Earth's Hidden Secrets

Back in his Cultivation Room in the Wind-Thunder Secret Realm, Tang Ping remained anxious for a full half hour.

It wasn't until the lace streaks across the night sky outside the window that he suddenly slapped his thigh. "I've figured it out!"

Anyway, he hadn't done anything to harm the Human Race; at most, he had made a minor mistake of "youthful indiscretion," which wasn't a capital offense.

Even if Wind-Thunder Venerable were to expel me from the sect, so what?

At worst, he could go back to the Ganwu Secret Realm, find a secluded place to develop his skills in seclusion, and wait tens of thousands of years until he could rely on his unparalleled talent to become Venerable. Then he could stand gloriously in front of Purple Lightning Cliff. At that time, he would have to have a good talk with his master about what it means to have "fortune changes every thirty thousand years, never underestimate a young man's potential!"

The more he thought about it, the more confident he felt. Tang Ping chuckled, all his previous anxiety vanishing.

He turned around and headed towards Luo Xiaoyu and Huo Wu's residence. Anyway, the sky wasn't going to fall, so he decided to have some fun with his two confidantes first.

Then the music started, then the dancing began!

Luo Xiaoyu is cold on the outside but warm on the inside, while Huo Wu is as passionate as fire.

The two had already heard from the Secret Realm Attendant about Wind-Thunder Venerable's wrath, and were now anxiously worried about Tang Ping.

Seeing that he was not only not discouraged, but instead comforted them first, the two women's eyes instantly welled up with tears, deeply moved. They pulled Tang Ping aside and asked him all sorts of questions, serving him calming spiritual tea and helping him to sort out his disordered Origin Force. They wished they could give him all their Gentle and used all their skills to help him solve his problems.

Tang Ping's mood had already improved, and being pampered by the two women made him even happier, experiencing both extremes of joy and sorrow, and becoming inseparable.

For the next two weeks, he simply put cultivation out of his mind and spent his days discussing the geography of the star field with Luo Xiaoyu, listening to Huo Wu tell ancient legends about her hometown, Yanhuo Star. Occasionally, when the mood struck him, they would go fishing together at the Starry Sky Lake in the secret realm. He lived a very comfortable life.

Sure enough, there's a saying back home that's true, "A loss may turn out to be a blessing in disguise."

But this "fun" went too far and gradually became a "burden".

Half a month later, in the early morning, Tang Ping lay paralyzed on the bed, letting Luo Xiaoyu wipe the thin sweat from his forehead. Huo Wu used gentle fire-attribute Origin Force to nourish his body, but her face no longer had any of her usual playful smile. Instead, it exuded a solemnity "as holy as Buddha".

He stared at the ceiling, his heart filled with a sense of vicissitude.

I used to think that romance was the most touching thing, but now I find it utterly tasteless. The mysteries of the universe's laws and the secrets of the stars' movements—aren't those more interesting than romance? How could he have been so engrossed in Gentle before?

Men, it seems, tend to harden their hearts when their bodies are weak.

"Sigh." Tang Ping sighed deeply, his voice a little hoarse. "Huo Wu, Xiao Yu, let's stop sticking together all the time. Why don't we talk about literary classics, or the overall situation of the universe, cultivation bottlenecks, or even the movements of Alien Race? Any of those would be more interesting than what we're doing now."

""

As he spoke, he sighed again. Despite having the body of a ninth-level Realm Lord, he felt a sense of "dehydration" and fragility.

Indeed, the desires of flesh and blood are ultimately an obstacle on the path of cultivation.

Upon hearing Huo Wu, Huo Wu covered her mouth and chuckled softly. Her fluffy, fiery red fox tail gently brushed against Tang Ping's arm, the flames at the tip of the tail flickering and carrying a faint, warm fragrance. "My husband, have you cultivated a Dao heart? Alright, then let me ask you, in this cosmic star map, which is more magnificent: the nebulae of the Southern Hemisphere or the stellar veins of the Northern Hemisphere?"

