Chapter 136: Arrival at the Primordial Secret Realm, the Chaos City Lord's Reward (2nd Update)

Virtual Universe Company Headquarters.

This group of prodigies who had just entered the Initial Universe had now been sent out of Chaos City, arriving on this vast continent known as the Primitive Universe.

“Jiang Chen and Uchiha Shisui from the Primitive Zone, you will depart with the Venerable One and wait here for now.”

“Members of the Primordial Zone, proceed that way to board the rock-gray spaceship resembling a meteor.”

“Members of the Celestial Zone, take the second ship nearby, the purplish-red vessel.”

“Members of the Apocalyptic Zone, you will board the largest of the three ships, the jet-black one.”

“As for this member from the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance, you should board the silver-gray, cone-shaped ship sent by your alliance to receive you.”

A staff member loudly announced the arrangements for each prodigy.

“The major secret realms aren’t even clustered in one place in the universe; meeting up in reality will be difficult from now on.”

“No worries, there’s the Virtual Universe. We can meet anytime there.”

“We’ll be off now.”

“Farewell.”

Over eight hundred prodigies rose simultaneously, exchanging farewells.

Jiang Chen encouraged them warmly, patting Luo Feng and Rong Jun on the shoulders with a smile: “You all must train hard and try to catch up to me soon.”

Luo Feng rolled his eyes.

Others might not understand Jiang Chen’s true strength, but Luo Feng knew it well enough.

In their occasional sparring, Jiang Chen’s combat ability was such that Luo Feng reckoned even if he fought with his true form as a Domain Lord-level Golden Horn Giant Beast against Jiang Chen’s universe-level clone, he would not win.

With such a vast gap, how could anyone catch up easily?

Yet Luo Feng was the type who grew stronger with adversity and was determined to surpass Jiang Chen someday.

“Ah Chen, you better work hard too, don’t let me overtake you,” Luo Feng joked. “We’ll be off now. See you at the peak.”

“Yes, see you at the peak,” Rong Jun, Uka, and other members of the Primordial Secret Realm greeted Jiang Chen with farewells.

Even the usually aloof Boran couldn’t help but issue a challenge, vowing to defeat Jiang Chen in the upcoming Qualification Battle and reclaim the Primitive Secret Realm’s position.

Everyone left, including ‘Eso’, another of Jiang Chen’s clones, who boarded the spaceship sent by the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance to journey toward the Glory Secret Realm.

Before concluding his insights in the Initial Universe, Jiang Chen chose to venture into the Glory Battlefield to directly enter the Glory Secret Realm, avoiding wasting time in the Death Secret Realm.

As for the Primitive Tongtian Mountain, Jiang Chen had already received a warning: only one reward could be claimed among his three identities.

Securing rewards from the Glory Battlefield made further attempts at Primitive Tongtian Mountain pointless, so naturally, he had no need to go there.

Inside the hall, only Jiang Chen and his other clone, Uchiha Shisui, remained.

Jiang Chen did not have the habit of conversing with himself; both clones quietly rested with closed eyes.

After a while, suddenly a voice called out: “Jiang Chen, Uchiha Shisui, come with me.”

The figure of the Nine-Sword Venerable appeared at the hall’s entrance without Jiang Chen noticing, called out, then turned and left.

Jiang Chen quickly followed.

It was still the same strange spaceship resembling a giant fish.

Once aboard, the ship activated and quickly accelerated, entering the Dark Universe at over a hundred times the speed of light.

“You two performed very well. One cleared six levels of the Heartscar Tongtian Bridge, the other seven levels of the Heavenly Work Tongtian Bridge. Among tens of thousands of previous prodigy battles, no one has done better than you,” the Nine-Sword Venerable’s voice said.

Jiang Chen smiled inwardly.

Sixth level? Seventh level?

Those were false reports deliberately fabricated by the Lord of Chaos City to conceal Jiang Chen’s secrets.

In reality, even without counting the other Chaos Tablets’ corresponding Tongtian Bridges, Jiang Chen had cleared thirteen levels of the Heartscar Tongtian Bridge and fifteen levels of the Heavenly Work Tongtian Bridge!

Not to mention nearly ten thousand prodigy battles.

From the time humanity established the Chaos Tablet and Tongtian Bridge talent cultivation system until today—an unimaginably long stretch of time—no one had surpassed Jiang Chen.

