Volume Six: Stealing is Robbery Chapter Four: The Nether Soul Sea (Part II)

The other party slowly waved his hand.

Kuang Chi sat down, looked at Duke Yelu and Jing'er beside him, and asked directly, "I heard you wanted to discuss a business deal with me, senior. Please speak your mind."

The figure, shrouded in black mist, seemed to stare at Kuang Chi for a moment before replying, "Then I will be direct."

After a pause, he added, "I must ask those who are irrelevant to leave."

A-San and the others immediately and consciously walked out without waiting for Kuang Chi's order. Even more strangely, Duke Yelu stood up without a word, bowed to the Ghost Immortal, and left the cabin without looking back. In the end, only Jing'er, Kuang Chi, and the Ghost Immortal remained.

The Ghost Immortal looked at Jing'er, who was still hugging her spirit beast, with a hint of bewilderment. After a moment, seeing that Jing'er was brazenly pretending not to notice, he had no choice but to say, "Princess Jing'er, could you please..."

Jing'er did not seem at all surprised that the Ghost Immortal knew her identity. She cut in directly, "I am the captain of this pirate ship, and the fatty is just the first mate. Why shouldn't I be able to listen?"

The Ghost Immortal looked at Kuang Chi with great surprise. Kuang Chi could only nod.

After a while, the Ghost Immortal asked, "Who does this ghost pirate ship actually belong to?"

Jing'er gritted her teeth and said, "It's the fatty's, but I am still the captain."

Kuang Chi couldn't bear it any longer. He felt it was better to have Jing'er, who was more knowledgeable than him, by his side. He quickly said, "Senior, please speak freely. There is no need for Princess Jing'er to leave."

The Ghost Immortal nodded gently and asked, "Does this newly built ghost pirate ship have the Nether Crystals from the original vessel?"

Kuang Chi and Jing'er were both taken aback. Neither of them knew what a "Nether Crystal" was, but they soon realized that it must refer to that strange crystal.

Kuang Chi and Jing'er exchanged a glance. Kuang Chi nodded, saying, "If you are referring to the strange crystal that produces energy turbulence, then yes, we have it on board."

The other party nodded again and said, "That is good."

After another long silence, he asked, "Do you know about the Nether Soul Sea?"

Kuang Chi had never heard of it, so he looked at Jing'er, who happened to be looking at him as well. Jing'er shook her head at Kuang Chi.

Kuang Chi then shook his head at the Ghost Immortal.

The Ghost Immortal continued, "Have you heard of the God-Resentment Star Region?"

Both Kuang Chi and Jing'er had heard of this place; it was one of the five most dangerous regions in the universe. If the Abandoned Star Region were compared to this, and if the God-Resentment Star Region were an adult, the Abandoned Star Region wouldn't even count as a toddler.

The two nodded slowly.

The Ghost Immortal pondered for a moment before adding, "The Nether Soul Sea I speak of is the most dangerous area at the very center of the God-Resentment Star Region."

Having said this, he paused once more.

Kuang Chi and Jing'er could now tell that this was no simple matter. Anything deemed dangerous enough to concern a Martial Venerable could hardly be a pleasant place.

After a long time, seeing the Ghost Immortal sitting there quietly without a word, Kuang Chi asked, "Senior, may I ask how this Nether Soul Sea relates to the business you wish to discuss with us?"

The Ghost Immortal fixed his eyes, hidden behind the black mist, on Kuang Chi. Kuang Chi felt his heart tremble at that gaze, but his mental strength, cultivated through the Starry Sky Art, immediately reacted, steadying his spirit.

Just as Kuang Chi was about to flare up, the Ghost Immortal spoke at the right moment: "Impressive. It is exactly as the rumors say; your Starry Sky Art has already reached the third level."

Without stopping, he asked, "Have you heard of Soul Crystals, Void-Cleansing Stones, Nether-Blue Crystals, and Bright Moon God Diamonds?"

Kuang Chi and Jing'er had certainly heard of these four items; each was a rare treasure, a peerless, once-in-a-lifetime find.

They both nodded.

The Ghost Immortal asked again, "Are you aware of their true purpose?"

Kuang Chi replied, "I only know that Soul Crystals are said to be used to strengthen mental power, Void-Cleansing Stones are said to create a completely pure space out of thin air, and I only know that Nether-Blue Crystals and Bright Moon God Diamonds are used to cultivate special internal arts."

The Ghost Immortal looked at Jing'er, who added, "I only know that much as well, though it is said that practicing within a space formed by a Void-Cleansing Stone yields results several times greater than elsewhere, and there is supposedly no risk of suffering from cultivation deviation."

