Poverty makes me capable of anything.

You're really something, Chick! You're helping outsiders dig up your own family's ancestral graves!

They were absolutely right to be called unfilial descendants.

Now Anran roughly knows what Leander's purpose is.

Just as they extracted the souls of devouring monsters in the Beast Territory, they intended to extract the soul of one of the Giant Spirit Clan's ancestors using a similar method.

The extraction ritual requires the blood of the ruler's direct descendants.

"It seems your plans are going to fall through."

After learning their purpose, An Ran had no way of handing An Qianqian over.

She is now very glad that she brought An Qianqian to the Pioneer Ruins.

Otherwise, if the Silver Moonlight people were to take the risk and launch a second attack on her temporary base, she would definitely be able to protect An Qianqian.

Leander knew things were going to be difficult.

It's not that he's afraid to take action against the Cult of Machines.

Time is of the essence.

A month?

If it drags on a little longer, it might not be a month, but two or three months.

He came to the Exile Empire this time for a grander goal, and he cannot confine himself here forever.

Leander finally suppressed his anger. He sighed and said to Chick, "I'll do my best. You should also try to contact them and see if you can get the Primal Blood. But there's one thing I must make clear: I can't wait indefinitely. After all, this is a critical period for perfecting the Originium."

Chick quickly apologized, "I understand, I understand, I'll contact Anran right away."

He said this, but Chick was really unsure.

He finally mustered up the courage to contact Anran.

"Lord Anran, there's something I need your permission for..."

After explaining his purpose, Chik lowered his head, full of sincerity: "All of this is for the good of the Giant Spirit Clan."

"Ah."

An Ran nodded, and then nothing more was said.

After waiting for a while, Chick couldn't help but ask, "Sovereign Anran, what's your opinion?"

"I think you're dreaming," An Ran said, shrugging. "But what does that have to do with me?"

Chick said, "This will increase Miss Qianqian's chances of advancing to the Star Domain Ruler level."

“Even if we don’t do that, Qianqian can still advance.”

"Peaceful Ruler..."

An Ran's smile carried a sense of distance: "I can help Cherny advance to the Dominator level, and I can help Qianqian advance to the Dominator level as well."

That confidence left Chick speechless.

What else could he say?

No, you can't!

I reckon Anran will be going to lecture him after she finishes speaking.

Chick could only end his conversation with Anran in frustration.

Even if he harbored resentment in his heart, Chick dared not say it out loud.

Anran is now a favorite of the War Court.

Even those veteran second-level court envoys wouldn't dare to cause her trouble during such a special period, let alone a nobody like him who isn't even a ruler.

He was at his wit's end.

Similarly, Leander is now out of options as well.

"Cannot be sensed."

Hayden said, "Well, there's nothing we can do about that."

He really didn't know anything about this.

Otherwise, there would have been no need for Larriandl to come over.

Leander speculated, "The problem shouldn't be with Chick, so it must be with An Qianqian."

Hayden nodded: "So what are you planning to do next?"

“I’ll report what happened here to Lumina. You’ll be in charge here from now on. Just give them a perfunctory answer. Monica should be here in a few days. I need to keep an eye on her and make sure she doesn’t run around.”

"I understand."

Leander's inner world was not as calm as he appeared.

His luck seems to have been a bit off lately.

But is it really just bad luck?

"The investigation into An Ran's identity..."

During his conversation with Lumina, Leander asked about this again.

Lumina replied, "I can only say that we have a slight clue."

According to Lumina, a long, long time ago, there was a mechanic whose strength was perhaps much greater than that of Vesta.

He possessed a special power.

With this power, he can temporarily enhance the machines he controls, similar to enchanting them.

This made that mechanic almost the pinnacle of combat power among the rulers of that era.

"hiss--"

Leander gasped.

Horror!

So, once Anran recovers to her peak condition, even Lumina might not be her match.

Provoking such an enemy could very negatively impact their plans.

"It seems the only option is to eliminate her once she's fully grown up!" Leander said.

Lumina calmly said, "I guess An Ran might be one of his students."

"..."

Leander's face stiffened.

Can you finish what you're saying all at once?

Lumina said, "If my guess is correct, then we don't need to worry too much. Even if she recovers her full strength, she still won't be a match for you."

Leander nodded expressionlessly.

So all his worries were for nothing?

"You go ahead and do your thing, I'll try to get in touch with her."

Lumina smiled; she seemed very interested in it.

That person, was he once her old "friend"?

……

Although Chik tried his best to keep Hayden, the cooperation between the Giant Spirit Clan and the Originium Worship Society still failed ten days later.

Seeing Hayden and the members of the Originium Worship Ceremony leave, Anran immediately took action.

The quest "The Past of the Giants" was completed, and she successfully obtained 100 billion free experience points and the Heart of Arrogance.

The so-called Heart of Flame is a one-time use item similar to a soul-searching device, but it can only be used to search for the soul of a specific object.

This time, An Ran went there in person.

She made no noise on her way to the home planet of the Giant Spirits.

The search process went very smoothly, and Anran located the weak soul on the map in less than two minutes.

The soul was hidden in an ordinary cemetery, completely inconspicuous.

Even after Anran bound that soul into the alchemical artifact, she still felt that it was somewhat unreal.

Is this the posthumous version of "the great hermit lives in seclusion in the city"?

An Ran left the Giant Spirit Clan's home planet with her soul.

She didn't know how to awaken this soul, but that wasn't a problem; as someone who had been through it all, the Devouring Beast would surely know.

"You mean this? It's simple."

Nia took the alchemical tools from An Ran and shook them vigorously.

As she shook him, she roused the sleeping soul.

"..."

Since the hidden quest had been triggered, An Ran didn't say anything.

Hidden quest: [Heart of the Giant].

The mission requires you to safely locate the original descendants of the Giant Spirit Clan.

Isn't An Qianqian a descendant of the Giant Spirit Clan?

The task she had just received was completed before she even had a chance to warm it up.

After submitting the task, An Ran received 20 billion free experience points, 1 Power Enhancement Fruit, and 1 fragment of the title "Highly Respected".

One fruit can increase an attribute by 20 points.

The title fragment is more valuable.

Including this one, Anran has collected four; one more will grant her a new title.

"You two can talk slowly!"