Protect Our Clan Leader-Chapter 1577 - 93: Greed! I Want It All_4

Several blue cloud ray flying vessels were swiftly traversing the sky, their immense wings rising and falling rhythmically, resembling rays swimming leisurely through the deep sea. Despite their seemingly slow movements, they streaked forward like bolts of lightning.

Inside one of the cloud ray flying vessels, an elderly man dressed in black stood with hands clasped behind his back by the window, gazing downward at the boundless sea of clouds below.

He appeared to be in his fifties, with broad shoulders that had inexplicably developed a slight hunch. His drooping eyes carried a deep and unreadable expression, lost in thought.

"Elder Pei, you should rest for a while. We’ll be arriving in East Qian Country soon. At that point, we’ll need to coordinate with the Wang family there,"

At that moment, a middle-aged man wearing the robes of an Artifact Refiner emerged from the nearby dining hall and softly urged.

"Huaijin, it’s my fault you’ve been dragged into this." The elderly man, referred to as "Elder Pei," turned upon hearing him and sighed deeply as he looked at the middle-aged man. "Had I not insisted on my stance and offended Commandant Liu, you wouldn’t have been exiled with me to East Qian Country."

"Elder Pei, there’s no need for such words. Most of my skills were taught by you—you are my mentor. Wherever you go, I go. Isn’t that only natural?" The middle-aged Artifact Refiner smiled. "Besides, we’re here to support the development and refining of a new type of battle armor. We’ll surely gain valuable knowledge from this experience. So what if East Qian Country is a bit behind the times and life there is a bit harsher? A decade or two will pass before we know it."

The middle-aged man’s name was Xiang Huaijin, an Artifact Refiner from the Black Armor Division.

Since joining the Black Armor Division, he had always been under Elder Pei’s guidance and was thoroughly familiar with Elder Pei’s character.

Elder Pei was gifted and highly capable. When it came to refining techniques, he was ranked prominently within the Black Armor Division. However, his personality was stubborn and unyielding, often clashing with his superiors, which frequently led to him being targeted or sidelined.

The recent incident was no different. At an internal meeting, his blunt words offended Commandant Liu, who was in charge of Artifact Refining assignments, resulting in his immediate "exile" to East Qian Country.

As a subordinate Artifact Refiner under Elder Pei’s wing, Xiang Huaijin naturally shared the same fate of being "exiled."

"East Qian Country is nothing more than a remote and insignificant land. Staying in Immortal City would have provided so many more opportunities. By the time ten or twenty years have passed and we return, those who were at the same rank as you will likely have moved far ahead," Elder Pei sighed profoundly, his heart still heavy with frustration.

Though he did not regret opposing Commandant Liu—he would never compromise on matters of principle—he lamented the fact that others were dragged into the situation against his wishes.

The atmosphere grew momentarily oppressive.

Meanwhile, in another corner of the dining hall, an elderly couple with silver-streaked hair was also conversing about East Qian Country.

The elderly man of the pair had a calm and steady appearance, exuding a serene aura, while the woman possessed piercing phoenix eyes. Even after toning down her aura, she carried an elusive martial vigor, as if it lingered subtly around her.

As it turned out, this couple was none other than King Chaoyang and Yao Yuangang.

Although the trip to East Qian Country was at Wang Anye’s invitation, the two had no intention of making a grand display of their visit. They opted to dress plainly and travel incognito. Even the Yao family manager aboard this cloud ray flying vessel was unaware of their true identities.

Their status was exceptionally high—practically wherever they went, they were greeted with extravagant hospitality.

Under such circumstances, what they heard and saw was often meticulously manipulated and staged.

Over time, the two of them preferred to remain at Wang Fu, seldom venturing out.

Given that East Qian Country had so few people who recognized them, this rare opportunity to masquerade as "commoners" and experience East Qian Country through a fresh perspective seemed like an invigorating and unconventional adventure.

If Wang Shouzhe were to learn of this, he would most likely find his lips twitching in frustration. This group of influential figures all seemed to share a strange penchant for taking on micro-diplomatic, covert outings.

It was almost becoming a tradition~

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