It's Too Late—They've Already Provoked Su Tu!

Ta An Technology Company, one of the North Sea's largest conglomerates, had subsidiaries spanning countless industries, from snacks and street food to interstellar technology. It had tens of thousands of branches of varying sizes on the Ancestral Star alone, while its wealth across the major colony planets was staggering.

Someone once calculated Ta An's total assets and arrived at a shocking conclusion.

If you won a one-million lottery prize every day from the day you were born until you died of old age at eighty, your total earnings would probably only equal Ta An's income for a single day.

Ninety-nine percent of the wealth on the Ancestral Star was controlled by that one percent of people.

Compared to the high-profile conglomerate, the person at the helm behind Ta An Technology Company was exceptionally low-key and had never appeared before the public.

Some said Ta An's leader was a high-ranking Federation official, while others claimed it was an alien race.

Yet no one would have imagined that Ta An's leader was actually a kind-looking old man.

At that moment, Tang Tiancheng lay on the top floor of Ta An Tower. His hair and beard were entirely white, and he wore a traditional Tang suit. His face looked remarkably benevolent, but a savage scar ran across his entire face from his left eye, adding an indescribable fierceness to the kindly old man.

"Have you gotten used to Treading Moon Martial Hall?"

A tall youth stood before Tang Tiancheng. His features were well-proportioned, and his eyes were especially bright.

"Teacher's strength is unfathomable. I wouldn't dare observe him with Clear Eyes."

The youth was named Tang Yangwu, one of the seven students Zhou Wuliang had taken in on the Ancestral Star.

"Hahaha, it's good that you don't dare. You should know that quite a few powerhouses have come down from New Star this time. A great opportunity lies ahead, and many people want a share of it. But there are only so many slots, and everyone who can obtain one is a major power in their own right."

"Your current teacher, Zhou Wuliang, is one of the best among them. He comes from a mysterious Daoist ground and holds considerable status in the Federation."

"Although you were born with Clear Eyes and can observe a person's aura, you must not casually use them on someone like your teacher. With your current Martial Dao cultivation, you simply cannot withstand the manifestations you might see. In the best-case scenario, these eyes of yours would be ruined."

"I understand, Grandfather. Being able to study under such a teacher is entirely thanks to the effort you put in."

Tang Yangwu spoke without any youthful vigor. Instead, he sounded exceptionally mature.

The old man narrowed his eyes as he looked at his eldest grandson, clearly satisfied. The boy not only possessed excellent Martial Dao aptitude and had forged his Martial Dao Foundation with a Third Grade Base Skill, but he was also steady-minded, neither rash nor impatient.

More importantly, he had been born with Clear Eyes, allowing him to observe a person's aura and transform it into manifestations. Through this, he could judge the other party's personality and strength, essentially granting him an ability similar to mind-reading.

Combined with his temperament and talent, this ability would allow him to go very far in the future.

"Yangwu, you are the Tang Family's eldest grandson. Change is coming, and storms are gathering on the Ancestral Star. The incapable will crawl upon the ground and return to dust, while the gifted will rise upon the waves, become blazing suns, and illuminate the heavens."

"Your grandfather is getting old. I won't be able to hold on for many more years." Tang Tiancheng's tone was faint and distant.

"The doctor said your body is sturdier than mine. Don't say things like that." Tang Yangwu walked to the old man's side and comforted him.

"If my body were sturdier than yours, then you wouldn't need to practice martial arts anymore. With your physical condition, you could pack up and leave with me tomorrow." Old Master Tang rolled his eyes at Tang Yangwu.

Tang Yangwu scratched his head and chuckled.

"Grandfather, what exactly made the Federation decide to lift the Martial Dao restrictions on the Ancestral Star?"

As far as Tang Yangwu knew, from the day Martial Dao had first emerged, the Federation had issued a ban. No one was permitted to conduct large-scale Martial Propagation on the Ancestral Star, and martial artists were not allowed to reveal their extraordinary abilities before the public.

The restriction had been strange from the start. Now that it had suddenly been lifted, there had to be something suspicious behind it.

"There are some things you shouldn't know yet. You only need to remember that the Ancestral Star is the greatest treasure land in the entire Federation!"

"Before long, everyone will practice martial arts. The Federation will announce the privileged status of martial artists, and a new era is about to arrive."

Old Master Tang spoke vaguely, then abruptly changed the subject.

"Enough of that. How are your classmates?"

"They all have impressive backgrounds. Two of them came from New Star. I haven't heard of their families, but their bearing and Base Skills are both extraordinary."

