Published: March 12, 2025
Chapter 157: News
Laura sighed and said, "The Budah family is truly unfortunate. As a small noble family, they can only do what the king tells them, without ever realizing that they have unwittingly positioned themselves against all the other nobles."
Kun Zheng replied, "It's not that the Budah family doesn't understand, but whether they comply or not, they face death either way. The old king of the Aksu Empire underestimates the strength of the old noble families."
Laura continued, "The young master of the Budah family is certainly having a rough time. I've heard that the young master named Adam, while a bit of a wastrel, hasn't committed any major crimes. Yet, he was forced to drink Void Water. If it weren't for the two eighth-level experts in his family, his life would be in grave danger. It seems when they went to the Black Earth Wilderness, he was still unconscious; now, he probably can't escape calamity again."
Kun Zheng nodded and said, "The strength of a ninth-level expert is not something to be taken lightly. I heard Galen was injured as well; with just one strike, he managed to injure an eighth-level peak expert. There is indeed a difference between eighth and ninth levels."
Laura responded, "Yes, according to Buffy, Galen is likely seriously injured. Even if he recovers, his rank will drop. Even if the Versailles family couldn't kill Galen this time, they can claim they have taken off an arm from the Budah family."
Kun Zheng sighed, "This is the reality of power. If the Budah family had a ninth-level expert, they could officially become a great noble, and no one would dare to treat them this way."
Whether a noble family is considered a great one on the continent depends mainly on two aspects: inheritance and strength. A long-standing heritage signifies eligibility for being a great noble, while strength can also be a determining factor; as long as you have enough strength, even with a short inheritance time, you can still be considered a great noble. This strength is not measured by money, but by whether there is a ninth-level expert in your family.
One could say that a ninth-level expert represents not just strength, but also an influence. If we compare a ninth-level expert to something on Earth, it would be akin to a nuclear bomb—an existence that serves as a deterrent, but is rarely used.
Laura looked at Kun Zheng and asked, "Grandpa Kun Zheng, how many ninth-level warriors does the Magedel family actually have? We've allied with Mr. Zhao Hai, but he's at most an eighth-level expert. Can he really help us?"
Kun Zheng smiled and said, "Of course he can. Don’t be fooled by the Magedel family's grandeur; they only have two ninth-level experts, and those two are in long-term seclusion, rarely making an appearance. There are quite a few eighth-level experts, but Mr. Zhao Hai is an eighth-level dark mage, someone nobody wants to provoke. Additionally, with his two powerful followers, it’s equivalent to having three eighth-level experts assisting us. If I am added to the mix, the family would not dare to act against us easily."
Laura nodded. After Kun Zheng's explanation, she realized that her own strength was not weak; with four eighth-level experts, she could establish a small family on the continent.
Thinking of this, Laura couldn’t help but feel happy. She then said to Kun Zheng, "Grandpa Kun Zheng, our business has been doing very well recently. I plan to contact Mr. Zhao Hai about the meat processing factory once this storm passes. It seems he really needs the money."
Kun Zheng nodded, "We should take care of this matter. Mr. Zhao Hai's assistance has been invaluable. If it weren't for him, our survival in the Versailles Principality would be quite difficult."
Laura agreed. The grain issue may not seem significant, but for Laura and her companions, it was crucial. If they didn’t obtain grain from Zhao Hai this time, they would have nothing to sell. With rising grain prices, common people would find it hard to eat, leading to a drop in demand for daily necessities, which would affect the Blood Lotus Shop.