121: Chapter 121 The Covenant of All Races, Invitation Letter Arrives

Inside the main hall of Chaos Valley, Lin Ye had just finished his conversation with Su Qingyue; the trust between them had reached a new height.

Just then, hurried footsteps came from outside the hall.

"Boss! Something big has happened!"

Zhao Wuji rushed into the main hall panting, waving a scroll shimmering with golden light. This usually steady business Genius now had a face flushed with excitement, and even his voice was raised an octave.

"The Server-wide Event results are out! Our Heavenly Court—is fifth!"

The moment the words fell, Lin Ye and Su Qingyue simultaneously received a System notification.

[Server-wide Announcement: Contribution calculation for the large-scale event "Dark Omen—Yao Beast Tide Defense Battle" has been completed]

[Event Duration: 37 days]

[Participating Factions: 18,429]

[Participating Players: Approximately 320 million]

[Total Yao Beasts Repelled: 1.78 billion]

[Defense Line Construction Comprehensive Evaluation: S-Rank (Server average C+)]

[Contribution Leaderboard (Faction List)]

[1st Place: Pantheon (Contribution: 1,287,450)]

[2nd Place: Eternal Kingdom (Contribution: 1,156,890)]

[3rd Place: Dragon Clan Alliance (Contribution: 998,760)]

[4th Place: Mechanical Cult (Contribution: 945,320)]

[5th Place: Heavenly Court (Contribution: 903,150)]

[6th Place: Vampire Council (Contribution: 876,540)]

...

[100th Place: Qingyun Sect (Contribution: 213,450)]

A series of golden characters scrolled across Lin Ye's vision, accompanied by the solemn notification sound of the System.

Fifth place.

Fifth in the whole server.

This ranking caused Lin Ye's pupils to contract slightly.

He knew the Heavenly Court had performed excellently in this event—the construction speed of the Chaos Valley defense line was first in the server, the efficiency of clearing Yao Beasts within the Yan State was extremely high, plus the extra contribution from the surprise attack on the Blood Altar and destroying the Primordial Royal Court's command nodes...

But he hadn't expected to climb to such a high position.

What kind of monsters were the top four?

Pantheon, Eternal Kingdom, Dragon Clan Alliance, Mechanical Cult... Lin Ye had heard of these names in his past life; each was a super-faction that dominated a region or even ruled an entire Star Domain in the later stages.

And now, less than four months since the server opened, the Heavenly Court had already joined their Ranks.

Although it was only fifth, and there was still a significant gap in contribution points, the meaning represented by this ranking far exceeded the numbers themselves.

This meant the Heavenly Court had entered the sight of the top-tier factions in the server.

"903,150 contribution points..." Su Qingyue softly read the number, a hint of surprise flashing in her ice-blue eyes. "Our defense line construction in the Yan State contributed about 400,000, Yao Beast kills contributed 300,000, and the extra reward for destroying the Blood Altar was actually over 200,000?"

"More than that," Zhao Wuji said excitedly. "Qin Ruoxue just sent over an intelligence analysis. The reason the reward for destroying the Blood Altar was so high is that we interrupted a large-scale ritual quest chain of the Primordial Royal Court. If that ritual had been completed, the Archaic Race would have gained a 'Dark Stronghold' in the big dipper, capable of continuously summoning high-tier Yao Beasts."

"We essentially indirectly sabotaged the Archaic Race's layout in the entire big dipper, so the System gave us an extraordinary amount of extra contribution."

So that was it.

Lin Ye nodded.

In this period of his past life, the Primordial Royal Court had indeed established that stronghold near the Yan State, which later became one of the outposts for the Dark Turmoil. Countless players met their downfall there, and it wasn't until the eve of the game's Fusion that several super-factions joined forces to uproot it.

In this life, he had destroyed that stronghold in advance, not only changing the fate of the Yan State but also receiving a rich reward.

[Personal Notification: Your personal contribution in the "Dark Omen" event is: 87,650 points]

[Personal Ranking: 48th]

[Distributing rewards...]

