"Violated the Expansion Law? Which clause, exactly?" Zhao Xing walked into the cabin with Yang Baihe to speak in detail.
Yang Baihe paused, pulled out a stack of documents, and handed them over. "I'm referring to the medical and relief provisions. Don't tell me you've violated several more clauses?"
"Oh, that's what this is about," Zhao Xing said with a nod after reading.
The development of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path had already lasted three hundred years.
According to the Empire's Expansion Law, Great Zhou was responsible for part of the medical expenses for the injured and obligated to pay compensation.
So when Yang Baihe said someone reported Zhao Xing for violating the Expansion Law, this was the clause they meant.
Because the number of people officially registered under Great Zhou was far fewer than the actual workers.
The accuser thus assumed: those unregistered people must've been secretly hidden by Great Zhou.
Yang Baihe's intel even contained some concrete examples.
"What's your explanation?"
Yang Baihe had come to Sparks ahead of others to get a read on the situation. If it were someone else investigating, even if there was no issue, one could easily be fabricated.
"I didn't violate the Expansion Law," Zhao Xing pointed to one line on the list. "This batch from the Qingyang Sect—I never hired them."
"What do you mean?" Yang Baihe looked puzzled.
"The Expansion Law's relief clause clearly requires a formal employment contract on record. I never hired them. So how is that a violation?"
"But Qingyang Sect really is doing work for you, aren't they?" Yang Baihe asked, puzzled. "Even if there's no contract, the reality is that they're working for you."
"I didn't pay them. That's not employment."
"No payment? Then how could it be an employment relationship? Let alone a violation of the relief clause."
Yang Baihe was speechless. "You mean they're working for free? I heard Qingyang Sect even brought their own tools for pioneering. Are there really people that dumb?"
"Don't make it sound so bad. They're volunteers. They act out of belief, out of principle, out of commitment to improving the environment."
"That's still working for free."
Zhao Xing didn't argue. Instead, he pulled out a jade slip and handed it over. "Captain, if you're still unclear, you can check this report."
"I won't claim Great Zhou is flawless, or has no slip-ups at all. But in terms of core stance—there's absolutely no major issue."
After carefully reviewing the material, Yang Baihe immediately pulled out his Star Mirror. The mirror surface flared red, reflecting a world of fire.
"There are two more Lords from Sparks on their way. I need to give an explanation. Wait here."
His soul left his body and entered the mirror.
Zhao Xing couldn't see what was happening inside, so he simply waited quietly.
"Qingyang Envoy, done with your investigation already? Don't tell me it's another one of those harmless conclusions."
Inside the flames, a lean man appeared. His hands were clasped around a starfire chain forged from a dark-red boundary stone, and a mini energy core pulsed ominously on the back of each hand.
Yang Baihe retorted, "Yinghuo Envoy, there was no problem. Of course I was quick. Not everyone takes a thousand years to look into every minor matter like you do."
"Slow work yields fine results. I just don't want you making a mistake, Qingyang." Yinghuo Envoy Lang Yuan said flatly. "It wasn't easy for you to rise up—don't ruin it over something trivial."
"Save your preaching."
Yang Baihe and Lang Yuan didn't see eye to eye—typical old and new employee tension.
Yang Baihe had risen quickly. Just three thousand years ago, he was only at the Dao Domain Realm and hadn't even become a Qingyang Envoy yet. Lang Yuan, on the other hand, had been a Yinghuo Envoy for many years.
Yang Baihe disliked him because he always played the senior, nitpicking everything. One reason Yang Baihe had taken leave earlier was because of this guy.
"Boom~" Another figure appeared in the flames—a giant with one crimson and one silver eye.
"Lord Liaoyuan." Both Yang Baihe and Lang Yuan bowed.
Liaoyuan Envoy was the leader among the Eighteen Envoys of Sparks. Though not an Emperor himself, his status and strength were already comparable to one. He commanded immense respect within Sparks.
"Baiyang, report your findings." Liaoyuan Envoy spoke.
"Zhao Xing did not violate the Expansion Law," Yang Baihe went straight to the point.
"The Qingyang Sect was never formally employed by Zhao Xing or Great Zhou. There's no employment contract."
"No contract, but employment in practice—does that mean one can dodge the Expansion Law?" Lang Yuan interjected.
Yang Baihe calmly took out the document.
"Fwoosh~" The document lit up, unleashing a flood of words and projected scenes.
"Liaoyuan Envoy, please look. Groups like the Qingyang Sect are everywhere. They're self-organized collectives, scattered across the wilderness of the Annihilation Star Corridor."
"The Empire and the Academy registered them under an organization called the 'Annihilation Star Society.'"
"Its stated purpose is to research wilderness phenomena, with a focus on the Annihilation Star Corridor, and to study and practice the six postulates of Annihilation Star."
"According to the Empire's rules, they have no ties to Great Zhou and no vested interests in the Annihilation Star Ancient Path project."
Yang Baihe emphasized the lack of interest ties.
"In other words, Zhao Xing and Great Zhou never paid Qingyang Sect in any form. No payment—how can it be called employment?"
"Since that's the case, there's no way to determine a violation of the Expansion Law."
"Hmm?" Both Liaoyuan and Lang Yuan leaned in.
After reviewing the material, they fell silent.
