196: A voice I've known for nineteen years

Compared to the atmosphere downstairs, the top floor was completely different.

"Your Highness!"

The Flame Guards greeted the returning Lin Yan in unison, their faces filled with pride and their eyes brimming with worship.

At this moment, they understood even better the mental state of those prodigies on the Ten Thousand Races Battlefield.

Too strong!

To quell a Realm conflict with such overwhelming, crushing force was simply unheard of.

Simultaneously, two figures materialized.

"Your Highness."

"From the Tianqi Imperial Court, Yan Sheng."

"I brought him for you."

Lin Yan looked at the middle-aged man being held like a chick in Fu Ying's hand and smiled.

"Duke Yan, I've long heard of your great name."

Yan Sheng glanced up at him, then lowered his head again, saying nothing.

Sweeping all before him, invincible!

You're awesome, then!

My Nan'er still has psychological scars to this day, so if you think this old man will just submit, absolutely impossible!!

Fu Ying raised an eyebrow, his right hand suddenly applying force.

Feeling the choking sensation like a python coiling around his neck, Yan Sheng hurriedly spoke up.

"Hey, hey, hey..."

"I pay my respects to Your Highness Lin Yan of the Martial Arts Company."

"This Duke... hiss..."

"This humble king congratulates Your Highness on attaining the rank of Venerable King and sweeping all before you with unparalleled might."

Lin Yan gave a slight nod.

"In the future, matters concerning the Company in these several Star Rivers will require the Duke's diligent attention."

Yan Sheng immediately replied.

"A minor matter, a minor matter."

"It is this humble king's duty. To achieve such a deep level of cooperation with the Martial Arts Company, I believe His Majesty will also be most pleased."

Hmph!

If I only submit halfway, it doesn't count as submission! You have the ability to bully me, but do you have the guts to bully His Majesty as well?!

Hearing this, Lin Yan narrowed his eyes slightly.

This old fellow, still not behaving even now, is he?

A faint, almost imperceptible smile appeared on his face.

"Indeed."

A projection suddenly appeared, and hearty laughter resounded.

"Haha."

"Venerable Yan, I never expected you would be serving within my nation's territory."

"When Prince Qi Xingzhou mentioned this news to me, I was truly shocked."

What?

Yan Sheng abruptly looked up at the figure in the projection.

His Majesty!

And also!

His heart gave a lurch.

Prince Qi Xingzhou!

As a Duke of the nation, he was naturally extremely familiar with the royal nobility of the superior Yonghong Divine Court.

Heh... Yan Sheng gave a bitter laugh in his heart.

If you asked what these small powers like them feared the most.

It wasn't the so-called five great powers of the starry sky. Those were too high, too ethereal, and had no direct jurisdiction.

It was their immediate superior and their superior's superior!

What a Venerable Yan!

He came fully prepared!

He was completely incomparable to those brainless prodigies who only knew how to Cultivate.

Lin Yan casually glanced at the despondent Yan Sheng and said with a smile.

"It's only been a few months since I arrived."

Means and methods?

Ever since his tenure as Chief Adjudicator on Blue Star, it was clear he never lacked in this regard.

He just didn't care for it, or rather, couldn't be bothered to use it when his heart wasn't inclined that way.

Using it occasionally against people like this within the race was enough.

If it were an alien race, he would have had Fu Ying crush their skull long ago.

Where was the satisfaction in using brute force to overcome all obstacles?

And Hua Tianqi, the ruler of the Tianqi Imperial Court who had been sitting back watching the show, was the same.

Qi Xingzhou's assistance was important, but the main reasons were the fight he just had and the reputation he brought back from the Ten Thousand Races Battlefield.

Seeming not to notice Yan Sheng's state at all, Hua Tianqi continued laughing heartily.

"It was my oversight."

"I have already communicated with Domain Envoy Liang Hong."

"My nation will immediately sign the highest-level cooperation agreement with the Martial Arts Company, designating all your company's products for exclusive use by the Imperial Court."

As he spoke, he subtly observed the shattered glass on Lin Yan's side through the projection.

"Yan Sheng."

"Help Venerable Yan handle this immediately."

"How did this happen? Something like shattered windows and doors can occur even on the star you govern?"

Yan Sheng replied listlessly, "Yes."

He very much wanted to say that this kid already made the Military Alliance and the Supreme Academy pay for it.

But he also knew it was pointless to say anything now.

Hua Tianqi exchanged a few more pleasantries with Lin Yan before disconnecting the projection.

Finding all this rather dull, Lin Yan also waved his hand.

"Escort Duke Yan back."

