The Loneliness at the Apex of the Universe

Beyond the Falling Ink Star, in the void.

Tang Ping looked at the reserved appearance of Hu Yanbo and his group, a hint of regret flashing in his eyes.

He had thought that this discerning immortal would have a good chat with him and become friends, but the other party used only polite language and was very cautious in his every move, which made him lose interest in communicating.

"How boring~" He turned and waved to Babata, "You play with them for now."

Before the words were finished, his figure vanished silently in the ripples that spread through the void.

Only after Tang Ping completely disappeared did Hu Yanbo and his nine soul servants finally breathe a sigh of relief, their tense bodies relaxing.

"Boss, Tang Ping actually has a great personality and loves to have fun. You don't need to be so nervous. Just talk normally." Babata shrugged helplessly, looking at the group's still-shaken expressions, and couldn't help but complain, "Look how scared you all are. He can't even have a proper chat with you guys."

"Easy for you to say!" the immortal, husky-like creature roared in a deep voice, his expression filled with awe. "Babata, that's a great being who can Reverse Time and Space and resurrect us!"

To us, the Ganwu Kingdom Lord is already supreme, ancient, and invincible, while the Universe Master is the pinnacle of the entire Human Race! Who wouldn't be afraid of such a great figure? Perhaps a single glance from him would reduce us to ashes."

Hu Yanbo gently stroked Babata's head, "Babata, tell me quickly, if this lord is already so powerful, wouldn't his ancestor, your new master, the Galaxy Lord Luo Feng, be even more terrifying?"

Babata blinked his eerie vertical pupils, "Hmm----actually, Master hasn't broken through to Immortality yet."

"Ah?"

Hu Yanbo and his nine servants exchanged bewildered glances, their faces filled with astonishment. For a moment, they were unable to process what had just happened. The ancestor of the Universe Master had not yet reached the Immortal Realm?

After a long while, the yellow-skinned man with a cold expression, who had been standing behind Hu Yanbo, stepped forward and said solemnly, "Babata, you must tell us the story of this ruler."

When they met earlier, Babata briefly mentioned a few things, clarifying Tang Ping's connection with Falling Ink Star and Luo Feng. However, this experience was so legendary that it only aroused everyone's curiosity. But due to the oppressive aura of Tang Ping's presence, they didn't even dare to breathe loudly, let alone ask for details.

In less than 20,000 years, from an indigenous person on a remote Earth, they climbed step by step to the pinnacle of Human Race and became the Universe Master. Hu Yanbo felt both shocked and secretly proud that he had indirectly contributed to this effort.

Moreover, with such a powerful ally, Falling Ink Star's future is destined to be smooth sailing.

Babata frowned slightly, pondering for a moment. "There doesn't seem to be much to say about Tang Ping. With the resources I provided, he cultivated to the Star Rank, entered the Ganwu Secret Realm, and within a few years was taken in as a disciple by a Venerable. After that, he remained in seclusion, cultivating diligently, and naturally broke through to Immortality, then Venerable, and finally became the Universe Master."

"Ah?"

Hu Yanbo and his companions were stunned once again, exchanging bewildered glances.

Such an incredible speed of cultivation completely overturned their understanding of cultivation in the universe. Ordinary martial artists might not be able to break through to immortality even after spending tens of millions of years, but he was able to reach the top of the Lord of Cosmic Judgment in 20,000 years without any extraordinary encounters!

A moment later, when Babata mentioned that among the only four direct disciples of Falling Ink Star, one was the Universe Master (Tang Ping), one was the direct disciple of the Chaos City Lord (Luo Feng) and possessed Invincible King, and one was the direct disciple of the Founder of the Giant Axe, and even the weakest of them had the appearance of immortality, Hu Yanbo and the others were completely stunned.

"Babata, from now on, you'll be the boss of Falling Ink Star!" Hu Yanbo exclaimed sincerely.

Such extraordinary foresight surpasses even that of the Founder of the Giant Axe, right?

Babata immediately puffed out his chest, his little face full of pride, and chuckled triumphantly, "Of course!"

The Milky Way Galaxy, in the void.

Tang Ping strolled alone, the power of spacetime quietly flowing around him, completely concealing his aura and figure. Even the light of passing stars seemed to subconsciously give way to him.

The higher you stand in the universe, the more you can feel that profound loneliness.

It's lonely at the top.

