Chapter 124

Chapter 124: Suo Xing Jian

Thinking of that, Wang Jie felt a surge in his chest and his blood ran hot.

Too many people had told him lockforce had no future. Countless people belittled lockforce. Elder Chu of Frostflower Sect’s Outer Court, Wu Mian—those dim eyes, those unspoken resignations—had haunted him again and again.

No matter how tough his will was, it still seeped in.

But now it was different.

With Zhong Yi ahead, why couldn’t Wang Jie follow behind?

Two months later, the ship reached Fourth Nebula.

Zhi Ye dragged it to a strange place.

It was a region like a river. The starry sky flowed like glass, and faint light refracted into shifting colors. The entire region streamed into the distance—its speed impossible to grasp because it was too fast to see.

Xing Xue looked at everyone inside the ship. “This is the Nebula Stream. Through the Nebula Stream, you can cross the entire nebula at the fastest speed and reach whichever Refining Grounds you want.”

“This old woman doesn’t know what will happen to you all,” she continued, “but if possible, give Frostflower Sect a chance to be rebuilt.”

“This old woman, Xing Xue, thanks you.”

Outside the ship, Zhi Ye shook his head.

In his eyes, these disciples weren’t even as good as Black-White Heaven’s Outer Sect members. Hoping they could rebuild a sect was less likely than hoping the Zhi family would suddenly grow kind.

It wasn’t even clear whether these disciples could enter Black-White Heaven alive.

Aunt was still as naive as she used to be.

But she was still a Star-Refining Realm powerhouse. Now that she was back, the family’s foundation was stronger—and her voice carried more weight.

As for this batch of Frostflower Sect people and their off-the-books status?

Black-White Heaven didn’t need this trash. It would be best if they all died in the Refining Grounds.

Leaving one or two alive would count as giving Aunt face.

Soon, Wang Jie and the others arrived at the Nebula Stream dock, where people arranged destinations.

There were many ships and countless people waiting to board, but Zhi Ye’s arrival made everyone step back.

Tray-like platforms floated in neat lines, each one a different size.

Luo Yan and the others came to Wang Jie one last time. “Lord, we’re heading to Great Chen Mountain. Take care, Lord.”

Wang Jie patted Luo Yan’s shoulder. “Take care.”

Mu Ran tried again, urging Wang Jie to go to Zhi Academy so they could stay together. Most of the disciples were choosing Zhi Academy, but Wang Jie refused.

One person after another left.

When it was Wang Jie’s turn, he said simply, “Suo Xing Jian, please.”

Then he looked into the distance.

The ship floated alone in space, with Xing Xue still inside.

Wang Jie faced her and bowed deeply.

A flash of light swallowed him.

When he looked again, all he could see were endless lines streaking past in brilliant colors.

Only one Frostflower Sect disciple was going to Suo Xing Jian.

Wang Jie.

When Xing Xue led people away from Frostflower Sect, she had never passed through the Outer Court—or perhaps she simply never cared about lockforce cultivators.

The ones she took were all starforce cultivators.

Five full days later, the lines around Wang Jie slowed. He knew he was almost there.

When the tray was flung out of the Nebula Stream and hurled toward a distant planet, Wang Jie knew he had arrived at Suo Xing Jian.

No one was here to greet him.

Wang Jie gripped the tray tightly as it slammed into the planet, streaking toward the ground.

Boom.

A huge crater formed. Countless other craters dotted the planet’s surface, scattered everywhere—too many to count.

The other planets nearby looked the same.

Planet fragments floated through the starry sky like shrapnel.

This was Suo Xing Jian—the starting point for Black-White Heaven’s countless lockforce cultivators.

Suo Xing Jian spanned an entire star chain. The scale was absurd, nearly twice the territory Frostflower Sect had once held.

Everywhere this star chain connected to the Nebula Stream served as an entrance into Suo Xing Jian.

At every moment, lockforce cultivators were being flung in.

“Huh? Why is there only one?”

“And so small?”

“Strange. Normally they get thrown in batch after batch.”

“This situation isn’t normal. The newcomer might have some background—the Nebula Stream dock even arranged a separate trip for him. Be careful.”

All around, countless people stared at the tray that had smashed into the ground, waiting to see who would emerge.

But they couldn’t.

Wang Jie had already slipped away the moment he entered the planet.

Now he stood among the crowd, unnoticed.

He looked around.

So weak.

In his eyes, these lockforce cultivators were no different from the ones in Frostflower Sect.

All weak.

At a glance, there wasn’t a single Star-Breaking Realm cultivator.

He turned and left.

Just then, a woman approached and bowed. “Greetings, guest. I’m Du Xian, from the Star Vault Ship Exchange. Does guest wish to purchase a ship?”

Wang Jie looked at Du Xian. “Star Vault Ship Exchange? Under Star Vault Vista?”

Du Xian smiled. “Yes.”

Wang Jie nodded. “Lead the way.”

Du Xian brought him underground, explaining as they walked. “This is the shore of the Nebula Stream. Each planet receives newcomers, and any spot on the surface can be smashed. So underground is safest.”

“The damage caused by the Nebula Stream’s speed won’t reach deeper than ten kilometers,” she added. “So on the planets by the Nebula Stream, life is all underground.”

Soon, Wang Jie arrived on a street full of technology and bustle, with people everywhere.

“How did you know I’m new?” Wang Jie asked.

“Because we know every person who walks on the surface,” Du Xian said. “Only guest looks unfamiliar.”

