"Another 'That's really all I can handle.' Qi Lin found this perplexing. Why does that sound so odd? Do you really think it's reasonable that you could fight ten Believers of Light? Ten Believers of Light! How many Believers of Light has the Church even selected over so many years? Every Pope is chosen from the Believers of Light. How could Lu Luo speak of it so casually, as if it were child's play?"

"Lu Luo, are you serious about what you're saying?"

"Dad, everything I say is serious; there's not a hint of falsehood.

"I knew this trip to the Inner Ring would absolutely not be smooth.

"So, regarding my strength, even if you don't have an accurate concept of it now, once I interact with those factions in the Inner Ring and they give me trouble, you'll gain a clear perception of it."

He knew he'd be targeted? And yet, he still came to the Inner Ring! Qi Lin looked at Lu Luo, his gaze complex and inscrutable. If Lu Luo truly possessed the strength he claimed, then his future... what would it hold?

Qi Lin's understanding of Transcendents was indeed not extensive, but he was a learned man and knew how to make comparisons. According to the Church's previous evaluation of his daughter, Qi Xinzhu was regarded as the presumptive Saintess of the Church, potentially a future Pope. Her talents and abilities were definitely top-notch among Transcendents. But now, Lu Luo claimed he could fight ten Believers of Light, and even someone like Qi Xinzhu, he could take on seven or eight of them. What does that make him then? A monster?

If Lu Luo were much older than Qi Xinzhu, there might be an explanation. Yet, Lu Luo was the same age as Xinzhu, born in the resource-scarce Fourth Ring, and an orphan at that. Compared to Xinzhu, his circumstances were worlds apart. Without exceptional talent and opportunity, Lu Luo could not possibly have achieved what he had today. Let alone the future of the Outer Rings; Lu Luo's own future was immeasurable.

Thinking of this, Qi Lin once again fell into a prolonged silence. He wasn't displeased; he just didn't know how to continue the conversation with Lu Luo, how to carry on their dialogue.

Seeing his father-in-law remain silent, Lu Luo quickly added, "Regarding the matter of my strength, if you don't believe me, you can ask Qi Xinzhu in detail. She has a fairly good understanding of my capabilities."

Qi Lin pursed his lips. Although he now believed much of what Lu Luo had said, this method of confirmation was not something he would consider. My own daughter has been corrupted by you; asking her now would have no persuasive power at all. What would be the point?

"No need to ask. Lu Luo, whether what you said is true or not, those are Qi Xinzhu's affairs.

"Your coming to the Inner Ring shows you have a sense of responsibility.

"Since you're now the boss of a large company in the Fourth Ring, a leader of tens of thousands of people,

"I want to ask you: in the future, will you develop in the Inner Ring, or will you continue to stay in the Fourth Ring?"

Lu Luo knew this was a question everyone in the Inner Ring would ask. But he was prepared for this question because he knew that a true balance between the Fourth Ring and the Inner Ring was simply impossible.

"I'll stay in the Fourth Ring." Lu Luo made his stance clear. He was not only facing Xinzhu's parents; deception at this point was meaningless.

"Why not stay in the Inner Ring? Aren't the conditions here somewhat better?

"Putting other things aside, with the status Xinzhu's mother and I hold, if you were to stay in the Inner Ring, we would arrange a suitable job for you."

"Those are things you would give me, not things I've earned." Lu Luo knew his response might seem inappropriate, but it was essential that he reveal some of his ambition to his father-in-law at this moment.

Hmm? Qi Lin was somewhat displeased with Lu Luo's answer. If Lu Luo truly was with Qi Xinzhu, they would naturally support him unconditionally. They had only one daughter, Qi Xinzhu; helping Lu Luo was helping their own daughter. Qi Lin could still see this situation clearly.

"Wanting to strive for yourself, to develop on your own, is indeed a sign of great ambition.

"However, Lu Luo, you are a smart person—at least, I consider you to be one.

"From my perspective, that isn't a very good answer, or at least not a clever one. Are there any other reasons?"

Only when Qi Lin had spoken to this extent did Lu Luo finally nod. "Indeed, there are other reasons."

"What reasons?"

"The great trend of the future lies with the Outer Rings, not the Inner Ring."

Qi Lin frowned. If the previous reason could be attributed to ambition, then this current reason was purely defiant talk.

"The future trend is in the Fourth Ring? That reason is too far-fetched.

"Putting other things aside, the current comparison of strength between the Fourth Ring and the Inner Ring alone shows they are not on the same level."

"Dad, when I say the Outer Rings, I'm not just referring to the Fourth Ring."

"What do you mean?" Qi Lin was taken aback.

"The Outer Rings now refer to the areas that have broken free from the Inner Ring's control; the Fourth Ring is just one part of these Outer Rings.

"These regions have already established new ways of life, and they are thriving.

"They have their own new faiths, their own policies, and also their own paths of cultivation.

