Green Jade King

At the periphery of Bauhinia Island, Chen Qing stared at the massive green emerald before him, cursing the Young Ancestral God under his breath while tightening his aura. Throwing him right at someone's doorstep like this—wasn't he afraid of being recognized as a World Lord? Damn, what a mischievous brat.

"Green Jade King? A human?"

The venerable of Feicang Ancestor widened his eyes, staring at Chen Qing in astonishment. His aura, however, kept surging—Marquis-Rank High... King-Rank Peak... King-Rank Invincible. Seeing that Chen Qing's aura remained unchanged, he finally withdrew his pressure. Having received countless visitors over the years, this was the first time he'd greeted one at his doorstep. What luck had this human who called himself Green Jade King stumbled upon, to have the Ancestral God personally arrange his arrival?

"Not bad. Follow me!"

Chen Qing, also known as Green Jade King, was an ancient Immortal, a core member of the Virtual Company who spent his days cataloging and studying texts. He rarely socialized. Countless epochs ago, when he barely held Marquis-Rank, he joined a secret realm expedition to break through. Now, not only had he broken through, but he'd also obtained a precious Inheritance Token. The wandering Young Ancestral God had encountered him, taken a liking to him, and conveniently brought him out of the secret realm. His story was simple, but tracing it would be troublesome. An ordinary Immortal from so long ago—probably few would remember him. At most, it left him with an identity within the Ancestral God Secret Realm. Even if other races investigated, they'd only find a hidden genius.

Arriving at the periphery of Bauhinia Island, the venerable "Emerald" didn't linger. After establishing his own palace, Chen Qing finally settled down and took out the ring the Giant Axe Founder had given him. "Whoa, quite a haul! Spirit Butterfly, clean this up."

"Yes, Master!"

Handing the ring to his AI, Chen Qing stirred his mind. At the bottom of the inner sea within his body world, a cyan stone shot up rapidly. Upon reaching the surface, it began emitting a soft glow, soon illuminating the entire world. A green lotus slowly unfurled, and from the base of its seedpod, countless illusory roots extended, vanishing into the void and reaching toward unknown places. Within the seedpod, a suit of Jade Armor floated silently, then transformed into a beam of cyan light, leaving the body world to cling to his body. "Alright, my sense of security is back!"

The Jade Armor was a Peak God King Treasure, primarily for defense and concealment. Defense went without saying—even in a minor universe, that trace of origin couldn't even scuff its surface. As for concealment, now no one could detect he was a World Lord. From the inside out, he radiated divine power, and he had no body world. If not for the Giant Axe Founder knowing he was a World Lord, and to avoid raising suspicions from him and the Ancestral God—plus his unfamiliarity with the Law of Speech—he would have put it on before coming out.

The Green Lotus Clone's clarity on the laws was no less than the Origin Land. It could focus on the laws and break through to Immortal first. He estimated he still had time to comprehend the six major branches of the higher laws, but he hadn't grasped a single one yet. If he had to fight in this state, he'd be at too great a disadvantage. His main body would focus on studying attack secret techniques. His Origin Bead was no ordinary hard! Not to mention the origin of perfect genes—even the Green Lotus's years of soaking had caused unknown changes in his Origin Core.

"First, go register!"

In the dedicated room of the Virtual Universe, "Little Jade" had kept a marker here, a place to let the Original Ancestor stretch his legs. "Senior, Palace Master, you were looking for me?"

The Original Ancestor gave the youth a complicated look. He'd thought this matter was abandoned, yet now he saw hope again. "It seems you haven't logged into Glory World?"

"Glory World? I just came from the Beast God's place."

The Original Ancestor sighed, glancing at the silent Palace Master Biluo. Why had he thought to find her back then? "Then you're lucky. You got authorized so quickly, or you'd have been waiting a while. The Virtual Universe now has plenty of intelligence on the God-Gifted Continent. You can browse it freely with your authority."

"Oh? Let me take a look."

So the God-Gifted Continent was the landmass he'd stayed in within the secret realm. Though a half-finished product, its vast territory and abundant origin were undeniable. He hadn't even walked its edges. Unfortunately, the Primal Universe had been too hasty, forcing him to develop in a corner. It probably never expected the stage to be this grand. In just a few days, a crowd of King-Ranks and venerables had gathered there. Most of the inheritors were now waiting there, since the anomalies had just passed, and such strange events in the Ancestral God Secret Realm naturally made everyone connect the dots.

"Giant Axe and Chaos mean for you to stay away from the commotion, even if you have treasures. It'll help divert everyone's attention."

With that, the Original Ancestor picked up his teacup. Lately, he'd found this more useful than a wine cup. Chen Qing glanced at Biluo and followed the Original Ancestor's lead, lifting his own cup. So the real messenger was the one beside him—a bit awkward for the Original Ancestor.

Back in the secret realm, Chen Qing returned and took out a shuttle-shaped treasure from his ring. It was the Water Cloud Boat provided by his race, combining palace and speed functions, top-tier among ordinary treasures.

"Spirit Butterfly, find a remote spot based on the map. You navigate."

"Yes, Master. According to your instructions, heading away from the God-Gifted Continent, we'll arrive in three months."

"Good. Let's go."

Since he hadn't reached Immortal and had no God Kingdom teleportation, his range of movement was limited. This time, during the Origin Land's gestation, Little Cloud had been in the light cocoon with him. Its gains were far greater than imagined. Now that it was out, it was time to break through and make up for his shortcomings.

Looking at the now vastly transformed Cloud-Touching Vine—its entire body cyan, with starlight flickering within—Chen Qing said, "Little Cloud, it's your turn!"

Chen Qing extended his palm. The vine's tendrils rubbed against his hand. Worry, fear, and a hint of excitement surged within Chen Qing, especially when the heart-seal connected with all living things, making the feeling even more vivid. He curled his index finger and gently stroked the shrunk tendrils, radiating a peaceful, ethereal aura that quickly calmed Little Cloud.

"Go. Bloom with your brilliance!"

The calmed Cloud-Touching Vine hesitated no longer. A flash of cyan light, and 360 tendrils twisted into a massive vine ball in the distance. Without using any resources, the vine ball began to pulse like a heart. Starlight started to merge into one. Cyan bark began to peel off. At first, each falling piece made the ball tremble, but soon they fell in clusters. A pained shriek echoed in his mind. Chen Qing watched calmly, but the air around him grew even more ethereal, striving to soothe Little Cloud's heart.

"Boom"

As the origin descended, Little Cloud began to cheer. Its wounded body quickly recovered under the origin's nourishment. The 360 tendrils unfurled, visibly growing larger and longer, finally stopping at around 120 million kilometers.

"Master, I succeeded!"

A soft, sweet voice sounded in his mind. The irrepressible joy made Chen Qing smile. Little Cloud quickly coiled around him, forming a thin film over the Jade Armor, concealing it.

It seemed Little Cloud had high intelligence. Chen Qing nodded in satisfaction. He estimated that Little Cloud alone could defeat a King-Rank High and withstand attacks from a King-Rank Peak!

"Not bad. All that's left is to establish a God Kingdom and rely on the race's couriers. That'll make finding a wife much easier."