Though the "Cultivators" had heard of it from Keni, they only knew that this 'Yao Zan' was something capable of making one monstrously powerful; as for what it specifically entailed, they remained unclear!

Everyone stared blankly at Zhong Shenxiu, unable to fathom why he would suddenly pose such a question, which felt precisely like a test of their psychological fortitude!

Zhong Shenxiu didn't expect them to answer immediately; even if they did, he couldn't start their training right away. So, after a moment of silence, he said, "You can all take time to consider it properly. I will ask for your decisions before the 'Magic Exchange Convention' concludes!"

With about a month left until the end of the "Magic Exchange Convention," the group had ample time to contemplate this profound inquiry.

In the following days, although the group had already made up their minds, they frequently sought out Keni to ask about "Cultivation." This wasn't born of caution, but sheer excitement!

Just the thought of becoming as formidable as Robin after cultivating caused their blood to boil uncontrollably, leading to several sleepless nights! Setting this aside for the moment, let's discuss the newly developed "Magic Communicator."

After debugging and refinement by Zhong Shenxiu, this "Magic Communicator" was perfectly realized. It was only palm-sized, oval in shape, with a groove for a finger. By resting one's finger there, one could summon the other party with a thought. This "Magic Communicator" had an effective range of thirty li, and the called party had two display modes—a flash or a vibration—which could be self-adjusted.

The greatest advantage of this "Magic Communicator" was the complete lack of concern regarding its energy source, as it contained a specialized formation array that automatically replenished its energy using surrounding magic elements.

Originally, Zhong Shenxiu had intended to modify it for unlimited range, but this proved exceptionally difficult. The difficulty wasn't his inability to achieve it, but that once completed, it would only be usable by him, imposing an inherent limitation!

Of course, there was another perfect modification plan: building "Signal Towers" within a certain range area to boost signal strength, thus achieving "unlimited range," which even ordinary people could utilize! However, this was no small undertaking, and the "Magic Communicator" still required many improvements, so Zhong Shenxiu would not implement it in the short term!

Now, every member of the "Misty Mercenary Group" possessed one of these "Magic Communicators," bringing immense convenience; they could quickly ascertain the location of others without the previous hassle of searching. This also gave them a taste of the thrill brought by wireless technology!

This "Magic Communicator" has now been officially launched onto the market, but its functionality is far inferior to the ones Zhong Shenxiu's group uses. The effective range is merely five li, and the communication is point-to-point. Simply put, only two "Magic Communicators" of the same model can converse!

Besides these limitations, another factor was that the sold "Magic Communicators" could not self-replenish energy; instead, they required specialized Energy Stones. Once a "Magic Communicator" depleted its energy, the user could purchase these dedicated Energy Stones at the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" for replacement!

Despite so many restrictions, the moment this product hit the shelves, it was met with a frenzy of purchasing. Firstly, the price was cheap enough for ordinary people to afford. Secondly, the product was so novel that many desired the experience!

The demographic most eager for this product was couples in love attending various academies. The advent of this "Magic Communicator" perfectly alleviated the agony of longing during long nights; talking across distances throughout the night was no longer a dream!

One of the creators of this product, Roland Roger, at Zhong Shenxiu's request, had officially become a technical consultant for the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" and resigned from his position as Headmaster to fully dedicate himself to research!

The "Dark Chamber of Commerce" had now practically monopolized the equipment industry, rolling out not only detachable gear suitable for lower-income groups but also offering installment payment plans—though temporarily limited to academy students!

The business of the "Dark Chamber of Commerce" was booming, while Zhong Shenxiu himself became less and less involved in its affairs!

Since his perspective on life shifted, Zhong Shenxiu discovered a new pleasure: guiding those around him to research various subjects, merely offering instruction and supervision from the sidelines! This delighted Mercidres, Faraday, and the others. In just a few days, they absorbed knowledge they previously dared not imagine. They filled five or six thick notebooks just taking notes, devouring information greedily, terrified of missing a single detail!

Under Zhong Shenxiu’s intentional cultivation, Robin was already developing toward being an all-rounder, absorbing medicine, artifact refining, formation mastery, celestial observation, music, and geography at an astonishing rate. In Robin's heart, as long as she could be with Zhong Shenxiu, her motivation was limitless, and she found joy in every day!

