204: You fight wars, I'll make acquisitions?

Zhao Wuji put away his disciple token.

Inside the Hall of State Affairs, a deathly silence still reigned.

The officials were still immersed in the miracle-like suppression from moments ago and His Majesty's domineering declaration.

To demand an Imperial Dynasty that had stood for ten thousand years to apologize and cede territory within three days.

What magnificent pride.

And even more so, what madness.

"Ma... Your Majesty."

An elderly official stepped forward tremulously, his face filled with worry.

"The Great Qian Dynasty is powerful and national strength is robust; rumors say they have a Golden Immortal Old Ancestor presiding over them."

"We have only just established our nation, and our Foundation is not yet stable. To act in such a manner, is it..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but the meaning was clear.

This was playing with fire.

This was seeking self-destruction.

Zhao Wuji looked at him, his expression calm.

"Foundation?"

He slowly walked back to the dragon throne and sat down again.

"My Myriad Dao Divine Sect is the hardest Foundation of Great Chu."

He did not explain further.

Because some people would never be able to understand the power of a Sect.

He simply gave a faint wave of his hand.

"Pass down the order: all departments and offices are to proceed as usual."

"In three days, send people to the border to take over the immortal mines."

"If anyone obstructs them."

He paused, his voice devoid of any ripples.

"Kill them on the spot."

"By your command!"

Inside the great hall, all the officials knelt together, shouting for him to live ten thousand years.

They might not understand.

But they chose to believe... Meanwhile.

At the Myriad Dao Divine Mountain, the headquarters of the Myriad Dao Merchant Guild.

Wang Duojin hung up the communication with Zhao Wuji. On his chubby face, the philistine smile had long since vanished.

In its place was the extreme excitement of a shark that had caught the scent of blood.

"Great Qian Dynasty?"

He rubbed his chin, his eyes flashing with sharp light.

"What a big piece of fat meat."

"Someone, come!"

A deacon from the Hidden Division appeared behind him like a ghost.

"President."

"Activate the 'Asset Liquidation' contingency plan."

Wang Duojin tapped on the map of the Immortal Realm on the table, his finger pointing at the vast territory of the Great Qian Dynasty.

"Notify Eighth Junior Brother and Ninth Junior Sister."

"Tell them to prepare to help our new neighbor perform a thorough asset inventory."

"Especially those 'distressed assets' like mineral veins, herb fields, and treasuries."

He grinned, revealing a row of white teeth.

"Be sure to help them liquidate everything cleanly."

"Additionally, send a message to Seventh Junior Brother."

"Say that the laws of the Great Qian Dynasty seem a bit incomplete, and ask him to help 'revise' them when he has time."

The Hidden Division deacon's eyelids twitched as he listened.

This wasn't liquidation by the President.

This was clearly intended to uproot them and devour them whole!

"As you command!"

The deacon's figure merged into the shadows.

Wang Duojin looked at the map and chuckled.

"Fighting a war? How vulgar."

"In this era, we play with capital."

...Great Qian Dynasty.

Golden Throne Hall.

The messenger who had fled back in a sorry state was currently weeping and snotting, complaining about his experience to the Emperor of Great Qian, who sat high upon the dragon throne.

"Your Majesty! That Great Chu Emperor, Zhao Wuji, is arrogant, insolent, and has no regard for anyone!"

"Not only did he publicly burn the imperial decree, but he also used sorcery to suppress your humble servant!"

"He even... even spoke wildly, demanding our Great Qian cede territory and pay reparations within three days!"

"Otherwise, he would... would change his neighbor!"

Boom!

The armrest of the dragon throne turned into powder under the Emperor of Great Qian's palm.

A terrifying Dragon Might of a Golden Immortal Perfection swept through the entire hall!

"What a Great Chu! What a Zhao Wuji!"

The Emperor of Great Qian laughed out of extreme anger.

"A mere Profound Immortal and a tiny speck of a country dares to insult my Great Qian!"

"I have ruled for thirty thousand years and have never suffered such a humiliating disgrace!"

His cold gaze swept over the officials below.

"What do you all think?"

A general wearing armor and radiating a sky-piercing Evil Qi immediately stepped out.

"Your Majesty! Why should Your Majesty be enraged over a mere small border country!"

"This general requests a command; I am willing to lead one hundred thousand of the 'Northern Suppression Army' to trample the Great Chu capital within three days and present Zhao Wuji's head before Your Majesty's seat!"

