222: With one heart and one mind

“One bottle is for Sister Meng, one bottle is for Ling Qi, and the remaining half bottle is for Chen Yu.”

Meng Jiang was only one step away from the Seventh Rank, and the Divine Blood could be used perfectly to break through the barrier, maximizing the chances of a successful breakthrough.

As a Six-Tailed Demon Fox, Ling Qi's aptitude was the weakest among the three, and the Divine Blood could enhance her racial potential. The White-Haired Loli was naturally lively and not very diligent in cultivation; half a bottle of Divine Blood was just right to exchange for several centuries of cultivation.

From this, it was clear that Shang Wan Ning was quite dedicated to their “cultivation matters.”

After hearing the Empress's plan, Lin Ran swallowed.

Her clear, serene eyes focused on Shang Wan Ning's toes, and she finally suppressed her envy for the Divine Blood, remaining silent.

A hint of satisfaction flashed across Shang Wan Ning's impassive face.

[Not bad. The person I chose naturally has an excellent disposition.]

Her fingers tensed, and she reached out to tuck the other person's slightly curled hair, which rested on their shoulder, behind their ear.

Only by seeking immortality and enlightenment can one achieve eternal life.

This was something countless cultivation seniors dreamed of.

The lifespan of the Human race was simply too short, often less than a hundred years.

From ancient times until now, humanity's pursuit of longevity and cultivation has never ceased; one could even call it madness.

That Lin Ran could see the shortcut to becoming a god was undoubtedly extremely rare.

But this “shortcut” might not be so easy for Lin Ran to traverse.

Meng Jiang keenly noticed the small interactions between Lin Ran and Shang Wan Ning.

She subtly smoothed things over for Shang Wan Ning: “Little Ran Ran, cultivation has just begun. Even if you have the ‘Immortal Official Fate’ full destiny...”

“That Divine Blood isn't suitable for the frail physique of the Human race. If you force yourself to absorb it, you might explode.”

Although Meng Jiang's words were gentle, the meaning was very clear.

She was reminding Lin Ran not to take unnecessary risks.

Then, Meng Jiang looked at Lin Ran again and said softly, “But don't worry, Sister will help you find cultivation resources suitable for you in the future. Just focus on making soup, and everything else will be fine.”

Hearing Meng Jiang's words, Lin Ran felt a warmth in her heart. She looked at Meng Jiang gratefully and nodded, “Thank you, Sister. Lin Ran understands.”

The two words “Sister” held an indescribable, subtle charm.

Shang Wan Ning looked at Lin Ran's obedient appearance, feeling increasingly strange.

Where was that heroic, capable image of the strong woman?

Where did it go?

Is it really true that when two “1s” meet, one must become a “0”???

“Tsk, how unusual.”

“The Host's harem is getting quite wild (˘͈ᵕ ˘͈❀).” Little Four chimed in, taking a few shots at Shang Wan Ning.

“Shut up. No one thinks you're mute if you don't talk,” Shang Wan Ning snapped angrily.

Little Four, turning dramatic, said, “Scum woman, no love left. Just crash.”

“Behind the system's back, you already have Little Six and Little Seven.”

“Wuwu, you heartless woman.”

The war of words between Shang Wan Ning and Little Four had occurred countless times. She had lost track of how many times she had heard those sour remarks.

These words were repeated over and over with no originality; they were just the same old hackneyed lines.

With a “click,” Shang Wan Ning manually muted the mic again.

She was truly too lazy to continue dealing with Little Four, who was obsessed with watching brain-dead dramas.

Holding Lin Ran, she stood up, picked up the teacup from the table, gently blew away the heat from the surface, and took a small sip.

“Mmm, this tea is truly excellent. I must thank Sister Meng for her warm hospitality,” Shang Wan Ning said contentedly.

She put down the teacup and looked at Meng Jiang, “In the future, when I have time, I will certainly come to bother you a few more times. Don't find me annoying then, Sister Meng.”

Meng Jiang smiled and nodded, responding, “That's fine. I'm also preparing to start isolated cultivation. Based on the flow of time inside the isolation chamber, I probably won't be out for two or three years.”

She paused, “A Ning, you should also be mentally prepared. Put the matters of the Demon territory aside for now. Don't rush; take it slowly.”

“Of course.”

A smile appeared in Shang Wan Ning's radiant eyes.

Meng Jiang: “Mmhmm~”

...Netherworld, Outer Hall of Jiaotai Palace.

After returning from Meng Pos Shop, Shang Wan Ning immediately became busy without pause.

She had to split herself into dozens of clones just to barely handle the affairs concerning the submission of the various Demon tribes.

It must be said that the four underworld demon messengers' execution ability was truly formidable; they could almost be called five-star employees of the year.

However, this also meant that the great leader and the logistics team needed to put in more effort.

After all, the submission of the Demon race was not a small matter for the Underworld.

Although the Demon race was now a starving camel—still bigger than a horse—the Underworld couldn't just do nothing.

Consequently, issues like planning territories and balancing the interests of various parties cost Shang Wan Ning many brain cells.

Even with You Yu and Ling Qi assisting her, Shang Wan Ning still felt mentally and physically exhausted.

Subordinates skilled in internal affairs within the Underworld were pitifully few, while the elite cadres capable of physical labor could fill several large trucks.

Fortunately, these elite cadres were sufficient for occupying Mercury and constructing branch offices; otherwise, Shang Wan Ning would truly be flustered and overwhelmed.

Just as Shang Wan Ning was diligently working, You Yu walked into the hall.

He immediately saw Shang Wan Ning at the desk.

He saw the Empress working seriously with a cool expression.

A feeling of relief surged in You Yu's heart, and the corner of his mouth couldn't help but curl up slightly.

He thought: “It's great that Her Majesty didn't flip the table and quit!!!”

ƪ(˘⌣˘)ʃ Relieved

You Yu handed over the contracts: “Your Majesty, these are the contracts signed between the ‘Walking Beasts’ and the Underworld.”

Shang Wan Ning numbly took them, then pointed and swiped.

After a flash of white light, the Myriad Phenomena Pen smoothly signed her name.

She was very clear about You Yu's capabilities and didn't say a single word throughout the process.

Just as Shang Wan Ning signed the 138th document, a slight sound of footsteps suddenly came from the side hall.

You Yu frowned, bowed, and retreated.

He lifted the bead curtain of the side hall and looked closely.

You Lin, who was supposed to be setting up the branch office in the West, had run back, completely out of breath.

“Why did you suddenly run back?” You Yu asked in surprise.

“Did you get tired of playing in the West and decide to run back here, wanting to be an irresponsible ‘scum ghost’?”

Upon hearing this, You Lin immediately turned red with anger.

He glared angrily at You Yu and retorted, “Brother Yu, don't randomly accuse me! How could I be that kind of ghost?”

“I came back this time because a major incident happened in the West.”

Seeing this, You Yu dropped his teasing tone. “What major incident happened? Don't rush, speak slowly.”

You Lin calmed his emotions.

“This matter is too complicated to explain clearly using a Communication Paper Crane. After thinking it over, I felt more assured coming back to the Underworld in person.”

“After Squad 0898 eliminated a Rank Four early-stage Evil Spirit, they discovered an ancient ruin while setting up a teleportation array.”