Chapter 493: Empty Bravado? Formless Heavenly Gate |
The three of them went straight to the depths of the floating island. Except for the public area in front, the rear of the floating island was enveloped in a hazy glow. Only after stepping over a certain boundary could one see the scene clearly.
This place appeared exceptionally quiet, with a purple-black ancient castle standing tall. The two led him into it, boarding a hover-elevator straight to the highest floor.
There was only one room on the top floor, its heavy purple-black doors shut tight. The tall, thin guy stepped forward carefully. Before he could speak, a deep, magnetic voice came from inside the door: "Let him in."
"Yes..." The tall and short pair pushed open the door, and Su Chen stepped inside.
"Your Excellency Lu Xu?"
The voice came from the right. Su Chen turned his head to look and saw a figure in a purple-black suit with a broad, thick face sitting behind a metal long table suspended in mid-air.
Su Chen subconsciously looked towards the top of his head. His hair was combed back, meticulous without a single hair out of place.
"Didn't see a tall hat?" The other party chuckled, reaching out a hand to gesture. "Please have a seat."
"I am indeed a bit disappointed. I thought I would see an extremely tall hat." Su Chen shrugged, walked forward, pulled out a chair, and sat down.
"May I ask how to address Your Excellency, Top Hat?" he asked.
"Just call me Ding Mo." There seemed to be a hint of surprise in the other party's eyes as well. There weren't many low-tier professionals who could be so calm and composed before him.
Could it be his strength wasn't just what it appeared on the surface?
"Your Excellency Ding Mo asking me to come here should be for the Profound Limit Celestial Light, right?" Su Chen didn't beat around the bush with this guy and got straight to the point.
Ding Mo paused, looking even more surprised, but he didn't deny it. "That's right. I truly didn't expect that someone would actually be selling Profound Limit Celestial Light in my black market."
"I also didn't expect that the master of this black market would invite me over. If Your Excellency wanted it, couldn't you have just placed an order directly?" Su Chen's tone was indifferent. "Your Excellency isn't planning to rob me by force, are you?"
"You're joking." Ding Mo chuckled. "Do you know how many strings I had to pull to open this black market in Five Pillar City?"
"Once I make a move and get discovered, I won't be able to continue operating it. The loss would be too great."
Su Chen's tone was meaningful. "That may be so, but I just applied for a fake identity in your black market here. If you really made a move, I'm afraid no one would seek justice for me either."
Ding Mo became increasingly surprised and somewhat unable to figure him out. "Hearing Your Excellency's words, why does it sound like you're wishing for me to make a move?"
"Your Excellency worries too much." Su Chen shook his head. "It's purely a simple lack of trust."
Ding Mo was taken aback, then shook his head and said: "I invited Your Excellency here, on one hand out of curiosity. After all, an item like Profound Limit Celestial Light is only born within a Great Void Realm. Anyone who can obtain this item is definitely no ordinary person."
"Another thing is, if this item truly exists, I want to buy it."
Su Chen wasn't too surprised that the other party wanted to buy it. His posture remained casual as he said: "Three thousand five hundred Faith Essence, honest with all customers, young and old."
This... Ding Mo felt a sense of awkwardness. This guy was too casual. This was, after all, Profound Limit Celestial Light. It was, after all, three thousand five hundred portions of Faith Essence. How could he be so casual?
He restrained his expression and emphasized: "I am not joking with Your Excellency."
"Who is joking with you?" Su Chen sneered, flicking his hand. A brilliant streaking light spun out, landing on the table between them. Its light was as deep as a pillar, extremely eye-catching.
It really is Profound Limit Celestial Light?
Ding Mo looked startled. Looking at the light that was only a step away from him, he subconsciously wanted to reach out, but stopped himself abruptly.
He couldn't help but look up at the person in front of him who was secure in the knowledge that he had backing.
Fully confident? Empty bravado? He was somewhat unsure.
As the controller of a black market, if one really thought he was as amiable as he appeared on the surface, they would be gravely mistaken.
