Divine Envoy Kaben felt this was a bit tricky. Given Li Qiang's demonstrated strength and background, if he were to oppose the Banshou Trading House, the entire business world of the Bangqining Kingdom might be thrown into chaos. Now that it was wartime, it was crucial to maintain stability in the business world.
Kaben hadn't expected the two sides to come to blows so quickly. He said, " Chairman Siting, please take me to see Bazhong Dekong. Boss, you guys rest first. I'll handle this."
Li Qiang said calmly, "That's fine, to avoid any fighting after we meet. Oh, Divine Envoy, remember to make them hand over Bu Jigong." Divine Envoy Kaben nodded with a wry smile, bowed to Chairman Sitingdan, and the two walked out of Radiant Court with serious expressions.
Tange said, "Boss, shall we go check on the brothers? They've already settled in."
Li Qiang laughed, "Alright, let's go together and see what everyone has found at Great Gorge Mouth." He then stood up and said, "Wake Nashan up, we can rest again when we get back."
The Grand Alliance owns countless properties in Fengnan City, including numerous real estates. Li Qiang Qiang's hundred-plus men were housed in a relatively secluded location—a large, enclosed courtyard. Upon entering, Li Qiang found it bustling with activity; everyone was in the courtyard, and as soon as they saw Li Qiang, they immediately surrounded them. Someone shouted, "Boss's back!" The men almost simultaneously yelled, "Greetings, Boss!"
A warm feeling welled up in Li Qiang's heart, and he smiled, "It's so lively here, everyone! Hey, Kubo, come over here..."
Kubo rushed over excitedly. He was overjoyed. He had just given these people a simple test and found that they were all highly skilled. Most importantly, their physical abilities were exceptionally good, which made him incredibly eager to take them all on. This would immediately strengthen the Grand Alliance, especially since they were currently at war, and the benefits to the Grand Alliance would be self-evident.
"Boss, what's up?"
"Yes, that's right. Go and bring the three Grand Masters of the Banshou Trading House here, but be careful not to alert anyone. Also, bring Paben over. Hehe, Bazhong Dekong is currently negotiating with Chairman Siting at the Grand Alliance. Don't worry about them for now; they'll be here soon." Li Qiang grinned mischievously; he didn't care about Bazhong Dekong at all!
Kubo called out, "Come with me, brothers!"
A commotion immediately erupted in the crowd. In a flash, dozens of people surrounded Cooper, Kubo, "I'm going!" "Take me with you!" "Don't take it... don't take it... I want to go!" These guys had been cooped up in the Great Gorge Mouth for so long, and everyone wanted to get out and relax. Suddenly, the scene became frenzied.
Not only was Kubo surprised, but even Li Qiang and Zhao Hao were somewhat taken aback. Li Qiang laughed, "Wow, Kubo, we didn't expect you to be so charming! You've only been here a short while, and all the brothers already adore you."
Zhao Hao shouted, "Stop making a ruckus! Damn it! No manners! Line up, all of you! You'll think you can get away with anything if I don't teach you a lesson sooner! Assemble!"
After this period of training, Zhao Hao has established a high level of prestige. Upon hearing his shout, everyone would line up in neat formation within ten or twenty seconds, and the courtyard would immediately fall silent.
Zhao Hao reprimanded, "What kind of scene is this... a complete mess, a disorganized rabble! If a war breaks out, you'll all be finished... Om... whoever's number is called, step out of the ranks..."
Zhao Hao selected ten people and asked Kubo if that was enough.
Kubo was filled with envy. He watched as Zhao Hao gave the order, and the entire team immediately transformed, becoming so imposing and Sha Qi. The more he looked at them, the more he liked them. He nodded repeatedly and said, "That's enough, that's enough. Boss, Uncle-Master, I'll go first and be right back." He hurriedly left with ten men.
Zhao Hao asked, "Master, is there anything else you want to say to them?"
