Does This Make Sense? Is This Reasonable?

But what could they do?

The announcement had already been issued, and they had agreed to compensation. They had already lost face, but if they went back on their word now—

Then it would no longer just be a matter of losing face. Their credibility would take a severe hit as well.

What was credibility?

It was the foundation of a nation!

If an emperor could not even keep his word, and instead became someone who broke promises for personal gain, what minister would still dare to gather around him?

If even a nation's emperor did not honor his word, what merchant would dare do business there?

Therefore.

Bibi Dong was certain they would not dare refuse, so she directly made an exorbitant demand.

Besides, the two sides already had conflicts, so she was not afraid of offending anyone. Although Spirit Hall had only recently entered the commercial business and Happy Water was selling well across the entire continent—

It would still take time for the funds to return.

This massive compensation from the Heaven Dou Empire happened to solve Spirit Hall's urgent shortage of money.

As for the future—

Once the funds from Happy Water came in, Spirit Hall would no longer need funding from the two great empires.

Of course.

They still had to ask for whatever funding they were entitled to. After all, there was no reason to refuse free money.

Moreover, needing funding proved that Spirit Hall could still be restrained by the two great empires, preventing them from feeling too threatened.

And joining forces for mutual protection.

Spirit Hall still needed time to develop—six or seven years at the shortest, perhaps more than a decade at the longest.

Once they had enough Gold Soul Coin reserves, they would no longer need to act like this.

After all, war was fought with money!

Half a month later.

When Xu Yuan awoke from the deep cultivation of absorbing his Soul Bone and heard that such turmoil had arisen across the continent because of him during that time—

He was momentarily dumbfounded.

So even though I wasn't making waves on the continent, legends about me were spreading like crazy across it?

Xue Celou had his attendants attack me?

Leaving me severely injured, my Martial Soul shattered, and my life hanging by a thread?

How did I not know about that?

And that Pope's astronomical compensation claim—no matter how he looked at it, it was absurd.

Although Xu Yuan considered himself exceptionally talented, he still had enough self-awareness to know that even selling him would not amount to one percent of that sum!

That much compensation just for an injury?

Absurd. Completely absurd!

What Xu Yuan found hardest to accept was that the Heaven Dou Empire had actually paid???

No, Xue Ye actually agreed to such an absurd demand?

Had a donkey kicked him in the head?

Or was the old man as senile as that elderly leader of the United States in Xu Yuan's previous life?

He actually agreed to that?

The whole matter was utterly ridiculous and surreal, but Xu Yuan pinched himself and felt a piercing pain, proving that he was not dreaming.

So all of this was real?

Xu Yuan sucked in a breath, clutched his chest, staggered back, and dropped onto a chair. He stared blankly at Yue Guan across from him.

"Um... can I still go to the Heaven Dou Empire in the future?"

"Of course."

Yue Guan chuckled. "They were clearly the ones at fault first. We're in the right, so we have nothing to fear wherever we go."

Pah!

Xu Yuan truly wanted to spit in his face. Wouldn't his conscience hurt saying that?

You weren't at the center of this whole incident, were you?

"I know what you're thinking."

As if he had seen through Xu Yuan's thoughts, Yue Guan shook his head. "Go if you want. Don't feel burdened by it.

This matter has become known throughout the continent. If you go to the Heaven Dou Empire, those nobles might dislike you at most, but they cannot and would not dare do anything else.

With this matter hanging over them, if anything happened to you in the Heaven Dou Empire, it would all fall on the Heaven Dou imperial family as retaliation.

That would give Spirit Hall another opportunity to act. This one round was already enough to make them suffer. Another one?

Heh, they would protect you before anyone else could.

Anyone can have an accident in the Heaven Dou Empire, but not you."

After listening to Yue Guan's explanation, Xu Yuan suddenly saw the light.

Yes, that was exactly how it worked!

With the entire continent knowing that the Heaven Dou Empire had paid a huge sum because of Xu Yuan, if anything happened to Xu Yuan in the Heaven Dou Empire—

Anyone with a brain would know who had done it.

