Lu Ming was speechless. He had only just thought of it, and the path was already blocked.
He lowered his head and looked at the Thunderlight Vine in his hand.
"All right, all right. It doesn't matter."
This time, the Thunderlight Vine had reached World Lord Level Ninth Order after a mere thirty-six-hundredfold return.
And yet, even with a ten-thousandfold return, he had only reached Domain Lord Level Ninth Order. The reason was probably his Gene Level.
He stirred his mind.
The Thunderlight Vine, with a full 216 vines, instantly unfurled and wrapped around him in a flash.
It transformed into a purple-black suit of armor.
With his own Hundredfold Gene Domain Lord Level Ninth Order strength, plus this plant life at Peak World Lord Level Ninth Order... his overall combat strength—
Within the World Lord Level, he should have nothing to fear.
Of course, that was assuming he didn't run into any of those freakish geniuses.
A Peak World Lord Thunderlight Vine with 216 vines was no joke when it came to fighting.
Both sacrifices had increased his strength.
It looked like he'd have to wait a few more years before he could pay back the money.
Still, that worked out. He could continue cultivating the laws in seclusion for a while.
At his current level, a few years really wasn't long.
Another three years passed in the blink of an eye.
The Lu Family plaza on Azure Mist Planet.
At that moment, a massive spacecraft bearing the Blue Bird Family crest stood on the plaza, which spanned tens of thousands of square kilometers.
It was Lu Ming's D2-class spacecraft.
Today, he would leave Azure Mist Planet and venture out into the universe once more.
As for the Lu Family, he had entrusted its temporary management to Mo.
Mo's abilities were beyond question, and he was strong enough, too.
With Mo's backing, no one would dare object. Even if Lu Ming was away for a long time, the family could continue to function as usual.
The Lu Family had a large population, but none of them were within three generations of him anymore.
His wife had passed away tens of thousands of years ago, her lifespan exhausted. The same was true of his several children.
Of course, his bloodline had long since been passed down.
After tens of thousands of years of growth, his descendants likely numbered close to a hundred million.
However, most of them had ordinary talent, and as for their character...
All he could say was that many people couldn't keep themselves in check once they had power and wealth.
In the end, Lu Ming had stopped managing them.
All the family's resources had to be earned through talent and strength.
That was also why he was leaving Mo in charge of the family.
Among the main branch, there truly weren't many with talent and strength.
Lu Ming didn't care about bloodlines. After all, countless generations had passed by now.
"Azure Kite, start the spacecraft. Destination: Qiu Long City."
Lu Ming gave the order calmly. His figure had already appeared in the spacecraft's control room.
The D2-class Azure Bird was spacious and comfortable inside, with top-of-the-line facilities throughout.
"Yes, Master. The route is set. Starting the spacecraft now."
The holographic projection of the intelligent life Azure Kite appeared and operated the spacecraft with graceful ease.
Vroom—
Soon, it had reached outer space.
It began accelerating!
"The spacecraft is about to accelerate and enter the Dark Universe."
The spacecraft shuddered slightly, instantly breaking the speed of light and entering the Dark Universe as it headed toward distant Qiu Long City.
Lu Ming sat in a comfortable chair and closed his eyes to rest.
This time, he was leaving Azure Mist Planet not only to repay his loan from the Cosmic Galaxy Bank, but also, more importantly, to sell something.
He planned to sell the items he had obtained from his recent sacrifices.
Half a month later, the journey through the Dark Universe came to an end.
Horned Dragon Planet was just as prosperous as Azure Mist Planet.
Its spaceport was enormous, and all kinds of spacecraft came and went every day in countless numbers.
By the window of an upscale restaurant near the spaceport, a young man dressed in finery, with slicked-back hair and a somewhat foppish air, was elegantly bragging to a beautiful woman seated across from him.
"Darling, look at this flying knife. It's a Tier 3 Telekinetic Weapon. I paid a fortune to get my hands on it..."
The woman let an appropriate look of surprise and admiration show in her eyes, making the young man even more pleased with himself.
But just then, beyond the restaurant's enormous floor-to-ceiling windows and against the backdrop of the starry universe, a sleek, dark cyan spacecraft bearing the Blue Bird Family crest clearly displayed on its hull did not head toward the vast docking port like the countless other spacecraft.
Ignoring the spaceport's guidance signals, it became a streak of light and pierced through Horned Dragon Planet's atmosphere. Seeming slow but actually moving at incredible speed, it flew straight toward a destination somewhere on the planet's main continent!
"Huh?"
The young man's words abruptly stopped. Like many others in the restaurant who had noticed what was happening, he froze and followed the unruly spacecraft with his eyes.
"That spacecraft... Why didn't it go to the docking port?"
The woman also widened her eyes curiously.
By regulation, all incoming spacecraft had to dock at the spaceport, and passengers had to enter the planet by internal transport.
Flying a spacecraft directly into the planet was a privilege reserved for a very select few!
At a nearby table, a middle-aged man who looked well-traveled and carried himself with calm confidence took a sip of wine and clicked his tongue. "Don't bother staring. Anyone who can ignore the spaceport's rules and enter the planet directly is either a major figure or a powerhouse so formidable that Horned Dragon Planet gives them special treatment."
He glanced toward the spot where the spacecraft had disappeared, his voice tinged with awe. "Judging by its design and crest, it doesn't seem to be a standard spacecraft from any of the famous powers in the Black Dragon Mountain Star Sector. Probably some independent powerhouse has arrived. Tsk, looks like things will be lively on Horned Dragon Planet for a while."
"Cut the nonsense. That's the Lu Family's crest from the Qing Yang Empire. You don't even know that?"
"What did you say?!"
Everyone in the restaurant who heard this looked enlightened and envious.
In a universe where strength reigned supreme, privilege was always tied to power.
The spacecraft slowly came to a stop in the plaza of a magnificent palace, and the hatch slid open without a sound.
A group of staff members in matching uniforms had already lined up outside to welcome him.
Lu Ming stepped out.
"Greetings, Master."
Lu Ming casually waved a hand.
"At ease."
As the most prosperous planet in the surrounding star systems, Horned Dragon Planet was naturally a place he visited often.
He also owned a property here on Horned Dragon Planet.
The staff members who had just greeted him were actually slaves he had purchased. They were all Stellar Level Ninth Order.
After dismissing them, he flew straight toward Qiu Long City ahead.
He hadn't forgotten the purpose of this trip.
Cosmic Galaxy Bank, here I come.
The Cosmic Galaxy Bank was one of the five giants of the Human Race!
Its influence extended to every corner of the Human Territory, and its foundations were unfathomably deep.
It offered more than basic services like deposits and loans; it was also involved in purchasing and auctioning all kinds of rare treasures, and even in discreet transactions through secret channels.
For Lu Ming, the Cosmic Galaxy Bank had been an indispensable part of his life for tens of thousands of years.
Whether it was building his wealth in his early years or taking out enormous loans later to break through to Domain Lord Level, he had always dealt with this behemoth.
Here, everything came down to wealth and strength. The rules were clear, and by the standards of that time, it had been relatively fair.