Chapter 240

"This is..."

In the endless deep and dark pool, Lin Qing reached out and grasped a hard object, palm-sized and square, its surface bearing peculiar patterns and indentations.

Using the divine artifact of the Blood Cauldron King's avatar, he endured the crushing pressure of the endless deep pool, spending over a year to follow this newly discovered 'lucky route' all the way down to a depth of over four million kilometers.

And the result was this unknown thing?

"Let's check it out after we go up."

Lin Qing used the Chance Compass to scan all around but found no special lucky guidance.

Yet, while searching for this newly acquired object, the golden aura of luck he perceived was extremely intense and dense—clearly not an ordinary treasure.

"Could it also be a high-grade divine artifact?"

Under the conditions of this bottomless pool, all perception was extremely blurred; he could only wait until he returned to the surface to examine it.

After another year and more of effort, Lin Qing broke through the pool water and returned to the cliff above the endless deep pool, stowing the object he had held all along into his inner void.

At this moment, only one person waited on the cliff.

After all, there was still over a month left before this exploration ended; most were unwilling to waste time—they could simply wait until the final moment to be teleported out by the realm's master.

"Aren't you continuing your exploration, Mr. Mirrorlight?"

The blue-robed man meditating on the cliff spoke with a hint of respect, attempting to strike up a connection.

Lin Qing gave a slight nod and said nothing more.

His consciousness probed the object he had just stored in his inner void.

"This is... a token?"

It was a pale gold metal plaque, covered in strange patterns and engravings, with two unknown characters at its center.

Although Lin Qing did not understand this script, the instant he saw it, he understood the meaning of the two characters: 'King.'

"King?" Lin Qing frowned in confusion.

He could tell this object was neither a divine artifact nor any kind of material.

And...

It seemed to be only half?

"What kind of thing is this?"

Lin Qing tried channeling energy through the Blood Cauldron King's avatar; the metal plaque bearing the characters 'King' absorbed his energy like an endless abyss, yet showed no change whatsoever.

After several days, having absorbed countless vast amounts of energy, the Blood Cauldron King's avatar finally noticed a minute change in the metal plaque.

At the ends of the numerous engravings on its surface, a faint glow finally appeared.

As he poured in more energy, that faint glow slowly spread and expanded along the engravings.

"Heaven..."

Lin Qing was startled. "The amount of energy needed to fully charge this metal plaque is simply too enormous..."

Roughly estimated, even if energy consumption and recovery were balanced, it would take many years.

And it had to be spatial energy.

"Take it slow. Fill it up before worrying about anything else."

Lin Qing wasn't in a hurry—he planned to enter seclusion after returning, cultivate a divine technique, and meanwhile wait for Earth to produce enough Power Awakeners and accumulate 38 billion tons of Starlight Source Stone to open a Void Realm.

Days passed one after another.

The vast majority of explorers had not surfaced—they clearly intended to wait until the final moment to be teleported out by the realm's master.

In the blink of an eye, the ten-year limit arrived.

"Hum..."

Space twisted violently, and a series of figures were teleported onto the cliff platform.

Most explorers looked disappointed; only a very few appeared pleased.

Among them, Weiluo, the first heir of Tianze Group, appeared alongside a golden-haired masked woman, yet his expression remained calm.

"Only ten years have passed—it's normal not to have found the King's Proof," Weiluo transmitted calmly: "Besides, buying a slot through internal connections costs only six hundred million void coins. I can always sell some treasures as collateral to the group—it's worth spending tens of thousands of years here."

"But this will delay the Young Master's transformation into a Void Being," the golden-haired masked woman transmitted.

"No matter. The Flame Demon Emperor's legacy within the King's Ruins is accessible only to Star Beings," Weiluo transmitted. "Compared to such a great opportunity, delaying breakthrough by tens of thousands of years is nothing. Besides... hmm?"

He suddenly froze, flipped his hand, and pulled out a faintly trembling silver-white token, staring at it in shock and delight as he transmitted: "The King's Proof is nearby!"

"Nearby?"

The golden-haired masked woman also froze. "Could an explorer have found the King's Proof?"

Weiluo immediately followed the invisible pull, locking his gaze onto the target carrying the King's Proof—and he froze.

"This... it's exactly that Saint Realm's Star God, Mirrorlight?"

He frowned slightly. "This is troublesome..."

The golden-haired masked woman also paused, then transmitted in a low tone: "Young Master, should we...?"

"... Don't rush yet."

Weiluo took a deep breath. "Perhaps we can buy it from him. Even if we have to share the profits, it's better than making an enemy. We're planning to cooperate with that powerful figure from the Tianyuan Seat Civilization—Mirrorlight is suspected to be from there too. If we alienate him and break ties, it'll truly be a mess."

