Liyue's Visit, Upgrading Armaments (52K)

As soon as the high-level meeting ended, Aurelia said to Lin Yi, "Commander, Grandmother has led the family's advance fleet to the outer star system, which is about three standard jump nodes away from Blue Star."

Then, Aurelia paused slightly, considered her words for a moment, and continued, "Grandmother believes that the actual journey will take a long time, but various matters on Blue Star, especially funding and initial procurement, cannot be delayed. Therefore, she hopes that we can have a formal online visit through the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network."

"I'm sorry, Commander," she said, looking at Lin Yi with obvious apology in her voice, "According to the unwritten social etiquette in interstellar space, especially among Higher Civilization, using Virtual Network for the first formal meeting, instead of a personal visit, does seem somewhat lacking in formality, and might even be interpreted as a lack of respect."

"My grandmother was deeply troubled by this and specifically asked me to sincerely apologize to you."

"She earnestly hopes you can understand her predicament and urgency. The establishment of the East Peak Mercenary Group and the basic defenses of the early Blue Star Civilization are all urgent matters, and the star sea is fraught with danger. The sooner we deliver the funds to you, the sooner we can start the procurement and construction process."

She believes that, compared to empty formalities, concrete progress and support are the greatest respect one can show to allies.

Lin Yi's mind raced, and he instantly grasped the deeper meaning behind the Liyue clan chief's actions.

This is by no means a neglect or perfunctory attitude; on the contrary, it is a decision that places efficiency, pragmatism, and actual support for allies above traditional formalities, which also demonstrates the importance that the Xina Family attaches to this cooperation.

Actually, that's normal. Lin Yi pondered that, apart from the Blue Star Civilization itself, the family that least wanted anything to happen to Blue Star was probably the Xina Family.

"Ellie, please tell the Liyue Chief that I fully understand and agree with her considerations."

Lin Yi nodded in agreement, "Extraordinary times call for extraordinary measures. The Liyue Clan Chief is focused on the big picture and prioritizes efficiency. How can it be considered impolite? Let's go to the small reception room from last time. It's quiet there. We can log into the Virtual Network from there."

Soon, the two arrived at the small reception room from last time and sat down facing each other.

Lin Yi immersed his consciousness into the virtual ocean. After a brief sense of temporal and spatial dislocation, his figure appeared in the "Silver Moon Blue" private space that Aurelia had meticulously arranged.

The moment he appeared, Xuanji's voice rang in his consciousness. "Principal, a new Contact Mark interaction request has been received. Mark name: ' Moonlight Glow - Words of Hope,' request note: Liyue - Sheena."

"Approval of the application, and immediate issuance of a space access invitation," Lin Yi ordered immediately.

Soon, a soft, rippling, yet deeper moon-white halo, more profound than the emerald glow Aurelia had when she descended, quietly appeared in the center of the living room.

The light was not dazzling; instead, it had a cool and gentle quality, as if a miniature, bright moon had been brought indoors.

Within the halo of light, a graceful and elegant figure rapidly became clear from its illusory outline, eventually appearing fully.

The newcomer was none other than Liyue's Hina.

Her Spirit Race traditional attire was more elaborate and solemn than Aurelia's, with moonshine silver and life emerald as the main colors, and hidden patterns embroidered on the fabric that flowed with a faint light as she moved.

Her long, silvery-white hair flowed like a waterfall under the moonlight, shimmering with a faint luster. It was simply held up with an unadorned hairpin, with a few strands falling naturally, adding a touch of otherworldly elegance.

Her face bore a six or seven-tenths resemblance to Aurelia, with softer features but a greater sense of authority honed over the years.

Liyue's gaze first fell on Lin Yi. She nodded slightly, her movements elegant and natural, her voice gentle and steady, exuding the dignified air of someone who had long held a high position and wielded power. "Commander Lin Yi, it is impolite of me to visit you so abruptly and to meet you in such an informal manner. Please forgive my rudeness."

Lin Yi remained calm as he faced the patriarch of an ancient family who far surpassed him in both strength and experience.

He bowed slightly in return, neither servile nor arrogant, and then said, "Chief Liyue, you flatter me. Your concern for the overall cooperation demonstrates true pragmatism. How can you say I'm being impolite?"

