Swallowing the Stars: Heart of the Martial God

Chapter 232 Preparing for the Genius Battle

After successfully obtaining his cosmic citizenship on Qiulong Star, Babata couldn't wait to take Luo Feng to the Virtual Universe Company's branch on Qiulong Star.

This is a futuristic, streamlined building, entirely constructed of some unknown silver metal, which refracts a mesmerizing halo under the light of the unique triple star system of the planet Qiulong.

Once inside, under Babata's guidance, Luo Feng successfully activated his virtual universe network account after going through a series of advanced and cumbersome verifications.

The moment the cold, sensory helmet was put on, Luo Feng's consciousness seemed to be ripped away, and the next moment he found himself in a vast world that could not be described in words.

Mountains and rivers, city crowds—everything is incredibly real, even the touch of a gentle breeze on your face is clearly discernible.

Even after exiting the virtual universe, Luo Feng was still immersed in that shock.

Seeing his surprised expression, Babata chuckled and began to systematically explain the power structure of the universe to him.

"Luo Feng, you have now officially stepped into the universe. There are some basic common sense things you must understand." Babata's voice rang in Luo Feng's mind, with an unusual seriousness. "Look, this is the Qianwu Universe Kingdom, and these are all so-called 'advanced civilizations in the universe.' They have vast territories, rule over countless star systems, have huge armies, and are indeed very powerful."

A huge star map projection unfolded in front of Luo Feng, marked with points of light, each representing a powerful cosmic nation.

“But!” Babata’s tone shifted, becoming serious. “In the universe, those who truly stand at the pinnacle and possess absolute power are not these fixed-territory nations.”

"Which forces are those?" Luo Feng's curiosity was completely piqued. He looked away from the star map and waited intently for Babata to continue.

“Listen carefully,” Babata said, enunciating each word clearly, “The Cosmic Galaxy Bank, the First Cosmic Bank, the Giant Axe Arena, the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, the Virtual Universe Company, and… the Heavenly Court! These six are the true behemoths of the universe! Their existence transcends national borders, their influence permeates every corner of human territory, and they hold an absolute monopoly in their respective fields.”

"The Heavenly Court?" Luo Feng's mind jolted when he heard this name that was so familiar to him.

In the long-standing myths and legends of China, the "Heavenly Court" is the supreme being that governs the Three Realms and holds the order of Heaven.

He never expected that in this vast universe of civilizations, there would also exist a powerful force with the same name.

He didn't interrupt Babata immediately, suppressing his curiosity and continuing to listen.

“Let’s talk about these two banks first,” Babata pointed to the virtual icons representing the two banks. “They do business with top-tier powerhouses and forces, and the threshold for entry is extremely high. Not to mention ordinary citizens of the universe, even ordinary realm lords are not qualified to be looked at by them. Countless immortal beings, and even stronger ones, choose these two banks as their first place to store their vast wealth and precious treasures. The wealth that your teacher Huyanbo left you is stored in the ‘Cosmic Galaxy Bank.’ The three account numbers I had you memorize are the keys to unlocking these legacies.”

Luo Feng nodded solemnly, keeping this in mind.

“Then there’s the Giant Axe Arena,” Babata said with a hint of admiration. “It’s the fairest, bloodiest, and most sought-after arena in the universe. Its background is unfathomable, and its rules are strict. No matter your origins, you can only rely on your own strength to speak for yourself in the arena. You will experience its power firsthand in the future.”

“Next is the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance,” Babata said, his tone somewhat complicated. “It’s an extremely loose alliance. But what’s terrifying about it is that its membership is the largest in the universe! Over 99% of martial artists and psychic practitioners choose to join it during their growth process, honing their skills and acquiring resources by accepting missions. You could say it’s the largest martial arts organization in the universe. Your teacher was one of them back then.”

"Over 99%?!" Luo Feng gasped in shock; this percentage was truly terrifying.

This means that almost all the martial artists encountered in the universe are members of the Mercenary Alliance.

Fortunately, Babata emphasized that it was a "loose organization," otherwise, it would be unimaginable how this force could unite.

“As for the Virtual Universe Corporation,” Babata pointed to the icon representing the company, his tone filled with admiration, “it controls the ‘Virtual Universe,’ a network that can be considered humanity’s second world. Can you imagine? Connecting countless star systems and trillions of citizens across the entire human race in real time through a single network. The power behind this technology is beyond comprehension. No major cosmic nation, including the Qianwu Cosmic Nation, can shake its position in the slightest. Its strength is self-evident.”

“Yes,” Luo Feng nodded in deep agreement. He had just personally experienced the wonder of the virtual universe, which was almost a perfect replica of the real world. “This virtual universe is indeed incredible.”

He even thought that if a person with insufficient willpower were to immerse themselves in this environment where virtuality and reality intertwine for a long time, they might lose themselves.

