Chapter 184: The Empress is Furious! How Dare a Mosquito Select a Consort?

Chu Sheng thought for a moment. ’My realm and Skills have improved quite a bit lately. It’s time to get some real combat experience and test them out.’

’Where should I go to practice?’

’I know... Spirit Martial Eternity!’

’But there’s a problem. I don’t have the gaming equipment for Spirit Martial Eternity.’

’Heh, that’s a no-brainer. I’ll just ask Shepherd Mountain!’

The next day, Chu Sheng just had to drop a hint, and Shepherd Mountain immediately procured a custom-made, High-Level gaming pod for him. He even set up a private, exclusive gaming room on the top floor of the office building, where no one was allowed to disturb him!

The equipment, the environment—everything was top-tier!

Shepherd Mountain even offered to arrange for a few people to play with him... but Chu Sheng refused.

’The perks of having an Emperor-level Bloodline are just amazing!’

「Inside the exclusive gaming room.」

Chu Sheng looked at the gaming pod before him, gloating inwardly. This pod was even more advanced than the one Gu Yuexi had used back at Du Nan First Middle School. It also came with a top-tier Permission Card that could unlock all skins, character customization options, and other features.

This type of gaming pod could be used by a person alone, together with their Contracted Beast, or even by the Contracted Beast on its own.

Of course, if a Contracted Beast was on the larger side, it would require a larger gaming pod, or it wouldn’t be able to play at all.

It was extremely rare for a Contracted Beast to use a gaming pod alone, mainly because it required a high level of Spiritual Wisdom. Even in such cases, it was usually done with the owner’s assistance: the owner would first set everything up for the beast, then let it undergo combat training inside the game.

Of course, Chu Sheng didn’t need any of that. He took a look around, climbed out of the New Roach Battle Treasure’s cockpit, and lay down directly inside the gaming pod.

As the pod door closed, a soft light instantly scanned his entire body.

The loading screen for Spirit Martial Eternity slowly appeared.

[Identity Scan Complete. No account detected. Please create an account to proceed.]

The account he’d used before belonged to Gu Yuexi, so Chu Sheng didn’t have his own—he didn’t even have a basic messaging account. He had to create a new one.

’Easy enough!’

Chu Sheng quickly registered, logged in, and linked his Permission Card.

[DING! Login Successful.]

[Please Create Your Game ID.]

[Please Create Your Virtual Avatar.]

’A game ID? It has to be something totally badass!’ Without even thinking, Chu Sheng typed onto the virtual screen:

"YourGurlfriendStaresAtMe"

[ID already taken.]

"SheSaidSheHadAHeadache"

[ID already taken.]

"OptimusPrimeLeakedOilWatchingACarWash"

[ID already taken.]

????

’Forget it, I’m too lazy to think of one... I’ll just hit randomize.’

[Randomly Generated Game ID: HafvkSpitfirePong13]

’Great. Definitely a bot name.’

’Whatever.’ Chu Sheng couldn’t be bothered to create a virtual avatar either, so he just had the system scan the image of his New Roach Battle Treasure.

After all, he had painstakingly designed the appearance of this giant cockroach himself, and he was quite satisfied with it. ’Heh heh.’

[DING! Character Creation Successful. Entering Spirit Martial Eternity...]

...

「At the same time.」

The Nangong Family estate, one of the Ten Great Clans of Hong Kong Island.

Gu Yuexi, having temporarily emerged from her seclusion, was speaking with several senior members of the Nangong Family.

"Congratulations on emerging from your seclusion, Miss Lin! To have advanced directly from the Third-Grade Early Stage to the Sea of Consciousness Realm in just a few short days... Only someone with the talent of an Empress could progress at such a speed!"

"Indeed. You’re at the Sea of Consciousness Third Transformation. Just one more step and you’ll advance to the Middle-Grade Realm. And Miss Lin, you’re only eighteen, correct?"

"Heh heh, at this rate, the day Miss Lin achieves the rank of Empress is not far off!"