"I have already restrained all my pressure, and they are still so reserved. If I were to unleash my full pressure, even Cosmic Venerable would tremble and dare not look me in the eye," Tang Ping murmured, a hint of melancholy in his voice.

When he Reverse Time and Space to revive Hu Yanbo and his group, the power that pulled through time unintentionally stirred up his long-dormant memories of those who had appeared in his life but had long since passed away, especially his parents.

With a slight thought, he instantly traversed billions of kilometers, arriving at the edge of the Milky Way Galaxy next to an abandoned mineral star.

In the void, time flows backward like water, and a long-forgotten scene slowly unfolds.

An old transport ship is passing near the orbit of the mineral star; its hull is mottled, clearly indicating that it has been in service for many years.

Suddenly, several pirate ships sped in, and amidst the roar of cannons, the transport ship's shields shattered instantly. The pirates swarmed in, stormed the bridge, and burned, killed, and looted, staining the cold metal floor with blood.

In the chaos, a middle-aged couple embraced tightly. The man shielded the woman behind him, clutching a rudimentary virtual Communicator in his hand. His eyes held no fear, only longing for the distant future.

They were Tang Ping's parents, who were just ordinary crew members on a transport ship at the time, with only the strength of the Planetary Rank. They were too weak to be defeated by the pirates.

"No time! Quickly send a message to Pingping!" The woman's fingers flew across the Communicator, transferring all the wealth the two had accumulated over their lives to Tang Ping's account.

Time was of the essence, and the pirates' footsteps were getting closer and closer. They didn't even have time to say a few more words of advice, and could only quickly give instructions into the Communicator.

"Pingping, my child, grow up well and take good care of yourself. Don't think about avenging us; hatred will only trap you. Just live a peaceful life."

"Don't resent the Luo Family. You'll realize once you enter the universe that the Luo Family is the kindest and most benevolent family. They will help you after we die. Don't listen to those relatives; just do whatever the Luo Family tells you to do."

The pirates had already stormed onto the bridge, their cold gun barrels pointed at them.

The couple exchanged a glance, and with their last ounce of strength, whispered into the Communicator, "Mom loves you."

"Daddy loves you."

As soon as the words were spoken, the communication was cut off, and the image froze on the moment when the two died in each other's arms, with blood splattered on the Communicator screen.

Tang Ping stood calmly in the void, watching this scene. His eyes were calm and undisturbed, without tears or loss of composure. Perhaps it was because he had witnessed too many partings and deaths over the past twenty thousand years that he had long since lost the ability to shed tears.

Resurrect them?

Unfortunately, it won't work.

Even though he is now the supreme Universe Master, capable of Reverse Time and Space and controlling the flow of time, he still cannot truly resurrect his parents.

Back then, my parents were only at the Planetary Rank level, with a lifespan of just over a thousand years.

He could certainly reverse time and find the vibrant people of that era, but while he could bear the punishment of Time-Space Retrospection, the damage caused by the passage of time would have to be borne by his parents themselves.

Immortal Expert possess formidable physical bodies and stable souls, allowing them to barely resist the erosion of time. Planetary Rank will only age and decay rapidly in the face of the power of time reversal, and their souls, without protection, will instantly vanish in the torrent of time.

This is the fatal flaw of Reverse Time and Space and resurrecting the dead; not all lost lives can be forcibly pulled back to the present.

Tang Ping gently raised his hand, his fingertips brushing against the fleeting scenes of time before his eyes.

Wait!

In the future, he or Luo Feng may step into the Origin Continent, break through the shackles of the Universe Master, become an existence above the World Lord, refine the Source World, and truly control the river of time.

Then he will be able to resurrect his parents without any hindrance.

So, keep up the good work!

He murmured to himself, the melancholy in his eyes gradually fading, replaced by an indomitable sharpness.

The next moment, he arrived on Earth, and time and space flowed once again. He saw the tremendous changes on Earth, which in just 20,000 years had developed from an unknown, remote, indigenous planet in a star system into Cradle of Geniuses renowned throughout the entire Human Race.

Over the past 20,000 years, countless people have been born and multiplied on this small stone, with more than two trillion children born there alone.

These people created countless stories, countless loves and hates, but the earth is too small. All the history, culture, and struggles are just small stories on pebbles.

At that moment, Tang Ping suddenly understood why those high and mighty human rulers didn't care much about the slave trade, imperial battles, or wars between families and clans.

