Chapter 505: Sponsor

At the Candle Light Star Ring, on a primary planet under Ashen Council's governance.

At the peak of a towering mountain, tens of thousands of meters high, a man in his early thirties stood bare-chested amidst the icy wilderness. His muscular form rippled with power as he practiced his martial arts

Though his punches seemed slow, each strike reverberated across the mountain range, causing tremors that triggered massive avalanches in numerous regions.

It appeared to be a simple practice of martial arts, yet in reality, he was attempting to use his self-created domain to shake the very planet beneath his feet.

This was no ordinary planet but a massive primary world with a diameter of 130,000 kilometers.

The practice session continued for some time until a pale-red sun rose gradually in the sky. The man finally ceased his movements, marking the end of his training cycle.

A middle-aged man, who was glowing faintly with starlight, approached.

This was Ao Yunxiao, a descendant of Ao Qingcang, the chairman of the Ashen Council. As a peak Tier Three Legend, he stood at the threshold of comprehending inner spirit, the key to reaching Tier Four and stepping into an entirely new realm of power.

He could dominate almost any nebula. Yet here, he held another role. He was the protector of the young man before him.

The young man was Hong Feng, the top candidate of the Candle Light Star Ring and the foremost figure of Divine Transformation Peak.

It was clear how highly the Ashen Council regarded Hong Feng to assign him a Tier Three Legend as his protector.

With a satisfied smile, Ao Yunxiao remarked, "To cause a 130,000-kilometer primary planet to tremble as a Tier Two Legend—Hong Feng, your potential exceeds even my expectations."

"Tier Two Legend isn't enough." Hong Feng's voice carried a steady resolve. "The top candidates from those elite factions are already nearing the peak of Tier Two. It won't be long before they break through to Tier Three. I'm still far behind them."

Ao Yunxiao said, "You are different from them. They come from great clans, with eleven additional stellar years of cultivation built on top-tier resources. Their rapid progress is no surprise.

"But with time, I am certain you'll surpass them and become the most exceptional among all heirs. You'll ultimately obtain Astral God Yin Luo's legacy, rise to the pinnacle, and achieve the status of an Astral God."

Hong Feng remained composed. "The early bird gets the worm. Right now, many civilizations are still observing. If my performance isn't outstanding enough, they'll place their hopes on those candidates to ensure their survival in the reckoning eighty-eight stellar years from now.

"If that happens, those candidates will receive even more resources and pull further ahead..."

He turned to Ao Yunxiao. "That's why I need to train harder and obtain more valuable resources to catch up as quickly as possible."

Ao Yunxiao nodded gravely. "We understand. But convincing them to concentrate resources on you alone will be difficult. The Immortal Wood Empire and the White Dove Federation won't agree to it so easily."

He echoed these sentiments. "Ling Yi is one thing, but Lan Yan and Chi Bailian are truly useless. The Candle Light Alliance wastes so many resources on them every year.

"Especially the White Dove Federation. They somehow acquired a piece of Primordial Spirit Essence. Such a rare treasure. If it had been given to you, your mental spirit might have already broken through to Tier Three."

Primordial Spirit Essence....

The thought of such a treasure being squandered on someone like Lan Yan, who was still at Tier One Legend, left Hong Feng uncomfortable.

The same resources produced vastly different results when used on mediocrity versus genius. A piece of Primordial Spirit Essence might not instantly push his mental spirit to Tier Three, but it would undoubtedly shorten the time needed for a breakthrough, bringing him closer to the top contenders.

Hong Feng's voice turned cold. "

Hmph!

I'll use my achievements to prove just how foolish their judgements are."

At this moment, an elder with the strength of an Early-Stage Legend approached.

Upon seeing Ao Yunxiao, the elder hurried forward. "Councilor Ao."

Ao Yunxiao responded calmly, "Hong Guang."

He showed no arrogance in front of the elder.

It wasn’t out of respect for the man’s strength. An Early-Stage Legend like him wouldn’t even qualify as a preparatory member of the Ashen Council.

The key was his identity—Hong Guang was Hong Feng's direct bloodline elder.

Before the Ashen Council recruited Hong Feng, it was Hong Guang who had guided his cultivation, nurturing him step by step. The elder himself had reached the Early-Stage Legendary Realm thanks to a treasure bestowed by the Ashen Council as a condition for Hong Feng's recruitment.

"Grand Patriarch, what brings you here?" Hong Feng asked respectfully.

Hong Guang explained, "You mentioned needing resources to strengthen your mental spirit. The Gaia Civilization sent over a box of Spirit-Essence Orbs—one hundred in total. I thought they might help temper your mental spirit, so I brought them to you immediately."

Hong Feng frowned. "Just one hundred?"

Spirit-Essence Orbs were treasures formed from the remains of low-level intelligent species with exceptional Astral talent after their death. While valuable, Hong Feng had seen far greater treasures. Such a quantity felt insufficient.

