"Wow! Zhongli! Traveler, that was Zhongli's voice just now!"
Paimon's face lit up as she excitedly looked around, trying to spot the source of the voice.
"Mhm, it's him." Aether nodded, a small smile tugging at his lips.
The Geo Archon always had a way of instilling a powerful sense of security in moments of crisis.
"Huh? He's here too? Why hasn't he shown himself then?"
Paimon's little head was full of questions.
"Him? No… he didn't come." Aether's voice grew contemplative.
That had indeed been the presence of an old friend, but whether it was his true self…
"Brother, Paimon… thank you."
Yu Keke had finally been freed from her agony. Everything Aether had just done had played out in her mind like a vivid film.
She knew—it was this seemingly slender boy in front of her who had rescued her and all those across the world forced into slave contracts.
The shackles once clinging to her soul had been shattered. Just as that voice had proclaimed—if it's not by one's own will, no one can be forced Into a slave contract, or divine punishment will descend.
"Ah! Keke, you're awake? Feeling better? What… what even happened just now?"
Paimon flew over and circled around her, inspecting her curiously.
"I'm fine… thank you, Paimon. Thank you and brother for coming to save me…"
As Yu Keke spoke, tears welled up in her eyes again.
"Aw~ don't worry about it! Once Traveler teaches those guys a lesson, we'll send you home."
"Home…"
At the mention of home, Keke lowered her head, falling silent.
Her father was gone. The only family she had in this world was lost forever. Could she still call anywhere home?
Meanwhile, the scene had erupted into chaos over what had just transpired.
Aether's words and the final, resounding divine voice still echoed in everyone's ears—lingering, unforgettable.
"Was that… was he really signing a contract with a god from the heavens just now?"
"I-I don't know… that was terrifying. What… what did I just hear?"
"…"
On the auction platform, the person who had the clearest view of the entire event—Manager Yuan—had collapsed to the floor in terror, completely disoriented.
Ning Fengzhi's jade cane had slipped from his hands, lying forgotten on the ground as he stared blankly in Aether's direction, murmuring:
"Uncle Sword… h-he…"
His careful schemes hadn't just failed—they had forced him to witness Aether break the slave contracts right before his eyes.
He had considered that perhaps the boy might use his sword to forcefully wipe out such injustices… but the world was vast, and there were countless slaves. What could one person possibly do?
Never had he imagined that this boy could communicate with the gods themselves, directly forging a contract with the heavens. Under such divine authority—who would dare disobey?
And to think… he had actually tried to win over this boy. To recruit someone who could stand shoulder to shoulder with a god…
Chen Xin didn't seem to hear Ning Fengzhi at all. Though he had already placed Aether on a high pedestal in his heart, witnessing what had just happened left his face full of disbelief.
The very boy he had just tried to kill… had signed a contract with a god?!
The thought alone sent a chill down his spine, as if he had been plunged into a frozen abyss. Cold sweat poured down his forehead.
So it was true—just as he had suspected. This boy's strength had long since transcended the realm of Soul Masters… surpassing the hundredth level… no, he had become a god of this realm.
"Fengzhi… we're finished. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect… is finished too…"
Chen Xin's lips trembled as he spoke with despair.
To have enraged a god-like being—it was no different from a commoner slapping royalty. Was it not simply asking for death?
"My lord!"
"Thank you! Thank you, my lord!"
As the others still stood stunned, a sudden commotion erupted from within the auction house. A group of servant girls and attendants stumbled their way to the front of the platform and fell to their knees before Aether, weeping as they kowtowed.
They were finally free—no longer condemned to live as puppets, pigs, or livestock.
"Traveler… I think they're calling you."
Paimon looked at the group tearfully bowing in their direction, her expression full of surprise.
Being right next to Aether, she of course knew he had just made a divine contract—and that Zhongli's voice had even appeared.
But to her, a contract with a god didn't seem all that strange. It was almost as normal as chatting with Zhongli. So why were these people crying like their lives had been saved?
"Thank you, big brother…"
Yu Keke tried to kneel as well, but Aether quickly reached out and gently held up her small body.
"You don't have to do that."
He lifted Keke up, then turned toward the kneeling crowd.
"Everyone, please rise. You don't need to thank me—it was you who saved yourselves."
"My lord, we all saw it. You stood up for us… and called down a god on our behalf. That's the only reason we escaped that abyss. You gave us worthless lives a chance to breathe."
"Yes, if you hadn't spoken for us, we'd still be living like pigs, like tools…"
"Waaaah~ Xiaocui, did you see that? A god descended to rescue us! We're finally free…"
"Alright, everyone—please hear me. Stand up." Aether repeated gently.
The crowd fell silent at once. Even their sobs quieted to muffled sniffles, but none of them moved from their knees.
The moment he had freed them from those contracts, they had already begun to see this boy who saved them as nothing less than divine.
"Every life deserves respect. There's no such thing as superior or inferior. You don't need to kneel before anyone."
"You're all free now. Go out into the world, find honest work, and live good lives."
"My lord, I want to follow you. I can never repay this grace—please, let me serve you!"
"Yes, my lord! Let us come with you—I can cook, clean…"
"My lord, I can do anything! Just take me in—please…"
"My lord, I can warm your bed…"
"…"
Seeing where this was going, Aether knew he had to put a stop to it before it got out of hand. He quickly turned his gaze to Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi.
The two Immediately sensed his eyes upon them and panicked—was he about to settle the score with them?
"Both of you… I have a request. Would you be willing to hear it?"
He's… not going to kill us?
Ning Fengzhi's mind raced with countless thoughts at once. Sensing something, he tugged at Chen Xin's sleeve, and the two of them hurriedly stepped forward, dropped to one knee, and cupped their hands respectfully.
"My lord, whatever your command may be, Fengzhi will carry it out with everything he has!"
_
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