https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-133-The-Martial-Way-Should-Not-Be-So-Limited-End-of-Chapter-Preview-/12530298/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-135-Target-Sixth-Rank-Seeking-Subscription-/12530307/
Chapter 134: The Dark Prison Family (Seeking Subscription)
Chapter 134: The Dark Prison Family (Seeking Subscription)
"That's right."
"With Mr. Lin's talent, Canglan Star is ultimately too small."
"But for someone of Mr. Lin's caliber, our Xiangwen Group, with a Sixth-stage Fallen Star as its backbone, is the stage where he truly belongs."
The middle-aged man with golden hair smiled and continued, "Moreover, Elder Xiangwen values Mr. Lin greatly and may even offer guidance in the future."
Elder Xiangwen was the Sixth-stage Fallen Star backing the Xiangwen Group.
Guidance from a Sixth-stage Evolver was a significant opportunity for most Evolvers.
Sixth-stage Evolvers possessed the power of fallen stars, and their insights from a higher plane could easily lead to breakthroughs for Fourth and Fifth-stage Evolvers.
The golden-haired man believed that Lin Yuan would find this offer hard to refuse.
Lin Yuan's talent was indeed remarkable; reaching the Fourth stage before the age of a hundred, he had a good chance of becoming a Fifth-stage Evolver in the future.
But that was it.
If he wanted to climb higher and break through to the Sixth stage, the odds were still slim.
Therefore...
Guidance from a Sixth-stage Evolver was an opportunity not to be missed.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not interested in joining any other factions." Lin Yuan shook his head.
What a joke! According to the golden-haired man's proposal, joining the Xiangwen Group would entail signing numerous contracts and undergoing assessments at their headquarters.
The conditions he offered might be attractive to an ordinary Fourth-stage Evolver, but not to Lin Yuan.
Besides...
Lin Yuan's true identity was that of the Thirteenth Peak Master of the Chi Kun lineage, equivalent to a prince with real power in an empire.
Joining the Xiangwen Group would be like pledging allegiance to another star domain and fighting for them in the arena.
That was preposterous! "Mr. Lin, won't you even consider it?" The golden-haired man's expression changed slightly.
Although the Xiangwen Group was not in the Chi Kun Star Domain, it was still a major power backed by a Sixth-stage Fallen Star.
Even if Lin Yuan had other options, he shouldn't have rejected them so directly.
A more tactful refusal would have saved face for both parties.
"I said I'm not interested, and I won't reconsider."
Lin Yuan shook his head; his top priority was to reach the Sixth stage as soon as possible.
Everything else unrelated to his breakthrough was trivial.
"Very well."
"Elder Xiangwen will likely be disappointed when he hears of this."
The golden-haired man's face turned gloomy as he stood up to take his leave.
"What's the matter?"
"Are you suggesting that your Elder Xiangwen will come after me?"
Lin Yuan asked.
The Cosmic Human Alliance had well-established laws, and the more powerful an Evolver was, the more constraints they had to abide by.
Even those high and mighty Evolver scholars couldn't act with impunity, let alone a Sixth-stage Evolver. If Elder Xiangwen dared to come to Canglan Star and showed any intention of making a move against Lin Yuan...
Lin Yuan would report him to the Goddess of Wisdom.
If I can't beat you, can't I at least report you?
Of course...
Lin Yuan didn't think it very likely that Elder Xiangwen would come after him.
Elder Xiangwen might not even know who Lin Yuan was.
"I hope your path of evolution remains smooth, Mr. Lin," the golden-haired man said, his face darkening.
His implication was clear: Lin Yuan should not seek help from the Xiangwen Group in the future.
"Get out."
Lin Yuan kicked the golden-haired man out of his personal room.
Once he reached the Sixth stage, Lin Yuan would be able to publicly reveal his identity as the Thirteenth Peak Master of the Chi Kun lineage.
At that time, a power like the Xiangwen Group would be scrambling to curry favor with him.
In his personal space, Lin Yuan sat alone on a wooden chair.
"The Arena Tournament..."
Lin Yuan's expression turned pensive.
The Arena Tournament was one of the hottest and most watched events in the Human Civilization Alliance.
And with popularity came immense traffic, which spawned a series of industries involving vast sums of money.
Why did groups like the Xiangwen Group or other financial conglomerates go to the trouble of cultivating teams to participate in the Arena Tournament? Was it really just for the honor?
Of course not! As long as an Evolver could advance to a certain rank in the tournament, say the top hundred or top ten, they would attract a lot of attention.
At that point, a simple advertisement or the logo of a conglomerate on their clothing would generate an incredible amount of heat.
And advertising was just the most basic form of monetization.
Each Arena Tournament also had its 'casino', where spectators could place bets on competitors before the matches.
If your chosen competitor won, you would receive a bonus based on the odds.
Of course...
To ensure fairness, the Goddess of Wisdom's detection mechanisms almost entirely eliminated the possibility of match-fixing.
