149: Chapter 149 The Core of Annihilation

Black Desolation Star Domain, Black Market Star, Core Main City.

Passing through the filthy and chaotic Lower District, the moment Lin Que and his group stepped into the main city, even the well-traveled Chen Family Old Ancestor couldn't help but gasp.

There were no immortal pavilions with flying eaves and bracket sets here; instead, towering metal skyscrapers reached into the clouds as far as the eye could see.

In the sky, various strangely shaped interstellar shuttles darted through crisscrossing transparent psionic pipelines.

Gigantic holographic billboards flickered in the night sky, peddling everything from slaves and high-dimensional Cultivation Techniques to blueprints for star destroyers—all contraband.

The air was thick with high-purity synthetic Spiritual Qi and a pungent smell of machine oil; the coldness of cyberpunk and the bloody Law of the jungle of the cultivation world merged perfectly here.

"Restrain all the Immortal Qi on your bodies."

This place is crawling with Void Returning Realm experts. Until we've gauged the situation, no one is allowed to cause trouble."

Lin Que walked along the noisy metal street, skillfully operating a Lower Realm Spell called the Breath-Holding Technique.

His terrifying cultivation of the Void Return Star Domain Realm, along with his physical extreme mass capable of crushing the void, was at this moment tightly locked within his hundred-thousand-mile inner heaven and earth.

At this moment, Lin Que looked like an ordinary young master from a wealthy family who had just stepped into the Golden Core Stage, his spiritual energy fluctuations extremely weak.

Seeing this, the Chen Family Old Ancestor, Su Qingyu, and Ancient Demon Emperor Di Qing immediately followed suit, suppressing their cultivation to around the Nascent Soul Stage. They followed respectfully behind Lin Que, looking exactly like a few bodyguards and a maidservant.

Newly arrived, observe quietly, and act only after planning. This was the Supreme rule for a powerful outsider to survive in an unfamiliar star sea.

A short while later.

The group stopped before a magnificent building shaped like an inverted pyramid, constructed entirely of dark matter.

At the top of the building, four large holographic characters glowing with a faint blue light floated—[Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion].

This was the largest, most authoritative, and most mysteriously backed intelligence and treasure trading center in the Black Desolation Star Domain.

"Halt. The Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion is only receiving Platinum-level guests and above today. Unrelated personnel, stay back."

At the entrance, two mechanical demigod guards, radiating fluctuations of the Great Perfection of Spirit Transformation, coldly crossed their high-energy war halberds, blocking Lin Que's path.

Lin Que didn't waste words, nor did he even lift an eyelid.

He casually pulled a crystal card from his sleeve—one that had just been forcibly forged by the System, shimmering with a deep black-gold luster—and waved it in front of the two mechanical guards' scanners.

"Beep—"

The moment the cold scanner made contact with the card's frequency, it immediately emitted a high-pitched, almost fawning synthetic electronic voice!

"Hon... Honorable Star Sea Myriad Realms Chamber of Commerce Black Gold Supreme VIP! Your presence makes the Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion shine with brilliance! The highest-level welcome passage has been opened!"

"Clang, clang!"

The two arrogant mechanical guards instantly retracted their halberds, the hydraulic devices at their knees bending sharply as they knelt on one knee before Lin Que, their heads bowed to the metal floor.

"Let's go."

Lin Que naturally tucked the card away, his hands folded in his sleeves as if all this were a matter of course, and strolled into the newly opened independent VIP passage with a leisurely pace.

He left behind a crowd of high-level star sea Cultivators queuing outside, staring at their backs in stunned silence, wildly speculating which star sea tycoon's illegitimate son was visiting incognito.

Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion, Top-floor Supreme VIP Private Box.

There were no gaudy decorations inside the box; the floor was actually paved with a type of 'Star Soul Water' that could nourish the Primordial Spirit.

A beautiful woman in a sexy interstellar qipao with a cultivation level reaching the half-step Void Returning Realm (Yuna, the branch manager of the Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion on Black Market Star), was currently personally carrying two cups of drinks radiating misty Immortal Qi, placing them respectfully on the coffee table in front of Lin Que.

"Distinguished guest, I am Yuna, the Pavilion Master here."

Yuna's charming eyes very discreetly sized up Lin Que.

She was horrified to find that her half-step Void Returning Realm Divine Sense was completely unable to see through the depths of this young man, who appeared to only have a Golden Core Stage cultivation.

"I wonder if your esteemed presence here is to purchase intelligence or some rare items?"

"Both."

Lin Que picked up the expensive drink, took a disdainful sip, and set it down (it was far inferior to the Immortal Emperor's Essence Liquid).

Leaning back on the sofa, he got straight to the point:

"First, I want all public and non-public intelligence regarding 'Pasture No. 33' (the original Immortal Realm) and the 'Star Sea Cleansing Fleet'. Second, I want a distribution map of all major forces in the Black Desolation Star Domain."

