Lin Wencheng frowned upon seeing this. "You're all grown up, yet you're still crying here, in front of the children. Aren't you ashamed?"
Hearing his old father's words, Lin Yong finally let go of his embrace of his children and wiped away the tears that hadn't fallen. "I am ashamed, but in front of you, Dad, I'm not."
Only now did the heavy burden he had carried finally lift.
His father and children were safe. This was the best outcome. As for the price he would have to pay to redeem them, he no longer cared.
No price was more important than his family's safety.
Next, Deng He got down to business, inquiring about Lin Wencheng's detailed experiences after setting foot in the Great Wilderness.
When they learned that the Nix was sunk by a giant octopus sea beast, Deng He and the others broke out in a cold sweat.
Fortunately, no tragedy occurred in the end, and everyone safely reached the shore.
Then came the camping, the exploration of the Giant King's Forest, encountering winged tigers, deaths, being discovered by cultivators, and then being captured and confined to this mansion.
After listening, Deng He exclaimed in amazement, "Old Lin, your experiences were quite perilous. If anything had gone wrong, it would have been a total annihilation!"
They themselves had experienced the terror of sea beasts and the ferocity of the Iron Winged Tiger, which even firearms might not be able to kill.
The passengers on the Nix were indeed very lucky to have survived!
Lin Wencheng nodded in agreement. Not only that, but they had also obtained cultivation techniques and could become cultivators. This was the greatest opportunity!
Deng He and the others were also incredibly shocked to hear this!
They had not expected the Great Gan Dynasty to be so generous, not keeping cultivation methods a secret but instead sharing them. This showed a much grander vision.
Lin Yong's expression was complex, his gaze distant, as he learned that his daughter was to participate in the Great Gan Emperor's selection of consorts. This sudden news completely bewildered him, making it impossible to accept.
Lin Xue was only eighteen years old, and she was already going to be married?
Moreover, she was to marry someone who was possibly an alien, and who practiced polygamy. How could Lin Yong, who had received a modern education, accept this?
He gritted his teeth and quietly promised his daughter that no matter the cost, he would never let her fall into such a predicament.
But Lin Xue decisively and ruthlessly refused, causing him to question his very existence.
Was his "little cotton-padded jacket" no longer keeping him warm?
"Dad, you don't need to worry about me. I'm doing this willingly. I've met the Great Gan Emperor, and he... he's incredibly handsome," Lin Xue said, her face slightly flushed.
Seeing this, Lin Yong felt as if something had pierced his heart; it was painful and suffocating.
Lin Wencheng, seeing his son's ashen face, looking as if he had eaten something foul, began to persuade and comfort him.
Deng He was greatly shocked to learn that his old comrade's daughter had been favored by the Great Gan Emperor.
This was a result they had never anticipated before coming.
Who was the Great Gan Emperor? He was the ruler of countless cultivators, the Emperor of Cultivators.
To be favored by the Great Gan Emperor was truly... a stroke of immense luck.
...
In the imperial bedchamber.
The moment Fan Cheng's spaceship entered the imperial capital, Xu Mo had already sensed it.
With his current Saint realm cultivation, his mental power could easily cover the entire imperial capital, and no movement within it could escape his notice.
He had originally planned to "work overtime" and receive the representatives from various countries on Earth. However, Fan Cheng, upon returning to the imperial capital, had rushed home to see his wife and son and had not brought the representatives to the palace for an audience.
Seeing this, Xu Mo decided not to "work overtime" and would receive them tomorrow.
Just as he was about to rest, he suddenly remembered something and directly released the drifting bottle from the Chaos Furnace.
Xu Mo commanded directly, "Take out the piece of paper inside you and let me see it!"
He had his eye on the parchment within the drifting bottle, which the bottle had been holding onto for so long that he had almost forgotten about it.
The drifting bottle had been cooped up in the furnace for a long time. Just as it was taking a breath of fresh air, it heard Xu Mo's forceful tone and felt a surge of annoyance!
"No, you haven't earned my approval yet, so I won't give you the Crossing Mark!" the drifting bottle declared.
Xu Mo raised an eyebrow slightly. "Oh? I need your approval?"
The drifting bottle stated matter-of-factly, "Naturally. Although you are a Saint, if you haven't been recognized by a Crossing Envoy, the Crossing Mark will not be given to you."
Letting this fellow show off? Now he was begging this bottle?
Want the Crossing Mark? Dream on! He wouldn't give it to the Empress of the Golden Empire either!
Xu Mo watched the drifting bottle bobbing around in the air, truly acting like a fool.
He remained silent and silently materialized the Chaos Furnace from within himself. The black chaotic flames blazed ferociously, distorting the very air.
"Wait a moment! I was just joking. I didn't expect you wouldn't understand. Forget it, Earthlings' humor isn't something you primitives from remote worlds can comprehend. Here's the Crossing Mark," the drifting bottle said rapidly.
Then, its mouth opened, and a piece of parchment flew into Xu Mo's hand.
As the parchment landed in his hand, Xu Mo retracted the Chaos Furnace into his body.
This troublesome bottle, without a bit of threat, would get carried away. It was a bully who picked on the weak and feared the strong. Earthlings' humor? Did it really think he wasn't from Earth? Didn't understand humor?
Examining the parchment closely, Xu Mo saw many runes he didn't recognize. Other than that, there was nothing special about it.
"This is the Crossing Mark, the ticket to the Crossing?" Xu Mo asked suspiciously.
The drifting bottle sealed its mouth again, and another piece of parchment instantly appeared inside. It said, "That's right. Only by possessing the Crossing Mark can one leave their world and enter Earth for the Crossing."
It also mentioned that the Crossing Mark could be shared, but only with cultivators below the Saint realm, allowing them to enter Earth as well.