Then Fang Che and the others saw the Flying Boat suddenly expand, instantly transforming into a gigantic Flying Boat, suspended in mid-air, capable of accommodating four to five thousand people.

Fang Che clicked his tongue in admiration; this was much larger and more impressive than the one from Yin Shen Palace.

The hatch of the Flying Boat opened.

Ningxue Sword was the first to rush aboard, scanning with Divine Sense, then nodding back.

Xue Fuxiao and Dongfang San walked on smoothly, like ascending to Qingyun, entering inside.

Then everyone else followed in one after another.

Sitting down at their assigned spots, they felt a slight tremor from the Flying Boat.

Subsequently, it gently ascended a hundred feet, then with a swoosh, it started accelerating and rapidly rising. In just a breath's time, it was above the clouds and still climbing.

Then, like a stream of light, it flew out.

Fang Che sat on the Flying Boat, cross-legged with eyes closed, experiencing this peculiar sensation of being high up in the sky.

Feng Xiangdong and the others leaned by the Spirit Crystal windows looking out, their faces full of novelty.

"I rode on it once when I was little," Feng Xiangdong said.

"I also rode several times when I was little," Yuzhong Kuang replied.

"After turning six, they wouldn't let me ride... sigh."

Dongfang Zhe sighed, "They say without Merit, you have no right to ride. I just don't get it. When I was one or two or three years old, I still had no Merit and understood nothing, but I could still ride. Yet after six or seven, when we already have some cultivation done, we have less right than when we were toddlers. How feasible is that?"

Everyone burst into laughter.

In fact, it's the same with every family: right after birth, if you're talented, the elders are delighted, so they take you everywhere, or bring you to headquarters for the ancestors to see...

But after making the rounds once, generally there isn't another chance to step on the Flying Boat.

If you wish to ride, fine, you'll need to become strong and use your Merit to earn that right.

"Boss Fang surely hasn't ridden before. Is this your first time, Boss Fang? Excited, surprised??"

These thirty or so fellows, seeing Fang Che, can't help but recall Fang Che's 'sister-in-law', bringing up their ire.

They eyed Fang Che maliciously with tilted gazes.

Fang Che held Ye Meng in his arms, occupying the prime spot for her to conveniently look outside.

Upon hearing, without blinking, he loudly declared, "Reporting! These Shi family's sons are bullying me..."

Before finishing, he was swiftly tackled and had his mouth tightly covered by Feng Xiangdong and Yuzhong Kuang. The two looked pleadingly, "Grandpa! Grandpa Fang! Please stop shouting..."

Oh my, at times like this, we're on the Flying Boat!

Plus, Ninth lord, Mr. Dao, and Master Jian, along with our ancestors, are right upfront. If one of them comes over, we're all doomed!

The rest of the thirty-plus also turned pale, faces full of appeal, like thirty-five trembling little quail.

Fang Che snorted, casting a sidelong glance at the thirty-five, his eyes exuding disdain.

"Competing with me? Try me again and see what happens."

"We don't dare, we don't dare, sir, you are Mr. Fang!"

"Good."

"Hehehe..."

Ye Meng couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The would-be contestants were all despondent, unable to retaliate, instead, they got intimidated. Who could they turn to?

...

On another side.

Dongfang Sansan sat quietly, saying, "Yan Nan should already know our contestant list."

"We haven't kept any secrets at all; Yan Nan knows the list of twenty-seven participants. Although the list is confidential among the higher-ups on both sides, the 108-person main list, however, is known throughout the Continent."

"Moreover, everywhere people are betting on which of these 108 people will become the twenty-seven real contestants. Countless bets are opened, divided by levels, for instance, if only betting on the King level, choosing four will win a prize, whereas, if all nine are picked, it's a reward of five million."

"Yo, this gameplay is good."

"Indeed, even the government is profiting."

Dongfang Sansan opened his eyes, saying, "There must be oversight; this is a huge sum of money, to be used to improve living standards, assist the families and orphans of Heroic Souls, repair waterworks, open roads... Anyone daring to embezzle over five taels of silver shall be executed on the spot."

"Understood."

Someone cautiously spoke, "Ninth lord, though this can quickly accumulate wealth for repairing the Continent, it's also feared some might go bankrupt..."

Dongfang Sansan closed his eyes, saying, "Using spare change to gamble for a dream is mere play; those who become bankrupt deserve it, no need to bother."

"Understood."

"The list of nine by level also ought to be announced. Then open the bets again for the top four championship positions across the entire Continent."

Dongfang Sansan gently took a breath, slowly noting, "The proceeds will be used for disaster relief, and repairing the Continent. Start with small steps, prepare to embrace a prosperous age."

Embracing a prosperous age!

These four words made everyone who heard them feel a jolt in their hearts, their eyes widened instantly.

Some even suddenly blushed with excitement, heartbeats racing.

"Ninth lord, do you have the assurance of absolute victory?"

This kind of arrangement has never been made before; and the words 'embracing a prosperous age' were spoken by Dongfang Sansan for the first time in his life.

"Not yet, but if things go smoothly, in twenty years...the minimum is a fifty-fifty chance, with the advantage on our side. If not smoothly, we must prepare for long-term wars, lasting hundreds, thousands, or even several thousand years... However, developing livelihoods and encouraging birth rates are now paramount.

Dongfang Sansan said flatly.

Everyone's spirits lifted, joy appearing on their faces.

Compared to the Wei Wo Zheng Sect, the Guardians have more people, even several times as many, but their high-end martial power lags behind the others by more than a notch.

So the winning odds have always been thirty-seventy or forty-sixty.

Always at a disadvantage.

But today, Dongfang Sansan himself spoke a fifty-fifty chance!

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