Mysteries of the Starfield, the Strategies of the Stars

Inside the private room of the Listening Rain Pavilion, the fragrance of tea wafted through the air, isolating it from the clamor of the outside world.

The simple Restriction set up by Nightmare made this place a quiet sanctuary.

Angelica respectfully poured Spirit tea for Nightmare and Su Wanqing, her movements still trembling slightly; she had clearly not yet fully recovered from the shock of a moment ago.

She sat cautiously at the lower seat, her posture humble.

"Se... Senior, what would you like to know? This Junior will certainly tell you everything."

Angelica took a deep breath, trying hard to keep her voice steady.

Nightmare took a sip of the Spirit tea; the taste was acceptable, but the Spiritual Qi it contained was already insignificant to both him and Su Wanqing.

He set down his teacup and cut straight to the point: "First, tell me about the general landscape of the Myriad Laws Star Domain and the distribution of major powers."

"Yes." Angelica collected her thoughts and began to speak: "The Myriad Laws Star Domain is vast and boundless, composed mainly of four core Star Domains, twelve middle-ring star belts, and countless outer fragmented star regions."

"The Thousand Streams Star Port where we are located is in the third spiral arm, belonging to one of the outer transit stations of the 'Purple Profound Star Domain'."

"The powers within the Star Domain are intertwined, but there are seven recognized top-tier powers, known as 'One Palace, Two Pavilions, Three Sects, and One Alliance'."

"The One Palace refers to the 'Myriad Phenomena Star Palace', rumored to be an ancient Legacy with the deepest foundation, transcending worldly affairs, but its Disciples rarely walk in the world."

"The Two Pavilions are our 'Hundred Knowledge Pavilion' and the 'Heavenly Secret Pavilion'. The Hundred Knowledge Pavilion specializes in intelligence, news, and exploring unknown Star Domains; the Heavenly Secret Pavilion excels in deduction, divination, and refining compass star charts. The two are in a competitive relationship, but each has its own focus."

"The Three Sects are the 'Divine Weapon Sect' (famous for Artifact Refining), the 'Danding Sect' (established based on Alchemy), and the 'Beast Taming Sect' (skilled in taming strange beasts of the star sea). These three control a vast amount of resources and special industries in the Star Domain."

"The One Alliance is the 'Myriad Races Trade Alliance', formed by a coalition of many small and medium-sized chambers of commerce and races. Its influence spans the entire Star Domain, its financial power is heaven-defying, and it is also extremely well-informed."

Nightmare quickly recorded this information, cross-referencing it with the incomplete star chart he had obtained from Ector and the primal cube, and the outline of the Myriad Laws Star Domain gradually became clear.

"Besides these seven major powers, who else should I be aware of? For example, what level does the Black Fiend Gang you mentioned earlier belong to?" Nightmare asked.

Angelica hurriedly replied: "Replying to Senior, the Black Fiend Gang is just a local bully in the Thousand Streams Star Port. The Gang leader is said to have Void Refining Late Stage cultivation, which is considered top-tier within the port, but in the entire Purple Profound Star Domain, it can only be considered a third-rate power, completely unable to stand on the main stage. Local Gangs similar to the Black Fiend Gang are common in every star port and resource planet."

She paused and added: "The ones you really need to be careful of are the Core Disciples of those major powers, and... the Star Domain Patrol Envoy."

"Star Domain Patrol Envoy?"

"Yes." Angelica's expression became a bit more serious. "They are experts dispatched by the 'Star Domain Order Palace', which was jointly established by the seven major powers. They are responsible for maintaining basic order in the Star Domain, handling major cross-Star Domain disputes, and... hunting down wanted criminals. Every Patrol Envoy is at least at the Hedao Stage, and it is said that the captain level even has Mahayana Old Ancestors overseeing them! They have great power, and their actions... are sometimes quite overbearing."

Nightmare nodded slightly; this was about what he had expected. Wherever there are people, there is Jianghu; wherever there are powers, there are rule enforcers.

"Tell me more about the Hundred Knowledge Pavilion." Nightmare was more interested in this power known for intelligence.

