An opportunity, a gift

Before Jiaxi could think further, she heard her daughter's soft cry beside her.

"Father, it's Lord Lin, it must be Lord Lin."

Jiaxi turned her head and saw Jia Di staring straight at the words "Constant Guard Together" on the light screen, her eyes reflecting the flowing golden light of the screen.

Jiaxi opened her mouth, but before she could say anything, Jia Di turned around and said excitedly, "Father, let's sign up too! I think this is a great opportunity to develop the Chamber of Commerce."

Jiaxi felt like she almost couldn't catch her breath.

He stared wide-eyed at his daughter.

Do you even know what you're saying?

"Opportunity? What kind of opportunity is this?" As she spoke, Jia Di paused for a moment, a very faint blush rising on her cheeks, but it was quickly replaced by a stubbornness that refused to admit defeat.

She raised her chin, her pale purple eyes meeting her father's gaze directly.

"Father, you don't believe me?"

Jiaxi quickly replied, "No, no, of course I believe you."

This isn't because he mindlessly spoils his daughter; in fact, Jia Di has absolutely played a crucial role in the development of the Chamber of Commerce to its current state.

Although Jia Di is only at the True Source Realm, she has an almost intuitive and keen sense of market judgment. She can often deduce important information from very simple intelligence analysis. Last time, she made a fortune by listening to her daughter's advice, which allowed her to accumulate enough resources to break through to the Eternal Source Realm.

However, he believes his daughter's words today were likely influenced by her own emotions.

Therefore, Jiaxi couldn't help but sigh and explained helplessly, "I just feel that you seem... still thinking about that Lord Lin? Take your father's advice and forget about him. He's just a passerby in your life, and he's not one of us. Such a person is not someone that ordinary Eternal Source Realm cultivators like us can ever hope to associate with."

He spoke these words cautiously, afraid of touching on his daughter's sensitive spots, yet also feeling compelled to remind her of the harsh realities of life.

No, you're wrong.

Jia Di's voice was very calm, so calm that it didn't sound like the tone a True Source Realm should have when facing their Eternal Source Realm father.

"Of course... I am still thinking about Lord Lin. But the opportunity I just mentioned is not the same as what you're thinking."

Jia Di raised her hand, her slender fingers lightly touching the air, and a semi-transparent light screen unfolded before her.

The screen was densely filled with all the information she had collected over the past period of time, and each line of text was marked with different colors to categorize it.

As Jiaxi looked at the well-organized information on the light screen, the corner of her mouth twitched involuntarily.

His daughter never went into battle unprepared.

Every time she adopts this posture, it means she has thought things through from beginning to end.

"Father, I've been pestering you lately with a lot of information about the Constant Guard, and I've even gone out of my way to find out more."

Jia Di's fingertip lightly swept across the light screen, bringing up a set of data. "The Constant Guard's status is indeed revered, and their authority is indeed extremely high, but have you considered that Constant Guard is first and foremost a cultivator... and a cultivator aspiring to reach a higher realm would never personally handle everything?"

Her finger hovered over a line of text on the screen.

"According to the publicly available information I've gathered, almost all of the existing Constant Guard in the Silent Vast Cosmos Domain have established their own forces, either directly or indirectly. Some selected their direct descendants from their original families, some recruited capable individuals encountered during missions, and others simply accepted the patronage of other forces. These forces collect cultivation resources for the Constant Guard, handle daily chores, gather intelligence, and allow the Constant Guard to devote the vast majority of their energy to cultivation and core missions."

As Jia Di finished speaking, she looked up at her father.

"But Father, think again, what was Lord Lin like when we met him?"

Jiaxi frowned, subconsciously Rewind that scene in her mind.

At that time, their fleet was attacked from both sides by two groups of pirates. He single-handedly held off a pirate leader from the Eternal Source Realm, while the guards desperately resisted the remaining True Source Realm pirates, and the defense line was in grave danger.

Just then, a beam of light pierced down from the void, and he still remembers the moment that light fell.

It was an almost eerie, desolate beauty; the Silverblue beams of light were like icy water pouring from a crack in the void, freezing even the chaotic energy in their wake.

Then, he saw the Constant Guard.

The golden armor gleamed with a cold, sharp light in the void, and the Constant Guard insignia on his chest flickered in and out of view amidst the surging chaotic energy. Behind him, two silver-armored Mechanical Servants stood like the most loyal shadows.

