170: Level 2.9 civilization

What they did not know was that as early as one day ago, the moment Yun Qinglan just achieved her Breakthrough, they had already been noticed!

In a location unimaginably far from the Sagittarius Arm, situated in the core region of the Liuli System.

Here, the density of stars was shockingly high, as if the entire starry sky were filled with brilliant radiance.

The torrents of energy were no longer trickles, but like a roaring sea of stars, surging endlessly...

The core of this Star Domain was not a star, nor a celestial body, but a super composite continent composed of countless artificial celestial bodies, energy hubs, and Law runes, with a scale comparable to tens of thousands of star systems—the "Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom"!

A massive civilization that ruled over a full billion arms of the Liuli System, with territory spanning 1.5 million light-years!

Its civilization Rank had reached the 2.9 Level Peak!

With just one final push, it could step into the legendary Level 3 Galaxy Level civilization and become a true hegemon of the galaxy!

In the deepest part of the "Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom", there was a silent land of "Law chaos".

There was no matter here, no energy, only countless, most fundamental Law lines flickering and intertwining in an orderly fashion, like breathing...

A figure sat cross-legged here, as if since time immemorial.

He looked like a young man, his face handsome to the point of perfection, his black hair cascading like a waterfall, and there was no oppressive Aura around him; he seemed to have merged with this source of Law.

He was the supreme Dominator of the "Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom", the only Innate Radiant Body, Huang Yu!

A supreme existence at the Galaxy Level Peak!

Just at the moment when Yun Qinglan successfully achieved her Breakthrough to the Galaxy Level, and her unique Origin fluctuations belonging to the Innate Radiant Body completed their initial integration with the Universe Law sea—

It was like throwing a pebble into an absolutely calm lake.

Huang Yu's eyes, which had been closed for who knows how many tens of thousands of years, suddenly opened!

"Hum—!!!"

In an instant, with him as the center, the Law lines within hundreds of millions of kilometers all trembled and hummed in unison!

As if paying homage to their king!

In his eyes, which were as deep as galaxies, a trace of extremely rare astonishment and disbelief flashed!

"A breath of the same Origin... Another one... Innate Radiant Body?!"

His voice was low, as if carrying the weight of the entire galaxy, echoing in this silent land.

"Just now... this Innate Radiant Body achieved a Breakthrough to the Galaxy Level? In this galaxy... in the same era, there has actually appeared a second Innate Radiant Body?!"

The Innate Radiant Body is the benchmark for Level 4 Star River Level civilization seeds!

The conditions for its birth are extremely harsh, and the probability is so slim that it is despairing!

According to the common sense of the Universe, for a single galaxy like the Liuli System, being able to give birth to one Innate Radiant Body within a cycle of one hundred billion years is already a blessing from the heavens!

And he, Huang Yu, is the only proud son favored by the Luck of the Liuli System over these one hundred billion years!

But now, he could clearly sense it!

In the direction of that distant, remote, and even "barbaric" barren Star Domain—near the arm where the Dragonborn Empire, the loser who once fought with his ancestors for the ruling power of the Liuli System's star arms ten billion years ago, was located!

A second Innate Radiant Body has actually been born?!

And successfully stepped into the Galaxy Level!

"The Dragonborn Empire... not extinct yet? And still able to nurture an Innate Radiant Body?"

"No... that's not right. The Bloodline of the Dragonborn Empire was long ago exterminated by the ancestors, even if some residual Bloodline, possessing some trump cards, escaped the investigation of the ancestors."

"The remaining territory and population could never possibly give birth to a Radiant Body. Is it another civilization? In that barren Star Domain, has a new civilization risen?"

Huang Yu's brows furrowed slightly, and a cold light flashed in his eyes.

Although the struggle for hegemony ten billion years ago ended with the victory of the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom and the exile of the Founding Emperors, for a civilization, extermination is the optimal solution; the dark forest law is the only truth of the Universe.

Especially civilizations with potential, they must be destroyed! Only then can one's own civilization rest easy!

Now, such a huge variable has actually appeared in that direction?

A rising civilization possessing an Innate Radiant Body?

For Huang Yu, who is at the most critical moment of his Breakthrough, this is definitely not good news!

His mind moved slightly, and an invisible thought had already crossed time and space, passing into the highest deliberative body of the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom—the "Shining World Council".

【Convene the highest meeting. Target: Edge of the Liuli System, near the former territory of the Dragonborn Empire, a new Innate Radiant Body at the Galaxy Level has appeared. Assess the threat and formulate countermeasures.】

After the order was issued, Huang Yu closed his eyes again, the fluctuations around his body quickly calmed down, and he sank back into that bottomless comprehension of Laws.

