129: Chapter 129 Emptying the Demon Realm: Since we're family, the treasure vault...

**Undying Fire Mountain, Nirvana Palace.**

There was still some time before the Xu Family's imperial warship would tear through the sky and arrive, but Xu Chen was clearly not the type to just sit around and wait.

"Sigh."

Seated on a throne inlaid with Crimson Flame Divine Crystals, Xu Chen let out a long sigh, his brow deeply furrowed. The cup of spirit tea he usually loved held no appeal now, as if he were facing some monumental difficulty.

"Husband, what's wrong?"

Feng Jiuyou, who had been dutifully peeling grapes for him like a virtuous wife, quickly set down the jade plate and leaned over with a concerned expression.

On the other side, Long Aoxue, who had been using a top-grade whetstone to sharpen her nails, also paused and looked over curiously.

"Did those old men from earlier upset you again? I'll go pluck their beards!"

"No."

Xu Chen waved his hand, looking at the two women with a troubled expression.

"I'm worried about when my parents arrive later. If they see how 'bare and destitute' this place is, they might look down on it."

"Bare... bare and destitute?"

Feng Jiuyou and Long Aoxue exchanged a glance, then looked around the extravagantly luxurious Nirvana Palace, where even the floor tiles were made of saint-grade materials. A question mark slowly formed above their heads.

If *this* was considered bare and destitute, how were other holy lands supposed to survive?

"You don't understand,"

Xu Chen said with a grave tone.

"My mother is someone who cares deeply about appearances. You heard it in the message earlier—she even emptied the Xu Family's special-grade treasure vault to prepare the betrothal gifts."

"What does that mean? It means sincerity! It shows how much she values you!"

"But in dealing with people, we should always reciprocate. Think about it: if the betrothal gifts pile up like a mountain, and you two can't even produce decent gifts in return, wouldn't that make me lose face? Wouldn't it make your two clans seem stingy?"

"This..."

The two women were stunned.

It seemed... there was some logic to that?

Although they were overlords of the Demon Realm, in terms of heritage, they indeed fell short compared to the Ancient Imperial Clan, which had been passed down for countless epochs. Moreover, this was their first time meeting their in-laws. If their first impression was one of "poverty," how could they ever hold their heads high in the Xu Family in the future?

"Then what should we do?"

Feng Jiuyou grew anxious. She was a proud person and didn't want to lose face in front of her future mother-in-law.

"Husband, please think of something quickly."

"It's actually not that difficult,"

Xu Chen said, a faint, almost imperceptible flicker of cunning flashing in his eyes before he adopted a serious expression.

"Since we're family now, I won't stand on ceremony."

"It just so happens I know a little something about 'treasure appraisal.' Why not take me for a tour of your two clans' treasure vaults?"

"I can help you pick out some truly presentable treasures as dowries. When they're displayed later, it will save face and also shut the mouths of those old fogies in the family."

"Moreover..."

Xu Chen gently touched each woman's abdomen in turn, his voice taking on an especially persuasive tone.

"This is also for our children. They possess two mythical-grade talents. When they start cultivating, they'll be like two super gold-devouring beasts. Shouldn't we, as parents, start saving up some 'milk money' for them in advance?"

These words were an absolute masterstroke.

The moment they heard it was for the children, Long Aoxue and Feng Jiuyou instantly seemed to receive a shot of adrenaline. The hesitation in their eyes vanished without a trace.

"Right! Husband is absolutely right!"

Long Aoxue slapped her thigh emphatically, partially transforming into her dragon form as she grabbed Xu Chen's hand, ready to charge out.

"Let's go! To the Wanlong Nest! There are plenty of good things in my family's treasure vault! Those old misers are always stingy and won't let me use them, but today, this princess is emptying it all out! It's all for my son!"

"Wait,"

Xu Chen stopped her with a tug.

"How can we have such good fortune without Wan'er?"

He looked toward the side hall of Nirvana Palace, where a sharp and pure Sword Intent was slowly circulating.

"The child in Wan'er's womb is a Sword Dao Sacred Embryo, and its need for resources is no less than that of a mythical-grade talent. It just so happens your clans' treasure vaults must have many rare divine ores and metals. Let's call her along to pick some out."

Saying this, Xu Chen sent out a sound transmission.

