Information Brought by the Haishen Civilization

The Haishen Civilization's greatest foundation was the Yao: Yupei Shell, a gentle giant proficient in spatial abilities.

"It is said that even Ghost-level attacks cannot do anything to this Yao, which excels at defense." Old Cat shook his head. "When it encounters danger, it closes its shell, dives into the depths of the sea, and disguises itself as a large rock."

"That badass?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow.

"That is why this civilization is so skilled at escaping."

The Yao: Yupei Shell could house a gigantic city within its body and also produced an extraordinary item known as "Yupei."

The large ones were as big as fists, while the smaller ones were only the size of peanuts.

They were essentially pearls produced by the shell. Resembling transparent amber, they were rich in Life Attributes. With simple processing, they could be worn as jewelry to cure illnesses and raise the upper limit of Spirit Attributes. Ground into medicinal powder, they had even more uses—they could be used to cultivate plants and animals or raise children.

Every "Yupei" was at least Legendary Level, and some could even reach Epic Level.

"So this civilization reached Level Five Civilization just by selling pearls?" Lu Yuan asked curiously.

"More or less... However, for a civilization to climb so high, it must possess its own admirable qualities—courage, determination, the ability to seize opportunities, and so on."

The diplomatic delegation arrived at the negotiation site outside the city and saw several Haishen people.

Their appearance was rather peculiar, like a fusion of two-meter razor clams and octopuses.

Their bodies were covered in elongated shells, and golden medal ornaments hung from the rings of growth—yes, they did not need clothes; these medals served as jewelry.

Eight soft, sucker-covered tentacles extended from their shells, with two of those tentacles bearing grayish-white eyeballs.

Lu Yuan was no longer surprised by such creatures. The Octopus Race was, after all, a major category on Pangu Continent.

They were generally intelligent, rather timid, and not particularly strong.

Some members of the Octopus Race would even spray ink when they encountered danger.

"Greetings, Haishen Civilization. I am Lu Yuan."

The two sides exchanged polite greetings.

Their conversation was conducted through the Buzhou Alliance's translator, which was standard procedure.

One of the leading Haishen people presented two fist-sized, glowing "Yupei." "These small gifts are for you and your wife."

"A legend has been passed down in our Haishen Civilization. When you and your beloved wear these mysterious pearls together, you will receive the blessing of the Sea God and remain hand in hand for eternity."

Lu Yuan was accustomed to such gift-giving gestures. Smiling, he handed them to the staff behind him.

Anything too valuable would naturally be turned over directly to the National Treasury or returned afterward—after all, accepting someone's gifts meant owing them a favor. He did not lack such things, nor could he openly accept bribes.

He presented his own seeds in return. "Friends of the Haishen Civilization, thank you for your kindness."

"These are 'Xilan Rice' seeds cultivated using a Mythical Bloodline. May our friendship endure forever."

"But let us get straight to the point. Green Field City advocates the belief that time is life. If there is anything you would like us to help with, please tell me directly. If it is within our capabilities, we would be happy to lend a hand."

The Haishen people looked at the Xilan Rice seeds and were immediately delighted. This was the latest research result, with a paper only recently published in an academic journal, yet they had obtained it directly.

These small seeds alone would save them ten years of painstaking work.

The Haishen leader was named Dong Bi. After considering for a moment, he shifted the tentacle on the table. "Our Haishen Civilization has successfully created the Today Mirror, but we still have a long road ahead before reaching the Tomorrow Mirror..."

"The Ninth Era is truly brimming with talent. Whether it is Field Industrialization, Mythical Industrialization, or the Aether Spirit-Core Network on the neutrino side, all are great ideas of historic significance."

"Therefore, to keep pace with the times, we hope you can dispatch a team of craftsmen to guide us in creating the Tomorrow Mirror and Future Mirror as soon as possible."

"We have already drawn up the relevant terms."

Lu Yuan glanced over the document.

In truth, this sort of negotiation had already gone through many rounds. All he needed to do was sign it.

The general terms were that if they could forge the Tomorrow Mirror within five years, the human craftsmen would receive materials worth fifty thousand Spirit Rhymes, along with five Legendary Level Yupei.

If they could help forge the Future Mirror, they would additionally receive forty Legendary Level Yupei, ten Epic Level Yupei, and one Immortal Level reward!

The compensation was truly outrageous. Lu Yuan estimated it to be worth five hundred to six hundred Civilization Points. It was practically a windfall!

"No wonder Old Cat has been so pleased with himself. This time, he really is going to make a fortune..."

Of course, if they failed to produce anything at all, they could only receive the guaranteed payment of ten thousand Spirit Rhymes...

In fact, the terms of this wager agreement were quite favorable. Green Field City bore no risk at all.

Even if they sent a few interns over to coast along, they would still receive ten thousand Spirit Rhymes after five years.

Starting from Level Six Civilization, they could utilize the perpetual-motion mechanism of Ghosts and did not lack Spirit Rhymes, but Extraordinary Materials remained scarce. Thus, the contract was settled in Extraordinary Materials.

