Worth One Million

"With those words from you, I'm fully confident about winning the Martial Arts Tournament," Qi Yuan answered. After all, as the saying went, crouching tigers and hidden dragons lay among the common folk. What if there really were tigers and dragons among the martial artists? He didn't fear ordinary tigers or dragons, but if a dragon comparable to a Yang God showed up, he would be done for. The bearded man glanced at Carnival, his heart filled with bewilderment. In his eyes, Qi Yuan, who had slain that terrifying behemoth with a single sword strike, was already comparable to a god. A god going to participate in a mortal martial arts tournament—this was... amusing oneself in the mortal world. Looking at the military camp reduced to ruins, the bearded man felt a sense of the absurd welling up within him. This military camp had been guarded by a full three thousand soldiers. Every kind of weaponry imaginable had been present. They were even equipped with fighter jets. Yet now, all of it lay in fragments. This truly deserved to be called a legendary match for ten thousand men. Right at that moment, a phone suddenly rang. Amidst the ruins, which were deathly silent, the ringtone sounded exceptionally piercing. "Hello, Qi Yuan? The Martial Arts Tournament has started. Why aren't you here? Where are you right now?" On the other end of the line, Xu Tiehua's voice sounded extremely anxious. Aside from Xu Tiehua's voice, there was also an earth-shattering wave of cheers over the phone; clearly, they were currently at the venue of the city-level tournament. Faintly, the disgruntled voices of several people could also be heard. "What time is it already, and he still hasn't shown up to compete? He even needs Brother Xu to call him. He really thinks he's some pampered young master." "Oh, I don't need to participate in the city-level tournament. I already passed it, so I only need to join the national-level one," Qi Yuan answered nonchalantly. He had pulled strings through Yang Shan to skip the city-level tournament and head straight to the national one. He only needed to pass a single trial. "Huh?" Xu Tiehua on the other end was stunned, having never expected such an answer. "You're... entering the national tournament?" Xu Tiehua knew Qi Yuan's background—he was the orphan of a martyr. Apart from having an impressive celebrity girlfriend, Qi Yuan's family circumstances were entirely ordinary. How could he have pulled strings? "How... did you manage that?" Xu Tiehua couldn't help asking. "Quite simple. Because I'm very strong," Qi Yuan replied honestly. Yang Shan had agreed to Qi Yuan's request to go through the back door precisely because Qi Yuan was strong enough—he had already reached the martial arts limit. Experts at the martial arts limit could enter the Martial Arts Tournament through other channels. "Besides, I have a mental illness certificate. Entering a national tournament... isn't out of line, is it?" Qi Yuan said candidly. After all, he was Lawful Good and never pulled strings. Xu Tiehua fell silent for a moment on the other end, then said, "In that case... see you at the nationals!" Xu Tiehua remained skeptical of Qi Yuan's words. He didn't believe Qi Yuan could bypass the city level entirely and enter the national-level tournament. Qi Yuan had only practiced martial arts at Mingwu Dojo for barely three months, and he didn't even hold a martial artist certificate. How could he participate in the national tournament? The call ended. Xu Tiehua looked at the remaining two people and said slowly, "Junior Brother Qi Yuan won't be participating. It's just the three of us this time." "No wonder when we asked him to practice for the team tournament earlier, he refused. Turns out he was scared and didn't dare to enter." "Makes sense. With his strength—not even holding a martial artist certificate—he'd probably get his bones broken by any random opponent and end up bedridden for half a month. Not showing up is the smart choice." The remaining two contestants spoke, a trace of disdain showing in their words. Fleeing before a battle was looked down upon the most. At the same time, Qi Yuan's phone buzzed with another message from Wang Shiqiao. "You've got some nerve, kid, actually standing up Xu Tiehua. You know he's a man who could attend Count Black Crystal's funeral, right? What about you... where have you run off to? Don't tell me you really chickened out and didn't dare take part in the Martial Arts Tournament?" "I... went abroad." "Abroad? With your female driver girlfriend? Don't tell me you two are on your honeymoon?" "Cut the nonsense. I'm in Wugui right now." "Heh, keep bullshitting. If you don't want to tell me, then don't, but Wugui? Please." Wang Shiqiao obviously didn't believe him. War had broken out between Wugui Kingdom and Yuelang Kingdom. How could an ordinary person like Qi Yuan head into an active