Tang, the Overlord: Lending Money Was an Art

Sun Temple.

After seeing Luo Feng off, Tang Ping returned home and slumped heavily onto the Golden Throne, letting out a long breath as his tense nerves finally relaxed.

These days, others only see him out and about with big shots, chatting and laughing, full of self-satisfaction, how carefree and happy he is, but they don't know that he has had some communication difficulties since childhood.

He preferred staying in the familiar Sun Temple, surrounded by a few people he knew well, rather than dealing with unfamiliar people and things, doing things that didn't require much guesswork. Any unexpected change would make him anxious and restless.

Now that everything has settled down, I can finally shed my pretense and stay comfortably in this Anle Nest.

"Little Love," he said lazily, lifting his eyelids slightly, "Give the order to have Sun Ruowei and Brolin come and serve you immediately."

Also, call over the entire song and dance troupe, and prepare a lavish feast for me. This trip has really exhausted me; I won't stop until I've had my fill of fun for a month—no, I'm going to indulge in this carefree lifestyle for at least a whole year!

"Yes, my dearest master!" The Little Cat Girl swung her fluffy tail and came closer, gently rubbing her furry paws against Tang Ping's hand.

Although she really couldn't understand why her master, who hadn't suffered any hardship on this trip, was already saying he was tired, her master's orders were law.

In the short time it takes to drink half a cup of tea, the once solemn Divine Temple had completely changed its appearance.

In the center of the main hall, a wine pool more than ten feet wide was temporarily erected. Fresh flower petals and plump grapes floated in the clear jade liquid. Agate plates were placed around the pool, filled with roasted exotic beast meat that was sizzling with oil, chilled Jade Marrow fruit, and peeled, crystal-clear shrimp.

A dazzling array of delicacies were on display, their aromas mingling with the scent of wine, filling the entire hall.

The soft, seductive music then began, and a group of dancers dressed in sheer gauze filed in. Their skin was as white as snow, their skirts barely reaching their waists, and jingling golden bells were tied around their waists, swaying with their dance steps, the sound of the bells intertwining with the music.

The dancers moved with graceful movements, their sheer fabric billowing as they twirled, revealing slender waists and fair ankles. Their skirts swept across the ground, creating a fragrant breeze. Professionally trained, every twist of their waists and flick of their sleeves carried a touch of allure, their eyes captivating and alluring.

Tang Ping leaned back on the throne, with two gilded wine jugs standing beside him.

Today, Sun Ruowei wore a light red gauze dress, which made her skin appear as white as jade. She held a small white jade bowl filled with peeled lychees and said sweetly, "Master, these are freshly arrived lychees. I specially chilled them. Would you like to try some?"

As she spoke, she picked up a pearl, gently pinched it between her fingertips, and offered it to Tang Ping's lips, her eyes filled with affection and her tone full of flattery.

Brolin, dressed in a royal blue belted long dress with a very high slit, picked up the wine jug on the table, poured a glass, leaned close to Tang Ping, and slightly bent down to bring the glass to his lips, the scenery in front of her eyes faintly visible.

"Master, what's the point of just eating sweet, cloying fruits? Try this Zui Liuxia," it's a fine wine I specially had aged in a cellar; it's mellow on the palate and has a lingering aftertaste.

The two women flanked Tang Ping, one on each side, vying to pour him wine and feed him, subtly competing with each other.

Tang Ping was happy to Sit and Reap, his eyes half-closed as the two women took turns feeding him food and wine.

When he was in high spirits, he would reach out and pinch Sun Ruowei's waist, making her gasp and blush; or he would tuck a fresh flower he had just picked from the wine pool into Brolin's hair, watching her eyes sparkle with a joyful yet shy expression.

Having had his fill of fun, Tang Ping simply pulled out a black velvet blindfold, covered his eyes, and got up to run into the group of dancers.

Upon seeing this, the dancers gathered around him, their soft arms gently resting on his shoulders, their slightly sweaty skin brushing against his arm.

He groped aimlessly through the crowd, occasionally grabbing a soft hand, pulling it in front of him, and asking the person to have a drink with him; if he touched a slender waist, he would take the opportunity to put his arm around it and twist around a few times to the rhythm of the music.

Hapiness.

This is what a life lived with unbridled abandon should be!

He raised his wine glass, downed the wine in one gulp, and let the liquid slide down his lips. He laughed loudly, "Life is short, so seize the day and enjoy it to the fullest! Don't let your golden goblet stand empty before the moon!"

"What a beautiful poem! What a beautiful poem!" the maids exclaimed sweetly.

Haha~

Black Dragon Mountain Empire, Three Axe Mountain.

As the leading civilian organization among the four major organizations of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, this giant fortress, suspended in the starry sky, is shrouded in a pale golden energy shield all year round, and the tricolor battle flag flying at the top of the fortress inspires awe in many forces.

