Chapter 328: You're Thinking Too Beautifully, Do You Even Deserve to Be My Slaves?

Chapter 328: You Think Too Highly of Yourselves, Worthy to Be My Slaves?

A mechanical prompt sounded; the old patriarch of the Mu clan was stunned, a puzzled expression flashing in his eyes.

The Sky Eye was rarely activated, but almost every so often, a simulated drill would be conducted.

Even the robots executing the program did not know whether it was a drill or real combat.

Every drill had proceeded in an orderly fashion; never before had such a situation occurred.

Command issuance failed.

Unknown error occurred.

“What unknown error? Begin self-diagnosis!” the old Patriarch Mu blurted out involuntarily.

His voice, with no attempt at concealment, also reached the ears of the Seventh Prince and Gongyi Cai and the others.

The Seventh Prince’s eyes showed surprise, as if unable to comprehend.

Gongyi Cai was taken aback.

He too had participated in drills for the Sky Eye activation procedure.

Unknown error... this was a problem almost impossible to encounter.

The Sky Eye was a self-contained system, not connected to any other network, and it constantly performed self-checks, inspecting itself.

The robots on the Sky Eye were the latest generation, with an error rate far lower than that of humans.

Most importantly, the Sky Eye hung high in the sky, like celestial fortresses.

Apart from other Sky Eyes, no weapon in this world could affect the Sky Eye.

After all, the Sky Eye was a war fortress externally equipped with nearly all the most advanced weapons in the world.

Yet... an unknown error had occurred.

And... it seemed not just one Sky Eye, but multiple simultaneously—this was almost unimaginable.

Gongyi Cai simply could not fathom what problem the Sky Eye had encountered.

“Beginning self-diagnosis... beep... Sky Eye has suffered an unknown attack, entering Level One Alert, initiating defense...”

The prompt sounded, and the old Patriarch Mu’s expression changed drastically.

The Sky Eye had actually been attacked.

And Level One Alert was the highest alert.

This meant the attack on the Sky Eye... might be impossible to counter.

“Who? The Ancient Witch, or the Radiant Star, or the other Seven Martial Star families?” The old Patriarch Mu’s eagle-like gaze fell upon the Seventh Prince.

Only other Sky Eyes could create such a crisis for the Sky Eye in such a short time.

The old Patriarch Mu naturally suspected whether the royal family had colluded with the other Seven Martial Star families to target him.

“Activate the Star Net, show me what exactly is happening!”

The Sky Eye was under attack and in a defensive state, unable to transmit real-time images back.

The old Patriarch Mu had no choice but to activate the Star Net.

The Star Net, somewhat similar to satellites on Blue Star, hung high in space and could capture many images and videos.

In an instant, following the old Patriarch Mu’s command,

projections of images appeared in the air of the hall before everyone’s eyes.

The first to come into view was none other than Mu-01 Sky Eye.

In the cold, desolate void of space, the enormous war fortress hung alone in the firmament.

Within this steel behemoth, countless oddly shaped mechanical vehicles could be faintly seen moving, along with various conveyor belts.

Dense swarms of robots patrolled, like ants.

The retracted gun muzzles were cold and rigid.

Such a massive war fortress gave the impression of... sci-fi, enormity, heavy industry.

The steel fortress operated methodically, like a dormant deep-space beast waiting for the moment to bare its fangs.

Suddenly, it seemed a flash of light passed.

Bang!

This was not a sound, but an action.

In that instant, the colossal steel beast suddenly brightened, as if illuminated by a spotlight.

The next moment, the dense robots on the steel beast... all shattered into fragments.

The terrifying steel fortress, fragile as a collapsing tower of blocks, saw its main structure crack.

The complete steel construct split apart, like a scene from a sci-fi movie.

And this was reality.

The Sky Eye, which even the strongest missiles could not damage, had now... over eighty percent of its main structure destroyed.

That light... what was it?

Who exactly... had harmed the Sky Eye?

The Mu clan members present stared at the shattered Sky Eye, their eyes filled with bewilderment.

The old Patriarch Mu’s face turned ashen: “Who? Who is it? I will make them pay!”

Repairing this Sky Eye would take at least decades.

But just then, a voice eerily reached the ears of everyone present through the projection.

This was highly unscientific.

“This Sky Eye is indeed quite formidable; one breath couldn’t even blow it to ashes.

Husband, hold me tighter... your servant needs to free one hand.”

A slightly seductive voice reached the ears of everyone present.

The Mu clan disciples all changed expression.

If this voice was to be believed, one breath had... blown the Sky Eye fortress... to collapse?

What immense, majestic force was this!

Yet, before they could think further, an even more terrifying image appeared.

In the deep void of space, a flash of light ten or a hundred times more intense than before blazed.

This light was vast as the sea, like divine might, utterly beyond mortal comprehension or description.

