Chapter 453

Holy crap!

The price offered by Director Xu even startled Lu Xun.

He could tell that Old Master Fu and the others were really just acting.

Having this group of eight-realm experts who have been to the Earth Core Secret Realm take action couldn't be better.

These eight-realm experts themselves hardly have any room to advance further, and with limited lifespans, they act rather without scruples.

Of course, they still have some concerns.

Each eight-realm expert has a clan behind them; if their large-scale slaughter affects their own clan, causing the clan to be targeted by Heavenly Dao and reducing the chance of future geniuses, that would be bad.

The probability of this happening is extremely low, but not impossible.

But the Fusang people dare not gamble.

If over fifty million people were wiped out, Fusang would suffer greatly.

Seeing Xiao Quan about to cry, Director Xu didn't speak, just silently watched him.

"We can't possibly produce that much Dark Energy; at most 300,000."

Xiao Quan began bargaining.

Really, one million cubic meters of Dark Energy is too much.

Even for a country, it's an extremely huge number.

In fact, the vast majority of countries on Lan Xing couldn't possibly produce that much Dark Energy.

Even,

Even if you add up all those countries, they still couldn't produce that much Dark Energy.

Don't underestimate Fusang just because its territory is small; its overall strength is not weak.

They would have to mobilize the whole nation's strength, and even then it would be difficult to produce that amount.

Even if they could produce it, wouldn't that much Dark Energy cost them their lives?

With that much Dark Energy, how many talents could be cultivated?

Generally, a cultivator reaching the fourth realm consumes only a few tens of cubic meters of Dark Energy.

For the fifth realm, one basically needs to consume over a hundred cubic meters of Dark Energy.

If it's the sixth realm, consumption is greater, basically around a thousand cubic meters of Dark Energy.

For the seventh realm, it's several thousand to tens of thousands.

By the eighth realm, one basically needs tens of thousands of cubic meters of Dark Energy, or even more, to cultivate.

More likely, even consuming vast amounts of Dark Energy might not yield one.

Even so, one million cubic meters of Dark Energy would still be enough to cultivate several eighth-realm experts.

As for the seventh realm, it would be even more.

They lost two eighth-realm and seven seventh-realm experts; the loss is already enormous.

Now the East still demands one million cubic meters of Dark Energy— isn't that demanding their lives?

"Your time seems not much left."

Director Xu had no intention of yielding; he merely issued his reminder.

Time really is not much left.

Because the distance between the thunder and fire sea in the sky and the ground has already dropped to within kilometers.

"You Easterners have great gall— are you trying to provoke war?!"

Suddenly, a fierce shout exploded like heavenly thunder raging.

A figure suddenly appeared, standing in midair, with an aura like an abyss.

He wore a hunting robe with a dark base and golden patterns; his wide sleeves fluttered in the gale, and the hem was embroidered with dark red Fusang divine patterns, like flowing flames.

At his waist hung a slender katana; its sheath was black as night, yet faintly exuded a scarlet killing aura.

His visage was stern to the extreme, a red mark between his brows like blood, his eyes like cold stars that captured the soul; merely standing there, his mighty aura caused the thunder to stall and the heavenly fire to freeze.

"Nine realms!"

This is a nine-realm expert!

And it's a Fusang nine-realm expert.

"Sword Saint, you've finally returned!"

The appearance of this nine-realm expert let Xiao Quan breathe a sigh of relief.

For such a big matter, how could a single eight-realm expert withstand it?

Naturally, the nine-realm experts had already been notified.

But Fusang's nine-realm experts come and go without a trace; even he doesn't know if they'll return.

"Shenda Jiansheng!"

Director Xu's eyes narrowed slightly.

The opponent turned out to be one of Fusang's three great pillars, the Shenda Jiansheng.

No one knows his real name; after his rise, he took the name of the famous historical Fusang onmyoji Abe no Seimei.

However, the outside world tends to refer to him by those four characters: Shenda Jiansheng.