Upon hearing this, Liyue smiled. It would be best if no misunderstanding could be caused.

Then, her gaze swept across the entire living room layout and environment, especially noticing the uniquely shaped, spiraling multi-tiered display shelf that bore the distinct aesthetic imprint and subtle touches of Aurelia. A hint of surprise flashed in her eyes at first, then turned into a deeper smile.

However, Liyue didn't say anything about it. After a brief exchange of pleasantries and greetings, she got straight to the point.

"Commander Lin Yi, let's skip the formalities. Ellie has already told me in detail everything before and after passing the assessment, as well as your astonishing potential and that of the Blue Star Civilization. On behalf of the Xina Family, I express my unreserved agreement and full support for your decisive decision to establish the ' East Peak Mercenary Group ' as a pioneer in civilization's expansion. This is the most direct, effective, and flexible way to deal with complex situations."

Then, she changed her tone, "Now that the direction is clear, there's no need for pointless waiting. Therefore, I plan to transfer the first portion of funds, totaling one hundred billion Moonwave Crystal, to your personal account verified on the Pan-Spirit Alliance network. You will have full control over it to purchase all initial necessities."

One hundred billion Moonwave Crystal and one hundred million Star Crystal. That's all?

Even though Lin Yi was mentally strong and had already anticipated this, he was still involuntarily shocked when he heard the other party calmly utter this astronomical figure.

Keep in mind that his master, the Eternal Divinity, only gave him 10 million Star Crystal as initial funding, which was already considered sufficient for his early stages. The Xina Family, on the other hand, started with 100 million!

This display of power even gave Lin Yi a strange feeling deep down. Who, really, is the Eternal Divinity?

Of course, while he was joking in his heart, Lin Yi knew very well that this money was not just a cold number, but a heavy trust, and a resolute demonstration of the Xina Family's do-or-die determination.

Lin Yi met Liyue's deep gaze and solemnly replied, "Lin Yi will use this money for the most crucial purposes, carefully calculating and striving to make the best use of it."

"Alright, I trust the Commander's abilities." Liyue nodded in satisfaction. "Without further ado, only the ' Human Universe Bank ' branch of the Purple Gold Star Union has the authority to handle such large-scale inter-species and inter-financial currency transfers on the Virtual Network within the Purple Gold Star Union. Shall we set off now?"

Liyue's style of doing things is decisive and efficient, without any hesitation or delay.

"That's exactly what I wanted; it should be done that way."

Lin Yi also hopes to transform the plans on paper into tangible results as soon as possible.

Early availability of funds is a prerequisite for all subsequent steps.

With a slight shift in their consciousness, the scene before them shattered and reformed instantly, like a broken mirror.

The "Silver Moon Blue" space, full of personal style and Blue Star elements, has been replaced by a bustling yet orderly scene.

They were now in an incredibly magnificent and splendid hall.

The dome is impossibly high, simulating a dazzling galaxy and magnificent nebulae. Countless light bands, representing different Information Flow, are like living serpents, shuttling at high speed along invisible tracks in the air, weaving a vast and Dynamic cosmic financial star map.

The floor beneath your feet is as smooth as a mirror. Its special material seems to absorb most of the ambient noise, so that even though the hall is crowded with people, it does not feel too noisy. Instead, it maintains a highly efficient and low-decibel operation.

The appearance of the three people immediately attracted the attention of the intelligent customer identification system.

"High-priority alert! Access detected by a user with purple-level access privileges!"

Coordinates: Central Hall Core Zone, Access Point -019.

In an instant, the bank's high-level access control mechanism, which was rarely activated under normal circumstances, was silently triggered.

The originally even and soft background light in the lobby seemed to undergo an extremely subtle adjustment in brightness and tone for a fleeting moment. Just a few seconds later, a middle-aged man dressed in the highest-level bank uniform, with a shrewd and capable demeanor, appeared precisely in front of Lin Yi and his companions.

