Chapter 47 Acquisition

The day finally arrived for the Yuanchu Research Institute to open for exchange. Within the virtual world network, Xu Jingming, Jian, and Yijiu gathered.

"There are three more minutes until the exchange begins." Jian looked at the two beside him. "I'll have to trouble Junior Brother Wuming and Senior Brother Yijiu to help with the exchange. I owe you both merit points, which I probably won't be able to repay for a few years."

"Small matter." Xu Jingming nodded.

"You can repay my merit points before my lifespan ends," Yijiu said with a smile.

Jian himself had accumulated a high number of merit points, but on one hand, he wanted to exchange for the Starry Sky Mirror; on the other hand, he also planned to cultivate the dark chapter of the Yuanchu Star Conjecture, so he naturally needed to collect treasures that were beneficial to the dark chapter. That's why he needed Xu Jingming and Yijiu's help.

Xu Jingming was helping him exchange for a Dark Divine Crystal.

"Both senior brothers, please remember to remind me about the Evolution Guider at the end."

"No one's going to fight you for it. There are 100 Evolution Guiders; I estimate at least half will be left over," Yijiu said, drinking his wine.

"There are always a lot of Evolution Guiders left over each time," Senior Brother Jian also said with a smile. "Families that wanted to exchange for them already did so a long time ago."

Xu Jingming smiled. "I don't have a single one, so I naturally have to prepare a few more."

As they were talking, the three of them suddenly tensed up.

*Buzz! Buzz! Buzz!*

Light screens appeared in front of them, visible only to themselves.

The merit exchange had officially begun!

Regardless of which cosmic domain they were in, the vast majority of official members of the Yuanchu Research Institute were watching the exchange page. Even some ninth-level Source lifeforms who were reluctant to exchange found it interesting to watch.

"The first round of merit exchange. Please submit your choices." Xu Jingming looked at the dazzling list of items. Only the top five in merit points participated in the first round. Xu Jingming immediately submitted his choice.

In the first round, Xu Jingming chose the most valuable Yuan Fire Pearl!

After all, there was only one item, and he would regret it if someone else chose it first.

"Submission time is over. The first round of selections is complete. Congratulations, you have obtained the high-dimensional weapon, the Yuan Fire Pearl."

500 million merit points were also deducted from Xu Jingming's personal account.

"In this first round of merit exchange, four of the top five chose the Abyss Fire Lotus Seed," Yijiu said, looking at the light screen in front of him, surprised. "And one person chose the Yuan Fire Pearl."

"Willing to buy the Yuan Fire Pearl, that's really extravagant," Senior Brother Jian exclaimed.

From the list, it was clear that there were now 0 Yuan Fire Pearls left.

"The five Abyss Fire Lotus Seeds instantly became one."

"The second round has begun." Jian was also paying attention. His and Yijiu's merit points weren't high enough to be in the top ten, so the first two rounds had nothing to do with them.

"Second round of merit exchange. Please submit your choices." Xu Jingming continued to participate. He undoubtedly chose the Abyss Fire Lotus Seed, taking away the last one.

The third round was for those who ranked in the top one hundred in merit points.

Jian, Yijiu, and Xu Jingming all participated in the selection. "Three strands of Yuanchu Star Flame!" Xu Jingming submitted his choice. Because each person could only choose a maximum of three strands, he only chose that many.

The Yuanchu Research Institute had Yuanchu Star Flame available every time the exchange opened, so the competition wasn't fierce.

"Starry Sky Mirror!" Senior Brother Jian also submitted his choice.

In the Yuanchu Research Institute, the Yuanchu Star lineage was the most core, and the Mirror Domain lineage was extremely rare. Even though Senior Brother Jian only made a move in the third round, he still successfully obtained the Starry Sky Mirror.

Jian was the only Source lifeform among the top dozens in strength in the Yuanchu Research Institute who was willing to spend 150 million merit points to buy the Starry Sky Mirror.

