A corner of the hall.
“Luo Feng, what do you like to eat? Since this is your first time here today, I’ll treat you.” Yang Hui smiled as he took the menu from the waiter beside him and handed it to Luo Feng.
“Oh?”
Luo Feng took it curiously and opened the entire menu. Every type of drink and dish was described in both Chinese and English, and behind each item were prices listed in Earth coins, Chinese yuan, US dollars, euros, Russian roubles, and Indian rupees.
“A glass of wine, nearly one hundred thousand?”
“This ‘dragon liver’, 880,000? Hmm, most normal dishes are still okay, around 100,000 yuan each.” Luo Feng was secretly shocked, then smiled at the nearby war gods and said, “Everyone, this is my first time in the War God Palace, but I have to say, the food here is really expensive.”
The food and drinks in the virtual space were all virtual, yet the prices were even higher than in reality.
“It is expensive, but there is no choice,” said War God teacher Brad nearby, shaking his head and speaking in slightly awkward Chinese. “There is only one place to buy food and drinks in the entire War God Palace. Otherwise, you have nowhere to buy them. Although it is virtual food and drink in a virtual space, it is 100 percent realistic. The taste and experience are the same as reality. If you are not eating to fill your stomach, but just to enjoy the flavour, it is worth it.”
For normal war gods, just ordering a few drinks and dishes would cost over a million yuan.
A full banquet would cost tens of millions.
Only the richest group on Earth, the war gods, could afford such spending. Ordinary billionaires would not dare to be so extravagant. For war gods, even if they serve an organisation, an annual salary of 5 billion yuan is normal. Compared to that, the food here is still affordable. For someone like Luo Feng, a top tier war god, killing a monster at the level of a “tyrannosaurus” or “armoured dragon” could earn over ten billion…
Why care about a bit of food?
“The taste really is…” Luo Feng could not help but praise.
“In terms of taste, how could the real world compare with the virtual space?” Yang Hui smiled.
Luo Feng then asked everyone, “I’ve always been curious, how many council members are there in the War God Palace?”
As long as someone was a council member, they were an existence beyond war gods.
“There are 52 council members in total, plus five chief council leaders,” said Jitao beside him with a smile.
“52? That many?” Luo Feng was surprised.
“Many?” said War God teacher Witt, shaking his head. “Above the five chief leaders, there are only 52 council members. Compared to the global population of 7 billion, that is less than one in a hundred million. Among them, our Extreme Martial Arts Dojo alone, including the three special guards and five inspection envoys, already accounts for eight.”
“The Thunder Dojo has a bit fewer, but under Thunder God there are still six council members.”
“Then there are those who refuse to serve under anyone and form mercenary groups, about seven or eight council members. The HR Alliance also has five or six as its patrons. These alone add up to about 26 to 30 council members.” Witt shook his head and continued, “Then there are the five major countries and 23 base cities sharing the remaining twenty or so. Some council members are very aloof and live in seclusion, not belonging to any organisation. Each major country only gets a few at most.”
Luo Feng listened and understood.
The Extreme Martial Arts Dojo, Thunder Dojo, various mercenary groups, and the HR Alliance together already accounted for more than half of the council members.
“Truly loyal to their countries, like the Huaxia nation, only have three or four council members, which is already quite good,” Yang Hui said with a smile. “Of course, national strength should not be underestimated. For example, some of our dojo’s inspection envoys are Huaxia citizens. Although they belong to the dojo in name, if Huaxia requests help, they will still act.”
Luo Feng nodded.
A council member might serve the HR Alliance or work as a mercenary, but that does not mean they would ignore their homeland in critical moments.
“So, Luo Feng, shall we go take a look at the War God Palace shop later? Items here are much cheaper than outside,” suggested Yang Hui.
Luo Feng’s expression changed slightly. “Is there an auction hall here?”
“Of course,” Jitao said excitedly while holding his drink. “The monthly auction is very interesting. More than 90 percent of war gods around the world attend. You should know, even the largest auction houses in the world cannot gather all forces like this. Only the War God Palace can do it.”
Luo Feng nodded. The different base cities, especially across continents, were separated by oceans, and travel relied on aircraft, which was troublesome.
The War God Palace brought together the strongest people from all over the world.
“This auction has the best results, so many special items appear,” Yang Hui explained. “We can also put items up for auction, but there is a minimum requirement. The lowest value must be 1 billion yuan, with no upper limit.”
“Is there life water?” Luo Feng asked directly.
“This year, in seven months out of the first eight, there was life water in five of them,” Yang Hui said. “If I remember correctly, this month’s auction also has life water.”
Luo Feng was delighted, then puzzled.
Is life water really that common? Didn’t the US government want to make it seem rare?
“Why does the US government auction so much life water?” Luo Feng asked.
“Life water only seems rare outside,” Yang Hui said with a dismissive smile. “In the second half of this year, there will be a public auction open to all warriors. Only one batch of life water. But this is the War God Palace.”
“Here, there is a large auction every month with items worth tens of billions or even hundreds of billions. If the US government only sells one batch a year, how much profit can they make?”
“If they sell more here, where no one outside knows, they make far more money,” Yang Hui said with a smile.
