Chapter 82: Debt and Investment!
Chapter 82: Debt and Investment!
Outside the Virtual Universe, members of the Jiang Clan, Earth cultivators, and Bize Star's forces burst into celebration as the 99th World Zone's number one spot changed hands.
On Bize Star's universe ship, Immortal experts and Domain Lords—usually aloof—joined the festivities. This was no small feat!
The further Jiang Zhe advanced in the Genius Tournament, the more glory and rewards they'd reap.
After several rounds of drinks, a beastman warrior's grin finally faltered—though he still grinned—while reminding everyone, "We’ve got eight days left! The throne isn’t ours yet. Let’s see how he secures his rank first. Once the dust settles, we’ll raise our cups again!"
"Star Master’s wisdom!"
"Star Master’s foresight!"
"We await the celebration with you, Star Master!"
...
After his ranking shifted, Jiang Zhe stared at his 160 million points, realizing the problem. This first place had come too early. With eight days left in the preliminaries, this score wouldn’t hold the top spot.
Logically, by Day 30, killing the leader earned over 100 million points. To stay safe, two billion points should be the baseline.
Jiang Zhe soared into the sky on his Mistshadow Shuttle.
Leaving the island for the open sea, the sea breeze cleared his head as the lingering effects of a mind-altering potion faded. As a potion master weak in direct combat, securing a top-three spot in this chaotic preliminary round spoke volumes about his skill.
This intoxicating potion had been her proudest creation since birth. But Jiang Zhe had effortlessly pierced her illusions, pinpointed her true form, and struck her down with a bolt of lightning.
The slaughter continued. Jiang Zhe spared no one—not even stray beasts, which he’d slap twice for good measure before stripping their resources.
In these final ten days, surviving participants carried between tens of thousands to 100,000 points. Accumulating fragments ensured dominance.
Xu Jing, hovering around 100th place with a million points, lost half to Jiang Zhe. Twenty-odd minor thugs along the way added nearly three million points to his tally.
Still, these were small fries.
At this stage, even those barely scraping the top thousand carried at least a million points. Killing one meant half that bounty.
On Island 49, Jiang Zhe claimed "Silver Wolf" and "Cold Wood", netting 15 million points.
What Jiang Zhe was doing now mirrored an invader storming Luo Feng’s city in the original story, killing both him and Fenglun to seize tens of millions in points.
By Day 29 of the preliminaries, the title "Lightning Emperor" thundered across the 99th World Zone!
Every named powerhouse went into hiding, forcing Jiang Zhe to constantly scan with his mental energy for hidden targets.
Yet fortune favored him.
On Island 12, he found a former second-place contender—now third—cultivated by the Dark Womb Imperial Bloodline.
Morros had heard of the "Lightning Emperor" but wasn’t intimidated. Relying on his Dark Womb lineage and six elite allies, he boldly set a meeting to negotiate.
Jiang Zhe scoffed. Those blinded by status always underestimated true power.
In the Universe’s Genius Tournament, even a Marquis Immortal’s son held no weight—only strength, achievements, and talent mattered.
Facing seven participants, all in the top thousand with titles, Jiang Zhe deployed his Temporal Echo Technique again.
Dozens of phantom clones baffled the eye, darting in erratic patterns—sometimes fast, sometimes slow—to evade their strikes.
After toying with them, three feet of roving lightning struck like Yama’s decree, claiming their lives one by one.
"Seventy million points? The other six gave forty million total..."
His wrist screen displayed a staggering figure:
Participant: Jiang Zhe (Bize Star)
Points: 313,245,531
Rank: 1
"Three hundred thirteen million points? Should be enough to secure first place and the guaranteed advancement."
With less than ten hours left, Jiang Zhe refused to rest, patrolling the 99th World Zone to thwart the second-place contender’s schemes.
What if they coerced third to tenth place to sacrifice their points? Such desperate moves weren’t unthinkable—only first place mattered.
The rest of the top thousand were nearly equal; without first, they’d all face the same brutal arena battles.
Patrolling the 99th Zone’s airspace, Jiang Zhe’s "Lightning Emperor" aura kept the cowardly at bay until the final minute.
"Tsk, tsk. Not a single soul dared ambush me. Don’t they know fortune favors the bold?" Hovering mid-air on his Mistshadow Shuttle, Jiang Zhe lazily yawned.
"Final countdown: 60...59...58..."
A thunderous voice echoed in every survivor’s mind, riling up martial artists.
"Just a little more! Don’t run, kill me already!"
"My father rules the Flame Feather Divine Dominion! Make me top thousand, and I’ll have my old man take you as a disciple!"
