Two hours later, Ian Song's lips curled into a faint smile. He called out, "Sam, come in for a moment!"
After delivering the Sixth Prince's dossier, Sam Li did not leave but waited outside.
"Young Master Song, is there anything else you need?" Sam Li asked respectfully.
"I need all the files on the six ministries' ministers and every official in the court," Ian said bluntly.
Sam Li smiled slightly and produced a jade slip. "Young Master Song, everything you asked for is here."
Ian Song was momentarily surprised, then took the jade slip, thanked Sam Li, and began studying the information.
After three days of research and reflection, a plan gradually took shape in his mind.
On the fourth day, the Fourth Prince Residence began aggressively buying and selling high-grade Spirit Medicines.
On the fifth day, the Fourth Prince Residence issued a recruitment order. Requirements: minimum late Out-of-Body stage.
Benefits: Those who pass the assessment will receive one Godbreaking Pill and, after joining the residence, a salary based on ability, minimum twenty top-grade spirit crystals per year.
In top-tier sects, even core disciples earn less than ten top-grade spirit crystals annually, so this salary is incredibly tempting—especially the Godbreaking Pill.
A Godbreaking Pill sells for five hundred top-grade spirit crystals, but more importantly, even if you have the crystals, you may not be able to buy one.
As a result, the recruitment order caused a sensation throughout the Royal Capital. Within an hour, over two hundred late Out-of-Body cultivators arrived to apply.
Seeing hundreds of applicants in the martial arena, the Fourth Prince Victor Li was very satisfied. Among them were seven or eight early Nascent Divinity experts, and even one at mid Nascent Divinity.
The mid Nascent Divinity middle-aged man was Marcus Wang, a rogue cultivator. He had a son named Shawn Wang, whose cultivation talent was extremely poor. Marcus had spent thousands of years and all his resources just to get Shawn to late Out-of-Body, but now his son's lifespan was almost exhausted.
So when he heard the Fourth Prince Residence was recruiting and that those who passed the assessment would receive a Godbreaking Pill, he rushed over with his son. With two pills, even if his son had poor talent, he should be able to break through to Nascent Divinity!
As time passed, more and more cultivators arrived. By noon, the number had reached a thousand.
Of course, not all thousand could be accepted.
By the end of the day, the Fourth Prince Residence had recruited over twelve hundred people, including more than a hundred Nascent Divinity experts; the rest were all late Out-of-Body cultivators.
Some were disciples from major sects, but most came from among the rogue cultivators.
"Welcome, everyone, to the Fourth Prince Residence! Please raise your glasses!"
The martial arena was filled with over a hundred banquet tables. Victor Li, accompanied by Ian Song and Bada, personally attended and toasted the crowd.
"A toast to the Fourth Prince!"
"Long live the Fourth Prince!"
Amid the lively commotion, everyone raised their glasses in turn.
After the drinks, Victor Li waved his hand, and beautiful maids immediately brought brocade boxes to everyone present.
"Heavens! This really is a Godbreaking Pill! Haha, I, Darren Du, finally have a shot at breaking through to Nascent Divinity!"
A cultivator couldn't wait to open his brocade box and immediately burst out laughing.
Suddenly, a voice boomed even louder: "Haha, my son finally has a chance to break through! Son, with these two Godbreaking Pills, you're going to make it!"
One by one, the cultivators opened their boxes, all showing excited expressions— even the Nascent Divinity experts were no exception.
After all, people are social creatures—even cultivators. They have disciples and family; even the Nascent Divinity experts who can't use the Godbreaking Pill themselves can leave it to their disciples or relatives. At worst, they can sell it—after all, it's worth five hundred top-grade spirit crystals.
"Thank you, Your Highness the Fourth Prince!"
"Thank you, Your Highness, for bestowing this precious pill!"
One by one, the cultivators rose, bowing deeply to Victor Li, gratitude shining on every face.
Watching the scene, Victor Li was thrilled. If this crowd all broke through to Nascent Divinity, he'd have more than twelve hundred experts at his command—Lucas Li's two hundred in Heaven's Gift Pavilion would be nothing!
"Haha, everyone, please rise! Actually, all these Godbreaking Pills were refined by Mr. Song. If you want to thank someone, thank him!" Victor Li pointed at Ian Song.
For a moment, everyone was dumbstruck. Mr. Song was the talk of the city—a formation grandmaster who could slay a Nascent Divinity with a single sword. Who would've thought, beyond his mastery of arrays and terrifying power, he could also refine Godbreaking Pills? Truly...
Though surprised, they all bowed to Ian Song.
Afterward, with help from the staff of the Fourth Prince Residence, all the cultivators settled in the estate. Many immediately took their Godbreaking Pills and retreated to try for breakthroughs.
The next day, a rumor spread through the Royal Capital:
Yesterday, every cultivator who joined the residence received a Godbreaking Pill as a reward—and astonishingly, the pills were all refined by Ian Song.
When he heard the news, the Second Prince smashed his favorite teacup and furiously berated his whole think-tank.
When he heard the news, Duke Jiang Kui, only just recovered from his injuries, coughed up blood in rage.
When he heard the news, the Sixth Prince looked visibly worried and sent for his closest ally, the Eighth Princess, to come visit his residence.
When he heard the news, Master Mingtan's face showed genuine emotion.
When she heard the news, Hannah Xia of the Calamity Blade Sect beat her chest in frustration, realizing she'd missed her chance to befriend Ian Song.
Late Out-of-Body cultivators throughout the city heard the news and rushed to the Fourth Prince Residence.
Over the next three days, the Fourth Prince Residence recruited another three thousand people, including five hundred Nascent Divinity experts. Among them were three late Nascent Divinity and more than twenty at mid Nascent Divinity.
On the fifth day, the Fourth Prince Residence withdrew the recruitment order.
But a group of late Out-of-Body and stronger cultivators who had rushed in from outside the city insisted on joining the Fourth Prince Residence as guest retainers.
So, Victor Li yielded to popular demand and reopened the recruitment order for two more days.
After two days, another three thousand cultivators joined the residence, bringing the Fourth Prince Residence's total retainers to over eight thousand.
Inside the manor where Ian Song lived in the Fourth Prince Residence—
Victor Li, beaming with excitement, raised his glass high: "Brother Song, this toast is for you! I can't thank you enough for everything you've done!"
He was overjoyed. Today, the number of Nascent Divinity experts in his residence had already surpassed two thousand, and the rest who took the Godbreaking Pill were still breaking through. In at most ten days, his residence would have over eight thousand Nascent Divinity experts.
With eight thousand Nascent Divinity experts, even Fusion-stage powerhouses would hesitate to provoke him!
"You're too generous, Victor. But trust me—this is only the beginning." Ian Song smiled, raising his glass in return.
In the blink of an eye, another ten days passed.
All eight thousand new retainers in the Fourth Prince Residence succeeded in breaking through, reaching early Nascent Divinity.
Among them, five were already late Nascent Divinity; Victor assigned two to serve as Ian Song's personal guards, since Ian was now so important to him. In fact, he wanted to send four late Nascent Divinity guards, but Ian stopped him.
For assassins below Fusion stage, two late Nascent Divinity guards were more than enough. If it was a Fusion-stage assassin, even four late Nascent Divinity guards wouldn't be able to stop them.