Swallowing the Stars: The Rise of Emperor Wei

The heroic district boasts a beautiful environment with lush, verdant forests that shelter villas scattered throughout the woods.

As Eva walked, she said, "Lucky Island not only has core members, but also some internal members who do the work. As for the many servants in the manor villa who clean and trim the gardens, they are ordinary citizens recruited from various universe countries."

"There are currently 13,000 villas in the Valiant District, of which only a little over 1,000 are uninhabited. The villa allocated to His Highness is numbered 2806 and is over there."

Gao Sheng looked at the villa that Eva was pointing to.

The ancient building was circular in shape and had four floors. The first floor had a diameter of about 500 meters, and the diameter gradually decreased from bottom to top. The villa was surrounded by gardens, which were about three square kilometers in size.

"We've arrived." Eva flew down with Gao Sheng.

At the garden entrance, a burly man, three meters tall and wearing a two-star mercenary medal on his chest, respectfully saluted. Behind him stood ten one-star mercenaries.

"Your Highness! Your Highness Eva!"

"Your Highness," Eva smiled, "the villa in the Valiant District is guarded. This is Elsie Alves, an internal member from the Ancient Wheel Universe Kingdom, the captain of Guard Team 2806, and he has ten cosmic-level warriors under his command. They will be here on Lucky Island. There are some things you can order them to do."

Gao Sheng nodded. These people must have also taken on mercenary missions. He wondered how much the reward would be.

"Your Highness, you can just call me Elsie." The burly man bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Your Highness!" The ten cosmic-level beings behind him all bowed deeply.

Upon entering the garden, one finds servants tending to the lawn, tidying up the trees, and so on.

"These things could be done with intelligence, or even without anything at all. After all, it's a virtual universe; it can change however it wants," Gao Sheng muttered to himself. "Is this considered forcibly creating jobs?"

"Your Highness, I cannot go inside the villa. You will know the details once you go in. I will not disturb you any longer." Eva handed the book box to Elsie and left.

Elsie watched Eva leave, waved, and the ten cosmic-level warriors saluted Gao Sheng before splitting into two teams and patrolling the manor from side to side.

Elsie turned to Gao Sheng and said, "Your Highness, you can give me or them instructions regarding matters on Lucky Island. They will be patrolling the gardens at all times."

"Elsie, do you and the others usually patrol here?" Gao Sheng asked curiously.

"Yes, Your Highness."

Gao Sheng said, "I don't see anything worth patrolling here. You should all rest."

Elsie was taken aback and said, "Your Highness, that won't do. It's our duty."

Gao Sheng is puzzled. If this were in reality, it would be one thing, but this is a virtual universe. What's the point of inspecting it and maintaining a sense of ritual?

Or perhaps the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance and other forces do this to constantly highlight the difference in status and position, and to stimulate the competitive spirit of geniuses.

Elsie smiled and said, "Your Highness, doing these things doesn't actually require much effort... Being able to serve as a guard here is something others would kill for."

Gao Sheng was slightly taken aback, but then he understood.

These internal members are not only on this Lucky Island; the villas and estates here also correspond to real-world estates.

In reality, they are also at Manor No. 2806 in the Heroic District, which is in the Glory Secret Realm, and it has many benefits for cultivation.

Moreover, these people are manor guards, not his personal bodyguards. If Gao Sheng leaves the manor in the future, they will not follow him.

The core members of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance have no guards, regardless of whether they are cosmic level or domain lord level, or what level they are.

There will be no mandatory residency; everyone is responsible for themselves.

If you want a bodyguard, you can apply and recruit one by paying points.

Upon arriving at the villa's main gate, Elsie put down her book box and said, "Your Highness, we can only enter the guard rooms around the perimeter of this villa. We cannot normally enter other areas. Please enter by yourself."

"Alright, you can continue then." Gao Sheng waved his hand and carried the box inside.

After organizing the secret manuals, Gao Sheng first went through all the places.

"It's so big!" Xiao Ai giggled.

A three-story villa with a diameter of 500 meters, inhabited by only one person, is indeed large.

The training room, reception room, study, large bathtub, and other facilities—Gao Sheng quickly learned about them all. It was much larger than the previous apartment building.

In terms of luxury, it even surpasses the villas that Gaosheng renovated in Jiuxing Bay.

"This is the Valiant level? What are the requirements for the Glorious and Radiant levels?" Xiao Ai exclaimed in amazement.

Gao Sheng laughed and said, "What's the point? If I want to enjoy myself in the virtual universe, I can just build my own manor. I can make it as big and luxurious as I want. It won't cost much at all."

