Chapter 764: The Time Tower (2)

"The Time Tower of Knowledge has an initial 100 floors. Each floor has an increasing time-acceleration rate of 1,000 magnitudes. However, before one could proceed inside, a trial of will would descend on each individual. I suggest if you're not confident in your will, you try the lower floor first." The staff member explained.

"Oh, does that mean there will be higher floors and higher time acceleration later on?" Lilia muttered with interest. Furthermore, hearing the term Time Tower of Knowledge, does that mean there will also be a Time Tower of Cultivation or a Time Tower of Creation in the future?

"You're right, Eternal Fire Lord. However, we don't have a definite time for when it will be available."

"No worries. Take us to the 100th floor. It shouldn't be a problem to pass the test."

Since the Time Tower was built at Eternal Star University, it was naturally built for them. As the place's peak talents, if they couldn't use the 100th floor, who could?

Climbing the stairs, they reached the 100th floor. Like every other floor, the room was plain and unadorned.

"I can only take you here. If you can't take the pressure, you should get out as quickly as possible." The staff member said, opening the door for them.

As they entered, they suddenly felt pressure begin to weigh on and crush their will. However, having been subjected to such pressure before, they only felt some mild discomfort as they entered a virtual pod leading to the private time server.

"See you on the other side."

"You too~."

---

Time Tower of Knowledge, 100th Virtual Server:

Entering the server, they found themselves in a blank, empty space. Looking at each other's avatars, they were confused and didn't know what to do.

Fortunately, a guide quickly projected before them. First were the rules of the place.

The time acceleration on the server wouldn't start without the unanimous agreement of 10 individuals. That meant at least 10 people were needed before the server could run.

In the meantime, they could arrange the space for various experimental equipment, materials, test subjects, leisure areas, etc.

"This place is quite strict."

"Expensive too."

According to the guide, after the server was activated, each second they spent in the server cost 10 Eternal Star University credits!

Each university credit equaled 1 Chaos Stone. That meant using the tower for a day would burn about a million Chaos Stones, roughly half a month's profit for high-level cosmic teams using the Eternal Military Outpost.

"Don't worry too much. It seems our perks still work. We only need to pay 10% of the price. It's nothing." Lilia didn't take it to heart.

They were Eternal Fire Seedlings. Not only were they given a million-credit allowance each month, they even had a 90% discount. Coupled with various specialized tasks in the university, they could pocket a few million credits each month.

"The Eternal Star Alliance really invested all out."

"Yeah…"

While the generosity made them grateful, it also made them realize how dire the Eternal Star Alliance's situation was. While the seven major-level teams had Tier 8 Philosopher Saints and Tier 9 Professionals, the rest were still grasping at straws.

The Eternal Star Alliance's only hope was these fire kindlings, born and nurtured by the Empyrean Will Primogenial Land, to break the deadlock.

Feeling inspired, they couldn't help but think of Nash, the Supreme Leader of the Eternal Star Alliance. Rumor had it that he was already a Tier 8 scientist who specialized in the most archaic subject, energy.

However, many doubted this rumor; even the cosmic elites of the Eternal Star Alliance themselves didn't believe it. Still, creating the Eternal Military Outpost, which no other major team could copy, was miraculous in itself.

"Do you believe it?" Lilia scanned the room, already filled with 10 individuals. Too engrossed in the discussion, they hadn't even gotten around to activating the server's time acceleration.

"We believe it. The Universal Runic System is already the most solid proof; why look at others?"

"That's right! How could such a miraculous system be a mere byproduct of a genetic ability? I don't believe it."

"Haha, I'd even believe it if Supreme Leader Nash announced that he was proficient in three aspects of the Universe."

"Truly monstrous. We're lucky that we were born in the Eternal Star Alliance."

"Alright, let's quickly arrange the experimental area and start the timer. We can't waste any more time."

Each of them was an SSS-class talent in their respective profession. Yet all the same, everyone was still stuck at the Tier 6 professional level.

