Chapter 0413: Ning Cheng’s Spirit Stone Black Out
Nobody was clear about how much Spiritual Enhancement True Nectar that Ning Cheng possessed; however, she had actually taken multiple baths in it. Thinking that there were no secrets more intimate than this to share with Ning Cheng, Yan Ji suddenly felt as if she could no longer dare to see Ning Cheng in the eye.
“Big Sister Yan Ji, what’s wrong?” Zhangsun Yan did not know about that particular situation and asked an innocent question from the side.
……
This was already the third day since they left the area where those two experts were fighting. Ning Cheng stopped his flight type True Artefact and stared at the vast Yi Xing Ocean in front of him while looking at the rising Sun at the horizon. How should he go about finding the correct direction?
Just as Ning Cheng was pondering over which direction to choose, a vague flickering fluctuation appeared within the edges of the range of his Spiritual Consciousness.
Ning Cheng was quite surprised, he did not think of anything else as he controlled the airship to chase down the flickering fluctuation. He was sure that it was definitely a flight type Magical Weapon.
Sure enough, after half an incense worth of time passed, a flying shuttle shaped Best Quality Magical Weapon appeared within Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness. When Ning Cheng’s airship started to approach this shuttle, that shuttle immediately began to accelerate, apparently thinking that the one controlling the Airship wanted to rob the shuttle.
Ning Cheng also did not mind this and accelerated his airship.
A flight type Best Quality Spiritual Artefact might be fast; it still had a far distance to go when compared to Ning Cheng’s Low-Grade True Artefact. Just over half an hour later, the shuttle suddenly stopped. Apparently, the shuttle’s owner became aware that they would not be able to outpace Ning Cheng’s airship, so they chose to stay out of helplessness.
Ning Cheng also stopped his airship; he had already seen the cultivator controlling the best quality flight type Spiritual Artefact. It was a middle-aged man with an average build. He possessed the cultivation of 2nd Level of Sea Opening Realm and had a strong scent of the sea on him, mixed with a faint bloody aura. Apparently, this person’s time in the Yi Xing Ocean has not been short; moreover, it looks like he has already experienced quite a bit of slaughter in the Yi Xing Ocean.
The Sea Opening Cultivator on the flying shuttle also saw Ning Cheng and found that Ning Cheng was also at the early stages of the Sea Opening Realm. Moreover, on Ning Cheng’s airship, the highest cultivation apart from Ning Cheng’s own was at Profound Core 3rd Level, causing him to feel immediately relieved.
Once the fear subsided from his eyes, his gaze finally fell onto Ning Cheng’s flight type Low-Grade True Artefact. In the Tian Continent, even Crucible Transformation Cultivators that possessed a flight type Low-Grade True Artefact were not many. He had been travelling year round at the periphery of the Yi Xing Ocean, besides his strength, the most critical thing on him was the best quality flight type Spiritual Artefact he rode.
“Friend, for you to follow me to this place, do you need something from me?” This Sea Opening Realm Cultivator stared at Ning Cheng, simultaneously circulating the True Essence in his body, ready to fight at any time.
“Not sure about that, I lost my way in the Yi Xing Ocean, and am also not able to find the proper direction. I just want to ask you to point me towards the direction of the Mirage Gazing City or the Tian Continent.” Ning Cheng spoke politely with his fists cupped.
This cultivator on hearing Ning Cheng’s words stating that he was lost, couldn’t help but look at Ning Cheng in doubt. It stood for the reason that any cultivator who could come to this place would at least have a Direction Seeking Array Disc to navigate the Yi Xing Ocean. How could this cultivator say that he lost his bearings?
However, he soon took out a treasure like Array Disc before tossing it to Ning Cheng and quickly spoke, “I have a few Directional Array Discs with me. You can keep one with you.”
As he spoke those words, his alertness towards Ning Cheng increased even more.
Ning Cheng took the Array Disc and swept his Spiritual Consciousness inside. It really was a map marked with both the direction and even the location of the Mirage Ship Island. At the same time, it also contained the coordinates of several other islands.
Ning Cheng felt overjoyed. After quickly thanking that person, he once again took control of the airship and disappeared into the direction of the Mirage Gazing Island. Ning Cheng was aware of the other party’s doubts but chose not speak anything to dispel it. As for the cultivator who gave Ning Cheng the Array Disc, he was even more confused. Was he really lost?
……
With the Directional Array Disc, Ning Cheng only had to spend a-days-worth of time before he spotted the familiar looking Mirage Gazing Island. Knowing that initiating a transfer would require a significant amount of Spirit Stones, Ning Cheng let the others enter his Miniature World once again. He did not want to spend an unjust amount of Spirit Stones, so he just chose the method of concealment.
