From Abyssal Invasion to Bursting Stars with a Single Sword

Internal inspections were conducted within the Flame Emblem, while the national authorities appointed a department for investigations, leading to the replacement of two executives.

In fact, the Flame Emblem was established just over a year ago. Although some issues have arisen, they are not particularly serious.

The newly appointed executives have instituted stringent regulations to ensure strict discipline whenever possible.

As for whether a second Flame Emblem is needed, Lu Heng is still considering it, depending on future developments.

The Flame Emblem indeed holds significant power in industries like Quenching, but this strength entirely originates from the Quenching Castle.

Lu Heng is the one who holds the key to entering Quenching Castle, so the so-called power of the Flame Emblem has been restrained from the start, and it won't expand indefinitely.

In fact, over the past year, many financial conglomerates and capital groups have sent people to contact Master Gulu.

As Quenching Castle became a frequented alternate space building for Quenching Masters, Engravers, and Forging Masters, those financial conglomerates and capital groups have long understood the situation at Quenching Castle.

Therefore, those financial conglomerates and capital groups are aware of an important fact: Lu Heng is not the owner of Quenching Castle.

The real owner of the Quenching Castle is a Black Iron Dwarf named Gulu.

Lu Heng merely has a close relationship with Gulu.

In other words, Lu Heng does not have absolute authority in Quenching Castle.

If one day, Gulu chooses a new representative, that person would become the new ruler of the Quenching industry.

Thus, throughout this year, people have continuously reached out to Gulu, hoping to earn trust from this Black Iron Dwarf.

However, all attempts have failed.

Whether it's money or other benefits, nothing can make Gulu change his mind.

In fact.

Gulu does not reject communication with these people, and his requirement is quite simple: he hopes that humans can help Black Iron Dwarves in the Abyss World.

As long as Superpower Users assist the Black Iron Dwarves in the Abyss World, they will receive corresponding rewards from Gulu, including reputation, favorability with Quenching Castle, or other tangible rewards.

However, this requirement poses a considerable challenge for the average Superpower User.

What would it take to replace Lu Heng's position?

Lu Heng once saved the Darkville Black Iron Tribe of the Molten Lava Plain, helping them regain Black Stone City.

And in the Dragon Sleep World, he helped the Black Iron Dwarf Kingdom prevent the revival of the Flame Demon Gross, all constituting contributions to saving an entire Black Iron Dwarf Tribe.

To replace Lu Heng, one must at least rescue two Black Iron Dwarf Tribes.

Therefore, these financial conglomerates and capital groups have no idea how difficult this task is.

...

After the internal inspection of the Flame Emblem concluded, the Superpower User named Ke Yiming returned to Quenching Castle, seeking another conversation with Lu Heng.

It was, after all, Ke Yiming who alerted them to the issues within the Flame Emblem, which should be appreciated as a form of assistance.

Furthermore, Lu Heng was curious about this person, so he invited him to the tea room.

"Regarding the suggestion I made last time, Mr. Lu, have you given it any consideration?" Ke Yiming didn't indulge in formalities; he dove straight into the subject after sitting down.

"I currently have no such plans, and the Flame Emblem is operating well." Lu Heng picked up the teapot and poured himself a cup of tea, then poured one for him as well.

"The internal inspection of the Flame Emblem was indeed swift, but our Liwei Mercenary Group isn't necessarily striving to become the second Flame Emblem; we merely hope to gain an opportunity. To this end, we can provide you with valuable intelligence about a certain financial conglomerate's connection with the Abyss Demon King, who intends to act against you." Ke Yiming brought up the intelligence again.

Lu Heng's expression remained unfazed; he picked up his tea and took a sip, responding casually: "If the intelligence is valid, I can buy it with money or exchange it for other items. At the moment, Quenching Castle is not expanding new portals."

Ke Yiming was in no rush; he continued: "Alright. Concerning this intelligence, I'll add a little more detail: the financial conglomerate is the Saville Family.

"The Saville Consortium is one of the major shareholders in the Grace Quenching Service Company, which explains their hostility towards you.

"Our Liwei Mercenary Group has channels within the Saville Consortium, enabling us to access certain intelligence.

"The Saville Family has Spirit Communicators able to communicate with certain entities in the Abyss World.

"If you're willing to accept our good intentions, the Liwei Mercenary Group can help clear some of your obstacles."

Upon hearing of the Saville Consortium, Lu Heng's eyebrows slightly furrowed, given the significant impression the consortium's name held in his memory.

Because the Saville Consortium was the very trigger for the changes in the world rules during the Abyss Era.

The change of eras follows a process.

With each era's transition, the world's rules undergo alteration.

