Chapter 75: The Ultimate Goal
Wang Jie stared blankly at the budding green sprouts.
This couldn’t be a coincidence.
Why had Silver Radiance Art been cultivated from it? Was it because Silver Radiance Force was modeled after it?
From the first time he cultivated the Heaven and Earth Luo Xuan Finger to this instance of Silver Radiance Art, there were two clear patterns. First, a lower-tier technique or combat skill had given rise to a superior one—this was natural and to be expected. Second, both techniques were lost arts.
Wang Jie turned his gaze to Sword Step. If this technique, too, was a lost one, then things were getting interesting. It would mean that every skill and technique he cultivated was an ancient, forgotten martial art.
With anticipation, he looked at the three green sprouts.
Regardless of anything else, he had obtained Silver Radiance Art.
Now, the troublesome part was acquiring the necessary materials.
He glanced at the requirements:
Abolish the cultivation of three people.
Assist an elderly person across the road.
Observe the Creator of the Technique.
The third one was the easiest. He could complete it right now. The first two, however, were a hassle.
Most cultivators of Star Force had well-established techniques. Finding three and abolishing their cultivation wasn’t easy. The Silver Radiance Empire did not have many Star Force practitioners to begin with. Besides, how could he justify crippling them without grievance?
The most difficult task, however, was the first one.
“Observe the Creator of the Technique?”
As the name suggested, this referred to the individual who had originally developed Silver Radiance Art. But that person had died countless years ago. How was he supposed to observe them? Travel to the afterlife?
Silently, Wang Jie left Accompanying Lake Residence, heading toward the bustling streets of the imperial capital. It was his first time actually wandering the city—and it was all for the sake of gathering materials.
Speaking of which, where was the road?
Where were the streets?
All around him, flying vehicles wove through the sky. Pedestrians walked on floating platforms. No one actually needed to cross a road. The technology was that advanced?
He needed a different approach.
A short while later, Wang Jie returned to Accompanying Lake Residence. The first material had been obtained. He realized that the required materials always included one or two strange but easily achievable tasks, while others were nearly impossible.
He activated his Light Screen, searching for information.
Cheng Qian entered, offering him a drink. “Master, do you need assistance in your research? I can help.”
Wang Jie waved him off, unwilling to let him know what he was looking for.
He was investigating the ancestral tombs of the Silver Radiance Empire.
Observing the Creator of the Technique would only lead him to a skeleton. But the materials didn’t specify whether the person had to be alive. Seeing the remains should suffice.
He couldn’t let Cheng Qian know about this. Otherwise, he’d definitely be suspected.
Before long, he found what he needed.
The Silver Radiance Empire did not call it an ancestral tomb but rather the Imperial Mausoleum, located in the great mountains outside the imperial capital.
Just as he was about to leave, Wang Jie paused.
This was morally questionable.
If he was going to do it, he needed to provide some form of compensation.
He decided to first take care of the second requirement.
He had already devised a method.
Abolishing someone’s cultivation didn’t mean he had to hunt down specific individuals. He could simply force someone to cultivate and then strip them of their abilities.
Boarding his spacecraft, Wang Jie traveled to a nearby planet, where he found three malicious Lock Force cultivators and compelled them to train in Silver Radiance Force.
The three men thought they had encountered a stroke of fortune, eagerly kneeling in gratitude before beginning their training.
Over ten days passed before they barely managed to grasp the basics.
Once they had done so, Wang Jie immediately destroyed their cultivation, thus completing the second material requirement.
Returning to the imperial capital, he waited until the dead of night before setting out for the Imperial Mausoleum deep within the mountains.
The mausoleum was largely unguarded; there was no need for security. Located right outside the imperial capital, no one dared desecrate it. Furthermore, the Silver Radiance Empire did not believe in extravagant burials, so there were no treasures to be looted.
Avoiding the few patrolling sentries, Wang Jie delved deeper into the tomb. Feeling a sense of guilt, he began digging into the earth, eventually uncovering a skeletal corpse.
