"All cultivation resources below the Sovereign rank within the Skyvault Consortium are fully available to you."

"A permanent spatial passage between the Human Realm and the Consortium headquarters will also be established."

"And finally, you are free to choose which organizational missions you accept. You are exempt from mandatory conscription."

After saying this, the God King smiled at John.

"That matches what you were promised, doesn’t it?"

"It does."

John nodded.

The terms were exactly the same as those the gray-robed elder had described when recruiting him.

The God King waved the jade Skyvault Token in his hand.

Instantly—

[Ding! You have successfully joined the Skyvault Consortium!]

[Congratulations! You have received High God-tier privileges within the Skyvault Consortium.]

[Notice: You have obtained 1,000,000 Skyvault Contribution Points.]

[Notice: You have unlocked independent mission privileges within the Skyvault Consortium.]

At the same time, identical notifications sounded in the minds of Holly, Odelle, and Silt.

The God King in charge of registration added,

"The Skyvault Token is extremely important."

"You can use it to access almost every function within the Consortium—mission boards, contribution exchanges, navigation, personal storage, and much more."

"Under virtually any circumstances, it will continue functioning normally."

John indicated that he understood and left together with the three women.

The moment they stepped through the door—

The surroundings changed once again.

They found themselves inside the lobby of a towering structure.

Compared to the previous building, this place was even more magnificent.

Several experts were already waiting inside.

Like John and the others, each held a golden identification token.

These were all newly registered members enjoying High God-level待遇.

The appearance of John’s group immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

Four Demigods...

Yet every one of them held a golden token and had appeared inside the exclusive High God reception area.

The scene looked distinctly out of place.

Fortunately, after their initial surprise, the High Gods soon returned to their conversations.

"So High God-level members receive an annual salary of 500,000 Contribution Points."

"That’s quite generous."

One High God sighed happily.

"When I was still a Demigod, I only received fifty thousand points a year."

"Fifty thousand wasn’t nearly enough."

Another High God continued with a nostalgic smile.

"I still remember spending years taking one mission after another just to scrape together enough cultivation resources."

As he spoke, he looked toward John and smiled kindly.

"You’ve just registered as Demigods, haven’t you?"

"Spend your Contribution Points carefully."

"Take on more missions."

"As long as you earn about 150,000 points each month, you’ll gather enough resources to advance to High God in roughly half a year."

John returned the smile politely without replying.

Behind him, Holly innocently asked,

"Oh?"

"So ninety thousand... no, nine hundred thousand Contribution Points are already enough to become a High God?"

"Then I still have one hundred thousand left over to buy delicious food!"

Odelle and Silt couldn’t help laughing.

Only Holly would think of spending such precious Contribution Points on food.

John smiled faintly.

"Let’s go."

"We still need to figure out how to break through to the High God realm."

With that, he led the three women away.

Behind them, several High Gods stared at one another in bewilderment.

"D-Did that little girl just say..."

"She spent nine hundred thousand points and still had some left?"

The High God who had just been earnestly advising them stood frozen.

"That... can’t be right."

Another muttered blankly.

"We High Gods only receive five hundred thousand points per year..."

Inside the Skyvault Consortium branch.

Beside an artificially created energy lake.

The concentration of divine power had become so dense that it condensed into crystal-clear liquid, forming a tranquil lake.

Soft mist drifted lazily across the water’s surface.

At the center of the lake floated a stone pavilion suspended above the water.

It was known as the Lakeside Pavilion.

John and the three members of Valhalla sat around a stone table inside.

"Now that we’ve officially joined the Skyvault Consortium," John said calmly as he looked around at everyone,

"we’ve taken our first real step into the Cosmic Expanse."

"The next objective..."

"...is advancing to the High God realm."

Smiling slightly, he added,

"You all heard what those High Gods said earlier."

"In the Cosmic Expanse, High Gods are merely at the bottom."

"As for God Kings..."

"They’re only somewhat stronger senior enforcers."

"Only Sovereigns and Peak Sovereigns can truly be considered overlords ruling their own territories."

"We still have a very long road ahead."

The three women silently nodded.

This world was vastly larger than any of them had imagined.

The existence of overlapping universes and temporal dimensions made reality itself seem limitless.

In the Cosmic Expanse...

Demigods didn’t even qualify as cannon fodder.

"As for advancing to High God..."

Odelle spoke first.

"Guild Leader, do you have any suggestions?"

Holly and Silt both looked toward John.

Although their combat strength far surpassed others of the same realm, they had yet to officially obtain the authority and divine abilities granted by the High God realm.

Breaking through was now their most urgent priority.

John smiled.

"The first requirement of my advancement mission..."

"...is obtaining a Fruit of the Cosmic Mother Tree."

"What about yours?"

"The Fruit of the Cosmic Mother Tree?"

Silt was visibly surprised.

"The first requirement of my advancement mission is the same."

Odelle looked at both Silt and John before smiling helplessly.

"Mine too."

She turned toward Holly.

"I imagine yours is the same as well?"

"Huh?"

Holly had apparently been daydreaming.

Being called upon so suddenly, she looked completely confused.

"What fruit?"

"Is it tasty?"

Silence filled the pavilion.

The corner of John’s mouth twitched.

He automatically ignored Holly’s comment and frowned.

"It seems the Fruit of the Cosmic Mother Tree is essential for all four of us."

"But all I know is that it comes from the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm."

"I know nothing else."

"The Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm..."

Silt spoke thoughtfully.

"Judging from its name alone, it must be an extraordinary place."

"It sounds like an enormous secret realm."

Odelle analyzed calmly.

"I wonder whether the Skyvault Consortium archives contain any information about it."

"Right! Right!"

"Exactly!"

Holly nodded enthusiastically like a pecking chick.

In reality...

The only word she had truly heard was "fruit."

Her entire mind was occupied with wondering whether it tasted good.

John pondered for a moment before suddenly remembering something.

"Doesn’t the Skyvault Token include a group chat function?"

Taking out the golden token, he immersed his divine sense within it and posted a message in the public channel.

"Seniors, does anyone know anything about the Fruit of the Cosmic Mother Tree?"

After a brief silence, one divine sense responded first.

"Oh? A newcomer?"

"Your divine sense is impressively strong. I’m honestly jealous."

"As for the Fruit of the Cosmic Mother Tree..."

"I happen to know a thing or two."

The moment those words appeared, several other divine senses immediately flooded the channel.

"You old fraud!"

"Stop misleading the newcomer! You don’t know a thing!"

"Exactly!"

"The Fruit of the Cosmic Mother Tree is a legendary treasure."

"You’ve never even entered the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm, so don’t go spreading nonsense."

"Across countless universes, everyone who has ever obtained one was an unparalleled genius."

"We old fellows would love to secure one for the younger generation as well..."

"Unfortunately, we’re simply not capable enough."

Another divine sense immediately retorted indignantly.

"Get lost! Who says I don’t know anything?"

"Back when I dominated the Cosmic Mother Tree Secret Realm, you lot..."