The Last Sentinel

Clouds and mist drifted, and celestial light shimmered like gold.

The Heavenly Court's War Logistics Department, located in all the heavens and myriad realms.

The clouds drifted slowly like cotton wool, and the beams and pillars of the palace were shrouded in fine golden light, with a faint fragrance of incense floating everywhere.

A wisp of smoke slowly rose from the fingertip, gracefully unfolding in the misty, ethereal atmosphere before silently dissipating.

In the misty corridor, two figures walked side by side, their robes brushing against the swirling clouds, their laughter echoing leisurely beneath the corridor.

"Butler Hua, I'm entrusting my son's mission to the blessed land of Flower Fruit Mountain to earn military merit to you!"

"Patriarch Qian! That's an overstatement of your term. What do you mean by 'earning military merit'? It refers to the heroic deeds of the young elites of all realms, who, unafraid of death, risk their lives to ensure lasting peace for all realms. It's the desperate act of suppressing the Demon-Locking Tower!"

"Yes, yes, Steward Hua is absolutely right! You truly deserve to be called a ruthless person from the Carbon-Based Universe. To deal with a sinister place like the Demon-Locking Tower, we need a peerless strategist like you! I must say, Lord Seven Deadly Sins of Greed is wise and powerful. With you here to oversee the rear camp, how could our Heavenly Court have any worries about this mere Demon-Locking Tower in the Carbon-Based Universe!"

"Therefore, we must cooperate sincerely and do our utmost to serve the Heavenly Court."

"I must say, Steward Hua, your awareness is truly superior. I, Qian, am ashamed of my own inferiority! Rest assured, I will pay you the remaining debts after my son goes to the battlefield! I will never go back on my word."

"Would a big shot like the Qian family head owe me such a small amount of money? I trust you completely! After all, we're both ambitious people!"

"That's right! Butler Hua, please wait, I'll take my leave!"

"Master Qian, please wait!"

With a gust of wind, the clouds dispersed and the fog vanished.

On the cold, desolate steps of the celestial palace, a celestial official stood silently with his hands behind his back.

He was slender, and the flowing cloud patterns on his wide-sleeved white robe shimmered with light as the immortal energy circulated.

He had a refined and handsome face, a pale complexion, long, narrow eyelashes that drooped gently, and a detached and indifferent expression.

A thin layer of ethereal mist swirled around him as he stood atop the layers of jade steps, like a solitary pine tree reflecting the moon, untouched by the mundane world.

The smooth and worldly demeanor he had displayed during the social interaction had completely vanished, leaving only a cold and lonely air.

A casual voice suddenly rang in my ears: "Hua Sang truly lives up to her reputation as a master strategist; she can pretend to be anything and be convincing in any role!"

Hua Xiaobai's body stiffened slightly, and she turned around abruptly, her narrow eyes suddenly narrowing, her expression showing a hint of astonishment.

In the shadow of the pillars stood a young man with a dejected expression.

A wrinkled black shirt hung loosely on his body, the collar askew, and the faded jeans were bunched up at the ankles. He wore a pair of worn-out, knock-off Nike sneakers, completely out of place in the magnificent and otherworldly celestial environment around him.

Hua Xiaobai's expression first turned unfamiliar, then her pupils suddenly constricted, and a storm of shock surged through her heart: "The boss? No, no way!"

"Don't be nervous." The dejected young man waved his hand casually, stepping out of the shadows with unhurried steps. There was no trace of pressure around him, and the earth-shattering aura of his true self was nowhere to be seen: "I am your boss, but I am not your boss."

Hua Xiaobai frowned slightly, her eyes filled with confusion, unable to grasp the meaning for a moment: "What do you mean?"

The dejected young man said, "I am indeed your boss, but I am not the perfect continent you imagine, the one who commands the wind and rain, whose mind is filled with nothing but battles and scheming!"

Hua Xiaobai blinked, still seemingly understanding but not quite. She raised her hand in a gesture of hospitality, saying, "How about this, boss, come with me into the Immortal Palace first. Let's brew a pot of tea and chat slowly."

Inside the hall, the jade tables gleamed, and the warm jade lamps emitted a soft glow, while the celestial tea on the tables steamed with rising heat.

"Great! And bring me some snacks and fruit too! Old Zi said this place is perfect for lounging around, where you can eat and drink well, so here I am." The young man didn't stand on ceremony and walked straight to the jade couch, plopped down, and leaned back lazily against the soft cushions.

"It's not just about eating and drinking well. If you want beautiful fairies to serve you in bed, boss, just give the order. The quality and quantity are no problem for me!" Hua Xiaobai waved his hand, and the maids outside the hall waited to obey his orders.

"Forget about women, the old man will kill me! Just eat and drink something!" The young man quickly waved his hand, looking resistant.

"No problem, come in and let's talk..."

The palace doors slowly closed, shutting out the hustle and bustle of the celestial court from the outside world.

Tea was brewed in a jade stove, and fresh fruits and delicacies were laid out on the table. The two sat down for a long talk.

As the words entered his ears, Hua Xiaobai's composure gradually faded, replaced by an undisguised shock. His fingertips unconsciously clenched his sleeves, his heart churning with turmoil.

After their conversation, Hua Xiaobai was so shocked she was almost incoherent: "The boss is truly the boss; he always thinks further ahead than me and acts more ruthlessly. As long as the boss is around, I'll always be a second-rate nobody!"

"Others are already pushing the limits with two-line operations, but the boss is going for eight!"

"Two words: awesome!"

