’Tier Four Nation Destruction Level. It’s been a long time since I’ve fought monsters this weak.’

’Come to think of it, this feeling is exactly why I wanted to become strong in the first place.’

’How the tables have turned!’

Lu Cang raised a single hand, not bothering to use his Magic Staff.

’Tier Five Spatial Magic—Big Ring Spatial Slash (Level 401).’

SPLAT!

A shower of blood erupted in the air!

In an instant, every last Tier Four Nation Destruction Level Demon was diced from top to bottom into innumerable slices.

The slices slid apart along the cuts.

BOOM!

Kicking up clouds of dust all over the ground.

Luo Si stared up at Lu Cang in disbelief, her gaze then falling to the ground, now littered with the corpses of the Tier Four Nation Destruction Level Demons.

She had heard on her way here that Lu Cang had become the strongest in Lorren.

But Luo Si didn’t know what ’strongest’ really meant, or just how strong he was.

Though he was said to be strong, it seemed few people had ever seen the current Chief Mage in battle.

He hadn’t killed Demons in public, nor had he clashed with anyone where others could see.

His one and only public fight was against Jie Zhu.

So, in truth, his claim to being the ’strongest’ was questionable.

He was like a figure who existed only in legends.

There were only rumors that he had cleared all one hundred floors of the War God Tower, won the War God Cup, and defeated Lu Luwei...

But that was all before he became the Chief Mage.

No one knew what his true power was now.

"All taken care of."

"Let’s split the corpses of these Demons, half and half."

Lu Cang didn’t say the second part of his thought out loud: ’This should also take care of your little housing crisis.’

’No matter how you look at it, being homeless is just too tragic.’

’Giving her money or a house directly would seem a bit strange.’

’Sure enough, the best way is to hunt some powerful Demons and let her trade them for money herself.’

’But, Luo Si...’

’I can’t help you forever. If you manage to blow through this many Gold Coins, then no one can help you.’

For old times’ sake, Lu Cang didn’t mind giving her a hand.

"Th-this... Really? Are we splitting it evenly?"

Lu Cang chuckled and nodded. "Mhm, no need to be so formal with me. I don’t really need these Demons."

’No wonder Iz and the others would just toss me the materials on the road.’

’Now that I spend all my time farming Tier Six Submerged Land Level creatures, I really have no need for materials from Tier Four Nation Destruction ones... They’re just too low level.’

Luo Si’s face flushed slightly.

’This feeling of being supported by a kid was a little too strange.’

...

BOOM—

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

He cleared eighteen Tier Four Dungeons in a row.

Lu Cang didn’t reveal his Source of Calamity in front of Luo Si, so all these Dungeons were pre-existing ones.

In one go, he collected the bodies of several hundred Tier Four Nation Destruction Level Demons.

Giving half to Luo Si meant she would make a considerable sum.

Lu Cang also planned to visit a merchant’s association to exchange some of the materials for ready cash.

He only had a billion Gold Coins left. A large portion of that had been taken from Ruijia’s national treasury, and another part came from selling Demon materials. Ninety percent of this money was deposited in the vaults of the Life Church, with whom he had a contract.

Depositing money with a worldwide organization like the Church was also safe.

If he put it in a small place like the Ten Thousand Merchandise Association, and the entire continent was destroyed one day, there would be no way to get his money back.

Something like that was unlikely to happen on Earth, but in this world... Lu Cang felt that nothing would be surprising.

However, depositing money in the Church wasn’t purely for safety.

Depositing money in the Church could also grant additional blessings. For instance, depositing money in the Life Church allowed one to receive a reciprocal healing blessing from the contract.

The more money deposited, the better the healing ability.

With the nine hundred million he had deposited, Lu Cang was almost constantly under a recovery effect equivalent to being treated by a Tier Four Healer.

’Hmm... All that for just a nine-hundred-million-coin deposit? The effect is barely better than nothing. But it’s better than carrying the money around for no reason. After all, how often do you need to whip out a billion Gold Coins at a moment’s notice?’

「Ten Thousand Merchandise Association」

"Chief Cang, you’ve arrived!"

The association’s owner was all smiles, his demeanor incredibly amiable.

"Mhm. Give me a price for these Nation Destruction Level Demons and deposit the funds directly to my contract."

"Deposit half to her contract."

Lu Cang sat down on the sofa, clearly a familiar face here.

Luo Si, however, was here for the first time. This was the sort of place one only visited when conducting major business.

’Lu Cang... he’s really different now.’

’In just a few short months... he had already reached this level. Even someone as carefree as Luo Si could clearly feel the chasm between them—a difference like that between the clouds and the mud.’

Afterward, he accompanied Luo Si on a tour of Kernoya.

He exchanged a few words with the Chairman of the Adventurer’s Guild, and Luo Si was properly set up there as well.

Once word got out, all those insurance salesmen, health supplement peddlers, and tea scammers would likely make a point to steer clear of her.

After reuniting with an old friend, also from his world, it was inevitable that they would both have to return to their own lives.

Lu Cang rested for two days, then went to the familiar Imperial Palace.

Only this time, he wasn’t going home. He was going to the King’s palace.

"Ah, Lu Cangqing."

"What brings you to the morning court today?"

Luo Tedan was still on his throne in the palace, with two attendants at his left and right, respectively.

Lu Cang recalled their first meeting. The King had indeed kept his promise and had never disturbed him.

"Do you have some request, coming to find me today?"

Lu Cang shook his head. "No, I’m just here to find my master."

Lu Cang did not extend his Perception past the door. There was a Restriction on it, capable of blocking Perception.

Although his Perception could ignore the Restriction and see past the door, this situation was completely different.

The person on the other side had set up the Restriction because they did not wish to be observed.

For him to probe past it rashly would be rather impolite.