Chapter 199

Chapter 199: You Don’t Belong Here

Yun Ju nearly trembled with excitement. “It’s possible to enter Jia Yi Sect?”

“Of course.” Qi Xue Yin smiled and handed him a token. “With this, you can go directly to Milky Way Defense Corporation. Under the name of secondment, you can compete for a slot to go to Jia Yi Sect.”

Yun Ju accepted it like a holy relic, face lit with triumph. “Thank you, Third Miss.”

Qi Xue Yin offered a courteous smile.

Yun Ju tucked the token away with great care, his whole posture changed—radiant, as if the earlier punishment had never happened.

No.

He couldn’t let Wang Jie have an easy life. And he wanted to deepen his relationship with Qi Xue Yin.

Thinking that, he leaned in and said, “Third Miss, your generosity truly moves me. It’s a pity I learned too late. Otherwise, I would have helped you stop certain despicable people—kept such filth from staining Third Miss’s eyes.”

Qi Xue Yin blinked. “Senior Brother, what do you mean?”

“Third Miss,” Yun Ju said, voice sharp with righteous indignation, “did you know a lockforce cultivator is present at this pill assembly?”

Qi Xue Yin’s brows rose. “A lockforce cultivator?”

Nearby, heads turned. Murmurs spread.

Especially among the people Qi Xue Yin had brought—faces hardened at once.

This gathering was, in truth, a welcome banquet. Guests were meant to be honored.

A lockforce cultivator… in the first nebula, such people were the lowest of the low. Even in the fourth nebula, they should not have been qualified to attend an event like this.

Inviting one felt like an insult.

Like inviting a beggar to a royal feast.

Bai Ye’s gaze snapped toward Yun Ju, her eyes turning cold.

Si Shang He frowned, annoyance flashing across his face. Yun Ju was truly foolish.

Yun Ju didn’t care. The hatred he’d swallowed since the Zhi Academy and Star-Devourer finally boiled over.

And now, with that token in his pocket, he didn’t fear offending the alchemy branch.

He would go to the first nebula. When he returned, he would be different.

Mo Wan Yin had become a six-path roamer after trials there, hadn’t she? If she could, then he could as well.

Once he became a six-path roamer, Master wouldn’t punish him. The sect would lift him up instead.

“Third Miss,” Yun Ju said quickly, “Black-White Heaven means no disrespect to Milky Way Defense Corporation. It’s only that this lockforce cultivator is also a Chen Refiner, which is why he was invited.”

Mo Wan Yin stepped forward at once, trying to smooth things over.

Qi Xue Yin’s eyes widened. “Lockforce… and a Chen Refiner? Such a person exists?”

Yun Ju froze. He hadn’t known Wang Jie was a Chen Refiner. He’d assumed Wang Jie was here only because he was clinging to Su Le.

A lockforce cultivator… a Chen Refiner?

What kind of absurdity was that?

Qi Xue Yin looked intrigued. “Then please, Senior Sister, introduce him.”

Mo Wan Yin’s expression tightened.

Earlier, Wang Jie had warned them not to mention him. She’d even informed Bai Ye.

If not for Yun Ju blurting it out, Bai Ye never would have had to bring Wang Jie into the open.

Mo Wan Yin searched the crowd and spotted him. “Over there.”

She was about to have someone bring him over—she couldn’t exactly let the guest walk across the grove herself—when Qi Xue Yin suddenly stepped past her.

Qi Xue Yin stared at Wang Jie as if the ground had vanished beneath her feet.

Then she walked straight toward him.

Her entourage followed, bewildered.

In the distance, Wang Jie let out a slow breath.

So he’d been found anyway.

Yun Ju, you bastard.

He set down his cup and lifted his head.

If he couldn’t hide, then he would meet her properly.

They were old acquaintances, after all.

Qi Xue Yin stopped in front of him, studying that face—the face she could still see even in dreams—shock swelling in her eyes.

It was him.

It really was him.

The man who had stood up again and again on Blue Star to challenge Shu Mu Ye, crushing the so-called cosmic prodigies until their light went out.

The man who had slapped Shu Mu Ye, their last desperate hope.

The man who had defeated Shu Mu Ye, bathed in sunlight, standing tall atop the platform.

Wasn’t he dead?

The Blue Star trial was something their group would never forget—Shu Mu Ye’s invincible strength, this man’s stubborn will. Both had shattered their understanding.

And then he’d vanished.

Qi Xue Yin forced her voice steady. “Milky Way Defense Corporation, Qi Xue Yin.”

Wang Jie smiled. “Wang Jie. A pleasure.”

Qi Xue Yin’s breath slipped out.

So it really was him.

Mo Wan Yin arrived, moving quickly to cover the gap. “Third Miss, this is Master Wang—Wang Jie. The lockforce cultivator who can star-refine.”

Wang Jie nodded politely. “It’s an honor to meet you, Third Miss.”

Qi Xue Yin held his gaze for a long moment, her voice dry. “The honor is mine, Wang Jie.”

Yun Ju pushed in then, face twisted. “Wang Jie, you’re a Chen Refiner?”

Wang Jie didn’t bother hiding his disgust. “So what if I am?”

“Impossible,” Yun Ju snapped. “A lockforce cultivator can’t be a Chen Refiner. You must have used some filthy trick again.”

He turned to Qi Xue Yin as if presenting evidence. “Third Miss, you don’t know. During the struggle for that unusual planet, he constantly disguised himself as others, sowing discord. In the end, he stole the planet with vile methods. He’s a despicable man through and through.”

Qi Xue Yin looked from Wang Jie to Yun Ju, her expression strange. “Him? Despicable?”

Mo Wan Yin’s eyes flashed. “Yun Ju! In a cultivator’s struggle, what is ‘despicable’? You were outplayed. That’s on you.”