war zone? Would he be seeking death? Not to mention, Wugui and Qinyuan Kingdom were hostile toward each other. As a citizen of Qinyuan Kingdom running off to Wugui, he would just be courting death. After shooting the breeze for a few more lines, Qi Yuan stopped texting. Looking at Carnival and the bearded man, he said, "Wen Min is waiting for me up ahead. We'll leave by car." Hearing this, mixed emotions surged in Carnival's heart. He looked at the ruins around them and nodded vigorously. "Alright." The bearded man wore a worried expression. "If the people of Wugui Kingdom find out what happened here, they definitely won't let it go. Especially the laboratory beneath the dungeon—that clearly bore the hallmarks of the Wu Religion. Perhaps the experiments were even conducted with the backing of Can Star." That Can Star was deeply entwined with Wugui Kingdom was no longer a secret. The terrifying behemoth they had seen just now—that sort of technology and method—fit Can Star's style closely. Now that the military camp was annihilated and their experiments were exposed, Wugui Kingdom certainly wouldn't spare them. As for the mysterious Can Star, fear weighed even heavier in the bearded man's heart. "Relax. With me here, could they actually drag you back?" Qi Yuan looked relaxed. "If I didn't have so many things to do, I might even fancy taking a stroll over to the Wu Religion's headquarters right now." "Sir, you must be careful. Behind Wugui Kingdom lies not just Guwu Kingdom, but even Can Star. You must not act rashly," the bearded man hurried to urge. Although Wugui Kingdom's military might was not especially formidable, it still possessed certain cutting-edge weapons. There were Liguang guns that fired near the speed of light, as well as missiles capable of destroying an entire mountain. Against such weapons, no mortal power could stand. They were even claimed to be capable of slaying gods. Qi Yuan shot a sideways glance at the bearded man. "Yeah, I've always been very cautious. I never do things I'm not confident about." As he spoke, he looked up at the stars in the night sky. The day for his Golden Core formation was drawing near as well. Once he formed his Golden Core and his strength greatly increased, he should possess a bit more ability to protect himself. "Let's go." Leading the two of them, he headed toward the distant town. *** "Priest... terrible news! Herculean God No. 1 in our testing area suddenly ran amok, and then... went silent!" Inside the Wu Religion, an anxious look covered a believer's face. Herculean God No. 1 was a divine weapon they had manufactured. Such a weapon was unstoppable against ten thousand troops. Its development had always been carried out in absolute secrecy. Yet Herculean God No. 1 had suddenly run amok. Moreover, it was inside the military camp; one could only imagine how massive a disturbance it would cause. "Contact Guo Tanran immediately and ask what happened! Herculean God No. 1 must be suppressed!" The priest looked shocked. Herculean God No. 1 had actually run amok. Hearing this, the believer's face turned extremely grim. "We can't reach him. Every single officer in the camp... is unreachable. Our squad is already rushing to that military camp." Hearing this, the priest froze slightly. "Unreachable? Could it be... Herculean God No. 1 turned on the camp..." A terrifying thought arose in the priest's mind, only to be dismissed immediately. Strong as Herculean God No. 1 was, it was still in its infancy. How could it compare to an entire military garrison? "The military is also rushing there. It shouldn't be long... before we have answers," the believer said in a calm manner. "If that's the case, it must just be an accident." The priest breathed a sigh of relief. He guessed that Herculean God No. 1 had probably awakened suddenly and rampaged, disrupting the local communication equipment, which made everything seem bizarre. Once the squad reached the camp, everything would be resolved. "Keep a close watch on this. Notify me as soon as there's any intelligence. I will go see the Holy Son," Priest Fengqi said. Mentioning the Holy Son, an admiring expression couldn't help showing in his eyes. The Holy Son of the Wu Religion was the most noble person in the religion aside from the Cult Leader. Even the Twelve Priests were inferior to him. And now, having married the daughter of a general from Can Star, the Holy Son's status within the Wu Religion had surged, even surpassing that of the Cult Leader. The priest left the manor and took a private car to another manor. Within that manor was a martial arts training ground. When Priest Fengqi arrived, he looked toward the Holy Son in the center of the training ground, a flash of shock passing through his eyes. "The Holy Son's strength... is growing ever more terrifying." An old man beside him chuckled and said, "With the gene medicine from Can