Chapter 621: Are They All Gone?

Upon hearing this, Sage Ye’s eyebrows twitched, and he sneered coldly at Dongbo Xueying. “Dongbo Xueying, it’s only out of respect for Venerable Huocheng that I’m even discussing terms with you. Don’t push your luck. If Venerable Huocheng weren’t here… do you really think I’d let this go so easily?”

“And what if you don’t?” Dongbo Xueying retorted. “What can you possibly do to me?”

Sage Ye seethed inwardly.

Indeed.

Though their clash had been brief, those terrifying flying daggers had left Sage Ye deeply wary. He knew he couldn’t evade them.

As a Venerable, he naturally looked down upon a mere Four Heavens Realm God who hadn’t transcended the limits of mortality. But rationally speaking… someone as prodigious as Dongbo Xueying was beyond his ability to capture.

“Sage Ye, I may only be a Four Heavens Realm God, but if I truly go all out, ensuring your death wouldn’t be difficult,” Dongbo Xueying said icily. “If I can’t kill you myself, there are plenty behind me who can. I just don’t wish to pay too steep a price.”

He wasn’t lying.

The Lord of Zhushan owed him a great favor! Venerable Huocheng was his sworn brother, and more importantly, even his master, the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, owed him recompense for the ancient cave abode incident. If Dongbo Xueying forsook treasures and instead asked the Bloodblade Divine Emperor to deal with an ordinary Venerable like Sage Ye… it would be effortless.

But wasting the Bloodblade Divine Emperor’s favor on Sage Ye? That would be too extravagant.

Sage Ye’s pupils contracted. “Those behind him… Qing Jun? I heard Qing Jun attended his estate-opening banquet. Even the Bloodblade Divine Emperor values this personal disciple highly.”

…

Among cultivators, the strong prey on the weak.

Once Sage Ye sensed the threat Dongbo Xueying himself posed, his instinctive disdain for Four Heavens cultivators was immediately suppressed. “This Dongbo Xueying is, after all, the fastest in history to reach the Three Heavens Realm—a record-breaking Four Heavens Realm God. He can’t be underestimated.”

“Haha, as I said, Lord Dongbo’s strength is formidable. Even I can do nothing against him,” Sage Ye said with a smile, though his expression darkened slightly. “But don’t you think it’s excessive to demand two Solar Star Core Stones without offering anything in return?”

“Excessive?”

Dongbo Xueying shook his head. “Let’s review the facts. The root of this matter lies in your clansman, Sage Zhu, killing Patriarch Chihuo twice and seizing two Solar Star Core Stones! One of them was mine—lent to Chihuo. At the time, I even manifested an avatar through karma to warn Sage Zhu, demanding he cease. I told him Chihuo and I would let bygones be bygones.”

“Yet Sage Zhu looked down on Chihuo and me, arrogantly taking what wasn’t his.”

“If he repeatedly seizes things by force, he should be prepared to have them taken from him in turn,” Dongbo Xueying said coldly. “Those two Solar Star Core Stones were ours to begin with. Taking them back is only right. As for his treasures… consider them punishment for his misdeeds.”

Sage Ye opened his mouth to argue.

“Enough.”

Venerable Huocheng, standing beside Dongbo Xueying, glared at Sage Ye from afar and said angrily, “Sage Ye, I told you to stop, yet you refused. Now that I’m here, you still haven’t apologized. Hmph. It seems you hold no regard for me whatsoever.”

“Not at all, not at all,” Sage Ye hurriedly replied. Venerable Huocheng’s temper was infamous—best not to provoke him.

“Oh, I think you dare quite a lot. Your courage is vast indeed.”

Venerable Huocheng sneered. “There’s no need for further discussion. The two Solar Star Core Stones belong to us—you must return them. As for Sage Zhu’s paltry treasures… let them serve as recompense for his arrogance and your offense against me and Dongbo Xueying. That’s hardly excessive, is it?”

Sage Ye hesitated.

“Anger me, and I’ll raze your lair, hunt you down until you flee in terror,” Venerable Huocheng mocked. “Call upon a friend or two, and ending you would be child’s play.”

Seeing this, Sage Ye forced a smile. “Let’s… let’s talk this over.”

