With the plan suggested by Lami, the Crown Prince successfully acquired the treasure legitimately without having to fight the Second Prince , contrary to what the noble families had hoped. The plan involved manipulating public opinion to portray the Second Prince as a tyrant who hoarded the treasure for himself without sharing it with anyone. The Crown Prince would incite the noble families and the commoners to demand that the Second Prince relinquish the treasure, a stance the noble families would gladly support, believing they would also receive a share of the spoils.
After cornering the Second Prince, the Crown Prince would suggest that he give the treasure to the King, who could then distribute it equally among those who had made contributions to the kingdom, without bias. However, everyone knew that the King would likely return the treasure to the Crown Prince, his favorite son. With the King's name invoked, no one could oppose the idea, and any noble families that might have protested found themselves trapped by their prior support of the Crown Prince in the effort to corner the Second Prince.
Thus, the cornered Second Prince had no choice but to surrender the treasure to a foundation-building cultivator, a subordinate of the King, in the name of donating the treasure to the kingdom. The Second Prince also acted convincingly, appearing genuinely cornered by the Crown Prince. However, with the backing of Team Leader D, he understood that the treasure would ultimately belong to him. As a result, he didn't resist too much. In contrast to what Lami and the Crown Prince had hoped, he attempted to build a reputation that portrayed the Crown Prince as a bully who snatched the treasure from him under the guise of benefiting the kingdom.
Additionally, the Second Prince obtained many low-level herbs that surrounded the main treasure. These herbs attracted less attention than the main treasure, allowing him to strengthen his forces comprised of low-level cultivators without arousing suspicion.
After the whole farce ended, Anna and Tania once again appeared before everyone. This time, they made a flashy entrance by appearing on a flying treasure boat, which was impossible to acquire unless one was from a powerful Tier 1 nation. The ship was over 20 meters long and had a beautiful white color that illuminated the dark forest, capturing everyone's attention. It radiated the spiritual aura of an innate treasure, and the energy waves emanating from it overwhelmed the lower-level cultivators, covering the entire area where the cultivators had gathered. The people from the Dragon Kingdom had never seen a treasure of this level and were astonished to witness it up close.
Anna and Tania maintained their aloof personas. Many nobles wanted to talk to them, but they were so shocked by the flying ship that they couldn't find their voices. Both of them ignored everyone and had the members of the Drakaras Clan board the flying ship before soaring back to the Dragon Kingdom.
"Oh my God, was that a flying treasure? It's the first time I've ever seen something like that!" exclaimed Person A from the crowd.
"Yes, they are indeed the lords from Tier 1 countries. I will never forget this for the rest of my life," replied Person B.
"Yes, yes, I've always known that the Drakaras Clan is not simple, and this proves it even more. But why have these lords from a Tier 1 country come to this backwater area?" asked Person C.
"Hmph! What do these commoners know? I heard the Drakaras Clan talking about the lords. They are here on a mission, and I also heard they will be staying for some time," spoke the head of Noble Family A, his eyes shining with excitement.
"Yes, an alchemist and a high-level artifact refiner. I also heard they will refine a pill for anyone who brings them the treasure herb here," added a person bribed by Team Leader D. After hearing this, the Crown Prince's eyes gleamed with renewed hope, which had dimmed after losing the treasure to the Second Prince. He had previously doubted whether the Drakaras Clan was silently supporting the Second Prince, but now those suspicions seemed baseless.
This was his chance to gain support from the lords of a powerful Tier 1 country. After obtaining a pill from the lord alchemist, he could showcase his talent; perhaps they would take him as a disciple. As he considered this, the Crown Prince glanced at his fiancée, Lami. Recently, she had shown remarkable talent in alchemy that even surprised him. If he couldn't become a disciple, he could showcase Lami's talent to them, which would greatly increase his chances of gaining their support.
So he spoke directly to her, "Lami, when we get the herb, we will go to the Lord Alchemist to have him make a pill for us. You can also showcase your alchemical talent, which has improved so much lately. If they like your abilities, they may take you as a disciple. Then we will have the support of the Drakaras Clan, and nobody will dare to oppose us. What do you think? You can do this for me, right?"
Lami managed a smile, but inside, uncertainty churned. The soul of the old man in the ring had warned her not to trust the Drakaras Clan. Although she didn't fully trust him, he had helped her in many situations. However, the prospect of powerful support was tempting, and the intensity of the Crown Prince's gaze made it hard for her to decline. So, she replied in her sweetest voice, with a smile on her face "Of course, Your Highness. I will do everything you say. Don't worry; I will try my best to become the disciple of the Lord Alchemist."
On the flying ship, everyone was watching what was happening in the Dark Forest as they made their way to the Dragon Kingdom.
This was the effect Team Leader D had hoped for when he suggested making such a flashy entrance after the fight ended. Now that Anna and Tania were known, many would believe the rumors surrounding them. Low-tier countries near the Dark Forest would hear the news and come to the Dragon Kingdom to curry favor with them.
"Team Leader D, report," Anna ordered, wanting an explanation.
"Yes, my lord. The team leaders from every low-tier country have made contact, and they all face similar problems: the nobles and royal families are hoarding valuable resources that they refuse to release. However, these items have a high value in higher-tier countries and other continents. If we announce your presence and hold a black market auction here, we can acquire most of the valuable items these people have hoarded. We can claim we are only trading treasures at the auction, forcing them to bring out their hidden items for trade." The team leader paused for a moment before continuing with Grandma Tycoon's orders. "There are also some specific items Grandma Tycoon has requested we collect, as they may be helpful for my lord when ascending to the immortal world."
"Hmm, alright. Do as you see fit. If we find someone interesting, we will meet them. What do you think, Tania?" Anna had no issues with the plan; her clan would benefit significantly with this scam. Many treasures were preserved in the lower tiers, most of which were prepared by the Heavenly Dao for their chosen ones.
"I also have no objections. It seems that the battle for the throne in this little country will become quite interesting to watch, especially with many higher powers becoming involved from now on," Tania replied, her expression filled with anticipation at the thought of the intriguing developments that would unfold as they prepared the treasures for Lami, her half-sister.
Anna nodded and walked to the railing of the flying ship, gazing down at the passing mountains, waterfalls, and various natural wonders—sights that were mostly elusive in her previous life. She willed the ship to slow down as she took in the breathtaking scenery. It was a stunning sight; this was a world rich in spiritual energy, where nearly everything, living or non-living, possessed a spiritual essence that enhanced the beauty of the surroundings.
As the ship approached the Dragon Kingdom, the landscape transformed, with the sprawling forests and natural beauty receding into the distance. Anna chose not to stop the ship, allowing it to fly directly over the bordering cities of the Dragon Kingdom. She wanted to have more rumors surrounding them, so that it would ease the workload for the team leaders in their future endeavors.
When they reached the capital, Team Leader D guided them straight to the Drakaras Clan's location. Many citizens of the capital watched in awe as the flying ship soared above the city. Even the king was alarmed, fearing that someone from a foreign land had come to mount an attack. In response, numerous noble families, along with the royal family, discreetly sent out their personnel to investigate the situation. However, they lacked the courage to confront the Drakaras Clan directly, preventing them from uncovering any information.