The man from the extra-dimensional space was named Bi Qi’er, a dual cultivator of magic and martial arts who, during the "Gong" period, was a notorious thief!

Hovering high above, he surveyed everything below, his target materializing in an instant: a mercenary group numbering a few dozen. Like a bolt of lightning, Bi Qi’er shot down toward them. He had always enjoyed preying on smaller mercenary bands; the spoils were always considerable.

In the next instant, screams and roars mingled, then silence fell almost immediately—the fight was over!

Bi Qi’er looked down at the men and women who now lay dead, his face devoid of pity. Instead, a sliver of confusion touched him. He couldn't fathom why these people were so weak. He had expended significant power bursting out of the extra-dimensional space, yet these individuals proved utterly fragile!

How could such weaklings dare to venture out on quests?

Bi Qi’er found it hard to believe. In his memory, a mercenary group this weak venturing into dense forests would be in grave danger, likely hunted down and eliminated in no time!

Yet, these people had managed to survive until now. It was truly unimaginable!

What he didn't realize was that the people of this current era could not be compared to the era he knew. By the standards of this time, the mercenary group he just annihilated was hardly weak—certainly not something an ordinary thief could easily dispatch!

After changing into stolen clothes, Bi Qi’er began tallying his loot. The haul was far smaller than he had anticipated, consisting only of coins and Magic Beast Cores. As for the storage cards, he couldn't access the funds within; regardless of the balance, they were useless junk.

However, the equipment they carried provided a surprise. It was unexpectedly high quality, boasting numerous auxiliary functions he had never encountered before!

As he examined the gear, he finally noticed something highly suspicious: every piece bore the exact same symbolic marking. Had some legendary Artifact Refiner crafted all of this?

That was impossible. No matter how brilliant the master, they usually specialized in one type of crafting. Yet, here were not only staves and magic crystals, but also battle armor, longswords, and even various healing potions. How could one person have manufactured all this diversity?

Suspicious. It was utterly suspicious!

Though puzzled, he didn't dwell on it. Such mysteries would unravel soon enough. His immediate priority was to adapt to this place and quickly escape the forest.

He was eager to know what changes the world had undergone during the years he was trapped in the extra-dimensional space! (He was unaware that centuries had passed; in the eyes of the locals, he was undoubtedly an ancient monster!)

After consuming a meager meal, Bi Qi’er decided to rest. With a casual wave of his hand, several colossal figures suddenly materialized from thin air.

These were the magical pets he had subdued in the other dimension. What shocked the senses, however, was that all of them were shaped like monstrous insects, several times larger than elephants!

These monstrous insects were clearly alien to this world, immediately drawing comparisons to the strange demon bug that Zhong Shenxiu had captured from the ancient tomb—there was an inexplicable resemblance!

※

The scene shifted back to the busy streets of "Everbrough." The crowds were immense, thicker even than the day before!

Angelia and the others had returned before dusk. For Amyreda and Betty, this was their first experience in such a bustling metropolis, and they were overwhelmed by the novelty of everything they saw!

"Wow, it's so lively! Sister Xiaowu, is it true they are holding the quinquennial 'Magic Exchange Meet' here?" Amyreda, her usual cheerfulness restored, asked Angelia with shining eyes.

"I don't know!" Angelia replied flatly.

Whether the 'Magic Exchange Meet' was happening held no interest for her; it had nothing to do with her. If it were a 'Swordsman Exchange Meet,' she might pay attention!

"Oh, sister, look! That's so pretty!" Amyreda pointed to a stall by the roadside, her expression clearly yearning.

Angelia was speechless. She recognized that look perfectly—what else could it mean other than asking her sister to cover the cost?

"Hand over your storage card," Angelia said, her tone as calm as ever. Rather than paying for Amyreda's whims piecemeal, it was simpler to give her an allowance. After all, she was the older sister; she was naturally her sister's primary source of income!

Amyreda knew exactly why her sister wanted the card and quickly handed it over, thinking how fortunate she was to have an older sister.

"Here you go." Angelia completed the transfer swiftly, returning the card to Amyreda, not forgetting to add, "Spend it wisely."

Amyreda nodded eagerly and immediately checked the balance her sister had transferred. The moment she saw the long string of digits, she froze. Betty, standing nearby, grew curious and leaned over. When she saw the extensive row of numbers, she too was stunned silent!

