Chapter 79: [Yuan]!

Chapter 79: [Yuan]!

Suddenly, the spacetime within the Bracelet Inner World froze. A mighty will descended.

Speak of the devil!

The Primordial Universe’s core will detected a familiar soul vibration, did a double-take—wasn’t this my cousin?

Another glance.

The trouble he’d stirred up was still within acceptable limits.

Approval granted!

Guided by his lifeform’s innate characteristics, the will helped manifest his Innate Secret Art.

After recording his life structure diagram, it mused, This is pretty good… I should create a copy during the next cosmic cycle.

Primordial Master quickly finished his work and departed as usual.

The frozen spacetime resumed normal.

Jiang Zhe sensed the clear presence of Innate Secret Arts within his star-shaped doppelgänger, confirming the Primordial Universe’s will had visited.

Three Innate Secret Arts made Jiang Zhe vaguely realize the identity of that illusory rainbow light.

First: [Silver Key Door]!

—Can leave "silver key imprints" at multiple locations. Stepping through a phantom door conjured before you transports you to any previously marked location.

A fixed-point teleportation skill!

"Similar to an Immortal god’s Divine Dominion teleportation, but simpler, less draining, and without risking exposure of my true location", Jiang Zhe remarked.

Second: [Mentor]!

—Possesses infinite wisdom, knows all (struck out).

—Has extraordinary intuitive talent, constantly radiating enlightenment. Those bathed in its light gain minor intuitive boosts. Knowledge it imparts feels intuitive to living beings, who revere it as a wisdom deity.

"What kind of ridiculous talent is this?"

Jiang Zhe frowned, slightly displeased. "Powerful, sure! But if this leaks out, I’ll probably get stuck as a civil servant guarding chaos stones in the Chaos City Lord’s domain."

Third: [Yuan]!

—True body resides in a spacetime rift within unknown space and time. Only attacks containing dual Primordial Laws can damage it. Radiates light that influences and controls surrounding spacetime.

"Finally matured!"

"Enhanced survival capability, and similar to the World Tree’s 'spacetime control' effect. This Innate Secret Art is terrifyingly strong!"

"Actually, the first two could be discarded. Keeping just this last one would’ve sufficed."

But these three Innate Secret Arts, combined with his first encounter, let Jiang Zhe roughly determine the rainbow light’s origin.

"That bizarre, chaotic Universe?"

"A complete form shaped like a sphere gathering infinite light… The Door Key? The All-Uniting One? The Transcender?"

"Whatever. Time to give it a new name."

Purified by the Ancient Tree and vetted by the Primordial Universe’s will, it contained no corruption.

In this world, it was simply a special lifeform akin to the World Tree, possessing spacetime talents.

"Candlelight!"

"Henceforth, call it the Candlelight Doppelgänger!"

"The name implies illuminating light and penetrating insight, fitting the [Mentor] talent. Also, the divine beast symbolizing the sun bears this name."

"Don’t underestimate its current 90,000-kilometer diameter. Once it reaches Domain Lord Grade Second Stage, its size will surpass our solar system’s sun."

Jiang Zhe gazed at the "miniature star" floating hundreds of thousands of kilometers above.

Though emitting gentle light, it felt like a 3D projection—not physically real.

This was the effect of [Yuan].

Only its projection existed in reality. The true body resided in a spacetime rift, vulnerable only to attacks containing dual spacetime Primordial Laws.

Jiang Zhe approached aboard the Mistshadow Shuttle.

Midway, the Primordial Core ascended from his dantian, stopping at his former Consciousness Ocean location in the head.

The soul within the Core began voraciously absorbing cosmic energy.

Upon entering the Core, the energy underwent "tempering"—a simple process until reaching Stellar Class Ninth Stage, then surged into Jiang Zhe’s Consciousness Ocean.

Torrents of mental energy gathered, soon undergoing a qualitative change to form a soul planet.

One, two… nine planets, then explosion!

The surging energy reformed into one soul star, two, three… until nine.

Within the Cerebral Domain’s Consciousness Ocean…

A brilliant star sat center, orbited by eight others.

Stellar Class Ninth Stage!

Only after completion did Jiang Zhe expel the Primordial Core, storing it inside the Candlelight Doppelgänger.

Compared to his Earth-bound original body, the doppelgänger had stronger survival capabilities, safely housed within the World Bracelet—ideal for storing the vital Primordial Core.

Martial Artists stored Genetic Primordial Energy in the dantian.

Mentalists stored Mental Energy in the Consciousness Ocean.

Due to the Primordial Core’s presence, Jiang Zhe’s soul and Consciousness Ocean had migrated into it.

Now that the Core was leaving, his original body needed to re-cultivate a Mentalist foundation—a simple task.

Luo Feng recently accomplished this in half an hour to reach Stellar-Level Ninth Stage.

Jiang Zhe instructed Orianna to return to Earth slowly, using a month to refine the Stellar Class Ninth Stage energy.

...

The doppelgänger’s gestation complete, Jiang Zhe returned to Earth in June 2064.