"Yes." Immediately, two Emperor Rank Flame Guards stepped forward, and without another word, they lifted Yan Sheng and vanished on the spot.

Damn!

Emperor Rank, Medium Grade!

This was Yan Sheng's final thought before disappearing.

Meanwhile, Lin Yan turned his gaze to Zhu Ling and the others, whom he hadn't forgotten he had summoned.

"Prepare yourselves. You will soon be taking up positions in the Star River Management Division."

"Yes! Yes!" The replies came immediately.

If they still didn't understand what was happening at this point, they would have truly wasted their years!

Their faces flushed with excitement.

Promoted directly from managers of a remote star cluster in a backwater Star River to managers of a Star River cluster!

Struck it rich! Struck it rich!

Next.

Lin Yan glanced at the more than thirty young figures who had just arrived via the elevator.

"Continue with your duties as before."

They all inwardly breathed a huge sigh of relief simultaneously.

"Yes! Venerable Yan!"

Thus, the most important task of the Martial Arts Company in the Tianqi Imperial Court and the subsequent series of arrangements were all completed.

As for the dozen or so vacant King Rank Star Patrol Envoy positions.

He had some ideas of his own. He now also had the authority to directly lock them down, preventing the company from assigning others.

Of course.

Lin Yan beckoned to Fu Ying.

The two walked towards the quiet room while conversing.

"What about the results I asked you to investigate?"

"Your Highness, it's truly hard to find."

"There are already few Domain Level events, and even fewer that escalate into conflicts."

"It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say they occur once in a hundred or a thousand years."

"There are some pseudo domains, though."

pseudo domain... Lin Yan pondered briefly, then decisively shook his head.

"Those are boring."

Fu Ying was speechless.

My Prince!

Have you considered what your current combat power is?

Even if you gathered all the prodigies of the Ten Thousand Races, they'd be boring in front of you!

What he didn't know was that Lin Yan's 'boring' had two layers of meaning.

[Overwhelmingly invincible against pseudo domain Venerable Rank, forcefully mediating a conflict between two Domain Level Venerable Kings, completing the Martial Arts Company's task of opening trade routes in the Tianqi Imperial Court with high skill, domineering index super stellar, charge value 300%]

Is it little?

No!

Is it a lot?

Having experienced the Ten Thousand Races Battlefield, Lin Yan could only say it was so-so.

Martial Skills were definitely out of the question.

Although he hadn't planned to use his recent charge value on Martial Skills anyway.

But he just felt somewhat unsatisfied.

At this rate, even if he could fly across the entire race, mediating all pseudo domain conflicts would probably only barely provide enough charge value to break through to Emperor Rank.

The time spent in the process went without saying.

As his thoughts churned.

"Why do they always say I should go to the Imperial Pass only after reaching Emperor Rank?"

Hearing the question.

Fu Ying instantly understood his meaning and immediately replied.

"Your Highness."

"His Eminence likely says this for two reasons."

"First, unless it's a matter of racial survival or an extremely urgent war situation, prodigies do not need to go to the Imperial Pass. This is the race's protection and privilege for prodigies."

"Second..."

His eyes grew nostalgic, as if recalling something.

"The Imperial Pass... is too brutal."

"Don't say Emperor Rank; even God Rank or even Saint Rank can perish in an instant."

After speaking, he looked seriously at Lin Yan.

"Especially at a time like this."

"Your reputation is gradually spreading across the starry sky among the Ten Thousand Races."

"I've heard that recently, the assault intensity of the demon and fiend races has also become even more ferocious, all clamoring for Your Highness to be handed over."

"Therefore, Your Highness, you must not act on impulse."

After this series of statements.

Lin Yan also sighed softly in his heart.

The Human Race is not weak.

Just like Dragon Country on Blue Star, it is also not weak.

It's not that there is no chaos outside, but the beauty he could see was all built upon the silent sacrifices of some people.

So, secluded cultivation then?

With unlimited resources, it wouldn't be slow.

It was just that a heavy weight concerning Blue Star in his heart remained unresolved.

But it seemed to be the only way available to him now.

Thinking of this.

Lin Yan summoned the communication interface, hesitating slightly.

I'll owe a favor, then.

His finger was about to tap on the two characters 'Ou Mo'.

"Ding-dong!"

An incoming projection request interrupted his action.

Lin Yan looked at the name and was momentarily stunned.

Yuan Chi?

But soon, as if remembering something, his expression changed drastically, and he immediately accepted the request.

Soon after.

"Brother Yan! Brother Yan!!"

Two voices, filled with surprise and utterly familiar for nineteen years, came through first.