277: The essence of making money

At the same time, you yourself feel a bit surprised—

You have actually developed a trace of sympathy for Ji Wuya and his daughter, feeling that their situation is truly pitiful.

But you also know clearly that even if you told them the truth, with the current strength of the Immortal Dynasty, they have no power to stop Langgan Pavilion, let alone repair that damaged world origin.

However... if you were to use this matter as a chess piece, borrowing the hand of the Immortal Dynasty to flush out the enemy, perhaps you could take advantage of the situation to draw out the person behind Langgan Pavilion?

But if you did that, the fate of the billions of living beings on this Shattered Star Continent might, because of your utilization in this single thought, accelerate toward the abyss of destruction—

Once it erupts, the entire continent will surely flow with blood, and the world will decay further.

After thinking it over repeatedly, you ultimately shake your head gently.

The Dao is ruthless, and everyone has their own fate.

You are not the master of this realm, nor are you a savior Saint.

Some Karma, once tainted, is difficult to escape.

You slowly close your eyes, returning that fleeting ripple to tranquility.

You decide—it is better not to meddle.

A moment later, when Ji Wuya and Ji Hui step into the grand hall, the originally noisy banquet instantly falls silent—

The civil and military officials and the Clan Chiefs of the major Families rise one after another, bowing respectfully: "Greetings, Your Majesty; greetings, Eldest Princess!"

Ji Wuya wears a gentle smile and raises his hand in a gesture to rise: "Today's banquet is all for Family, no need for excessive courtesy. Everyone, please be seated."

Just as everyone sits back down, Ji Hui steps forward. Her gaze sweeps across the room, and her voice is clear and carries an unquestionable force as she cuts straight to the point:

"Everyone, today I take advantage of my Imperial Father's evening banquet to make a request. I hope that all you uncles, elders, colleagues, and old friends will not refuse."

She pauses, her tone turning solemn: "I trust you have all heard that in recent years, the weather has been poor in various places, and the yields from harvests and mineral veins are not as good as before."

"Right now, the national treasury is empty. The provisions for border armies, the salaries of officials at all levels, and even the annual stipends for Cultivators have been in arrears for several months. If this continues, I fear it will lead to chaos and shake the foundations of the nation."

As soon as these words are spoken, a low intake of breath and subtle murmurs arise in the hall; many people lower their heads, or raise their wine cups to hide their expressions.

Prime Minister Han, sitting at the head of the civil officials, is the first to stand up. With a look of shame, he lets out a long sigh:

"Sigh... what the Eldest Princess says fills this old subject with grief. Although my Han Family has been deeply favored by the Imperial grace for generations, in recent years, there are many descendants in the Family, and the expenses are huge. We have long been unable to make ends meet and are stretched thin..."

He changes the subject, revealing an expression of determination as if he were ready to sell everything he owns:

"However, with the nation in crisis, as the head of the hundred officials, how can I sit idly by? My Han Family is willing to donate five hundred thousand taels of silver and ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones! Although it is but a drop in the bucket, it is the sincere loyalty of this old subject!"

Five hundred thousand taels of silver and ten thousand Low-Grade Spirit Stones—for the Prime Minister's residence, which sits on countless fields and shops and secretly controls several spirit material trade routes, this is simply a drop in the ocean, not even amounting to the cost of one of their luxurious evening banquets.

Just like the banquet that Prince Ji Heng hosted for you at Duyan Tower last time, which used up over six thousand Spirit Stones—such extravagance is merely a daily occurrence for the civil and military officials.

But Ji Wuya, on the Dragon throne, immediately reveals a moved smile and nods repeatedly: "Good, good! Prime Minister Han truly understands the big picture and cares for the overall situation; you are truly a model for all officials! My heart is greatly comforted!"