The Ghost Immortal let out a few eerie chuckles before continuing, "That is all correct, but those are merely the least of these items' uses. You will only truly understand their purpose once you reach the realm of a Martial Venerable."

Ignoring their curious stares, the Ghost Immortal asked, "Do you know who the owner of the original ghost pirate ship was?"

Both shook their heads.

The Ghost Immortal then said, "It was the personal vessel of the Lord of my Demon Sect."

"Ah!" Kuang Chi and Jing'er exclaimed in surprise. Recovering, Jing'er said, "This ghost pirate ship was built by us; no one is going to take it away."

Kuang Chi chuckled at her words, and even the Ghost Immortal let out a few low laughs from behind the black mist.

After laughing, Kuang Chi asked, "Senior, why did the original ghost pirate ship crash in the Abandoned Star Region?"

The Ghost Immortal let out a dry laugh and finally said, "That is a secret of my Demon Sect. You do not need to know."

Jing'er interjected indignantly, "Just because you say this ship belongs to your Demon Sect doesn't mean it does. I don't acknowledge it. Regardless, I only know this ship is ours now. No one is taking it."

The Ghost Immortal seemed to sense something unusual. He looked at Jing'er, then turned to Kuang Chi, and said with a strange laugh, "Rest assured. Even if this weren't a different ship, no one from the Demon Sect would dare come looking for it."

He let out a long sigh and continued, "At most, there are some stubborn fools who hope to retrieve the blueprints for this ghost pirate ship from you."

Kuang Chi suddenly asked, "Senior, is that why you came to Green Leaf Star?"

The Ghost Immortal chuckled dryly and admitted, "I cannot deny it. I believe that for those who know the true utility of a ghost pirate ship, its power is far beyond what you can imagine, especially for us Martial Venerables."

After a pause, he added, "If there is anything that would make old fogeys like us at the Martial Venerable level cast aside our dignity to plunder, this ghost pirate ship is certainly one of them. You had best be careful from now on."

Kuang Chi and Jing'er were shocked and fell into a daze.

After a long while, Kuang Chi asked, "Senior, why don't you take it? And why tell us all this?"

The Ghost Immortal chuckled and said, "If someone else owned this ship, I might have acted long ago. As for you, you can ask your grandfather or the Great Elder of the Kuang Martial Hall about it later."

Judging by his tone, he seemed to have an extraordinary relationship with the Kuang family.

Kuang Chi bowed to the Ghost Immortal with gratitude and shouted, "A-San!"

The cabin door opened, and a dozen men from Violent Dragon Peak rushed in, brandishing their battle blades.

Seeing this, Kuang Chi frowned and scolded A-San, "What are you doing?"

The men saw the situation inside and quickly sheathed their blades.

The Ghost Immortal asked with great curiosity, "Are these the descendants of the Kuang family you brought out from the Abandoned Star Region?"

Kuang Chi nodded. Without waiting for the Ghost Immortal to speak, he said to A-San and the others, "Issue an order: the whole ship is under lockdown. Be especially wary of any experts at the Martial Venerable level."

He paused, then added, "Install self-destruct devices around that strange crystal on the ship, and assign several experts to guard it in shifts around the clock. If anything goes wrong, destroy it immediately."

A-San and the others didn't understand the implication, but they obeyed. The Ghost Immortal and Jing'er both let out low gasps.

Once the door closed, the Ghost Immortal let out a series of strange laughs: "Young Master Kuang has spirit. That is indeed the best solution. However, the Nether Crystal cannot be destroyed by ordinary means."

He took out a fist-sized cyan bottle made of an unknown material and handed it to Kuang Chi: "Use this—the Flame of Spirit Purification."

The two gasped. The Flame of Spirit Purification was famously fearsome, rumored to burn everything in existence, including the soul. Some sects called it the "Divine Fire," while others called it the "Tears of Divine Punishment."

Kuang Chi took the bottle, and a cold current surged from it through his meridians. He let out a muffled groan. Fortunately, the cold current was swift; it circled his body and returned to the bottle as if it were a living thing.

The Ghost Immortal seemed surprised by Kuang Chi's quick recovery. "If you ever encounter an unbeatable foe, just throw the bottle at the Nether Crystal. I guarantee it won't leave even a trace of slag behind."

Kuang Chi felt no malice from the Ghost Immortal and thanked him sincerely.

He then asked, "Senior, what is the true purpose of the ghost pirate ship?"

The Ghost Immortal pondered before answering: "It was designed specifically for travel within the God-Resentment Star Region."

