Tony hadn't expected that even Professor Charles would be helpless regarding his predicament. How despairing was that? He couldn't think of anyone else in this World who could help him besides Charles.
After leaving the school for gifted children, he didn't say a word on the way back. He even hung up on several calls from beautiful women. To this extent, it was like having the strongest rope tied around his neck, letting others manipulate him, which was the greatest pain for Tony.
Ordinary people are manipulated their entire lives, but they are used to it.
However, people like Tony have been different from ordinary people since birth.
It was like an Angel who used to fly freely in the sky, suddenly being chained up and turned into a pet dog. That huge contrast made it impossible for him to accept.
The higher one's status and the more arrogant one's heart, the less one can tolerate being controlled.
"Mr. Stark, we have arrived at Stark Tower."
The driver spoke from the front.
Tony suddenly woke up, looked through the car window at the Tower that had always made him proud, and unexpectedly felt a sudden shyness. He took a deep breath, cheered himself up, opened the car door, and slowly stepped out.
Although several hours had passed, he still felt lethargic.
But he had to pull himself together. He didn't want his state to affect others, much less let others see his discomfiture.
Who was he? The World's number one genius, a super-rich man—Tony Stark!
Pepper was anxiously waiting in the lobby on the ground floor of the Tower, sometimes sitting, sometimes standing and pacing, and sometimes looking at the watch on her wrist.
It wasn't until she saw Tony walk in and saw that he looked quite good, that she secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
They went all the way up to the top floor without a word.
Inside the room, only the two of them remained.
Although Pepper was only Tony's assistant, and although Tony was unrestrained and often frequented flower beds, there was a unique kind of affection between them.
They were very close.
"Mr. Stark, can you tell me what exactly happened?" Pepper still didn't know what had happened to Tony.
"Call me Tony." Tony emphasized, habitually pouring himself a glass of red wine, and personally making Pepper a cup of the best coffee: "Who am I?"
He said proudly, "Is there anything in this World that can trouble me?"
"So," he spread his hands, "everything's ok!"
"Really?" Pepper held her coffee cup, suspiciously scrutinizing Tony: "I Hope you're not lying to me... Of course, as your assistant, I have an obligation to care about you."
Tony chuckled, and while Pepper wasn't looking, he stealthily kissed her, just on the cheek.
Pepper stepped back, feigning disgust: "Mr. Stark, please behave yourself. I'm not those Victoria's Secret models, nor am I a female reporter from some newspaper!"
"Ok, ok," Tony quickly raised his hands in surrender: "Let's not talk about this."
He decided not to let Pepper worry, so he quickly changed the subject.
He then said: "Dear Pepper, there's something I need you to handle for me."
"Mm-hmm." Pepper showed a serious expression.
Whenever there was something to do, Pepper was always like this.
She was an extremely capable woman. Without Pepper, all matters related to Tony would surely be a mess.
"I have a friend," Tony deliberated, secretly cursing in his heart but maintaining an unchanged expression on the surface: "He needs a ranch or a farm, under one hundred acres, with a good environment, and it must be near New York. He just arrived in New York and doesn't know New York well, so he entrusted this matter to me."
Pepper naturally nodded upon hearing this: "I'll take care of it immediately."
This was just a small matter.
A hundred-acre high-end farm, even in New York, its value would not exceed five million U.S. dollars. For Pepper, this was merely a trivial matter.
"Ok." Tony said: "Then as soon as possible. He will come to see me tomorrow."
...
When Tony saw Zhao Yu again, his expression and manner of speaking hadn't changed. But Zhao Yu could clearly feel a huge gap.
Resentment, annoyance, and a faint hint of fear were mixed in.
If anyone were to be controlled for no reason, becoming a puppet, even Zhao Yu would have the same emotions. He didn't take offense.
When Pepper brought him up, she didn't recognize Zhao Yu as the person from yesterday.
Firstly, his clothing was different, and secondly, his aura was completely different.
The key was that Pepper had only met the divinely possessed Zhao Yu briefly yesterday, and it was less than a minute.
"You are very beautiful, Madam, thank you for bringing me up."
"Thank you."
After thanking Pepper, Zhao Yu walked into this familiar, science-fiction-filled room.
As an assistant, Pepper naturally left after bringing Zhao Yu up, leaving only Zhao Yu and Tony.
"I've prepared what you asked for." Tony didn't give Zhao Yu a good look: "A farm, one hundred acres, just outside Queens, right next to the Hudson River. The scenery is very nice. Perhaps you can be buried there."
Zhao Yu didn't care about Tony's tone. He smiled, and sat down by himself: "Good disciple, your Master has come to visit you. As the Master, is this how you entertain?"
He really wanted to laugh in his heart.
This guy, who had always been arrogant, unruly, conceited, and self-centered, was completely under his thumb. Besides a few sarcastic remarks, he was powerless. Although it was with the help of divine power, this was enough to make Zhao Yu feel satisfied.
Tony glared fiercely at Zhao Yu, grunted, poured Zhao Yu a full glass of pure Water, and slammed it down in front of Zhao Yu, causing Water to splash everywhere.
Zhao Yu only found this childish behavior amusing. He let the Water splash on him, gracefully picked up the cup, and took a sip: "Not bad, very refreshing."
