One hundred billion?!
That's almost their entire Neon Country's fiscal revenue!
That old madman is even more ruthless than his apprentice!
However, faced with Li Qingcang's ambiguous smile, she couldn't even utter a single "no."
She had no doubt that if she dared to refuse, the Kunlun's cannons would wipe the entire Takamanohara off the map in the next second.
"... good."
After a long silence, Kujo Houka finally managed to squeeze out this humiliating word through gritted teeth.
She immediately issued an order to the person in charge of the National Treasury below through a mental link.
Soon, a Storage Ring and a card shimmering with golden light were respectfully handed to Kujo Houka by a trembling Gold-rank expert.
Without even glancing at them, Kujo Houka humiliatingly tossed the two items at Li Qingcang from a distance.
Li Qingcang casually took it, scanned it with his Divine Sense, and nodded in satisfaction.
He tossed the Storage Ring directly to Yang Yu, then pocketed the Gold Card, saying, "Disciple, you're still young. Too much money can corrupt you. I'll keep it safe for you for now."
Yang Yu: "..."
Wow, experience really pays off!
But he didn't care, since he could just ask his Master for whatever he needed.
There just happens to be a Scroll of Divine Grace.
A talent capable of being upgraded to Legendary quality.
He's still of Rare grade, so he could easily ask for some of the Epic Quality Talent Upgrade Scroll that Jiang Shuyue's father gave him, and upgrade his talent to Epic Quality first.
Epic Quality scrolls should be much cheaper, and to reiterate, it's hard for the Nihon not to guess their talent level.
It's not worth it.
Having obtained the item, Li Qingcang had achieved his goal.
He glanced one last time at the deathly Kujo Houka, and said calmly, "That's enough for today. I expect the Divine Slaying Warrant to be completely eradicated from the world by tomorrow. Otherwise, you will bear the consequences."
After saying that, he put his arm around Yang Yu's shoulder and turned back to the Kunlun.
The massive Floating Warship, under the humiliated, angry, and resentful gazes of countless Neon Country professional, slowly turned around, transforming into a streak of light and disappearing into the horizon.
The terrifying pressure that had made everyone breathless also vanished.
Above the Takama-ga-hara secret realm, there was a deathly silence.
Countless Neon Country professional remained frozen in place, their faces filled with humiliation and resentment.
Abe no Seimei, who had collapsed to the ground, let out a long breath.
The chill that shot from my tailbone straight to the Crown of the Head finally dissipated a little.
He survived.
That old madman didn't even name his enemy to take his life at the last moment.
It's truly... a stroke of luck amidst misfortune.
Abe no Seimei staggered to his feet, the relief of surviving the ordeal forcing a smile—more like a grimace—on his pale face.
Although the country has suffered a huge financial loss and lost face, as long as I am still alive, there is still a chance.
Given time, he'll eventually level up and return to the top!
The humiliation suffered today will be repaid a hundredfold in the future!
He was engrossed in his grand plan for future revenge when a cold shadow fell upon him.
Abe no Seimei, then slowly raised his head.
Kujo Houka had appeared before him without his noticing.
That breathtakingly beautiful face was expressionless at this moment, as calm as a stagnant pool.
But Abe no Seimei saw in those narrow, phoenix-like eyes a volcano about to erupt.
The Neon Country professional around them also noticed this scene and held their breath, not daring to even breathe loudly.
They all felt the suppressed rage emanating from their Legendary Lord.
" Kujo... Lord..." Abe no Seimei's lips moved, and he managed to squeeze out a few words dryly.
Kujo Houka did not respond.
She just stared at him quietly, making Abe no Seimei feel uneasy and uncomfortable.
"From today onwards."
Finally, she spoke, her voice calm yet containing an undeniable resolve.
"You are no longer the Divine Son of my Great Neon Empire."
boom!
These words were even more unbearable for him than Li Qingcang's oppressive aura.
Abe no Seimei's mind went blank.
Strip the Divine Son's status?
No!
How can this be!
" Lord Kujo! I... I have shed blood for the Empire! I am a genius that the Empire has only seen once in a century! You cannot..." He desperately tried to explain, trying to grasp at this last straw.
"Genius?"
Kujo Houka interrupted him with a mocking smile.
"A piece of trash professional of the same level, causing the entire country to suffer a great disgrace, dares to call himself a genius?"
She extended her slender hand, and a complex and eerie black incantation slowly emerged and swirled in her palm, emanating a chilling and malevolent aura.
"You have not only disgraced the empire, but more importantly, you have robbed the empire of its hope for future rise."
"You deserve to die."
Upon seeing the ominous incantation, Abe no Seimei was terrified and retreated repeatedly.
"No! Lord Kujo, spare me! Give me another chance! I will definitely make amends!"
"Chance?"
Kujo Houka sneered, her figure closing in instantly like a ghost, giving him no time to react.
The hand, wreathed in black runes, gently pressed down on the top of his Crown of the Head.
Your chances are over.
"This is Time-Stasis Curse."
"From now on, you will not be able to gain any experience points for the next ten years."
The black runes, as if alive, frantically drilled into Abe no Seimei's body along her palm.
Abe no Seimei let out a scream so shrill it was inhuman!
He could clearly feel that his connection with the most fundamental Law of this world had been forcibly severed by an irresistible force!
The upgrade path has been completely blocked!
ten years!
A full ten years!
For a professional, what's the difference between this and a death sentence?
No, this is even more cruel than the death penalty!
This was meant to make him watch helplessly as his contemporaries Transcend him one by one, while he could only stagnate and slowly rot in despair!
Abe no Seimei as if all his strength had been drained away; his knees buckled, and he collapsed heavily to the ground, his eyes glazed over, completely devoid of light.
It's over.
Everything is over.
However, Kujo Houka's trial is not yet over.
She looked down at the former Divine Son, who was now practically a cripple, her voice devoid of any pity.
"However, you're still an SSS-rank Great Onmyoji, so your worthless life is still somewhat useful for now."
"Didn't that Dragon Country want a Level 30 Legendary difficulty set?"
A cruel smile suddenly appeared on Kujo Houka's face.
"It's okay even though we don't have it."
"You, Abe no Seimei, will spend the next ten years forging a set of Legendary quality equipment for our next Divine Son."
"Go to those Level 30 Dungeon, and grind like a dog, going back and forth between Dungeon day and night!"
"Only when you've collected all the money will you have atoned for your sins."
After saying that, Kujo Houka no longer looked at him, turned around and transformed into a black streak, disappearing into the horizon.
Only Abe no Seimei remained, kneeling there like a statue.
All around him, countless gazes—pity, mockery, schadenfreude—pierced him like needles.
He was once the pride of heaven, the Divine Son of the empire.
From today onwards, I've become a laborer, working for others with no hope of ever getting ahead.
Moreover, he was working for his successor.
Is there anything more humiliating than this in the world?
Abe no Seimei raised his head, gazing in the direction where Kujo Houka had disappeared, his eyes brimming with endless resentment.
A single, cloudy tear slid down his cheek.
Immediately afterwards, his body shuddered violently, he spat out a mouthful of blood, and fell straight backward, completely losing consciousness.