Translator: CinderTL
"One hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones..." Chen Heguang's face paled with panic. "Even if we emptied the Chen Family's entire treasure vault, we couldn't gather that many spirit stones."
"The mighty Chen Family doesn't even have one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones?" Song Wen's expression darkened with displeasure.
Chen Heguang hastily explained, "Senior, please understand. While the Chen Family has some strength, our clan is vast, and our daily expenses are enormous. Spirit stones are needed to support everything from spirit grass and medicinal pills to mystic treasures. We simply don't maintain large reserves of spirit stones."
"The contents of your Chen Family's treasure vault are irrelevant to me. I want one hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones within two hours. Otherwise, don't blame me for unleashing a bloodbath." Song Wen's tone was icy, his gaze piercing. "Chen Heguang, every wrong action has its price."
Sensing the faint but palpable killing intent radiating from Song Wen, Chen Heguang's courage to bargain vanished.
"This junior understands. Please wait a moment, Senior. I will gather the spirit stones immediately."
With a final bow to Song Wen, Chen Heguang turned and flew back toward the Chen Family estate.
As Chen Heguang departed, the six low-tier cultivators from the Chen Family's Enforcement Team followed suit.
In an instant, only Song Wen and Wu Yue remained in the mid-air.
Wu Yue flew onto the Giant Flying Ship and stood beside Song Wen.
"Senior, Chen Heguang is being dishonest," Wu Yue transmitted telepathically, a fawning smile on his face. "The Chen Family has endured for tens of thousands of years, accumulating immense wealth. Even if they currently possess fewer than a hundred thousand high-grade spirit stones, their hidden treasures must be priceless, far exceeding that sum. Why doesn't Senior simply storm the Chen Family, seize their treasure pavilion for yourself, and slaughter their entire clan while you're at it? Their corpses, blood essence, and souls would all make excellent spiritual materials."
Song Wen's expression turned cold, and he shot Wu Yue a sidelong glance.
Seeing this, Wu Yue immediately fell silent, bowing his head and daring not to utter another word.
"Wu Yue, I'll spare you this time," Song Wen said. "But if you ever attempt to manipulate me again, I will take your life without hesitation!"
While the Chen Family's treasure pavilion undoubtedly held many treasures, they held little value for Song Wen. He had no desire to needlessly accumulate karmic debt through excessive bloodshed.
Wu Yue had urged him to raid the Chen Family, hoping to use him to obtain spiritual objects related to Divine Transformation from the Chen Family.
"This junior wouldn't dare," Wu Yue replied, his voice trembling.
An hour passed quickly.
Two figures emerged from the Chen Family's stronghold and approached the Giant Flying Ship.
One was Chen Heguang.
The other was Chen Jing, the steward Song Wen had briefly met at the Chen Family Treasure Pavilion when he first arrived in Lotus Square City.
Chen Jing was merely a Nascent Soul Stage cultivator. His presence alongside Chen Heguang clearly indicated that he had recognized Song Wen.
Song Wen's appearance remained unchanged from their previous encounter, without any disguise.
"Little friend Chen Jing, I never expected to see you again," Song Wen said, taking the initiative.
"Greetings, Senior," Chen Jing replied, bowing respectfully before continuing. "When this junior first met you, I sensed your extraordinary presence. To think that in just thirty-two years, you have already advanced to the Void Refinement Stage! Your cultivation progress is truly astonishing!"
As the proprietor of Lotus Square City's largest shop, his social skills far surpassed those of Chen Heguang, the Chen Family's Ancestor.
Song Wen remarked, "Young friend Chen Jing, you are quite eloquent. Lotus Square City's prosperity today must owe much to your efforts."
Chen Jing quickly replied, "Senior, you flatter me. As a mere nascent soul cultivator, I can hardly claim any credit. The city's prosperity is entirely due to the generations of seniors who have guarded it."
"Pioneering is difficult, but maintaining what has been built is even harder," Song Wen said. "There's no need for such excessive modesty, young friend."
After exchanging pleasantries, Song Wen turned to Chen Heguang and asked about the real matter at hand.
"Old Ancestor of the Chen Clan, how are the spirit stones coming along?"
A hint of fear flickered across Chen Heguang's face as he replied respectfully, "Senior, after searching the entire Chen Family, we've only managed to gather just under eighty thousand high-grade spirit stones. I humbly request your leniency."
"Only eighty thousand?" Song Wen's brow furrowed slightly.
Chen Heguang hastily produced a storage ring, using his spiritual power to guide it slowly toward Song Wen.
Song Wen accepted the ring and probed it with his divine sense.
Chen Heguang's words were not entirely accurate.
The storage ring contained only 60,000 high-grade spirit stones, along with a large quantity of mid-grade and low-grade stones, worth approximately 20,000 high-grade stones in total.
"Is this all the spirit stones your entire Chen Family possesses?" Song Wen asked.
Chen Heguang hurriedly replied, "Senior, the Chen Family truly cannot produce any more spirit stones. However, if you would stay for a few days, we could sell some of our treasures and surely gather the remaining stones."
Song Wen fixed Chen Heguang with a cold, piercing gaze. After a moment's contemplation, he said, "For the sake of my little friend Chen Jing, I will let this matter rest. Old Ancestor of the Chen Clan, refrain from meddling in affairs beyond your concern in the future."
"Thank you, Senior. This junior will heed your teachings with utmost diligence," Chen Heguang replied.
Ignoring Chen Heguang, Song Wen turned to Chen Jing. "Farewell, little friend Chen Jing."
"Senior, are you leaving so soon? Why not rest in Lotus Square City for a while? This junior would be honored to extend the hospitality of a host," Chen Jing offered.
"No, thank you," Song Wen replied. "My presence in Lotus Square City would only make certain people uneasy."
As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Yue understood his meaning. He steered the Giant Flying Ship, slowly accelerating northward.
"Farewell, Senior."
Chen Jing and Chen Heguang bowed respectfully toward the increasingly distant Giant Flying Ship.
After more than a month of flight, the Giant Flying Ship arrived above a mountain valley.
The valley was desolate, its interior and surrounding areas covered entirely in yellow earth, devoid of any green vegetation. The Spiritual Qi here was exceptionally thin.
Song Wen stood at the ship's prow, raised his hand, and unleashed a torrent of Bone-Corroding Baleful Qi that swept across the sky, surging toward a cave on the western side of the valley.
Boom!
Before the overwhelming Malevolent Qi, the stone mountain crumbled like paper. The hundreds-of-meters-tall peak shattered instantly, sending rock fragments flying and dust billowing into the sky.
A cave, previously hidden within the mountain's depths, was now exposed.
Zhu Tianlei sat cross-legged inside the cave, a transparent formation barrier above his head deflecting the flying debris and dust.
He looked up at Song Wen hovering in mid-air, his expression one of utter terror.
"You! How did you find me here?"
"How I found you is irrelevant. What matters is that you're about to die," Song Wen said coldly.
With a mental command, the Malevolent Qi that had already swept over the cave surged skyward, coalescing into a massive pillar that pierced through the heavens and plunged downward like a colossal spear.
(End of the Chapter)
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