The middle-aged man wore the most standard and enthusiastic smile. He bowed slightly, the angle precisely controlled to express respect without losing his dignity. "Distinguished guests, good day! It is a great honor to welcome you all here! Welcome to the Purple Gold Star Union Branch of the Human Universe Bank. I am Molando, the regional vice president of this bank, mainly responsible for ultra-high-net-worth clients and special privileges. It is a great dereliction of duty and a great honor that we were unable to greet you in advance outside the star gate upon learning of your unexpected arrival. Please forgive us."

His gaze, like a high-precision scanner, swept quickly and with great care over Lin Yi, Liyue, and Aurelia, especially lingering on Lin Yi, who was too young to be considered a purple-level expert, for a barely perceptible moment.

A purple-level authority user, unlike any seen before, accompanied by two blue-level noblewomen of the Spirit Race. This combination alone represents a top-tier business opportunity.

Lin Yi seemed to have anticipated this kind of entourage, showing little surprise on his face. He simply nodded calmly and said in a gentle tone, "Vice President Molando, there's no need for such formalities. Please show me the way."

"You're too kind. It's our greatest honor to serve you!" Molando's smile grew even warmer. He quickly stepped aside and made a perfectly standard and respectful "please" gesture, then personally led the way.

Instead of heading towards the bustling, ordinary elevators or conveyor belts, they went straight to a column-shaped, energy-powered elevator. The interior of the elevator car was spacious, with an extremely minimalist yet luxurious decor.

The stairwell doors closed silently, and the next moment, we smoothly arrived at the VIP area on the top floor of this virtual financial building.

The luxury inside the VIP room far surpasses any area downstairs; once seated, the chairs automatically adapt to the three of us.

Without any pleasantries, Liyue got straight to the point. "Vice President Molando, we need to process an inter-species currency transfer involving 100 billion Moonwave Crystal."

"One hundred billion Moonwave Crystal?!" Even as a regional vice president who had handled huge sums of money over the years and had seen countless interstellar tycoons and representatives of various powers, Molando was still slightly surprised when he heard this number with his own ears, especially when it involved the "Moonwave Crystal," the hard currency within the Spirit Race.

This type of business involves complex and highly demanding cross-racial financial settlement agreements, requiring the mobilization of the bank's top-tier clearing channels and security resources. It is a top-tier business that best demonstrates a bank's strength.

He immediately composed himself, suppressing his shock, and quickly replied, "Absolutely no problem! Please rest assured, esteemed guest, our bank, as a core node of the Human Universe Bank within the Purple Gold Star Union, possesses a well-established cross-race currency settlement system recognized within the Pan-Spirit Alliance. We also have a deep cooperative relationship and exclusive encrypted channel with the Spirit Race's Supreme Financial Council and its subordinate ' Eternal Tree ' settlement center."

"Please authorize your respective Intelligent Life or unique soul vibration imprint to the highest-level security verification port provided by the bank. We will immediately activate the ' Star Contract ' level agreement, a symbol of security and authority, which is jointly witnessed and protected by the will of multiple Eternal Divinity deities."

Liyue and Lin Yi followed their instructions.

In Liyue, the Phantom Light of the Intelligent Life "Orlan" instantly completed data exchange, permission verification, and unique soul fluctuation calibration with the banking system, a process so smooth it was like art.

Meanwhile, on Lin Yi's side, Xuanji efficiently and precisely coordinated with the complex encrypted data stream and soul resonance request from the bank, ensuring that Lin Yi's soul imprint and account permissions were perfectly matched.

The next moment, the lighting in the VIP room dimmed slightly, as if reserving the space for something more important.

Complex pale gold and moon silver runes began to slowly emerge in the void between the two sides, intricately intertwined.

A solemn and sacred atmosphere enveloped the entire room, as countless encrypted data were being exchanged and verified at an unprecedented speed.

The entire process lasted for about fifteen minutes. Finally, all the continuously flowing runes suddenly converged and condensed inward, transforming into a soft, pure golden mark that flashed and disappeared in the void between Lin Yi and Liyue, as if it had never appeared.

This means that the transfer agreement involving the two major races has been fully finalized.

"Distinguished guests, the transfer has been confirmed."

The vice president of Molando's voice carried a hint of excitement, "Based on the best real-time exchange rate, 100 billion Moonwave Crystal have been successfully transferred to your account at this bank and automatically converted into 112 million Star Crystal."