“Please forgive me,” he murmured. “This is all because of those absurd material requirements. I know I am disturbing your rest, but in return, I shall offer the Silver Radiance Art as a tribute. Thank you.”
Bowing respectfully, he performed a solemn ritual.
The surroundings shifted.
The three green sprouts in his spiritual field radiated light, converging as knowledge of Silver Radiance Art was etched into his mind.
Moments later, he opened his eyes.
So this was Silver Radiance Art?
Compared to Silver Radiance Force, this was on an entirely different level. They weren’t even remotely the same technique.
Exhaling deeply, Wang Jie carved the Silver Radiance Art into the tombstone as compensation before departing.
Returning to Accompanying Lake Residence, he immediately began cultivating the new technique.
Unlike combat techniques, cultivation arts didn’t require practice once acquired through his ability. He only needed to familiarize himself with it.
As the night passed, he opened his eyes.
Sunlight shimmered across the lake’s surface.
Retrieving the Cataclysm Materials, he activated Silver Radiance Art, absorbing Seal Power.
The sensation was entirely different.
His speed rivaled that of his exercise routines.
So this was the power of Silver Radiance Art?
Up until now, his cultivation had relied on calisthenics to increase strength, enhance Seal Power, and heal injuries.
But now, for the first time, he achieved the same results without exercising.
What would happen if he still performed his exercises under these conditions? How much faster would he improve?
More importantly, Silver Radiance Art bound Seal Power to his Mark like adhesive. Though still silver, the technique’s understanding suggested that it would gradually fade, eventually turning light black.
This technique could indeed convert all Ten Seals into light black ones.
Its value was immeasurable.
Wang Jie took a deep breath.
At least his morally questionable actions hadn’t been in vain.
Meanwhile, uproar erupted throughout the imperial capital.
News had spread.
The Imperial Mausoleum had been desecrated.
Jun Hua’s expression darkened as she raced toward the scene.
Who would dare dig up the Imperial Mausoleum?
Who could possibly commit such an act?
She immediately thought of the people from Frost Splendor Sect. Aside from Jin Chu and Man Man, many had arrived in secret over the past days, all in preparation for the coming war.
The people of the Silver Radiance Empire all knew that the Imperial Mausoleum held nothing of real value—no one would risk desecration. Only outsiders would dare.
With these thoughts in mind, she arrived at the Imperial Mausoleum.
But soon after, the mausoleum was sealed. The entire incident was swiftly suppressed, vanishing from public discourse as though it had never happened.
No one knew what had transpired within.
All they knew was that when Jun Hua emerged, her expression was placid—neither sorrowful nor joyful.
At the Accompanying Lake Residence, Wang Jie gazed toward the mausoleum from afar upon hearing the news. He had done right by the Silver Radiance Empire. Compared to the disrespect of unearthing the mausoleum, the recovery of the Silver Radiance Art would bring far greater joy.
Now then, it was time to plant again.
Standing in the fields, Wang Jie activated the Silver Radiance Art. Beneath him, tender green sprouts emerged—this time, five of them, just like his mastery of the Starry Finger Technique.
“Five plants, huh?” He muttered. “Harvesting them will be tricky.”
With anticipation, he reached out to touch the young sprouts.
The Silver Radiance Art had deepened his Ten-Seal Lockforce to a shade of light black. But from his knowledge, the deepest color in the Cosmic Ten-Seal should be pitch black. If he was not mistaken, Shu Mu Night had already reached this level.
Only those with pitch-black Ten-Seal Lockforce could shatter thirteen stars with a single strike upon breaking into the Star-Breaking Realm.
Could it be that the technique sprouting from the Silver Radiance Art would allow him to reach that depth?
He withdrew his hand, his brows furrowing.
Mourning Water Art.
That was the technique he would cultivate next.
And for it to fully take form, he needed to gather five key materials: ten Star Artifacts, erect a memorial for one individual, slay five Star-Breaking Realm experts, present a tribute, and reach a location twenty times the total distance he had traveled so far.
He replayed the list in his mind.
Most of it was manageable, except for two things—slaying five Star-Breaking Realm experts and reaching that distant location.