"Dad, as a council member, you should be aware of the deficiencies in the Inner Ring's military strength, shouldn't you?

"It is precisely because of this deficiency that the Inner Ring can never truly conquer the Outer Rings."

Qi Lin shook his head. It seemed Lu Luo still didn't have a correct understanding of the Inner Ring's strength. "How could it not be conquered? How large is the Fourth Ring, anyway? Do you perhaps harbor some misunderstanding regarding the power of the Inner Ring?"

Unexpectedly, Lu Luo shook his head again at this. "I know Dad means that the Inner Ring has many Seventh Tier individuals, but in the current situation, even if the Inner Ring had more Seventh Tiers, it would be futile. This is because their range of activity is limited to the Fourth Ring, whereas the Outer Rings now extend beyond just the Fourth Ring."

Qi Lin didn't understand at first, but then he immediately stood up. "What did you say?"

"I said, the Outer Rings are not limited to the Fourth Ring anymore. Because the Fifth Ring has stopped turning."

The Fifth Ring has stopped turning? Qi Lin's initial thought was, where did the Wasteland Alliance get a Fifth Ring from? But looking at Lu Luo, he seemed to gradually understand the other's meaning. After a moment of silence, he slowly spoke, "The Fifth Ring you mentioned, is it what used to be 'beyond the wall'?"

"Yes. What was formerly 'beyond the wall' has now stopped rotating.

"As a council member, Dad, you have access to a great deal of information and reasoning; you should understand the significance of this, shouldn't you?

"Once the Fifth Ring ceases to rotate, everything the Inner Ring possesses—all its advantages—will vanish without a trace."

Qi Lin didn't speak, nor did he refute Lu Luo. As one of the Inner Ring's council members, he was very clear about the structure of the Wasteland Alliance. What were the Inner Ring's advantages? Safety, resources, and stability. If the Fifth Ring stopped rotating, then indeed, all the advantages of the Inner Ring would vanish without a trace.

Once the Fifth Ring stabilized, the people of the Fourth Ring could occupy the vast expanse of the Fifth Ring. And the operational range limitations of the Inner Ring's Seventh Tier experts prevented them from dispatching their strongest military forces to the Fifth Ring—this was their critical constraint. This constraint meant that once the Fifth Ring stabilized, it could completely disregard the Inner Ring's power and develop freely and vigorously. The vast area and resources of the Fifth Ring were countless times greater than those of the Fourth Ring.

In time, the overall development speed of the people of the Outer Rings would completely surpass that of the Inner Ring. The Inner Ring would no longer be the place everyone aspired to, merely an ordinary, enclosed territory. Even if the Inner Ring launched an offensive against the Outer Rings, fully deploying Seventh Tier experts to attack, the people of the Outer Rings, possessing the Fifth Ring, could completely abandon the Fourth Ring and retreat entirely into the Fifth Ring. Although the Inner Ring could occupy the territory of the Fourth Ring, the people of the Fourth Ring could completely devastate everything, leave a total mess for the Inner Ring, and then withdraw.

The insufficiency of population and labor force destined the Inner Ring's development speed to lag far behind that of the Outer Rings. Furthermore, since the Outer Rings also had Seventh Tier individuals, and the Inner Ring's Seventh Tiers could not reach the Fifth Ring, this effectively placed the Outer Rings in an unbeatable position.

Qi Lin, the grand judge, was very clear about all these factors. So, if everything Lu Luo said was true, the future of the Inner Ring would be too dreadful to contemplate.

"Lu Luo, is everything you've said true?"

"It's true. The transformation of the Wasteland Alliance is already inevitable.

"If one cannot keep pace with this transformation, they will inevitably be eliminated by this world."

Upon hearing this, Qi Lin sighed deeply once more. After this conversation with Lu Luo, he had already forgotten his original intention. Persuade this young man to leave my daughter? That doesn't seem right. I'm very fond of Qi Xinzhu, and they had already become husband and wife in truth. Forcing Qi Xinzhu to leave Lu Luo would only make Xinzhu miserable. So, what was my original purpose? It seems I didn't want Xinzhu to be upset, so I just intended to properly admonish this young man, make him understand reality, and then arrange work and life for them in the Inner Ring. Although Xinzhu's identity was very special, and her marriage to Lu Luo would cause significant commotion and repercussions, people are forgetful. My influence might not be vast, but my prestige and authority are considerable. Using my power and reputation, my daughter's affairs would soon be forgotten by people. The Church would have new Believers of Light and new Saintesses. Once people forgot Qi Xinzhu and this incident, she could live peacefully with Lu Luo. This was my most genuine thought as a father. Simple, unadorned. I only want my daughter to live a good life.

