Excitement

The 86th-floor conference room of Pinghai Company.

“Sister Xu, everything should be fine, right?” The short-haired woman looked at Xu Xin.

“It’s fine.” Xu Xin sat there, seemingly calm.

Luo Feng had spent over 30 years in Chaos City, while a century had passed for the people on Earth in the original universe. A hundred years seemed like a long time, but in the vast cosmos, it was merely a fleeting moment. Especially for Xu Xin, who possessed an ‘Eternal Body,’ her appearance was almost unchanged from a century ago. Only her eyes and demeanor had matured significantly, like a polished jade stone refined by time, radiating her charm.

“I wonder if we made it in time.” Xu Xin closed her eyes, silently murmuring in her heart, “Luo Feng is about to leave Chaos City. I hope the final days of inspection pass successfully.”

“Tap!” “Tap!” “Tap!” A knock sounded at the door.

“Come in.” Xu Xin opened her eyes, her gaze deep and wise—a natural bearing developed from managing a colossal corporation and overseeing hundreds of millions of employees for a long time.

The door opened, and Deputy Director Botelai, dressed formally, entered, accompanying a silver-haired, green-eyed middle-aged woman. Behind them followed eight subordinates. This group entered the conference room together.

“How was the inspection?” Xu Xin smiled as she stood up.

“Haha, I knew Madam Luo wouldn’t disappoint us.” Botelai chuckled. The silver-haired, green-eyed middle-aged woman beside him smiled and said, “Madam Luo, according to the meticulous review by our audit department, the semi-annual report you provided is completely accurate, with an error margin of less than 0.01%.”

Xu Xin’s face immediately lit up with excitement.

“Sister Xu, we succeeded!” The short-haired woman beside her cheered excitedly.

“Congratulations, Madam Luo!” The silver-haired, green-eyed woman smiled and extended her hand. “A handshake, that’s your Earthling custom, isn’t it?”

“Thank you, thank you.” Xu Xin suppressed her excitement and shook her hand, but tears welled up in her eyes, unable to be hidden. She had worked tirelessly, waiting for this day, and finally… finally, she had made it just in the nick of time.

“Madam Luo.”

Deputy Director Botelai smiled, “According to the semi-annual report, Pinghai Company’s current net assets are approximately 100,012 primal chaos units. Based on our Virtual Universe Company’s subsidiary grading system, Pinghai Company’s net assets have reached the threshold for a Second-tier subsidiary. Therefore… we will directly submit the application. Within a day, Pinghai Company’s classification will change, and Madam Luo, you will also gain corresponding authority.”

“Yes.” The silver-haired, green-eyed woman nodded. “Soon, headquarters will send someone directly to arrange Madam Luo’s entry into the core layer.”

“Congratulations, congratulations!” Deputy Director Botelai laughed heartily, “Madam Luo, you’re entering the core layer’s ‘Apocalypse Secret Realm,’ and Mr. Luo is in the core layer’s ‘Taichu Secret Realm.’ For both husband and wife to enter the core layer of our Virtual Universe Company, this is truly a beautiful story!”

Xu Xin’s face showed uncontrollable excitement and thrill.

“Thank you, our company has prepared a banquet for everyone—” Xu Xin quickly said.

“Madam Luo.” The silver-haired, green-eyed woman shook her head and smiled, “We need to return immediately to report the audit results to our superiors and submit the reclassification application for your Pinghai Company. So, we won’t be staying.”

“Yes, the subsidiary’s level increase is a very important matter, we dare not delay,” Deputy Director Botelai added.

A moment later.

The Virtual Universe Company personnel departed, leaving only Xu Xin and her assistant in the conference room.

“Sister Xu, Sister Xu!” The short-haired woman cheered excitedly, “We succeeded, we succeeded! Truly, we managed to expand the company and cross the threshold for a Second-tier subsidiary before Mr. Luo Feng returned. Oh my god, this is simply incredible, absolutely incredible!”

“Mhm.” Xu Xin nodded repeatedly, a hint of excitement on her face. “As long as you work hard, it can be achieved.”

“We succeeded.”

“We really succeeded.” Xu Xin turned and looked at the massive floor-to-ceiling window. Her reflection was faintly visible in the glass. Compared to when Earth faced the Devouring Beast calamity years ago, her appearance had barely changed; she was still as beautiful, her figure still as good. After a century in a high position, she rarely got this excited.

But at this moment.

The woman reflected in the floor-to-ceiling window was as excited and expectant as a young girl on her first date.

“I wonder what expression he’ll have when he sees me at Yuxiang Mountain,” Xu Xin whispered in her heart, a trace of anticipation in her eyes.

...

While Luo Feng spent the last 20 years in Chaos City, over 60 years passed in the original universe.

Over these 60 years, Xu Xin managed the colossal Pinghai Company, which had reached over 30,000 primal chaos units after initial financing, expanding its total net assets to over 100,000 primal chaos units! While Luo Hua contributed, Xu Xin’s role as the helmsman was indispensable.

Over 60 years, earning more than 60,000 primal chaos units!

This speed of wealth accumulation far surpassed even the Yunmo Star Master. Of course, the initial capital played a significant role in Xu Xin reaching this point. Because Luo Feng had given large sums of money to his brother and wife, Pinghai Company’s total assets were nearly 600 primal chaos units right after its initial integration.

600 primal chaos units!