[You have received:]

[Experience Points: +8,765,000 (Contribution × 100)]

[Spirit Stones: +875,000 (Contribution × 10)]

[Reputation: +50,000]

[Special Item: Star Sand × 100 bags (100 grains per bag, can be used for Artifact Refining, Formation setting, and cultivation)]

[Title: "Darkness Bane" (+15% damage to Yao Beasts and eerie creatures, -10% damage taken from them)]

[Faction Contribution Voucher: Can be exchanged for Faction Exclusive Building Blueprints × 3]

The personal rewards had also arrived.

Nearly nine million experience points caused Lin Ye's experience bar to surge, jumping from Level 58 (Third Level of Four Extremities Realm) directly to Level 59 at 83%, only one step away from Level 60 (Four Extremities Peak).

875,000 Spirit Stones was a huge sum; although it wasn't too much for the current Heavenly Court, for an individual to possess this many Spirit Stones, he was considered wealthy in the entire game.

What Lin Ye cared about most was the Star Sand.

[Star Sand]

[Quality: Legendary Material]

[Description: Special grains of sand collected from the depths of the starry sky, containing faint Star Power. Each grain is only the size of a rice grain, but its weight is comparable to an equal volume of refined iron.]

[Uses:]

[1. Artifact Refining: Adding it to Magic Treasure refining can grant the "Star" attribute, improving the treasure's toughness and spiritual conduction efficiency.]

[2. Formation Setting: As a core material for Formations, it can be used to set up "Star Formations" to draw upon Star Power.]

[3. Cultivation: Consuming small amounts (requires special Cultivation Techniques for refinement) can temper the Physical Body and improve affinity with the Law of Stars.]

[4. Other: A necessary item for certain special Legacies or quests.]

Good stuff.

And it was strategic-grade good stuff.

Star Sand was a hard currency in the middle and Late Stages of his past life, especially for players cultivating star-type techniques or refining star-type Magic Treasures; its value was comparable to an equal volume of Spirit Stones. But due to its scarce production and the extreme difficulty of obtaining it, it was often in high demand with no supply.

This was 100 bags at once, 100 grains per bag, totaling ten thousand grains.

According to the prices in his past life, the transaction price for a single grain of Star Sand in the auction house was usually between 500 to 1,000 Spirit Stones, and they were often snatched up the moment they were listed.

In other words, just these ten thousand grains of Star Sand were worth between 5 million and 10 million Spirit Stones!

"Boss, look at this!"

Zhao Wuji handed over the golden scroll.

Lin Ye took the scroll; it felt warm in his hand. The surface of the scroll was embroidered with complex star patterns using dark gold silk thread, and in the center was a slowly rotating three-dimensional star map, emitting a faint pressure.

[Ten Thousand Races Covenant · Invitation]

[Type: Special Item (Bound Faction: Heavenly Court)]

[Description: Automatically issued by the "Heavenly Dao" System to the top 100 factions in the Server-wide Event contribution. Holding this invitation allows for up to five representatives to participate in the "Big Dipper Council" to discuss matters regarding responding to the Dark Turmoil and building the Ten Thousand Races Alliance.]

[Usage Conditions: Faction Level ≥ 3, Faction Reputation ≥ 500,000, Faction Leader Level ≥ 50]

[Attached: Temporary Passage Token × 5]

Opening the scroll, lines of gold-stamped text appeared:

"To the Leader of the 'Heavenly Court' faction:

Given that your power is‘ Omens of Darkness’ Outstanding contributions in the event（ Contribution Ranking： No.5），现正式邀请贵势力参加 No.一届‘ Beidou Council’.

Council Time: 3 days later in-game time (7.2 hours later real-world time)

Council Location: Central Plains · God City · Tianshu Palace

Participation Requirements: Each faction may send a maximum of five representatives, who must carry this invitation and a Temporary Passage Token.

Council Agenda:

1. Analysis and prediction of the Dark Turmoil's progress

2. Draft framework for building the Ten Thousand Races Alliance

3. Resource sharing and defense line collaboration mechanisms

4. Archaic Race threat assessment and response strategies

5. Other urgent matters

Note: Any form of combat is prohibited during the council; violators will be subject to System sanctions (Level -10, all attributes -30%, duration 30 days). Council resolutions will affect the direction of subsequent large-scale events, please treat this with caution.

——heavenly dao system · Ten Thousand Races Covenant Preparatory Office"

Below the text were five palm-sized, entirely silver-white tokens. The front was engraved with the words "Ten Thousand Races," and the back featured a simplified big dipper pattern.

