Chapter 0248: Crazy For Mirage Stones
Ning Cheng was just able to catch sight of the endless Yi Xing Ocean, when an empty feeling started to manifest behind him. This empty feeling was actually something similiar to an indescribable intuition rather than a feeling, he felt that if he ended up getting stuck here, then he would never be able to come out alive.
Ning Cheng quickly sped up to his limits, while at the same time put away his Twin Heavenly Cloud Wings. At this time, most of the people who had entered the Mirage Ship Island were making their way out, causing this area of the ocean to turn chaotic. As he made his way towards the ship Ning Cheng turned silent, he could feel that the feeling of emptiness growing stronger behind him. With the help of his Spiritual Consciousness he saw that the cultivators behind him who had just managed to get to the edge of the island starting to get blurry. And then all of a sudden these cultivators, along with the island, completely disappeared into nothingness, it was as if the disappearance of the Mirage Ship Island was completely ordinary.
It was obvious that these disappeared cultivators would no longer be able to come out, and would only end up perishing on the Mirage Ship Island. He could affirm that if he did not have the Twin Heavenly Cloud Wings, then he might have also become one of the people who ended up perishing on the Mirage Ship Island. Perhaps these disappeared cultivators might be able to come out at some point of time in the future, and would not be devoured by the Mirage Ship Island, but how many people would truly give a thought to such a thing happening?
Ning Cheng had already returned to the ship at this moment, and could see that there were not many cultivators aboard the deck. Although there were many cultivators who had flown out of the ship, but the number of people who managed to return after the time it took for an incense stick to burn passed were really quite few.
Even though the deck was quite spacious, when Ning Cheng swept out with his Spiritual Consciousness slightly, out of the originally more than 20 thousand people that stood on the deck, at this moment there were only 6 to 7 thousand people standing, while the rest of them could not manage to get off the Mirage Ship Island in time.
Of the cultivators who returned to the ship, although most of them had an expressionless face, a few handful cultivators among them could be seen with a smile on their face. Ning Cheng was also standing unemotionally at one of the corners of the deck, he was aware that of the the cultivators who managed to come back, at least a few hundred people amongst them managed to get their hands on a Mirage Stone, perhaps there might even be more than this.
That intermediate stage Soul Essence Cultivator at this moment was already standing at the deck. Seeing that there were no one else coming back, so he once again flew up in the air and spoke up, “My dear fellow friends, this time we were able to successfully find the Mirage Ship Island, many people were even able to obtain the Mirage Stone, but there seem to be even more people who were not able to obtain any Mirage Stones. A lot of our friends also ended up perishing in the Mirage Ship Island, and yet even more of our friends ended up being devoured by the Mirage Beasts, while a few of us were not able to come out due to other reasons……”
“That’s true, I also met with a Mirage Beast, and was almost on the verge of not being able to make it back…..” some of the people below echoed out in a whisper.
As Ning Cheng listened to this, he couldn’t help be startled in his heart. He had actually dug out a Mirage Tree, and had even picked up 39 Mirage Stones, so why didn’t he see a Mirage Beast? Let alone being attacked by the Mirage Beasts. Was his luck really that much better than others?
“Everybody, since the Mirage Ship Island has been found, thus we, the Mirage Gazing Conglomerate, can deem this trip as being successful, and we are now ready to return back to the Mirage Gazing Island. Many of our friends here are visibly impatient to get back, that is return to the Mirage Gazing Island and take the Transmission Array to return to the Tian Continent. But to use the Long Distance Transfer Array to return to the Tian Continent, it would not just require only a few Spirit Stones……”
This Soul Essence Cultivator after speaking till this point, deliberately stopped himself. Then looking in all four directions, he once again continued to speak, “Now what I wanted to tell you is that our ship is also purchasing Mirage Stones, if a friend wants to sell their Mirage Stones then they can come directly to the Mirage Gazing Merchant Shop at the top of the ship, and sell the Mirage Stone in your hand. Even if it was a Mirage Stone from a three colored Mirage Tree, we will still give a high price for it. Of course, if you do not want to sell your Mirage Stones, then it is your choice, and we will definitely not interfere with it. At the same time, if there is anyone of this ship who would try to steal Mirage Stones, then my Mirage Gazing Conglomerate would kill them without any mercy.”
