Countless items—manuals, weapons, artifacts—floated throughout the space, each encased in a shimmering orb of light.

  The orbs were color-coded into four distinct grades: Black, Bronze, Silver, Gold, and a rare Prismatic hue. In the center of the hall, a massive sphere of light hovered ten meters above the ground, surrounded by cascading streams of complex code.

  "These are all the treasures of our race at Tier 6 and above," Aether explained, gesturing to the hall. "Everything that hasn't already been bestowed upon others is here. You can use the physical terminal of the Human Central Intellect to search the database."

  "The colors represent the quality: Black is Tier 6 Low-grade; Bronze is Tier 6 Mid-grade; Silver is Tier 6 High-grade; and Gold is Tier 6 Peak-grade. The Prismatic orbs contain our few Tier 7 items, ranging from Low to Mid-grade. It’ll be up to your own eyes to discern which is which."

  Aether’s expression turned serious. "Remember, when choosing, suitability is everything. The highest level isn't always the best. If it doesn't fit your style or your constitution, you won't be able to master it, and the rank won't matter."

  Lance nodded in agreement. He knew better than anyone that compatibility was key. His Heavenly Demon Disintegration technique, for instance, had started at a mere Tier 8, yet it provided a far greater boost to his strength than his Desolate Grade flames.

  He walked toward the massive glowing sphere—the core of the Human Central Intellect.

  Even though this thing is Tier 7, its technological density is far inferior to my own Tier 7 AI, Lance thought with a faint smirk. This thing was massive and immobile, making it incredibly inconvenient compared to his system-enhanced intellect.

  He opened the interface.

  [Welcome to the Human Central Intellect.]

  "Intellect, search for cultivation methods that increase energy absorption speed," Lance commanded mentally. "Also, find me one spear art, one movement art, one fire-element supernatural skill, and one defensive war art. Bring up the highest-ranking options for each."

  A cultivation method that increased energy absorption speed—this was exactly what Lance had been itching to try. Faster absorption meant his Soul energy reservoir would refill at a much higher rate, which in turn meant his overall progression speed would skyrocket.

  If his theory held, he might not even need three days to break through to the Grandmaster rank. Of course, he would only know for sure once he started experimenting.

  [System Alert: Command received. Cataloging all cultivation methods and war arts that meet the criteria. Please review.]

  As the command processed, the Human Central Intellect displayed a long list of manuals and descriptions before Lance's eyes. He began to skim through them.

  Energy Conversion (Tier 7 - Low): This method allowed the user to convert electricity, light, and other external energy sources into source energy for cultivation. The conversion speed and energy quality were dependent on the user’s proficiency and current rank.

  Lance frowned slightly at the first—and highest-ranking—option. This method was perfect for someone struggling with energy scarcity. If this had been ten thousand years ago, during the era before source energy could be properly harnessed, this would have been a god-tier treasure. Being able to cultivate using just electricity or sunlight was incredible.

  But for Lance, it was useless. He relied on system-optimized energy, which was both terrifyingly high in quantity and superior in quality. He didn't need to scrounge for energy from power grids or stars.

  I should probably memorize this one for later, though, Lance thought, not entirely dismissing it. If I ever reach the peak of this world and find the local energy supply lacking, I can upgrade this method to the max and convert high-level external forces.

  He moved on to the second manual.

  Berserk Absorption (Tier 7 - Low): This method forces a massive increase in the absorption speed of any energy body, significantly boosting cultivation speed. At the Master level of proficiency, it can increase speed by up to 13 times without side effects. Exceeding a 13x multiplier will cause severe damage to the user’s meridians and Soul. The higher the multiplier, the more catastrophic the damage.

  As Lance read the data, he froze.

  "Holy sh*t," he whispered, his heart racing. "Is this literally made for me?"

  He was ecstatic. The catch was that faster absorption would tear his body and Soul apart. But Lance? He had hyper-regeneration and a system that thrived on fixing "damage." He didn't need to manually tear his Soul apart anymore; he could just crank up the absorption speed and keep his body and Soul in a perpetual state of injury and repair.