Mentioning her own Sect, a hint of pride appeared on Angelica's face, but it quickly turned into humility: "The Hundred Knowledge Pavilion headquarters is located on 'Tianzhi Star' at the core of the Purple Profound Star Domain. The structure within the Pavilion is mainly divided into four departments: 'Wind, Fire, Mountain, and Forest'. The 'Wind Department' is responsible for intelligence collection and transmission, the 'Fire Department' is responsible for exploring unknown dangerous lands and ruins, the 'Mountain Department' is responsible for intelligence analysis and archiving, and the 'Forest Department' is responsible for external contact and sales. This Junior is just an ordinary Named Disciple of the Wind Department at an outer star port, responsible for collecting local intelligence."

"How is intelligence sold within the Pavilion? What are the prices?" Nightmare asked the key question.

"Intelligence is classified into four Ranks: 'Heaven, Earth, Profound, and Yellow'." Angelica explained, "Yellow Rank is the lowest, usually containing local news or information on ordinary resource points; the price is not high, ranging from a few dozen to several hundred High-Grade Spirit Stones. Profound Rank involves important information about some Secret Realms, Cultivation Techniques, or specific individuals, requiring thousands or even tens of thousands of High-Grade Spirit Stones. Earth Rank intelligence relates to the opening of major Secret Realms, ancient ruins, or even the core dynamics of certain top-tier powers; the price is often hundreds of thousands of High-Grade Spirit Stones, and it often requires specific authority or contribution points to purchase. As for Heaven Rank... those are top-secret matters concerning the survival of the Star Domain or ancient secrets, which are said to be inaccessible to anyone but core Elders of the Pavilion, and cannot be bought even with Spirit Stones."

Nightmare quickly calculated; the Spirit Stones he had previously looted from the Imperial Dynasty and Void Realm experts, plus some Materials he couldn't use, had a total value of about one million High-Grade Spirit Stones. It sounded like a lot, but if he wanted to buy key intelligence of Earth Rank or higher, he probably wouldn't last long.

"I need intelligence regarding several specific Heaven And Earth Treasures, as well as some special regions and spatial passages." Nightmare stated his needs. "For example, 'star tear', 'Nine-Turn Soul Returning Grass', 'void lotus seed', as well as information on the depths of the 'Chaos Frontier' and 'Realm Channels' that might lead to other stable great worlds."

Angelica listened carefully. When she heard the names of treasures like 'star tear' and 'Nine-Turn Soul Returning Grass' which were Earth Rank or might even touch Heaven Rank, as well as sensitive terms like 'Chaos Frontier' and 'Realm Channels', her expression became somewhat serious and troubled.

"Senior, these things you mentioned... except for the 'void lotus seed' which might have some clues about its growth areas in the Profound Rank intelligence database, the others, especially information on 'Realm Channels', are likely at least peak Earth Rank, or might even touch Heaven Rank..." She said cautiously, "With this Junior's authority, I cannot access them at all. Even if Senior goes to the Tianzhi Star headquarters, wanting to buy intelligence of this level would not only require a massive amount of Spirit Stones, but probably also completing high-difficulty tasks issued by the Pavilion, accumulating enough contribution points, or... exchanging items or information of sufficient value."

Nightmare was not surprised by this. If this information were easily obtainable, that would be strange.

"Contribution points? Tasks?" He caught these two terms.

"Yes." Angelica nodded. "The Hundred Knowledge Pavilion will issue various tasks, such as exploring an unknown Star Domain, collecting specific Materials, investigating the truth of an event, and so on. Completing tasks can earn contribution points, and contribution points can be exchanged within the Pavilion for intelligence, Cultivation Techniques, or even to hire high-level experts from the Pavilion to take action. Many high-level Cultivators obtain what they need in this way."

This was indeed an idea. Nightmare deduced that with his current strength, completing some high-difficulty tasks to obtain contribution points seemed more efficient than simply saving up Spirit Stones.

"Can you find clues about the 'void lotus seed' now?" Nightmare decided to start with the relatively easier one.

