I Don’t Want to Get Hurt, So I’ll Max Out My Defense

The person in front of him had the same treatment, absolutely a formidable expert. In terms of both status and cultivation level, he was more than capable of crushing him.

That a single sword stroke had made him bow and concede was proof enough.

“Heh, good that you understand. I’m a low-profile individual and don’t wish to make too much noise. Just obediently follow my arrangements and I promise you wealth and prominence.”

Li Xiaobai spoke indifferently, as if he truly was a hermit from beyond the world.

“No problem, my lord. What would you have this old man do?”

The elder’s voice was somewhat quivering, not out of fear, but excitement to have the chance to cling to the coattails of the Dragon Race, something he had long dreamt of.

Although a Great Crossing Realm Expert, he had always lacked a powerful backer. If he could use this opportunity to cling to the lofty branch of Li Xiaobai, perhaps later there would be a chance to shed the name of a convict sentenced to death and regain his freedom.

“Have your subordinates hand over all the Luminous Pearls in their respective dwellings. Someone will come to collect them later.”

Li Xiaobai spoke lightly.

“Luminous Pearls, this…”

The elder hesitated, his eyes flickering and avoiding Li Xiaobai’s gaze. Seizing Luminous Pearls was a great taboo, and even he dared not be so audacious.

“Rest assured, I have already come to an understanding with the prison warden. Just do as you are told, and there won’t be any trouble.”

“Don’t forget who’s behind me. The Old Dragon King will make up for any losses in the dungeon.”

Li Xiaobai said casually, as if the Luminous Pearls were his to take without concern for any consequences. His formidable strength far exceeded that of ordinary Great Crossing Realm cultivators, which stirred the elder’s heart even more.

He grew more convinced that this individual had royal background, and a high-status one at that, otherwise he wouldn’t dare to say such things about the Old Dragon King making amends.

The thought of a King of the Sea Clan cleaning up after him was terrifying. Even Long Tian, who also bore the Dragon Race’s blood, probably didn’t enjoy such treatment, right?

In terms of status, Li Xiaobai must be far above that Long Tian!

In an instant, the elder made up his mind. No matter what happened, he would follow this person loyally, as there might still be a day when he could leave the dungeon.

“Understood, my lord. I shall immediately call people to collect all the Luminous Pearls from hundreds of miles around to present to you!”

“Hmm, thank you for your troubles.”

Li Xiaobai nodded. With a casual wave of his hand, the Lamborghini landed and transformed into a series of pale blue shadows, vanishing without a trace.

Watching the speeding blue phantom, the elder’s pupils constricted. This Steel Behemoth possessed such astonishing speed, making it impossible to discern its race and cultivation strength.

“Truly extraordinary, worthy of being the Old Dragon King’s man. Even the mount is so exceptional. This person is undoubtedly from the royal family!”

The elder muttered to himself, his eyes shining with excited light. He had latched onto a powerful leg!

“Quick, someone, pass my orders down. Everyone is to hand over all Luminous Pearls within their tribes’ dwellings within two hours!”

…

Inside the Imperial Palace.

The Old Dragon King and the civil and military officials had witnessed the entire incident, their faces darkening to a frightening extent.

If someone had observed closely, they would have found veins twitching at the corners of the Old Dragon King’s brows, his eyelids spasming—he was clearly on the verge of a violent rage.

He already had a volatile temper, and upon seeing Li Xiaobai’s series of maneuvers, his heart was filled with even greater fury. To think that this youngster had been using his name to flourish in the dungeons, even suppressing the warden.

Now, he was even using the name of the royal family of the Eastern Sea to blatantly amass wealth in the dungeons, and expecting him to clean up the mess? That was a pipe dream!

At this moment, he regretted bringing the person back a little, for not investigating thoroughly beforehand and ending up with such a troublesome piece—completely unacceptable.

“Your Majesty, I have long said that this young man’s character is highly problematic. Now he has become even more audacious, using Your Majesty’s name to swindle and deceive. This is an insult to our Sea Clan’s royal dignity!”

“Your servant believes that we should immediately capture him and behead him publicly to serve as a warning to others!”

The Tortoise Prime Minister said indifferently, his words filled with lethal intent.

“Indeed, if we leave this man alive, our Sea Clan will likely become the laughing stock of others, our dignity gone!”

“This youngster must not be spared. For tarnishing the royal dignity, he must die!”

“The dignity of the Sea Clan is sacred and inviolable. We absolutely cannot allow an outsider to desecrate it like this!”

“Previously, Long Tian was imprisoned for more than twenty years in the dungeons for just a single sentence. Yet this child is so audacious as to use Your Majesty as a shield—utterly lawless!”

The civil officials agreed in unison. For them, observance of the established codes and rites was imperative; no one could break them. Even if someone accidentally spoke ill of the Sea Clan, they would face severe punishment, not to mention someone as unbridled as Li Xiaobai.

Long Zhan’s expression was quite fascinating. He had not expected the young man in the screen to have such a personality, using the name of the Dragon Palace’s royal family to make waves in the dungeon.

“Your servant, on the other hand, feels that this youngster has a good mentality, knowing how to use the resources around him to strengthen himself. Moreover, although he is a death row inmate, since entering the dungeons, he has never taken a life, certainly not bloodthirsty. Compared to some who stealthily commit murder, he seems honest and simple.” Long Zhan looked at the Tortoise Prime Minister and enunciated each word.

“General Long, what are you implying?”

“Are you insinuating through innuendos that the old tortoise is a sinister villain?”

The Tortoise Prime Minister’s face darkened. General Long’s skin must be thick indeed, turning Li Xiaobai’s shady maneuvers into an attribution of honesty and simplicity. Was he misunderstanding the meaning of those words?

“Not at all, your servant merely misspoke. The Tortoise Prime Minister should not take it personally.”

Long Zhan said lightly, his words dripping with sarcasm and mockery, infuriating the Tortoise Prime Minister until his face turned green.

“Enough! I haven’t seen you all place such importance on character on usual days; now you are suddenly full of righteousness and morality. Just keep this in mind—if you are a cultivator, it’s a world where the weak are prey to the strong. Only the powerful can laugh until the end. It’s that simple,” the Old Dragon King said with a stern voice, quieting the hall once again.

Both sides had their reasons, but he leaned more towards General Long’s words, as they made him realize he had overlooked some matters.

“Your Majesty, that youngster has started to act again!”

“What on earth does he want to do? Could it be that he aims to take away all the Luminous Pearls in the dungeon?”

While he was deep in thought, a minister cried out in alarm, interrupting his contemplation.