Three hundred years had passed. Over twenty Annihilation Star Conferences had been held. Zhao Xing's supporter base had grown enormous.
They had self-organized, spontaneously participating in the development of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path. Unknowingly, they had formed a substantial force.
Depending on how they interpreted the Six Postulates, many such groups had sprung up. The Annihilation Star Society was just the largest.
All of these groups left the role of President, Sect Master, or Dean vacant—reserved for Zhao Xing. The largest, the Annihilation Star Society, had even developed seven Lord-level vice presidents!
Of course, Zhao Xing had never contacted these factions, because only the Great Zhou Shennong Monitor was his true foundation—one that remained within his control.
As for those external forces—mixed and messy—Zhao Xing had no plans to absorb them. But that didn't mean he could stop them from growing.
"This is practically establishing a sect and becoming a founder." The Liaoyuan Envoy couldn't help but sigh internally.
"Yinghuo, do you acknowledge this report?"
Lang Yuan had nothing to say. He could only nod stiffly.
He knew he couldn't move Zhao Xing. His only option was to go after the powers under Zhao Xing's influence. But clearly, this time was a total failure.
Continuing to press the issue was meaningless.
"Liaoyuan Envoy, if there's nothing else, I'll be taking my leave."
"Mm."
With that, the Yinghuo Envoy exited the world of flames.
Yang Baihe exchanged a few more words with the Liaoyuan Envoy, concluding this brief meeting.
"Whoosh—" Yang Baihe's soul returned to his body, and he let out a long sigh.
"Captain, how did it go?" Zhao Xing asked. If Star Lord put a halt to his development work, it would be a big problem. He had just unearthed a major find—halting now would be a disaster.
"For now, no issues." Yang Baihe recalled Lang Yuan's attitude. "But I can tell someone's definitely targeting you. Normally, something this minor wouldn't warrant Star Lord's attention."
Zhao Xing smiled. "No need to guess—there definitely is someone."
"Great Zhou's been developing for three hundred years, and for two hundred and eight of those, it's been turning a profit. Even in the years of losses, they were small."
"When the Four Great Clans took over, this place was a mess—no one wanted it. Now that it's turned into a golden goose, of course someone wants a bite."
If Zhao Xing were just a hired hand, and if Annihilation Star Ancient Path were like Haitong Ancient Path—an official project—no one would dare mess around.
But this was a private development, which changed everything.
"Captain, pressure from Star Lord will be your responsibility."
"Don't worry." Yang Baihe nodded. "If you really screw up, I might not be able to cover for you. But as long as you haven't done anything wrong, I'll never let anyone mess with you!"
Great Zhou's rapid development wasn't solely due to the Dharma Assemblies. The profits from the Annihilation Star Ancient Path played a major role.
Thanks to Zhao Xing's low-cost base construction model, and the fact that world stones were abundant around the corridor, Yang Baihe had been receiving shareholder dividends for the past one hundred and fifty years—and they were steadily increasing.
In other words, Zhao Xing's operation was becoming more and more lucrative.
They'd only been digging for three hundred years. Yang Baihe did the math. If they kept going for ten thousand years, or even hundreds of thousands of years, he might just be able to marry an Empress-level dao companion.
For that reason alone, he wouldn't let anyone stir up trouble!
"Hahaha, I trust you, Captain." Zhao Xing laughed heartily.
He had pulled in so many partners for a reason—each of them had connections in different parts of the Empire, and those connections were meant to be used.
Once Yang Baihe left, Zhao Xing turned his gaze to the starry sky.
"Partners of my generation—Tuo Sen, Xu Youling, Du Yun, Yang Baihe—they can handle the trouble from the outside."
"The Annihilation Star Ancient Path has made it through three centuries of peace."
"Now that I've struck big, I'll need older partners like the Five Venom Emperor, Emperor Hongshan, and Lord Lushan to step in and offer protection."
"Once the tunnel is fully excavated, I must not get greedy. I should quickly sell the ownership of the ancient path to the Empire."
In his past life, the Annihilation Star Ancient Path had taken the Primordial Hill team just five hundred years to fully excavate. That was because, by then, Primordial Hill had more experience and deeper pockets.
Zhao Xing and Great Zhou didn't have that kind of power. Though they had reduced survival costs along the Annihilation Star Corridor, they couldn't compare with a superpower's foundation.
He had been digging for three hundred years, and had completed about half the work.
3,564 slabs of green jade stone—this was the first batch of major treasure!
Zhu Haichao had already withdrawn his team. A Shennong of the Self Straw Puppet Sect from the Mist Sea Alliance had absorbed the slabs into his internal world.
Whenever Lord Zhao got rich, others always got a piece. Zhu Haichao, Baili Yang, Jiang Tiansu, and Lord Xiye were now Zhao Xing's partners too, and naturally wouldn't leak the secret.
"Zhao Shennong, what exactly are these things?"
"I've never seen anything like them."
Lord Xiye looked into the distance.
The green jade slabs floated motionless across the starry sky. While clearing out debris in the Fragmented Star Belt, they had accidentally bumped into one. Even a reincarnation-level boundary shield ship, equipped with top-tier dual Yin-Yang stars as its drill, failed to leave even a mark. Some people were even absorbed into the jade slabs.
"These are probably from the Chaos River Era." Zhao Xing said after some thought. "They're a unique form of small-world encapsulation."
