You Have Backing, I Have a Front Desk!

"Husband... is this the Black Sea?" Canary's petite, delicate figure materialized, a flicker of curiosity in her eyes. Long ago, when Qi Yuan's strength reached the Yang God Realm, he had already gained the ability to bring Canary into the death qi world. Now, summoning Canary over was effortless. Generally speaking, however, Qi Yuan rarely brought Canary along when he went on missions. After all, someone had to hold down the fort at home, didn't they? "What do you think of this place? Doesn't it suit you?" Qi Yuan asked, gesturing toward the Black Sea. "Boundless temporal power, half-real and half-illusion... The person who created this Black Sea must be an extraordinary powerhouse!" Canary's expression grew wary. "According to True Monarch Dazhi, they're probably above the Heavenly Position Realm," Qi Yuan said with a sigh. The Yang God father and daughter he had encountered in the Mortal Heart Realm had merely been in the Lesser Heavenly Position Realm. Meanwhile, the final boss of this game had reset worldlines, created the Mountains and Seas Picture Scroll, and constructed the Black Sea to bridge the present and the past. None of these feats could be accomplished by an ordinary Yang God. Above the Heavenly Position Realm lay the Ultimate Principle Realm. Above the Ultimate Principle Realm, there were still other tiers. Faced with such displays of power, Qi Yuan could not tell whether this entity belonged to the Ultimate Principle Realm or beyond. "Husband... you must be careful!" Canary warned. By now, she could cast aside her shyness and call Qi Yuan her husband. "Mm-hmm." Qi Yuan nodded and pinched Canary's small cheek. "Don't worry, I'm just a player. Besides, I'm only a weak, helpless Divine Infant—why would an almighty figure like that ever pay attention to me?" Canary smiled. "Do you want me to go back and summon your other Golden Cores over?" Over the years, Qi Yuan had accumulated nine Stellar Golden Cores. In that sense, the people of the Canglan Realm were truly blessed, living beneath ten suns. In any case, Qi Yuan planned to conduct a thorough search the moment he returned to the Canglan Realm to see if there were any archers or martial artists with "Yi" in their names. Such individuals had to be kept under strict surveillance. Otherwise, if Hou Yi shot down his Golden Cores, he would be done for. "No need. Nine Golden Cores are still too few to win through sheer numbers. We'll talk about it once I have 9,999 of them," Qi Yuan said. Nine Stellar Golden Cores looked far too modest. Besides, their mass was not particularly great either. He would wait until he devoured a massive one and tested turning it into a black hole before deciding. "The Black Sea is rich in temporal power, and the bodies of these blood beasts hold plenty of it too. This will do wonders for you, so stay here," Qi Yuan said. Canary looked at him, her gaze shifting. "This time, this young lady will definitely step into the Yang God Realm!" Hearing this, Qi Yuan wore a conflicted expression. "Reaching the Yang God Realm really is a walk in the park for all of you, isn't it?" Of the Divine Infants inside him, virtually ninety-nine percent of those who had entered the Origin Land had already become Yang Gods. By fully absorbing this temporal power within the Black Sea, Canary would qualify to break through to the Yang God Realm as well. Meanwhile, Qi Yuan worked from dawn till dusk, toiling diligently and training with utter dedication, never neglecting his cultivation even while playing games. And what was the result? After striving for so long, he was still just a Divine Infant. Even though he possessed the combat power of a Yang God inside the game, it was only a game after all. In reality, he remained nothing more than a Divine Infant. "Once this young lady becomes a Yang God, I'll protect you." Canary giggled, leaning her petite frame close to press her soft, warm lips against Qi Yuan's mouth. "When that time comes, my past body and present body will keep you company together." With those words, Canary's figure vanished, plunging into the Black Sea. When a Mythological powerhouse advanced to the Yang God Realm, they gained a past body and a present body. The past body possessed strength comparable to an exceptionally powerful Mythological being, while the present body served as the true self. Generally speaking, Yang Gods relied on their past bodies to handle worldly affairs while their present bodies remained in secluded cultivation. Of course, the past bodies of truly formidable Yang Gods could wield Yang God-level combat power as well. Qi Yuan was different. Even if he attained Yang God status in the game, he possessed no avatars whatsoever. He was simply himself. Watching Canary disappear, Qi Yuan's eyes took on a pensive look. ... The black mist dispersed. The passengers aboard the vessel looked on with mounting excitement. They lifted their heads toward the distance, anticipation gleaming in their eyes. "We've reached the Origin Land!" "We've finally arrived at... the beginning of everything!" The peak Martial Kings on deck beamed, barely able to contain their joy. Every single person capable of crossing the Black Sea to reach the Origin Land was someone unwilling to stagnate, someone yearning for advancement. In the Mountains and Seas Picture Scroll and the strongholds, the road forward had long been blocked. Only in the Origin Land was there a chance to step into the realm of Martial Lords. "Everyone, the Origin Land is just ahead. Farewell." At that moment, a peak Martial King