Chapter 438 - 422: The World is a Clown Show
Unfastened Boat Star Realm.
Inside a very ordinary-looking spaceship, two ape-men were chatting.
"Heh heh, the universe really is just a slapdash operation. Even among the decision-makers in the Hub Tower of a high-level civilization like the Ten Thousand Vaults Star Realm, there are plenty of useless fools."
"How so, brother?"
The two ape-men, one red and one blue, were piloting a seven-to-eight-meter-long spaceship that was surprisingly fast, traversing the Dark Cosmos.
Ape-men were known for their high intelligence. However, this so-called high intelligence merely meant that the average intelligence of their general population was slightly higher than that of other races. As one’s power and realm increased, this slight advantage didn’t grow any further.
These two ape-men were both S-class Awakened, and their skill was the innate ability [Heaven-Reaching Hundred Ears].
"Treasures are born of nature, and they belong to those who are fated to find them."
"The Ten Thousand Vaults Star Realm is offering a reward of 100 Cosmic Stones for just a clue. They even brought out a supreme treasure like the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance. This proves that the treasure they’re looking for is incredibly powerful and rare. If we were to find such a mighty treasure..."
The red ape-man piloting the ship narrowed his eyes.
He didn’t say the rest out loud.
But even so, the other one understood perfectly.
"Are you saying that if we get it, we should hide it and keep it for ourselves? But that treasure is said to be extremely dangerous. And if we do that, aren’t you afraid of the Ten Thousand Vaults Star’s countermeasures or retaliation?"
"Dangerous? Countermeasures?"
The red ape-man scoffed.
"’Dangerous’ is just a word to scare off the timid. As for countermeasures? No matter how powerful the Ten Thousand Vaults Star is, they can’t have eyes and ears everywhere from so far away. Our skill, on the other hand, truly can reach the heavens. Once we get the treasure, we’ll immediately enter the Heaven-Reaching Hundred Ears state and escape the Unfastened Boat. The sky’s the limit for a monkey’s leap! Worst case, we just never go back to the 37 Cosmic Countries."
"That’s true."
The blue ape-man started to have fanciful ideas as well.
Heaven-Reaching Hundred Ears was indeed a great skill for escaping.
This could be their chance to soar to meteoric heights.
"You and I are destined for greatness."
The red ape-man looked around at the pitch-black Dark Cosmos.
"Look at the Unfastened Boat Star Realm these past few days. It wasn’t this lively even when the Blazing Race and the Seven-Eyed Race were still around. Every now and then, a ship flashes through the Dark Cosmos. Most of these people will struggle their whole lives and never amass much wealth. 100 Cosmic Crystals and a chance at a future are enough to satisfy their greed and desire."
"But for you and me, it’s not enough. It’s far from enough."
"One day, I will make my name echo throughout this Star Sea!"
"I will make the cosmos grovel at my hooves!"
The red ape-man grew more and more excited as he spoke. He even shot to his feet and began to dance around in the pilot’s seat, as if the scene of the Star Sea groveling at his hooves was already happening!
WHOOSH—
A strange light streaked past.
A cross-shaped hull, radiating an arrogant and imposing aura, flew past their little seven-to-eight-meter ship. Although it was a great distance away, the turbulence it kicked up in the Dark Cosmos caused the ape-men’s small vessel to rock violently, nearly capsizing.
This jolted the red ape-man from his world of fantasy back to reality.
The red ape-man dropped his impassioned posture and sat obediently back in the cockpit.
’Hmph, so what if your ship is big! One day, my ship will be that big too! No, even bigger! I’ll get two of them—one to fly in the morning, and one to fly at night!’
...
...
...
On the Da Yun.
After fusing with a portion of a Seven-Eyed Race wiseman’s Holy Hall Origin, the Three-Eyed Golden Crow’s third eye opened once more. However, the [Great Prophecy Technique] was not restored. Instead, it had gained a new S-class skill: [Dream of the Future]. Dream of the Future allowed the Three-Eyed Golden Crow to occasionally glimpse changes that would occur in its vicinity within the next three days while it slept.
Once the Three-Eyed Golden Crow truly stepped into the Holy Hall Tier, it would be able to see even more.
"CAW CAW."
"The biological species in this Star Sea are truly bizarre. Bug, did you see those two monkeys just now? They looked like they hadn’t even finished evolving, yet they could actually pilot a spaceship!"
Having gained a new skill, the Three-Eyed Golden Crow was in a good mood and teased Ah Jian.
Ah Jian didn’t even look up.
"Spoken like a true country bumpkin."
"If a bird can talk, then monkeys flying a spaceship is the most normal thing in the world."
The two of them bickered often, and Shi Ming had long since grown used to it.
He chuckled.
With his Spiritual Power, as his ship passed by, he not only saw the layout and pilots inside that ordinary vessel clearly, but he also overheard the two creatures’ entire conversation. Their cosmic shuttle was quite low-level, equipped only for travel and navigation. Its overall technological sophistication was far inferior to a King-level Wandering Ship, and its security and counter-surveillance measures were practically nonexistent.
"Even ordinary creatures can have lofty ambitions."
"Those two monkeys seem to be refugees from another Cosmic Country. The fact that they made it here means they might have their own stories and opportunities."
"Heaven-Reaching Hundred Ears... Interesting."
"Next, we need to get ready. The big shot currently lying low in the Unfastened Boat is probably the most accessible Nirvana Tier expert to challenge. His name and power level can surely be looked up within high-level civilizations. As long as I fight him, I’ll be able to get a clear sense of where my own strength stands in the Star Sea!"
This would be helpful for many of Shi Ming’s future plans.
"CAW CAW! That guy is no saint either! Master, kill him and take the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance!"
Before Shi Ming could reply, Ah Jian spoke up.
"Idiot! Something like the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance is a hot potato. Besides, from my memories, the legacy treasures of high-level civilizations all have unique imprints. If you tamper with their fundamental logic, they will either go dormant or self-destruct. The deep foundations of a high-level civilization are far beyond what a bird that’s only been alive for a few decades can possibly imagine."
"Hmph! And you’re only two years old!"
Shi Ming agreed with half of Ah Jian’s point.
’If my theory is correct, the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance can also be upgraded once without limit. The Infinite Brain’s essence is housed within the Eye of the Divine, so suppressing the Ten Thousand Vault Radiance shouldn’t be a problem.’
’But Ah Jian is right that this supreme treasure is indeed a hot potato. Once taken, it would mean a relentless conflict with the Thirty-Seventh Cosmic Country, and I’d even earn the hostility of its allies. Every time it’s used, it would just be accumulating more hatred.’
His current goal was simply to have a hearty and satisfying battle with this big shot from a high-level civilization.
He would use it to gauge his own strength.
As for everything else,
he would play it by ear.
"We’re almost there..."
His Spiritual Power could already sense a powerful being standing guard near the Holy Pot. In that being’s palm, a seven-inch-long, Thirty-Three-Layered Small Tower shimmered with a soft radiance, as if it were the center of the universe.
The Nirvana, the Da Yun’s transformed state, gradually became transparent as it emerged from the Dark Cosmos, its outline sketched against the stars.
Shi Ming, in the guise of "Rui Liang," stood at the ship’s prow, his gaze as sharp as a torch.
The auras of both the Da Yun and himself began to steadily climb.
Star Trait!
Stellar Annihilation!
The Da Yun entered its "Pulsar" stance, gaining a state of temporary invincibility. It then charged its target with the force of 24% the speed of light, executing a powerful Annihilation Grand Collision!