Chapter 2

Qin Yi noticed that he had no impression of this person and explained, "He was originally a Juling Divine Guard in Xiandu. When the Thirteen Heavenly Demons attacked Xiandu, and Second Young Master Yang Zhen faced off against the Overlord, this Luo Kang'an once assisted Second Young Master, severely injuring the Overlord. This can be seen in the widely broadcast footage."

"Assisted Yang Zhen and even severely injured the Overlord? Luo Kang'an?" Luo Tianhe looked stunned, clearly taken aback.

What kind of person is Second Young Master Yang Zhen? He is the top warrior of the Heavenly Court, known as the First War God, holding the majority of the Heavenly Court's military power, responsible for eliminating the remnants of the previous dynasty and maintaining the order of the Heavenly Court.

And the Overlord is no easy opponent, one of the Thirteen Heavenly Demons, one of the thirteen leaders of the remnants of the previous dynasty, a figure that strikes fear into the hearts of all.

To be able to assist Second Young Master Yang Zhen and severely injure the Overlord, for such a person to emerge from the Juling Divine Guards of Xiandu, and for me to be unaware of him? Luo Tianhe found it incomprehensible and turned to look at his attendant, Heng Tao, the chief administrator of Buque City.

Heng Tao looked puzzled, shook his head slightly, indicating that he had not heard of this person either.

He then turned and quickly went to the side to contact Xiandu to verify this so-called Luo Kang'an. Since he was a Juling Divine Guard in Xiandu, there was no reason for Xiandu to be unaware of him.

Luo Tianhe continued to ask Qin Yi, "What brings this Luo Kang'an to our Buque City?"

Qin Yi replied, "He has already left the Juling Divine Guards. I hired him with a high salary to join our Qin Family Merchant Guild."

Luo Tianhe was taken aback and became even more puzzled, "A person who can severely injure the Overlord, there must be many in Xiandu who would want to recruit him. How could he accept your invitation and come here?"

The Qin Family Merchant Guild, though the top in Buque City, is not significant in the entire Heavenly Realm.

Qin Yi said, "He faced some discrimination in Xiandu, which is a stroke of luck for our Qin Family." In other words, she had found a gem.

Luo Tianhe responded with an "Oh," understanding, and said meaningfully, "To go to great lengths to find such a Divine Guard from Xiandu, it seems you are determined to compete for the public tender for the Juling Divine Guards in the Kun Guang Immortal Domain."

The so-called Juling Divine Guards, in simple terms, are powerful divine artifacts that concentrate a large amount of energy from spirit stones, amplifying the user's magical power with their immense energy. The title "divine" indicates their formidable power.

In many remote areas of the Heavenly Realm, fierce beasts run rampant. The earliest Juling Divine Guards were created by wealthy young people with low cultivation talents to protect themselves, or as toys for some. As the techniques for creating them improved, their power grew, eventually becoming capable of countering highly cultivated cultivators.

It takes a long time for ordinary people to cultivate to a high level, but creating such Juling Divine Guards is much easier, allowing ordinary cultivators to significantly boost their strength. Thus, "Juling Divine Guards" gradually became part of the Heavenly Court's military forces and formed an army.

Those who control these artifacts are called Divine Guards. The Juling Divine Guards are puppets, while the Divine Guards who control and unleash their power are the core and soul.

After the recent rebellion by the remnants of the previous dynasty, the Juling Divine Guards exposed some flaws. Simply put, the joints of the Juling Divine Guards are prone to problems after frequent use. To address this issue, the Kun Guang Immortal Domain, with the approval of the Heavenly Court, has issued a public tender to gather ideas and solve the problem.

The Kun Guang Immortal Domain oversees nine states, and Buque City represents one of them.

Qin Yi paused and said, "City Lord, you know that our Qin Family started with spirit stone mines. Now, our mines are facing depletion. If the merchant guild does not actively transform and quickly find a pillar industry, it will be very troublesome in the future. I have no other choice. This public tender from the Immortal Domain is a rare opportunity for our Qin Family, and I do not want to miss it."

Luo Tianhe stroked his beard and said, "I understand your feelings. However, you must understand that while the Immortal Domain is willing to give you a fair chance, the word 'competition' means something. I don't need to explain that to you.

The Kun Guang Immortal Domain already has two merchant guilds involved in the Juling Divine Guard industry, and they are eager to compete. How will you face these two guilds? Are you prepared?

Everyone knows that this is just a pilot project by the Heavenly Court. If successful, there is a high possibility that the entire Heavenly Court's procurement will be involved. Such a huge interest will inevitably attract other merchant guilds from other Immortal Domains. Are you sure you can win?

I do not want to interfere with your business, nor do I want to stop your Qin Family from entering this industry. However, I have heard that your Qin Family is investing heavily, almost betting everything on this. If you fail, it could be a devastating blow. You should think carefully."

Qin Yi bowed slightly and said, "Thank you for your concern, City Lord. Once the arrow is released, there is no turning back. The huge investment has already been made, and there is no way to turn back."

"Ah!" Luo Tianhe sighed, "Girl, I have watched you grow up. There is no need to act impulsively to prove that you are better than your father. That is not a wise move."

Qin Yi replied, "I have a clear understanding. City Lord, as an elder of the Heavenly Palace and the teacher of the Kun Guang Immortal Domain's Lord, I hope you will speak well of our Qin Family."

Luo Tianhe said, "Your father, Qin Daobian, and I have known each other for many years. He has contributed a lot to Buque City. I will naturally speak up for the Qin Family when it is appropriate. However, I must have something to say, right? It would be unreasonable to act arbitrarily and forcefully. Lord Nan Ru would also have no way to explain to the Heavenly Court. You must also have something to offer."

