Chapter 131: I Have a Trick Up My Sleeve

The negotiations with the official genetically modified crop research institute went smoothly. It was agreed that if the crops were used solely for research, they could be provided free of charge.

However, should the new crop seeds eventually be commercialized, patent fees would be mandatory. Liu Shichang proposed a rate of 3%, the minimum set by Lu Yu, as a gesture of support for the nation's agricultural development. Free access was out of the question; after all, the company is a commercial entity driven by profit.

"There are fewer than a thousand descendants of the Xia family remaining from the ancient era. After tens of thousands of years of attrition, only about five hundred survive; the rest have reached the end of their lifespans and returned to the void," one of the elders said, his expression tinged with a sorrow that made him seem older than the others.

Hearing Zhao Ming address them as "uncle" repeatedly, the two men, who had previously kept stern faces, softened with smiles. In the past, whether Zhao Ming was riding high or being mocked, he had never spoken to them, and given their status, they had never taken the initiative to speak to him either.

"I am certain," I said firmly. "That figure and those movements are etched into my mind." I fell silent after that.

It was only when the transaction was finalized and the Old Daoist mentioned having him deliver the goods in a couple of days that Ye Zhuo’s gaze finally returned to Xu Jiu.

"Quickly finish them off! Blood and I will hold off Xia Mingfeng and Bai Yi!" Seeing that they were ignoring him, Mo Yuyu showed no signs of anger. Instead, he whispered quietly to Xiao Wuxie before charging straight toward Xia Mingfeng and Bai Yi alongside Blood.

"Mu Feng, I think I can see inside," Shinomiya said, holding Mu Feng back as she prepared to probe the environment within.

In addition to various magical treasures and spiritual artifacts awarded as prizes, Chen Feng and the others received a significant amount of contribution points. The first-place winner received ten thousand points, the top four received eight thousand, those in the top eight received five thousand, the top ten received three thousand, and all other disciples received two thousand.

At that moment, Wan'er longed to walk up to Murong Feng, embrace him tightly, and tell him that in her heart, he was the best person in the world.

Zhong Mushan and Zhuang Zhongren were stunned; they had never imagined such magic could exist in this world.

The candle flame on the table flickered unsteadily, nearly extinguished several times, yet it struggled to persist until the mountain breeze died down, slowly brightening once more.

The three landed, but looking up, they could not see a single ray of light. It seemed to be a completely enclosed space; it was hard to imagine who had the power to create such a hidden world deep underground.

Hard work always pays off. Once he paid attention, Song Jiu realized that the number of cultivators gathering in the capital had suddenly surged, their momentum subtly overshadowing the regime change of the Southern Wei Dynasty that had been ongoing for over a month.

Ji Boguang’s head rolled to Chen Yu’s feet, his eyes still clouded with confusion.

The members of the Dayi clan continued to shout in anger, but only Dayi Yunyang remained grave. He had been the one to personally promote Dayi Changtian as the primary heir of the grandchildren’s generation. He knew Dayi Changtian well, and he was certainly not a fool.

"A shell is worth even more than that. Since he wants to go on a hunger strike, let him starve to death up there. Once he’s dead, the crows will naturally pick the flesh from his bones."

"Damn, a common monster with twenty thousand health? This demonic creature is just too strong." Zhou Qian looked at the monster’s stats, his expression heavy.

Hearing this blunt ultimatum, Ye Fan gave an awkward laugh, rubbed his nose, and cast his clear eyes toward the blue sky and white clouds before turning to look at Bibi Dong.

However, because no one in the Heroic Alliance could see the names or guild tags of their opponents, today’s battle was not just a test of the Golden Lion Dynasty’s strength, but also a test of their wit.