Astonishing Treatment

In the cultivation room of the Governor's Mansion on the 888th floor of Storm Port, in the BX10081 Star System.

The light from the pale blue Virtual Universe logout halo had not yet fully dissipated when Tang Ping and Luo Xiaoyu opened their eyes almost simultaneously. The moment their gazes met, they both burst into laughter in unison.

Being able to enter the legendary Ganwu Secret Realm together, and even jumping straight to core member status—this result was far better than what they had initially expected.

"I never imagined we would actually be able to step through the gates of the Ganwu Secret Realm," Luo Xiaoyu whispered, her eyes filled with joy.

She had heard from others before that the current head of the Luo family, Luo Feng, had a second son, Ancestor Luo Hai, who was also a member of the Ganwu Secret Realm. However, he was already a Universe Level powerhouse, a starting point that was worlds apart from where they stood now.

"Take it slow; we'll be able to catch up eventually," Tang Ping reached out to ruffle her hair, his tone brimming with confidence.

As they spoke, both of their personal terminals received an email from the Ganwu Secret Realm. Upon opening them, they found a detailed list of their respective basic benefits, the sheer generosity of which left them both pleasantly surprised.

Looking at Luo Xiaoyu's status first: as a Star Rank third-tier student, according to the secret realm's regulations, a specialist from the Ganwu Dojo would arrive in one month to escort her to the realm, after which she could focus entirely on her cultivation.

Regarding benefits, she was granted an allowance of 10 million Ganwu Coins every ten years, which could be used to purchase various cultivation treasures and rare secret manuals.

Even more precious was that many resources in the Ganwu Secret Realm, which were considered "not for sale" in the outside world, were not only accessible to third-tier students but also came with a 10% discount.

Furthermore, the secret realm frequently featured Immortal Level and Marquis Level powerhouses serving as mentors to give lectures, regularly opened mysterious zones for students to explore and find opportunities, and even provided access to the legendary Immortal Monument, which was inscribed with countless immortal secret techniques, for observation.

What put Luo Xiaoyu most at ease was that if she prepared to break through to Universe Level in the future, she could apply for a special resource grant of 10 million Ganwu Coins for free, completely solving the funding issues for her breakthrough that she had previously worried about.

One must know that 1 Ganwu Coin is equivalent to 1,000 Black Dragon Coins.

As for Tang Ping's special-tier student benefits, they were so extravagant they were staggering: his ten-year allowance soared to 100 million Ganwu Coins—which converted to a full 100 billion Black Dragon Coins—and he enjoyed a 30% discount when purchasing items in the secret realm.

When breaking through to Universe Level, he could apply for 100 million Ganwu Coins in resources for free, which would minimize the risks of his breakthrough to the absolute lowest level.

However, the email also clearly mentioned the assessment rules: Star Rank students in the Ganwu Secret Realm would undergo a screening every ten years, and those ranked outside the top one thousand would be demoted to peripheral students and expelled from the core area.

The assessment cycle for Universe Level students was one hundred years, also following a last-place elimination system.

We're rich!

After the brief joy, the two began to seriously discuss their upcoming schedule.

"First, we have to resign from the Luo family and hand over the star system management work at Storm Port to someone else," Tang Ping mused. "We must see things through to the end; we can't just quit because we're heading to the secret realm."

As for his business in the virtual games, there was no need to worry too much; after all, they might need to go to the Deep Cold Cavern to temper their willpower in the future, so they could just log in occasionally to manage things.

Luo Xiaoyu nodded and added, "We don't have any friends or family we need to say special goodbyes to. The only thing left is to order a batch of supplies for the Universe Level breakthrough and have them delivered directly to the Ganwu Secret Realm. It'll be safer to wait for the specialist to pick us up in a month and then focus on preparing for the breakthrough once we arrive."

"There's more good news," Tang Ping suddenly remembered what Feng Lun had said earlier and smiled. "Feng Lun mentioned that the screening for Universe Level students in the Ganwu Secret Realm just finished this year. If we can successfully break through, we can temporarily enjoy the benefits of Universe Level students before the next screening."

"This is essentially an unspoken rule; it means we get to take advantage of it for an extra hundred years."

One must realize that special-tier Universe Level students could apply for free resources, which would allow Tang Ping to soak in nutrient solution all the way to the peak of the Universe Level.

The atmosphere in the cultivation room gradually grew warm. Tang Ping stood up, walked over to Luo Xiaoyu, and wrapped his arms around her slender waist from behind, resting his chin gently on her shoulder. His voice carried a hint of playfulness: "Wife, with such great news today, shouldn't we celebrate properly?"

Hearing this, Luo Xiaoyu rolled her eyes in a cute manner.

Having been a married couple for over a decade, how could she not know what Tang Ping was thinking? This so-called "celebration" was just an excuse for him to get intimate.

How to celebrate? Naturally, by clapping!

She struggled slightly, her tone carrying a hint of feigned annoyance: "Be gentle. After last time, my spear stance could barely close, and my combat power dropped for several days!"

Tang Ping's gaze shifted downward involuntarily, landing on Luo Xiaoyu's legs.