[Ten Thousand Races Covenant · Temporary Token]

[Type: Special Pass]

[Attributes: None]

[Effects:]

[1. The holder can freely enter and exit 'Central Plains · God City' and 'Tianshu Palace', regardless of level or reputation limits.]

[2. During the conference, the holder enjoys 'Diplomatic Immunity' status (cannot be attacked, cannot be scouted, cannot be marked).]

[3. Token Validity: 7 days (in-game time)]

[4. Binding: Binds to the individual upon use, non-tradable, non-droppable.]

"Ten Thousand Races Covenant..." Lin Ye softly read these four words.

In his past life, this organization was only formally established six months after the server opened. It was initiated by the top fifty factions in contribution points at the time and later gradually expanded to hundreds of factions, becoming the largest player Alliance in the game.

The Ten Thousand Races Covenant played a key role in the Dark Turmoil, coordinating various forces, building defense lines, and sharing intelligence; it was a major reason players were able to withstand the first wave of the dark onslaught.

But in this life, the Formation of the Ten Thousand Races Covenant had been moved forward.

Was it because his Rebirth had changed the event's progress? Or was it because the heavenly dao system detected an "anomaly" and accelerated the plot's advancement?

Lin Ye leaned toward the latter.

From the information Li Ruoyu revealed, the heavenly dao system (or the Heavenly Dao Light Brain) was not a completely dead thing; it had its own logic and judgment. When the game's progress showed "abnormal acceleration," it might automatically adjust plot nodes to maintain some sort of balance.

"Central Plains' God City..." Su Qingyue looked at the location on the invitation, a hint of gravity flashing in her ice-blue eyes. "Isn't that a map for Level 60 and above? Won't it be too risky for us to go now?"

The Central Plains, the core region of the Big Dipper Star Field.

Unlike "newbie areas" like the Yan State, the Central Plains was a truly high-level map. The monsters there were generally Level 60 or higher, and the NPC factions were even more powerful—the headquarters of Ancient Families and Holy Lands like the Yaoguang Holy Land, the Ji Family, and the Jiang Family were all located in the Central Plains.

God City was the core of the Central Plains, the legendary city of Cultivators, gathering the top-tier trading markets, cultivation Secret Realms, and Legacy sites of the Big Dipper Star Field.

According to normal game progress, players needed to reach at least the Four Extremities Peak (Level 60) and complete a series of prerequisite quests to qualify for entry into the Central Plains.

But now, the levels of the Heavenly Court's core members were mostly between 50-55, still a gap away from Level 60.

"With the temporary tokens, safety shouldn't be an issue," Zhao Wuji analyzed. "Since the System issued the invitation, it will certainly guarantee the safety of the participating representatives. What I'm worried about is something else—"

He paused, his expression becoming serious:

"The top 100 factions will all participate in this council. That is to say, we will encounter the leaders of almost all the top-tier factions in the server."

"Pantheon, Eternal Kingdom, Dragon Clan Alliance, Mechanical Cult... these factions ranked ahead of us will certainly fight for dominance at the council."

[part:gemini-3.1-flash-lite]

"Although our Heavenly Court is ranked fifth, in terms of foundation, actual combat power, and resource reserves, I'm afraid there is still a gap compared to those ahead of us."

"When the time comes, how do we fight for a say? How will benefits be distributed? These are all issues."

As expected of a business Genius, Zhao Wuji saw the key point at a glance.

The Ten Thousand Races Covenant is not a dinner party; it is a game of interests.

Ranking determines the seat, and strength determines the right to speak.

Although the Heavenly Court has surged to fifth place based on event contribution, its actual foundation is not yet enough to match this ranking.

At the council meeting, those established forces will likely test us, apply pressure, or even unite to exclude us.

"Furthermore," Zhao Wuji added, "the Vampire Council, ranked sixth, is the player faction of the Primordial Royal Court."

"They suffered a huge loss this time and surely won't let it rest."

"At the council meeting, they will definitely cause trouble for us."

The Vampire Council is ranked sixth in contribution.

It is only twenty thousand points behind the Heavenly Court.

