However, they all ran into a wall.
Anyone who dared to make a move against the Sky Ark was dealt with mercilessly—without exception, each one was executed on the spot. The Ark's defenses, combined with the strength of the warriors aboard, decimated the attacking factions, leaving rivers of blood in their wake. In some cases, they even took the initiative, launching direct assaults on hostile tribes and utterly annihilating them, looting their entire stockpiles clean.
Those who harbored ill intentions ended up losing everything.
This brutal efficiency shocked every force on Skyhawk Island, stirring a genuine sense of fear. No one had expected the so-called All-Domain Trade Alliance to wield such terrifying power. If they decided a tribe should perish, it was erased without hesitation.
Their ruthless display of fangs left all factions in awe. It was now clear that the All-Domain Trade Alliance was not to be trifled with. Any hand reaching out to probe them would be chopped off without mercy.
All those inappropriate ambitions? Snuffed out completely.
Everyone now understood: it was better to conduct business honestly.
"Anyone dares to reach out, and we'll crush your little universe," said He Shen, his beady eyes glinting mischievously.
With the Alliance's fangs now bared, foreign tribes quieted down. During trade, no one dared to stir up trouble. This was partly due to the Sky Ark's deterrent force, and also the mystery surrounding the Alliance's background. No one wanted to offend them without cause.
At the same time, many factions began probing for the origin of the All-Domain Trade Alliance.
During trades, they tried—subtly or otherwise—to extract information.
Of course, Hé Shen and his team weren't entirely watertight.
Their public story was that the All-Domain Trade Alliance was a vast, cross-dimensional trading network spanning the Eternal World, dedicated to commerce. They dealt with any race, buying and selling anything, so long as the price was right.
The more mysterious and powerful they seemed, the better.
This only increased the awe and fear on Skyhawk Island. Not only did no one dare stop the Sky Ark, they even offered up rare goods for trade. And the currency remained the Eternal Coin.
He Shen also spread the message: the Eternal Coin was one of the Alliance's mainstream currencies, and they had a long-term supply agreement with the Great Yi Dynasty, ensuring a steady influx of Eternal Coins. Therefore, no shortage of currency would ever be an issue in their dealings.
One day, He Shen led a Sky Ark to the Skyhawk Prairie.
At the edge of the prairie stood a large nomadic settlement made of yurts. From the flag waving above it, they identified it as a Skyhawk Royal Court settlement—the Skyhawk Banner symbolizing its official royal identity.
The tribe numbered in sixty thousands, though most were enslaved humans. The actual Skyhawk tribesmen numbered only around ten thousand. Even so, the humans were completely powerless to resist. The disparity in strength made any rebellion a death sentence.
"Pitiful. So many civilians enslaved by the Skyhawk Royal Court," said He Shen, standing aboard the Ark.
He watched as vast numbers of emaciated human slaves were driven to work tirelessly—herding sheep, tending horses—without a moment's rest.
Work. Work. As long as they didn't die, they had to work.
Even in death, their last drop of value was squeezed out.
Though He Shen was originally from a nomadic background, he no longer considered himself one. Now he was a citizen of the Great Yi Dynasty, a court official, even a city lord. His past life was long behind him. Now, he was human, and stood firmly on that side.
To him, these barbaric tribes were the epitome of uncivilized savagery—utterly incompatible with the world he now embraced.
"Are the visitors from the All-Domain Trade Alliance?" a voice called from the camp below.
The tribal leaders had noticed the Sky Ark but weren't alarmed. Word of the Alliance had long spread across the island. As long as one didn't provoke them, one would be fine—and might even trade for rare treasures.
"We trade across all realms, prosper through harmony," He Shen replied with a smile. "Does your tribe have anything you wish to trade? I have food, weapons, fine porcelain, luxurious clothing… if you can name it, we can find it. Even if not now, we'll bring it next time."
"And if you have anything you don't need—treasures or otherwise—we'll buy it at a fair price," he added cheerfully, slipping naturally into the role of a shrewd merchant.
"But… our tribe doesn't really have anything valuable to sell," the tribal chief frowned. Their most valuable assets were livestock, but those were essential to their survival and needed to be bred and raised.
"Say… are all those people down there your tribesmen? They don't look very healthy," He Shen asked, gesturing at the slaves. "If your tribe is short on food, the Trade Alliance has abundant grain reserves for sale."
"Tribesmen? Those are just slaves," the chief scoffed. "They only need enough to survive. No need to feed them well."
"Slaves, you say? If your tribe is willing, our Trade Alliance is happy to purchase slaves—human or non-human. So long as they are slaves, we'll take them. And the price will be fair," He Shen said, smiling.
"Trade slaves?" The chief's eyes lit up with excitement. He suddenly realized—these slaves could be sold like goods! There were far too many in the tribe anyway. If the Alliance wanted them, why not cash in?
What mattered wasn't the slaves—it was how much money they could fetch.
"Of course, we can trade. All the slaves here are available. What price are you offering?"
"Human slaves:
Elderly – 10 Eternal Coins each.
Able-bodied men – 20.
Young women – 30.
Children – 15.
Non-human slaves will be priced according to species and strength."
"What? Ten Eternal Coins for an old man? Twenty for a strong young man? Thirty for a woman?"The tribal chief was stunned.
Others nearby were just as shocked—then delighted. Their eyes gleamed with greed as they looked at the human slaves.
Eternal Coins—since the Dragon Palace Banquet, the currency had become famous across the seas. Far more precious than crystal coins.
To them, slaves were just manual labor, hardly worth a single coin. Now, even an old slave was worth ten Eternal Coins?
These weren't slaves anymore—they were living treasure.
"Is the price not to your liking?" He Shen asked, still smiling.
"No, no, we're very satisfied! How many do you want?" the chief asked hastily. He was terrified of the deal falling through.
"As many as you've got. The Trade Alliance spans all domains—a few slaves are nothing to us."
Such boldness left the chief stunned.
"Alright then. We'll sell them."
He didn't hesitate. A deal like this might never come again.
Soon, tens of thousands of human slaves were brought aboard the Sky Ark, priced and tallied. Of course, the Ark couldn't carry that many physically—but spatial gates were already open aboard.
The moment a slave was bought, they were transported through the gate to the Hongmeng Heavenly Emperor Tower.
The tribe didn't sell every slave—only leaving about 10,000 behind to do menial work. If not for that, they'd have sold every last one.
"Thirty-two thousand slaves:
3,000 elderly at 10 coins – 30,000 coins
18,000 strong men at 20 – 360,000 coins
9,000 young women at 30 – 270,000 coins
2,000 children at 15 – 30,000 coins
Total: 690,000 Eternal Coins. Is that correct?" He Shen asked, after his quick calculation.