"Terrifying."
Jiang Li's heart trembled as well. "Just a single glance was enough to drag me into an illusion… It seems I really did underestimate how terrifying the universe is!"
The gap in realm was far too vast—no amount of talent could make up for it.
A Universe Venerable's existence stood at the very peak of the cosmos. Across the entire human race of this vast universe, how many could truly step into that realm?
"You've completed the mission I issued. Not bad."
Venerable Wanshan looked at Jiang Li with a light smile.
Jiang Li bowed slightly and listened quietly.
But deep down he was unsettled. He felt as if Venerable Wanshan's gaze penetrated straight through him—seeing everything. That feeling was… definitely not pleasant.
However—
With the chat group being such a heaven-defying existence, he wasn't particularly worried about being exposed.
"I watched the recording of you climbing Wan Zhong Mountain. You comprehended three types of laws in a single day?"
Venerable Wanshan's smile deepened. "In eighty million years, you are the first—and the only one."
Jiang Li obediently listened.
At times like this, saying nothing was the safest choice.
"The six-point-three billion Qianwu coins are yours."
Venerable Wanshan suddenly lifted his hand, and a strange pillar of light shot out from his palm, instantly enveloping Jiang Li.
Then—
Jiang Li felt the three Law Stars in his soul-space tremble slightly. Around him, the earth-type, wood-type, and space laws became restless and stirred violently.
The pillar of light faded.
"Many thanks, Venerable Wanshan."
Jiang Li thanked him again and again.
But inwardly he was deeply shocked—he could actually mobilize the laws and make Jiang Li's inner Law Stars respond?!
"As expected."
Venerable Wanshan's eyes flickered slightly. He too was astonished.
A star-level warrior comprehending two laws was already a race-level prodigy.
And Jiang Li had comprehended three laws while still at the star-level—that made him a prodigy among prodigies.
If this were made public, even Universe Masters might be tempted!
Venerable Wanshan had never expected that a random whim eighty million years ago would produce such a harvest!
"Jiang Li."
He smiled and asked, "Would you be willing to become my disciple?"
"Of course, I won't restrict you from having other teachers."
Cosmic powerhouses lived extremely long lives and often had multiple teachers.
After all, different realms required different perspectives—and therefore different mentors.
Venerable Wanshan himself had eleven teachers.
"Disciple is willing!"
Jiang Li replied respectfully.
"Hahaha, good!"
Venerable Wanshan laughed heartily. With a wave of his hand, Jiang Li was drawn into his internal world and vanished from the metal hall.
...
"Uh…"
When Jiang Li reappeared, he was already in the Henglan Star System—at least tens of millions of light-years away from Blue Star.
Upon the sacred Wan Zhong Divine Mountain—
"Master!"
The moment Venerable Wanshan appeared, nearly ten thousand servants bowed respectfully.
"Mm."
Venerable Wanshan looked at the bewildered Jiang Li with a smile. "Jiang Li, come with me."
"Heavens, so many strong people!!"
Babata couldn't detect the immortal-level exactly, but from sheer pressure alone, out of the ten thousand servants, at least a thousand were Immortals!
Immortal-level!
Strength on par with Babata's own former master—or even stronger!
Yet here, they were merely the Venerable's servants!
Even Babata's hyper-advanced AI processing froze for a moment.
While Jiang Li was being forcibly taken to Wan Zhong Divine Mountain—
Somewhere in the vast starry expanse of the Solar System, a silver saucer-shaped spacecraft was already approaching Blue Star.
"What a beautiful life planet… azure blue. Such a captivating color!"
Inside the ship's command room—
The handsome captain in a silver combat suit looked excited. "Yes… a captivating color. This shade of blue can bring me status. Can bring me wealth!"
The other crewmembers howled in excitement, expressing their fervor.
An unclaimed life planet—one left untouched by any great power for countless years—was an enormous fortune!
Swoosh—
The cosmic ship pierced through the atmosphere. Its technology far surpassed humanity's, landing silently in the depths of the ocean.
