My skills have mutated again!

Chapter 460 Target: Shining Blue Star
The person involved was fully aware of the missing six pillars.

Those who were partially aware of the situation were the original rulers.

The Primordial Overlord inexplicably lost six pillar positions. Any creature of normal intelligence would only have one choice: to find out as soon as possible what exactly happened in the Dark Realm that day.

In recent months, the Primordial Ruler has appeared to be inactive and motionless, but this is not the case in reality.

If he were to take action, would it become public knowledge? A covert investigation is the wise choice.

As the eight sons of the Wang family were participants on that day, their strength was not low, but they were not among the top in the current universe, so they naturally became excellent sources of intelligence.

Out of fear of the "King of Kings" (because the Faceless One's disguise gave the Primordial Ruler the wrong information, and he didn't dare to gamble on whether the current King of Kings was real or fake), the Primordial Ruler would definitely not take strong measures. Therefore, secret communication and covert cooperation became the most likely choice.

All of these were Zhuge Liang's prior judgments, and now it seems they have all come true.

Wang Yanshan, the eldest son of the Wang family, is the original master's target for cooperation.

"The problem lies in that so-called cosmic bug production line, isn't it?"

Xia Lin spoke, and Wang Yanlin nodded.

"This is it."

Creating cosmic bugs was the power of the former Six Pillars, but that doesn't mean they had a complete monopoly on it—the previous Qingjue Sword God is an example.

In theory, what Boss Wang said about "developing a method to stably create cosmic bugs" is possible, but he just happened to bring it up at the Tiantai meeting that day, and now that I think about it, it seems a bit deliberate.

Following this line of inquiry, Mr. Zhuge began to discern some clues.

"My brother has been blinded by greed!"

When Wang Yanlin said this, he gritted his teeth and was heartbroken.

But he quickly lost heart.

"The blame cannot be entirely placed on my older brother, and I can understand his choice."

As the eldest son of the Wang family, he was terribly suppressed by the second son.

If you're not the strongest or the most prestigious, then what kind of leader are you?

Previously in the Dark Realm, Wang Yanshan was at a disadvantage against Wang Yanhai, and the methods and courage he displayed were far inferior to those of Wang Yanhai.

The brothers' conflict couldn't be resolved with their parents' favoritism, and luckily, Wang Yanshan still had the means to contact the Primordial Ruler.

Now, the turtle and the mung bean have hit it off.

Xia Lin chuckled: "The only lesson people learn from the past is that they never learn anything."

Wang Yanshan's previous collaboration with Hunger was a risky operation—Wang Yanshan believed he could control the risks and used others as tools.

If he can't do it, his dad will always be there to back him up.

Now, however, they've gone a step further, directly approaching the Primordial Ruler.

This time, however, he no longer had his six-pillar father.

"So, what did your uncles and aunts say, and what did your mother say? And how do you plan to handle your eldest brother's matter?"

While stroking the county magistrate's hat, Xia Lin asked Wang Yanlin a question.

Wang Yanlin let out a soft sigh.

"The Empress Dowager has already summoned my elder brother... but I don't know if he will be able to heed her teachings."

Xia Lin nodded knowingly: "So, you're thinking of giving him one last chance?"

Wang Yanlin glanced at Xia Lin and noticed that she seemed somewhat disappointed.

This puzzled him greatly...

"Bro, something's not right with your expression. What's with that disappointment?"

Xia Lin suppressed his disappointment and chuckled, not mentioning why he was disappointed, but said meaningfully.

"I don't think your older brother is an obedient child."

……

In the Mountain Kingdom, the palace's teleportation array flashed with a faint light, and Wang Yanshan emerged from it, his face grim, and strode towards the Zhengqian Palace.

Back in the palace, he dismissed all his servants and sat on the dragon throne, waiting quietly for a moment. Then, light descended from the sky, transforming into a hazy, illusory reflection.

Their eyes met, and the gray-haired figure sneered, "Did you find out anything from your mother? Is your old man really hers or not?"

The gray shadow was undoubtedly the incarnation of the primordial ruler. When it spoke, it was not so much a question as an interrogation, but rather a questioning, revealing a condescending tone and full of disappointment with its subordinates who had failed to perform their duties.

Wang Yanshan was summoned by his mother and given a good scolding. He was already furious, and when he heard the Primordial Sovereign speaking to him in such a tone, he could no longer contain his anger.

"I don't know, I don't have the time or inclination to ask you about those trivial things."

The Primordial Ruler gasped, "Then what are you good for?"

Wang Yanshan laughed angrily, "What am I good for? I'd like to ask you, what are you good for?!"

"You're supposed to be a Six Pillar? You're supposed to be awesome? You give me a flawed, bugged production line that can only produce 100 units in ten years! Xia Lin can crush that output into dust, do you even know that?!"