Tang Ping blinked, pondered seriously for a moment, and replied solemnly, "I still prefer the equator!"

Huo Wu's smile froze.

Luo Xiaoyu:

You old lewd man!

Just then, Tang Ping's Personal Terminal suddenly beeped urgently. "Beep beep beep! Emergency call request, from my beloved, beautiful, and esteemed Master!"

"Whoosh!"

Almost the instant the notification sound rang, Tang Ping's Origin Force surged violently. The clothes scattered in the room instantly returned to their places, the teacups on the table were automatically placed, and even the warm fragrance in the air was completely dispelled.

In the blink of an eye, he was dressed neatly, his posture upright like a pine tree Luo Xiaoyu and Huo Wu also tidied their clothes and stood beside him, their demeanor dignified as if they were ready to receive an audience at any time.

Tang Ping took a deep breath and answered the call. On the screen, Wind-Thunder Venerable's baby face was tense, his gaze sweeping over the two women behind him as he said in an annoyed tone, "Get to Purple Lightning Cliff right now!"

"Yes! This disciple will be there immediately!" Tang Ping's voice was loud and clear, and the previous feeling of unsteadiness vanished without a trace.

Purple Lightning Cliff.

Tang Ping practically ran all the way there, only stopping abruptly when he reached Wind-Thunder Venerable. He bowed respectfully and said, "Disciple Tang Ping greets Master."

Although with his talent, he could have forged his own path even without his master's protection, having Wind-Thunder Venerable, a Cosmic Venerable, as his backer would make his actions within the Human Race Territory countless times smoother.

Not to mention that his master truly cared for him, even preparing Supreme Treasure that could conjure clones out of thin air for him long ago. He couldn't bear to part with such favor.

Wind-Thunder Venerable sat on a stone stool, his small hand supporting his chin, his eyes, which always carried a hint of coldness, were now filled with complex emotions.

She stared at Tang Ping for a long while before slowly speaking, her voice softer than usual. "Tang Ping, I want to apologize to you first today."

"Huh?" Tang Ping was stunned on the spot.

Why apologize? Was he going to be beaten? That's no small matter. Back when his parents were alive, he would be beaten for the slightest mistake. Now, being beaten by his master, he even felt a long-lost sense of happiness from being cared for.

A beating is a sign of affection, a scolding is a sign of love!

He raised his head, his eyes full of confusion, and asked cautiously, "Master, where... did you go wrong?"

Wind-Thunder Venerable straightened his face and said righteously, "Isn't it because you've progressed too fast! I was really worried, so I asked my master to use the clan's Supervision Department to investigate you thoroughly in the Virtual Universe."

As you know, the surveillance network of the Virtual Universe is all-pervasive; theoretically, even the most secretive tricks shouldn't be able to hide.

She paused, then frowned again. "But the result was that no problems were found at all, which is completely illogical!"

Think about it, in the last Genius Tournament, only 1,000 people were selected from 1,008 Universe Country. On average, each Universe Country couldn't even gather one spot. The probability of finding a genius is already pitifully low.

"Someone like Luo Feng, whose speed of progress is nothing short of heaven-defying, is hailed as a genius who appears only once every tens of thousands of epochs. He is a precious gem that only appears once every 1008 Universe Country and tens of thousands of years, and yet he just happened to fall to Earth."

And you and Hong, those top geniuses who can reach the Core Layer of the Five Great Powers, actually came from Earth and were from the same era as Luo Feng.

This kind of thing would never happen under normal circumstances.

Tang Ping's heart sank as he listened, a chill running down his spine. He vaguely guessed what his master was going to say, but when he opened his mouth, he couldn't utter a single word.

Wind-Thunder Venerable continued, "When my master couldn't find any clues, he simply used the great supernatural power of Time-Space Retrospection. Only then did he discover that your Earth is hiding a tremendous secret."

Millions of years ago, a powerful Alien Race being secretly modified that planet.

Ordinary life-bearing planets can at most provide a living environment, but Earth is different. All life born on Earth, especially during the critical period of embryonic development, is nourished by the invisible bounty of the entire planet, and a certain aspect of their soul undergoes special evolution.