At that exact moment—
Deep in the sea, the Golden-Horned Giant Beast sensed something. Through the slave imprint, it contacted its master.
"Hmm?"
Upon Wan Zhong Divine Mountain, in the divine hall of Venerable Wanshan—
"Jiang Li, you came from an unclaimed indigenous planet?"
Seated upon his throne, Venerable Wanshan looked at Jiang Li with slight surprise. "It was my oversight to bring you straight back to Wan Zhong Divine Mountain."
Blue Star was indeed extremely mysterious, but to someone of Venerable Wanshan's level, it was not something that would immediately attract suspicion.
Only if multiple geniuses appeared in succession would higher beings notice and begin investigating the planet.
After several days of getting acquainted, Jiang Li's impression of Venerable Wanshan was actually very good.
Other than Jiang Li, Venerable Wanshan had only ever taken one disciple—a Manka clansman named Luolin, who unfortunately fell eighty million years ago.
And none of Venerable Wanshan's family members managed to break through to immortality; they all withered away with time.
Likewise—
Venerable Wanshan was extremely satisfied with Jiang Li.
How old was he?
Twenty-four!
Yet he had already cultivated to Star-Level Stage Four, and comprehended three laws of a dual-layer domain!
This disciple was practically heaven's own monstrous gift!
"This is for you."
Venerable Wanshan tossed him a space ring with a smile. "There are three secret techniques I prepared for you, and some other little items. Study them yourself."
"If you encounter any difficulties in your cultivation, you may ask me anytime."
"When you finish dealing with your mundane affairs, Abusika will send you back."
With a flick of his hand, Jiang Li was once again pulled into the internal world.
The next moment—
Jiang Li reappeared on Heikun Star. Beside Venerable Wanshan stood a black-haired youth in a dark-red battle suit. Though much slimmer than Jiang Li, the faintly restrained aura around him was terrifying.
"Abusika pays respects to His Highness Jiang Li!"
Abusika bowed deeply, full of respect.
"Thank you, Teacher!"
Jiang Li breathed in deeply, truly grateful. "Disciple will definitely not disappoint Teacher's expectations!"
Abusika was one of Venerable Wanshan's strongest immortals—near the Marquis level. Even stronger than Hou Yanbo, Babata's former master.
And Venerable Wanshan actually sent such a person to protect him?
"Hahaha, go!"
Venerable Wanshan waved his hand with a grin. "Hurry and settle your worldly matters. The Cosmic Genius Battle is approaching—when the time comes, make sure to bring me some glory!"
With that—
He tore open space and vanished.
Staring at the spot where his teacher disappeared, Jiang Li exhaled deeply, feeling somewhat dreamlike.
After barely a hundred days in the universe, he had gained a Venerable-level teacher?!
Not only Jiang Li—even Babata still couldn't believe it.
He had always thought Jiang Li was promising, but he never expected that even a Universe Venerable's vision would match his own!
The truth was—
Aside from heaven-defying talents like Jiang Li, Venerable Wanshan's task could stay there for eighty million more years and still never find another disciple.
One must understand—
Even with Jiang Li's monstrous comprehension, it still took him several days to understand three laws.
Don't be fooled by "a few days."
Sword arts like Po Kong Jianjue and the Chaos Undying Zu Long Body had taken him only a few hours each.
It showed just how profound the power of law truly was.
This feeling… it was as if Jiang Li was glimpsing the very origin of the world.
Of course, the true origin of the world was purer and far more profound than simple law power.
"Hmm?"
Suddenly—
Jiang Li's soul consciousness received a signal from the Golden-Horned Giant Beast. The message was unclear, but faintly… dangerous.
"Could Blue Star be in danger?"
"Babata, give me the exact cosmic coordinates for Blue Star."
Jiang Li's eyes narrowed. "I need to return immediately."
He had originally planned to visit the Heilongshan Empire to handle some planetary transactions—but now, with that warning from the Golden-Horned Giant Beast, everything needed to wait.
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