Ian Song quickly checked the Storage Rings he’d taken from Aoki Wolf. Besides the 110 million-plus immortal stones looted from Giantwild Village, there were another 200 million immortal stones from other sources.
Immortal stones are divided into low-grade, mid-grade, high-grade, and top-grade.
The exchange rate is one hundred: a hundred low-grade immortal stones equal one mid-grade immortal stone.
In other words, one top-grade immortal stone is worth a million low-grade stones. Previously, Ian received a system mission reward of ten thousand top-grade stones—equivalent to a full billion low-grade immortal stones.
A billion immortal stones would absolutely make someone a tycoon in the Whitecrest City region.
After pocketing these Storage Rings, Ian immediately activated his array and killed Felix Duanmu and Tyrone Beiming.
He also took several Storage Rings from their bodies, bringing his total immortal stones to just over 200 million.
"Young Master Song, please accept my humble bow! It was you who saved Giantwild Village!"
Seeing Ian approach, Ethan Changsun hurriedly knelt and paid his respects.
Ian gave him a cool glance and said, "Get up, chief. I only killed Aoki Wolf for my own survival."
Hearing this, Ethan Changsun felt his heart sink.
He wanted to say more, but Ian didn’t give him the chance. Ian flashed into the village, returned to his courtyard, and told the women, "Pack up. Tomorrow, we’re leaving Giantwild Village."
Whitecrest City, City Lord’s Mansion.
The Nine-Sun Sword Immortal’s real name was Victor Tu, and his sword art was called the Nine-Sun Sword Canon. He’d once used it to kill Golden Immortals of the same level, which is why he was known as the Nine-Sun Sword Immortal.
What outsiders didn’t know was that the five city lords of the Five-Emperor Alliance had all once served as sword attendants to a mysterious great figure. Unable to keep up with that person, they lost the right to remain by his side and were sent to govern the five major cities instead.
Under a crescent moon, the silver-haired Nine-Sun Sword Immortal drank alone.
Suddenly, a steward hurried in and bowed low. "My lord, Aoki Wolf is dead!"
Victor Tu was desperate to return to his former master’s side. So after becoming city lord of Whitecrest, he’d spent all his effort hoarding immortal stones and medicines, sending them up to that great figure.
He hoped that one day, that great figure would notice him and summon him back.
Aoki Wolf was just a pawn he used to amass wealth.
Otherwise, the immortal cultivators of Whitecrest City would have wiped him out long ago—instead of letting him run wild.
Victor Tu frowned slightly. "Useless!"
"I’ve already sent people to investigate. We should have news soon!"
"You handle this. Don’t disappoint me!"
"Yes, sir!"
The steward bowed and withdrew.
The next day, Giantwild Village.
"Brother Song, are you really not going to reconsider?"
Toren Tong looked reluctant.
Ian just smiled at him and said nothing. Last night, after Ian returned, Toren came to visit, hoping he’d stay in Giantwild Village. Ethan Changsun was even willing to give up the village chief’s position if he’d stay.
Ian refused outright.
It wasn’t even about whether he wanted the chief’s seat—the real issue was that most of the villagers weren’t worth protecting. Except for a few, they were all selfish, cowardly, and greedy.
After being rejected, Toren left looking disappointed. Even today, as he saw Ian off, he still held out hope, trying to persuade him to stay.
After escorting Ian and his group for more than ten kilometers, Ian stopped and said to Toren, "No matter how far you walk with a friend, you have to part eventually. Go back, Toren! As a friend, let me remind you—it’s best to leave Giantwild Village as soon as you can."
Last night, before killing Aoki Wolf, Ian had mentioned that Aoki was one of the Nine-Sun Sword Immortal’s men. It wouldn’t take long for the Nine-Sun Sword Immortal to investigate Giantwild Village. Whether out of revenge or to keep the news from spreading, everyone in the village was doomed.
As a friend, Ian warned Toren—but whether he escaped or not was up to him.
Toren wasn’t stupid. Hearing Ian’s warning, his face turned grim. Last night’s events had already chilled his heart, so when he got back to Giantwild, he gathered the whole hunting squad.
That afternoon, under the pretext of going on a hunt, he led everyone out of Giantwild Village.
As the true ruler of Whitecrest City, Victor Tu could easily investigate anything. That evening, he learned the truth about Aoki Wolf’s death.
"Leave no one alive in Giantwild Village!"
Victor Tu spoke calmly: "And one more thing—within three days, I want to see Ian Song’s head!"
That night, an Earth Immortal strike team stormed Giantwild Village.
In just one hour, Giantwild Village was wiped out—no one survived.
Meanwhile, another group tracked Ian to Stonecrest Town.
That’s right—Ian and the women were staying in Stonecrest Town that night.
At midnight, the moon was cold as water.
Suddenly, dozens of black-clad immortals appeared around the inn where Ian was staying.
"Do it!"
Not far away, a blue-robed man stood on a rooftop and spoke coolly. Instantly, the black-clad men drew twin crescent blades and charged into the inn.
Soon, the blue-robed man frowned.
It was too quiet. After the black-clad men entered the inn, all sound disappeared.
A while passed, and still no sound came from the inn. The blue-robed man frowned deeper. "Is it a formation? Impossible—even if Ian Song’s arrays are strong, they couldn’t trap so many Earth Immortals, could they?"
That’s right—all the black-clad men who stormed the inn were Earth Immortal experts.
In the blink of an eye, fifteen minutes passed.
The blue-robed man couldn’t wait any longer. He decided to check the inn himself. He was late-stage Earth Immortal and carried a forbidden weapon capable of unleashing a full-strength Golden Immortal attack.
With a flicker, he slipped through the inn’s window.
"You’ve finally arrived? I’ve been waiting for you."
A voice sounded. The blue-robed man looked up and saw a white-clad youth drinking alone in the inn’s lobby.
"You’re Ian Song?"
The blue-robed man asked in a low voice.
"That’s right. Care to join me for a drink?" Ian Song said with a smile.
"Where are my men?"
The blue-robed man asked.
"I sent them somewhere else!" Ian smiled.
"Release them and come to Whitecrest City to answer for your crimes. You might have a chance to live!" the blue-robed man said.
"Really not interested in a drink?"
Ian asked again.
"Stop changing the subject. Are you coming to Whitecrest City or not?"
"No."
Ian shook his head.
"In that case, you can die!"
At that moment, the blue-robed man’s lips curled into a cruel smile. The whole conversation had been a distraction so he could activate his forbidden weapon.
A milky-white beam shot toward Ian like lightning.
"How boring."
Ian shook his head slightly, then raised a finger.
"Pop!"
The beam shattered layer by layer when Ian tapped it.
"Impossible!"
The blue-robed man was terrified. That beam was stronger than a full-strength Golden Immortal attack—how could Ian destroy it with a single touch?
Panicking, he turned to flee.
But someone was faster. He saw a blur, felt a finger tap his brow, and then everything went black.