182: Chapter 182 Eight Years Later

"Alright, I know I was wrong," Su Fan explained helplessly. "I just wanted some soul crystals for my cultivation."

"That's simple. Our Xia Country has hundreds of billions of people at God-Forging Level 1. We can just send some people over. Even if they don't know the Soul Attack Secret Method, they can easily obtain quite a few soul crystals using Mental Energy depletion methods," the Grand Elder said with a smile.

"That's too risky; it could easily lead to casualties," Su Fan shook his head and refused.

"Su Fan, oh Su Fan, you are still too kind-hearted," the Grand Elder said helplessly.

"Perhaps!" Su Fan smiled.

"Forget it, let's wait a few more years until a thousand soldiers have learned the Soul Attack Secret Method before exploring the Soul Realm."

"Even if they know the Soul Attack Secret Method, there might still be casualties," the Grand Elder noted.

"The casualty rate will be lower," Su Fan said with a smile.

"Fine, you have the final say," the Grand Elder conceded helplessly.

...

Eight years later.

A spaceship carrying a thousand soldiers who had mastered the Soul Attack Secret Method headed straight for Shengyuan Star.

Su Fan hadn't expected the Soul Attack Secret Method to be so difficult; it took a full eight years for all thousand people to learn it.

"Eight years!"

"Do you know how I've spent these eight years!" Su Fan complained inwardly.

During these eight years, the war between the Canglan Empire, the Black Dragon Empire, and the Alma Federation continued to rage fiercely.

Xia Country had no intention of intervening; they only dispatched spaceships to continuously scavenge valuable resources within the borders of the Canglan Empire and the Black Dragon Empire.

With new resources, new kongming motherships were constantly being built and then immediately sent to the Canglan and Black Dragon territories to continue scavenging.

This model had formed a virtuous cycle.

Additionally, Su Fan's fifth child was born, a boy.

Because the child was born during the Great Cold solar term, Su Fan named him Su Han.

Besides this, there was another piece of good news: Su Mingxia's cultivation level had broken through to God-Forging Level 3.

...

The spaceship soon arrived at Shengyuan Star. Jiang Zibo had already received the news and was leading a hundred Shenyuan Clan members of the God Forging level, waiting quietly at the dock not far from the Shengyuan Holy Land.

"They're here!"

Seeing the spaceship quickly approaching the dock, a smile appeared on Jiang Zibo's face.

The spaceship soon landed on the dock. Led by Su Fan, a thousand soldiers stood in a disciplined formation behind him.

"Eyes right!"

"Halt!"

"At ease!"

Zhang Sheng served as the overall person-in-charge of these thousand people, acting as the Captain.

"Elder Su, are these the soldiers of your Xia Clan? Their discipline is truly strict!" Jiang Zibo praised.

"Indeed, exactly one thousand people," Su Fan said with a smile. "Are the hundred-plus people behind Holy Lord Jiang the candidates for entering the Soul Realm this time?"

"A hundred of them are, but your son and daughter are not," Jiang Zibo said with a laugh.

"Yes, they are still young!" Su Fan smiled, sharing a tacit understanding.

Su Fan didn't want his children to risk their lives in such a dangerous place.

Although this was unfair to the children of ordinary families, parents always worry for their own. Any normal person would likely be reluctant to let their children face such danger.

"Dad, I want to go to the Soul Realm too!" Just then, Su Fan's second son, Su Xiaobai, suddenly stepped forward, a hint of trepidation in his eyes.

Hearing this, Su Fan was amused and said with a helpless tone, "Xiaobai, I want to go too, but your mother won't agree. Do you think she'll let you go?"

"Dad, I... I must go!" Su Xiaobai grit his teeth, his eyes revealing an unwavering determination.

"Dad, I'm going too!" At this moment, Su Huang, who was beside Su Xiaobai, spoke up. Her tone was somewhat cold, but even more determined.

"All of you stay here and cultivate in peace. If you get bored, go back to Blue Star or travel to the other planets of Xia Country," Su Fan frowned. None of these children were easy to handle.

After speaking, his gaze couldn't help but turn toward the chubby boy next to Su Huang, Su Feng.

"Dad, don't look at me. I'm not going to any damn Soul Realm," Su Feng said with a smile on his chubby face.

Relatively speaking, his personality was like his physique—extremely easygoing and detached.

Su Fan nodded in satisfaction; now that was more like it.

"None of you are allowed to go. Although the Soul Realm holds opportunities, it is also very dangerous. You don't lack resources, so leave this chance to those who need military merits!" Su Fan said, feigning anger.

Toward his own children, he was entirely a doting father and found it hard to truly get angry.

"Dad, I'm not a child anymore. I can't stay under your protection forever!" Su Xiaobai's gaze was firm.

"Let me go!"

"A man cannot be protected forever!"

Su Fan looked at his second son with some surprise. In his mind, his second son had always been a quiet, obedient, and well-behaved boy. He hadn't expected him to say something so philosophical.

"Fine, you can go, but make sure to protect yourself!" Su Fan thought about it and finally agreed.

After all, Su Xiaobai was at the peak of God-Forging Level 3, the highest cultivation level among all the children.

"Thank you, Dad!" Su Xiaobai's tone was somewhat excited.

Seeing this, Su Huang immediately became unhappy and said with dissatisfaction, "Dad, I want to go too! Why can Second Brother go but I can't?"

"Your second brother is at God-Forging Level 3, while you are only at God-Forging Level 1. If you were at Level 3, I would let you go too!" Su Fan looked at his third daughter dotingly.

He adored this only daughter of his immensely, fearing she might melt if held too tightly; how could he possibly let her take such risks?

"Hmph!" Su Huang snorted and turned her head away, refusing to look at Su Fan.

"This girl... sigh..." Su Fan sighed.

"Haha, Elder Su's four children are all very outstanding. I'm truly envious," Jiang Zibo said from the side, feeling a bit jealous.

His own children had average cultivation talent, with only one having broken through to God-Forging Level 1.

Yet all four of Su Fan's children had broken through to the God Forging level.

"It's nothing, just basic operations, no need to be impressed," Su Fan laughed, unable to close his mouth from joy.

At his current position, if others praised him, he would think they were just sucking up, but if they praised his children, he was more than happy to hear it!

"Holy Lord Jiang, are these people ready?" Su Fan asked.

"Ready, we can depart at any time!" Jiang Zibo nodded with a smile.

"Good! Let's depart now!" Su Fan waved his hand, and the thousand soldiers of Xia Country immediately formed two rows, lining the path to welcome the hundred Shenyuan Clan cultivators into the spaceship.

"Holy Lord Jiang, I'm heading out too. Wait for our triumphant return!"

Su Fan greeted Jiang Zibo along with Su Xiaobai and turned to walk toward the spaceship.

"You must come back alive!" Jiang Zibo's eyes revealed his worry.

"Don't worry!" Su Fan turned back and gave Jiang Zibo a reassuring look.

The spaceship took off, carrying the hopes of countless people, and charged straight toward the Nether Planet with an indomitable momentum!

And the Soul Realm, after countless years, finally welcomed new guests once again!

...