I Have an All-Knowing Mirror

Chapter 120: Please Formulate a Plan for Me, Mr. Ming

"So this is the strength of a Level 8 Lifeform?"

Su Yuan sat cross-legged at the summit of Mount Everest, carefully sensing the changes in his Life Level.

After advancing to Level 8, his Six Dimensions, including his Physical Body and Soul, experienced a massive surge. The coverage of Su Yuan's mind force expanded in one fell swoop, reaching a radius of five hundred kilometers.

With himself at the center, everything within this five-hundred-kilometer radius was completely under his mental control.

"I can feel that a single full-force punch is all it would take to smash through this peak. As for an island nation like Fusang, I could sink it using nothing but my own individual strength."

Su Yuan mused to himself.

In reality, the combat prowess Su Yuan could currently unleash had already surpassed the scope of a normal Level 8 Lifeform. Even an ordinary Level 9 Lifeform could not compare to him.

If his strength were to be classified according to the standards on Blue Star, he would undoubtedly be a "Nation-Destroying Class."

With his power alone, he could wipe out any country on Blue Star.

'What a pity. I am still a long way from becoming a true Starry Sky Lifeform,'Su Yuan thought inwardly.

A true Starry Sky Lifeform, even one just entering the stage, possessed a mind force domain that could cover nearly half a planet. If it were a mid-stage Starry Sky Lifeform, a single thought could scan the entirety of Blue Star, revealing every minute detail as clearly as the lines on one's palm.

As for a late-stage Starry Sky Lifeform? Or even a Peak Starry Sky Lifeform? The sheer terror of their power could completely obliterate an inhabited planet!

The gap in strength between the initial, mid, and late stages of a Starry Sky Lifeform was staggeringly vast.

Reining in his thoughts, Su Yuan communicated with the gray mirror deep within his sea of consciousness. 'Show me my latest physical data!'

The surface of the gray mirror shimmered with a hazy light and provided an answer.

[Life Level: Level 8 (1%)]

[Cultivation Method: Six-Dimensional Cultivation Method]

[Sacred Method: Mind Brand]

[Spear Technique: "Thirty-six Forms of Ultimate Yang" - Perfected]

[Spear Technique: "Thirty-six Forms of Ultimate Yin" - Perfected]

[Power of Ultimate Yang: 85%]

[Power of Ultimate Yin: 85%]

[Combat Bonus: 2830%]

Two months of bitter cultivation, consuming three Superior-grade Martial Arts Manuals, had drastically elevated Su Yuan's comprehension of the Power of Ultimate Yang and the Power of Ultimate Yin to eighty-five percent in one fell swoop.

It was worth noting that just two months ago, his understanding of these two special energies had merely been hovering just over seventy percent.

"The Void Shattering world has been incredibly helpful to me,"

Su Yuan sighed with deep emotion. If he had not entered the Void Shattering world and relied solely on his own cultivation, his comprehension of the Ultimate Yang and Ultimate Yin powers would likely not have even surpassed sixty percent by now.

The gray mirror had previously estimated the time it would take for Su Yuan to Fully Comprehend the powers of Ultimate Yang and Ultimate Yin on his own—over ninety years.

The Martial Arts Manuals in the Void Shattering world recorded far more than just basic information. They functioned more like an enlightenment bestowal, directly infusing comprehension into the reader's mind.

This was exactly why Su Yuan did not simply use the gray mirror to instantly deduce the contents of the manuals. Knowing merely the text was practically useless; it would still require him to painstakingly comprehend the techniques bit by bit.

A genuine Martial Arts Manual, however, could instantly impart all its profound insights into the viewer, allowing them to Fully Comprehend every single detail within a remarkably short period.

'A combat bonus of 2830%...'

Su Yuan stared at his combat multiplier.

That translated to a 28.3 times amplification in sheer battle power.

'The threshold for experts of the Top Three Ranks is a fifteen-times combat bonus. A fifteen-times multiplier equates to just stepping into the Third Rank,'

'Meanwhile, the combat bonus for a Second Rank expert is 3000%, meaning a thirty-times multiplier.'

Su Yuan scrutinized his own strength. 'Does this mean my current power, if placed in the Void Shattering world, is equivalent to the peak of the Third Rank? Just one step away from rivaling the Second Rank?'

