The Matriarch

The Luo Clan Hotel in the Virtual Universe was brightly lit, and the banquet hall was packed with guests.

Luo Kedi wore a vivid red brocade robe. With his square features and a carefully cultivated genial smile, he weaved among the guests, greeting them one by one.

He knew perfectly well that many of the people attending the banquet looked down on him. After all, aside from his ability to sire children and his backing from the Luo Family, he had neither the refinement of high society nor any notable strength. Even his basic etiquette seemed stiff.

But so what? A barely perceptible smug smile tugged at Luo Kedi's lips.

Weren't these people still currying favor with him? They were afraid that if he said the word, his descendants—who were spread throughout the Luo Family's various departments—would make things difficult for them at work, or block their way entirely.

Cackling~

Just then, he spotted Tang Ping, dressed in black, strolling over in the distance. His eyes lit up at once.

Luo Kedi had a particularly strong impression of this former superior—and brother-in-law.

It wasn't because Tang Ping had always given him a gift at every banquet, whether he was down on his luck or riding high. Rather, back in the Lost Desert, Luo Kedi had seen Tang Ping repeatedly endure inhuman torment in the Ice Cold Cavern, willingly setting his senses to 100% to improve his strength.

Once, curiosity had gotten the better of him, and he had tried it himself, also setting his senses to 100%. After just ten seconds, the bone-deep cold and excruciating pain had nearly driven him to collapse. Even now, the memory still filled him with dread. He felt he might spend the rest of his life recovering from it.

From that moment on, Luo Kedi had understood that someone like Tang Ping, who was that ruthless with himself, would be even more ruthless with others. As long as he survived, and with the Luo Family's respect for talent, he was bound to rise to great heights one day.

For now, he was merely going through a temporary rough patch.

It was easy to add to someone's glory; helping them in their darkest hour was much harder.

With that in mind, Luo Kedi hurried a few steps forward to greet him, his voice warm. "Brother Tang Ping! I've invited you so many times, and today you finally had a chance to come! Come on, I've saved you the best seat."

The scene immediately sparked murmurs among the guests.

The last person Luo Kedi had personally gone out to welcome was the Black Dragon Empire's energy minister, a powerful Domain Lord and the immediate superior of the Luo Family's newly risen genius, Luo Fuxin.

Everyone began wondering who this young man in black could possibly be.

As they entered the hotel, Luo Kedi continued to work the room, exchanging pleasantries with every guest. Tang Ping was equally at ease.

He was now a Core Member of the Ganwu Secret Realm. In a few years, these people might not even get the chance to see him, even if they were on their knees. Besides, in an unfamiliar setting, as long as he didn't feel awkward, everyone else did.

Before long, some guests had looked up Tang Ping's identity. He was nothing more than a son-in-law of the Luo Family. His wife, Luo Xiaoyu, had once been an outstanding direct-line descendant more than a decade ago, reaching Planetary Level Peak while still young.

But these days, many of the Luo Family's younger generation had reached Star Rank in their teens. On top of that, Tang Ping and his wife never showed up at family competitions or ranking events, so people had long since forgotten about them.

When they heard that Tang Ping had once been Luo Kedi's superior in the game, the guests immediately showered Luo Kedi with praise. "Mr. Luo, you've risen so high, yet you still remember your old friends. You're truly a man of loyalty and deep feeling!"

The two made their way to the hotel's third-highest floor, the highest level at which ordinary members of the Luo Family could hold a banquet.

Luo Kedi led Tang Ping to the guest-of-honor seats and warmly introduced him to everyone there. But the others had already heard about Tang Ping's "background." They offered only perfunctory smiles and couldn't even be bothered to stand and greet him.

Tang Ping didn't mind. He simply returned their smiles. It wasn't as if he couldn't pretend, too.

A short while later, the banquet officially began.

Tang Ping quietly picked up his chopsticks and ate, watching the people around him toast one another and chat merrily. No one came over to offer him a drink, and he was happy to be left in peace. He had no interest in joining the crowd.

He only took a token sip when Luo Kedi came around to toast him.

The food in the Virtual Universe was exquisite beyond compare. Anything one could imagine tasting could be enjoyed there, and it was indistinguishable from the real thing.

Some women who cared about their figures even kept themselves alive by soaking in Nutrient Solution in reality while indulging in delicious food in the Virtual Universe.

Tang Ping also noticed that the banquet was much more lavish than before. In the past, it had been ordinary chicken, duck, and fish. Now, every dish was made with precious natural treasures infused with Origin Force. Luo Kedi had clearly put a great deal of thought into the menu.

After a round of drinks, Luo Fuxin, seated at the head of the table, slammed his glass down. The sound wasn't loud, but it was enough to silence the surrounding chatter at once.

Luo Yanchang, sitting beside him, hurriedly put on a smile and asked with feigned concern, "Brother Xin, what's wrong today? Who upset you?"

Luo Fuxin swept his gaze across the room before fixing it on Tang Ping, who was focused on his food. His voice dripped with obvious mockery. "Some people really have no idea about rank or respect!

"I turned down energy business across eight thousand star systems today. We're talking about tens of millions of billions' worth of travel and living resources! I came all this way just to congratulate Brother Kedi, and what does he do? He's a member of the Luo Family, yet he can't even be bothered to raise a glass!

"What, are his responsibilities heavier than mine?"