It has little significance in the virtual universe, but in the real world, dwellings are also divided into different levels and tiers, so it has great significance.

In the large study on the third floor, Gao Sheng asked Xiao Ai to open the redemption list and directly purchase the three secret techniques mentioned earlier.

"The Empty Sword": A secret technique for using telekinesis to create weapons (learning type), suitable for spiritual practitioners who cultivate spatial laws. The complete set consists of four volumes.

"The Void Sword" (空明小剑) consists of four volumes and requires 800 points. (9% discount for Valiant-level members)

The first three volumes of "The Vast Sword" require 80 points. (9% discount for Valiant-level members)

The first two volumes of "The Vast Sword" require 8 points. (9% discount for Valiant-level members)

Volume 1 of "The Void Sword" requires 8000 Glory. (10% discount for Valiant-level members)

……

Bloodshed

This basic spatial law learning sword technique is suitable for cultivators of the Nine Universes Chaos Stele, as well as other martial artists who cultivate spatial laws.

Exchange price: 800 points. (9% discount for Valiant-level members)

……

"The Hundred Explanations of Fire": A complete analysis of the laws of fire, suitable for cultivators of the Mother Ancestor Chaos Stele, as well as any cultivator who practices the laws of fire.

Exchange price: 2000 point.

……

"This 'Hundred Solutions to Fire' isn't on sale."

After clicking to redeem, 3440 points were deducted, leaving only 4142 points.

"Oh, right, and illusion magic too."

Gao Sheng asked Xiao Ai to find "The Nineteen Bewitching Techniques".

Two results were obtained.

"Nineteen Bewitching Techniques" is a comprehensive set of illusion techniques.

Exchange price: 1 million points.

……

"Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" is a comprehensive set of illusion techniques, consisting of six volumes.

The complete set of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" consists of six volumes and requires 10000 points.

The first five volumes of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" require 1000 points.

The first four volumes of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" require 100 points.

The first three volumes of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" require 10 points.

The first two volumes of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" require 100000 Glory.

The first volume of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques (Volume 1)" requires 10000 Glory.

……

One hundred million points! And still no discounts.

The promotion is something we can only watch; thankfully, it's not the 100 billion yuan that was previously speculated.

After thinking it over, Gao Sheng redeemed the first four volumes, leaving him with 4042 points.

I can afford to exchange for the first five volumes, but I'll have to exchange for the later ones sooner or later. The more I exchange now, the more I'll lose.

The first four volumes are enough; Gao Sheng hasn't even finished the second volume yet.

"Points are hard to earn, so save them if you can."

After completing the exchange, Gao Sheng pondered his plans for the next 30 years.

With his Force and psychic abilities already at the peak of the ninth rank of the cosmic level, he doesn't need to spend time cultivating Force.

The opportunity to cultivate in Chaos City is rare, so we should make the most of it. As Xiao Ai said, the first thing to do is to master the Primordial Spirit Splitting Technique.

The Brahma Flower has already reached the 3rd level of Domain Lord. Its cultivation resources, including the biological remains it purchased earlier, are already sufficient. It should be able to reach the 9th level of Domain Lord in 30 years, but it will take at least 40 to 50 years to reach the peak of Domain Lord.

As for spaceships, Gao Sheng is currently only carrying his old D9-class spaceship, which he has been using for a long time. As for the E9-class spaceship he obtained from that thorn, he left it with the old fat man. Anyway, Gao Sheng doesn't need spaceships now. When he needs them, it's no big deal to replace them with an E9-class spaceship. For ordinary ones, it's just a few mixed-element units.

Regarding the secret techniques, the three I just exchanged should be enough for Gao Sheng to cultivate for a long time. Even if I need some reference techniques, I can exchange for those that are sold separately using merit and glory.

After thinking it over for a while, Gao Sheng realized that he didn't lack anything for the time being.

What we desperately need right now is money!

Being heavily in debt doesn't feel good.

Soon, Gao Sheng received a call request from Eva, and the secret manual he had exchanged was delivered.

This is one of the advantages of being a Valiant member; you don't have to go get it yourself, Eva will bring it to you.

……

In the study, Gao Sheng looked at the four boxes on the table, his eyes shining.

The first box contained five large books, each half a meter square. The first book was over twenty centimeters thick, and the others got thicker and thicker. When stacked together, they were much taller than Gao Sheng.

Gao Sheng picked up the first book. The antique black cover was made of some unknown material, and it had four large characters in the universal language on it: "The Hundred Solutions to Fire".

Just looking at these four words, you can feel a surge of intense heat emanating from them.

"Impressive!" Gao Sheng first placed the five large books on the bookshelf, then looked at the other three boxes.