Ning Cheng did not have any mood to play around in the Mirage Gazing Island. As soon as he entered the Mirage Gazing City, he directly made his way to the location of the Transmission Array.
“To the Tian Continent.” Ning Cheng threw a storage bag towards the old man guarding the Transmission Array.
The old man grabbed the storage bag, then sent a jade card to Ning Cheng and spoke, “Go stand in line.”
He did not even check out how many Spirit Stones were present in the Storage Bag. In the Mirage Gazing Island, if one wanted to use deception, then managing to reach the Tian Continent would only be a dead end for them.
Ning Cheng’s luck held steady; after going in, he found that he was tenth in line. Within just a minute, the array had already transported him out.
Steward Peng was just about to put away Ning Cheng’s Storage Bag when he suddenly stood up in a daze. It’s not right; the current fee for transmission to the Tian Continent from the Mirage Gazing Island is 500,000 Spirit Stones. So why did this cultivator give him 1 Million? 1 Million Spirit Stones for a one-way transfer, that was the rate when the 9-Colored Mirage Tree still existed.
Steward Peng quickly felt that Ning Cheng was somewhat familiar, 9-Colored Mirage Tree? He almost shook with excitement. The person rumoured to have dug out the 9-Colored Mirage Tree, Ning Cheng, had come back but it was only at this moment that he realised it.
“Keep a watch on the Transmission Array; I’m going to the City Master.” Steward Peng immediately called to a cultivator next to him before he turned and hurried out of the Main Hall containing the Transmission Array.
For someone like him, losing 500,000 Spirit Stones meant nothing at all. In case he provided the information that led to the capture of Ning Cheng, who had dug out the 9-Colored Mirage Tree, then he would genuinely strike it rich. He was sure that he would not be able to capture that man by himself; therefore, he must first go to the City Master’s Mansion to get in contact with their forces. At that point, they all could then work together to capture him. In his opinion, Ning Cheng certainly wanted to sneak back.
……
Grand Peace City, initially one of the most famous True Cultivator cities in the Tian Continent, became even more famous among the cities of the Tian Continent after the Geocentric 9 Yin Essence and a branch from the 9-Colored Mirage Tree appeared there, causing a significant scuffle among the Major Academies.
The Profound Light Chamber of Commerce, who shot to fame that year after putting those things up for auction, was now showing vague signs of surpassing the Silver Links Chamber of Commerce and even the first ranked Chamber of the Commerce of the Tian Continent, the ‘Wind and Cloud Pavilion’.
At this time, at the entrance of the Chamber of Commerce, a man wearing blue robes stood in front of it. The blue-robed man looked at the door of the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce, and spoke aloud to himself, “Well, looks like they really ended up borrowing my light, even their entrance has turned a lot more stylish over these years.”
“No one is permitted to go upstairs, if you want to sell something, then you can just stay downstairs.” A Profound Core Cultivator stopped this blue robed man at the entrance of the Merchant House and spoke.
“Oh, then go tell that Song Yi that a friend of his has come for something that rightfully belongs to him.” The blue-robed man spoke calmly. Yet everyone inside the Merchant House heard his voice clearly.
By the time that Profound Core Cultivator reacted, he found that the blue-robed cultivator had already disappeared.
Of course, this blue robed man was none other than Ning Cheng, who had just returned to the Tian Continent. He did not go anywhere else but first made his way to the Grand Peace City. He wanted to come and collect the debt owed to him. With his current cultivation, of course, he was not afraid of others trying to chase him down. However, he did not know if people still wanted to chase him down. It was the safest to collect the Spirit Stones owed to him first before doing anything else.
Ning Cheng had sent his voice empowered with his True Essence, so Song Yi had already heard it upstairs. Song Yi felt his heart tremble unconsciously. He could feel that this voice belonged to someone familiar, but at the same time, he also felt a bad premonition. Immediately after that, he saw Ning Cheng within his Spiritual Consciousness’ range, causing his face to suddenly change.
Was this person not the same person, surnamed Kong, who came to the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce that year? Many people had already heard the rumours that he might be Ning Cheng, so how could he dare to come to this place? What should he do?
“Storekeeper Song, you seem to have lost the enthusiasm from before eh. This will not do, especially when I want to put a few more things for auction. I liked your enthusiasm from before. That being said, I came here today to collect the Spirit Stones for my things you sold, can you at least stop pretending that you don’t know about it?” While Song Yi’s brain was rapidly thinking of strategies, Ning Cheng’s voice abruptly rang out next to his ears.
