Actually, the words Zhao Ya spoke were not all empty threats.
At the very least, he truly believed that a great change was coming to the lands Beyond the World, and it might very well originate from the Wuyang Sea.
Even if it was just a guess, Zhao Ya had to be prepared.
"You don’t need to worry about this. As long as you allocate them a piece of land, they’ll handle the rest themselves." Zhao Ya said.
Liang Xin’an breathed a sigh of relief at these words, then nodded and said, "That’s great."
As a straightforward man, he disliked dealing with women the most, always feeling that such creatures were extremely troublesome.
Only Gui Xuanqing’s mother, Zhang Junzhu, with her efficient and mannish personality, could barely be acceptable to Liang Xin’an.
"These people are the ones you brought back, so leave the rest to you to handle then."
Having said that, Liang Xin’an turned around to leave.
Zhao Ya, however, stopped him at once.
"Hey, don’t go yet!"
"What’s up? I’ve already agreed on behalf of Senior Brother to let these women settle here, what else do you want from me?" Liang Xin’an said somewhat irritably.
"That’s not enough. You’re still part of the Mechanical Sect, you should at least keep an eye on things here."
With that, Zhao Ya pulled him over to Liu Yujiao and the others without allowing for objections.
"Let me introduce, this is Liang Xin’an from the Mechanical Sect. From now on, you can call him Senior Brother Liang."
"Senior Brother Liang!" The women obediently called out in unison.
Instantly, Liang Xin’an’s face blushed a little, but he forced himself to stay calm and nodded.
"Hmm!"
Zhao Ya was amused inside but kept a straight face as he continued the introductions.
"Your Senior Brother Liang appears cold but is warm at heart. If you have any issues in the future, just go to him, and he will take care of them for you."
Of course, the women were not foolish. Before Liang Xin’an could speak, they called out again, "Thank you, Senior Brother Liang!"
Liang Xin’an seemed a bit hesitant, but after a while, he finally nodded, saying, "You’re welcome!"
"Now pick a spot for yourselves, preferably not too far from the Mechanical Sect," Zhao Ya suggested.
In fact, Liu Yujiao and the others had been observing since their arrival and had already chosen a location.
Upon hearing Zhao Ya’s words, they pointed out the place they had in mind.
Seeing it, Zhao Ya was delighted.
The location was perfectly adjacent to an entrance and exit of the Mechanical Sect, and the terrain was smooth—truly a great place.
At this point, Liang Xin’an couldn’t back out, so he nodded in agreement.
Liu Yujiao and the others cheered joyfully, then stood together and respectfully bowed to Liang Xin’an and Zhao Ya.
"We will always remember the great kindness of Young Hero Zhao and the Mechanical Sect!"
The gesture made Liang Xin’an a bit uneasy, but Zhao Ya accepted it calmly. After reminding Liu Yujiao and the others of a few things, he turned around and left with Liang Xin’an.
On the way back to the Mechanical Sect, Liang Xin’an seemed to suddenly realize something.
"Did you accept favors from these women, and that’s why you advocated for them like this?"
Zhao Ya stopped at his words, looking serious, and said, "Senior Brother Liang, do you think I’m that kind of person?"
"I genuinely feel sorry for these women. At the same time, the Mechanical Sect indeed needs such a reputation for defending the weak. That’s why I made this decision on my own. If you’re really suspicious of me, then perhaps I should take these women back to Azure Dragon Temple!"
Stunned by his words, Liang Xin’an studied Zhao Ya carefully, and seeing his serious expression, he apologized with a nod.
"I’m sorry, I was being petty!"
"It’s alright, just be mindful in the future!" Zhao Ya said magnanimously.
And so, the two returned to the Mechanical Sect. When they explained the situation, no one objected.
Cui Guangyue, the chief of the Mechanical Technology Department, sighed, "They’re all pitiable souls; if we can help, we should. It won’t cost us much anyway."
Huang Liang from the Celestial Craft Department even stroked his beard thoughtfully and said, "When these folks build their houses, our Celestial Craft Department can lend a hand."
