Chapter 1 Meeting the Guardians

With a single thought, the Golden-Winged Elder determined the time and location for the gathering. As the organizer, he immediately sent messages to the other seven, including Xu Jingming.

In reality, in a desolate area of cosmic space, Xu Jingming was in an asteroid belt.

"Hmm?"

Standing on an asteroid with a diameter of over ten kilometers, Xu Jingming received a message that brought a smile to his face. "Mr. Wen's message. The gathering is tomorrow?"

Formal members of the Origin Institute were generally called 'Researchers,' but those referred to as 'Mr.' were teachers within the institute. Their strength was beyond question.

"Meeting the other seven guardians?" Xu Jingming was quite eager. He immediately replied, "I will be there on time."

"Continue experimenting!"

Standing on the asteroid, Xu Jingming used his mind power, aided by the Origin Battle Suit, to draw upon the vast cosmic source power, manipulating it according to his understanding of the 'Energy Tide Model.'

"Rumble~~~"

A low rumble echoed as a terrifying tide domain formed around Xu Jingming and rapidly spread outwards.

The dark tide domain propagated at the speed of light. In essence, the tide domain was the transmission of source power. It quickly expanded to a range of over ten million kilometers.

Such a vast tide domain, larger than an ordinary star, pulverized the dense asteroids within its fluctuating range without a sound. After reaching a range of ten million kilometers, it stopped expanding.

"A tide domain with a diameter of 10 million kilometers is still relatively easy to maintain, but any larger would be strenuous," Xu Jingming observed carefully. "The energy can cyclically fluctuate, so consumption isn't high. But the power is slightly lacking."

"Next, matter annihilation." Xu Jingming began to test his next move.

After all, with his mind power reaching the 10th level of Visualization, his overall strength had greatly improved, and Xu Jingming needed to understand his precise abilities.

Half an hour later.

"Testing complete. Xiao Jiu, have you accurately assessed all my moves?" Xu Jingming asked.

"Move power has been fully updated," Xiao Jiu replied.

Xu Jingming extended his hand, and a light screen appeared before him, displaying a list of various moves.

"High-Dimensional Travel (Cosmic Legend), Space-Time Shuttle (Cosmic Legend), Origin Point Decomposition (Tenth-Order Limit), Cosmic Prison (Tenth-Order Peak), Cosmic Rift (Tenth-Order Peak), Endless Domain (Tenth-Order Peak), Laser (Tenth-Order Peak), Origin Battle Suit Thread Penetration (Tenth-Order Peak), Tide Domain (Tenth-Order Top Tier), Matter Annihilation (Tenth-Order Top Tier), River of Time (Tenth-Order), Kindling (Tenth-Order)..."

"Master, these are all your proficient moves," Xiao Jiu said. "Because the No. 9 Origin Battle Suit specializes in space-time, and you have spent the most time in space-time, having observed two space-time star sands, your accumulation in space-time moves is the deepest. In the light line, you have mainly focused your energy on the 'Endless Domain' and 'Laser' directions."

Xu Jingming nodded. "Apart from escape and evasion abilities, my other aspects are only comparable to those Tenth-Order source lifeforms with deeper accumulation. The only move that has reached the Tenth-Order Limit is 'Origin Point Decomposition'."

"Origin Point Decomposition is focused on a single point, so this move of yours can reach the Tenth-Order Limit," Xiao Jiu said.

"Tenth-Order Limit... Any stronger would be Cosmic Legend level, right?" Xu Jingming said.

"Yes," Xiao Jiu replied.

Xu Jingming nodded.

For example, Space-Time Shuttle, although it didn't enter 'high-dimensional space,' could travel billions of light-years in a single shuttle... One had to know that many Tenth-Order source lifeforms could only teleport a few light-years. The difference of hundreds of millions of times was not a normal difference. Only the participation of high-dimensional power could be so overwhelmingly superior.

Traveling long distances generally required spaceships.

"High-Dimensional Travel and Space-Time Shuttle are great advantages. My accumulation in other areas is still weak. Those true Tenth-Order Peak source lifeforms have broader knowledge than me, and their proficient moves are generally much more numerous than mine," Xu Jingming knew this very well.

A Tenth-Order Peak source lifeform proficient in more than a dozen Tenth-Order Peak moves was very normal, and occasionally, they would have two or three that reached 'Tenth-Order Limit power.'

