Global Era of Star trekking Chapter 3: Star Sea Ruin Market Rank

Chapter 3: Star Sea Ruin Market Rank

The students began to split up and reorganize once the fusion ceremony concluded.

Standing at the Class 5 assembly point, Yang Minghui’s eyes sparkled as he surveyed the sixteen familiar faces he had taught for years. A thousand words surged in his throat, but he ultimately condensed his emotions into two stern warnings.

"Tomorrow morning at eight sharp, everyone is to gather at the academy square. Head home now and ensure your preparations are flawless," he commanded.

"Do not be careless. Even if it is a welfare exploration, casualties occur every single year."

"Understood!"

...

Song Chi parted ways with Sun Hao and flagged down an energy vehicle at the curb. His residence was located in the city center, a short distance from the academy. In less than twenty minutes, the vehicle pulled up to the gates of the Dongjiang Community where he lived.

"Universal Credit Points deducted: 10 points. Remaining balance: 2,413,543 points."

A payment alert pinged on his smart wristband just as he stepped out. Song Chi remained calm while checking his balance, though any onlooker would have likely lost their composure.

As the primary currency of the Chenxing Principality, Credit Points possessed immense purchasing power.

A typical commoner earned roughly three thousand Credit Points monthly. After basic expenses, one might save two thousand at most. By that logic, a normal person would need a century to amass 2.4 million points.

For a student yet to graduate, Song Chi’s savings were staggering. This wealth wasn't an inheritance from his parents; he had earned it himself over the last thirty years.

Regarding the source, his previous life as an experienced web novel author gave him a certain "innate talent" for storytelling. He had authored several works over the past two decades.

His most notable titles were "Torch Breaks Through the Skies" and "Fighting Spirits of the Floating Land." Unfortunately, the Torch Human Civilization had existed for tens of thousands of years, meaning the literature market was far from empty. His novels only achieved moderate success. The total royalties he had gathered amounted to just over two million—a sum he usually kept quiet about.

Dongjiang Community, Building 5, Apartment 403.

The moment he crossed the threshold, the eyes of his father, Song Chao, and his mother, Chen Lixia, locked onto him simultaneously.

"My boy is home! Come quickly; I’ve prepared your favorite braised deep-sea turbot," Chen Lixia greeted him.

Song Chi’s eyes lit up. He dropped his bag and rushed to the table. After finishing a bowl of fish soup, a warm sensation radiated from his stomach to his limbs, bringing a look of pure contentment to his face.

In truth, deep-sea turbot tasted rather poor—unpleasant even. Most children would put it at the top of their "disliked foods" list. Yet, Song Chi had eaten it consistently for twenty years.

He was drawn to the potent Blood Qi Energy within the meat, which significantly enhanced the practice of the Guidance Technique. This was the secret behind him reaching Level 4 in his Guidance Technique within just two decades.

Most peers his age were trapped at Level 2, with only the gifted reaching Level 3.

It was common knowledge throughout the Torch Human Civilization that the higher the level of the Guidance Technique, the more difficult and sluggish the progress became.

Extending his hands, he activated the Guidance Technique within his body, rapidly absorbing the Blood Qi Energy from the soup to fuel his cultivation.

Naturally, it was now referred to as the Spectral Energy Guidance Technique. Following his Spectral Energy transformation and the forging of his Spectral Energy Body, his technique had automatically evolved. This new version allowed for a much faster cultivation speed than the standard method.

The anxiety on the faces of Song Chao and Chen Lixia vanished when they saw wisps of black Spectral Energy swirling around their son. Having both awakened the Seed of Torch themselves, they were intimately familiar with the energy.

Seeing him manipulate Spectral Energy, they knew instantly that Song Chi had succeeded in his awakening.

"I awakened a Colorless Seed of Torch, and the Spectral Shuttle has been integrated. My first exploration of a foreign River Domain is scheduled for tomorrow at eight AM," he reported, all while continuing to process the Blood Qi Energy in his system.

His parents nodded softly upon hearing this, showing no signs of disappointment.

Both parents possessed Colorless Seeds of Torch. Considering the constraints of their lineage, they were perfectly happy as long as their son managed to awaken at all.

They had never dared to hope for a White Quality Seed of Torch or higher; the odds were simply too astronomical.

...

"Little Chi, come inside."

After their meal, Song Chi was called into the study by his father.

Song Chao stood there with a serious expression. After delivering a lengthy series of instructions, a ghostly light shimmered between his brows. Two orbs of light emerged from his Ancestral Torch and floated toward Song Chi.

"This is the starting capital your mother and I have prepared: 1,000 strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin and a white-quality special component, the 'Fire Peony Soldier Effigy Tree,' for your Torch Warship."

Song Chi was struck with joy. While the resources weren't a fortune, they were perfect for a beginner. They would allow him to perform initial upgrades on his Torch Spectral Shuttle, boosting its performance, combat power, and survivability.

With this assistance, his starting point was already ahead of most peers. This small advantage was not to be overlooked; as the saying goes, "one step ahead means a lead in every step." This minor edge could be the catalyst for his future success.

...

While the 1,000 strands of Zero Rank Floating Land Origin were useful, Song Chi was far more interested in the white-quality "Fire Peony Soldier Effigy Tree."

It was a known fact that any colored component for a Torch Warship had to originate from a Starry Sea Oddity. Anything linked to a "Starry Sea Oddity" saw its value skyrocket, even if it was only of the lowest white quality.

This was especially true for "Soldier Figurine Components," which were highly sought after for warships.

Automaton soldiers served as guards, combat support, or even expendable shields. They drastically improved a captain's survival rate and were always snatched up the moment they hit the market.

The value of the "Fire Peony Soldier Effigy Tree" was immense.

"Thank you, Mom and Dad."

Song Chi channeled his Spectral Energy, drawing the two light orbs into his Ancestral Torch. After another round of parental advice, he was finally permitted to head upstairs.

Once in his room, he didn't immediately dive into his Ancestral Torch to inspect his Spectral Shuttle. Instead, he pulled out the copper badge hanging from his neck.

He had kept this item—the very thing that caused his transmigration—with him at all times.

The badge was small, roughly half the size of a lighter. The words "Starry Sea Ruins Market" were carved onto the front, leading him to call it the Star Sea Ruin Market Rank.

As he studied it closely, he finally noticed a shift.

For thirty years, it had behaved like ordinary copper, unresponsive to any attempts to trigger it. Now, however, a faint, ghostly black sheen emanated from the metal. The glow was so subtle that it was nearly invisible to the naked eye.

"Is this... Spectral Energy?"

Song Chi’s pulse quickened just as the badge transformed again.

Perhaps triggered by his focused stare, an attribute window manifested beside the object.

[Name: Spectral Energy–Starry Sea Ruin Market Rank] [Category: Growth-type Strange Object] [Quality: ??] [Level: lv0] [Feature: Control and connect to a specific Starry Sea Ruins Market.] [Feature 2: The Star Sea Ruin Market Rank can autonomously advance once specific conditions are met.] [Remark: A rare gem among strange objects, possessing infinite growth potential.]