"How is it?" Gan Wu Country Lord asked with a chuckle. "Do you feel that loneliness that comes with standing at the top?"
"A little," Bai Yue admitted with a helpless smile. "Even when I restrain my aura, their words and actions still carry reverence they can't conceal."
After seeing Hu Yanbo and his group's tense, fearful reactions, Bai Yue had lost interest in continuing the conversation. Strictly speaking, he wasn't even a nominal disciple—he had merely inherited Hu Yanbo's legacy through Babata. With that in mind, he found an excuse to withdraw first.
Gan Wu Country Lord, Hong, and Thunder God had no deep ties to Hu Yanbo either. They had only come to witness the reversal of time itself. Naturally, they left together with Bai Yue, leaving Luo Feng—the true disciple—to handle the rest.
As for how things would be explained afterward, Bai Yue had already discussed it with Luo Feng. As Hu Yanbo's direct disciple, Luo Feng would clarify everything properly.
"This," Gan Wu Country Lord said with a smile, "is prestige."
"For those who stand at the summit, even if they do nothing at all, their status alone inspires awe. Those who lack such reverence don't survive long. Even I didn't expect that something which began as casual guidance, merely a way to pass time, would produce someone like you."
"And you, Teacher?" Bai Yue glanced at him. "You don't seem affected at all."
Gan Wu Country Lord laughed. "What should I be like? Don't forget—you're my disciple. That will never change."
They exchanged a look and burst into hearty laughter.
"Truth be told," Gan Wu Country Lord continued, "I've simply seen too much. When I was young, the Human Race didn't have so many Universe Lords. Several of those standing at the top today are from my era."
"Back then, my talent was no less than Luo Feng's. I became a disciple of Yan Shan Lord, the creator of the Yan Mountain Chaos Tablet. That era was one of violent expansion—race wars erupted constantly. There was no peaceful cultivation environment like the one you enjoy now."
"In those battles, even Universe Lords fell. My own teacher, Yan Shan Lord, perished as well. Do you remember the fifty-three Chaos Tablets in Primordial Chaos City? Some were created by Universe Overlords. At the time, their status was not much lower than today's Universe Lords. Over the ages, most of those creators have fallen. The survivors are almost all Universe Lords."
"In that environment, everyone struggled upward. I broke through to Undying, became a Champion, entered the Universe Exalt realm smoothly. The Universe Lord realm was right in front of me—then everything slowed to a crawl, as though my potential had been exhausted."
"After my teacher died, younger generations surpassed me one after another. I grew irritable, reckless… and I fell. I thought it was carelessness. Then it happened again. And again. In the end, I was lost—owing debts to the race and to friends. I could only retreat into Human Territory and muddle through."
Bai Yue fell silent.
What Gan Wu Country Lord described was, in truth, the fate of most Universe Exalts. Which one of them hadn't been a peerless genius of their era? Which hadn't believed themselves destined for greatness?
Yet effort alone was never enough. Without luck and opportunity, progress simply stopped. Otherwise, why would the Human Race have fewer than twenty Universe Lords?
Wasn't his own former life the same? Endless work, believing effort guaranteed reward—only to discover how fragile that belief truly was.
"So," Gan Wu Country Lord concluded, "I finally understood. Do your own thing well. Let go of burdens. Cultivators must still strive upward—but with an open heart. Live more freely."
His words lingered. Bai Yue, Hong, and Thunder God all gained something from them.
They were currently inside Bai Yue's God Kingdom.
Originally, Bai Yue planned to teleport directly to the Gan Wu Secret Realm. Before that, however, he intended to gift Hong and Thunder God soul-defense treasures. Treasure recognition often caused unusual phenomena, so it was safest to do so within the God Kingdom.
They stood above the Endless Youhai.
Two identical purple beads, radiating profound mystery, floated before Hong and Thunder God.
"You can complete the recognition here," Bai Yue said calmly. "The value of these treasures is beyond imagination. If word got out, even Universe Lords would covet them. You understand the principle of carrying guilt because of treasure."
"This is… too precious," Hong and Thunder God hesitated.
"The treasure is priceless," Gan Wu Country Lord interjected smoothly, "but since your senior brother is giving it to you, it means your value to him surpasses it. Accept it—and grow stronger, so he won't be lonely at the top."
Hearing this, the two no longer hesitated and began the recognition process.
At their current Domain Lord level, recognizing such a treasure was far from easy. However, both possessed extraordinary willpower. Slowly, steadily, the treasures responded.
"No wonder you value them so highly," Gan Wu Country Lord praised. "Their wills are astonishing."
"Hong's consciousness strength isn't much weaker than yours," Bai Yue added lightly. "Thunder God is a bit lower—but still near Champion level."
Gan Wu Country Lord sucked in a sharp breath.
"All from Earth?" he muttered. "Monsters, the lot of you."
"Earth is special," Bai Yue said calmly. "We used to hide it. Now there's no need."
He paused, then revealed the truth. "In the distant past, Earth was modified by the alien race's Strongest One—Zuo Shanke. Those born there possess exceptional strength in consciousness."
Gan Wu Country Lord inhaled sharply once more.
"It's fortunate you've already become a Universe Lord," he said seriously. "Otherwise, you'd never be able to protect such a secret."
"That's exactly why I'm telling you now."
Outside Yun Mo Planet.
After Luo Feng's explanation, Hu Yanbo and his group finally understood the situation.
"The one responsible for your fall—Demon Hand King Suoluo Pu—now rules a starfield of nine galaxies near Devil Hand Star," Luo Feng said calmly. "We decided to leave the choice to you."
With a wave of his hand, a terrifying alien expert appeared—Golden Seal King, a Champion peak powerhouse enslaved by Bai Yue.
"There are two options," Luo Feng continued. "First, cultivate until you can kill Demon Hand King personally. Second—Golden Seal King handles it."
Hu Yanbo fell silent.
Before he could decide, his companions urged him anxiously. If Demon Hand King learned of their resurrection, he would flee.
At last, Hu Yanbo clenched his fist.
"I choose the second option."