Jing'er interjected, "Senior, do you mean this ghost pirate ship is used to harvest Soul Crystals, Void-Cleansing Stones, Nether-Blue Crystals, and Bright Moon God Diamonds in the God-Resentment Star Region?"

The Ghost Immortal nodded heavily and turned his gaze back to Kuang Chi.

Kuang Chi thought for a long time before saying, "Is the business you speak of a partnership to travel to the God-Resentment Star Region to harvest these items?"

The Ghost Immortal replied, "Indeed."

Kuang Chi and Jing'er exchanged a glance. "Senior, what exactly are the uses of these four items? Can you tell us?"

The Ghost Immortal said bluntly, "These four items are used to extend the lives of us so-called Martial Venerables."

Kuang Chi and Jing'er gasped simultaneously.

Silence filled the cabin. After a long while, the Ghost Immortal continued, "Harvesting these four items is not easy. Aside from the rare occasional find in the universe, their most concentrated source is the Nether Soul Sea. However, crossing the dangerous God-Resentment Star Region is no simple feat."

He paused and added, "But my Demon Sect possesses a map of the Sea of God-Resentment, hand-drawn by generations of Demon Lords, as well as a relatively safe route to the Nether Soul Sea. I can guide you there."

Kuang Chi and Jing'er were indecisive. If those items could truly extend a Martial Venerable's life, they were priceless treasures that could bolster an entire family's power. Kuang Chi realized that his own family's Martial Venerables would certainly want them. Jing'er thought of the imperial family's own Martial Venerables, without whom their empire would have been destroyed long ago.

The Ghost Immortal sat quietly. After much thought, Kuang Chi said, "Senior, if what you say is true, then there is no problem. I will brave the God-Resentment Star Region. However, I must notify my family and see what our elders think before giving you a final answer."

The Ghost Immortal seemed to have no objection: "Of course. I expect that. You should notify your family's Martial Venerables and have them accompany us. However," he added, "you must guarantee that no matter what your elders say, you will take me with you."

Kuang Chi couldn't help but ask, "What would my elders say?"

The Ghost Immortal seemed impatient: "Never mind that. Just ensure you take me. If you really want to know, go ask your grandfather and that Great Elder yourself."

Although the Ghost Immortal's tone was unpleasant, Kuang Chi sensed something and didn't take offense. He nodded: "Rest assured, Senior. If it comes to that, I will certainly bring you."

The Ghost Immortal laughed heartily: "I like you, you brat."

He took a dull, metallic glove from his cloak and handed it to Jing'er: "Little girl, this trinket is for you."

Jing'er cried out in joy: "Really?" She snatched it away.

The Ghost Immortal stood up and said to Kuang Chi, "According to my sect's records, the once-a-century tide of the Nether Soul Sea will occur in the next year or two. Notify your Kuang Martial Hall and prepare. Once there is a definitive date, I will send word to that lad from the Ye family."

He turned and left, leaving Kuang Chi staring at the overly excited Jing'er.

Kuang Chi finally asked, "Jing'er, what is that thing? Why are you so happy?"

Jing'er put the glove on her left hand and said, "How can you be so ignorant? You've never even heard of the famous 'Flame-Prison Soul-Refining Gauntlet'?"

Before Kuang Chi could speak, Jing'er tapped his shoulder with the gloved hand.

Kuang Chi felt a searing heat surge into his meridians, followed by a strange energy rushing into his mental space. His spirit wavered, much like when the Ghost Immortal had looked at him.

Kuang Chi's body was resilient enough to recover quickly.

Jing'er took off the glove and tucked it into her belt, laughing: "How about that? Is it powerful?"

Kuang Chi nodded repeatedly. "Is this a Divine Weapon?"

Jing'er shook her head: "Not quite, though many already classify it as one." She smiled, "The Ghost Immortal is very generous. This was his personal weapon from his early days."

Kuang Chi wondered more than ever why the Ghost Immortal was being so kind. Giving away his personal weapon had nothing to do with the business deal.

Kuang Chi called A-San in and provided him with the family's secret contact codes. For a family like the Kuang clan, it was impossible not to have agents on important planets. Since he had returned to Kuang-Zhan Star, his grandfather had taught him all the family's secret communication methods.

A few days later, an ordinary-looking middle-aged man found the spaceport. After verification, Kuang Chi confirmed he was the Kuang family's lead agent on Green Leaf Star.

Kuang Chi handed over the recorded data chips.

After the man left, Kuang Chi summoned Duke Yelu and urged him to expedite the purchase and installation of equipment for the ghost pirate ship.