With the pity in the Second Miss Qin’s eyes almost palpable, after three bowls of porridge, Zhong Yun put a stop to her eating more.

As for what she cursed him about behind his back, he paid it no mind. He even specifically instructed Qin Liuxing, “Your sister was in a deep sleep for nearly half a year. She can’t take in too much food all at once, or her stomach won't handle it.”

What Qin Liuxing heard only reinforced his belief that Brother Yun held deep affection and boundless care for his sister. He nodded eagerly.

“I need to go out and take care of something. You two stay here and absolutely do not leave. If someone knocks, don't answer. If someone tries to force their way in, find a place to hide and notify me immediately. I’ll be back within minutes.”

Seeing him nod, Zhong Yun threw on an overcoat, pulled the collar high, and stepped out the door.

“Little Xing, go find me something to eat, I’m starving to death.” The moment the wicked man was gone, Second Miss Qin nearly cheered, shouting to her younger brother.

“But Brother Yun said you can’t eat too much right now,” Qin Liuxing replied hesitantly.

“What?” Second Miss Qin could hardly believe her ears. When had Little Xing ever dared to disobey her? And over that man, no less. She flared up, “Are you listening to me, or him?”

“This… well…” Qin Liuxing looked utterly conflicted. He felt like dying; on one side was his own sister, on the other, the revered Brother Yun. No matter his choice, it would be bad.

Seeing his sister’s face darkening by the second, looking ready to explode at any moment, even a fool like him knew what he had to say now. “Of course, I listen to Sister.”

Second Miss Qin’s anger instantly turned to delight. “It’s a good thing I doted on you. Hurry up. Go find something to eat. I’m too weak to walk.”

“But, if Brother Yun finds out…” Qin Liuxing mumbled nervously.

Second Miss Qin cursed silently in her heart, directing all her ire at Zhong Yun. She couldn’t fathom what strange potion the villain had poured into her brother’s mind that he wouldn't listen to her now. She sighed in resignation. “If you don’t tell him, and I don’t tell him, how would he ever know?”

“I can’t hide things from him,” Qin Liuxing murmured.

Second Miss Qin was absolutely furious, wishing she could strangle the treacherous brat. “If he finds out, I’ll take responsibility. What can he do to you?”

Though she spoke in a fit of temper, the moment the words left her mouth, she felt a pang of nervousness. The memory of the merciless lash of the whip across her skin that night sent a tremor through her.

But the die was cast; she had to stand firm.

Qin Liuxing pouted, thinking to himself, Brother Yun loves Sister, so he won't scold her, but I’ll be the one to suffer. Nevertheless, unable to out-argue his sister, he reluctantly walked to the kitchen door, only to freeze upon seeing it.

The door was locked.

“Sister, the kitchen door is locked,” Qin Liuxing said helplessly.

“Zhong Yunyu, I swear we are mortal enemies!” a shriek echoed from inside the room.

Meanwhile, Zhong Yun, completely unaware that Second Miss Qin was on the verge of an outburst due to him, was being led by an agent toward the auction house.

Having come all the way to Planet Liberty, he couldn't possibly return empty-handed; he intended to buy something. He connected to the virtual net, found the largest brokerage firm, and hired an agent—someone akin to a specialized guide who knew everything about Planet Liberty.

When Zhong Yun mentioned wanting to purchase something unique, the agent sized him up and suggested, “If you have significant wealth, you should go to the auction house.”

Zhong Yun, carrying hundreds of thousands of raw stones in his pocket, was undoubtedly a colossal tycoon. Hearing this, he waved a hand. “Lead the way.”

Agents operating on Planet Liberty possessed keen judgment. Though Zhong Yun looked young, the aura of an ultimate master clung to him, making him instantly memorable. The agent realized he had encountered a major client and instantly invigorated himself, launching into a stream of effusive praise about the auction house along the way, painting a dazzling picture.

During the journey, Zhong Yun simply listened, offering no commentary, which only made the agent regard him as profound and inscrutable.

The largest auction house on Planet Liberty was indeed extraordinary. From the outside, there were no identifying marks. If not for the agent’s introduction, Zhong Yun would have mistaken it for a private residence.

The agent informed him that this was the biggest venue and that only those brought by professional agents stood a chance of entering; otherwise, security would turn them away.

Once inside, they proceeded down a long corridor, and the agent led them into a small private room.

The room contained only a few chairs facing a large screen. At the top, a number, 23, was displayed. In the middle, images and accompanying text scrolled by, apparently showcasing the items up for auction.

