Set out for the ruins and trigger a ‘C’ level mission?

"Today, I will take people to the Orchid Kingdom to explore that ancient ruin!"

"Bing Lan hasn't returned yet, so we won't wait for her."

Thinking of this, Cao Xing quickly pressed the communication device on his ear and issued an order.

"All territory members, come to the center of the territory to assemble now."

Hearing the command, the more than eight thousand people in the entire territory began to take action.

Cao Xing simply washed up, then pushed open the door of the Lords Castle.

He stood in the center of the territory, looking at the thousands of people converging from all directions, his heart filled with a sense of accomplishment.

After all, these were the forces he had built up with his own hands.

A few minutes later, all members had assembled and lined up.

Cao Xing didn't waste any time and got straight to the point: "Next, I will be leading a group of members out, and I need to leave for a period of time."

"During the time we are away, all work in the territory will continue as normal."

"All staff members will continue to be responsible for gathering resources and building the city walls."

Everyone's expression became serious.

Then, he looked at the Arctic People Du An in the crowd.

"Du An, during the time I am away, you will be responsible for coordinating the work of the staff in the territory."

"The main tasks are still to upgrade the Lords Castle, the energy towers, and those high-level buildings."

This Arctic People straightened his body and immediately said respectfully: "Understood, Lord!"

"I will do my best to complete the tasks you have assigned."

Cao Xing nodded slightly and looked at Cao Yi, Yorun, and Victoria on the side.

He said slowly: "I think you know the specific situation. Next, another important matter for our territory is the construction of the Giant City."

"As I said yesterday, the tens of thousands of workers outside will be handed over to you to coordinate their work."

"The time I go out this time shouldn't be too long."

"I hope that when I return, I can see everything running as usual."

The three looked at each other and also solemnly promised: "We have kept it in mind, Lord!"

Cao Xing nodded and said: "Then now, except for our core combat personnel, everyone else, start moving!"

As the words fell, everyone started to take action.

"Swish—"

Thousands of people scattered.

A few minutes later.

There were more than forty figures left on the spot.

These were all the core combat forces in his territory.

The lowest was Level 70 Leader potential.

And among them, those with Leader-level potential only accounted for about half.

The other half were Commanders, Rulers, or even Variant Rulers.

Cao Xing quickly scanned the crowd.

Currently, the entire territory's core combat power is divided into three echelons.

First, the first echelon is the Legendary powerhouses like Sarah and Isabelle.

There are six Legendaries here in total.

Cao Xing said slowly: "Among the Legendary powerhouses, Braum, Isabelle, Sarah, and Zevelin, you four will go out with me."

"Francesca will stay behind to guard the territory."

Although he only left one Legendary behind, it didn't matter.

After all, with Francesca's combat power, fighting two Legendaries alone would not be a problem.

And in a few days, Liu Muxue would also wake up from her dream.

In this way, there would be two Legendary powerhouses guarding the territory.

It can be said that as long as they don't encounter a demigod, they can basically handle it easily.

The four Legendary powerhouses named by Cao Xing stepped out.

Braum had a bright smile on his face, "I will protect you well, Lord!"

Sarah and Isabelle on the side also gripped the weapons in their hands, looking at him solemnly.

Cao Xing nodded.

Then, he began to continue scanning through this group of powerhouses.

The next ones to be selected were the second echelon of powerhouses, which were those Hero-level existences.

Currently, in the entire territory, besides Cao Xing himself as a Level 100 Frost Dragon Mage.

There were also four senior members: Assam, Andrew, Renice, and Hilda, who had also broken through to Hero and successfully reached Level 100.

In addition, there were the recently joined Green Snake Lana, Tauren Chieftain Kane Boomhoof, and Qinong.

Adding them up, there were eight people in total.

Cao Xing said slowly: "Now, all Hero-level powerhouses, except for Hilda, everyone else step out."

As the words fell, the Tauren Chieftain raised the totem in his hand and stepped forward!

The others followed closely behind.

Even Green Snake Lana was very cooperative.

In the crowd, Hilda frowned slightly, a flash of doubt in her eyes.

She crossed her arms, and there was a hint of dissatisfaction in her tone: "Not taking this Queen with you?"

Cao Xing shook his head and said slowly: "I won't take you this time."