Indeed... everyone present, beholding this divine might like an ocean, suddenly felt a urge to prostrate in worship.

Under this divine might, the terrifying beast Sky Eye, like a ladybug encountering a space-based weapon, directly shattered and turned to ashes.

In space, it was like a grand fireworks display ignited, dazzling without end.

Across the lands of Qinyuan, it seemed many people looked up at the starry sky and saw fireworks above the heavens.

At that moment, the alert sounded.

"Warning: Mu Sky Eye 01 has lost connection."

"Warning: Mu Sky Eye 02 has lost connection."

...

"Warning: Mu Sky Eye 13 has lost connection."

These repeated alerts echoed into the great hall.

The Mu family disciples in the hall were horrified, one by one losing their composure.

"How is this possible!"

"Thirteen Sky Eyes... destroyed in a single breath!"

"I don't believe it!"

"It must be a false alarm, a false alarm, yes!"

These Mu family disciples had bloodshot eyes, unable to accept this reality.

The arrogance and haughtiness that once filled their eyes were now utterly gone.

What did the destruction of thirteen Sky Eyes mean?

Everyone present understood clearly.

It meant that the Mu family's privileges would vanish completely.

It was precisely because of the thirteen Sky Eyes that the Mu family was one of the top three families in the Kingdom of Qinyuan.

But with the Sky Eyes destroyed, everything... was lost.

It could be said that none of the Mu family disciples present had ever imagined what life would be like without the Sky Eyes.

Because the power of the Sky Eyes was enough to make even gods tremble.

Yet now... the thirteen Sky Eyes were destroyed.

"Gone... gone..." the old Mu patriarch said hoarsely, his vitality and spirit dissipating in that moment, his body instantly hunched.

The Sky Eyes were everything.

Without the Sky Eyes, the royal family had become mere mascots.

They dared not imagine what storm awaited the Mu family.

"The Mu family ends at my hands—I am a sinner... wuwu..."

This old man, stripped of his former dominance, was like a lonely, flickering candle in the wind, suddenly aged twenty years.

In his decrepitude, he actually burst into tears.

The old patriarch who ruled the Mu family, one of the most powerful men in Qinyuan... after all, was he not just an ordinary person?

After all, before gaining the talent for cultivation, the gap between people on Gongxing was actually... not that great.

The biggest gap might have been the starting line.

Otherwise, there would not have been incidents where an entire town produced founding generals and renowned ministers.

Just then, a playful voice once again reached everyone's ears.

The Mu family disciples' hearts tightened instantly.

Because this voice... was exactly the same as the one that had come from the Starry Net before.

"Husband, who should we kill?"

With this voice, everyone present seemed to feel a gust of wind pass by.

They saw that in the great hall, a young man and woman had appeared, as if from nowhere, like a perfect pair.

"It's her... who destroyed the Sky Eyes!"

"How did they get here so fast!"

"Ah..."

The Mu family disciples present erupted in turmoil, some with trembling legs.

Outside, they had power that reached the heavens; a single word from them could decide a region's economy or appoint an official. But now, they felt utterly powerless and weak.

The Seventh Prince's gaze swept over the young woman; even though her beauty was stunning, like a celestial descending to the mortal world, he dared not look too long. His eyes fell on the young man's face, and when he saw that familiar face, his eyes lit up with surprise: "Mr. Qi... Mr. Qi, I am the Seventh Prince!"

His voice trembled slightly.

So it was true... the one who destroyed the thirteen Sky Eyes was Mr. Qi's... female companion.

Mr. Qi had come to the capital, seeking trouble with the Mu family.

After receiving Wang Wenmin's call, he had acted immediately.

Investing in Qi Yuan meant protecting Qi Yuan, helping him clear the obstacle of the Sky Eyes.

But he never expected that upon arriving at the Mu family, he would be humiliated.

The Mu family had not regarded the royal family in his eyes at all.

He was frustrated, thinking his plan had failed.

And then, fate played a huge joke on him.

Mr. Qi... had single-handedly destroyed all the Sky Eyes.

What kind of concept was that?

Unimaginable, incomprehensible.

Did that mean that if Mr. Qi wished... the remaining Sky Eyes above the heavens could be destroyed at any time?

Was this Qi Yuan... the true uncrowned king of Qinyuan, no, of Gongxing?

"Oh, a prince? That's rare. In all my years, I've seen plenty of princesses, but not many princes." Qi Yuan greeted casually.

After greeting, his gaze swept across the hall, and his brows furrowed.

"Fear? Murderous intent? Hatred?... Hmm, I think all these people should be killed—not one of them is innocent." Qi Yuan said lightly.

With one sentence, he decided the fate of the three hundred Mu family disciples in the room.

The Mu family members' faces changed drastically, and their looks at Qi Yuan turned fearful.

At this moment, where was the lofty image of Mu family disciples? They were all like dead dogs.