Upon hearing this, Angelica immediately took out a palm-sized jade compass from her storage ring and sank her Divine Sense into it. This was the "Wind Message Compass" standard for Hundred Knowledge Pavilion Disciples, which could connect to part of the Pavilion's intelligence network.

A moment later, she looked up with a hint of joy in her eyes: "Senior, I found it! Regarding the 'void lotus seed', there is a record in the Pavilion's Profound Rank intelligence database pointing to an area called the 'Void Swamp' in the depths of the 'Chaotic Star Sea'. It is said that the environment there is harsh and the space is extremely unstable, but adventurers have discovered traces of the void lotus there. However, this intelligence was recorded three hundred years ago, so its accuracy cannot be fully guaranteed, and the 'Chaotic Star Sea' itself is also a high-risk area."

Chaotic Star Sea? Nightmare immediately pulled up the star chart and found this chaotic region located on the edge of the Myriad Laws Star Domain, bordering the Chaos Frontier. It was indeed a place where danger and opportunity coexisted.

"What is the price for this intelligence?"

"Because it is old news from three hundred years ago, and the region is dangerous, the price is set at eight thousand High-Grade Spirit Stones." Angelica stated the price.

Nightmare did not hesitate and directly took out the corresponding Spirit Stones and handed them to Angelica. This expense was still within his acceptable range.

Angelica skillfully completed the transaction through the Wind Message Compass and handed a Jade Slip containing detailed coordinates and known information to Nightmare.

"Senior, are you planning to go to the Chaotic Star Sea next?" Angelica asked with concern, "It is very dangerous there; not only is there a harsh natural environment, but many star sea pirates and desperados are entrenched there..."

"I have my own judgment." Nightmare put away the Jade Slip, noncommittal. He looked at Angelica and suddenly asked: "Do you know if any unusual major events have occurred recently in the Myriad Laws Star Domain or its surroundings? For example, traces of some unknown powerful existence? Or large-scale energy anomalies?"

He thought of the 'god devourer' and the 'observer'. Ector's warning was still ringing in his ears, and he needed to pay attention to any clues in this regard.

Angelica was stunned by the question. She thought carefully and shook her head: "Unusual major events... This Junior's level is too low, so I haven't heard of any. There are no related records in the public information released by the Star Domain Order Palace recently. However..."

She hesitated for a moment, then lowered her voice: "A few days ago, this Junior heard a Senior Brother who returned from the 'Meteorite Belt' mention that he seemed to have seen some... very strange and incomprehensible huge shadows flash by in the nebula, but they disappeared very quickly. Everyone thought it was an illusion or some unknown celestial phenomenon..."

Meteorite Belt? Nightmare immediately located it; that was a vast ruin area located in the buffer zone between the Myriad Laws Star Domain and the Chaos Frontier.

Incomprehensible huge shadows? Nightmare's eyes narrowed slightly. This description made it impossible for him not to make connections.

It seems that this Myriad Laws Star Domain is far more complex than he imagined. While searching for resources to improve his strength, he must also remain vigilant against potential threats.

"I understand." Nightmare nodded and stopped asking. He glanced at the unconscious Elder Li in the corner. "Do you know how to handle this person to avoid follow-up trouble?"

Angelica thought for a moment and said: "If Senior trusts me, you can hand him over to this Junior. The Hundred Knowledge Pavilion has special channels to handle this kind of 'trash'. We can interrogate him to get some intelligence on the Black Fiend Gang, and also sell him to some mining planets that need forced labor, ensuring he can never appear before Senior again."

Nightmare had no objection to this; he swept up Elder Li, wiped away the memory fragments regarding his true strength, and handed him to Angelica.

"Thank you for today." Nightmare stood up, ready to leave.

"It is this Junior's honor to serve Senior!" Angelica hurriedly stood up and bowed.

Nightmare took Su Wanqing and walked out of the private room, scanning the endless starry sky outside the star port.

Chaotic Star Sea, void lotus seed... this will be his first goal in the Myriad Laws Star Domain.

And the strange shadows of the Meteorite Belt, like a faint mark, remained in the bottom of his heart.