After all, they were also pursuing 'Cosmic Legend' and needed to build a very solid foundation.

"Master, you shouldn't underestimate yourself. The moves you're proficient in can already construct a complete combat system," Xiao Jiu said. "You have the mobility of High-Dimensional Travel and Space-Time Shuttle. You have domain-type, enemy-trapping type, and various enemy-killing moves. You can gain an advantage against ordinary Prison Race Monarchs."

Xu Jingming was actually quite satisfied. Xiao Jiu, in his hands, was gradually displaying some power.

When he had just become a source lifeform, he was weak, and the strength he displayed was also weak. He had to rely on 'Thread Penetration' at close range to deal with Prison Race Ninth-Orders! When he encountered a more powerful Ukra Monarch, he would directly lose consciousness.

Too embarrassing.

But those were things of the past!

******

The next day, Virtual World Network.

In a virtual world, on a floating island, seven figures were already seated around an ancient, long stone table.

"Our Junior Brother Wu Ming is unusually young. He's only a little over a hundred years old, right? When I was a hundred years old, I was still struggling at the Eighth-Order Starry Sky lifeform level. He has already mastered High-Dimensional Travel," a red-skinned, bald man said with a smile.

"He's only one hundred and fifty-five years old this year," the stern-looking 'Mr. Jian' said. "I was the one who personally recruited him into the Origin Institute."

"You personally recruited him?" the Golden-Winged Elder asked in surprise.

A large-headed old man also listened with interest.

"Yes," Mr. Jian nodded. "Junior Brother Wu Ming comes from a weak, newly advanced civilization. Plus, he's too young, and his accumulation is too weak. So, after he arrived at the seventh planet of the Mysterious Land, he first comprehended some other phenomena. At that time, he had some understanding of 'World-Destroying Flames.' The Galaxy Conglomerate could barely recruit him. But the Galaxy Conglomerate probably disliked something. So, Junior Brother Wu Ming later comprehended the Origin Star phenomenon and had some understanding of the core 'Light Chapter.' In the end, he joined our Origin Institute."

"Oh? He almost joined the Galaxy Conglomerate?" The other six present laughed.

They were responsible for guarding the Heavenly Serpent Cosmic Domain and were also members of the Origin Institute.

"It shows that Junior Brother Wu Ming is still destined for our Origin Institute," a silver-haired, silver-eyed woman said with a smile.

"It shows that the Mysterious Land's screening still has loopholes. Those weak civilizations don't know much about the Mysterious Land and blindly enter... We might have missed some talents."

"Even without the Mysterious Land, true talents will gradually shine over time. When they reach the Eighth-Order, they will still be specially recruited."

"The Mysterious Land has still allowed many elementary and intermediate civilizations to cultivate more source lifeforms."

The seven of them chatted idly.

Suddenly—

A figure appeared from the void in the distance and arrived on the floating island. It was Xu Jingming.

Immediately, the seven seated figures looked at Xu Jingming, and the Golden-Winged Elder laughed and said, "Junior Brother Wu Ming, hurry, hurry, we've been waiting for you."

"Am I late?" Xu Jingming said with a smile as he walked over, also feeling puzzled. He was five minutes early.

"The seven of us are very familiar with each other. Today's gathering is to welcome you. Of course, we have to arrive early," the Golden-Winged Elder said with a smile. "The time I notified you of the gathering was deliberately delayed by half an hour."

Xu Jingming understood.

"Welcome, Junior Brother Wu Ming," a black-clothed, red-haired woman said with a smile. A strange gem was embedded in her brow, sparkling with a captivating luster.

"Madam Ming Ling," Xu Jingming said.

"Call me Senior Sister!" the black-clothed, red-haired woman said with a smile. "You've mastered high-dimensional power at such a young age. You can call us Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters."

"Maybe in a few years, you'll become a Cosmic Legend and be stronger than us old fellows," a man with scales all over his body said with a smile.

The Golden-Winged Elder smiled and said, "The gathering is organized by me, Wu Ming. Let me briefly introduce everyone... After all, you're meeting many of the Senior Brothers and Senior Sisters for the first time. This is Junior Brother Yi Jiu. In terms of strength, he's the strongest among the eight of us."

