The Opponents Ahead Will Only Grow Stronger!

"We’ve arrived, gentlemen," the driver said respectfully, stopping the vehicle in front of a three-story building. "This is the residence the Third Prince has prepared for you. All necessary living and training facilities have been fully equipped. If you need anything, you may contact the butler service through the indoor communication system."

The three got out of the vehicle and stood before the villa, momentarily dazed. Although this building was neither the largest nor the most luxurious in the Royal Garden District, its exquisite elegance and noble aura still left a deep impression. It blended classical and modern styles, with exterior walls made of rare blue-white crystal that shimmered softly beneath the sunlight.

"This is where we’ll be staying for the next few days?" Thor asked in disbelief. "It’s more luxurious than every place I’ve ever lived in put together."

Luo Wen smiled. "It seems the Third Prince truly values us. But don’t forget why we came here—we’re here to use these resources to improve ourselves, not to indulge in a luxurious lifestyle."

The three used their access cards to open the doors and entered the villa. The interior was even more astonishing. From the floors to the ceilings, everything had been made with premium materials, while every piece of furniture and decoration was a masterpiece. What delighted them most was that the underground level contained a fully equipped training ground, fitted with all manner of advanced cultivation support equipment, including rare devices that were difficult to find even in the Virtual Universe Company.

"This is practically a paradise tailored for cultivators," Hong marveled as he inspected an energy regulator. "With this equipment, we can make efficient use of every day we spend here."

The three quickly settled in and each chose a room. As well-trained cultivators, they had few personal belongings, mainly necessary equipment and cultivation supplies. Once they had finished settling in, they met in the living room to discuss their plans.

"I suggest we go to the Central Archives first," Luo Wen proposed. "We should familiarize ourselves with its resources and rules as soon as possible, then search specifically for the materials each of us needs."

Hong agreed. "As far as I know, the Central Archives organizes its materials by cosmic level. It covers everything from the most fundamental laws of matter to profound mysteries of space and time. We should first understand the overall framework before delving into specific fields."

Thor rubbed his hands together eagerly. "I especially want to find research materials on deeper aspects of the Law of Lightning. Ever since I gained new insights on that planet, I’ve felt that my understanding of lightning still has plenty of room to improve."

As the three discussed their plans, the villa’s communication system suddenly lit up. A respectful voice came through. "Honored guests, a gentleman calling himself Ying requests a visit. Shall he be allowed to enter?"

The three exchanged glances, all somewhat surprised. Ying had vanished after the mission ended. They had assumed he was busy reporting to the Intelligence Bureau, yet he had come to visit so soon.

"Let him in," Luo Wen replied.

Before long, Ying appeared at the entrance to the living room. He had changed out of his combat armor and was dressed in a simple gray uniform, looking more like an ordinary Imperial official than an agent.

"It’s been a while," Ying said with a smile as he walked in. "I’m glad to see that you’ve recovered so well."

Luo Wen gestured for Ying to sit. "We’re glad to see you too. To be honest, we thought you’d be busy with mission reports and the follow-up work. We didn’t expect you to visit so soon."

Ying sat on the sofa opposite them, his expression turning serious. "Actually, I came with an important piece of news. It concerns Astor and the Celestial Star King Core."

The three immediately straightened up, their expressions solemn. Though they had safely returned to the Empire, Astor’s threat remained a shadow hanging over their hearts.

Ying took a deep breath and began to explain. "First, the good news is that Marquis Mo Chen has successfully subdued Astor. After an intense battle, the unstable energy structure within Astor finally collapsed, and his transformation failed."

"Is he dead?" Thor asked bluntly.

Ying shook his head. "No, he isn’t dead, but neither is he the Astor he once was. The Celestial Star King’s lingering consciousness and energy have somehow merged with his body. He is now in a state between lucidity and chaos. The Empire has imprisoned him in a special energy prison for further research and monitoring."

"What about the Celestial Star King’s Core?" Luo Wen asked, recalling the mysterious existence that had once communicated with him.

