Chapter 156: The Trading Area and Combat Zone

Chapter 156: Chapter 156: The Trading Area and Combat Zone

The reason Victoria Quill was so eager to thank Xavier was simple. Six days earlier, he had given her a Qiankun Pill, and that pill had played a crucial role in helping her survive the Heavenly Tribulation.

But that wasn’t all.

Xavier had also given her a seventh-grade Reversal Pill. It was this precious pill that had ultimately saved her during the final strike of the Nine Heavenly Tribulation. Without it, she might not have survived the terrifying lightning at all.

In a sense, Xavier had saved her life.

How could she not be grateful?

"Xavier, I truly don’t know how to thank you for the Reversal Pill. Without it, I would have lost my life during the tribulation!"

Victoria spoke with genuine gratitude.

Xavier smiled and waved away her thanks. "The pills only provided some assistance. You were able to reach the Divine Power Realm because of your own strength and the solid foundation you’ve built through years of cultivation."

Although seventh-grade Reversal Pills were exceptionally valuable, Xavier had received two of them through the system’s investment returns. He still had one in reserve, so giving one to Victoria hadn’t put him in a difficult position.

Besides, he had his reasons for helping her.

Victoria was an important ally. Their next destination was the Tree Demon’s territory, and having a Divine Power Realm expert accompany them would greatly improve their chances of staying safe.

Naturally, that didn’t mean he was giving away resources without expecting anything in return. No matter how valuable Victoria was to him, she wasn’t one of the system’s designated investment targets. The pills he had provided were still resources she would eventually have to repay.

"Mr X, you’ve done far too much for me."

Victoria shook her head, clearly unable to accept his casual attitude.

He had never claimed that the pills were gifts. From the beginning, he had made it clear that she would have to compensate him for them. Unfortunately, she couldn’t afford to settle the debt immediately and would have to repay him gradually.

Even so, the amount she owed him kept increasing.

At this rate, she doubted she could ever repay everything he had done for her.

It seemed she would have to dedicate herself to working alongside Xavier for a long time.

"There’s no need to rush," Xavier replied with a smile.

He then changed the subject.

"One of the greatest differences between a Divine Power Realm martial artist and someone at the Star Sea Realm is their ability to comprehend and wield laws. General Victoria, which law have you comprehended?"

"Time!"

Victoria answered without hesitation.

There was no reason to conceal it from people she trusted. Besides, once they entered the Tree Demon’s territory, she would have to use her abilities sooner or later. Keeping them secret would serve little purpose.

"Actually, I have another reason to thank you!"

Her expression brightened as she continued.

"For three years, I’ve been studying the Law of Wind. Since I was already at the peak of the Star Sea Realm, I assumed that after breaking through to the Divine Power Realm, I would naturally begin to wield the Law of Wind."

"But something unexpected happened. Perhaps it was because I took the Reversal Pill, but I ended up comprehending the Law of Time instead!"

"At the moment, I can use both time reversal and time acceleration. I’ve already tested them, and their effects are astonishing!"

Victoria was visibly excited. "Mr X, you’ve helped me more than you realize!"

Laws were not all equal in power or rarity.

There was an old saying in the martial world: space reigned supreme, while time stood above all.

For Victoria, comprehending the Law of Time was something she had never even dared to hope for. Yet, after surviving the tribulation, she had unexpectedly gained precisely that ability.

Until then, she had devoted herself to understanding the natural laws of wind. But during the transformation that followed the Heavenly Tribulation, her comprehension had taken an entirely different direction.

After considering everything, she could only attribute this extraordinary change to the Reversal Pill.

After all, it was a seventh-grade pill that contained abilities related to the laws of time.

"Don’t mention it. You’ve actually given me something useful to think about."

Xavier fell into thought after hearing her explanation.

If taking a Reversal Pill had helped Victoria comprehend the Law of Time, then perhaps it could produce a similar effect for him when he eventually advanced from the Star Sea Realm to the Divine Power Realm.

It was certainly worth trying.

He turned toward Mira Sinclair and Samuel Bush.

"When either of you is preparing to break through to the Divine Power Realm, come and find me. Refining Reversal Pills isn’t particularly difficult for me."