At that moment, he was intimidated by Lin Yi's strength and lamented that he couldn't even defeat the Mechanical Servants behind him, so he subconsciously ignored other information.

Now that I think about it, Lin Constant Ban only seems to have one golden spaceship and two silver-armored Mechanical Servants.

There was no one else.

He had no attendants, no guards; besides himself, there were only two Mechanical Servants on the entire spaceship.

Jiaxi's heart stirred slightly. He had realized the point his daughter was referring to, the detail that had been completely overshadowed by the shock of Lin Yi's strength when they first met.

"You mean... he hasn't established his own power base yet?"

Jia Di's lips curled up slightly, revealing a smile.

"That's right, because there are only two possibilities in this situation. Either Lord Lin is on a mission that requires strict secrecy, and therefore can only travel with absolutely loyal and reliable Mechanical Servants, but judging from our entire interaction with him, he clearly has no intention of keeping it a secret."

"Or, it's the second possibility. Lord Lin hasn't had time to develop his own power base, or at least, he doesn't yet have enough capable people to bring along."

Jia Di looked at her father and said slowly, "And this is our opportunity, and this opportunity is very limited in time."

Jiaxi fell silent.

He leaned against the railing, his fingers unconsciously tapping on the Radiant Silver Rock panels, countless thoughts racing through his mind.

He had to admit that his daughter was right.

He wasn't one of those privileged children born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He got to where he is today through hard work, accumulating experience step by step, and countless gambles on the edge of a precipice.

From a small-time True Source Realm merchant to the current president of the Eternal Source Realm Chamber of Commerce, who owns a fleet of interdimensional transport ships, he has experienced more life-and-death crises than most scions of aristocratic families have ever seen.

But precisely because he was a pure businessman, a Eternal Source Realm with no family background, no bloodline, and who had climbed up from the bottom on his own, he understood better than anyone what fate awaited a Eternal Source Realm without any backing.

After the news of his breakthrough to the Eternal Source Realm spread, various forces flocked to him to win him over.

On the surface, everyone was very polite, promising more and more generous resources than the last. But Jiaxi had been in the business world for so many years, how could she not see what was hidden behind those seemingly generous conditions?

Annexation.

Once those agreements are signed, the name of the Jiaxi Merchant Association will disappear from the world completely, becoming an insignificant piece of the puzzle in the vast industry of some powerful family.

So he kept putting it off.

He left his hometown with his daughter and fleet under the pretext of an inter-space trade, hoping to give himself more room to maneuver and also to wait and see if any unexpected changes would occur.

But now, it seems that a change has occurred.

A Constant Guard.

A Constant Guard who seems to have not yet had time to establish his own power.

Jiaxi was extremely unwilling to seek refuge with those treacherous families.

But to join a Constant Guard, especially one like Lin Yi Constant Guard, even if it means leaving one's hometown, the meaning is completely different.

The character of the Constant Guard is backed by the Constant Guard system itself.

More importantly, my daughter is right. The manpower needed for a Constant Guard is always limited, and soon some newly emerging Eternal Source Realm forces will try to attach themselves to it.

Therefore, the Constant Guard has a very strong window of opportunity to establish its own power.

The first person to come to us received far less attention than the tenth; in fact, the eleventh might be rejected.

Two direct descendants of the Carlos Family actually want to go to the Silent Cosmos Domain to start a new family.

This is clearly not a coincidence; it's highly likely that it's also aimed at Lin Yi.

Even the direct descendants of the Constant Source Realm families are willing to make this choice, so what does Jiaxi have to hesitate about?

But he still had a lingering doubt.

Did this girl genuinely analyze all of this from a business perspective, or... was she just looking for an excuse to get close to that Lord Lin?

Jiaxi turned her head and carefully examined the expression on her daughter's face.

Jia Di remained calm and composed, rapidly jotting something down on the virtual screen with her finger, showing no signs of having just had her secret exposed by her father.

"Never mind," Jiaxi sighed inwardly.

Regardless of her daughter's motives, at least her analysis is plausible.

Even if we take a step back and assume the worst, with the Constant Guard accompanying Lord Lin on this journey back to the Left Silent Cosmos Domain, at least the safety of the voyage is guaranteed. This trip will likely bring in a considerable amount of money.

Having understood this, Jiaxi no longer hesitated.

He activated the communication talisman, and a very thin beam of pale blue light shot out from it, precisely striking the line on the light screen.

The area marked "Registration Contact".

A ripple spread across the surface of the light curtain.