Hearing this, Yuna's pupils shrank slightly.

Inquiring about the Cleansing Fleet?

That was a taboo subject that only the top figures in the core circles of the star sea dared to touch!

But considering the other party's Black Gold Supreme VIP status—which even the Grand Pavilion Master might not possess—she immediately suppressed her shock.

"Please wait a moment, guest."

Yuna immediately took out an encrypted quantum Jade Slip and handed it to Lin Que:

"The Cleansing Fleet belongs to the star sea's highest governing body, the 'Sacred Tribunal'. According to reliable intelligence, because the life tablet of the guardian of Pasture No. 33 (the Immortal Emperor) shattered, the Seventh Vanguard Army of the Cleansing Fleet will arrive in the Black Desolation Star Domain in twenty-nine years."

"As for the distribution of forces in the Black Desolation Star Domain, the biggest local bosses are the [Blood Skull Interstellar Pirate Group] and the [Black Abyss Mining Alliance]. Both leaders are tough characters at the Middle Stage of the Void Return Star Domain Realm..."

Yuna reported the intelligence with extreme professionalism.

As Lin Que listened, his hundred-thousand-mile inner heaven and earth had already silently imprinted all the star maps and data from the Jade Slip into his Sea of Consciousness.

"Twenty-nine years, huh..."

Lin Que sneered inwardly.

That was plenty of time for him to completely turn this Black Desolation Star Domain upside down and arm his army to the teeth.

"The intelligence is good. How much?"

Lin Que asked.

"You are a Supreme VIP. Such basic intelligence is Yuna's personal gift to you as a greeting."

Yuna skillfully threw a flirtatious wink, then changed the subject:

"However, since the guest has Black Gold authority, I happen to have a 'Supreme treasure' here that was just salvaged from the Star Sea Abyss. I wonder if you are interested?"

"Oh? Let's have a look." Lin Que's interest was piqued.

Yuna carefully walked to the back of the box and pressed a formation rune.

"Hum!"

A transparent isolation chamber, locked tight by a full thirty-six high-level Seals, slowly rose from the ground.

Inside the isolation chamber, an irregular stone only the size of a fist and a deathly grayish-white color floated quietly.

But as soon as this stone appeared!

The Chen Family Old Ancestor and Su Qingyu behind Lin Que instantly felt as if their chests had been struck hard by a giant hammer; their breathing stopped, and the true essence in their bodies began to flow backward uncontrollably!

"This is... an [Oblivion Star Core Fragment]."

Yuna's voice also became extremely solemn:

"The core Origin remaining after a super star at the end of its life collapses and explodes. It contains terrifying 'Oblivion Radiation' and 'Destruction Mass'."

"Even for a Body Cultivator at the Late Stage of the Void Returning Realm, if they dared to touch it directly with their hand, their Physical Body would be completely disintegrated into cosmic dust within three breaths. Only the high-level master smiths at the Star Sea Mainframe dare to use instruments to cut it to build star-destroying weapons."

Yuna looked at Lin Que, a hint of testing in her eyes:

"This Supreme treasure is priced at one hundred million star sea coin. But because no one can refine it, it has failed to sell three times at auction."

"Death upon contact? It can even disintegrate the Void Returning Realm?"

Not only was Lin Que not afraid, but a very discreet fanaticism erupted in his heterochromatic eyes.

What was he lacking most right now?

It wasn't Magic Treasures or Medicinal Pills, but top-grade 'fodder' that could allow his thirty-million-pound Dark Gold Demon God Body to continue breaking through!

Lin Que slowly stood up and walked to the isolation chamber.

"System. This quack is trying to scare me. Remove the poison from this stone."

[Instruction received! High-dimensional lethal substance (Oblivion Star Core Fragment) detected!]

[Analysis: This substance contains 'gamma-ray bursts' and 'atomic disintegration Laws' that exceed the endurance limits of carbon-based organisms.]

[Logical reorganization initiated—'Bottom-layer radiation erasure and pure calcium tablet transformation' mode!]

[Operation 1: Forcibly strip harmful frequencies! Sever the 'destruction radiation' chains within the star core!]

[Operation 2: Concept tampering! Forcibly rewrite the violent 'star disintegration Laws' into 'high-purity concentrated physical Origin tonic'!]

[Operation 3: Unlock hardware! Assist the host in initiating extreme-realm devouring!]

"Ding! Radiation cleared! Congratulations, you have obtained a crunchy top-tier compressed calcium tablet!"

The moment the System's cold notification finished.

Under Yuna's horrified gaze.

Lin Que didn't use any protective Magic Treasures; he directly reached out with his fair, jade-like right hand and roughly tore through those thirty-six high-level Seals in one go!