"I see. Zhao Shennong truly is knowledgeable." Lord Xiye had just asked casually but was surprised Zhao Xing actually knew something.
"I was fortunate to receive treatment in the Eighth Law Realm at the Academy. Scholar Bowe once showed me some ancient records," Zhao Xing replied.
This wasn't a lie—Bowe had really shown him many records back in the Eighth Law Realm.
In his past life, Primordial Hill had also learned about the green jade slabs through the Academy.
From what Zhao Xing knew, the 3,564 green jade slabs originated from the Chaos River Era. They used a lost method of spatial sealing and were later named "Jade Worlds."
Each slab represented a small world, containing a legacy cave-dwelling.
The weakest of these were left by Lord-level figures, with the majority being Emperor-level legacies. Among them, seven even housed the mansions of demigods!
No one knew why they were here. Only after full exploration was it speculated that these slabs might have once functioned as a kind of world-traversing transport vessel. A group of powerful beings had likely fled here but failed to escape the wilderness, leaving behind their legacies.
"We can't take the jade slabs with us. People, objects, even spells are all absorbed if they get too close," Baili Yang added. "They seem fused with the void itself, absolutely unmoving in the starry sky."
Of course they wouldn't move. That's because the qingyu stone slabs were actually a single structure, not individual units—they were fixed in place just like legion-level spells used by tactical engineers.
What they all had in common was that they absorbed external life and spiritual energy materials. This matched the theory that the qingyu slabs were mobile survival bases.
"No matter what, these things are definitely not ordinary," Zhao Xing said with a smile. "Everyone, this season's profit-sharing bonus definitely won't be small."
Over three thousand Reincarnation Realm cave-dwellings—that was the first windfall Primordial Hill got in Zhao Xing's past life. Once they dug those up, not only did Primordial Hill recover its initial investment in the development of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path, it also accelerated further development.
After that batch was finished, they discovered multiple Source Realms one after another, and even obtained some innate divine artifacts.
When Zhao Xing saw the qingyu slabs, he knew he had struck it rich.
"Everyone check the surrounding area, but don't rush into exploration," Zhao Xing instructed before using the Jie Mountain passage of Qitian Mountain to head to the other side of the range.
There was an exploration star continent there named after another of his partners—Qi Tian Star Continent.
Zhao Xing was deeply grateful to his partners. Along the way, he had named over two hundred survival bases, Jie Mountains, and rivers after them.
Using the communication formation array on Qi Tian Star Continent, Zhao Xing enhanced his Star Mirror's transmission functions.
About one hour later, he contacted the Five Venom Emperor, the Hongshan Emperor, and the Lushan Lord.
Originally, Zuo Qiyu should've also been among them. But ever since the Prime Strawman Technique had been completed, Zhao Xing couldn't help but feel a murderous urge every time he heard Zuo Qiyu's name.
So for this mirror meeting, he only invited the three of them.
"Disciple, are you in danger?" The Five Venom Emperor's first words upon appearing were to ask about Zhao Xing's safety, since the communication was marked as urgent, indicating something serious had happened.
"Master, I'm not in danger," Zhao Xing shook his head. "But there is something major I need to discuss with you three."
"If it's not bad news, then it's great news. What did you dig up in the Annihilation Star Ancient Path?" The Five Venom Emperor's eyes lit up. "Don't tell me you found another Source Realm?"
Since the discovery of the Lingxu Source Realm, another one had been found along the Lingluo Ancient Path.
Nowadays, whenever people talked about benefits from the Wasteland Region, the first thing they thought of was a new Source Realm.
"No, not quite." Zhao Xing shook his head. "But I did find 3564 sealed miniature worlds."
"They're sealed inside qingyu stone slabs. Based on the suction they generate, I believe they originate at least from the Chaos River Era, because they clearly preserve earth veins—and earth veins from that era are very different from today's."
"Also, each slab is constantly absorbing spiritual materials and life force. It feels like a group of ancient clans, trying to cross realms, ended up dying halfway."
"Since it takes at least a Lord-level cultivator to withstand the suction, I don't dare to send people in to explore just yet."
"So I came to ask for your advice."
Zhao Xing's biggest four partners—Zuo Qiyu, Hongshan Emperor, Lushan Lord, and Five Venom Emperor—were the ones who put in the most capital. That's what allowed him to start this venture.
Otherwise, just relying on Great Zhou and the other partners, he wouldn't have even had enough to buy the extraction rights from the Four Great Families.
"From your description, this isn't some kind of slab—it's a fleet of cross-realm ships," Hongshan Emperor gasped. "These aren't 3564 qingyu slabs; they're 3564 realm-crossing vessels!"
Lushan Lord's voice turned hoarse too. "If they're still absorbing spiritual energy, then that means their systems are mostly intact. Just the ships themselves would be worth a fortune—never mind the treasures inside!"
The three Emperors simultaneously realized something:
If these 3564 cross-realm ships were each equivalent to an Emperor-level fortune...
Then, based on the agreed profit shares, they could each gain a colossal amount of wealth.
They might even—just maybe—break into the Demigod realm because of this!
The thought stunned all three of them.
When they had first invested in Zhao Xing, they never expected to profit. As long as they didn't lose money, they would've considered it a success.
