A sleek spaceship rose silently above Primal Chaos City, its hull gleaming as it ascended through layers of protective barriers.
After a thousand years of intensive cultivation in Primal Chaos City, Han Jue's Star Stream Sea clone finally departed for the extraterritorial battlefield.
His main body, however, remained behind to continue secluded cultivation within Primal Chaos City's time-accelerated environment.
Inside the spaceship's control chamber, Han Jue took inventory of his equipment.
The Star Stream Sea clone carried substantial firepower: the ranged attack treasure Ice Erosion Longbow, the top-tier domain treasure Melting Flame Pool, the top-tier soul defense treasure Ethereal Pearl, the Immortal-grade defensive armor Eternal Armor, and the Immortal-level Thousand Vine Star-Eating Grass.
Less critical items like the Eternal Day Primordial Armor and the Ice Wasteland spacecraft remained with his main body in Primal Chaos City.
Since this Star Stream Sea clone possessed flesh-and-blood biology similar to the Lord of the Nine Netherworlds, complete with a conventional soul, it couldn't ignore soul attacks the way energy lifeforms of the Demon Slayer Clan could. The Ethereal Pearl's protection was therefore essential.
Han Jue's original core, however, remained safely secured within his main body.
If the clone encountered insurmountable danger, self-destruction remained an option. Though losing this Star Stream Sea clone would prove troublesome to replace, and sacrificing his most precious treasures would be devastating, preserving his life took absolute priority.
'First, I'll retrieve that palace-type treasure from the Crimson Star King's inheritance,' Han Jue calculated silently. 'Then proceed directly to the extraterritorial battlefield.'
The travel time would be sufficient for him to complete his comprehension of the fundamental Origin Law of Light.
Now that he possessed a clone, and the Star Stream Sea body had abilities similar to a Starry Sky Devouring Beast with core hardness comparable to Luo Feng's Golden Horned Beast, simply comprehending a lower-tier fundamental law wouldn't trigger an involuntary breakthrough to Immortal status. He'd likely need to comprehend the fundamental Origin Law of Space before facing that risk.
Even if he did break through prematurely, it wouldn't particularly matter.
Were there any crucial resources available exclusively to World Masters? Not really.
On the contrary, Han Jue eagerly anticipated discovering how powerful he would become upon reaching the Immortal realm, and whether he could rival those legendary Universe Overlords.
After the spaceship transported Han Jue away from the Beginning Universe, he returned to the Black Dragon Mountain Starfield via the Star-Eating Grass's Kingdom of God teleportation network. From there, he proceeded toward the Crimson Star King's inheritance site.
The Virtual Universe
"Han Jue, Luo Feng has been missing for almost two thousand years now. Has something happened to him?"
Within the virtual universe's Earth Holy Land reconstruction, Xu Xin asked with a worried expression clouding her delicate features.
As the master of the Earth Holy Land, Han Jue was the first person she thought to consult after Luo Feng's extended absence.
Han Jue's eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
At this point in the timeline, Luo Feng had already established his reputation as the King of Blade River on the extraterritorial battlefield. His sudden disappearance for such an extended period could only mean one thing.
The Star Tower inheritance!
For some inexplicable reason, Han Jue had never found the Nine Tribulations Secret Manual on Earth despite several thorough searches. Perhaps Sitting Mountain Guest felt that Han Jue's bloodline was too unusual and was unwilling to let him attempt the training. Or perhaps some other mysterious factor was at play.
His life gene level had increased naturally and without warning, a phenomenon that was indeed profoundly strange.
Sitting Mountain Guest probably assumed this was the work of the Original Universe's consciousness or perhaps even other God Kings interfering from beyond the cosmos.
Regardless of the underlying reasons, Luo Feng inheriting the Star Tower was ultimately beneficial for Earth's future.
During Han Jue's previous cultivation period in Primal Chaos City, Luo Feng had vaguely mentioned certain matters to him, inquiring about methods to improve one's life gene level. At the time, Han Jue had been too focused on his own training to pay much attention, assuming Luo Feng was referring to Blood River Crystals or similar resources. Now it seemed obvious, Luo Feng had been asking about the Nine Tribulations Secret Manual.
'Inheriting the Star Tower... if I remember correctly, it took Luo Feng over six thousand years,' Han Jue recalled from his knowledge of the original timeline. 'Less than a third of that time has passed so far.'