"It has been sent to the Empire’s highest-level research institution," Ying answered. "There, it will receive the strictest protection and the most cautious study. The Marshal personally ordered that no one is to attempt Necromantic Transformation like Astor did."

Hong asked thoughtfully, "Has any decision been made regarding that Thunder Planet?"

Ying’s expression eased somewhat. "That is another piece of good news. Based on my recommendation and with the Third Prince’s support, the Empire has officially designated that planet as a special protected zone. All forms of development and interference are prohibited. Only a small number of specially approved researchers may conduct non-invasive observation and research under strict restrictions."

The news made all three of them breathe a sigh of relief. Their promise to the Planet Consciousness had been fulfilled. That unique life-form would continue existing peacefully in the universe, free from excessive interference by civilization.

"There’s one more thing," Ying continued, his voice becoming more formal. "The Empire has given high praise to the three of you for your performance in this incident, especially the courage and wisdom you displayed when facing enemies far beyond your own strength. Therefore, the Marshal has personally approved the granting of the title ‘Imperial Honor Guard’ to each of you."

Ying took an exquisite box from his robes. Opening it, he revealed three badges that glimmered with silver-blue light. "This is not merely a symbol of honor. It will also provide you with many conveniences while operating within the Empire."

Luo Wen, Thor, and Hong all felt both surprised and honored. Imperial Honor Guard was a title rarely bestowed upon outsiders, usually granted only to those who had made significant contributions to the Empire.

"We don’t know what to say," Luo Wen said as he accepted a badge, sensing the faint energy fluctuations within it. "This title is too great an honor for us."

Ying smiled slightly. "You fully deserve this honor. And to be honest, it is also a strategy of the Empire—to forge closer ties between you and the Empire in this way, paving the road for possible future cooperation."

"At least compared to the Third Prince’s direct recruitment, this approach is gentler and more respectful," Hong observed.

Ying nodded. "Exactly. The Empire understands that what people like you fear most is being bound and controlled. Granting honor and convenience without imposing too many conditions often produces better results."

The three accepted the badges, feeling both grateful and wary. They understood that whether it was the Third Prince’s enthusiastic recruitment or the Empire’s conferral of honor, each had its own purposes and considerations behind it. In this complex environment of interstellar politics, staying clear-headed and independent was especially important.

"So what are your plans next?" Luo Wen asked Ying. "Will you continue carrying out similar missions?"

"I will temporarily leave the Empire’s central region and head to a border star system for a special mission." Ying’s expression became unreadable. "The details are not convenient to disclose, but it is somewhat connected to what we discovered on Thunder Planet."

Luo Wen nodded, understanding the confidential nature of an agent’s work. "In any case, I wish you success. If you need our help, contact us anytime."

"Thank you." Ying stood, preparing to take his leave. "Oh, there is one more thing I want to remind you of—someone may come looking for you very soon."

Thor raised an eyebrow. "Who?"

Ying revealed a mysterious smile. "Someone you know very well. He has recently escaped a problem that had troubled him for a long time."

The three looked at each other and thought of the same person almost simultaneously. "Luo Feng?"

Ying did not answer directly. He merely said meaningfully, "Rest well, and make good use of this time to improve yourselves. The later stages of the Challenge Tournament will be even more difficult. You need to be fully prepared."

With that, he nodded to the three and turned to leave. Only after Ying’s figure disappeared through the doorway did Thor let out a long breath. "That guy is always so mysterious. He’s impossible to figure out."

"But his reminder is valuable," Hong said thoughtfully. "If Luo Feng really has recovered, that is indeed good news. If the four of us can prepare together for the next stage of the Challenge Tournament, our chances of winning will greatly improve."

Luo Wen stood and walked to the window, gazing at the magnificent scenery of the Imperial City outside. "Yeah, having our four-man team together again feels great. But before Luo Feng arrives, we really should make good use of the resources here, especially our access privileges to the Imperial Central Archives."