Mira was his wife and also one of the system’s designated investment targets, so helping her was only natural.

As for Samuel, Xavier had always considered him a dependable and responsible man. He took good care of his wife and son, and Xavier was willing to lend him a hand whenever he could.

Samuel was pleasantly surprised by the offer. However, he soon shook his head.

"I think I’ll pass. I’d be more than satisfied if I could reach the Star Sea Realm in this lifetime."

He understood his own limitations. His martial arts talent was nothing extraordinary, and the Divine Power Realm seemed far beyond his reach.

"Let’s see how far Mira can go first!"

"Thank you, Mr X!"

Mira responded politely before turning toward Samuel and raising a fist in encouragement.

"Minister Samuel, you should keep working hard too. Don’t give up just yet. You never know what might happen!"

"Haha! I’ll gladly accept that good wish!"

The four of them continued chatting for a while, enjoying the rare opportunity to relax together.

Eventually, they turned their attention to the matters that required their immediate consideration.

The most pressing concerns were the Shadow Ring’s assassination attempt and their plans to enter the Tree Demon’s territory. They needed to decide how to deal with the organization and when to make their move.

However, before they began that discussion, Xavier brought up something else.

"There are two things I’d like to discuss."

He looked at Samuel and Victoria.

"First, what do you two know about the Invitation from Destiny?"

Xavier’s eyes held a hint of anticipation.

He had obtained the Invitation from Destiny from the head of the Lindsay Family. According to the information written on its back, it could be used between the first and fifth days of every month.

The Destiny Space was described as a special realm containing both a trading area and a combat zone. However, entry was restricted to martial artists who had reached the Star Sea Realm.

Xavier’s current supply of resources suitable for system investments was running dangerously low. He needed to replenish his stock, and the Destiny Space seemed like a promising place to start.

That was why he had turned his attention to the invitation.

Samuel, however, looked completely lost. Judging by his expression, this was the first time he had heard of such a thing.

Victoria’s reaction was entirely different. The moment Xavier mentioned it, surprise appeared on her face.

"An Invitation from Destiny?"

She looked at him in disbelief.

"Xavier, you actually have one?"

"That’s right. You’ve heard of it, General Victoria?"

"Of course!"

Seeing her reaction, Xavier felt a surge of excitement.

He had been hoping to find someone who could explain the Destiny Space before he entered it. Now, it seemed he had found exactly the person he needed.

There was a reason people often said that having an experienced elder around was like possessing a treasure. It wasn’t necessarily about age, but the wealth of knowledge that came with years of experience.

Victoria clearly knew far more about the martial world than he did.

"General Victoria, if you don’t mind, tell me everything you know about the Destiny Space. I’d like to understand what I’m getting into before entering it."

Victoria studied him for a moment before asking a question of her own.

"Have you already reached the peak of the Star Sea Realm?"

Xavier blinked in confusion and shook his head.

"No. Why do you ask?"

"Because, according to what I know, the Invitation from Destiny is only issued to martial artists who have reached the peak of the Star Sea Realm!"

Noticing that Xavier still seemed puzzled, Victoria proceeded to explain.

"The Destiny Space is an independent miniature world. It doesn’t have an ordinary master or ruler, but it possesses its own spatial will."

"Think of it as a secret realm with a consciousness of its own. Some people refer to such an existence as the Heavenly Dao. That should make it easier to understand."

She paused briefly before continuing.

"The Destiny Space is an unusual place. Whenever a martial artist reaches the peak of the Nine-Star Star Sea Realm, the will governing that space will issue them an Invitation from Destiny."

Victoria Quill had remained at the peak of the Star Sea Realm for nearly three years. Given her position and the extensive knowledge she had accumulated over the years, she was naturally familiar with many things that ordinary martial artists knew little about.

According to her explanation, every martial artist who reached the peak of the Star Sea Realm had a chance to receive an Invitation from Destiny. Victoria herself had received one several years ago.

However, the invitation was far more than an ordinary token.

It was also a teleportation device.

By channeling spiritual energy into it, its owner could immediately enter the Destiny Space.

