War Begins?

"How much money is in this account?" Qi Yuan looked toward Zero-One. Staring at this lump of iron, he thought Zero-One still possessed a certain charm. Qi Yuan knew this was because Zero-One had acquired data from this place and evolved. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Qi Yuan such a bizarre question as what love was. For a robot, evolving and awakening sentience were very similar, yet vastly different. The current Zero-One was very different from before. "Unknown," Zero-One replied, shaking his head. Qi Yuan thought about it and understood. It was merely an account number and password; one would need to access the banking system to find out how much was inside. Ning Tao stood beside him and asked curiously, "Could this be a breakup fee?" On the murals, the male lead's mother had offered a massive sum of money for the female lead to leave. "No idea," Qi Yuan said, shaking his head. Right now, he found the bank account and password quite intriguing. This was a new kind of system. Calling it technology wasn't entirely accurate either. "This spaceship only has this coffin woman on board, which makes her the spaceship's nominal owner. The things on this ship are her property. Wu Shi is her grandmother and guardian, so she has the right to determine where the property goes. Therefore, my taking this account and password isn't stealing or robbery—it's payment for helping her kill the bandits!" The bandits, naturally, were the Divine Infants Qi Yuan had intercepted and slain. "Who agrees, and who disagrees?" Qi Yuan looked at the others present. The Purple Mansion grand cultivator hastily said, "This humble one agrees!" "I agree!" Xie Tang chimed in at once. As for the solitary cultivator left all alone, he couldn't help but shiver and reply, "I agree." As he spoke, he even handed over the Eyes of the Sky he had gathered. "These are all Senior's!" Didn't Senior mean that everything in the ruins belonged to him? Seeing this, the Purple Mansion cultivator brought out his own Eyes of the Sky as well. "Fair," Qi Yuan said calmly. He advocated for peace and fairness. He and Ning Tao had already claimed the coffin. The remaining items should naturally be divided among the other four. The four cultivators' minds worked fast. They quickly grasped what Qi Yuan meant by fairness and divided up the Eyes of the Sky. They split them very quickly and very evenly. There was even an odd Eye of the Sky left over, which they dismantled into four pieces. They had no desire to be unfair and end up like those dead cultivators. *** "How could there be an eighty-year-old kitty in this world?" Inside the house, a grin appeared on Xie Xinsu's feline face, smug and wild. She swiftly parkoured through the rooms, darting back and forth. "Hahaha, they're all gone! That stinky robot Zero-One is gone too!" Wasn't this her chance! Prison break! With such a golden opportunity, how could she not break out? "This cat owner's luck is ridiculously explosive. Not only does he have an adorable kitty like me descending to the mortal realm to be his pet, but he also has a female cultivator as beautiful as Canary for a wife, helping him step onto the immortal path. He hasn't aged after all these years, so he must be... Foundation Establishment? Or Origin Core? Hmph, so what if he's Foundation Establishment or Origin Core? It's time for this kitty to turn the tables and become the master!" Xie Xinsu sneered, already fantasizing about finding the Xuantian Sect after her escape, and bringing her junior sister and master to seek vengeance on the cat owner. When the time came, she would definitely make that robot Zero-One film videos of himself every single day. As for the master, hehe. How dare he pet the cat! From now on, the cat will pet the human! With these thoughts in mind, Xie Xinsu leaped lightly and pushed down the door handle. For some reason, before leaving, a pang of reluctance stirred in her heart. Yet the moment she thought about being able to pet her master in the future, her smugness returned, and she departed without looking back. The room was left completely empty. *** A few days later, on Can Star. A man with disheveled hair sat high amidst the clouds. His hair drifted in the wind, countless black eyeballs concealed within the strands. Suddenly, rays of light flashed, bursting from the cloud layer. The disheveled man let out a bizarre roar. The sound resembled the wailing of ghosts and the howling of wolves. The dignitaries and nobles gathered in the grand hall grew solemn at the sight. The terrifying powerhouse above the clouds was an almighty expert of the Myriad Demons Realm. Ninety percent of Can Star's power was currently held in the hands of the Myriad Demons Realm. The king was nothing more than a puppet. Standing in a corner, the princess looked up at the demon in the sky with deep apprehension in her eyes. Beside the princess stood a pale, frail man, gazing at the terrifying powerhouse in the sky with bone-deep hatred. "The demons of the Demon Court can't sit still any longer. War... is about to begin." The frail man was named Fang Hun, a demon himself. However, unlike the Demon Court demons occupying Can Star, his people were original inhabitants of the Myriad Demons Realm, enslaved demons. Naturally, he loathed the Demon Court demons. "Damn it! If war starts, we, the people of Can Star, will merely become