"And what about the power of the Six Pillars?! What about your power of the Six Pillars?! You told me yourself that you could help me take over Hongguo's territory, and you could also help me take over the territories of my other brothers! And now? And now?! Ah?! Now I can't even protect myself!"

Wang Yanshan grew angrier the more he thought about it!

He secretly consorted with the Primordial Sovereign, hiding it from others, even his own father, all so that he could devour the flesh and blood of his brothers and build the ladder to the Six Pillars.

Originally, I had six foreign players while you didn't, so this game should have been a sure thing, but Xia Lin flipped the table.

Later, he was summoned by his mother and scolded severely. He was completely humiliated!

However, after venting his anger, Wang Yanshan took a deep breath and quickly adjusted his emotions.

"My mother already knows that I've gotten involved with you. I'm here today to tell you that our cooperation ends here."

"Hey Hey……"

Upon hearing this, the Primordial Ruler laughed.

It's not that Wang Yanshan signed any life-or-death agreement with Him, nor that He could use force to suppress others—without knowing the King of Kings' movements, the Primordial Sovereign would not violently coerce Wang Yanshan or do anything to him.

He simply saw through Wang Yanshan's true nature.

He is in a hurry.

He was eager to prove to his parents that he was the best among his brothers.

"Abandon your cooperation with me now? How will you fight against your fifth brother? And how will your men remain loyal to you under the lure of your fifth brother?"

"Alright, I admit I was a bit harsh just now. I apologize, but getting angry with me won't solve anything. You probably can't let go of your current power and influence and be willing to go home and be your parents' good boy."

Wang Yanshan remained silent.

This attitude already expresses his own choice.

He's still taking risks!
He probably thought his father could still protect him, but little did he know that his father had already left the main universe.

Soon, the Primordial Ruler said again, "Speaking of which, you wouldn't be so stupid as to tell your mother that you had private contact with me, would you?"

Wang Yanshan shook his head.

You can guess it if you want, but I'll never admit it.

Anyway, what Zhuge Liang found was all indirect evidence, or even no evidence at all. Given Wang Yanshan's status as the eldest son, as long as he denied it to the death, no one could do anything to him.

The Primordial Ruler nodded slightly: "That makes things easier."

Wang Yanshan: "What do you want to do?"

“It’s very simple.” The Primordial Overlord spoke slowly: “The strategy doesn’t actually need to change. I will help you annex your brothers’ territories and help you become stronger. In return, you will help me find out what happened in the Dark Realm in the past and ascertain your father’s condition.”

"Let me repeat myself: I'm not asking you to betray your father, I just want to know the truth. Your relationship with me is just an exchange of interests."

"Actually, this strategy should be working right now; no one can resist the allure of level twelve. The only problem is that Xia Lin suddenly appeared out of nowhere."

"And now, what we need to do is very simple... kill Xia Lin and get everything back on track."

The battle at the rooftop made Xia Lin famous, but it had both good and bad aspects.

As a new challenger, his rise will inevitably impact and suppress the "old money" players.

Considering Xia Lin's socialite qualities and her connections and even vested interests with most of the old money, this isn't a major problem. However, he has to face the issue of the Primordial Ruler; there's no room for escaping it.

The original ruler felt that he had no deep-seated hatred for Xia Lin.

But with six pillars missing and a new pillar in vacancies, whoever is in charge will have to take over.

Then Xia Lin will be in direct competition with the current Primordial Ruler, and I will have to take your life.

Wang Yanshan: "How do we kill him? Xia Lin is with my fifth brother, how do we kill him?"

The Primordial Ruler chuckled softly.

"Don't worry, I'll take care of it myself this time."

If the safe plan didn't work out, then the Primordial Ruler would have to take some risks as well.

……

"Whether my older brother listens or not is another matter; the important thing is your safety."

"Mr. Zhuge is guessing that your appearance this time will definitely provoke the Primordial Ruler. Now you have become a thorn in his side."

Xia Lin said nonchalantly, "Of course."

"But aren't you all still here?"

Everything is planned.

Xia Lin's appearance was also a way to provoke the Primordial Ruler—the Faceless Ones wanted to use this to lure out the Primordial Ruler.

Meanwhile, Wang Laowu's palace has already been shrouded in a net of heaven and earth, just waiting for the original sovereign to come to the door so that the net can be pulled in.

After chatting with Wang Laowu for a few more minutes, Xia Lin looked at Barclay, who was waiting on the side.

As Barclay rebuilds his foundation, he has now become Xia Lin's "turtle prime minister," helping Xia Lin handle trivial matters and miscellaneous tasks.

As for the matter of the idle eleventh-level soldiers coming to surrender, Xia Lin entrusted it entirely to Barclay.

