I will eventually become a god through sheer hard work.

……

A few hours later.

Half past three in the afternoon.

Xue Jing gazed out the porthole at the ever-growing 'skyscraper center' in his field of vision, and couldn't help but marvel.

From a distance, its size is already astonishing, but only when you get closer can you feel its true enormity and oppressive presence.

It stretched as far as the eye could see... Even Xue Jing, whose aim had reached Lv10 and whose vision far exceeded the limits of human ability, could not see how long the diameter of the skyscraper's center was.

Around the skyscraper, thousands of different flying vehicles of various sizes are suspended at different heights, moving in and out.

At a glance, Xue Jing could see about several hundred different floors, each with a slightly different exterior and decoration style, but together they created a subtle sense of harmonious beauty.

Small.

Xue Jing had never felt so insignificant before.

It was like facing a colossal god, a feeling of powerlessness that stretched to the heavens, even beyond his knees, yet also... a sense of security.

Yes, a sense of security, it's strange, but he really felt that way.

"When a person faces a super being who can absolutely control their life and death and dominate their destiny, any struggle is completely unnecessary, and at such times, one will feel very at ease."

Ning Yuantai remarked with emotion from the side.

"...These are the words of the commander who led the ceasefire."

"Most people spend their whole lives seeking 'peace of mind,' so if such a thing really exists, it might not be a bad thing... Perhaps the followers of those 'monotheistic sects' are seeking this sense of peace."

Xue Jing laughed and said, "That's a very interesting way of putting it..."

After approaching the center of the skyscraper, the aircraft continued to ascend.

"Xu's Biotechnology is on the 1002nd floor of the skyscraper, about 6,000 meters above the ground. Let's fly straight up there..."

Ning Yuantai explained.

During the ascent, Xue Jing looked around through the porthole at the various flying vehicles coming and going in the nearby skyscraper center, and felt as if he had arrived in the future.

A few minutes later, the aircraft slowly came to a stop and hovered in mid-air.

The hatch slowly opened, and Xue Jing looked up to see a high-tech floor in front of him. The alloy doors slowly opened to the left and right, making a hissing sound.

After the door opened, a tall young man wearing a light blue suit and slicked-back hair stood in the doorway with his arms outstretched.

"Long time no see, Young Master Ning!"

He smiled and stepped forward to hug Ning Yuantai as he stepped off the aircraft.

Ning Yuantai broke free and waved his hand, saying, "Xu Mude, I told you not to call me Young Master Ning. I've got what I deserve..."

As the two were talking, Xue Jing, with the cat, also got off the aircraft. As Ning Yuantai had instructed, he didn't approach them to talk, but instead skipped over them and went directly into the building.

What came into view was a high-end, technologically advanced interior design, with items and utensils whose functions Xue Jing couldn't understand everywhere.

"Hmm? That person is Xue Jing, the one you mentioned, right?"

Xu Mude glanced at Xue Jing's retreating figure as he walked into the building, his eyes narrowing slightly.

"How could he bring a cat? My equipment here is very valuable."

……

Thank you so much, Mr. IgnoreMe!, for yet another generous donation of 10,000!

Chapter 243 Ideological Conflict, A Mouse Enters the Rice Jar, Divine Harvest (4K)

Ning Yuantai curled his lip and said:

"Look closely, that's no ordinary cat..."

Upon hearing this, Xu Mude took a closer look at the cat perched on Xue Jing's shoulder, his gaze lingering on the platinum-white tail ring around its fluffy tail.

"That's... GOD-1391?"

"So, this cat is a person? I didn't expect it to appear here. Has the Lion Saint Cult come looking for trouble yet?"

Ning Yuantai spread his hands and said, "The Lion Saint Cult is notorious for being a leech. Wherever GOD-1391 is, they will be there until they get this 'holy relic' back... The fact that they haven't gotten GOD-1391 back yet can only prove one thing."

He paused, then said with a hint of pride, "This thing is in Brother Xue's hands; they can't take it back."

Xu Mude remained noncommittal: "Oh? A mere commoner who doesn't even enter a wealthy family is quite capable. It's a pity he's just a commoner. Being capable is useless; he can't accomplish anything in the end."

Ning Yuantai frowned and said, "You always start talking like 'Thirteen' the moment you open your mouth."

"Aren't those who are capable and start from scratch without relying on their background far more impressive than those who are born into wealthy but incompetent? Why is it the other way around in your mouth, as if you can't succeed no matter what if you weren't born into one of the Thirteen Great Families?"

Ning Yuantai was very dissatisfied.

Xu Mude smiled and said casually, "Young Master Ning, your thinking is fundamentally wrong."

"The more you emphasize the power of starting from scratch, the more it proves the superiority of being born into one of the Thirteen Great Families."

"It's precisely because the 'good-for-nothing' you speak of doesn't have to do anything, doesn't have to work hard, doesn't have to be capable, and is just a lump of rotten flesh, a pile of dog shit... but as long as he is born into one of the Thirteen Great Families, he can stand higher and live better than the self-made people you speak of. That's what I'm proud of, the advantage of being born into a wealthy family."

Xu Mude laughed heartily: "The more you praise Xue Jing, the funnier I find it. No matter how hard he tries or how good he is, he's just a martial artist. At best, he can get a title in the end, or even an eternal title if you want to exaggerate a bit. That's the end of the road."