Of course, besides these busy matters, Zhong Shenxiu had another crucial task: helping Pagie reconstruct her physical body! These past days, Zhong Shenxiu had been preparing for material collection. He had previously acquired a piece of "Earth-Penetrating Vine" plant, and combined with materials taken from the "Qiankun Domain," he had gathered quite a lot, but it was still far from the required amount; some indispensable materials remained elusive!

To allow Pagie to reunite with Robin and Tiya soon, Zhong Shenxiu made an exception this time, posting a series of missions at the "Mercenary Association" specifically to search for these materials, offering bountiful rewards that would drive countless mercenary groups into a frenzy!

The days passed, and the end of the "Magic Exchange Convention" drew ever nearer.

On this day, Angelia asked Keni and Charlotte to help her inspect a manor she had recently selected. She planned to gift this manor to her parents. Her youngest sister, Helenfi, was still too frail for extensive travel, and her second sister, Emira, was studying nearby; considering all aspects, having a residence of their own was best!

Angelia’s nature was decisive; after Keni and Charlotte gave their endorsement—"This manor is quite nice"—she promptly purchased it.

And that very afternoon, she informed her parents and her second sister, Emira, about the matter!

"Ah, it's so beautiful! Sister, I see you're becoming more generous." Upon arriving at the manor, Emira couldn't stop praising it.

Angelia shot her sister a wry look but said nothing.

Betty, standing nearby, watched with envy, secretly wondering when she could earn enough money to buy such a place herself!

"Sister, I also want to earn money with my own hands. What do you think?" Emira suddenly posed this question to Angelia.

Angelia was momentarily stunned, and Betty, beside her, also stared blankly at Emira. Neither had expected Emira to suddenly propose such an idea!

In truth, Emira's idea wasn't spontaneous; she had harbored it for a long time. She had always looked up to Angelia and didn't want to rely on her sister constantly, wishing to earn her own living through her efforts!

"Oh? Emira is starting to grow up. Do you want your sister to introduce you to a job?" Keni interjected when Angelia didn't know how to respond.

"What kind of job?" Emira asked casually.

"How about working at the 'Dark Chamber of Commerce'?" Keni chuckled, a hint of cunning flashing in her eyes.

After thirty seconds of stunned silence, a sudden roar erupted from Emira: "Where?"

"The Dark Chamber of Commerce," Keni repeated, then continued, "I think the compensation there is quite good!"

Good heavens, compensation there wasn't just good; it was heaven-sent!

Many people dreamt of working there; it was a symbol of future prospects and, more importantly, status. Anyone working there, even if just a cleaner, would be respected and envied! "Keni Jie, you... you said..." Emira's tongue was already stumbling. She still didn't know Keni's connection to the "Dark Chamber of Commerce," which was why she was so shocked!

Keni smiled lightly and stopped addressing Emira, instead turning to Betty, who was also somewhat taken aback. She suddenly asked, "Betty, would you be interested in coming along?"

This simple sentence nearly caused Betty to faint outright!

Keni's decision had been considered. They couldn't stay in this city forever, and once they left, they didn't know when they would return. Rather than having the two girls go elsewhere, it was better for them to work at the "Dark Chamber of Commerce," which would put Angelia's mind at ease!

※

Inside the Wind and Snow Pavilion, Wu Feiyan and Yue Nongying rarely returned together, yet the atmosphere in the room was exceptionally heavy.

"Sister, where are you going? When will you return?" Feng Haotian was the first to break the silence, his expression tinged with agitation.

"We don't know," Wu Feiyan sighed slightly. Their return this time was merely to inform Feng Haotian that they would very likely be leaving this place. As for when they would depart, she was uncertain.

"Little brother, you don't need to be sad. That little boy isn't a bad person. Big Sister and I are just going to cultivate; it's not a final parting. We will surely meet again! Besides this, there's something else I need to tell you!" Yue Nongying interjected.

"What is it?" Feng Haotian looked up at Yue Nongying.

"Actually, that little boy has another identity. I hope that after telling you, you can keep it a secret for me," Yue Nongying said with a serious expression.

"What identity?"

"He is actually the true owner of the 'Dark Chamber of Commerce'," Yue Nongying stated as calmly as possible.

"Wh-what?" Feng Haotian shot to his feet instantly.