Chapter 171 Mysterious Land

　　Near the Ansu Star Alliance, within the ‘Lone Boat Star Alliance’ territory, Xu Jingming stood quietly in the starry sky, patiently waiting for news.

　　"The Prison Clan's raiding team has suffered losses exceeding 30%. It has been 22 hours since the last attack. The Prison Clan team has likely abandoned the raid and chosen to retreat. Thank you to all the guardians!" A message from the Yuanchu Research Institute allowed Xu Jingming to relax.

　　"This wave of raids targeting the Lone Boat Star Alliance should be over."

　　When he received the mission to intercept the Prison Clan in the Lone Boat Star Alliance, Xu Jingming remained in the Lone Boat Star Alliance to more efficiently intercept the second and third waves.

　　Now that the raiding operation was over, it was time to return to the Ansu Star Alliance.

　　"Whew."

　　Ripples stirred in the surrounding space-time, and Xu Jingming's body entered the ripples. With one transit, he crossed 430 million light-years.

　　After four long-distance transits, Xu Jingming returned to Jishui Star in the Ansu Star Alliance.

　　"A bowl of noodles, a large portion, and a pot of fruit wine." Xu Jingming arrived at a restaurant near his residence and ordered food.

　　After repeated interception missions, witnessing the extinction of humans on one life planet after another, Xu Jingming's emotions were no longer as volatile. He simply suppressed his intense emotions deep in his heart. Impotent rage was laughable; only sufficient strength could change the situation on the border.

　　"Slurp, slurp."

　　Xu Jingming ate his noodles, his mind still replaying the clashes during this raiding operation.

　　"Uncle Ming." A voice sounded, and a young man in sportswear walked over.

　　Xu Jingming looked up.

　　Qiu Qingke had become a cosmic lifeform, so his body's growth and aging had become much slower.

　　"You're all alone today?" Xu Jingming finished the rest of his noodles in one gulp, then took a sip of his fruit wine. "Where are those girls around you? At least nine out of ten times I see you, you're surrounded by girls."

　　"I can't help being pestered." Qiu Qingke sat down helplessly. "A genius under twenty, single, and a sixth-order limit cosmic lifeform... I can't help being pursued by girls."

　　Xu Jingming curled his lip.

　　After a few interactions, he found that Qiu Qingke had a natural optimism.

　　Perhaps if he weren't optimistic, he wouldn't have made it to where he was today after all the setbacks and blows he'd suffered in the past.

　　"Don't always attract so much attention. Choose whoever you like and don't waste other people's time and feelings." Xu Jingming took another sip of wine.

　　"Uncle Ming, your thinking is too old-fashioned. I'm not even twenty yet, and I haven't figured out who to choose myself." Qiu Qingke said, "Of course, I need to spend some time together to see who is more suitable for me."

　　"Besides, according to our civilization's laws, I can marry up to ten." Qiu Qingke said, "I'm not wasting anyone's time and feelings. I can marry them all!"

　　Xu Jingming was stunned.

　　Marry ten?

　　"By the way, Uncle Ming." Qiu Qingke said in a low voice, "I heard that there is a mysterious place in the virtual world network 'Blood Rain World'. As long as you sacrifice ten thousand gold, you can enter the mysterious place. I am currently adventuring in the Blood Rain World... What do you think of this mysterious place?"

　　The more he interacted with Uncle Ming, the more unfathomable he felt.

　　He, Qiu Qingke, had become a cosmic lifeform. In the virtual world network, it was easy to find out who the other cosmic lifeforms on Jishui Star were.

　　However, he couldn't find any information about 'Uncle Ming.'

　　He wouldn't bother Uncle Ming for no reason, but when he encountered the most critical moments, he still wanted to ask Uncle Ming for advice.

　　"The mysterious place?"

　　Xu Jingming took a sip of fruit wine, a look of reminiscence in his eyes. "That's a good place, a good place to change your destiny."

　　"Oh?" Qiu Qingke's eyes lit up.

　　"As for you..."

　　Xu Jingming looked at Qiu Qingke and shook his head. "No, you're far from it."

　　"Uncle Ming, what am I far from?" Qiu Qingke said.

　　"Your strength is far from it." Xu Jingming said, "At the very least, you have to become a seventh-order cosmic lifeform, preferably with deeper accumulation, reaching the seventh-order limit cosmic lifeform... then try the mysterious place."