"This is today's list, and I have highlighted those with potential."

Barclay handed over a tablet with a list of those who had come forward to submit to Xia Lin.

Xia Lin glanced at the screen briefly, nodded in understanding, and was about to relay further instructions to Barclay when the anomaly within his personal space interrupted his train of thought. He took out a communicator from his personal space, connected the call, and Zhou Xinglin's voice came through.

"problem occurs."

"Your hometown is going to be raided."

Xia Lin took a moment to realize, "Oh, you mean Shining Blue Star..."

There's no rush, because from Zhou Xinglin's tone, it's clear that nothing major has happened over there.

Zhou Xinglin spoke, and Xia Lin quickly learned the whole story.

As the call ended, a cold smile appeared on Xia Lin's face. He turned to look at Wang Yanlin, who had also listened to Zhou Xinglin's call, and said, "Your older brother really isn't a good boy who listens to his mother."

"Not only that, your seventh brother is also going further and further down the path of the clown."

……

Shining Blue Star belongs to the Azure Empire, which in turn is under the rule of Wang Laoqi, Wang Yanqing.

Zhou Xinglin said that Xia Lin's family's property was raided because of the recent anomalies on the Blue Star itself.

The Blue Star, which should have been protected by the Ember Zone system, was exposed to the main universe due to the Ember Zone barrier malfunctioning inexplicably.

The sudden exposure of the Blue Star attracted the attention of the Azure Empire.

According to imperial law, Shining Blue Star was originally the territory of the Azure Empire. Now that it has lost the protection of the Ash Zone system, it should return to the embrace of the Azure Empire—in short: be nationalized.

"After all, you know how convenient the Ember Zone is, and you yourself started your business there."

"According to intelligence, although Shining Blue Star has lost the protection of the Ember Zone barrier, it still retains its status as an Ember Zone planet... In other words, anyone can become an Ember Zone Walker through Shining Blue Star's channels."

As Wang Yanlin's flagship, the Qilin, slowly descended, Wang Yanlin spoke to Xia Lin through the hatch.

There is no precedent for this in the main universe.

A planet that has escaped the protection of the Ember Zone, but is still essentially a planet within the Ember Zone, is truly an endless treasure trove waiting to be discovered.

As the spaceship hatch opened, the scenery of Azure City unfolded before Xia Lin.

—Blue skies and white clouds are nothing special; what's special is the azure royal family that came to pick them up at the airport.

They were a group of tall, blue-skinned people, the main ethnic group of the Azure Empire.

These blue people are born with a natural talent for controlling magic; they are natural-born mages.

And at the head of this group of blue-clad figures was Wang Yanqing, who had arrived earlier.

"Five brothers!"

He smiled and opened his arms wide, full of enthusiasm, but Wang Laowu simply ignored him.

He simply said to Xia Lin, "The Ash Zone System was created by the Upper Three Pillars, as you know."

"Routine maintenance is the task of the Ember Zone's intelligent system. You can think of the entire Ember Zone as a super magic weapon. It's not as powerful as the Divine Kingdom, Heavenly Palace, or Demon Palace, but it's only slightly weaker."

"When the Six Pillars were around, no one dared to touch the Ember Zone system. This was the tacit understanding among the Six Pillars. But now that the Six Pillars are gone, the only one who has the ability to modify the rules of the Ember Zone and affect the Ember Zone system is probably that one person."

The original sovereign.

The former six pillars have stepped down from their thrones, but their power remains.

No one knows what kind of strength or supernatural abilities this former Six Pillars man can retain after losing his Six Pillars position.

Therefore, everyone was very careful with each attempt, not daring to take any big steps for fear of making a mess of things.

What is happening now is clearly a game of cards played openly by the Primordial Ruler.

I started with the Ash Zone system to test the reactions of the other pillars; that was one approach.

I will start by targeting Xia Lin's hometown, Shining Blue Star, to lure Xia Lin out of his cave and eliminate potential risks in advance. This is the second step.

Killing two birds with one stone is a clever choice, but it's also a risky tactic.

—If only the original ruler loses the six pillar positions, then he is doomed.

However, considering that if this is indeed the case, then the Primordial Ruler cannot escape no matter what, so doing this is actually not risky.

Ahead, Wang Yanqing froze on the spot, his smile completely gone.

Wang Yanlin's indifference to his enthusiasm put Wang Yanqing in a difficult position.

Wang Yanlin led Xia Lin past Wang Yanqing, completely ignoring him, and continued to transmit his voice: "Actually, the best and safest choice is for you to stay in the Lin Kingdom's palace and leave this matter entirely to me, regardless of Shanlan Star."

