Chapter 139

Chapter 139: Go All Out

By the time the shop closed for the day, Wang Jie was the only one left inside.

Here—and only here—he could speak directly with Black-White Heaven. Elsewhere in Lock Interspace, he couldn’t.

A light screen flared to life.

On the other side, Zhi Xing Xue appeared.

“Grand Elder,” Wang Jie said respectfully, “this disciple greets you.”

Zhi Xing Xue regarded him coolly. “What do you want?”

“This disciple happened to obtain a treasure in Yi Sword Heaven,” Wang Jie said. “Thinking of the kindness you’ve shown me, I wanted to present it to you.”

Zhi Xing Xue almost laughed. Black-White Heaven had been nothing but aggravation and cold politics since she arrived. Hearing Wang Jie’s voice stirred a warmth she hadn’t realized she missed.

“Stop acting,” she said. “Say what you want. I don’t want your treasure.”

Wang Jie coughed, a little embarrassed. “Then… this disciple plans to do something in Lock Interspace. It might be excessive. I wanted to ask whether I’m allowed.”

Zhi Xing Xue’s eyes sharpened with interest. “Excessive? What are you planning?”

“I haven’t decided yet,” Wang Jie admitted, “but some people in Lock Interspace have Black-White Heaven behind them, so…”

Zhi Xing Xue understood immediately.

He was here for backing.

Something about that made her chest tighten. In Frost Splendor Sect, she was revered. Here, even her disciples felt they needed permission before making a move.

She thought of herself and her own current situation, and her expression darkened.

“Go do it,” she said. “If anything happens, I’ll cover for you.”

Wang Jie’s eyes brightened. “Thank you, Elder.”

Then, as if remembering himself, he added, “Elder… this disciple wanted to offer you Sorrowwater Art. It can deepen an imprint to true black. It’s valuable.”

Zhi Xing Xue’s brows lifted. “It can reach true black?”

She paused, then shook her head. “That is valuable. Keep it for now.”

“Yes.”

The call ended.

The old crone explained softly, “He has an agenda, but he has heart. And he’s cautious. Not bad.”

Zhi Xing Xue’s gaze stayed cold. “Investigate Lock Interspace’s backing. If I’m going to cover for him, I should know who he’s facing.”

Then her mouth tightened. “I’ve been stifled for far too long.”

The old crone moved fast. Within moments, she returned with an answer—and looked unsettled.

“Master,” she said, “the Four Alliances and the Lone Peak Gorge are backed on the surface by Discipline Hall and Steward Hall. But in truth, they’re controlled by one person.”

“Who?”

“Zhi Qing.”

Zhi Xing Xue froze. “Who did you say?”

“Zhi Qing,” the old crone repeated, voice heavy.

Zhi Xing Xue looked away, staring at her personal terminal as if it had offended her. “So we really are fated to meet.”

Then she lifted her eyes. “Contact Wang Jie.”

—

Back in Lock Interspace, Wang Jie stepped out of the shop wearing a faint smile.

The attendant saw him out personally, bowing with an almost absurd level of respect. He even told Wang Jie to contact them anytime.

Bystanders gaped.

Since when was that shop so polite?

Who was this man?

Wang Jie hadn’t gone far before the attendant contacted him again. “Brother Wang. Black-White Heaven is calling.”

Wang Jie’s heart sank.

Had something gone wrong? Had the Four Alliances complained? Had the Grand Elder changed her mind?

He turned back at once and entered the shop.

“Grand Elder,” Wang Jie said, steadying himself, “this disciple is here.”

Zhi Xing Xue’s voice echoed through the shop, low and cold. “Do whatever you want. I have only one requirement.”

“Elder, please instruct me.”

“Don’t disgrace me.”

Wang Jie frowned slightly. “Elder… what do you mean?”

“I don’t care what you do,” Zhi Xing Xue said. “Tear a hole in the sky if you want. But you must not disgrace me, and you must not disgrace Frost Splendor Sect.

“As long as you meet that condition, even if you destroy Lock Interspace, it’s fine. Do you understand?”

Wang Jie’s expression tightened into solemn certainty. “This disciple understands. Elder, rest assured.”

The call ended.

Zhi Xing Xue’s gaze turned sharp and merciless. Zhi Qing. Good. If it was him, even better. She wanted to see how he planned to suppress her.

The old crone glanced at her terminal and suddenly looked strange. “Master… there’s something else.”

“Speak.”

“That Wang Jie… not long ago, he occupied Yi Sword Heaven, broke Lock Interspace’s rules, and forced the Four Alliances and the Lone Peak Gorge to bow their heads.”

Zhi Xing Xue stared. “Details.”

The old crone explained the incident from beginning to end, and Zhi Xing Xue listened in silence, eyes widening despite herself.

It had been outrageous.

And he’d done it anyway.

And he’d resolved it—so cleanly that the ripples never reached beyond Lock Interspace.

If he could do that without needing her, why had he contacted her now?

What was he planning that was even more excessive?

To her surprise, a faint spark of anticipation stirred in her chest.

—

Wang Jie walked out of the shop again, practically glowing.

Grand Elder Zhi Xing Xue was ruthless. He liked that.

She wasn’t telling him to be careful.

She was telling him to go all out.

Perfect. He was short on materials. If he didn’t get a little excessive, he’d be wasting her attitude.

The attendant bowed again. “Safe travels, Brother Wang.”

Wang Jie waved without looking back. “I’ll be back soon.”

He rejoined Miao Tai.

“Let’s go,” Wang Jie said. “We’re finding Lie Qiu.”

Miao Tai’s face went blank. “Lie Qiu? One of the Four Alliances? Lord… why?”

Wang Jie’s smile sharpened. “To take something.”