Wang Jie blinked. “There were at least a hundred thousand people on the surface just now. You know them all?”

Du Xian turned back and laughed. “Yes.”

She gestured ahead. “We’re here, guest. Please come in.”

Wang Jie looked at the exchange center, which took up an enormous space, and lifted his head.

Even underground, the “sky” above was blue with white clouds, just like outside. It was beautiful—not oppressive at all.

There was even a river overhead, sealed behind transparent glass, flowing like a ribbon through the ceiling.

“Would guest like something to drink?” Du Xian asked. “We have it here.”

Wang Jie cut her off. “No need. I’m new here. Tell me everything I should know.”

Du Xian smiled. “All right.”

“This is Suo Xing Jian…” She spoke for a long time, and Wang Jie listened without interrupting.

When she finally stopped, Wang Jie had a rough understanding.

The rules of Suo Xing Jian were simple.

Open a star map and mark whatever you want.

If you marked a planet’s region that you desired, it became yours—as long as others acknowledged it.

The most straightforward rule here was stealing slaughterstone planets.

The more you took, the higher your status.

If you didn’t want to steal, that was fine too. Find a quiet corner, or a livable planet, and retire.

As for Yi Sword Heaven—the place Wang Jie cared about—it was possible to enter, but not easy.

Yi Sword Heaven was controlled by the four alliances, and each of those alliances had Full-Star Realm experts. Unless you joined an alliance and built up contributions step by step, you couldn’t enter.

The only other way was through Lone Peak Gorge—something the four alliances opened to outsiders as a path into Yi Sword Heaven.

They didn’t dare hold it completely, afraid of provoking backlash.

And entering Yi Sword Heaven through Lone Peak Gorge wasn’t easy either. You had to control at least ten slaughterstone planets before you could even apply.

“In Suo Xing Jian,” Du Xian said, smiling as she poured tea, “whether you want materials or want to enter Yi Sword Heaven, there’s only one way—steal.”

“Steal slaughterstone planets. The more you steal, the higher your status.”

“Use every method you can—your own strength, schemes and tricks, or borrowing outside backing. No limits, no rules.”

“As long as you’re strong enough, you can rule here. Black-White Heaven won’t interfere.”

Wang Jie nodded slowly.

A good place.

“So,” Du Xian continued, “for someone capable who wants to take more slaughterstone planets, a good ship is essential. Otherwise, even if you have the ability, wasting too much time traveling isn’t worth it.”

Wang Jie looked at her. “Makes sense. I want to buy a ship.”

Du Xian opened a screen for him to choose from.

“Our exchange has over a hundred models,” she said. “In terms of speed, they’re divided into three tiers.”

“Planet-class. Ships in this tier have average speed. Most ships sold by other exchanges are this kind. Prices range from one thousand starstone to one hundred thousand starstone, depending on style, materials, and so on.”

Wang Jie scanned the speeds on the screen.

They were similar to the ship the Silver Radiance Empire had given him.

That speed was normal, but far too slow for what he needed.

Even traveling from the Silver Radiance Empire to the Ninth Star Chain had taken an age.

He skipped past it.

Du Xian introduced the second tier. “Star-belt-class. Its speed is comparable to a Roaming-Star Realm expert. The price is much higher—starting at four million starstone.”

Wang Jie stared. “Four million, starting price?”

Du Xian smiled. “A Roaming-Star Realm speed is nothing like an ordinary ship. It’s at least six times faster than planet-class. That price is very reasonable.”

Was it?

It didn’t seem reasonable at all.

Wang Jie suspected she was trying to scam him.

After all, what ordinary cultivator could pull out that much money?

Not to mention a lockforce cultivator—even Jun Hua probably couldn’t produce four million at once so easily.

Was Fourth Nebula’s price level really that much higher than Third Nebula’s?

A second-tribulation chen artifact was only two hundred thousand starstone. This was nearly the price of a third-tribulation chen artifact.

“Tell me,” Wang Jie said bluntly, “does anyone in Suo Xing Jian actually afford this?”

Du Xian opened a star map, pointed in a direction, and drew a circle. “This whole region belongs to one of the four alliances—Lie Qiu’s territory.”

“Lie Qiu controls over two thousand slaughterstone planets,” she said. “Whether it’s disaster materials or the planets’ mines and medicinal resources, they bring her huge money every day.”

“She bought a star-belt-class ship.”

“And when cultivators make money,” Du Xian added, “they don’t look at what’s right in front of them. They look at opportunities.”

“One opportunity can earn you far more than you ever imagined.”

Wang Jie thought of Jiang You Sheng.

When Jiang You Sheng hired him to do star-refining, each material was only ten thousand starstone. Yet when he took Wang Jie to Thunder Well, he casually gifted a second-tribulation chen artifact worth over two hundred thousand.

Did he lack money?

Of course not.

Hiring was hiring. Gifts were gifts.

The pills Wang Jie had received while doing star-refining for Master Luan were worth even more when added together.

And Ning Domain Lord had directly given him over a thousand starsea stone—equal to ten million starstone.

Wang Jie realized he’d been thinking too small. Fixed prices were just numbers. For cultivators, it was always about opportunities.

He looked back at the screen. “What about the third tier?”

Du Xian’s eyes lit up. “Star chain-class ships. Prices start at twenty million starstone, and the speed is six times that of star-belt-class ships.”

She leaned in slightly, as if sharing a secret. “The simplest example: based on the size of a Fourth Nebula star chain, crossing an entire star chain only takes two months.”