As if everything just now was just an insignificant disturbance.

He could not be distracted!

Not even a little bit!

Because he, Huang Yu, this supreme Dominator of the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom, the only Innate Radiant Body, is now 999,990 years old!

There are only ten years left until the end of the "Innate Universe Origin Affinity Period", which is incomparably precious and can be called a gift from the Universe for the Innate Radiant Body!

One million years of the Innate Universe Origin Affinity Period!

This is the greatest Opportunity for an Innate Radiant Body!

During this period, their affinity with the Universe Origin Laws reaches its Peak, comprehending Laws is as natural as breathing, and their cultivation progress advances by leaps and bounds.

But once the million-year deadline passes, this "affinity" will decay sharply and return to normal levels.

By then, wanting to achieve a Breakthrough in a major Realm will have its difficulty soar exponentially!

And he has been stuck at the Galaxy Level Peak for over 980,000 years!

As early as when he was over 10,000 years old, he had already relied on the supreme Aptitude of the Innate Radiant Body and the infinite resource supply of the Divine Kingdom to break through to the Galaxy Level Peak with unstoppable momentum!

He originally thought that with the posture of a Radiant Body, a Breakthrough to the Star River Level was just around the corner.

However, reality dealt him a heavy blow.

The gap between the Galaxy Level and the Star River Level is even greater than the gap between a Mortal and the Galaxy Level Peak!

That is not just the accumulation of energy or the deepening of Laws, but a thorough transformation of the essence of life, a leap at the level of existence!

The Star River Level means a terrifying lifespan of one hundred billion years!

It is exactly ten thousand times the 10 million-year lifespan of the Galaxy Level Peak!

This is a true chasm!

A despairing gulf that has blocked countless brilliant talents!

When he had just achieved a Breakthrough to the Galaxy Level Peak, he was high-spirited and led the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom to conquer everywhere, expanding the Divine Kingdom's territory from millions of arms to hundreds of millions of arms, shaking the Liuli System.

It was not until he was 30,000 years old, in an extremely ancient Star River Level civilization ruin, that he learned the secret that "even with the million-year affinity period of an Innate Radiant Body, it is difficult to achieve a Breakthrough to the Star River Level".

Only then did he realize with shock that he had wasted too much precious time on the conquest and scientific research of the civilization!

From then on, he completely handed over state affairs to the "Shining World Council" to handle, while he himself lived in complete seclusion, throwing all his heart and mind into the closed-door cultivation to achieve a Breakthrough to the Star River Level.

Otherwise, the Liuli System would have been unified long ago!

This closed-door cultivation has lasted ten years short of 970,000 years!

970,000 years of loneliness, 970,000 years of searching!

He felt that the barrier was already as thin as a cicada's wing, as if it could be pierced in the next moment!

Now, there are only the last ten years left of the affinity period!

He had no time, nor any energy, to be distracted by dealing with a new Innate Radiant Body that appeared in a distant Star Domain.

Even if the other party is an Innate Radiant Body at the Galaxy Level Elementary, to him, it is like an infant.

But any slight external interference could potentially affect his Epiphany in these last ten years!

He cannot afford to gamble!

The Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom cannot afford to gamble either!

If his intervention leads to the failure of the Breakthrough, that would be a loss hundreds of millions of times more tragic than the destruction of the civilization!

If he can achieve a Breakthrough, the civilization will be glorious for one hundred billion years! If he cannot, 9 million years later, the civilization will surely decline!

Therefore, he handed this matter to the council to handle, and he himself must immediately return to that eternal silence in pursuit of the final Breakthrough.

"Consider yourself lucky, letting you live at most—ten more years. I didn't lead the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom to expand into the barren Star Domain back then, the distance is a bit far, otherwise, when you achieved a Breakthrough to the Star Arm Level, I would have sensed the fluctuations of being an Innate Radiant Body and sent my subordinates to capture you directly."

After sighing in his heart, Huang Yu's mind completely sank into the Universe Law Origin sea.

...

Meanwhile, at the core of the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom, the "Shining World Celestial Vault" hall.

Figures exuding vast Auras, as if condensing from the sea of stars, quickly appeared on their respective star thrones.

Those who could be ranked here were at the very least powerhouses at the Star Arm Level Peak!

Below the Star Arm Level Peak, there was simply no qualification to be seated!

