177: Chapter 177 System Upgrade Again

"Cosmic Law Fragment?"

When Wang Pingan's question, filled with "curiosity" and "innocence," was clearly broadcast across the entire martial arts arena through the amplification equipment.

The hundreds of thousands of spectators in the arena, including Instructor Shi Yan on the high platform, and the tens of billions of Federation citizens watching the live broadcast via the StarNet, were all collectively petrified at that moment.

Their faces were filled with expressions of absurdity and disbelief.

Big brother!

That is one million Low-Grade Spirit Crystals!

It is an astronomical sum of money, enough to make any Eighth-Rank Venerable green with envy and heart-pounding!

Yet, you, having received it, can't even be bothered to say thank you.

Instead, you are there worrying about that ethereal "Law Fragment"?

Is there something wrong with your brain circuits?

"Ahem..."

On the high platform, Instructor Shi Yan looked at his "prized student," whose brain circuits were so peculiar that it even left him speechless, and couldn't help but cough heavily twice.

He was now truly starting to suspect whether this kid had been possessed by some ancient deity.

Otherwise, how could a normal young person be so dismissive of "money"?

The Star River Emperor was also taken aback by Wang Pingan's unconventional question.

His deep eyes, which seemed capable of seeing through everything, looked Wang Pingan up and down once again.

A smile of deeper amusement and appreciation appeared on his face.

"Interesting."

"What an interesting little guy."

He spoke slowly, his voice remaining as grand and majestic as ever.

"It seems you are even 'smarter' than I imagined."

"You are correct."

"For the final champion of this individual competition, apart from the 'Federation Star Medal' and the material reward of one million Low-Grade Spirit Crystals."

"The most important thing is indeed that 'Cosmic Law Fragment,' which the Federation Academy of Sciences spent countless efforts to extract from an ancient ruin."

As he spoke, he once again slowly raised his hand.

Hum—

A delicate box, only the size of a palm, crafted from an unknown white crystal and emitting faint spatial fluctuations, silently emerged from the void.

The box was crystal clear, its surface engraved with countless mysterious and complex golden runes.

An indescribable, supreme aura that seemed not to belong to this dimension faintly seeped out from the box.

The moment they felt that aura.

Everyone present, regardless of their cultivation level, felt their souls trembling uncontrollably!

In their hearts surged a most pure, instinctual urge to prostrate and worship!

"Inside here is that 'Cosmic Law Fragment'."

The Star River Emperor's voice also became unprecedentedly solemn.

His gaze slowly swept across Wang Pingan's face.

That gaze was filled with expectations, and also filled with... a test.

"Now, it is yours."

"I hope you will not let it down."

After saying this, the crystal box slowly floated toward Wang Pingan.

Wang Pingan watched the crystal box getting closer and closer to him.

His heart started pounding "thump-thump" uncontrollably again.

He knew that this thing was the true, priceless treasure of this competition!

It was the key "core material" that could allow his system, which had already upgraded to version 2.0, to evolve once more!

He forcibly suppressed the urge to rush up right now and snatch it away.

He squeezed out an expression filled with "humility" and "being flattered."

He reached out both hands and, with a "sacred" and "solemn" posture, carefully received the crystal box into his hands.

It felt ice-cold to the touch.

An indescribable force of law, seemingly from the most ancient and primordial source at the birth of the universe, slowly flowed from his palms into the depths of his soul.

At that moment.

Wang Pingan felt as if he had merged with the entire universe.

...

The awards ceremony finally came to a close in such an atmosphere filled with shock and legendary color.

As the biggest winner of this competition, Wang Pingan.

Undoubtedly became the hottest super nova in the entire Federation!

Countless forces, countless financial groups, and countless top academic institutions all extended olive branches to him.

The conditions they offered were more tempting than the last.

Some promised him an endless supply of cultivation resources.

Some promised him top-tier divine weapons and sharp armaments.

There was even a king of an indigenous kingdom from a remote galaxy who publicly expressed his willingness to marry his most beautiful daughter to him and let him inherit his throne.

For a time, the name Wang Pingan became completely famous throughout the entire Federation.

However.

Wang Pingan was completely unaware of all this from the outside world.

And he couldn't be bothered to know.

The moment the awards ceremony ended, he used "feeling unwell and needing quiet recuperation" as an excuse to decline all interviews and banquets.

Then he quietly slipped back onto the "Voyager" and into his exclusive suite.

"friday, activate the highest level of security mode; do not allow anyone to disturb me."

As soon as Wang Pingan returned to the room, he immediately issued an order to the smart robot butler he had "borrowed" from the Heaven Character Number One Villa.

"Understood, Master."

The heavy alloy door slowly closed.

The entire suite instantly turned into an absolutely secure steel fortress, isolated from the rest of the world.

Wang Pingan let out a long sigh of relief.

Then, he could no longer suppress the ecstasy and excitement in his heart!

He lunged like a hungry tiger directly onto that luxurious bed, which was so soft one could sink into it!

"Hahaha! I'm rich! I'm rich! I'm really rich now!"

He hugged the silky pillow made of velvet and rolled back and forth on the bed frantically!

If his "little fanboys," who were currently filled with fanatical worship for him, saw this image-less appearance.

They would probably have their eyeballs drop out in shock on the spot.

After going crazy for ten minutes or so.

Wang Pingan finally calmed down a little from that immense joy.

He leaped up from the bed.

Rubbing his hands, an excited, money-grubbing smile appeared on his face.

He put the black storage bracelet containing one million Low-Grade Spirit Crystals onto his wrist.

Then, he sank his consciousness into his mind.

"System!"

His thought carried a tremor that even he himself had not noticed.

"Absorb all of these Spirit Crystals for me!"

【Instruction received...】

The system's cold and mechanical voice sounded so pleasant and melodious at this moment.

【Energy conversion in progress...】

Hum—!!!

A torrent of energy, more massive and ten times more terrifying than when he absorbed those eighty thousand Spirit Crystals before!

Like a cosmic big bang being detonated!

It erupted within his body!

At that moment, Wang Pingan felt as if he were a bottomless black hole, frantically devouring an entire galaxy!

On the system panel before his eyes, that string of numbers representing his wealth began to skyrocket!

【pay-to-win points: 13,218,765】

【pay-to-win points: 15,000,000】

【pay-to-win points: 20,000,000】

...

The speed at which the numbers jumped was so fast that it had completely turned into a blurry, constantly upward-rolling golden afterimage!

Wang Pingan felt his brain was about to faint on the spot from the immense sense of happiness.

This process lasted for nearly half an hour.

When the last trace of energy was completely integrated into his system.

The final number on the system panel before his eyes finally settled steadily.

【pay-to-win points: 23,218,765】

Twenty-three million, two hundred eighteen thousand, seven hundred sixty-five points!

"Phew..."

Wang Pingan let out a long breath of stale air.

He looked at the number, which was so long it made him feel a bit dizzy every time he looked at it.

An incomparably satisfied and brilliant smile appeared on his face.

However.

Just when he was immersed in this immense joy of becoming rich overnight.

The system notification sound rang in his mind again without warning.

【Ding!】

【Detected that host has obtained a key item: 'Cosmic Law Fragment'!】

【Detected that the total available energy in the host's account has once again broken through the 'threshold'!】

【System version 3.0 upgrade program, automatically starting...】

【Upgrade progress: 1%... 10%... 50%...】