cannon fodder!" The tall, slender princess gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with intense indignation. Although Can Star had waged war against Arch Star before, over the years, the new king had advocated for resting and recovering strength. Yet if the demons of the Myriad Demons Realm provoked a war, those who died would surely be innocent citizens of Can Star. "They have always been barbaric, cold-blooded, and tyrannical!" Fang Hun said through clenched teeth. Back then, when the ancestral demons disappeared, these Upper Realm demons descended, established the Demon Court, and enslaved all demons. What they were doing on Can Star now was simply repeating their old tricks. "Fang Hun, can your grandfather help us?" The princess turned to Fang Hun, pleading in her eyes. Fang Hun's grandfather was a mighty cultivator whose strength surpassed mortal limits. "My... my grandfather probably can't," Fang Hun said dejectedly. If his grandfather could withstand the demons of the Demon Court, these ancient demons wouldn't have to hide away in secret realms, scraping by just to survive. "Even your grandfather can't?" The princess slumped in disappointment. Right at that moment, an eerie cry rang out. The terrifying expert in the clouds suddenly bellowed: "Blood spills from Arch Star, heaven and earth dance together! In one hundred days, war begins!" At his shout, the other demons roared in excitement. "War begins!" "War begins!" The pro-war faction on Can Star also roared fanatically. "Fight!" "Fight!" "Fight!" The cheers surged like a tide, echoing and spreading across the city. Watching this scene, the princess seemed to see broken starships and a land baptized in artillery fire and blood. War... was finally about to begin. And the intelligence agents embedded on Can Star felt as if the sky were falling when they learned the news. Arch Star... was finished. The news soon reached Arch Star. The Seven Martial Stars families and the royal family grew anxious. Back then, although Can Star supported the Ancient Witches, that support had been limited. Now that an all-out war was brewing, could Arch Star hold out on its own? Moreover, rumors swirled that Can Star was backed by the incomparably powerful Myriad Demons Realm. The Myriad Demons Realm was vastly stronger than the cultivators of the Three Realms. At this moment, in the imperial hall, the king sat at the head of the chamber, with the patriarchs of the Seven Martial Stars families gathered together. The last time all the Seven Martial Stars patriarchs had gathered was to deal with Qi Yuan. However, the king had since changed; the new king was the former Seventh Prince. Nearly a century had passed, yet the Seventh Prince still appeared to be in his prime, looking very youthful. "Gentlemen, the news from Can Star states that within one hundred days, war will begin," the king spoke, his voice measured yet tinged with urgency. "Can Star's strength surpasses ours, and the Myriad Demons Realm behind them is mysterious and unknown. This battle... will likely be brutal!" "Hmph, our Eyes of the Sky aren't for show either! If they dare come, we'll make sure none of them return!" a robust family head said, his face marked by fierce resolve. Clearly, the Eyes of the Sky gave him immense confidence. "Fight! What's there to say?" "Right! War is unavoidable. We must prepare for war and put the entire nation on wartime footing!" "The Qinyuan of today is no longer the Qinyuan of the past!" Faced with Can Star's threat, the Seven Martial Stars families of the Qinyuan Kingdom chose to meet it head-on. No matter how strong the Myriad Demons Realm was, it was probably only somewhat stronger than the Three Realms. With over a hundred Eyes of the Sky, they were confident they could protect themselves. "This matter still needs to be reported to that Lord," the king said. A hush fell over the room. None knew that Lord better than they did. He was the sturdiest boulder on Arch Star—and the blade hanging over their heads. *** By the time Qinyuan declared a state of war, Qi Yuan had already entered a stronghold. Or rather, he was currently upon the Black Sea. Entering the Origin Land from the stronghold required crossing the Black Sea. The ships sailing toward the Origin Land from all strongholds advanced along twelve different routes. On Qi Yuan's route, there weren't many people aboard the ship—only around a hundred Martial Kings. At this moment, Qi Yuan lay on a recliner, looking exceptionally relaxed and at ease. Mu Yan walked over, a smile on his face. "Brother Qi's life seems quite leisurely." "Not really. To be honest, I'm feeling a bit sentimental," Qi Yuan said casually. He had a faint premonition that this game would soon come to an end. Once the game ended, he would have to face the Great Tribulation. After resolving the Great Tribulation, he would head to the Upper Realm to see Jin Li and search for his master. He felt very sentimental. Once he left this game, there would be no Civil Affairs Bureau. After meeting Jin Li and his master, he wouldn't be able to get a marriage certificate. "Leaving the death qi world for the Origin Land, to be frank, I feel a bit reluctant to part with it as well," Mu Yan said, a trace of melancholy in his tone. When he first entered the death qi world, he had undertaken missions day and night, struggling along the brink of life and death. Now