Chapter 147

Chapter 147: Bought

Wang Jie entered the shop and removed his mask.

The little attendant started, then hurried over with an ingratiating smile. “So it’s Brother Wang! Why did you line up? You should’ve come straight in.”

“You know why.”

“Shen Wang?” the attendant whispered quickly. “Brother, don’t worry. He wouldn’t dare enter here. This is Black-White Heaven territory—one of the few places not bound by Suo Xing Jian’s rules. A fugitive like him wouldn’t dare get close.”

Wang Jie didn’t respond. He didn’t know whose side this attendant was on.

If he served Zhi Xing Xue’s enemy, then Shen Wang might already know Wang Jie was here.

He needed to finish quickly.

He also received what Zhi Xing Xue had sent.

Heart-Protecting Shield.

A three-tribulation Chen artifact.

A genuine treasure.

“Grand Elder,” Wang Jie said into the terminal, “this junior greets you.”

“Are you safe?” Zhi Xing Xue asked at once.

“This junior has stayed hidden. For now, I’m fine,” Wang Jie said. “I received Heart-Protecting Shield. Thank you, Grand Elder.”

“A small matter,” Zhi Xing Xue said. “Speaking to you now carries risk, but there’s something you must hear. If you hide too long, you’ll lose your chance to recover.”

Wang Jie’s heart sank. There was more.

Wu Yun hadn’t thrown Shen Wang at him just to play cat and mouse.

“Steward Hall tried to forcibly conscript you to Star-Cloud Battlefield,” Zhi Xing Xue said. “I stopped it—for now. By the rules, newcomers in Suo Xing Jian have three years of exemption.”

“So within those three years, you normally will not be drafted unless something is truly exceptional.”

“And even then, with someone shielding you, you can be protected for those three years.”

Her tone hardened. “But after three years, it changes. If Star-Cloud Battlefield issues the order, you must go. I won’t be able to stop it.”

Wang Jie’s brows furrowed. “Is there any way to avoid conscription?”

“That is why I contacted you,” Zhi Xing Xue said. “If you hide for too long, even if Discipline Hall captures Shen Wang, you may still end up dying on Star-Cloud Battlefield.”

“The solution is simple: prove to the sect that you are more valuable in Suo Xing Jian than on the battlefield.”

“Then I can keep you here.”

Wang Jie thought fast. “This junior can clear all eleven levels of Yi Sword Heaven—from Ten Seals through Star-Breaking Realm.”

“That benefits you,” Zhi Xing Xue said, “not the sect. The rewards belong to you, not Black-White Heaven.”

“Even if you hand the rewards over, they can claim you swapped them out. Whatever you give, they can dismiss.”

“And in Black-White Heaven’s eyes, those rewards are insignificant.”

Wang Jie understood. Even if Yi Sword Heaven was valuable, the sect didn’t care about what one person carried out of it.

“Then what should this junior do?”

“You can kill a Full-Star Realm expert with one hundred thousand battle power,” Zhi Xing Xue said. “On Star-Cloud Battlefield, that kind of strength is still cheap.”

“To prove your worth, you must provide the sect with more lockforce cultivators each year, and more lockforce materials.”

“Under your own name. That is what truly supports the battlefield.”

“For the bottom ranks, quantity matters more than quality.”

Wang Jie’s jaw tightened. “So I need to control more slaughterstone planets.”

“Correct,” Zhi Xing Xue said. “And the proportion of Ten Seals among the lockforce cultivators you provide must be high.”

Wang Jie hesitated, then asked, “What about this junior’s status as a Chen Refiner?”

“That helps,” Zhi Xing Xue said, “and it is the final escape route.”

“But I must warn you. Above, Chen Refiners belong to White Realm’s Zhi Study Valley. Below, they belong to Refining Grounds’ Zhi Academy.”

“Either way, you fall under Steward Hall and Discipline Hall. At that point, I have even less ability to interfere.”

“I heard what happened to you in Shuanghua Sect. If someone wants to target you, it won’t be hard.”

“And the disciples I brought to Zhi Academy are suffering now—framed for theft. Even I find it difficult to clear them.”

Wang Jie’s throat went dry.

In Shuanghua Sect, even a Sequence Master and a Cold Domain Lord had been able to isolate him, strip him of his Guest Elder status, and toy with him at will.

Black-White Heaven would be worse.

If a Star-Refining Realm powerhouse could be smeared with a theft charge and struggle to clear it, what chance did Wang Jie have?

If he couldn’t find a way out, then when three years ended, he would either be thrown onto Star-Cloud Battlefield as cannon fodder, or dragged into White Realm and carved up.

Zhi Xing Xue continued, “You lack eyes and ears in Suo Xing Jian. Here is one method: buy information from Star Vault Vista.”

“It is the largest intelligence organization in the universe. In Suo Xing Jian, the one who controls their intelligence is Du Xian.”

Wang Jie blinked. “Du Xian?”

The image of a smiling woman who once fleeced him for a spaceship flashed through his mind.

He hadn’t expected her to control the biggest intelligence network in Suo Xing Jian.

“Enough,” Zhi Xing Xue said, voice low. “Go. Hide.”

Having to say the word sounded like humiliation in her mouth.

Wang Jie ended the call and left the shop.

He felt like wolves were circling him in the dark.

He was prey.

No. He couldn’t let them butcher him.

He boarded a ship and headed for Du Xian’s territory, nearly crossing all of Suo Xing Jian.

He needed information—and a way to strike back.

The ship he rode was ordinary, bought by Miao Tai. His own ship was too conspicuous; he’d hidden it.

The ordinary ship was slow, but a space-time minor vortex cut the journey in half. After more travel, he finally arrived at the planet that housed Du Xian’s ship exchange.