If there was truly an opportunity to kill someone and steal their treasures, he wouldn't hesitate. But this person was truly too unfathomable to him.
If he succeeded, the profit would be no more than three or four thousand Faith Essence.
If an accident occurred, and this person had hidden methods to put up a fight, then he would have no way to continue operating this black market. Was it worth the risk?
Ding Mo quickly had his answer. It was not worth it.
This item would only be born within a Great Void Realm. It would inevitably be guarded by powerful Nether Realm Creatures. To get one's hands on it required nothing less than a Morning Star.
Either the person in front of him was hiding his strength, or there was someone else behind him.
"Your Excellency is truly... straightforward..." Ding Mo said meaningfully, then changed the subject. "Although this Profound Limit Celestial Light is rare, it is ultimately just a catalyst for Metamorphosis into a True Radiance. It still requires other matching materials. Its price should be around three thousand. Three thousand five hundred is a bit expensive."
"However, since Your Excellency is so straightforward, I am willing to make a friend out of you. We'll close the deal at three thousand five hundred. Will it be a transfer or physical essence?"
"Hmm..." Su Chen pondered, then suddenly said: "I still have some things here, do you want them?"
"As long as they have value." Ding Mo didn't drag his feet at all.
Su Chen casually tossed out more items from his compressed space—trees with branches swaying with flowing light, or solid grayish-white metal that hit the ground with heavy thuds. Soon, the room was packed full.
"Mandarin Duck Stones, Cold-Light Ironwood..."
Ding Mo's gaze swept over them, his heart growing increasingly astonished. He naturally recognized all these things. They were all materials that would only be born in the Abyssal Ruins.
Coupled with the Profound Limit Celestial Light... Could this guy have found a Great Void Realm, or did he rob them from somewhere else?
While pondering in his heart, his actions weren't slow. "These items have varying prices. Added together, they are worth about six hundred Faith Essence."
Six hundred Faith Essence... Su Chen nodded secretly. It was similar to his estimation. He couldn't help but feel a pity in his heart. There were still many good things in that Great Void Realm.
But without using his Venerable Manifestation, it was very difficult for him to contend with those Morning Star-level Nether Realm Creatures. And to use Venerable Manifestation for those few things wasn't worth it.
Now, they had all dissipated into nothingness along with the collapse.
"Then we have a deal?" Seeing the other party nod, Ding Mo immediately wanted to have someone bring the Faith Essence.
"Wait..." Su Chen stopped him and said: "I hope Your Excellency can exchange two thousand five hundred portions of the Faith Essence entirely into Eldritch Divine Blood."
"Eldritch Divine Blood?" Ding Mo paused slightly. Anyone who could use Eldritch Divine Blood was not easy to deal with, let alone such a massive amount.
"Is that not possible?" Seeing his reaction, Su Chen asked.
"Naturally it is. Five portions for one drop, a total of five hundred drops. However, my black market here doesn't have that much inventory. I'm afraid Your Excellency will have to wait a bit."
"No rush." Su Chen waved his hand, looking like he couldn't care less.
Ding Mo actually had quite a bit of commercial integrity. With a dazzling array of items filling the room, he didn't have anyone come to clean it up either. Instead, he reached into his compressed space and took out physical Faith Essence pieces one by one.
Soon, they piled up into a small hill, the hazy flowing light transforming into various exotic scenes.
"This is the remaining one thousand six hundred portions."
Su Chen glanced at it and swept his hand, storing them into his compressed space.
"May I take a look at this Profound Limit Celestial Light now?" Ding Mo finally said.
"Please do."
Having obtained permission, Ding Mo finally retrieved the Profound Limit Celestial Light from the table, placing it in his palm to observe carefully.
"Its color is profound, its light is extreme, containing three thousand six hundred variations within..." Ding Mo muttered, confirming there was no problem with the item.
"Your Excellency is truly straightforward. If you have any other good things to sell in the future, feel free to come to my Top Hat." Ding Mo sighed with emotion.