"Don't worry. Luo Feng will be fine," Han Jue said reassuringly, his tone confident and calm.
"Just like when he entered those ruins on Earth years ago, he's currently receiving an inheritance, an incomparably powerful inheritance that will transform his future."
"But..." Xu Xin still looked anxious, her hands clasped tightly together.
"Luo Feng won't die so easily. You don't need to worry about any problems arising from his disappearance either," Han Jue continued firmly. "In the entire Ganwu Universe Country, in the entire human race, no one will dare to bully Earthlings. I guarantee it."
He paused, letting that assurance sink in. "You have to believe in Luo Feng's strength and determination."
Xu Xin's anxious mood gradually calmed as she absorbed Han Jue's words. "Okay, I understand."
Han Jue thought for a moment, then added, "Actually, I'm heading to the extraterritorial battlefield myself next. When the time comes, I'll bring Luo Feng back safely for you."
"Han Jue, thank you so much." Xu Xin's expression brightened considerably, gratitude evident in her voice.
"It's nothing," Han Jue said with a dismissive wave. "Luo Feng is my friend. This is what friends do."
The Crimson Star King's Inheritance
The palace-type treasure awaited him at the inheritance site, a magnificent vessel called the White Radiance Crimson Light Boat.
The boat resembled an elongated dragon ship, radiating gentle white light from its graceful hull. In its normal configuration, it measured approximately one million kilometers in length and one hundred thousand kilometers in width. Its defensive capabilities could withstand attacks from ordinary Universe Venerables. Only Universe Overlords could damage this palace-type treasure, and even then, only top-tier Universe Overlords could actually destroy it.
More importantly, this vessel's speed far exceeded standard F9-class spaceships.
This was the final treasure left behind by the Crimson Star King, that powerful Immortal King from the Mountain and Sea Realm.
Once Han Jue claimed it, the entire inheritance site would cease to exist, its purpose finally fulfilled after countless eons.
During his journey to the inheritance site, Han Jue had already completed his comprehension of the fundamental Origin Law of Light. His next cultivation target would be the fundamental Origin Law of Water.
After securing the Crimson Light Boat, Han Jue set his course toward the extraterritorial battlefield.
A New Identity
Since Han Jue planned to enter the extraterritorial battlefield, the Lord of Ice Peak had helped him obtain a new identity to mask his true cultivation level.
The forged credentials identified him as an Immortal God named Wu.
As a top-tier domain treasure, the Melting Flame Pool possessed certain functions for concealing one's aura and power signature. While it couldn't deceive Universe Venerables with specialized detection techniques, it could effectively fool the Immortals operating throughout the extraterritorial battlefield.
At this moment, Han Jue stood on Wandering Bird Star.
Wandering Bird Star was one of the eight major logistics bases within human territory and served as a fixed transportation hub for the cosmic army. Vast numbers of military forces were continuously transported from here to the various sectors of the extraterritorial battlefield.
The extraterritorial battlefield itself could be divided into eleven distinct battlefields, each with its own strategic importance and danger level.
Luo Feng was currently on the Seventh Battlefield, receiving the Star Tower's inheritance in isolation.
Meanwhile, Han Huan, Han Xi, Hong, and Lei Shen, the four of them had joined forces to enter the Sixth Battlefield. With their coordinated teamwork, they could kill ordinary Immortal Marquises. They'd already made quite a name for themselves among the extraterritorial battlefield's elite forces.
Four World Masters working together could slay an Immortal Marquis! The feat had drawn considerable attention from both allies and enemies.
Since Luo Feng was receiving the Star Tower's inheritance and would be completely inaccessible, there was no point in Han Jue traveling to the Seventh Battlefield.
'I might as well head to the Sixth Battlefield instead,' Han Jue decided. 'I can check on my children and their companions.'
"Immortal Lord, this way please," a staff member said respectfully, gesturing toward a priority access corridor.
Upon entering Wandering Bird Star's teleportation facility, Han Jue's virtual universe account information had been automatically scanned. His forged Immortal identity credentials were immediately recognized by the security systems, granting him privileged treatment.
As an Immortal, he naturally didn't need to wait in the standard processing lines like ordinary soldiers.
Han Jue nodded slightly and proceeded directly through the exclusive passage reserved for Immortal-level officers.
At the end of the passage lay the gateway to the extraterritorial battlefield, and whatever challenges awaited him there.