Chapter 5: The Uninvited Guest
Despite the prestige of the Clean District, the sale of Cataclysm Materials was conducted solely in the Sewage District. These materials not only emitted a nauseating stench but were also fraught with danger—Golden Hill Base had once lost half its city to a single mishap with them.
An armored transport roared by, drenching the road with foul water. Wang Jie made his way through the grime and headed straight for the Materials District, an expansive marketplace bustling beneath makeshift canopies. Old-era buildings, too frail to resist the materials’ corrosive properties, often collapsed; only open spaces were deemed safe.
The district teemed with people, from dawn till dusk. Cultivators hungrily sought the Seal Power within Cataclysm Materials—nothing promised faster strength gains. Wang Jie, no stranger to these parts, walked on without breaking stride.
“Is that Wild Grass? What did you bring this time? I’ll give you a fair deal!”
“Wild Grass, fresh beast blood here—any interest?”
Vendors and passersby recognized him, but he simply ignored them. His goal lay at the district’s heart: the largest Cataclysm Materials shop around, operated under the official banner of Golden Hill Base.
Just then, a deafening roar shook the tin canopies overhead. Blood arced high into the air before splattering across the ground. The crowd fell silent. Wang Jie, however, pressed onward as if nothing had happened.
Inside the shop, a five-meter-tall mutated beast lay dying, its final breaths rasping across the floor. Workers gathered around, expertly removing its precious organs and limbs. Only this store had the resources to capture live beasts and dismantle them on the spot.
Employees bustled in every direction. Wang Jie glanced around, then headed toward a woman in her thirties who was sorting materials at a nearby counter. She only noticed him once he was close. Her eyes lit up.
“Wild Grass? You’re back. How was your haul this time?”
Wang Jie gave a slight shake of his head.
“Nothing special—just one mutated beast tooth.”
She waved off his disappointment with a smile.
“Better luck next time. Are you here to buy something?”
“I need a flower that’s exactly thirty-three years old.”
She paused.
“Exactly thirty-three years? May I ask why?”
He simply nodded, offering no further explanation.
“Give me a moment,” she said, then disappeared into the storeroom. After a while, she emerged with two curious plants in her hands.
“I can’t promise their exact ages, but they grew in the Family Quarters. It’s common for plants there to live two or three decades—maybe one of these is what you need.”
“Many thanks,” Wang Jie replied, buying both. [I have no surefire way to check their age here, but I’ll take them. No point risking them being snatched up by someone else.]
After exiting the shop, his attention was drawn to the towering bounty board at the heart of the Materials District. Jointly maintained by the Five Great Bases, it featured only the most dangerous fugitives. The board changed often; at its peak, it had displayed well over a hundred wanted names.
Wang Jie’s gaze swept the posters until it landed on a familiar name: Hu Guan.
Name: Hu Guan
Threat Level: Extremely Dangerous
Cultivation: Five-Seal Warrior
Crimes: Robbery, murder, numerous atrocities
Directive: Report immediately if sighted. Any unauthorized attempts at capture are at your own peril
Bounty: One hundred vials of beast blood
[He wasn’t on this list the last time I checked. So the Southern Base is finally making his name public.]
Notably, there was no mention of Hibiscus Tears among Hu Guan’s crimes.
Wang Jie mused on this, then looked toward the top of the bounty board. There, instead of a portrait, only a figure swathed in darkness was depicted:
Name: Unknown
Threat Level: Extremely Dangerous
Cultivation: Unknown (Estimated Seven-Seal)
Crimes: Crimes against humanity
Description: Age estimated between sixteen and twenty; proficient in at least five combat techniques; believed to be severely injured. If encountered, report immediately
Bounty: One hundred Cataclysm Materials
Wang Jie gazed at the nameless silhouette for several moments. [Seven-Seal… That’s a level beyond what the average person can imagine. I wonder who this is.] Then, he turned and left the district.
Upon returning to his modest quarters, Wang Jie placed one of the freshly purchased flowers atop a strange Green Sprout he nurtured.
[It’s reacting. This must be the thirty-three-year-old one—thank goodness.]
A faint gleam of excitement rose in his eyes. The flower worked perfectly; no need to test the second. Now, he only lacked two items: the Heartbroken Maiden’s Tears and the Severed Finger of an evil individual.
He frowned. [Heartbroken tears? That sounds near impossible for someone like me… I’ve never bothered with romance or relationships in my entire life.]
Night fell, the last rays of sunlight scorching the horizon in a vivid display. Suddenly, a fiery streak lanced across the sky.
[A meteorite…?]
At that same moment, meteor showers rained upon Blue Star in unison. Some slammed into barren plains, others into mountain ranges; many more plunged into seas.
Boom!
A nearby settlement trembled beneath the impact of one such meteorite. Ramshackle huts were wiped out in an instant, and the shockwave sent countless people hurtling through the air. Those at ground zero were reduced to nothing, their existence erased in a flash. Survivors looked on, limbs quaking with terror, as the dust settled around a steaming rock at the crater’s center.
[Why… why did it have to strike right here?]
A moment later, the meteorite cracked open.
Energy exploded outward. Onlookers instinctively shrank back. By the time the gust had cleared, the meteorite itself had vanished, leaving many to question their own eyes.
Meanwhile, at the edge of the ruined settlement, a woman with long, flowing hair walked toward the chaos. She moved with a strange elegance, each step covering over ten meters. A faintly shimmering, violet veil concealed her face, and her sheathed sword was encrusted with radiant gemstones.
She scanned the broken skyline under the fading sun, the corners of her mouth curling into a wry smile.
“This trial ground is… interesting.”
A shifting brilliance lit her pupils as she took in the surroundings.