Jing Rou suddenly appeared out of nowhere, her freshly shaved head glistening, and said, "Count our Thunder Fire Department in too!"
"Shoo, shoo, go back to sleep. Our Celestial Craft Department can build houses, Old Cui and his team can craft furniture. What can your Thunder Fire Department do? Blow a big pit for them?" Huang Liang jokingly scolded.
"So what if we blow a big pit? It can be used to raise fish!" Jing Rou retorted nonchalantly.
Everyone burst into laughter, and the atmosphere became quite harmonious.
Zhao Ya also laughed, and after the laughter subsided, he stood up and said,
"Everyone, I must take my leave."
"Leaving so soon? Stay a couple more days!" Jing Rou immediately urged him to stay.
Zhao Ya shook his head, "I can’t. I’ve been away for too long this time. Only my master is guarding the Azure Dragon Temple, and I’m quite worried. I want to return as soon as possible."
Since Zhao Ya put it that way, they had no reason to insist on him staying.
"But before I leave, there’s something I need to discuss with all of you."
Saying that, Zhao Ya pulled out a prepared list from his pocket and handed it to Liang Xin’an.
Liang Xin’an’s expression changed as soon as he saw it and then passed it to Cui Guangyue.
Cui Guangyue took the paper and studied it for a long time before finally speaking with some surprise.
"Are you sure you want to order so many items?"
"Of course, here’s a partial deposit. I’ll pay the rest in full upon delivery."
Confident and carefree, Zhao Ya set the treasury he had seized from the Python God Sect before everyone.
"Alright, with your relationship with our Mechanical Sect, there’s no need for the deposit even. I’m just a bit curious—what do you plan to do with such a large order of weapons?" Cui Guangyue asked.
As it turned out, the list Zhao Ya had handed them was filled with a variety of weapons, densely listed.
There were bows, crossbows, firearms of all kinds, and even large siege equipment.
Naturally, Cui Guangyue had to ask.
Zhao Ya smiled, "Rest assured, I have no ulterior motives, nor any ridiculous ambitions to conquer the lands Beyond the World. This is just a precaution."
Upon hearing the phrase "precaution," Liang Xin’an was startled, giving Zhao Ya a deep look.
With that explanation, Cui Guangyue had no reason to question further and nodded.
"Alright, our Mechanical Sect will take on this order. When do you need it by?"
"As soon as possible, naturally!"
"For this batch of items you’ve ordered, many require custom manufacturing, so...half a year. We’ll deliver in full in half a year, how does that sound?" Cui Guangyue estimated the time and asked Zhao Ya.
Zhao Ya knew that such things couldn’t be rushed, so he graciously agreed.
After clearing up all the details, Zhao Ya took his leave.
Liang Xin’an and Jing Rou saw him off.
Zhao Ya cupped his hands in salute, "Take care!"
"Take care!"
After exchanging well-wishes, Zhao Ya leaped away, disappearing into the vast mountains and forests.
Liang Xin’an and Jing Rou quietly watched, and after a long while, Liang Xin’an spoke solemnly.
"Shouldn’t our Mechanical Sect also start preparing in advance?"
Jing Rou nodded in deep agreement, "Indeed!"
On his way back to Azure Dragon Temple, Zhao Ya encountered no mishaps. His heart set on returning, he barely rested and sprinted all the way to the foot of the temple’s mountain.
Seeing that everything was in order here, with even the mountain-sealing stone plaque untouched, Zhao Ya finally breathed a sigh of relief and quickly climbed up the mountain.
As soon as he stepped into the mountain gate, a small commotion arose within Azure Dragon Temple.
"It’s Senior Brother Zhao!"
"Senior Brother Zhao is back!"
Zhao Ya nodded in response to each shout, and quickly made his way to the Library.
Behind the desk, Guo Luming, with his full head of white hair, was buried in writing something. He looked up and gave Zhao Ya a gentle smile.
"You’re back!"
Zhao Ya felt a sense of relief.
Judging by Guo Luming’s current state, there seemed to be no change.
For someone who had once suffered severe injuries, no change was the best outcome.