Of course, this was only a theoretical comparison based strictly on the raw multiplier.

In reality, with the assistance of the gray mirror, Su Yuan's true combat capabilities far exceeded a mere 2830% bonus.

After all, the gray mirror allowed Su Yuan to foresee his opponent's moves in advance. While this advantage might be useless in the face of an insurmountable gap in raw power, against opponents of a similar level, it was nothing short of a divine skill.

Void Shattering world.

Green Xiang City, the martial arts training ground of the Money Gang.

Wielding a Long Gun, Su Yuan endlessly practiced his spear techniques, immersing himself in the vast and surging power of Yin and Yang resonating between heaven and earth.

Saber Devil Qin Mo approached and stopped a short distance away, standing respectfully as he waited for Su Yuan to finish his routine.

Ten minutes later.

Su Yuan retracted his Long Gun and stood up straight.

"Gang Leader,"

Saber Devil Qin Mo immediately stepped forward, greeting him with profound deference.

While waiting, Qin Mo had been observing Su Yuan's spear practice. To him, every single thrust appeared incredibly ordinary, yet each strike somehow managed to pull at the boundless, inexhaustible energies of the world itself.

In a realm where one's physical constitution was strictly capped at Level 1, there were only two ways to enhance one's strength: first, by excavating the body's hidden potential to a much deeper level; and second, by borrowing the ambient power of heaven and earth.

'I can feel it. The Gang Leader is even more terrifying than he was two months ago. Did he achieve another breakthrough in reality?' Saber Devil Qin Mo could not help but marvel inwardly. 'I thought they said breakthroughs became exponentially harder once you reached the Starry Sky Lifeform stage?'

"What is it?"

Su Yuan asked, his eyes remaining closed, not even glancing at Qin Mo.

"Gang Leader," Saber Devil Qin Mo replied respectfully. "You instructed me to travel to Gongyang City to negotiate with the Lu family, offering six thousand ounces of gold in exchange for their Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual..."

The Lu family of Gongyang City was a formidable faction of Native Residents. The strongest expert in their clan was a Third Rank master.

Eight years ago, the Lu family had stumbled upon a Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual by pure chance. Unfortunately, every Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual was unique, and to this day, no one in the Lu family had managed to Fully Comprehend its contents.

Not many knew about this matter. Furthermore, the Lu family treated the manual as a core foundation of their legacy, staunchly refusing to sell it to outsiders.

Even if an Imperial Citizen Player was aware of its existence, there was nothing they could do.

After all, the Lu family had a Third Rank expert standing guard and maintained deep ties with the Authorities. An Imperial Citizen Player would find it immensely difficult to pressure them.

However, that specific Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual held by the Lu family happened to possess the Extreme Yang Attribute, making it highly valuable to Su Yuan.

Thus, over a month ago, Su Yuan had begun laying down a strategic trap against the Lu family.

He struck at them economically, sabotaging the Lu family's businesses until they suffered severe cash shortages and broken supply chains.

His goal was to force the Lu family to liquidate their assets just to survive the crisis.

It was at this critical juncture that Su Yuan dispatched Qin Mo to the Lu family, expressing his intent to purchase that Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual for six thousand ounces of gold.

Six thousand ounces of gold was the exact amount needed to resolve the Lu family's most urgent financial woes.

After so many years of failing to Fully Comprehend the manual, the Third Rank expert of the Lu family had long harbored thoughts of selling it.

He had simply been too reluctant to part with it.

But now that the Lu family was facing an economic collapse, selling the manual was vastly preferable to auctioning off their ancestral estates and lucrative storefronts.

After all, keeping it in their hands was utterly useless anyway.

"The Lu family refused to sell it for six thousand ounces of gold. They demanded a price of twelve thousand ounces instead," Saber Devil Qin Mo reported in a low voice.

Upon hearing this, Su Yuan remained silent.

In order to cripple the Lu family's economy and disrupt their cash flow, Su Yuan had already expended two thousand ounces of gold.

Six thousand ounces of gold was Su Yuan's absolute limit, and he knew it was the Lu family's bottom line as well.

However, as a prominent family that had stood firm for centuries, the Lu family was accustomed to opening their maw wide like a lion. Quoting twelve thousand ounces was merely a probe to test Su Yuan's attitude.