Still, they were willing to throw money at Zhao Xing and let him squander a bit. After all, he was a rare genius—both academically and in cultivation—and had yet to face any major setbacks. If he could suffer some minor blows without endangering his life, it was worth spending a little money.
Yet the Annihilation Star Ancient Path had only lost money for a few decades. After that, it was pure profit.
Zhao Xing had even sent over a bit of profit-sharing before, which they hadn't really cared about.
But now? Even the three Emperors couldn't ignore this anymore.
This fortune might actually let them trade for powerful treasures—and break through to the Demigod Realm!
"Zhao Xing, you didn't just call us to say this, did you?" Five Venom Emperor was the first to regain composure.
"Master, lately I've been feeling a bit of resistance in our exploration efforts. Outside rumors and negative talk have also started spreading. Clearly, someone is jealous of my talents," Zhao Xing said.
The Five Venom Emperor burst out laughing. "Jealous of your talent? More like they're eyeing the profits of Annihilation Star Ancient Path. Speak properly!"
Zhao Xing cupped his hands. "Teacher sees right through me. I've been investigated."
"Not long ago, someone from Star Lord came to investigate the Annihilation Star Ancient Path. Their reason was flimsy, and they didn't even have proper evidence—yet they still sent three Lord-level cultivators."
"They don't even know I've found the qingyu slabs yet. Yang Baihe was still able to push them back."
"But if they find out, I'm afraid my personal network won't be enough to hold off such unreasonable scrutiny."
"And then I won't be able to focus on exploring these treasures properly."
Wherever there were benefits, people would swarm over like sharks smelling blood.
There was no way Zhao Xing alone could protect something like this.
Now was the time when he truly needed the three Emperors to guard and support him!
The Five Venom Emperor and the other two exchanged divine thoughts and quickly reached a consensus: "Extract this batch of treasures as soon as possible."
"Investigate their actual value."
"Then we'll invite a few old friends from the War God Hall to come guard the site."
The Five Venom Emperor and Hongshan Emperor both held official posts, so it wasn't convenient for them to go to the Annihilation Star Ancient Path in person.
Lushan Emperor could go, but just one of him wasn't enough.
"We'll decide the next step once we confirm the value of the ruins."
"Yes."
With those words, Zhao Xing felt reassured.
While waiting for the people summoned by the Five Venom Emperor to arrive, Zhao Xing also started his own exploration.
He called over Grand Engineer Lu Ying—who had now reached the Reincarnation Realm as a Mechanist—making him perfect for field testing his skills.
Lu Ying brought over more than 3000 members of the Great Zhou Xuanji Division and mobilized a legion-level Reincarnation Dao Soldier to try moving one of the slabs. In the void, the closest slab began to shift slightly as the Juzigong rotated slowly.
Lu Ying and Zhao Xing stood atop the steps of the Juzigong, gazing ahead.
"Grand Shennong, what exactly is this?"
"All eight of Great Zhou's Giant God-Class Realm Transport Ships have been deployed, and yet this thing hasn't budged at all."
Lu Ying couldn't make sense of it, but he was deeply shaken.
With the current strength of Great Zhou's Xuanji Division, moving a qingyu slab measuring 0.1 Astronomical Units was no problem—let alone something ten times that size like a corner peak of a Realm Mountain.
The Ministry of Works had accumulated experience dating back thousands of years, starting from Wangliang Star Sector on the Langping Path.
Setting aside the Shennong Monitor—who was practically a cheat-level existence—the strongest division in Great Zhou was still the Xuanji Division.
"This is a relic from the Chaos River Era. I don't know which race crafted it, but in theory, it should be movable."
He said this because in his past life, Primordial Hill had successfully moved them.
But now, if they couldn't move it, it clearly meant that Great Zhou's transport capabilities were lacking. They just weren't as capable as Primordial Hill.
Lu Ying saw Zhao Xing shake his head and couldn't help feeling ashamed.
After all these thousands of years of development and massive investment, could the Ministry of Works still not meet the Grand Shennong's requirements?
"Grand Shennong, the fault lies with the Ministry of Works," Lu Ying said, thoroughly ashamed.
"There's no need for that, Lord Lu," Zhao Xing replied after seeing the look on his face. "I'm not blaming you. I invited you here just to let you gain some experience and see the big picture."
Of course he didn't blame Lu Ying. Primordial Hill was a superpower. If needed, they could mobilize a few Demigods without breaking a sweat.
They could even bring divine artifacts to help transport things. But Great Zhou didn't have those kinds of resources.
"Grand Shennong, would it be possible to ask Hongshan Emperor or Lushan Emperor from Primordial Hill to transport it? I've heard they possess World Ships."
"No, that won't work. Public is public, private is private. Primordial Hill's divine artifacts aren't something that can just be borrowed," Zhao Xing shook his head.
Primordial Hill had two famous divine artifacts used for transport: the Ancient Ark and the World Ship.
But there was no way such divine artifacts would be lent out for Zhao Xing's private work.
Even if they were willing, the cost would be astronomical—and Zhao Xing couldn't afford it.
That was something for the Five Venom Emperor and the others to consider.
For now, Zhao Xing only needed to wait.
"Lord Lu, these are all relics from the Chaos River Era, filled with intricate mechanical craftsmanship. Since you're here, why not take the time to study them?"
"Yes," Lu Ying nodded.
