"Daoist Master Wang, this way please."

Inside a courtyard styled with classical elegance, a young woman guided Wang Sheng forward with practiced gestures. She had recently taken over Mou Yue's role and was now assigned to liaise with him.

Thinking about it, Wang Sheng had stayed inside the villa for over ninety years without stepping out. When he finally emerged, the Hua Republic had changed beyond recognition.

The familiar streets were gone. The city he arrived in today had expanded into the sky and underground.

The population had grown, yet no major social conflicts had arisen.

People could choose to migrate to the second Earth or remain in their hometowns and build stable lives.

The only noticeable change was that with such advanced automation, far fewer pedestrians could be seen on the streets. Most movement came from floating qi-powered robots.

In a way, this felt like a scientific version of external incarnations.

Cultivators and ordinary humans had become more clearly separated. If cultivators wished to walk among the mortal world, they had to follow strict regulations and conceal their identities—much like immortals descending into the mortal realm in old legends.

Everything Wang Sheng saw along the way reflected this reality.

Since his Primordial Spirit had yet to return to his body, he could not use immortal perception. Otherwise, what he would have seen could have been far more interesting.

He had left seclusion today because Qing Yanzi had returned to Earth and come to meet him. Moreover, he also had to attend the retirement banquet of his mistress and other senior members of the Special Investigation Unit.

Chi Ling's retirement came slightly early, but if she delayed any longer, she would miss the proper age to start formal cultivation.

After all these years, Qing Yanzi had finally achieved his wish. He had convinced Chi Ling to step down from the front lines of the Special Investigation Unit so she could focus on cultivation, extend her lifespan, and make up for the years they had lost since their youth.

His mistress looked to be in her mid-thirties at the moment. By his estimate, she would look to be in her mid-twenties in a few decades.

Of course, Wang Sheng had not forgotten his martial aunt Jingyun.

There was no perfect solution in matters of the heart.

Chi Ling and Jingyun could never accept each other in this regard. This was not an era of old patriarchal thinking, and Qing Yanzi had never entertained the idea of keeping both by his side. Their child, Chi Wen, was already an elite, captain-level expert in the Special Warfare Unit. Qing Yanzi would never do something as heartless as abandoning one for the other.

Since things had already become complicated from the beginning, the only path forward was to see it through. That was his responsibility as a man.

This was something Wang Sheng truly respected about his master.

At times, he could not help but feel that aside from his senior sister, a few other beautiful immortals were interested in him as well. Even so, he had no real feelings for anyone else.

That was just how it was.

Seeing how the Hua Republic had developed also gave Wang Sheng a sense of relief and renewed motivation.

After nearly a century of being immersed in the Great Dao of Creation, his mindset had changed in subtle ways. He had grown somewhat indifferent toward life and death, though he had not yet reached the level of those powerful beings who ignored all worldly matters and focused only on themselves. Whether this came from the nature of the Dao or the innate selfishness of living beings, he could not say.

In a few more years, his Primordial Spirit would complete its seclusion. At that time, Spiritless and Lishang, who were already half-conscious, would also finish consolidating their power and would wake up completely.

However, there was still one issue he had yet to resolve.

In a few years, when he set out again, his powerful allies would include Lishang, whose bloodline had fully awakened under Nuwa's guidance, and Ling Sheng, who had received enhancement from Spiritual Dawnlight and could stand against an army alone.

Yaoyun would be one of them as well. After all, she had undergone an unknown transformation and now existed in a state between spiritual entity and living being. His beloved senior sister also stood behind him.

They were all women.

His two subordinates—the tiger and the dragon—had already fallen behind. He had even heard that Huai Jing had recently led them into becoming completely absorbed in some interstellar cultivation game.

His fixed team lacked a certain masculine presence, which left Wang Sheng feeling mildly troubled.

Ahem, just kidding. Back to the main matter.

By the time Wang Sheng arrived at the banquet, it was already underway. The hall was filled with influential people, most of whom he did not recognize.

He found a quiet corner and sat down. A service robot soon brought him drinks.

With elegant music playing, he watched his master and mistress swaying together on the dance floor. Somehow, his master's blue Daoist robe did not quite match his mistress's refined evening gown.

Before long, someone noticed Wang Sheng's presence. A few elderly men in casual attire approached him first.

Wang Sheng quickly stood to greet them. Though he did not know who they were, their bearing made it clear that they were important people in the Hua Republic.

"Immortal Master Wang, are you preparing to leave seclusion soon?"

"The Hua Republic owes much of its stability today to you and the other immortal masters."

"Immortal Master Wang, what plans do you have for the endless space?"

Wang Sheng answered each question with polite composure, though he felt slightly awkward. After some time, more and more people gathered around him.

Fortunately, Mou Yue noticed his discomfort and stepped in to help.

She would soon retire early as well since the leadership of the Special Investigation Unit had already been reorganized.

What had begun as a simple visit to greet his master and offer his congratulations soon turned into Wang Sheng becoming the center of a small circle at the banquet.

After more than an hour, the crowd finally dispersed. He returned to his corner, poured himself a glass of red wine, and enjoyed a rare moment of quiet.

Nearby, someone shouted with barely contained excitement, "Senior!"

He turned and saw Zhao Dezhu, who was dressed in a sharp suit, hurrying toward him with visible enthusiasm.

