Chapter 1031: Chapter 1018: Supporting the Empire Chapter 1031: Chapter 1018: Supporting the Empire “Jelos, this is my niece, her Star talent is only 48.06%. I’ve always felt rather sorry for this child, because she has always worked very hard, but her effort has never been met with adequate reward.”

Within a residence that appeared quite ordinary at a glance, yet whose details revealed a sense of luxury, an elderly woman with white hair, leading a girl who looked somewhat uneasy, stood before Muria and introduced her.

“Hmm, quite good.” Muria flipped through the resume in his hand, which recorded every single detail of the girl’s life from birth until the present, leaving nothing out, incredibly detailed.

“From the information I hold in my hands, aside from lacking a bit in talent, you’re almost a perfect girl,” Muria said as he put down the dossier, tapping on the table. “Therefore, I can bestow my power upon you.”

“Thank you, Martial Supreme!” The girl, who appeared to be slightly older than Muria, bowed deeply to Muria with great excitement.

This somewhat absurd scene unfolded because, as the price for receiving power from Muria, the people behind her had already paid him enough resources. Even so, she now stood before Muria with tears of gratitude.

“Prepare to accept my power!” Muria stretched out his palm to catch the White Star falling from behind his Dharma Appearance, then pressed it directly into the girl’s abdomen.

Shortly afterwards, the girl’s body swiftly turned bright red, and her Martial Dao Aura, pure white like flames, swirled around her body, transforming her to accommodate the power.

“This power is merely a seed. If you diligently cultivate it, watering it with your sweat, then it too will take root and sprout, grow strong, and grant you greater strength.”

“Yes, Martial Supreme, I will definitely cultivate diligently.” The girl, who felt as if she had been reborn, nodded her head with fervor.

“Once you possess greater strength, I hope you will remain true to your heart. I do not ask you to be unceasingly kind, but please do not commit any evil acts. If one day, I find that you have used my power for sinister deeds, then do not blame me for being merciless in taking back all of your power,” Muria advised the ecstatic girl, issuing a warning he gave to almost every person who dared to accept his power.

Since their foundation in cultivation was bestowed by him, no matter how powerful they became in the future, Muria could strip away all their strength and cultivation at any moment if he wished.

Indeed, in some sense, those who accepted the Martial Dao seeds from Muria were like his cauldrons because, should Muria desire, the fruits of their cultivation could ultimately be mercilessly taken by him.

However, Muria had no intention of using the characteristic of his Dharma Appearance. He felt he could cultivate on his own, without relying on others.

This method of cultivation was a deviant path, and Muria, of course, would not use it. He initially saw this technique of using others to enhance one’s own cultivation in a book of evil doctrines and sought to integrate this feature into his own secret cultivation teachings.

He was only interested in the part that allowed him to grant power to others, enabling them to engage in the cultivation of martial arts. As for rapidly enhancing his own power by relying on this aspect, he found it unappealing.

…As time quietly passed, Muria’s influence within the Douglas family rapidly expanded, and this expansion was something others brought to his doorstep, not requiring him to seek them out.

To put it simply, people offered money and wealth, devising all sorts of ways to court him, wanting to become his subordinates. Of course, that’s not how they phrased it openly, but in essence, it wasn’t far off.

Among those who sought power from Muria, the number of elders was not small—these were people who, sensing the end of their lives approaching, were unwilling to let go of their lifespan and the joys of the world.

Under the dual pressures of fear of death and desire for life, they ultimately sought Muria in secrecy, hoping to extend their lifespans. Perhaps some could resist such temptation, but they were not among them.

Besides, their decision to seek Muria for lifespan extension did not carry much of a psychological burden, apart from the discomfort from the age difference, as Muria was, by all accounts, a future core member of the Douglas family.

In other words, they were family, and seeking help from one’s own kind and providing him with resources didn’t benefit outsiders—it was keeping it all in the family.

Thus, despite Muria’s rapidly growing strength within the Douglas family, he faced little resistance, since anyone who wished to raise objections or suggest limitations on Muria were quickly suppressed by the elders yearning for longer lives.