He understood now that Zhao Xing had invited him just to give him some hands-on training.
Because these qingyu slabs wouldn't be staying here for long.
"As long as we can inspect a few and confirm their value, we can bundle and sell the rest," Zhao Xing thought.
Not every cave-dwelling would yield tremendous gains.
Rather than wasting enormous effort to explore every single one, it was better to quickly convert them into profit and boost the strength of himself, Great Zhou, and even his three mentors!
While waiting, Zhao Xing didn't sit idle.
He dispatched three Prime Incarnations and spent three years carefully scanning the surface of every qingyu slab.
"Though they're all the same size, the outer seal markings are slightly different." Zhao Xing examined the symbols etched onto each slab.
"Lotus flowers, sun and moon, weapons, even musical instruments—different patterns must represent different types of cave-dwellings."
"But those seven Demigod-level dwellings... nothing stands out. I still have no clue what's inside."
Just as Zhao Xing was thinking this—
One of his incarnations at the Qitian Base welcomed three distinguished guests.
Whooosh—
A surge of blue waves overturned the sky and sea, and three massive figures emerged from the surface of the lake.
The Bibo Lake Transmission Array was a small-scale teleportation formation.
One of them wore a cyan battle armor, with a firm expression. Cyan qi surrounded him, cloaked in a layer of dark-gold aura. On his finger was a rustic dark-gold ring. The other two wore robes.
As the three figures appeared, Zhao Xing's Prime Incarnation immediately appeared at the lakeside.
"Junior Zhao Xing greets Emperor Meng Wu, Emperor Moxu, and Emperor Xuanying."
The leader was Emperor Meng Wu, flanked by two others—Emperor-tier powerhouses from the War God Hall.
The War God Hall was located in the Yan God Star System, the Empire's highest military command.
The Yan God Star System was also the secluded cultivation ground of the Martial God "Yan." Meng Wu was a disciple of this divine-level figure, and many top military officials had deep ties with him.
The Five Venom Emperor even said that Meng Wu was the spokesperson of a certain powerful military interest group.
In terms of combat power, the Primordial Realm wasn't the Empire's military symbol—the War God Hall was.
The Five Venom Emperor pulled Meng Wu over precisely to let the military have a slice of the pie. If they could establish a good relationship with Emperor Meng Wu, the future development of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path would proceed much more smoothly.
Those who tried to eat alone never made it far. If Zhao Xing tried to gobble everything up by himself, reviews and audits like the one from Sparks would only increase in the future. Even if he made no mistakes, someone would still find a way to pick something out.
"Zhao Xing, long time no see," said Emperor Meng Wu with a teasing tone. "I heard from your teacher that you've discovered something good. Don't tell me this trip is going to be for nothing again?"
Zhao Xing understood. Meng Wu was referring to the incident at the Yuanhai Conference years ago, when Zhao Xing used the Time Page as bait to lure Meng Wu there. In the end, Meng Wu got nothing and almost lost his life.
As punishment, Meng Wu had thrown Zhao Xing into the Erliangpo prison for five hundred years.
Ironically, it was there that Zhao Xing met the mysterious Wutian and learned the Five Finger Mountain Secret Art from him.
Zhao Xing respectfully replied, "I won't let you down this time. Please, allow me to host you inside the hall."
"No need to sit around. Let's go straight to the ruins and take a look."
"Emperor Moxu and Emperor Xuanying's time is precious. If this turns out worthless, hmph." Emperor Meng Wu rubbed the dark-golden ring on his finger.
Zhao Xing could only smile bitterly. He hadn't expected Emperor Meng Wu to still hold such a grudge.
He had no choice but to lead them to the ruins first.
Leading the three Emperors through the Qitian Realm Mountain passage, the qingyu slabs floating in the void soon came into view.
Emperor Moxu and Emperor Xuanying were both experts in Mechanist arts, though with different focuses.
One specialized in crafting puppets and Dao soldiers, while the other focused on array-type mechanist arts, particularly skilled in formation breaking and setup.
The moment they saw the qingyu slabs, the two Emperors began to examine the starry sky in depth.
"Go!" Emperor Moxu, dressed in the Myriad Phase Pivot Robe, waved his sleeve, releasing a flood of mechanical devices.
There were massive Giant God Series puppets, small Yin-Yang Realm Shuttles, Star Track Compasses, Eight Gate Dry-Rotation Instruments, and various Dao soldier automatons. These emitted different kinds of Dao auras, mixing into a stream like a grand river.
"A mechanized flood composed of over 800,000 Dao soldier automatons." Zhao Xing stood on the ship, with Lu Ying obediently observing at his side.
Lu Ying didn't dare blink, afraid of missing even the slightest detail.
Rumble~
Joining Emperor Moxu was also Emperor Xuanying.
He released just one item—his life-bound mechanism: Ninefold Heaven Pavilion Box.
This was a formation box. Once deployed, it immediately enveloped more than half of the qingyu slabs.
Illusory mechanized apparitions instantly filled the sky—there were layers of clouds above and earth below, raindrops shaped like gears, and patrolling bronze colossi.
Even Lord-level cultivators who approached would be absorbed by the qingyu slabs, yet the two Emperors demonstrated complete control.
Even when their arrays and mechanisms touched the slab surfaces, they weren't affected.