The Destiny Space was a unique realm divided into two main sections: a trading area and a combat area. More importantly, it was governed by an absolute rule of peace. No one could use it to harm another person.

Even the combat area was designed for friendly sparring. Martial artists could challenge one another, exchange techniques, and gain valuable combat experience without worrying about losing their lives.

Naturally, this made the Destiny Space extremely popular among powerful martial artists.

There was just one peculiar restriction. The realm only opened for five days every month, and no one could enter outside that period.

Another important detail was that leaving the Destiny Space was relatively simple, but entering it came at a cost.

An Invitation from Destiny could only be used once.

In other words, it wasn’t merely a teleportation tool. It was a consumable item that disappeared after granting its owner access to the realm.

Of course, reaching the peak of the Star Sea Realm wasn’t the only way to obtain one. Martial artists could also purchase invitations from others or exchange for them through a special exchange pool inside the Destiny Space.

However, the exchange wasn’t cheap. Anyone hoping to obtain an invitation through the pool had to offer items worth at least two fifth-grade pills.

Victoria had learned this the hard way.

When she first received her invitation, she entered the Destiny Space without making any preparations. By the time she understood how valuable the place was, her invitation had already been consumed.

For the following three years, she occasionally kept an eye on the market, hoping to hear news of someone selling another one. Unfortunately, she had never come across a suitable opportunity.

That was no longer a concern, though.

Xavier had previously given her a Holy Purification Pill, which removed the curse inflicted by the Abyss Demon Clan. Now, with his help, she had successfully reached the Divine Power Realm using the Qiankun Pill and Reversal Pill.

For the time being, she no longer had any pressing need to visit the Destiny Space.

"All in all, the Destiny Space is an excellent place. Mr X , are you thinking of going there?"

After finishing her explanation, Victoria turned to him curiously.

"Yes."

Xavier nodded.

From what he had heard, the people who could enter the Destiny Space were mostly martial artists at the Star Sea Realm or above. Those below that level would need an exceptionally powerful background and considerable resources to obtain an invitation.

More importantly, the Destiny Space offered a completely safe environment where people could trade without fear of being attacked.

To Xavier, it was practically an ideal marketplace for exchanging resources. There was no reason for him to pass up such an opportunity.

"My invitation was given to me by Graham Cole," he explained. "I’m actually nowhere near the peak of the Star Sea Realm."

Xavier silently added in his mind that although his cultivation hadn’t reached that level, his actual combat strength was already far beyond what most people at his current realm could imagine.

Victoria seemed hesitant after hearing this, and Xavier quickly understood what was on her mind.

"Do you want another invitation?"

He smiled.

"If the exchange pool really only requires items worth two fifth-grade pills, I’ll obtain an extra one for you while I’m there."

To Xavier, the cost was practically insignificant.

Half a month earlier, he had invested all the spoils obtained from the destruction of the Lindsay Family into Mira Sinclair and Maya Knox. The system’s returns had multiplied his resources to an astonishing degree.

He now possessed more than eight hundred fifth-grade pills, nearly thirty sixth-grade pills, and ten seventh-grade pills.

His collection of eighth-grade pills hadn’t increased, though. He still had only one, the Immortal Martial Pill.

With such an enormous stockpile, two fifth-grade pills were hardly worth mentioning. They were practically as insignificant as weeds growing beside the road.

"Then I’ll have to thank you again, Mr X."

Victoria accepted his offer with a grateful smile.

She had accumulated quite a few debts to him already, but that didn’t mean she needed to turn down another opportunity. Besides, she could afford the equivalent of two fifth-grade pills herself, so there was no reason to refuse his kindness.

"Alright. That’s the first matter settled. Now, let me bring up the second one."

Xavier paused before continuing.

"Regarding the identity of the person who awakened the Calamity Poison Body, the rumors circulating outside are correct. It’s Maya Knox."

He looked at the three people around him.

"She’s currently staying somewhere very secure under the protection of my friend, Graham Cole. However, we’re preparing to enter the Tree Demon’s territory, and the Shadow Ring has also marked her as a target. What do you think we should do about her?"