"Senior Brother Yi Jiu," Xu Jingming immediately said respectfully.

Yi Jiu was the smiling, large-headed old man who was observing Xu Jingming with a smile. He said, "I heard Chi Tong mention you. Chi Tong entered the Origin Institute, and I'm temporarily providing one-on-one guidance."

Xu Jingming understood.

Chi Tong was indeed the child of the Space-Time Dao Lord. He had such treatment as soon as he entered the Origin Institute.

"Your talent is one of the best in the entire human race of the universe in this era," Yi Jiu praised. "You don't need a separate teacher. Your own exploration is stronger than any teacher's guidance."

"In the Origin Institute, the only one who can be your teacher is the Dean, but unfortunately, the Dean doesn't have time to teach. You have to rely on yourself," the Golden-Winged Elder said with a smile. "Next to him is Junior Sister Qiong Yu."

The silver-haired, silver-eyed woman looked at Xu Jingming with a smile. "You are the pride of our Hunter Cosmic Domain."

"Senior Sister Qiong Yu," Xu Jingming immediately said.

Senior Sister Qiong Yu was one of the five Tenth-Order source lifeforms of the Hunter Cosmic Domain's behemoth force, 'Cloud City Association.' She was already able to borrow high-dimensional power. But the Cloud City Association's President, 'Senior Sister Yuan Yi,' was an even more dazzling figure. Although she hadn't broken through, her strength was almost at the Cosmic Legend level! The alias she had given herself, 'Yuan Yi,' showed her confidence.

"The Hunter Cosmic Domain is indeed producing talents one after another. Chi Meng, Yuan Yi, and now there's Junior Brother Wu Ming," the large-headed old man Yi Jiu said with a shake of his head in amazement.

"This is Junior Brother Jian. Junior Brother Jian is the second youngest here," the old man, Mr. Wen, said with a smile.

"Senior Brother Jian was the one who recruited me into the Origin Institute," Xu Jingming naturally recognized him.

Mr. Jian, with his stern face, now had a smile on his face as he nodded.

"You also know Junior Sister Ming Ling. This is Junior Brother Hong Sha, and this is Junior Brother Xue Hua," Mr. Wen introduced. The man with scales all over his body was Senior Brother Xue Hua, and the red-skinned, bald man was Senior Brother Hong Sha. Including Senior Sister Ming Ling... The three of their high-dimensional powers were very terrifying and bizarre.

Xu Jingming greeted them one by one. The three of them were also very kind.

Although they had fierce reputations, they were very friendly to Xu Jingming. These three were all from the older generation, and their ages were all over fifty thousand years old.

Strictly speaking, according to age, Xu Jingming was the youngest, followed by Mr. Jian, and then Senior Sister Qiong Yu. As for the other five... They were all very old. Mr. Wen was even approaching the age limit of nearly one hundred thousand years.

"The purpose of this gathering is twofold. One is to welcome Junior Brother Wu Ming, and the other is to discuss how the eight of us should cooperate to deal with the Prison Race," the Golden-Winged Elder said. "We know the strength of the other seven of us very well. It's mainly you, Junior Brother Wu Ming."

"My strength in direct combat is average, barely considered Tenth-Order Peak," Xu Jingming said. "What I'm really good at is Space-Time Shuttle and High-Dimensional Travel. My Space-Time Shuttle can reach a distance of up to 1 billion light-years. High-Dimensional Travel has a small range, but the Prison Race shouldn't be able to stop me."

"Space-Time Shuttle 1 billion light-years? Then you can completely guard half of the Heavenly Serpent Cosmic Domain," the seven present were somewhat amazed.

"Your frontal strength can reach Tenth-Order Peak? Then dealing with Prison Race Ninth-Orders, even ten or eight of them... You should be able to solve them quickly, right?" Mr. Jian asked.

"If it's just Prison Race Ninth-Orders, ten or eight of them joining forces, I can solve them in one second," Xu Jingming said confidently. A Prison Race Ninth-Order that could survive for one second in front of him... would have to possess treasures similar to the No. 9 Origin Battle Suit.

Otherwise, with the huge difference in strength, it was impossible to survive.

"With you as a guardian, the battlefield situation in the Heavenly Serpent Cosmic Domain will be much better in the future," Mr. Yi Jiu also relaxed a lot.