Starting with being handed over to the Imperial Concubine, building a family with a thousand-year hi

Zhan Bai, his face full of resentment, gritted his teeth and asked, "Then what should we do now? Just give up?"

After a moment of contemplation, Asno slowly offered a compromise: "In any case, we must first ensure the safe return of Harry Luke and the other two. In my opinion, we should offer some benefits to appease Su Mu. Once he releases them, the three of us can then gather all our forces to crush Tianyuan Star in one fell swoop and completely eliminate Su Mu as a threat."

This sound suggestion was immediately agreed upon by Zhan Bai and Ryan.

However, when the three began to discuss the specific terms and finalize the benefits to Su Mu, disagreements suddenly arose, and they argued endlessly.

Zhan Bai and Asino proposed that since the Star Palace had been expanding its influence recently, they could allocate a portion of its star region to Su Mu as a gesture of goodwill.

The Star Palace was originally under the jurisdiction of the Star God Temple, and its territory was entirely under the control of the Star God Temple. The two of them had a very clever plan: to temporarily cede territory to stabilize Su Mu, and after rescuing the hostages and crushing Tianyuan Star with a large army, these territories could naturally be taken back. It would only be an empty favor and would not harm themselves.

Ryan instantly saw through their little scheme and resolutely refused.

Both men's plans were based on the perfect assumption of smoothly crushing Su Mu in the future. But nothing is absolute. What if the army's expedition fails and a stalemate occurs, ultimately forcing them to negotiate peace? How could the territory they gave up be taken back intact?

Ryan stated bluntly that if his Star God Temple were to cede territory, Zhan Bai and Asno would have to offer treasures and resources of equal value as compensation.

But when Ryan revealed the price he wanted, Zhan Bai and Asno both refused to agree and wouldn't budge an inch.

Each of the three had their own agenda and refused to give in. They argued back and forth for a long time but could not reach a consensus and eventually parted on bad terms.

In the minds of the three, Harry, Luke, and the others had already been trapped for many days without incident, and a few more days of house arrest would not be a big deal. They could slowly test the limits and make careful plans.

Unbeknownst to them, the delays and internal strife of the past few days had provided Su Mu with an excellent opportunity to develop to his full potential and consolidate his strength.

On the path of cultivation, talent and hard work are certainly important, but opportunity and luck have always been indispensable keys to the rise of the strong.

That was exactly what Su Mu was feeling at that moment.

His current strength is already top-tier, but he is still slightly insufficient to withstand the combined offensive of the three major forces on his own. If the leaders of the three parties are decisive and ruthless, and launch a full-scale attack regardless of the consequences, they may be able to completely cut off Su Mu's path to growth before he fully rises to power.

Unfortunately, Ryan and his two companions each had their own selfish motives, were unwilling to compromise, and hindered each other, missing opportunities time and time again, thus giving Su Mu precious time to develop.

At this moment, inside the Tower of Ten Thousand Years, time flows at a thousand times the speed, and the years quietly pass by.

Su Mu sat cross-legged, swallowed the Reincarnation Bodhi Pill, and his soul instantly plunged into the ultimate and profound state of reincarnation and enlightenment.

The miraculous effects of such elixirs are not limited to the cycle of life and death, but encompass the birth, death, and endless cycles of all things in heaven and earth.

In Su Mu's soul perception, a miniature world quietly took shape. Tender buds broke through the soil, sprouted branches and leaves, and after countless years, flourished into towering ancient trees, eventually falling leaves and withering branches, returning to dust. But withering was not the end; the fallen seeds sprouted again, life endlessly, in a continuous cycle.

Immersed in this endless cycle of phenomena, Su Mu's understanding of the laws of space became increasingly profound, and he also underwent a deep transformation and enlightenment in the laws of time.

The hundred days within the tower passed in the blink of an eye, and the effects of the first Reincarnation Bodhi Pill dissipated. Without pausing, Su Mu immediately consumed the second pill and continued to immerse himself in enlightenment.

This time, his soul and consciousness fell into a secluded ancient cave.

Stalactites hang continuously from the cave ceiling, and water droplets drip slowly day after day, year after year. The ethereal sound of the falling water echoes through the years, drawing Su Mu's soul to explore deeper levels of the laws of time.

The speed and trajectory of the falling water droplets, the rhythm and cadence of the dripping, were reproduced and reenacted countless times in his perception.

Over time, Su Mu suddenly understood and fully grasped the true meaning of time: the mystery of time is neither about pursuing extreme acceleration nor extreme stagnation. A thousand-fold rushing current has the advantage of decisive victory, while a ten-fold slow flow has the wonder of enlightenment and reflection. The balance between speed and slowness is the origin of the law.

He gazed quietly at the timeless phenomenon of water dripping through stone, day after day, carefully contemplating it, until he knew the number of times and the trajectory of each drop of water fell.

Time passed again within the Hundred-Day Tower. Su Mu slowly opened his eyes and stopped taking the pills.

Is time truly just a matter of speed?

"Past, present, and future... are all connected, in a continuous cycle."

Su Mu slowly raised his hand, his five fingers clenching into a fist. He seemed to have gained some insight, yet it was as if he couldn't grasp the core of it. Daoist energy swirled around him, profound and mysterious.

He appears to be comprehending the laws of time, but in reality, he has already broken through the shackles and touched upon a higher level of Daoist principles—above time is time itself, and at the end of time is reincarnation.

The instant he focused intently on his fist, the flow of time around him violently shifted. Behind him, the grass and trees withered and flourished, life and death occurred, passing through countless cycles in an instant. Yet, to the naked eye of mortals, the surrounding scenery remained unchanged throughout eternity; all changes were completed in a mere instant.

A glance that lasts a lifetime—that's probably what it means.

Time flowed silently, and Su Mu remained motionless for a long time, his hand still raised in a fist. Unbeknownst to anyone, beneath this seemingly ordinary action, his understanding of the laws of time and reincarnation was rapidly and terrifyingly expanding.

The extreme speed of time flow, combined with the miraculous enlightenment effects of the Reincarnation Bodhi Pill, allowed his soul realm to soar, steadily reaching the peak of the God King realm. At the same time, his physical cultivation and foundation in the laws were simultaneously strengthened, completely solidifying his position at the peak of the God King realm.

After a long while, Su Mu's eyes became clear and his spirits were refreshed. He slowly lowered his palm and exhaled a breath of stale air.

"The nature of time is indeed infinitely mysterious."

He sighed softly, then examined his own cultivation level, a hint of regret in his voice: "I have already reached the peak of the God King realm. It's a pity that such an opportunity for ultimate enlightenment is rare and hard to come by. If I had just one more pill, perhaps I could have broken through the shackles and ascended to the Saint realm."

Opportunities are fleeting, and forcing them is futile. Su Mu stood up, raised his hand, and lightly traced the air in front of him with his fingertips.

Within the tiny space at his fingertips, the laws of time and space intertwine and flow, changing in countless ways in an instant, controlled with absolute precision. This is a manifestation of his profound and ultimate understanding of the laws, enough to demonstrate his terrifying current strength.

With his current combat strength, profound physical body, top-notch understanding of the laws, and numerous supreme treasures and trump cards, although his realm is only at the peak of the God King realm, he already has an absolute chance of crushing a late-stage Saint realm cultivator in a head-on confrontation. Even if he encounters a peak Saint realm cultivator, he has the confidence to kill his opponent in a desperate battle.

Just as a smile appeared on Su Mu's lips, a second piece of good news followed.

During this time, he devoted himself to enlightenment and nurturing his inner strength within the tower. Under the continuous nourishment of the Imperial Dao Qi and Primordial Spiritual Qi, the Imperial Dao Set on his body underwent a transformation in grade, and was upgraded to a Grade 9 Acquired Primordial Spiritual Treasure!

Combat power has surged once again!

Previously, he had to fight to the death to contend with the peak of the Saint Realm. Now, with the blessing of a complete set of ninth-grade imperial primordial spirit treasures, he is fully confident that he can kill two peak Saint Realm cultivators at the same time!

Before the joy had faded, a crisp system notification suddenly rang in my mind—three happy events at once!

[Congratulations to my adopted son, Song Pingchao, on successfully breaking through to the early stage of the God King realm! The system reward has been deposited into your inventory; please check it.]

"Pingchao has also broken through!"