It wasn't that they couldn't go higher; it was that Eternal Star University's advancement requirements were too harsh. For others, one only needed to independently produce 1-3 qualified products, yet they needed to produce every type of product in their profession and master all the knowledge listed for it.

This strict standard left everyone unable to fathom when they could advance. By their estimate, if they wanted to complete all requirements, they would need to spend hundreds of years, that is, if they didn't encounter a bottleneck.

Soon, after arranging the space and dividing it into ten sections, one for each individual, they all agreed to activate the 100,000-times time acceleration.

Opening the [Library Module System], they began digesting knowledge about their respective professions and started tinkering with their research.

The university had already tailored each milestone they needed to achieve; for every test, level, and product, they just needed to tick each one off to pass and move on.

As time accelerated, everyone felt freedom for the first time. Without feeling rushed, they could concentrate more, build more meticulous products, and study the deepest knowledge in their profession.

Lost in deep focus, they didn't even notice time passing by, from months to years to decades—until, about three centuries later, they were kicked out of the server.

"No! We still have credits! Why are we being kicked out?!"

"Too soon! I was just about to complete my research."

"It's a pity…"

Looking bewildered, each of them wore a helpless expression. Although they had read the rules stating there was a 300-year limit on the server, they didn't expect it to end without anyone noticing.

When they touched the virtual pod, they were notified of a 1-month cooldown before they could enter again.

"Tsk, the cooldown time is too long."

Just as they were about to complain more, someone knocked on the door, urging them to leave.

"I'm sorry, Eternal Fire Lords, but you need to leave. It's stated in the rules that one can only stay inside for a 30-hour limit." The staff member apologized.

"We understand…"

Behind the staff member, hundreds of SSS-class elites like them were already waiting in line.

As they left the room, they could only look back, filled with reluctance.

"We'll come back a month later…"

Most of them were just short of advancing to the next level. Unfortunately, 300 years was a bit short. If they could have had another 100-200 years, they might have become Tier 7 professionals.

Before leaving, the staff member had handed them a Faith Essence Potion. "It's recommended to take a Faith Essence Potion regularly, before you take the next session."

"Thank you…"

After downing a bottle of Faith Essence Potion, their minds cleared up. Feeling a burst of inspiration, they couldn't wait to leave the Time Tower and do another round of experiments.

"These Eternal Fire Lords are truly eager…" The staff member thought as they left.

---

A month later, as the Time Tower at Eternal Star University bustled on, the expedition fleet's preparations were finally complete.

"Have you already chosen where to go next, Lord Nash?" Teal asked.

There were over 100 thousand unexplored domain areas in the Empyrean Will Primogenal Land. To maximize their profit, they needed to change location every half year. Relying on Nash's luck, they hoped to pick a place that was not only safe but also richer in resources.

"Yes, Elizabeth has already deduced the coordinates. You can enter them into the dimensional-scale teleportation array later."

"That's great!"

To harvest rich resources in the unexplored domain area, they had to rely not only on the Eternal Military Outpost but also on the area's natural resources.

"What about the situation with the outposts? I heard you were only able to loan them out at 100 mother core ships."

"This… Please forgive me, but everyone is already short on mother core ships. No matter how much we increase the price, we can't sell them. Instead of wasting those Eternal Military Outposts, it's better to utilize them to attract as many high-level teams as possible."

After the Eternal Star Alliance's frenzied sale of the outposts, they had gathered over 22.46 million Tier 8 mother core ships, more than double what even those seven major-level teams possessed.

At this moment, no matter how valuable the Eternal Military Outpost was, no one could afford it. To loan out over 4,500 outposts, most of those high-level teams couldn't even pay for 100 mother core ships.

"I'm not blaming you. In fact, I want to reward you. Now that everyone is out of mother core ships, of course we need to distribute the outposts in a different way."

"What do we do, Lord Nash?"

"Just give everyone a full loan. The only condition is that before paying off the Eternal Military Outpost in full, they need to follow us on expeditions, with all Merit Source gained through the clearance order given to us unconditionally."

His goal was no longer the mother core ships, which they already had too many of, but the Merit Source they severely lacked.