Lu Yuan's reputation was simply too great. The value of his prestige alone meant he could not send some worthless team just to mooch off the guaranteed ten thousand Spirit Rhymes.

Moreover, members of the Buzhou Alliance's council were serving as neutral guarantors for this negotiation.

"Green Field City has quite a large number of craftsmen. At the very least, we can split them into fifteen to twenty teams capable of assisting with the Tomorrow Mirror." Lu Yuan calculated inwardly. "Even if each team only earns ten thousand Spirit Rhymes, humanity will have made a killing."

Even a Level Six Civilization was not much better at making money than this.

"But we do not have enough manpower to guide the forging of the Future Mirror."

"I alone count as one team, Li Datie's side counts as one, and the other Great Grandmasters count as one. At most, we can only dispatch three teams... And they had better succeed. They cannot fail."

"This Haishen Civilization's task is too difficult. The terms they offered are good, but if we cannot complete it, they are meaningless."

Lu Yuan let out a soft breath, his voice ringing out. "We are satisfied with the prices offered by all of you, friends."

"But I still have to remind you all: regarding the Future Mirror, your civilization... will find it very difficult to forge one."

"It isn't that we are unwilling to help. Rather... as an Otherworlder Civilization, your fortune is far too low."

"It is like a dried-up river. There is barely any water flowing through it, and even the riverbed is exposed. An ordinary civilization, even if it has less fortune, is still in a state of ceaseless flow."

He made several more gestures as he explained, "The Future Mirror must be linked to the long river of your civilization's history in order to function. Do you understand what I mean?"

The Haishen people looked rather displeased.

"So you are unwilling to send high-level craftsmen?"

"It isn't that we're unwilling. Sending them would be useless."

Lu Yuan elaborated further. "The Eighth Era has now vanished, and the entire world is gone. When the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact. Even if you are still alive, without that greater world, it is equivalent to having no source. No matter how prosperous your civilization is, it will have no fortune."

"In the past eras, Otherworlder races had no fortune whatsoever."

"Now, the World Will of the Ninth Era is relatively tolerant and has accepted you. But with so little historical tide, nurturing an Acquired Mythical is far too difficult. So..."

The intermediary guarantor from the Buzhou Alliance also spoke up from the side. "Friends of the Haishen Civilization, if the basic conditions are inadequate, do not force the issue."

"Green Field City's craftsmen are an extremely valuable human resource... the faster Mythical Industrialization spreads, the better."

After a long while, the Haishen leader, Dong Bi, finally said slowly, "Everyone, it is precisely because it is so difficult that we are willing to pay such a great price."

"Mythical Industrialization is the path of the future. If we can produce an Acquired Mythical sooner, then perhaps our severed long river of history can reconnect with the Ninth Era, and the historical tide can recover once again."

"So please, reconsider."

Lu Yuan paused. That argument seemed to make some sense.

If it could make the Ninth Era accept their Otherworlder Civilization, then paying a higher price was acceptable.

"Old Lu, are you taking this job? So many materials above the Legendary grade... Green Field City's chance to prosper is riding on this! Please!" Old Cat's voice came from the Immortal Palace, trembling slightly.

Lu Yuan was speechless.

He finally understood. The higher this cat's status became, the greedier it grew!

The other side was willing to pay generously, but they still had to complete the job!

If they failed, would that not be a waste of time?

"If you do it personally, how could it fail? I don't believe it!"

Lu Yuan righteously refused. "No. I have to go to the Northern Frontier to provide guidance. The Northern Frontier has such abundant fortune, and my Mother Civilization is going there as well."

"This damn job takes too much time and effort. I'd get half the results for twice the effort here. Didn't Neutrino offer a high price? What about the Iron Key Alliance? How much did they offer? We can't let our people waste their time."

"Neutrino's craftsmen are not strong enough, so they are not in a hurry." Old Cat was somewhat displeased. "The other customers have named their prices, but they clearly aren't as sincere as these ones."

"Since you're going to release the information publicly anyway, they might as well wait slowly and freeload."

Lu Yuan sneered. "How many people can truly become accomplished through self-study with nothing but a textbook? Don't be so anxious. Sooner or later, they'll come begging us..."

"Of course, don't squeeze them too hard either. Don't make enemies out of them."

"Of course I know..."

Seeing Lu Yuan sink into thought, the Haishen Civilization's negotiator gritted his teeth and raised the stakes again. "My Haishen Civilization comes from the Eastern Continent."

"That was the last region to fall in the Eighth Era. The reason was that the powerful civilizations of the Eighth Era banded together for survival in the Eastern Continent. Apart from creating the Boundless Realm, they also created many large Different Dimensions."

"There are still many remnants of civilizations like ours over there! Most of them are not weak. At the very least, they are Level Five Civilizations, and there are even powerful civilizations close to Level Six Civilization."

"If you can create an Acquired Mythical for us, we are willing to return and help you promote Mythical Industrialization!!"

