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Princess Zhulan's revelation surprised Lu Chen, as she rarely disclosed her background in front of outsiders. He had previously inquired about Tu Youdong, but she had said nothing, indicating a significant secret.
Even if she remained silent, Lu Chen could make some guesses. Although the Yushan Kingdom was not as large as the Great Zhou Court, it was still a nation with vast territory and ocean, along with loyal subjects. The king of the Yushan Kingdom could not have only Princess Zhulan as his sole heir; there must be other princes and princesses competing for power and legitimacy, much like the royal family of Great Zhou.
The governance of the Yushan Kingdom differed from the centralized authority of the Great Zhou Court and its strict hierarchy. The Yushan Kingdom operated under a ministerial system, where various ministers managed domestic affairs, such as the Border Minister, Minister of Commerce and Politics, and War Minister.
Adolf, who served Princess Zhulan, was the Naval Minister overseeing all maritime affairs and coastal defense of the Yushan Kingdom.
In this joint effort by the Defender of the Realm against the Su Family, the Yushan Kingdom was included in the list of allies but only sent its Navy. However, the leader of this naval force was not Adolf but a general under his command.
Returning to the matter at hand, Princess Zhulan and Sun Zizhao were allies. If they could better utilize the Source Stone, it would greatly benefit Princess Zhulan in the future.
With Princess Zhulan's assistance, craftsmen and labor could be directly selected from the Yushan Kingdom's Navy, saving significant financial resources and avoiding unnecessary complications. Lu Chen and Sun Zizhao exchanged glances, signaling that this arrangement was settled.
Afterward, Lu Chen summoned Chen Qilin to discuss everything. Once all matters were addressed, they awaited his response.
Lu Chen revealed the financial strength of the Sun Family, the manpower from the Red Robe Sect, and the capabilities of the Yushan Kingdom's Navy. Upon hearing this, Chen Qilin furrowed his brow in confusion as he looked at Lu Chen.
He wondered how Lu Chen managed to gather such substantial financial resources, manpower, and materials in such a short time. What was the background of this group before him?
Chen Qilin had heard some rumors about the Sun Family's financial empire in Donghai. The Red Robe Sect was well-known as one of the largest anti-Zhou forces currently active. Additionally, the Yushan Kingdom's Navy was nearly unmatched in maritime strength outside of Central Zhou.
While the Demon King Dynasty and some Western nations might possess greater overall strength than the Yushan Kingdom, they lacked a navy due to their inland nature; thus, they could not compare.
Now was the time for Chen Qilin to weigh his options. Lu Chen stood with his hands clasped behind his back and urged him: "Mr. Chen, while Defender of the Realm Huangfu Xin has promised to help you obtain Exogenous Stone, I offer you a similar promise. However, given the current situation in Great Zhou Court, your plans may not be implemented soon. We can act immediately to gather the manpower, financial resources, and materials you need to create necessary equipment and ships within two or three years."
The task of retrieving a stone from deep underwater was immense. Moreover, according to Chen Qilin, that stone seemed nearly immovable; it would require tens of thousands of people to retrieve it.
Transporting tens of thousands alone would necessitate very large ships. Once there, they would need to begin work; ordinary ropes and winches would likely be ineffective. This required Chen Qilin to devise special equipment using mechanical techniques.
Next, there is the issue of the construction period. When salvaging a giant stone from the seabed, preparation work is essential. From locating it on the surface to establishing special coordinates on the seabed, it is impossible to complete this in just three to five days.
The entire construction period may take two to three months from start to finish. During this time, supporting tens of thousands of people means that the food consumption will be beyond what an ordinary person can bear.
Another critical point is transporting the stone back. While it is possible to avoid Giant Barbarian Island and Yuanrong Immortal Island on the way there, returning is a different story. Dragging a large stone along several hundred or even a thousand miles of waterways is not cost-effective, and it is also impossible to transport the Source Stone directly to Yushan Kingdom.
Chen Qilin squinted his eyes and repeatedly rubbed his chin stubble. It was evident that he was not feeling particularly relaxed; after all, Exogenous Stone was something he had long desired, thinking about it day and night. After waiting so long, now he had the opportunity to act immediately, and that genuine excitement was something anyone could understand.
Lu Chen knew that Chen Qilin's heart was wavering at this moment; he needed something to stabilize his mind. Seizing the opportunity, Lu Chen threw out a bucket of concentrated gunpowder and said, "The Great Zhou Court's fortune is running out. If Mr. Chen obtains the Source Stone, it is inevitable that the Defender of the Realm will want you to serve him. At that point, it would mean you are opposing the entire Despicable faction and going against Cang. Hu Yun's life is worth little; do you really want to fight against fate?"
Sun Zizhao and others looked at Lu Chen with expressions of delight on their faces. Lu Chen's words came at just the right moment and would undoubtedly have a significant impact on Chen Qilin's mindset. The Great Zhou Fortune King and Princess Zhulan also wore approving expressions, feeling that Ye Nanzhai was very wise and often calculated things they overlooked.