Lin Ye remembered this faction—in his past life, the Vampire Council played an inglorious role during the Dark Turmoil; they participated in the covenant on the surface but colluded with the Supreme Being of the Forbidden Zone in secret, only to be exposed later and besieged by the ten thousand races.

In this life, the two sides have already forged a blood feud.

The Blood Altar was destroyed, the Blood Prince was severely injured, and the Primordial Royal Court's plans in the Yan State were completely disrupted... The Vampire Council will definitely settle this score.

"There will definitely be trouble."

Lin Ye said calmly, "But we must go to the council meeting."

He put away the invitation, and the five temporary tokens arranged themselves in his palm, flickering with a silvery-white light.

"The Ten Thousand Races Covenant is a key platform for dealing with the Dark Turmoil in the future."

"Having a say on this platform is equivalent to grasping the initiative in future major events."

"And—"

Lin Ye looked out the window, his gaze seemingly piercing through the clouds and mist of Chaos Valley, seeing further into the distance:

"This council meeting is our opportunity to make contact with other top-tier forces."

"Those figures who dominated the world in the past life are still in their growth phase now."

"If we can establish contact early, or even reach cooperation, it will be of huge benefit to the future development of the Heavenly Court."

Su Qingyue nodded: "Indeed."

"The Eternal Kingdom is ranked second, and the technological civilization of the 'Eternal Star Domain' they control will be of great help to our mecha research and development."

"If we can establish deep cooperation with them, the progress of the Chaos Mecha Workshop can be accelerated significantly."

"And the Dragon Clan Alliance," Zhao Wuji's eyes lit up, "they control the 'True Dragon Star Domain' and are rich in various dragon blood Materials, dragon bones, and dragon scales... These are scarce resources for Advanced Artifact Refining and Alchemy."

"If we can open up trade channels..."

The two of them spoke one after another, quickly analyzing the potential value of this council meeting.

Lin Ye listened and nodded inwardly.

This is the power of a team.

He might possess foresight due to his Rebirth, but in terms of specific task analysis, resource integration, and strategic planning, professionals like Zhao Wuji and Su Qingyue were better than him.

"How shall we decide the attendees?" Su Qingyue asked.

Lin Ye pondered for a moment: "I must go."

"You must go too—the Vast Cold Spirit Body carries enough weight in top-tier player circles, and your calmness and judgment are important in negotiations."

Su Qingyue nodded, not declining.

"Zhao Wuji must go." Lin Ye looked at the business Genius, "Business negotiations, resource swaps, cooperation terms... these are your professional fields."

"Furthermore, you need to personally inspect the market environment of the Central Divine City to prepare for the future expansion of the Heavenly Court Chamber of Commerce."

"No problem!" Zhao Wuji rubbed his hands excitedly, "I've wanted to go to the Central Divine City to take a look for a long time! I heard that the 'Heavenly Treasure Pavilion' in the Divine City has auctions every month, and the grand finale items are at least Legendary-grade..."

"The fourth candidate..." Lin Ye thought for a moment, "Qin Ruoxue."

"As the person in charge of intelligence, she needs to personally contact the intelligence chiefs of other forces and establish an intelligence network."

"And her analytical ability is very useful when assessing the strength and intentions of all parties."

"What about Shi Potian?" Su Qingyue asked, "His Tyrant Body has strong deterrent power in actual combat, and he recently broke through to level 55; his strength is not weak."

Lin Ye shook his head: "Shi Potian's injuries haven't fully recovered, and his personality... is not very suitable for such diplomatic occasions."

"It is more appropriate to let him stay in Chaos Valley and assist Chen Hao in guarding the base."

Indeed.

Shi Potian was a fierce general, a sharp blade on the battlefield, but not a diplomat.

Letting him attend a council meeting full of squabbling, negotiations, and games would probably make him internally injured from frustration.

"The fifth slot..." Lin Ye hesitated for a moment.

Theoretically, the fifth candidate could be Chen Hao, or other core members.

But Chen Hao had to stay and guard the Chu State branch, and the others were either not high enough in level or their abilities were not comprehensive.

"Let's leave it empty for now." Lin Ye finally decided, "Four core members are already enough."

"Perhaps we will meet a suitable candidate for the fifth slot in the Central Divine City."

He had a premonition.

This trip to the Central Divine City would not just be a meeting.