Three Axe Mountain has a strict hierarchy: Universe Level members are called soldiers, Domain Lord- level members are commanders, and they wear iconic silver-white cloaks; World Lord Rank are generals, and the three founders are revered as military lords, holding a highly respected position.

More than 10,000 years ago, after Three Axe Mountain bet on Hong and Luo Feng, this force broke free from the limitations of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire and became an object of attention and goodwill for many forces even in the vast Ganwu Universe Kingdom.

This attention stems not only from the fact that Three Axe Mountain has a fixed quota of maternity nurses allocated to Earth, eliminating the need for them to compete fiercely with countless powerful forces at auctions, but more importantly, from the two legendary realm lords under their command.

Jiang Tianchen, the world lord general known for his ability to recognize and appoint talented people, single-handedly discovered and nurtured extraordinary geniuses such as Hong and Luo Feng.

Back then, in order to protect Luo Feng, who was still at the Star Rank, he personally took action and fought against Hargrave, the Snow Realm Master of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire, rescuing Luo Feng and others from a desperate situation.

Back then, countless forces mocked him for being unwise to oppose the empire for a Star Rank genius; but with the meteoric rise of Hong and Luo Feng, even those high-ranking Marquis Immortal now have to look at Jiang Tianchen with respect.

The other one is Time World Lord Luo.

He was famous throughout the entire Black Dragon Mountain Empire, yet he served as a negative example.

Luo was once a person of extraordinary talent, but because he insisted on studying the obscure and difficult Time Law, he was distracted and failed to break through to the Immortal Realm. Now, he only has more than 10,000 years left to live and is about to perish.

When major powers educate their clan's geniuses, they always use Luo as a cautionary tale. For example, the Luo Family's classic texts specifically note that they warn their descendants not to be overly ambitious, or they will eventually follow in Luo's footsteps.

At this moment, in the council hall of Three Axe Mountain.

Hong, clad in black armor and standing tall, finally looked down at Luo, whose hair and beard were white and whose face looked slightly haggard, and said respectfully, "Master, your disciple has come today to present two small gifts."

As he spoke, he took out a jade-white token from his Storage Space and handed it to Luo with both hands. "This is an entry token for the Initial Universe. There is no need to wait in line. Just log in to the official website to apply, enter the number on the token to verify, and you can directly jump the queue to enter."

The Initial Universe was rich in Origin Force and its laws were clear, which might provide some assistance to Master in breaking through to immortality.

Luo's gaze fell on the token, a glimmer of light flashing in his cloudy eyes before dimming again. He gently shook his head. "The Initial Universe is wonderful, but my days are numbered. I'm afraid—"

"Master, please don't underestimate yourself." Hong interrupted him, and took out a fruit that emitted a seven-colored glow. Fine light flowed on the surface of the fruit, as if it contained the energy of an entire starry sky.

"This is the Light Fruit. When a peak Peak World Lord Rank consumes it, there is a 40% chance of directly breaking through to the Immortal Realm. Master, your talent is exceptional, but you have lacked opportunities before. Consuming this fruit will undoubtedly increase your chances."

Upon hearing the words "Light Fruit," Jiang Tianchen couldn't help but exclaim in surprise, "Light Fruit with a million- Hunyuan Chaos Yuan?"

Hong, how could you possess such a priceless Supreme Treasure— "

It should be noted that Three Axe Mountain has stood for many years and does not have this much liquid capital. Most importantly, this kind of treasure is priceless and has no market. Even if an ordinary person has a million Hunyuan, they cannot buy it. This kind of treasure will only circulate among the high-ranking members of the Human Race.

Hong smiled and said, "Brother Tian Chen, I borrowed this Light Fruit from a good brother. My master has given me a second life. If it weren't for my master guiding me in my cultivation and protecting me from many dangers back then, I might not be where I am today."

I will always remember this bond between teacher and student.

I am offering this fruit now only to fulfill this wish, so that my master can focus on his pursuit of immortality. Even if he ultimately fails, he will have no regrets. Only after this matter is settled can I go into seclusion without any worries and strive for an even higher realm.

Luo accepted the Light Fruit, his fingertips trembling slightly as he felt the immense energy contained within. Looking into Hong's sincere eyes, his throat tightened, and after a long pause, he managed to squeeze out a sentence: "You—you've put your heart into this. I taught you back then only because my time was running out, and seeing your considerable talent, I never imagined I'd receive such a reward from you."

"Master, you flatter me. A teacher for a day is a father for life. This is what I should do." Hong bowed slightly and took out another identical, luminous white token, handing it to Jiang Tianchen.

"Brother Tian Chen, please accept this token as well. It's also a spot to enter the Initial Universe, which I borrowed from a good brother. If it weren't for protecting us back then, we wouldn't have been able to grow up smoothly."

Hong will never forget this kindness and recognition.

