Zhuo Xuantian’s heart jolted with astonishment as he saw the three Seven Realms Stone realm flags appear. Though he’d inferred from Lan Xiaobu’s earlier words that he might possess them, seeing three flags with his own eyes still stunned him.
According to the Eternal Night Saint, owning three realm flags was tantamount to possessing all seven, or at least having the Seven Realms Stone within reach.
Only a powerhouse like Lan Xiaobu would so fearlessly declare possession of the flags. For an ordinary person, they’d hide them away, not daring to display them so openly.
Lan Xiaobu took out a crystal ball, locking the directional laws condensed by the three flags into it, crafting a positional crystal.
After stowing the crystal, he turned to Zhuo Xuantian, “Which way is Da Mo Void Star?”
In Lan Xiaobu’s mind, it’d be ideal if Da Mo Void Star aligned roughly with the realm flags’ direction, saving him time.
Zhuo Xuantian handed over a directional jade slip, “Senior Lan, this marks Da Mo Void Star’s location.”
Lan Xiaobu examined it. While Da Mo Void Star wasn’t in the opposite direction of the realm flags, it wasn’t aligned either, leaving him无奈. He summoned the Samsara Cauldron, saying, “Friend Zhuo, hop on. We’ll head to Da Mo Void Star first.”
As Zhuo Xuantian stepped onto the cauldron, Lan Xiaobu pushed its speed to the maximum.
Feeling the cauldron’s velocity, though he’d never seen it before, Zhuo Xuantian was certain it was a top-tier treasure.
Da Mo Void Star was far off. For Zhuo Xuantian alone, without a teleportation array, it’d take decades. Even with the cauldron’s speed, avoiding arrays would waste too much time. After activating it, Lan Xiaobu immediately messaged Shan Bu’ang, Zhen Changtian, the Yellow Spring Ancestor, and Da Xuanqiong, asking for the fastest route to Da Mo Void Star.
He learned that teleportation arrays to a void city near Da Mo Void Star existed on Ji Sheng Star (home to the Holy Wasteland) and Tian Mo Star (home to the Heavenly Desert Temple).
Opting for proximity, Lan Xiaobu spent over ten days reaching Ji Sheng Star’s outskirts.
“Brother Lan, ahead is Ji Sheng Star, the Holy Wasteland’s sect. I hear their leader, Da Xuanqiong, is incredibly powerful. Should we detour?” Zhuo Xuantian cautioned as the cauldron neared the void plaza, unable to resist speaking up.
He didn’t think Lan Xiaobu feared Da Xuanqiong but worried about wasting time. If Eternal Night Star had only one peak powerhouse, the Eternal Night Saint, Ji Sheng Star boasted multiple Ninth-Turn Saints, with Da Xuanqiong rivaling the Eternal Night Saint.
“No worries. I just need to borrow their teleportation array to reach Jiu Suo Void City. Otherwise, it’ll take too long,” Lan Xiaobu waved off the concern, speeding up the cauldron.
Zhuo Xuantian hurriedly said, “They won’t lend it out unless we force it.”
Forcing it would waste time regardless. Indeed, facing a swarm of Ninth- and Eighth-Turn Saints, even if Lan Xiaobu won, it’d delay them significantly. Worse, Zhuo Xuantian feared for himself, tied to Lan Xiaobu, if they forced the array and Lan Xiaobu left afterward, Da Xuanqiong could crush his Xuanyuan Dao Sect with a slap.
“Don’t worry, I know Da Xuanqiong,” Lan Xiaobu dismissed, accelerating further.
Hearing this, Zhuo Xuantian sighed and fell silent. Da Xuanqiong was arrogant; many knew him, but he rarely showed anyone courtesy.
In the time they spoke, the cauldron landed on the Holy Wasteland’s void plaza.
As Lan Xiaobu and Zhuo Xuantian stepped off, a hearty laugh rang out. Da Xuanqiong, the Holy Wasteland’s leader, awaited them with several Ninth-Turn Saints.
