Liu Hui happily contacted Free and Unfettered Master (Xiaoyaozi), who soon appeared on the screen of the planar exchange device. "Little friend, how is it? Our magical artifact is quite useful, isn't it?" Xiaoyaozi chuckled. Liu Hui nodded. "I can only say it's so-so. It can barely manage to test out what some people are thinking." Xiaoyaozi immediately winked and grinned slyly. "Little friend, since you've confirmed the artifact's function, does that mean... hehe..." He rubbed his two fingers together in a gesture of counting money, looking at Liu Hui with a rather greasy expression. Liu Hui, in high spirits, took out ten thousand high-grade spirit stones and placed them on the planar exchange device, trading them to Xiaoyaozi. Xiaoyaozi eagerly completed the transaction, and a large pile of high-grade spirit stones immediately appeared before him. He then began counting them one by one with an ear-to-ear grin. Liu Hui felt a blush creeping up his face at Xiaoyaozi's utterly vulgar display. As a dignified expert at the Soul Division stage, he could know the exact quantity of these spirit stones with a mere sweep of his divine sense, yet he insisted on slowly counting them piece by piece, seemingly unconcerned about diminishing his stature. Pretending not to notice Xiaoyaozi's incredibly repulsive behavior, Liu Hui asked, "Senior, what is the name of this mind-reading artifact of yours?" Xiaoyaozi was still immersed in the sheer pleasure of counting the spirit stones. Without lifting his head, he replied, "It doesn't have a name yet. You can name it yourself!" Liu Hui laughed. "Since it can read human minds, allowing me to know their true thoughts, and it's round like an eye, I shall call it the 'Eye of Truth'!" Xiaoyaozi muttered, "Hmm, not bad, not bad!" Suddenly remembering something, Liu Hui asked, "Senior, how long can this 'Eye of Truth' be used?" Xiaoyaozi casually remarked, "Roughly about ten uses!" Liu Hui froze, then immediately burst out in a torrent of curses. "Old coot, are you trying to trick me? I gave you ten thousand high-grade spirit stones, and you gave me a piece of junk that only works ten times?" Xiaoyaozi finally snapped out of his obsession with counting spirit stones and looked confused. "Little friend, you originally said that if we could successfully research this artifact, you would give me ten thousand high-grade spirit stones. Haven't we researched it? You just confirmed it yourself!" Liu Hui was furious. Xiaoyaozi had tricked him out of ten thousand high-grade spirit stones for a worthless item usable only ten times—how could he not be enraged? Seeing that Liu Hui’s expression was turning sour, Xiaoyaozi quickly said, "Little friend, that's exactly what you said at the time! If you don't believe me, you can recall the conversation!" Liu Hui paused, then carefully retraced his memory. He realized he might have indeed said that. However, his original intention was that they create an artifact capable of unlimited mind-reading, for which he would then pay the ten thousand high-grade spirit stones. How could Xiaoyaozi have interpreted it as merely creating any artifact would earn him the payment? Liu Hui sighed in resignation. "Senior, what I wanted was a reusable mind-reading artifact, not some broken thing that only lasts ten times." Xiaoyaozi blinked his eyes. "I know that. That's why I specifically created this sample for you to try out. Our true mind-reading artifacts can be used for a very long time, and they have even more functions." Liu Hui was overjoyed. "Then quickly trade the real artifact to me!" Xiaoyaozi adopted a look of distress. "We do have such items, but in order to craft this trial mind-reading artifact, we have already exhausted all our materials. I currently have no materials left to forge a new one. What should we do?" Liu Hui paused, finally grasping Xiaoyaozi's true motive: the sly merchant intended to sell him this very 'Eye of Truth.' He calmed himself and said, "Senior, if I wish to obtain the genuine 'Eye of Truth' you speak of, what would be the conditions?" Xiaoyaozi beamed. "Just provide us with some high-grade spirit stones so we can purchase new raw materials. Let me calculate... the raw materials and fabrication cost for one true mind-reading artifact comes out to roughly fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones." "What? Fifty thousand high-grade spirit stones for one?" Liu Hui gasped in shock. "Cough, cough, I miscalculated just now. Actually, this mind-reading artifact is five thousand high-grade spirit stones each." Seeing Liu Hui's exaggerated reaction, Xiaoyaozi knew he had priced it too high and immediately slashed the cost dramatically. "Five thousand each?" Liu Hui inquired. "Yes. If it were any lower, we wouldn't make any profit. You must understand, we have already paid a significant price researching this strange item of yours," Xiaoyaozi started making a pitiful face. Liu Hui considered it and felt the price was quite fair. Although five thousand high-grade spirit stones was an exorbitant price for Xiaoyaozi, it was nothing to him. Moreover, possessing the 'Eye of Truth' would greatly benefit his entire enterprise; he would agree even if the price were somewhat higher. However, though Liu Hui found the price acceptable, he was unwilling to let Xiaoyaozi profit so easily. He stated, "If you add some extra functions to this 'Eye of Truth,' then I might consider the price you mentioned." Xiaoyaozi’s spirits lifted immediately, and he eagerly asked, "Little friend, please state whatever requirements you have. We will certainly meet your conditions."