Li Qiang smiled approvingly, "Hmm, good training. Hehe, brothers! Take a good rest these few days, relax a bit, everyone. Dismissed!" He didn't want to waste any more words. After dismissing everyone, he said, " Zhao Hao, have you tallied how many people want to stay?"
"There were about ten people," Zhao Hao replied cautiously, afraid that Li Qiang would be angry.
Li Qiang asked doubtfully, "How come there are only a dozen or so people? That doesn't make sense. Zhao Hao, you need to make it clear to them that this trip to the Western Continent is very dangerous. I don't want everyone to take risks. Many of them only came with us because they had no other choice. Tell everyone that those who don't want to go can be accommodated in the Grand Alliance; they'll live very well there, understand?"
Zhao Hao then realized he had misunderstood his master's meaning and hurriedly said, "Disciple will go and do another count."
Nanadun, Han Jin, Ben, Bala, and Wuya gathered around. They had been separated for quite some time, and everyone was very happy to see each other again. Li Qiang invited everyone to sit on the ground and they started chatting.
After training in the Great Gorge Mouth, these leading warriors underwent a qualitative transformation in every aspect. They were no longer the pitiful prisoners in the Black Prison. Among them, Ben and Wuya changed the most. Their innate conditions were so good that even Zhao Hao was surprised by their speed of progress.
The gatekeeper reported, "A young old man has arrived at the gate, followed by a car."
Li Qiang asked, "A young old man? Did he say who he was looking for?"
The gatekeeper said, "They didn't say, only that he was from the Zhenhou Spear Workshop."
Li Qiang jumped up and exclaimed, "Quickly, please come in! Quickly, please come in! Old Beetle is here!" Li Qiang clapped his hands and said, "Come with me to greet our friend!" He then strode towards the door.
It was the first time anyone had ever seen their boss make such a big fuss to welcome someone, and everyone was curious, so they hurriedly followed. Li Qiang had already entered with an elderly man, his face beaming with smiles.
Looking at the courtyard full of burly men, Nanzi Dong asked in surprise, "Boss, are these your brothers? Goodness, they all look like heroes. Boss, you wouldn't be planning to make a name for yourself on the Tanbang Continent, would you?"
Li Qiang laughed and patted him on the shoulder, saying, " Old Beetle, Tanbang Continent is your home, I wouldn't dare to compete with you for business here, haha."
Nanzi Dong laughed and said to Hong Qian, "Senior, if the boss opens a weapons shop, all of us private gun shops will be out of business. Oh, boss, have a few people move the stuff outside in. This time I brought all the treasures from Zhenhou Spear Workshop, a total of one hundred and twenty sets of armor and arm shields, as well as one hundred and twenty wings and weapons..."
The people standing around at www. hetushu. com. com listened to Nanzi Dong's introduction, and their eyes lit up. Before he could finish speaking, a group of people rushed out of the door.
Several large boxes were carried into the yard from the truck. Li Qiang walked to the boxes, tapped them gently, and laughed, " Old Beetle has really gone all out this time. Zhao Hao, you arrange for the equipment to be distributed so everyone can try it on... It might need some adjustments."
The equipment was immediately distributed to everyone. Ben also put on a set. He walked back and forth in the courtyard, then jumped up and down, feeling very satisfied. He walked over, patted Nanzi Dong, and grinned widely.
Li Qiang said, "As expected of Zhenhou Spear Workshop's equipment, it looks different."
Nanzi Dong brought three types of armor: a black and red armor with fire attribute, a black and blue armor with water attribute, and a black armor that didn't require any specific attribute, but whose performance was slightly inferior. Because Nanzi Dong was a cultivator, his armor-making incorporated the strengths of many other types of armor.
Ben's armor featured a crescent-shaped headband inlaid with egg-sized crystals, securely fastened to his forehead, providing complete head protection. The breastplate was peculiar, resembling two fish leaping from the water, their heads positioned just above his shoulders, emphasizing their broad and imposing stature. The arm guards, from wrist to elbow, were composed entirely of tiny triangular barbs, with a shield tightly fastened to his left elbow. The boots extended to his thighs. Even an ordinary person would appear tall and valiant in this armor, let alone a robust, foreign giant.