　　Qiu Qingke nodded. "I am already at the sixth-order limit, and I can feel that it won't be long before I become a seventh-order."

　　"Very confident." Xu Jingming smiled.

　　Like himself back then, he became a seventh-order in less than two years of cultivation.

　　"The mysterious place has the trials of seven planets." Xu Jingming smiled. "Young man, try to break through, and maybe there will be a surprise if you reach the seventh planet." With that, Xu Jingming got up and left.

　　Qiu Qingke stood up and thanked him. "Thank you, Uncle Ming."

　　"No need to thank me." Xu Jingming waved his hand and left with his fruit wine.

　　Having experienced the universe's race war, Xu Jingming was more willing to help geniuses among humans. But he also knew very well that every time, he didn't know how many people went to break through the mysterious place, and how many could reach the seventh planet? How many could be selected by the seventeen top forces?

　　However, as long as they were geniuses, they would eventually shine in the mysterious place. If they couldn't join the top forces, they could go to regional forces.

　　Of course, if they couldn't even enter a 'regional force,' it could only mean that their talent was a bit far off.

　　******

　　Prison Clan territory.

　　Monarch Moyou sat high on his throne, watching the returning team. Under the gaze of his emerald eyes, the entire palace rippled, as if illusory.

　　"Monarch Moyou." The leader of the Prison Clan team, clearly also a Prison Clan monarch-level expert, instinctively felt fear in the face of 'Monarch Moyou's' gaze. He said respectfully, "The team I led had a total of 17 origin lifeforms, raiding the Lone Boat Star Alliance in the Tianmang Cosmic Domain. We raided three waves, with 6 ninth-order origin lifeforms killed in battle. Each wave suffered losses... I feel that something is wrong. It should be that mysterious expert."

　　Monarch Moyou frowned as he listened, tapping his fingers slowly on the armrest of the throne, and said softly, "That mysterious expert is good at intercepting, and particularly good at space-time transit to rush on his way. He can arrive in a short time every time."

　　"Yes, we raided three times, and each time, our companions were intercepted." The captain said respectfully, while the other origin lifeform team members stood silently aside.

　　A book appeared in front of Monarch Moyou. He opened the book and looked at the contents.

　　"In the last three years, our teams have raided a total of 9 times in the six star alliances centered on the Ansu Star Alliance! The raiding frequency has been greatly reduced." Monarch Moyou said.

　　Yes.

　　On average, each of the six star alliances had been raided just over once.

　　"The average loss of the nine Prison Clan teams exceeds 30%." Monarch Moyou frowned. "Two monarch-level and 59 lord-level were killed in battle. The losses are great."

　　"Monarch Moyou, in the last three years, we have suffered great losses in these six star alliances. But the gains are very small." The Prison Clan team captain below said, "Is it possible to temporarily abandon raiding these six star alliances?"

　　"If we give up, that mysterious expert will go to other star alliances." Monarch Moyou said calmly, "So we would rather reduce the raiding frequency to maintain continuous raiding."

　　"You may go."

　　Monarch Moyou waved his hand.

　　"Yes."

　　The Prison Clan team all bowed respectfully and retreated.

　　Monarch Moyou sat in the lonely palace, thinking, "The Tianmang Cosmic Domain has always been the area I am responsible for raiding. Who exactly is this mysterious expert who can intercept within the range of the six star alliances?"

　　"It would be easier to deal with him if I could figure out his background." Monarch Moyou thought.

　　"Hmm?"

　　Monarch Moyou sensed something and turned to look in one direction, excitement in his eyes. "The Ancestor has returned?"

　　...

　　The Prison Clan was different from the Human race.

　　Humans were divided into male and female, and could reproduce, constantly multiplying.

　　Although the Prison Clan could incubate an 'egg' themselves, the origin of the Prison Clan... countless eggs, were manufactured on a large scale. Even now, many eggs were still being manufactured on a large scale.

　　Tracing back to the source, the Prison Clan Ancestor created countless eggs, and thus the 'Prison Clan' race came into being.

　　As for the Prison Clan Ancestor...