The ASE Alliance families had established the original financial system, indirectly controlling the world through financial means, even infiltrating the White Eagle Federation.

One can imagine the formidable power of this financial system.

However, with the dawn of the Abyss Era and the emergence of the Transcendents, this world-rule system faced challenges.

In this life, the one breaking the world rules is Lu Heng, and in the last life, it was actually this person named Ke Yiming standing before him.

Yes.

The reason Lu Heng found Ke Yiming so intriguing is that he was the one who shattered the world rules in the previous life.

He is publicly known as the first person to achieve the Fourth Transition Rank, with the class name [Death God's Deputy].

After he returned from the Sea Demon World, he made a move against a consortium family, and that family is the Saville Family.

The Saville Family, originating from Lion City, has a history of only a few decades.

Among Western nobles, those with deep-rooted heritage are described with an interesting term called "old money."

The newly emerged wealthy individuals, however, are referred to as "new money," a term that carries a connotation similar to the nouveau riche.

In essence, "new money" is often ridiculed in the eyes of Western nobility.

Undoubtedly, the Planter family represents the most esteemed kind of old money, though it has now completely fallen.

The Saville Family, as a newly risen consortium, is categorized as new money and is considered inconsequential by Western nobility.

Of course, before the Abyss Descent, money and wealth were the most important things.

Even for ancient nobility, if they ran out of money, they would end in ruin.

In the previous life, the Saville Family was attacked by Ke Yiming and his Liwei Mercenary Group, ending in a fate worse than the Planter family.

Because of this event, the tycoon families and capital groups in the human world began to realize that the rules of the game had changed.

In this lifetime, things have changed a bit.

The person breaking the rules this time was not Ke Yiming, and the fallen tycoon is not the Saville Family.

Because of this knowledge, when Lu Heng heard the "Saville" name from Ke Yiming's mouth, many fascinating events from the past came to his mind.

In the previous lifetime, Ke Yiming, at the peak of his Fourth Transition Rank, destroyed the Saville Family.

But in this lifetime, he didn't achieve the Fourth Transition Rank, yet he mentioned the Saville Family to Lu Heng.

What is his purpose?

Is he trying to borrow someone else's knife to do the killing?

There must be other reasons hidden in why he destroyed the Saville Family before.

Perhaps it was for profit, revenge, or something else.

The timeline in this lifetime has changed, but certainly, some things have not.

Ke Yiming surely has a purpose in bringing up the Saville Family's name.

Lu Heng discreetly placed down his teacup and pondered, "The Saville Family?"

"Yes, their family has a Spirit Communicator. Do you know what a Spirit Communicator is?" Ke Yiming emphasized again.

Lu Heng nodded slightly and replied, "I know."

A Spirit Communicator is a special class that can communicate with powerful entities through a special medium.

If they are powerful, a Spirit Communicator can even obtain power granted by these entities from otherworlds.

Therefore, their combat power can sometimes be exaggerated, but it's not originally theirs; it's granted by superpower users.

So, a Spirit Communicator may often be a pawn placed in the human world by a powerful entity from another world.

If indeed the Saville Family had such a Spirit Communicator, did this Spirit Communicator exist in the previous life?

Lu Heng reckoned it probably did.

Since being reborn, one year and eight months have passed, enough time to summarize many patterns.

The major events in the human world following the Abyss invasion have changed very little.

The timing of events is almost identical.

For instance, the conscription by the Sea Demon World occurred at nearly the same time, even if the individuals conscripted changed.

Additionally, the proliferation of superpower potions also occurred.

These events seemed destined to happen and wouldn't change due to anyone's influence.

After summarizing these patterns, Lu Heng confirmed one point: only things he personally changed would alter and affect adjacent events.

For example, the proliferation of superpower potions. Lu Heng foresaw it and warned the Da Xia government, resulting in an earlier ban on superpower potion transactions in Da Xia, significantly reducing their damage compared to the previous life.

However, since Lu Heng had not engaged with the Saville Consortium's matters before, this family's development should be similar to the previous life.

Thus, this Spirit Communicator should exist.

This implies that Ke Yiming's main intention is not to help himself or to enter Quenching Castle; rather, he aims to use someone else to eliminate the Saville Family.

Lu Heng gazed into his eyes and asked, "Do you have more detailed information? The more detailed about the Saville Family, the better."

Lu Heng suspected that the other party's goal was to use him to deal with the Saville Family.

If this suspicion is correct, then he shouldn't mind handing over information on the Saville Family.

As expected, Ke Yiming pondered for a moment and agreed, "I'll pass you the information on the Saville Family soon, as a gesture of sincerity."

Seeing his straightforwardness only confirmed Lu Heng's suspicion further.