leaped from the ship, bounding into the Black Sea. "This old man takes his leave as well." Immediately, several more peak Martial Kings departed. None of the departing peak Martial Kings bore a Martial Lord imprint. Used to their freedom, they were unwilling to follow Martial Kings marked by Martial Lords, yet they still wished to forge their own paths. Thus, leaving before docking was the wisest choice. They did not trust the Martial Lords waiting ashore. Qi Yuan finally rose to his feet as well, his eyes alight with anticipation. "Returning from the present to the starting point—that's pretty interesting." He turned to Mu Yan and said softly, "Brother Mu, I have friends waiting for me, so I'll take my leave here. May fate bring us together again." With that, Qi Yuan's figure dissolved and vanished, fading into the Black Sea just like the other peak Martial Kings. Watching this, Mu Yan sighed with regret. "Brother Qi still refuses to stay and help me. What a pity." Beside him, the monkey-faced woman could not help sneering, "That fellow is quite something. If he was terrified of catching a Martial Lord's eye, leaving early would've been fine, but he just had to claim he had friends here. What bloody friends could he possibly have around here? Hmph, Big Brother Mu, you're just too gentle and kindhearted. If I were you, given how insolent he was toward you, believe me, he wouldn't even make it ashore." Mu Yan frowned, displeased by her words. Right then, a voice suddenly drifted over. "I left, but oh dear, I heard someone speaking ill of me, so I came back." Qi Yuan's figure reappeared on the deck, a faint smile playing in his eyes. At the sight of him, the monkey-faced woman's expression shifted in awkward embarrassment before turning cold. "I wasn't speaking ill of you—I was merely stating facts. Back in the strongholds, a peak Martial King might pass for a prominent figure. But having come to the Origin Land, what do you amount to?" Remembering that she bore a Martial Lord imprint and had a Martial Lord backing her, the monkey-faced woman grew bold once more. People were often like this. Back when she was weak and undergoing various missions, she had been exceedingly cautious, not daring to offend anyone for fear of provoking a terrifying enemy. Yet as her strength grew, she had become increasingly arrogant and insolent. This was just like many people in the real world: the moment they put on a certain skin, they thought themselves superior to everyone else. Of course, a sense of superiority was inevitable and perfectly natural—it was human nature. But what some people exhibited went far beyond mere superiority. That was why certain "powerhouses" needed to be knocked off their pedestals. Even kings or high officials did plenty of idiotic things, didn't they? Composure? When arrested, they'd piss their pants in terror just like anyone else. At this moment, the monkey-faced woman gave off precisely that kind of vibe. Mu Yan's expression was grim. "You were in the wrong in the first place and got caught. You should apologize." Seeing this, the monkey-faced woman felt wronged, for she had no desire to apologize at all. However, she still needed Mu Yan's influence for the upcoming ancestral blood battle. She cast a vicious glare at Qi Yuan, torn with reluctance. Just then, Qi Yuan raised a hand. "No need to apologize." Seeing this, the monkey-faced woman assumed she had intimidated him, and her disdain for him only deepened. Yet Qi Yuan's voice sounded again: "If she apologizes, what if I feel bad about turning it down? And if I don't turn it down, killing her will weigh terribly on my conscience!" The monkey-faced woman's face changed drastically, and she instantly threw up her guard. "You dare kill me? How dare you! Do you even know who stands behind me?" "When a commoner's fury erupts, blood splatters within five paces! Why wouldn't I dare kill you? Just because I don't have an ancestor who's a Martial Lord, I deserve to be bullied by you? Good grief, this world is far too unfair, full of so much malice toward someone like me who has no backing. No, this is all for the sake of fairness!" As he rambled on, however, Qi Yuan suddenly remembered that he seemed to have a Martial Lord for a "grandson." Would that count as having a "front desk"? No backing from behind, but a front desk out front? Qi Yuan confused himself with the thought and simply dropped it—otherwise, his brain might start growing again. "Die!" He struck without the slightest hesitation. Beside them, Mu Yan tensed and yelled in alarm, "Stay your hand and spare her!" The monkey-faced woman was a descendant of a Martial Lord and bore a Martial Lord imprint. If she died at Qi Yuan's hands, he would have a hard time surviving in the Origin Land. In Mu Yan's eyes, Qi Yuan's strength placed him among the very pinnacle of peak Martial Kings; the monkey-faced woman was no match for him at all. That was precisely why he had been so intent on recruiting Qi Yuan all along. "Oops, you shouted too late. There's still a human head left—that counts as sparing someone, doesn't it?" With a wave of Qi Yuan's hand, a severed head landed beside Mu Yan. As for the monkey-faced woman, her body and her monkey-faced head had completely exploded into dispersing smoke. Only her human-faced head remained, tossed over to Mu Yan. Seeing this, Mu Yan's heart sank halfway into his chest. The monkey-faced woman was dead as dead could be. "Brother Qi, you've caused a massive catastrophe!" Mu Yan cradled the woman's human-faced head, his expression fraught with dismay. "She bore a Martial