"Skyfire Needle!" Yijiu chose the Skyfire Needle.

As a one-time high-dimensional weapon, Yijiu knew very well how powerful the Skyfire Needle was. If used well, it could have an amazing effect.

In the fourth round, Xu Jingming helped Senior Brother Jian exchange for a Dark Divine Crystal, worth 30 million merit points, which Senior Brother Jian temporarily owed Xu Jingming.

In the fifth round, Xu Jingming also exchanged for a Skyfire Needle. The Skyfire Needle was extremely powerful, but it was ultimately a one-time-use item. Very few tenth-level Source lifeforms were willing to be so extravagant.

Round after round.

Xu Jingming picked and chose according to his needs. He was too wealthy, having earned more than 1.2 billion merit points from selling cosmic fruits. Taking advantage of the merit exchange, he naturally exchanged for things that were useful to him.

The entire merit exchange lasted for most of the day before it ended. "I told you, there were still 51 Evolution Guiders left over in the end," Yijiu said with a smile. "Junior Brother Wuming, you got three by yourself."

"Many families already have them, but I don't have a single one, so I naturally have to take a few more," Xu Jingming said. "Senior Brother Jian, where should I send your Dark Divine Crystal?"

"No need, I'll go to headquarters to pick it up myself," Senior Brother Jian said.

"I'll also go to headquarters to pick up the Evolution Guider," Xu Jingming said. He also wanted to consume the Abyss Fire Lotus Seed, so it was safest to do so at headquarters.

"Let's go, let's go pick up our treasures," Xu Jingming said, rising to his feet.

Yijiu and Senior Brother Jian both got up, and the three of them dispersed.

As soon as the exchange ended, Xu Jingming headed to the Yuanchu Research Institute headquarters.

With his ability to "traverse space-time," he arrived at the Yuanchu Research Institute headquarters after only a few space-time traversals and entered a quiet room.

"Your treasures."

In the quiet room, Secretary-General Heitian arrived in person and placed the treasures to the side. Xu Jingming had already decided that Jian would own the Dark Divine Crystal, so he didn't bring it over. "I suggest you carry one of these three strands of Yuanchu Star Flame with you. Store the other two at the research institute temporarily," Secretary-General Heitian said. "Take another one after you use one up. After all, there's no point in carrying too many."

"Alright," Xu Jingming nodded.

Secretary-General Heitian stretched out his hand, and a flame appeared in his palm, isolated by an invisible space-time seal.

Xu Jingming looked at the Yuanchu Star Flame. At first glance, it was golden, but the outer flame faintly flashed with black. When Xu Jingming saw it, he instinctively felt that it could incinerate anything. Even cosmic legends would be annihilated if they came into contact with it.

"Incinerates everything, terrifying," Xu Jingming said in a low voice.

"So be careful when using it," Secretary-General Heitian said.

"I heard that it's just the flame that dissipated from the outermost part of the Yuanchu Star, and it's already so terrifying," Xu Jingming said softly. "I've gained a bit of understanding of the real Yuanchu Star."

By observing a part, one can understand the whole. By observing a strand of flame that dissipated from the outermost part, one could more reasonably infer the real Yuanchu Star.

"Here." Taking the Yuanchu Star Flame, he wasn't worried about hurting himself because of the space-time seal left by the Dean. Xu Jingming immediately stored it in the Yuanchu battle armor's auxiliary space.

"This is the Abyss Fire Lotus Seed. You can consume it directly," Secretary-General Heitian said, flipping his hand to reveal a peculiar lotus seed in his palm.

The lotus seed was completely crimson red and had some peculiar patterns.

Xu Jingming took it and swallowed it in one gulp. This lotus seed, which grew in the abyss, could even repel the dark power of the abyss itself, which showed its magic. After Xu Jingming swallowed it, he only felt a bit of warmth melt into his body and then spread throughout his body.

