Authority

The moment Luo Feng opened his eyes in the Thousand Treasures River Realm, Elena, who was guarding him, bowed and said, "Master!"

"Is Master about to break through to immortality?" Elena looked up, her eyes full of anticipation.

"You may all step back."

Luo Feng raised his hand, his voice revealing neither joy nor anger.

"Yes."

Babata and Elena retreated upon hearing this, but a hint of doubt appeared between their brows.

In their view, if Luo Feng couldn't even cross the threshold of immortality, then that would be the most absurd joke since the birth of the universe.

Once only four people remained in the hall, Luo Feng met the gazes of Hong and the other two. He opened his mouth to explain, but his eyes immediately fell on Tang Ping's barely suppressed upturned lips.

A surge of anger instantly welled up inside him. He strode forward and threw a straight punch!

"Bang!"

Then, a punch pierced through the virtual image, slammed into the wall, and caused the palace to tremble slightly.

"You, Tang Ping!" Luo Feng was furious. "I treated you like a brother, and when it came to Heavy Treasure, secret artifacts, and the Yunmo Star Inheritance Token, which one didn't I think of first? And you, you knew all along how difficult it would be for me to break through to the Immortal Realm, yet you kept it from me!"

Hahaha~

Tang Ping could no longer hold back and burst into laughter.

He stopped laughing halfway through, noticing that Luo Feng's face was so dark it could drip ink, and quickly waved his hand to explain, "This really isn't my fault! When I broke through, the World Lord World was at most less than a hundred million kilometers long, and the Singularity that supported the world was as fragile as paper."

And you now? With the ability to accommodate the Nether Sea Clone and the added Gene Multiplier from secret techniques, your World Lord World must be at least billions of kilometers wide, right? Not to mention you've devoured countless high-grade metals, forging your world to be as solid as a rock. Naturally, the difficulty of your breakthrough has increased exponentially!

Luo Feng's lips twitched violently.

Hundreds of billions? His World Lord World, is already trillions of kilometers in size! Of course, such a trump card is something he would rather keep to himself than let a second person know about it.

"What should I do now?" he said in a deep voice.

Tang Ping patted him on the shoulder, his tone relaxed. "What's the panic? If your secret technique isn't strong enough, then climb higher! If the Peak King isn't enough, then work on the ultimate King Rank; if the ultimate King Rank isn't enough, then study the ordinary secret techniques of the Cosmic Venerable."

You have a full ten million years to live; you have plenty of time! The future of this universe will be yours sooner or later.

17

Luo Feng's lips twitched again.

That's easy for you to say!

If even World Lord Rank can create Cosmic Venerable's secret technique, are the others fools who wouldn't take the obvious path to heaven? Or is it that they don't want to?

He glared at Tang Ping's mocking gaze, then lightly punched him in annoyance. "Don't play dumb with me! You definitely have a way."

I remember now! Mastering secret techniques requires countless life-or-death battles to hone them. You rarely set foot on the battlefield, yet your strength has improved by leaps and bounds, and your secret techniques haven't fallen behind at all. There must be some unknown secret to it!

"Ouch!"

Tang Ping pretended to have been punched to the ground, clutching his chest and groaning, "Ouch! Ouch! Ouch! That punch shattered my million-kilometer divine body! Without resources from several thousand Hunyuan Unit to repair it, I'm afraid I'll be asleep for ten thousand or eight thousand years!"

Luo Feng rolled his eyes and casually tossed a red envelope over. This amount of money was nothing to him now.

Saving face is a minor matter; achieving immortality is the most important thing.

Otherwise, no matter how grand your dreams or lofty ambitions may be, after thousands of years, you will be nothing more than a handful of dust.

Upon receiving the red envelope, Tang Ping beamed with joy, stood up, rubbed his hands together, and said, "Brother Feng, if you want to break through to immortality, you now have two paths to choose from."

Luo Feng's eyes suddenly lit up. "Which two?"

Tang Ping slowly raised his middle finger.

Luo Feng's temple throbbed again.

"First," Tang Ping ignored his angry gaze and spoke eloquently, "the Primal Universe still has a glimmer of hope. Theoretically, the Strongest Secret Technique that a World Lord can create is the ultimate realm of immortality."

If you can take this step, your chances of breaking through to immortality will be over 90%. If not, you can still refine your Mental Power Amplitude, improve your Beast God Intent, and even use secret techniques to temporarily compress your Internal World, weaken your Original Core, and lower the threshold for breakthrough."

"What about the second one?" Luo Feng pressed.

He would never willingly break through at the cost of weakening himself unless absolutely necessary. What he wanted was immortality in its strongest form!

Tang Ping's lips curled into a wicked smile, "Brother Feng, why are you so determined to stick to your self-created secret technique? My clan's treasury holds at least eight hundred, if not a thousand, ultimate immortal secret techniques. Just take them and use them!"

Luo Feng was suddenly stunned and fell into deep thought.

Yes.

Why is he so insistent on creating his own work?

In a flash, he suddenly understood Tang Ping's secret. No wonder this kid never risked fighting, yet his cultivation and secret techniques progressed simultaneously; it turned out he had taken this shortcut.