This was comparable to a super-wealthy Sector Lord, or even a slightly poorer Undying. Such an enormous fortune could not be produced by the Black Dragon Mountain Empire’s Emperor in one go.

The initial capital was massive!

Naturally, it was easy for the company to grow in scale. If, for example, the initial capital was only 100 million cosmic coins (which was already considered super-wealthy in the Black Dragon Mountain Empire), this amount could buy hundreds of life planets. But even if one struggled for tens of millions of years and expanded assets ten thousandfold… it would still only be 1 trillion cosmic coins, which is merely 1 primal chaos unit!

So, initial capital was crucial.

Thanks to Luo Feng, Pinghai Company’s initial capital was nearly 600 primal chaos units. Then, relying on Xu Xin’s corporate management skills and Luo Hua’s investment capabilities, the massive capital slowly but steadily grew. Once it entered a virtuous cycle, it attracted investment from the Virtual Universe Company, leading to a great leap in scale, and then continued its progress.

Finally!

After 100 years, Pinghai Company’s total net assets finally exceeded 100,000 primal chaos units—an immense fortune that would make many Undying beings hold their breath.

...

Chaos City.

Air currents drifted. Luo Feng sat cross-legged on the rooftop of his cultivation residence. On other rooftops, cultivators stood or sat, thousands of them, seizing every moment to observe the externally manifested law secret patterns, swirling like gears in the sky, before closing their eyes to meditate.

Luo Feng, seemingly meditating.

In reality, his consciousness had entered the Virtual Universe Network’s training grounds, where he was performing countless drills.

“The Jiuyu Chaos Monument comprehension chamber will be available for the next batch of cultivators tomorrow afternoon,” Luo Feng had checked earlier. “Then I’ll attempt the fifth level of the Sky-Reaching Bridge tomorrow morning. As for now… it’s the final period for cultivation integration, to merge the insights gained over these years as much as possible into one, and maximize the power of the Yan Shen Weapon.”

Comprehension was important.

Being able to apply what was comprehended was also very important.

“Hmm?”

Luo Feng opened his eyes on the rooftop.

“Come see me immediately!” A voice directly echoed in Luo Feng’s ears and mind, “Come see me immediately!” “Come see me immediately!” “Come see me immediately!” “Come see me immediately!”… The voice reverberated repeatedly, causing all 816 surviving geniuses from the original 1000 to stop their cultivation.

“Is it a Venerable?” Luo Feng immediately shot into the sky.

...

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!…

In the vast and boundless Chaos City, where air currents drifted, figures shot into the sky from various regions. Over 900 figures in total, all flying in the same direction.

Above Chaos City, a dark blue fish, nearly a thousand meters long, slowly swayed its tail fin like a monster in chaos, flying out from the chaotic space that sometimes shattered and sometimes condensed. That aura of supreme authority, compelling involuntary submission, emanated from this ‘dark blue fish’ spaceship.

Click!

The ‘big fish’s’ belly hatch opened, and over a dozen figures flew out. Leading them was a blue-robed, purple-scaled man. Abruptly, the ‘big fish,’ which had been suspended in mid-air, vanished.

At this moment, Luo Feng and the 816 geniuses, along with nearly 100 Undying beings, had already gathered respectfully in the sky above Chaos City.

“Greetings, Venerable!” A group of Undying beings bowed respectfully.

“Greetings, Venerable!” Luo Feng and the vast group of geniuses also bowed respectfully in mid-air.

“Hmph!”

A low snort, like a heavy hammer striking the hearts of everyone in mid-air. The blue-robed, purple-scaled man, like a god, coldly swept his gaze over the large group of people below. Even the thousands of cultivators in Chaos City felt immense pressure in their hearts, not daring to even look up.

“Too terrifying.” Luo Feng’s forehead uncontrollably beaded with sweat.

It felt!

Like an ant being stared at by a ten-thousand-meter giant dragon.

“I didn’t expect a Venerable’s anger to be so terrifying.” Luo Feng held his breath. “When I first met Venerable Jiujian in the Virtual Universe Network, perhaps it was only the Venerable’s consciousness, so the pressure wasn’t strong. Last time he came, he also restrained his aura. I didn’t expect that even a slight release…”

Silence.

Nearly a hundred Undying beings and over 800 geniuses dared not utter a sound.

“Chaos City is arranged as the safest place for you,” the blue-robed, purple-scaled man stood in the void, like a god, looking down at the group. “Nearly two-tenths of your 1000 people have died, which is truly disappointing!”

Silence.

In the sky above Chaos City, Luo Feng and his group could only listen obediently, not daring to speak.

“You have ten more days before you leave Chaos City,” the blue-robed, purple-scaled man said indifferently. “By then, it won’t be as safe as it is now. If two-tenths of you can die in a safe place like Chaos City, I fear that after you return to the original universe, only 500 of you will be left after just a hundred years.”

“Hmph.”

“All of you, seize these last 10 days. Those who should attempt the Sky-Reaching Bridge, go attempt it. Those who should comprehend the Chaos Monument, hurry and comprehend. Once you leave Chaos City… it will be a long time before you can return again.” The blue-robed, purple-scaled man waved his hand and instructed, “Go now.”

“Yes!”

The large group responded respectfully.

Then, with a whoosh, they dispersed, flying towards various directions in Chaos City below. The pressure from the Venerable was simply too immense.