"The gap is too huge. So this is the strength of an Emperor from a superpower?" Lu Ying couldn't help but whisper in awe. "Grand Shennong, when will Great Zhou have this kind of foundation?"
This was Lu Ying's first time witnessing Mechanists of this level in action.
He was mesmerized instantly, and at the same time felt a little ashamed of himself.
"We will." Zhao Xing pointed at the river of Dao soldiers. "One day, Great Zhou will equip you with even more divine weapons than these."
Lu Ying didn't respond. It wasn't clear whether he was digesting Zhao Xing's promise or just focused on learning.
The two Emperors spent about five years investigating. During this time, they even delved into the void layers and slightly adjusted the positioning of the qingyu slabs.
It wasn't until the seventh year that they withdrew their techniques.
Once they returned, they spoke with Emperor Meng Wu.
Then Emperor Meng Wu descended.
"Sit."
Taking the lead, Emperor Meng Wu laid out a table on the realm ship's deck and gestured for Zhao Xing to sit with him.
"Thank you for the seat, Your Majesty," Zhao Xing cupped his hands and took a seat.
"The ruins have been preliminarily examined. The 3564 qingyu slabs are each a uniquely shaped cross-domain realm ship, and each one contains a vast living space."
"According to Emperors Moxu and Xuanying's assessment, they house 1204 Lord-level cave-dwellings, 2353 Emperor-level dwellings, and 7 Demigod-level dwellings."
Meng Wu looked at Zhao Xing intently.
"You're quite the lucky one. This is an astonishing fortune."
"According to the Empire's Development Law, all of this belongs to the holder of the mining rights. As long as you pay the appropriate tax, it's legally your property."
Zhao Xing wasn't surprised. He already knew roughly how many cave-dwellings there were and what they were worth.
"Your teacher told me you're inclined to sell these off to avoid obstructing the development of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path. Is that true?" asked Emperor Meng Wu.
"It is," Zhao Xing nodded. "My aim is to expand the Empire's territory. Leaving them here would inevitably interfere with my exploration plans."
Emperor Meng Wu nodded. "Alright, I'll discuss the price with your teacher."
He closed his eyes, and Zhao Xing quietly waited.
He knew Meng Wu was now discussing the transaction details with the Five Venom Emperor.
About a day later, Zhao Xing received a message from the Five Venom Emperor.
"Meng Wu and the forces behind him are willing to purchase all these treasures and have the means to move them without disrupting your exploration."
"And they will pay the full amount in one lump sum."
"My disciple, do you have any suggestions?"
Zhao Xing responded through the star mirror:
"Master, aside from the seven Demigod-level cave-dwellings, the other 3557 can all be sold to Meng Wu."
"These cave-dwellings come with inheritance restrictions—most of them are martial cultivator legacy caves."
"Outside of Meng Wu and the forces behind him, few in the Empire could even make use of these treasures."
"Even if we explored them ourselves, we'd end up selling them anyway. Rather than wasting effort, it's better to be straightforward and sell them as a package."
Selling as a bundle naturally meant a discount. The rest of the cave-dwellings could be sold at a discounted price, but it would be a huge loss to include the seven Demigod-level dwellings in that deal.
Zhao Xing felt it was better for their own people to explore those. After all, with only seven, it wouldn't consume too much energy.
After a while, the Five Venom Emperor shook his head. "That won't do. What Meng Wu and his group really care about are the seven Demigod dwellings."
"If those weren't part of the deal, he wouldn't bother muddying the waters."
Zhao Xing thought for a moment. "Master, how about this—we sell the rest, but as for the seven Demigod-level dwellings, we co-explore them. Meng Wu's side can explore them, and so can we."
Zhao Xing was about to break through to the Reincarnation Realm. Once he did, his strength would leap forward significantly, and he'd be capable of controlling the Black Sky Moon Tree and the Soul-Devouring Grass. He might even be able to cultivate a second type of magic with the Heart-Sealing Method. He would definitely have the strength to explore Demigod-level dwellings.
After a while, the Five Venom Emperor responded, "Meng Wu agrees."
Then followed several rounds of price negotiations. Three months later, the details of the deal were finalized.
First, Meng Wu would pay the full amount in a single lump sum and would offer Zhao Xing protection, ensuring his development of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path would proceed without interference.
At the end of the day, developing the Barren Domain was a military action. Having high-ranking figures from the War God Hall backing him was, in some areas, more influential than the Shennongs of the Primordial Realm.
Second, Meng Wu would promptly move the qingyu slabs out of the way so as not to hinder Zhao Xing's progress.
Furthermore, cultivators from the War God Hall would offer a treasure list. If Zhao Xing or his people needed anything, they could exchange from that list.
Every Emperor-level cultivator had some treasures stashed away. Gaining access to this level of transaction channel was an enormous benefit for Zhao Xing.
As for the payment method, it would be in Xuanling Ancient Coins, the standard currency used between Emperor-level cultivators.
Each Lord-level cave-dwelling was priced at 100 coins, while each Emperor-level cave-dwelling was worth 10,000 coins.
This valuation was entirely based on the wealth standard of Lords and Emperors—an extremely fair price.
Even so, Meng Wu and his group still had plenty of room for profit.
Leaving aside the inheritances, just the cross-domain realm ships themselves were immensely valuable.