However, this path has three major drawbacks.

Firstly, becoming dependent will inevitably lead to the loss of creativity. Constantly imitating others will only extinguish one's own creative power, and one will spend the rest of one's life merely an imitator following in others' footsteps.

Secondly, other people's secret techniques are ultimately tailor-made for them. A slight difference can lead to a huge error. In a life-or-death battle, even the slightest flaw can be fatal.

Thirdly, and most importantly, once he loses his source of inspiration, he will stagnate completely and never reach the top.

Humanity's strongest beings are merely the Universe Supreme Being; isn't there anything even stronger in the universe?

"I still want to pursue the path of self-creation." Luo Feng's eyes were firm. "Let's set a timeframe: 100,000 years. If we still have no clue within 100,000 years, then we'll consider other methods."

If it still doesn't work out, he naturally won't be stubborn. One can have a bottom line, but it can't be rigid. If one loses their life, even the firmest bottom line is nothing but a mirage.

With that in mind, he casually cut off the live stream connection to the Virtual Universe.

Tang Ping stared blankly at the suddenly blacked-out screen, bewildered. "???"

Hey! I haven't even had a chance to laugh at you yet! Give me a chance!

Luo Feng caught a glimpse of his frustrated expression, and a smile finally appeared on his lips. He then turned and quickly ordered in a low voice, "Babata, shut down all Virtual Universe connections."

I'm going into seclusion.

"Yes, Master!"

Inside the Divine Temple in the Solar System.

"Bang bang bang~"

Tang Ping pounded the table while bursting into laughter. He was thoroughly amused by Luo Feng's expression today, which went from excitement and anticipation to frustration and embarrassment.

The only regret was that Luo Feng suddenly cut off the virtual live stream, cutting off his chance to mock him face-to-face; what was even more infuriating was that the other party directly shut down the Virtual Universe connection, eliminating any possibility of further teasing.

However, this minor inconvenience is insignificant. His divine body is already nearing its expansion limit, and at that time he can start a live broadcast so that Luo Feng can witness his breakthrough to the realm of the Universe Master.

The thought had barely formed when he reconsidered: No, if Luo Feng were truly crushed and unable to break through to the Immortal Realm, who would stand in the way when the World Beast attacked in the future?

Perhaps, he could secretly break through to the Universe Master first, and then suddenly reveal his true power when Luo Feng breaks through to Immortality and comes excitedly to show off, giving him a "surprise"?

After imagining that scene, Tang Ping felt even more cheerful.

Outside the main hall, Sun Ruowei entered quietly, bowed respectfully, and said in a reverent tone, "Your Majesty, Marquis Justice is waiting outside for your summons."

"Announce." Tang Ping said casually, waving his hand.

Sun Ruowei nodded in agreement, directly operating her permissions in the Virtual Universe. Then, noticing the smile on Tang Ping's face, she couldn't help but ask curiously, "Your Majesty is in an exceptionally good mood today. What brings you such joy?"

Tang Ping's lips curled into a smirk.

However, this was a matter between the brothers themselves, so it was naturally not appropriate to discuss it with outsiders. Moreover, Luo Feng's progress would only accelerate in the future, and if he couldn't keep up, and this matter got out, he would be in serious trouble.

So he waved his hand and said, "It's nothing, I just remembered some happy things."

"Alright." A hint of sadness flashed across Sun Ruowei's eyes.

I ultimately failed to win His Majesty's heart, and I don't know when I will be able to obtain that spot in the Initial Universe.

The next second, hurried yet steady footsteps approached from afar.

Marquis Justice, dressed in a black, close-fitting outfit, stepped barefoot onto the cold palace floor. His long, dark hair was tied in a high ponytail. His posture was upright and sharp, exuding a decisive and swift aura. He strode into the palace and bowed, saying, "Your subordinate, Marquis Justice, pays respects to King Anle! May I ask what brings you here?"

Tang Ping appeared in front of the Marquis Justice in a flash, looking Zi Guang up and down. As a gentleman, he was not looking at the jade feet, but simply admiring them.

His dashing and clean-cut appearance befits his capable subordinate.

"After my best efforts, headquarters has approved your outstanding manager position. The Marquis Rank resources for your promotion should have already been sent to your Virtual Universe mailbox. Take a look," Tang Ping said with a smile.

Marquis Justice's eyes suddenly lit up, and he immediately sent a wisp of his consciousness into the Virtual Universe. He quickly regained his composure, his face beaming with undisguised joy. When he bowed again, his tone was full of sincerity. "Thank you, King Anle!"

This expression of gratitude came from the bottom of her heart. Having been a disciple of the King Iron Face for hundreds of thousands of years, this was the first time she had truly felt the benefits of being at the top of her clan. Of course, she knew perfectly well that without King Anle's intervention, this quota would never have fallen into her lap.

Tang Ping nodded casually, but there was a hint of melancholy in his tone. "Speaking of which, I've never experienced the reward resources corresponding to this kind of position."

"Alas, my journey has been smooth sailing. I've never experienced the despair of those lower-level cultivators who can't get what they want, nor have I faced life-or-death situations. This perfect life, ironically, lacks a certain flavor."