His journey so far had already been long—traveling from Blue Star to the Silver Radiance Imperial Capital, then to Slaughter Stone Planet, back to the capital, and making countless trips between planets on Mu Ran’s behalf, digging deep into the earth.
All those miles added up to an immense distance.
And now he had to reach a place twenty times farther than that?
More troubling still—killing five Star-Breaking Realm cultivators. Those were no ordinary foes; they were powerhouses, not mere weeds to be plucked.
Wang Jie exhaled. “This is pushing me straight into the abyss.”
He could give up, but that would mean forfeiting the Mourning Water Art, abandoning the chance to deepen his Lockforce to pitch black, and ultimately… conceding to Shu Mu Night.
Slowly, he walked to the lake, sat down, and watched the fish leap from the water.
Could he really abandon this?
Memories of Blue Star’s despair flashed through his mind—the blood-stained sacrificial altar, the desperate final battle. That unwillingness to yield. Why had he left Blue Star? Just because of the previous owner of his wrist guard?
No.
More than that, he wanted to fight Shu Mu Night once again—to stand proudly before the countless civilizations of the universe and defeat him in an honorable battle.
To make him realize that some debts must be paid, no matter how long it takes.
Giving up was not an option.
Every step, he would push himself to the very limit.
The Silver Radiance Star Fusion Center, the equivalent of a banking institution on Blue Star.
At this moment, Wang Jie stood within the grandest Fusion Center in the Imperial Capital. He was here to withdraw money—funds belonging to the group of men he had slain on Slaughter Stone Planet.
That group had foolishly left their wealth in the Fusion Center. Likely, Jun Tang’s demise had come so swiftly that they never had the chance to retrieve it.
Their loss, his gain.
Yet the moment Wang Jie took out the transaction credentials, he felt eyes on him.
The bank staff subtly relayed information to the Imperial Capital’s Defense Division, drawing a group of enforcers to covertly monitor him from afar.
“Finally, he’s here. This time, we’re catching him for sure.” A man clenched a cigarette between his teeth, his gaze fixed on Wang Jie, who was waiting inside the Fusion Center.
Someone beside him shifted uneasily. “Captain, wasn’t the bounty withdrawn?”
“Withdrawn, my ass!” The captain scoffed. “I’ve seen this game before. Those bastards up top just want to falsify records to claim undeserved merits. This time, I’m dragging the real culprit before the Emperor himself and sending those lying rats to prison.”
“But I heard that group wasn’t to be trifled with. Otherwise, the Accompanying Lake Residence wouldn’t have hired them.”
“Hmph. Catching them isn’t the point. The truth isn’t the point either. What matters is proving that what the higher-ups reported was fake.”
“Understood. In that case, I wish you a swift promotion, Captain.”
“Enough talk. Get moving. If anyone screws this up, no favors will save them.”
Inside the Fusion Center, Wang Jie knew he was being watched. After struggling through life-and-death situations for over a decade, his instincts were razor-sharp.
With his peripheral vision, he counted. One. Two… Hm? So many?
They weren’t even trying to be subtle.
What was going on?
He had no known enemies in the Silver Radiance Empire.
Could it be related to his assistance to Mu Ran? As long as he remained within the Imperial Capital Star, he should be safe—certainly not enough to warrant this many people tailing him.
Though puzzled, he was unconcerned.
He smoothly withdrew a large sum and exited the Fusion Center, heading toward the street opposite.
The reason he had chosen this particular Fusion Center was because right across from it stood the Imperial Capital Star’s largest Lockforce Materials Exchange.
Or as he preferred to call it—Cataclysm Materials.
For any planet struck by Slaughter Stone, it was nothing short of calamity.
Thus, Cataclysm Materials felt like the most fitting name.
He had half-expected something to happen upon stepping out of the Fusion Center, but the enforcers still only observed, making no move against him.
Since they weren’t acting, he wouldn’t bother with them.
He entered the Exchange, immediately greeted by a sweet-looking young woman.
“Welcome, esteemed guest. What would you like to see today?”
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