Chapter 192

Chapter 192: Different

Wang Jie didn’t understand why Little Lan’s mood had turned so heavy, but he didn’t ask. It was time to leave.

As for Star-Devourer—without Wang Jie’s permission, no one could set foot on it. Elders and the Zhi family included.

“Now I’ll start…” Wang Jie glanced at Little Lan and began his exercise routine.

Little Lan watched for a while, clearly puzzled, but she didn’t ask.

This time Wang Jie didn’t take a revival pill. He didn’t want the exercises and the pill together to heal him too quickly and alarm people.

Cultivators could never trust anyone completely.

Better to recover after returning.

When he finished, Wang Jie opened his personal terminal, searched Black-White Heaven’s strange planet registry, and found his name.

Behind it were the words: Apply to enter.

Anyone who wanted to board Star-Devourer now had to submit an application.

“The registry is managed by Elder Yan,” Little Lan said. “You’ve met him.”

Wang Jie’s eyes narrowed.

That man had been close enough to smell his blood, yet he’d done nothing when Elder Cheng tried to kill him.

Wang Jie had followed the rules. He had come with the tokens.

And still—

Reality was reality.

He needed to return to Zhi Academy.

There were plenty of ships still parked on Star-Devourer. Many disciples had died, leaving their vessels behind. He could take any one.

Han Ling’s ship was gone. He’d retrieved it himself.

Normal ships were slow.

The Shen Wang had been destroyed. Once back at Zhi Academy, Wang Jie needed to buy a new ship.

Little Lan found the pace unbearable. She stepped away from the ship entirely, lifted Wang Jie with her, and flew toward Zhi Academy.

A hundred-star realm cultivator’s speed wasn’t something a star-chain ship could compare to.

They arrived more than twice as fast as their trip out.

Little Lan dropped Wang Jie off at Four-Dao Market and left.

Wang Jie went straight to the Glazed Courtyard to report to Su Le.

If Su Le hadn’t called Mo Wan Yin, Wang Jie would have died on Star-Devourer.

That was a life-saving debt.

“Congratulations on returning with a full harvest, Master,” someone said. “Uh… Master, your hair?”

“Congratulations…” Mu Ran and the others were grinning.

Wang Jie nodded and went to find Su Le.

Su Le stared at his bald head, amused. “Congratulations, Master. Taking Star-Devourer from that many strong opponents—Black-White Heaven is in an uproar.”

Wang Jie’s voice softened. “If Miss hadn’t invited Senior Sister Wan Yin, I would’ve died there. I should be thanking Miss.”

He bowed deeply.

Su Le hurried to stop him. “Master is too polite. I did it for myself as well.”

“Not everyone can refine star-refining pills the way you can.”

Wang Jie laughed. “Then bring me pills and strange starstone as you please. I’ll do my utmost.”

“Good,” Su Le said with a smile. “But not right now. I can prepare too little.”

“Wait for Honored Master to leave seclusion. Honored Master will surely have many pills then.”

Wang Jie nodded and promised he would accompany Su Le to Zhi Study Valley when the time came.

He also had to thank Mo Wan Yin in person.

And after Star-Devourer, he no longer needed to hide at Zhi Academy. His return to Suo Xing Jian wasn’t fixed, but first he wanted to see Lady Xing Xue.

He found a shop that could contact the outside and reached out.

“Grand Elder,” Wang Jie said, “it’s this junior.”

Lady Xing Xue’s voice was bright with satisfaction. “Back at Zhi Academy already?”

“Yes.”

“Wang Jie, you did well,” she said. “Better than I expected—almost perfect.”

Wang Jie didn’t accept the praise. “If Senior Sister Mo Wan Yin hadn’t intervened, this junior would have died at Star-Devourer.”

“Han Ling’s appearance was something we didn’t anticipate,” Lady Xing Xue said. “As a six-path roamer, the sect allows him to choose any strange planet. He shouldn’t have cared.”

“And he’s been in the Star-Cloud Battlefield for a long time. He rarely returns.”

“He came back in secret. That was my carelessness.”

“It isn’t your fault, Grand Elder,” Wang Jie said. “Zhi Qing was ruthless.”

Lady Xing Xue chuckled. “That is ability, not ruthlessness.”

“And you survived. After this, your road will be different. The sect’s attitude toward you will change.”

Wang Jie thought of Elder Cheng and felt a dull ache in his chest. “Change?”

“Of course,” she said. “At least you won’t have some mere Steward Hall trying to ship you off to Star-Cloud Battlefield.”

Then her tone shifted. “You can return to Suo Xing Jian now.”

“That’s what this junior wanted to ask,” Wang Jie said. “When should I go back?”

“Whenever you like. Nothing major has changed there,” Lady Xing Xue replied. “Wu Yun is still hiding. Handle her yourself.”

“Of course,” Wang Jie said. “I’ll take care of her.”

“And your reward will be placed in Suo Xing Jian,” she added. “Go collect it once you arrive.”

Wang Jie’s eyes lit up. “Thank you, Grand Elder.”

“Mhm. And the ship is already being arranged,” she continued. “My people can’t keep driving the ship Zhi Ye bought.”

“Go to Du Xian and confirm the model. The budget is generous. Buy what you want.”

The moment the call ended, Wang Jie went to Star Vault Exchange.

Du Xian greeted him with warmth that had little to do with his battle and everything to do with one fact: Lady Xing Xue was paying.

Though Star-Devourer didn’t hurt, either.