Zhong Yun was quite satisfied; he wouldn't have to jostle with a crowd or compromise his anonymity.

The agent explained from the side, “After every item is sold, the number changes. This maximizes client **.”

“Impressive,” Zhong Yun praised. “This auction house is very thoughtful.”

“However, to place a bid, a security deposit is required,” the agent added.

Zhong Yun nodded. “Reasonable. Where do I pay?”

Seeing that Zhong Yun hadn't even inquired about the amount, the agent knew he had truly struck it rich and grew excited. He earned a commission for bringing clients like this.

Soon, he summoned a staff member to collect a deposit of one thousand raw stones, which granted Zhong Yun bidding rights.

The required deposit of one thousand raw stones startled Zhong Yun slightly. He suspected that a nation at the Fourth Stage of Intermediate Civilization would struggle mightily to procure such a sum.

At the same time, it energized him. This high barrier to entry suggested that most bidders were likely representatives from nations of Advanced Civilization, guaranteeing a selection of truly valuable items.

Just then, a voice, rich and magnetic, resonated: “Next up for auction is one High-Grade Raw Stone.”

Upon hearing this, Zhong Yun’s heart jolted. Raw stones were categorized into high, medium, and low grades. Generally, when people spoke of raw stones, they meant Low-Grade. A standard Low-Grade raw stone contained fifty thousand units of energy. Considering its small size and portability, its actual value was often doubled. The going rate was one raw stone for one hundred thousand units of energy.

Medium-Grade raw stones were rarer; Zhong Yun had acquired a few before, among the stones left by Xiao Ling Shang Shang's previous owner on Planet Ketong—there were over a dozen. A standard Medium-Grade stone held five hundred thousand units of energy, ten times that of a Low-Grade stone. Yet, its value exceeded a hundredfold. One might not be able to buy a Medium-Grade stone even for ten million units of energy, simply due to its scarcity.

As for High-Grade raw stones, Zhong Yun had never even seen one. A High-Grade stone contained over ten million units of energy.

Its value was immeasurable because it was so exceptionally rare; there was virtually nowhere to buy one.

Faced with such an item, Zhong Yun was intensely tempted, but he quickly abandoned the thought of acquiring it. In mere seconds, the price had already soared past ten thousand raw stones and was still climbing.

Ultimately, this High-Grade stone, containing fifteen million units of energy, was purchased for seventy thousand. The sheer value of the transaction left Zhong Yun astounded.

Damn it, there really are a lot of rich people in this universe. He had thought himself wealthy after his windfall, only to realize how far from the mark he was in comparison.

The subsequent auction items were considerably less impressive, with bids hovering in the few thousands. Zhong Yun noted that the first few items auctioned were all rare, small objects.

Zhong Yun placed bids several times, acquiring six items in total. He mused that in this atmosphere, amidst the expenditure of thousands and tens of thousands of raw stones, there was a thrill akin to a drug rush.

He never imagined he would spend thousands of raw stones in a single sitting before. But since it was a rare splurge on items he needed, he let it go.

A sudden thought struck him: he possessed many excellent items himself. If he ever needed raw stones, selling some here would surely fetch a good price. He tried to recall the areas near the Galaxy Nation; there seemed to be a natural planet nearby. He would need to send people to investigate it later.

After more than a dozen rounds, the auction concluded.

The agent, beaming, respectfully led Zhong Yun out. Zhong Yun had spent nearly five thousand raw stones in total, a sum that included the agent’s sizable commission. Naturally, he treated this benefactor with utmost deference.

Zhong Yun then visited a regular store, sweeping up nearly a hundred items. He then departed under the reluctant gaze of the agent.

Returning to the hotel, he was met by the ferocious, almost predatory glare of Second Miss Qin. As he took off his coat, he inquired, “Nothing untoward happened while I was gone?”

“No,” Qin Liuxing replied, emerging from the room upon hearing the sound.

Zhong Yun walked over to a chair and sat down, inviting Qin Liuxing, “You sit too.” Once the younger man was seated, Zhong Yun spoke slowly, “I’ve already booked passage tickets for the A-Sector. We leave in three days.”

“Are we returning to the Andu Empire?” Qin Liuxing asked, surprised.

Even Second Miss Qin, who had been sulking, turned her head, her expression anxious. Qin Liuxing had already told her what happened after she fell unconscious.