The lazy bum casually picked up a fairy grape and tossed it into his mouth. Juice burst forth, and he chewed absentmindedly, mumbling, "With his old self in tow, he's now fighting on nine fronts! Nine fronts simultaneously!"

Hua Xiaobai's eyelids twitched, and her expression turned horrified: "Then, where is the boss himself?"

"I can't say that." The lazy guy waved his hand, his gaze fixed on the misty sea of ​​clouds outside the hall: "I can only tell you that he's playing a big game."

Hua Xiaobai nodded emphatically, his brows furrowed with admiration: "Indeed, you're playing a grand strategy! But, sir/madam, what brings you here?"

The guy who was just giving up leaned back, slumping onto the cushions in a relaxed and carefree manner: "Giving up, huh! Didn't you see?"

Hua Xiaobai blinked, her mind filled with doubt: "Wait, you came all this way just to slack off? You didn't come here with any mission or anything?"

"No!" The guy who was just giving up spread his hands, looking completely self-righteous. "What would I be thinking if I found work for myself? What's my situation now? If I die, someone will come back to life; if I lose, someone will cover for me. If I don't give up, am I supposed to compete with the other seven top performers for work?"

"Let me tell you, Hua Xiaobai, working like a beast of burden to complete tasks is a waste of your life!"

"Eating, drinking, having fun, and just lazing around—that's the real way to enjoy life!"

Looking at the other person's seemingly clueless and nonchalant attitude, Hua Xiaobai's heart stirred slightly, and she suddenly felt that there might be some truth to it. The thought vanished in an instant, and she quickly shook her head, secretly reminding herself that this logic was fallacy and shouldn't be pondered too closely!

He raised his hand and picked up the jade pot, then poured another cup of crystal-clear immortal wine for his lazy old man. The wine shimmered with tiny golden light in the jade cup: "I went to eight different places, but wouldn't it be a bit of a waste for the baby's boss [this little brat] to go to the Ming Dynasty? The baby doesn't understand anything, he can only drink milk, and he can't even convey his own thoughts. Isn't that a real pain?"

Bai Lan took a sip of the immortal wine, swallowed it, and gently shook his head: "You're wrong about that."

"Although I can't speak, I don't get angry, I have no emotions, and all I do is drink milk and sleep."

"But this kid possesses a trace of innate ancient clan divine essence that none of us, including myself, have!"

"That's the combined destiny and foundation of the Dragon-Taming Clan and the Xuanyuan Clan inherited from my mother!"

"This profound spiritual essence is of little use to mortals, but for the Ming Dynasty, which possesses the Nine Tripods, it is an auspicious omen."

"It can empower the Nine Provinces Cauldron, suppress the destiny of heaven and earth, and strengthen the Ming Dynasty's rule and prosperity!"

Hua Xiaobai nodded slightly, a realization dawning on her eyes: "That makes sense."

The lazybones continued, "To put it another way, let's not even talk about the effect of suppressing the Nine Provinces Cauldron, let's just talk about [this kid] personally."

"This humble servant is going to serve Emperor Jiajing. Who is Emperor Jiajing? He is suspicious, a cultivator of immortality, a controller of his ministers, a controller of the entire realm, and distrustful of everything!"

"What kind of atmosphere existed in the Ming Dynasty court? Powerful officials were vying for power, and the upright officials and the Yan faction were fighting tooth and nail. It was like a huge latrine, full of stinking, hard rocks!"

"Under such circumstances, as an infant, I am without desires, do not vie for power, do not seize fortune, do not speak, and do not create momentum! I perfectly meet the needs of the Ming Dynasty and will not cause trouble for my old self. It can be said that lying down is saving the world and existing is suppressing it."

"You could say that, besides me, I'm the most fortunate one. As for the others, I have to work, fight, strategize, and run errands—a lifetime of toil. They deserve to be busy until they die!" He raised his glass, beaming. "Come on, another one!"

"No, thank you! Please drink, boss!" Hua Xiaobai quickly raised her hand to decline.

"Don't call me boss. I still need to distinguish between myself and Ben. I still need to give him face." The lazy guy waved his hand.

Hua Xiaobai hesitated, "Then, what should I call you?"

"In terms of strength, [My True Self] is the eldest brother, [My Little One] is second among us, [Old Self] is third, [The Lonely One] is fourth, [Old Stomach] who delivers takeout is fifth, [Old Brain] who is a college student is sixth, [The Amnesiac High School Student] is seventh, [My Brother Who Doesn't Date] is eighth, and I should be considered the ninth. You can just call me Ninth."

"Ninth Brother, that's too presumptuous. I'll just call you Boss Ninth." Hua Xiaobai said respectfully after considering it for a moment.

"Whatever, whatever!" Old Nine didn't care at all, and casually picked up a piece of fairy cake and took a bite.

"Well then, Mr. Jiu, please have your drink first. I have some official business to attend to!" Hua Xiaobai stood up and straightened his large white robe.

"Go ahead, go ahead, I'll have plenty of good food and drink here. I'm a lazy person, I don't have high demands for life. As long as I'm alive and breathing, I'm comfortable..." Old Nine waved his hand, his gaze drifting to the surging clouds outside the hall. He picked up some fresh fruit and continued to enjoy this rare moment of leisure.

Hua Xiaobai slowly walked out of the palace gate, and the jade door closed gently.

He stood under the eaves, gazing at the swirling clouds in the sky, his heart still unable to find peace.

Dividing the troops into nine routes, boss, are you cosplaying Li Yunlong attacking Ping'an County?