The Emperor's Request

"Yes, that's the plan for now." Wang Yu nodded and looked at Ivan, waiting for him to continue.

"Once you complete your energy accumulation, you'll be able to break through to the Domain Lord Level immediately. By then, you'll be a Domain Lord Level powerhouse. Do you have any other plans afterward?"

"Not for now. I'll decide based on the situation then."

"In that case, there is something I'd like to discuss with you, Lord Wang Yu."

"Oh? Please, Your Majesty."

Ivan sighed and said, "Here's the situation. Although I am the emperor of the Blue Silver Empire, in the end, I am merely managing this foundation on behalf of my clan ancestor. I myself have remained at my current realm for many years..."

"Studying in seclusion within a stable environment has already brought me to a limit. It will be difficult to achieve another breakthrough through closed-door cultivation alone."

"Therefore, I am planning to head to the Extraterritorial Battlefield."

"The Extraterritorial Battlefield?" Mentor Yoda's expression changed slightly upon hearing that.

The Extraterritorial Battlefield was the very front line where Humanity battled the three peak races. It was a true meat grinder!

Not to mention Domain Lords—even World Lords, even Immortals... it was not unusual for them to fall on the Extraterritorial Battlefield! The death rate was terrifyingly high!

Powerhouses went to the Extraterritorial Battlefield either to temper themselves and seek breakthroughs, or for the enormous benefits of military merits.

Ivan was the emperor of a low-tier cosmic nation, with an exalted and comfortable status. He actually wanted to go to the Extraterritorial Battlefield as well?

Wang Yu was also rather surprised. "Then what does Your Majesty mean?"

"You two needn't be surprised." Seeing their reactions, Ivan shook his head, his tone carrying a hint of helplessness.

"Though I may appear to be the ruler of a nation, enjoying all the splendor and wealth imaginable, on the path of cultivation, if one does not advance, one falls behind. And lifespan is limited!"

"I do not believe my talent is poor, but if I remain trapped in this stable environment, I fear I will spend my entire life stuck at the Domain Lord Level! I am unwilling to accept that!"

"However, a low-tier cosmic nation must have at least one Domain Lord powerhouse guarding it. My family and my clan ancestor's subordinates are not lacking in other Domain Lord powerhouses, but each has their own duties. Some guard vital locations, while others shoulder heavy responsibilities. They truly cannot spare themselves for long enough to guard the Blue Silver Empire in my stead."

"Therefore, before setting out, I need to find a powerhouse to guard the empire."

"Lord Wang Yu, that is why I wish to discuss this with you... After you break through to become a Domain Lord, would you consider temporarily guarding the Blue Silver Empire in my place?"

"Me, guarding the Blue Silver Empire?" Wang Yu could not help being surprised.

"Of course, I will pay you reasonable compensation. How about this... let us first agree on one thousand years. How does 1 billion Universe Coins sound?" Ivan added.

"Gasp! 1 billion Universe Coins for one thousand years?" Mentor Yoda could not help drawing in a sharp breath. A powerful Universe-level warrior like him had accumulated only around 1 billion Universe Coins over countless years.

Yet the compensation this man offered Wang Yu would give him 1 billion Universe Coins for merely guarding the Blue Silver Empire for one thousand years!

Domain Lord powerhouses really did make money quickly!

Wang Yu also felt that this request was rather unexpected.

Although he had already expected that favors always came with demands, and that this emperor's attitude was so good because he probably needed something from him.

Of course, it was not exactly strange. Having reached the limit of secluded cultivation, one had to venture out and temper oneself, refining what one had gained from hard cultivation and seeking a breakthrough.

Many powerhouses remained in the peaceful rear territories only to cultivate in seclusion or rest briefly. Once the time was right, they would head out again to temper themselves.

As for the reward, money itself was not all that important. Still, the other party was indeed showing considerable sincerity.

When he had said earlier that he would decide his future plans after breaking through to the Domain Lord Level, he had merely said it casually for outsiders to hear.

