Chapter 6: Choice and Harvest

"Alright, the half hour is up!"

Just as Lu Qingshan had settled on the "Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele" in his heart, the black-robed envoy suddenly walked in and called out to the crowd: "Now tell me which Chaos Stele you wish to choose to comprehend, I'll record it!"

Having said this, the black-robed guide envoy began walking from one end of the corridor, continuously asking each person for their choice.

"I'll choose the 'Wind Shadow Chaos Stele'."

"I'll choose the 'Mother Ancestor Chaos Stele'."

……

Just as the black-robed envoy was walking toward where Lu Qingshan was, the wolfman race powerhouse Ke Li Mo, who had once had a chance encounter with Lu Qingshan, unexpectedly approached him once again.

"Brother Qingshan, let me tell you something!"

Ke Li Mo secretly transmitted his voice: "Although these Chaos Steles were all created by the super powerhouses of our human race, there are still differences in strength between them! Before I came to Chaos City, I learned the rankings of these Chaos Steles from an elder!"

"Among them, the 'Giant Axe Chaos Stele' ranks first, the 'Universe Chaos Stele' ranks second, the 'Yanshan Chaos Stele' ranks third, the 'Shadow Chaos Stele' ranks fourth…"

"Brother Qingshan, if you're going to choose, pick one of these higher-ranked Chaos Steles. After comprehending them in the future, your strength will definitely be a bit stronger!"

Hearing these words, Lu Qingshan was slightly taken aback.

It was true that the Chaos Steles had rankings, but that was only because the corresponding Tongtian Bridge had varying numbers of layers!

In the early stages of cultivation, strong beings of the same layer had nearly identical strength, differing at most in their methods.

Moreover, this Ke Li Mo, like himself, was no peerless genius. Choosing to comprehend those higher-ranked Chaos Steles would undoubtedly be a very unwise decision.

Considering this person's rather enthusiastic nature, Lu Qingshan still decided to offer a slight hint. He then told Ke Li Mo about a World Lord powerhouse within the Yanfeng Universe Country who had delayed his cultivation of the Lightning Origin Law because he was comprehending the Time Origin Law, ultimately failing to break through to the Immortal Realm.

Hearing these words, a thoughtful expression appeared on Ke Li Mo's face.

Soon, the black-robed guide envoy walked up to Lu Qingshan: "Which one are you choosing?"

"I'll choose the 'Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele'." Lu Qingshan said without hesitation.

"Good! Next one!" The black-robed envoy's gaze immediately turned to Ke Li Mo beside him.

A hint of hesitation appeared on Ke Li Mo's face, but he quickly said: "I'll choose the 'Jin Feng Chaos Stele'!"

Hearing Ke Li Mo's words, Lu Qingshan clearly regarded him in a higher light in his heart.

The 'Jin Feng Chaos Stele' and the 'Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele' were similar—both were Chaos Steles that began by gradually comprehending higher-tier Origin Laws starting from lower-tier ones. However, one began with the Metal Origin Law and gradually moved toward comprehending the Shi Shi Jian Ben Yuan Law; the other began with the Lightning Origin Law and gradually moved toward comprehending the Time Origin Law.

The fact that Ke Li Mo could swiftly make the choice most suited to himself after receiving his reminder showed him to be a decisive person.

In no time at all, the black-robed guide envoy had finished recording the choices of Lu Qingshan's group. Only then did he turn and say: "Alright, I've recorded all your choices. Now follow me!"

Hearing this, Lu Qingshan's group immediately followed the other party, continuing deeper along this corridor.

A moment later, the group arrived at an extremely vast cultivation ground.

This cultivation ground covered an enormous area, fully several dozen kilometers in length and width.

Lu Qingshan's group stood within the cultivation ground, while the black-robed envoy stood before them and said: "There are currently 50 Chaos Stele comprehension chambers. 7 of those chambers have people inside, the other 45 are empty."

"Now, I'll call out the names of the Chaos Steles corresponding to the 45 empty chambers. Those cultivators who chose these Chaos Steles, head straight to the leftmost entrance ahead, and you'll be arranged into the chamber of the Chaos Stele you chose."

"'Yanshan Chaos Stele', 'Heart Mark Chaos Stele', 'Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele'… 'Universe Chaos Stele'!"

The black-robed envoy then extended his hand, pointing into the distance. Lu Qingshan and the others quickly saw the massive entrance, fully thirty meters tall, at the left side of the far end of this vast cultivation ground.

"Go on over now." The black-robed guide envoy continued.