“For Dao Lord Lan to grace my humble Ji Sheng Star is truly my honor, Da Xuanqiong. Please, Dao Lord, join me at the Holy Wasteland’s guest hall,” Da Xuanqiong said, practically jogging to Lan Xiaobu’s side.
Zhuo Xuantian was dumbfounded. He’d assumed Lan Xiaobu’s “knowing” Da Xuanqiong meant a passing acquaintance. But this? Da Xuanqiong’s attitude was beyond eager, it bordered on fawning. Since when was he so affable?
Lan Xiaobu quickly replied, “Thanks, Sect Leader Qiong. I just need to borrow your teleportation array to Jiu Suo Void City. Time’s tight, so I’ll have to visit you next time.”
“The array’s free and ready anytime. I’ll lead you there,” Da Xuanqiong said warmly, guiding the way.
The array from Ji Sheng Star to Jiu Suo Void City sat in the void plaza outside. Each use consumed vast resources, but for Lan Xiaobu, no cost was too high for Da Xuanqiong. Choosing his array was a favor, a sign of respect.
From landing to teleporting, less than half an incense stick’s time passed. As they vanished, Zhuo Xuantian still seemed dazed.
Despite the ultra-long-distance teleport, Lan Xiaobu could still grasp the rule fluctuations during transit.
It took half a day before they landed on a massive plaza.
Rich divine spirit energy hit them. Lan Xiaobu’s divine sense swept out, confirming they were still in the void, not on a planet.
“Senior Lan, this is Jiu Suo Void City, the liveliest hub in this planar domain. Cultivators from countless planets and divine lands come here for rare goods. They say with enough divine crystals and spirit veins, anything can be bought,” Zhuo Xuantian explained as they stepped off the array.
Though he spoke, his mind lingered on how Lan Xiaobu knew the haughty Da Xuanqiong, enough to have him waiting personally, offering the array gratis. What kind of influence was that? None of Da Mo Void Star’s four stellar sect leaders likely commanded such respect.
Lan Xiaobu nodded. His divine sense confirmed the bustling scene, streets teemed with proven cultivators, shops thronged with traffic, and auction notices littered the paths.
The rugged cultivators, marked by the aura of void slaughter, showed that only the tough survived here.
“There’s no array from Jiu Suo Void City to Da Mo Void Star, but a ship can get us there in a day. This city’s run by a coalition of Ninth-Turn Saints, it’s safe, with rare forced trades,” Zhuo Xuantian began.
Lan Xiaobu cut in, “You say rare forced trades, but I just saw someone try to strong-arm another for a technique. When refused, he killed the guy, and no one intervened.”
“Ah,” Zhuo Xuantian’s divine sense instinctively probed, spotting the distant killing.
“The victim might’ve triggered Jiu Suo Void City’s killable rules,” he offered.
Lan Xiaobu shook his head, killable rules? He wasn’t interested. “Let’s go to Da Mo Void Star now. Lead the way.”
“Alright.” Since the array was inside the city, Zhuo Xuantian sped toward the exit.
Lan Xiaobu noticed cultivators flying overhead on treasures. His divine sense showed the gate wasn’t far, he saw no need to use the cauldron. For a longer stretch, he would’ve.
“You’re Zhuo Xuantian?” an abrupt voice called.
Zhuo Xuantian’s heart skipped. Speak of the devil, he hadn’t disguised himself out of respect for Lan Xiaobu, and now he’d been recognised in Jiu Suo Void City.
Seeing him pause, the voice grew excited, “Yes, you’re Xuanyuan Dao Sect’s leader, Zhuo Xuantian, haha.”
With a loud laugh, a green-haired man approached, reaching for Zhuo Xuantian without a care, treating Lan Xiaobu like air.
Lan Xiaobu snorted coldly, slapping out without hesitation. The green-haired man had no chance to resist, exploding into a bloody mist. If not for the Cosmic Mill, Lan Xiaobu wouldn’t waste time here, having come, he wouldn’t let anyone squander it further.
Zhuo Xuantian froze, his mind buzzing. His first thought: This is Jiu Suo Void City, killing here…