As Ning Cheng heard this, he finally was able to settle down his heart for a bit. Although he did not dare to say that he had obtained the largest harvest of Mirage Stones, but there would only be very few people who would have a harvest larger than his own. If the people on the ship really wanted to make a grab on other’s Mirage Stones, then he could only think of escaping from this place. Since the ship was able to come to this place, then it was also possible that he would be able to locate the Mirage Gazing Island by himself if it was necessary.
Ning Cheng, in a very low key manner returned back to his own cabin, and once again laid down two low levelled Shielding Array Formation, before adjusting his breathing.
Since he was able to see the Mirage Stones with his own eyes, he was instantly able to understand that it was absolutely a good thing. But because he was currently on someone else’s ship, as such even though he wanted to bring out a Mirage Stone and examine it closely, he ultimately held himself back. Who knew if there was or was not a Monitoring Array Formation that he had not discovered previously? Moreover whether it was going back to the Mirage Gazing Island or to the Tian Continent, he wanted to take a look at both of them if possible.
During the time inside the Mirage Ship Island, Ning Cheng fully was able to realize the precise advantage of having a formidable Spiritual Consciousness. If his Spiritual Consciousness was not tempered in the Chaotic Star Space, then how would he be able to obtain these many Mirage Stones? Even if possessed the Twin Heavenly Cloud Wings, it would already be a miracle if he could obtain even 10.
Although Ning Cheng was inside his cabin, but he was not cultivating, rather he was actually focussing on tempering his Spiritual Consciousness even further. With this kind of environment, although the growth in his Spiritual Consciousness would not be as absurd as what it was in the Chaotic Star Space, but he could still use such a method to temper and grow his Spiritual Consciousness bit by bit.
Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness did not leave the room, rather he repeatedly cast it out in a small space.
Suddenly his Spiritual Consciousness felt a slight fluctuation, which caused Ning Cheng to become surprised. This was his cabin and he even re-arranged several of the original Array Formations. Even if what he had laid out were merely simple Rank 3 Array Formations, it would be more than enough to prevent others from sniffing. But unexpectedly there was a fluctuation inside his cabin, this obviously was from an extremely well hidden Array Formation.
Ning Cheng stopped with the tempering of his Spiritual Consciousness, and used his Spiritual Consciousness to carefully probe at the spot from where he had sensed the fluctuations, and sure enough he ended up finding something. It turned out to be a very well hidden Monitoring Array Formation, moreover this Monitoring Array Formation was so well hidden that he was almost not able to find it.
This kind of Array Formation, other than the people from the Mirage Gazing Conglomerate, who else would be able to arrange it? He had originally thought from the descriptions that he heard from the others that this ship conducted things in a very upright manner, and had never thought that it would still secretly monitor things. If not for his attainments in Array Formations reaching Tier 6, along with his Spiritual Consciousness strong enough to be comparable to that of Soul Essence Cultivators, he really would not have been able to find it.
Fortunately, he was used to being cautious and low key, since there was an Array Formation here, it was fortunate that he had the foresight to set up a few low leveled Array Formations, while at the same time not bringing out the things that he wanted to keep a secret. As the saying goes, in any place, having a bit of caution really would not be a bad thing.
Knowing that he was being monitored through an Array Formation, Ning Cheng now was in no mood to pass the time in his cabin. However, since at this moment he was a person who had come back from the Mirage Ship Island, so it would be much better to be low key.
Ning Cheng did nothing to the Monitoring Array Formation, and three days later, Ning Cheng finally came out of the room. He intended to visit the makeshift market atop the ship and have a look at it.
……
“You know what? Tan Xu was killed yesterday……”
“Ai. it really is too terrible, fortunately we were not able to get our hands on the Mirage Stones. During these three days, there were a lot of people who ended up dying. It can only be guessed that the people who ended up dying were the ones in possession of Mirage Stones.”
“This time although I was not able to find any Mirage Stones, however I would not come out to search for it from now. This kind of thing, whether it would be a blessing or a disaster, who can predict it……”
“Now I am just looking forward to getting back to the Mirage Gazing Island, and although I was not able to obtain a Mirage Stone, but it is simply too dangerous to be onboard this ship at the present moment.”
“Returning to the Mirage Gazing Island, it would at least take about three months…..”
Ning Cheng had just entered the makeshift market, when his Spiritual COnsciousness caught a variety of discussions going around. Only now did he understand that during these three days, there have been quite a few people who had ended up dying. These cultivators did not die on the Mirage Ship Island, but rather just because they were able to obtain Mirage Stones, they ended up dying on the ship.