Initially, Ning Cheng was not able to perceive Song Yi’s cultivation, and could only guess that this fellow at least possessed the cultivation of Sea Opening Realm. However, at this time, Ning Cheng could make it out as clear as day. Song Yi actually had the cultivation of 2nd Level of Sea Opening Realm, a full level lower than his own cultivation.
“Oh, so it was Brother Keng, I had just thought why Brother Keng had not come to visit me today? Now that I met Brother Keng, I can finally calm down my heart. Come on in, Brother Keng. Please have a seat… Someone, get us some Spiritual Tea.” Song Yi responded immediately, as he invited Ning Cheng to sit down with exaggerated expressions.
Ning Cheng also sat down with a big smile on his face, as he carelessly spoke out, “Shopkeeper Song should already know what I came here for, right? I don’t know what happened to those two things of mine from the past?”
“Oh!” Song Yi patted his thigh, as he spoke out in chagrin, “Speaking of this matter, my Profound Light Chamber of Commerce really wants to cry, but can’t shed any tears. In the past, when my Profound Light Chamber of Commerce sold those two heaven-defying things, it ended up completely instigating a large number of major academies to compete with each other. My Profound Light Chamber of Commerce…”
Ning Cheng’s eyes revealed a slight surprise, “Don’t tell me that the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce ended up destroyed by the conflict between the major academies and then re-established?”
“That’s not it, but my Profound Light Chamber of Commerce, because of auctioning these two things, ended up garnering a mutual hatred from many of the major academies, causing our current business to turn cold.” Song Yi spoke with an annoyed face. It looked as if Ning Cheng had handed him shit, making it look like the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce had no choice but to swallow it down.
“Oh, then I feel at ease.” Ning Cheng spoke out casually. Then his tone suddenly took a lift, “Right, Shopkeeper Song implied that it was my fault? Could it be that I made some mistake, and now need to pay indemnity for the damages sustained by the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce?”
Song Yi sighed before speaking, “This matter has already happened; we certainly cannot ask Brother Keng to provide us compensation for our financial losses. It was a good thing that we were able to obtain some Spirit Stones for the auctioning of the Geocentric 9 Yin Essence, just enough to compensate the losses of my Profound Light Chamber of Commerce.”
Ning Cheng quickly spoke out, “That’s good. That is good. I hope that Shopkeeper Song can now give me my Spirit Stones obtained from selling the Geocentric 9 Yin Essence in the past. It should be quite a lot of Spirit Stones. I intend to use those Spirit Stones to establish a Rogue Cultivator Fund of sorts, as most of the Rogue Cultivators stay perennially outside doing practical work unlike the disciples from an academy.”
Song Yi did not know what Ning Cheng meant by his words of setting up a fund. He gave a sigh again before speaking up, “Brother Keng. I just spoke a moment ago that because of this matter, the Spirit Stones earned ended up all used as compensation for my Profound Light Chamber of Commerce. Otherwise, my Profound Light Chamber of Commerce would have already gone out of business.”
Ning Cheng stood up in exaggerated shock, “Shopkeeper Song, not to mention that you not only lost my stuff, you now don’t want to give me my Spirit Stones? The Profound Light Chamber of Commerce, whether for good or for evil, is also one of the major Chambers of Commerce out there, how can you do such a thing? This is shamelessness taken to the extreme. How can the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce stink this much? Who else would dare to come do business with the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce?”
Song Yi’s complexion turned around faster than June’s moon. His appearance immediately turned cold as he spoke, “My Profound Light Chamber of Commerce did not come to find you for compensation, that is already a great benevolence from our side, yet you want to accuse my Chamber of Commerce of inadequacy?”
Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness swept out and immediately detected a few powerful auras. He gave a sneer and spoke again, “It looks like the Profound Light Chamber of Commerce is truly not concerned about face. Did you think that it would be easy to steal my stuff?”
“Did you think that we would fear you? My Profound Light Chamber of Commerce is not something that you can take for granted.” Song Yi’s tone also turned a lot colder. At the same time, an Array Formation surrounding them also closed up.
Ning Cheng’s anger suddenly disappeared, as he gave a smile and took out a crystal ball and spoke, “Shopkeeper Song, it looks like your memory is not as good as what it used to be. That year, I only recorded your voices using a crystal ball, but today, you allowed me to record all your faces, alas.”
Song Yi, seeing Ning Cheng coming up with a crystal ball, immediately turned ferocious, “So what? Would you even be able to leave this place alive?”