230: Chapter 230 The Ancestor Said the Heavenly Tribulation Was Inevitable? I'll Let the Lightning Tribulation Strike the Insurance Company First.

The moment Arrogant Dragon stepped out of the teleportation gate, seven divine senses at the Tribulation Transcendence stage locked onto him.

This was the "Xuanhuang Cultivation World," a realm that still maintained ancient cultivation traditions. The spiritual energy between heaven and earth was so dense it condensed into a mist. On seventy-two floating immortal mountains, seven white-haired Ancestors sat cross-legged before their respective cave abodes, with tens of thousands of disciples standing behind them.

"Who goes there?" The Sky Sword Ancestor in the center opened his eyes, his voice ringing like a sword, "This realm does not welcome outsiders!"

Arrogant Dragon looked at this familiar scene—the oppressive aura of Tribulation Transcendence cultivators, the spiritual light of the mountain-protecting formations, the disciples' reverent and fearful gazes—for a fleeting moment, he felt as if he had returned to his own Immortal Emperor era.

But a slight vibration came from the work badge on his chest, which displayed: 【Mission Time Limit: 59 minutes. Overtime will affect performance evaluation.】

"Epoch Management Group, Crisis Handling Specialist, Arrogant Dragon," he flashed his work badge, "Here to discuss the 'Scientific Tribulation Transcendence Insurance' business."

Dead silence filled the area for three seconds.

Then, uproarious laughter erupted.

"Insurance? Hahahaha!" A Red-haired Ancestor slapped his thigh and laughed heartily, "Junior, do you know what a Heavenly Tribulation is? It's the trial of the Heavenly Dao! Life and death are decreed by fate, wealth and honor reside with heaven! What's there to insure?"

Arrogant Dragon calmly said, "According to The Group's data, over the past ten thousand years in the Xuanhuang World, there have been 831 cultivators at the Tribulation Transcendence stage. Only 9 successfully transcended the tribulation, resulting in a mortality rate of 98.9%. However, across 132 cultivation worlds that have purchased 'Scientific Tribulation Transcendence Insurance,' the average success rate has increased to 47%."

He projected holographic data: "Insurance coverage: If the insured fails their tribulation, The Group will provide 'Soul Reconstruction Service' free of charge, guaranteeing memory preservation and a 300% increase in cultivation speed upon restarting. If the tribulation is successful, the premium will be refunded along with a 'Transcendence Gift Pack.'"

"Premium: 30% of the tribulation transcender's current net worth."

Sky Sword Ancestor sneered, "And what if this old man doesn't buy?"

"Then please sign this 'Voluntary Waiver of Rescue Declaration,'" Arrogant Dragon handed over a tablet, "Consequences of declaration: After tribulation failure, The Group will not waste resources rescuing your soul. You will perish completely, body and soul extinguished."

The Red-haired Ancestor grew furious, "Are you threatening us?"

"No, I'm informing you of the risks," Arrogant Dragon pointed towards the sky, "According to monitoring, your world's 'Zero-Erosion Degree' has reached 7.3%. This means the Heavenly Tribulation's power will be additionally amplified. The intensity of the next lightning tribulation is estimated to be... five times the normal level."

He pulled up a prediction model: "Based on historical data, with a fivefold Heavenly Tribulation, your survival probability is—0.0001%."

The expressions of the seven Ancestors changed simultaneously.

They could sense the Heavenly Dao's abnormality, but hadn't realized it was this severe.

"Even so," a female Ancestor gritted her teeth, "we cultivators, how can we rely on external tricks? With an unstable Dao Heart, how can we achieve immortality!"

"Dao Heart?" Arrogant Dragon suddenly laughed, "Then let me ask you all—you've been in seclusion for thousands of years, but have you ever personally earned a single spirit stone?"

The Ancestors were stunned.

"Your elixirs, magical treasures, cave abodes—were they provided by your disciples, right? Your cultivation techniques and legacies—were they left by predecessors, right?" Arrogant Dragon scanned the entire assembly, "From birth to Tribulation Transcendence, which step of yours hasn't relied on 'external objects' and 'the shade of your predecessors'?"

"Now you talk to me about 'not relying on external objects'?"

He sneered, "Hypocrisy."

"How dare you!" Sky Sword Ancestor made a decisive move, a sword light directly slashing towards Arrogant Dragon's face!

It was a furious strike from the peak of Tribulation Transcendence, powerful enough to cleave stars.

But the sword light suddenly froze solid three meters away from Arrogant Dragon.

It wasn't blocked by Arrogant Dragon—his current cultivation level couldn't block it either.

The work badge had automatically activated The Group's property protection barrier.

"Warning," the work badge emitted a mechanical voice, "Illegal attack on Group employee detected. According to the 'Cross-Dimensional Personal Safety Guarantee Protocol,' automatic counterattack procedure has been initiated."

As the words fell.