Shenda Jiansheng's face was icy cold; he was about to shatter the thunder and fire sea in one blow, then give these Easterners an unforgettable lesson.

Yet in the heavens, another figure appeared.

This figure lacked a mighty aura; to ordinary eyes it was unremarkable, like an insignificant soldier on a battlefield.

But upon his appearance, Shenda Jiansheng's mighty aura stalled momentarily.

His expression likewise changed.

Because,

The other party is also Nine Realms.

No,

It's not an ordinary Nine Realms; he felt the tribulation aura on the other party's body.

Tribulation Crossing!

This is a Tribulation Crossing stage expert.

The Tribulation Crossing stage is special.

Those undergoing tribulation crossing could be very weak, but they could also be extraordinarily strong.

For example, in Immortal Cultivation there are the Five Declines of Heaven and Man; each decline passed brings a surge in power, and passing four declines makes one's strength vastly greater than that of an ordinary Nine Realms—by an unknown multiple.

If they happen to be in the midst of one decline, most of their power must go to resisting bodily decay, making their strength merely average at that time.

In between, there are also some relatively stable periods that allow them to come out and act briefly.

Since this Tribulation Crossing expert dares to appear, they must be in a relatively stable period.

"Shindō, Your Excellency, this matter arose because of you; we have come to seek justice, which is utterly reasonable."

Director Xu said lightly.

He anticipated that Fusang might recall a Nine Realms expert, so he had prepared in advance.

"The cause then, the effect now; they are inferior, so they should compensate, but one million is too much... five... how about eight hundred thousand?"

Shindō Sword Saint was about to say five hundred thousand, but the aura of the Tribulation Crossing expert in the sky shifted slightly, revealing a hint of killing intent.

This forced him to change his words.

"Shindō, Your Excellency, since you have spoken, it shall be eight hundred thousand, but we need to receive Dark Energy today."

Director Xu agreed.

If Fusang were to bring back a different Nine Realms expert, Director Xu would not agree no matter what.

But Shindō Sword Saint has devoted his life to the sword path, his combat power surpassing that of an ordinary Nine Realms; Director Xu did not want to actually fight.

In the early stage of tribulation crossing, one must not overact.

"Good."

After Shindō Sword Saint finished speaking, his gaze turned to Xiao Quan.

"Let's go gather it now!"

Xiao Quan wore a grimace, could only grit their teeth and agree.

The Eastern side has even brought out Tribulation Crossing cultivators; what can he do?

Now, Fusang's treasury will have to be emptied.

After both sides reached an agreement, Fu Lao Yezi and others also ceased action, but did not retract their dharma forms.

They stood in the void, facing off against the Fusang experts.

The scene fell silent for a moment.

As for Xiao Quan, he led people down to gather Dark Energy.

Eight hundred thousand cubic units of Dark Energy is no small amount.

Fusang's treasury currently doesn't have that much; they can only scrape together a bit more from some major clans.

"Sword Saint, sir, it's still not enough..."

With the one‑day deadline approaching, Xiao Quan still hadn't gathered enough Dark Energy and could only turn to Shindō Sword Saint for help.

Shindō Sword Saint remained silent, merely tossing out a spatial bag.

Now it's finally enough.

"Director Xu, all the Dark Energy is here."

Only then did Xiao Quan hand over eight hundred thousand cubic units of Dark Energy.

"Good, this ends here; if there is a next time, it won't be solvable with just eight hundred thousand cubic units of Dark Energy."

"Let's go!"

Director Xu collected the Dark Energy and led everyone back to the mansion.

As the Eastern entourage departed, the thunder and sea of fire in the sky finally dissipated.

"Hah!"

"Finally they're gone!"

"We're saved!"

Tens of millions of Fusang people escaped death and burst into cheers.

"Damn it!!!"

"Once our sovereign breaks through to the Tenth Realm, we will surely flatten the East!"

Only Fusang's high‑ranking officials know how stifled and humiliated they feel today.

"Lu Xun, you hold onto this Dark Energy."