Once everyone was dressed, the atmosphere in the courtyard changed. Li Qiang tilted his head and carefully examined Ben. Nanzi Dong became nervous, knowing that Li Qiang was an expert in crafting.
After a long pause, Li Qiang laughed and said, "It's firm, but it lacks a bit of gentleness..."
Nanzi Dong was completely confused and asked doubtfully, "Boss, are there any other flaws?"
Li Qiang stepped forward and adjusted Ben's headdress, explaining, "There's nothing seriously wrong. I just felt that this armor set gave off... a too fierce and valiant vibe. It would be much better with a cloak."
Nanzi Dong hurriedly said, "A cloak can be provided, but Zhenhou Spear Workshop doesn't make these. There's a very good cloak made from the skin of the 'Black Mallow' from the Sea of Wronged Souls, which has excellent natural defense, but... it's extremely rare."
Kubo personally carried Paben on his back, while his ten brothers escorted the three prisoners through the gate. Surprised to find everyone in armor, he thought something terrible had happened and cried out, "Boss... Boss... we're back!"
Li Qiang chuckled and said, " Kubo, go inside first and settle Paben in. Let the other brothers try on the armor."
Several warriors dragged three prisoners toward the room when suddenly, Bi Xuan cried out, " Old Beetle... Nanzi Dong... save me!"
One of the warriors holding Bi Xuan's arm heard him screaming and punched him hard in the stomach, cursing, "You're the one who's always causing trouble, you deserve a beating! Don't scream!" Bi Xuan Nascent Soul was sealed, and the punch made him groan, seeing stars in pain.
Nanzi Dong turned around and saw it, and exclaimed in surprise, "Hey... isn't this the Great Venerable Bi Xuan... wait, Ji Qiguo... Deqing Lingshi... what's going on?"
Hong Qian quickly pulled Nanzi Dong aside and whispered what had happened to him.
Nanzi Dong sighed deeply, unsure of what to say. After a moment's hesitation, he straightened his clothes and bowed solemnly, saying, "Boss, Bi Xuan is my friend... I dare not ask you to release him, but I beg you to treat him kindly..."
This was something Li Qiang hadn't anticipated; he hadn't expected Nanzi Dong to know these three people. However, he never refused a friend's request, so he said, "Alright, Kubo, tell the brothers not to mistreat the three prisoners, just keep an eye on them. Old Beetle, don't blame me, we can't release them yet. We have to wait for the people from the Banshou Trading House to come and negotiate before we can release them."
Nanzi Dong was deeply grateful and thanked him repeatedly. Kubo handed Li Qiang a soft bag and laughed, "Boss, we forgot about this little Sea Demon."
"Oh dear, I've been so busy... Poor little thing, I hope it doesn't starve." Li Qiang slapped his head repeatedly, took the soft bag, opened it, and picked up the little Sea Demon. The little creature had its blue eyes half-closed, its eyeballs rolling around inside its eyelids, and it kept making low "woof woof" sounds. Its little red claws stretched out from its blue feathers, tightly gripping one of Li Qiang's fingers, seemingly very annoyed that Li Qiang had ignored it for so long.
A piece of Black Zi black bean appeared out of thin air in Li Qiang's hand. The little Sea Demon's blue eyes widened instantly. Before it could even grab it with its claws, it turned its little head and bit down on it. Only then did it release its little red claws that were grabbing Li Qiang's fingers, and began to eat the Black Zi with gusto. In no time, it had eaten more than half of it, and threw the remaining bit to the ground.
The little Sea Demon stuck out her pink tongue, licked her claws, and kept shaking her head and squealing.
No matter how Li Qiang tried to soothe it, the little Sea Demon kept banging its head against his chest, seemingly very aggrieved. Li Qiang asked curiously, "Huh, this little guy is quite dissatisfied. What else does it want?"
