Chapter 19

"Two and a half billion dollars?!" Song Xun turned on the speakerphone, and everyone present was stunned, save for Lin Yichen.

Three days later, Yuan Chen followed Ouyang Yiliu to a vast, rugged mountain range thousands of miles away from Huayang Palace.

Having lost his beloved son, the Ghost Lord was determined to conduct a thorough investigation. He had previously possessed secret means of communication that allowed him to speak briefly with the emperors of the ghost cities within the Mortal Realm, but at present, there was not a whisper of news, suggesting that a Saint had cut off all avenues of inquiry.

Many people still could not process what they had just seen. The term "Big Brother" carried such immense weight that it left them reeling; Yang Bo had actually called Lin Yichen "Big Brother" and even knelt before him.

Half a month later, in Xianglu City of Beiming, Sovereign Tantai Moli was secretly mobilizing logistical supplies. Once everything was prepared and the Dali Kingdom’s forces were set to move beyond Yushan Pass, Tantai Moli held a secret audience with General Meng Du, the commander-in-chief of the Beiming expedition against the Molo Kingdom.

"To think such a thing exists!" The Holy Son was not particularly interested in ancient secrets, but he knew that after his father ascended the throne as Lord of the Heavenly Court, he had collected and monopolized a vast number of ancient texts. It was only natural that some things in this world were known only to Fairy Xi’e and his father.

At the final moment, Yuan Chen ignited the sword domain he had forged. With the spatial energy inside spiraling out of control, it shattered the dark lotus throne that the Black Lotus Saint Envoy had manifested.

"She is beautiful, can fly through the sky, and likely has impressive martial arts skills. Why did your master refuse her?" I asked, filled with curiosity.

Thus, if she were to provoke a powerful enemy, the Yun family might not hand her over, but reprimands and even punishments would be inevitable.

The large ants, the size of a finger, could be skewered three at a time after being cleaned. Once roasted, they exuded a fragrant, charred aroma; they were crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a satisfying crunch in every bite. They were truly delicious.

"Hello there," Tingshu greeted, taking a portion of food from his backpack as a welcoming gift.

Unnoticed, the glistening droplet at the corner of its mouth grew larger and larger until it became a suspicious globule, which fell with a "plop" onto a blade of grass.

Less than ten minutes later, two men in their early forties were summoned to Factory Manager Lu’s office, accompanied by the head of the logistics department.

Upon seeing Shen Jingxuan carry Shen Qingwu inside, the first shock was disbelief; they could hardly fathom that the skeletal figure in his arms was indeed Shen Qingwu.

This was not a good omen. Xing Zeyuan and Youyou were still below. As Zhou Zhong gathered the power of the Star God Star Cluster into his eyes to peer into the sea, his body tilted violently along with the warship, and he nearly tumbled into the water.

Over five years, under the pretext of outings, they frequented the area around the Dongfeng Coating Factory—a military industrial plant beneath Phoenix Mountain in the western suburbs—secretly photographing the layout of the facility, the location and number of sentries, and recording the precise shift rotation times, all of which were promptly transmitted back to headquarters.

Ren Feifan furrowed his brow slightly. He hadn't intended to buy anything so inexpensive, but it was clear the uncle assumed he couldn't afford the luxury models and was offering advice out of concern. Ren Feifan offered a helpless smile and didn't press the matter further.

Accompanied by a sound like clashing steel, a line of streamlined figures emerged in rapid succession.

Just as Xiao Yan carved a vow into his heart, an old, eerie cackle suddenly echoed in his ears.

The atmosphere in the room was tense and awkward, with many eyes meeting in silence, none knowing quite how to proceed.

"It’s not that Teacher Yi’s songs are bad; it’s that you sing them badly!" the children laughed as they ran, tumbling into a chaotic heap.

If Heizi were to record his survival journey in the wilderness and post it online, he might become a sensation. But what use would fame be to him? He went into the wilderness because he didn't lack money; prioritizing one's own experience was, after all, a game exclusive to the wealthy.

"That must be the Great Elder! The Great Elder of their Tianmu Sect!" Shui Tingyun said. Clearly, despite having been a member of the Tianmu Sect for a time, she felt no sense of belonging, referring to it as "their" Tianmu Sect rather than "ours."

Miaomiao looked at the empty living room and realized Wang Peng was nowhere to be seen. She checked the balcony, the restroom, and the bathroom, pushing open the doors quite roughly, but found nothing.

This unexpectedly festive occasion almost made Shui Han forget his current plight, causing him to ignore the gloomy world and the bizarre sky outside. He had never expected to find such rare joy in this terrifying, alien world.

In the distance, Yi Xingyun was also stunned, his jaw practically hitting the ground. He rubbed his eyes a dozen times, still unable to believe what he was seeing.

"Your Highness, what happened to you?" Concubine Li pushed through the crowd, her heart filled with genuine worry as she saw the bloodstains on the Prince.

After all, their current strength was too weak; even he, the only one at the Post-Heavenly Upper Realm, had already been wounded.

Seeing that Zhang Jingfan had woken up and was heading forward, a flash of surprise crossed Su Yan’s eyes.

She was fine; cultivation at the Golden Core realm was not merely about sitting in meditation. To comprehend the Great Dao and master the true essence—that was the essence of the Golden Core realm.

The person before her? She hadn't even attempted to escape or mount a desperate counterattack before surrendering. This was certainly not the behavior of a truly loyal individual; at the very least, she was not loyal to the Great Empire or that Princess.

Chen Changsheng was one of the few who had successfully defected and was relatively well-known. He was originally a child from a humble background in the Lingzhou region, but aside from himself, no one knew exactly where he hailed from.