"Prepare yourselves." Lin Ye put away the tokens, "7.2 hours in real-time, which is midnight tomorrow, or three days in the game."

"We will depart on time."

"Before that, I need to break through to level 60 first."

Lin Ye looked at his experience bar: Level 59, 83%.

Still short 17% of experience.

If he farmed monsters normally, it might take a day or two.

But he had Star Sand in his hand—this Legendary-grade material, besides being used for Artifact Refining and Formation setting, had another use: assisting cultivation.

Although it was a bit extravagant to swallow Star Sand directly, time was tight, and he couldn't worry about that anymore.

"I need to go into seclusion for half a day," Lin Ye said to the two. "Zhao Wuji, you go and prepare the Materials needed for the council meeting—the Heavenly Court's faction introduction, resource list, and cooperation proposal."

"The format must be professional, and the data must be accurate."

"Su Qingyue, you coordinate with Qin Ruoxue and compile an intelligence brief on other top 100 forces, especially the top 20."

"Their leaders' personalities, faction characteristics, core members, possible needs, and bottom lines... the more detailed, the better."

"Understood."

The two responded in unison and immediately took action.

Lin Ye, holding the Star Sand, walked towards the cultivation room deep in the main hall.

The cultivation room was one of the exclusive buildings gifted by the System when Chaos Valley was established.

Inside, a Spirit Gathering Formation was inscribed; the Spiritual Qi concentration was five times that of the outside world, and there were barriers for soundproofing, protection, and preventing disturbance.

Sitting cross-legged on the jade platform in the center of the cultivation room, Lin Ye took out a bag of Star Sand.

Opening the bag, a hundred grains of sand, the size of rice grains and shimmering with silver-white starlight, appeared before his eyes.

Each grain was as heavy as an iron bead; when placed in his palm, he could feel their heavy weight.

Lin Ye did not swallow them directly; instead, he first circulated the Chaos Scripture.

The Chaos Divine Power within his body began to circulate along specific meridian routes, completing a cycle, and his Aura gradually resonated with the surrounding Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

When he entered a deep cultivation state, he picked up a grain of Star Sand and placed it in his mouth.

The moment the sand entered his mouth, it didn't have the hardness he imagined; instead, it felt like a drop of molten starlight sliding down his throat.

The next moment—

Boom!

A massive and pure power of the stars exploded within his body!

That power was cold and vast, as if a miniature star were truly releasing energy within his body.

Wherever the power of the stars passed, his Meridians, bones, and flesh felt as if they were being washed and polished by countless tiny star fragments.

Intense pain.

But it was accompanied by obvious strengthening.

Lin Ye's Physical Body, based on the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body, was already far superior to those of the same Rank.

At this moment, under the tempering of the star power, it became even more solid.

Faint silver patterns appeared on the surface of his skin, like the trajectories of stars or the imprints of the Dao.

[System Prompt: You have absorbed one "Star Sand", gained +15000 experience points, physical strength slightly increased, affinity with Star Law +0.001%]

One grain, fifteen thousand experience.

Lin Ye's eyes lit up.

This efficiency was much higher than farming monsters!

Although Star Sand was expensive and it was a bit extravagant to use it for experience, he couldn't worry about that now in order to break through as soon as possible.

He continued to swallow.

The second, third, fourth grain...

The experience bar rose at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Level 59 84%... 86%... 89%...

When Lin Ye swallowed the tenth grain of Star Sand, the star power accumulated in his body reached a critical point.

On the surface of his body, those silver patterns became brighter and brighter, and finally, a blurry phantom of a star map condensed behind him!

The star map rotated slowly, resonating with the Formation on the ceiling of the cultivation room.

The Spiritual Qi in the entire room gathered towards Lin Ye, forming a small vortex of Spiritual Qi.

[System Prompt: Your "Chaos Scripture" has generated a special resonance with the star power, automatically deducing the branch Cultivation Technique "Chaos Star Art" (Incomplete)]

[Chaos Star Art (Incomplete)]

[Grade: Emperor Scripture Grade (Currently Introductory Chapter)]

[Description: An exclusive Cultivation Technique branch automatically deduced by the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body after absorbing a large amount of star power.]

