The Strongest Talent Tree

Inside the elevator, the roar of machinery was deafening. The Thief Master stood silently to one side, his eyes surprisingly calm.

Gazing at the high-strength alloy walls around him, Feng Hao was filled with wonder and confusion. ’Who would have thought such a massive steel base would be hidden beneath Thief Peak?’

WHOOSH—HISS—

The alloy hatch opened, revealing a vast, magnificent underground base before Feng Hao’s eyes.

All sorts of machines operated on their own. Dozens of thick iron pillars supported the base from various points. Within the latticed walls to the side, Magic Energy Engines and turbines were interwoven, and in the center of the base, a dark purple [Origin Node] stood within a matrix, extending straight through the roof to the outside.

As far as the eye could see, it looked like a magnificent mechanical Earth Palace. The noise of machinery echoed in his ears, creating an unfathomably mysterious atmosphere.

"This... What in the world is this place?" Feng Hao couldn’t help but exclaim.

The Thief Master chuckled and led the way. After they passed through a metal corridor, he waved his hand and said, "You’ll be qualified to know once you are crowned a Thief. Come, let me introduce you to two Honored Elders."

Feng Hao didn’t press the issue. Soon, under the Thief Master’s guidance, a workshop filled with precision machinery appeared before them.

Inside the workshop, dozens of men and women were busy at their machines. The [Thief’s Mark] on every one of them was of the Elite rank. Among them, two old men were the most conspicuous; their [Thief’s Mark] even surpassed the Elite rank, reaching the legendary Honor-rank.

It was important to note that starting from the ninth rank, a thief’s title couldn’t be promoted on points alone. It also required significant contributions to the Thief God Hall. In other words, to advance from a high-level thief to an Elite Thief, one needed not only the required ten points but also to have completed a certain kind of achievement.

As for the legendary Honor-rank thieves, their title was essentially a lifetime achievement award. It was impossible to attain without several hundred years of major contributions.

And here in this workshop were not only dozens of Elite thieves, but two Honor-rank ones as well. Feng Hao couldn’t help but be shocked.

Feng Hao’s arrival seemed to attract everyone’s attention. The Elite thieves gave him a few surprised glances before burying their heads back in their work. The two Honor-rank thieves, however, seemed more at leisure. Seeing Feng Hao, they walked over with great interest.

"Little guy, so you’re the Thief Master’s new disciple?" one of the Elders, who wore a special Crystal Eye, teased.

The other Elder was more ordinary-looking. He wore a gray-black robe, his hair and beard were snow-white, his frame was rather thin, and he was clearly of a great age.

Feng Hao snapped out of his daze and hurriedly bowed. "I am Feng Hao. It is an honor to meet you, Honored Elders."

"Heh heh, a polite little guy. Much better than those four little brats," the gray-robed Elder said with an approving nod.

The Elder with the special Crystal Eye scoffed, "Don’t mind this old coot. We don’t have so many rules in the Thief God Hall."

"Old Jiang, what’s that supposed to mean?" the gray-robed Elder said, displeased.

"Exactly what it sounds like," Elder Jiang retorted with a purse of his lips and a soft snort.

Seeing the two Elders bickering endlessly, the Thief Master quickly interjected, "Please, Elders, don’t argue. Xiaofeng, this is Elder Jiang, and this is Elder Yin. In terms of seniority, they are both my elders."

"Hello, Elder Jiang. Hello, Elder Yin," Feng Hao hurriedly greeted them with a bow. ’Goodness, they’re a generation above the Thief Master. They must be bona fide, old-school thieves.’

"Forget the formalities. That stuff doesn’t fly here in the Thief God Hall," Elder Jiang said, covertly sizing up Feng Hao for a moment before turning to the Thief Master. "I say, Xiaowu, isn’t it a bit inappropriate for you to bring him here in such a rush?"

The Thief Master smiled faintly. "It’s all the same. He’d have to come here sooner or later anyway. Besides, Xiaofeng happened to be looking for the [Origin Node], so I just brought him here ahead of schedule."

