughter Sect Master. The figure was short, only 1.6 meters tall, with skin covered in red and green mystical runes. His hair was casually disheveled, and the aura faintly emanating from his body was no less powerful than that of the Sect Master himself.

Seeing this figure, Li Yang was startled.

”Yuan Wu?”

He had been studying Yuan Wu’s attacks all along. Crucially, the techniques he was currently cultivating were a perfect match for those Yuan Wu had practiced, which was why seeing him in person resonated so deeply.

This Yuan Wu was also an incredibly powerful Deity from the Eternal Saint Hall of the Human Race. Before reaching the Divine Realm, he had mastered three primary laws; after his breakthrough, he mastered two more. With a total of five laws under his command, his power was in no way inferior to that of the Blade Slaughter Sect Master.

However, despite his immense power, Yuan Wu had never established a sect or taken on disciples. He constantly roamed the cosmos, attempting to break through to the Emperor Level.

If he had, Li Yang would have likely been a frequent attendee of his lectures.

”So, you are Li Yang?” Yuan Wu said calmly as he appeared and looked at Li Yang. ”The peerless genius of our Human Race, the likes of whom appear only once every few billion years? The one whose cultivation speed might surpass even Lan Yu’s?”

During the genius selection, Lan Yu’s reputation had been so immense that Yuan Wu had learned his name.

He had only learned of Li Yang a short while ago.

Hearing Yuan Wu speak, Li Yang stepped forward and said respectfully, ”Greetings, Lord Yuan Wu.”

”Yuan Wu, Li Yang is in your hands for the next month. You must guide him well and don’t hold anything back,” the Blade Slaughter Sect Master said with a laugh.

”Don’t worry.”

Yuan Wu said calmly, ”I may not enjoy teaching others, but since I’ve accepted your compensation, I will certainly put my full effort into instructing Li Yang.”