[It possesses both the inclusiveness of Chaos and the vastness of the stars. When cultivated to a high level, one can transform into a chaotic starry sky and control the birth and death of stars.]

[Current Effects:]

[1. Cultivation speed +30% (Effect doubles in a starry environment)]

[2. All attacks carry the "Star" attribute, dealing an additional 15% damage to dark and evil creatures]

[3. Can absorb star-type Materials (Star Sand, Star Core Fragments, Starlight Stones, etc.) to accelerate cultivation, efficiency increased by 50%]

[4. Unlock Skill: Eye of the Stars (Elementary) — Can observe star trajectories and sense fluctuations of star power]

An unexpected joy!

Lin Ye didn't expect that just swallowing ten grains of Star Sand would trigger the deduction of a Cultivation Technique.

Although it was only an incomplete introductory chapter, this was a branch of an Emperor Scripture-grade technique! Its value was immeasurable!

Moreover, the appearance of the "Chaos Star Art" solved a hidden danger that Lin Ye had always had—the Chaos Heavenly Emperor Body was too strong, and the resources required for cultivation were tens or even hundreds of times that of ordinary players.

Although the cultivation speed was also fast, in the later stages, the resources required would become increasingly terrifying.

Now with the "Chaos Star Art", he could accelerate cultivation by absorbing star-type Materials.

There are countless stars in the Universe, and although star-type Materials are rare, their total quantity far exceeds other Heaven And Earth Treasure.

This was equivalent to opening up a new cultivation path for Lin Ye.

"Continue."

Lin Ye suppressed his joy and continued to swallow Star Sand.

The experience bar continued to rise.

92%... 95%... 98%...

When Lin Ye swallowed the twentieth grain of Star Sand—

Boom!

A roar came from within his body.

The Wheel Sea, Dao Palace, and Four Extremities, the three great Secret Realms, vibrated simultaneously.

Qi and blood surged like a great river, and Divine Power surged like a vast sea of stars.

His internal organs emitted thunderous sounds, and his limbs and bones burst forth with light intertwined with Chaos and stars.

[System Prompt: Congratulations on breaking through to level 60 (Four Extremities Peak)!]

[Your total attributes increased: Qi and blood +20%, Divine Power +25%, Attack +18%, Defense +22%, Dao Law bonus +15%]

[Four Extremities Secret Realm Perfection, you have unlocked the 'Four Limbs Reaching the Heavens' trait — movement speed +30%, attack speed +25%, evasion rate +20%]

[Due to your cultivation of the 'Chaos Star Technique' (Entry Level), you gain additional: Star Resistance +100, Darkness Resistance +50, Divine Sense +500]

[Next Realm: Transforming Dragon Secret Realm (Level 61-90). Breakthrough requirements: Reach level 60, complete the 'Transforming Dragon Trial', and obtain 'Dragon Qi' or similar Origin power for Body Tempering]

A Breakthrough! Four Extremities Peak!

Lin Ye opened his eyes. Within his pupils, his left eye contained a Chaos vortex, while his right eye saw stars swirling. These two phenomena flashed and vanished, returning to calm, but his overall Aura had undergone a subtle change.

If the Lin Ye from before was a drawn sword, sharp and exposed, now, that sword had retracted its sharpness, gaining instead an Aura that was vast, profound, and all-encompassing.

It was the Aura of Chaos and stars intertwined.

He stood up and stretched his limbs.

The cracking of his joints sounded like firecrackers, and with every movement, the air trembled. The power surging within his body felt as if a single punch could shatter mountains and a single kick could crack the earth.

Four Extremities Peak, Four Limbs Reaching the Heavens.

This is the final stage of the Four Extremities Secret Realm, and also a transitional period preparing to impact the Transforming Dragon Secret Realm. Cultivators who reach this Realm have their limbs initially connected to the Great Dao of Heaven and Earth, allowing every action to resonate with Heaven and Earth Spiritual Qi.

His combat power had increased by at least 50% compared to the third level of the Four Extremities!

"Time to leave seclusion."

Lin Ye felt the overflowing power within his body and pushed open the door to the cultivation room.

Outside the door, Su Qingyue, Zhao Wuji, and Qin Ruoxue had been waiting for a long time. Seeing Lin Ye emerge, the three were taken aback.