This was why the major powers, groups, and financial conglomerates were so keen on scouting for promising Evolvers on obscure medium-life planets and supporting them to participate in the Arena Tournaments at the star domain and star cluster levels.
These Evolvers from medium-life planets have low exposure and lack systematic training. If they receive cultivation and support from major powers, their strength will increase significantly in a short period.
By the time the Star Domain level Arena Tournament begins, they will enter as 'dark horses'.
After all, in the eyes of most citizens, a well-known contestant who has achieved ten or twenty consecutive victories will be favored over an unknown participant.
Most citizens would undoubtedly bet on the former to win.
In addition to the above two types, there are many other ways to profit from the Arena Tournament. The most long-term strategy is to build a fan base and cultivate a celebrity Evolver.
In the current Cosmic Human Alliance, the top celebrity Evolvers have countless fans, many of whom are the offspring of major powers and financial conglomerates.
Their influence is staggering.
"So, in the eyes of those groups and financial conglomerates, I already have the qualifications to become a 'dark horse'?"
Lin Yuan stroked his chin and shook his head slightly.
In fact, this is true. In the previous Arena Tournament, even when Lin Yuan only displayed a fraction of his power, he was already at the Fourth Stage.
A Fourth-Stage Evolver under the age of a hundred may be relatively common on prosperous high-life planets.
But on a medium-life planet like Canglan Star, such an individual may only appear once in several hundred thousand, or even millions of years.
The education, cultivation, and resources available on medium-life planets fall far short of those on high-life planets.
To achieve the Fourth Stage in such an environment is no small feat, whether through serendipity or luck, and is not much inferior to the top evolutionary geniuses of high-life planets.
This is why Lin Yuan is valued by the Xiangwen Group, who sent someone to invite him personally.
"The Goddess of Wisdom tacitly allows this because invitations from major powers and groups may restrict evolutionary geniuses, but they also foster their growth."
"Also, constrained by the laws of human civilization, the contracts signed between these groups and financial conglomerates and evolutionary geniuses will not be overly harsh. Even in the event of a breach of contract, the penalties incurred would not be exorbitant."
Lin Yuan thought to himself.
With gain, there must be give – this is the unspoken rule of the human alliance.
Those who try to take advantage of their genius status, flout contract terms, and act without restraint will not find support from the Three Goddesses.
"What is the current level of soul compatibility?"
Lin Yuan's consciousness returned to reality as he carefully sensed his soul.
"It's probably around eight percent. At this rate, it will take at most two years to reach full compatibility and officially enter the Sixth Stage."
A smile appeared on Lin Yuan's face.
The Sixth Stage holds special significance for any Evolver.
Below the Sixth Stage, even the most powerful life forms are still bound to the planet's surface, dependent on its internal environment for survival.
Once they leave the planet and venture into the starry depths, their chances of survival are slim.
However, upon reaching the Sixth Stage, one can traverse the stars and is thus known as a Starry Life Form.
Moreover, the Sixth Stage marks a qualitative leap in strength.
Why does Lin Yuan only need to cultivate to the Sixth Stage before he can publicly reveal his identity as the Thirteenth Peak Master of the Chi Kun lineage?
It is because a Sixth-Stage Evolver is extremely difficult to assassinate. Their means of self-preservation far surpasses that of a Fifth-Stage Evolver.
Generally, unless absolutely necessary, other races would not attempt to assassinate a Sixth-Stage Evolver, as the cost would be enormous, equivalent to cultivating dozens of Seventh-Stage powerhouses.
And even then, there is no guarantee of success.
"The conversion speed of soul compatibility is unstable. It may be fast in the early stages and slow down later, or it may be slow initially and then accelerate."
"My current compatibility conversion is still within a normal range."
Lin Yuan continued to observe.
"However, soul compatibility can be halted and redirected to another evolutionary path as long as it hasn't reached one-tenth."
After entering the Sixth Stage, the cost of changing evolutionary paths increases drastically.
Technically speaking, Lin Yuan has not yet reached the Sixth Stage and is still at the Fifth Stage.
"Of all the evolutionary paths I currently possess, the most powerful is undoubtedly the Xuanhuang Evolution Path. If I were to choose this path as the direction of my soul transformation…"
Lin Yuan pondered for a moment before immediately dismissing the idea.
While the Xuanhuang Evolution Path is incredibly potent, it is not Lin Yuan's creation. Choosing it as his fundamental evolutionary path may offer significant short-term benefits.
However, in the long run, it may not be advantageous.
Lin Yuan felt more assured with the Martial Arts Evolution Path.
The Xuanhuang Evolution Path can be comprehended and cultivated alongside other paths, but it should not be the foundation.
The same is true for all other evolutionary paths, including the Xuanhuang Evolution Path – they can only serve to complement and enhance the Martial Arts Evolution Path.
"I'll continue to perfect the Martial Arts Evolution Path, then.
"Lin Yuan's consciousness delved further into the Martial Arts Evolution Path.