Now, he had completely dispelled some of the malicious thoughts in his heart. Judging purely from a businessman's perspective, this person was indeed straightforward.
"Naturally." Su Chen nodded, then as if suddenly recalling something, "Right now, I do have something I'd like to ask Your Excellency to help with."
"Oh?" Ding Mo restrained his expression, remaining calm and collected.
Su Chen frowned and said: "Recently, I've become quite interested in the Sovereign of the Abyss. But whether it's out in the open or the materials sold in the black market, they are all too mystical, with nothing useful."
"I wonder if Your Excellency has any intelligence channels?"
"The Sovereign of the Abyss..." Ding Mo tapped his knuckles on the table, various thoughts flashing through his mind. He chuckled lightly: "Buying other things in the black market at least comes with guarantees, but information and intelligence is the one exception you cannot buy unless you have a reliable person."
"The Sovereign of the Abyss existed a long time ago. As for some of the information and intelligence regarding him, only the Five Pillars possess them."
Su Chen was quite disappointed. He had already checked within High Firmament long ago, and it was all public information floating on the surface. Anything truly involving secrets couldn't be found at all.
"However..." Ding Mo's tone shifted, "I do have some fragmented pieces here. Consider it an extra gift; I'll give it to Your Excellency."
He's even trying to butter me up... Su Chen was quite speechless, but accepted this small favor. "Then thank you very much."
"It's nothing." Ding Mo waved his hand. Only then did he open his communication device. Su Chen felt a slight vibration in his pocket, having impressively received a compressed file.
Opening it, it was exactly related information and materials about the Sovereign of the Abyss.
"[...] The Sovereign of the Abyss commanded the Six Pillars. It can basically be confirmed that he was above the Radiant Sun... For details, see Appendix-134."
Facing him right from the start was such a sentence. Su Chen couldn't help but shudder slightly. This Sovereign was confirmed to be above the Radiant Sun!
Only in this way could he command the Six Pillars. But since he surpassed the Radiant Sun, how could he have been overthrown?
Su Chen frowned, his gaze scanning downwards.
"[...] The ruled region of the Abyssal Void was boundless and reached everywhere, establishing over a hundred star regions beneath it. According to research, the coverage area of certain mid-to-large star regions was no less than the current Abyssal Domain... For details, see Appendix-419."
The information materials given by Ding Mo were indeed much more detailed, covering many aspects, such as the Abyssal Void's method of governance.
Unlike the Bronze Sect, and unlike High Firmament, it was more like a Royal Court. With the Sovereign as the core, the Six Pillars served as supports, propping up the entire Abyssal Void.
"[...] According to records in some ruins, not only did the Sovereign of the Abyss have an extremely high Life Essence Tier, but he also possessed several weapons forged with the power of the entire Abyssal Void, all containing unimaginable vast might. The current Cosmic Void was modified from the Abyssal Web... For details, see Appendix-708..."
Cosmic Void? Su Chen paused slightly, finally understanding. It turned out that the "Cosmic Void" that connected various factions across the entire Abyssal Void for real-time communication was actually also a "Sovereign Relic."
"[...] If coordinated with the Formless Heavenly Gate... it can even achieve reaching the end of the world in a single step..."
"Formless Heavenly Gate..." Su Chen's gaze narrowed slightly, thinking of that dark-gold portal. Continuing to read further, according to some fragmented data, this thing was the key to maintaining the rule over the Abyssal Void's massive territory.
It's just a travel device? Su Chen's gaze continued sweeping downwards: "[...] According to certain ruin records, it even possessed the ability to traverse past and future. However, according to research, this should just be falsehoods spread by people living on remote planets at the time regarding the Sovereign... For details, see Appendix-1345..."
Su Chen admitted that when he saw the words "traverse past and future," his heart indeed palpitated for a moment. But when he saw the latter half of the sentence, he felt both disappointed and that it made sense.
"Traversing past and future is just too broken. With something like this, how could the Abyssal Void still be destroyed?"
He also estimated that it was indeed just spreading falsehoods, but it could also prove from the side that this was probably not a simple travel device.
He roughly scanned through. This information was just a summary. Behind every piece of information, there was a massive amount of referenced material, all coming from pictures, texts, and the like found in various ruins.
As the major factions in the Abyssal Domain continuously explored outwards, they would occasionally excavate such ruins on barren planets or life stars, recording some events of the past.
He flipped to the appendix corresponding to this piece of information. On a picture, he saw a corner of a dark-gold portal. This Formless Heavenly Gate was exactly the thing he had found.
"Are you satisfied with it?" Ding Mo asked at the right time.
"It's much more comprehensive than what I found myself." Su Chen nodded, flipping through it while making conversation. The two chatted idly.
Not long after, the door was pushed open. The tall and short pair walked in. Seeing the room full of items, they were obviously also very surprised.
"The items you requested." The tall one handed over a metal case.
Ding Mo reached out to take it, opened it for a glance, and pushed it towards Su Chen's side. "Five hundred drops of Eldritch Divine Blood. Please inspect the goods, Your Excellency."
Su Chen scanned it. This metal case was divided into three layers. On each layer, thumb-thick glass vials were lined up, containing deep liquid drops of various colors, with complex patterns etched on their surfaces.
"I naturally trust Your Excellency's credibility." Using the perception of his Nether Realm Creature body, Su Chen immediately knew there was no problem with these drops of Eldritch Divine Blood. He immediately stuffed them into his compressed space, stood up to bid farewell, "Then I won't disturb Your Excellency any longer."
"Take care." Ding Mo stood up to see him off. After the other party went downstairs, he walked to the window and looked down, watching the figure's back disappear.
"Sir, should we follow him?" The tall and short pair appeared beside him at some unknown point.
After being silent for a long time, the scenes from just now flashing before his eyes, Ding Mo still shook his head: "If I harbored ill intentions, there would have been no need to deal with him politely but insincerely just now. Since we've already established a good relationship, there's no need to cause extra trouble."
"We've earned a profit from these things."
He touched the compressed device on his hand, his mood considered quite good.
Su Chen exited the black market, heading straight for the Nether-Rifts. Picking a remote, unpopulated coordinate, he crossed through, diving straight into the Nether Realm and flying for a long time.
He stopped abruptly and muttered to himself: "To think I actually fooled that Morning Star. He really thought I had someone backing me. What an idiot."
He flew for a while longer, then stopped again, quite surprised. "To think there really is no one following me. Tsk... that just saves me the trouble."
Even if that Ding Mo came personally, he still had one chance of Venerable Manifestation to hold down the fort, so he wasn't afraid. But this was for the best.
His eyes flickered slightly; Su Chen's consciousness had already returned to his main body. Because the Body-Forging Meditation Method had been interrupted, the dissipating elemental power trembled and gradually converged into his body.
He needed to go retrieve the acquired goods. This wouldn't take much effort, just making a trip.
"It's just that Formless Heavenly Gate..." Su Chen felt quite helpless. "I don't know what kind of power it has or where it leads to, and only the Power of the Blazing Sun can activate it. Where am I supposed to get the Power of the Blazing Sun?"
The Radiant Suns were high and mighty above. Right now, he still needed to avoid them as much as possible. How could he possibly get close to those guys, let alone borrow their power?
Having the item in hand but only being able to stare at it made him somewhat uncomfortable.
"I can't contact the Radiant Suns, and I certainly can't go begging those Abyssal Eternals..." Su Chen's thoughts ran wild. He shook his head and said, "I'm afraid I'd be eaten without even leaving a speck of dust behind..."
But suddenly, as Su Chen was about to stand up, he paused, a sharp gleam flashing in his eyes. He suddenly remembered something: he still had some of Taixu's primal source power left in his hands. That stuff was a mixture of the power of the Nine-Eye Final Ruin and the Power of the Primordial Night.
His heart palpitated slightly, his expression shifting continuously: "It should barely be enough to use, right?"