A moment later, Nangong Waner, dressed in a simple white sword robe, walked out slowly. After several days of recuperation, she had now reached the Saint Realm. Though pregnant, her steps were light, her sword aura was restrained, and her ethereal aura had grown even more pronounced.

"Husband, why the urgency in calling me? Is something the matter?"

Nangong Waner asked with a gentle smile.

"Taking you on a procurement run... I mean, to pick out some welcome gifts for the children."

Xu Chen stepped forward, naturally taking her hand, while also holding Long Aoxue's hand with his other and wrapping an arm around Feng Jiuyou.

"Let's go! The four of us, as a family, are going to liquidate the Demon Realm's family assets today!"

...

Half an hour later.

Divine Phoenix Clan's underground forbidden ground, the eighteenth-level core treasure vault.

As the massive Dragon-Severing Stone slowly rose, an overwhelming, almost tangible aura of treasure washed over them.

Looking around, it was like a world of fiery red.

Thousand-year-old Phoenix Trees were piled up like mountains, while Ten-Thousand-Year Fire Spirit Fruits were scattered about like common cabbage. Shelves were filled with divine weapons and sharp tools radiating terrifying heat, alongside countless jade vials sealed with ancient strange fires.

"This much?"

Xu Chen's eyes lit up.

He had originally thought the Divine Phoenix Clan, being nearly extinct, must have been living frugally. He never expected they were completely 'undercover tycoons'!

"These are all accumulated by generations of ancestors."

The Divine Phoenix Clan's Grand Elder, following behind, felt an inexplicable sense of foreboding seeing the gleam in Xu Chen's eyes. He subconsciously tightened his grip on his storage ring.

"Ahem, that... King Consort, most of these are fire-attributed supreme treasures. They might be too intense for human cultivators, probably not very suitable..."

"Who says so?"

Xu Chen casually picked up a fist-sized "Crimson Flame Heart" radiating quasi-emperor pressure and tossed it in his hand.

"This thing maintains a constant temperature. I just happen to need a hand warmer."

"Taken."

Xu Chen waved his hand grandly.

*Swish!*

The priceless Crimson Flame Heart instantly vanished, entering his system space.

The Grand Elder's heart spasmed violently. That was a Crimson Flame Heart! A core material for forging emperor weapons! And you're using it as a hand warmer?!

However, this was just the beginning.

"This pile of wood is nice. Smells fragrant, and it has lightning strike patterns. We can make a cradle for the child later; it'll even repel mosquitoes."

Xu Chen pointed at the neatly stacked Ten-Thousand-Year Lightning-Struck Phoenix Trees.

"Taken."

Just as Xu Chen was vigorously plundering, Nangong Waner, who had been quietly following, suddenly stopped.

Her gaze fell on a large, pitch-black, utterly unremarkable ore lying in a corner of the vault, tossed haphazardly among a pile of miscellaneous items, even covered in dust.

"That's 'Black Meteorite Iron.' Incredibly hard, even my Nirvana Flame can't melt it. It's useless except for being heavy, just scrap."

Feng Jiuyou explained upon seeing this.

"No."

Nangong Waner walked forward and gently tapped the black stone with her fingertip.

*Hum!*

A clear, melodious sword cry actually emanated from within the stone. Then, the black outer layer cracked, revealing a dazzling, starry golden sharpness inside.

"This is... Primordial Geng Metal?!"

The Grand Elder exclaimed, nearly biting his tongue in shock.

Primordial Geng Metal was the sharpest metal in the world. A piece the size of a fingernail could elevate a flying sword by one grade. And here was a piece as large as a millstone?!

"Good eye,"

Xu Chen praised, glancing at Waner appreciatively.

"This is perfect as a foundation for the Sword Embryo in your womb."

"Taken!"

...

Another half hour later.

Wanlong Nest, Dragon Clan treasure vault.

Compared to the Divine Phoenix Clan's refinement, the Dragon Clan's treasure vault was much more straightforward and brutal.

Golden.

Everything was golden.

Gold, mithril, gemstones, spirit crystals... piled directly into several mountains, dazzling to the eyes.

Amidst these common treasures were mixed various rare spatial ores and deep-sea marvels.

"Wow! This one's shiny!"

