Swallowing the Stars: Ten Thousand Times Return for Taking on Disciples

Chapter 17 Thank you for saving us
Qiulongxing, inside a plant shop in a remote location.

The petite Mona carefully dripped a drop of liquid, rich in life force, into a flowerbed.

In the center of the flowerbed, a tender green bud, only a few centimeters tall, sways gently, its leaves shimmering with light, as if one can feel its silent joy.

"Mona! Mona!"

An old, excited voice broke the silence.

Mona turned her head and saw an elderly man with white hair and beard standing at the door, his face full of excitement.

"What's wrong, Great-Grandpa?" Mona stood up curiously.

"Great news! Incredibly great news!" The old man's voice trembled, and he almost couldn't catch his breath. As a ninth-level planetary-level martial artist whose life was about to end, he was radiant with joy at this moment.

"Your brother Tamu just sent word! Those three demons on the Illusionary Star... are dead! They're all dead!"

"Really?" Mona's watery eyes suddenly lit up. "How is that possible? They're so powerful..."

"Absolutely true!" The old man nodded vigorously, then coughed twice. "Tamu personally verified it! The planetary lord's name has already been changed!"

"I knew it! I knew those demons would come to this sooner or later!" Tears welled up in the old man's cloudy eyes.

He choked back tears, then continued, "Mona, the demon is dead, and your parents can rest in peace. And you... you're not a slave. You're a shop employee now, with legal status in the Carlo Empire. In the future... you can go back to the Rainbow Star for me..."

He paused, his tone filled with deep anticipation: "After I die, can you and Tamu take my ashes back? I want... to rest in peace on the planet Fantasy."

Mona was lucky; she was taken to Qiulong Star to be sold while still an apprentice, thus avoiding the implantation of a slave chip. Even more fortunate, she met her great-grandfather and another fellow villager, Tamu.

Together, the two redeemed her and helped her register a legal identity after she broke through to the planetary level. The shop owner was understanding and, upon learning of the situation, even gave her a job, allowing her to settle down and make a living on Qiulong Star.

"I wonder... how this new lord will treat us, the people of the Rainbow Star?" Mona still had a lingering worry in her eyes.

“Grandpa,” Mona said firmly, “if that new lord isn’t so…wicked, and doesn’t sell our people so easily, my brother Tamu and I will definitely take you back to your roots!”

"That man... he must be a kind lord, right?" the old man asked, unsure.

Just then, a burly man, resembling a small giant, strode in; it was Tamu.

"Mona, it seems Grandpa has already told you the good news. Our home planet has a new ruler! I have the latest news!" Tamu's voice was loud and excited. "That ruler has summoned all the planet's planetary-level and above people..."

“He said he was going on an adventure to a faraway place, and the management of the planet… would be handed over directly to our Rainbow Star Clan! Now the clansmen are planning to raise money to buy me and my great-grandfather back to take charge of the situation.”

"Give us... management rights?" Mona could hardly believe her ears. "That lord... is actually so kind?"

“Absolutely true!” Tamu nodded vigorously. “When I received the news, that lord had already left Illusionary Star. It is said that he is the disciple of a super strong person, and even the staff of the Black Dragon Mountain Empire’s garrison in the Carlo Empire treat them with utmost respect.”

"Brother Tamu, do you have any information about that lord?" Mona asked eagerly, overjoyed.

"Yes, the tribesmen have sent back some news. The lord's name is Lei..." Tamu said, while operating the instrument on his wrist. "Yes, Lei Ming. The tribesmen have also sent back images..."

"Thunder?!"

Mona froze instantly, her voice trembling with disbelief: "That lord named Lei Ming... is he... the boy with a single horn on his head?"

Just then, Tamu turned on the video. The young, resolute face on the screen instantly confirmed her guess.

"It's him! It really is him!" Mona stared intently at the image Tamu was showing her, tears streaming down her face. "Mona! Mona! What's wrong? Why are you crying? What happened?" Tamu and the old man were at a loss, taken aback by her intense reaction.

Mona wiped away her tears forcefully, her voice choked with sobs: "I know him. Remember the friend I told you about on Qiulong Star not long ago? That's him... The first time I just gave him directions, and when we met again, we talked a lot... I just wanted to confide in a stranger about my pain, but I never expected..."

The boy's resolute expression and words clearly appeared in her mind: "I will cultivate with my teacher and become a strong person in the future. When I become strong enough, I will definitely help you rescue all the people of Illusionary Star!"

At the time, Mona only took it as a distant and warm comfort, a kind joke. She never imagined that in such a short time, he would actually...do it.

Mona recounted without reservation how she met Lei Ming and his promises, leaving Tamu and the old man speechless.

"Mona... thank you, you are the benefactor of our entire race on the Illusionary Star! You... indirectly saved all our people!" The old man was so moved that tears streamed down his face.

"Sister Mona!" Tamu's voice choked with emotion, "If you ever meet that benefactor again, please be sure to thank him properly for me!"

……

With a soft creak, the shop door was pushed open. The elegantly dressed, slightly plump shop owner walked in with a smile.

"Ahem, sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop." The boss's voice was gentle, filled with sincere congratulations. "Congratulations."

"Boss!" The three of them quickly bowed respectfully. Their boss must be quite powerful, backed by a powerful force, to be able to open a shop on Qiulong Star.

“Amu, Lao Meng,” the shopkeeper’s gaze swept over Tamu and the old man, “you’ve been working in my shop for over five hundred years, haven’t you?”

“Yes, boss!” the old man and Tamu replied hastily. “Thank you for rescuing us from the slave market five hundred years ago and giving us such a peaceful life.”

The shop owner's round face beamed with an even wider smile: "I have seen your hard work and loyalty. Over the years, you have long since paid off your debts for redemption. Now that your home planet has returned, it is necessary for you to go back and take charge..." He paused, his tone gentle yet undeniable: "I will grant you your freedom."

"Boss?" the three exclaimed simultaneously, almost unable to believe their ears.

“Go ahead,” the boss waved his hand. “The planet Fantasy needs you more. Do you have enough money to buy return interstellar tickets? If not, I can lend you some.”

The three were completely stunned, exchanging bewildered glances. Their boss usually treated them fairly well, but his generosity, even offering to lend them money, was truly unexpected.

However, their yearning for freedom overwhelmed everything, and they ultimately did not refuse this unexpected gift.

……

Watching the three leave the shop with gratitude and anticipation, the shop owner's well-to-do face revealed a shrewd smile.

“Lei Ming… he must be the young man who came to Qiulong Star with Lord Lu Qingshan a year ago, right? He’s actually Lord Lu’s personal disciple…”

"These slaves of the Illusionary Star are incredibly lucky; they actually managed to become disciples of that powerful figure."

Anyone with a bit of ability could guess the gist of this matter with just a few clues.

The three planetary lords were wiped out, but the Black Dragon Mountain base didn't investigate. Instead, they quickly identified new lords.

There is no other explanation other than the new lord having a powerful background.

Two planetary-level slaves are nothing to him; sometimes, they might cost more than a single meal.

If these two people can be used to gain that disciple, or even just a little bit of his favor, it would be a sure-fire deal.

How could a businessman possibly do business that loses money?
(End of this chapter)