The second box contained books of normal size, filling the entire box. Upon taking them out and counting them, there were a total of 108 books, which was none other than "The Empty Sword".

"108 books? They do correspond to the 108 basic mysteries of the laws of space. We replaced them with 9 books before."

Gao Sheng didn't have time to look at them. He put the books away and then looked at the third box. It contained "Floating Blood," which had two more copies than "Empty Sword," making a total of 110 copies.

The fourth box contained four large books, namely the first four volumes of "Nineteen Bewitching Techniques".

After placing all the books on the bookshelf, Gao Sheng picked up the first volume of "The Hundred Solutions to Fire".

The black cover resembles some kind of leather, with fine lines forming the outline of a large tree, and some leaves falling down, vaguely resembling the shape of the Mother Ancestor Chaos Stele.

At the top of the cover are the two small characters "Mother Ancestor", and below the title "Hundred Solutions to Fire" in the center are two more small characters: "Fire Flame".

"Li Yan? Is that the author's name?"

Gao Sheng immediately turned to the first page.

The first page features an incredibly intricate background of flames, upon which are lines of small text in the universal language.

"The universe is composed of space and time, but if there is only space and time, then there is nothing..."

The Five Elements are the foundation of all things...

Fire is one of the five elements, the fundamental law governing the construction of all things. It governs transformation and has four basic mysteries: explosion, combustion, destruction, and regeneration. Below these are many other aspects such as warmth, heat, purification, reconstruction, and impact.

Fire represents movement. Intense heat is a microscopic movement, while explosive eruption is a macroscopic movement. Destruction means death, and rebirth means life. All things live when they move, and die when they do not move...

……

If you can fully understand this book, you will surely be able to achieve immortality and possess eternal life through the laws of fire…

As Gao Sheng gazed at the lines of text, his consciousness immediately became absorbed. On the pages, flames seemed to flicker, slowly unfolding the mysteries of the laws of fire within his mind.

"Huh?" Gao Sheng woke up with a start.

"This page's overview, these words... actually drew me into a state of enlightenment, just like the Chaos Monument."

"Amazing! Worth it! Absolutely worth it!" Gao Sheng exclaimed.

Although it is not even a fraction as powerful as the Chaos Stele, it does have a very slight similar effect.

This is just a virtual universe, but "The Hundred Solutions to Fire" is totally worth it.

Gao Sheng turned to the next page.

The second page has no background pattern; the white paper is filled with tiny text.

So this is the true explanation of the secret manual.

After carefully reading it, Gao Sheng turned to the third page.

On the page was a strange pattern, with a long explanation below it.

"This is a sword technique." Gao Sheng understood it at a glance. "It's based on very basic and profound principles, but its application is extremely ingenious."

In his mind, Gao Sheng immediately practiced this sword technique.

"continue."

He flipped through several pages, and they were all explanations of that move. Gao Sheng understood it at a glance.

Then, the next page.

"These leaves look like those on the Chaos Stele... no, they're different." Gao Sheng looked at the pile of withered yellow leaves that seemed to be falling, and it was as if he saw a flying knife piercing through the leaves.

"This fiery intent... this must be a secret technique for using telekinetic weapons... telekinetic weapons can be used like this?"

……

The promotion continues.

Dozens of red fire lines formed a hazy magic array.

"What is this? This should be a soul attack technique that uses ethereal mental power. Can ethereal mental power also be organized through the law of fire?" Gao Sheng was shocked.

Xiao Ai said, "Master, soul illusions can certainly utilize the laws, but every illusionist's illusions are different. Haven't you noticed? The 'Nineteen Bewitching Techniques' you exchanged only contain the key construction techniques. How to utilize the laws is missing. The true secret techniques also need to be constructed by yourself."

"No rules apply?"

Yes, those Nineteen Bewitching Techniques don't specify which laws they apply to, so they obviously have nothing to do with which law you cultivate.

Moreover, Gao Sheng's current illusion techniques are his own creation, modified from other illusion techniques he learned after studying and comprehending the "Nineteen Forms of Bewitching God".

This is one of the reasons why illusionists find it difficult to cultivate their skills.

"Because soul illusion techniques are not only related to skills and laws, but also to the mind. This cannot be taught, and it would be useless to teach it. Even if you learn it, the power you use will be far different from that of the creator. The difference is much greater than learning how to use combat secret techniques. So, it's better not to write it down and you can only study it yourself," Xiao Ai said.

"But I can learn this secret technique at a glance," Gao Sheng said, puzzled.

"It can be simple. You can also use these kinds of secret methods to summarize your experience and learn how to apply the principles to more advanced illusions."