Unless it's a purposeful massacre, this war will at most result in the deaths of a few hundred to tens of millions of people. With the rate of human reproduction, vast territory, and countless life-bearing planets, such a small number of people could probably be replenished in the blink of an eye. On the contrary, the war could give birth to many true geniuses and elites.

Even these struggles are seen as profitable by the powerful.

After all, the Human Race is now located at the very core of the Primal Universe, facing the Three Great Peak Races the Monster Race, the Zerg, and the Machine Race. If they do not have enough combat power to protect their territory and fail in the struggle, the Alien Race may even slaughter the Human Race territories one by one, leading to the extinction of the race!

Of course, the Human Race wouldn't show mercy to Alien Race; otherwise, how did they come to have 1008 Universe Country?

It can't be that it's always been this way!

Hehe~

Tang Ping, who already had a very low threshold for laughter, chuckled softly twice.

The flowing river of time around me becomes clearer, and a youthful figure slowly emerges in the light and shadow: it is myself in my youth.

Back then, he was young and naive, his eyes full of youthful innocence.

The sudden loss of his parents, coupled with the seemingly gentle advice from his relatives and friends, only left him feeling more lost and helpless.

Fortunately, he always remembered his parents' last words. Alone, he received a monthly allowance from the Luo Family and lived a simple life between school and home, avoiding all remote and unfamiliar places.

Until Zhang Min appeared, she was the first woman in his life to make him feel warmth and push him to grow quickly. That bright and beautiful girl, even if she only gave someone like him a little bit of insignificant care and love, was like a ray of light that pierced through the gloom in the world and became his life's salvation.

Driven by this glimmer of hope, he studied diligently, saved every penny to spend on her, and dreamed of the two of them getting into the best university together, starting a family, having children, and heading towards a bright future.

Unfortunately, their initial aspirations were ultimately misplaced.

Tang Ping gently shook his head, but there was no regret in his eyes. The past has long been sealed by time, and there is no turning back in life, nor is it possible to take every step correctly.

If you made the wrong choice, so be it. There's no need to dwell on regret or be harsh on your past self. After all, back then, he was lost in confusion and had already exhausted all his strength to make the safest choice at that moment.

The roses may fade this year, but they will bloom again next year; the path of life is one of moving forward, never looking back.

Moreover, the ending was ultimately good, and he didn't really lose anything.

As for those youthful feelings? They were utterly worthless.

He paused for a moment, watching his younger self make all sorts of embarrassing mistakes due to his immaturity, his smile deepening. Then he lifted his foot and continued his journey through the river of time, as scenes from the long-forgotten past unfolded before him:

The Five Great Heroes' reluctance and resolute farewell to their families before their sacrifice; Easter, all alone, facing death calmly before his cigar had even burned out; Jia Yi's dedication to his country and people, his selflessness and righteousness, shine brightly through the years.

There's also Luo Feng, and what he said to Babata before their final battle.

"The Babata, the surviving citizens of a destroyed nation, are called: slaves of a conquered country!"

"No need to persuade me anymore. If the roots die, how can the leaves survive?"

This is also what Tang Ping admires most about Luo Feng. With someone like him holding up the sky for the Human Race, they, the "little brothers," only need to do their own thing.

Even if the sky falls, there will be a powerful figure to hold it up.

Unfortunately, these people were only Planetary Rank warriors back then, and even if he could Reverse Time and Space now, he would ultimately be unable to revive them.

As his thoughts wandered, the scene froze on Hong and Thunder God joining forces to fight the Golden Horned Beast. At that time, Hong and Thunder God were already top Human Race warriors, but in order to protect their homeland, they burned everything they had and fought to the death with their broken bodies, managing to bring the Golden Horned Beast to its last breath, laying the foundation for Luo Feng's later possession of its body.

Looking at Thunder God in the picture, Tang Ping suddenly became stunned.

When heading to the battlefield.

"Big brother, do you think countless people all over the world are watching me right now? Don't I look incredibly handsome?"

Even with only half his body remaining, Thunder God's fighting spirit remained undiminished. "Thunder God!" Hong's voice was filled with sorrow.

"Never mind me! Even if I'm reduced to a mangled corpse, I will annihilate this beast! Ninefold Thunder Blade, Ninth Layer!"

Flames and lightning intertwined as two battered yet majestic figures, battered by the Golden Horned Beast's ferocious onslaught, exhausted their last ounce of strength before finally plunging into the sea.

