Swallowing the Stars, Hu Yanbo's Pre-Godhood

Hu Yanbo's consciousness returned to reality, and he slowly opened his eyes.

Then, with a thought, the long-dormant pre-payment system interface reappeared in his mind:

[Repayment Conditions: 1. Take a Universal Venerable as your master. (Completed!)]

[Current number of advance payments available: 1]

Looking at the character "壹" that lit up again, Hu Yanbo smiled.

He just told Master Yuanhuang that he had gained some insight, and he wasn't lying!

And now, if I just get one more advance payment, I'll be a high-ranking king.

Of course, this thought only flashed through his mind before he quickly suppressed it.

"No!" Hu Yanbo thought to himself, alarmed.

"In the short span of a thousand years in Chaos City, I have risen from the initial rank of Marquis to the rank of King, which is already astonishing and has made me the most conspicuous 'showcase'."

"It has probably already attracted countless inquiries."

"The so-called late bloomer and the gradual accumulation of knowledge have their limits. If I were to suddenly jump from a newly appointed king to a high-ranking king in the blink of an eye..."

He thought of those legendary geniuses who emerged after "ten million eras".

They were able to defy the odds and achieve immortality even during their time as realm lords, their talent was truly heaven-defying.

Even so, their progress slows down dramatically when they begin to comprehend the higher laws (space, time).

In particular, the comprehension of the laws from the eighteenth level (initial level of King) to the twentieth level (peak level of King) of the Tongtian Bridge is extremely difficult to improve, and it is common to take tens of thousands of years or even longer!

"My achievements over the past millennium can be barely explained by the gradual accumulation of knowledge and the perfect harmony with the Chaos Stele. But if I were to break through in an instant..."

Hu Yanbo shook his head slightly, his eyes clear.

"That cannot be described simply as a result of years of hard work and gradual accumulation."

Hu Yanbo's mind raced, and he instantly weighed the pros and cons.

"Although Chaos City is a sacred place for cultivation, it also gathers too many top experts of the human race. The Lord of Chaos City is certainly fair and impartial, and his eyes are on the overall situation of the race. He may not investigate me, a mere king, too much."

"But other cosmic venerables, or even stronger beings, within the city may not be like that."

"They have already demonstrated enough potential."

"This opportunity to receive an advance will be reserved for now."

"It won't be too late for me to leave Chaos City and head to the Primordial Universe to find a suitable opportunity to use it."

"At that time, the sky will be high and the sea will be wide, with both opportunities and risks. The sudden increase in strength will have a more reasonable explanation—it could be attributed to an explosion under dire circumstances, or to an amazing adventure."

......

a few days later.

Nine-Yu Bridge to Heaven!

"Bridge to Heaven, level 18, passed!"

A notification sounded from the virtual universe system, informing Hu Yanbo that he could go to Chaos City to apply for permanent residency.

After his consciousness returned to reality, Hu Yanbo immediately set off for the majestic city lord's mansion in Chaos City.

The process of upgrading his permissions went smoothly, with a black-robed messenger respectfully guiding him.

However, when it came time to finally confirm his permissions, he was greeted by a gentle-looking, bald man in a simple gray robe.

This person simply sat there calmly, and the space around him flowed naturally, as if he were the core of the entire universe, inspiring awe in everyone.

"Greetings, Venerable One." Hu Yanbo recognized the other party and bowed slightly in greeting.

This is Venerable Guiyi, the personal disciple of the Lord of Chaos City, a truly high-ranking and powerful figure.

Based on his memory of the original work, the Lord of Chaos City would keep a close eye on each new Immortal to prevent them from being spies planted by alien races.

I suspect that my performance over the past thousand years has been closely watched by the Lord of Chaos City.

If he had actually chosen to break through again a few days ago, the Lord of Chaos City would probably have kept his sights firmly on him.

The Venerable Guiyi wore a faint smile as his gaze fell upon Huyan Bo. His gaze was not sharp, yet it seemed to penetrate Huyan Bo's outward appearance.

"Fortunately, every breakthrough in my cultivation has a traceable path, all of which are the result of hard work and sweat." Hu Yanbo felt at ease and handled the situation with composure.

"Huyan Bo?" Venerable Guiyi's voice was gentle.

"Breaking through two realms in a thousand years, reaching the level of King, and even passing through the eighteenth level of the Heavenly Bridge. Your speed of progress is enough to rank you among the top geniuses in the history of my Virtual Universe Company."

As he spoke, he seemed to be confirming something within the virtual universe system.

"Based on your achievements at the Tongtian Bridge and the depth of your understanding of the Nine Universes Chaos Stele, the City Lord's Mansion grants you the qualification to 'establish a sect' using this Chaos Stele. In the future, you may choose to publicly teach and guide future cultivators."

The Venerable Guiyi spoke in a calm tone, but this honor represented the recognition of the Nine Universes Chaos Stele lineage.

"Each time you give a public lecture, the virtual universe system will automatically calculate and award you corresponding 'contribution points' based on the number of attendees, their abilities, and their feedback."

Venerable Guiyi added a sentence.

"This is also one way to encourage strong individuals to share their insights and benefit future generations of their communities."

Hu Yanbo nodded, a thought suddenly occurring to him.

Contribution points!

The word flashed through his mind like lightning, instantly resolving a small doubt he had previously had.

No wonder I often saw certain sect leaders holding classes every day!

This is indeed a safe and stable way to accumulate resources.

"I will certainly live up to the expectations of my people." Hu Yanbo bowed again and then calmly left the city lord's mansion.

He only breathed a sigh of relief after leaving the city lord's mansion.

Facing a powerful cosmic being, especially one representing the will of the Chaos City Lord, the invisible pressure was indeed immense.

"The Venerable Guiyi... Lord of Chaos City..." he murmured to himself, a chill creeping through his heart.

"It seems I'll have to leave Chaos City after I finish these tasks."

"Being constantly watched by such a supreme being who controls time and space, although I feel open and honest, I still feel a little uneasy."

Huyanbo's secret passage.