Chapter 9: Group Functions Activated: The Value of the Phoenix Fruit

“Alpha, initiate jump to this coordinate!”

Rapid calculations in his mind caused the Authority of [Astrology] to stir slightly, locking the coordinates.

Though he still hadn’t fully unraveled or mastered the Authority of [Astrology], merely performing basic applications was not difficult.

And even this slight application was enough to compute, within one second, every stage of a planet’s existence—from its formation and birth, through development and prosperity, to its ultimate end—clearly and completely!

And [Astrology] is not merely an algorithmic system!

It holds deeper, unexplored essences.

But understanding those will not be something achievable in a short time.

As he wrapped up his experiment and pondered a surprise reunion gift for Pam, a voice from the chat group suddenly echoed in his ear.

“Ding, detected that the chat group meets upgrade conditions. Group owner is activating group functions.”

“Ding, group check-in function activated. Group store function activated. Group lottery function activated.”

Huh?

Is the chat group finally getting serious?

And it activated three major functions at once, transforming the chat group from a simple messaging tool into a legitimate power-up system.

With a hint of anticipation, Hermes opened the chat group to examine these three new functions.

【Group Check-in Function: Perform daily check-ins to earn 1–10 points. Points serve as the official currency of the chat group.】

【Group Store Function: Enables item trading among members. The chat group takes one percent of item value as points to cover the cost of harmonizing cross-world rules and localizations.】

【Note: The red packet function’s bug has been fixed. All future red packets will now require corresponding points.】

【Group Lottery Function: Members may spend a set amount of points to randomly draw or exchange items from across the myriad worlds and boundless voids via the chat group.】

【Note: The chat group itself holds no prize inventory. All prizes are acquired through official channels using points. Prize quality correlates with point quantity, but causality is not absolute. Members must exercise caution when drawing!】

Multiverse Big Female Lead: “Finally completed the upgrade. That took me a tremendous amount of effort.”

Multiverse Big Female Lead: “The chat group’s upgrade algorithm is brutal. I even had to reserve memory just to activate the group functions. I saved up for ages just to unlock these three critical features first!”

Luo Qianqiu wiped sweat from her forehead and finally exhaled in relief.

As the group owner, she had glimpsed a sliver of the chat group’s true nature.

Though the chat group’s essence is immensely high, it is currently little more than a newborn infant.

Where this infant will go depends partly on its members—and guiding its direction is her responsibility as owner.

Star Sea Traveler: “As a traveler, I’m no slouch when it comes to opening chests or drawing lots!”

Kage watched the new functions, her eyes gleaming, her hands twitching uncontrollably—this was the innate instinct of a Teyvat traveler!

Sinnoh Champion: “But drawing requires points, right? Isn’t it a bit too early to start now?”

The Wisdom of the Pioneer: “No problem. The chat group seems to have anticipated this—it gave everyone one free draw?”

Paper Angel: “I got one too.”

Multiverse Big Female Lead: “Thank me! This was a bonus I pulled from the chat group’s reserves—just for trial use.”

Luo Qianqiu glanced at her owner panel and sighed. The chat group was great, but right now it was still in infant form. Even as owner, she could only quietly develop and couldn’t extract much profit at all.

Master of Mount Hua: “Thank Itachi, group owner!”

…

The Wisdom of the Pioneer: “Group owner, may Itachi live long and well!”

A group owner who secured benefits for members naturally earned a flood of praise.

Multiverse Big Female Lead: “May the chat group bless me. I don’t expect much—Kaido’s Dragon Fruit would be fine. If not, Marigold’s Phoenix Fruit would do too.”

The Most Evil Criminal Ever: “Uh, your expectations are ridiculously low! Phoenix and Dragon are legendary Mythical Zoan types—even the World Government’s vaults hold them extremely rarely!”

Dragon chuckled. At this level, Devil Fruits were practically legendary. Even a useless person, with proper training, could dominate an entire region.

The Wisdom of the Pioneer: “If that’s your goal, Itachi don’t need to rely on the lottery function.”

Then, a chat group appraisal notice appeared in the group chat.

Devil Fruit · Phoenix Form

【Extracted from the genes of the Dusk Primordial Beast · Phoenix, a crystallization of intellect born from Genius Club #84, Hermes. The consumer gains the potential for a body capable of dominating the cosmos like a Dusk Primordial Beast, along with Phoenix flames capable of rebirth and resurrection.】

【Chat Group Appraisal, Estimated Value: 998,000 Points!】

Instantly, the entire chat group fell silent.

Multiverse Big Female Lead: “Aaaah! Is this even a Devil Fruit? This is a Devil Fruit wearing the skin of a Dusk Primordial Beast!”

Luo Qianqiu snapped back to awareness first, eyes wide, staring intently at the information before her.

What was a Dusk Primordial Beast?

It was a terrifying cosmic beast clan that once fought the entire universe, ultimately giving rise to the Star God of Preservation, Kriper!

In terms of physical potential alone, almost no life in the Bengtie world could rival it!

Yet now, someone had condensed this terrifying lifeform into a single tiny fruit!

Star Sea Traveler: “Damn. No wonder the group owner said only 85 geniuses have ever existed in all of cosmic history. I checked—Dracon’s most expensive Devil Fruit was only 2,890 points, right?”

As a former traveler who had roamed the star seas, Kage clearly understood the scale of the universe.

To produce only 85 such individuals across such an unimaginable scope of space and time—this was pure gold.

The Wisdom of the Pioneer: “@The Most Evil Criminal Ever, Dragon, thank Itachi for your Devil Fruits. They’ve greatly inspired my research.”

The Most Evil Criminal Ever: “No need. The breakthrough is yours alone. These Devil Fruits were simply my thanks to the group owner.”

Dragon stared at the message without comment. In his world, the history of Devil Fruits was lost to time—yet no one else had ever achieved anything like this?

The strongest had been Vegapunk, who cloned a Mythical Zoan—Pink Dragon.

Without hesitation, Luo Qianqiu used her owner privileges to waive the red packet fee and instantly transferred the Phoenix Fruit.

It didn’t matter if she waited a moment—she could eat it after the lottery anyway.

Divine Chef: “Truly, one who can rewrite the entire cosmic order.”

Flosz spoke with deep feeling. The three children she had adopted also carried the potential to change the world—but their influence would be limited to Earth alone.