468: Chapter 469: A place to store things, including tokens of love.

The sea breeze continued to blow, carrying a salty scent and fluttering the hair and hems of the women's clothes. However, they seemed to have turned into stone statues, staring blankly at Lu Chen and then at the unremarkable gray stone in Ji Xiaofu's hand.

The moon... now belongs to the Great Ming?

Even though Yin Susu, Fang Yanqing, and the others were used to Lu Chen's miraculous methods, their heads were buzzing at this moment, making it difficult to process this shocking news.

Ma Xiuying's small mouth was slightly agape, her beautiful eyes wide with shock.

"Cough." Lu Chen coughed lightly, breaking the dead silence on the deck.

Looking at their petrified expressions, the corners of his mouth curled into a slight arc.

"Let's put the matter of the moon aside for now. There will be plenty of time for you to visit and inspect it in the future, and even experience the fun of farming there yourself."

Lu Chen flipped his wrist, and five rings with an unusual luster appeared out of thin air in his palm.

These five rings were perfectly round, their surfaces incredibly smooth without a single seam or trace of carving. They reflected a light that was both cold and warm like metal under the sun, as if made of some unseen extraterrestrial material.

There were no gemstones embedded in them, yet they possessed an indescribable air of nobility and mystery.

"Your Majesty, these are..." Yin Susu was the first to regain her senses and asked curiously.

"These are tokens of love that I am giving to you." Lu Chen's tone was relaxed.

He picked up a ring and walked over to Yin Susu.

Yin Susu was slightly startled and instinctively reached out her right hand.

Lu Chen took her hand and gently slipped the smooth, cool ring onto her ring finger.

The size was perfect, as if custom-made.

"Empress," Lu Chen's voice carried a hint of solemnity, "this is a ring I made myself, called 'Xumi'."

He paused and added, "It is indestructible and impervious to water and fire. More importantly, it contains its own space where items can be stored."

A Storage Ring?!

Yin Susu's pupils constricted slightly. Feeling the strange sensation from her finger, a storm of shock surged in her heart.

This kind of treasure, said to belong only to immortals in legends, was something Your Majesty just handed out so casually?

Lu Chen picked up the second ring and walked toward Fang Yanqing.

Fang Yanqing took a deep breath, trying to calm her mind, and also reached out her hand.

Once the ring was on, it felt equally cold and smooth, like a mirror.

"Noble Consort, yours." Lu Chen said succinctly.

Next was Ji Xiaofu.

"Pure Consort."

Then Yang Huangyi.

"Virtuous Consort."

When it was Ma Xiuying's turn, she appeared somewhat uneasy, her cheeks flushing with a rosy hue.

Although she had been titled Consort Xian, she had not yet consummated her marriage with Your Majesty. Such close contact, even having her hand held, made her heart race like a frantic deer, and her palms were slightly sweaty from nervousness.

Lu Chen held her slightly trembling jade-like hand and placed the final ring on her finger.

"Consort Xian."

His movements were natural and without any impropriety, but the warm sensation from his fingertips still made Ma Xiuying's face turn redder. She lowered her head slightly, not daring to look at him.

"Thank... thank you, Your Majesty..." Her voice was as faint as a mosquito's hum.

Lu Chen released her hand, faced the five women, and said solemnly, "These sumeru rings are incredibly sturdy, just like our relationship."

He looked at Yin Susu, Fang Yanqing, Ji Xiaofu, and Yang Huangyi: "The four of you, concentrate now and try injecting a trace of Hunyuan Mana into the ring."

Hearing this, the four women looked at each other, seeing curiosity and anticipation in each other's eyes.

They did as instructed, concentrating their minds and mobilizing the Hunyuan Mana transformed from the Nine Yin and Nine Yang Divine Skill within their bodies, carefully probing the rings on their fingers.

Buzz!

Almost simultaneously, a faint, imperceptible halo appeared on the surface of the four rings.

Immediately after, a space ten zhang long on each side seemed to appear out of thin air in the minds of Yin Susu, Fang Yanqing, Ji Xiaofu, and Yang Huangyi!

It was empty and hazy, but it truly existed!

"This... this is real..." Ji Xiaofu exclaimed in surprise, looking up at Lu Chen with eyes full of wonder.

"How miraculous!" Yang Huangyi couldn't help but praise. She tried to "put" a handkerchief into that space with her mind, and it indeed succeeded, then she easily "took" it out.

Although Yin Susu and Fang Yanqing didn't cry out, the shock and joy on their faces were unmistakable.

Fang Yanqing stared intently at the ring, seemingly wanting to study it thoroughly.

Lu Chen nodded in satisfaction and looked at Ma Xiuying, who was both envious and a bit dejected.

"Xiuying," he said gently, "your cultivation is still shallow, and you haven't yet crossed the threshold of Qi Refining, so you cannot yet use mana to activate this sumeru ring."

Ma Xiuying nodded quickly. "I understand."

"No matter," Lu Chen comforted her. "Just wear it for now. This ring itself is a treasure and must not be lost."

"Yes, I obey Your Majesty's command and will keep it safe." Ma Xiuying stroked the ring on her finger. Although she couldn't use it yet, her heart was still filled with gratitude and a touch of sweetness.

Your Majesty had personally put it on her.

"Your Majesty, this item is too precious..." Yin Susu regained her composure, looking at the ring on her finger and feeling it was somewhat surreal.

This was not just a Storage Ring, but something personally made by Your Majesty, which held extraordinary significance.

"It's fine," Lu Chen waved his hand dismissively. "My women naturally deserve the best."

He paused and added, "It will also be convenient for you to carry things with you in the future, so you don't always have to have palace maids and eunuchs holding them."

If they knew that the essence of the material of this mirror-smooth, indestructible ring was no different from the "Water Droplet" probe used by a certain advanced civilization to destroy star systems, one wonders what they would think.

At this moment, they were only carefully stroking the rings, feeling the heavy affection and care from Lu Chen.

The shock of the moon had not yet subsided, and this legendary sumeru ring brought a new surprise.

Following this Your Majesty, it seemed there would never be a lack of excitement and wonder.

Fang Yanqing tried to use more mana to probe the interior of the ring, but found the space exceptionally stable. Aside from storing and retrieving items, there seemed to be no other changes.

Ji Xiaofu and Yang Huangyi were more pure; they couldn't put down the novel items on their fingers, occasionally using their minds to put small objects in and take them out, having a great time.

Ma Xiuying's eyes were full of envy, and she secretly resolved to Cultivate hard and strive to reach the Qi Refinement Stage as soon as possible so she could also use this miraculous ring.

Lu Chen smiled as he watched their different reactions.

The sea breeze blew past, carrying the warmth of the sun.

The Treasure Ship continued forward, cutting through the blue waves.

And the fate of the Great Ming, and even the future of the entire world, seemed to be quietly sailing toward a course that no one could predict, all within the every move of this young emperor.

Lu Chen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze once again fixed on the distant horizon. They had arrived at Gwadar Port.