Chapter 718: Professionally Branded Torture
Paren finally woke up from the best sleep of his life, and for a long moment, he did not move.
He simply lay there, staring at the ceiling of his private room in Astral Cosmic Terminal One, feeling the calm strength flowing steadily through his body.
There was no disgusting gym workout schedule waiting for him, nor was there some horrible supplement sitting beside his bed like a bottled form of personal hatred.
There was only silence... peaceful, beautiful silence.
Paren slowly exhaled. "I’m finally feeling alive."
More importantly, he was no longer a Peak Star Realm cultivator.
He was now a true Celestial Realm being.
After leaving God Gym, Paren had returned to Astral Cosmic Terminal One, met with Bruno, briefly explained that he had succeeded, and immediately excused himself.
He had gone straight to sleep like a dead man.
That rest lasted much longer than he expected.
By the time he finally woke up, Bruno had already been informed and was waiting to speak with him.
A short while later, the two sat across from each other inside Paren’s office.
Bruno studied him for a moment before asking, "How do you feel?"
Paren looked at him silently.
A long, exhausted sigh escaped his mouth. "Like I survived five years of professionally branded torture."
Bruno’s mouth twitched slightly. "That bad?"
Paren leaned back in his chair. "Worse."
His expression darkened as memories returned one after another. "Garion trained me brutally for five years straight. Full-body strength training, resistance work, body tempering, cardio through disaster zones, recovery meals, and those stupidly disgusting supplements."
Bruno raised an eyebrow. "Supplements?"
Paren’s expression immediately turned colder. "Do not ask."
Bruno wisely remained silent.
Paren continued, "The taste was so horrible that there were moments when I almost preferred the actual training."
Bruno stared at him for a second. "That sounds impressive in the worst possible way."
Paren rubbed his forehead, then slowly looked down at his hands. "It was, however..."
Bruno’s attention sharpened.
Paren’s tone became much more serious. "For some ridiculous reason, the training worked."
Bruno did not look surprised, although his expression became more focused.
Paren continued, "It didn’t only strengthen my body. My mana flow, soul stability, endurance, cultivation foundation, recovery ability, and even my control over my [World Seed] improved alongside it."
He paused briefly. "God Gym training is not normal physical training. Somehow, it improves everything through the body."
Bruno nodded slowly. "I suspected as much."
Paren immediately gave him a tired look. "You suspected that and still sent me there?"
Bruno answered calmly, "You succeeded, didn’t you?"
Paren stared at him.
For several seconds, he looked like he was genuinely considering whether insulting his superior was worth the consequences.
Eventually, he released another sigh. "Yes. I succeeded."
Bruno’s expression became warmer.
Paren continued, "Garion also helped me absorb world laws."
Bruno waited.
Paren added flatly, "In an extremely chaotic place, of course."
Bruno gave a small nod. "Of course."
Paren’s eyebrow twitched. "Whenever the world laws became too dangerous, Garion pulled me out."
He paused. "Whenever they became too weak, he threw me straight back in."
Bruno’s lips twitched.
Paren’s eyes immediately turned cold. "Do not laugh."
Bruno coughed once. "I wasn’t going to."
Paren gave him a flat stare. "You were."
Bruno was silent for a second. "I was."
Paren shook his head, clearly regretting this entire conversation. "Still, because of all that, my [World Seed] finally matured, opened, and transformed into an [Inner World]."
Bruno looked at him for a long moment.
This time, there was no amusement in his expression.
Only genuine satisfaction.
"Congratulations, Paren."
Paren leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes. "Thank you."
For the first time in countless years, the bottleneck that had trapped him at the Peak Star Realm was gone.
He had truly crossed into the Celestial Realm.
A second later, Paren opened his eyes again and added with absolute sincerity, "I am never joining another Garion training plan again."
---
Paren leaned back in his chair, finally looking somewhat relaxed.
Bruno studied him for a moment before speaking again. "Now that you’ve entered the Celestial Realm, your position will naturally change as well."
Paren raised an eyebrow. "My position?"
Bruno nodded. "Of course. You’re not a Star Realm cultivator anymore. You’re a Celestial Realm cultivator now, so there’s no reason for you to remain the manager of Astral Cosmic Terminal One."
He pointed upward. "You can come work at my terminal instead, the Astral Dragon Cosmic Terminal. With your new realm, you’ll become one of the higher-ranking members there."
Bruno clasped his hands together. "You’ll gain access to higher-level meetings, restricted information, and decisions that were previously outside your authority."
Paren rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Sounds like more work."
Bruno gave him a flat look. "That is your first concern?"
Paren answered without hesitation. "Obviously."
Bruno looked ready to reply when his expression suddenly changed. No... he practically froze.
A faint light flashed across the communication panel beside him.
Bruno turned toward it, and after reading the incoming information for several seconds, his brows pulled together sharply. "Goddammit..."
Paren immediately straightened in his seat.
That reaction alone was enough to completely wipe away his relaxed mood.
Bruno was the manager of one of the Major Astral Cosmic Terminals.
He had dealt with powerful factions, Celestial Realm experts, large-scale conflicts, dangerous negotiations, and enough cosmic political bullshit to make most people lose their minds without ever losing his composure.
Hearing him openly curse was rare... no, extremely rare, and that was why Paren frowned. "What’s wrong?"
Bruno did not answer immediately.
His eyes remained fixed on the information displayed across the communication panel, reading through it once more as if hoping he had somehow misunderstood what it said.
Paren’s expression grew more serious. "Sir Bruno?"
Bruno finally lifted his gaze. "They’re coming."
Paren’s eyes sharpened immediately. "Who?"
Bruno slowly leaned back in his chair.
His usual calm expression gradually returned, but the heaviness in his eyes remained. "The people I was hoping wouldn’t come this soon."