"Why didn't you flee?" Old Cat did not immediately believe him.

"It isn't that we never considered leaving, but the situation in the Eighth Era was already extremely dire," Dong Bi of the Haishen people replied. "We once assessed that if the Ninth Era failed to withstand the disaster, the entire Pangu Continent would be destroyed. By then, even if we fled to nearby planes, they would be destroyed along with it."

"A Level Five Civilization cannot flee very far. Was there even any point in running? It was better to stay here and act according to circumstances."

"Of course, Level Six Civilizations can escape very far, leaving Pangu Continent behind. They truly left... so there are no Level Six Civilization Otherworlders."

Lu Yuan nodded. That made some sense.

"If you can send a powerful team of craftsmen to guide us onto the path of Mythical Industrialization, it will have an exemplary pioneering effect. The long rivers of history of those remaining Otherworlder Civilizations have all been severed. They will be willing to pay a huge price for guidance services. Human leader, this is an unimaginably astronomical sum! It will be enough to make you a Level Six Civilization."

Old Cat was increasingly tempted. "Meow, these guys really know how to do business. There really is more than just one Otherworlder Civilization—there's a whole string of them!"

"Old Lu, you have to take this job! The resources for humanity to become a Level Six Civilization are all riding on this!"

Lu Yuan looked deeply troubled. "I already said it: I have to go to the Northern Frontier. That has already been decided. I still have to relocate the Human City, damn it. At most, I can send Li Datie over."

"But this task is too difficult. Li Datie isn't strong enough... if we waste time and energy then, humanity's reputation will suffer too."

"Wait..."

His eyes lit up as he thought of a good idea. "Friends of the Haishen Civilization, may I ask whether there are any great figures among your candidates who have made outstanding contributions?"

"If your civilization has someone who has made tremendous contributions to the continued existence of the Ninth Era, then we have more than a fifty percent chance."

"If not, then there truly is little hope. You can only wait until the technology is completely mature. There is no need to go through all this trouble."

Lu Yuan's honest words greatly endeared him to the Haishen Civilization, because a single sentence from him could save them many unnecessary expenses.

But after thinking it over, they still wanted to spend a huge sum and take the gamble. They had endured until this era because they needed to become a Level Six Civilization, and the Ninth Era was so brief that every single year had to be cherished. By the time the technology was fully mature, it might already be the End of Era!

"Lord Lu Yuan, since our innate fortune is weaker than that of ordinary civilizations, we can only make up for it by spending heavily. We are mentally prepared for that."

"But as for a historical-level great figure... we truly don't have one..."

The Haishen Civilization had been far too focused on scraping by. The fact that their city had been preserved so well showed that they had barely fought during the End of Era, spending all their time running away instead.

It was difficult for a civilization that merely struggled to survive to produce great figures. This was also the truth of history.

"Wait... there are actually citizens from other civilizations living in our city. Their civilizations have already declined, and they have completely integrated into ours. Can people like that become Acquired Mythicals?"

Lu Yuan frowned. Such people were equivalent to survivors of the Rat Rice Dam Civilization and the Blue Roc Civilization who had settled in Green Field City. "No problem, as long as they are part of your civilization."

The Haishen leader visibly relaxed. "Our civilization has a treasure-class spatial scientist, one of the core designers of the Boundless Realm. That contribution should be enough... it's just that he has completely lost his memory."

"In truth, we Level Five Civilizations don't know much intelligence."

Lu Yuan glanced at them. If you knew even the slightest bit of intelligence, Pangu Continent would never have accepted you. "We will send Artisan Li Datie to coordinate with you... Well, private guidance can only begin after the general forging process has been made public. Otherwise, it could easily trigger a public opinion crisis."

"But whether it succeeds or not is still hard to say. It depends on human effort; everyone will have to work together."

The Haishen people were immediately overjoyed. Li Datie was a renowned Grandmaster Artisan. Green Field City was showing them tremendous sincerity.

"Thank you! Even if it doesn't succeed, we will have no complaints whatsoever."

After the contract was signed, Lu Yuan did not feel much about it... Li Datie would be handling it anyway, and the profits would belong to Green Field City. It had nothing to do with him, Lu Yuan.

Old Cat, however, was beaming with pride, his tail held high.

How many years had it been? How many years?!

It had always been Lu Yuan eating the meat while humanity picked at the scraps. Now, at last, the tables had turned!

Lu Yuan, your ability to make money can't compare to humanity's anymore, can it?

Making money feels great!

Lu Yuan knew that this fellow had a strong competitive streak, so he could not be bothered to mock him. This feeling of enjoying humanity's thriving growth was actually... rather nice?

Ever since fighting the gods, he seemed to have become less greedy than before.

The more he learned, the more he felt that the waters of this world ran far too deep. Protecting oneself wisely and hiding one's greatness among the common folk were the sensible choices...

(Recommend a friend's book, "A Handbook for Conquering Another World." It follows a whole-nation ensemble perspective; those interested can check it out. The link is below.)