"Then... what about this 'Heavenly Court'?" Luo Feng couldn't help but ask when Babata suddenly stopped after introducing the first five, seemingly hesitant.

He was filled with curiosity about this force that shared the same name as Earth's mythology.

“The Heavenly Court…” Babata’s voice lowered, unusually carrying a hint of awe, and even a trace of barely perceptible regret and complexity.

He seemed to be recalling something, and after a few seconds of silence, he continued, "If the previous five forces were behemoths, then the Heavenly Court is the uncrowned king who reigns supreme over all the forces!"

"It is the supreme maintainer of order within the human race, wielding the 'Heavenly Laws' that apply to all cosmic kingdoms. Its words carry the weight of the law, and it possesses the ultimate power of judgment and enforcement. Any being that violates the Heavenly Laws, whether an individual, a family, or even an immortal being from a certain cosmic kingdom, will be mercilessly punished by the Heavenly Court."

Babata's voice carried a hint of reminiscence and bitterness: "Back then... if your teacher, Huyanbo, had been able to seek the protection of the Heavenly Court in time when facing a powerful enemy, perhaps... the outcome would have been different."

He said it very softly, but the regret in his voice made Luo Feng's heart sink.

"The protection of the Heavenly Court?" Luo Feng caught the key information.

“That’s right.” Babata perked up again. “According to the rules set by the Heavenly Court, as long as you can prove and register as the legal ‘lord’ of a planet, then that planet will automatically be protected by the laws of the Heavenly Court. Any space pirates, slave traders or other forces that dare to violate the Heavenly Laws and invade your territory will be met with the Heavenly Court’s enforcement team. Its deterrent power far exceeds the laws of any cosmic nation itself.”

Babata emphasized, "Even an immortal being as powerful as your teacher, Huyanbo, would never dare to openly violate the Heavenly Laws in his prime. This is because the Heavenly Court possesses supreme authority to mobilize forces from all sides. It can not only order the legions of various cosmic nations to assist in enforcing the law, but also, when necessary, directly mobilize the cosmic nation rulers to take action personally!"

"Mobilize the ruler of the universe?!" Luo Feng was completely stunned, his eyes wide open.

In his eyes, the Black Dragon Mountain Empire was already a behemoth, while the ruler of the Qianwu Universe Kingdom, which ruled over countless empires like Black Dragon Mountain, was a god-like being in his imagination.

But now Babata is telling him that even such beings are subject to the Heavenly Court's orders?

Just how terrifying is the authority of this Heavenly Court?

“However, all of this is predicated on,” Babata emphasized, looking at Luo Feng’s shocked expression, “that you must first successfully register as the ‘Earth Lord’ according to the universal law, making Earth your legal private property. Only in this way can Earth be included in the Heavenly Court’s protection system.”

Luo Feng nodded heavily, his mood becoming extremely heavy, while at the same time a strong sense of urgency and responsibility welled up within him.

He originally only wanted to find a way for Earth to avoid being colonized and enslaved. Now it seems that becoming the ruler of Earth and gaining the approval of the Heavenly Court is the most fundamental and powerful way to protect his home.

This path will inevitably be full of hardships, but for the future of the earth, he will not hesitate.

……

The Heavenly Court headquarters, the Lingxiao Palace. Within the magnificent and endless halls, stars serve as lamps, and the Milky Way as decoration.

Ancient totems are carved on the towering pillars, radiating a chilling aura of power.

The roof of the palace is a vast projection of the starry sky, with countless stars moving along mysterious trajectories, as if the entire universe has been condensed into this space.

Suddenly, the space around the throne in the center of the hall, which symbolized supreme power, rippled slightly.

A figure dressed in a deep black robe quietly appeared and sat on the throne.

His face was handsome, but it carried a hint of pale weariness. Mysterious black patterns could be faintly seen flowing across his fair skin, as if they contained the ultimate truth of the birth and death of the universe.

Between the opening and closing of those deep eyes, it seemed as if countless worlds were born and died within them.

It is none other than the Lord of the Heavenly Court, the Human Race's Flame Emperor—Ling Xuan!
"Greetings, Your Majesty Emperor Yan!"

The numerous powerful figures from the Heavenly Court standing in the hall bowed in unison, their voices filled with heartfelt reverence.

These powerful individuals were at least at the King-level Immortal realm, and some were even Universe Venerables, but they all showed utmost respect in front of Ling Xuan.

"Ling Xuan."

Three pleasant, yet distinct, voices rang out simultaneously.

Three stunningly beautiful emperors and empresses emerged from the side hall, all wearing joyful smiles.

They each took their seats on the slightly smaller thrones beside Ling Xuan.

Although these thrones are smaller, they still exude awe-inspiring majesty, representing their supreme status in the Heavenly Court.

