Becoming evil makes you ten times stronger, but becoming a demon gives you hundredfold strength

"The spirit rice, spiritual wine, and some other materials in the storeroom are less than 30% of their original stock."

Ah, it was Meng Yu's fault.

On the fifteenth day of the siege of Sleepless City, Sleepless City lifted its ban, allowing people to come and go, but of course, the premise was that no one could take spirit stones away or massively purchase them within the city.

Meng Yu's stance was clear—his battle with Eternal Night Palace was still ongoing. He needed to stockpile enough spirit stones while preventing anyone from aiding the enemy. Whoever dared to take spirit stones out of Sleepless City would face death!

In the city, all medium and superior quality spirit stones had to be turned in. Anyone caught hiding them privately would face execution!

The new city lord, Meng Yu, was not an unreasonable man. After confiscating the medium and superior spirit stones, people could take equivalent goods in return. He had plenty of goods, whether it was spirit rice, spiritual wine, or magic artifacts and weapons, all exchanged at market prices.

This policy did not trigger any protests.

Everyone knows they could have robbed, but they chose to do business instead. Spirit rice and spiritual wine were highly demanded, and the prices of magical treasures and weapons had surged. People were willing to offer these, so what could you possibly complain about?

If you were dissatisfied, you could simply go die with your family.

Many people thought that once the ban was lifted, they would leave Sleepless City at the first opportunity, but when Meng Yu actually lifted it, they stayed put, not venturing outside.

Outside, it was chaotically violent, with various powers fighting desperately after losing their leader, the Eternal Night Palace. The remnants of the Eternal Night Palace were robbing and slaughtering to gather funds to flee, and mysterious forces of unknown origin intervened, causing many who harbored grudges to take action.

In this situation, Sleepless City had become the safest place. The city was well-governed and trade was equitable. Those with the Golden Core had not engaged in murder or plunder, nor had there been any shameful acts of bullying or oppression.

Although Meng Yu purchased a lot of spirit stones, he was reasonable. If it were other powers, they would simply demand everything and then send your whole family to serve as cannon fodder for the Divine Spirit True Venerable!

And Sleepless City had no conscription!

The situation led to not a large outflow of people, but instead, many powers sought desperately to flee to Sleepless City for a stable foothold. Others, ambitious and opportunistic, also wanted to rise through the ranks.

This back and forth eventually led to an increase in population.

"What solutions do you all have?"

Fairy Taohua asked, looking at the beautiful women below.

...

The Immortals sat high above the clouds, their laughter resonating.

A group of stunningly beautiful women listened intently, carefully responding.

Today's reporting stewards were all women. It wasn't that those with Golden Cores didn't promote men, but Fairy Taohua was quite special—Meng Yu's insider favorite—so the locals deliberately avoided having their men report, allowing the native women to do so.

Their statuses varied.

Su Qiaoxue was a mature and elegant widow; her husband had been a member of Eternal Night Palace. Having not received widow's compensation, she lived in Meng Yu's community, interacted daily with Meng Yu, and had helped Qin Ningxue greatly. Thus, after the great battle, she was quickly promoted, ushering in a new chapter in her personal career.

She wouldn't hold a grudge against True God Transforming Masters for killing her husband; she would only remind herself that not even widow's compensation was offered by Eternal Night Palace!

Beside her, another woman had been saved by Meng Yu, a former member of a small sect.

The third woman was the most beautiful heiress from a power within the city who had fortunately passed an examination and was now focusing on her tasks.

No one took their current opportunities for granted!

Work well, and you'd be rewarded; be disloyal, and face death. Perform excellently, and whether you were cultivating Qi or at the Foundation Establishment phase, you could climb higher!

"We can use the following methods, or perhaps impose a levy…"

One steward after another presented the situation and potential measures. Meng Yu, overhearing, shook his head—their methods were too harsh, their calculations too cunning.

It was odd considering how beautiful they looked, each appearing almost goddess-like.

They did not know how much advantage the Immortal Sect Golden Cores had taken.

By taking over Sleepless City and seizing piles of spirit rice, spiritual wine, including Eternal Night Palace's Armament Repository, these goods were essential for many families, tightly held in chaotic times. But for the Immortal Sect Golden Cores, they were not very useful.

