Journey to Golden turtle Island
The Four Great Families truly live up to their centuries-long heritage. The amount of private wealth they've amassed in Gold Soul Coins alone reaches an astonishing 17 million.
Ye Tian couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!" These Gold Soul Coins amounted to one-fifth of his entire savings.
Keep in mind, Ye Tian earned money fast, but he spent it even faster.
Just recently, he had spent a staggering 20 million on constructing a refined steel smelting furnace for manufacturing firearms.
As a result, by the end of the year, he barely had any cash flow left in hand.
Faced with this sum, Ye Tian couldn't help but laugh.
"If only there were a few more reckless families like this," he thought.
He could certainly make good use of those Gold Soul Coins to accomplish much more.
As Ye Tian glanced at the end of the intelligence report, his expression suddenly froze.
"An Ice Lotus that's been frozen for 30,000 years?"
Ice Lotus flowers were precious treasures found only in the distant Arctic.
Just one could be worth 5 million Gold Soul Coins, and they were priceless—impossible to buy.
For ordinary Soul Masters, consuming an Ice Lotus could enhance the power of an ice-element Soul Master.
But Ye Tian scoffed at this notion.
Giving it directly to an ice-element Soul Master would be a complete waste of its true potential.
The greatest use of the Ice Lotus was to refine it into a Taiyi Ice Soul Pill.
The pill-making process would neutralize the extreme coldness of the Ice Lotus, removing any negative side effects.
Even non-ice-element Soul Masters could consume it.
The Taiyi Ice Soul Pill could significantly enhance a Soul Master's natural talents, breaking through their limits and giving them a chance to ascend to the highest rank.
This was a terrifying prospect.
It's well-known that a Soul Master's innate abilities are practically fixed at the moment of Martial Soul Awakening.
If their innate soul power doesn't meet the standard, they have almost no path to becoming a Titled Douluo.
But with the Taiyi Ice Soul Pill, achieving the rank of Titled Douluo was almost guaranteed!
If the effects of the Taiyi Ice Soul Pill became widely known across the continent, every Soul Master would stop at nothing to get their hands on it, leading to widespread chaos.
However, the recipe for the pill was a gift from the system to Ye Tian, and only he knew it.
No other Soul Master on the continent would be fortunate enough to enjoy its benefits.
Ye Tian didn't need the pill himself, but his future wife certainly would.
He handed the document back to Zhou Long and instructed, "Store this Ice Lotus safely in the warehouse at the Sea Soul Mountain Base. I'll have a use for it later."
"Understood." Zhou Long bent down in deep respect.
Breakfast Time
Ye Tian and the others were dining around the stone table in the small courtyard.
Lei Jiuchuan arrived late, looking deeply troubled.
She sat down opposite Ye Tian, her beautiful eyes filled with concern.
"Have you heard? Something big has happened in East Sea City."
"What kind of big thing?" Ye Tian calmly continued picking at his food.
Lei Jiuchuan, pale-faced, picked up her chopsticks and sighed softly, "I just found out from a lower-ranked guard. The Four Great Families of East Sea City were wiped out overnight."
As Hu Liena munched on her warm bun, she muttered with a full mouth, "Do you have relatives among them?"
"No." Lei Jiuchuan shook her head solemnly.
"Then why are you so worried?"
Hu Liena took a large bite of her bun and chewed noisily, looking confused.
Lei Jiuchuan absent-mindedly picked up a piece of spicy cabbage and said, her expression complicated, "It might have something to do with pirates. I'm not sure if the Lei Family will escape this calamity."
Upon hearing this, Hu Liena chuckled and patted Lei Jiuchuan on the shoulder.
"Jiuchuan, you're worrying too much. How could this have anything to do with pirates?"
After speaking, Hu Liena wanted to glance at Ye Tian but held back.
Reassured by Hu Liena's words, Lei Jiuchuan nodded seriously.
"Let's hope it has nothing to do with pirates."
