Chapter 243: Corruption!

“What kind of price are you offering to the Yu family, Senior?”

“No, you’ve misunderstood.”

“Senior?”

“I’m working with you, not involving your family.” Chen Xun shook his head. “I’m not interested in your family. It’s just a mutually beneficial exchange.”

Yu Chen’s face lit up with a hint of excitement. He stood up and bowed. “I understand, Senior.”

“Extinguishing Spirit Stones, Starshifting Black Ores, Forbidden Sea Beasts, and Forbidden Sea spiritual herbs—I have them all.”

Chen Xun glanced at Brother Ox, then took out a voice-transmitting jade slip from his storage ring. “We can meet here annually for our trades.”

This jade slip had been created using methods they had discovered while experimenting with relics. It was much more efficient than a standard voice transmission talisman, enabling communication over vast distances, but it could only hold a few words. However, activating it required mid-grade spirit stones, seemingly using the connection of the world’s spiritual energy to transmit messages. Brother Ox was still working on improving it.

“Senior, do you have Lotus Demon Coral?” Yu Chen’s calm demeanor suddenly cracked as his face reddened. “I’m willing to exchange secret techniques for it.”

“Lotus Demon Coral grows deep within the Forbidden Sea. If you have one during a breakthrough, it helps stabilize the mind, allowing you to pass the Heart Refining Tribulation smoothly,” Chen Xun explained while producing a Lotus Demon Coral emanating dark energy. “But only one that’s over a thousand years old is effective.”

Yu Chen immediately stood up, his eyes burning with eagerness. “Senior, that’s exactly what I need.”

Naturally, he had no intention of forcefully taking it. The sheer strength required to venture deep into the Forbidden Sea to retrieve such an item was beyond his and his entire fleet's capabilities.

“We’ll need to discuss this properly.”

“Of course,” Yu Chen replied, bowing his head. He realized he had encountered an extraordinary opportunity. In Da Li, such items were so rare that they couldn’t even be bought. But if he didn’t have the courage to seize the chance, he would miss it altogether.

As the two conversed leisurely in the lookout tower, Brother Ox’s eyes sparkled. Clearly, Big Brother wasn’t just here to talk business.

“Moo~~” Brother Ox snorted with satisfaction. It seemed the longer one lived, the more shrewd one became. Big Brother was indeed turning into the crafty old monster he always warned others about.

Meanwhile, Xiao Chi stood proudly at the ship’s prow, his posture commanding. He had to maintain the dignity of his three elder brothers, especially since all eyes were on him!

Back on Yu Chen’s fleet:

“Uncle Chu, why has it been so long, and Fifth Brother hasn’t returned?” Yu Yiwei’s face was filled with worry. The four-legged beast emitted an overwhelming pressure, staring at them without even blinking. “If something happens, how will we explain this when we return?”

Uncle Chu still clutched the voice-transmitting jade slip. “Young lady, please stay calm. There has been no change aboard the giant ship, and I will not allow any harm to come to the young master.”

He remained more composed than anyone else. High-level cultivators like these wouldn’t act recklessly, especially since they had already revealed their family affiliation. Moreover, their behavior was nothing like that of demonic cultivators, who were usually driven mad by resentment and bloodlust, attacking anything that moved, believing themselves to be second only to the heavens.

“We can only wait,” Uncle Chu reassured her. “It was the Fifth Young Master who insisted on speaking with them. We cannot risk offending them now.”

“I understand.” Yu Yiwei’s brows furrowed deeply, her hair left untied, flowing wildly in the wind. Her radiant beauty, however, could not hide her deep concerns.

She knew why her brother had taken this risk better than anyone. He never cared for the position of family head, but others did. Without strengthening external alliances, they would eventually fall like many before them. Life in an ancient cultivator family was brutal beyond words, and one could not rely on mere intimidation to survive.

At that moment, a sudden exclamation echoed from the giant ship.

“Corrupted beasts? Or Corrupted lifespan?” Chen Xun’s eyes widened. “Extinguishing Spirit artifacts were made to deal with these?”

“Moo!!” Brother Ox stood up, his mind racing as if he had stumbled upon a great secret.

“Yes.” Yu Chen glanced at Brother Ox and then back at Chen Xun. “Senior, the method for creating Extinguishing Spirit artifacts is a closely guarded secret. I haven’t been privy to it yet.”

Internally, Yu Chen was feeling rather helpless. This senior asked the strangest questions, seeming curious about everything. But no one could know everything in such a short lifespan, especially with the limited time cultivators had. This senior gave off a disorienting vibe, as though he had been slumbering in the Forbidden Sea for countless years, only to suddenly awaken.

Yu Chen had no idea why he felt this way, but this senior’s knowledge and strength didn’t seem to match.

“It’s not an issue. I won’t trouble you about it,” Chen Xun said, his brow furrowing deeply as he looked at Yu Chen. “So, according to your understanding, when the Thousand-Year Hanging Heaven’s Gate opens, cultivators are going there to hunt corrupted beings?”

“I don’t know much about it,” Yu Chen replied, lowering his head. “Even in the Yu family, the elders are tight-lipped about the matter. I’ve only learned bits and pieces.”

He sighed softly. “According to legend, the Hanging Heaven’s Gate leads to great opportunities, helping cultivators rapidly increase their strength.”

“I’ve heard that, but no one ever speaks of specifics. Most cultivators simply refer to it as a heavenly secret realm.”

“The matter of Corruption is something only the elders of the Yu family know in detail,” Yu Chen explained, his voice low. “There are still three hundred years left before the next opening of the Heaven’s Gate. Few return from it, and many leave behind their final wills.”

“The main reason why Da Li cultivators flock there is for methods to rapidly enhance their divine sense. Extinguishing Spirit artifacts are also particularly effective within the Heaven’s Gate.”

Yu Chen spoke cautiously, without fear for his fleet. As long as the giant ship was present, no one would dare make any moves. “If I ever acquire the method to forge Extinguishing Spirit artifacts, I will offer it to you, Senior, without hesitation.”

In reality, the situation was far more terrifying than he had let on. The Heaven’s Gate was not some heavenly path but a sure path to death.

“I appreciate your honesty,” Chen Xun replied, content with what he had learned. “Take the Abyss Carp with you.”

“But, Senior, I haven’t prepared anything to exchange yet…” Yu Chen was dumbfounded. He didn’t have any of the necessary items with him, as they would have to wait for the next trade.

“No matter. Next year, you can bring it,” Chen Xun waved dismissively. “The Abyss Carp won’t last until next year. Its blood will decay, and its Nascent Soul will wither.”

He glanced at the dead Abyss Carp. Brother Ox’s formation wasn’t effective against the misty remnants of ancient war spirits. The beast had charged them with hostile intent, its mind already lost, forcing them to strike.

If the creature hadn’t been so aggressive, Chen Xun might have considered sparing it for a chat.

Suddenly, Chen Xun grinned as a memory of the large turtle flashed in his mind. Next time, if they captured it again, he would check if it had reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

“Thank you, Senior!”

Yu Chen gave a deep bow, rising to his feet. “I will not disappoint you next year.”

“Hmm, I trust the descendants of the three ancient cultivator families in Da Li,” Chen Xun replied as he sipped his tea, his tone casual. “But let me remind you—if anything unexpected happens, both you and your Yu family will be bound by some karmic ties with us.”

A soft rustle came from the black-and-white leaves of the Five Elements Crane Tree, its gentle light turning sharp and cold.

Yu Chen’s back was drenched in cold sweat. There was no trace of amusement in his mind. This was no idle threat. Even now, he couldn’t discern anything about these three.

“Rest assured, Senior!” Yu Chen bowed even lower.

“This Lotus Demon Coral will be part of next year’s trade.”

“Yes, Senior.”

“Take the voice-transmitting jade slip and the Abyss Carp with you,” Chen Xun said as he flicked his fingers, sending the jade slip directly into Yu Chen’s hands. “Next year, on this day, return to the Forbidden Sea. I’ll find you.”

“Yes, Senior,” Yu Chen replied, staring at the jade slip. It was different from the ones he was familiar with, perhaps even having tracking capabilities.

“Good. You may go now,” Chen Xun chuckled, his attention already shifting to Brother Ox. He seemed eager to pat his large black bull on the head.

Brother Ox’s pupils shrank, and he took a few steps back. Why did Chen Xun’s gaze suddenly seem so mischievous?

Yu Chen bowed to Chen Xun and Brother Ox before stowing the Abyss Carp into his storage ring. He had no intention of probing the other restricted areas of the ship, knowing it would be a fatal mistake.

He let out a deep breath and ascended into the

air. The injury from his earlier confrontation with the war spirits had taken its toll, and he needed to rest.

“Human! Leaving already?!” Xiao Chi barked with a commanding tone. “See? We didn’t harm you!”

“Huh?” Yu Chen blinked in confusion, but he smiled politely and nodded in response. “Senior, I shall return next year.”

“Hmm…” Xiao Chi tilted his head, glancing at his two elder brothers, who were now… wrestling? “Hurry along, then.”

“Yes.”

Yu Chen bowed again before soaring back to his family’s fleet. A sense of relief washed over him, as if he had just walked through the gates of hell and survived.

“Young master!”

“Fifth brother!”

…

Cheers erupted from the fleet as the crew welcomed Yu Chen’s safe return. They were beyond relieved that nothing had gone wrong.

*Hum—*

As Yu Chen stepped back aboard his ship, a loud hum echoed from the distance. The massive ship that had once loomed nearby began to fade, slowly vanishing into the mists of the Forbidden Sea, its destination unknown...