Chapter 105: Borrowing the Path
More than ten days had passed, yet Wang Jie had not returned. Huai Si had no choice but to leave first; he could not afford to waste all his time waiting for Wang Jie.
A few days after Huai Si departed, Wang Jie finally made his return.
The Cataclysm Materials were depleted, and he needed to gather more.
“Hm? The spaceship has changed?”
As he approached his vessel, Wang Jie noticed another spacecraft parked closer to his own. This was not Huai Si’s. That meant Huai Si had already left.
Silently, Wang Jie strode toward his ship.
Just then, the hatch of the unfamiliar vessel slid open, and a man stepped out. Without hesitation, he walked toward Wang Jie. “Junior Brother, how long have you been on Heavy Depth Star? Have you, by chance, seen a Storage Ring around here?”
Wang Jie remained calm, continuing his path toward his spaceship. “No.”
The man’s lips curled into a smirk as he stepped in front of Wang Jie, blocking his path. “Junior Brother, a Storage Ring can only be opened by its rightful owner; others cannot use it. If you’ve picked it up, please return it to me. I will surely reward you generously.”
Wang Jie examined the man before him. “How can you be so sure that you are my Senior Brother?”
The man had not expected such a question. He chuckled, then took a step closer and reached out, placing his hand on Wang Jie’s shoulder. His voice was soft, yet carried an unmistakable chill. “Junior Brother, it seems you have quite the attitude. Do you need your Senior Brother to teach you some respect?”
The moment his words fell, Wang Jie’s fist lashed out like lightning, striking the man squarely in the abdomen.
A muffled groan escaped the man’s lips as his body doubled over in pain. He stumbled back, clutching his stomach, his strength rapidly draining away.
Wang Jie stepped past him without another word, boarded his spaceship, and departed.
For a long while, the man gasped for breath, his face ashen. He raised his head toward the starry sky, eyes filled with lingering fear and apprehension.
One punch.
Just one punch, and he hadn’t even been able to dodge. Worse, the blow had left him utterly drained.
This man was far stronger than him.
The most terrifying thing, however, was that he could not discern Wang Jie’s cultivation level at all.
And he was at the Peak of the Star-Breaking Realm, ranked among the top ten of the Inner Sect.
—
Far away, somewhere in the vast expanse of the cosmos, Huai Si stared at his Personal Terminal, his expression grave.
“Just one punch?”
He had won in a single move. And still, no one could determine his cultivation realm.
When had the Frost Radiance Sect gained such a powerful disciple? He had been here for ten years and thought he had seen everything.
—
Meanwhile, inside his spaceship, Wang Jie watched the dark expanse of the universe blur past him at high speed. His mind lingered on the man he had just encountered.
No doubt, Huai Si had sent him. The excuse about a lost Storage Ring was far too clumsy—he had clearly been looking for trouble. Wang Jie could not think of anyone else apart from Huai Si who would go to such lengths.
But why?
Why was Huai Si so persistent in targeting him?
Could there be something wrong with that man?
With this thought in mind, Wang Jie decided to contact Jin Chu and the others to investigate. As a Guest Elder of the sect, he had some authority, but it did not extend to probing into the affairs of disciples. After all, Guest Elders were only half-members of the Frost Radiance Sect—true disciples were the sect’s foundation.
As he opened his Personal Terminal to contact Jin Chu, a strange instrumental melody reached his ears.
Where was that sound coming from?
And why was his body growing cold?
Wang Jie turned his gaze to the control panel. There was no audio output within the spaceship, yet the eerie melody grew louder and closer. He looked out into the starry abyss. The vast darkness stretched endlessly, punctuated only by the occasional glimmer of distant stars. Light streaked across space from faraway celestial bodies, but at this speed, no sound should be able to reach him from outside.
Yet, the instrumental melody only intensified.
Standing still, Wang Jie felt an inexplicable sorrow wash over him. A chill ran down his spine as goosebumps prickled his skin. His breath quickened. The music became clearer, more distinct.
Then, suddenly—
The spaceship, the cosmos, everything before his eyes turned a muted shade of gray and white.
Time seemed to stop.
His spaceship halted in its tracks, frozen mid-flight.
Directly ahead, a shadowy figure passed through the spaceship’s hull. The figure wore a white tall hat, from which yellow paper money fluttered in the air. In its hands, it held a long white pole, stepping forward one deliberate stride at a time.
