Chapter 139 The Eighth Level of沉沦

Mysterious Land, Planet Four.

Xu Jingming, wearing soft inner armor and a cloth robe over it, carried a gun bag and gazed at the bamboo forest ahead.

"Even if I am a Crimson Montaigne Medal recipient, the Black Moon Civilization won't fear me." Xu Jingming had rejected the Black Moon Civilization's olive branch, and instead of feeling relieved, he felt a heavy pressure.

"Their cooperation with the Blue Star Civilization only needs to achieve minimal fairness, or even superficial fairness! Then, the Crimson Montaigne Group will not intervene." Xu Jingming understood this.

The Crimson Montaigne Group would gift a Crimson Montaigne Medal to employees who made contributions and to thank customers.

Medal recipients would only receive help from the Crimson Montaigne Group if they encountered extreme injustice! The Crimson Montaigne Group would not interfere in general commercial disputes.

Extreme injustice… such as the deprivation of one's own life or the lives of loved ones, wrongful imprisonment, or being forcibly deprived of almost all property—only such cases might prompt the Crimson Montaigne Group to step in.

"Maintain superficial fairness," Xu Jingming thought to himself. "This is also what the Blue Star Civilization is pursuing."

Otherwise, if there wasn't even superficial fairness, it would be a tragedy.

"As a newly emerged civilization, even if it's squeezed for most of its value, it's good enough if some is left and basic dignity is maintained," Xu Jingming mused.

This was already very good.

If there were no regulations from the Cosmic Human Alliance, when a powerful civilization discovered a new civilization,

they could send a small squad to sweep it clean. Why would they negotiate? Why would they sign contracts?

There were regulations! There was the deterrence of the Crimson Montaigne Group… This was how the Blue Star Civilization could obtain the most basic dignity upon first integrating into the universe.

"This is reality." Xu Jingming walked into the bamboo forest ahead, and the surrounding scene changed.

The eighth level of Shen Lun (沉沦, lit. sinking/perdition/oblivion)!

This was also a place that had trapped Xu Jingming multiple times.

"The eighth level of Shen Lun, here I come again." He had transformed into a man clad in animal skins.

The many people wearing animal skins were now looking ahead in terror.

Warriors in mechanical armor and with laser guns were ahead, watching them warily.

"This tribe has 127 people."

"They're all humans; are we really going to kill them?"

"Killing one or two is one thing, but a large-scale slaughter of humans is a serious crime!"

Some warriors couldn't bring themselves to do it.

"The captain has ordered that all natives on this newly discovered life planet be killed! If we were to properly resettle them, the resettlement costs would be a huge sum; how could the captain be willing to spend the money?"

"We're only Planetary lifeforms, and we don't even have the qualifications to enter the virtual world network; it's impossible to report this! If we anger the captain, we'll be executed directly."

"Sigh, we're only Planetary lifeforms; let's just obey orders obediently."

The warriors in the squad argued for a moment before ultimately opening fire.

Beams of laser light shot over.

"Baba (Dad)."

Children's voices came from behind Xu Jingming as warm memories of his family surged and enveloped him.

"My name is Fenglei Qianmo, and I am the chief of the tribe." Xu Jingming had complete memories in his mind, and they were constantly integrating.

Fenglei Qianmo!

Xu Jingming had looked up his information. Fenglei Qianmo, a Tenth Order expert who had emerged in the history of the Cosmic Human Alliance, was originally a human on a native planet. His home planet was discovered by a cosmic exploration team, and that team planned to plunder the life planet,

before selling it off.

During the plundering and slaughter, a cosmic citizen passing by on a trip discovered it! That cosmic citizen saved the planet.

Fenglei Qianmo and the remaining natives were relocated and resettled, and that was the beginning of Fenglei Qianmo's meteoric rise.

"Before being rescued, Fenglei Qianmo encountered extremely tragic events." Facing the fully armed cosmic warrior team, Xu Jingming had no ability to resist.

"Find the 'black demon' material; leave a few people behind."

The team slaughtered most of the natives and left five people, including Fenglei Qianmo's wife and one of his children; the other children were already dead.

One of the warriors grabbed the pendant around Xu Jingming's neck. "Where did this come from?"

Xu Jingming stared at them.

"If you don't speak, all of you will die," the cosmic warrior said coldly.

"It's called Qianmo," Xu Jingming finally said.

He had no choice.

He had to stall for time to find the keepsake.

In the eighth level of Shen Lun, Xu Jingming survived for the time being but also experienced more tragedy.

He was escorted to search for the Qianmo material, and the surrounding tribes were slaughtered! When those tribespeople died, many of them were staring at Xu Jingming.

They recognized this neighboring tribe's chief, 'Fenglei Qianmo.'

Fenglei Qianmo was a heroic figure in the surrounding hundreds of miles, but now he was following these demons?

"Where is the material exactly? Are you lying to us?" The cosmic warriors were extremely angry, and every once in a while, they would kill one of Fenglei Qianmo's tribespeople! Soon, Fenglei Qianmo's wife and children were all dead.

Only he was left.

"Found it." While diligently searching for the Qianmo material, Xu Jingming finally found the keepsake.

The scene dissipated.

He was standing in front of the bamboo forest again.

"This time, I will control myself," Xu Jingming said silently.

Everything he had experienced before felt like a nightmare.

But Xu Jingming was very clear that once he couldn't suppress his anger, the surging memories would drown him. He would lose himself, feel like he had really become 'Fenglei Qianmo,' and naturally fail.

"Pure anger is useless; I must face reality." Xu Jingming suddenly understood as he watched the Black Moon Civilization's delegation arrive.

No matter what, one had to face reality.

Facing enemies?

Losing one's mind to anger was foolish. One had to control oneself; even when enraged, one had to remain calm.

Extremely angry… and still remain calm!

Only by remaining calm could one formulate the most effective response!

"No matter how tragic or desperate, I have to face reality," Xu Jingming said silently. "Pure, frantic anger doesn't make a hero! Calmly facing cruel reality

makes one a true hero."

Face reality, accept reality, and then unleash all of your light and heat!

Do your best!

******

The trials on Planet Four consisted of ten levels of Shen Lun. The ninth level of Shen Lun was love, and the tenth level of Shen Lun was the desire to survive. Love was a very important human emotion.

Survival was a desire that almost every human possessed! The closer one was to death, the more one wanted to live.

The tenth level of Shen Lun dissipated.

Xu Jingming stood on the mountaintop, looking at the rolling sea of clouds before him.

"No matter what kind of emotions or desires, you can enjoy them, but you cannot沉沦be (sink/perdition/oblivion),

be controlled by them," Xu Jingming said silently. From his experiences in reality and the repeated attempts in the ten levels of Shen Lun, Xu Jingming understood how the mind should control itself.

"A true expert must be able to self-control emotions and desires!"

"Planet Four is testing precisely this."

"If one cannot even self-control emotions and desires! Then one is not qualified to become an Eighth Order Starlife," Xu Jingming obtained the ten keepsakes, and a miniature wormhole appeared ahead.

Xu Jingming stepped inside, heading for Planet Five!

In the observation space, the 352 forces of the Hunter Cosmos Domain had almost every observer looking at Xu Jingming.

"He passed the test of emotions and desires on Planet Four and arrived on Planet Five."

The permanent observer of the Wu Hook Star Alliance revealed a look of joy. "My Wu Hook Star Alliance finally has someone who has reached Planet Five again."

The permanent observer looked at the short, fat man next to him. "Observer Grulu, your judgment is indeed sharp! This young man carrying a gun bag has truly outstanding talent."

"He really got to Planet Five?"

The short, fat man's eyes widened.

Although he had spoken eloquently earlier, even saying that this person had extremely high talent and might even reach Planet Seven, those were all just to mock the permanent observer.

"Logically speaking, many civilizations have some understanding of the tests on the seven planets of the Mysterious Land in the Blood Rain World and will make targeted preparations," the short, fat man thought to himself. "Generally, the early stages are successful in one go! But this newcomer stumbled along, taking a few extra days, but he still succeeded.

Could it be that he didn't undergo similar training beforehand?"

Little did he know that the Blue Star Civilization was too weak and knew nothing about the Mysterious Land of the Blood Rain World, let alone the trials inside.

Detailed training?

Xu Jingming was the first Seventh Order Star Life of the Blue Star Civilization. Where would he learn some of the training methods for the mind? The evolvers of Blue Star were all self-taught by reading evolution books.

"Observer Grulu, why aren't you saying anything?" the permanent observer said smugly.

"Look at how pleased you are with yourself." The short, fat man scoffed, "Even if he gets to Planet Five, even if he is a member of your Wu Hook Star Alliance, he won't necessarily join your force."

"It's okay; whether he joins or not isn't important. What's important is… he's my fellow villager from the Wu Hook Star Alliance," the permanent observer said with a smile. "The more outstanding he performs, the more face I have! Oh,

your Nine Feathers Star Alliance's genius is still stuck on Planet Six."

"Of course Planet Six is difficult," the short, fat man harrumphed. "Do you really think your Wu Hook Star Alliance's genius can reach Planet Seven?"

"That's hard to say."

Although the permanent observer didn't have confidence in Xu Jingming in his heart, he didn't want to admit defeat verbally.

"I was just teasing you earlier, and you actually took it seriously," the short, fat man said dismissively.

The days of being an observer were leisurely, and the two of them would bicker occasionally. The permanent observer was in a good mood at the moment, after all, this was finally one explorer from the Wu Hook Star Alliance among the three batches who could enter Planet Five.

"Being able to reach Planet Five is already very good," the permanent observer watched.

Xu Jingming walked out of the miniature wormhole and couldn't help but be stunned by the scenery of the planet before him.

The surrounding hundred-meter radius was covered by a protective shield, making it naturally safe.

But outside the protective shield! "This…" Xu Jingming was a little shocked. "Such a small planet?"

Xu Jingming could see the edge of the planet before him at a glance.

"It's much smaller than the Black Moon Civilization's cosmic mothership." Xu Jingming was a little puzzled. "Based on my estimation, the diameter is about 12 kilometers; it feels like a black metal ball!"

A black metal planet with a diameter of 12 kilometers.

The black metal surface also had blazing golden light! Countless blazing golden lights indicated that this big iron ball was very hot.

"What's the test?"

Xu Jingming clicked on his personal panel to check.

Planet Five was a neutron star!

Only within the range of the protective shield did the normal environment of the Blood Rain World remain. Outside the protective shield was the environment of a neutron star.

"Explorer, your body will gradually improve, constantly improving until it reaches the most perfect body at the limit of the Eighth Order. Please control the limit body and walk to the other end of the neutron star." Xu Jingming read the description and was secretly alarmed.

This time, the distance was very short, only less than 20 kilometers.

At the destination on the other end of the neutron star, there would be a miniature wormhole that could take him to Planet Six.

But this distance of less than 20 kilometers was a road on a neutron star!

"My body…" Xu Jingming felt that his body was rapidly strengthening.

From an ordinary body in the Blood Rain World, it instantly rose to the level of a Seventh Order Star Lifeform, and then continued to improve.