Heavens! It was a million Diamond Coins!

Having grown up in a small place, they had never witnessed such wealth. It felt utterly unreal, like a dream!

Betty turned her head sluggishly, like a rusted machine, staring at Angelia. She realized that her former roommate had become unfathomably mysterious—to casually hand over such a sum to Amyreda—how much must Angelia possess herself?

"Angelia," Betty called out, struggling to contain her excitement.

"What is it?"

"Are... are you being kept?" Betty asked blankly. She honestly couldn't conceive of any other explanation!

At that moment, Charlotte, standing nearby, burst into laughter, though she wisely refrained from kicking dirt on the situation. Meanwhile, Angelia was already calculating the best way to strangle Betty in her mind.

※

Meanwhile, the Wu Feiyan siblings finally reached the manor where Zhong Shenxiu resided, taking advantage of the dusk when they were less likely to be noticed.

This was the home of the Divine-Demon Mentor, Gasgail, and certainly not a place any commoner could simply walk into!

Coincidentally, shortly after they arrived outside the main gate, Angelia and her group also arrived.

"Sister, look! It's that little girl!" Feng Haotian was the first to spot Robin walking towards them and pointed excitedly.

Wu Feiyan and Yue Nongying both turned to look, and simultaneously, Angelia’s group scrutinized the three of them!

Within moments, Angelia’s group approached Wu Feiyan’s trio and instinctively stopped.

"We meet again!" Wu Feiyan offered Robin a sweet smile. She showed none of the apprehension expected of someone facing imminent death; there was no trace of fear or worry.

Angelia and Charlotte had only met Feng Haotian before. Seeing Wu Feiyan speak for the first time, they looked at Robin with suspicion, as if silently questioning the situation.

Robin, too, seemed favorably impressed by Wu Feiyan, asking, "Is there something you need?"

"About what you said last time—that my sister could be saved—could you please elaborate?" Feng Haotian interjected anxiously.

Robin, however, acted as if she hadn't heard him, her gaze fixed solely on Wu Feiyan!

Feng Haotian immediately looked frustrated but was powerless to change the dynamic.

"Robin, who are they?" Betty, unable to contain her curiosity any longer, finally asked. She didn't know much about Robin, only what she remembered from their brief time together.

"Hello, I am Wu Feiyan. This is my sister, Yue Nongying, and this is my younger brother, Feng Haotian," Wu Feiyan introduced them with a smile.

Out of courtesy, Angelia and the others offered their own introductions.

"We apologize for this abrupt intrusion today!" Wu Feiyan added apologetically, presenting the image of a refined young lady!

"Little sister, do you really know how to cure my sister?" Yue Nongying, who had been silent until now, finally pressed the issue. Seeing Robin's reluctance to speak, she quickly added, "My sister is incredibly important to us. We cannot lose her. Please tell us the treatment method; we will agree to any condition!"

"Any condition at all?" Robin countered, a flash of light momentarily appearing in her eyes, which made Yue Nongying tremble slightly.

"If you can cure my sister, we will pay any price!" Yue Nongying quickly amended her offer.

"I don't lack money!" Robin replied bluntly.

Robin’s wealth was already beyond the imagination of ordinary people. If she claimed to be the second richest woman in the world, no one would dare claim the first spot.

"Then... then what do you want?" Yue Nongying asked.

"I lack nothing!" With that, Robin ignored the three and started walking toward the courtyard. She felt she had already shown them enough respect by speaking this much.

"Wait!" Yue Nongying hurried after her. She feared her sudden change of terms had angered Robin. After a moment of internal struggle, she finally said, "If you can cure my sister's illness, I will do anything!"

"Anything?" Robin asked again. Yue Nongying gritted her teeth, adopting a look of solemn sacrifice, "Yes, anything!"

"My Master can cure your sister's illness!" Robin stated.

In truth, Robin had only asked those questions to test Yue Nongying's sincerity; she hadn't actually intended to demand a favor from her.

Finally, led by Robin and the others, the three from Wu Feiyan entered the manor. Not a single servant questioned their presence, presumably having received prior instructions!

"Master, the singing woman wishes to see you," Robin announced to Zhong Shenxiu inside the house before standing outside the small courtyard.