It was walking straight toward Wang Jie.
The figure’s face was an indistinct blur, swirling like a vortex.
Behind it, several others followed, playing eerie instruments.
Only one among them was fully visible—a middle-aged man, expressionless, walking at the very center. His lifeless eyes were devoid of color.
At that moment, space itself seemed to ripple like flowing water. The eerie melody rose in a crescendo, yet Wang Jie could hear his own heartbeat pounding louder and louder.
Thump.
Thump.
Thump.
His heart felt like it would burst from his chest.
Then, a voice, impossibly deep and suffocating, resonated in his ears:
“Borrowing the Path.”
Wang Jie had no idea how he moved aside. It was pure instinct. He simply retreated, allowing the strange procession to pass. They moved forward, their music never ceasing, passing through the spaceship as though it were mist, vanishing into the void.
As the last figure drifted through, the color of the world abruptly snapped back to normal. The gray and white tones vanished in an instant.
His spaceship resumed its course, continuing its journey through space.
Warmth returned to the air.
Wang Jie’s body gave way, and he nearly collapsed. His entire frame was drenched in cold sweat. He felt as if he had just survived something unfathomable. His face was deathly pale, completely devoid of color.
He turned to look behind the spaceship.
Nothing.
There was nothing at all.
The instrumental melody had vanished entirely.
Frantically, he checked the spaceship’s surveillance logs.
Nothing.
The recordings only showed him standing there, frozen in place. At one point, he had stepped aside for no apparent reason.
Other than that, everything was normal.
No gray and white world, no shadowy figures, no yellow paper money, no eerie music.
“What the hell just happened?”
Had he been dreaming?
Wang Jie sat in his chair, took a sip of water, and shivered uncontrollably. His body trembled—not from cold or exhaustion, but from an experience that defied all reason. It was no dream.
His heart pounded against his chest. And yet, if it was not a dream, why was there no trace left behind? Not even the slightest sign remained of what had transpired.
He swallowed hard and activated his Personal Terminal, searching for any similar occurrences. Nothing. Not a single record.
It was as if, from the beginning of time to the endless reaches of the universe, no one else had ever encountered such an event.
The more he realized this, the more terrifying it became. In that moment, he felt as though reality itself was nothing but an illusion, as fragile as a mist in the wind.
It took him several days to recover from the shock. His body, too, suffered as though he had endured a grave illness, leaving him weak and drained. Even something as simple as performing his Beginner’s Calisthenics proved impossible. The sheer eeriness of it all sent shivers down his spine.
Fog Peak, Frost Radiance Domain
Upon seeing Wang Jie return, Luo Yan greeted him with enthusiasm. “Senior! Welcome back! Huh? Senior, you don’t look well.”
Wang Jie’s voice was weak. “It’s nothing. How goes the material gathering?”
Luo Yan’s expression turned bitter. “Not well. The prices have skyrocketed. Nowadays, even the Outer Sect Disciples are competing to buy them, making Slaughter Stone more expensive than ever.”
“How did that happen?”
“I looked into it. Apparently, someone purchased nearly all the best Cataclysm Materials from both the inner and outer markets, causing wild rumors to spread. People are saying war is on the horizon. The Outer Sect Disciples panicked and started hoarding materials. Now, forget about materials for Nine-Seal or Ten-Seal Cataclysms—even Five-Seal materials are hard to find.”
Wang Jie was speechless. He was the one who had bought those materials. He had never imagined it would cause such a misunderstanding.
This was going to be troublesome. Acquiring Cataclysm Materials was now far more difficult than just a matter of money.
At that moment, a voice echoed from the cliffside. “Disciple Xia Zhen Zhen, here to visit Guest Official Great Master.”
Wang Jie signaled for Luo Yan to receive the guest.
Soon, Luo Yan returned with Xia Zhen Zhen in tow.
“It’s been over half a year since we last met, Great Master. Have you been well?” Xia Zhen Zhen greeted him with a respectful bow, her smile bright and sincere.
Wang Jie smiled faintly. “I’m doing well enough. What brings you here?”
“I was handling some matters with the Weapon-Forging Branch and thought I’d drop by. But, Great Master, your complexion doesn’t look great. Encountered some trouble?”
“No, I merely overreached in my cultivation.”
“Ah, I see…”
Xia Zhen Zhen chatted with Wang Jie for a while, with no apparent ulterior motives—she truly seemed to have stopped by just to visit.
