Chapter 431 - 418: A Native Enters the ’City’ (Part 2)

Different amounts of Cyan Blue Coins could also be spent to customize different developmental paths.

The most popular option, "Filial Piety," cost only 1,000 Deep Blue Coins, yet its return on investment was exceptionally high, so nearly everyone chose it.

After reaching adulthood, Azure Star People could also have cybernetics implanted for various modifications.

For the right price, one could even upgrade from cold, mechanical cybernetics to warm, biological ones, making it seem as if every organ in the body was in its original state. The replacement process was also quite simple: just excise the previous part, install the new one, and administer a recovery agent.

It was incredibly convenient; the process might only take three minutes.

Has it started?

No, it’s already over.

Such was the convenience of technology.

Their method of education was also a literal "infusion"—

Knowledge was broken down into medicinal agents that could be mass-produced. As long as one had money, there was no need to waste time reading or studying to acquire it. One simply had to purchase the corresponding injection, administer it, and the knowledge would be absorbed in three seconds. For those wishing to pursue Martial Arts, there was the "Awakening Injection." Azure Star had already mastered the mass production of 48 types of B-rank skill agents and 7 types of A-rank skill agents. By spending just 1,000 to 3,000 Deep Blue Coins on an agent, a person could become an Awakened in an instant.

As for the even higher-grade S-rank agents...

The Saint claimed that research into them was in its nascent stages, but in reality, it amounted to little more than creating a new folder. Even if they were successfully developed, it would be impossible to make them widely available.

Martial prowess breeds defiance.

The stronger the Awakened, the harder they are to control.

For the Azure Star People, medicinal agents permeated every aspect of life. For the elites who had moved beyond basic needs, customized cybernetics and fine dining were important ways to display their refined tastes and sophisticated pleasures.

Here, pre-prepared meals were at the bottom of the pecking order.

If any Azure Star noble were caught in a scandal involving pre-prepared meals, the fallout would be as severe as an old-money heir buying second-hand counterfeit luxury goods, or a trending young idol falling for a washed-up actress. While it wouldn’t lead to their complete downfall, public humiliation was a certainty.

Shi Ming glanced at the menu of a high-end restaurant.

"Star Sea Memory Vintage."

"Lichen Foam."

"Cocktail of the Void."

As he hesitated, a blue, tail-wagging waiter approached.

"Esteemed guest, how may I be of service? Or would you prefer to take your time to decide on the delicacies you desire?"

"I’ll have these: Star Sea Memory Vintage, Blazing Red Agate, Caramel Space-Time, Energy Dissociation Nine-Layer Cold Soup, and Red Fire Roasted Insect."

Shi Ming skillfully ordered a few dishes that seemed to suit his palate.

"You have excellent taste~ Please wait just a moment. Your meal will be out shortly."

The casual meal cost 480 Deep Blue Coins. These delicacies from across the stars truly had unique flavors. The Star Sea Memory Vintage was an alcoholic beverage, while the Caramel Space-Time was a piece cut from the nest of a vicious beast that had mastered some Spatial Power. Cooked in honey oil, it had a very complex texture, with each bite offering a completely different sensation.

The Red Fire Roasted Insect was a dessert he ordered for Ah Jian.

Now that the King Insect was in the Star Sea, she also needed to try some different foods.

After eating and drinking his fill, Shi Ming arrived at a thirty-three-story tower. This was the Hub Tower from the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country, the most important building on Azure Star aside from Sixteen Square.

Every Intermediate Civilization Star Domain would have a Hub Tower built within it.

In other words, only a civilization possessing a Hub Tower could be considered a bona fide intermediate civilization integrated with the Star Sea, clearly distinguishing it from primitive, low-end ones.

The Hub Tower was divided into three sections: the Intelligence Section, the Mission Section, and the Linking Section.

In the Intelligence Section, one could purchase various pieces of information at different prices. Most of it was "pre-packaged intelligence" that wasn’t particularly time-sensitive.

In the Mission Section, one could post or accept missions, but a 30% service fee was charged upon settlement, whether you were posting the mission or completing it.