If Su Yuan agreed too readily, the Lu family would suddenly lose their sense of urgency.

If Su Yuan refused and continued to haggle, the Lu family would attempt to stall while seeking out other potential buyers.

After all, the official exchange rate for a Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual set by the Dayong Dynasty was ten thousand ounces of gold.

"Lu Heng, that old fox..." Su Yuan muttered. He casually picked up a dagger from a nearby weapon rack on the training ground and gently stroked its blade with his right hand.

"Deliver this dagger to Lu Heng."

Su Yuan opened his eyes and looked at Saber Devil Qin Mo.

Lu Heng was the name of the Lu family's Third Rank expert.

"A dagger?"

Qin Mo wore a puzzled expression. He had no idea what kind of scheme Su Yuan was cooking up.

The Lu family had hiked the price up to twelve thousand ounces. What good would sending them a dagger do?

"Understood."

Although he did not understand Su Yuan's intentions, Saber Devil Qin Mo knew that unconditionally following orders was never the wrong choice.

"Huh?"

The moment Qin Mo took the dagger from Su Yuan's hand,

his expression shifted drastically.

"Why is it so heavy?"

Qin Mo stared in absolute disbelief.

How could such a short little dagger weigh several dozen pounds?

This dagger was clearly forged from ordinary steel. It was physically impossible for it to carry such an immense weight.

"I have condensed the Power of Ultimate Yang within the blade. That is why it is so heavy,"

Su Yuan explained calmly.

"The Power of Ultimate Yang?"

"Inside the dagger?"

Qin Mo's mind reeled in shock.

It was common knowledge that a Starry Sky Lifeform could comprehend a specific Cosmic Power, manipulating and controlling it in battle.

But to condense that Cosmic Power, infuse it into an external object, and guarantee that it would not dissipate for a short period...

That required an astronomically high level of comprehension over that particular power.

This was certainly not a feat any ordinary Starry Sky Lifeform could accomplish.

"Deliver this dagger directly into Lu Heng's hands. He will naturally know what to do,"

Su Yuan stated.

Condensing the Power of Ultimate Yang into the dagger was a blatant act of deterrence.

It was also a terrifying display of his personal strength.

Lu Heng might be a Third Rank expert, but his cultivation had stagnated at the mid-stage of the Third Rank, and he was already well-advanced in age.

There was no way he would risk offending an expert of the Top Three Ranks who was vastly superior to him, just to maintain an exorbitant asking price.

After all, an old man had to consider what would happen to his family after he passed away.

Of course, the very fact that Lu Heng was even harboring such thoughts was the result of Su Yuan's secret manipulations.

When the Lu family's businesses took a hit, Lu Heng had witnessed his clan members' incompetent attempts to salvage the situation. This had planted a seed of doubt in his mind, making him question whether the Lu family could actually maintain its former glory after his death.

It was exactly under these carefully orchestrated circumstances that the old man had begun contemplating his legacy and making funeral arrangements.

"Yes, sir."

Saber Devil Qin Mo immediately secured the dagger and hurried off toward Gongyang City.

'"Nine Yang True Art"...'

Su Yuan watched Qin Mo's retreating figure, the name of the manual surfacing in his mind.

The Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual with the Extreme Yang Attribute that the Lu family of Gongyang City had acquired was named the "Nine Yang True Art".

According to the deductions provided by the gray mirror, this Extreme Yang martial arts manual would be tremendously helpful to Su Yuan, serving as a massive catalyst to propel his comprehension of the Power of Ultimate Yang.

'Ah, I am spending money like flowing water...'

Su Yuan lamented silently.

Over the past two months, he had consecutively studied several Superior-grade Martial Arts Manuals. Naturally, the expenses were staggering.

Opportunities to obtain a Superior-grade Martial Arts Manual for free, like he had in the Purple-grade ruins, were simply too rare.

'But as long as I can Fully Comprehend the Power of Ultimate Yang and the Power of Ultimate Yin before becoming a Starry Sky Lifeform, all of this will be worth it.'

Su Yuan reasoned inwardly.

The powers of Ultimate Yang and Ultimate Yin were forms of Cosmic Power—methods that were supposed to be exclusively mastered by Starry Sky Lifeforms.