"You liar! The Virtual Universe wouldn’t validate such deals! What if you renege after leaving?"
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
Chaos erupted across all zones in the final seconds.
"6...5...4..."
Behind Jiang Zhe, a shadow flickered. A dwarf materialized, stabbing twin light-absorbing daggers laced with the light principle toward Jiang Zhe’s back.
The blade struck—Jiang Zhe’s body vanished. The dwarf’s pupils contracted.
Damn! A clone! Since when?!
"You underestimate time-system speed? Betting I’d miss it?" Jiang Zhe’s voice drifted from behind. "I didn’t even need to unleash my Domain. I noticed you ages ago—the lazy stretch was just for your benefit!"
"A second’s enough to kill you dozens of times!"
A voice thick with death loomed.
The dwarf trembled, trapped by the Lightning Domain. A thunder-infused Huisuo’s Hand roared with a primal fury, smashing into the dwarf’s skull in a fist.
Boom!
Participant: Jiang Zhe (Bize Star)
Points: 400,658,723
Rank: 1
"2...1! Transport!"
All survivors vanished as the virtual worlds collapsed into oblivion.
The preliminary round concluded!
...
Jiang Zhe reappeared above Black Dragon Mountain Island.
"Beep!" "Beep!"...
Orianna muted the alerts immediately. She knew her master’s habits—only Qianwu Monarch’s calls would earn a response.
Logging off, then back on.
In the Purple Emperor Mountain villa district, Jiang Zhe materialized in his courtyard.
Almost instantly, his clan gathered at his door—Second Brother Jiang roaring like a honey-drunk black bear, "Xiao Zhe, first place! Unbelievable!"
"Elder Brother Jiang", Jiang Zhe sighed.
"Elder Brother Jiang!" the man corrected, thumping his chest. "Keep pushing! Represent Qianwu in the finals and aim for top ten!"
"You did it, son! My pride!"
"Little Uncle, teach me cultivation! I want to be as strong as you, a Mentalist!" piped up Second Brother Jiang’s 15-year-old son, already inheriting his father’s burly frame.
"Later, later. Let Xiao Zhe rest. I’ve ordered food! Let’s celebrate!"
...
That evening, in Luo Feng’s garden pavilion, Jiang Zhe met his trio—Hong and Lei Shen, whose nine-layer Domains let them climb further.
Hong had brushed the Primordial Laws, surging to 143rd place. Lei Shen fell short, ejected at 923rd by Rongjun’s blade.
Their ranks could’ve risen further, but their martial artist bodies slowed them—unlike Mentalists, they couldn’t kill or flee swiftly.
"Give your all in the arena battles. Aim for top thousand to witness the Cosmic Nations’ powerhouses."
"And don’t forget what I stressed earlier."
The trio exchanged nods of understanding.
Hong and Lei Shen might not enter the Virtual Cosmos Corporation. Jiang Zhe would try securing them a spot in the Dark Womb Secret Realm instead.
As for the Time Domain Lord, Luo? Jiang Zhe doubted his hype—after all, he hadn’t even grasped the light principle. What could he teach?
The Dark Womb Realm surely had Immortal instructors, perhaps even Qianwu Monarch himself, burdened with debt but willing to teach. Resources there would dwarf anything Luo could offer.
He’d secure Hong and Lei Shen in the Corporation, letting Luo Feng mentor them later.
The Heavenly Netherworld was unavoidable. For emergencies, he’d gain 20,000–70,000 points by clearing Cosmic Level 7–10. Nothing as absurd as 20 layers—no need for that chaos.
...
The preliminaries ended, and Jiang Zhe’s records flooded Cosmic Nations, drawing elite attention.
In Noah Cosmic Nation, Barn received a video from his master—showing Jiang Zhe’s Temporal Echo Technique blanketing the sky.
"Jiang Zhe, the Lightning Emperor from Qianwu?" The cold-eyed swordsman in white noted the name indifferently, returning to his sword training.
In Qianwu Cosmic Nation, a colossal figure stood in space, its form obscured by warped dimensions. Most of its consciousness remained in the Virtual Universe, watching subordinates report.
"Your Majesty, this one possesses top ten Universe strength!" Three Immortals in white robes bowed.
"Ha! Dare bolder! This kid’s top two material—rivaling Noah’s prodigy!" The voice boomed from void, resonating in their very souls. "I want him first! Let him surprise me in four years!"
"Thirteen, offer him anything—within reason. Let’s see what he’ll bring us!"
The three bowed, departing after permission granted.
(End of Chapter)
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