　　According to the intelligence records of the universe's human race, he was an ancient lifeform from a high-dimensional space who descended into this universe. As the Prison Clan Ancestor, he was the only existence in the entire Prison Clan who was completely different from the 'Prison Clan.'

　　"Ancestor." Five figures gathered and respectfully saluted the great Ancestor.

　　The Prison Clan had two Supreme existences.

　　One was the Ancestor, and the other was the Prison Clan's only 'Emperor.' But whether in terms of strength or status, the Ancestor was clearly much higher.

　　"Are you five the ones guarding the clan now?" A massive being looked down at the five of them. The massive being resembled a mountain, standing 1.26 light-years tall. The aura he naturally emitted made the five monarchs responsible for welcoming him tremble.

　　Seeing the Ancestor, they seemed to see distorted space-time, and an endless mountain range.

　　1. 26 light-years was merely the form he took after descending into the universe and restraining his power. As an ancient high-dimensional lifeform, the true form of the Ancestor... the five monarchs were unable to maintain calm and reason after seeing it.

　　"Reporting to the Ancestor, three of the ten monarchs are currently fighting the Human race, and two are fighting the Ice race." The leading monarch said respectfully.

　　"The Human race and the Ice race are both in the top five races in this universe. I never expected that the race I created could survive to this day under the pressure of these two races." The Prison Clan Ancestor laughed.

　　The five monarchs listened obediently.

　　They knew very well that the Ancestor regarded their entire race as a kind of 'experiment.' All they could do was be an extremely excellent experiment, so that the Ancestor would not abandon them.

　　"Which monarchs and lords need to be resurrected this time?" The mountain-like Ancestor looked down at them.

　　"Ancestor, this is the resurrection list." One of the monarchs respectfully presented it.

　　A golden piece of paper flew out, floating in mid-air.

　　The Ancestor glanced at it.

　　"The merit is sufficient, they can be resurrected. For those whose merit is insufficient, since you children have applied for it... resurrect half of them." As the Ancestor spoke, the sound of rushing rivers began to appear around him.

　　Countless illusory rivers appeared around them.

　　In the rivers, countless lives were floating. They were fixed in a certain layer, at a certain node in the river, like amber, drifting with the river.

　　The five monarchs watched.

　　"High-dimensional lifeforms can jump out of the timeline, jump out of the shackles of the entire universe, and easily capture the lives of past time nodes within the universe." The five monarchs knew very well the Ancestor's methods. When the Emperor performed resurrections, it was very slow, and clearly very tiring, with a great cost.

　　But when the Ancestor performed resurrections, it was as casual as playing in the water.

　　"Whoosh."

　　The towering mountain naturally extended arm after arm, a full hundred arms reaching into the illusory rivers, the rivers rushing.

　　The five monarchs were terrified. They could feel the terrifying energy contained in each arm, which would annihilate them if it leaked out even slightly.

　　"Got them."

　　The Ancestor flicked his hundred arms, and amber-like figures were thrown behind the five monarchs, each leaving the illusory rivers and returning to reality, one after another awakening.

　　"I'm alive?"

　　"I've been resurrected?" The Prison Clan tenth-order monarchs and ninth-order lords were overjoyed, but at the same time, they felt sorry for their merit! Because being resurrected meant deducting the corresponding merit.

　　Immediately afterward, they saw the incomparably majestic being.

　　"Ancestor." The resurrected Prison Clan origin lifeforms all knelt respectfully, some even shedding tears of excitement, because some of them were seeing the Prison Clan's Ancestor for the first time in their lives.

　　The Ancestor looked down below. "You children should be careful. Putting you out there increases the universe's resistance to me! I have to give it benefits and please it. It's really troublesome."

　　"It is our incompetence." The five monarchs said, and the other Prison Clan origin lifeforms all knelt, feeling extremely ashamed that they had caused the Ancestor so much trouble.

　　Every life in the Prison Clan instinctively worshiped and revered the Ancestor, willing to give everything for the Ancestor.

　　"You can leave." The Ancestor said.

　　The five monarchs and the resurrected Prison Clan origin lifeforms were all teleported away, disappearing.

　　"Meeting with these children, I have to desperately suppress myself, lest I accidentally leak a trace of power... and kill them all. Cultivating so many children is not easy." The mountain-like Ancestor immediately released his restrictions, returning to a distorted and towering figure, and then disappeared.