"Guest, you mustn't!! Danger!!"

Yuna was pale with fright; if a Black Gold VIP died here, the entire Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion would have to be buried with him!

But in the next second, Yuna's voice got stuck in her throat.

Lin Que's hand steadily grabbed the grayish-white star core fragment.

There was no flesh melting, no atomic disintegration. A strange purple-gold slit (the Blood Scripture devouring vortex) suddenly opened in Lin Que's palm!

"Blood Scripture—Extreme Realm Furnace! Eat it for me!!"

Lin Que let out a violent low roar in his heart.

His Dark Gold Demon God Body, hidden beneath his skin, fully awakened!

The Oblivion Star Core Fragment, which even star sea powerhouses blanched at the mention of, was like snow meeting fire the moment it touched Lin Que's palm. It melted smoothly into a grayish-white torrent of high-dimensional Origin and crazily drilled into Lin Que's body!

"Crack... Rumble!!!"

Inside Lin Que's body, a sound of bone-popping like the creation of the world erupted, audible only to him!

This star core Origin was too pure and too massive!

On the firmament of his Early Stage Void Return Star Domain Realm inner heaven and earth, the countless stars that had just been lit swelled by a circle under the nourishment of this Origin, erupting with brilliant silver light!

And his proudest pure physical strength, under the frantic tempering of the Blood Scripture, forcibly broke through the thirty-million-pound extreme realm threshold!

Thirty-one million pounds... thirty-three million pounds... thirty-five million pounds!!!

[Ding! Congratulations to the host for devouring high-dimensional star core Origin!]

[The Major Achievement Dark Gold Demon God Body undergoes a minor qualitative change! Strength climbs to thirty-five million pounds!]

[Awakened physical passive trait—[Nirvana Hegemon Body] (Immune to all physical and Law penetration damage below the Void Returning Realm, comes with a thorn-mail shock effect)!]

"Whew..."

The entire devouring process took only three short breaths.

Lin Que slowly retracted his right hand and let out a long, cold breath of turbid air.

He turned his head and looked at Yuna, the half-step Void Returning Realm Pavilion Master, who was already slumped on the sofa with her legs trembling in fear. Lin Que disdainfully brushed the stone dust off his hands.

"This stone is too brittle; it crumbles with a squeeze. But the taste of the energy inside is decent."

With a flick of his wrist, Lin Que used the System to transfer one hundred million star sea coin from the account he had just reverse-robbed.

"The payment is settled. Keep what happened today to yourself."

Lin Que ignored Yuna's look as if she had seen a ghost, elegantly straightened his collar, and calmly walked out of the box with the Chen Family Old Ancestor and the others.

It wasn't until the backs of Lin Que's group completely disappeared outside the Myriad Phenomena Star Pavilion's main gate.

Inside the box.

Yuna finally managed to crawl up from the sofa with difficulty.

She looked at the empty isolation chamber, her eyes flickering with extremely complex light.

There was fear, but more than that was the extreme greed cultivated from years of struggling on the Black Market Star!

"He didn't even have any fluctuations of magical power; he crushed the Oblivion Star Core purely with his Physical Body..."

Yuna bit her red lips and pressed a very hidden encrypted communicator on her wrist.

"Beep."

The call connected.

"Boss Blood Skull... a very strange 'super fat sheep' has come to my place. He has the highest-level VIP card, his account funds are bottomless, and he likely has a peerless treasure that can grant immunity to high-dimensional radiation..."

Yuna's voice was very low, laced with madness:

"They just left the Star Pavilion... Yes, he only brought three attendants."

...

Black Market Star, on the noisy metal street.

"Master, that woman's eyes weren't right just now; she seemed to be sending a secret message."

Su Qingyu walked beside Lin Que, speaking in a low, alert voice based on her sharp intuition as an Innate Dao Body.

"I know."

Lin Que had his hands in his sleeves, blending into the bustling crowd of interstellar alien races, his pace even a bit slower than before.

"On this Black Market Star, the one thing that isn't lacking is smart-aleck desperadoes."

A cruel smile, thoroughly enjoying the fun of 'Gou-style fishing,' curled at the corner of Lin Que's mouth.

The reason he hadn't used the System to disguise the commotion of devouring the star core earlier was to deliberately show a bit of 'fat'.

He only had fifty million star sea coin left in his account now.

For arming an army of one hundred thousand star destroyers, that wasn't even enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.

Since he had come to such a lawless place of dog-eat-dog.

It was impossible for him to work for money.

Lin Que slightly turned his head, the peripheral vision of his heterochromatic eyes sweeping over several looming trackers behind them.

"No rush."

"Let the bullets fly for a while."

"When they lure out the biggest local boss on this Black Market Star, we'll pull in the net and have a huge feast."