"That’s true," Elder Jiang said, nodding in acknowledgment. "Alright then, we’ll get back to work. You can show the little guy around."

"Yes," the Thief Master nodded respectfully. After watching the two Elders depart, he led Feng Hao toward the [Origin Node].

Feng Hao glanced back at the two Elders and asked, full of curiosity, "Master, why did the Elders just call you Xiaowu?"

"It’s nothing, just a nickname," the Thief Master replied with a faint smile.

As they spoke, they arrived at the foot of the [Origin Node].

The Thief Master patted Feng Hao’s shoulder and said, "Alright, go on in. If I’m not here when you get back, just head back on your own."

"Okay." Feng Hao didn’t overthink it and leaped into the [Origin Node].

After a wave of spatial distortion, his vision went blank. Three shimmering Secret Realm Marks floated before him. With a flicker of his will, he imprinted the Double Taiyi Mark onto his Genetic Tree and instantly appeared in the Second Secret Realm.

Before him lay a vast plain, with small, sparse groves of trees dotting the green landscape. A gentle breeze swept by, making him feel exceptionally refreshed in body and mind.

’My luck seems pretty good.’

Feng Hao didn’t have time to admire the beautiful scenery. He immediately activated [Shadowmeld] and sat down cross-legged on the spot. Sinking his Divine Sense into the [Listening Stone], he quickly established a Stone Listening Communication link with Solos.

Solos’s voice came from the other side almost immediately. "Oh my God, you’re finally here! I was starting to think something happened to you."

"God? Give me a break. Who even believes in God these days?" Feng Hao retorted irritably. "Hurry up and tell me what’s going on over there. Have you seen my family?"

"Don’t worry, Mad God. Your parents are the Dragon Maiden’s chief researchers, so they’re very safe. As for our little sister, Magic Xiaomiao, you don’t need to worry about her at all. Her strength in the game back then was no less than mine, and it’s the same now."

"That’s good, that’s good." Feng Hao let out a huge sigh of relief. A hint of melancholy entered his voice as he asked, "Have you told them about me?"

"Of course," Solos said with a laugh. "Your father and mother were very happy to hear news of you. It’s just that little sister Xiaomiao was a bit angry. She specifically asked me to pass a message on to you."

"What message?" Feng Hao asked, stunned.

Solos hesitated for a moment before saying awkwardly, "She said you’re a heartless bastard for going on a trip to outer space without her, and that she’ll teach you a lesson when you get back."

"..." Feng Hao didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. ’That girl.’

"By the way, Mad God, how are things on your end?" Solos asked.

"Not bad. I’ve been in a competition for the last couple of days, vying for an important sect position," Feng Hao answered truthfully.

Solos’s tone suddenly became serious. "That’s good. You can rest assured about things here on Earth. The Dragon Maiden and I have already formed an alliance. With the knowledge and resources you gave us, unifying Earth is just around the corner."

Feng Hao nodded in satisfaction, then asked, "By the way, did the Dragon Maiden say anything?"

"The Dragon Maiden didn’t say much. After getting the resources and knowledge from you, she started researching machinery like crazy. Said she wants to build a spaceship as soon as possible so she can come find you."

Feng Hao’s mouth twitched. "Damn, I haven’t seen her in a few years, and she’s still as intense as ever."

"Actually, I’m also really curious about the world beyond Earth. Don’t worry, if anyone bullies you over there, the Dragon Maiden and I will immediately lead an army of a million strong and wipe them out completely," Solos declared heroically.

"..." Feng Hao was speechless. "Give me a break. If you guys came, you’d just be cannon fodder."

Solos was taken aback. "What? Is the Ancient Cang Realm where you are that strong, Mad God?"

"’Strong’ is an understatement. There are tons of Mages over level 100," Feng Hao said irritably.

"Okay, that is a bit strong," Solos said thoughtfully. "Looks like we’ll have to focus on developing peacefully for a few years."

"Stop thinking about all that nonsense. Just focus on developing and wait for me to come back."

"Fine, I guess that’s the only way for now." Solos clearly hadn’t given up on the idea.

"..." Feng Hao was once again at a loss for words.