The Fat Sheep Ning Fengzhi!

Sea Witch blinked her big eyes at Lin Hao and gave him a full account of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's investment.

Lin Hao rubbed his forehead helplessly.

She was a Titled Douluo, for heaven's sake. How had such paltry gains bought her off?

How embarrassing!

"And what else?"

"Oh, they also said that if everything works out, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will put up another five million Gold Soul Coins to renovate the cities on Sea God Island free of charge."

"Hahahaha! It's not as if I'm too precious to meet anyone. If the people from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect want to see me, what's so hard about that? Sister Sea Witch, arrange for them to come see me."

Lin Hao laughed, his eyes gleaming.

Even the young master of Sea God Island had to worry about money.

If he had only been managing Sea God Island's little patch of territory as before, the old ways would have sufficed.

But now that he planned to unite the Sea Soul Masters and establish the Sea God Empire, those ways would no longer do.

Building up Sea God Island took money. Training Soul Masters and soldiers took money too.

A big fat sheep had come straight to his door. Lin Hao was going to milk him for all he was worth.

"Sect Master Ning, I've heard so much about you!"

"Even far overseas, I've heard the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect hailed as the world's foremost support sect. Its reputation rings in my ears like thunder."

Ning Fengzhi froze, pleasantly surprised as he looked at the smiling Lin Hao.

He had been on Sea God Island for three days. During that time, he had gradually pieced together a detailed picture of this mysterious island's strength.

His conclusion was that it was a formidable power in no way inferior to Spirit Hall.

He had also discovered that Sea God Island's defensive treasure, the Sea God Crossbow, might as well have been made for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

It could threaten a Soul King's life without requiring Soul Power from its user. To support-type Soul Masters who had no ability to protect themselves, that was music from heaven.

So he had made his move, hoping to acquire a batch of Sea God Crossbows.

The results had been disappointing. Sea God Crossbows were sold to Sea Soul Masters first, as a gift from the Sea God to his people.

Ning Fengzhi had tried paving the way with money, only to be met by furious stares from Sea Soul Masters all around him.

You little bastard, are you questioning my loyalty to Lord Sea God?

Ning Fengzhi had no intention of giving up after that setback. He analyzed the information he had gathered and finally reached a conclusion.

The changes on Sea God Island had begun after Lin Hao, its young master, appeared.

His standing on the island was extraordinarily high. Even Bo Saixi, the level ninety-nine Great Enshrined, ranked half a step below him.

If he could get Lin Hao's approval, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's purchase of Sea God Crossbows would fall neatly into place.

So he contacted Sea Witch and, after some "friendly discussion," met Lin Hao, the legendary figure of Sea God Island.

But Lin Hao was nothing like he had imagined. There was none of a great power's young master's aloofness about him. The way he looked at Ning Fengzhi was more like...

Like he was looking at a lamb waiting to be slaughtered?

"You flatter me, Young Master Lin Hao. I never imagined there was a power as mighty as Sea God Island overseas. This trip has truly opened my eyes."

Wearing a courteous smile, Ning Fengzhi sat down to Lin Hao's right with Chen Xin.

Across from the two of them sat Sea Witch and Sea Spear Douluo.

They did not expect anything to happen to Lin Hao on Sea God Island, but they still had to take proper precautions.

Lin Hao nodded and traded pleasantries with Ning Fengzhi, all smiles, without once asking why he had come.

In the end, Ning Fengzhi spoke first. "Young Master Lin Hao, I've seen the Sea God Crossbows your island produces. They can injure a Soul Ancestor without the user channeling Soul Power."

"You know the weakness of support-type Soul Masters. I'd like to order a batch of Sea God Crossbows from Sea God Island so our sect disciples can defend themselves. Could you make an exception?"

Afraid Lin Hao would refuse, Ning Fengzhi hurriedly added, "I can pay double."

Lin Hao's brow furrowed, and he looked troubled. "Sect Master Ning, I understand how much you care for your sect members. But the Sea God Crossbows are defensive weapons the Sea God bestowed upon his people. Many Sea Soul Masters still haven't received theirs. Selling them to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect instead might not be appropriate."

Still no? Disappointment showed on Ning Fengzhi's face.

"But..."

Hope rekindled in Ning Fengzhi's eyes.

"Sea God Island lies overseas, so some resources are inevitably hard for us to obtain. I hear the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is among the wealthiest on the continent. If we exchanged the crossbows for supplies, I don't think Lord Sea God would blame us."

"Leave it to me. Whatever Sea God Island needs, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect can procure it."

Ning Fengzhi agreed at once. For the Sea God Crossbows, he would even procure goods forbidden by the imperial family.

"Sect Master Ning, I can tell you're a straightforward man!"

"There are three versions of the Sea God Crossbow. One is made of Refined Iron and can pierce a Soul Ancestor's defenses. It costs five thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"The second is Poison-Coated. One scratch is fatal, and even a Soul King cannot withstand it. It costs twenty thousand Gold Soul Coins."

"The last is made from Silver Mother of Deep Sea Silver and can break through a Soul Saint's Martial Soul Avatar. It's still an experimental model and isn't for sale yet. I can give you three as a token of our partnership."

The original Sea God Crossbow could not do that, but after Lin Hao's improvements, it could achieve that feat by firing a single bolt.

And if the design was scaled up proportionally, even a Titled Douluo would have to fear its power.

"Hiss!"

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin sucked in sharp breaths. Break through a Martial Soul Avatar?

Did that mean an ordinary person could catch a Soul Saint off guard and kill them outright?

An army of just ten thousand equipped with such weapons would make even Spirit Hall wary.

Ning Fengzhi wanted them badly.

He was still disappointed to hear they were not for sale, but only a little. After all, there were two other models waiting for him to throw money at them.

"Thank you, Young Master Lin Hao."

"I'll take five hundred of the Refined Iron version and three hundred of the Poison-Coated version to start."

Ning Fengzhi had placed an order worth more than eight million on the spot.

Lin Hao did not ask for the full amount in Gold Soul Coins. After discussing it with Ning Fengzhi, he accepted resources of equal value instead.

With the deal struck, both sides were delighted.

Time passed, and the day of the Sea God Festival soon arrived.

That day, not a cloud marred the sky above Sea God Island. The sun rose over the horizon, its light spilling across the sea.

Early that morning, countless Sea Soul Masters had already knelt at the foot of Sea God Mountain.

Many were so overcome with emotion that they praised the Sea God without ceasing.

The major powers of Douluo Continent had come as soon as they heard the news.

Representatives of the Two Great Empires, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect of the Upper Three Sects, the Lower Four Sects, major advanced Soul Master Academies, and even Titled Douluo elders from Spirit Hall had arrived.

One after another, they watched the scene on Sea God Island with solemn faces and grave eyes, their hearts heavy.