"You possess an army of Blood Spiders, and even if we all leave, you can handle things on your own."

"We need a powerful hero to guard the territory, and you are the best candidate."

He paused, his eyes fixed on Hilda: "So, I have entrusted this important task to you."

Hearing this, the Blood Spider Queen's mouth curled up slightly, outlining a demonic smile.

"Since you are so sincere, then this Queen will reluctantly agree to you~"

Her expression carried a trace of pride, as if she was quite satisfied with this arrangement.

And Cao Xing smiled slightly.

After getting along for this period of time, he had already figured out Hilda's personality.

This Blood Spider Queen, who appeared arrogant on the outside but was somewhat simple on the inside, was actually not difficult to deal with.

As long as you go along with her personality and guide her a little, you can easily handle her.

Of course, this method only works for Cao Xing.

Because Hilda's loyalty to him had already reached the level of die-hard.

If it were any other lord, they would probably have been devoured by Hilda and turned into nutrients for the Blood Spiders.

Cao Xing thought to himself: "Counting the four Legendaries, that makes ten people here."

"However, this trip is mainly intended to let those Masters break through to Heroes."

"So I need to bring more Master-level members."

In his territory, Master-level powerhouses belong to the third echelon members.

The number of members at this level is also the largest.

Besides the Black Smoke Shaman Blot, White Snake Ilena, Dragon Blood Warrior Bjorn, Jonard, Josent…

There were also Water Mage Aili, Sylvia, Wind Mage Allen, Earth Mage Tyren, etc., plus some newcomers, such as the Giant Qiaode, Priestess Farnaz, Bifer Blackheart.

Adding them up, it reached 34 people.

Among them, the Dragon Blood Warriors were the most numerous.

There were seven existences with Leader-level potential or higher, which could be said to be the elite of the elite.

Which ones to take was a problem.

Cao Xing fell into thought.

A moment later, he looked up and said: "Except for the Dragon Blood Warriors, all other existences with Leader-level potential or higher will go out with me."

"Among the Dragon Blood Warriors, Jonard and Josent will also come with me."

At this moment, excitement appeared in the eyes of these Master-level powerhouses.

They responded solemnly: "Understood, Lord!"

The few Dragon Blood Warriors who were not taken by Cao Xing had no complaints in their hearts.

After all, this unit had received the most resources from Cao Xing, and could be said to have die-hard loyalty; they would not have the slightest objection to the Lord's orders.

Then, Cao Xing looked at the group of pets next to him.

Besides the Mammoth Dabai, there were also the Thunder Bear Volibear, Frost Moose, Griffin King Laowang, Light Feather Chicken Buoyancy, etc.

These were all to be taken along.

After thinking carefully for a moment to ensure nothing was missed.

Cao Xing looked at everyone and said: "Now, the personnel have been determined."

"For the members staying behind, I hope you will guard our territory well during the time we are away."

The group of Dragon Blood Warrior leaders looked at each other and responded solemnly: "Please rest assured, Lord, we will surely defend the territory with our lives!"

Cao Xing nodded, "Very good."

"Now, I will first put the personnel departing this time into the necromancers bag to prepare."

On the field, everyone's expressions moved slightly.

"Toot—"

A melodious flute sound rang out, and waves of death aura spread.

Cao Xing blew the [Undead Flute], turning everyone, including those pets, into an undead state.

Then, he waved his large hand, and dozens of figures disappeared instantly.

The surroundings also became empty.

Then, Cao Xing walked alone towards the teleportation array area.

[Do you want to activate the teleportation array to go to the Eternal Frost Main City?]

"Yes."

As he clicked confirm, a beam of light shot out from the teleportation array, enveloping his figure.

The next moment, Cao Xing disappeared from the spot.

After a dizzying spin, Cao Xing gradually recovered his vision.

Opening his eyes again, familiar buildings came into view.

A system prompt appeared.

[You have arrived at the Eternal Frost Main City…]

When Cao Xing saw the scene around him clearly, he found that next to the teleportation array, there was also a burly figure wearing silver-white battle armor standing there.

It was exactly City Lord Oran!

He looked as if he had been waiting here for a long time.

Upon seeing Cao Xing appear, a look of surprise and delight immediately appeared in City Lord Oran's eyes.