The Immortal Sect's export strength lay in agricultural products—not Boeings—that was to be disregarded, Array Plates, and other high-tech industrial goods. These Wood Element Golden Cores managed several agricultural planets. Now you tell people we lack food and agricultural products?

Remember Tan Xingyu's various wails? People were facing a business that could yield three hundred times the profit!

A single spirit rice grain could exchange for three hundred times the profit, and that too in spirit stones!

Meng Yu's step grew heavier as he entered the room, only to behold bodies prostrated on the ground like straws, each exquisitely beautiful woman paying their respects to him in the most reverent manner, completely prostrate rather than meeting Meng Yu's gaze directly.

Meng Yu was stunned for a moment, but he soon understood.

When he had achieved the rank of Emperor in the Great Wu Minor World, he had seen such gazes and crowds before. Had they not been like this, they would not have been chosen.

"Alright, alright, don't be too polite, don't do this."

Indeed, Meng Yu was now their god, and their everything was bound to him; whatever Meng Yu did, they would support.

Moreover, Meng Yu had shown them great kindness.

"You may leave."

With a wave of his hand, Meng Yu approached the fragrant Fairy Taohua, the finest of the Immortal Sect flowers, with Taohua being the most fragrant. Meng Yu preferred to hold her in his embrace, savoring her national beauty and heavenly fragrance.

"I know your problem now, I'll take care of it, but, but, what will you use to reward me…"

Meng Yu spoke somewhat embarrassingly, then she gently punched him a few times.

Working hours, you shameless, what are you interrupting for, bah.

If you say that, I am even happier, or should I do another…

Meng Yu answered with a smile, then was disdainfully chased out of the room by her, but she told him, "I'll wait for you tonight."

Yes, such are the joys of life, but it was also time to return to the Immortal Sect.

Must go back to visit, right?

...

Immortal Sect, Qingfeng Star.

Immortal Sect Group 10006, during this time as everyone chatted, there was a bit of absent-mindedness. Not only had the group owner run off overseas, but he also hadn't distributed any red packets. Was there any justice left?

Of course, there were also Meng Yu's fans defending him; he was at the Blood God Sect on Ceres and obviously couldn't access the Immortal Sect network, etc., hoping everyone would understand. Meng Yu would surely return.

The group owner had eloped with his aunt, and the norm was chatting and exchanging, but tonight was sure to shock everyone.

"Hello everyone, long time no see, I've really missed you all."

The person speaking was the glittering ID of Meng Yu making a dazzling entrance, and then he sent a big red packet.

"Sorry, I just took a spontaneous trip. The Immortal Sect's elders went to work at Old Immortal Gate, and I couldn't be of any help, so I traveled elsewhere for a bit. Blood God Sect was quite nice, everyone was very hospitable, but Immortal Sect is still the best, so I'm back. Also, I brought back Spirit Stones."

Meng Yu continued typing enthusiastically, expressing his homesickness.

"Did you all miss me?"

Then, he started sending videos.

"Mirror Twelve Senior is so amazing, he fought one against two, killing two Nascent Souls, they were both genuinely Middle Stage Nascent Souls with all kinds of Magical Treasures in their complete forms, yet they both died by Mirror Twelve Senior's hands, the might of Divinity Transformation, truly formidable!"

"Everyone is doing well, and we'll be back soon."

This was the second video, everyone gathering joyfully together.

Still hiding within a Formation, they had stayed for a month until it was possible for anyone to leave, only then did Meng Yu contact the Immortal Sect.

"This time we need to purchase a large amount of Spirit Rice and Spiritual Wine, these quantities and the list."

This was a private chat, where Meng Yu contacted the Sect's officials, indicating not to worry about weapons and equipment for now as he needed a substantial amount of food for a relief effort.

"Ah Yu, how is my grandfather doing?"

This was a private inquiry from a certain grandson with a Wood Element Golden Core.

"Everyone is well, only Pu Yun and New Moon, two True Sages, fell while fighting the local Nascent Souls, but everyone else, everything is fine. I've come back this time to transport back some Spirit Stones first."

Though he had returned over a year late, Meng Yu believed that the Immortal Sect would surely welcome him warmly, wouldn't they?