This evolution manifests in your state of mind, making it easier for you to comprehend the laws of nature, and your rate of mental development far surpasses that of ordinary people. This is why so many saintly figures with transcendent states of mind have emerged throughout Earth Calendar.

Ah?

Tang Ping was dumbfounded.

Master used to pay no attention to these "trivial matters," so why is he so fixated on his progress, investigating all the way back to the very foundation of the earth?

Hong didn't expose himself, but instead, because he was blinded by lust, he revealed Earth's trump card? Indeed, the old saying is true: lust is a double-edged sword. This time, it seems he's ruined his teammates!

It's awful!

Seeing his disciple fall silent, Wind-Thunder Venerable slowly said, "Tang Ping, now that you have cultivated to this level, you naturally understand how important mental state is in cultivation. As for our Human Race, Earth is at least comparable to the Ganwu Universe Kingdom, or even more valuable."

She paused, her almond-shaped eyes darkening slightly, a hint of her usual charm fading. "Do you know how many Immortal God of my Human Race perished back then in order to defend the territory of the Ganwu Universe Kingdom?"

Before Tang Ping could respond, she declared firmly, "Billions upon billions, their corpses could form star fields!"

"So?" Tang Ping's Adam's apple bobbed, his tone tinged with a hint of frustration.

"So..." Wind-Thunder Venerable's tone suddenly changed, and he tiptoed to pat Tang Ping's shoulder, his voice laced with cunning.

"Who told you to be my Venerable disciple? And your master happens to be me, the only successor of your Grandmaster. Through this connection, I've secured two tremendous benefits for you; you can choose whichever you prefer."

That signature "sly laugh" made Tang Ping instantly breathe a sigh of relief, and he quickly stepped forward. "Master, the nominal lord of Earth is Luo Feng, the head of the Luo Family. I'm afraid we'll have to invite him over to discuss these conditions."

Wind-Thunder Venerable placed his hands behind his back, exuding an air of arrogance that seemed to look down upon all living beings. "Send the message to him."

The certainty in his tone clearly showed that he was extremely confident in the conditions he had secured.

A moment later.

When Luo Feng received Tang Ping's message, he was dealing with family affairs. After reading the message, he couldn't help but facepalm.

Despite all his precautions, he was still "betrayed" by Tang Ping. He secretly decided that he would have to establish a rule: Luo Family sons-in-law are strictly prohibited from having private relationships with other women without the family's approval!

Women can be a dangerous thing!

Permissions approved.

Luo Feng's figure appeared on a continent paved with golden coins.

Before he could even steady himself, Tang Ping rushed over and whispered reassuringly, "Patriarch, my master isn't a bad person. The conditions he offers are definitely good. Please don't worry."

Luo Feng nodded, his gaze passing over Tang Ping and landing on the petite figure not far away. Although she was barely waist-high, the aura emanating from her was like a vast ocean and towering mountains, making it difficult for people to breathe.

He quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed. "Luo Feng greets Your Venerable."

Wind-Thunder Venerable did not turn around, but continued to gaze at the distant, swirling nebulae, his voice as clear and gentle as the clinking of jade stones.

"Luo Feng, you have two strokes of good fortune. First, you possess such a special treasure as Earth; second, Tang Ping is my disciple; and even more fortunately, the secrets of Earth haven't fallen into the hands of the Giant Axe Dojo or the Virtual Universe Company. If they knew, given their style, they would definitely try to forcibly take it away at a low price."

She paused, her tone suddenly turning cold. "Don't disbelieve me. Once you leave the company and go to the Outer Battlefield and secret realms to train, you'll see that the universe has always been a place where the strong prey on the weak, and only the strong deserve to possess everything."

There's a saying on Earth: "Treasures belong to those with virtue." In this universe, power... is virtue!

"I will remember your teachings, Venerable Luo Feng," he replied with his head bowed, his mind clear.