A golden crack suddenly split open in the sky.

A giant hand, completely composed of runes of law, reached out from the crack and gave Sky Sword Ancestor a gentle flick.

"Pu—"

Sky Sword Ancestor was as if struck by lightning, vomiting blood and flying backwards, crashing through three immortal mountains before stopping.

Dead silence filled the area.

All the cultivators stared dumbfounded at the slowly retracting hand of law.

Arrogant Dragon was also stunned—he hadn't expected the "personal safety guarantee" clause in the contract to be this formidable.

"Now," he suppressed his shock and continued, "Can we discuss business properly?"

The six other Ancestors hurriedly helped Sky Sword Ancestor up. When they looked back at Arrogant Dragon, their eyes now held fear.

"You... what exactly is your Group?" the Red-haired Ancestor asked, his voice trembling.

"An insurance seller," Arrogant Dragon smiled, "So, are you buying or not?"

Sky Sword Ancestor wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth and gritted his teeth, "Buy! We'll buy!"

Seven insurance contracts were instantly generated.

The seven Ancestors each handed over 30% of their net worth—mountains of spirit stones, magical treasures, and elixirs were collected by the work badge's spatial function.

The moment the premiums were received.

The work badge popped up a notification: 【Hidden clause triggered: Major Client Exclusive Service. Applying for 'Heavenly Tribulation Intensity Adjustment' for the insured... Application approved. Lightning tribulation power reduced to 80% of normal intensity.】

The tribulation clouds in the sky suddenly lightened by a third.

The seven Ancestors looked up simultaneously, faces showing astonishment.

"This... the Heavenly Tribulation can really be adjusted?" the female Ancestor murmured.

"In a commercial society, everything is negotiable," Arrogant Dragon put away his work badge, "Alright, my mission is complete. I wish you all a smooth tribulation transcendence—"

He didn't finish his sentence.

A sudden anomaly occurred!

The entire sky of the Xuanhuang World suddenly turned blood red!

Not tribulation clouds, but something deeper—the world's origin was wailing!

"What's happening?!" the Red-haired Ancestor screamed.

Arrogant Dragon's work badge frantically sounded alarms:

【Alert! Detection of 'Debt Abomination·Cultivation Variant' invasion!】

【Source: Unrepaid 'Dao Comprehension Loan' from the Xuanhuang World's previous World Lord (deceased)!】

【Abomination characteristics: Devours cultivators' cultivation and souls!】

【Estimated arrival time: 30 seconds!】

A surveillance screen popped up.

Deep within the void, a massive crimson tumor composed of countless pained human faces was rolling towards the Xuanhuang World. Those faces belonged to past cultivators of the Xuanhuang World. In life, they took out high-interest loans to comprehend the Heavenly Dao. After death, with their debts unsettled, their resentment transformed into this entity.

"It's... it's the Ancestors?!" Some disciples recognized several founding patriarchs among the faces.

The crimson giant tumor emitted a billion-fold overlapping wail:

"Repay the debt... repay the debt..."

"Give back our cultivation... give it back..."

Wherever it passed, space froze, and spiritual energy was sucked dry.

The seven Ancestors turned deathly pale—this thing was far more terrifying than a Heavenly Tribulation! At least the tribulation was a Heavenly Dao trial; this thing was pure malicious devouring!

"Specialist Long!" Sky Sword Ancestor said urgently, "Does the insurance cover this?!"

Arrogant Dragon quickly flipped through the contract: "Insurance coverage is limited to 'Heavenly Tribulation and related derivative disasters.' This falls under 'financial derivative disaster' and is not covered."

"Then what do we do?!"

Arrogant Dragon thought for a moment and connected to Group Headquarters: "Apply for 'Debt Restructuring Emergency Plan.' Target: Unsettled debts left by the previous World Lord of the Xuanhuang World. Reason: Debt Abomination threatens the safety of The Group's major clients (already insured)."

Three seconds later, the reply came:

【Application approved】

【Plan content: The Group will advance all historical debts, acquire creditor rights, and then negotiate with the abomination】

【Advance amount: 8 trillion dimension points (to be deducted from the Xuanhuang World's future taxes)】

【Execute?】

"Execute!" Arrogant Dragon said without hesitation.

A golden pillar of light descended from the sky, enveloping the crimson giant tumor.

The faces within the tumor screamed simultaneously: "Money! There's money to repay the debt!"

A 'Debt Settlement Confirmation' document materialized within the light pillar.

All the faces struggled to press their handprints.

The tumor began to contract, purify, and finally transformed into seven thousand beams of pure soul light, suspended in the air.

The work badge prompted: 【Debt settlement completed. Original abomination converted into 'Ownerless Soul Resources.' Recommended for Recycle.】

Arrogant Dragon looked at the seven Ancestors: "These are the souls of your founding patriarchs. The Group can help reconstruct their bodies for free, but after reconstruction, they will need to work for The Group to repay the debt—that's the condition."