Jiang Tianchen took the token, his fingertips tracing the patterns on it, his eyes filled with emotion. "Back then, when I saw the indomitable spirit in you and Luo Feng, I knew you were no ordinary people. Betting on you was the best decision I ever made in my life."

I am truly happy for you all now that you have achieved so much.

This token can be considered a direct stairway to immortality! And he now has a very high probability of upholding the God Kingdom every day in the future, achieving immortality, and existing forever!

"Brother Tian Chen, you flatter me." Hong smiled, his tone sincere. "The Initial Universe holds many opportunities that may help you advance further in your cultivation. I will be going into seclusion soon, Master. I will need to trouble you to continue your guidance."

Jiang Tianchen said excitedly, "Go ahead, we look forward to bringing us an even bigger surprise when you emerge from seclusion."

Hong said no more, turned and walked out of the hall with a calm and unrestrained gait.

Only after Hong's figure completely disappeared into the void did Luo and Jiang Tianchen, who had been traveling over a million miles, withdraw their gazes and then look at each other in bewilderment.

Perhaps the most profound principle in this universe is not time or space, but the principle of investment!

Inside the Sun Temple, a warm and inviting atmosphere prevailed.

Tang Ping leaned back on the soft couch, enjoying the gentle massage from the beauty's delicate fingers while toying with the IOU in his hand, feeling quite pleased with himself.

When Hong and Thunder God came to him earlier asking for gifts, he originally planned to give each of them a condensed sword aura.

Although a divine body spanning hundreds of kilometers would be incredibly valuable to a Cosmic Overlord, it's utterly insignificant to him now.

After all, with the support of the Time Origin Supreme Treasure from his clan over the years, the diameter of his divine body has exceeded 100 billion kilometers. Not to mention hundreds of miles, even the consumption of sword energy over thousands or tens of thousands of miles is nothing more than a small matter that can be replenished in a single breath.

But to everyone's surprise, Hong didn't want the sword energy; instead, he asked to borrow money to buy treasures.

Tang Ping then realized that Hong had originally intended to borrow it from Luo Feng.

However, Luo Feng had clearly learned from past mistakes, spending over a hundred billion Chaos Hunyuan to cultivate a King Level Thousand-Vine Star-Eating Grass as a backup plan. This was to prevent the Luo Family's foundation from being unstable should he perish. As a result, Luo Feng was naturally short of money and couldn't spare any funds.

More importantly, Luo Feng's current authority within the Virtual Universe Company is only at the King Level, meaning that even with money, he is not qualified to purchase many rare treasures.

When Tang Ping learned that Hong wanted to borrow money from him, he seemed a little hesitant, but he was secretly delighted.

That's Hong! The former number one person on Earth, and the idol he once looked up to! Now even his idol has to ask him for money. Does this mean that Tang Ping has really made it big?

Yay!

However, despite his happiness, Tang Ping didn't forget the principle of "even close brothers should keep clear accounts." Giving gifts is giving gifts, and lending money is lending money; the two should not be confused.

He immediately produced a loan agreement that he had prepared beforehand and had Hong sign it. The agreement clearly stated that the total loan amount was five million Hunyuan, and the interest rate was calculated at three percent simple interest per ten thousand years.

This is already the lowest interest rate available on the market.

It's important to know that some unscrupulous lending institutions in the universe charge annual compound interest rates of over ten percent, which is considered "conscientious business"; some even charge interest daily, and the compounding interest can drive people to the brink of despair.

This is also the root cause of why countless geniuses eventually become slaves: when they are young and their minds are not settled, in order to break through their limits and strive for higher levels, they impulsively borrow money at high interest rates, and in the end, they are often overwhelmed by the snowballing interest and completely fall into debt.

Financial violence is truly terrifying!

The images of those pitiful figures enslaved by money flashed through Tang Ping's mind, and he subconsciously buried his head in Sun Ruowei's soft and warm embrace, only then did his tense nerves relax slightly.

"Fortunately, he was the one who committed the violence."

Sun Ruowei's pretty face instantly flushed red, and her delicate body stiffened slightly.

But when she thought of that chance to reach the Initial Universe, she forcibly suppressed the shyness in her heart. Not only did she not resist, but she also took the initiative to reach out and gently massage Tang Ping's head with extremely Gentle movements.

The Initial Universe!

That is the holy land that Human Race realm lords dream of! There is an opportunity to easily break through to immortality, countless experienced masters to guide you, and the strongest among the Human Race to guard it.

Looking at those widely circulated cosmic legends or protagonists in online novels, almost all of them have to undergo trials in the Initial Universe, then be noticed by a powerful figure and taken in as a disciple, and then make rapid progress all the way up, eventually rising to become the backbone of their race.

A thought suddenly struck Sun Ruowei: Wasn't Luo Feng from Earth following the same path? Could it be—he was also a chosen one, like those protagonists in novels?

Waaah, I should have known better than to use leverage when trading stocks!

I am mortal with gambling and drugs!