“Guest, please come in,” Du Xian said with a bright smile. “I am Du Xian. Is this your first time here? What would you like to see?”

Wang Jie lowered his voice. “I don’t want anyone to see me.”

Du Xian lifted a hand. “Then this way, Guest.”

She led him into a private room—lavish, designed to bleed customers dry. A beautiful maid hovered at his side, ready to serve.

Wang Jie waved her out and sat.

Du Xian brewed tea herself, her smile warm and practiced. “What would Guest like to see? I have everything.”

“I’m buying information,” Wang Jie said.

Du Xian’s smile brightened. “A returning customer, then. What information does Guest wish to purchase?”

“What major events have happened in Suo Xing Jian recently?”

Du Xian laughed softly. “Guest, that’s not intelligence. That’s news. If you want it, I’ll give it to you for free.”

She recounted the conflict between Wang Jie and Four Alliances and Lone Peak Gorge, and she mentioned the fugitive Shen Wang as well—but she never once linked Shen Wang to Wang Jie.

Wang Jie listened, then said with a hint of amusement, “A Ten Seals cultivator turned Suo Xing Jian upside down. Impressive.”

Du Xian smiled. “Yes. He even bought a ship from me.” She moved a projection into view. “Guest, please look—this model here. Star-belt-class, cruising speed…”

Wang Jie let her finish, then said, “I don’t know what information I should buy. What do you think is worth buying in Suo Xing Jian?”

Du Xian tilted her head. “What level does Guest want?”

“Ten Seals? Star-Breaking Realm? Full-Star Realm? Or Roaming-Star Realm?”

“The level that can affect Suo Xing Jian’s balance,” Wang Jie said.

Du Xian paused, then looked him over and smiled wider. “Then the one who turned Suo Xing Jian upside down is sitting right in front of me. Does that count?”

Wang Jie’s eyes sharpened. She could recognize him?

His mask could fool Roaming-Star Realm experts. What was Du Xian’s cultivation?

Du Xian laughed. “Guest, don’t look at me like that. Your mask is flawless—I can’t see through it.”

“But recognizing someone isn’t only about their face. It’s their expression, their movements, their gait, their temperament, the way they speak.”

“From Guest’s manner alone, I can guess eight or nine parts.”

Wang Jie’s expression darkened.

Earlier, Nie Zhou had guessed him by sight. Now Du Xian could do the same. A mask was never perfect.

If he wanted to disguise himself, he’d have to disguise everything—voice, posture, habits. And that wasn’t something you learned overnight.

Maybe Zhi Xing Xue had told him to find Du Xian for this reason as well.

This wasn’t an ordinary woman.

Wang Jie studied her. Greed was her mask—too perfect to be real.

He said, “Fine. Name your price.”

Du Xian smiled. “Free.”

Wang Jie arched a brow. “Free?”

“Yes.”

He held her gaze. “Then thank you. Now I want to formally buy intelligence.”

“You know what I’m here for.”

Du Xian tapped her terminal. A projection rose into the air. “Then let’s start here. Does this interest Guest?”

“Yi Sword Heaven will soon receive new Guests—juniors from several elders of Black-White Heaven’s Elder Council.”

“Do you remember your contest with Four Alliances in Yi Sword Heaven? That’s why they were desperate to drive you out. They were afraid of being held accountable.”

Wang Jie exhaled. “So that’s it. No wonder they were in such a hurry.”

Du Xian nodded. “The Elder Council is not something Steward Hall can compare to. If an elder speaks, heads roll—Steward Hall, Discipline Hall, all of them.”

“Guest held their lifeline in Yi Sword Heaven. That’s why one of Zong Cheng Ping’s orders during the ambush was to seal Yi Sword Heaven—so you couldn’t retreat inside again.”

“Otherwise, even the people backing them would be in trouble.”

Wang Jie opened a star map and frowned at it. “Even if this is true, I can’t enter Yi Sword Heaven now.”

Du Xian’s smile didn’t change. “With Guest’s abilities, what can’t you do?”

“So,” she asked lightly, “do you want to buy it?”

“How much?”

“Not expensive.” Du Xian’s smile turned radiant. “One million starstone.”

Wang Jie stared. “How much?”

“Or one hundred starsea stone,” Du Xian said sweetly. “Either is fine.”

Wang Jie was speechless.

A single piece of information—for that price.

And it wasn’t even a deep secret. Four Alliances knew. Lone Peak Gorge knew. Black-White Heaven knew. Plenty of people knew.

But Du Xian had warned him for free once already, and he’d learned the value of that warning.

In business, you didn’t only buy what you needed. You bought relationships.

Wang Jie let out a breath, took out one hundred starsea stone, and handed them over. “Bought.”

Du Xian immediately provided the exact time and promised that if anything changed, she would update him promptly—possibly even refund the fee.

“There is also information about Shen Wang,” Du Xian said, eyes bright. “Does Guest want it?”

“How much?”

Du Xian’s lips curved. “Five hundred starsea stone.”

Wang Jie stood. “No.”

Not only did he not have that much, he didn’t intend to pay it even if he did. He wasn’t looking to fight Shen Wang. If he could hide and drag things out until those Elder Council juniors entered Yi Sword Heaven, he might find a way to counterattack.

Du Xian didn’t stop him. “You’re welcome anytime. See the Guest out.”

Wang Jie’s ship lifted away from the planet.

He glanced back once, grim. Every visit ended with Du Xian taking a chunk of flesh. He could only hope it would be worth it.

Then the alarm screamed.

He snapped his head up.

A figure was approaching through the starry sky.

Roaming-Star Realm.

Shen Wang.