Hearing this, most of the cultivators transformed into streaks of flowing light one after another, flying toward the distant entrance. Among them was Lu Qingshan, who had chosen the 'Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele'.

After walking through the entrance, Lu Qingshan and the others directly entered a corridor roughly 60 meters wide and 120 meters tall.

On both sides of this corridor were ancient, towering bronze doors, each carved with archaic characters in the universal language of the universe.

"Mother Ancestor", "Giant Axe", "Dragon Walk"…

Before each bronze door stood a kindly-faced, three-eyed elder.

But what was astonishing was…

These several dozen three-eyed elders all looked exactly identical. Even though they were World Lord-level powerhouses, not the slightest difference could be discerned between them.

Lu Qingshan and the other cultivators who had chosen the 'Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele' quickly arrived before the bronze door inscribed with the two characters "Heavenly Thunder".

The three-eyed elder before the door asked with a smile: "Are you all youngsters who have just entered the Initial Universe?"

"Yes!" Lu Qingshan and the others replied respectfully.

"Hehe, how young you all are! Seeing you, I feel as if I'm seeing my younger self!"

The three-eyed elder said with a smile: "Let me introduce myself. I am the guardian of the Chaos Stele cultivation chambers. You may address me as 'Elder Kandeli'!"

"Elder Kandeli!" Lu Qingshan and the others bowed respectfully once more.

"Alright, the cultivation chambers are empty right now. Seize the time and go in to comprehend!"

Elder Kandeli then instructed: "Remember, after seven days, when the doors open, you must come out immediately. Understood?"

"Understood!" Lu Qingshan and the others nodded one after another, then entered their respective cultivation chambers.

……

The space inside the cultivation chamber was extremely vast, and countless streams of Chaos Qi drifted through it.

After Lu Qingshan walked in, he quickly saw a colossal stone stele surrounded by endless streams of Chaos Qi.

This towering stone stele was a hundred meters tall and nearly a hundred meters wide, carved with eight patterns that appeared exceedingly profound.

At the edge of the stele, the two characters "Heavenly Thunder" were also inscribed in the universal language of the universe.

After finding a suitable position, Lu Qingshan quickly sat cross-legged, then concentrated his entire spirit as he looked intently at the Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele. He soon saw every pattern on the Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele clearly.

The first pattern was nine scattered bolts of lightning, spread across various places.

The second pattern was still a composition of nine bolts of lightning, but with an extremely deep connection faintly present, as if forming a single whole.

The third pattern was a mass of thundercloud formed by countless bolts of lightning converging together, the entire thundercloud appearing incomprehensibly mysterious.

The fourth pattern was a star map—a planet with four thunderclouds orbiting nearby.

The fifth pattern was a star system map—a star with twelve planets orbiting around it, each planet accompanied by several thunderclouds orbiting nearby in greater or lesser numbers.

The sixth painting was the Star River Diagram, densely filled with countless stars and planets forming a vast star river.

The seventh painting depicted a strange monstrous beast.

The eighth painting showed two utterly bizarre monstrous beasts, one clearly visible, the other extremely blurred.

Lu Qingshan slowly withdrew his gaze; he knew clearly that the strange beast in the seventh painting represented the complete Time Origin Law—master it fully, and one could become a Time Zifeng Zunzhe.

Yet for Lu Qingshan at present, it was far too early to contemplate the Time Origin Law; he needed only to observe the first four paintings and swiftly attain full comprehension of the Lightning Origin Law.

Immediately, Lu Qingshan focused all his spirit on the nine lightning bolts in the first painting.

These nine lightning bolts represented the nine simplest essences of the Lightning Origin Law; Lu Qingshan had long since gained the Lightning Origin Law's recognition, so this first painting held not the slightest secret for him.

The nine lightning bolts in the second painting embodied a deeper mystery of the Lightning Origin Law, intertwined with elements of the Time Origin Law; though Lu Qingshan understood only fragments of the Time Origin Law depicted, he had fully mastered the mysteries of the Lightning Origin Law.

The Lightning Origin Law in the third painting was even more profound; even though Lu Qingshan had gained the Lightning Origin Law's recognition, he could not yet fully comprehend it.

Thus, Lu Qingshan stared intently at the third painting on the Thunder Chaos Stele and sank completely into contemplation, losing all sense of time's passage.

……

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

"Boom—"

The bronze giant gate crashed open, yet Lu Qingshan and the others remained lost in contemplation, unawake.

"All of you, come out!"

A voice rang out, directly flooding into each person's mind.