Even the current Lord of the Eclipse Palace, one of humanity’s three top cosmic overlords, who once ‘cheated’ through law comprehension at the Territory Lord level, had only matched Jiang Chen’s level, and only on one Tongtian Bridge.

Such an achievement was more than enough for Jiang Chen to feel proud.

Yet outwardly, Jiang Chen showed no reaction.

Jiang Chen had long been warned by the Lord of Chaos City to keep a low profile and keep his achievements secret.

Even without such warnings, Jiang Chen would never foolishly broadcast his talents.

No matter how gifted, a genius before full growth was still just a genius.

If targeted by alien races, no matter how well the human race was protected, there was a significant possibility of falling—a death that even reversing time and space could not undo.

Even a figure as high as Kedi, hailed as a once-in-tens-of-millennia prodigy and the Lord of Chaos City’s direct disciple, who could easily slay Immortal Kings as a Territory Lord, had fallen to alien spies’ assassinations and could not be resurrected even by the Lord of Chaos City.

Fully aware of the world’s dangers, Jiang Chen knew the importance of ‘keeping a low profile.’

If he had to show off, it had to be done through his clones.

As for his true self, he must remain hidden behind his clones, doing everything possible to preserve himself.

“I won’t say much more. You two are top-tier prodigies. You know best what paths you must take in the future,” the Nine-Sword Venerable said. “I only remind you this: leading at the start doesn’t mean much. You must maintain a sufficiently fast pace of progress to become true masters. The Primitive Secret Realm holds countless opportunities awaiting your exploration. But opportunity and danger coexist. How you choose depends on yourselves.”

“Yes, thank you, Venerable, for your guidance,” Jiang Chen responded respectfully.

The Nine-Sword Venerable nodded and said, “Go rest in the lounge. I will wake you when we arrive at the Primitive Secret Realm.”

Jiang Chen obediently took his leave and was led by servants into a lounge.

Although the ship’s speed exceeded a hundred times the speed of light, the distance to the Primitive Secret Realm was immense.

They traveled through the Dark Universe for over half a month before the ship finally entered the Original Universe.

Jiang Chen’s two clones were also awakened by the Nine-Sword Venerable and brought to the main control hall.

The external environment simulation had already begun, and Jiang Chen could clearly see the surrounding starry sky.

Ahead, 136 stars moved in the celestial expanse, faintly connected by some profoundly mysterious bond.

“This is the Ninth Spacetime of the Primitive Secret Realm, also known as the Wuchen Spacetime. It was crafted at great cost by the Virtual Universe Company to shield the prodigies of the Primitive Secret Realm,” the Nine-Sword Venerable’s voice explained. “These 136 stars themselves are extremely powerful weapons. Their interconnection forms a self-contained spacetime. Even I, without permission, would perish if I forced entry here. Even a large group of Cosmic Venerables or Cosmic Sovereigns would be unable to breach this defense in the short term. Here, assassination attempts by alien forces pose no threat to you. The cost to build this spacetime is immense—even for the Virtual Universe Company, it is staggering.”

Jiang Chen inwardly marveled at these words.

With his keen eyes, he immediately recognized that these 136 stars combined the two major schools of technology and arcane runes.

Strictly speaking, they were a form of ‘technological weapon.’

Jiang Chen’s own path was primarily technological, so he understood how difficult it was to rely solely on technology to kill Cosmic Venerables or hold off a large group of them.

The Virtual Universe Company’s technology was undoubtedly among the very best in the cosmos.

Across the entire universe, only a handful of races, such as the Mechanical Clan, could surpass the Virtual Universe Company technologically.

The ship continued onward and soon arrived above a continent.

“This is Manor No. 115. Uchiha Shisui, you may disembark here,” the Nine-Sword Venerable said, steering the ship to stop at a manor entrance. After releasing the Uchiha Shisui clone, he took Jiang Chen further to another manor: “Jiang Chen, this is your Manor No. 114. You may disembark.”

“Thank you, Venerable. I will take my leave,” Jiang Chen respectfully saluted and departed the ship.

Outside the manor, a group awaited him.

At their head was his chief bodyguard, Enzo.

“Your Highness.”

“Greetings, Your Highness.”

The guards and a larger number of servants and attendants all bowed respectfully.

“Everyone, rise,” Jiang Chen ordered, then looked toward Enzo and smiled: “Mr. Enzo, long time no see.”

“Yes, Your Highness. While you spent a bit over thirty years in the Initial Universe, we have spent a full century here in the Primitive Universe.”