He’d studied the star map. The Four Alliances controlled nearly eighty percent of Lock Interspace—over eight thousand slaughterstone planets—spreading outward from Yi Sword Heaven like a web.

And Lie Qiu’s territory was closest to their current location.

Miao Tai’s throat went dry. He’d said they should seize, yes—but he hadn’t meant seize from the Four Alliances.

He’d meant seize from everyone else.

Targeting the Four Alliances directly was asking to die. Their lockforce cultivators were countless. If they went like this, they might not even see Lie Qiu before being drowned in bodies.

Then Wang Jie’s face shimmered—and changed.

A different face looked back at Miao Tai.

“How about now?” Wang Jie asked, pleased.

Miao Tai stared, shaken. “Lord… this is…?”

“Good stuff,” Wang Jie said, satisfied. “You can’t tell who I am now, can you?”

“I can’t,” Miao Tai said slowly, relief flooding him. “Lord is wise.”

After the Yi Sword Heaven incident, half of Lock Interspace recognized Wang Jie’s original face. Charging straight at Lie Qiu with that face would be suicide.

But with this disguise…

Wang Jie clapped Miao Tai’s shoulder. “Now it’s your turn. You bring me to Lie Qiu.”

Miao Tai stiffened. “Me? Lord, what do you mean?”

“Tell her you know Wang Jie’s weakness,” Wang Jie said lightly.

Miao Tai’s stomach lurched.

If he did this, no matter the outcome, he would become a thorn in the Four Alliances’ side forever.

He wanted to refuse. He truly did.

But Wang Jie’s eyes—deep, cold, unreadable—settled on him.

Miao Tai gritted his teeth. “Yes. This one will find a way to contact Lie Qiu.”

Wang Jie patted his shoulder again, almost gentle. “Do it. You won’t be treated poorly.”

Miao Tai forced a smile that tasted like ash. He suddenly regretted every word he’d ever spoken to Wang Jie about seizing.

—

Wind-Seeking Star belonged to Lie Qiu.

It sat at the heart of the two thousand planets she controlled. To reach it, you had to pass through multiple outer checkpoints.

“Don’t be fooled by her temper,” Miao Tai warned as they approached. “Lie Qiu is steady. She doesn’t let people near her casually.

“Even if I get you in, she’ll be surrounded by cultivators.”

Wang Jie arched an eyebrow. “She’s that afraid? Doesn’t look like it.”

“It’s not fear,” Miao Tai said. “Lock Interspace has seen too many factions rise and fall. The Four Alliances were built by Lie Qiu and the others with their own hands.

“And plenty of people want a bite out of Lock Interspace. Plenty more want to climb onto Black-White Heaven.”

He lowered his voice. “Even now, if someone with Black-White Heaven backing could kill Lie Qiu and her peers, that background alone would be enough to put a new faction on top overnight.

“So they guard against assassins.”

Their ship was searched.

To avoid attention, they’d switched ships—no longer the eye-catching nebula-belt-class ship.

Cultivators swarmed through every compartment, every panel, every corner.

Wang Jie watched one man open a palm-sized box and couldn’t help himself. “Brother, you think someone’s hiding in that? Isn’t this a bit much?”

The inspector gave him a cold look. “The universe has endless races. Lock Interspace doesn’t have many, but who knows what strange civilization creatures might appear.”

Wang Jie thought of the shadow-hunting beast and conceded the point.

The inspector’s gaze sharpened on him. “Who are you?”

Miao Tai hurried in. “He’s the one I told you about—the one who knows that man’s weakness. He met him before he entered Lock Interspace.”

The inspector stared at Wang Jie for a long moment, then waved them through.

They were checked five separate times.

Finally, on Wind-Seeking Star, they stood before Lie Qiu.

She had two Star-Breaking Realm cultivators at her side and a crowd of Ten Seals cultivators behind them, eyes hard and hands ready.

Miao Tai stepped forward and bowed. “Greetings, Senior.”

Lie Qiu’s gaze slid over Miao Tai like a blade, then pinned Wang Jie. “You know that man’s weakness?”

Her voice was cold. “Talk. If you’re right, you can roam free in Lock Interspace.”

Wang Jie lifted his head.

His eyes were deep—unchanged by any mask.

Lie Qiu’s pupils shrank. “It’s you.”

Her spear snapped up. “Kill him!”

Faces could be changed.

Eyes couldn’t.

Wang Jie hadn’t expected to stay hidden anyway. The moment he moved, she would have known. That was why he’d secured Grand Elder Zhi Xing Xue’s backing in the first place.

He pulled off the mask and stepped forward into a sea of cultivators. “Woman, you were so fierce in Yi Sword Heaven. What are you afraid of now?”

Lie Qiu’s face twisted with fury. “Wang Jie! What are you doing?”

“Teaching you a lesson.”

Wang Jie thrust his sword.

Star-Gazing Sword Form.

Starlight bloomed. Endless sword shadows fell like rain, swallowing the space around them. Whether Ten Seals or Star-Breaking Realm, everyone nearby was dragged under the edge of those shadows.

Each sword shadow held enough force to break an ordinary Star-Breaking Realm cultivator.

Lie Qiu swept her spear in a wide arc, blasting the sword shadows aside.

Wang Jie was already there.

Qi-Qi Convergence surged through him. He raised his sword and chopped down—simple, brutal, overwhelming.

The blade slammed into Lie Qiu’s spear with a thunderous boom.

The force drove Lie Qiu into the ground, shattering stone and earth around her. Her arm went numb, and for a heartbeat she nearly lost her grip.

Her face flushed red. She twisted her spear, and lockforce erupted outward, slamming toward Wang Jie.