Just what was the use of these Mirage Stones? Just why were so many cultivators crazy for it? Before, didn’t that intermediate Soul Essence Cultivator state that, if someone was found robbing Mirage Stones on board the ship, then they would be killed without mercy. Now that there were quite a few people already dead, why hadn’t he come out like he said to kill the culprit without mercy? Then again thinking back to the hidden Monitoring Array Formation in his own cabin, Ning Cheng gave out a dark sigh, the words he wanted to speak out, he was well aware that none of them would ever believe it.
Fortunately, he finally was able to confirm that in three months, he would finally reach the Mirage Gazing Island. From the Mirage Gazing Island he would then be able to take the Transmission Array to the Tian Continent.
Although he had come to the makeshift market a few days ago, but at this moment the atmosphere here was a lot colder than it was from back then. Ning Cheng entered shop selling jade strips related to cultivation methods. There was a huge jade strip in front of the shop that caught Ning Cheng’s attention. There were four characters written on top of it ‘Ten uses of Mirage Stones’.
This Mirage Stone unexpectedly had so many uses? Ning Cheng’s first reaction was to quickly purchase one of the jade strips that had information on Mirage Stones.
“This friend, do you want to but the jade strip that gives the introduction to the Mirage Stones? This piece of jade strip is the best you will find here. Moreover the introduction of the Mirage Stones is also recorded in it in a very fine detail…….” Ning Cheng had not yet opened his mouth when a man took the initiative to greet him.
Ning Cheng, although was moved in his heart, but he still gave an immediate wave with his hand and spoke, “Ai, if it was a few days ago, then I would have definitely bought it, but now, sigh, forget it. Do you have jade strips pertaining to the Spiritual Grasses found at the edge of the Mirage Gazing Island, since I basically have nothing else to do at the moment, I might as well take the time to have a look at it.”
“Yes, yes……” This man soon took out a jade piece and handed it to Ning Cheng. “This jade strip introduces all the Spiritual Grasses that appear at the periphery of the Mirage Gazing Island, along with their corresponding value. There are even a few valuable materials from monstrous beasts that are described in it in detail. But it will cost you a hundred high grade Spirit Stones………”
Ning Cheng paid the Spirit Stones and left. A middle aged man turned and looked at Ning Cheng’s retreating back as he shook his head and spoke to himself, “It seems this guy wasn’t able to obtain anything. Looking at this guy’s appearance, he should be intending on living on the Mirage Gazing Island.”
After putting a significant distance, Ning Cheng secretly rejoiced. He had almost lost himself to his impulse earlier, otherwise, at this moment he would have purchased the jade strip that contained the ‘10 Uses of Mirage Stones.’
Generally such type of purchases should have been conducted before the appearance of the Mirage Ship Island, now that the Mirage Ship Island had already appeared, moreover they were even on the path of return. If he went ahead and purchased that jade stip, then wouldn’t it not be equivalent to announcing to others that he had Mirage Stones on him? At the very least it would be equivalent to telling others that he might be having Mirage Stones on him.
A sound of staggering footsteps could he heard rushing towards Ning Cheng, causing NIng Cheng to quickly dodge to the side. He saw a youth covered in blood fall down at his side.
Ning Cheng’s Spiritual Consciousness fell on this youth’s body and could instantly determine that this youth’s meridians were damaged. Although the damage was not too serious, but one had to take a pill in time to recover from it, otherwise it would leave behind heavy repercussions. If a cultivator’s meridians were not healed properly, they how would they be able to practice cultivation to higher level?
As long as one’s meridians were not completely destroyed, there was still a chance to make a recovery. With this kind of slight damage, a pill from Ning Cheng would be more than enough for such an injury. Moreover this youth was only had the cultivation of Profound Congealing 8th Level, as such the recovery process would be quite simple.
Ning Cheng raised his hand and took out a top grade True Internal Organs Pill and threw it into the mouth of the youth with a slight flick. Since he was in a position to be able to help this youth, then Ning Cheng would not mind in extending a helping hand out casually. Moreover, for him, something like a Rank 3 True Internal Organs Pill, was not really something precious.
What he did not understand was how this youth got injured, but at least he was aware that one could not openly fight onboard the ship.
Ning Cheng’s pills were top grade pills, moreover they were something that did not need any kind of Pill Art to refine, as such it’s effects were many times better than any ordinary pill.
As the pill entered the youth’s mouth, it immediately turned into gurgling liquid pouring down his throat, as it rapidly started to heal the injuries of this youth. In just a few breaths of time, the injuries of this youth turned a lot better, as the youth started struggling to crawl up from the ground.