“Guest,” Du Xian said, all smiles, “you’re incredible. You even took Star-Devourer. Must’ve been exhausting—your hair didn’t survive.”

Wang Jie stared at her. “…Why does everyone keep talking about my hair?”

“Just making conversation,” Du Xian said brightly. “We have all kinds of healing pills, and drinks suited to your current state.”

“Like nirvana-stage dew—good for hidden injuries. And soul-guiding soup—drink it and you’ll forget your troubles and sleep.”

“Most importantly,” she added, lowering her voice with a playful smile, “Boiling-Spirit Tea. It makes your blood boil faster… and you get that feeling.”

Wang Jie blinked. “What feeling?”

“You know,” Du Xian said, rolling her eyes. “That feeling.”

“I genuinely don’t.”

Du Xian sighed like he was hopeless. “Guest, don’t play dumb.”

Wang Jie didn’t bother arguing. Blood boiling… sounded vaguely like Luo Kingdom’s blood-prick art.

He also remembered the bone-motion art task he still hadn’t finished. He was missing one material.

Breeding a “handsome pet.” Another requirement involved arm-wrestling, and he wasn’t even sure when that had been completed. But at Zhi Academy, tasks like that weren’t hard. Roaming-star realm cultivators were everywhere, and even those who didn’t specialize in pills, artifacts, or formations could still manage a little of everything.

So what counted as a “handsome pet,” exactly? He had searched Suo Xing Jian and found nothing convincing.

Du Xian clapped her hands. “Now—business. You’re here to confirm your ship model, yes? What kind of ship do you want?”

“Make another Shen Wang,” Wang Jie said. “Same build.”

Du Xian blinked. “Guest, the budget is extremely generous this time. You won’t consider a nebula-grade ship?”

“No.”

Du Xian sighed. “All right. Wait a moment—I’ll have it arranged.”

“The last Shen Wang was transferred from Zhi Academy inventory anyway. This will be fast.”

A nebula-grade ship cost at least a hundred million starstone. Wang Jie could afford it, and Lady Xing Xue likely could as well.

But Star-Devourer had taught him something: even the best ship could be destroyed in an instant.

The Shen Wang had vanished in a blink.

No point throwing money into a fire.

Star-chain speed was enough.

When he reached roaming-star realm, then he’d buy something better.

And this new ship would be named: Star-Devourer.

Once the ship was settled, he bought what mattered next—a defensive chen artifact.

Against Zhi Shu, if not for Thousand-Spirit Armor, the outcome might have been different.

Unfortunately, Thousand-Spirit Armor had been destroyed.

At Star Vault Exchange, he found a similar suit made from seventh-grade materials—wearable, denser, harder. Star-Lock Armor. It even felt like it had been made for him.

The price was lower than Thousand-Spirit Armor had been, thanks to a discount.

He also bought Thunder-Seal Pills.

A new batch had arrived. He bought every single one. The sealed lightning was stronger, the price correspondingly higher—two hundred and fifty million starstone in total.

The stronger Thunder Pattern became, the better.

There wasn’t much else to buy.

Now he only had to wait for the Star-Devourer ship, and then he could leave for Suo Xing Jian.

Mu Ran and the others stayed at Zhi Academy. They couldn’t transfer to other refining grounds, but no one would trouble them now.

The craft refiner named Ji Zheng had disappeared. No one knew where.

Master Bian and the rest stopped making moves out of fear.

As for Gao Chi, he vanished entirely the moment word of Star-Devourer spread. He didn’t dare show his face again.

Zhi Academy had been a refuge from Wu Yun, but Wang Jie hadn’t been idle here. Now that he was leaving, he felt an unexpected reluctance.

Among the four refining grounds, Zhi Academy and Suo Xing Jian were extremes. He found himself curious about Death Island—that place of pure slaughter sounded like it might suit him.

Great Chen Mountain’s stacked sky light, on the other hand, didn’t interest him much.

He had seen stacked sky light in the Star-Devourer battle. Its defense was strong, but when the line between life and death was thin, a reliable defensive chen artifact mattered more.

To Wang Jie, offense was always the best defense.

Instead of wasting time cultivating defensive chen arts, he would buy armor that worked.

Less than ten days later, the Star-Devourer ship arrived.

Wang Jie said goodbye to Su Le, Mu Ran, and the others, boarded the ship, and set course for Suo Xing Jian.

From Zhi Academy to Suo Xing Jian, he could take Nebula Stream—but getting to the Stream took time too. Flying directly was simpler.

This time he traveled alone. No escort.

He had just taken Star-Devourer, and Black-White Heaven’s eyes were on him. Even the Zhi family wouldn’t dare move against him right now. Lady Xing Xue had confirmed as much.

Still, Wang Jie trusted only one thing: secrecy.

He told no one his route.

Deep space pressed against the viewports, endless and awe-inspiring, like a lid over heaven and earth.

Half a month into his journey, Wang Jie continued taking Thunder-Seal Pills, steadily strengthening Thunder Pattern’s defense.

The red Thunder Pattern’s defensive limit seemed to be around two hundred thousand battle power.

After red came green.

Wang Jie wasn’t greedy. If he could defend against two hundred thousand, then most roaming-star realm cultivators would pose little threat.

“Thunder-Seal Pills?” a voice said lazily. “Not bad. Just expensive.”

Wang Jie nearly jumped out of his skin.

He whirled toward the corner—where his bargain-bin master had apparently been sitting for who knew how long.

Wang Jie’s face went pale. “Master… people can die from being scared like that.”