Chapter 348: Second to None

Chapter 348: Second to None

It was already evening in Chang'an.

Ji Xinghuo asked Zhao Manying to go home first while he went with Luo Yimeng and Xing Lie to meet the Fuhrer.

In the car, the three of them remained silent.

Ji Xinghuo's phone vibrated, and he picked it up to check a message. The champion's prize money for the Global Marathon had arrived, and this time's reward had also broken records. After tax deductions, he still had over 12 billion Asian dollars!

"So much..."

Ji Xinghuo was surprised.

Even for a Heavenly King, this was a substantial sum. No wonder "Walker" Jeffrey had participated in several Global Marathons in a row.

Earning hundreds of billions in a single day of running was incredibly cost-effective.

The champion took the lion's share of the prize money, but those who placed in the top ten also received substantial amounts. As long as you finished the race, you would still earn at least a hundred million.

Ji Xinghuo thought for a moment, then decided that keeping the money in the bank wasn't very useful, so he might as well spend it.

He transferred 3 billion to his eldest sister to be added to the family fund and asked her to look for a large villa that could serve as a residence and cultivation base for the whole family.

Then he transferred 50 billion to Zhao Manying.

Her financial team was still in Ivanople, and this money was her all-or-nothing bet on him winning against Li Xuan.

He kept the rest for future use.

"We've arrived."

Ji Xinghuo and the other two entered the headquarters and met with Ji Daosheng in his office. Apart from him, the other Heavenly Kings and ministers were also present, waiting for their return.

"Your Excellency," the three of them greeted with a salute.

"You're back," Ji Daosheng stood up and nodded, a smile on his face. "This trip has been hard on you. Well done."

Luo Yimeng's face showed her helplessness. "We weren't able to complete the mission."

"This isn't your fault," Ji Daosheng said, his gaze falling on Ji Xinghuo. "Xinghuo, your victory over the Sun King is already a great triumph. It has greatly boosted the confidence of our citizens."

"If not for your Sky-walking Shoes, I wouldn't have been able to beat him," Ji Xinghuo said humbly, placing a shoe box on the table.

On the plane, he had already cleaned the Sky-walking Shoes and was returning them to the Fuhrer.

Everyone looked at the box.

The running shoes of a Sky-opening Star, their powerful functions had been fully demonstrated by Ji Xinghuo, and they held great allure for anyone.

"These shoes suit you very well, and you were able to bring out their full potential," Ji Daosheng said, gently stroking the surface of the box, a hint of emotion in his voice. "If they didn't hold such special significance for me, I wouldn't mind giving them to you."

Ji Xinghuo quickly expressed his understanding.

Although he really wanted these Sky-walking Shoes, they were a Sky-opening Star equipment, invaluable, and the Fuhrer's personal item. Even if the Fuhrer wanted to give them to him, he couldn't accept them.

Ji Daosheng put the shoe box into a drawer and continued, "Luo Yimeng, tell everyone once again what happened when you picked up the 'Stellar Flame Pulse'."

"Yes," Luo Yimeng replied.

She then proceeded to give a detailed account of the process of retrieving the "Stellar Flame Pulse" and presented her judgment.

Ji Xinghuo also took out the "Blazing Starfire" exotic species.

Ji Daosheng only glanced at it before shaking his head and passing it on to the others for identification.

"If Luo Yimeng's judgment is correct, and the New Romans deliberately switched the exotic species, what is the likelihood that the real 'Stellar Flame Pulse' has fallen into the hands of the Sun King?" Wu Huai'an, who rarely spoke, asked.

Everyone present fell into deep thought.

In fact, when they had received the news, they had all considered this possibility, but without sufficient information to corroborate it, they couldn't be sure.

"I believe there's a more than 90% chance," Xing Lie said.

Everyone turned to look at him.

Xing Lie continued in a low voice, "'Stellar Flame Pulse' is only valuable to the Sun King. No one in New Rome can make use of it. Whether they gave the exotic species to Ji Xinghuo or kept it for themselves, the outcome would be the same—as long as the Sun King didn't get his hands on it. But they went through all the trouble to make the switch..."

He didn't need to finish his sentence; everyone understood.

If the New Roman Empire had done nothing, the Stellar Flame Pulse would have ended up in Ji Xinghuo's hands. Not only would their position not have been exposed, but they would have also diverted the trouble elsewhere.

However, they had chosen to secretly swap the exotic species, which clearly indicated their intentions.

From the perspective of behavioral logic, if it wasn't to deliver the exotic species to the Sun King, there was no need to go to such lengths.

As everyone realized this, they were shocked.

"So New Rome is indeed a wolf that can never be tamed," Zhu Xiaorong snorted. "The Iron Emperor's ambitions are expanding once again."

The others' expressions turned ugly as well, some angry, some grave.

