Chapter 355

Chapter 355: Target Wang Jie

Ting Chen looked pleased. “These people—did you kill them?”

“I did.”

“Ruthless. And your strength isn’t bad.”

“But a lockforce cultivator can really do something like this?”

Wang Jie met her gaze without flinching. “Everyone has their own opportunities. If I didn’t have some ability, I wouldn’t be worth a Tai Qiong Walker’s attention. And being allowed into the Star Vault Vista… that’s my greatest fortune.”

Ting Chen didn’t answer. She turned to Aunt Shen.

Aunt Shen shook her head once.

Ting Chen’s expression eased.

When she’d first heard from Nian Wei that Lu Bu Qi cultivated lockforce, she’d wanted to meet him—partly because of Wang Jie. She was unusually sensitive to anything involving lockforce cultivators.

Besides, how many outstanding lockforce cultivators could there be?

Lockforce cultivators were cannon fodder. They weren’t meant to climb.

One Wang Jie was already hard to swallow, but at least he had a star dao master behind him. He’d risen from Qi Refining; you could force the logic to fit.

But Lu Bu Qi? Why him?

He’d even obtained a Zen Token. It felt even more ridiculous than Wang Jie.

So Ting Chen had wondered if he was disguised—if there was even the smallest chance this “Lu Bu Qi” was Wang Jie. If so, she could finally settle old scores.

Aunt Shen crushed that hope. Lu Bu Qi wasn’t disguised.

Aunt Shen carried a chen artifact that pierced disguises. If she said there was no disguise, then there was no disguise.

Ting Chen drifted a few steps away and stared at the snowstorm beyond the cabin window. When she turned back, her face was calm again.

Aunt Shen began integrating the lockforce star-devourer into the Star Vault Vista’s control. She told Wang Jie he could return anytime to replenish lockforce, and that this mission’s merit would be recorded as well.

They remained there for two more days. Then the ship rose and set course for Third Zen Heaven.

Wang Jie, naturally, went with them.

He didn’t see Ting Chen again during those two days.

Good. A disguise could survive a brief exchange. Prolonged contact was another matter. The fewer chances she had to test him, the better.

He drew a sheet of paper from his storage ring. He didn’t know what it was made of, but it was tough—old, creased, and still unbroken.

This was Miao Sha’s “gift” to Third Zen Heaven.

Not a technique. Not a cultivation manual. Not a resource.

Just a few lines.

If Madam Miao’s clansmen who died had known the “gift” was nothing but this scrap of paper, they would never have wasted time lingering on the lockforce star-devourer. They wouldn’t have drawn death to themselves.

No one got the chance to regret.

Wang Jie lowered his eyes to the writing. Only two lines were inked there.

“Life and death, victory and defeat, black and white—everything in the universe keeps flipping. The Divine Court truly existed.”

“So whose era is it now?”

Two lines left behind by someone from an age so distant its origin couldn’t be traced.

The Divine Court?

An era?

Wang Jie stared at the paper, thoughts tangled.

He wasn’t ignorant anymore. He’d learned enough about the universe to recognize names that mattered. Yet across all four bridge-pillars, he’d never once heard of anything called the Divine Court.

And “truly existed” implied it didn’t exist now.

If Miao Sha had delivered this as a “gift” to Third Zen Heaven, then it had to matter.

Back on the lockforce star-devourer, he’d searched “Divine Court” on his personal terminal. Nothing came up.

He flipped the paper over. A faint emblem lingered on the back, so pale you could miss it if you weren’t looking.

He’d searched that too. It belonged to a family that had long since fallen—the dong fang clan.

His personal terminal’s summary was blunt: vanished.

A knock sounded at the door.

“Mister Lu. Eldest Miss requests you.”

Wang Jie slipped the paper away and stepped out. Ting Chen didn’t summon people without a reason.

He entered to find Ting Chen standing before a light screen. She didn’t speak. She only pointed.

Wang Jie followed her gesture—and his expression tightened.

On the screen was himself.

More precisely, it was footage from the Full-Star Tournament finals.

For a heartbeat, his blood ran cold.

Did she recognize him?

He forced his face into blank calm as the fight played. The kiss—his moment of rage—had been cut out.

When the screen went dark, Ting Chen finally spoke. “What do you think?”

Wang Jie turned to her carefully. He had no idea what answer she wanted.

Ting Chen watched him. “What? Shaken?”

He didn’t respond quickly enough.

She kept staring, waiting.

He bowed. “I don’t understand your meaning, Eldest Miss.”

“As a fellow lockforce cultivator,” Ting Chen said, “I want to know what you think of Wang Jie’s strength.”

Wang Jie let out the breath he’d been holding. So that was it. She hadn’t exposed him—she was measuring him.

“Wang Jie is strong,” he said.

Ting Chen didn’t blink. She wanted more.

Wang Jie continued evenly, “To reach that kind of power with lockforce is hard to believe. I heard he has a star dao master behind him. Star dao masters truly are… extraordinary.”

Ting Chen’s brow creased. “I’m not asking you to praise him. I’m asking if you have the confidence to surpass him.”

Wang Jie hesitated just long enough to seem taken aback. “Surpass him?”

“Your strength isn’t bad,” Ting Chen said, her voice cooling. “If the Star Vault Vista supports you, can you surpass him?”

Wang Jie straightened. “Yes.”

Ting Chen’s gaze sharpened. “You’re sure?”

“I don’t claim absolute confidence in myself,” Wang Jie said, “but I have confidence in the Star Vault Vista. If I’m given enough resources, I can climb higher.”