Having survived the Divine Realm and Abyss for so long, he wasn’t so easily killed. His true body and avatar were separate, and he had many allies. In dire straits, he could always seek refuge under a Paragon.

But there was no need to antagonize Venerable Huocheng.

Once relations soured, life would become far more difficult.

…

Elsewhere.

A planet orbited by a vast stellar array, its formation shimmering with phantom swords.

Structures dotted the planet’s surface.

This was Sage Ye’s place of cultivation.

“Elder Brother,” Sage Zhu, clad in black robes, pleaded, “you must retrieve my treasures.”

“They’re gone.”

The golden-robed Sage Ye stood atop a mountain, gazing down at the plains. “Dongbo Xueying’s strength surpassed my expectations—I couldn’t capture him. Venerable Huocheng then threatened me, demanding you hand over the two Solar Star Core Stones. Otherwise… they’ll soon come here, destroy this place, and hunt us down.”

Sage Zhu was stunned.

So tyrannical?

“Just give them up,” Sage Ye sighed. “Don’t provoke them further. This Dongbo Xueying isn’t to be trifled with.”

“Give them up?” Sage Zhu’s heart twisted bitterly.

How?

The first Solar Star Core Stone had long been offered to the Sect Master! He only carried one now. And those treasures had to be recovered—if exposed, he was doomed.

“There’s no other way.” After careful consideration, Sage Zhu steeled himself.

“Elder Brother,” he said urgently, “I only have one Solar Star Core Stone on me. The other was traded long ago for other treasures.”

“Gone?” Sage Ye frowned.

“Yes, truly gone.”

“Then who did you trade it to?”

“I swore not to reveal their identity.”

“Fine. But if I tell them, they won’t believe me. You’ll have to explain it yourself.”

…

In the void of space.

Dongbo Xueying and Venerable Huocheng stood side by side, facing Sage Ye in the distance. Beside Sage Ye, a figure gradually materialized—Sage Zhu’s avatar.

“Lord Dongbo, Venerable Huocheng,” Sage Zhu said with an ingratiating smile, then immediately declared loudly, “By the witness of the Bloodblade Divine Emperor, I, Sage Zhu, swear that the first Solar Star Core Stone I took from Patriarch Chihuo was traded away long ago. I truly don’t have it anymore. Now, I possess only one. Even if you kill me, I couldn’t produce a second.”

Dongbo Xueying and Venerable Huocheng exchanged glances.

Traded away?

“To whom?” Dongbo Xueying demanded.

“The other party feared exposure. I swore never to reveal their identity,” Sage Zhu said helplessly.

Dongbo Xueying and Venerable Huocheng shared another look.

Since Sage Zhu had invoked the Bloodblade Divine Emperor’s name in his oath, it was likely true. Traded to another mighty figure who demanded secrecy to avoid trouble?

“You stole two Solar Star Core Stones, and now you think returning just one is enough?” Venerable Huocheng growled.

“I dare not! I’d return more if I could, but all my treasures are with Lord Dongbo now,” Sage Zhu said miserably.

Venerable Huocheng turned to Sage Ye. “If he can’t pay, you will!”

Sage Ye rubbed his temples.

Dongbo Xueying watched calmly. Making the Twin Sages of the Mo Clan bleed a little more was a pleasure. Had he been slightly weaker and captured by Sage Ye, the situation would’ve been entirely different.

With negotiations at this stage, the rest was straightforward.

Sage Ye offered additional treasures, Sage Zhu surrendered the remaining Solar Star Core Stone, and the matter was settled.

“Brother Huocheng, let’s go.”

“Right.”

Dongbo Xueying and Venerable Huocheng tore open a spatial rift and vanished.

Sage Ye and Sage Zhu could only sigh in resignation.

They seldom suffered losses, but this time, they’d been thoroughly outplayed.

…

At Sage Ye’s lair.

Sage Zhu soon returned to a quiet chamber and activated a unique communication artifact—one only he could use.

“Protector, Protector, I must report to the Sect Master.”

“What is it?” the Protector’s voice echoed calmly.

“Nearly all the treasures you gave me—including the rare materials I collected—are gone.”

“WHAT?! All of them?!” The Protector’s voice trembled with shock.