"But so what? When 'Cang Ting' gives an order, no matter how high his title is, he still has to obey. You see, in the end, he still has to submit to us 'good-for-nothings,' which just proves the superiority of our 'Thirteen Great Houses.'"

Ning Yuantai hardened his fist and frowned, saying, "The ancestors of the Thirteen Great Houses did not initially have the name 'Great Houses,' but were the commoners you mentioned!"

Xu Mude waved his hand casually and said, "Young Master Ning, calm down. I know you've always wanted to emphasize that you don't rely on your family and only on yourself, but do you really believe that yourself?"

"You too have benefited from the protection of the Thirteen Great Houses... so don't start cursing as soon as you put down your bowl."

Ning Yuantai clenched his fists, but had no words to reply.

He knew, of course, that no matter how much he emphasized it, even if his family really didn't offer him any secret help, as long as the mark of his origin from the Thirteen Great Houses remained, many benefits would quietly fall upon him.

But he just felt something was wrong; Xu Mude's idea should be incorrect.

This is a fundamental difference in values ​​and beliefs; to put it more dramatically, it's a clash of ideologies.

Ning Yuantai opened his mouth, but couldn't utter any rebuttal. He simply sighed and, as he walked towards Xue Jing, said listlessly:

"Forget it, you go ahead with your work. Just find me a guide, and don't come along yourself."

Xu Mude smiled and said, "Don't worry, I have no interest in communicating with this self-made Xue Jing. I'm just giving you face, Young Master Ning... You see, this is the advantage you get because of your background, the superiority of the Thirteen Families."

Ning Yuantai was too lazy to reply to him and silently walked to Xue Jing's side.

Xue Jing was curiously looking around when he saw Ning Yuantai approaching with a somewhat dejected look on his face, and he spoke up:

"Yuan Tai, what's wrong?"

Ning Yuantai scratched his head and said, "It's nothing, Brother Xue."

Xue Jing smiled and said casually, "Feeling frustrated because you think your long-held ideas aren't foolproof and you can't convince others?"

Ning Yuantai asked in surprise, "Brother Xue, you heard everything?"

Xue Jing stepped forward and casually said, "You're all talking so loudly, I could hear you clearly even if the distance were ten times greater."

Ning Yuantai caught up with Xue Jing, falling half a step behind, and said in a low voice, "I'm sorry you had to see this..."

After walking in silence for a while, Ning Yuantai couldn't help but say:

"Brother Xue, don't you have anything to say...?"

Xue Jing glanced at him sideways and said teasingly:

"Do you want me to say things that support you and vehemently criticize Xu Mude, this way, to give you a boost of confidence in your current wavering thoughts?"

Ning Yuantai chuckled awkwardly, without denying it.

“I’m sorry, Yuan Tai, although I should be considered one of the ‘self-made’ people you mentioned, I can’t confidently say ‘you’re right’.”

Xue Jing stopped in front of a high-tech device that looked like a computer mainframe and said without turning his head:

"Thoughts themselves are neither right nor wrong... They are merely conclusions drawn by human beings with limited perspectives. There are no absolutely correct thoughts in the world, only thoughts that are relatively in line with one's own interests."

Ning Yuantai was somewhat disappointed: "Brother Xue..."

Xue Jing paused for a moment, then said, "However... I think your idea is very valuable."

"Although it is a childish way of thinking, it is a rare and valuable idea that you, who come from a privileged background, can empathize with and consider the feelings of those who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. This may not be a good thing for you personally, but it is a rare and valuable idea."

"Being able to set aside your own interests and think about the interests of others, even if that thinking is naive or insignificant, may make you laugh at and despise your own foolishness and ignorance when your thinking is fully formed in the future."

Xue Jing paused for a moment, then smiled and said, "But at least at this moment, I think you're great, much better than those so-called nobles who are content with enjoying their birth."

Upon hearing this, Ning Yuantai's eyes filled with tears: "Brother Xue..."

……

Sky Center, 1052nd floor.

"This is one of the containment facilities of our 'Xu's Biotechnology' and 'Xu's Containment'."

Along the long white corridor, transparent cubicles of various sizes crisscrossed. A mature woman wearing an office lady skirt and exquisite makeup reached out and smiled as she introduced the cubicles.

She looked at Xue Jing, who was looking around, and couldn't help but linger on his breathtakingly handsome face, sighing inwardly.

What a handsome young man! I'm totally smitten...

Xue Jing looked toward the transparent partition next to him. Under the light, a white display stand stood in the center, and on the display stand was... a dried salted fish?

It was about a meter long, with a shriveled, weathered white body and a pair of dead fish eyes staring wide open. Apart from its unusually straight body, it looked exactly like an ordinary dried salted fish.

"This is [GOD-1468·Sword of Dried Salted Fish]."

Seeing Xue Jing's gaze, the office lady immediately smiled and introduced him softly.

"Don't let its comical appearance fool you; it's actually incredibly sharp and hard, a truly formidable weapon. Everyone who's used it raves about it... but the side effect is that it leaves the user with a fishy smell."

Xue Jing looked away from the dried salted fish sword and gazed around.

There are dozens of these transparent cubicles on this floor...

He felt like a mouse that had entered a rice jar, his fingers starting to twitch uncontrollably.

After thinking for a moment, Xue Jing smiled at the office lady and said softly, "May I touch these divine relics?"

The office lady was almost dazzled by that smile. After a moment of stunned silence, she said with a troubled expression: