The man who walked out of the house belonged to a race Li Qiang had certainly never seen before. His skin was pale green, his forehead broad, and a blood-red mark stood vertically between his brows, like the legendary Lord Ma's third eye. He wore a loose, dark-green robe, with black chest armor showing beneath it. A large round plaque carved with strange patterns rested on his left shoulder. His dark-green hair was woven into countless tiny braids gathered at the crown of his head.
Otherwise, he looked no different from an ordinary person, with a medium build and a smile on his face.
Apart from Li Qiang, everyone seemed unsurprised. Qin Bantong whispered to him, "He should be a cultivator from Tanbang Star. Only Tanbang Star has this green-skinned race."
The man glanced at Qin Bantong and said, "You're right. I am an envoy from Tanbang Star."
Mei Youbing stepped forward to embrace him and touch foreheads. Li Qiang found this greeting rather amusing and could not resist copying it, stepping up to embrace him and touch foreheads too. The man was utterly astonished. Mei Youbing was an old friend of his, which was why he could use the Green Tribe's highest greeting. Li Qiang's move caught him completely off guard, leaving him staring blankly with his head tilted.
Everyone understood this custom, but no one had expected Li Qiang to do that. Looking at the dumbstruck Green Tribe envoy, they all stood there in a daze too. Hua Meiniang could not help bursting into a giggle at the sight, and her giggle set Hou Pijing roaring with laughter.
Everyone joined in. The Green Tribe envoy also caught on, realizing that Li Qiang simply did not understand the etiquette, and gave a helpless smile.
Their laughter immediately eased the atmosphere. Mei Youbing smiled and said, "This is Kaben from Tanbang Star, an old friend of mine. He came especially to bring me several rare plants that aren't found on Heavenly Court Star. He only arrived a few days ago, and I've only just met him now, after coming out of seclusion."
Li Qiang knew he had made a fool of himself, but he really was curious. This was his first encounter with an unfamiliar race since arriving on another planet. He was extremely excited, inwardly exclaiming over what a treat it was.
After exchanging greetings, everyone entered the retreat.
Once seated, Kaben said, "Senior Mei, before I came, our Green Tribe's leader specifically instructed me to beg you, whatever it took, to refine a batch of Death-Averting Pills for our tribe. Alas, the Bangqining Kingdom, where our Green Tribe lives, may soon go to war with the Tante Kingdom."
Hou Pijing exclaimed in surprise, "War on Tanbang Star? Won't that drag your cultivators into it?"
Kaben smiled bitterly. "Not just us. Cultivators from other planets will be drawn in too. This will be on an enormous scale!"
Mei Youbing asked curiously, "What could be so impossible to resolve that it requires a war on such a scale, dragging even the Cultivation Realm into it? Cultivators generally don't interfere lightly in the affairs of the secular world."
Kaben explained, "A gigantic crystal deposit was recently discovered-the Immortal Stones we cultivators use. The reserves are astonishing, and the quality is excellent. Everyone knows that all development on Tanbang Star depends on crystal mines. Unfortunately, this deposit lies right on the border between the two kingdoms, in what used to be a no-man's-land. Both kingdoms now claim ownership of that land, and the situation is growing increasingly tense."
Li Qiang understood at once. Like the energy shortages on Earth, this was a war over resources, and the Cultivation Realm's involvement followed the same reasoning. He sighed inwardly. Human nature was greedy at its root; interests were the fundamental force behind conflict. Still, he was not particularly interested in this.
Qin Bantong could not sit still. Receiving two important pieces of news in a single day left him both excited and frightened. He looked this way and that, his head swinging like a pellet drum. Li Qiang quietly asked, "What's wrong? You look distracted. Is something the matter?"
"Where did Protector Guan go? Why can't I see him?"
Li Qiang immediately realized that he wanted to find the voice transmission array. He was curious about it too-what exactly was it, and would it be as convenient as a telephone on Earth? He beckoned Mei Jingjing over and whispered, "Little sister, could you take us to the voice transmission array?"
Mei Jingjing had been fretting over her lack of opportunities to be with Li Qiang. At his words, she smiled. "Sure, big brother. Follow me."
The three arrived at the Spirit Coil Sect's voice transmission array.
This was Li Qiang's first time seeing a voice transmission array, and it was nothing like he had imagined. Made of some unknown material, it stood about half a person tall and resembled a bronze drum supported on four legs. Its surface was smooth, with clouds and mist swirling inside.
Qin Bantong deftly took out five small Immortal Stones and fitted them into five recesses on its side. He blew a mouthful of True Essence Power onto it, and the clouds inside began churning violently. A clump of white mist rose from within, slowly condensing into a human figure, which asked, "What is it?"
Li Qiang nearly fainted. This was even better than a video phone-a three-dimensional image with sound.
After finishing his report, Qin Bantong saw Li Qiang's astonished expression and could not resist showing off. "You only need something this big for long-distance voice transmission. Sealed Fate Planet also produces palm-sized voice transmission orbs. Kaben, who just arrived-his Tanbang Star produces them too, though their range isn't very long."
Li Qiang suddenly realized that Heavenly Court Star was merely a backward planet. Sealed Fate Planet and Tanbang Star might both be developed planets of a different sort, with technology no worse than Earth's. He thought that his eyes were really going to be opened now.
Mei Jingjing tugged Li Qiang's arm, grinning. "Big brother, I'll take you to see the Alchemy Chamber. Are you coming too, Young Master Qin?"
Qin Bantong's mind was entirely on the impending war on Tanbang Star, and he wanted to hear any fresh news. "Oh, no. I'll go back to the retreat and listen."
"All right, Young Master Qin, go ahead. We'll be along shortly." Mei Jingjing could not wait for him to leave. Taking Li Qiang by the arm, she headed behind the retreat.
The Mei Household's Alchemy Chamber enjoyed an exceptionally high reputation in the Cultivation Realm. It had been built nearly a hundred meters underground.
The underground passages crisscrossed in every direction. The moment Li Qiang entered, he felt a little dizzy. It seems all the cultivators here like digging tunnels. First there was the Star Palace, and now the Alchemy Chamber. Really, it ought to be called the Alchemy Cave.
"Careful, big brother! Don't touch that. It's the Cold Purification Array. Triggering it would be a lot of trouble."
"Don't step there! You'll fall in."
At a loss, Li Qiang said rather awkwardly, "Little sister, why are there traps and arrays everywhere?"
Mei Jingjing giggled. "Big brother, without all these traps and arrays, the Mei Household's spirit pills would probably have been stolen long ago." She added, "We're almost at the entrance. Let's hurry, but no flying."
Li Qiang asked curiously, "Why can't we fly? Wouldn't that be faster?"
"The moment you fly, you'll trigger the largest array here, and the entire passage will seal itself. That's a secret of our Mei Household, so don't tell outsiders."
Li Qiang was touched. Mei Jingjing only told him this because she regarded him as family. It was a ruthless trick, though. Any cultivator coming to steal pills would certainly fly through these passages, partly for speed and partly because it seemed less likely to set off traps. Almost anyone would fall for it.
"We're here. Wait a moment, big brother."
A black opening roughly five meters square appeared before them.
Mei Jingjing performed a series of hand seals that Li Qiang could not understand. Each time she changed seals, a wisp of blue smoke flew out of the opening. After roughly the time it took to drink a cup of tea, a black stone slab rose from within. Mei Jingjing let out a long breath. "Luckily, I didn't forget. Big brother, step on."
They stood on the black slab, and Mei Jingjing formed another hand seal. With a faint rumble, the slab slowly began descending. Li Qiang had only one thought: the material comforts available to a cultivator should be no worse than those on Earth, if he chose to pursue them.
Clouds and mist swirled around him, with dazzling flashes of light constantly passing by. A moment later, he felt a slight jolt beneath his feet and knew they had arrived. He asked in surprise, "Little sister, why is it pitch-black all around us?"
Mei Jingjing made one final hand seal, and everything instantly lit up.
Looking closely, Li Qiang exclaimed, "How marvelous!"
It was an octagonal room, each wall a different color. Mei Jingjing waved an arm, and eight compartments silently appeared in one wall, each holding a different jade case. She smiled. "This is a room for storing spirit pills. There are nine of these rooms altogether, plus one pill-refining room. I'll take you to see it."
Unable to see any other exit, Li Qiang said, "Little sister, there isn't a door."
"Over here." Mei Jingjing walked toward a wall and vanished straight into it. Li Qiang followed closely. It was actually an illusory wall. He heard Mei Jingjing's startled voice. "What are you doing here?" A cry of pain immediately followed.
Recognizing Mei Jingjing's cry, Li Qiang was alarmed. He leaped forward with all his strength and charged through.
There were actually three people in the pill-refining room: An Lang, an Attendant of the Litang Kingdom; Battle King Situ Yong; and another man Li Qiang did not recognize.
Mei Jingjing hung in midair, struggling desperately against whatever bound her. She sobbed, "Seventh martial uncle, you-you colluded with outsiders! Great-grandfather will never spare you when he finds out..."
A trace of shame flashed across the face of the man she had called her seventh martial uncle. Then his expression abruptly chilled. "Don't call me martial uncle. I, Mei Qu, was expelled from the Spirit Coil Sect long ago. Who is he?"
Li Qiang answered instantly, "I'm your granddaddy!" He had already leaped to Mei Jingjing's side, caught her in his arms, and flown backward.
Mei Qu shouted, "Stop him! He'll trigger the traps!"
An immense force enveloped him. Knowing he was in trouble, Li Qiang shouted, "Little sister, go tell my big brother..." Mustering all his strength, he hurled her through the illusory wall. In that instant, the Alchemy Chamber's defensive array was triggered.
Mei Jingjing wailed, "Big brother..."
Mei Qu cried in panic, "Hurry! This array is powerful!"
Situ Yong cursed furiously, "The little bastard has ruined everything! An, activate the teleportation array! Mei Qu, get the Jade Pupil Slip. Bastard, still trying to run? See what this general can do!" He raised a hand and clawed at the air. An enormous illusory golden hand seized Li Qiang with the speed of thunder that left no time to cover one's ears.
Li Qiang had never imagined such immense strength. It felt as though he had sunk into the deep sea, the pressure so great that his body seemed about to shatter. He bitterly regretted not having put on the Billowing Essence Battle Armor in time. His cultivation of the Shadow Dream Armor was still shallow, unable to withstand such tremendous pressure, and Situ Yong dragged him over.
An Lang had already activated the teleportation array. Mei Qu cheered, "I found it!" and leaped into the array just as Li Qiang was dragged inside. Blood streamed from Li Qiang's mouth and nose, his face contorted, and fury blazed in his heart. With a boom, the Supreme Radiance Shuttle, concealed by Heavenly Fire within his nascent soul, suddenly unleashed its power. Golden light flashed, shattering the golden hand with a crack.
Once his limbs were free, Li Qiang had a perfect opportunity to escape. Instead, he struck Mei Qu out of the teleportation array with his palm. This furious blow carried the power of the Supreme Radiance Shuttle and Heavenly Fire, and Mei Qu suffered terribly. His grip loosened and the Jade Pupil Slip fell as he flew backward, spraying blood. Almost simultaneously, Li Qiang's other hand quietly swept the Jade Pupil Slip into his bracelet.
"Huh?" Enraged, Situ Yong brought his hands together. Ten rays of golden light shot from his ten fingers and tightly bound Li Qiang.
At that moment, the teleportation array activated.
The ten golden rays seemed solid, sinking deep into Li Qiang's body. The Shadow Dream Armor stubbornly resisted. Situ Yong was somewhat surprised. How could this Mei Household disciple be so tenacious? He had no idea that Li Qiang was not a member of the Mei Household at all.
Just as he prepared to exert more force, white light flashed, and the three were transported away. Situ Yong was beside himself with rage. They had gone to enormous trouble to establish this teleportation point through Mei Qu, intending to steal the Spirit Coil Sect's Jade Pupil Slip and refined spirit pills. Now Li Qiang had thrown everything into chaos.
Pain-heart-rending, lung-tearing pain surged over Li Qiang like a tide. He tried to sink his consciousness into his nascent soul, only to discover in horror that he was barred from it. He had never suffered so badly. Clenching his teeth, he drew hissing breaths as waves of dizziness washed over him. The ten golden rays cut into him like ten knives, the pain leaving him weak inside.
Li Qiang hit the ground with a thud. He cursed under his breath, "Fuck, what rotten fucking luck!" He discovered that Situ Yong's golden light had sealed off his nascent soul, leaving him unable to use its power.
Yet Situ Yong had also failed to discover the two extraordinary treasures concealed within Li Qiang's nascent soul-the Purple Flame Heart and the Supreme Radiance Shuttle-which still left Li Qiang many possibilities and opportunities.
Li Qiang wiped the blood from his face. Before he could think about how to escape, the second teleportation began.
After three successive teleportations, they finally arrived inside a castle.
It was a peculiar black castle. From outside, one would have seen that it was a fortress in space, suspended very close to Heavenly Court Star, with blue-green light enveloping the entire black structure. This was Old Man Baihuang's airborne palace, the Shadow Castle, renowned throughout the Cultivation Realm.
"Little An, take him to the Black Camp. This general has already crippled the brat's cultivation."
Battle King Situ Yong had never imagined that Li Qiang's nascent soul differed from those of other cultivators. His ten Soul-Shattering Golden Fingers could only seal it temporarily; given an opportunity, Li Qiang could break free. Had Situ Yong examined him again, Li Qiang might have been in real trouble. Fortunately, Situ Yong had absolute confidence in his own cultivation and disdained another inspection.
An Lang grinned. "Your Highness, please go ahead. Your humble servant will take good care of him. Heh heh."
Li Qiang shuddered inwardly at the sinister undertone in An Lang's words. Watching Situ Yong stride away surrounded by guards, then looking at An Lang with his incessant sinister chuckles, Li Qiang suddenly found it all absurd. From Earth to Heavenly Court Star, it had been like an inexplicable dream. So many unimaginable encounters had actually happened. Real or illusory, it all seemed so strange to him.
"Ha ha! Ha ha!" Li Qiang pointed at An Lang's nose and laughed.
An Lang jumped. No prisoner had ever reacted like this. Had he gone mad?
He waved a hand, sending five streaks of force whipping across. There was a sharp crack, and blood splattered. Li Qiang instinctively raised his arm to block, only to discover dejectedly that the Shadow Dream Armor had solidified around his nascent soul and could no longer defend against attacks on his body.
In disbelief, Li Qiang touched his forehead and cheek, stared at his blood-covered hand, and tasted its saltiness. His arm had blocked four streaks, but the fifth had slashed diagonally from his forehead across his cheek. With his nascent soul's power sealed inside him, he could not heal the wounds. This was his first true injury since arriving on Heavenly Court Star.
An Lang chuckled. "How does it taste?"
Li Qiang still smiled. "Still salty. I thought my blood might turn sweet after cultivating, but it's still the same damn stuff. One day I'll taste your blood too and see what it's like. Ha ha!"
He still dared to crack jokes! An Lang flew into a thunderous rage and beckoned two burly men in black armor to hold Li Qiang up. A frenzied beating followed. Because his nascent soul remained, Li Qiang could still protect his original body's vital areas. Though blood pooled on the floor and the pain was almost unbearable, he endured it.
"Regretting it now? Ha ha! Too late, brat!"
Li Qiang spat out a mouthful of blood and coughed. "I really regret it! Ha, ha! Bastard, hitting my face! Pah! Someday I'll..." No, this is wrong. Taking this beating now is too pointless. Panting heavily, he laughed. "Ha ha! I can't be bothered with you. Stop annoying me."
An Lang froze, an unexpected unease rising in his heart. "Fine, fine. You'll soon regret opposing us. Men, take him to the Black Camp. There's plenty of fun waiting for you there, brat! Ha ha!"
Neither Situ Yong nor An Lang realized that he was Li Qiang. Had Lei Tianxiao been there, Li Qiang would truly have been in trouble.
Several burly men in black armor dragged Li Qiang toward a teleportation station.
It was a huge teleportation array with a large cage at its center. Dozens of people were inside, mostly men in their prime, their clothing suggesting that they came from various countries. The armored men shoved Li Qiang into the cage. One said, "Hey, Old Wen, that's about enough. Send them off. The next batch won't arrive for a few days."
"I know. You fellows get down. It'd be quite a joke if I sent you lot over with them."
Li Qiang slowly squeezed into a corner and crouched on the ground. Slipping his hands inside his clothes, he secretly took a bottle of Yunnan Baiyao, bought on Earth, from his bracelet. First he swallowed the life-saving red pill in the bottle cap, then sprinkled the medicinal powder on his wounds. Fortunately, the Purple Flame Heart had completely transformed his body. Even without his nascent soul repairing it now, his constitution was far better than an ordinary person's.
Once the bleeding stopped, he let out a long breath. As long as the green hills remain, there's no fear of running out of firewood. We'll see. For the first time, Li Qiang deeply understood the terror of having no strength to back him in the Cultivation Realm. He began planning what to do next.
Muffled sobs reached him from nearby. Turning his head, he discovered a youth crouching behind him just as he was, his shoulders shaking as he wept with his head lowered.
Li Qiang gently patted his shoulder. "Brother, what's wrong?" The youth looked up in terror. Seeing Li Qiang's blood-covered face, he fell back onto his bottom in fright. His tears still would not stop; he only kept shaking his head.
A middle-aged man nearby said, "Ah, don't ask. Several of us have already tried. He won't say anything. Ah, what a sin. He's only a child."
Li Qiang asked, "Uncle, how did you all end up here? Where are they sending us?"
The middle-aged man shook his head and sighed, speaking quietly. "Some were tricked, some were captured. I don't know where we're going either, but I heard the guards say something about some Bang Star."
Li Qiang exclaimed in alarm, "Tanbang Star?"
"Yes, that's it, Tanbang Star," the middle-aged man said. "You know it? What sort of place is it?"
Only one word remained in Li Qiang's mind: Disaster!