And so, over the next three days, the three went to the Imperial Central Archives every day, deeply studying the fields that interested them. The scale of the archives far surpassed their imagination. It covered an area equivalent to a small city and housed a treasure trove of knowledge accumulated over thousands of years throughout the Empire’s history. From the most fundamental laws of matter to unfathomable cosmic mysteries, from ancient combat techniques to the newest theories of energy application, it had everything.

Luo Wen mainly studied deeper applications of the Law of Fire, particularly how to apply his understanding of energy’s essence gained on Thunder Planet to actual combat. Thor focused on controlling and guiding lightning energy, searching for more precise and efficient methods. Hong’s interests were the broadest, encompassing everything from energy applications in ancient civilizations to the integration of modern combat systems.

On the morning of the fourth day, while the three were carrying out their daily training in the villa’s training ground, the communication system rang again. "Honored guests, a gentleman calling himself Luo Feng requests a visit. Shall he be allowed to enter?"

The three immediately stopped training and smiled at one another.

"Let him in!" Luo Wen replied excitedly.

Less than a minute later, a familiar figure appeared at the entrance to the training ground. Luo Feng—their partner in the Virtual Universe Company Challenge Tournament and an outstanding representative among Earth’s Martial Artists—stood there with a brilliant smile on his face.

"Brothers!" Luo Feng strode over, wrapped his arms around the nearest person, Luo Wen, and vigorously patted his back. "I’ve missed you all so much!"

Luo Wen, Thor, and Hong all stepped forward to embrace Luo Feng warmly. The four-man team had fought side by side in the Challenge Tournament and formed a deep friendship. Luo Feng’s injury had always weighed on their minds.

"It looks like the special medicine worked," Hong said happily, looking Luo Feng over. "You look much more energetic than before."

Luo Feng nodded, his eyes full of gratitude. "Thanks to the special medicine you risked so much to obtain, the fire poison in my body has finally been completely removed. The Doctor said that if it had been two weeks later, the poison would have spread to my life core. At that point, things would have been truly dangerous."

"Seeing you recover is worth everything," Luo Wen said sincerely. "Come, sit down. We have so much to talk about."

The four sat in the rest area beside the training ground. Luo Feng looked around curiously. "This place is pretty nice. How did you get it? It took me quite some effort to find you. In the end, I only learned that you were in the Imperial City through the Virtual Universe Company’s emergency contact channel."

The three exchanged glances, then Luo Wen briefly explained their complicated experience: accepting the Third Prince’s mission, encountering Ying, transporting the stone box, facing Astor, fleeing to Thunder Planet, and finally being rescued by the Empire. Naturally, some details involving Imperial secrets were omitted, but the overall course of events and the key incidents were truthfully conveyed.

Luo Feng listened with his eyes wide, sometimes shocked, sometimes worried, and sometimes admiring. "My god, this wasn’t a mission—you went through a life-and-death adventure! The remains of a King-Level Immortal? A Planet Consciousness? Things that only exist in legends on Earth, and you actually experienced all of them firsthand."

"To be honest, the process was dangerous, but the gains were indeed considerable," Thor said with a smile as a faint spark of electricity flashed across his hand. "Especially the training on Thunder Planet. It brought my understanding of the Law of Lightning to a whole new level."

Luo Wen nodded as well. "Likewise, my insight into the Law of Fire has undergone a qualitative leap. Understanding and controlling flames from the level of their energy essence is something I had never imagined before."

Luo Feng looked toward Hong. "What about you? Did you gain anything special?"

Hong smiled faintly. "I found some valuable knowledge within the ruins of an ancient civilization, especially theories concerning energy transformation and spatial perception. My abilities may not have improved as noticeably as Luo Wen’s and Thor’s, but it has been extremely helpful in my understanding of the universe’s essence."

"Speaking of which," Luo Feng said, his expression turning serious, "there are less than two months until the next stage of the Challenge Tournament. We need to properly plan the direction of our training. Especially because the opponents ahead will only grow stronger."

The expressions of all four turned serious. The Challenge Tournament was their shared goal and an important stage for testing their strength. As people from a low-level civilization planet like Earth, they needed to work twice as hard to stand out among the countless geniuses.