Yun Ju’s voice rose. “Who could have guessed he would disguise himself again and again? We risked our lives, and he picked up the spoils. If that isn’t vile, what is?”

He jabbed a finger toward Wang Jie. “And this so-called star-refining must be fake too. He used some shameless method!”

“Yun Ju, enough.” Si Shang He’s voice cut through the grove like a blade.

Yun Ju trembled, but still glared at Wang Jie. “Answer me, then. Can you star-refine or not?”

Every face turned toward Wang Jie.

A pill assembly meant for exchange and welcome—and now all attention had been dragged to a lockforce cultivator.

Wang Jie lifted a shoulder in an indifferent shrug. “If you say I can’t, then I can’t.”

Yun Ju latched on instantly. “See? He doesn’t dare admit it!”

Qi Xue Yin blinked. “You really can star-refine?”

Yun Ju snapped, “Third Miss, he already admitted it’s fake!”

Wang Jie took a slow sip of wine. Then he set the cup down and said calmly, “I can.”

Qi Xue Yin’s eyes brightened with genuine admiration. “Impressive. A lockforce cultivator who can star-refine—Master Wang, I truly admire you.”

Yun Ju looked as if he’d been slapped. “Third Miss, he’s lying—he can’t star-refine!”

Qi Xue Yin turned, her gaze suddenly cold. “I trust Black-White Heaven’s credibility. They would not lie to me.”

She tilted her head slightly. “Senior Brother Yun Ju, do you not trust your own sect?”

The words landed like a verdict.

Yun Ju’s face went pale. He looked as if the ground had opened under him.

Si Shang He spoke without patience. “Han Ling—take Yun Ju back. He lost his mind during Star-Devourer and still hasn’t recovered. Don’t let him disturb the guests.”

Han Ling seized Yun Ju’s arm and dragged him away.

Yun Ju struggled, trying to speak, but Han Ling crushed him down. He was hauled off like a dead dog.

The pill assembly’s atmosphere slowly righted itself.

Mo Wan Yin exhaled in relief and offered Qi Xue Yin a bottle. “Third Miss, these are pills Master Wang has star-refined—refined with blazing sun starforce.”

Qi Xue Yin waved it off with a smile. “Senior Sister, you don’t need to convince me. I believe Master Wang.”

Then she turned back to Wang Jie. “Master, I have some questions about star-refining. Could we speak somewhere quieter?”

Wang Jie gestured toward the river. “Over there. The scenery is better.”

Qi Xue Yin followed.

Wang Jie exchanged a look with Mo Wan Yin, then glanced toward Bai Ye and Si Shang He in the distance before stepping away from the crowd.

They stopped by the water, away from listening ears.

Qi Xue Yin stared at the surface of the river for a long moment. “I didn’t expect you to be alive.”

Wang Jie let out a quiet laugh. “And I didn’t expect to run into you.”

Qi Xue Yin turned to him, her gaze complicated. “You still cultivate lockforce?”

“I started with lockforce. I can’t change it now,” Wang Jie said. “I’m not like you. You only used it briefly.”

“Come with me,” Qi Xue Yin said abruptly. “To the first nebula.”

Wang Jie looked at her. “Why?”

“Because you shouldn’t be here,” Qi Xue Yin said, voice firm. “The fourth nebula is the most remote and the worst of the four great nebulae. Your ability will rot here.”

“Chen Refiner?” she continued. “It matters before the Star-Refining Realm. Once someone reaches the Star-Refining Realm, that identity becomes meaningless. If you cling to it here, you’ll never return to the height you once had.”

Wang Jie’s brows lifted. “I don’t remember ever having a ‘height.’”

“You defeated Shu Mu Ye,” Qi Xue Yin said, and her voice sharpened on the name. “Even now, I still can’t believe it. Forget a slaughterstone planet native—even the absolute prodigies of Jia Yi Sect shouldn’t be able to do that.”

She stared at him as if trying to force the memory into reality. “Do you know what you did? Do you know how shocking it is to the people who understand the truth?”

“If we hadn’t been sure you were dead,” she said, “Jia Yi Sect would have taken you back and nurtured you.”

She drew a breath. “Wang Jie—you don’t belong here. The height Shu Mu Ye reached… you could reach it too. A peak ordinary people can’t even imagine.”

Wang Jie raised a hand. “Enough. Don’t forget—I’m a lockforce cultivator.”

Qi Xue Yin’s expression softened into something like regret. “Maybe even Shu Mu Ye would think it’s a pity, knowing you’re still cultivating lockforce.”

Wang Jie shrugged and looked back at the river. “I’m satisfied. I have a Chen Refiner identity here. I don’t have to worry about life and death.”

He spoke as if stating a simple fact. “And my lockforce cultivation has already reached its limit. The Star-Breaking Realm… it’s not bad.”

Qi Xue Yin flinched. “You’ve reached your limit?”

“Lockforce,” Wang Jie said. “That’s normal.”

Qi Xue Yin studied him, her voice low. “You really don’t want to see old friends?”

“Bai Yuan?” Wang Jie’s eyes shifted. “How is he?”

“You’ll know if you see him.”

“No,” Wang Jie said after a pause. “I don’t plan to leave Black-White Heaven.”

Qi Xue Yin’s gaze sharpened again. “Then you’re not curious where Blue Star went? Why it disappeared?”

Wang Jie’s fingers tightened slightly.

Qi Xue Yin pressed on, voice steady and relentless. “You’re not curious what really happened back then? Not curious how the people who experienced Blue Star judge you? Not curious that there’s a group of people who have been trying to find Blue Star?”

She looked him straight in the eye.

“You don’t want to know any of that?”