He was merely a Domain Lord, and had no right to speak in front of an immortal Venerable.

"Let me ask you something first." Wind-Thunder Venerable finally turned around and looked directly at Luo Feng. "Do you have any plans to sell Earth?"

My Cosmic Galaxy Bank can offer you a price that even your master King Zhen Yan, would envy.

Of course, you should understand the principle that possessing a treasure can be a crime. This money will be distributed gradually according to your moral character to prevent you from bringing trouble upon yourself because of wealth.

"Absolutely not!" Luo Feng suddenly looked up, his eyes filled with unwavering determination. "Earth is my home, my roots. How can a tree without roots reach the sky? No matter how high the price, I will never sell!"

"Good! You have guts." A hint of approval flashed in Wind-Thunder Venerable's eyes. With a flick of his finger, a virtual document gleaming with silver light floated in front of Luo Feng. "In that case, here are two options. Choose one."

"Yes." Luo Feng replied respectfully, but as his fingertips touched the document, he sighed inwardly.

For a behemoth like the Cosmic Galaxy Bank, the so-called "choice" is nothing more than a respectable form of hegemony. He knew very well that he had no right to refuse.

The document is not complicated; it mainly consists of two solutions.

Option 1: Earth Humans can continue to live on land, but all sea areas and the airspace above them must be designated as part of the Cosmic Galaxy Bank. The bank will build Floating City and related facilities above the sea areas, and in return, Luo Feng will receive 1 trillion Hunyuan Unit.

This huge sum of money will naturally not be paid in one lump sum.

Such immense wealth would be enough to drive even Immortal God to take desperate risks.

Specific allocation method:

Domain Lord level: 5 million Hunyuan Unit distributed;

The number of World Lord Rank has been increased to 50 million Hunyuan Unit;

Ordinary Immortal can obtain 5 billion Hunyuan Unit;

The Marquis Immortal has increased to 50 billion Hunyuan Unit;

Once you are promoted to the King-Rank Immortal, you can claim the remaining 900 billion Hunyuan Unit.

It's important to know that one Hunyuan Unit is equal to one trillion Universe Coin. The wealth of an ordinary Immortal God is probably only one million Hunyuan Unit. For example, Hu Yanbo left him only three million Hunyuan.

This price of one trillion is simply terrifying, with so many zeros!

The second option is more complicated: Ganwu Universe Kingdom is already subordinate to Virtual Universe Company, and theoretically, the company can strip it of its ownership of Earth with a single order. To avoid subsequent disputes, the bank proposed that Luo Feng grant full authority over Earth to the Cosmic Galaxy Bank for 50 billion Hunyuan Unit.

Subsequently, the bank, together with Virtual Universe Company and the Luo Family, jointly established the "Genius Breeding Center".

The company was handed over to the Luo Family for full operation, and they were allowed to designate their own Maternity Center areas. However, they were required to guarantee that they would provide no less than 100 million maternity birth slots annually for various forces to compete for.

Of these, 60% of the slots will be reserved for Cosmic Galaxy Bank and Virtual Universe Company.

To ensure Earth's safety, the Cosmic Galaxy Bank and the Virtual Universe Company will invest no less than one trillion Hunyuan Unit in resources to deploy defenses, strictly prohibiting any powerhouse above the Realm Lord level from entering the Solar System, and forbidding any form of fighting.

Security matters are entirely managed by the Intelligence Center. Anyone, whether a member of the Luo Family or someone from another force, who causes trouble within the Solar System will be severely punished and expelled.

If someone from Earth Lineage were to ascend to the Cosmic Venerable in the future, shares of the Cosmic Galaxy Milky Way could be given to that Venerable as a free gift.

Regarding profit distribution, the Cosmic Galaxy Bank will take 30%, and Luo Feng will have complete control over the remaining amount. The 50 billion authorization fee will also be distributed according to cultivation level, but the difference is that the remaining amount will be settled in a lump sum after he advances to the Immortal realm.

Seeing the second offer, Luo Feng was tempted. What was the difference between this and giving him money?