Although his level had only increased by one, the change in Lin Ye's Aura made all three feel distinct pressure. It was a suppression at the level of life itself.

"Boss, you..." Zhao Wuji asked tentatively, "You broke through?"

"Mhm, Four Extremities Peak." Lin Ye nodded, "How is the preparation work going?"

"Everything is ready." Qin Ruoxue handed over a Jade Slip, "This is detailed intelligence on the top twenty factions. The number one ranked 'Temple', leader ID 'God Lord', real identity unknown, suspected to be a descendant of an ancient Western Family. The faction has 12 core members, all possessing special Physiques or top-tier Legacies. Currently, they control the 'God Spirit Star Field' and have over a million believers."

"Temple..." Lin Ye took the Jade Slip and scanned it with his Divine Sense.

The information in the Jade Slip was very detailed, containing not only the basic situation of each faction but also analysis and judgments made by Qin Ruoxue based on the intelligence.

For example, the evaluation of the Temple was: "Mysterious and powerful, their operating style leans towards order and governance, with a strong desire for expansion. Their possible goal is to establish a 'Theocratic Empire' within the game."

The evaluation of the Eternal Kingdom was: "A representative of the combination of technology and Cultivation, pragmatic and efficient, valuing the exchange of benefits. The possibility of cooperation is high, but it requires bringing sufficient bargaining chips."

The evaluation of the Dragon Clan Alliance was: "Supremacists of Bloodline, arrogant but value their promises. They like to make friends with the strong and despise the weak. When dealing with them, strength is more important than eloquence."

...

"Well done." Lin Ye put away the Jade Slip, "What about Zhao Wuji's side?"

"This is the draft of the letter of intent for cooperation." Zhao Wuji handed over a beautifully designed scroll, "It lists the list of resources the Heavenly Court can provide, the range of acceptable conditions, and the cooperation projects we hope to obtain."

"I have also prepared three negotiation plans, targeting different types of factions. A conservative version, an aggressive version, and a 'bottom-line version' that lists conditions that absolutely cannot be conceded."

As expected of a business Genius, the preparation work was watertight.

"Very good." Lin Ye nodded with satisfaction, "Then let's get ready to depart."

He took out four temporary tokens, handed them to Su Qingyue, Zhao Wuji, and Qin Ruoxue respectively, and kept one for himself.

"After the tokens are activated, they will teleport us directly to the peripheral teleportation array of the Central Province God City. Once there, we will walk to Tianshu Palace."

The three took the tokens and nodded in understanding.

"Before we leave, there is one last thing." Lin Ye looked at Qin Ruoxue: "Are the arrangements for those staying behind ready?"

"They are arranged." Qin Ruoxue said, "Chaos Valley will be guarded by Shi Potian and Chen Hao together. Shi Potian is responsible for defense, and Chen Hao is responsible for daily management. For the Chu State branch, I have sent two core members to assist. In addition, I have activated the second-level alert of the intelligence network; during the conference, we will know about any movement regarding the Heavenly Court at the first opportunity."

"Very good."

Lin Ye took a deep breath and scanned his three companions. Su Qingyue was cold and determined, Zhao Wuji was shrewd and capable, and Qin Ruoxue was steady and sharp. With such a team, he was full of confidence.

"Then—"

He raised the temporary token in his hand and injected Divine Power. The token immediately bloomed with silver-white light, enveloping Lin Ye completely.

"Let's go."

The moment his voice fell, four silver pillars of light shot into the sky, tearing through the clouds above Chaos Valley, and flashed away towards the distant Central Province.

Central Province God City.

When the figures of Lin Ye and the others coalesced in the teleportation array, the scene before them made even the reborn Lin Ye slightly moved.

This was a giant city floating in the sky.

The city walls were a thousand feet high, built entirely of stone resembling white jade, with countless complex Formation patterns engraved on the surface, flickering with a faint light. The entire city covered an unknown number of miles, and one could not see the edge at a glance.

Buildings in the city were arranged like the scales of a fish, with pavilions, towers, palaces, temples, flying bridges, and flowing water... buildings of various styles coexisted harmoniously. The streets were wide enough to accommodate ten carriages side-by-side, lined with shops on both sides, and teeming with people.

Even more astonishing was that this city was layered.