Meanwhile, on the airship, Director Xu directly handed the spatial bag given by Xiao Quan to Lu Xun.

"Uncle Xu, this time we owe it to everyone that we could seek justice; I cannot take all this Dark Energy for myself."

Lu Xun waved his hand.

If it weren't for having so many Eight Realms experts, even Nine Realms would have been deployed; Fusang wouldn't have so readily given up eight hundred thousand cubic units of Dark Energy.

Although Lu Xun needs Dark Energy, he also won't be so clueless about basic human relations.

"Like this, little Xun, each of us will take ten thousand cubic units of Dark Energy, so you won't feel uneasy."

Fu Lao Yezi said.

"As for Senior Fang, there's no need to specially thank him; he still owes you a favor."

Director Xu added.

"Uncle Xu, Senior Fang is a senior undergoing tribulation; where would a favor come from?"

Lu Xun didn't understand.

"You forgot, the girl you rescued from Yao Xing? At the critical moment of Senior Fang's tribulation crossing, if it weren't for this favor, he wouldn't have shown up."

Director Xu laughed.

Upon saying that, Lu Xun remembered.

Back when we went to Yao Xing, I casually saved a woman named Qingyun.

This Qingyun appears to be a descendant of the early tribulation-crossing stage.

"Senior Fang is merely showing his face this time; this favor can't be repaid to you, but if you ever need help, he can still lend a hand."

Director Xu added again.

"Uncle Xu, please thank Senior Fang on my behalf."

"Sure, I'll definitely pass it along."

Indeed, it's just a single appearance.

But this appearance is crucial.

Without his appearance, after the Shindai Sword Saint reveals himself, no one will be able to restrain him.

The other party indeed owes Lu Xun a favor.

So, Lu Xun ultimately agreed to this distribution plan.

All Eight Realms, including Director Xu, each received ten thousand cubic units of Dark Energy.

Director Xu originally didn't intend to take any, but Lu Xun wouldn't have it, so he had to accept.

All who came from the Six and Seven Realms: Seven Realm cultivators got two thousand each, Six Realm cultivators got one thousand each, and even those below Six Realm received five hundred.

In the end, the Dark Energy left in Lu Xun's hands amounted to exactly 660,000 cubic units.

Dark Energy, six-six, great smooth.

"This number is auspicious."

Old Master Fu laughed loudly.

Sixty-six thousand cubic units of Dark Energy is no small number.

This time, Lu Xun can be said to have made a huge windfall.

He said that in the future, assassinations like those in Fusang could be carried out more often.

However, after this incident, Fusang likely won't dare to cause trouble in the short term, unless they have absolute certainty.

When the Shindai Sword Saint appeared, his gaze toward Lu Xun concealed killing intent.

"As for the West, we will send people over, but we can't have too high hopes; united, they can also stand against us, so they probably won't back down."

Director Xu spoke about the Western affairs.

"Uncle Xu, it's fine; in the future I will personally go to settle this account."

Lu Xun said in a deep voice.

"Good, with your growth rate, you shouldn't have to wait long to see that day!"

Director Xu had no doubts.

"By the way, Uncle Xu, there's another matter...."

Lu Xun brought up another matter.

The He family.

The He family's account has never been settled.

Over the years, Lu Xun has encountered many things, almost forgetting the He family.

Coincidentally, upon arriving in Fusang, Lu Xun recalled this matter.

The He family's hiring of assassins on the dark web is very secret; Lu Xun has no direct evidence, and since they've kept their heads down, in the past there was no proper reason to act directly against them.

Now, it's time.

Given Lu Xun's current status, lack of evidence doesn't matter; this matter can only be the He family's doing, and that's enough.

This matter doesn't even require Lu Xun to do it personally.

Of course, Lu Xun still needs to go, to let the He family feel despair.

"The He family is asking for death!"

Upon hearing this, Old Master Fu flew into a rage like thunder, wishing he could kill every member of the He family in one strike.