Chapter 119: Assembly Point

Chapter 119: The Assembly Point

With the arrival of the brothers Li Fugui and Li Fuqiang, Li Hongshen’s floating island began to slowly approach the assembly point. From a distance, one might mistake it for a massive floating continent, but upon closer inspection, it became clear that it was a landmass formed by the interconnected floating islands of numerous lords.

Accompanying Li Fugui and his brother was a navigator from the Elite Society, specifically assigned to guide Li Hongshen into the assembly point. As Li Hongshen’s island drew nearer, a swarm of aerial cavalry rose to meet him, circling to get a look. Li Hongshen understood that these were fellow lords, curious to observe the newcomer.

As Li Fugui had put it, Li Hongshen was a rare breed. In the inner domain assembly points, every lord was an official member of the Elite Society. By entering as a non-member, he had shattered an unspoken rule, becoming the first in centuries to do so. Yet, Li Hongshen felt no unease or apprehension. He had earned his place here through his own merit, and he believed his strength would allow him to converse with these seniors as an equal.

Eventually, under the navigator's guidance, Li Hongshen’s island docked at the perimeter of the stronghold, connecting with the territories of two senior students. Both were seniors from the third year of Pengcheng No. 1 High School: one named Jian Xinhuan, whose tribe was named "Zhi" (Wisdom), and the other named Tai Zhang, whose tribe was named "Xiaoyao" (Carefree). Although Li Hongshen knew that tribe names could be repeated—as they were matched based on the lord's personal characteristics—seeing these names still felt somewhat intimidating. It seemed that everyone here was a prodigy with a remarkably imposing tribe name.

The two seniors were remarkably courteous. As soon as Li Hongshen docked, they sent over welcoming gifts: two large vats of spirits brewed from spiritual plants. Li Hongshen, well-aware of the proper etiquette, visited each senior in turn, presenting them with large portions of strengthening fruit. While offering the gifts, he also took the opportunity to ask for advice regarding the environment, as he had not participated in an assembly point while in the Million-Mile Plains and was unfamiliar with the local customs.

As for Li Fugui and Li Fuqiang, since they were not from Pengcheng No. 1 High School, they refrained from overstepping, providing only general information.

Through his inquiries, Li Hongshen learned that the Elite Society maintained many assembly points in the inner domain, all established according to the sectors of the main world. The assembly point he currently occupied was comprised entirely of students from high schools in the 44th Sector. The 44th Sector itself was divided into three distinct physical tiers. The Elite Society’s branch for the 44th Sector was situated at the same coordinates but at different altitudes, with three separate assembly points. Li Hongshen was currently in the middle tier, where Li Fuqiang was also located. Li Fugui, being a third-year student, was stationed on the third, topmost tier, placing him on par with the likes of King Hao Xiaoguo.

These assembly points were constructed around a massive central floating island. Every lord maintained a trading team there, setting up booths to buy and sell goods. Only after negotiations were concluded would they detach from the assembly point to meet at the perimeter for the final transaction. Furthermore, assembly points from other sectors would rotate in monthly for trade, a practice intended to keep resources circulating and to help members build connections. After all, even a nodding acquaintance within the Elite Society could one day become a vital connection, perhaps offering the very ladder needed to reach the next level.

After gathering this information, Li Hongshen did not immediately head to the central island. Instead, he coordinated with seniors Jian Xinhuan and Tai Zhang to build a bridge between their islands—a suspension bridge anchored on his side. It allowed for the movement of personnel and small-scale trade. If Li Hongshen needed to dock elsewhere, he could retract the bridge and maneuver his island as needed.

After bidding farewell to the seniors, Li Hongshen, led by Li Fuqiang, mounted his Storm Eagles and flew toward the central island. Upon arrival, he began the registration process. Although he would undergo a formal information verification before officially joining, this initial visit was to complete the basic registration.

After greeting the Elite Society leaders and paying his respects to the head of the Pengcheng No. 1 High School delegation, he proceeded to his assigned booth: Booth 404.

Once at the location, he greeted his neighbors and began renovating the stall. He demolished the original structure and quickly laid a concrete foundation. Using ironwood for the pillars and wrapping the exterior in charred cedar planks, he installed massive floor-to-ceiling glass windows on the front to give the stall an open, transparent feel. When completed, the three-story building stood ten meters tall, its silver-black exterior exuding an elegant, refined aesthetic.

Li Hongshen began stocking the booth. The first floor featured processed goods: runic rifles, ballistae, runic arrows, runic bolts, armor, spiritual lamps, and spiritual power rails. The second floor housed basic raw materials and everyday commodities, such as salt, spiritual honey, spiritual plants, clothing, toilets, and household utensils. The third floor was partitioned into three sections: an office area, a tea lounge for relaxation, and a conference room for business negotiations.

As for his spiritual power cannons, Li Hongshen kept them tucked away. These were his trump cards, a type of "great killer" that every lord kept hidden. Based on his observations, even among the third-year newcomers like Li Fugui, very few possessed such weaponry; most relied on explosive arrows. Since the number of energy cannons in circulation was incredibly low, he decided to wait, assess the market, and decide later whether to put his electromagnetic cannons on sale.