Silver Robe Yuan Shen’s consciousness remained anchored at the Origin Land. Jiang Zhe and the Candlelight Doppelgänger "borrowed" his wife’s connection, which—combined with their spacetime principle affinity—accelerated Time Law comprehension.

December 16, 2065.

The Qianwu Auction convened again. This time, Jiang Zhe attended with Luo Feng, steadying his anxious junior.

He knew his senior’s financial power. If a must-have item appeared, he could borrow funds in an emergency.

The auction house held no clear objective for Jiang Zhe this time, just as before.

As usual, he purchased a hodgepodge of "miscellaneous" items—mere fuel for Orianna’s insatiable appetite, offerings to the Material Sovereign.

Orianna had now reached the Ninth Cosmic Stage, her Life Genome refined to 49 layers. Progress had been slow, though. A newborn Goldhorned Beast, barely seven or eight years old, already stood at the Sixth Cosmic Stage, rapidly closing the gap.

After the auction, Jiang Zhe couldn’t help but marvel at Luo Feng’s fortune. At the final auction before the Genius Tournament, he’d secured the perfect weapon and even a Demoncore Race Doppelgänger—a treasure for cultivating spatial talent.

---

Hanxia Calendar, March 9, 2066

Jiang Zhe, ever the visionary, had long since logged into the Virtual Universe, awaiting the event. He’d invited Hong, Lei Shen, and Luo Feng to his villa for drinks and idle chatter about their cultivation progress.

Suddenly—

The night sky above Black Dragon Mountain Island split open, a colossal, glowing black edict materializing. Blazing white characters scorched the heavens:

“All Universe humans—The Peak Genius Tournament!”

The trio’s faces betrayed awe, though they’d anticipated this day. Even prepared, their blood surged.

“Hah! This is our chance to soar!” Lei Shen roared, ever the optimist. “Seize a top rank, and Earth will fear no one!”

Hong’s pupils narrowed, a sharp glint in his eyes.

Luo Feng burned with zeal, only to be doused by Babata’s cold logic. The AI reiterated the tournament’s brutality.

“Only Jiang Zhe here has a real shot at the top thousand. I followed the Boss for sixty million years and never saw anyone like him…”

All three turned to Jiang Zhe.

Since 2064, when Jiang Zhe returned to the Universe, their bonds had deepened, forged into a mentor-disciple-friend hybrid. Yet the closer they grew, the more he seemed an enigma—omniscient, untouchable.

True, their relationship was mentor-disciple, not brothers. The chasm kept them silent, save Luo Feng, who clung to “Senior Brother” with fervor.

They trained under Jiang Zhe, refining Domains, probing Principles. But he wasn’t magic—no golden touch. Even bathed in his guidance, progress remained grinding.

Mastering Primordial Laws demanded innate talent, and Earthlings lacked that edge. Under Jiang Zhe’s tutelage, Hong and Lei Shen had perfected Ninth-Level Domains, yet still stumbled at the Principle threshold.

Luo Feng, blessed by the Goldhorned Beast, had breached the Metal Principle and now explored Spatial Laws under Jiang Zhe’s eye.

Jiang Zhe mused that once Luo Feng’s Demoncore Race Doppelgänger matured, he’d grasp Spatial Laws effortlessly.

As for the Jiang Clan…

Elder Jiang had gained his Domain just half a year prior, still a First-Level Domain at the Stellar Class. Participation was symbolic at best. The rest of the clan? Better left unspoken.

Jiang Zhe suspected they needed a lineage evolution serum, but such was tightly regulated—hardly attainable.

---

Immortals across realms mobilized, urging disciples to win glory.

On Cyan Planet, a blood-sword-wielding youth in white stood amid corpses, parting from his master in brooding silence.

Unaware, a “Ten-Mile Slope Sword God” awaited him in the Genius Tournament arena.

In a desolate range, a barbarian brute roared with laughter, a First-Cosmic-Stage corpse at his back.

---

The four accessed the Virtual Cosmos Corporation’s official site, submitting their entry forms.

April 16, 2066

An email arrived, outlining the rules.

“The Genius Tournament’s brutal,” Hong mused, smiling. “820 billion Stellar Class warriors whittled to 100,100 in the prelims. Imagine—oceans of blood, a maelstrom of madness!”

Lei Shen and Luo Feng bristled with anticipation.

May 16 — Preliminary Assembly

820 billion Stellar Class elites gathered, divided into 100 arenas, awaiting transport.

“Sector 72!” Hong announced.

“Sector 88 for me! Lucky number!” Lei Shen grinned, blissfully ignorant of the stakes.

Jiang Zhe hesitated, then relented: “Both of you, play it safe. Without Principle mastery, the prelims are lethal. Aim for at least 1001st in your sectors.”

They nodded. Rankings were keys to the Qianwu Cosmic Nation’s great factions.

“Luo Feng, which sector?”

“Sector 1, Senior Brother. You?”

“Sector 99.”

---

“Inspect your gear now! No weapons allowed post-transport!”

Second-stage Primordial Force Battle Armor. Void-Sundering Lance. Huisuo’s Hand. Mistshadow Shuttle… Jiang Zhe inventoried his arsenal.

“Collective transport initiation in 60…59…”

(End of Chapter)

Chapter end