Star, the Holy Son rivaling gods is just around the corner." In the middle of the training ground, the Holy Son let out a loud shout. His eyes turned blood-red at that moment. He picked up an iron rod and exerted sudden force with both arms. Boom! With a loud crash, the iron rod snapped in response. He had shockingly snapped the iron rod in two with his bare hands. Such tremendous power was completely beyond what mortal strength could achieve. Even a warrior who had taken high-grade gene medicine could not do this. "The Holy Son's strength is growing increasingly formidable. I fear it won't be long before you can stand shoulder to shoulder with the Wu God!" Priest Fengqi couldn't help flattering him at this moment. The Wu God was the deity worshipped by the Wu Religion. In mythological legends, the Wu God could carry mountains on his back as he walked. A flicker of pride showed in the Holy Son's eyes. "Give me enough time, and I will surely surpass the Wu God!" He brimmed with high spirits, yet deep within his gaze lurked a hidden worry. "How is the God Creation Project progressing?" A hint of tension flashed in the Holy Son's eyes. The God Creation Project created various terrifying behemoths. These frightening beasts were not meant to serve as weapons of war, but rather as... nutrients. Nutrients meant specifically for him. Consuming them could vastly increase his strength. "Everything is progressing steadily and well. With this war breaking out, our progress has actually accelerated," the old man chuckled and said. During peacetime, doing these things required caution. During wartime, however, the disappearance of a few thousand people was completely unremarkable. Fengqi also wore a smile, choosing to conceal the matter regarding Herculean God No. 1. "Everything is normal. All medicine slaves have now been captured; all we lack is time." The Holy Son nodded. "Speed up the progress. After the world reset, in another ten years, when spiritual energy revives, immortal cultivators rivaling gods will likely emerge. I must possess the strength to match them!" Mentioning this, the Holy Son felt a sense of urgency. With the revival of spiritual energy, the world would undergo a tremendous upheaval. According to the Wu God's guidance, when the time came, the entire Arch Star—an enormous treasure trove—would be unveiled before the world. Only by mastering sufficient power could one take control of this astonishing treasure trove. "Rivaling gods..." Fengqi murmured. "The Holy Son will surely surpass gods!" "Hmph, these gods are not those weakling deities from mythological legends. Ordinary missiles and weapons like Liguang projectiles can't do a thing against them. Only the Eye of the Sky and the most cutting-edge weapons on Can Star can deal with them. After all, those are the gods among immortal cultivators—mighty Divine Infant cultivators!" Speaking of this, the Holy Son's face filled with awe. He was not a Resetter. However, he controlled Resetters. He knew that in ten years, when the spatial rifts tore wide open, a massive number of immortal cultivators would descend upon the world. Among them would be mighty Divine Infant cultivators revered as gods. Direct hits from all kinds of missiles could not harm a mighty Divine Infant cultivator in the slightest. Only weapons on the level of the Eye of the Sky could execute targeted assassinations of mighty Divine Infant cultivators. The Holy Son held lofty ambitions; within ten years, he wanted to rival gods and surpass the Wu God! Just then, Priest Fengqi's expression suddenly turned sour. His communicator was ringing, and it was the highest-priority alert. The Holy Son glanced at him and said nonchalantly, "Answer it." Priest Fengqi quickly activated the communicator and said in a heavy voice, "What is it?" "Priest, terrible news! Herculean God No. 1... is gone!" "What?!" Priest Fengqi's expression changed drastically. He stole a glance at the Holy Son, a flicker of dread flashing through his eyes, and his voice suddenly became shrill. "What on earth happened?! Could it be that the people at the Xiaohuangtan military camp killed Herculean God No. 1? Where is Guo Tanran? Have him come see me!" Priest Fengqi was utterly furious. Herculean God No. 1 was a treasure, something the Holy Son demanded, far more precious than the camp's entire three-thousand-man garrison. Even if all three thousand soldiers died, nothing could be allowed to happen to Herculean God No. 1! "Lord Priest... Guo Tanran... along with everyone at the Xiaohuangtan military camp... are all dead." "What?!" Priest Fengqi was completely shaken. All dead? How was that possible?! Could it be that Qinyuan Kingdom threw caution to the wind and fired a strike from the Eye of the Sky directly at the Xiaohuangtan military camp? "Priest, here is a video recorded by military personnel; I'll transmit it to you. And another recorded