Ji Daosheng remained calm. "Ivan must have received some benefit, which is why he has betrayed us again without any pretense."

"Will New Rome completely side with the American Union?" Luo Yimeng asked.

A chill ran through everyone's hearts.

Currently, the global situation was one of two superpowers and two strong nations, transitioning towards one superpower and three strong nations. The Iron Emperor's change in stance was clearly influenced by this factor.

Wu Huai'an added, "The American Union wouldn't completely trust New Rome either."

"The most important thing is the attitude of the Western Alliance." Li Hui continued, "The Western Alliance and New Rome are sworn enemies. Even if they temporarily set aside their grievances due to pressure from the American Union, we can still operate from within to disrupt this fragile alliance."

"Indeed!"

A hint of appreciation flashed in Ji Daosheng's eyes. "So we don't need to be overly concerned. As for the New Romans, Li Hui, you should instruct the Sword Bureau to conduct more investigations and wait for the right opportunity."

"Yes, Your Excellency." Li Hui stood up to take the order.

"The most pressing issue right now is to figure out if the Sun King has obtained the 'Stellar Flame Pulse' and whether his 'Fusion' combination is still lacking in any way?" Ji Daosheng asked, "If he successfully advances to become a 'Child of the Stars', how should we respond?"

The office fell silent as everyone present wore grave expressions.

With the current national strength, the Asia-Pacific Community was not afraid to take on the other three powers alone; they could at least ensure they wouldn't be defeated.

However, if they were up against a Sun King who had evolved into a 'Child of the Stars', the situation would be dangerous.

Wu Huai'an spoke in a subdued tone, "My concern is that after the Sun King becomes a Child of the Stars, he might break through to become a Sacred Star Shepherd in one go."

"It's not that easy." Ji Daosheng shook his head.

The difficulty of advancing from a Heavenly King to a Sacred Star Shepherd was greater than the sum of the previous six evolutions combined.

Xing Lie added, "If it were that simple that advancing to an ultimate profession would lead to evolving into a Sacred Star Shepherd, we would have tried it long ago."

"Even if it doesn't lead to an immediate evolution, a significant increase in strength would still lower the difficulty of advancing," Luo Yimeng pointed out.

The Heavenly Kings present joined in the discussion, each offering their insights.

For a while, they couldn't come to a definite conclusion.

Ji Xinghuo was only a Superhuman, three levels away from becoming a Sacred Star Shepherd, so he knew very little about it and could only listen quietly.

Finally, Ji Daosheng summed up, "To become a Sacred Star Shepherd, the most crucial factor is to lay a solid foundation during the first six evolutions. Otherwise, one can only rely on time to slowly increase the chances of success, and even then, the success rate is extremely low."

His gaze swept across the office, taking in the faces of those present.

Each person in this room was an exceptional talent, with four of them ranked among the top ten Heavenly Kings globally.

However, Ji Daosheng sighed, "I won't be able to achieve that breakthrough within the next 50 years, and the same goes for Huai'an. As for you, Director Xing and Little Luo, it will take even longer for you to have a chance at becoming a Sacred Star Shepherd."

The prospects for the other Heavenly Kings were even more distant, their hopes slim.

"If the Sun King is only a Child of the Stars, the few of us joining forces won't be far behind him." Ji Daosheng said, "But if he becomes a Sacred Star Shepherd, we must also have a Sacred Star Shepherd to counter him."

"I estimate that it will take him at least 25 years to complete the advancement."

"Within 25 years..."

Ji Daosheng paused, "Among us, there's only one person who has the potential to become a Sacred Star Shepherd."

His gaze landed on Ji Xinghuo, filled with anticipation.

"And that person is Xinghuo!"

As his words landed, the entire office fell silent for a few seconds. The Heavenly Kings and Legends present wore expressions of shock and surprise.

Ji Xinghuo himself was also taken aback.

Even though he was extremely confident in his evolutionary path and knew that his future achievements were limitless, he never expected to have the potential to become a Sacred Star Shepherd within 25 years.

By then, he would still be under 50 years old! In the global history of cultivation, those who could achieve the Heavenly King realm before the age of 50 were already few and far between, not to mention the distant goal of becoming a Sacred Star Shepherd.

That's putting a lot of faith in me.

"Your Excellency, I..." Ji Xinghuo stood up, his face reflecting his awe and trepidation.

"Xinghuo, calm yourself." Ji Daosheng reassured him, "We will provide you with the best support, but we won't force the responsibility onto you. Just follow your own path and don't feel pressured."

Ji Xinghuo breathed a sigh of relief, "Yes."

Indeed, with the leader's strategic planning, he wouldn't put all his hopes on one person's shoulders.

Ji Xinghuo quickly regained his composure, but the others continued to look at him with complex expressions.