The Linking Section could connect to other Hub Towers, with fees varying based on distance. If one wanted to use it to contact the Hub Tower of an Advanced Civilization Star Realm, the usage fee alone was astronomical, so it was rarely used by individuals. The primary purpose of the Linking Section was administrative; it served as the channel for the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country to contact its subordinate Advanced and Intermediate Civilization Star Realms.

Shi Ming’s destination was the Intelligence Section.

The Eye of Destiny was useful, but its uses were limited. A good blade should be saved for the most critical cuts. Since he could purchase plenty of information just by spending money at the Hub Tower, there was no need to waste uses of the Eye of Destiny.

"Esteemed guest, what sort of information would you like to purchase?"

"Whether it’s research-grade cybernetics, the latest agents, Star Domain treasures, or even information on how to break through to the Holy Hall Tier, our intelligence department has it all for sale~"

Shi Ming looked at the attendant.

"Do you have an index?"

"We do, sir."

The service industry here was quite developed; the gentleness of the Azure Star People seemed to be engraved in their very genes.

The blue, tail-wagging person handed him a screen that looked like a hologram but was solid to the touch. On it was the index of the Hub Tower’s available information.

Commerce, Agents, Cybernetics, Common Knowledge, Power, Star Domains, Other.

Shi Ming first turned to the "Power" section.

_The Perfect Combination of Agents and Cybernetics for a Polygon Warrior_ — 1,500 Deep Blue Coins.

_Techniques for a Lifeform to Evolve to S-Rank_ — 1,800 Deep Blue Coins.

_The Saint’s Personal Guide: Techniques for Evolving to the Holy Hall Tier_ — 5,000 Deep Blue Coins.

_Beyond the Holy Hall: The Mysterious Higher Tiers_ — 5,000 Deep Blue Coins.

Shi Ming shook his head.

’Superficial, and expensive.’

He had exchanged 10 Cosmic Crystals upon entering Azure Star, receiving 81,200 Deep Blue Coins.

The techniques and experience for evolving to the Holy Hall Tier alone cost 5,000 Deep Blue Coins. Although Shi Ming possessed Rui Liang’s assets and had several thousand Cosmic Crystals piled up in his warehouse—which sounded like a lot—Rui Liang had been a Nirvana Tier expert. To an ordinary person, a price of 5,000 Deep Blue Coins was absolutely astronomical.

Besides, these were merely techniques.

It was impossible for an S-rank Awakened to successfully evolve and advance based on these techniques alone.

’Perhaps only Awakened who have hit a bottleneck and can’t find a path forward would resort to buying this!’

’But this also goes to show,’

’...just how many Cosmic Crystals the Eye of Destiny has saved me.’

Shi Ming exited the "Power" section and went to "Common Knowledge."

To an outsider, the knowledge stored by an Intermediate Civilization Star Domain was the most precious treasure. Over the past dozen-odd days, Shi Ming had used the Eye of Destiny to obtain some information about this area, but it was clearly far from enough.

The information in the Common Knowledge section was much cheaper.

Perhaps because it had been neglected for years, there were few sales records. There was currently a promotion with discounts up to 30%, meaning one could save a decent amount by buying in bulk. In the bottom-right corner of the screen, a line of small text was displayed: "All information sales are final. All purchase records are strictly confidential."

’It seems that even in the Star Sea, fine print is a popular marketing tactic.’

After purchasing the information he needed, including but not limited to titles like _The Advancement Path of Advanced Civilizations_ and _Special Star Domains in the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country_, Shi Ming continued browsing and made his way to the 12th floor.

From this point on was the Hub Tower’s Mission Section.

A huge panel displayed the most popular mission, which had just been posted the day before...

[Treasure Hunting Unmoored Boat!]

[Reward 1: 1,000,000 Deep Blue Coins (100 Cosmic Crystals).]

[Reward 2: 1x Internship Opportunity at the Hub Tower in the Ten Thousand Vaults Star Realm (an Advanced Civilization Star Realm)]