He quickly stepped forward and said excitedly, "Lord Cao Xing, you've arrived so quickly?"

Cao Xing smiled and said, "I was just arranging some matters in my territory, so I was delayed for a moment."

"City Lord Oran, I've kept you waiting."

This City Lord Oran appeared rugged and bold, but he was actually quite meticulous at heart.

He hurriedly waved his hand and said with a humble tone, "Not at all, I only just arrived myself."

After a pause, he looked curiously behind Cao Xing and asked tentatively, "Lord Cao Xing, are you here all by yourself?"

He did not yet know that Cao Xing possessed a magical item like the [necromancers bag], which could store all his allies and release them when encountering danger.

Cao Xing smiled and was about to explain when a steady voice came from behind him.

"Lord Cao Xing's methods are not something ordinary people can fathom."

"He can summon a large group of experts to join the battle at any time, City Lord Oran, you are overthinking it."

The two looked in the direction of the voice and saw a figure with a profound, majestic, and powerful aura.

It was none other than the Ice Crystal King.

Through their previous collaborations, he had already witnessed Cao Xing's ability to summon a large group of experts out of thin air with a wave of his hand.

City Lord Oran hurriedly bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Your Majesty."

The Ice Crystal King waved his hand, his tone casual yet dignified, "No need for formalities."

He turned his head to look at Cao Xing and asked, "Lord Cao Xing, I have heard."

"You are preparing to go to the Orchid Kingdom with City Lord Oran to explore the ancient ruins?"

Cao Xing nodded slightly, "Yes, I heard that this place holds many opportunities that can allow us to improve our strength."

"As it happens, many of my subordinates in my territory are waiting to break through."

The Ice Crystal King nodded thoughtfully, his tone filled with a hint of emotion, "That place is indeed quite good."

"In my younger years, I also traveled through the Orchid Kingdom, and I happened to obtain some opportunities there."

"It was precisely those opportunities that laid the foundation for me to break through to the Legendary rank, and the memory is still vivid even now."

City Lord Oran, standing to the side, was somewhat surprised; it seemed to be the first time he had heard that the old King had such an experience.

Even Cao Xing was a bit surprised and asked, "Your Majesty, do you have any special knowledge about these ancient ruins?"

Hearing this question, the Ice Crystal King pondered for a moment and shook his head, "No."

"When I was exploring those ruins back then, I only had the combat power of around Tier 6."

"I took a chance and teamed up with a group of Master-level experts, and we broke into the inner city."

"As a result, not long after we entered, we encountered danger in the inner city."

"That encounter caused most of us to die or be injured, and everyone started running around the inner city like headless flies."

The Ice Crystal King's tone was very calm, as if he were truly just recounting an event from his youth.

But just through this brief description, one could tell how dangerous their experience had been.

He continued, "A friend and I were quite lucky; during our escape, we accidentally stumbled into a building and obtained a treasure."

"Then, we knew when to quit and escaped from the inner city."

"So—I really don't have much understanding of those ancient ruins."

Cao Xing nodded in realization, "I understand."

The Ice Crystal King paused slightly, his expression suddenly becoming somewhat serious.

He said solemnly, "Lord Cao Xing, if you are heading to the Orchid Kingdom this time, there is one more thing I would like to entrust to you."

City Lord Oran, standing nearby, hurriedly interjected, "Your Majesty, whatever it is, just instruct me to do it."

The Ice Crystal King gave him a faint, unimpressed glance and said speechlessly, "Count Oran, sometimes I find that you talk a bit too much."

Upon hearing this, City Lord Oran's body trembled, and he hurriedly lowered his head, not daring to say another word.

Cao Xing stepped forward to smooth things over, "Your Majesty, tell me, what is it?"

When the Ice Crystal King heard him speak, a smile appeared on his face once again.

His tone softened significantly: "I want you to help me deliver a message—"

"Deliver a message?" Cao Xing asked, puzzled, "To whom?"

The Ice Crystal King seemed to find it difficult to speak.

After hesitating for a moment, he mustered up his courage and said, "It is Rosie."

"Rosie—" A look of contemplation flashed in Cao Xing's eyes.

A moment later, he asked in surprise, "Is it that Rosie from Chuanhai Castle?"