However, after his exchange with Lu Luo, Qi Lin found himself somewhat bewildered. Lu Luo's level of excellence completely surpassed his expectations. Whether in the development of his faction's power or the improvement of his personal strength, or even his judgment of future situations, Lu Luo was too outstanding. This was an almost perfect son-in-law, a perfect partner. If I had to find some flaw in Lu Luo, it would undoubtedly be that he's a man from the Fourth Ring. But, just as Lu Luo said earlier, the Fourth Ring of the past would soon no longer be considered an Outer Ring. Once the Fifth Ring exists, the Fourth Ring will become the new center of the entire human world. And the insular Inner Ring will gradually be abandoned by this vast world; this is an inevitable trend.

"Lu Luo, you truly are outstanding!"

"Dad, you're too kind. Although more than one person has said this about me, I won't let it get to my head."

"Heh, I understand your situation now.

"However, if your power in the Fourth Ring has already developed to such a mature state, why did you still come to the Inner Ring?

"Even if your arrangements were meticulous, coming to the Inner Ring so rashly must still be a risky undertaking, wouldn't you agree?

"If it were purely to meet the parents, I don't believe that would be necessary."

The moment of truth had finally arrived. Lu Luo had no intention of concealing his purpose. He had too many things to do and too little time; when he made choices, he needed others to make theirs as well. So, after a moment of silence, Lu Luo slowly began to speak, "Actually, coming to the Inner Ring, it's not just your set of parents I need to meet."

Qi Lin was stunned for a moment. Although Lu Luo's words were literally simple, he somehow felt he hadn't understood. "Lu Luo, what do you mean by that?"

Lu Luo's expression turned somewhat bitter. Even though I promised Qi Xinzhu I'd confess everything, I feel incredibly ashamed right now! "Dad, I came to the Inner Ring this time not only to see you and Mom, but also to meet another set of parents."

"Another set of parents? Besides Xinzhu, you actually have another woman?" Qi Lin was becoming bristly and glaring. "Who are the parents you want to meet?"

"Luo Xuemin and Bai Qingshuang."

"Council Member Luo and Judgment Chief Bai? They... Lu Luo, you're actually involved with Bai Yuetong! You already have Xinzhu, why would you get involved with another woman? Isn't Xinzhu good enough for you?"

I have to be honest at this point. Tomorrow I'm meeting Luo Xuemin, and in a few days, Bai Qingshuang. If I hide this from my father-in-law now, and he finds out in a few days through outside sources, he'll really lose it! Conceal something from an Inner Ring grand judge? The man deals with Inner Ring law! If I dare to hide it, he could have me locked up in an instant without even needing a reason, because the Inner Ring enforces monogamy. Having two women means violating the Wasteland Alliance constitution. If I don't face the consequences, who will? Right now, I have to try my best to be frank and hope for leniency!

Seeing his father-in-law's disapproving attitude, Lu Luo immediately began to explain, "Um, Qi Xinzhu is, of course, wonderful. There's probably no woman in this world better than her."

"If my daughter is so good, why would you do this? Why would you go after Council Member Luo's daughter?"

[Observer: Actually, it was always the girls who pursued Lu Xiaoluo; he used to be very honest!]

"I've been wronged! It has always been them pursuing me. The old me was very honest!"

Hearing Lu Luo say this, Qi Lin became even more furious! "You... Lu Luo, tell me honestly, besides Bai Yuetong, do you have other women?"

"Uhh..."

"Hmm? Damn it! You... you cur! You actually do? To hell with you!" Qi Lin's composure, maintained for nearly fifty years, finally broke at this moment because of Lu Luo!

「」

While Lu Luo and Qi Lin were talking, Fang Jing and Qi Xinzhu were also discussing Lu Luo. As a mother, Fang Jing understood her daughter's temperament very well. Although Qi Xinzhu usually seemed as calm as still water, inwardly she was immensely proud and arrogant. It was just that her way of expressing this pride and arrogance differed from that of ordinary people. Her manner was to treat everyone equally; whether ugly or handsome, tall or short, strong or weak, her attitude towards people was always the same. People in the Inner Ring used to say that Qi Xinzhu was gentle to everyone, but this gentleness was, in its own way, a form of indifference. In her eyes, all these people were the same. There was no point in treating them differently; they weren't even worth evoking any other emotions from her.

It was precisely because of this that Fang Jing was particularly curious about Lu Luo. What kind of man could possibly capture her daughter's heart?

"Alright, spit it out. What's the deal with that boy?"

Qi Xinzhu blinked. While helping Fang Jing chop vegetables, she said with a smile, "He is Li Ming, the one I've always been searching for!"

Fang Jing scoffed, completely disagreeing with Qi Xinzhu's statement and not believing it in the slightest. "Don't tell me this is the will of Li Ming or anything like that. I saw the look in your eyes. If it were related to the Dawn Church, you wouldn't have that kind of expression."

Qi Xinzhu grinned mischievously. "Hehe, is it like the way Mom looked at Dad when she was young?"

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