Therefore, if Xu Yuan went to the Heaven Dou Empire, Xue Ye would not only refrain from obstructing him, but would even treat him with extreme care.

Spirit Hall had already made such a huge fuss and demanded an astronomical sum just because he was injured. If he actually died...

Xu Yuan's eyes darted. "Then should I take a trip to the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Others might not know, but he did. In the Sunset Forest of the Heaven Dou Empire, there was an Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, known as a treasure trove of immortal herbs.

It contained countless heavenly treasures.

In Douluo Continent's original course of history, the reason the Shrek Seven Devils were able to surpass Spirit Hall's Golden Generation was because they had consumed immortal herbs.

That was how they caught up from behind, overtook them, and became the final victors.

Naturally, Xu Yuan had no intention of leaving something so good for others.

Now that he had the buff of being untouchable within the Heaven Dou Empire, why not make a trip there?

"No, no!"

Yue Guan was startled and quickly explained, "The announcement said that you were gravely injured and your Martial Soul was shattered. If you went bounding around the Heaven Dou Empire perfectly fine right now, wouldn't the lie be exposed?

What happens later does not matter, but not now.

The Heaven Dou Empire's compensation is already on the way. At the very least, wait until it arrives."

"..."

Fine. He would wait a while longer.

Xu Yuan felt somewhat regretful.

Seeing the light in his eyes dim considerably, Yue Guan found it rather amusing.

"Oh, right. The sales report for your Immortal Happy Water has already been sent back to the main hall. Her Majesty has seen it and praised it highly.

With this business, Spirit Hall can be considered to have a sustainable, long-term source of livelihood.

It would not be an exaggeration to call it an achievement for the present age and a plan for a thousand autumns.

Thus, Her Holiness the Pope has proposed a reward."

Xu Yuan let out an "Ah." "Another reward?"

The one they mentioned last time had not even been fulfilled yet, and now there was another?

Were they just piling them all up for him?

Then later, when they could not repay him, they would give him something huge in one go—like handing Spirit Hall directly to him.

You were already the Pope. The whole Spirit Hall was yours. Did you still have the nerve to ask for rewards?

Rewarding yourself?

Just thinking about it made Xu Yuan feel that something was off.

Besides, he had never planned to inherit Spirit Hall. Looking at how Bibi Dong was buried in official duties every day, he could not stand that life.

Not long after they finished talking, Yue Guan left to attend to something. His main purpose in coming had been to remind Xu Yuan—

When there was nothing to do, do not run around everywhere.

If they were putting on an act, they had to carry it through to the end.

They claimed he was gravely injured, near death, with his Martial Soul shattered. The whole continent believed it, and the Heaven Dou Empire's compensation was already on the way.

Then suddenly, he was lively and perfectly fine.

Did that make sense?

Was that reasonable?

Xu Yuan had not planned to run around anyway. Having just absorbed the Soul Bone, his Soul Power had surged by a considerable amount.

His foundation was somewhat unstable, so this was the perfect opportunity to consolidate it properly.

And that consolidation lasted for more than a month.

Since it was inconvenient for Xu Yuan to show himself, Hu Liena brought back his three daily meals from outside every day.

During that time, the compensation supplies personally escorted by Xue Qinghe also arrived in Spirit City.

However, she did not stay in Spirit City for long. She did not even go to see the Pope. She merely went up to the Worship Hall at the mountaintop before taking her people back.

As for the Gold Soul Coins in compensation—

Two hours after Xue Qinghe's supplies arrived, Yue Guan personally delivered them to Xu Yuan.

The money for repairing the buildings naturally belonged to Spirit Hall, and Bibi Dong directly took it over.

Xu Yuan personally received five million Gold Soul Coins in compensation. After personal income tax was deducted, three million seven hundred and fifty thousand remained.

When Xu Yuan heard Yue Guan mention this matter, he was completely stunned.

I came to another world and still have to pay personal income tax?