When he said that figure, even Helian Qing felt his heart race.
Fifteen hundred billion Universe Coins!
Many ordinary World Lords were probably worth about that much.
"Our bank can buy them directly at the price estimated by our system. Of course, the price may be slightly lower than the final auction price, but the advantage is that the funds will be transferred immediately, with no waiting and no hefty auction fees."
Helian Qing offered him a solution.
"Alternatively, we can consign them to one of our bank's large-scale auctions. The final price may be 10% to 30% higher, but you would have to wait for the auction cycle, and we would charge a 5% commission."
Lu Ming barely hesitated. "Just buy them directly at your estimated price. Please process it as soon as possible."
Consign them to an auction? That would waste too much time. What he lacked now wasn't the extra ten or twenty percent; he needed the funds as soon as possible. His time was worth more than the difference in price.
Helian Qing was delighted and immediately replied, "Understood! I'll arrange it right away. Once everything is confirmed, the funds can be transferred to your account in as little as ten minutes!"
Closing this deal would mean he had far exceeded his annual performance target!
Naturally, he would provide the very best service to Lu Ming, this "God of Fortune" and newly advanced Domain Lord.
The system quickly verified the items.
In the end, the two treasures were valued at 120 billion Universe Coins for Tide's Blessing battle armor and 1.5 trillion Universe Coins for the Crimson Flame Space-Splitting Blade. Total: 1.62 trillion Universe Coins!
When he saw the long string of digits appear in his personal account, even Lu Ming felt a slight stir in his heart.
With this fortune, the trillion-coin loan he'd taken out earlier became insignificant.
"President Helian, while you're at it, please settle my previous loan."
Lu Ming spoke casually.
"Of course, Lord Lu Ming. I'll take care of it right away!"
Helian Qing's manner was exceedingly respectful.
A short while later, all the paperwork was complete.
Lu Ming had also successfully become a two-star member of the Cosmic Galaxy Bank.
He rose, and Helian Qing personally escorted him to the bank's entrance.
"Lord Lu Ming, if you need anything in the future, don't hesitate to come to me. Our Cosmic Galaxy Bank will provide you with the best possible service!"
Helian Qing bowed.
Lu Ming nodded. With a single movement, he shot into the sky like a streak of light and vanished into the distance above Qiu Long City.
Watching in the direction Lu Ming had disappeared, Helian Qing let out a long breath, his face alight with excitement.
"A Domain Lord...and one with such a fortune!"
Lu Ming had only just returned to his palace on Horned Dragon Planet and hadn't even had a chance to sit down when a warm voice, touched with amusement, rang out through the hall.
"You've come to my turf and didn't even stop by to say hello? Lu Ming, have you forgotten who the master of this place is?"
Lu Ming turned around, a smile appearing on his face.
"He Ya, you old rascal. You're still as well-informed as ever."
The newcomer wore simple gray clothes. He was tall, with a refined face, and looked like a middle-aged scholar. But the occasional glint in his deep eyes showed that he wasn't nearly as mild-mannered as he seemed.
He was He Ya, Planet Lord of Horned Dragon Planet and a powerhouse who had spent hundreds of thousands of years at Domain Lord Level.
The two had known each other for tens of thousands of years. They had ventured into the Universe Secret Realm side by side many times and shared a bond forged through life and death.
"I just finished taking care of something and was about to head over to bother you for a few drinks."
Lu Ming smiled and stepped forward.
He Ya laughed heartily and, out of habit, patted Lu Ming on the shoulder. But as his hand came down, his smile faltered, and an incredulous look of shock flashed through his eyes.
He studied Lu Ming from head to toe as if he were seeing him for the first time.
"You..."
He Ya's voice held a note of uncertainty.
"Your aura... the shackles of Universe Level... You broke through?! You're a Domain Lord?!"
Seeing his old friend's stunned expression, Lu Ming felt a little emotional. He nodded. "Yeah. I got lucky."
"Hahahaha! Good! Good! Good!"
He Ya was stunned for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter and gave Lu Ming's shoulder another hearty pat.
"I knew it! You old rascal are too stubborn to give up so easily! Ninety thousand years... You finally took this step! That's wonderful!"
He was sincerely happy for Lu Ming.
He knew how difficult Lu Ming's journey had been. Lu Ming had fought his way out of the Slave Arena and established a family, only to remain stuck at the Domain Lord threshold for tens of thousands of years, with his lifespan nearly exhausted.
Now that he had finally broken through, a whole new world lay before him. How could He Ya not be overjoyed?
The two went inside and sat down. He Ya deftly brought out his prized Star Tear Wine and filled a cup for Lu Ming.
"Tell me, what happened? The last time you wrote, you said your hopes for your ninth attempt were slim. How did you succeed all of a sudden? And..."
He Ya took a sip of wine and fixed Lu Ming with a sharp gaze.
"I feel like your breakthrough was extraordinary. Your life force is so vigorous—you don't seem like someone who's only just entered the first level of Domain Lord."
Lu Ming had already prepared an explanation. He said lightly, "Maybe it was a case of being pushed to the brink. During my final attempt, I was free of distractions, and that helped me seize a sliver of opportunity. I was lucky enough to form my Life Core. As for my aura...it may have something to do with a special cultivation technique I obtained years ago. The results after my breakthrough were better than I expected."
There was no way he could reveal the system or the secret of his Hundredfold Gene. The stakes were too high.
He Ya didn't press him further. There were countless unexpected opportunities in the universe, and everyone had their own secrets.
He sighed. "Whatever happened, breaking through is wonderful news! Your lifespan has increased to a million years. Now we can continue exploring the universe together for a long time."
"Yeah."
Lu Ming raised his cup.
"I'll be counting on you to put up with me, my gracious host."
"Haha, you're always welcome!"
He Ya drained his cup with a hearty laugh.
"By the way, now that you've broken through to Domain Lord, what are your plans? Will you go back to being the Lu Family's patriarch and enjoy the easy life, or do you have something else in mind?"
Lu Ming set down his cup and gazed out at the endless starry sky beyond the hall. "I've spent ninety thousand years in that little pond. I've had enough. Now that I've broken through, I want to see a wider world."
"Join a major faction?"
He Ya nodded thoughtfully.
"That would be a safe choice. With your strength as a Domain Lord and your background as a Giant Axe Warrior, you should have plenty of options."
He paused and looked at Lu Ming, his tone half-joking and half-serious. "Of course, if you don't mind, why not stay on Horned Dragon Planet and help me out? I'll give you thirty percent of the planet's revenue! With a newly advanced Domain Lord like you holding down the fort, Horned Dragon Planet would be safer."
Lu Ming knew He Ya was making a sincere offer, but his ambitions lay elsewhere. He had no intention of joining a major faction either, so he smiled and shook his head. "Save Horned Dragon Planet for your son. I won't get involved. I want to venture into the more central regions."
"I knew I wouldn't be able to keep you."
He Ya didn't press him and smiled.
"Fair enough. A man should set his sights far and wide. If you need me to help with anything, like making introductions, just ask."
"I will."