Zhong Yun understood their apprehension. They had completely severed ties with the Qin family. Given the Qin family’s influence, even within the vast Andu Empire, there was no safe haven for them. Even Gu Yue and Lan Ling, who were infatuated with Second Miss Qin, wouldn't risk offending the Qin family to shelter the siblings.

“No, we’re going to the Galaxy Empire,” Zhong Yun shook his head.

“The Galaxy Empire?” The siblings exchanged a look of utter confusion. They had never even heard of such a nation. Was it some minor regional state?

“Is that also in the A-Sector?” Qin Liuxing asked quietly.

When Zhong Yun nodded, they became even more certain that the Galaxy Empire was not a powerful entity. In the A-Sector, the few nations that had reached the Fifth Stage of Intermediate Civilization had already been wiped out by the Andu Empire in the initial push. Not a single power remained that could threaten the Andu Empire. The remaining states were mere lambs awaiting the harvest.

Zhong Yun caught their expressions and understood their assumptions, but he offered no explanation.

Though the Galaxy Empire was far from powerful, its growth rate was arguably the fastest in the entire universe. In just a few short years, Zhong Yun had built it up from a base of fewer than ten million people to a strength comparable to a nation at the Third Stage of Intermediate Civilization. Such speed was unprecedented.

Now, having located the continent containing the "Golden Ruins," the overall quality of its citizens could be elevated a significant level within a few years. The Galaxy Empire’s primary weakness was gone. Moving forward, the nation had boundless prospects.

With the Death Zone supplying population, Base One manufacturing various mechanical warships, and the continent from the "Golden Ruins" improving citizen quality—driven by this three-pronged force—the Galaxy Empire's power was swelling daily, with no end in sight for the near term.

In time, the Galaxy Empire ascending to a nation of Advanced Civilization was not a distant dream.

Three days later, Zhong Yun and the others boarded the vessel as scheduled.

To be operating commercial space travel at this particular time, this ship had to be both powerfully built and astonishingly bold. The current universe was far from peaceful.

The collapse of the Intermediate Civilization worlds had plunged the cosmic order into chaos. Even the strongest Advanced Civilization nations couldn't dispatch military forces to every corner. Many surviving armies from the former Intermediate Civilizations had devolved into piracy for various reasons.

The rampant piracy had severely impacted interstellar travel. Aside from military vessels belonging to Advanced Civilizations—which they dared not provoke—any ship they encountered was subject to attack.

Many Advanced Civilization nations had expended massive efforts to suppress them, but with limited success. They could only barely maintain the major trade routes; beyond that, they were powerless.

The vessel Zhong Yun boarded was a ‘Planetary-class’ ship, belonging to the 'Planet Liberty Alliance.' Zhong Yun had never heard of the 'Planet Liberty Alliance' before and found it peculiar.

He only learned from the agent that this was an organization formed only in recent years, an alliance composed of the various free planets scattered across the cosmos.

From the agent, Zhong Yun learned a great deal about Planet Liberty. Its strength was beyond imagination, stemming primarily from the fact that it was a haven for adventurers and pirates.

Adventurers needed a place to fence their recovered goods; pirates needed a market to offload their spoils. Planet Liberty served as the perfect platform for both. Over time, these free planets became sanctuaries for both groups.

Adventurers and pirates alike were vicious individuals who constantly skirted the edge of death, and such a population often harbored incredibly powerful masters. In fact, most of the true apex powerhouses resided on these free planets.

It was rumored that this very Planet Liberty housed a Ninth-Tier peerless expert, who also possessed a Twelve-Star mecha salvaged from the "Golden Ruins."

Facing such a powerhouse, never mind the Red Feather Federation, even the former Thirteen Arbitrating Nations would hesitate to provoke him lightly.

A Twelve-Star mecha was the ultimate killing weapon, a legend said capable of standing toe-to-toe with a ‘Stellar-class’ battleship.

Zhong Yun could hardly grasp that when individual martial prowess reached its absolute peak, it could instill fear even in a nation of Advanced Civilization.

A few years prior, when the Advanced Civilizations initiated the 'Hunting Operations,' the free planets, under existential pressure, formed the 'Planet Liberty Alliance' to share intelligence and offer mutual support. Although the alliance was loosely structured, it had significantly boosted their confidence in resisting the Advanced Civilization nations.

The alliance’s first major achievement was charting a new route.

Adventurers and pirates frequently needed to navigate remote sectors. Through long periods of exploration, they had discovered several secret passages. All members of the 'Planet Liberty Alliance' pooled these treasured secrets, combining them to form an entirely new route distinct from the established ones.

This path became known as the Pirate Route.