Chapter 1 The Flowers of Summer

Blue Star.

In a small, scenic city, a man in a floral shirt sat at an outdoor café, sipping coffee and watching the beautiful women in their cool summer attire walk by. "Not bad, not bad at all. The beauties of Blue Star really suit my taste," the man in the floral shirt said with a smile. "And now that it's summer on Blue Star, the ladies are dressing so lightly."

"Is that guy sick? It's so hot. Why isn't he inside the café? Why does he have to sit outside?"

"Doesn't he feel hot?"

"Well, he's the only one sitting outside. It must be 35 degrees Celsius out here. How can he stand it?"

"Ever since the Evolutionary Method became popular, there have been all kinds of weirdos." The passing beauties muttered as they glanced at the man in the floral shirt.

The man in the floral shirt blinked. "Hot?"

He looked up at the sun. "You call this comfortable weather hot? The temperature on a neutron star is what I'd call a little hot."

"Alas, as the esteemed head steward of the Primordial Research Institute, only the director used to be able to order me around. Now, Vice Director Chihmoung, who is temporarily managing the institute, has the authority to command me," the man in the floral shirt lamented. "With my status, my second body is of utmost importance. In the past, the missions I carried out were important events for the entire human race in the universe. Now, I'm here to be a bodyguard for a Starspace lifeform. It's truly..."

"No alien races have come to let me crush a few for fun. How boring."

"Having too long a life can be boring too," he said, slumping in his chair. He had no need for research or study. With such a long life, he could only find ways to amuse himself.

"Xu Jingming, my first body is at the headquarters of the Primordial Research Institute, and my second body is here to protect you. You're really giving me a lot of face," the man in the floral shirt said as he watched Xu Jingming cultivate his meditative visualization in the virtual chamber. "However, to have a Heart Force Index break through 9,000 in less than 20 years of cultivating the Evolutionary Method… This talent is a little scary. Even Vice Director Chihmoung was taken aback." Moreover, his Heart Force had increased significantly faster than in the Demon Vanquishing World since participating in the Cosmic Combat Tournament.

"At this rate, he's almost certain to become a Source lifeform within 40 years of cultivating the Evolutionary Method? That's even more amazing than when Vice Director Chihmoung was young! Vice Director Chihmoung became a Source lifeform after 55 years of cultivation, right?" The man in the floral shirt looked forward to it. "Our Primordial Research Institute is truly producing talents in this era! First, we had Chihmoung, and now we have Xu Jingming. This era is completely overwhelming the Eternal Academy and the Spacetime Islet."

"No, no, I can't be happy too soon. We can't be sure of Xu Jingming's achievements over the next few millennia or tens of thousands of years," the man in the floral shirt thought to himself.

Over his long life, he had watched the rise and fall of the human race, and the emergence of heroes in different eras. The appearance of every remarkable figure attracted his attention. As the head steward of the Primordial Research Institute, he most looked forward to the institute becoming stronger.

Xu Jingming was currently cultivating his meditative visualization and was unaware of his presence. After all, the Primordial Battle Suit he was wearing was also under the control of the Primordial Research Institute headquarters. In fact, it was the head steward who was managing it.

The Wu Hook Star Alliance’s territory had a maximum diameter of 580 million light-years and consisted of more than 100,000 star systems. It was simply too vast and boundless. Just like how Blue Star Civilization was discovered after it came into contact with virtual chambers and actively contacted the virtual world network!

Similarly, in the Wu Hook Star Alliance, there were also many undiscovered civilizations, many of which were still in a very primitive state. Rain繁 Star was one such indigenous life planet. It was ruled by cosmic pirates.

"This beautiful life planet is completely under my control," Chief Nok said as he overlooked the entire planet from the most luxurious building in the floating city. As an eighth-order Starspace lifeform, he could see every part of this life planet with his naked eyes.

"Controlling everything of the 1.9 billion indigenous humans, playing with them however I want, the Cosmic Human Alliance's regulations can't control me. This feeling is truly wonderful," Chief Nok whispered. "But…"

"The Yellow-Clad Envoy."

Chief Nok's expression turned ugly. "The squad I sent to Blue Star Civilization was wiped out by the Yellow-Clad Envoy?"

As one of the top five pirate forces in the entire Wu Hook Star Alliance, there was no need to use all their strength to deal with a Blue Star Civilization. It was only for extortion, so one squad was enough. But this squad had encountered the Yellow-Clad Envoy.

"Although the starship's star chart has multiple layers of protection, the Chihmoung Group can crack it if they really want to. They're likely to trace it back to some strongholds, and based on these strongholds, they'll trace it back to more," Chief Nok said unhappily.