Her grandfather had been gravely ill recently, and she had been overly anxious these past few days, jumping at every little thing like a frightened bird.
Ye Tian put down his chopsticks and said casually, "The incident in East Sea City was probably caused by the Spirit Hall. After all, the Four Great Families acted far too egregiously."
"How could it be the Spirit Hall!" Hu Liena shot him a glare and immediately retorted, "Even if the Spirit Hall took action, they wouldn't resort to a sneak attack in the dead of night."
"Oh, really? But remember, Nana, you've already left the Spirit Hall," Ye Tian remarked with a smirk.
Hu Liena, who clearly had deep feelings for the Spirit Hall, had never once said a bad word about it in front of him.
"Anyway, it definitely wasn't the Spirit Hall." Hu Liena stiffened her neck, clearly uncomfortable.
"Let's drop this topic," Bibi Dong interjected. "It's early in the morning, and breakfast is more important."
"Fine."
"Okay."
The group resumed eating.
Before long, Hu Liena tapped Ye Tian's bowl with her chopsticks.
"Brother, I have a request..."
"What is it?" Ye Tian, sipping his porridge, looked at Hu Liena's expectant face.
"I want to go with you to Golden turtle Island. I want to protect you."
Hu Liena flexed her arms, showing off her strength.
Ye Tian couldn't help but laugh, putting down his bowl. "You? Protect me?"
Hu Liena pouted in dissatisfaction. "Why? Can't I?"
With her Soul Emperor strength, she could take down a hundred Ye Tians. Saying she would protect him wasn't excessive at all.
"Fine," Ye Tian answered coolly. With Zhou Long around, Hu Liena wouldn't be in any danger even if she came along.
Seeing Hu Liena's smug expression, Ye Tian shook his head.
Her mental maturity was lacking, and he figured she would be the type to get hopelessly infatuated in a romantic relationship. If she ever encountered a villain, she might even help them count money after being sold out.
Nearby, Lei Jiuchuan couldn't help but feel a pang of envy. She nibbled on her meat bun, too shy to raise her head.
"Those two are truly a match made in heaven," she thought to herself.
Evening
Ye Tian's group rode on horseback to the port of East Sea City.
As they gazed at the azure sea, Hu Liena felt at peace.
She had been by the East Sea for many days, but this was the first time she had seen the ocean.
Watching the sunset, she sighed, "It's so beautiful!"
"If we go to Golden turtle Island, we'll see an even more beautiful sunrise," Lei Jiuchuan smiled as she walked over in a long coat.
"Really?" Hu Liena turned to Ye Tian beside her. "Brother, why don't we watch the sunrise together when we get to Golden turtle Island?"
"Not interested," Ye Tian replied, staring out at the rippling, golden sea.
The wind was strong over the sea, so he wore a formal jacket as well.
"Ah," Hu Liena dropped her head, feeling a little disappointed.
She quietly moved closer to Ye Tian, gently wrapping her arm around his.
She looked up at him with her wide, bright eyes, pleading softly.
"Just once, okay? Brother, please?"
Surprised, Ye Tian glanced at Hu Liena and instinctively stepped back.
"Who taught you to make those eyes, little sister?"
He couldn't resist. Finally, he waved his hand in resignation, "Alright, I'll agree."
Hu Liena beamed victoriously and made a playful gesture toward Ye Tian.
"Brother, you're the best."
"That's enough," Ye Tian frowned, pulling his arm free and stepping to the side.
Hu Liena wanted to act cute again, but when she glanced at Lei Jiuchuan beside them, she composed herself and tossed her hair back.
"It's time to set off," she said.
"Yes, I'll have the guards bring the ship over," Lei Jiuchuan nodded and stepped forward, preparing to signal the guards.
Ye Tian raised his hand to stop her.
"Miss Jiuchuan, that won't be necessary. I've already prepared a ship."
With those words, the sea in front of them began to bubble, and a large, dark ship slowly emerged from beneath the waves.
(End of Chapter)
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