He glanced at Marquis Justice, his tone tinged with envy. "Honestly, I'm quite envious of you newbies," he said, "Your lives have so many ups and downs."

Marquis Justice:----

The Marquis Justice remained silent, secretly thinking to himself, "Aside from his sharp tongue and fondness for beautiful women, this King Anle is otherwise impeccable. He neither oversteps his authority to interfere in the affairs of his subordinates, nor does he fail to advocate for their welfare."

Of course, it was also thanks to his formidable strength that he survived. Anyone else with that kind of temper would probably have been beaten to death long ago.

After a moment of silence, Marquis Justice barely suppressed his inner turmoil and forced a smile, "Your Majesty, the resource land allocated to me by the clan happens to be located in the Tree Abyss Secret Realm, where my master, the King Iron Face, is stationed. I humbly request Your Majesty to grant me a thousand-year leave to go to the secret realm for cultivation."

Tang Ping nodded in agreement, then quickly checked the Virtual Universe with his consciousness, his brow furrowing slightly. "The holiday is approved, but who will take over the security affairs of the Solar System?"

Furthermore, the Tree Abyss Secret Realm lies outside the Human Race Territory, surrounded by Alien Race that are eyeing it covetously. You must be extremely careful. A thousand years from now, I'll be waiting for you to return and report back."

Marquis Justice:----

I appreciate your "concern"!

Upon hearing this, Sun Ruowei, who was standing to the side, quickly and subtly puffed out her chest, trying to attract Tang Ping's attention. At the same time, Brolin on the other side also sent flirtatious glances, her eyes full of allure, her pretty face flushed.

Tang Ping, who hadn't turned off his aim, naturally noticed them, but after stroking his chin in thought for a moment, his eyes lit up. "Let Fang Shu in."

A moment later, an unremarkable Pingping slowly walked into the hall.

Fang Shu was dressed simply and had a reserved demeanor, as if he were just an inconspicuous piece of furniture in the hall. But a skilled warrior does not need to make a great contribution. The fact that the Solar System Divine Temple could be kept in good order year after year without him having to worry about it showed that Fang Shu's management skills were not bad.

Tang Ping announced loudly, "Fang Shu, I hereby appoint you as the temporary security manager for the Cosmic Galaxy Milky Way, Solar System. Are you willing to accept the position?"

Marquis Justice's pupils constricted, his face filled with astonishment:???

This is utterly absurd! Internal bank appointments typically involve at least eight review processes. Mid-to-senior level positions like manager require the joint approval of at least three senior executives from headquarters to be effective. How can something be decided so casually?

"Your subordinate is willing to accept the mission!" Fang Shu, somewhat excited.

This is a truly secure "iron rice bowl" job, something most people dream of but can't even get!

As soon as he finished speaking, a notification sound rang out on the Personal Terminal of the Marquis Justice.

[Ding! The internal decision of the Cosmic Galaxy Milky Way has taken effect. You are now on paid leave for a period of one thousand years. Your original position will be temporarily taken over by Fang Shu, an outstanding member of the team. Please complete the handover within three days and submit a handover checklist to the system for record-keeping.]

"Huh?" Marquis Justice was completely dumbfounded, staring blankly at Tang Ping with disbelief on his face.

A viral article she had once seen in the Virtual Universe inexplicably flashed through her mind. "<My father is the Lord of Cosmic Judgment!>". Her ideals and beliefs about industry rules and fairness, which she had upheld for many years, were violently shaken at this moment.

What shocked her even more was: was this overstepping of authority a privilege unique to King Anle, or was it something that all the higher-ups in the tribe were doing?

If everyone acted so recklessly, what would be the point of her hundreds of thousands of years of desperate struggle and hard work?

All those bloody battles fought deep in dangerous situations, all those sacrifices made to save the community from enormous economic losses and casualties—could they all be worth less than a mere privilege?

Is it possible that no matter how hard you try, it's not as good as finding a powerful backer to cling to? When did the world become like this? This is completely different from what her master, the King Iron Face, warned her about.

Her master had clearly said that as long as she was true to herself and her people, and worked diligently, her people would eventually see her efforts and give her the reward she deserved. But what she saw before her eyes shattered the belief she had held onto for so many years.

At this moment, the valiant aura surrounding the Marquis Justice vanished instantly, leaving only confusion and melancholy.

Just as her spirits were sinking to rock bottom, she suddenly remembered the Marquis Level training resources that King Anle had just bestowed upon her. That was not something that could be easily obtained through ordinary privileges; it was clearly the clan's recognition and reward for her past achievements!

Moreover, Marquis-level Immortal are beings who can wield real power and hold truly high-ranking positions. Just like the several department heads of the Virtual Universe Company Ganwu Branch, they are all Marquis-level Immortal, whose status is far beyond that of a temporary security manager.

With this thought, the gloom in the Marquis Justice's heart instantly dissipated, and his eyes brightened again.

Fang Shu was merely using King Anle's position temporarily, while her future was far brighter, as she was capable of achieving Marquis Rank and becoming a marquis through her own abilities.

Yay!