After doing all this, Jiaxi leaned against the railing and let out a long sigh.

He turned his head to look at his daughter beside him.

Jia Di had already put away the light screen and was leaning against the railing with her arms crossed. Her silvery- Moonlight cascaded down her shoulders, shimmering with layers of Star Radiance under the iridescent rain of light.

A faint smile played on her lips, her pale purple eyes were half-closed, and deep within them lay secrets known only to herself.

Cough cough...

"Um?"

Jia Di turned her head, raising her eyebrows slightly.

"You're right," Jiaxi said slowly. "This is indeed a good opportunity. Whether from the perspective of the Chamber of Commerce, or from... well, let's just say I was convinced by your analysis."

Jia Di was taken aback at first, then smiled sweetly.

Seven Epoch later.

The Carlos Family's floating island.

Xiluo and Xiluo were strolling through a natural corridor made of Ink-Cyan Scale Wood, heading towards the berth.

The berth platform is suspended on the edge of the island, with a smooth ground paved with dark blue scale-like crystals underfoot. Each crystal has been finely polished, and the edges are perfectly joined together to form a complete pattern of Dark Nether Armored Dragon.

There were no railings around the platform, and beyond the edge lay endless void. Pale purple Tide energy bands surged slowly in the distance, like a magnificent veil of light descending from the heavens.

Countless years ago, Xiluo had personally handed over the essence blood of the Misi Crimson Armor Beast that he had exchanged from his family to Lin Yi. Lin Yi paid seven million Eternal Cosmos Crystal in return, and now these Eternal Cosmos Crystal have all been turned into resources by him.

Today is the day we agreed to set off.

Soon, a golden spaceship passed through the pale purple band of Tide light and landed.

The hatch slid open silently.

Two figures in golden armor emerged together.

It was Lin Yi and Kelu who came to see them off.

Lin Yi's gaze swept over the four figures that were greeting him.

The first thing that catches the eye is naturally Xiluo.

Today, the eleventh son of the Carlos family changed into a dark blue fitted battle robe. The robe was embroidered with the family's dragon emblem in dark gold thread. An extra layer of fine scale-patterned armor plates was added to the shoulder armor and cuffs. The intricate scale patterns on the hem of the robe almost seemed to come alive under the reflection of the Tide light. Every Gentle Ripple ripple of energy would cause the fine scales to flutter gently, maintaining a strange resonance with Xiluo's own breathing.

This attire was completely different from his gentle and composed demeanor when entertaining guests; instead, it exuded a sharp and determined spirit, as if he were about to embark on a long and pioneering journey.

Xiluo stood at the front of the welcoming party, stepped forward to greet the two, and bowed with his right fist to his chest.

"Brother Lin Yi, Brother Kelu."

"I'm a little late, I've kept Brother Xiluo waiting."

9

Lin Yi bowed slightly in return, then his gaze naturally fell on the girl beside Xiluo.

Her figure was a full circle thinner Xiluo's, yet she did not appear weak at all. The three dark blue scales between her brows were slightly smaller than Xiluo's, but more translucent, and one could almost see the faint vein patterns beneath the scales through their edges.

Her long, dark blue hair was not draped over her shoulders like that of an ordinary woman, but was tied up high with a dark silver ribbon, hanging down in a neat long ponytail at the back of her head, the ends of which just brushed against the dark gold chain around her waist.

Lin Yi had seen what this younger sister looked like in the virtual image that Xiluo had sent him before, but seeing her in person, he couldn't help but secretly admire her.

The Carlos Family bloodline is clearly evident in these two siblings; their subtle, inhuman features do not detract from their appearance but rather add a unique exotic charm.

"This must be your younger sister, Xiluo," Lin Yi said, bowing slightly to the girl. "Nice to meet you, Miss Xiluo."

Xiluo was clearly pleased with Lin Yi's initiative in bowing. Her vertical pupils contracted slightly, and the three scales between her brows opened and closed almost simultaneously, as if suppressing some kind of unrestrained emotion.

Then, she stepped forward and gave a slight bow, saying, "Xiluo greets Lord Lin." Xiluo straightened up, her pupils lingering on Lin Yi's face for a moment, a smile curving her lips to reveal two small, sharp teeth. "My brother has been talking about this for a while now, and we've finally met."

"Ahem." Xiluo cleared her throat, but Xiluo didn't even lift her eyelids.

Lin Yi smiled, his gaze passing over Xiluo and landing on the old man and young man standing behind the brother and sister.