"Are the lairs and strongholds I painstakingly built, and this life planet before me, going to be abandoned?" Chief Nok was unwilling. It was years of hard work!

Chief Nok finally reached out and gently tapped. A figure appeared in the light screen. It was a blurry figure shrouded in black mist, wearing a purple robe, looking over indifferently.

"Your Excellency," Chief Nok said, bowing respectfully.

"Speak," the purple-robed figure said, looking down at him.

"I'm breaking the rules by contacting you suddenly because I've encountered an emergency," Chief Nok said respectfully. "Just today, I sent a squad under my command to plunder Blue Star Civilization, but they encountered a Yellow-Clad Envoy from the Chihmoung Group, serial number 1037. The Yellow-Clad Envoy killed the wanted pirates and captured the other pirates. That cosmic starship was also captured… I'm worried that the star chart on the cosmic starship will expose some of my strongholds."

"Yellow-Clad Envoy," the purple-robed figure frowned.

"I gathered intelligence and knew that Xu Jingming of Blue Star Civilization had some connections with Tierney Arno of the Chihmoung Group, but I didn't expect a Yellow-Clad Envoy to appear," Chief Nok said very respectfully. "Your Excellency, what should I do?"

"You should temporarily abandon all your strongholds and hide on a desolate planet that no one knows about," the purple-robed figure instructed. "If the Chihmoung Group doesn't launch any attacks after 20 years, you can return."

"20 years? Alone?" Chief Nok hesitated.

"If the Chihmoung Group really investigates and you stay in the lair strongholds, you'll be doomed," the purple-robed figure said. "Hurry up."

"Yes," Chief Nok said without hesitation. The light screen disappeared, and the communication was cut off.

On the surface, he was the absolute leader of this pirate force, but the reason he could run such a large force was that he had the backing of a Source lifeform. He still didn't know the true identity of "Your Excellency," but Your Excellency controlled everything about him. If he obeyed, he was the chief. If he didn't obey? He was afraid he would die soon.

"I'll endure for 20 years," Chief Nok thought. That same day, he boarded a small cosmic starship and quietly left Rain繁 Star. Only after leaving did he begin to arrange for his subordinates to handle various matters.

As long as he controlled his subordinates remotely through the network, he was confident that he could control everything, even if he didn't show up for decades. After all, his personal strength, combined with his bio-armor, was enough to deter those with ambition. "Alas, I'll have to spend the next 20 years here."

On a rocky planet with no life, Chief Nok's small cosmic starship entered a cave inside the rocky planet and lived there alone. He couldn't even enter the virtual world network.

The pirates' Wu Hook World—this simple virtual world—was much inferior in terms of entertainment. Chief Nok could only endure all of this.

The leader of that pirate force lived alone on a desolate planet.

At this moment, His Highness Lanaidor arrived at a primitive Cosmic Civilization again, enjoying the civilization's warm reception.

His Highness Lanaidor wore local traditional clothing, ate local fruits, and watched them display their artwork.

"Not bad, not bad," His Highness Lanaidor said with a satisfied nod. "Your Lampa civilization is generally mediocre, but your painting does have talent."

"These three are all treasures of our civilization. Since Your Highness appreciates them, please accept them. Only in the hands of someone of noble status will these treasures be more valuable," the attendants said enthusiastically.

His Highness Lanaidor nodded with a smile, and his subordinates immediately helped him accept them.

"Your Highness," the handsome silver-haired butler stepped forward and glanced around. Immediately, a maid stepped forward to ask the people of the Lampa Civilization to leave first.

"What is it?" His Highness Lanaidor asked.

"Something big has happened on Blue Star Civilization," the handsome silver-haired butler whispered.

"Oh?" His Highness Lanaidor said with some anticipation. "Tell me quickly."

"After Blue Star Civilization was isolated, a cosmic pirate force finally appeared," the handsome silver-haired butler said.

"These pirates smelled blood and naturally came," His Highness Lanaidor sneered. He knew the nature of those cosmic pirates very well.

"But a Yellow-Clad Envoy from the Chihmoung Group appeared. He publicly declared that he was ordered to protect Xu Jingming," the silver-haired butler said. "He easily solved that pirate force."

"Bang!"

The fruit plate next to His Highness Lanaidor was knocked to the ground and shattered. "Damn it."

His Highness Lanaidor's expression was gloomy. "To send a Yellow-Clad Envoy for a weak civilization's lowly character?" He had to admit that he didn't even have a Yellow-Clad Envoy himself!