With Prime Minister Han leading the way, the Clan Chief of another Family, the Liu Family, also hurriedly stands up, rubbing his hands with a smile that looks worse than crying:

"Your Majesty, Eldest Princess... to tell you the truth, my Liu Family has also truly... sigh, business is hard to do, and the harvests from our various spirit fields and manors are not good; it is very difficult..."

He steals a glance at the expressions of Ji Wuya and Ji Hui, then grinds his teeth:

"But since Your Highness the Eldest Princess has spoken, no matter how difficult it is, my Liu Family must not retreat! My Liu Family is willing to donate four hundred thousand taels of silver and nine thousand Spirit Stones! I only hope Your Majesty and the Eldest Princess will not find it meager..."

You sit at the banquet, leisurely sipping spirit wine, while your Divine Sense has long since seen this farce clearly—

These high-ranking officials and nobles who claim to be "in difficulty" and "unable to make ends meet" have private treasuries deep within their residences where gold and silver are piled like mountains, and spirit materials shimmer with hidden treasure light; not to mention the astonishing wealth hidden in their personal qiankun rings.

The reason they dare to "cry poor" like this is simply because they rely on the concealment Formations set up outside their private treasuries; most of these Formations can prevent the Divine Sense probing of a Nascent Soul Cultivator, which in their eyes is foolproof.

After all, there is a heaven-and-earth difference between Nascent Soul Divine Sense and Soul Transformation Divine Sense—

The difference in the level of life brings about a fundamental crushing of perceptual ability; general Formations that can block Nascent Soul Divine Sense are enough for them. Why would a Soul Transformation Cultivator be eyeing their little bit of Family wealth?

Even if one did, they wouldn't come to this Shattered Star Continent.

Moreover, Formations that can resist the Divine Sense of a Deity Transformation Grand Expert are not only expensive but also consume a huge amount of energy; for these families, there is absolutely no need to set them up.

It just so happens that the secret treasuries, which they view as impregnable, are like transparent crystal boxes under your Divine Sense; you can see clearly what is inside and what it is worth.

At this moment, you are like an audience member sitting under the stage, watching everyone on stage putting their all into a farce called "Loyalty to the Country," when in reality it is "not parting with a single cent," and you find it quite interesting.

You watch Ji Wuya's gratified encouragement and Ji Hui's solemn plea for help—

The two of them are singing in harmony, and these "actors" off-stage are all old hands who are well-versed in this routine.

Soon, these high-ranking officials and nobles successively scrape together over one million Spirit Stones—

Such a tiny amount naturally does not satisfy Ji Hui; Ji Hui is just as aware of these people's Family assets as Ji Wuya is.

But they can't exactly rob them openly, right?

In the entire grand hall, you are the only one who knows the truth—even if you were to confiscate all the Family assets of everyone present, it would probably only allow the Immortal Dynasty to last for another few decades.

After all, if the root problem is not solved, they will continue to consume their resources until nothing is left.

Thinking of this, you cannot help but shake your head slightly, revealing a trace of helpless smile.

This subtle expression of yours is caught by Ji Hui, who is beside you.

Her eyes flicker slightly, and she asks softly: "I wonder... Young Master Qin... do you have any ideas regarding the current predicament of our Immortal Dynasty?"

You look up at her, and the corners of your lips curl into a subtle arc: "It's just a lack of money; it's nothing more than earning, robbing, borrowing, cheating, pinching pennies, or saving—these are the only ways."

You pause slightly, your gaze sweeping vaguely over the figures in gorgeous robes within the hall, and there is a trace of faint mockery in your voice:

"If one had enough courage to cut off these burdensome attachments, to be a lone and carefree Loose Cultivator, making the world one's home, then where would these mundane troubles come from?"

After speaking, you say no more, simply lifting the jade cup in front of you and slowly sipping the clear, biting spirit wine inside.

The laughter and noise in the hall continue, but your few words just now are like a stone thrown into the center of a lake, rippling with ambiguous meaning in the hearts of Ji Hui and all the powerful officials.