"The Lord-level dwellings were sold for a total of 120,400 Xuanling Ancient Coins. The Emperor-level dwellings were sold for 23,530,000 coins, making the full total 23,650,000 coins."
"And the most valuable—those seven Demigod-level dwellings—are still waiting to be explored."
"Disciple, remember to notify us for the next dividend payout, hahahaha!"
The three Emperors were all beaming with joy.
None of them had expected that a casual investment three hundred years ago would yield such massive returns.
"Rest assured, Masters—I definitely will." Zhao Xing grinned as well.
The entire equity structure of the Annihilation Star Ancient Path was: Zuo Qiyu and the Five Venom Emperor shared 40%, the Hongshan and Lushan Emperors shared 30%, and Zhao Xing, Great Zhou, Du Yun, and other smaller partners held the remaining 30%.
Now that the funds had arrived, Zhao Xing and the rest of the smaller partners would receive about 7.09 million Xuanling Ancient Coins.
Of that, Zhao Xing and Great Zhou together would take 60%, which came to 4.2 million Xuanling Ancient Coins.
What did that mean? The minimum threshold of wealth for an Emperor-level cultivator was 10,000 Xuanling Coins.
"This round of income... is the equivalent of robbing over 2,000 Emperors," Zhao Xing couldn't help but marvel.
"I wonder how Yang Baihe, Du Yun, and Xu Youling will react at the next dividend meeting."
"Our captain definitely has more than enough to marry an Emperor-level Dao partner now."
Zhao Xing didn't plan on distributing all of this money immediately. There was still huge potential in the Annihilation Star Ancient Path ahead. To do a good job, one must first sharpen their tools.
Now that he was in charge, of course he would continue to invest in Great Zhou, to fatten it up and make it strong. Only then could they quickly dig up those remaining Origin Realms.
Time passed. Since Zhao Xing took over the Annihilation Star Ancient Path, 360 years had gone by.
That year, several major events occurred.
First, Bowe announced that the largest faction of Starry Sky Historians would be merged into the Academy and that the profession of Starry Sky Historian would be renamed Historian.
This massive change even affected Zhao Xing's interface panel. From that moment on, when he looked at Yang Baihe, the title no longer read Starry Sky Historian but Historian.
Bowe truly lived up to his reputation as the man who changed an entire version.
Zhao Xing also understood that this transition marked the launch of Bowe's "God-making Plan."
By now, there must be a group of people within the Academy undergoing a special kind of "Great Enlightenment."
The second major event: Zhao Xing's Annihilation Star Conference had reached its final session.
After it concluded, Bowe's clone took Zhao Xing's original manuscripts and declared they would be engraved upon the Ten Thousand Dao Tree within the Academy.
Thus, the Annihilation Star Conference concluded successfully and began spreading widely throughout the Xuanling Star Domain.
The third major event came once again from the Annihilation Star Ancient Path.
The Great Zhou Dynasty, which had taken over its development, suddenly announced that it had excavated a vast set of ancient foreign ruins.
And they published the financial report and dividend data for the Jiazi year.
One financial report instantly set off a shockwave across the entire northwest of the Empire—overshadowing even the final Annihilation Star Conference session.
Zhao Xing distributed 60% of the 23.65 million Xuanling Coins as dividends and kept 30% for liquidity reserves and reinvestment. The numbers blinded everyone.
"Holy crap, how much money did Zhao Xing make to be giving out this much?!"
"You haven't heard? They dug up a giant treasure on the Annihilation Star Ancient Path—over three thousand cross-domain realm ships, each containing a legacy cave-dwelling, and the lowest grade ones are Lord-level!"
"Damn, Xuanling Ancient Coins are what Emperors use to buy Reincarnation-grade Dao soldiers. Just imagine how many they could buy now!"
"If it's low-grade Reincarnation Dao soldiers, they could buy twenty or thirty thousand units, easy."
"God, the Four Great Clans must be coughing blood! I heard they sold the mining rights and all their bases to Great Zhou for just 120,000 Xuanling Coins!"
"Bro, don't even ask. I'm from the Carlos family. Last I heard, our patriarch's already fuming with smoke."
"..."
In the Ruyin Star System, on a mechanized planet—
Inside the clan's grand hall, a group of clan members were kneeling. All of them were drenched in sweat, trembling with fear. Among them was the very person who had handled the original negotiations.
The true body of Ruyin Carlos was in seclusion. Seated on the throne was his mechanized avatar. At this moment, his entire body was steaming with fury, eyes bulging in disbelief as he stared at the data on the star mirror.
"Over twenty-three million Xuanling Ancient Coins in profit for the Jiazi year, and they paid out fourteen million in dividends? Heavens above!"
Ruyin Carlos couldn't believe his eyes.
In just three hundred sixty years, such an enormous treasure had been unearthed on the Annihilation Star Ancient Path.
Three hundred sixty years—to an Emperor-level cultivator, that was no more than the time it took to take a deep breath.
If they had just dug down themselves, wouldn't this massive fortune be his now?
And yet, they sold the mining rights for just a little over one hundred twenty thousand!
Ruyin Carlos's eyes turned red. "Who—who was in charge of those negotiations?!"
The responsible person raised his head, shaking with fear. "Clan Master, it... it was me."