According to the cultivation path provided by the gray mirror, if he could Fully Comprehend these two Cosmic Powers before undergoing the metamorphosis into a Starry Sky Lifeform...

Then, during the transformation process, he could use these two Cosmic Powers to forge his new Starry Sky body. This would allow him to completely bypass the initial stage and step directly into the mid-stage of a Starry Sky Lifeform.

This was one of the exceedingly rare methods in existence to directly leapfrog across a Life Level.

It was important to note that the sheer chasm in power between the initial and mid-stages of a Starry Sky Lifeform was far more exaggerated than the total gap spanning a Level 1 Lifeform up to a Level 9 Lifeform.

This was the precise reason why Su Yuan placed such heavy emphasis on comprehending the powers of Ultimate Yang and Ultimate Yin.

It was not merely to boost his immediate combat capabilities, but to lay down a supreme foundation for his cultivation during the Starry Sky Lifeform stage.

Ending his training session in the Void Shattering world,

Su Yuan's mind flickered as he turned his attention toward the Ten Thousand Layer Labyrinth world. 'They've finally come looking for me.'

Two months ago, while challenging the eleventh through the twentieth layers of the Ten Thousand Layer Labyrinth, Su Yuan had purposefully exhibited a clearing speed that was Beyond Comprehension.

As a result, he had successfully attracted the attention of numerous individuals and factions.

Following his run, he had received hundreds of friend requests, and Su Yuan had selectively approved only a chosen few.

He did this precisely because those specific individuals could bring him substantial profits.

As a strategist, a person's primary source of income came from formulating plans and offering counsel to powerful figures or factions.

And the select few he had accepted as friends were exactly those who would come seeking his advice in the future.

'The youngest son of the Chiyun family's Patriarch?'

Su Yuan had already used the gray mirror to deduce the identity of the person seeking him out.

The Chiyun family was an incredibly prominent faction within the Canglan Cosmic Human Empire, boasting a scale large enough to rank among the top one thousand families in the entire empire.

Considering the unimaginably vast Territory governed by the Canglan Cosmic Human Empire, an untold number of ancient factions existed within its borders. A civilization like the Multi-eyed Clan wouldn't even rank in the top million within the empire.

Therefore, a top-one-thousand faction like the Chiyun family was a true, undisputed behemoth.

Tega Chiyun had been feeling extremely troubled lately.

As the youngest son of the Chiyun family's Patriarch, Tega Chiyun enjoyed infinite glory in the eyes of outsiders. The moment he was born, he inherited ten inhabited planets to serve as his personal fiefdom.

But only Tega Chiyun himself knew that the immense pressure bearing down on him was leagues heavier than what any ordinary person could fathom.

While he was indeed the Patriarch's youngest son, his father had a total of three hundred and seventy-two sons.

And those were just the publicly acknowledged ones. The number of illegitimate children hidden in the shadows was too great to even count.

Under such circumstances, Tega Chiyun was completely unremarkable.

In fact, since the day he was born, the number of times Tega Chiyun had actually met his father could be counted on two hands.

'The family trial is tomorrow. They'll be evaluating my management results over the ten planets during this recent period. If I fail to pass, I'll be relegated to a useless parasite within the family, forever stripped of any right to intervene in our affairs or make decisions...'

Tega Chiyun worried silently.

Becoming a wealthy parasite and living a carefree life wouldn't necessarily be a bad thing, but Tega Chiyun was just unwilling to resign himself to such a fate.

He wanted a higher, more prestigious status. He wanted to enter the ranks of the family's High-Ranking Officials!

As his thoughts wandered, Tega Chiyun logged into the virtual network. Glancing at the Ten Thousand Layer Labyrinth game, an idea suddenly sparked in his mind.

He remembered that not long ago, he had taken notice of a strategist named "Ming" who had cleared ten consecutive layers of the labyrinth in an shockingly short span of time.

Generally speaking, a strategist who could blitz through the labyrinth at such a blistering pace possessed actual capabilities far beyond the scope of the twentieth layer.

Because of this, Tega Chiyun had casually sent a friend request at the time, and Su Yuan had accepted it.

'Could I ask this strategist, Ming, to formulate a plan for my family trial tomorrow?'

Tega Chiyun immediately fired off a message: "Are you there, Mr. Ming?"

Barely a moment passed.

Before Tega Chiyun received a reply.

"I am here."