The time ratio between the Initial Universe and the Primitive Universe was 1:3.28.

Jiang Chen had cultivated in Chaos City for just over thirty years, but a full hundred years had passed in the Primitive Universe.

“Your Highness, although you have seen this in the Virtual Universe, shall I give you a tour of the manor?” Enzo inquired.

“Sure, thank you,” Jiang Chen nodded, then glanced around and said, “Let them disperse. Everyone can attend to their own tasks.”

Jiang Chen did not mind having servants, but disliked having a large crowd constantly following him.

In the Virtual Universe, the guards and servants in the manor were already familiar with Jiang Chen’s habits and immediately dispersed to their own duties.

Jiang Chen followed Enzo on a brief tour to familiarize himself with his manor.

Having already explored the Virtual Universe countless times, there was little new or noteworthy.

After a short walk to get acquainted with the surroundings, Jiang Chen dismissed Enzo and returned indoors.

Logging into the Virtual Universe, Jiang Chen’s first task was to request ‘Class C Nutrient Solution.’

As a core secret realm prodigy, the core talents of the five great corporations did not need to absorb cosmic primal energy themselves to convert into primal force or psychic power.

Each time they broke through a major realm, the five giants would directly provide the corresponding grade of ‘nutrient solution’ free of charge, which could raise a prodigy’s level to the peak ninth rank of that realm within a short time without any side effects.

Simply infusing energy to improve one’s level was nothing rare—many resources in the universe could achieve that.

The key was ‘complete absence of any side effects,’ meaning no harm to the cultivation foundation.

This was extremely precious.

Even a single universe-level nutrient solution was valued in Chaos Units.

The nutrient solutions for Domain Lord and Territory Lord levels required even more precious resources.

The costs invested by the five giants into their core talents were staggering.

But for core secret realm prodigies, these were merely the most basic and mundane benefits.

Submitting his request in the Virtual Universe, Jiang Chen soon received confirmation that it would arrive within a few days.

“Next, I will refine the design of the Void Dragon Mech. During the following twenty years in the Initial Universe, I focused entirely on comprehending the Chaos Tablets, so progress on the Void Dragon Mech has been minimal.”

Jiang Chen was about to activate transmission to enter his ‘Research Center’ within the Virtual Universe to continue perfecting the Void Dragon Mech’s design.

Suddenly, Jarvis’s voice sounded: “Master, master, you have received important emails—two in total! One from the Lord of Chaos City, the other from the Founder of the Giant Axe. Both marked by you as high priority and requiring immediate notification!”

“Lord of Chaos City? Founder of the Giant Axe?”

Jiang Chen was momentarily stunned.

It made sense to receive an email from the Lord of Chaos City.

Previously, it was the Lord of Chaos City who granted Jiang Chen special permissions and trials.

Now that he had left Chaos City and was in the ‘result evaluation’ phase, it was natural for the Lord of Chaos City to send a summary and appraisal of his performance over the past twenty years.

But the Founder of the Giant Axe?

When had he ever crossed paths with him?

Confused, Jiang Chen immediately opened both emails.

The first, from the Lord of Chaos City, contained content much as Jiang Chen had expected: affirmation of his past achievements along with some rewards.

There were three rewards in total:

1. The privilege to exchange treasures from the treasury at half price, with the duration extended until Jiang Chen’s breakthrough to Immortal God status. Additionally, he was granted permanent permission to use Chaos Units to exchange points.

The email specifically noted that ‘breakthrough to Immortal’ referred to the breakthrough time of Jiang Chen’s true self.

Clearly, the Lord of Chaos City already knew Jiang Chen was not a mere ‘universe-level’ existence.

2. Permanent permission for Jiang Chen to freely comprehend any Chaos Tablet and challenge the corresponding Tongtian Bridge. However, this privilege could only be utilized the next time he entered Chaos City.

3. A reward of one hundred million points.

All three rewards held considerable value.

For an existence like the Lord of Chaos City, these rewards were trivial.

But for Jiang Chen at this moment, they were immensely significant.

Especially the one hundred million points.

No matter the system, following a ‘legion path’ was resource-intensive.

The more resources invested, the stronger the legion’s power.

Whether it was an insect legion or a mechanical legion, this was true.

With one hundred million points and a half-price exchange discount, Jiang Chen could amass enough resources to forge a powerful legion capable of slaying an Immortal God.

Suppressing his excitement, Jiang Chen opened the second email.

(End of chapter)