“They’re so weak… Completing my objective here should be simple.”
Across the land, similar scenes played out.
No one on Blue Star realized that a host of uninvited visitors had descended upon their realm.
Sleeping out in the wilderness was a nerve-racking affair, but within the protected walls of Golden Hill Base, one could rest at ease. When Wang Jie opened his eyes the next morning, sunlight glinted off the polluted water, reflecting an oddly beautiful rainbow sheen.
He stretched, then rinsed his face and stepped outside.
At the East Gate, armored vehicles and cultivators milled about in a hurried dance of preparation. Among the rows of transports, one stood out in both size and grandeur, like a mobile fortress: it bore the proud insignia of the Zhao Clan Hunting Team.
Gray Claw spotted Wang Jie and called him over, lowering his voice as Wang Jie approached.
“Watch what you say. Young Master Zhao is in that big one. They say his temper is terrible. We’re here to catch the Snow Steed—a twentieth birthday gift for Bai Xiao of the Upper Capital. If we fail, I doubt any of us will see home again.”
Wang Jie’s eyes flickered.
“Bai Xiao?”
Gray Claw nodded gravely.
“She’s the daughter of Bai Yuan, one of the Three Gods.”
[So that’s it,] Wang Jie thought. [No wonder the Zhao Clan’s young master is personally leading this mission.]
Over the past decade, Blue Star had lost most of its advanced technology, but some communication still survived. Cultivators, once measured merely by the number of Seals they possessed, were now overshadowed by the legendary might of the “Three Gods” and “Five Extremes.” These eight stood as the strongest across what remained of Hua Xia.
Hong Sword, known to be one of the Five Extremes, resided at Golden Hill Base. Bai Yuan, one of the Three Gods, governed the Upper Capital. If the Zhao Clan managed to secure Bai Yuan’s favor—perhaps through his daughter—their entire standing could rise overnight. Seeking the Snow Steed seemed little more than a lavish tribute.
Over a hundred cultivators accompanied the mighty convoy of more than fifteen armored vehicles.
Gray Claw sighed.
“Everything depends on your skills now, Wild Grass. We have only three days to locate a Snow Steed. Fail to do that, and we may as well dig our graves.”
Wang Jie snorted softly.
“You’re just trying to pin the burden on me. Who in their right mind can guarantee a Snow Steed in three days?”
Gray Claw gave him an awkward grin.
“You’re famously the best guide in Golden Hill Base. The Zhao Clan would’ve vetted you thoroughly; they’re not the type to gamble without doing their research.”
[That’s probably true,] Wang Jie thought. [In my years, I’ve seen many top-tier guides either die or get conscripted into specialized hunting teams. I’m one of the few left who can navigate the wild with relative safety.]
Soon, the convoy thundered out of the gates.
Behind them, ragged onlookers gazed longingly, dreaming of the day they, too, might awaken to the Sky Projection and learn the ways of cultivation. Unfortunately, such a gift was rare.
Inside the largest vehicle, Wang Jie handed a meticulously planned route map to the female steward, who disappeared behind a curtain to consult with the Young Master. Moments later, she re-emerged to confirm his route was approved.
They advanced along the remnants of old-world highways, still visible beneath layers of overgrowth. Mutant beasts would occasionally peer out, only to retreat upon sighting such a formidable force. The few that dared to attack met swift ends—so swift, in fact, that Wang Jie never even needed to draw his weapon. The territory they crossed was relatively tame, known to be a buffer zone near the base. Deeper regions, however, were far more perilous—numbers meant nothing against hordes of powerful creatures.
Gray Claw observed the expedition’s formation with open admiration.
“Look at that—ranged fighters, frontline warriors, stealth experts, and drones covering the skies. I’d bet they can sense anything out to ten miles. It’s nearly impossible for an enemy to ambush us.”
Wang Jie, however, responded tersely.
“Even Hong Sword himself—one of the Five Extremes—has encountered mortal peril in the wild. If a Six-Seal or Seven-Seal beast appears, it won’t matter how big our group is.”
Gray Claw grimaced.
“Must you be such a pessimist?”
“Fine. May you live a long life.”
“That… sounds even worse.”
A pause, and then Wang Jie asked abruptly, “Do you have a lover?”
Gray Claw blinked, taken aback.
“Why the sudden interest?”
“Just curious,” Wang Jie replied, his gaze fixed on the road ahead.
“…Yes, I do.”
“She loves you?”
“Of course.”
“Break up with her.”
Gray Claw’s face twitched. [If I stood any chance in a fight, I’d teach this guy a lesson, maybe use that Disjoining Tendons Hand to really make him regret his words.]
Wang Jie let out a soft sigh. [Getting a woman’s heartbreak for tears… this might be more complicated than I thought.]
Regardless, traveling with the Zhao Clan had its comforts: hot meals, stable vehicles, safety in numbers. By Wang Jie’s estimation, factoring in occasional skirmishes, they would reach the abandoned holiday resort by nightfall.
Abruptly, the female steward strode over, her displeasure evident.
“Why have we stopped?”
Wang Jie gestured to the darkening sky.
“Night travel is too risky out here. Some mutant plants only appear under cover of darkness. It’s best to make camp.”
Her eyes flashed with cold dissatisfaction.
“You remember the Young Master’s words—three days, no more. Can you afford to waste a single moment?”
Wang Jie met her gaze calmly.
“We’ll find the Snow Steed in three days, trust me. There’s no need to throw lives away in the dark.”
With a dismissive snort, the steward returned to relay his decision to the commander.
[Three days… and counting,] Wang Jie thought, gazing out at the looming wilderness. [I’ve got to fulfill my contract—and I’ve also got my own plans to see through.]
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation