Chapter 504 - 1: Return

Chapter 504: Chapter 1: Return

Cuiwei Star. Lord Competition Service Center. Teleportation Service Center.

When Lin Yu stepped out of the Teleportation Service Center and into the trading hall, he was met with a grand welcoming ceremony.

"Lord Lin Yu!"

"Yes? And you are..."

"I am Levin Zack, the Legion Commander of the Cuiwei Star Lord Corps. Congratulations on successfully passing the third stage of the Lord Competition and advancing to the fourth stage."

"Thank you, thank you. But how did you know I advanced to the fourth stage? What if I had pledged allegiance to another lord?"

"Hahaha, only lords who advance on their own emerge from that particular teleportation point. Affiliated Lords who have pledged themselves to others are sent to different service centers. The exit points are not the same."

"I see!"

"Commander Levin, are there rewards for the lords who advanced to the fourth stage?"

"Yes, yes, of course! The rewards for advancing to the fourth stage are very generous, but I can’t tell you about them right now. It’s a secret for the time being!"

"If you’re free tomorrow, please come to the strategic deployment meeting the Lord’s Legion is holding for the fourth stage. We’ll hand out the rewards then, and we’ll also brief you on the details of the fourth stage."

"And if you don’t have anything else going on this evening, you could also join us for the banquet."

"I heard you didn’t interact much with the others during the competition. As a young man, you should open up a little, mingle more with the other lords!"

...

At Legion Commander Levin Zack’s enthusiastic invitation, Lin Yu agreed to attend the celebratory banquet that evening and the meeting the following day.

Then, under the Legion Commander’s fervent gaze, he left the trading hall, returned to the room the Lord Service Center had prepared for him, and made a phone call.

"Hello? Who is this?"

"Dad!"

"Oh, Yu! You’re back?"

"Yeah."

"So, how’d it go?"

"I advanced!"

"That’s my boy! A true son of mine! When are you coming back? Your little sister is over two years old now. Ever since she heard she has an older brother, she’s been asking for him all day long!"

"In a few days, probably. I have meetings for the next couple of days, and I also need to look up some information to figure out the situation with the fourth stage before I can make a decision."

"Alright~ We’ll be waiting for you!"

"Dad, why don’t you and Mom move into the family housing at the Lord Service Center? I’m worried you might be in danger."

"Didn’t you arrange for bodyguards for us? Why are you still worried about our safety? Did you get into trouble?"

"No, it’s just that your son is so outstanding he made a bit too much of a splash this time. But wait, Dad, you figured out they were bodyguards I hired?"

"Hah, I figured that out a long time ago! What kind of coincidence is that? You come back, and suddenly we have several new neighbors! Since you’re stirring up a storm over there, I guess we’d better lie low for a bit. I’ll pack our things. We’ll come find you in a few days!"

...

「That evening. The Lord Competition Service Center, banquet hall.」

When Lin Yu walked into the banquet hall, it was already filled with throngs of beautiful women, each and every one of them dressed to the nines.

Unfortunately, even though he had left his territory and lost the massive attribute bonus from his Emperor, Lin Yu was still an Extraordinary Tier hero. With a single glance, he could see through the thick layers of powder on their faces—both the women and the men—and sense the chaotic mix of auras clinging to them.

As a result, Lin Yu had no interest in these people whatsoever. He picked up a plate, found a corner, and started to eat in silence...

"Lin Yu, what are you doing eating over here? I doubt this food can compare to what you serve in your own territory, can it?"

Lin Yu looked up to see Yun Qihao approaching him, surrounded by an entourage.

He picked up a napkin from the side and wiped his mouth.

"There was a time when food like this was a luxury I could only dream of. Now that I can finally have it, of course I’m going to see what it tastes like."

"Oh? You know, come to think of it, I’ve never eaten this stuff before, either. How does it taste?"

"It’s not bad," Lin Yu said after a moment’s thought. "I’m not a picky eater. As far as flavor goes, it’s perfectly acceptable."

"In that case, I simply must have a taste."

Yun Qihao casually picked up a piece of fruit from a nearby table and put it in his mouth. After chewing thoughtfully a few times, he suddenly spat it out.

"PAH! PAH! PAH!"

"There isn’t a shred of Spiritual Power in this! It’s all dry and tasteless! Disgusting! Absolutely disgusting!"

"Boss, your body is no longer that of a mere mortal. How could you possibly stomach the food of common folk?" one of Yun Qihao’s cronies chimed in, quickly handing him a bottle of Spiritual Water to rinse his mouth.

"Hahaha~" Lin Yu picked up the same type of fruit Yun Qihao had tried and began to eat it. "It seems you’re used to quite the fine dining. This fruit might not have any Spiritual Power, but it’s plenty juicy. It’s not dry at all. Perfectly edible."

"Ai~ I’m not quite like the rest of you anymore. My digestive system is starting to convert to pure energy. I’m on the verge of advancing to the Legendary Tier. There’s no benefit whatsoever in eating things without Spiritual Power, so my body naturally rejects them."

Yun Qihao shook his head, showing that he was now completely unable to stomach food that lacked Spiritual Power.

A flash of surprise flickered in Lin Yu’s eyes. ’I never thought that besides me and Li Hua, there would be other lords in this batch who’ve become Extraordinary Tier heroes. It looks like following the path of faith isn’t without its benefits. Even though the Goddess holds all the power in his territory, his own personal growth is still quite fast.’

Based on the situation in his own territory and Li Hua’s, for a lord to reach such a tier personally meant that the number and quality of heroes within their domain had to be exceptionally high.

"You’re that strong? Already at the Extraordinary Tier? It seems the Goddess is quite generous to you, isn’t she?"

"Heh, it’s nothing! This is just a small reward for my loyalty to the Goddess."