  My current Titanium War Art has a multiplier of about 5x, Lance calculated. Replacing it with this would jump that to 13x safely. But if I ignore the safety limits and let my body take the hit, I could probably push it to 30x or higher.

  Even without using a Reconstruction Quota to fix the technique's Exploits, his cultivation speed would increase sixfold immediately. One day of training would be equivalent to six.

  By the time the Reconstruction Quota refreshed tomorrow, he would already be a Grandmaster. And once he upgraded his war arts, his combat power would undergo another explosive leap.

  Without hesitation, he selected the manual that most warriors considered "trash." After all, for a normal person, the time saved by the speed boost was usually spent bedridden, recovering from the self-inflicted injuries.

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  Next, Lance turned his attention to the war arts. After a quick filtering process, he settled on four that perfectly complemented his style:

  Meteor Fire Rain (Tier 6 - Peak): A fire-element supernatural trait skill. Upon activation, it summons a torrential rain of flaming meteors to strike the enemy. At full power, it can easily level a large planet.

  Falling Star Spear Art (Tier 6 - Peak): This technique integrates stellar force into the spear. The moment of impact delivers a burst of power comparable to the crushing weight of a falling planet.

  Blaze Step (Tier 6 - Peak): A movement art fueled by fire energy. It allows for terrifying bursts of speed; the higher the grade of the flame used, the faster the movement.

  Black Hole God-Body (Tier 6 - Peak): Instantly increases the user’s total mass and defensive power. At the Master level, it can devour various types of energy attacks to further strengthen the user’s own defenses.

  Every single one was monstrously powerful. With Lance’s current strength, Meteor Fire Rain could summon enough meteors to destroy an asteroid or a small planet like Ancient Earth. But once he reached the Galactic Realm? He could potentially condense thousands of miniature suns to incinerate his enemies.

  The Falling Star Spear Art was equally impressive, turning his strikes into planetary-tier impacts. Blaze Step might not look as flashy as his Flame Dragon Step, but it was far more efficient and faster—which was all that mattered.

  As for the Black Hole God-Body, Lance was particularly excited about its potential. It already allowed him to absorb energy to boost his defense. He wondered if, after War Art Reconstruction, it would allow him to directly absorb the energy from his Void Core. If so, his durability would reach a whole new level.

  Once these were upgraded to Tier 9 or 10, their power would be godlike.

  He confirmed the exchange for all four manuals. He also selected a Tier 6 Peak fire-attribute spear and a full Martial Paragon Set. He didn't swap out his Black Flame Spear yet, storing the new one for now. For public appearances, the fire spear would suffice; for life-or-death battles, he still trusted his Black Flame Spear—at least until he could upgrade the new one tomorrow.

  Lance finalized the transaction, allowed the memories of the techniques to flow into his mind, and closed the interface.

  "That’s it? You’re done already?"

  Guardian Aether was stunned. It had been less than thirty minutes. "You didn't want to take your time and look around more? These are major life choices!"

  "I've made my choice. They're the most suitable for me," Lance said with a confident smile. As long as his data input was correct, the system’s logic wouldn't lead him astray.

  "Let me see what you picked."

  Aether, still worried, used his authority to check Lance’s selection. When the list appeared, he stared in utter disbelief.

  The war arts were fine—powerful and practical. But the cultivation method?

  "What the hell is this?" Aether’s head throbbed. "This isn't even a fire-element method! It’s just a suicidal speed-booster! It’s a total trap!"

  When humanity first evaluated Berserk Absorption, they had initially ranked it as Tier 7 Mid or even High-grade because the theoretical multiplier was nearly 50x. However, they quickly realized that even at 20x, a cultivator’s body would start to disintegrate. At 30x, they would literally explode. Even a Tier 6 Med-Pod couldn't heal the damage fast enough to make it viable.

  Consequently, it had been downgraded to Tier 6 Peak and largely ignored.

  "Lance, you cannot practice this. It’s too dangerous," Aether said urgently. "Swap it for a fire-attribute method. The Lava Star Law is Tier 7 Low-grade—it would be perfect for you!"

  "Don't worry, Guardian Aether," Lance reassured him. "I'm not the type to play games with my own life. I have a very specific reason for choosing this, and I know exactly what I'm doing."

  "There are just some things I can't talk about openly yet," Lance said, his tone tinged with a hint of helplessness.

  There was no way he could explain that he possessed the Undying God-Body and literally couldn't die from mere cultivation strain. He had to keep his true trump card close to his chest.

  Guardian Aether blinked, momentarily stunned. Then, it clicked. Lance was an SS-Rank genius. Reaching that level of talent didn't happen through luck alone—especially since Lance's innate elemental talent was only S-Rank. To bridge that gap to SS required more than just fortune; it required a mind that functioned on a different level.

  Lance wasn't an idiot. He wouldn't look at a technique with such glaring, lethal flaws and arrogantly assume he was the exception unless he had a damn good reason. If he said he was certain, then he likely had a massive hidden card to play.

  "I see. If you’re certain, I won’t stop you. But for God’s sake, be careful," Aether said, his expression grave. "You can swap techniques whenever you want. You have nearly unlimited access to human resources, but that only matters if you're alive. Keep yourself safe—that’s your only real priority."

  "I understand," Lance nodded. "Now, where am I staying? I want to master these techniques as soon as possible."

  "Right. Let’s get you settled." Aether nodded and took flight, leading Lance toward the residential sector.

  They arrived shortly at Lance’s new quarters. Calling it a "room" was an insult; it was a sprawling private estate, larger than the entirety of Silvermoon City. It was equipped with every imaginable cultivation facility: gravity chambers, holographic simulation spaces, meditation halls, and state-of-the-art med-pods.

  A staff of tens of thousands of professionals lived on-site just to maintain the grounds and ensure the estate ran smoothly. All of this was for the exclusive use of one person.

  Of course, this wasn't a vacation resort. Life here came with a heavy training regimen.

  "One more thing, Lance," Aether said, turning back before he left. "In the Vanguard Elite Institute, the most important thing to watch for is the Human Central Intellect's assignment system. It periodically issues random missions. If a task is assigned to you, you must complete it."

  "There’s a point system. You start with one hundred points. If you fail too many missions and your score hits zero, you'll be expelled from the institute immediately."

  Aether emphasized that these random missions could range from trivially easy to soul-crushingly difficult. However, they were always calculated to benefit the student. The Intellect analyzed data from every corner of human territory to find potential opportunities or "lucky breaks" that matched a student's profile. Because of this, most students actually looked forward to their assignments.

  "Got it. I'll do my best," Lance replied, though he wasn't particularly bothered. Given his current growth rate, most "lucky breaks" the system found would probably be a waste of his time.

  "Oh, and before I forget," Aether added with a sly tug at his beard and a wink. "Think about what those three old farts said earlier. My descendant, Raya Kincaid, is actually stationed here. You two should... get to know each other. Catch my drift?"

  Lance stared at him, completely speechless.

  After finally seeing Guardian Aether out, Lance retreated to his private quarters. He sat down, ready to pull the new cultivation methods from his memory and begin his first session.

  [System Alert: Student Lance. You have been assigned a mandatory mission.]

  [Status: Immediate Departure Required (within 10 minutes).]

  [Destination: The Lothar System, Outpost A2155-B11.]

  [Note: Transport vessel is prepped and awaiting your arrival at the hangar. Move out.]

  Lance hadn't even warmed his seat before the announcement blared through the room.

  "Are you serious?" he muttered, staring at the walls in disbelief. "I literally just signed in!"

  If he had two days to hit the Grandmaster rank, he wouldn't have cared about a point deduction. By then, his combat power would be at the Planetary Class level anyway. But as a new arrival, it would be a bit too arrogant to start blowing off mandatory missions on day one.

  "Fine. Whatever. I can cultivate on the ship anyway."

  Sighing, Lance stood up and headed for the hangar. Following the navigation prompts, he soon arrived at a massive launch pad where a sleek vessel sat humming with power.

  Rumble!

  System Notification: A massive stockpile has been detected!

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