Among them, the ten figures with the most majestic Auras, their bodies surrounded by Laws that were almost tangible, were clearly Galaxy Level High supreme experts!

They were the ten strongest "Shining World Celestial Vault Venerables" in the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom, excluding the Dominator Huang Yu!

These ten Shining World Celestial Vault Venerables, along with the over five thousand Galaxy Level Low and Medium experts present, were, without exception, all Acquired Yao Bodies who had broken through from the Innate Sun Body!

There were also countless Star Arm Level Peak experts who had broken through from Innate Moon Bodies to Acquired Sun Bodies! Adding the very few Innate Sun Bodies who had not yet broken through the Star Arm Level Peak!

They were all the members of this meeting!

This was the terrifying foundation that allowed the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom to rule over one billion spiral arms!

During the nine hundred and seventy thousand years that Huang Yu had been in seclusion, it was they who sustained the operation and expansion of the Divine Kingdom.

At this moment, the gazes of all the experts were focused on the Galaxy Level High Venerable at the lead—Venerable Hui Guang.

His face was ancient and simple, and within the opening and closing of his eyes, it seemed as if galaxies were being born and extinguished. The light around his body was restrained, yet it gave others a sense of oppression, like an ant facing a divine Dragon.

"Everyone, I presume you have all received the Dominator's telepathic message." Venerable Hui Guang spoke, his voice low and omnipresent, like cosmic background radiation.

"On the edge of the Liuli System, near the Star Domain where the remnants of the former Dragonborn Empire are located, a new Innate Radiant Body has been born and has successfully broken through to Galaxy Level Low."

As his voice fell, a subtle ripple of energy appeared within the hall.

Clearly, this news shocked even these top experts who had seen all kinds of storms.

"Another Innate Radiant Body? How is that possible?! How can a galaxy give birth to two Innate Radiant Bodies at the same time?"

"The Dragonborn Empire? The defeated opponents of our ancestors from one billion years ago, could they still have such Luck?"

"Or is it that a newly born civilization is just lucky? Just happened to have an Innate Radiant Body born in that barren Star Domain? How could such a barren Star Domain give birth to an Innate Radiant Body?"

...

Venerable Hui Guang raised his hand slightly to press down the discussion, then continued:

"The Dominator is currently in the final critical period of breaking through to the Star River Level and cannot be disturbed. For this incident, we must decide on a countermeasure."

A Galaxy Level Medium Venerable with a slightly explosive temper, his body surrounded by blazing Fire Laws, said in a deep voice:

"Venerable Hui Guang, since the Dominator has no time to attend to other matters, why don't I go myself! A freshly promoted Galaxy Level Low, even if it is an Innate Radiant Body, I have the confidence to capture it! Perhaps its Origin could even be of assistance to the Dominator's Breakthrough!"

Once these words were spoken, many experts nodded, flashes of interest appearing in their eyes.

Capturing an Innate Radiant Body and studying its Origin might truly help the Dominator glimpse a trace of the mystery of breaking through to the Star River Level!

However, Venerable Hui Guang slowly shook his head, his gaze sweeping across the crowd, his tone grave:

"Venerable Huang Jin, do you know, even at the same Galaxy Level Low, how great the difference in strength is between an Innate Radiant Body and an Acquired Radiant Body like you, who promoted from an Innate Sun Body?"

The flame Venerable called Huang Jin frowned: "The Innate Radiant Body is certainly powerful, but I am Galaxy Level Medium, one small Realm higher, surely I can take her down?"

A trace of reminiscence and wariness flashed in Venerable Hui Guang's eyes, as if recalling the style of the Dominator Huang Yu when he first entered the Galaxy Level:

"According to the information left by the Dominator back then, and the records of ancient civilization ruins... at the same Galaxy Level Low, the combat power of an Innate Radiant Body is approximately equal to that of an Acquired Radiant Body at the Galaxy Level Medium!"

"What?!"

"The gap is that large?!"

"This... how is this possible?!"

The hall was in an uproar!

Even those ten Galaxy Level High Shining World Celestial Vault Venerables had expressions of gravity on their faces.

Venerable Hui Guang emphasized his tone: "And this is just a conservative estimate! The Innate Radiant Body's affinity and control over Laws far exceed our imagination. Although she has just entered the Galaxy Level, the power of the Origin Laws she can mobilize, and the subtlety and power of her Divine Abilities, are absolutely incomparable to an ordinary Acquired Radiant Body!"

He looked at the hot-tempered expert: "Huang Jin, although you are Galaxy Level Medium, if you were to go against that Innate Radiant Body, your chance of winning... is less than ten percent! You might even be killed by her instead!"