"Trash! You misjudged the value of the Annihilation Star Corridor and caused a tremendous loss to the clan. Guards!"
"Lock him in the Soul Prison—imprison him for ten thousand years!"
The person's face went pale. "Clan Master, you were the one who gave the order to sell—"
Ruyin Carlos shot him a glare, and the man immediately lost his ability to speak.
Everyone present felt an even deeper chill in their hearts. Even though they all knew that without the clan master's approval, the mining rights couldn't have been sold, the clan master was never wrong. Someone had to take the fall. Whoever it was, they were just unlucky.
"Someone go contact the other clans. Find that Zhao Xing!" Ruyin Carlos immediately commanded. "No matter what, we must get a stake in the Annihilation Star Ancient Path again!"
Today wasn't like the past. The profits of the ancient path had become increasingly clear—even Fate Officers could now forecast them.
Backed by his powerful influence, Ruyin Carlos now wanted to grab a slice of the pie again from the Annihilation Star Ancient Path.
How many other great powers and noble clans were thinking the same?
They were all rushing toward the Annihilation Star Corridor, seeking a share of the benefits.
The Four Great Clans were green with regret. Meanwhile, Yang Baihe, Du Yun, Gu Ming, Qi Tian, Jing Yan, Yu Tianqing, Xu Youling, Tuo Sen—all the partners who had invested in the Annihilation Star Ancient Path—were laughing themselves silly.
"Don't call me 'Prince Whatever' from now on—just call me Emperor of Beiye!" Jing Yan shouted wildly in the Zhongji Hall of Great Zhou, hugging a wine jar.
"Hahaha, Jing Yan, your great-grandfather hasn't abdicated yet, and you're already flying high," Yang Baihe laughed loudly.
The strongest figure in the Beiye Star System was the Emperor of Beiye. The system still followed a monarchy. Once the reigning Emperor had absorbed enough of the dynasty's resources, he would step down and let his descendants ascend. But it was unclear when Jing Yan's turn would come.
"I only invested like a hundred fifty thousand Five Sovereign Coins, and I actually got this many Xuanling Coins? Is Brother Zhao a walking treasure basin?" Xu Youling mumbled, clearly tipsy. "With this kind of wealth, reclaiming the Reincarnation Realm is within reach!"
"Brother Zhao is incredible! A toast to Zhao Xing!" Gu Ming raised his cup. "I'm gonna buy a top-grade Reincarnation Dao Soldier as my life-bound weapon!"
"Watch your mouth!" Wu Yanlin shoved the drunken Gu Ming aside. "You Mechanists from the Origin Heaven Palace just don't get it. That's not Brother Zhao—that's our adoptive father!"
"Hahahahaha!"
At this partner banquet, everyone pretended to be drunk—they were all just too happy.
Even Daoist Miaosong, the one who had invested the least, got more than eight thousand Xuanling Ancient Coins. That was nearly the wealth of a Reincarnation Emperor.
These geniuses—many of them were reincarnated cultivators starting over. Breaking through to the Reincarnation Realm required resources. Now that fortune had rained from the sky, not only could they reclaim their former cultivation, they might even go further. How could they not be thrilled?
Even Du Yun got a bit drunk. He said to Han Chuchen beside him, "This group will become the new nobility of the Empire. Zhao Xing's Great Zhou... might just become a top-tier power in the Empire."
"Brother Han, with this fortune, you should be able to survive the Era of Catastrophes, right? Brother Han?"
Du Yun, bleary-eyed, looked down and saw that Han Chuchen had actually fallen asleep clutching his leg, muttering nonsense about Zhao Xing and 'adoptive father' in his dreams.
"Hah! Wrong leg!" Du Yun shoved him away and, seeing how festive the atmosphere was, no longer held back his own excitement. "Where's Zhao Xing? Bring him out! I want to drink three thousand rounds with him!"
At this time, Zhao Xing was no longer at the banquet. He had gone to a quiet valley on the Zhongji Star Continent.
In the valley was a massive open space, etched with numerous black patterns—this was the Star Pivot Teleportation Array custom-built for Zhao Xing by Emperor Moxu. Its main function was to transport cultivation resources.
Buzz—
At this moment, the Star Pivot Array was glowing, and the black lines began to spin, forming a dazzling starry vortex.
Puff puff puff~
Streams of starlight rapidly enlarged before his eyes, spat out by the vortex.
"They're here, they're here."
Zhao Xing watched as items rained down like a storm—medicine chests full of pills, warm floral boxes filled with rare plants, even array cores.
Everything was placed neatly inside the valley, row after row without end.
Once the transmission ended, Zhao Xing counted the items, then smiled with anticipation.
"A total of forty-eight thousand items—all treasures exchanged from the War God Hall."
"After waiting sixty years, I finally have everything needed to break through to the Reincarnation Realm!"
"Return, Avatars!"
With a thought, all of Zhao Xing's avatars—those attending banquets, those on patrol—returned to him instantly.
"To break into the Reincarnation Realm, the key is for the soul to transform into a True Spirit. First the soul must evolve—then the inner world must be opened."
Whumm~ Large amounts of soul fragments rejoined the main body, leaving only the straw puppet shells standing outside the valley.
Zhao Xing opened his mouth wide, swallowing down a large number of True Spirit Fruits. Once the threshold was reached, his soul began to undergo its transformation.