Even the family head, who held the highest authority, did not dare to act rashly against a group of elders seeking to extend their lives. Preventing people whose lives were nearing an end from prolonging those lives meant one had to be prepared to stake everything on the line.

And while Muria continued to acquire power within the Douglas family, events started to unfold within the Federation that could change the world.

Firstly, for the first time in three hundred years since the decline of Martial Artists, the first Martial Supreme, Aine, made his romance public. The news, unsurprisingly, aggressively dominated the headlines of major news websites and remained hotly discussed.

It was because of this that Golden Dragon Mother shifted from behind the scenes to the forefront, began to take control of everything, and no longer remained patient. She started to use the resources she had accumulated over the past years to aggressively expand and acquire even more benefits.

With the influence of the Martial Supreme, who had already defeated seventeen Titled Star Armor Masters in single combat, Golden Dragon Mother’s business expansion faced little resistance. It was almost smooth sailing, with some people even going out of their way to make things more convenient for her.

After stepping into the limelight, the first thing Golden Dragon Mother did was start to join forces with the government to suppress the myriad Martial Arts Halls that had sprung up like bamboo after the rain in the Federation. Most of these Martial Arts Halls lacked substance and were primarily established to swindle money.

In the absence of Muria’s involvement, the Martial Arts Hall opened by Golden Dragon Mother quickly monopolized the Federation’s martial arts industry, becoming a giant in this nascent sector.

Time passed, and Muria became an irreplaceable presence within the Douglas family. Thanks to the features of his Dharma Appearance, he easily amassed a vast and influential stronghold within the family and became a pivotal figure in the Douglas family.

…

And so, Muria spent two peaceful years until, when he was about to proceed with university as planned, he received a notification from the family.

“Jelos, how is your cultivation coming along? How much has your strength increased?” As Muria entered the family’s conference room, a smiling elder approached him and asked.

“Stronger than yesterday,” replied Muria, now fully grown into a handsome young man, with a smile.

Hearing Muria’s response, the elder turned to exchange glances with several other elders who looked both old and youthful. A smile appeared on their faces, for Muria’s increasing strength was greatly beneficial to these elders who had received his martial arts power seeds.

“Truly deserving of the title of first Martial Arts Genius. By rights, at your level, each advancement should require a significant amount of time. However, it seems as if you don’t have to worry about this issue at all, and your strength improves every day.”

“What’s the reason for calling me here today?” Muria responded to the roomful of flattering remarks with a smile before inquiring further.

“The family wants you to lead a team to the Crimson Plain and support the Flash Silver Empire.”

“You want me to go to the Flash Silver Empire now? Shouldn’t you wait until I graduate from university before sending me?”

“That won’t do. By the time you graduate from university, your strength might be even greater, and participating in this war isn’t about having the greatest strength. The level you’re at now is sufficient.”

“Alright, but am I really the right fit to lead?” Muria raised an eyebrow.

In the Otherworld, the most formidable enemies of humanity were the Different Species that descended from beyond the stars. The Flash Silver Empire, one of the three human colossuses, would confront them due to geographical factors.

Of course, it was not just the Empire fighting alone. The Stars Congregation and the Zijing Federation would send vast amounts of resources to the Flash Silver Empire every year, along with enough armies to provide support.

As one of the top clans in the Federation, the Douglas family had an unavoidable responsibility in this matter. They, too, were required to send a considerable number of elite clan members to partake in the war.

“With your strength, there’s nothing inappropriate about it. No one will oppose you leading the team!” an elder said with a reassuring smile.

“But isn’t it customary to appoint an elder as the leader according to past practice?” Muria touched his nose.

“Of course, this time there will also be an elder accompanying you, but he is there merely to assist you. You’ll be leading the team, coordinating everything.”

“Hmm, okay then,” Muria agreed upon hearing this arrangement.

“Jelos, the decision to have you participate in this war is a necessary one that the family has made in a difficult situation. The Federation and the Empire have signed a Contract, and we, the Four Great Families, cannot defy it,” said the elder, as everyone in the room turned serious after Muria’s agreement.

“I understand.”

“In this war, the family has only one requirement of you: survive. And as the team leader, so long as the death rate among the clan members you bring with you does not exceed fifty percent, no one in the family will dare hold you accountable for this matter.”

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read