Even wrapped in the tight Origin Force Battle Suit, those legs still appeared long and straight, the gap between them when pressed together almost imperceptible. This was the benefit of being a powerful martial artist—the recovery ability was astonishing; as long as it wasn't a fatal wound, it would be back to normal in no time.

As he spoke, his arms tightened, and his nose was filled with the faint, clean scent of Origin Force on Luo Xiaoyu.

Hehehe~

Virtual Universe, the core area of the Luo Family Exclusive Island, Luo Clan Hotel.

A giant palace-like structure stood in the center of the plaza.

To cope with the increasingly frequent banquet demands within the clan, the Luo family simply built this hotel at their own base, capable of accommodating hundreds of thousands of people at once.

Rather than letting outsiders profit from hosting banquets, it was better to keep the convenience for their own people.

The exterior walls of the hotel were crafted from rare Star-Patterned Jade; when sunlight hit them, they refracted a brilliant, colorful halo. The two giant lion statues at the entrance, carved with the Luo family totem, further highlighted the majesty of the family. Looking at it from afar, it was truly magnificent.

Tang Ping stood at the hotel entrance, watching the endless stream of guests, and couldn't help but twitch his lips, feeling speechless.

Today was supposed to be a rare day of leisure, but he couldn't resist Luo Kedi's enthusiastic invitation. In the end, he came to attend the full-month banquet for Luo Kedi's one-hundredth son.

Looking at the well-dressed, chatting guests before him—there were direct descendants of the Luo family, representatives from major forces in the Milky Way Galaxy, and even members of several veteran families from the Black Dragon Empire.

Tang Ping finally deeply grasped a truth he had never considered before: being able to reproduce was also a skill that others could hardly match.

Over a decade ago, few people in the entire Luo family thought much of Luo Kedi.

In everyone's eyes, he was a good-for-nothing who just lived to eat and wait for death, spending his days chasing women and casting cultivation aside. He was entirely focused on having children, which was a world of difference compared to the geniuses in the Luo family who were racing against time to reach higher realms.

Back then, anyone who got close to Luo Kedi would be secretly mocked for "having no ambition."

But no one expected that as time passed, the situation would quietly reverse.

Luo Kedi's sons, grandsons, and even great-grandsons kept popping up like bamboo shoots after a spring rain, gradually taking root in every system of the Luo family.

One must know that the entire direct line of the Luo family only consisted of a few thousand people. With so few hands to manage the 210,000 life planets in the Milky Way Galaxy, as well as hundreds of millions of uninhabited star systems, it was simply a drop in the bucket.

Thus, "prioritizing the employment of Luo Family members" became an unwritten rule. Whether they were direct descendants, collateral branches, or sons-in-law and daughters-in-law who joined through marriage, as long as they were connected to the Luo Family, they could gain an advantage in job distribution.

And the descendants of Luo Kedi happened to catch this wave of "dividends."

Over the past dozen years, relying on their status as "Luo Family members," they gradually entered various departments of the Luo Family, including administration, commerce, and the military. Some had even climbed into middle-management positions, wielding significant influence.

Only then did everyone belatedly realize how "formidable" Luo Kedi was. While he appeared to be idling his life away, he had actually used the most "simple and brutal" method to pave a solid path for his family.

From then on, the clansmen who once looked down on Luo Kedi changed their attitudes, and major powers from the Silver Blue Empire and even the Black Dragon Empire began to actively curry favor with him.

The banquets at Luo Kedi's home, which were initially deserted, became highly sought-after, with some people even spending vast sums of money just to secure an invitation.

The gift money offered by guests grew more generous year by year, becoming a peculiar "scenery" within the Luo Family.

By now, the banquets at Luo Kedi's home were no longer open to just anyone; without sufficient status and standing, one couldn't even step through the hotel doors.

Absurd! Tang Ping muttered to himself, his eyes filled with complex emotions.

What depressed him even more was that he and Luo Xiaoyu had put in a great deal of effort over the years to have a child.

They had specifically enrolled in the most authoritative "Eugenics and Childcare Course" in the Virtual Universe, learning various conception techniques, how to maintain positions to prevent leakage, the correct way to exert force in the kneeling position, how to precisely calculate conception dates, and even trying extreme methods like "abstaining for seven days and trying for one."

They bought no shortage of supplements, from natural treasures that nourished the body to rare potions that regulated Origin Force; as long as it helped with conception, they were willing to pay any price. Sometimes, to seize the best timing, the two would even pause their cultivation and stay up all night preparing.

Yet, even so, there was still no good news.

Actually, thinking about it carefully, this was normal.

The more powerful a cultivator was, the greater the difficulty in producing offspring. The more refined the Origin Force, the stronger the repulsion toward nurturing life; successfully conceiving a child was, in itself, a low-probability event.

It was precisely because of this that many supreme experts were exceptionally doting toward their children; after all, they were treasures exchanged for countless efforts.

Tang Ping sighed softly, his gaze shifting back to the lively scene inside the hotel.

Luo Kedi was surrounded by a crowd offering congratulations, his face beaming with joy. That look of smug satisfaction was a far cry from the man he had been a dozen years ago.