However, the focus remained on Chen Qilin; everything depended on his decision.
After a long silence, Chen Qilin finally opened his mouth wide and chuckled twice, saying, "What a Ye Laomo! You seem to have calculated everything; when did you become so cunning?"
After a pause, Chen Qilin continued, "Your lineup is indeed powerful; combined, your strength can rival that of the Defender of the Realm. If I refuse now, won't it be difficult for me to leave unscathed?"
Chen Qilin asked this unexpectedly at the end.
Lu Chen also chuckled and raised his eyebrows like caterpillars moving slightly, saying, "What does Mr. Chen think?"
"Since that's the case, I have no choice but to agree," Chen Qilin replied.
Thinking about how he still owed Lu Chen a "grandfather," he felt uncomfortable all over—more painful than owing someone several thousand taels of silver.
Once these words were spoken, everyone nodded in satisfaction; now things were settled, and it was just a matter of seeing how to implement them.
Chen Qilin had already agreed to cooperate with Sun Zizhao, and Lu Chen felt that the timing was just about right.
Lu Chen transformed, summoning the Flesh from Jun Bell amidst the astonished gazes of the crowd, and the Yin Spirit returned to its place.
At this moment, it was the onlookers who were shocked.
"Brother Zi Zhao, long time no see. Princess, Prince Fu," Lu Chen greeted one by one.
"Lu Chen, it really is you. I thought my intuition was wrong," Sun Zizhao said with surprise.
Prince Fu and Princess Zhulan were even more astonished, left speechless. Lu Chen's display of skill was truly remarkable. Moreover, throughout this journey, subduing Chen Qilin and various other surprising events were all orchestrated by Lu Chen behind the scenes.
"Master, Old Mu, Big Shuang."
Lu Chen revealed his true form, and Old Mu and Lian Dashuang rushed over excitedly. It had been a full month since they last parted ways.
"Who are you? I thought something was off about you. Although you resemble Ye Nanzhai, I still find it strange," Chen Qilin pointed at Lu Chen and remarked.
Although Lu Chen was not the real Ye Nanzhai, his abilities were undoubtedly his own. He had captured Chen Qilin alive and subjected him to various humiliations. It was likely that if the real Ye Nanzhai had come in person, he might not have been able to subdue him.
Lu Chen chuckled and said, "Mr. Chen, I am Lu Chen. Don't worry about who I am; our cooperation plan has already been finalized. If you want to back out, I won't be polite about it."
Lu Chen shook a delicate bell in his hand. While it looked exquisite, its true power had already been experienced by Chen Qilin, leaving him with lingering fear.
"Let's go; we can talk while walking. First, we head to Yushan Kingdom," Lu Chen said to everyone.
Yushan Kingdom and Wind Blinder Archipelago were not very far apart. Heading west from Wind Blinder Archipelago would allow them to reach the Eastern Sea Seven States, with only Qi Kingdom separating Eastern Sea Seven States from Yushan Kingdom.
This was the land route. However, if they took the water route north from Wind Blinder Archipelago, they could directly take a boat to Yushan Kingdom's Naval Base.
But for now, it was not suitable for Lu Chen and the others to take a boat because the waterways were under strict control. This matter required Princess Zhulan to personally visit the Navy first to pave the way before bringing everyone in.
Sun Zizhao directly instructed the two middle-aged strongmen beside him to go back and prepare Silver and Gold. Both of them were his trusted subordinates, completely reliable. The rest of the group squeezed onto their horses, ready to first head to the Eastern Seven States for a brief rest before proceeding directly to Yushan Kingdom.
Of course, Lu Chen also planned to take a trip to Yushan Kingdom, treating it as a leisurely outing. As for dealing with the Su Family, there were bound to be exceptional experts among the allied forces, so he would let them handle it.
The group raced northwest, with Sun Zizhao and Princess Zhulan subtly moving closer to Lu Chen to inquire about matters.
Sun Zizhao asked, "Lu Chen, how is Master Ye?"
Princess Zhulan couldn't help but be curious as well, asking, "I saw him abduct you with my own eyes and thought something might happen to you. But considering your identity as the Incense Ambassador, he shouldn't harm you."
Princess Zhulan's expression showed a hint of worry.
"Master Ye is gravely injured and has already undergone Corpse Transformation. He passed on his teachings to me, so now I am the Third Generation Leader of the Red Robe Sect," Lu Chen said slowly, tears glistening in his eyes as he recalled the moment Ye Nanzhai entrusted him with the position.
The Red Robe Sect was founded only a little over a hundred years ago. There was an old leader who also bore the surname Ye. After that old leader passed away, he passed the position to Ye Nanzhai. Now that Ye Nanzhai has died, he was the second leader, and with Lu Chen taking over, he became the third.
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