That was, after all, a "civilization-level" intelligent robot with the basic destructive power of a ninth-order Source lifeform. Such a terrifying weapon… His Highness Lanaidor couldn't buy it, and of course, he couldn't afford it.

"Your Highness, what should we do next?" the handsome silver-haired butler asked in a low voice.

"What should I do?"

His Highness Lanaidor glanced at him. "What can I do? What dare I do?"

The butler was stunned.

"That's Tierney Arno" Sumo "Celer! Just listen to his name! What dare I do?" His Highness Lanaidor said. "The Blackmoon Civilization withdrew its troops, which can be explained as… the Blackmoon Civilization expressing goodwill to me, a decision made by the Blackmoon Civilization itself. Now that the Yellow-Clad Envoy has appeared, am I going to take action again? That would be tearing face with Tierney Arno. Although as a member of the royal family, he can't do anything to me, but there's no need."

"This is just a small conflict. It'll pass," His Highness Lanaidor said with a smile. "Alright, let the people of the Lampa Civilization come back. I'm looking forward to seeing the other gift they prepared."

"Yes," the silver-haired butler replied.

His Highness Lanaidor smiled, seemingly not angry at all.

After all, before his brother rose to power, he had been so dilapidated that he was almost stripped of his royal status. He had experienced too many days of being bullied and having to endure. Sometimes, enduring was enough.

"If my brother can become emperor…" Deep in His Highness Lanaidor's eyes, there was a hidden flame.

The appearance of the Yellow-Clad Envoy in Blue Star Civilization caused a series of reactions.

The leader of the pirate force, His Highness Lanaidor, and many civilizations in the Wu Hook Star Alliance were very surprised! These civilizations had previously regarded Blue Star Civilization as a new civilization and had drawn a line with it. After all, when many civilizations had drawn a line with Blue Star Civilization, those few civilizations that didn't would be targeted by Lanaidor. But now…

"The Chihmoung Group is building a star region-level branch in Blue Star?"

"The Chihmoung Group is the local power in the Hunter Cosmic Domain. We don't dare to offend them. I believe His Highness Lanaidor will understand."

Quietly, on the virtual world network's "online shopping," the various civilizations of the Wu Hook Star Alliance were willing to deliver goods again and no longer rejected Blue Star Civilization.

"It's really lively."

Xu Jingming was in his courtyard, looking up at the moon.

With the help of the Primordial Battle Suit, he could clearly see the large-scale construction on the moon.

The Chihmoung Group's star region-level branch decided to build its starport on the moon. The moon was very close to Blue Star, and construction on land would greatly reduce costs. In the future, a large number of cosmic starships could dock on the moon. As for customers, they could be transported back and forth.

It only took a few words to get from the moon to Blue Star.

"It's good. With the help of the Chihmoung Group's branch, Blue Star Civilization can integrate into cosmic civilization faster." Xu Jingming also saw that the higher-ups of Blue Star Civilization were now elated. Everyone saw the hope of the civilization growing stronger.

Not long ago, the higher-ups of Blue Star Civilization were still panic-stricken and full of anxiety about the future.

Some even blamed Xu Jingming. Now, they had begun to praise Xu Jingming again.

"There's no way around it. That's how weak civilizations are! The hostility of a great figure makes a weak civilization tremble. The goodwill of a great figure makes a weak civilization excited and thrilled," Xu Jingming thought to himself.

"This is the sorrow of a weak civilization."

"Only when a civilization is strong can it be more confident. Even when receiving some great figures, they will have a normal attitude," Xu Jingming thought, then got up and headed to the virtual chamber. Virtual world network.

"Mountains collapse, people run away. The most important thing for a civilization to be strong is its own strength. Science still needs to be accumulated slowly, and the evolutionary path… I don't know how many years it will take for Blue Star Civilization to produce another talent that can catch up with me." Xu Jingming knew this very well. After all, most primitive Cosmic Civilizations do not produce an eighth-order Starspace lifeform in their history.

With such talent and strength, he naturally had to work harder.

"If I become a Source lifeform, I won't have to suffer Lanaidor's humiliation!"

Xu Jingming clicked on the Cosmic Combat Tournament interface.

Name: Wu Ming

Wu Hook Star Alliance Ranking: 2

Hunter Cosmic Domain Ranking: 362

Cosmic Overall Ranking: 10071

After the Lanaidor incident, Xu Jingming's desire to fight was obviously stronger. "The Cosmic Combat Tournament is much more effective than the Demon Vanquishing World. I'll continue grinding! I'll first try to reach the top ten in the Hunter Cosmic Domain."