To be precise, they are old acquaintances.

He was somewhat surprised when he stepped out of the cabin.

Now he finally had the chance to take a good look at these two unexpected reunions.

Jiaxi stood behind Xiluo.

As a member of the Waveglow Race at the Eternal Source Realm, his appearance was already much more handsome than that of ordinary Constant Race. However, at this moment, he clearly deliberately concealed his presence. His posture was so upright that it was almost restrained. His deep eyes lowered slightly when Lin Yi looked over, and then raised again. His eyes were respectful, but also contained a kind of composure that one could only have after experiencing many trials and tribulations.

Half a step to his side was his daughter Jia Di.

If Jiaxi had concealed her brilliance, then this Waveglow Race girl was a budding crystal flower.

Her appearance was inherited from the Waveglow Race, whose lineage was renowned for its beauty. Her silvery- Moonlight cascaded down her shoulders like a stream, tapering slightly at her waist, with faint Star Radiance visible at the ends.

At this moment, she was wearing a well-tailored light gray combat uniform, with a small Waveglow Race emblem pinned to her collar, and a dark silver chain around her waist, with a thumb-sized silver crystal at the end.

Both father and daughter possessed the pure-blooded appearance of the Waveglow Race. When they stood side by side, even beside figures of exceptional stature like the Carlos siblings, they were not in the slightest overshadowed.

Lin Yi remembers this father and daughter.

When he was crossing the edge of the Silent Vast Cosmos Domain, the Jiaxi Merchant Association's transport fleet was attacked from both sides by two Eternal Source Realm pirates. He happened to receive the distress signal and took the opportunity to rescue them.

Afterwards Jiaxi expressed his gratitude profusely and offered to travel with him. He thought it would be better to have a local guide than to rely on information from books, so he agreed.

During the time they traveled together, Jiaxi did indeed help him a lot. From the distribution of power in the Silent Vast Great City to the credit rating of various merchant guilds, from the background of the Carlos Family to the market price of the blood essence of the Misi Crimson Armor Beast, Jiaxi answered almost every question, and in great detail.

Lin Yi didn't have a deep impression of this Miss Jia Di, though.

He remembered that the girl seemed to have always stayed on the transport ship. Occasionally, when Jiaxi brought her over to visit, she would stand quietly behind her father and would not speak on her own initiative.

These thoughts flashed through Lin Yi's mind.

He showed no surprise whatsoever, and his lips still held that gentle, comforting smile.

He stepped forward slowly, placed his right fist against his left chest, and bowed slightly to Jiaxi.

"So, President Jiaxi is here too. It's nice to see you again."

He said this very frankly.

Regardless of the circumstances surrounding Jiaxi and her father's appearance here, they certainly helped him a great deal during their voyage.

"You're too kind, Lord Lin," Jiaxi quickly returned the greeting. "We were fortunate to travel with you before, and the entire Merchant Guild is deeply grateful for your kindness. We happened to see Young Master Xiluo's recruitment notice in the Merchant Guild's hall, and thought it would be wonderful to travel with you, so we accepted this transport commission, hoping to do our part for Young Master Xiluo and Lord Lin."

Lin Yi smiled and said, "Having a reliable business partner like Jiaxi is a good thing for us. President Jiaxi, there's no need to be so modest."

As he spoke, he turned his gaze to the girl beside Jiaxi.

"Master Lin."

The moment Jia Di met Lin Yi's gaze, she gave a slight bow.

Hello, Jia Di.

After all, Jia Di was only at the True Source Realm. Given his current status at the Eternal Source Realm, it would be very inappropriate for him to bow to someone at the True Source Realm.

Therefore, Lin Yi smiled and nodded to the Waveglow Race girl as a greeting.

While Lin Yi was talking to the two of them, Xiluo was quietly observing Lin Yi.

"They genuinely welcomed me, this unexpected companion, and were very kind and approachable to President Jiaxi, who was supposedly just a casual acquaintance with mediocre strength, and even his daughter, who was at the True Source Realm, without the slightest airs."

Thinking of this, Xiluo suddenly stepped forward and took out a dark blue crystal box.

The crystal box was no bigger than the palm of your hand. The outline of the Carlos Family's dragon emblem was inlaid on the surface with dark silver metal wire. Every scale was lifelike. In the center of the emblem, where the dragon's eyes were, were two pale gold crystal cores as fine as dust particles, which shimmered slightly as the angle changed.

"Lord Lin, my father has something he asked me to deliver to you."