Tang Ping stroked his chin.

Who would have thought that Thor, who always jokes around, loves to cling to Thunder God, and seems carefree and nonsensical, also harbors such a burning heroic spirit? It seems I'll have to go easy on him in future sparring matches. After all, if it weren't for Thunder God's life-risking act back then, I might not be who I am today.

Time continues to rewind, and the catastrophe of the Golden Horned Beast suddenly descending upon Earth unfolds before our eyes.

Countless soldiers and warriors, in order to protect their families and defend their country, rushed to the battlefield without hesitation, one after another, sacrificing their lives, only to be met with boundless despair and sacrifice.

A hint of relief flashed in Tang Ping's eyes. A country and a nation are supported by these people. Fortunately, Luo Feng will resurrect these heroes one by one after he becomes the Hunyuan Lord.

Their sacrifices were not in vain, and they will always be remembered.

Finally, the camera focused on Luo Feng's vehicle: No. 1 Fighter.

"Go, Number One, carry out your final mission." Luo Feng's voice was filled with reluctance, yet exceptionally firm.

The fighter jet's mechanical female voice seemed devoid of emotion. "It is an honor to be a member of Earth's defense line. Thank you, Master."

"Number One, detonate!" These were the last words left behind by No. 1 Fighter.

Seeing this, a hint of surprise flashed in Tang Ping's eyes. He could clearly sense that, just before the explosion, this King-Level Intelligent Fighter had awakened emotions unique to living beings.

It is a being called "heart" that transcends the limitations of programming.

With a thought, Tang Ping instantly enveloped the No. 1 Fighter, which was about to detonate, with an invisible force of spacetime. With a gentle pull, he brought it out of the river of time and landed it in the void in front of him.

This is a Deep Blue triangular fighter jet with smooth and beautiful lines. It is about 20 meters long and nearly 10 meters wide. As a former King-Level Intelligent Fighter, its armor was enough to withstand the attack of Apprentice Rank. After being modified by Babata, its maximum speed soared to 8,000 meters per second, far exceeding Mach 20. Back then, it was considered one of the top air combat weapons on Earth.

The sudden time-space shift threw the No. 1 Fighter's Intelligent Core into chaos.

A moment later, a cold, mechanical female voice came through. "Hello, who are you? Where is my master?"

Tang Ping casually instructed the void, "Little Love, transmit all the data about Earth over the past few years to No. 1 Fighter."

"Yes, my dear master~"

A charming Little Cat Girl figure appeared out of thin air; it was Tang Ping's Smart Sprite, Little Love, circling around the No. 1 Fighter curiously, her round eyes full of doubt.

As the master of the Universe Master, how could she be so gentle with such an outdated and dilapidated fighter jet? She didn't ask any questions. She immediately activated her computing power, analyzed the parameters of the No. 1 Fighter's Optical Computer, carefully compressed the images and transcoded the videos to adapt to the fighter jet's old system, and slowly transmitted the massive amount of information bit by bit.

A moment later, the fuselage of the No. 1 Fighter trembled slightly, and the mechanical female voice continued to play, "Humanity has won, and the master is alright. Good."

A sudden tenderness welled up in Tang Ping's heart, and he said softly, "Number One, the Tang Family I founded is in dire need of an AI to oversee things. From now on, you'll be working with me."

"I'm sorry, I only obey my master's orders."

"Even though you are someone I cannot comprehend, according to the principle of maximizing benefits, I should choose to follow you, but I regret to inform you that I cannot comply."

Tang Ping waved his hand helplessly and instructed Little Love, "Transfer the highest authority of Number One to my name."

"Alright!" Little Love responded crisply, a flash of light appearing at her fingertips as she instantly completed the permission tampering.

A moment later, the mechanical female voice of No. 1 Fighter sounded again, its tone still completely flat. "Respected Master, Number One is at your service."

Tang Ping stepped forward and gently stroked the smooth fuselage of the fighter jet. The fuselage trembled slightly, as if in response to his touch.

Tang Ping smiled slightly, waved his hand, and stored the No. 1 Fighter into his Space Ring. He then instructed Little Love, "Order two more Mechanical Heart and customize a top-level intelligent upgrade plan for No. 1. From now on, No. 1 will be stationed in the Tang Family to protect the family's foundation."

"Okay~" Little Love replied, skipping along, her eyes full of joy.

For her, being able to stay by her owner's side day after day was the greatest happiness.