Wang Sheng smiled. "Your cultivation has deepened quite a bit. You've already reached the Ascended Immortal Realm."

Zhao Dezhu scratched his head. "Senior, please don't make fun of me."

He stood to the side with a complicated look in his eyes.

"Sit down; don't just stand there. Treat this place like your own home."

"Alright, but Senior, this doesn't seem to be your home either."

"The years have made you quite sly, huh?"

Zhao Dezhu grinned. "Well, to be honest, I wouldn't dare admit that."

He sat beside Wang Sheng and even pulled his chair closer, hoping to soak up a bit of his good fortune.

Lowering his voice, he asked, "When are you coming out of seclusion, sir?"

Still smiling, Wang Sheng replied, "We're peers. No need for formal titles. Three to five more years. I'll be out to get some air soon. For me, this is like ten thousand years of seclusion."

Zhao Dezhu blinked. "How does that add up to ten thousand years?"

"It's based on the time outside."

Realization dawned on Zhao Dezhu, though he still seemed hesitant.

"If you've got something to say, just say it," Wang Sheng said. "We'll be working together in the future. Once the Time-Cycle Grand Array is broken, we'll remove the restriction on your soul and bring you into Earth's expansion team in the endless space."

"Why does that sound like a scam..." Zhao Dezhu shrank back slightly, then lowered his voice again. "Senior, why don't we just take Earth out of the Time-Cycle Grand Array instead of dismantling it? I heard from some returning immortals that powerful cultivators can store entire planets in their sleeves. Some can even wipe out whole star systems... Senior? Senior?"

Wang Sheng was rendered speechless.

As expected of the reincarnated Human King! His way of looking at things is truly unique!

He sighed and played along. "Sharp one, you've noticed a blind spot."

"Really?"

"Of course not. I had someone try that a long time ago and found out that Earth cannot be stored away like that. Otherwise, I wouldn't be so concerned about the safety of its inhabitants."

Zhao Dezhu rubbed his brow. "Then what do we do? If we remove the restrictions and the array, won't it attract the attention of the powerful individual who sealed us here in the first place?"

"It probably will, but there's no way around that. He should be severely injured now, though. This is our chance. Anyway, have you accepted your identity as the reincarnation of the Human King?"

Zhao Dezhu smiled embarrassedly. "I will always follow the organization's arrangements. I won't develop any dictatorial tendencies."

Wang Sheng chuckled and extended his right hand. "We'll talk about this properly after I leave seclusion."

Zhao Dezhu blinked, then shook his hand. "Senior, can I change how I address you in the future?"

"Of course. Just call me Wang Sheng."

"I was actually thinking of calling you 'Boss...'"

"Mm, then I'll call you Second Brother."

"Can I get a different nickname?" Zhao Dezhu covered his face with one hand. "I never noticed before, but you're quite playful."

"The pressure is too much." Wang Sheng sighed. "If I don't find ways to relax, it'll get to me."

As they spoke, the hosts of the banquet, Chi Ling and Qing Yanzi, approached arm in arm.

Wang Sheng quickly stood and cupped his hands in greeting. "Greetings, Master. Congratulations to you both. May you grow old together and walk the path of immortality side by side."

Chi Ling and Qing Yanzi took out a red envelope each and handed them to Wang Sheng.

Chi Ling's envelope contained documents transferring some of her personal assets to Wang Sheng and his sister. It was a form of assurance that the Special Investigation Unit would continue to look after his parents in the future.

Qing Yanzi's gift was far simpler. It was a stack of newly issued banknotes.

Wang Sheng's eyes lit up as he accepted them.

Zhao Dezhu leaned in as well and said shamelessly, "Greetings, Boss's master and mistress."

Qing Yanzi smiled warmly. He then asked, "Fei Yu, when will you leave seclusion?"

"I can come out now," Wang Sheng replied, "but I'm not in stable condition yet. I want to consolidate all that I've gained for another three to five years."

Zhao Dezhu's mouth twitched. That was not what you said earlier!

Qing Yanzi turned serious. "There are eight years left on Earth, and eight hundred years in the endless space and the Immortal Saint Realm before the Nether Realm selects a new Yanluo Hall King.

"Our cultivation world may not be powerful, and we do not have any Taiyi Golden Immortal experts, but we can still muster a force. Before I returned, Xiaomiao asked me to consult you whether our side should take action. If so, we have to prepare in advance. No matter what, the fate of Earth's cultivation world is closely tied to yours."

Wang Sheng thought for a moment. "Master, shouldn't this be confidential?"

"It is," Qing Yanzi answered as he glanced around. "But nothing is more important than your location. Since you've already shown yourself, there's no harm in speaking openly."

"We should not act rashly. Even though Earth's cultivation world now has some fighting strength, its foundation is too weak. In actual large-scale wars, without hundreds of thousands or even millions of years of preparation, we won't even qualify to enter the arena.

"Master, please tell Xiaomiao to focus on steady development. Why rush into conquering the universe? Does she think it is that simple? What if she ran into Ultraman?"

Laughter broke out around them.

Looking slightly embarrassed, Chi Ling muttered, "This is actually the leadership's idea."

Wang Sheng blinked, then smiled. "Earth's cultivators will play a crucial role in the coming conflict, but we have to use our strength where it matters most. This is not the time to step in directly."

The laughter around them grew even louder.