"Haha! Don't get angry, Brother Xin!" Luo Yanchang, who managed dozens of life-bearing star systems, hurried to pat Luo Fuxin's shoulder and smooth things over. His gaze drifted casually toward Tang Ping, but his tone brooked no argument. "A lot of people in the family are addicted to games these days and cut off from reality. They've even forgotten basic manners. A little lesson should be enough.

"Little Tang, get up and offer Brother Xin three drinks!

"Do you even know that Brother Xin is now in charge of the Silver Blue Empire's energy business? He oversees all the star systems under our Luo Family! Without his approval, in a few years your little star system won't be able to exchange for Universe Crystals. Heck, it might be shut down tomorrow for failing a safety inspection!"

Tang Ping put down his chopsticks, speechless.

These people had gotten a little power and brought the same ugly habit from Earth's era—fawning on the powerful and forcing others to drink—into the universe.

In the past, for his and Luo Xiaoyu's sake within the Luo Family, he might have swallowed his pride and stood up to offer a toast. But now, he was a special-grade Star Rank student at the Ganwu Secret Realm. Did those two think they were worthy?

He looked up at Luo Fuxin and Luo Yanchang. His voice was calm, but carried an unshakable confidence. "Sorry, Xiao Yu and I are trying for a baby, so I have to stay off alcohol. As for the star system I used to manage, Xiao Yu and I have already submitted our resignations to the Luo Family. You won't need to worry about us anymore."

"Uh..." Luo Yanchang, usually so smooth and pleasant, froze with his smile still on his face.

Then his heart gave a thump. With no jobs or businesses, Tang Ping and his wife lived off the family's monthly relief payments. People like them were known in the Luo Family as "untouchables."

After all, they were all members of the same family and constantly crossed paths. People with nothing to lose were unburdened by ties. If pushed too far, they might really strap on a bomb and take someone with them.

More importantly, Tang Ping and his wife were members of the Luo Family's direct line. He couldn't deal with them the way he might with ordinary people—lock them up and beat them on some pretext, or simply have them "taken care of."

After a moment of awkward silence, Luo Yanchang hurriedly put on another smile and smoothed things over. "Hahaha! Little Tang, you really are something! But I've always admired people like you, who are willing to make sacrifices for the family's benefit!

"How about this, Brother Xin? I'll have a drink on Little Tang's behalf. Please don't take it to heart!" As he spoke, he quickly raised his glass and offered it to Luo Fuxin.

Luo Fuxin wasn't stupid. He knew just how frightening an "untouchable" could be. With his noble status and control over a vast energy business, there was no point risking his life against someone like Tang Ping, who had nothing to lose. It simply wasn't worth it.

So he followed Luo Yanchang's lead and picked up his glass, his tone softening. "If that's the case, then I'm not unreasonable."

The atmosphere at the table soon became "lively" again, as if the unpleasantness had never happened.

The next moment, the hotel's heavy alloy doors swung open from the outside. Steady footsteps drew nearer, each one seeming to land on everyone's nerves, instantly overpowering the noise of the banquet.

Everyone instinctively looked up. A figure in blue-green alloy armor strode in, his entire body covered in blue-green scales that gleamed coldly. A faint energy flowed between them, outlining powerfully built muscles. A curved, black blade-like horn jutted from his forehead, sharp enough to seem capable of slicing through the air. Two curved long blades hung crossed on his back, their scabbards etched with blood-red patterns that glimmered ominously beneath the lights.

"That's Baikaluo, the captain of the Luo Family Enforcement Team!" someone exclaimed under their breath, their voice full of apprehension.

Nearly everyone there had heard of Baikaluo. The enforcement team's commander was a true Universe Level Peak powerhouse. His dual-blade technique was masterful, and he was famous for his uncompromising impartiality and ruthless methods.

The Luo Family had enforced strict rules in recent years. Countless descendants who had violated the family code, even high-ranking members of collateral branches, had been seized and brought to justice by the enforcement team under his command. The grisly stories about the team's interrogation rooms remained a taboo that many people still dared not mention in private.

As Baikaluo approached, an imposing aura spread through the room like a mountain, and the temperature in the banquet hall seemed to drop several degrees.

The guests, who had been chattering moments ago, fell silent as if struck dumb. Even their breathing grew quieter. Luo Fuxin, who had just been acting high and mighty and ordering Tang Ping around, abruptly sat up straight. His hands settled involuntarily on his knees, and every trace of his earlier arrogance vanished from his eyes.

Luo Yanchang, too, let his smile drop. Tension filled his face as he stared at Baikaluo, uncertain why this feared figure had suddenly shown up.

Everyone knew the enforcement team never appeared without reason. And when its captain, Baikaluo, came in person, something major had to be happening. Either someone had committed a grave offense, or he had received an urgent order from the family's top brass.

But what happened next left everyone in the room stunned.

Baikaluo strode straight through the crowd and walked toward Tang Ping, the man everyone had been ignoring.

Under countless astonished gazes, the enforcement team captain, famed for his sternness and for daring to detain even Star Rank powerhouses, slowly bent his ramrod-straight back. With his hands resting naturally at his sides, he spoke with an almost humble respect. "Your Excellency Tang Ping, Matriarch Xu Xin requests your presence."

"Huh?"

After a brief silence, gasps erupted throughout the banquet hall.