Ji Daosheng said, "The next 'Titanium-Cobalt Dragon Body', I will urge the Star Realm to send it over as soon as possible. This time, I will take charge and give it to you, Xinghuo, as a priority. There's no need for competition." He looked at Zhu Xiaorong, "Do you have any objections, Xiaorong?"

Zhu Xiaorong hesitated for a moment before nodding, "If you think this will benefit the country, Your Excellency, then I have no objections.

However, what did the Fuhrer mean by "on the Star Realm's side"?

"I will not disappoint Your Excellency's expectations," Ji Xinghuo thought, standing up and expressing his determination solemnly.

Ji Daosheng smiled contentedly and instructed, "From now on, your top priority is cultivation. Ascend to the rank of Sacred Star Shepherd as quickly as possible, and don't worry about anything else. If you have any needs, just let me know. If you can advance before the Sun King, that would be the best outcome, decisively resolving all problems."

"Your Excellency, I will do my best!" Ji Xinghuo vowed loudly.

He understood what the Fuhrer meant.

The threat of the Sun King had prompted the Fuhrer to prioritize him above everyone else, even though he was the least experienced and held the lowest rank. Everyone else would have to make way for him.

The entire nation's resources would be his support.

This was an immense privilege!

Ji Xinghuo realized that, to some extent, he had attained a status in the Asia-Pacific Community that was "second only to the Fuhrer."

After that, Ji Daosheng discussed other arrangements with the group.

The main topic was how to respond to the Sun King's evolution into a Child of the Stars, with the Heavenly Kings ready to respond and join forces to counter the enemy at any time.

Ji Xinghuo listened but remained silent.

The meeting continued until the middle of the night, and he returned home, briefly mentioning a few things to Zhao Manying before resting.

The next day, as the sun rose, Ji Xinghuo arrived at the Aether Research Institute and began a day of cultivation.

He cultivated while attending classes.

Originally, he cultivated for 15 hours a day, but now he extended it to 18 hours, increasing his starlight by more than 80 points in a single day.

This relentless cultivation and study caused the staff at the Aether Research Institute to be amazed, and the nickname "Cultivation Machine" became even more prominent.

In mid-August,

Ji Xinghuo's starlight exceeded 11,000 points! Influenced by him, Zhao Manying also cultivated diligently during her remaining one-month break, almost always cultivating together with him. They only went out on dates once every few days, and their constant presence together at the Aether Research Institute aroused the envy of others.

During this period, Ye Dongyun took a fancy to a luxurious standalone villa located in the Qinling Mountains.

With a building area of over 30,000 square meters, it was equipped with complete cultivation facilities and an entertainment area, as well as over 200 acres of garden land, for a total price of 2 billion Asian dollars.

Ji Xinghuo went to see it once and was very satisfied, so he agreed to buy it.

This villa was registered under Ye Dongyun's name, and the siblings happily moved in, living together like they did when they were young.

In mid-August, Zhong Ming evolved into an advanced alien.

September.

The second half of the Super League season began, and Zhao Manying returned to the club to join her teammates, striving for the championship this season.

Ji Xinghuo was worried about her.

Every week, he would accompany the team on away games and stay by Zhao Manying's side.

Of course, he claimed that it was to accompany his girlfriend, and no one on the Imperial Star Club suspected otherwise.

Whenever he traveled with the team, Ji Xinghuo would borrow the club's facilities for cultivation, keeping his electromagnetic sensing active at all times, ensuring Zhao Manying remained within his sensing range, while also monitoring Shi Renzhong's movements, not giving him any opportunities.

Ji Xinghuo had made up his mind to resolve Zhao Manying's contract issue after this season ended.

Even though this slowed down his cultivation speed a bit, the overall impact was negligible.

Everything remained peaceful.

September 24th.

In the Aether Research Institute of the Star Realm Department, Ji Xinghuo lay on the human-shaped chair in the Aether Convergence Room, with a teacher lecturing on the projection screen in front of him.

However, his mind was elsewhere, and he wasn't paying attention.

In his vision, the interface of the Myriads Star Pupil had already been opened.

[Starlight: 15,887]



He had just completed a cultivation cycle, and after more than half an hour of recovery, his starlight was refilled but did not increase as before.

In the previous cultivation cycle, his starlight had already reached 15,887 points!

Ji Xinghuo was delighted.

"Finally!"

"I've reached my starlight bottleneck!"

He looked at the numbers on the interface, which were slightly higher than he had expected, just a hundred points or so short of 16,000.

Such an abundance of starlight far exceeded the range of ordinary superhumans and was higher than that of many mid-tier Legend aliens.

With each evolution, starlight would surge.

Ji Xinghuo predicted that when he became a Legend, his starlight would exceed 20,000 points, rivaling that of most peak mid-tier Legend aliens.

"Next, I'll attempt to evolve and advance to Legend!" He got up from the chair and, after informing the teacher, walked out of the Convergence Room.

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end