“The heck you record that for?” Qing Ting stared blankly at the image.
“You might not know that the Robber King is notorious throughout the Hongmeng. Many notable heavyweights hate him with a passion!” Li Zhen chuckled. “I can make copies of this recording and sell it to them. They’ll definitely buy it!”
Qing Ting had spent her life in seclusion and only recently set foot in the world. Lu Yun hadn’t arrived in the third realm for long, so their understanding of the Hongmeng wasn’t as extensive as Li Zhen’s.
“If the Enforcer Alliance has listed a bounty of a hundred million crystals for the Robber King’s head… then those heavyweights will definitely buy these recordings for the same amount. Hehehe, I’m rich! Rich!” Li Zhen cackled with satisfaction.
The heavyweights he spoke of were mid level kings. Though the Robber King was a third step king, there were fourth, fifth, and sixth step kings, as well as their progeny, who numbered among the Robber King’s victims.
“Part of the credit goes to me too, so make sure to send me a few copies. I’m going to sell them as well!” Qing Ting hastily interjected. “I’m also why he got on his knees and begged!”
Though she was the daughter of a seventh step king, she didn’t own that many purple crystals. She didn’t even have a complete crystal vein, so a hundred million purple crystals was a large sum to her.
Purple crystals were both the currency of the Hongmeng and a necessity for cultivation. If she carried crystal veins on her during her adventures, she would draw unwanted attention and potentially invite fatal disaster.
An ordinary sixth step king, the Trueriver King had instantly broken through to peak sixth step kinghood when Lu Yun gifted him nine thousand premium crystal veins. Though the Trueriver Sect had lost their territory in Multitude City, their overall status rose to a new standing due to their sectmaster’s increase in strength.
Not only that, but some of the other Trueriver kings stuck at a cultivation bottleneck also found success through utilizing the nine thousand crystal veins. Purple crystals, in particular purple crystal veins, were strategic cultivation assets in the Hongmeng on par with war resources. It was an utter waste to use them to purchase goods.
Whether it was during the era of supplemental dao restriction or present day, there were very few people who would be willing to purchase a king grade Detonation Talisman with a few hundred thousand premium purple crystals.
In their eyes, Lu Yun throwing out a dozen of the talismans in one go and his massive shopping spree for Li Zhen and Qing Ting in the Haotian Tower was an incredible squander of resources.
The Immortal Pagoda exchanging purple crystals for ghost crystals was even more unbelievable. At least the Haotian Tower didn’t follow their rival in that madness!
Qing Ting also lacked purple crystals as well. As much as her father doted on and spoiled her, he didn’t entrust her with too many crystals. Therefore, she naturally wouldn’t pass up any chance to earn crystals.
The mid level kings would pay so much for this recording purely out of extreme frustration inflicted by the Robber King. Spending a few hundred million purple crystals for contentment was purple crystals well spent.
“Don’t worry, we’ve been through life and death together. You’ll get a cut of any transaction we make!” Li Zhen grinned.
……
“Hoo!” After an indeterminate period of time, Lu Yun breathed out with ease and slowly opened his eyes.
“Have you thought things through?” Qing Ting cast an annoyed look at Lu Yun.
“Mmhmm.” Lu Yun nodded. “You two should go back.”
“Eh?” Qing Ting and Li Zhen paused. “The two of us should go back? What about you?”
Lu Yun looked down without a word.
“Oi oi oi, what are you thinking about? What will I do if you run off with the Stellar Sword after we go back?” Qing Ting grumbled with dissatisfaction. She’d long since forgotten about her brother’s mission, so she brought it up now mostly to make a joke, but also to express her unhappiness.
He wanted to leave them behind? What, were they burdens?
“You’re not thinking of blowing up the central crystal vein of Starspace Region, are you?” Li Zhen suddenly thought of something.
Every region possessed a central crystal vein from which derived countless major veins. A region was only as strong as its central crystal vein. Redbud Mountain of Redbud Region was its central crystal vein.
The central crystal vein that Li Zhen spoke of was a similar concept. Three thousand six hundred and fifty major premium crystal veins encircled it, anchoring the fortunes of the region. Innumerable small premium crystal veins splintered off from the major ones—they weren’t the personal wealth of the Starspace King, but the communal property of all Starspace cultivators.
The central crystal vein supplied the region with Hongmeng qi, and all crystal veins throughout the land were its derivative. Destroying it meant ruining the layout of the entire region, and the ghost tomb undergoing repairs would naturally not exist anymore.
“Mmhmm.” Lu Yun nodded and didn’t conceal his intentions. “It will be impossible to destroy the partially formed ghost tomb if the central crystal vein isn’t eliminated. The ghosts will continue to stream forth and this war will never end.
“Additionally, when the ghost tomb reaches a higher degree of completion, more and more ghosts in the Hongmeng will congregate on it. The ones here won’t even need to mine purple crystals after a while, they can just use the bodies of inferior realm ghosts to finish the ghost tomb—ghost nest.”
The Acclaim King had already ventured inside to destroy it, but she hadn’t been able to uproot it despite her strength as a ninth step king! The ghost nest had already become one with the central crystal vein of Starspace Region.
“I’m going too!” Qing Ting volunteered when she heard this. “It’s too dangerous for you to go alone!”
“That’s right, we go together! Having another person with you is one more source of strength!” Li Zhen quickly agreed.
Lu Yun could clearly sense their conviction through the Karmic Tree and nodded after some careful consideration. Half step kings at the titled duke level possessed resolute dao hearts that couldn’t be swayed. Anything they decided upon was set in stone.
Therefore, if he didn’t take them with him, they’d find a way there themselves.
“Here are two Transformation Talismans drawn by the Immortal King himself. They can turn us into ghost kings that not even ninth step ghost kings can see through.” Lu Yun materialized two pure black Transformation Talismans.
“The Immortal King drew these himself?” Qing Ting and Li Zhen gasped.
“That’s right. One of these is worth more than that emotion formation, so if you’re truly decided, refine the talisman and we’ll be on our way once we turn into ghost kings.” He released the two talismans into the void.
“Of course we’re going! Why the heck wouldn’t we? I thought we’d be risking our lives and probably not make it out alive, but here we have this kind of treasure to use!” Li Zhen merrily accepted one of the talismans and melded it into his body. He transformed in the next instant and curls of black ghostly qi wafted from him.
He was a first step ghost king now.
As a titled duke half step king, Li Zhen possessed the battle strength of a first step king. Once he became a first step ghost king, he could deploy the strength that he should command.
“Are you actually the Trueriver King’s son? How come he’s given this kind of treasure to you?” After a careful look at himself, Li Zhen discovered that he didn’t exude any presence of the living. He really was enveloped by ghostly power and it wasn’t uncomfortable at all.
Qing Ting took a deep look at Lu Yun and quickly integrated the talisman into her body, also becoming a first step ghost king.
Lu Yun casually threw her the large sickle left behind by the second step ghost king. He’d picked it up before the ghost king self detonated!
“Cut off the heads of those third step kings. We go to Starspace City!” Lu Yun ignored Li Zhen.