"Ah... Mr. Qi, the Mu family targeted you, but it had nothing to do with me!"

"Mr. Qi, spare my worthless life—I have money, I have wealth, I even have women—I can give them all to you!" a middle-aged man said frantically.

Without the Sky Eyes, facing a powerful cultivator like Qi Yuan, they had no means of resistance.

Facing Qi Yuan, they were as powerless as ordinary people facing them.

After all, this was a ruthless man who could destroy the Sky Eyes, a terrifying existence above the gods.

How had the Mu family provoked someone like this?

Their pride, self-respect, and arrogance were utterly shattered in that moment.

At that instant, Ning Tao beside him flashed a cold glint in her eyes: "Using a woman to bribe my husband—deserves death!"

As her voice fell, the middle-aged man's body stiffened, then crumpled limply to the ground.

All signs of life vanished; he had died on the spot.

A heavy silence filled the room. None of the Mu family members dared to speak, staring at Qi Yuan as if he were a demon.

Just then, a thud was heard.

The arrogant old patriarch of the Mu family fell to his knees, his murky eyes filled with the ash-gray of despair.

"Offending Mr. Qi is entirely my, Mu Wangshan's, fault.

This crime is heinous; I shall take my own life to atone.

I beg Mr. Qi to consider that the Mu family's legacy was hard-won, and spare us… a few descendants.

The entire Mu clan is willing to become your slaves!"

The old patriarch was a ruthless man.

With the Eye of Heaven destroyed, he knew the Mu family's decline was only a matter of time.

Not only would Qi Yuan not let them go, but their old enemies would also seize the chance.

They had almost no chance to turn things around.

The only hope was to win Qi Yuan's forgiveness.

So, steeling his heart, he offered the Mu family's thousand-year accumulation as tribute to Qi Yuan, in exchange for a sliver of survival.

After all, the wealth amassed by a great clan over a millennium was unimaginable—enough to tempt anyone.

Gongyi Cai's breath quickened at the old patriarch's words.

The Seventh Prince's expression also grew complicated.

The Mu family becoming slaves—this old patriarch… truly a wily old fox.

Such a heavy gift—no one in the world would likely refuse it.

"No, Grandfather! Our Mu family has passed down three thousand years, a thousand of which as a noble house—how can we become slaves!"

A Mu family member stepped forward, tears in his eyes, unable to accept this reality.

As true aristocrats, they had the pride and elegance of their station.

Thousands of years of heritage forbade them from bowing down to serve as slaves.

Immediately, other Mu family members joined in: "Better death than slavery."

This cry was echoed by many.

They could hardly imagine the humiliation that awaited them as a slave clan.

But most of the Mu family members present were already tempted.

At this point, simply surviving was a blessing—how could they afford to think so far ahead?

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. You really think too highly of yourselves," Qi Yuan said, a look of disdain in his eyes. "A bunch of… decadent wastrels like you, worthy of being my slaves?

Wouldn't that make me lose all face?"

Qi Yuan naturally looked down on the Mu family.

Their wealth, their heritage, their accumulation—all worthless in his eyes.

They offered him less value than a joke that made him laugh.

These NPCs were truly ridiculous, dreaming too big.

"So… let's just kill them all, so they stop dreaming and getting off easy," Qi Yuan said calmly.

The old patriarch's eyes widened in shock.

Qi Yuan's answer was utterly beyond his expectations.

How could anyone refuse… the Mu family's thousand-year legacy?

But before he could dwell on it, his consciousness froze.

In that moment, all two hundred-plus Mu family members in the hall… became corpses.

The Seventh Prince's heart trembled, fear rising within him.

Gongyi Cai also shivered, not daring to move.

"See? It's much quieter this way. Otherwise, they'd be chattering in my ears every day—annoying."

Qi Yuan said lightly.

Killing over two hundred Celestials was as casual as crushing ants for him.

"Oh, right—if I remember correctly, the Mu family still has at least a few thousand? Or maybe tens of thousands? Should I… kill them all?" Qi Yuan looked at Ning Tao, muttering to himself.

"If my husband wishes to kill, I can cast a spell right now. Everyone in this world with Mu family blood will fall in an instant," Ning Tao replied earnestly.

In her world, Qi Yuan was everything.

Whatever he said, she would do.

These words fell on the Seventh Prince and Gongyi Cai's ears, and their faces changed drastically.

Such a terrifying spell… too horrifying!

This woman's heart… was even more frightening.

If that spell were cast, the dead would number not just a hundred thousand, but perhaps a million.

"No, that would make me a bloodthirsty maniac. I'm not someone who kills indiscriminately," Qi Yuan refused.

He was a good man—he never killed without cause, never wiped out entire families, never punished the innocent.

"I've got it—why don't we… hold a vote!"

A smug smile spread across Qi Yuan's face as he thought of a satisfying solution.

(End of chapter)