"We're back..."

In the early morning light, Zhang Bin returned to Sanchahe Village, full of vigor. Before even entering the house, he bellowed loudly.

As for Chen Chaoyue and Ma Rufei, they had gone back the night before.

Zhang Bin had rested in the dense forest overnight, allowing his injuries to fully heal. His spirit was now exceptionally robust, and he had, of course, changed his clothes. His intention was to prevent his family from seeing him in a disheveled state so they wouldn't worry every time he went out.

Father Zhang and Mother Zhang, Xiao Fang, and Liu Ruolan all came out to greet him, overjoyed.

Zhang Lele also ran out giggling, flinging her arms around Zhang Bin's neck and cooing, "Brother, what gift did you bring back for me from your trip to the Island Nation?"

She was now on winter vacation and had just returned home the day before.

After a semester of studies and cultivation, Zhang Lele had changed dramatically. Once sallow and thin due to malnutrition, her skin was now fair with a rosy, healthy complexion, and her previously modest chest had developed into a pair of towering mountains. Even more miraculously, she had already reached the Rushing Pulse Realm and had opened five meridians.

This miracle occurred thanks to the Spiritual Water, coupled with the best cultivation techniques: the Three Purities Secret Technique and the Pure Heart Mystique. Her youth was also a factor; at only sixteen, her body was perfectly suited for developing its potential. In fact, Zhang Bin had also passed the cultivation methods on to Xiao Fang, Liu Ruolan, and his parents, but their practice had yielded no results. To this day, they remained ordinary people.

Zhang Bin nearly burst into tears. A trip to the Island Nation? It was a life-and-death gamble! The three of us nearly ended up as corpses, and my heart was even pierced by a Flying Sword. I was just lucky I had so many tricks up my sleeve and managed to return safely. How could I have possibly had time to buy any gifts?

"What? You went to the Island Nation and didn't even bring me a gift?" Zhang Lele was on the verge of tears. "Did you forget your little sister now that you have a wife?"

Everyone nearly fainted. Who says that? Shouldn't the saying be that you forget your mother once you get a wife?

Father Zhang and Mother Zhang didn't know whether to laugh or cry, and both Xiao Fang's and Liu Ruolan's pretty faces flushed scarlet with shyness.

Zhang Bin felt a bit awkward, but he couldn't bring himself to chide Lele. She had always been a well-behaved darling and an incredible academic ace who consistently held one of the top three spots in her grade. She was the family's pride and joy, their only one. It was because of a sister like her that their home was filled with laughter, which had helped the Zhang family through many difficult times.

So, he put on a mysterious air and said, "I did bring a gift back for you, but it's too precious to give to you right now. I'm afraid it might bring you danger."

"Quick, let me see!" Zhang Lele was over the moon with excitement.

Zhang Bin led her into a room and took out the last pearl from his Space Ring.

The pearl was nearly the size of a fist, crystal clear and exceptionally beautiful and alluring.

"Oh my goodness, a pearl this big?" Zhang Lele shouted in amazement, snatching the pearl. A fiery light erupted in her eyes as she stared at it, her gaze locked.

Father Zhang, Mother Zhang, Liu Ruolan, and Xiao Fang, who had followed them in, were also dumbstruck and could hardly believe their eyes. They had never seen, let alone heard of, such a large pearl.

"Sister-in-law Ruolan, how much do you think this pearl is worth?" Zhang Lele surprisingly didn't ask Zhang Bin but turned to Liu Ruolan instead.

One reason was to show off triumphantly. The other was that she genuinely admired Liu Ruolan; she knew Ruolan was worldly, came from a wealthy family, and would likely know the pearl's value.

"I can't estimate it accurately, but it should be worth tens of millions of RMB," Liu Ruolan said after a moment's hesitation.

"Tens of millions of RMB?" Zhang Lele's hand trembled, nearly dropping the pearl. She was stunned speechless; how could she possibly accept a gift worth tens of millions? Before Zhang Bin's lucky break, the Zhang family couldn't even afford meat. They wore the same clothes for years, specifically hand-me-downs from relatives.

However, Father Zhang was somewhat dismissive, saying proudly, "It's just tens of millions. A single winter melon we grow is worth several hundred million."

"What are you so proud of? That's all thanks to our son," Mother Zhang chided, giving him a stern look.

Father Zhang didn't dare speak anymore, his face a picture of dejection. Cultivating that winter melon was tough, after all! Even if I don't get the credit, I should at least get some acknowledgment for the hard work, right? But without the Spiritual Water my son provided, the winter melons I cultivated wouldn't sell for hundreds of millions, let alone several hundred yuan. It really is all his achievement.

"Brother, why would you give me such an expensive gift? Are you trying to scare me to death?" Zhang Lele said in shock, finally coming to her senses.

"Let me tell you, sis, this pearl was nurtured by a Pearl Clam that lived for over five hundred years. It's not worth just tens of millions like your sister-in-law said, but over 100 million USD. It's used for refining Special Elixirs. In the future, when you cultivate to the Qi Sea Boundary Great Perfection, you'll need it to refine an elixir. So, it's better if I hold onto it for now," Zhang Bin said.

"Worth over 100 million USD?"

This time, everyone was shocked. Even the now-wealthy Father Zhang was taken aback and dumbfounded. Liu Ruolan stood there stunned, speechless for a long time.

However, she had a feeling Zhang Bin hadn't actually bought Lele a gift at all, nor had he brought anything back. This was probably one of the treasures he'd acquired for his own cultivation. He was just bluffing to placate his sister.

And Zhang Bin's trick worked. Zhang Lele was thrilled, chirping and fluttering around like a little magpie. Of course, in the end, the pearl was still kept by Zhang Bin for safekeeping.

Immediately after, the family began to ask about Zhang Bin's experiences in the Island Nation.

Xiao Fang was the most curious. "I heard that women from the Island Nation are very gentle and beautiful. Is that true?"

Zhang Lele asked a peculiar question. "Brother, are people from the Island Nation really short? Can they be compared to Wu Dalang?"

Liu Ruolan asked with a teasing smile, "Did you get to realize the value of being a man in the Island Nation?"

The questions from Father Zhang and Mother Zhang were quite ordinary, focusing on the price of rice and vegetables there.

Zhang Bin was both amused and helpless, but he answered each of their questions, having Tutu look up most of the answers. He managed to satisfy everyone's curiosity.

Finally, Zhang Bin told them that he had achieved his goal for the trip. He had acquired special medicinal herbs, refined a Special Elixir, and had already broken through to the Liquid State. He had become much stronger. Although there were still masters in the world far more powerful than him whom he couldn't defeat, escaping with his life was not a problem. From this day forward, he was much safer, and his cultivation had entered a new stage. Moreover, because he had set up an Array Plate, Sanchahe Village was the safest place. They no longer needed to worry about assassins or having his cultivation disturbed.

However, he now owed a huge debt, chiefly 1.5 billion USD each to Ma Rufei and Chen Chaoyue. As for the money he borrowed from Su Man and Empress Zhu Danyan, he had already paid them back with his remaining funds.

Everyone was very happy and relieved. From now on, all they needed to do was work hard to earn money and help Zhang Bin pay off his debts, without having to worry about their safety. Though two billion USD was an astronomical figure, Zhang Bin's company was running well. The income from the beauty winter melons and the hotel was also not a small amount, so they weren't overly concerned.

And Xiao Fang also told Zhang Bin that Xiao Qian had captured a spy, who was now being held in a cave.

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