The moment Long Aoxue entered the vault, she excitedly manifested her dragon claws, dug out a large chunk from a golden mountain, and handed it to Xu Chen.

"Husband, look! This is Deep-Sea Sunken Silver Essence, incredibly hard! We can take it back to make you a washboard... I mean, a chest protector!"

Xu Chen accepted the millstone-sized divine metal with a mix of amusement and exasperation.

"This... this is too honest."

The Dragon Clan elders stood at the entrance, their faces ashen, trembling.

They had already heard about the devastation at the Divine Phoenix Clan and were mentally prepared.

"Son-in-law, please... please go easy..."

The Dragon Clan's Great Elder wiped his sweat, forcing a smile while his heart bled.

"This is our Dragon Clan's accumulation over tens of thousands of years. If it's all gone, what will the youngsters live on in the future..."

"Don't worry,"

Xu Chen patted the Great Elder's shoulder, looking perfectly amiable.

"I'm a very reasonable person."

"I won't take those ordinary gold, silver, and common items."

The Great Elder breathed a sigh of relief. Good, good, as long as he didn't take the money.

"I only want those with 'spatial' attributes and those antiques over tens of thousands of years old."

At that moment, Nangong Waner made another discovery.

She walked to a weapon rack where a broken, rusty-looking spearhead lay.

Yet, the space around this broken spear seemed subtly distorted.

"Husband, this..."

Waner stroked her abdomen, a strange light flashing in her eyes.

"The child wants this."

"That's a fragment of a weapon left by a Dragon-Slaying Hero from long ago. Although its murderous aura is heavy, it contains an extremely powerful intent of destruction."

Before Xu Chen could speak, the Great Elder panicked.

"Son-in-law! That can't be moved! It's the keystone suppressing the murderous aura in the treasure vault!"

"What keystone? I don't see any."

Without another word, Xu Chen reached out, grabbed the broken spear, and instantly purged its murderous aura with his powerful Hongmeng Purple Qi, leaving only the purest Dao charm. He then placed it in Waner's hand.

"Take it. You can use it to sharpen your nails when we get back."

"..."

The Great Elder's smile froze on his face.

You don't want the junk—you specifically pick out the core assets!

But seeing his own empress's attitude of "take whatever you fancy," the Great Elder wisely chose to remain silent.

Half an incense stick's time later.

Xu Chen, accompanied by his three wives, walked out of the treasure vault with deep satisfaction.

By now, his system space was piled mountain-high with resources.

From the Divine Phoenix Clan's top-grade fire-attributed materials to the Dragon Clan's supreme spatial divine ores, along with various spirit medicines, divine weapons, and cultivation techniques from both clans...

Without exaggeration, this single "visit" had directly emptied half of the Demon Realm's accumulated foundation of tens of thousands of years.

"Comfortable."

Xu Chen patted his slightly bulging sleeves. Looking back at the two treasure vault doors, now much emptier but still stubbornly functioning, he sighed with a clear conscience:

"Actually, I didn't take that much."

"Mainly, I was helping you clear out your inventory. Out with the old, in with the new, right?"

"When our children are born later, won't all these things have to be returned to you anyway?"

Hearing this, the elders of the two clans following behind, though their hearts were bleeding, could only nod through tears, forcing smiles.

"The King Consort is right."

"We're all family... all family..."

Just then.

*Rumble—!*

A deafening roar suddenly echoed from the sky, as if the entire firmament were trembling.

Immediately after, the space over the entire Undying Fire Mountain shook violently. Countless birds and beasts prostrated themselves on the ground.

Xu Chen looked up.

He saw nine sky-obscuring black warships, like nine primordial behemoths, tearing through the void. Wreathed in supreme imperial majesty, they descended majestically above the Demon Realm.

The terrifying oppressive force even caused the lava of Undying Fire Mountain to cease flowing.

At the prow of the flagship, a massive battle flag bearing the character "Xu" fluttered and snapped in the wind. Beneath the flag, the faint silhouette of a beautiful woman in palace attire, her aura fully unleashed, could be seen eagerly scanning the ground below.

"They're here."

A smile curled at the corner of Xu Chen's mouth. He straightened his robes. At this moment, Waner, Aoxue, and Jiuyou stood neatly by his side, each face radiant with the joy of their harvest.