In Lin Yuan's latest conception, the Martial Arts Evolution Path no longer had the Yin, Yang, and Yin-Yang sections.
Various attribute powers could be incorporated into the Martial Arts Evolution System.
Evolvers proficient in any of these attributes could embark on their cultivation journey within the Martial Arts system.
The Martial Arts path should not be limited but expansive and infinite.
Lin Yuan discovered that as he worked towards perfecting the Martial Arts Evolution Path, the conversion speed of his soul compatibility would increase to a certain extent.
Next.
Lin Yuan continued to refine the Martial Arts Evolution System while examining the reddish 'stone' that Chi Kun Xingzhu had sent him.
In his spare time, he declined invitations from various financial groups and factions across the star domains.
Apart from the Xiangwen Group, who recognized Lin Yuan's potential to become a 'dark horse', other factions had also taken notice.
In the interstellar age, any moderately powerful faction had their own think tanks, constantly strategizing based on information and intelligence from human civilization and other alien races, all for the sake of their own interests.
Lin Yuan, a Fourth-stage Evolver under the age of a hundred from a medium-life planet, was highly sought-after due to his immense potential and relatively affordable price.
Naturally, he was very 'popular'.
As for these invitations, Lin Yuan initially made an effort to meet with them and politely express his stance.
However, as the frequency of these invitations increased, he eventually chose to ignore them altogether and let his smart assistant handle the matter.
'If only I had announced that I had passed the Seven-star Cave test publicly,' Lin Yuan thought with a slight shake of his head.
If he had merely passed the test and become an official member of the Chi Kun lineage like Fang Qing, these factions might not have invited him so fervently.
After all, as an official member of the Chi Kun lineage, why would he risk his life for other factions?
The Chi Kun lineage was the most powerful force.
But by doing so, Lin Yuan would have had to board the spaceship battleship with Fang Qing and the others who had passed the test, heading towards the main star of the Chi Kun lineage.
This was the standard procedure for all those who joined the Chi Kun lineage.
The only reason Lin Yuan could remain on Canglan Star was because of his status as the Thirteenth Peak Master, which granted him numerous privileges. Even the gift from the Chi Kun Xingzhu had to be specially delivered by the 'Shuntong' Group, with a price tag of a thousand billion civilization coins.
One day, Lin Yuan had just finished his cultivation session when the smart assistant's voice sounded.
"Master, the visitor this time is from the Dark Prison Family, a trusted subordinate of Hei Yu Kao, the three thousand eight hundred and twenty-first son of Hei Yu Mo."
"The Dark Prison Family?" Lin Yuan frowned slightly.
The Dark Prison Family was a force in the Chi Kun Star Domain, and among the many factions outside the Chi Kun lineage, they ranked within the top five.
Their strongest member, Hei Yu Mo, was an existence beyond the Sixth Stage.
"The Dark Prison Family..." Lin Yuan pondered for a moment. "I'll see them."
He could afford to ignore the other factions and financial groups, firstly because most of them were Sixth-stage forces, and Lin Yuan would soon attain the Sixth Stage himself.
Secondly, most of the invitations came from groups outside the Chi Kun Star Domain, and there was no need to foster overly close relationships with them.
However, the Dark Prison Family was different. As a native force in the Chi Kun Star Domain, Lin Yuan might have to interact with them in the future after attaining the Sixth Stage and revealing his true identity.
Whoosh.
Lin Yuan connected his consciousness to the virtual world.
Personal Space.
Lin Yuan agreed to enter.
A man dressed in a black tuxedo, exuding an air of nobility, appeared before him.
"Beizhao, on behalf of my young master, Hei Yu Kao, greets Mr. Lin Yuan."
The man in the black tuxedo, Beizhao, maintained a low profile and spoke with a hint of respect.
He then proceeded to lay out the conditions for inviting Lin Yuan to join Hei Yu Kao's faction.
"I'm afraid I'm not interested in the Arena Tournament for the time being," Lin Yuan replied, trying to keep his tone as gentle as possible.
"I see," Beizhao said, his expression unreadable.
He stood up to take his leave, and then disappeared from the spot.
"He's quite reasonable," Lin Yuan nodded slightly.
Most of the other factions would have made veiled threats after receiving his refusal.
In a magnificent palace, Hei Yu Kao sat on his throne with his eyes closed, deep in thought.
Just then, Beizhao's figure appeared.
"Which level of contract did that Lin Yuan choose?" Hei Yu Kao asked casually.
Before sending Beizhao to invite Lin Yuan, Hei Yu Kao had prepared five levels of contracts, each offering different levels of support and restrictions. The final decision on which contract to accept was left to Lin Yuan.
"Young Master," Beizhao bowed slightly. "Lin Yuan refused your invitation."
He spoke softly, conveying Lin Yuan's refusal.
"He refused my invitation?"
Hei Yu Kao was slightly taken aback, lowering his gaze to look at Beizhao.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