Han Jin reached out to touch it, but the little Sea Demon bit him viciously, startling him so much that he quickly withdrew his hand. There was a "crack" sound of teeth colliding, and the people around shook their heads in surprise. If that bite had landed, the bones would probably have broken.
Hong Qian said, "Boss, does it want to eat a crystal? Let's give it a crystal to try."
Li Qiang had run out of low-grade crystals. He found a thumb-sized crystal in his bracelet, a high-grade Jade Tide Stone with water attributes. The little Sea Demon's red claws lashed out like lightning, and its cry changed to an extremely joyful low hum. A small crack appeared on its forehead, and it tried its best to lift the crystal to the opening, but its little red claws were too short, and it whimpered loudly in frustration.
Nanzi Dong inadvertently noticed the crystal in the little Sea Demon's hand and couldn't help but rub his eyes in confusion, saying, "I'm not seeing things, am I? This is... Jade Tide Stone... a top-grade Immortal Stone!" After thinking for a moment, he shook his head, "Impossible, I've probably gotten so confused from wanting good Immortal Stone."
Seeing the little Sea Demon crying pitifully, Li Qiang reached out and pushed the crystal into the crack on its forehead. With a loud shriek, the little Sea Demon slowly flew away from Li Qiang's hand and hovered in the air. Instantly, the little Sea Demon's whole body glowed with Blue Light. Everyone in the courtyard was startled by this Blue Light, and they all watched in complete silence.
The little Sea Demon began its rapid transformation. Its azure feathers, like flower petals, fluttered down, and layers of Blue Light rippled across its body like ocean waves. New azure feathers slowly grew out, and then wings gradually sprouted from its sides. The blue feathers on its wings also began to grow rapidly, and soon, layers of blue feathers, more than half a foot long, were displayed before everyone's eyes, dazzling and exceptionally beautiful.
A glimpse of Jade Tide Stone appeared on the little Sea Demon's forehead, its halo shimmering like a third eye. A long ring of blue feathers also grew from the back of its neck. At this moment, the little Sea Demon looked like a strange, monstrous bird.
It trembled violently in the air, scattering its remaining old feathers in all directions, and a brand new little Sea Demon, its body shimmering with a sapphire blue light, hovered proudly in the air.
A chorus of gasps erupted; it was the first time anyone had ever witnessed such a bizarre transformation. Han Jin, Zhao Hao, and several others who considered themselves quite skilled all rushed to grab the baby Sea Demon.
The little Sea Demon let out a low, disdainful snort, flashed a dazzling Blue Light, and vanished. Han Jin was the most Qi Ingestion; he felt his skills had greatly improved after the training at the Great Gorge Mouth, yet this little creature had managed to escape. Someone saw the little Sea Demon perched on the roof of the courtyard and pointed, shouting, "It's up there..."
The entire courtyard was in chaos. Those who were capable flew up to catch it, while those who weren't even donned wings to chase after it. Nanzi Dong stared in disbelief. After a while, he too was eager to show off his skills when a Blue Light flew towards him. He couldn't help but leap up and stand in front of the little Sea Demon.
The little Sea Demon suddenly hovered, emitting a cooing sound that seemed like mockery. Han Jin shouted and pounced on it from behind. Seeing that the opportunity was rare, Nanzi Dong also moved quickly. The little Sea Demon gracefully turned its head, the blue feathers on its neck shimmering slightly, and then its body suddenly fell straight down.
"Ping!"
Nanzi Dong and Han Jin shouted at the same time, "We've got him!"
Everyone burst into laughter, and then they saw Han Jin and Nanzi Dong embracing each other tightly.
Han Jin exclaimed, "What, it's you, old man... where's the little brat?"
Nanzi Dong shoved him away, his old face flushed red, and he cursed through gritted teeth, "This little thing did it on purpose! I'm going to catch it!" He looked around, "Huh... where did it go... uh, boss..."