Venerable Huang Jin's face changed, the flames around his body dimmed slightly, and he ultimately remained silent.

Venerable Hui Guang then looked at another Galaxy Level High Venerable with a steady Aura: "Even if all ten of us joined forces, facing an Innate Radiant Body at the Galaxy Level Low, we have no absolute certainty of victory. Once we fall into a protracted battle, and she manages to escape by Luck, disturbing the Dominator's Breakthrough to the Star River Level, we would not be able to escape the blame even if we died ten thousand times!!!"

He scanned the whole room and made the final decision:

"Therefore, during the critical period of the Dominator's Breakthrough, we should not rashly form a deadly feud with an Innate Radiant Body; we cannot bear even the slightest risk that would affect the Dominator's Breakthrough!"

"Our strategy is—observe the changes, and do not interfere for now!"

"Everything, with the Dominator's Breakthrough as the highest priority!"

"As long as the Dominator can successfully break through to the Star River Level within the last ten years..."

A burst of incomparably blazing light erupted in Venerable Hui Guang's eyes:

"Then, all problems will be solved! The gap between the Star River Level and the Galaxy Level is an essential difference! By then, let alone one newly promoted Innate Radiant Body, even a trillion newly promoted Innate Radiant Bodies would be nothing but clay chickens and pottery dogs before the Dominator, easily destroyed with a flick of a finger!"

"If the Dominator fails to break through..." His tone sank slightly, but remained firm, "Then after ten years, the Dominator will take action personally, crushing everything with absolute strength! By then, capturing that Innate Radiant Body might even allow the Dominator to glimpse a trace of Opportunity for subsequent Breakthroughs!"

"Everyone, lack of patience in small matters will ruin great plans. How can nine hundred and seventy thousand years of waiting be ruined by a moment of impulse?"

Venerable Hui Guang's words, like a cold stellar core, quelled all restless emotions.

That's right, compared to the Dominator breaking through to the Star River Level, what does an Innate Radiant Body in a remote Star Domain count for?

Ten years, for beings like them whose lifespans are calculated in units of ten thousand years, is but a fleeting moment.

Ten years, even for an Innate Radiant Body, after reaching the Galaxy Level, there wouldn't be much progress!

We can afford to wait!

And we must wait!

"Seconded!"

"Seconded!"

"Everything for the Dominator's Breakthrough!"

"Everything for the Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom to promote to a Star River Level civilization!"

...

Unanimously passed!

The Yaoqiong Divine Kingdom, this massive war machine, displayed patience and wisdom matching its scale when facing sudden variables.

They chose the safest, and also most lethal, strategy—waiting.

Waiting for their supreme Dominator to either take that final step and rule over the Star River; or, after the seclusion period ends, sweep away all potential threats with an invincible posture.

...

The meeting ended, and the figures of the experts dissipated.

Venerable Hui Guang stood alone in the empty "Shining World Celestial Vault" hall, his gaze seemingly piercing through endless space and time, landing on that distant Star Domain.

"Innate Radiant Body... truly an enviable Aptitude..." He whispered to himself, carrying a trace of indescribable, complex emotion.

"Pity, you were born at the wrong time. If you had been born a million years earlier, perhaps this Liuli System would be a different scenario."

"But now... your fate is already sealed!"

"Either submit along with the Dominator's glory; or, perish along with the Dominator's regrets."

...

The distant Sagittarius Arm, Human Federation Pillar of Leaders.

Chen Jun and everyone in the Federation knew nothing about this.

Chen Jun had just dismissed that group of hot-headed juniors, and after instructing Qinglan to investigate the surrounding star arm layout, he was happily enjoying the peace of mind brought by his "steady" strategy.

He was munching on singularity popcorn, mumbling indistinctly: "Wait until Qinglan figures out the situation, then we will plan accordingly."

He had no idea that a day ago, the most powerful civilization in the entire Liuli System had already convened a supreme meeting that determined their fate because of his precious daughter.

Even less did he know that an old monster with a lifespan of nearly one million years, stuck at the Galaxy Level Peak for over nine hundred and eighty thousand years, had already opened his eyes to look at them, and then closed them again...

And a ten-year countdown concerning the survival of their civilization had already begun silently...

The waves of the sea of stars had finally rippled...

It's just that at the center of this ripple, that immortal who won by lying down, Chen Jun, was completely unaware, still sleeping soundly on his lounge chair.

At the corner of his mouth, crumbs of popcorn still remained...