'Xingluo Palace', the most high-end accommodation in Xinghui Fortress.
Many dignitaries from large merchant guilds and oases spared no expense to temporarily reside here.
It was a symbol of status.
There was even a saying that if a merchant guild couldn't afford to stay in 'Xingluo Palace', it had no right to be called a major merchant guild, and no one would be willing to do business with the poor.
Because of this, anyone who came to Xinghui Fortress and had money would choose Xingluo Palace as their lodging.
It made a fortune.
The service level was also first-class, and therefore, although expensive, the dignitaries were very satisfied.
But today,
'Xingluo Palace' was abruptly sealed off, and the 'distinguished guests' temporarily residing there were forcibly evicted.
The distinguished guests were very dissatisfied.
"What's going on? How do you people at Xingluo Palace do business!"
"Is this the hospitality of Xinghui Fortress?"
"Viscount Bert, your Xinghui Fortress is not acting honorably."
Even those with ordinary status among the distinguished guests were still wealthy.
Those with noble status could even look down upon many nobles within Xinghui Fortress and were treated with respect wherever they went.
To be forcibly evicted at this moment, how could they not be angry?
Their faces turned green as they questioned the person in charge of Xingluo Palace.
This was a noble, who smiled but spoke firmly, after all...
"It is not that Xingluo Palace intentionally did this, but... it is the City Lord's order."
The City Lord, a member of the royal family of Starfall City, a top-tier expert among the Six Senses.
A peak mortal.
Many 'important figures' dared to question the manager of Xingluo Palace, but they would absolutely not dare to question the City Lord of Xinghui.
Dare not, but still some anger.
The person in charge then added, "Because, a great figure has arrived, someone who even the City Lord must respect."
"There is such a great figure?"
The distinguished guests were skeptical, taking it as an excuse.
The only one the City Lord of Xinghui would respect would be His Majesty, but His Majesty's travels would surely be accompanied by fanfare; they should have received news long ago.
And there was no reason for His Majesty to come to 'Xingluo Palace'.
As they were thinking this, the evicted distinguished guests saw from afar that the City Lord and the several highly respected nobles of the city were rushing over from a distance.
With urgency, excitement, and nervousness.
If they didn't recognize these faces, they would have thought they were ordinary passersby, but...
Impossible!
Some distinguished guests felt their worldview collapsing, believing it to be an illusion.
Others, with higher status and broader horizons, vaguely guessed something.
"Could it be that a certain Excellency has arrived?"
"To have an Excellency personally come, in this Xingluo Palace, does that mean..."
"We might have missed a great opportunity!"
...
...
In Xingluo Palace, within a certain pavilion.
Xitina and Bulaizemon sat opposite each other, while the Third Princess Ailin stood by, serving tea and water, her big eyes blinking. She wanted to speak but held back, opening her mouth but ultimately suppressing it.
Bulaizemon, an Excellency of Starfall City, was observing this myth who had traveled from afar.
It seemed... very young!
Perhaps not even a hundred years old.
Before coming, based on the reports from young Ailin and the Thirteenth, Bulaizemon had already formed a rough image of 'Xitina' the myth in his mind.
This was a newly promoted myth, and possibly not from a dominant power.
He had his reasons for this judgment.
The simplest one was that this myth had fallen into the domain of rule-type anomalies.
Myths could not deal with rule-type anomalies, and if they fell, they would be in danger of perishing. However, normally they would not fall, and with a little experience, one could observe and judge the abnormality of the space before them.
This myth was too young.
She knew little of high-level secrets and was certainly no match for him.
Well, the assessment was just a necessary procedure, not an intention to act, and it was impossible to act.
This was a myth!
Even if he was stronger, he would not want to fight an equal. If it were a fight to the death, and the opponent revealed their mythical form, he would have to do the same, and even if he won, he would be heavily injured.
It was not worth it at all.
Moreover, this myth could be befriended, so why make an enemy?
However, after judging that his strength was superior to the opponent's, Bulaizemon's mindset naturally relaxed.
The two began to negotiate the trade.
Xitina was direct, wanting to purchase the Stone of Eternal Radiance.
She was not good at negotiation.
She had no schemes or tricks.
So, following her mentor's advice, she was direct and decisive, never beating around the bush.
She didn't seek to profit greatly, only a normal transaction, with no loss.
Looking at the Starfall City myth who seemed to be probing, Xitina thought for a moment, then directly took out from her storage anomaly device...
A spherical mass of light that could be held in one hand.
Within it, golden liquid rippled, emitting an inexplicable and extremely alluring attraction.
The Third Princess Ailin was already swallowing her saliva.
Bulaizemon remained poker-faced, but he was secretly astonished.
Because,
He could tell at a glance that this treasure was extremely precious, yet he... did not recognize it!
A rare treasure he had never seen before!
"This is..."
"This is Source Water, its function is..."
...
...
With both parties being myth-level Excellencies, the transaction was completed quickly without much haggling.