Tony felt like he was punching cotton, and his heart was extremely uncomfortable.
He took a breath, forcibly suppressed the urge to punch him, and with a stern face, said seriously: "Listen, buddy. I'll give you everything you want, but you can't restrict my freedom."
"Call me Master."
Zhao Yu looked at him quietly.
Tony was speechless, he had gone through a thousand difficulties and ten thousand troubles, it was truly hard to say.
But under Zhao Yu's intimidating gaze, he could only grumble and call out: "Master."
"Good." Zhao Yu laughed heartily: "This cup of Water will serve as your initiation ceremony." After speaking, he drank the pure Water in one gulp.
"Let's not talk about other things for now. You are the first disciple I accepted before establishing my Sect. As the eldest disciple, you must have a deep understanding of my Sect's doctrines and codes of conduct."
He spoke eloquently: "My Sect is called Taiyi Sect. Taiyi means Dao. The origin of the Universe is based on Taiyi, which divides into Heaven and Earth, transforms into Yin and Yang, and changes into the four seasons. Spacetime dimensions, matter and energy, all living beings, and all rules, all originate from it."
What a grand tone!
Although Tony didn't fully understand the meaning of some sentences in Zhao Yu's words—after all, Zhao Yu was explaining them according to Taoist terminology—he understood the latter half.
He only felt that this devil, this cheap Master, was boasting to the heavens.
"This Sect is a great sect for cultivating immortality and attaining the Dao. Entering my Sect, cultivating divine arts, comprehending magical powers, contemplating the great Dao of the Universe, achieving immortality, and becoming a Celestial Immortal, this is the first. Understanding the mysteries of reincarnation, comprehending the profound meaning of immortality, transcending the Three Realms and not being within the Five Elements, and becoming a Golden Immortal, this is the second. Transcending the Universe, manipulating the cosmos, operating Yin and Yang, harmonizing spacetime, enduring countless kalpas, and attaining Primordial Unity, this is the third."
He exhausted his imagination, bluffing: "Your Master has come out of seclusion this time and sees that this Earth is vast and populous, with Wan Ling restless, full of deceit, disloyal, unfilial, unkind, unrighteous, greedy for lust and delighting in misfortune, with much killing and strife. Therefore, I establish this Sect to enlighten all sentient beings and save Wan Ling. Since you are my first disciple, you must take this as your belief and assist your Master in enlightening living beings. At that time, merits will descend from Heaven, and you will become an Immortal or a God."
Although Zhao Yu's bluffing was good, Tony didn't believe a word of it.
Instead, he felt that this devil's ambition was too great. In his opinion, the so-called enlightening living beings was probably like Jesus Christ, using ignorant ideas to deceive the populace to achieve the goal of dark rule.
—Tony didn't believe in God.
Zhao Yu still didn't take offense.
Some things, even if you speak eloquently, people won't believe. As the saying goes, 'hearing is not as good as seeing'. Zhao Yu believed that once Tony personally experienced the various mysteries, he would naturally be won over.
"My Sect's doctrine is divided into two parts: inner and outer. The inner is to transcend the mundane, seeking only oneself and only attaining the Great Dao. The outer is to save all sentient beings, enlighten Wan Ling, so that everyone becomes like a dragon, and the human Dao flourishes."
"Upon entering my Sect, one first starts with the outer teaching, saving all sentient beings, walking through the myriad mundane World. Once one comprehends oneself and resolves karma, then one enters the inner gate and diligently cultivates the Immortal Dao."
Tony basically listened with one ear and let it out the other. When he heard this, he suddenly asked: "And after diligently cultivating the Immortal Dao?"
He sneered: "I research technology to benefit the World, while you enlighten sentient beings, but you enslave them. Why should I play along with you?"
Zhao Yu ignored him and continued on his own: "In the northern darkness there is a fish, and its name is Kun. The Kun is so huge, I don't know how many thousands of li it is. It transforms into a bird, and its name is Peng. The back of the Peng is so huge, I don't know how many thousands of li it is... The cicada and the Little Bug laughed at it, saying: 'When I leap up and fly, I stop at the elm and sandalwood trees; sometimes I don't even reach them, and I just fall to the ground. Why does it need to go ninety thousand li south?'"
After reciting a section of 'Free and Easy Wandering' with rising and falling intonation, Zhao Yu smiled: "You are like that 'cicada and Little Bug', you think that 'leaping up and flying, and stopping at the elm and sandalwood trees' makes you an extraordinary person, yet you mock the Kunpeng that spreads its wings ninety thousand li and crosses the Heaven and Earth spacetime, thinking it's impossible. There's an ancient saying across the sea, called 'frog in a well'. You, right now, are such a person. However, since you have acknowledged me as your Master, you will naturally be able to leap out of the shallow pond and witness a broader sky."
Tony wanted to speak but had no words.
He found it amusing in his heart, but vaguely felt that what this devil said made sense.
The Universe was so vast, and he was merely a member of Earth. To be called a 'cicada and Little Bug' was not wrong. However, he still felt a bit uncomfortable—Tony, known as the World's number one genius, was compared to a Little Bug and a small bird. How humiliating was that?