Taking advantage of the opportunity, Wang Jie asked where he could find the most Cataclysm Materials.
Xia Zhen Zhen was puzzled. “Great Master, you’re already a Ten-Seal Star-Refining Master. Even if you’re trying to deepen the color of your seals, you wouldn’t need that many materials, would you? If you need some, I can procure them for you.”
“I’m not gathering them for myself,” Wang Jie explained. “I intend to use the Method of Star-Refining to extract Lock Force and experiment with pushing Lock Force Cultivators past their limits. I want to see if they can have a future.”
This was a long-prepared excuse for why he needed so many Cataclysm Materials.
Xia Zhen Zhen was surprised but quickly understood. Who wouldn’t want to reach greater heights? Lock Force Cultivators had no future—then the only way forward was to carve one out for them. Even if the chances were slim.
“Great Master, your aspirations are admirable,” she said with genuine respect. “If you’re looking for someone with the most Cataclysm Materials, it would undoubtedly be the Alchemy Branch. Since alchemists frequently experiment with new concoctions, and Cataclysm Materials are both affordable and versatile, they stockpile them in abundance.”
“The Alchemy Branch…” Wang Jie murmured in thought. He didn’t know anyone from that branch.
If it were the Weapon-Forging Branch, things would be easier.
Seeing his hesitation, Xia Zhen Zhen chuckled. “If Great Master wishes to meet someone from the Alchemy Branch, I can introduce you. Xia Xiao Nian, a Direct Disciple, is a close friend of mine. He’s also an Alchemy Highmaster.”
“Oh? That would be excellent. I appreciate it.”
“Would you like to go now, or would you prefer to wait?”
“I can go anytime. It’s only a matter of whether it’s convenient for you.”
Xia Zhen Zhen stood up with a lighthearted smile. “I’m ready anytime.”
Filled with gratitude, Wang Jie followed Xia Zhen Zhen as they departed.
The Alchemy, Weapon-Forging, and Formation Branches were all located within Fog Peak. Though vast, traveling between them wasn’t too troublesome.
As he left, Luo Yan watched with admiration. Xia Zhen Zhen—she was one of the Direct Disciples, someone with immense potential. And to think their esteemed Guest Official Great Master was acquainted with her! If he served Wang Jie well, perhaps one day, he might gain an opportunity to enter the Inner Sect. That alone would be more than he could ever ask for.
Just as he was lost in thought, a visitor arrived.
“I am Xia Xiao Nian. I have come to seek an audience with the Celestial Refinement Master.”
Luo Yan froze in place. Xia Xiao Nian? Wasn’t that the very person Wang Jie had just gone to meet?
“Senior Brother, you’re a little late. Great Master has just gone to visit you.”
Xia Xiao Nian blinked. “…What?”
Fog Peak, Mooncrown Mountain—The Seat of the Alchemy Branch
Despite being called a ‘mountain,’ Mooncrown Mountain was actually a sprawling range, covering nearly half of Fog Peak. Its domain far exceeded that of the Weapon-Forging and Formation Branches, as the Alchemy Branch was the largest and most specialized within Frost Radiance Sect.
Disciples of the sect often chose to study additional skills beyond their cultivation, and alchemy was the most favored.
There, Xia Xiao Nian awaited them.
“Disciple Xia Xiao Nian greets Guest Official Great Master.”
“There’s no need to be so formal,” Wang Jie said, waving a hand. “Just call me Wang Jie.”
“Great Master is still Great Master,” Xia Xiao Nian replied solemnly. “It would be improper to address you by name.”
“No need to be so rigid.”
“This isn’t about formality—it’s about respect.”
Wang Jie was left speechless. Xia Xiao Nian’s expression was completely serious. His gaze held nothing but reverence. The man was even older than Wang Jie, yet his demeanor was without arrogance, purer than even Xia Zhen Zhen’s.
Xia Zhen Zhen rolled her eyes. “Enough already, Xia Xiao Nian. Where were you earlier? Why did you show up after us?”
Xia Xiao Nian turned to her. “I went to visit the Great Master.”
“Which Great Master?”
“Wang Jie.”
Wang Jie: …
“You’re saying Master Luan is looking for me?” Wang Jie asked, stunned. He hadn’t expected that Xia Xiao Nian’s visit had been on behalf of Master Luan.
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation