Chapter 716: Big business deal
Translator: Sigma Editor: Hitesh
Many warriors were standing on the main deck of the giant bronze steamship. Allard and Bi Rou were also there, walking back and forth casually.
Big rocks floated outside the ship, glistening with a glorious golden hue. Bizarre fine sand flowed from those golden rocks. Following the wind, grains of this kind of fine gold sand scattered everywhere.
At first glance, Shi Yan felt like he was floating in a fine gold sand sea. Those fine gold grains sparkled with a dazzling gold hue while floating slowly here and there.
From a further distance, fulgent stars shone radiantly like numerous diamonds inlaid in the universe, giving him a calm and peaceful feeling.
Shi Yan could see some people standing on the gold rocks and hitting them.
Those people had different realms, but the lowest realm was the Sky Realm. Most of them had the Spirit Realm or True God Realm cultivation base. Also, Shi Yan saw a King God Realm expert, who had a diamond-shaped mark on his forehead. He seemed to be supervising the others, as he was screaming continually.
Watching for a while, Shi Yan knew that this Drifting Gold Sand Area was another mining area of the Underworld League. Those warriors with the relatively low realms were the miners, collecting drifting gold sand for the League.
This mining area surely belonged to Bi Tian, one of the General Commanders of the Underworld League. As soon as Bi Rou appeared, the King God Realm warrior came and greeted her. Then, he reported her something, showing her a logbook.
Bi Rou checked it for a while, then nodded and waved her hand.
Next, that King God Realm expert pitched his voice high like thunder, asking the miners to bring the drifting gold sand they had collected. They brought over the sand contained in a conical barrow.
The miners then pushed the conical barrows, which were full of gold sand, towards the fourth deck of the big steamship.
Soon, Allard saw Shi Yan. He frowned, walking towards him with an unhappy countenance. "Why are you up here?"
"It's too boring down there. I'm here to take some fresh air and widen my knowledge." Shi Yan wore an indifferent face, watching here and there deliberately. "Does it affect your work?"
Allard snorted, gazing at him. Seeing him doing nothing strange, he continued, "Just watch. Do not do anything. Otherwise… harrumph!"
Shi Yan acted naturally. He nodded but didn't answer, just watching the drifting gold sand around, thinking about how to collect it.
After Bi Rou had arranged everything, she peeked at him from a distance. Then, it seemed she got interested in him, walking towards him directly. When she stood firmly in front of him, she spoke up with an arrogant face. "You said that you're from a low-grade continent. What's it called?"
"The Grace Mainland," Shi Yan contemplated for a while and then replied honestly.
"The Grace Mainland?" A skeptical gleam flashed in Bi Rou's pupils. Searching in her head for a while, she then shook her head, talking faintly. "Never heard of it before. How could you get to the Meteorolite Sea?"
"Using a bone formation made of the skeletons of many beasts. After we got here, the energy of those bones had been consumed completely. They all turned into ashes and scattered." Shi Yan's face was natural. He didn't conceal anything, because he also wanted to know the location of the Grace Mainland, and hoped that he could return someday to pick up his family and friends.
"Your innate endowment isn't bad. You could break through to the Second Sky of True God Realm while being the medicinal cauldron. It has proven your competence." Bi Rou lifted her head, revealing her snow-white neck while frowning her dark brows. "You don't need to blame heaven or earth. Everybody who comes from the low-level continents has to go through strenuous training. Many people become slaves, miners, or medicinal cauldrons not long after they get here. If their fortune isn't good, they will be killed shortly. If you can help me produce more God Developing Pellets, I agree not to send you back to the Sixth Herbal Star."
Shi Yan sneered in his heart. He had no trust in people in the outer space. However, his words were different. "Thank you. I, of course, will do my best."
"Yeah, just arrange things for yourself. Be honest, and I won't mistreat you," Bi Rou nodded, "If you're lucky enough, I'll introduce you to join the Underworld League. At that time, you will get rid of being the medicinal cauldron, and you can step on the Raging Flame Star Area."
Shi Yan cracked a smile but didn't answer.
Bi Rou didn't continue this topic. She called for Allard and the three King God Realm experts on the steamship to arrange stuff for the next journey.
Shi Yan watched everything carefully. Then, when they didn't notice, he took the chance and returned to the exit door leading to the staircase, waiting there. A miner pushed the conical barrow passing by him. Looking at the drifting gold sand in the barrow, a gleam of light sparkled in his eyes.
The drifting gold sand was contained in the fourth deck of the ship, right above his cabin. That deck seemed to be a massive container for storing the ores or other mineral goods they'd been collecting along the way. Then, they would be transported to the life star of Bi Rou's father.
He quietly descended the staircase, leaning against the wall to make way for the miners pushing the drifting gold sand to the fourth deck. Three King God Realm warriors were guarding the door to that warehouse. Their sharp eyes opened wide, scrutinizing everybody to prevent them from stealing the drifting gold sand.
Shi Yan'd stayed aside and observed for a while. He touched his forehead, and a flame ignited on the soul altar. The Nine Serenities Soul Devouring Flame appeared, with its aura concealed as it discreetly hid behind a barrow.
In Shi Yan's heaven flames altar, the Nine Serenities Soul Devouring Flame was the most cunning one. It was good at stealthy concealing, and its unique energy waves could prevent the others from detecting it.
Shortly, the Nine Serenities Soul Devouring Flame got back to him, still hiding its entity, disappearing into his sleeve. A handful of drifting gold sand stayed in his sleeve, and no one detected this operation.
His face was still calm, mounting down the staircase neither slowly nor fast, towards the lowest deck of the ship. The other three King God Realm experts guarding the fourth deck scanned their eyes on him thoroughly, but found nothing strange. Once Shi Yan disappeared into the staircase leading to the lowest deck, they retrieved their scrutinizing look.
Shi Yan got into his cabin and closed the door. He didn't hurry to contact the other. First, he stashed most of the drifting gold sand into his Storage Ring, leaving just a pinch of sand in his palm.
The fine gold sand murmured like water. This sand had strong erosive power, but it didn't aim at the flesh and blood. Nothing strange happened to his palm. However, as soon as he put some grains on the corner of the room, it suddenly emitted a gray smoke, as if it were eroded.
Shi Yan changed his face as he found that the characteristics of this sand were quite strange. Except for flesh and blood, all other kinds of matter would be eroded.
Shi Yan didn't know what kind of treasures needed drifting gold sand to be fabricated. He pondered for a while and then contacted the other, sending a message. "I got it."
"Did you get caught?"
"No."
"Good! When the ship departs again, you should rub the drifting gold sand on the barrier on the door of my cabin."
"What do I get for that?"
"If I can get out of here, you can escape this ship, and you don't need to be a human cauldron anymore."
"I'm not hurried. I don't want to leave for now. Although that medicinal animal's taking my Blood Qi constantly, it doesn't affect me much. It's not the best offer you've given me. You should think carefully to see if you have anything worth me risking my life to help you. If I help you and the others figure it out, I will be put in misery. If the benefits aren't big enough, I won't take such risks."
"You! Why are you so strange? You want to be a human cauldron? Didn't you count how many human cauldrons have died on this deck?"
"Of course, I know. Well, they aren't me. They will die, but I won't. Anyhow, if they find out that I helped you, I would surely die then. And, when you get out of your cabin, are you sure you can escape this ship? What's your realm? I have no clue about you. I don't want to step into your trap."
After the experience he gained from Fergie, Shi Yan always put up guard against everybody. He would never listen to only one side, and would never act rashly.
"What do you want?"
"What can you offer me?"
The other kept silent for a while. Shi Yan wasn't hurried to send another message, giving the other time to consider.
"I can see you're interested in the life stars. After we're done with this, I'll give you a rank two life star as payment. What do you think?" The other pondered for a long while and then sent him his thought eventually.
Shi Yan's eyes brightened. "You have got life stars? How could you have life stars?"
"Harrumph! I'm Prince Du Feng of the Dark Firmament Divine Nation. What's strange if I have my life stars given by my father?"
"Prince? You are a prince? Why are you captured and imprisoned here?"
The other quieted down.
From the situation of the Raging Flame Star Area the other had told him, Shi Yan knew the Dark Firmament Divine Nation was like the Underworld League. It was an extremely mighty force in this star area.
The Dark Firmament Divine Nation had many life stars and mineral stars. Many strong experts had exploited the old royal regime to stand firmly on the Raging Flame Star Area. The King of the Dark Firmament Divine Nation was one of the most powerful experts of the Raging Flame Star Area. He was extremely dangerous for sure!
The temptation of a life star was tremendous to Shi Yan. If he could have a life star of his own, he could bring all of his family and friends here and solve the most difficult problem of the Grace Mainland – the shortage of energy.
Thus, he pondered for a while and then sent the message again. "How can I believe you?"
"How could Du Feng betray his own words?" The other seemed to be enraged. "It's just a rank 2 life star. You think I can't give it to you? Why do I need to deceive you?"
"If you change your mind, I would have nothing I could do... How about... you use your ancestor's name to pledge? Although it's not so strong, it's better than nothing. I have to take big risks for you. You should make a pledge to ease my mind."
The other got enraged badly. "You're just a cauldron at the True God Realm. You dare to force me using my ancestor's name to pledge?"
"If you can't make a solemn promise, we have nothing to continue. You can wait there. I'm not hurried at all."
"Alright, you're good, b*stard!" The other calmed down his rage. He resentfully used the name of the ancestor of his Dark Firmament Divine Nation to make a vow, saying that when he could escape this place, he would give Shi Yan a rank 2 life star as his payment.
"Deal." Shi Yan thought for a while. After he could confirm that the other's wording had nothing wrong, he sent the other his approval.