Qin Yi said, "City Lord, please rest assured. If I did not have confidence, I would not have made such a huge investment. I only hope for a fair chance."

Luo Tianhe responded with an "Oh" and looked at her more closely, seeing her determination. She must have some confidence. The sudden transformation of the Qin Family, without Qin Daobian's opposition, clearly hides some commercial secrets. He did not want to pry further.

But he still gave a friendly reminder, "The interests involved with the Juling Divine Guards are enormous. It is easy to avoid open attacks but hard to guard against hidden arrows. Be careful."

"Understood!" Qin Yi bowed in gratitude.

Just then, Heng Tao hurried over and reported urgently, "City Lord, something has happened. Miss Zhu Li has sent a distress message. The Kun ship she was on was ambushed by the remnants of the previous dynasty after entering the Kun Guang Immortal Domain."

Qin Yi was shocked. As expected, the person she was to meet was on the same Kun ship. This meant that the person she was to meet was also in danger. Before she could say anything, she felt the temperature around her drop sharply, and a cold chill emanated from Luo Tianhe. The ground beneath his feet turned white with frost, spreading outward. Qin Yi, not a cultivator and lightly dressed, could not withstand the cold and instinctively took a few steps back.

"A group of audacious scoundrels!" Luo Tianhe shouted, noticing Qin Yi's reaction, he reined in the cold aura he had unconsciously released. He then said to Heng Tao, "Contact Lord Nan Ru immediately and have him send people to rescue them."

Heng Tao replied, "I have already contacted the Immortal Domain. They are aware of the situation and have notified nearby forces to take action. However, it is beyond our reach, and we can only wait for news."

Luo Tianhe's gaze turned distant, his face tense, and he muttered, "Remnants of the previous dynasty..."

Qin Yi remained silent, knowing that they could only wait and see. Thinking of the person mentioned, she tried to approach and ask, "City Lord, who is this Miss Zhu Li?"

Luo Tianhe's gaze turned to her, "She is a..." He paused, then turned to Heng Tao, "What is her title?"

Heng Tao replied, "A recorder, known as a journalist in the human world."

"Oh, right, a journalist." Luo Tianhe nodded, finding the term a bit awkward.

Qin Yi understood immediately. Young people are quicker to accept new things, but she was still puzzled, "Forgive me for being bold, but a mere journalist to have City Lord personally come to welcome her, does she have some background?"

Luo Tianhe stroked his beard and chuckled, "The remnants of the previous dynasty are causing trouble. Some people think our Buque City is too peaceful and are pointing fingers, saying I am just passing the time here, allowing the remnants to grow. The remnants haven't caused trouble in Buque City, so what can I do? I don't want to explain.

Now, isn't it popular to have journalists? I thought about it and decided that Buque City should also have this profession to spread the word about our city and prevent people from spreading rumors.

After some consideration, I found that this Zhu Li is from our Buque City. The footage of the battle between the Overlord and Second Young Master that has been widely circulated in the Heavenly Realm was recorded by her, risking her life. She is quite famous in the journalism industry, and many in Xiandu are vying for her.

I appealed to her emotions and reason, and persuaded her to return to her hometown to establish this profession in Buque City."

Qin Yi understood. The City Lord personally invited her and came to welcome her to show sincerity. She probed further, "Why didn't you let her use the teleportation array?"

Luo Tianhe replied, "I did, but she refused, saying she wanted to take the scenic route. Now it seems she is indeed brave and likes adventure... I hope nothing happens to her." He shook his head.

Qin Yi's bright eyes turned distant. She, too, hoped nothing would happen, hoping Luo Kang'an would arrive safely, otherwise, it would significantly impact the preparations of the Qin Family Merchant Guild.

...

"I'm scared to death!"

The passengers on the Kun ship breathed a sigh of relief as a team of Juling Divine Guards successfully intervened and pursued the remnants of the previous dynasty. Many even cheered in relief.

The heavily damaged Kun ship, keeping its promise, continued to fly quickly despite its injuries.

Zhu Li, confirming they were safe, patted her chest and sighed in relief. She then looked at the disheveled man beside her, noticing he was still pretending to sleep, completely unperturbed throughout the ordeal. She didn't believe he could sleep through the chaos; he was too calm!

She shifted her body, intending to strike up a conversation, but found her leg bound by something. Looking back, she saw that the man, Luo Kang'an, had crouched down, clutching her thigh in a state of shock.

Zhu Li shook her leg, feeling embarrassed and angry, and shouted, "Let go!"

"Hmm?" Luo Kang'an looked up at her, still holding her leg, seemingly unaware of what he was doing.

A young woman being held by a stranger's embrace, Zhu Li was furious and kicked him with her other foot...

---

"Scared to death!"

The passengers on the Kun ship breathed a sigh of relief as a team of Juling Divine Guards successfully intervened and pursued the remnants of the previous dynasty. Many even cheered in relief.

The heavily damaged Kun ship, keeping its promise, continued to fly quickly despite its injuries.

Zhu Li, confirming they were safe, patted her chest and sighed in relief. She then looked at the disheveled man beside her, noticing he was still pretending to sleep, completely unperturbed throughout the ordeal. She didn't believe he could sleep through the chaos; he was too calm!

She shifted her body, intending to strike up a conversation, but found her leg bound by something. Looking back, she saw that the man, Luo Kang'an, had crouched down, clutching her thigh in a state of shock.

Zhu Li shook her leg, feeling embarrassed and angry, and shouted, "Let go!"

"Hmm?" Luo Kang'an looked up at her, still holding her leg, seemingly unaware of what he was doing.

A young woman being held by a stranger's embrace, Zhu Li was furious and kicked him with her other foot...