In truth, he had already decided to remain mainly within his territory. With the Virtual Universe, nearly all ordinary meetings and affairs could be handled there. The outside world was so dangerous that he would not leave lightly unless necessary.

In that case, guarding the Blue Silver Empire would simply be a side job, and he could gain some benefits from it as well.

"Besides," Ivan continued sincerely,

"During the time you guard the Blue Silver Empire, everything in the empire—including military affairs, finances, and personnel appointments and dismissals—will be yours to decide, as long as your orders are not too excessive or too harmful to the empire's foundation and interests!"

Wang Yu pondered briefly before speaking. "All right, but I have other requirements regarding the compensation."

"Hm?" Ivan frowned slightly.

The compensation he had offered was already quite generous, yet Wang Yu still had demands. Was this fellow that greedy?

"I agree to the 1 billion Universe Coins," Wang Yu said with a smile. "But I do not want money. I want planetary territory!"

"Planetary territory?" Ivan's gaze shifted.

"The Hunyuan Galaxy. Centered around my main planet, War God Star, I want ten thousand nearby life-bearing planets!"

"Ten thousand?" Ivan frowned even more deeply. One billion Universe Coins could not buy that many life-bearing planets, and transferring so many to someone else was not appropriate either.

However, Wang Yu continued, "Of course, I am not saying that 1 billion will buy them outright. I only want the arrangement as it currently stands. The true ownership of all those planets will still belong to the Blue Silver Empire. I will merely hold management rights, and the profits they produce will also be taxed."

"Like that? Territory over ten thousand life-bearing planets..." Ivan fell into thought.

When he heard Wang Yu say that he only wanted management rights under the current arrangement, rather than trying to take the life-bearing planets for himself, his expression eased.

Based on the price of individual life-bearing planets, 1 billion Universe Coins could buy roughly five or six thousand. But if planets and star systems were located in the same region rather than scattered about, their price was actually higher in larger transactions because they were more convenient to manage and develop.

For example, two hundred thousand life-bearing planets might be worth only forty or fifty billion Universe Coins when calculated individually. Yet a transaction involving an entire star system would start at one hundred billion, and could reach several hundred billion or even trillions.

Even factoring in the resource value of other planets in the star system, the premium was still extremely high. That was the premium brought by selling them as a whole.

Ten thousand life-bearing planets in the same star system were highly valuable. Even if they were not being sold and only management rights were granted, it was no small matter.

The Hunyuan Galaxy was merely the smallest of the Blue Silver Empire's ten major galaxies. It had around one hundred and seventy thousand life-bearing planets, nearly all completely undeveloped native planets. Naturally, there were very few high-quality planets, so its value was comparatively low...

Yet each planet could generate an average annual output of 10 Universe Coins. Ten thousand planets meant 100,000 Universe Coins per year, 100 million in a thousand years, and 1 billion in ten thousand years!

If Wang Yu did not leave for a long time, then with a Domain Lord powerhouse's million-year lifespan, it would be equivalent to giving him more than one hundred billion Universe Coins!

Even if he steadily paid taxes according to standard rates, only a small portion could be recovered. It would still be equivalent to giving him several tens of billions...

A one-time payment of 1 billion, or a steady flow worth tens of billions?

Ivan considered it swiftly, then finally nodded lightly. "All right. Then the territory of ten thousand life-bearing planets in the Hunyuan Galaxy shall be Lord Wang Yu's compensation for guarding my Blue Silver Empire for one thousand years."

In his view, the territory would need to be granted for more than ten thousand years before it equaled 1 billion Universe Coins.

Once Wang Yu broke through to the Domain Lord Level, he would most likely not remain in a tiny low-tier nation for long. If he left, those planets could naturally be reclaimed.

Even if Wang Yu truly stayed without leaving, or left but refused to hand over the planets, they could negotiate again when the time came. He could either pay an appropriate price to buy them or obediently return them.

After all, the Blue Silver Empire was an asset belonging to Ivan's World Lord level clan ancestor. Wang Yu appeared promising, so it was fine to grant him some benefits.

But if he failed to recognize what was good for him, a World Lord powerhouse could naturally handle a Domain Lord with ease.