The ground level was a common area, inhabited by a large number of NPC Cultivators and low-level players. In the sky, dozens of floating islands of varying sizes hovered, each with even more magnificent buildings constructed on them; these were the strongholds of various major factions in the Central Province.

The highest floating island was almost level with the clouds, and upon it stood a towering palace. At the top of the palace, a huge star was slowly rotating—that was Tianshu Palace, the location of this conference.

In the sky, Cultivators could be seen from time to time flying on swords, or passing by in flying boats or on mounts. Others directly tore through space and appeared via teleportation. The Aura of these people was at least the Four Extremities Realm, and Transforming Dragon and Xiantai Realm were not uncommon.

Even Lin Ye vaguely sensed a few obscure and terrifying Auras; those were at least Saint-level existences!

"This is... Central Province God City..." Zhao Wuji looked up at the floating islands in the sky, muttering to himself. Even a business Genius as knowledgeable as him was shocked by the scene before him.

Compared to here, those main cities in the Yan State were simply like country towns.

"The Spiritual Qi concentration is at least ten times that of Chaos Valley." Su Qingyue closed her eyes and perceived for a moment, "And the Spiritual Qi here is more 'alive', making it easier to absorb and refine."

Qin Ruoxue observed the surrounding environment immediately: "There are twelve guards around the teleportation array, all level 65 or above. That three-story building on the left is the 'God City Guidance Office', which should provide information services for new players. The notice board on the right is covered with various quests and announcements..." Her gaze swept quickly, recording every detail of the surroundings into her mind.

Lin Ye withdrew his gaze and looked at the token in his hand. The token was currently emitting a faint guiding light, pointing towards Tianshu Palace.

"Let's go." He walked out of the teleportation array first.

The four walked in the direction of Tianshu Palace. Along the way, they saw all kinds of players and NPCs. There were cavalry groups in heavy armor riding Earth Dragon mounts whistling past; Taoists with immortal air stepping on Flying Swords walking in groups; wizards shrouded in black robes exuding a cold Aura; and tech-players driving streamlined mechas, spraying blue tail flames... Ten Thousand Races gathered, civilizations collided. This was the true covering the heavens era—a world that encompassed everything, a world of infinite possibilities.

After walking for about a quarter of an hour, a huge plaza appeared ahead. In the center of the plaza stood a jade stele a hundred feet high, with four large characters carved on it: Ten Thousand Races Plaza.

Hundreds of people had already gathered here, divided into dozens of small groups, distinct and clear. Judging from the badges, clothing, and Aura on them, these were all representatives of various factions who had received invitations and come to participate in the conference.

The appearance of Lin Ye and his group immediately attracted attention. After all, the Heavenly Court was the dark horse of this event, rising from obscurity directly to fifth in the entire server; this speed of rise was too astonishing.

Countless gazes were cast over, some curious, some examining, some wary, and some... carrying undisguised hostility.

Lin Ye looked in the direction of the gaze with the strongest hostility. On the east side of the plaza, a group of players wearing blood-colored robes gathered together. At the head was a young man with a pale face and scarlet pupils, who was toying with a blood-colored crystal in his hand, staring coldly at Lin Ye.

Their eyes met. Sparks seemed to fly in the air.

Vampire Council. Ranked sixth, a faction only one step behind the Heavenly Court. And also... a mortal enemy.

The young man slowly stood up, dangerous light flashing in his blood-colored pupils. The dozen or so Vampire players around him also stood up at the same time, their Auras connecting into one, pressing over. The surrounding faction representatives retreated one after another, clearing an open space. Clearly, everyone wanted to see what kind of sparks would fly when these two dark horses collided head-on for the first time.

Lin Ye's expression was calm, his footsteps did not stop, and he continued walking forward. Su Qingyue, Zhao Wuji, and Qin Ruoxue followed behind him, likewise without changing their expressions. The four of them walked step by step to the center of the plaza, facing the Aura oppression of the Vampire Council members. They were only ten steps away from the Vampire Council group.

The young man finally spoke, his voice hoarse and cold: "Heavenly Court... Lin Ye?"

Lin Ye stopped and replied calmly: "Vampire Council... Blood Prince?"

Both used questions, but there was no doubt in their tone. They confirmed each other's identities. The surrounding air suddenly solidified.