As he spoke, Molando looked at Lin Yi, "Distinguished guest, from this moment on, you have officially become a four-star customer of our bank, enjoying all the corresponding level of financial services, credit lines, investment authority, and priority access to all channels."

He respectfully presented a card with four tiny, slowly rotating stars embedded in it.

"This is your four-star customer identification. Within the Pan-Spirit Alliance Virtual Network, any Human Race Chamber of Commerce, auction house, intelligence agency, or even some official departments will treat you as a VIP upon seeing this identification, providing you with high-level treatment and services!"

Despite having been prepared, Lin Yi 'Star Crystal heart still involuntarily quickened when he truly confirmed that this enormous fortune, which had even made him despair in his previous life, lay quietly in his name.

He calmly accepted the star-shaped card imprint, sensing the authority fluctuations it contained, and nodded slightly to Molando: "Excellent efficiency, thank you."

"It is our greatest honor to serve you." Molando bowed slightly.

With the funds in place, Lin Yi didn't delay any longer. He exchanged a glance with Liyue and Aurelia, and the three of them got up to take their leave.

Molando personally escorted them to their private energy elevator. Once the three figures disappeared, he immediately turned around and began preparing a high-level customer maintenance plan.

Leaving the breathtaking financial halls of the Cosmic Bank, the three made no stop and headed straight for their next crucial destination—the "Human Interstellar Chamber of Commerce Purple Gold Star Union Alliance" in the Virtual Network.

Unlike the solemnity of a bank, the Chamber of Commerce is more like a super commercial center that is extremely prosperous and bustling.

Countless virtual shops, floating booths, and holographic GG banners of various styles were on display, dazzling the eye and showcasing a multitude of goods from the Human Race realm and even other powerful races within the Pan-Spirit Alliance.

From everyday necessities and exotic alien pets to massive industrial mother machines, menacing war fortresses, and even legendary artifacts, it encompasses almost everything.

With their newly acquired four-star credentials and Lin Yi's purple-level access, they were immediately surrounded by a team of intelligent guides who were already waiting as soon as they entered the Chamber of Commerce's identification range. They were then directly led to the "Universal Procurement Center," which was not open to the public and was exclusively for top-tier clients and bulk purchases.

An elderly Human Race man with meticulously combed hair, dressed in a merchant guild uniform, introduced himself as Old Chen's senior purchasing consultant, and greeted them with an impeccable smile.

"Welcome, distinguished guests, to the Chamber of Commerce!" Old Chen's voice was loud and enthusiastic. "Your presence is truly an honor to our Chamber. May I ask what kind of supplies you plan to purchase? No matter the scale or variety, I will do my utmost to provide you with the most professional and tailored solutions."

Lin Yi and Aurelia exchanged a glance, and Lin Yi spoke, succinctly listing the goals they had agreed on the day before.

"We need to equip an elite Mercenary Group of five thousand with all the basic equipment from individual soldiers to the entire fleet. At the same time, I need to purchase a Star Vortex level Perfected expert, and providing early warning and delay against early-stage Star Domain level -level threats."

"An elite Mercenary Group of five thousand people, and a planetary defense system!"

Old Chen Chen's eyes lit up instantly, and his smile widened. "I understand, I completely understand! A startup team of this size, equipped with planetary-level defenses—this is to build a solid interstellar base! Excellent! Very good! Please come with me. This isn't the place to talk business. I'll take you to the 'Holographic Reality Experience Zone,' where you can most directly experience the equipment solutions we've carefully selected for you, the most suitable for an elite team starting out!"

Old Chen enthusiastically led the way from the side, and the four of them stepped into a more concealed teleportation node.

The surrounding scenery rippled and recombine once more, like waves on water.

The next moment, they found themselves in a boundless void of space, with slowly rotating, colorful nebulae and dust belts beneath their feet, and in the distance, burning stars and ethereal star clusters. A chilling sense of vacuum and the vastness of the universe washed over them.

This is a "holographic reality experience zone" built by the Chamber of Commerce using top-level virtual privileges, which can perfectly simulate the performance of products in the complex environment of the real universe.