During this period, with the exception of the Mu Family, the other Nine Great Clans of Hong Kong Island had all been exceptionally friendly and respectful toward Gu Yuexi.

Gu Yuexi’s expression was cool and aloof as she nodded.

"I must thank you all for your help. I, Lin Zhixia, will not forget it."

The Nangong Family’s Patriarch, Nangong Shuo, chuckled and waved his hand.

"Miss Lin is one of us Hong Kong Islanders now. It is only natural that our families should help the future Empress of Hong Kong Island."

"Miss Lin, if there is anything else you need, please do not hesitate to ask. We will surely provide it!"

This was exactly what Gu Yuexi had been waiting for. ’In any case, it’s "Lin Zhixia" who’s racking up all these favors, not me.’

"In that case, I won’t be polite."

"I need a set of the latest equipment for Spirit Martial Eternity. I’d like to test what I’ve gained during my seclusion."

"Oh, and one more thing. Are there any Secret Realms on Hong Kong Island suitable for a Middle-Grade Realm trial? Once I advance to the Fourth-Grade Realm, I’d also like to enter a Secret Realm to acclimate to my new power through actual combat. After all, relying solely on seclusion isn’t a sustainable path."

Nangong Shuo nodded.

"You make an excellent point, Miss Lin."

"As for the Spirit Martial Eternity equipment, I will certainly arrange it for you. I’ll make sure you get the most advanced setup available."

"As for a suitable Secret Realm for your trial... let me think."

"Ah, I have it! Hong Kong University has an Intermediate Secret Realm exclusively for its students."

"In a short while, Hong Kong University’s inter-academy tournament is scheduled to begin. The Secret Realm will be opened for it, and you, Miss Lin, could choose to temporarily join one of the academies to participate in the trial."

"With your status, Miss Lin, I’m certain Hong Kong University wouldn’t refuse. In fact, they’d probably jump at the opportunity!"

’Hong Kong University?’

Gu Yuexi’s expression flickered slightly at his words.

’An internal Secret Realm trial... that could work. The top students at Hong Kong University should be around the Fourth and Fifth Grades. It would be a perfect opportunity to test my strength!’

’That stinky mosquito should still be at Hong Kong University, too. I wonder what kind of new trouble he’s stirred up lately.’

"Thank you for the information, Patriarch Nangong! By the way, has anything happened at Hong Kong University recently? Anything... particularly strange?"

Nangong Shuo was taken aback for a moment, then replied:

"Now that you mention it, Miss Lin, I do recall something. The other academies at the university have been quiet, but the perennially weak Beast Taming Academy, on the other hand, seems to have made headlines."

"Apparently, a Cockroach Demon Beast actually won first place in seven events of their internal challenge tournament. Now the Beast Taming Academy is treating that cockroach like a precious treasure; they’re just short of building a shrine to it. I even heard they’re planning to let the cockroach ’select a consort’—to choose its own master."

"Heh heh, I think the dean of that Beast Taming Academy must be getting senile to pull a stunt like that. When you cleared the Heart Sea Glazed Tower, Miss Lin, that old codger didn’t even show up to offer his congratulations. When you choose an academy in a few days, you can safely disregard the Beast Taming Academy."

Nangong Shuo’s tone was full of ridicule; he clearly thought the whole affair was a joke.

’A cockroach?’

’This has to be that mosquito’s handiwork.’

’’Select a consort?’’

’That stinky mosquito... while this Empress is away, you’re really having fun, aren’t you!’

’Just you wait!!!’

Gu Yuexi’s face turned cold. She stood up abruptly.

"Thank you for the information, Patriarch Nangong."

"I will take your advice then. In a few days, I will temporarily join one of Hong Kong University’s academies and participate in the trial!"

"I’ll trouble you to convey my intentions, Patriarch Nangong."

"As for which academy I’ll be joining... Heh. We’ll see when the time comes. But it certainly won’t be the Beast Taming Academy!!"