by people in a nearby town... I'll send that to you as well." Priest Fengqi's heart quaked with anxious dread. The Holy Son's gaze also turned profound, mixed with a sliver of surprise. That was the Xiaohuangtan military camp, guarded by over three thousand soldiers. Even for a god-level mighty Divine Infant cultivator, annihilating a camp of that caliber would require paying a considerable price. Yet the Xiaohuangtan military camp had been completely wiped out? Priest Fengqi opened the video with trepidation. The Holy Son immediately leaned in, and the other old man also looked over with a grave expression. The video opened to reveal the former steel fortress now reduced to ruins. Corpses, collapsed walls, shattered debris, ruined armored vehicles, and cannons were everywhere. The entire military base looked like an utter wasteland. The Holy Son's pupils constricted slightly. "It wasn't carpet bombing by missiles, nor was it the Eye of the Sky. What on earth happened?" The old man was also shocked. The sights in the video were far too horrifying. A military camp guarded by three thousand soldiers had just... vanished, without any warning sound reaching them. "There's also a video recorded by people in the nearby town. Let's look at that," the old man suggested, thinking of something. At once, the three of them looked at the communicator. Across the communicator's screen, blood-red light filled the display. A sword as massive as a small mountain slammed violently into the ground! The entire military base instantly turned into a blood-red sphere, and in the next moment... returned to calm. The Holy Son's eyes snapped wide, filled with horror. "This is... a god!" This was definitely the work of a god! At this moment, the Holy Son felt a suffocating sense of threat. A god-level powerhouse... how could one arrive on Arch Star ten years early? Thinking of this, the Holy Son felt deeply insecure and wished to leave for Can Star. After all, only Can Star could truly contend with gods, or even suppress divine power! *** The car sped along, then came to an abrupt halt. About a few minutes later, Qi Yuan shoved a human head into a bag and tossed it to Yaji. "Pack it nicely. This head is worth a whole million." Qi Yuan was very cheerful. He hadn't expected to reap an unexpected bonus this time. Having killed everyone at the camp, they had fled immediately, driving away toward the border of Wugui Kingdom. There were currently no pursuers behind them. Up ahead, however, they had run into some Wugui soldiers looking to extort travelers. Those soldiers had flagged down Qi Yuan's car. They had initially planned to pay some cash and be on their way. Who could have guessed that Qi Yuan would recognize someone in that bunch of soldiers—the very guy who had been flaming Wang Shiqiao online for a month. So, he casually dispatched the man and cut off his head. Wang Shiqiao had said that if anyone helped her kill that guy, she would gladly pay one million. And now... wasn't that one million secured? Qi Yuan was delighted; who would have thought that while rescuing someone, he could also earn some side income? Holding the bloodless severed head, Yaji's heart raced, but he only dared to clutch it tightly. The bearded man was completely speechless. That head is worth one million? Is that a lot? In that military base, with so many officers, if you had casually lopped off a few heads, they'd probably be worth way more than a few million. Of course, speechless as he was, he had enough sense not to question Qi Yuan. "These people really had gall, daring to rob us," the bearded man couldn't help sighing. Just then, Qi Yuan thought of something and suddenly said with worry, "Oh no, I just realized a fatal loophole. We're finished." "What's wrong?" The bearded man's heart skipped a beat. Carnival felt the same; he rarely saw such an expression on Mr. Qi's face. Could there actually be something Mr. Qi couldn't handle? That would be a massive crisis! "With me holding this human head, won't I fail security check? How am I supposed to return to the country? I'm a law-abiding citizen; I can't go breaking laws and regulations. Yet this is one million RMB—how many bowls of beef noodles could that buy?" Qi Yuan was extremely reluctant to give it up. He was oscillating wildly between morality and profit. Carnival was taken aback, then immediately said, "Don't worry, Mr. Qi. I'll get this head through security for you. It'll be fine!" "You can do that?" Qi Yuan seemed rather pleased. "Then I'll leave it to you. Remember, don't break any laws or regulations." "Yes, of course, strictly by the rules!" Carnival nodded. Having spent so much time around Qi Yuan, he was already accustomed to Qi Yuan's style of doing things. The bearded man was entirely bewildered. Break laws and regulations? You just slaughtered several thousand people... and you call yourself law-abiding?