"All of you, come out!" "All of you, come out!"……

The voice echoed repeatedly in Lu Qingshan and the others' minds, growing louder until all of them awoke.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

Lu Qingshan and the others cast one reluctant glance at the Chaos Stele, but under the relentless, demonic voice's urging, they swiftly dashed through the bronze gate—then the voice echoing in their minds vanished.

"Boom—"

The ancient bronze gate slowly closed.

"You are all newcomers to this training chamber; I must remind you!"

The three-eyed elder Kandeli smiled and said: "You may now seek out a residence to serve as your dwelling for the next three hundred years!"

"However, if you wish to continue contemplating the Chaos Stele, you must join the inner circle of one of the Five Great Powers, and only then can you gain permission in the Virtual Universe to apply for entry into the 'Tongtian Bridge Dimension.'"

"Tongtian Bridge Dimension?" Many cultivators were puzzled.

Kandeli looked at the crowd and smiled: "You've already experienced the marvel of the Chaos Stele—so even core members of the Five Great Powers must meet many conditions to contemplate it! Each time you pass a level of the Tongtian Bridge in the Tongtian Bridge Dimension, you earn one opportunity to contemplate the Chaos Stele—so make good use of it!"

Upon hearing this, everyone's eyes lit up.

Only those who had contemplated the Chaos Stele understood just how miraculous its effects were.

During contemplation, their consciousness was fully immersed in the Stele's paintings—its efficacy was more than a hundred times greater than normal.

Most crucially, the Chaos Stele could guide them, even help them shatter their bottlenecks!

Among these people, some Realm Lord peak cultivators with deep enough accumulation had already fully comprehended the complete Lower Origin Law!

In their long years of cultivation, acquiring opportunities had required bloody battles—but now, simply passing the Tongtian Bridge granted new contemplation chances; to them, this was pure blessing!

As for joining the inner circle of the Five Great Powers? That was no problem at all!

Everyone knew the inner circle members received countless benefits; many had long desired to join but could never manage it—now that such an opportunity had appeared, who would refuse?

As for the requirement to strictly obey orders in the future?

Before the temptation of growing stronger—even becoming Immortal—what did that matter?

"Alright, you may go," said the three-eyed elder Kandeli calmly.

Hearing this, Lu Qingshan and the others quickly bowed respectfully, then transformed into streaks of light and departed.

……

After leaving the Governor's Mansion, Lu Qingshan and the others soon parted ways and began searching for their own residences.

The Chaos City covered an immense area; apart from a few special buildings, every cultivation residence was identical.

From the black-robed guide's earlier introduction, Lu Qingshan had learned that if a residence's door was pale white, it meant no one lived inside.

He quickly selected one, then placed his hand on the door.

"Ding, ding, ding…"

With a chime, the residence door shifted from pale white to deep gray.

"Welcome, Master."

Then an electronic voice sounded in Lu Qingshan's ear: "I am the Service AI. During your stay, I shall serve you—request anything you need, such as food, drink, and so on."

"Hmm."

Lu Qingshan nodded slightly, then stepped directly into the residence.

The interior was extremely well-equipped, with every conceivable device available.

Lu Qingshan made no pause, but climbed the stairs directly to the third-floor balcony—the most common spot for cultivators in Chaos City.

After all, contemplation time in Chaos City was priceless; they would not waste it on indulgence, but dedicate every moment to contemplating Origin Laws.

On this rooftop, one could directly observe the external cosmic operational laws, and there were also contemplation inscriptions left by past cultivators—perhaps offering useful insights.

"My talent is still too poor!"

Lu Qingshan sat cross-legged on the rooftop, silently sighing: "Though my comprehension of the Lightning Origin Law improved greatly after contemplating the Chaos Stele, I'm still far from fully mastering it!"

"To master the complete Lightning Origin Law within the next three hundred years, I should join the Virtual Universe Corporation's inner circle, challenge the Thunder Tongtian Bridge, and gain multiple opportunities to contemplate the Thunder Chaos Stele!"

"As for the future? I can always ask Huo Gesi to find me a safer job."

His sixth disciple Huo Gesi was now an Immortal within the Virtual Universe Corporation's inner circle, possessing the strength of a High-Level Military Lord—he could easily arrange a relatively safe ordinary post for him!

"But my most important task now is to absorb and internalize the insights I just gained from contemplating the Thunder Chaos Stele!"

Thinking of this, Lu Qingshan quickly reentered his cultivation state, striving to assimilate the insights he had gained from contemplating the Heavenly Thunder Chaos Stele.

(End of Chapter)