Li Qiang smiled and held the little Sea Demon, saying, "Alright, everyone, stop playing around. Old Beetle, some people's armor might be a bit uncomfortable; could you please fix it for them now?"
Nanzi Dong looked at the little Sea Demon with resentment and shouted, "Whose armor feels too tight or too loose? Come here right now, I'll adjust it for you."
Li Qiang picked up the soft bag and was about to put the little Sea Demon Sea Demon inside when it cried out loudly. It seemed very unwilling, its two little red claws gripping the edge of the bag tightly, its beautiful blue eyes fixed on Li Qiang, and its body constantly wriggling. Li Qiang laughed, "If you don't want to go into the bag, how am I supposed to carry you? Hurry up and go in." It seemed a little afraid of Li Qiang, whimpered twice, loosened its grip, and curled up inside the bag.
Han Jin said, "Boss, I'll take this." He took the soft bag, patted it proudly, and laughed, "This little thing is quite fun. I'll feed it next time, and it'll behave."
Someone reminded Han Jin, "Hey, the bag in your hand is glowing! Everyone, look!"
A dazzling Blue Light shone through the soft bag, "Poof... Crack!" The soft bag shattered, and the fragments fluttered away like butterflies. The little Sea Demon cried triumphantly as it flew into the air.
Han Jin, having been tricked twice, laughed and cursed, "You naughty thing, see how I deal with you!" He leaped up and chased after it. A flash of Blue Light appeared, and the little Sea Demon plunged headfirst into Han Jin's arms. Han Jin didn't feel good at all; he felt as if he had been punched hard, and he fell to the ground. Fortunately, he hadn't taken off the armor he had just tried on, so he wasn't injured.
Han Jin stood up, his face flushed, utterly embarrassed. The dignified leader, a great warrior, had been knocked to the ground by a tiny, strange bird. Although it was an accident, it was still incredibly awkward. No one in the courtyard laughed at him; no one expected him to be beaten, as Han Jin's martial arts skills were widely recognized. Amidst their astonishment, everyone searched everywhere for the little Sea Demon.
Li Qiang was also taken aback and hurriedly asked, "Brother Han, are you injured... This is outrageous..." He jumped into the air.
Someone shouted, "It's there... Go after it!"
The little Sea Demon seemed to realize it had caused trouble, frantically flying around the yard, its tiny body moving like lightning, leaving streaks of Blue Light in its wake. Li Qiang, already aware of the little Sea Demon's strangeness, chased even faster. Two shadows, one large and one small, flew up and down, twirling and stopping abruptly, making everyone dizzy. Because it was a closed courtyard, the little Sea Demon had nowhere to escape, and soon Li Qiang cornered it in a dead end, where it hung suspended, whimpering pitifully.
Han Jin shouted, "Boss, don't hurt it... I'm fine!"
Li Qiang knew that he wouldn't be able to catch it in the wild; after its transformation, the little Sea Demon was more than twice as fast as it was in the pet store.
Hearing its slightly whimpering, pleading voice, Li Qiang chuckled and scolded, "Don't bump into people like that anymore, and don't run around... Come here."
Surprisingly, the little Sea Demon seemed to understand Li Qiang's words, letting out a soft whimper before snuggling into Li Qiang arms.
Han Jin smiled wryly, "This little thing recognizes people... and it bullies newcomers."
The gatekeeper hurriedly approached Kubo and whispered a few words, causing Kubo to pause slightly in surprise.
Li Qiang asked, "What's the matter?"
Kubo said, " Divine Envoy Kaben, Chairman Siting, and the head of the Banshou Trading House, Ba Zhong, are coming and will be here soon. Also, Kong Hou from the Banshou Trading House is here; he seems to be an elder of the Bi Xuan, a very mysterious figure. Boss, you must be careful of him."
Li Qiang snapped his fingers, making a "snap" sound, and shouted, "All brothers, put on your armor, grab your weapons, and line up! We have friends here. Hehe, everyone, get your spirits up! Zhao Hao, you're in charge!"