The seven Ancestors exchanged glances, then bowed in unison: "Thank you, Specialist Long! Thank you, The Group!"

Crisis resolved.

Just as Arrogant Dragon was about to leave, his work badge suddenly rang again—this time, it was a direct communication from Lin Chen.

"Mission completed quite well," Lin Chen's image appeared, "But there's a problem—the 8 trillion you just advanced, the Xuanhuang World's future taxes might not be able to repay it."

"Then what do we do?"

"That's why we need 'Debt Securitization,'" Lin Chen pulled up a plan, "Package this 8 trillion creditor right into 'Xuanhuang World Cultivation Tax-Backed Bonds' and sell them to other investors. As long as someone buys them, we recoup our costs."

"Will anyone buy them?"

"Of course they will," Lin Chen smiled, "Because I added a clause to the bond prospectus: 'Bond holders have the priority right to obtain employment referrals for cultivators who transcend from the Xuanhuang World'—do you know how much The Group lacks cultivation-side talent right now?"

Arrogant Dragon: "..."

Turning creditors into human resource headhunters?

This move...

"Alright, the bonds are already listed," Lin Chen looked at the trading data, "Sold out in three minutes. Not only did we recoup our costs, but we also made a 2 trillion profit in handling fees."

He looked at Arrogant Dragon: "Your performance rating for this mission: S-rank. Bonus: thirty thousand. Additional reward: one 'Cultivation Restriction Temporary Unlock'—duration one hour, you can decide when to use it yourself."

The communication ended.

Arrogant Dragon looked at the bonus deposited in his work badge, then at the "Temporary Unlock" button, his expression complex.

He suddenly realized—in this commercial universe, the method to solve problems was no longer fighting and killing, but contracts, finance, and resource exchange.

And it was more efficient.

Just as he was Feeling, the Red-haired Ancestor secretly sidled up: "Specialist Long... about that, is The Group still hiring? We few old guys also want to... find something to do."

Arrogant Dragon looked at him: "Aren't you going to transcend your tribulations?"

"After buying insurance, it feels like tribulation transcendence is just so-so," the Red-haired Ancestor rubbed his hands together, "Might as well secure a next job in advance... what if we can't find work after transcending?"

Arrogant Dragon laughed.

He pulled up the recruitment interface: "The Group's 'Cultivation Culture Heritage Department' is currently hiring consultants. Monthly salary twenty thousand, includes five social insurances and one housing fund, with cave abode subsidies. Want to submit a resume?"

"Yes, yes, yes!"

The seven Ancestors instantly crowded around.

And right at that moment—

The entire Xuanhuang World suddenly shook violently!

Not a Heavenly Tribulation, not a Debt Abomination, but a deeper world origin Exhaustion!

The surveillance screen showed: The Xuanhuang World's "Spiritual Energy Root Veins" were withering at a rate of 3% per second!

At this rate, in half an hour, this world would become a wasteland incapable of cultivation!

"What now?!" Sky Sword Ancestor was going crazy.

Arrogant Dragon's work badge performed an emergency scan:

【Alert! Detection of 'Cross-World Spiritual Energy Siphoning'!】

【Source: The neighboring 'Mechanical Divine Kingdom' is constructing a super-giant Spiritual Energy Reactor, unrestrainedly siphoning spiritual energy from surrounding worlds!】

【The Xuanhuang World is the nearest victim!】

The picture switched.

In the neighboring universe sector, a civilization entirely composed of machinery was frantically siphoning spiritual energy through pipelines spanning galaxies, converting it into energy.

"That's... the Mechanical Divine Kingdom formerly controlled by shareholder Blue Flame?" Arrogant Dragon recognized it.

The work badge confirmed: 【Yes. But that Divine Kingdom is now independent and refuses to accept Group jurisdiction.】

The Red-haired Ancestor panicked, "Can we stop them?!"

Just as Arrogant Dragon was about to contact headquarters, he received a group notification from Lin Chen:

【Attention all field personnel】

【The Group has initiated 'Spiritual Energy Resource Competition War'】

【Target: Within 24 hours, acquire or control at least 50% of independent spiritual energy production zones】

【Means unrestricted, budget unrestricted】

【Performance Included quarterly assessment】

A line of fine print was attached at the end of the notification:

"Arrogant Dragon, your target in the area: The Mechanical Divine Kingdom. Secure it, and you become 'Special Operations Department Director.'"

Arrogant Dragon looked at that line.

Then looked at the "Cultivation Temporary Unlock" button in his hand.

Then looked towards the distant mechanical world greedily sucking spiritual energy.

For the first time, true fighting spirit ignited in his eyes.

"The Director position..."

"I'll take it."

He pressed the unlock button.

Immortal Emperor cultivation, after many days, returned.

Even if only for an hour.

It was enough.