Cao Xing had heard the old King mention this name once before.

It was said that this woman had once lost her voice for some reason, but later inherited the power of some legacy and skyrocketed to success.

She had broken through directly to the Legendary realm.

In his younger years, even the Ice Crystal King could not defeat her.

The old King nodded slightly, his eyes filled with a trace of reminiscence and sorrow, "It is indeed her."

Cao Xing noticed his expression at this moment.

He instinctively realized that the relationship between the Ice Crystal King and this Rosie might be somewhat unusual.

Cao Xing pondered for a moment and asked, "What message do you need me to deliver?"

The Ice Crystal King hesitated for a while, then lowered his voice and said a sentence in Cao Xing's ear.

At this moment, Cao Xing's eyes widened, filled with disbelief!

"This—is what you said true?"

He felt that his previous guess had been a bit too conservative.

City Lord Oran, standing to the side, did not hear what the Ice Crystal King had said.

However, seeing Cao Xing's reaction, he knew it must be something quite extraordinary.

But he did not dare to ask further; he could only lower his head, say nothing, and act as if he had seen nothing.

The old King sighed, his tone filled with sincerity, "Lord Cao Xing, please do not speak of this matter."

Cao Xing recovered from his shock and nodded heavily, "No problem, Your Majesty."

"Besides this message, is there anything else you need me to do?"

The old King thought for a moment, then nodded, "Yes."

After speaking, a wooden comb appeared in his hand out of thin air.

The wooden comb looked ordinary, just like something one could buy in a general store.

The old King said solemnly, "Lord Cao Xing, please help me deliver this wooden comb to her."

Having said this, he changed the subject, "Of course, I will not let you run this errand for nothing."

"After this matter is concluded, I will provide you with sufficient compensation."

Upon hearing this, Cao Xing hurriedly waved his hand, "Compensation is unnecessary, Your Majesty, this is just something on the way."

"Besides, the fact that you have told me such an important matter shows your trust in me."

"There is no need to trouble yourself with such a trivial favor."

The old King, however, shook his head and said, "One thing is one thing; considering your current status, it has even surpassed mine."

"Asking you for help is already overstepping my bounds."

"Furthermore—I have heard that Lord Cao Xing's territory is preparing to build a city, is that right?"

Cao Xing raised his head, his expression calm.

He was not surprised that the Ice Crystal King would know about this.

After all, his territory was currently within the territory of the Ice Crystal Kingdom.

For an Otherworld Lord to build a city, such a major event naturally could not be hidden from the leader of this country.

The old King did not show any displeasure; his face still carried a peaceful smile.

"Then, when you return this time, I will designate the entire Gale Snowfield as your autonomous territory, how about that?"

A look of surprise flashed in Cao Xing's eyes once again.

An autonomous territory was not just a territory.

An autonomous territory meant that from now on, this area would belong completely to Cao Xing alone.

Here, he could enact laws, set taxes, and assemble his own army.

It was equivalent to being the king of a small country, possessing absolute autonomy.

Even if the Ice Crystal King came over, he would have to give notice first, and could no longer interfere as casually as before.

It could be said to be of great significance!

Meanwhile, City Lord Oran, standing to the side, nearly had his jaw drop after hearing the conditions offered by the old King.

Since the founding of the Ice Crystal Kingdom, nearly a thousand years had passed, and he had never heard of such a thing.

His Majesty the King was giving a piece of the kingdom's territory away to an Otherworld Lord!

This was simply an Arabian Nights fantasy!

Not to mention the several major kingdoms in the vicinity, he estimated that such a thing had never happened in the entire Western Continent.

City Lord Oran took a deep breath, carefully glanced at the Ice Crystal King, and then glanced at Cao Xing.

He instinctively realized that this was definitely not just a simple request from the Ice Crystal King; there must be a deeper secret behind it!

At the same time, a system prompt appeared in front of Cao Xing.

[Do you accept the Ice Crystal King's commission quest?]

[Quest Difficulty: C-Grade]

[Quest Content: Travel to the Orchid Kingdom, find 'Rosie of Chuanhai Castle', and deliver the Ice Crystal King's wooden comb.]

[Quest Reward: The "Gale Snowfield" region will henceforth be designated as your autonomous territory.]