"What level is the Gaian Civilization?"

"They're the overlord of the Dragon Swamp Nebula. Their strongest is a Legendary Celestial Martial Artist named Li Pin. A few stellar months ago, they also sent some Celestial Core Fragments," Hong Guang replied.

Hong Feng's expression turned cold. "A nebula overlord, and this is all they offer? Are they mocking me? Do they think they are throwing pittance to a beggar?"

Hong Guang explained, "The Gaian Civilization isn't like other nebula overlords. First, the Dragon Swamp Nebula itself is small, with only a dozen or so cosmic civilizations. Second, the Gaian Civilization is an indigenous power that overthrew the local ruler to claim its position. Their foundation is far weaker than other nebula overlords—"

Ao Yunxiao interrupted with a smile, "The Gaian Civilization may lack the deep foundation befitting a nebula overlord, but I recall their national protector, Li Pin, joined the Divine Treasury Hall as a provisional pioneer."

Hong Feng's eyes lit up instantly. "The Divine Treasury Hall?"

He had spent some time among the cosmic civilizations and had naturally heard of this hall's renowned reputation.

Ao Yunxiao explained, "It's said the Divine Treasury Hall holds countless rare resources. Newly joined provisional pioneers are even eligible for loans. As long as their aptitude isn't the worst, they can typically exchange eight to ten portions of Primordial Spirit Essence with ease."

Hong Feng's eyes widened.

Eight to ten portions of Primordial Spirit Essence!?

With his talent, one portion of Primordial Spirit Essence might not be enough to achieve Tier Three Legend. But if he could refine three to five portions, reaching Tier Three Legend in mental spirit strength would no longer be an unattainable goal.

Once his mental spirit strength reached Tier Three Legend, his cultivation realm would naturally catch up.

More importantly, achieving Tier Three Legend would place him in the top ranks. At that point, the civilizations still observing from the sidelines would undoubtedly change their allegiance. Only then would he truly enter the line of succession for Astral God Yin Luo's divine heir.

"Is the envoy from the Gaia Civilization here!?" asked Hong Feng hurriedly.

He quickly ordered, "Relay a message to Li Pin. I need four—no! Five! I need five portions of Primordial Spirit Essence."

𝑓𝘳𝘦𝑒𝑤𝑒𝘣𝘯ℴ𝘷𝘦𝓁.𝑐𝑜𝑚

After a pause, he said, "No, to be safe, make those six!"

"If the Gaia Civilization can deliver those six portions of Primordial Spirit Essence, I will guarantee their safety once I become an Astral God. I'll even grant them dominion over a star ring, making them the overlord of that celestial region."

Hong Guang replied cautiously, "

Uh...

since these resources aren't particularly rare, I assumed they wouldn't disturb your cultivation, so I asked them to leave."

"You personally head to Gaia Civilization and convey my message," demanded Hong Feng.

After a moment, he corrected himself. "Not a message—a command! If Gaia wants to support my cultivation, they must show enough sincerity. Six portions of Primordial Spirit Essence. Not one less."

"I'll leave immediately," Hong Guang responded hastily. "They also mentioned inviting you to visit the Gaian Civilization to guide their juniors."

Hong Feng knew that their so-called invitation was essentially a bid for security.

All they needed was to record his visit to the Gaian Civilization. This would act as the demonstration of a friendly relationship with them. Once he became an Astral God, this would serve as their guarantee for long-lasting prosperity and stability.

It was like the Taibai Royal Family paying a visit to an ordinary family. Even if it was only a show, this visit could spare the ordinary family endless troubles and help them rise to prominence.

Waving a hand casually, Hong Feng declared, "If they can deliver six portions of Primordial Spirit Essence, I won't just guide their juniors; I might even take one or two as disciples."

He had already promised over a hundred disciple spots, so adding one more made no difference.

"The Divine Treasury Hall is truly a remarkable place... It's overflowing with top-tier resources. Primordial Spirit Essence is only the beginning. The real treasure lies in the Astral Source Spirits. With enough of them, it's possible to create even a peerless genius."

Standing to the side, Ao Yunxiao began listing the resources that could be exchanged in the Divine Treasury Hall.

He sincerely hoped to gain some favorable news from the Gaian Civilization.

The Ashen Council didn't view Gaia as a real threat. Hence, they didn't mind if this would increase Gaia's standing in Hong Feng's eyes.

Besides, any benefits could only be secured once Hong Feng achieved the position of Astral God's successor. If Gaia was willing to invest heavily in supporting Hong Feng, the Ashen Council would gladly accept it.

Hong Feng's eyes widened in shock. "The Divine Treasury Hall has so many treasures!?"

With these resources, not only could his mental spirit value rival that of Tier Three Legends, but it would also be only a matter of time before his cultivation realm caught up to the same level.

In that moment, his heart burned with anticipation.