Attacking a Xianzhou with two Emanators stationed aboard was undoubtedly the best and quickest way to get oneself killed this century.
Qingzhu and Xiahou Chan had not waited long at the Jade Gate with their people before a spaceship from The Family slowly sailed through.
Aboard that spaceship was the head of The Family in this region.
When he heard that a Xianzhou had arrived, he had originally intended to summon its representatives to meet him. But then two auras of Emanator-level pressure erupted from the ship, forcing him to take the matter seriously. So he came in person.
A Xianzhou with two Emanators? There was no record of such a ship among the eight known Xianzhou. In fact, not one of the eight had an Emanator.
So where had this Xianzhou come from? If some civilization had built an imitation and used the Xianzhou name, he could report it to the Xianzhou, and they might even owe him a favor.
So he came in person. But when he arrived outside the Jade Gate, he found that the Xianzhou was immense, and even its Jade Gate was remarkably similar to the Xianzhou's.
But where had this emerald-green Xianzhou come from? And why had it come here?
With those questions in mind, he entered the Jade Gate. The first thing he saw inside was the Higgs Purifying Trees planted at the docking stations on both sides, and there were quite a few of them.
The family head's eyes widened. He had never seen so many Higgs Purifying Trees. He had one planted in his own office, but it was less than a meter tall, just a sapling. Even so, he treasured it dearly.
When he disembarked and saw Qingzhu's group standing nearby, he immediately approached with a broad smile. "Oh, you must be Helmsman Qingzhu. A pleasure to meet you! I am the head of The Family in the Itasumai Star System. I've long heard of the Xianzhou's great reputation."
Hearing this, Qingzhu's eyes glinted slyly, and she said with an amused look, "Oh? You've long heard of our reputation? Then perhaps you could tell me the name of my Xianzhou, family head."
"Uh... well..."
That question stumped him. How was he supposed to know what it was called? This was his first time seeing the Xianzhou. He only knew Qingzhu's name because she had announced her identity when she first entered the star system.
Seeing him stammer, Qingzhu chuckled. Xianzhou Daiyu had vanished from the cosmos for a thousand years, so naturally, not many people knew of it.
Qingzhu knew this too. She cleared her throat and said, "Let me introduce myself. I am Qingzhu, Helmsman of Xianzhou Daiyu. The Xianzhou beneath your feet is called Xianzhou Daiyu."
"Xianzhou Daiyu? That name sounds familiar. I think I've heard it somewhere before."
Qingzhu looked surprised. She had thought there would be no records of Xianzhou Daiyu left elsewhere in the universe, yet he had actually heard of it.
Before Qingzhu could give him a hint, a look of shock suddenly crossed his face. "You! You mean this Xianzhou is Daiyu, the first of the nine Xianzhou to crash because of an invasion by the Denizens of Abundance?!"
Xiahou Chan said in surprise, "I didn't expect anyone outside the Xianzhou to know about us."
"That's right, this is Xianzhou Daiyu," Qingzhu said. "I'm ashamed to say that Xianzhou Daiyu crashed because of an invasion by the Shirou, Denizens of Abundance. But the Arbiter of True Existence intervened and rebuilt our home. Because of the Arbiter's power, only a little over a decade has actually passed for us, while a thousand years have passed in the outside world."
The family head's jaw dropped in shock. So the people before him were "ancients" from a thousand years ago?
"By the way, Helmsman Qingzhu, who is the Arbiter of True Existence?"
He was quite curious about this Arbiter of True Existence Qingzhu had mentioned. Someone capable of rebuilding such a vast Xianzhou was surely no ordinary person.
"Oh, the Arbiter of True Existence is the Aeon of [Existence], the goddess Ayinai!"
The family head was shocked again. Ayinai, the Aeon of Existence. That meant this Xianzhou had been rebuilt by an Aeon's supreme power. Like the Astral Express of Akivili the Trailblaze, it was an Aeon's creation!
The family head looked down at the Xianzhou's floor beneath his feet. Damn it, he was so jealous!
How could he not be jealous of an Aeon's creation? Akivili the Trailblaze had relied on the Express to blaze new routes throughout the galaxy and had even smashed through Qlipoth's wall.
The family head took a deep breath. He wasn't jealous, he wasn't jealous. After all, no matter how jealous he was, it wasn't his. Boo-hoo.
"Helmsman Qingzhu, let's talk about trade instead."
He desperately needed a topic to put an end to the previous one, which had put him in a terrible mood!
"Oh, right, we mustn't forget the important business. Please take a look, family head."
Qingzhu ordered the Mingcun soldiers to open the box behind them. Inside were enormous seeds, each the size of a fist. Dozens were neatly arranged in the box.
"This! These are!"
The family head felt his breathing quicken. He recognized them. They were Higgs Purifying Tree seeds, which sold for at least ten million Credits apiece on the market!
And now there were dozens of them laid out before him. They hadn't come to trade; they had brought him a money tree!
"I'm sure you recognize these seeds, family head, so I'll get straight to the point. Twenty-seven million Credits apiece, including enough soil to sustain them for fifty years. After fifty years, the soil will cost extra. What do you say?"
The family head nodded on the spot and said excitedly, "I'll take them! Of course I will! Helmsman Qingzhu, we'd like to establish a long-term trading partnership with you. What do you think?"
He understood that an opportunity, once lost, would not come again. If he missed this one, who knew when he would get another chance this good?
Qingzhu knew that too. Daiyu had only just set sail, and its economic strength was far below what it had been before. Establishing trade relations with other regions was therefore crucial. As the saying went, there were no permanent friends, only permanent interests.
"Of course. But the Xianzhou can't remain in one place, so once our transport ships enter your jurisdiction, we hope you can guarantee the safety of our people."
The family head hurriedly nodded. To him, these were perfectly reasonable demands. After all, they had traveled a long way to get here. If they then disappeared in his territory, how could the partnership continue?
"In that case, let's sign a contract. Since this is a partnership, we'll need a witness."
Qingzhu spoke, and the family head nodded in agreement. But who should serve as the witness? That was a problem.
"I'll do it. Ha~"
The family head turned toward the voice and saw a stunningly beautiful young woman walking over with her arms folded.
"And this is?"
The family head was puzzled. Qingzhu was just about to explain Ayinai's identity when Ayinai spoke first. "I'm a gardener who was passing by the Xianzhou. Helmsman Qingzhu invited me to stay aboard. I belong to Existence, not the Xianzhou or The Family. You don't object to me being the witness, do you?"
Although Qingzhu didn't know what Ayinai intended to do, she nodded in agreement. "Of course not."
Ayinai did not belong to the Xianzhou because she was the Aeon of Existence, but Xianzhou Daiyu belonged to the Aeon of Existence.
Seeing that Qingzhu had agreed, the family head agreed as well. And so, a contract witnessed by an Aeon came into being.