They, Starfall City, purchased 3 portions of Source Water.
In return, they paid 6 Stones of Eternal Radiance, and... a legendary replica - the Legion Banner.
'Legion Banner'
'Grade: Legendary'
'Effect: Unites legion soldiers, fusing their life energy into one, to unleash more powerful destructive force.'
This was a war anomaly.
In layman's terms, an awakened person was originally only at the Human level, with significantly less destructive power compared to anomalies of the same level. However, after using the Legion Banner, the entire legion was upgraded to 'City-Level', possessing the power to destroy cities and shatter mountains.
However, no matter how much life energy was fused, or how large the quantity, it could not cause a qualitative change.
Destructive force was just destructive force.
It could deal with anomaly tides, but it could not fight across higher ranks. It was a cumbersome war anomaly.
Its value was considerably higher than legendary materials, but much lower than legendary anomalies.
"A force that needs to purchase a 'Legion Banner' can produce treasures like 'Source Water'."
"Did she obtain it by coincidence?"
"Is there more?"
Watching Xitina's departing figure, the Starfall myth narrowed his eyes.
Starlight flickered in his pupils.
"Never mind, after all, she is a myth."
...
...
Having obtained the traded items, Xitina left Xinghui Fortress directly without delay, her figure quickly disappearing into the grey mist.
"No one is chasing me."
She was slightly disappointed.
But soon she became invigorated, "Next, I'll be able to see my mentor! The extraterrestrial world, Blue Star... hmm..."
She pondered.
This time, she had also bought a map from Starfall City.
A detailed one was impossible, this map only marked the general situation of the Starfall Grotto, for example, where the depths were and where the periphery was.
She had no power to set up a 'descent ritual'.
If she relied on her own two feet, it would be very far, and it would take a lot of time to find her way and ask for directions.
Therefore,
She took out a precious bead.
'Directional Teleportation Bead'
Covered by light, the figure wearing silver armor instantly disappeared.
...
...
On the land of Blue Star, grey mist swirled.
Cities rose from the ground, scattering rays of hope.
Now,
The 'Xin Huo' (Kindling) had established multiple training bases across Blue Star to select and train talent. From time to time, tender young novices arrived here to have their worldviews reshaped.
However, the island training base located in the depths of the Pacific Ocean was the most advanced base of 'Xin Huo'.
- Nicknamed: Elite Training Camp.
Only those who excelled in the various training camps or were outstanding past graduates were qualified to study at the Elite Training Camp.
"I heard that the Elite Training Camp also has rankings, with a list recording the top 100 great figures with the highest training points!"
"What are training points?"
"It's the training score, which comes from three aspects: first, the number of stages cleared in the 'Trial Book'; second, the quantity and level of anomalies hunted; and third, the progress weight. Only the most outstanding great figures are eligible to be on the list, and based on the ranking, they can receive training camp rewards once a week."
"Those with lower rankings can receive Type III physical enhancement potions, and if one can rank first for four consecutive periods, they can even obtain a treasure that enhances potential!"
"Hiss—"
The 'Xin Huo' trainees at ordinary bases yearned for the Elite Training Camp in the Pacific.
The trainees studying at the Elite Training Camp looked at the names radiating light on the stone monument leaderboard, also mustering all their strength.
Ye Luo was a 'genius' on the leaderboard.
Moreover, he had been in the top ten for a long time, and he himself was a top-tier expert among the Three Senses.
However, the pressure was still immense.
In the eyes of outsiders, he was a great figure, but there were too many prodigies here, and if he wasn't careful, he would be surpassed. Moreover...
Even if he could achieve the top three, or even first place, there were still great figures who had already graduated from the Elite Training Camp to catch up to.
Those were the Four Senses, non-human level powerhouses.
In the Elite Training Camp, graduation meant reaching the Four Senses.
However, the Four Senses was not the end, but merely the beginning. Their goal was the stars and the anomaly realm.
"Trainees on the leaderboard have two opportunities a week to train with the Chief Instructor. Those in the top three can even request private guidance from the Chief Instructor."
"I must strive for the top three!"
"It's a pity, if only there were more opportunities to train with the Chief Instructor. Every time I train with the Chief Instructor, my whole body feels like it's burning, and my progress is particularly rapid."
He shook his head.
How could someone like the Chief Instructor always guide their training?
To become stronger, of course, one still had to rely on oneself.
A familiar slightly chubby figure suddenly appeared, "Ye Zai! Big news! Super big news! Hurry and open your student phone and look at the announcement!"
"The Chief Instructor is going to form a combat group, and... and the soldiers of the combat group will train with the Chief Instructor and hone their combat tactics."
"It's just that there are only five hundred spots, and the competition is huge. However, Ye Zai, as someone favored by Emperor Wang Fan, it should be easy for you to enter the combat group, Ye... Ye...?"
Wang Fan finished speaking, and after a long pause, heard no reply.
He only saw a familiar figure speeding away, kicking up dust.
"Damn! You little brat, wait for me!"