Reclaiming the Business

"I'm only afraid they won't retaliate—if they don't, killing just this many people won't ease the hatred in my heart."

As he spoke, Lu Yuan showed not the slightest regard for an Immortal Dao Lineage.

Qing Wuji chuckled. "That's indeed your nature. But you may not fear revenge—what about your Lu clan members? After all, they're only collateral branches, not direct lines, let alone the main bloodline."

Lu Yuan shook his head. "I'll bear the greatest danger at the front. If they can't even withstand a little turbulence, they don't deserve to be my Lu clan kin. Only through blood and fire can an unyielding will be forged."

"You're still this extreme," Qing Wuji remarked.

Among the many peerless prodigies of the Dark Continent, he was one of the few on good terms with Lu Yuan, and he understood Lu Yuan's character well.

To those who stood by him, Lu Yuan was gentle, generous, and considerate.

To those who stood against him, he was domineering, ruthless, and utterly unreasonable.

Beyond that, Qing Wuji's strongest impression of Lu Yuan was—extremism.

"Forget it, let's not dwell on this. Have you looked at the list yet?" Qing Wuji asked.

Lu Yuan shook his head. "Not yet."

Qing Wuji frowned.

"What, is there a problem with the list?" Lu Yuan said.

Qing Wuji took a deep breath. "There is a problem—a big one. On several other continents, a few monstrous talents have emerged, almost on par with you. If you haven't seen the list, find time to look it over. And among them, one has quite a connection to you."

"A connection to me?" Lu Yuan raised an eyebrow. Something came to mind, and he suddenly said, "The Nangong Family?"

Lu Yuan's mother was named Nangong Muyue.

Qing Wuji smiled faintly. "That's right—your mother's clan."

"So what? If they stand against me, I won't show mercy. Rest assured, I'll fulfill what I promised for the Qingling Star Travel," Lu Yuan said, unconcerned.

Qing Wuji laughed. "That's best. Also, you might have forgotten—since the Qingling Star Travel has agreed to shelter the Lu family, we will see it through. You can act boldly. As long as the Lu family doesn't deploy combat power above the Heavenly Sovereign level, no Heavenly Sovereign will dare move against your clan."

"Of course, that's within the Qingling Supreme Domain. If you go outside, we can't help."

Lu Yuan nodded. "Thanks."

Qing Wuji smiled. "It's only right. By the way, the time has been set—five days from now. Within these five days, try to wrap up your affairs."

With that, Qing Wuji vanished from the room.

Lu Yuan gazed outside, his eyes deep and unfathomable, lost in thought.

The next moment.

Lu Yuan also disappeared from the room.

Qingling City.

The Blissful Heavenly Palace encampment.

It was a luxurious pavilion. From the outside, it appeared to have only nine floors, but within, it held a universe—a Lesser World.

And in the city, nearly every building, every room, held a similar sight.

Lesser Worlds and Lesser Secret Realms were no longer rare.

Even a world plane like the Tianxiao Continent was merely a plaything for major powers.

At this moment, on the top floor of the pavilion.

A Gray-robed Elder sat before a wide redwood table, with two people standing before him.

One was reporting, his words tinged with joy.

"Sir, both ore veins are high-quality. In just this month alone, we've mined three million Star Source Crystals."

The Gray-robed Elder nodded lightly, but his face showed no joy—only worry. He turned to the other person.

"How is the investigation going?"

That person said, "It's confirmed. All collateral branches of the Lu family have been brought back and sheltered by the Qingling Star Travel. They've even spread word that no one above the Heavenly Sovereign level is allowed to strike at the Lu family. Below that level, unless the Lu family provokes first, no one may attack them either."

"Also, another piece of news is true—the Lu Family's Qilin Son, Lu Yuan, has indeed returned and is currently staying at a manor outside Qingling City."

Hearing these two pieces of news.

The Gray-robed Elder looked as if struck by lightning, his face turning pale.

The other person asked in confusion, "Sir, you seem worried. Are you concerned that the Lu family will demand the two ore veins back?"

Hearing this, the Gray-robed Elder stared at him like he was an idiot. "Are you truly stupid or just pretending? Is that what I'm worried about? I'm worried about our lives!"

The Gray-robed Elder slumped weakly onto the table. "The Qingling Star Travel has taken the Lu family under its protection and set down two rules. With those rules in place, Lu Yuan can act with impunity—no one can rein him in. To put it bluntly, within the Qingling Domain, one Lu Yuan is more intimidating than ten Immortal Dao Lineages!"

"And Lu Yuan's temperament is domineering. If he finds out we forcibly seized his family's ore veins, what do you think he'll do?"

"Let me tell you—getting the veins back would be the least of it. What I fear is that Lu Yuan won't let it go. Even if he kills us and destroys this encampment, no one can stop him."

With that, the old man scrambled to his feet and ordered, "Quickly! Send word to Lu Yuan immediately. Tell him we're willing to return the ore veins and offer five million Star Source Crystals as compensation. As for the Heavenly Palace, I'll handle it. I'll take full responsibility when the time comes."

No sooner had the old man finished speaking than—

A cold voice rang out in the room.

"If I had heard this an hour ago, I might have spared your life. What a pity—opportunity slips away in an instant, and you failed to seize it."

"Who?"

The two men before the Gray-robed Elder hurriedly looked around.

The Gray-robed Elder himself, however, was already pale-faced, his limbs weak and powerless.

The next moment.

Lu Yuan appeared in the room out of thin air. The instant he materialized, he released his full aura without restraint, his entire body shrouded in a chilling murderous intent.

Seeing Lu Yuan, the elder stammered, "Lu Yuan, everything can be negotiated. If five million isn't enough, how about ten million? If that still won't do, twenty million—this is already my maximum authority."

"Kill you, and everything you promised will still be mine," Lu Yuan said coldly.

The next instant, a flash of cold light.

Three heads shot into the air.

A quarter of an hour later.

This nine-story pavilion collapsed. The Blissful Heavenly Palace's encampment, totaling three thousand four hundred people, had not a single survivor.

At the same time, in Qingling City, three locations erupted in flames of war, the clamor of battle shaking the heavens.

Another hour later, Lu Yuan returned to the manor.

From then on, the six properties the Lu family had lost returned to their embrace—and had even grown considerably.

Soon.

Lu Changming came to see Lu Yuan with the tallied results.

"Brother Yuan, the results are in."

"This time, we not only reclaimed all our properties but also gained fourteen new ones. Additionally, after the Three Great Families, the Blissful Heavenly Palace, and the Heavenly Pill Hall were wiped out, we obtained a total of three hundred seventy million Star Source Crystals. Other resources amount to roughly four hundred million Star Source Crystals. We also have over one hundred seventy land deeds, the smallest of which covers a hundred thousand mu, and we've acquired seven Lesser Worlds and Lesser Secret Realms."

"With all this, our Lu family's two hundred thousand clansmen will hardly need to worry about resources anymore."

Lu Changming was elated, his eyes brimming with hope for the future.