276: Chapter 270 Higher Levels

The wind in the valley carried a desolate, earthy smell, blowing the stray hair on Song Yang's forehead.

In his mind, that flash of a blade that tore through the sky and severed the torrent of flesh and blood kept playing on a loop.

At this moment, a long-absent voice echoed in his mind.

[You are truly lucky to be alive.]

It was Zeus.

[If that guy hadn't realized those vines could threaten his life and chosen to protect himself first, you would be a corpse right now.]

"I can feel it," Song Yang did not argue.

It was a pure, crushing suppression at the level of life itself.

Xiao's strength far exceeded any enemy he had encountered before.

"He is far stronger than me, and his life level is more than just a notch higher."

"What level is he?"

Zeus was silent for a moment, seemingly organizing his words.

[The universe is vast and infinite, filled with countless civilizations. In the long course of evolution, any form of life can emerge.]

[The Stellar Rank you know is just an important stage in the evolution of life. When a Stellar Rank life form perfects its genes to the current stage, it has the opportunity to break the shackles and enter a brand-new realm.]

[Cosmic Level]

[For a life form that reaches this realm, its essence has undergone a leap. They no longer need oxygen, no longer rely on planetary environments; the cold vacuum of the universe cannot kill them, and stellar radiation is merely a source of warmth.]

[They are, in the true sense, life forms that use the universe as their stage.]

"So, I just escaped from a Cosmic Level Expert?" Song Yang asked.

[You could say that.]

Zeus replied, [However, he must have only recently become a Cosmic Level, otherwise your vines would have had a hard time threatening him.]

[Also, if you can become a Cosmic Level Expert, Earth will be promoted to a Level 2 civilization. By then, Earth will no longer be a peripheral member of the Interstellar Federation and will enjoy all the rights of a formal member.]

"Formal member, what exactly does that entail?"

This question was critical. If upgrading the civilization level was just a hollow title, it wouldn't mean much to him.

[The complexity of its access directory is far beyond your imagination,] Zeus's voice echoed again, [but for Earth at the moment, there are three most critical items.]

[First, you will obtain official permission for interstellar trade, which means Earth's resources can be legally exchanged in the Interstellar Federation's trading network for everything you need, whether it be technology or energy.]

[Second, you will be eligible to participate in public events organized by the Interstellar Federation. This is not just a simple gathering, but a stage for exchange, competition, and alliance between civilizations; it is an opportunity for civilization to progress and grow.]

[Third, you can submit an application to the Interstellar Federation requesting environmental renovation for your home planet. As long as you pay a small amount of star coins, the Federation has the ability to make Earth flourish with life again.]

Every word from Zeus stirred up stormy waves in Song Yang's heart.

Trade permits, information channels, renovating the home planet...

This was almost a tailor-made path to the heavens for Earth under the apocalypse.

"Can I get the sun back?"

This was his most fundamental goal.

Zeus fell silent. This silence lasted longer than any time before.

The wind in the valley seemed to have stopped as well.

[It is difficult.]

[Back then, the Solar System was marked as an ownerless system on the Interstellar Federation's star map, and the sun was an ownerless star.]

[According to the Federation's pioneering act, any power can mark and claim ownerless objects.]

[The rule is, first come, first served.]

[The rule is, first come, first served.]

Zeus's voice dissipated in his mind, and Song Yang felt a bit like laughing.

When your power is too weak to set the rules, or even to defy the rules, you have no choice but to accept them.

The thought of getting the sun back did not extinguish.

That would be an incredibly long-term goal, requiring him to walk step by step to the pinnacle of the universe and possess the strength to flip the table.

But for now, he had more urgent matters to attend to.

"Gu..."

Song Yang looked up at the distant horizon.

The time limit for the trial set by that mysterious senior had only three days left.

Ten targets. Complete them, and he would be free to leave this world. Fail, and he would remain forever.

Song Yang delayed no longer, skimming over the rugged ground as he flew toward the next city.

...

Mo City.

The city was as its name suggested; the entire city was built from a type of black-gray rock.

In the City Lord's Mansion, inside a brightly lit secret room, four figures sat around. Each of them had a fierce aura, and one could tell at a glance they were ruthless characters with blood on their hands.

"What are you all looking so miserable for!"

A burly man with a face full of flab and a scar on his right cheek slammed the table, making the wine glasses rattle.

"A Blood Butcher has scared you all like this? Lord Xiao was just careless! If he actually runs into us brothers, we'll chop him into pieces and feed him to the dogs!"

This person was one of the leaders of Mo City, Mad Blade.

"Shut up."

Sitting in the main seat was a middle-aged man dressed in black, with a solemn expression.

"He escaped from Lord Xiao's blade; that wasn't carelessness, it was strength."

He was Iron Mountain, the true controller of Mo City.

"Big Brother Iron Mountain is right."

A thin man with a mouse-like mustache took a sip of wine and spoke slowly, "This Blood Butcher acts strangely. He specifically targets people like us and never leaves anyone alive."

"The fact that Lord Xiao failed means that even if we set a dragnet, we might not be able to stop him."

This person was Old Ghost, known for his meticulous mind.

"Then... what do we do?" In the corner, a man who looked the youngest and hadn't dared to speak up asked in a low voice, "How about we hide for a while?"

"Hide?" Mad Blade looked as if he had heard a huge joke, glaring at him, "A Shui, you damn coward, your guts are smaller than a rabbit's! If we hide, are we just going to hand over Mo City?"

The man named A Shui immediately shrank his neck and dared not say another word.

Iron Mountain ignored their arguing. He looked at Old Ghost and asked, "Do you have any ideas?"

Old Ghost put down his wine glass, his mouse-like mustache twitching.

"What are you panicking about?" His eyelids drooped, "In this godforsaken place, there are at least eight hundred to a thousand named cities. That Blood Butcher only has two legs; can he really slaughter them all overnight?"

"Why did Lord Xiao fail? Because he was one person, and we are four."

"No matter how powerful the Blood Butcher is, he is ultimately a human, not a ghost or a god. As long as he dares to come to Mo City, the four of us will join forces. We don't need to kill him, just stall him."

"Stall?" Mad Blade frowned, clearly dissatisfied with this term.

"Yes, stall." Old Ghost emphasized his tone, "Stalling for an hour is enough. By then, we just need to send a message to Lord Xiao, and he won't be able to escape even with wings!"

These words made the tense atmosphere in the secret room relax.

The flab on Mad Blade's face relaxed, and he revealed a sinister grin again: "Damn, your brain is still the best, Old Ghost! To deal with a rat hiding his head and showing his tail, we brothers will play with him. Once Lord Xiao arrives, it'll be perfect for closing the door to beat the dog!"

Iron Mountain's solemn face also eased up a bit. He nodded, approving of this plan.

Seeking victory was difficult, but just stalling—with the strength of the four of them, the chances were much higher.

Just then, a trembling voice rang out inappropriately.

"I'm not doing it!"

It was the man named A Shui.

"What did you say?" Mad Blade's eyes instantly widened, revealing a fierce light as if he wanted to swallow him alive.