"Your servant seconds the motion!"

"For such barbarians, only iron and blood can teach them what reverence is!"

In the imperial court, voices calling for war rose one after another.

No one took Great Chu seriously.

In their eyes, it was merely an ant that didn't know its place, provoking a dragon.

"Granted!"

The Emperor of Great Qian's voice was like ten-thousand-year-old ice.

"Pass my decree: command the Great General of Northern Suppression, Li Shan, to lead three hundred thousand troops! In three days, march on Great Chu!"

"I want that barbarian land to be left with not a single blade of grass!"

...As the news spread, the world was shaken.

Everyone thought that a crushing battle with no suspense was about to take place.

Three hundred thousand immortal iron cavalry were enough to annihilate any second-rate Sect.

Let alone a small border country that had only been established for a year.

However.

Three days passed in the blink of an eye.

Great Qian's three hundred thousand troops were still assembling.

But on Great Chu's side, it was eerily quiet.

They didn't sue for peace, they didn't prepare for war, and they didn't even strengthen their border defenses.

It was as if they had no idea that the crisis of national annihilation had already arrived.

On the morning of the fourth day.

At the Great Qian Imperial Capital, the morning court session.

Just as the Emperor of Great Qian was about to announce the departure of the army.

A messenger, looking terrified, scrambled into the hall.

"Report——"

"Urgent report! Eight-hundred-mile express!"

The Emperor of Great Qian frowned.

"What is the matter that causes such panic?"

The messenger flopped to his knees, his voice changing pitch.

"Ma... Your Majesty! It's terrible!"

"The largest Spirit Stone vein in the northern border, the 'Black Mountain Mine Vein'... has been, has been emptied!"

"What?!"

The entire court was in an uproar.

The Black Mountain Mine Vein was the lifeblood that supported thirty percent of Great Qian's military spending!

How could it have been emptied overnight!

"Nonsense!"

The Emperor of Great Qian shouted sternly.

"The Black Mountain Mine Vein is guarded by three thousand Imperial Guards and even has a True Immortal Elder presiding over it! Who could empty it!"

"It's... it's absolutely true, Your Majesty!"

The messenger was about to cry.

"The soldiers and Elder guarding the mine all fell into a deep sleep overnight. When they woke up, there wasn't even a single Low Grade Immortal Stone left in the vein!"

"Only a... a note was left at the scene!"

"Bring it up!"

Soon, a note made of gold-threaded jade silk was presented to the throne.

It didn't look like a note.

It looked more like a... bill.

On it, written in an extremely arrogant script, were the words:

"The Black Mountain Mine Vein under your party's name has undergone a mandatory Asset Liquidation by my Myriad Dao Merchant Guild."

"This liquidation has resulted in a total income of 3.6 million High Grade Immortal Stones and 12 million Medium Grade Immortal Stones..."

"Service fees are waived for now."

At the signature line, there was no name.

There was only a lifelike image drawn with gold powder.

An abacus.

The Emperor of Great Qian looked at that bill, his whole body trembling with rage.

But this was only the beginning.

"Report——"

"In the eastern border's 'Ten Thousand Medicine Valley', all Spirit Medicines over a thousand years old have been uprooted! An abacus mark was left at the scene!"

"Report——"

"The teleportation arrays of eighteen cities in the western border were all paralyzed overnight! The array cores have vanished! An abacus mark was left at the scene!"

"Report——"

"The national treasury... seventeen branch treasuries located across the country have all been emptied! Even a mouse would have to come out with tears in its eyes! At the scene..."

"Enough!"

The Emperor of Great Qian let out a roar that suppressed endless fury.

He crushed that bill into flying ash with one hand.

He finally understood.

The other party had never intended to fight a war with him from the start.

While he was assembling his army and preparing for a frontal crush.

An invisible hand had already silently reached into his national treasury and hollowed out his lifeblood.

Was this a war?

No.

This was blatant robbery!

"Myriad Dao Merchant Guild..."

The Emperor of Great Qian's teeth ground together with a creaking sound.

He looked at that golden abacus mark and felt as if he were being watched by a demon from the abyss.

He stood up abruptly and roared with a hoarse voice.

"Investigate!"

"Investigate for me!"

"I want to know exactly what this Myriad Dao Merchant Guild is!"

---

Starting a new book!