A flicker of approval passed through Ting Chen’s eyes. “I like that confidence.”

She looked out into the starfield beyond the ship. “Wang Jie’s star dao master is in trouble. Before the Wandering-Star Tournament, he may not be able to help at all. For the next ten years, Wang Jie might not even break into the roaming-star realm—and even if he does, he won’t advance much.”

“Because no one will be helping him.”

She turned back. “You’re different.”

“With the Star Vault Vista behind you, I can help you break into the roaming-star realm. I can give you paths to cultivate other forces. I can raise you until you surpass him. Then, at the Wandering-Star Tournament, you will defeat him—using the identity he prides himself on.”

“As a lockforce cultivator.”

Her voice sharpened into a blade. “And I want him to suffer.”

Ting Chen faced Wang Jie fully, expression solemn and unyielding. “Do you understand? I want him to suffer.”

Wang Jie bowed. “I understand. I will do everything I can and will not fail you, Eldest Miss.”

Ting Chen nodded once. “Tell Nian Wei what you need. I’ll support you as much as possible.”

Wang Jie almost found it ironic. Ting Chen’s assessment was correct—Master couldn’t help him anymore. But now she was stepping in with a different kind of “help.”

He asked, “Eldest Miss, why not defeat him yourself at the Wandering-Star Tournament?”

Ting Chen’s gaze iced over. “He isn’t worthy.”

Wang Jie nearly sighed. Again. Maybe the kiss hadn’t been enough.

He tried a safer question. “What happened to his star dao master?”

“You don’t need to know.” Ting Chen’s tone made the subject immovable. “Go cultivate. If you need anything, go to Nian Wei. That’s my order.”

“Yes.”

Wang Jie turned to leave.

Behind him, Ting Chen stared at the stars and slowly clenched her hand.

Shen Ru Yi’s voice drifted close. “Do you really think Lu Bu Qi can beat Wang Jie?”

“Not under normal circumstances,” Ting Chen said calmly. “I still don’t understand how Wang Jie broke free of the Twelve Heavenly Stems. His lockforce, his chen art, his sword—almost no weaknesses.”

She paused, then continued, measured. “But the roaming-star realm is another level. Lu Bu Qi has only barely reached a level we can accept. With enough resources, he may be able to fight Wang Jie at the Wandering-Star Tournament.”

“The Star Vault Vista’s resources surpass everything.”

Shen Ru Yi shook her head. “I don’t think he can win. The gap is too large.”

“Then we’ll try and see,” Ting Chen said lightly, though her eyes stayed deep.

Not long after, the ship returned to Third Zen Heaven. Once they reached Outer Zen, it was time to part.

Before leaving, Ting Chen summoned Wang Jie one last time and handed him a small wooden figure.

Wang Jie accepted it, confused.

Ting Chen’s expression was serious. “Study this wooden figure first. If you gain insight, then cultivate the Heavenly Astral Body-Forging Chart.”

“Yes,” Wang Jie said. “I understand.”

Her gaze was sharp as frost. “No one can see it. This is the greatest help I can give you. Remember that.”

Wang Jie put it away at once and bowed deeply. “I will remember.”

The weight of her warning told him enough: the wooden figure wasn’t ordinary. If it were, she wouldn’t have been so careful.

She hadn’t given it to him last time. She’d clearly hesitated—prepared herself—then decided.

Ting Chen waved him off. “Two years. At most. After that, you return it to me.”

Wang Jie watched her ship depart and exhaled.

So this was his “mission.” Defeat himself.

If Ting Chen ever learned Lu Bu Qi was Wang Jie… he didn’t want to imagine it.

The nine-form diagram truly was a lifesaver.

He’d barely separated from Ting Chen when his personal terminal rang.

Jiang Jing Yue.

“Eldest Senior Sister.”

“Lu Bu Qi. Come to the Second Zen.”

Wang Jie’s spine snapped straight. “Yes.”

At Zen Mountain, he met the Second Zen.

On the surface, Third Zen Heaven had three star-refining realm powerhouses and one world realm powerhouse. The Chief Zen was the world realm expert—the highest authority in Third Zen Heaven.

Below him were the First Zen, Second Zen, and Third Zen, stationed over the Zen Hall, Zen Mountain, and Zen Lake respectively.

And among them, only the Second Zen held absolute authority over Zen Mountain.

Wang Jie stood before him now. Jiang Yu, Shu He, and the guardian Old Ji were at his side. Jiang Jing Yue stood opposite.

“Disciple Lu Bu Qi greets the Second Zen.”

The Second Zen grunted. Ruddy and healthy, he still looked half-asleep, heavy-lidded. “Begin.”

Jiang Yu stepped forward immediately and bowed. “Grandfather. This disciple suspects Lu Bu Qi has a problem.”

“He knows the Jia Eight Steps. He possesses a chen artifact that can release star-refining realm speed. And he’s a lockforce cultivator—how did he obtain a Zen Token? In Outer Zen, he spent wildly and even bought a nebula-grade ship.”

“He clearly isn’t short on money.”

“Everything points to him being a spy planted in Third Zen Heaven by another faction.”

The Second Zen didn’t react.

Jiang Jing Yue glanced at Wang Jie.

Wang Jie met her eyes, then looked back at Jiang Yu’s smug face and asked mildly, “That’s it?”

Jiang Yu’s brows shot up. “Lu Bu Qi, you still want to deny it?”

“I’m not denying anything,” Wang Jie said. “Everything you said is true.”

Jiang Yu’s eyes went wide. “You admit you’re a spy?”