Swallowing the Stars: The Rise of Emperor Wei

Chapter 144 Good Fortune

Marquis Lijin looked at Gao Sheng with great interest, and after a while said, "Gao Sheng, you are very good. You passed the second stage on your first entry into the 'Path of Glory'."

"I dare not accept such praise," Gao Sheng said modestly.

Marquis Li Jin waved his hand and said, "No need to be modest. I watched your video of venturing onto the Path of Glory. You did very well. Also, Ji Qing, who became a one-star mercenary with you, has also become a core member. You two were teammates on the Kukan Continent, right? Haha."

"Yes," Gao Sheng replied respectfully.

"The Qianwu branch has produced two core members at once, which makes me proud, haha... Not bad, you two are both excellent." Marquis Lijin laughed, "Also, after becoming a core member, you will receive an initial grant of 10 Hunyuan units, which will be issued immediately."

Ten more mixed units? A great promotion indeed.

Oh, by the way, the 1000 members recruited by the Virtual Universe Company's Genius Battle all received a bonus of at least 10 Mixed Yuan Units.

It seems to be the same. Gao Sheng understands. As for the 100 points, the Glory Road mission has already been issued.

Marquis Lijin added, "Furthermore, after becoming a core member, you need to go to the Initial Universe as soon as possible for your first comprehension."

His promotion was obvious.

Seeing Gao Sheng's expression, Marquis Lijin asked, "You know about the initial universe?"

Gao Sheng quickly replied, "I knew about this when I participated in the Qianwu Elementary Auction a few years ago, as there was a spot for a World Lord-level Initial Universe Enlightenment to be auctioned."

"Oh? You can participate in the auction? Looks like you're quite wealthy." Marquis Lijin smiled. "How much did that spot cost?"

"It should be... more than 30,000 Mixed Yuan Units."

Marquis Lijin laughed and said, "Then you should understand how precious and rare the opportunity to comprehend the primordial universe is."

"The Primordial Universe is a sacred place for human cultivation! Countless realm lords and even immortal gods have no chance to enter. Even if a few spots are occasionally released, it's impossible to snag one even if you sell everything you own!" Marquis Lijin sighed. "However, becoming a core member of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance greatly increases your chances of entering the Primordial Universe for enlightenment. You now have one opportunity, and you must go. Go as soon as possible!"

"To reach the cosmic level, one first needs to meditate in the initial universe for thirty years before truly beginning cultivation and training. By the way, the time flow in the initial universe is different from our original universe. Thirty years in the initial universe is equivalent to nearly a hundred years here."

"oh."

"You've just completed the one-star mercenary assessment mission, you should be on your way back now, right?" Marquis Lijin asked.

"Yes."

"You can't go to the initial universe by yourself. Your spaceship is too slow, and the journey isn't necessarily safe. So, I'll take you there," Marquis Lijin said with a smile. "Think about it: when do you want to depart, and where do you want to start?"

"Lord Lijin, you're taking me there personally?" Gao Sheng was taken aback.

Marquis Lijin said, "I won't enter the Initial Universe; I'll only send you to the starting point. As the head of the Qianwu branch, this is my duty. Besides, you're not the only one this time. Sending two core members into the Initial Universe at once is a very prestigious thing. Normally, all of humanity's 1008 universe nations recruit only three to five core members a year, many of whom are realm lords or domain lords, universe-level core members. A universe nation might only have one in a thousand years, haha..."

After a moment's thought, Gao Sheng said, "Let's do it in two years. I'll set off from the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, from the Star of the Dragon."

"Okay." Marquis Li Jin noted it down, then said, "Also, let me remind you of something: you don't need to spend any more time cultivating genetic energy. The Alliance will provide resources to each core member to quickly strengthen their body. You are currently at the cosmic level, and you can quickly advance to the ninth rank. It will be the same when you become a domain lord or world lord in the future! I will bring the nutrient capsule with me, and you can directly reach the ninth rank of the cosmic level on the way."

"Yes." Gao Sheng knew that he originally thought that it would only happen after coming out of the initial universe, but he didn't expect that it would be done after strengthening to the ninth level of the universe level.

"Furthermore, as a core member, you now have the right to enter the virtual universe's Lucky Island. I'll activate your access and take you there now," said Marquis Lijin.

"Lucky Island?"

"Lucky Island is the gathering place for all the core members below the Immortal level of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance in the virtual universe, and it will also be your main training ground in the virtual universe in the future. I'll take you there first." Marquis Li Jin stood up.

The space shifted, and the two people in the main hall disappeared.

In a virtual universe, in a boundless ocean, there is a huge island. On the island, birds sing and flowers bloom, and the forests are dense.

Marquis Li Jin and Gao Sheng appeared out of nowhere on a stone-paved road in the middle of the island.

"Is this Lucky Island?" Gao Sheng looked around.

Moreover, upon sensing himself, Gao Sheng discovered that he was a fifth-level cosmic-level mentalist, just like in reality.