After spreading throughout his body, every life structure unit was affected by the lotus seed's power. Xu Jingming's mental strength was thus transformed.

"This feeling?" Xu Jingming only felt that he was in a better state than ever before. His thinking was several times faster than in the past. His comprehension ability and resistance to mental intrusion had clearly improved.

*Rumble~~~*

Xu Jingming tried to control the ninth Yuanchu battle armor. Previously, he could only control about 60% of the battle armor's power, but now, under the influence of the Abyss Fire Lotus Seed, Xu Jingming's mental strength had undergone a comprehensive transformation, and he was able to completely mobilize the entire Yuanchu battle armor's power. 100% control!

"There are many treasures that help the mind," Secretary-General Heitian said. "The Dean chose the Abyss Fire Lotus Seed because it's very suitable for the Yuanchu Star lineage. It's a rare treasure nurtured by the power of the flames born in the abyss. The flame treasure from the darkest place will also greatly help you understand 'fire.'"

Xu Jingming nodded.

"Of course, the most important thing is this." Secretary-General Heitian flipped his hand, and a black sphere floated. "The Yuan Fire Pearl. The Dean has already ordered it to remain in an extremely small state." "You can try to control it. Remember, don't let it get too big. Because once it gets bigger… you'll probably have a hard time shrinking it," Secretary-General Heitian said with a smile.

Xu Jingming nodded.

Reaching out to take it, the black sphere floated, weightless. Xu Jingming immediately used cosmic source power to penetrate the Yuan Fire Pearl.

*Buzz*

The surface of the Yuan Fire Pearl gradually lit up.

At this moment, Xu Jingming was struggling to penetrate with cosmic source power, needing to advance along the well-constructed patterns of the Yuan Fire Pearl! Every moment of advancement required understanding all kinds of Yuanchu Star knowledge.

"I can't penetrate any further." Xu Jingming continued for more than half an hour, and many patterns on the outermost surface of the Yuan Fire Pearl lit up.

"The outermost layer, you can only drive 12%," Secretary-General Heitian shook his head. "Not to mention the inner and core layers. Alright, now put the Yuan Fire Pearl into your body and store it in your heart."

"Integrate your blood into the Yuan Fire Pearl at all times, and then return from the Yuan Fire Pearl," Secretary-General Heitian said. "Treat it as another heart."

Xu Jingming nodded, held the Yuan Fire Pearl, and pressed it directly against his chest.

As a Source lifeform, his body naturally "swallowed" the Yuan Fire Pearl.

Transferring the Yuan Fire Pearl to the heart's location! Tenth-level Yuan Fire Pearl.

A tenth-level lifeform's heart was already powerful, but when the Yuan Fire Pearl was integrated, the blood became hot and scalding.

As the blood circulated, the heat spread throughout his body.

Xu Jingming's hair instantly turned crimson red, his eyes also turned red, and his skin began to ripple with heat as flames rose.

It was normal for high-dimensional weapons to be stored in the body. This was different from the prison race's fusion of high-dimensional objects. The prison race was a true fusion! The two were fused into one, and they might even be assimilated later! But a high-dimensional weapon in the body… the weapon was still a weapon, and the body was still a body, only with some auxiliary effects.

"Having a miniature Yuanchu Star in your body feels different, right?" Secretary-General Heitian said with a smile. "It can bring you closer to the Yuanchu Star."

"The closer you get, the greater the Yuanchu Star's changes to you."

"Detailed usage guidelines have already been sent to you. You can study them slowly," Secretary-General Heitian said with a smile, getting up.

"Your treasures are all put away."

Pointing to the other treasures,

Secretary-General Heitian then left.

Xu Jingming sat cross-legged, completely immersed in the taste of having a "miniature Yuanchu Star" in his heart. He was familiarizing himself with this terrifying power and slowly controlling it.

(Take a day off tomorrow, resume updates the day after tomorrow)