that he was entering the Origin Land, such days would finally come to an end. Once he became a Martial Lord, he would transform from a chess piece into a chess player. "Where are your followers? Why aren't they here?" Qi Yuan looked at Mu Yan and asked offhandedly. A number of peak Ancient Martial Kings had followed Mu Yan, intending to accompany him to the Origin Land. Hearing this, a flicker of sorrow crossed Mu Yan's face. "They're... gone. It's my fault..." This voyage to the Origin Land was the official launch. Before this, there had been numerous exploratory voyages to chart routes. During one of those expeditions, several peak New Martial Kings had been trapped in a certain place. That place was extremely peculiar: a New Martial King's combat power was reduced to less than a hundredth of its full strength, inferior even to a Martial Spirit. At the time, dozens of Martial Kings had been trapped there. Eventually, it was discovered that Ancient Martial artists were only suppressed by half in that environment. Later, an army of Ancient Martial artists was formed to stage a rescue. Even so, the Ancient Martial artists had suffered heavy casualties. Hearing this, Qi Yuan wore an odd expression. "That kind of feels like a high-speed train getting stuck and having to summon an old ancestor steam engine to haul it out." Right then, the striking monkey-faced woman stepped forward and said softly, "Brother Qi, Brother Mu Yan is currently short on hands. Would you like to follow him? If you follow him, he might help you step into the Martial Lord realm once he breaks through himself." There were generally two types of Martial Kings aboard the ship. One type possessed a Martial Lord imprint. Upon entering the Origin Land, so long as they passed the trials, they would receive the baptism of ancestral blood and advance to the Martial Lord realm. The other type lacked a Martial Lord imprint, like Qi Yuan. Even if such peak Martial Kings were powerful, their prospects were no match for those who bore the imprint. "No need," Qi Yuan said with a smile. "I'm used to my freedom." Mu Yan looked somewhat disappointed upon hearing this. "Brother Qi, if you aid me, I will do everything in my power to help you attain the Martial Lord realm!" The Martial Kings entering the Origin Land would undergo a hundred-day ancestral blood battle. At that time, Martial Lords would personally serve as proctors to observe their performance. Those who performed exceptionally well would be granted more ancestral blood. Different grades and amounts of ancestral blood signified differing potential for their future. Listening to Mu Yan, Qi Yuan said lazily, "I want to become a Spirit Realm Martial Lord. Can you help me achieve that?" Mu Yan froze. Spirit Realm Martial Lord... He had never heard of such a term before. "I have never heard of this," Mu Yan said. "So I cannot guarantee success in helping you." He was, after all, a man of integrity. Qi Yuan did not say anything more. Spirit Realm Martial Lord—even now, he had no clues about it. Neither Great Venerable Shenlei nor his other subjects in the Origin Land had uncovered any information regarding a Spirit Realm Martial Lord. It was like a complete mystery. Hearing this, the monkey-faced woman felt disappointed, a hint of pity mingling in the look she gave Qi Yuan. Just as she was about to say something, Mu Yan pulled her away. Once the two reached the lower cabin, the monkey-faced woman couldn't help saying, "That Qi Yuan really doesn't know what's good for him. Brother Mu Yan, with your talent, you're bound to become a Great Martial Lord in the future! Miss this chance, and he won't even have the opportunity to see you later." Mu Yan's talent was indeed formidable. In fact, among the Martial Kings on this vessel, his talent ranked in the top three. Among all the Martial Kings heading to the Origin Land, his talent was in the top thirty. "Sigh, everyone has their own ambitions. Why force them?" Mu Yan said. "We've been through so many Mountains and Seas Picture Scrolls and experienced so much life and death; we should have learned to take everything in stride long ago." Seeing his attitude, the monkey-faced woman dropped the subject and said instead, "Brother Mu, I heard that one of the proctors for this ancestral blood battle is your ancestor. Could you perhaps look out for me a bit?" Her tone carried humble deference. There would be thirty-six proctors for this ancestral blood battle, including three chief proctors. Mu Yan's bloodline progenitor was a Great Martial Lord and one of the proctors. With a proctor's favor, even if one's performance was somewhat lacking, it could still be judged "exceptional." "I cannot promise that either. Everything depends on your own performance," Mu Yan declined. He had no desire to become entangled with the monkey-faced woman. On the other side of the deck, Qi Yuan lay on his recliner, gazing at the sky and occasionally down at the Black Sea, endless streams of information flowing through his mind. "This place is nice. The traces of time are everywhere. Our ship seems to be sailing against time, heading from the present toward antiquity along the far shore of the long river of time. It's quite suitable for Canary." Canary's Divine Domain was identical to time. If he scooped Canary over here to comprehend time, she might be able to boost her strength rapidly.