Clearly, this plane is very special. Like the Killing Space, the body you enter is based on your own strength, not an ordinary apprentice-level body.

The stone-paved road was wide and slightly winding, leading into the distance, with people coming and going along it.

There are trees on both sides, and you can vaguely see many buildings, all of them apartment buildings. From this vantage point, you can also see some figures in the distance, and there is an entrance gate in the distance beside the road.

"Yes, Lucky Island. As a core member, you will face many dangers in the future. The name was chosen in the hope that you will have good fortune by your side," Li Jinhou said with emotion. "This plane is the virtual headquarters of the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance. This is the Brave Zone of Lucky Island. The entire Lucky Island is about 100,000 kilometers in diameter and is divided into five zones. The four zones are Brave Zone, Valiant Zone, Glorious Zone, and Radiant Zone, which are the residences of members below the Immortal level. The middle zone is the public zone, where teaching is mainly conducted. There are also many cultivation, commercial, and entertainment facilities. The public zone is the largest, while the other four zones are about the same size."

"The Brave Zone?" Gao Sheng asked, puzzled.

Marquis Lijin said, "Although the Cosmic Mercenary Alliance has many resources, they are still limited. It is impossible to cultivate geniuses in the same way for everyone. Therefore, the allocation of resources is also divided into levels. The more talented a person is, the more attention they receive and the more resources they naturally receive. There are four levels: Brave, Valiant, Glorious, and Radiant. The Brave level is the lowest and has the most members, while the Radiant level has the fewest members and the highest status."

"Oh." Gao Sheng nodded. Isn't this just like the Virtual Universe Company? It also has four levels?

Marquis Li Jin looked at Gao Sheng and said, "The Brave Zone is where Brave-level members live. You are currently Brave-level. All newly joined core members are Brave-level. As long as you are talented enough and perform well enough, you can also be promoted to a higher level."

"Yes." Gao Sheng nodded.

"Are all the teaching areas in the public areas?" Gao Sheng asked.

"Not entirely. Other areas also have their own teaching, entertainment, dining, and training areas, but they are mainly residential. So most of the teaching and other functions are in the public areas, since all members can go there to learn and attend classes when teaching is in the public areas."

As Li Jinhou walked, he pointed to the apartment buildings on both sides of the road. "Different levels definitely have different treatment. For example, Brave-level members earn over ten million. Your residence is in an apartment building like this, but it's still much more spacious than the Glory Community of the Qianwu branch... If you become a Valiant-level member, you can be assigned a manor villa. Glorious-level members get a large manor, and Radiant-level members get an even larger manor spanning thousands of kilometers..."

This was within Gao Sheng's expectations, and it wasn't much different from the treatment of geniuses at Virtual Universe Company.

Marquis Lijin whispered, "This ranking system is also the Alliance's way of stimulating the competitive spirit of geniuses. The more talented you are, the better your treatment will be. However, once you are promoted and enter Lucky Island, you should strive to be the best, but you should also act within your capabilities."

Gao Sheng was taken aback and looked at Marquis Lijin.

"Once you become a core member, you will encounter many opportunities and face many temptations in the future, some of which offer extremely generous rewards. However, you must remember to act within your capabilities and not take reckless risks. No matter how high the reward, if you die, you will only be a corpse. I hope that you can live to become an immortal god." Marquis Lijin blinked and transmitted his voice.

"Yes," Gao Sheng said gratefully. For Marquis Lijin to say such a thing showed that he truly cared about him.

"Actually, this is a virtual universe, so it doesn't make that much difference where you live. Apart from the teaching resources, the biggest difference is that the Glory Zone and the Glorious Zone have their own exclusive training grounds. The other two zones can only train in a plane similar to the Killing Space. However, each of your residences can directly enter the Killing Space, and it's all free."

After turning a corner, Marquis Li Jin pointed diagonally ahead, "See that mountain? It's on another island."

Gao Sheng looked at the huge, sword-shaped mountain peak hidden in the clouds ahead.

"That's Sword Peak Mountain, the residence of all Immortal Gods and above in the Alliance. I also have one, at the foot of the mountain, on Sword Peak Island," Marquis Lijin laughed. "Sword Peak Island is ten thousand times larger than Lucky Island! And the entire virtual dimension of the Alliance headquarters is three islands in a huge ocean. Besides Lucky Island and Sword Peak Island where Sword Peak Mountain is located, there is also a Mercenary Island that oversees daily operations, which cannot be seen from here."

After walking for a while, another spacious entrance appeared by the roadside, a gate surrounded by beautiful flower beds, with the three large characters "Brave Seven" in the universal language next to it.

Marquis Li Jin said, "We've arrived. You should have received your apartment number. Go in by yourself. There aren't many service staff in the Brave District; everyone is self-reliant."

"Yes." Gao Sheng bowed respectfully.

Marquis Lijin smiled slightly and then disappeared.