Deposed? I couldn't be happier! I wouldn't even be a dog to the crown prince.

"bite--!"

This clear, resonant sound, carrying a tremor of some higher-dimensional law, exploded like a thunderclap deep within Li Chengqian's mind.

He suddenly opened his eyes, nearly spilling the fruit wine he was holding onto his white fox fur coat.

Immediately afterwards, a system panel, larger than ever before and shimmering with a dazzling dark golden light, spread out domineeringly across the brilliant night sky of Chang'an City like a holographic screen (visible only to him).

[System notification: Detection indicates that the Tang Dynasty's territory has substantially covered major nodes across Europe, Asia, and Africa, and a preliminary global economic colonial system has been established!]

[Congratulations, host! You have successfully achieved the ultimate hidden achievement—'The Tang Dynasty on which the sun never sets'!]

[The God-level Salted Fish System is undergoing its final version leap... upgrading to the 'Starry Sea' ultimate version!]

Li Chengqian stared at the massive golden characters flooding the screen like a waterfall, his breath catching in his throat.

Ultimate version?

Over the past eight years, relying on the system's rewards, he has managed to pull an empire still using cold weapons like swords and bows and arrows into the early stages of steampunk and electrical innovation.

He originally thought this system was just a tech tree to help him live a carefree life.

But now it seems that his unintentional "global fiefdom" and "economic exploitation" have actually filled up the system's ultimate progress bar!

Upgrade complete!

[The final reward list has been generated. Please check it, host.]

As the mechanical voice faded, two striking options slowly appeared on the panel.

[Reward 1: Reusable Launch Vehicle Manufacturing Blueprints and Aerospace-Grade Material Formulas (Current Status: Gray, Unlocked. Unlock Condition: Datang enters the era of full internal combustion engines).]

Li Chengqian's eye twitched violently.

Rocket?!

This damn system is really planning to send the Tang Dynasty to conquer the stars and the sea!

A magical image flashed through his mind: Li Shimin, dressed in a spacesuit and wearing those brown sunglasses, stood on the launch pad of the Long March rocket, pointing at the moon and shouting, "Shoot it down for me!"

The scene was so beautiful that he almost couldn't bear to look.

He quickly shifted his gaze to the second reward, which was also the only one that was currently lit up and could be directly withdrawn.

Upon seeing this, Li Chengqian's usually calm eyes instantly shrank to the size of pinpoints.

My heart started pounding uncontrollably, as if it were about to burst out of my chest.

[Reward 2: One vial of Gene Lock Optimization Fluid (Longevity Version)]

[Item Description: Breaks the limits of human carbon-based life. After consumption, it can significantly slow down cell aging and reshape telomerase. It forcibly extends human lifespan to over 500 years and maintains the peak physical condition of a 25-year-old for life.]

[Note: This potion is a one-time use item; please distribute it carefully.]

Immortality!

And it's a true lifespan of five hundred years, maintained at its peak!

From ancient times, from Qin Shi Huang and Emperor Wu of Han, to every ordinary person in this world.

Who can resist the temptation of these four words?

Those emperors, in order to live a few more years, did not hesitate to eat those poisonous pills with excessive heavy metals, causing their intestines to rot and perforate.

And now, this miraculous drug can drive any human being to utter madness and even trigger a global nuclear war.

It appeared quietly and abruptly in Li Chengqian's system space.

"Gulp."

Li Chengqian swallowed hard, feeling as if his throat was on fire.

With trembling hands, he clicked "Extract" in the void.

A faint purple light flashed by.

A test tube, no bigger than an adult's index finger and made of some unknown transparent material, appeared out of thin air in his palm.

Inside the test tube, a viscous liquid with a faint purple glow flowed. The liquid seemed to have a life of its own, slowly swirling within the glass tube, emitting an alluring scent that sent shivers down one's spine.

Li Chengqian stared intently at the vial of gene fluid in his hand.

Beneath the city walls, the bustling sounds of Chang'an, the whistles of steam trains, and the flashing neon lights seemed to fade into the distance at that moment.

He was going through a fierce internal struggle.

Five hundred years!

And he will forever remain at his peak condition of twenty-five!

This means he can watch the rockets of the Great Tang Dynasty take off and personally go to the universe to see those unknown planets.

He can enjoy this world until he's utterly bored!

"You should drink it yourself..."

Li Chengqian muttered to himself, his fingers unconsciously gripping the seal of the test tube.

Just pull out that plug and tilt your head back.

He could immediately transcend the cycle of birth, aging, sickness, and death of mortals and become the true, living, and only god in this world.

but.

Just as his thumb was about to exert force.

Li Chengqian's hand suddenly froze.

A sudden, almost eerie, glint of clarity flashed in his eyes, which were somewhat glazed by the purple light.

He turned his head abruptly.

His gaze pierced through the layers of palace walls, precisely landing in the direction of the Imperial Study in the Taiji Palace.

That place is where the current emperor of the Tang Dynasty, Li Shimin, is, along with his father, a battle maniac whose energy is so boundless that it's a headache, and who is always talking about retiring and taking care of his grandchildren.

"Five hundred years..."

Li Chengqian looked at the purple light potion in his hand, and the muscles at the corners of his mouth twitched violently twice.

He suddenly realized with horror a serious and terrifying logical flaw!

"If I drink this stuff..."

"Then am I destined to stay in this position of Crown Prince, outlive the old man, and then tragically inherit that worthless throne?!"

Li Chengqian felt a cold sweat instantly soak through his inner garment on his back.

To become emperor?

Every day, he had to review hundreds of thousands of pounds of memorials sent back from all over the world.

Do you want to listen to those old ministers arguing and bickering all day long?

We need to mediate the territorial disputes among those energetic brothers who have been enfeoffed all over the world.

Moreover, this was a miserable, unfree life of hard labor.

Damn it, this is going to last for another five hundred years?!

"No! Absolutely not!"

Li Chengqian was so frightened that he jumped off the battlements.

He looked at the vial of gene-optimized fluid emitting a purple light in his hand as if it were some kind of terrifying poison, and retreated repeatedly.

This is hardly an elixir of immortality.

This is clearly a vicious overtime curse placed on him by the system, enough to destroy all his dreams of a life of leisure!

Li Chengqian took a deep breath, trying to calm the urge to curse.

His brain began to work at an unprecedented speed.

A brilliant plan that is cunning, ruthless, and even worthy of being called "the most filial son in the Tang Dynasty".

The outline was clearly sketched in his mind.

"Since someone has to do this hard work."

Li Chengqian gripped the vial of medicine tightly, a wide smile slowly spreading across his face, revealing a radiant smile that would send chills down the spines of even Bai Qi, who was far away in Liaodong.

"Then how about..."

"Let the person who loves working the most and enjoys power continue to do it."

He carefully tucked the test tube into his pocket and placed it close to his body.

Then, he straightened his white fox fur coat and walked towards the Taiji Palace with light, even slightly excited, steps.

"Dad, oh Dad."

"For the sake of the Tang Dynasty's eternal prosperity, and so that your son can live a carefree life as a salted fish."

"This heavy burden of 'Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor! Long live the Emperor!'"

"Your Excellency, please bear with it for a few hundred more years!"