"How are the preparations for the Genius Battle going?" the Nine Nether clone asked.

He usually devotes himself to studying the mysteries of the Nine Netherworld lineage in his own divine kingdom, while also cultivating the "Divine Elephant Suppressing Prison Technique," rarely concerning himself with worldly affairs.

But not long ago, his intelligent life form Puff sent a message—the Earth, which he had always asked Puff to pay special attention to, finally had a new master.

Although Ling Xuan never went to this blue planet in person, he always had Puff keep a close eye on the changes in its ruler.

More than 50,000 years ago, when the previous lord Huyanbo perished, Ling Xuan knew that the birth of the legendary "Lord Luo" was not far off.

Therefore, he specifically requested the Heavenly Court to participate in and host the Cosmic Genius Battle and the Strongest Battle, and even carefully calculated the time to ensure that the Heavenly Court would preside over this session.

Given his immense authority and unparalleled contributions within the human race, no one naturally opposed the proposal.

Everyone assumed that Emperor Yan was simply restless and wanted to cultivate more geniuses for the human race, and they all looked forward to the appearance of Emperor Yan's next disciple.

After all, in recent years, the only disciple publicly acknowledged by Emperor Yan was the Fiery Venerable, who was renowned throughout the universe. Everyone believed that Emperor Yan's standards for accepting disciples were far too high.

Just now, Puff sent another message: Earth's new lord has been officially registered, and his name is—Luo Feng!
Ren Yaoli turned to look at Ling Xuan with curiosity, her beautiful eyes filled with doubt.

She never expected that her husband, who had been in seclusion for many years, would make a special trip out of seclusion just to care about a mere genius.

"Ling Xuan, in this year's Genius Battle, did you already have your eye on a promising talent?"

"Oh? Why do you say that?" Ling Xuan smiled slightly, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest of the throne, producing a rhythmic sound.

"If you didn't have someone you particularly favored, would you have specially come out of seclusion for a genius warrior?" Ren Yaoli's red lips parted slightly, her tone carrying a hint of teasing.

“You can’t say that.” Ling Xuan chuckled, his gaze sweeping over the respectfully standing crowd below. “As the ruler of the Heavenly Court, I occasionally have to pay attention to the training of the grassroots, after all, these young people are the future of our human race.”

Seeing that Ling Xuan was unwilling to say more, Ren Yaoli simply rolled her eyes gracefully and did not press the matter further.

She knew that Ling Xuan would tell her what needed to be said when the time came.

Ling Xuan turned his gaze to the assembled powerful figures below, his voice calm yet carrying an undeniable authority: "Recently, undercurrents have been surging in the universe, with major forces secretly making their moves. I hereby issue this decree: all departments of the Heavenly Court must strengthen their patrols, and any behavior that violates the Heavenly Laws must be dealt with severely."

Venerable Xuanji, the Lord of the Law Enforcement Hall, stepped forward and bowed to report: "I respectfully obey Your Majesty's decree. I have dispatched seventy-two additional patrol envoys to inspect various star regions. Once any violations are discovered, the 'Heavenly Punishment Legion' can be mobilized immediately."

Ling Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the entire room like lightning: "Remember, the Heavenly Court holds the Heavenly Laws, maintaining the order and stability of the entire human race in the universe. Anyone who tries to disrupt this stability or harm the interests of the human race must pay the price! Especially those who secretly collude with other races and betray the interests of the human race..."

His voice suddenly turned cold, and the temperature in the entire Lingxiao Palace seemed to plummet: "Upon discovery, kill without exception! Their families and factions will be implicated and held accountable! I want to see who dares to challenge the majesty of the Heavenly Court!"

"We obey Your Majesty's decree!" The thunderous response resounded through the sky, and a resolute flame burned in the eyes of every powerful figure.

After everyone had left, Ling Shuang stepped forward.

He is now a high-level cosmic venerable, and his brows bear a seven-tenths resemblance to Ling Xuan, but he has an extra touch of sharpness.

“Father, everything is ready for the Genius Battle. I will personally oversee it this time,” Ling Shuang said respectfully.

“Yes, I’ve always trusted you to get things done.” Ling Xuan looked at his most outstanding son, a hint of satisfaction flashing in his eyes. “Remember, this is not just a selection process, but also a chance to showcase the strength of our human race to the entire universe. Make sure it is fair, just, and transparent.”

“I understand,” Ling Shuang replied solemnly. “Every step has been certified by the virtual universe system to ensure there will be no unfairness.”

Ling Xuan nodded slightly, his gaze seemingly piercing through endless void, looking towards the azure planet in the distant Milky Way galaxy, and murmured to himself, "This year, perhaps there will be some unexpected surprises."

The three emperors and empresses exchanged a smile, seemingly understanding something.

(End of this chapter)