"They likely have formidable backgrounds, and their Martial Dao aptitude is terrifying as well."

"Mm, that makes sense. With Zhou Wuliang's status, naturally there would be New Star prodigies wishing to ride this wave."

"Among this batch of classmates, those two should have the highest talent. After all, they began all kinds of training from childhood and used all manner of supplements and precious medicines." Tang Tiancheng stroked his beard.

But Tang Yangwu frowned slightly upon hearing this.

That astonishing figure surfaced in his mind.

That monster whose physical potential could not even be activated by a Seventh Grade Base Skill!

"Grandfather, I have a classmate." Tang Yangwu had just opened his mouth, intending to tell his grandfather about the shocking scene he had witnessed yesterday.

"He is higher than the sky, greater than the earth."

"What... what am I saying?" Tang Yangwu was dumbfounded. He had clearly wanted to tell his grandfather what he had seen yesterday, but the words coming out of his mouth had turned into complete nonsense.

And whenever he tried to bring up that matter, he would start spouting gibberish.

It was as though some unseen force prevented him from speaking of it all.

"A cognition seal!" Old Master Tang immediately sat upright. He recognized Tang Yangwu's condition at once.

It was a type of cognition seal planted by someone with powerful spiritual strength. Once the victim tried to speak of something they should not, their self-awareness would become distorted, causing them to babble nonsense and lose the ability to comprehend things correctly.

"It seems you witnessed something extraordinary, and Old Zhou doesn't want others to know about it." Old Master Tang's gaze flickered uncertainly.

Tang Yangwu took out his phone and tried to type out a description of the matter, but after pressing a few keys, he gave up.

Because the line he had typed read: Pleasant Goat Pretty Goat Lazy Goat.

"It's useless. While this mark remains, you cannot convey that matter in any form."

"This is the method of a Great Divine Power Expert!" Old Master Tang said.

"Don't talk about that matter. Just tell me what I need to watch out for." The old man was experienced and quickly came up with a solution. Though he had methods to break a cognition seal, he could not do so. Once he broke the seal, it would mean provoking Zhou Wuliang, which did not align with his interests.

"Among my classmates, there is someone named Su Tu. He..." Tang Yangwu's mouth once again produced a string of gibberish. After calming down for a long while, he finally said, "This man will surely become a ferocious dragon and roam the heavens!"

A Seventh Grade Base Skill had been unable to activate his physical potential. Such an existence was rare even across the galaxy. Although the other party had only just come into contact with Martial Dao, with such talent and such monstrous potential, he could not be judged by common sense.

Tang Yangwu believed that Su Tu would soon make a name for himself.

Not only because of the heaven-defying aptitude Su Tu had displayed, but also because... when he had observed Su Tu with Clear Eyes that day... he had seen a vast, boundless sun.

"Good. You need not say anything more. Do your best to befriend the person you mentioned. I will send people to investigate his background. If he needs any help, you may provide him with whatever assistance he requires. There is no relationship that cannot be bound by mutual benefit."

"I trust your judgment!" The old man made his decision immediately. For Zhou Wuliang to plant a cognition seal, and for his grandson, a man with pride hidden in his bones, to say such things—

This youth named Su Tu must possess astonishing talent! No! Astonishing was not enough to describe it! He might even possess the aptitude of the Martial Dao stars!

Did he forge his foundation with a Sixth Grade Base Skill? Or... a Seventh Grade one?! Old Master Tang speculated inwardly.

"Alright!" Tang Yangwu agreed. His original plan had been to befriend Su Tu as much as possible. Even if they could not become close friends, they should at least become friends.

Though there were many useless, lawless scions among the great families, there was no shortage of people like Tang Yangwu. They understood what attitude to take toward what kind of person.

A family fortune accumulated over ten thousand years might be enough to disregard most geniuses, but before a true blazing sun, everything had to yield—unless one could extinguish that sun. But if one could befriend them, why insist on offending them?

Tang Yangwu had never understood what those great-family scions who inexplicably provoked prodigies were thinking.

However, just as he was thinking this, his phone suddenly vibrated.

He opened the chat screen. The moment he saw the message, the corner of his mouth twitched uncontrollably.

"Even if you cannot become close with that person, you must not offend him lightly," the old man was still saying.

But Tang Yangwu picked up his phone, held the chat screen toward Tang Tiancheng, and said, "It seems... we've already offended him."

Someone using a Black Cat profile picture had sent Tang Yangwu a private message and asked one question.

"Is your younger brother named Tang Long? Is there some misunderstanding between us?"