Liu Hui concluded his call with Xiaoyaozi and closed the planar exchange device, feeling very pleased.

Although Liu Hui had been tricked by Xiaoyaozi yet again, losing some Class Four Magical Beast Crystal Cores, he had simultaneously obtained the mind-reading artifact he had longed for—the 'Eye of Truth.' With this artifact, he no longer needed to fear leaks, as he possessed far too many secrets. As for those Class Four Magical Beast Cores, his warehouse was already piled high, with counts beginning to be denominated in the billions.

Since Alexander of the Magic Plane defeated the 300,000 troops of the Xiling Kingdom, Xiling's military strength became severely strained. They immediately shifted from strategic offense to strategic defense, ceding vast territories bordering Alexander's forest domain. Alexander seized this opportunity to rapidly annex numerous human territories surrounding Xiling, and the population directly ruled by Alexander now exceeded ten million.

With the addition of so many people and lands, Alexander’s efforts to collect Magical Beast Crystal Cores accelerated. Now, Liu Hui received over a billion crystal cores of various classes from Alexander every week.

Due to Liu Hui's continuous accumulation over the years, the number of Magical Beast Crystal Cores in Alexander's original domain had begun to dwindle slowly. Fortunately, the massive expansion of territory now allowed them to acquire huge quantities of cores from these new lands.

Thus, these colossal energy crystal cores, accumulated over untold eons in the Magic Plane, were gradually flowing toward Liu Hui via the planar exchange device, where they were stored in the warehouses atop the 'Starry Sky City.'

Every time Liu Hui witnessed these cores from the Magic Plane being stored in his vaults, he felt an immense sense of pleasure and achievement. The reserves of crystal cores he currently possessed were sufficient to guarantee the extraordinary development of the 'Starry Sky City' for over two hundred years.

Therefore, when Xiaoyaozi occasionally defrauded Liu Hui of some Magical Beast Crystal Cores, although Liu Hui appeared outwardly furious, he hardly took it to heart. After all, everything Xiaoyaozi traded to him from the Cultivation Plane was precisely what Liu Hui needed most urgently. Compared to what Liu Hui gained, what Xiaoyaozi received was merely a drop in the ocean. They were simply satisfying their respective needs, even though both believed they had gotten the better end of the bargain.

Having secured the mind-reading artifact, the 'Eye of Truth,' Liu Hui happily left his office. Just as he was preparing to head home, he found Desheng standing in the hallway outside, apparently waiting for him.

"Boss, are your matters concluded? I have something to discuss with you," Desheng asked immediately upon seeing Liu Hui.

Liu Hui was momentarily startled, suddenly recalling that Desheng had something to tell him earlier. He said, "Desheng, speak your mind. My business is finished."

Desheng stated, "Boss, it's like this: Your sworn brother, King Yue, has run into trouble in Hong Kong."

Liu Hui was shocked. "King Yue is in trouble? What exactly happened? How could King Yue run into trouble? How is he now?"

Desheng recounted, "Boss, four days after your disappearance, the real estate company owned by King Yue's father was suddenly sealed by the court and then forcibly declared bankrupt. Afterward, his father somehow committed suicide by jumping from a building. The next development was that someone in the Hong Kong underworld put a bounty of ten million dollars on King Yue's head. King Yue was slashed several times before disappearing, and there has been no news of him since."

Liu Hui roared in anger. "Such major events, why are you only telling me now?"

Desheng replied with shame, "Boss, after the situation where the five-nation fleet besieged our 'Starry Sky City,' our Starry Sky Eye devoted all its energy to the city. Later, when you needed to deal with the Philippines and Vietnam, our personnel were redeployed there. Coupled with clandestine efforts suppressing media exposure, we failed to notice the events unfolding in Hong Kong. It was only yesterday, once our intelligence system resumed normal operations, that we discovered King Yue's perilous predicament."

Liu Hui immediately calmed down and inquired, "What is going on? Who exactly is targeting King Yue? Don't they know his relationship with me?"

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