Chapter Fifty-Five: Councilor Luoyuan

After Luo Yuan left Hong's teahouse, Luo Feng and his group set off for a life-or-death adventure on the Australian continent. Just a few days later, Luo Yuan was officially announced as a member of the Chinese National Parliament and the sixth Inspector of the Extreme Martial Arts School. The news shocked the world. Luo Yuan soon became known to people everywhere—a nineteen-year-old planetary-level warrior, and a planetary-level spiritual master as well. He became an idol for countless young martial artists.

Hongning Base City, Yushang Community.

Luo Yuan watched the news on the massive screen in the audiovisual room. His portrait dominated the front pages of every media outlet, plastered with exaggerated tales of heroism—so outlandish that even Luo Yuan, thick-skinned as he was, felt a flush of embarrassment. He could only offer a sheepish smile before, in his capacity as a parliamentarian, he formally accused the Bolenas family of orchestrating an attack against a member of parliament.

...

Global headquarters of the Extreme Martial Arts School, within the giant spaceship structure.

In a quiet chamber.

Hong, dressed in black, held a steaming cup of tea as he browsed through online information.

"Master!"

A deep voice reverberated in the chamber. "Parliamentarian Luo Yuan has sent evidence, formally charging the Bolenas family with dispatching people to hunt him down on the Australian continent."

"Is the evidence sufficient?" Hong asked.

"It is sufficient," the voice replied.

Hong nodded slightly. "Notify the top three lawyers in our school and have them take the case. Also... arrange for planetary-level experts to personally purge the Bolenas family. The trial will take place tomorrow at 15:30, in the highest court of our headquarters."

"Luo Yuan has already been made public as our Inspector. I want this case handled flawlessly," Hong instructed.

"Understood."

Once the deep voice finished, the chamber returned to silence.

...

Aboard a passenger jet en route from Jiangnan Base City to the Paris Base City in Europe, Vienina trembled in terror.

"This is serious trouble now," she muttered, glancing nervously at the nearby passengers before leaning in to whisper to her eldest brother, head of the Bolenas family. "Luo Yuan has become a parliamentarian! And a planetary-level powerhouse. If he decides to come after us in the future..."

"Don't be afraid," the family head replied in a low voice. "We had a two- or three-hour wait for this flight at Jiangnan Base City, and no one came for us. Once we get back to Paris Base City, that's our turf. We have parliamentarians from the HR Alliance there, and that esteemed elder as well. It'll be fine, absolutely fine."

It was unclear whether he meant to comfort Vienina or himself.

The plane landed at Paris Base City Airport. As Vienina and her companions disembarked—

"Members of the Bolenas family, please stand where you are and do not move!" A stern voice rang out, startling the group.

They turned to see four figures approaching. Leading them was a middle-aged man in a black robe with curly brown hair, whose gaze flashed like lightning, making it impossible to meet his eyes. Beside him was a person with long, gray-white hair cascading down, his entire frame as withered as an old tree.

"Parliamentarian Yan, Parliamentarian Bonnet," Vienina gasped.

Parliamentarian Bonnet regarded the Bolenas family’s core members coldly. "On behalf of the Palace of the War God, we hereby arrest you. If you resist, we are authorized to execute you on the spot."

The Bolenas family members widened their eyes. They thought they were finally home, but this was the welcome they received.

"Master Yan!" Vienina pleaded, looking at Yan Hai.

Yan Hai sighed. "This is an order from the highest authority of the Palace of the War God. No one can help you now. You were too reckless, far too reckless this time! Go quietly. If you don’t resist, there might still be a sliver of hope."

To resist would mean declaring war on the entire Palace of the War God.

Click!

Vienina and the others were fitted with special restraints. Stunned, none of them dared resist.

"Take them away," Parliamentarian Bonnet ordered coldly.

...

In virtual space.

Atop a towering mountain, Luo Yuan, clad in black, appeared suddenly.

"Hmm?" He looked around.

The mountain dropped off into a bottomless abyss below; above, the sky was dominated by a massive planet that filled nearly a third of the heavens.

"Greetings, Luo Yuan. Welcome to the private virtual space created for you by my true form, Babata. Here you will find all the inherited knowledge of the Lord of Meteorite Ink Star. I am your assistant, Little Ba. Have fun!" The mechanical voice echoed.

"I understand," Luo Yuan replied calmly.

He walked into a virtual, blood-red castle and quickly arrived at the enormous training chamber on the second floor. Every wall was lined with bookshelves, each packed densely with books—well over ten thousand in all.

Luo Yuan glanced at the catalogue. The bookshelves were two-tiered: the upper shelf dedicated to warrior cultivation, the lower to spiritual mastery.

There were more books for spiritual masters. Luo Yuan browsed through a few: "Secret Foundation 312 Forms," "Sky Evasion," "Control Volume," "Illusions Volume," "Miscellanea," "Soul Imprint," "Tower of the Void," "Possession," "Six-Pointed Star"...

Each book contained vast, profound knowledge. Luo Yuan began to immerse himself in this ocean of wisdom.

...

Three months later, in Hong's teahouse.

"Luo Yuan, have a seat," said Hong, dressed in black, sitting cross-legged on a mat. Luo Yuan did the same.

"What brings you here this time?" Hong asked.

"I'd like to exchange for some items," Luo Yuan replied directly. "Using Muya Crystals for the trade."

"What, you have Muya Crystals? Well, I won't ask further," Hong said, surprised but quickly regaining his composure when he saw Luo Yuan’s reluctance to explain.

"Here's the exchange list. Choose as you wish," Hong said with a wave of his hand.

Whoosh!

A huge projection screen appeared in the dimly lit chamber, displaying a list of items and their prices.

Luo Yuan sold the Black God set and the Spirit of Vegetation he had snatched from Li Yao and the others to the Extreme Martial Arts School, then produced several Muya Crystals. He was ready for a grand shopping spree today.

"Primeval-class intelligent battle machine: 60 Star Points. I'll take it!"

"Ancient Civilization Gravity Chamber: 1–1000 times Earth's gravity, 90 Star Points. I'll take it!"

"SSS-class battle suit, flying daggers, and full set of equipment: 20 Star Points. I'll take them!"

"'Lightning Flash' secret technique, 25 Star Points. I'll take it!"

"'Sky Evasion Shuttle,' 30 Star Points. I'll take it!"

...

Jiangnan Pavilion, in the parlor of Zhao Ruo’s loft.

"Luo Feng, you’ve really got it this time—finding a Spirit of Vegetation in Australia!" Zhao Ruo said to Luo Feng with envy.

"Not at all. I was just along for the ride. That thousand-year willow almost killed me. It took a planetary-level expert from headquarters to finally subdue it," Luo Yuan replied, scratching the back of his head.

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