The golden-haired masked woman frowned. "He's from the Saint Realm—he might recognize this as the King's Ruins' access token?"

"Unlikely," Weiluo transmitted solemnly. "He was merely a Star Being before. Even as a Star God, his emergence was probably recent—no more than tens of thousands of years. He likely knows nothing of the King's Ruins."

Here, he took another deep breath. "Anyway, I'll try."

While riding a high-tier Void Vessel back to the surface, Lin Qing suddenly received Weiluo's transmission:

"Mr. Mirrorlight, I have an important matter to discuss with you. Do you have time later?"

Lin Qing turned to look at Weiluo nearby and transmitted: "Can't we talk now?"

Villo hesitated for a moment, then said, "Then let's talk in the private space of the Second Universe Network. Is that acceptable?"

"Fine." Lin Qing nodded slightly.

After adding each other as friends on the Second Universe Network, Villo immediately pulled Lin Qing into an auxiliary space.

This auxiliary space was, surprisingly, an extremely vast manor.

And the place where Villo and Lin Qing met was inside a reception hall within the manor.

"Mr. Mirror Light, I'll get straight to the point."

Villo took a deep breath and said in a heavy voice, "Mr. Mirror Light, did you obtain a special metal plaque within the Endless Deep Pool? One with the two characters 'King' on it?"

As he spoke, he flicked his fingertip, and a virtual projection of a pale gold metal plaque appeared in the air.

Lin Qing raised his eyebrows slightly, narrowed his eyes as he looked at him, and asked, "How did you know?"

Since the other party had asked so clearly, it was obvious they had already confirmed it.

"I possess the other half of the token, so as long as I am near, I can sense it."

Villo said helplessly, "This time I brought people to the Endless Deep Pool specifically to search for it; I never expected Mr. Mirror Light to have found it first."

"I see." Lin Qing understood. At the same time, his Black Flame clone left in the Vacuum Great Tomb had already gone to ask Host Prince.

"I also understand. Since Mr. Mirror Light obtained this item first, then this item belongs to Mr. Mirror Light."

Villo looked at Lin Qing sincerely and said, "But this item is also something I have spent immense effort seeking for many years. If Mr. Mirror Light is willing to yield it, consider it that I, Villo, owe Mr. a favor, and I will present five hundred billion Void Coins."

"Five hundred billion?" Lin Qing looked at him.

The Vacuum Great Tomb floated on a platform amidst endless darkness.

Lin Qing's Black Flame clone stood before Host Prince and respectfully said, "Please offer your guidance, Host Prince."

He could see that this Host Prince obviously held a very special status in the Primordial Realm, and also did not seem very keen on chatting too much with him, so he would not be foolish enough to ask the other party about everything, thereby needlessly causing trouble for someone.

For things he had a chance to find out himself, or intelligence that was not so important, he would rather trouble himself more to investigate.

Only for such completely unknown treasures with unknown origins, and which might have extremely formidable backgrounds, would he come to ask for guidance.

!

"Oh?"

Host Prince casually glanced at the physical projection Lin Qing provided and said, "Good luck, to actually obtain the Proof of the King?"

"Proof of the King?" Lin Qing listened carefully.

"This is a pass for the ruins of the Level Three Civilization 'Realm of Kings' that once appeared in the universe, but only half of it."

Host Prince said casually, "The Realm of Kings is considered the Level Three Civilization closest to your era, and it is a Level Three Civilization that still exists, so in some aspects it is definitely stronger than the Primordial Realm. If you can enter the Realm of Kings ruins, that would be quite good."

"The Realm of Kings..." Lin Qing pondered, then asked in confusion, "Since it is a Level Three Civilization that still exists, why are they ruins?"

"Relative existence." Host Prince smiled and said, "If you can reach that stage, you will naturally understand."

"Relative existence?"

Lin Qing did not quite understand, but Level Three Civilizations were already incredibly mysterious; it was normal for him not to understand.

Host Prince was too lazy to explain, and simply said, "The Realm of Kings ruins were left by the various Kings of the Realm of Kings. Inferring from the methods left with this Proof of the King, it should be the Star-Level Trial left by the Flame Demon Emperor, the Void-Level Trial left by the Ice Emperor, and the Ruler-Level Trial left by the Light King."

She glanced at Lin Qing and said, "Your Black Flame clone has not yet transformed into Void, so you can try the Flame Demon Emperor's Star-Level Trial; your original body can also try the Void-Level Trial left by the Ice Emperor. Even if the affinity is not suitable, you can still gain some benefits."

