Value

This was the prosperous age of the empire, and also the age of ironclad warships.

The ironclad warship was the foremost symbol of the era's abundant martial virtue.

Possessing an ironclad warship not only allowed one to project overwhelming firepower, but also to impose immediate and severe sanctions on nations that practiced free trade. Gunboat diplomacy was far more effective than any silk or tea diplomacy, and even better at making the local natives meekly submit as their wealth was harvested.

Ironclad warships—what wonderful things.

Lan Yi wanted one too.

But it was not the ironclad's military might that he valued.

"As the most efficient and most readily accepted means of transportation on the open seas at present, an ironclad can help me quickly impose sanctions on Dongyang."

"A hundred verbal protests are no match for one landing by martial artists carried aboard an ironclad."

"If the Dongyang traitors want to return to their father's embrace, I think they need to experience a White Ship Incident. I trust that your nation, as a responsible international empire, will not stop another empire from punishing its wayward children."

Lan Yi chatted on and on with the two foreign prisoners before him.

If one ignored the bloodstains on the prisoners, their vacant expressions, and the deep fear they could not conceal in their eyes, it would have been a perfectly harmonious afternoon tea.

Kent and Albert were prisoners of the martial artists.

Before Immortal Master Lan Yi, they had no right to sit. They could only stand with their hands bound behind their backs, maintaining a respectful, humble posture of submission beneath the stern, cold gazes of the two martial artists.

If gunboat diplomacy was the calling card of the empires of this era,

then Martial Artist Diplomacy was the life-and-death declaration announcing Xinghan's forceful return to the competition among Human Civilization.

"Esteemed sir, with your power, everything you have said is the truth." As a hunter reduced to prey, Colonel Kent tactfully flattered him in Chinese.

Such dominance, such diplomacy...

Nong Jinsun, who was responsible for recording and interpreting nearby, was inwardly cheering at the spectacle. How satisfying! How satisfying!

When had the foreigners last been this obedient?

During the Zhu Ming Dynasty, or the Li Tang Dynasty?

No one who had witnessed the power and unfathomability of martial artists with their own eyes could possibly doubt it.

Xinghan, which had suffered humiliation throughout this era, would certainly wipe away the mud, put the crown back on its head, and once again rule the world as the Heavenly Dynasty to which all nations paid tribute!

And all of this was the achievement of this man, Immortal Master Lan Yi!

"The empire will not give up," Albert could not help muttering in his native tongue.

Then he watched in horror as the martial artist beside him, his face cold, raised his fist.

Not long ago, that very fist had blown apart the head of the Dongyang reporter who had been chattering away here. Brains and blood had splashed all over the two prisoners' faces. His cause of death had been spouting stupid gibberish that the esteemed Immortal Master could not understand.

Albert had once delighted in the exhilarating sensation of an enemy's blood splashing across his face.

But when he became a prisoner and the blood on his face came from someone being punched to death, Albert could no longer enjoy it. The white old man who had once prided himself on nobility, bravery, and gentlemanly conduct let out an undignified squeal like a pig.

"Sir, we still have value." Kent inwardly sighed at his foolish comrade.

The transcendent being before them was clearly a thoroughgoing great Xinghan nationalist.

Lan Yi raised a hand, and the martial artist lowered his raised fist.

"What is your value?"

"Mr. Albert is a blood relative of the imperial family. The empire will gladly pay his ransom, as well as compensation for inadvertently offending you."

"And you?"

"I can help you contact the empire to arrange the construction of ironclads, the manufacture of weapons and ammunition, the training of crews, and the hydrographic data in the empire's possession. And as someone well versed in the affairs of every continent, I can become your agent and help you and your army of Holy Martial Knights conquer the entire world!"

Dealing with smart people was simply comfortable.

Especially when that smart person possessed such fierce ambition for power.

Within Lan Yi's Colorless Eyes, which shimmered with lotus circuits, the emotional radiation released by Kent contained unmistakable bands representing excitement and desire.

"Then what do you want in return?"

"Power!" Kent answered without hesitation.

Albert stared at his comrade in astonishment. Was this betrayal? He had actually betrayed the empire so easily. Damn it! Why had he insisted on this foolish loyalty? He wanted transcendent power too!

A streak of white light suddenly flashed beside Lan Yi's ear, and the ropes binding Kent were instantly severed.

"All prisoners are to be placed under your management. Weed out those without value and keep those who have value. In twenty-four hours, I want to see your work report."

"May I ask what kind of value counts as valuable to you?" Kent rubbed his painfully numb hands. If he had not seen incorrectly just now, the ropes had been cut by hair—white hair.

"If they have scientific technology to sell, then sell the scientific technology. If they have no technology, they can sell their conscience. If they have nothing at all they can sell... then pray that they have good luck and possess a supernatural clue." Lan Yi spoke indifferently.

One could only blame the low overall quality of Xinghan in this era.

The illiteracy rate was an astonishing ninety-seven percent.

Power plants, shipbuilding, modern management, and qualified military-industrial equipment—none of these existed. If he wanted to achieve his goals quickly, taking the foreigners in as dogs had already been part of Lan Yi's considerations.

In any case, to Lan Yi, who had lived through the prosperous Flourishing Era of the Dimensional Sea, race and even species were nothing. What mattered was identification with a civilization. That was the primary means by which spirit-energy cultivators distinguished fellow cultivators from enemies.

Lan Yi waved his hand again.

The two foreigners were immediately escorted out in neat haste.

"Wait, I want to sell my loyalty and conscience too..." Albert's voice was cut off beyond the door.

"Immortal Master, you do not oppose scientific technology?" Nong Jinsun closed his notebook, feeling somewhat dejected. Lan Yi was even more knowledgeable than he was and did not need him to explain certain terms. Meanwhile, in front of Lan Yi, Nong Jinsun felt like an uncivilized savage.

"Why would I oppose scientific technology?" Lan Yi asked in return.

Well, surely I can't say that everyone thinks you are an immortal who cultivated successfully in some remote mountain wilderness and emerged into the world, and that you would suppress science in favor of martial arts for personal preference and the stability of your rule, can I?

After all, that was exactly what the Qing Imperial Court did.

There would be nothing wrong with you doing the same, sir.

After all, your Bestowing Martial Arts was truly ferocious!

"A rifle relies on the thrust produced by burning gunpowder to propel a metal projectile and inflict harm. I possess a technique called Steel Armor Divine Thunder. It is based on electrochemistry, ionizing steam to produce thrust that propels a metal projectile and inflicts harm."

"...You mean that your technique is actually scientific technology?" Nong Jinsun asked, half understanding.

"When scientific technology develops to an extremely high level, it appears as immortal arts to those who do not understand the principles behind it. What distinguishes advancement from backwardness is not the outward form of the technology, but one's understanding and mastery of the world."

Seeing that Nong Jinsun still seemed to understand only half of it, Lan Yi could not help losing interest.

What a backward Artificial Divine Realm.

For a spirit-energy cultivator like him, it was lonely—a profound loneliness born from having no kindred spirits with whom he could communicate.