There are array formations covering that area, and it can even be used to summon the divine kingdom at any time. The King of Kings' subordinates can also come to the rescue faster, so the safety is indeed guaranteed.

Xia Lin simply smiled and shook his head.

"Since they've come to me on their own initiative, why should I turn a blind eye?"

The growth in strength has brought greater confidence.

Those who understand the efficiency of a life-or-death battle know that Xia Lin at this moment is no longer the same as when he first advanced.

While the original rulers were indeed the original six pillars, even now that they have lost their positions, their power is still the greatest in the main universe.

But is he someone Xia Lin can fake an accident for...? Xia Lin really wants to try!

During their conversation, the two arrived before the King of the Azure Empire.

This blue-clad man appeared to be in his prime, exuding an aura of level eleven.

Upon seeing Xia Lin and Wang Laowu, the king knelt on one knee and bowed respectfully: "Greetings, Fifth Prince."

It was Wang Laowu who was kneeling, not Xia Lin.

Xia Lin smiled but didn't say anything. Out of the corner of her eye, she glanced at Wang Laoqi and saw that Wang Laoqi had already changed his awkward posture and come to Wang Laowu's side.

Wang Laowu then addressed the king directly: "Regarding the matter of Shining Blue Star, was it your decision? The one that nationalized it?"

The king nodded emphatically: "Yes."

"So, what will you do with the Ash Walkers on Shining Blue Star in the future?"

"The Ash Zone is vast and boundless; we all share it."

It sounds like a reasonable and practical policy.

However, for certain reasons, the Azure Empire is relatively xenophobic and its attitude towards other races is not friendly.

Policies are policies, but how rigorous are they in practice? There are always loopholes to exploit.

The Ashes Walkers on Shining Blue Star are as insignificant as a drop in the ocean compared to the Azure Empire, a second-level cosmic empire—not counting Xia Lin.

Upon hearing this, Xia Lin and Wang Laowu both let out a cold laugh.

"The policy was inappropriate and has been changed. From now on, Shanlan Star will be autonomous and under the jurisdiction of my Lin Kingdom."

"In return, I'll help you advance twelve levels. What do you want from me?"

The conditions are quite generous.

A planet in the Ash Zone is not worthy of the weight of a level 12 powerhouse.

After all, only the strong can raise the ceiling of a civilization, while the Ash Zone can only mass-produce level 10 newbies.

The king simply shook his head.

"That's not appropriate. The Ash Zone is the foundation of the extraordinary, which can greatly expand the number of low-level professionals in the Azure Empire. Only when the number is sufficient can we seek a higher ceiling."

This is a fallacy.

Without the cosmic bug and the power of the six pillars, you will never reach the level of twelve.

You can reach this limit with just a nod, so who has the right to talk about limits right now?
As he spoke, he stood up, glancing out of the corner of his eye at Wang Yanqing, whose face held a "I support you" expression, and his voice unconsciously grew a notch louder.

"I, Azure Klin, prioritize the Empire above all else! I absolutely cannot agree to the Fifth Prince's conditions!"

Wang Yanqing nodded in satisfaction.

This Azure Kling was his loyal follower.

With such a large fortune, there will always be people who will remain absolutely loyal to Wang Yanqing and not betray him because of external temptations.

The surrounding blue-clad people also applauded, praising the king's integrity.

Until a flash of white light struck Azure Klin precisely on the head.

A brush sound.

His head is gone...

The applause paused briefly as Azure Krillin's headless corpse collapsed to the ground.

Xia Lin slowly withdrew his hand and smiled as he looked at the royal family behind Azure Klin.

"Then you should change your king."

Wang Laoqi's furious voice rang out beside him.

How dare you do this!?

It was Wang Laowu who took over: "Xia Lin is my new Grand Tutor, and Shanlan Star is Xia Lin's homeland! I'm discussing exchanging a Level 12 spot for Shanlan Star's autonomy. I'm doing this to save face for you and the Azure Empire! If you don't want this face, Seventh Brother, don't blame me for disregarding our brotherly bond!"

The two brothers immediately started arguing, but Xia Lin just picked at his ear.

rule?

What are rules?

Might makes right!
Xia Lin had already understood this principle back in the Ashes Zone.

He's already at level twelve, and he's too lazy to follow the rules set by others.

Wang Yanlin's tiger skin is quite useful.

But this is not Xia Lin's reliance; rather, it is Xia Lin's limiting valve.

A limiter left to him by his father, Xia Lin Cheng En, that still allows Xia Lin to exercise some restraint!

Otherwise, in the next ten minutes, the Azure Empire will witness what true disaster is.

Ignoring the dispute between the fifth and seventh brothers, Xia Lin's smile widened.

"So, according to your laws, who should be the next to ascend the throne?"

(End of this chapter)