Yang Wudi choked on the word "ants." Zhao Ji was an early Spirit Transformation Cultivator, after all, already considered a high-level combatant in the Northern Lands. Yet to that man, he was just an ant.
"Old man, you and Yang Mie go outside the hall." Zhou Xuan rose. "Ye Changqing, stay and help me monitor the vow power network. Lin Qingzhu..."
"I'm not leaving."
Lin Qingzhu's voice was quiet but clear. She put away the ledgers, retreated to a corner of the hall, and folded her arms across her chest.
Zhou Xuan glanced at her and did not try to persuade her again.
"Second Brother."
"Yeah." Second Brother tilted his head.
"You go outside too. If this thing explodes, you'll have to pilot Apocalypse away for me."
Second Brother froze briefly and opened his mouth to say something. In the end, he nodded and climbed out through a window.
Yang Wudi stood without moving.
"Lad, it's not that I don't trust you."
Yang Wudi lowered his voice, an uncommon note of seriousness creeping into it.
"But your shoulder hasn't healed, and your divine soul hasn't recovered what it lost. If something really goes wrong..."
"Then it goes wrong."
Zhou Xuan rolled his left shoulder. The wound tugged at his muscles, making him grimace.
"If Central Province really has the ability to blow me up from a whole world away, this game was unwinnable from the start. Better to admit defeat early and spare myself the worry."
Yang Wudi held Zhou Xuan's gaze for two breaths.
Finally, he shook his head and turned to leave. Before stepping out, he slapped the doorframe, shaking off a patch of paint.
The hall doors closed.
Only Zhou Xuan, Ye Changqing, and Lin Qingzhu remained inside.
Ye Changqing sat at the table and formed a