Chapter 536 - 267: Floating Continent
Zhao Rui listened quietly from the side, occasionally sampling the continent’s unique delicacies.
The duelists cursed and grumbled about Ajido’s vile deeds. When it came down to it, it was all about how he’d used them as "slave gladiators" without giving them the respect due to the powerful.
A palpable arrogance ran through the duelists’ conversations, an affirmation of their own strength.
Having survived among thousands of duelists to become the cream of the crop, one could only imagine how formidable they were.
A little arrogance was to be expected.
But aside from their host, the Nine Celestial Venerables, none of the duelists revealed their origins in detail.
Even if their race was known to many, they still spoke and acted with caution, rarely mentioning their people’s affairs.
A chill ran through Zhao Rui’s heart.
’He didn’t know if the Dark Forest Theory applied to this universe of Spiritual Qi, but the saying, ’One can’t be too careful about guarding against others,’ was an absolute golden rule for survival.’
Even though these duelists came from different civilizations, held different beliefs, and even had different physiologies, the cautiousness ingrained in their very bones was identical.
"I am Rob, a Stalker. I always assumed you were one of the Bright Race People. After all, you don’t look all that different."
Just then, a duelist next to Zhao Rui—one with blue skin and a pair of bat-like wings sprouting from his back—turned his head to ask.
"Zhao Rui," he replied casually. "You could say I’m from a distant branch of the Bright Race."
"Ah, I see! The Bright Race has been around for tens of millions of years. It’s not surprising that their descendants are scattered across the universe."
Rob’s body was covered in strange runes. As he spoke, the ones on his cheeks pulsed with a faint wave of Energy.
"And how did you end up trapped in Ajido’s base?" Zhao Rui asked casually.
"It’s a long story. I was tracking a Dark Zone thief and unexpectedly got pulled into Ajido’s territory by a spacetime turbulence they had set up..."
’It seems Ajido used some strange setup to create a kind of funnel in his space,’ Zhao Rui realized. ’Whenever spatial turbulence occurred in a certain region, there was a chance it would be funneled to his territory. Otherwise, in the vastness of space, there’s no way he could have captured so many powerful interstellar experts.’
Hearing the two of them speak, another strangely shaped duelist from the other side, who was a full five meters tall and looked like a blob of jelly, also approached.
But instead of its whole body moving, it extended a transparent, gelatinous tentacle, on the end of which a head-like appendage formed.
The appendage had no mouth, but it was covered in holes from which its voice emanated.
Its voice echoed slightly on the continent, creating a reverberating effect.
It called itself the Starry Sky Gyro King.
Zhao Rui had seen it fight before. It was incredibly formidable, a stark contrast to its bulky, solid appearance.
Its speed was phenomenal; in the blink of an eye, it could seem to melt away from one spot and reappear in another.
Its body was incredibly durable, difficult to tear apart with either Energy or brute force. Moreover, its shape was ever-changing, capable of morphing into any form at will.
This ability was like a super-plus version of the liquid metal robot from *The Terminator*.
Like water, it had no fixed form and could be anywhere.
Everyone was using Divine Soul Transmission. This method of communication was a linguistic exchange that reached the soul directly, almost like communicating via low-level code.
The communication was more universal, yet also more indirect.
Intelligent beings all produce ripples of consciousness. These ripples, or thought waves, create fluctuations in Energy that subsequently form language.
Of course, this form of communication had its downsides. It lacked the nuance for overly specific descriptions, only allowing for a general understanding of psychological reactions.
The effectiveness of the communication depended on the participants’ intelligence, Divine Soul sensory abilities, and depth of thought.
It was like trying to communicate with a tree. You weren’t going to be able to discuss Yui Hatano’s measurements with it; the topic was just too far outside its scope.
"Everyone, we have all shared in hardship together. In the days to come, should we move to bring down Ajido, I hope I can count on your full support. I will not be able to eat or sleep in peace until this vengeance is ours."
"Of course!"
"How can we let this go unavenged!"
Everyone echoed in agreement.
Zhao Rui couldn’t help but nod. ’From a purely personal standpoint,’ he thought, ’this revenge must be taken.’
After some more time passed, the Nine Celestial Venerables had his subordinates lead everyone to their resting quarters.
The living environment here was a stark contrast to the quarters at the duelist base. There, one could change the scenery at will, altering the surroundings to match one’s desires.
Here, the accommodations were normal dwellings. Of course, these houses were nothing like those on Blue Star; they more closely resembled a beehive.
The various facilities inside also had a highly exotic style.
Zhao Rui sat cross-legged, his Divine Soul covering the entire house and gradually radiating outwards.
’Escaping the dueling arena this quickly was beyond my expectations. I had originally planned to finish copying all the duelists’ Cultivation Techniques. If I could have fought that big-headed freak Ajido in the end and learned his skills, it would have been perfect. But then those two titans, the Great Buddha Mother and the Bright God, showed up, throwing all my plans into chaos and forcing me to flee in a hurry. After all, strength is precious, but freedom is priceless. If I had to do it over again, I’d still choose to escape.’
’Still, this place isn’t necessarily safe either.’
’The Nine Celestial Venerables occupies such a vast territory and rules over billions of his kin. Why would he need to win over people like us? Isn’t he afraid we’ll turn on him? After all, none of us are pushovers. Judging by his repeated mentions of that mysterious beverage, it’s most likely he wants to use us for a treasure hunt.’
Zhao Rui didn’t know what the other duelists were thinking, but he certainly wasn’t interested.
’Seeking fortune in danger? Why would I take risks when I have my system?’
’I’ll see if there’s any chance to copy some Cultivation Techniques. If not, I’m leaving at the earliest opportunity,’ Zhao Rui mused to himself and closed his eyes.
The floating continent was a vast domain, teeming with an endless variety of sprites and Exotic Beasts. Amidst them lived a sapient species known as the Moros.
The Moros were naturally intelligent, with powerful physiques. They could perceive the Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi, which they absorbed to strengthen their bodies.
Over tens of millions of years of proliferation, the Moros grew ever stronger, gradually occupying all the sacred lands across the continent.
The Exotic Beasts and sprites were relegated to the fringes of the world.
With the rise of the Moros, many peerlessly brilliant and outstanding figures emerged from the clan.
Not only did their Cultivation reach extraordinary heights, but they also began to dream of leaving the continent to explore the starry sky.
Among them were ten individuals known as the Ten Celestial Venerables. With a Contribution to Creation that was immense and profound Magical Power, they relentlessly explored the cosmos, reshaped the land, and searched for paths among the stars.
Ten thousand years passed in the blink of an eye. The Moros of today had long since come to dominate the sea of stars, claiming the entire galaxy as their territory. Through heaven-defying methods, they had even transformed their homeland into what it is today.
And the Nine Celestial Venerables was the cream of the crop, one of the ten great Celestial Venerables of this generation.
「In a hidden grotto.」
"These people are no weaker than you or I. If we can secure their help to navigate the stray paths of the cosmos, our chances of finding that treasure will be much greater."
The Nine Celestial Venerables sat on the floor with nine others who looked nearly identical to him. His expression was grave as he spoke.