Lin Qing memorized all this and immediately thanked her, saying, "Thank you for your guidance, Host Prince."

He then asked, "May I ask roughly what strength is required for these trials?"

"That is hard to say." Host Prince said, "In short, the stronger your strength, the better. However, these trials often focus on potential, not just strength."

Lin Qing nodded thoughtfully.

Host Prince did not say much more, then disappeared.

"It turns out to be a pass for the ruins of a Level Three Civilization..." Lin Qing took a deep breath.

"What does Mr. Mirror Light think?"

Villo looked at Lin Qing sincerely and said, "I originally intended to pay the price of five hundred billion Void Coins to slowly search for this item in the Endless Deep Pool. Since Mr. Lin has found it, presenting these five hundred billion Void Coins is only right."

Lin Qing looked at him and suddenly smiled.

"Villo, I know you come from a Consortium Civilization, but isn't that being too good at business?"

He shook his head slightly and said, "A proper ruin of the Level Three Civilization Realm of Kings, half a pass, and you want to buy it for only five hundred billion Void Coins?"

Although he did not understand the specific situation, he also knew the preciousness of Level Three Civilization ruins.

Many Void-Level Divine Officials sought it in vain; as long as they could obtain the inheritance of a Level Three Civilization, they would spare no cost, even giving up most of their assets.

Five hundred billion Void Coins.

For many Void beings, and even for the strong among Void beings, this counted as a very huge sum.

But for a Void Ruler, five hundred billion was merely a drop in the bucket, let alone for a Void-Level Divine Official.

Just five hundred billion Void Coins, wanting to buy the chance to enter a Level Three Civilization ruin?

"... I didn't expect Mr. Mirror Light to know so clearly."

Villo took a deep breath. "No wonder you are a Star God from the Sacred Land; you know even more than I imagined. Apologies, Mr. Mirror Light."

He sighed and said, "But five hundred billion is already my limit. I even have to borrow part of it from the Group to gather five hundred billion; this is all I can give."

Of course.

In fact, as the First Heir, if he were willing to mortgage all his treasures and credit for a loan, he could borrow tens of trillions of Void Coins.

But that price was truly too high, so naturally he was unwilling to force himself to that extent.

Five hundred billion was indeed the limit of what he could normally pay.

It's just... I didn't expect this Star God, suspected to be from the Tianyuan Seat Civilization, to know so clearly?

"Since Mr. Jingguang knows, then I'll speak frankly."

Weiluo said in a deep voice: "I understand that even all the void coins in the world, even if I gave up everything I have, could not equal the chance to enter a Tier-Three Civilization's ruins, but this opportunity I must obtain, no matter the cost."

Lin Qing looked at him calmly: "So?"

He had already caught a faint hint of threat in the other's words.

"Lord Mirrorlight, honored Star God of the Holy Land, is someone I cannot afford to offend."

Weiluo looked at Lin Qing and said slowly: "If I cannot afford the price of sole possession, then let us cooperate."

"Cooperate?" Lin Qing regarded him without expression. "Tell me how."

Weiluo said: "As I understand it, the trials and treasures of the Kings' Ruins are generally divided into three parts, corresponding to Star-level, Void-level, and Dominator-level."

Lin Qing nodded slightly.

He also knew exactly which three kings these three trials corresponded to.

"I had originally planned to cooperate with a Void Dominator from Lord Mirrorlight's home civilization," Weiluo said: "I would take the Star-level trial, while that Dominator and his disciples would take the Dominator-level and Void-level trials."

Lin Qing raised an eyebrow slightly and said: "You already have half of the King's Proof, and you're still seeking the other half—yet you only claim one trial?"

Weiluo sighed and said: "With my strength, I originally had no confidence of passing the Star-level trial, but that Void Dominator was willing to help me, greatly enhancing my genetic index and teaching me special secret arts, giving me a strong chance of passing the trial. Naturally, I was willing to yield to him."

Lin Qing understood at once.

"However, since Lord Mirrorlight has also entered the picture, I can only step back."

Weiluo looked at him and said, "I'll go discuss with that Void Dominator—let us yield the Void-level trial to Lord Mirrorlight. How about it?"

Lin Qing considered for a moment, then nodded: "Agreed."

This young master Weiluo was the first heir of Tianze Group, and Lin Qing couldn't possibly kill him either, so cooperation was the only option.

Although he was a fake Holy Land genius, the other half of the King's Proof he possessed was real.

"When do we begin?" Lin Qing asked.

"At the very least, over four thousand years from now," young master Weiluo said: "That Void Dominator still needs some time to prepare."

"Four thousand years..." Lin Qing nodded slightly.

(End of this chapter)