Lord imprint and was watched over by a Martial Lord. By killing her, you'll be targeted by that Martial Lord!" The other Martial Kings on the ship looked at Qi Yuan with deep apprehension, while others felt pity for him. Yet not a single person dared show any hostility toward him. After all, this man was terrifyingly fierce. They were all peak Martial Kings, yet he had slain her effortlessly. Most likely, he stood merely a single step away from the Martial Lord Realm. "She has backing, but I have a front desk. What the hell do I have to fear?" Qi Yuan replied dismissively. Hearing his words, the peak Martial Kings were bewildered. A front desk? Like a cashier? What kind of nonsense was that? "I'm a killer of old folks anyway—I'd love for her backer to show up. I just hope her backer takes a bath first; I'd hate for my white moonlight to reek of old people." Having said his piece, Qi Yuan vanished once more. Seeing this, the others found it entirely understandable. After killing someone and talking big, wasn't running away the natural next step? If that Martial Lord caught him, he wouldn't be able to escape. Of course, they only dared keep such thoughts to themselves. None of them dared utter a single word aloud. What if that madman Qi Yuan doubled back again? Wouldn't they end up following in the monkey-faced woman's footsteps? ... "Old Geezer Shenlei, my goddaughter, the village chief, Zhu Zhuangshi... It's been so long, and you've all become Yang Gods! Not bad, not bad at all. If you returned to the Mortal Heart Realm now and ran into those two... formidable foes, heh, they wouldn't even be fit to carry your shoes." Within the Origin Land, Qi Yuan looked down upon the crowd of over a thousand people, filled with emotion. These were all familiar faces—the people who had once fought alongside him in the Mortal Heart Realm. "Lord God!" Zhu Zhuangshi hurried over, the burly man's eyes brimming with tears as though he were on the verge of sobbing. "Old Zhu never dreamed he would get to see you again in this lifetime!" Back then, the formidable enemies of the Mortal Heart Realm had hung over their heads like an inescapable nightmare. The foes had been two Yang Gods. Relying on Lord God alone, it had been impossible to match them. Thus, from very early on, he, Village Chief Yulei, Shrine Official Shentu, and the other subjects had conspired to utilize the New God art of devouring followers to strengthen oneself, planning to sacrifice themselves to boost the god's power and fight the two mighty Yang Gods. Right from the start, they had prepared themselves to die. Yet to their astonishment, though they should have perished into silence, they were now revived once more and had even become Yang Gods. "Stop crying already—it's not touching in the slightest," Qi Yuan said bluntly, looking at Zhu Zhuangshi. Hearing this, Zhu Zhuangshi pulled an aggrieved face. "Does Lord God prefer enchanting, charming women? My mistake! Had I known earlier, Old Zhu would have cultivated his past body into a female form so I could accompany Lord God day and night." In the Yang God Realm, one's past body could naturally be cultivated into a female form, a male form, or even made genderless. The past bodies of Yang Gods came in all shapes and sizes, capable of being anything. A given world might very well be the past body of some Yang God. "Stop disgusting me," Qi Yuan said with utter revulsion. Then he remembered something and felt even more annoyed. Back in the Mortal Heart Realm, he had already understood that all things were him. Great Venerable Shenlei was him, Qi Qi was him, and Zhu Zhuangshi was him as well. If Zhu Zhuangshi disgusted him, wasn't that just him disgusting himself? "Godfather, look at what this is!" At that moment, Qi Yuan's thoughtful little angel, Qi Qi, stepped forward. With a wave of her palm, a thick mass of dense purple qi appeared before Qi Yuan. Seeing this, Qi Yuan's face lit up with excitement. "Purple qi!" [Purple Qi: The foremost qi of the immortal path, the primordial qi of the world's origin, embodying boundless vitality.] "The moment we learned Godfather needed purple qi, we scoured the entire Origin Land and gathered every bit of it!" Qi Qi said happily, puffing out her chest like a schoolchild begging for praise. Accepting the purple qi, Qi Yuan was in high spirits. "Good job, goddaughter." His eyes rested on the purple qi, filled with admiration. "As expected of the foremost qi of the immortal path. Below the Yang God Realm, no matter the injury, as long as one isn't dead, a single strand of purple qi could probably bring them back to life." Qi Yuan truly was thrilled. Purple Mansion, Purple Mansion. Now that he had purple qi, all he lacked was the Netherworld. Storing the purple qi away, Qi Yuan looked at Qi Qi and the little potato-like maid beside her, asking, "Have you found the whereabouts of the big boss here?" Right now, there were no leads regarding the Spirit Realm Martial Lord. Presumably, Dongjun might know. Dongjun was, after all, the greatest known boss of this realm. Qi Qi shook her head. "No. We searched the Origin Land thoroughly, even turning the Eastern Alliance's forbidden grounds and treasuries upside down, but found nothing." "Oh? In that case, if the murals are real, could he be in some unknown realm, holding off a powerful enemy?" Qi Yuan recalled the murals he had seen in the ruins. In those murals, the woman had encountered a formidable enemy and ultimately fallen. If Dongjun was the male protagonist of the murals, then he might still be locked in battle against that terrifying foe.