Luo Feng nodded.
“What were the previous prices like?” he asked.
“The starting price was 10 billion yuan, and the final winning price was around 20 billion yuan per batch,” Yang Hui smiled. “The public auction outside might reach 30 billion, but no one here is foolish. Anything higher and no one buys it.”
Luo Feng felt secretly pleased. Different social circles really had different resources.
The War God Palace gathered all the war gods on Earth, forming an enormous consumer market.
“So when is this month’s auction?” he asked.
“In a few days, on the 15th of August,” Yang Hui replied. “It is held every month on the 15th.”
Luo Feng nodded.
August 15th. His younger brother would finally be able to stand again. Only a few days left.
…
Inside the War God Palace hall, people occasionally came up the stairs.
“Which one is Luo Feng?” a grey haired elder asked as he sat down among a group of friends.
“He is in the south, sitting with Yang Hui and the others,” a muscular bald man replied quietly. “See? The Extreme Martial Arts dojo war gods are all talking to him.” Since Luo Feng’s identity was exposed earlier, all factions had quietly informed their people.
“That young man?”
The grey haired elder looked carefully and nodded. “His aura is indeed unusual. Look at his eyes…”
The eyes are the window of the soul. A person with strong spirit has bright eyes, while someone weak looks dull. For a spiritual master…
When hidden, the gaze is like a deep, unfathomable pool. When enraged, even a single look can make weaker warriors tremble.
So spiritual masters always have a special presence, born from their powerful spirit.
“Find a chance to get close to him,” the elder said quietly. “It will help us in the future when we need assistance. Also, when I came earlier, I detected that the Extreme Martial Arts Dojo has asked the government to help investigate some of Luo Feng’s relatives. That is a good opportunity to approach him. We should also help.”
“Mm,” the others nodded.
“With Luo Feng’s help, many things in our department will be much easier in the future,” the elder said with a faint smile.
Luo Feng had been assessed by the top decision makers of the Extreme Martial Arts Dojo as an “invincible war god”, and this news spread quickly. Even Li Yao and his wife in Europe received it immediately.
…
Inside a quiet villa hall, Li Yao and his wife Vina stood silently waiting.
“Will that senior meet us?” Vina asked softly.
“He will,” Li Yao said coldly.
Vina sighed inwardly. After the incident on Mist Island, Li Yao had gone mad with drinking and rage. After sobering up, he became consumed by hatred and revenge, his gaze frightening to others. But they simply did not have the ability to kill Luo Feng.
“Both of you,” said an elderly man in a suit upstairs, “my master is waiting for you upstairs.”
Li Yao and Vina followed him upstairs and were led into a quiet room.
Inside, an old man with white hair sat cross legged, faint sandalwood scent filling the air. He looked like a withered log with no life force at all.
“Senior,” Li Yao bowed.
“Elder Yan Hai,” Vina also bowed.
“Sit,” a low voice said. The old man opened his eyes and looked at them. His gaze was cloudy, like a dying man, yet neither of them dared to be careless.
Li Yao suddenly knelt and knocked his head on the ground, tears pouring down.
“Little vulture, what is wrong?” the old man asked calmly.
“Senior,” Li Yao said through gritted teeth, “my only son was killed by a young man called Luo Feng. I want revenge, I want to kill him. But I am not strong enough. He is already an invincible war god. I cannot do anything. My son…”
His body trembled.
“I have no other relatives. I do not care about anyone else in the world, but my son…”
His voice shook.
To someone as cruel and selfish as him, his son was his only true bond, the only thing he cared about.
“Please, senior, kill Luo Feng for me. I am willing to serve you for life,” Li Yao said, still kneeling.
The old man looked at him quietly.
“You and I have some connection. Tell me about Luo Feng,” he said.
Li Yao replied while still bowed, “Luo Feng, high level war god peak spiritual master, 19 years old, from Yangzhou City in Jiangnan base city. He is a senior figure in the Extreme Martial Arts Dojo and serves as an inspection envoy in Jiangnan base city.”
The old man frowned.
“I cannot help you,” he said calmly.
Li Yao suddenly looked up in disbelief.
“Because of Hong?” he asked.
“Yes,” the old man replied without hesitation.
In this world, no one could match Hong. He was like a god overlooking all warriors. Even the second chief, Thunder God, was far weaker. As for others, they did not even dare to act before him.
Not even Yan Hai could offend him.
A 19 year old invincible war god, anyone could guess how much Hong valued him.
Li Yao clenched his fists until his knuckles turned white, blood dripping from his palms.
“Do you want to kill Luo Feng, even if it costs your life?” the old man asked.
“Yes,” Li Yao said firmly.
“Then break through and become an existence beyond war gods,” the old man said coldly. “Only then will you have a chance. Of course, you will have to face Hong’s wrath. He may spare you, or he may kill you.”
“I beg you to guide me,” Li Yao said.
The old man took out a handwritten book.
“This is my cultivation notes. It contains my methods and my experience in breaking through. I hope it helps you,” he said, tossing it over.
Li Yao caught it.
“Remember,” the old man said, “the key to breaking through is spirit and will.”
“Go now.”
Li Yao and Vina kowtowed in gratitude and left.