Chapter 1395: The Lure

The Winds of Kyushu Rise

A group of four, besides Lu Ye and the middle-aged man who had posted the recruitment notice, included an old man and a young man with a flat top haircut. They exchanged names.

Lu Ye naturally gave the name Li Taibai. The middle-aged man was called Zhu Yuan, the old man was Fan Yunhua, and the flat-haired young man introduced himself as Jia Yu. No one delved into the authenticity of these names; it’s common for cultivators traveling abroad to hide their true names and origins. This was, after all, only a short-term collaboration, and even the employer, Zhu Yuan, had no right or reason to pry into the backgrounds of the recruited individuals.

It was simply a matter of hiring hands for money and working for payment.

What made Lu Ye slightly puzzled was that among the four, he had the lowest cultivation level; the other three were all at the late Constellation stage. What's more, when Zhu Yuan recruited him, he didn't seem to inquire about his cultivation level at all.

He directly offered a price of 1,500 jade, and they quickly settled the terms with a few words.

Perhaps this was his way of doing things, or perhaps he had keen insight and saw that Lu Ye's cultivation was not low. Regardless, since he had joined this small group, they would be together until the mission was completed.

“Everyone’s here, let’s go,” Zhu Yuan said. “This trip will probably take several months. I hope the three of you can work together with me to overcome any difficulties!”

Lu Ye frowned. “Don’t we need to go to Zhongzheng Island?”

Although it was his first time taking such a job, he had heard enough about such matters, especially after spending half a year with Parke, who had taught him considerable survival experience in the Myriad Manifestations Sea. Under normal circumstances, if Zhu Yuan recruited three helpers to escort goods back to the Heavenly Derivation Star System, he would definitely have to visit Zhongzheng Island before departure.

This was because he couldn't be sure whether the three people he recruited were trustworthy or if they would harbor ill intentions midway. This required special means of verification. While such methods couldn't precisely determine a cultivator's moral character, they could assess a cultivator's strength through certain comparative means.

Zhongzheng Island, named after "Zhongzheng" (impartiality/fairness), also handled matters impartially. There was a treasure there, called the Zhongzheng Record, jointly created by the Myriad Manifestations Star System and many strong cultivators from various star systems. Employers who posted recruitment notices on Recruitment Island and successfully hired individuals had the right to take them there to leave their mark.

Just like now, Zhu Yuan could easily take the three to Zhongzheng Island to leave their aura imprints on the Zhongzheng Record. Through these imprints, he could check their past mission history: how many times they had been hired, how many times they succeeded, how many times they failed, and even see the evaluations left by previous employers. If this mission was completed successfully, Zhu Yuan could also return there and leave appropriate comments based on the three individuals' performance during the mission.

Of course, if the mission was not completed, or if Zhu Yuan died midway, the three cultivators would inevitably have a failed mission added to their Zhongzheng Record. This would be an indelible stain on the record of cultivators who relied on such work.

The Zhongzheng Record did not store names. Therefore, regardless of the name used, as long as the aura remained unchanged, one could trace a cultivator's history in the Myriad Manifestations Sea through the Zhongzheng Record. It could be said that the existence of the Zhongzheng Record largely regulated and restrained the conduct of many cultivators. Among those seeking work on Recruitment Island, who wouldn't want their record to be perfect? Who would be willing to have a blemish on their record?

A good record, in turn, made it easier for cultivators to find livelihoods. Conversely, if a record was too poor, no one would be willing to hire them. In the Myriad Manifestations Star System, many groups specialized in robbery. While some were driven by their nature, hoping to get rich quickly through such means, many others turned to it because they simply couldn't find work on Recruitment Island. Their records on the Zhongzheng Record were too unsightly, and no employer was willing to hire them, forcing them to resort to robbery.

Lu Ye had never left his aura on the Zhongzheng Record, so his record was naturally blank. However, the same might not be true for Fan Yunhua and Jia Yu. Since they were transporting goods back to the Heavenly Derivation Star System, Zhu Yuan must have carried many valuable items. Taking the three to Zhongzheng Island to leave their auras and have them checked would also be a safeguard.

Lu Ye’s kind reminder was an attempt to leave a good impression on his first employer, as he intended to find a way to befriend him during the upcoming journey.

To his surprise, Zhu Yuan shook his head. “No need for such trouble. Zhongzheng Island is crowded, and just waiting in line could take several days. Moreover, I trust my own judgment!” He smiled, looking meaningfully at the three.

Lu Ye estimated that Zhu Yuan trusted his own abilities more than any so-called “judgment.” However, Lu Ye vaguely felt that something was amiss. Both Zhu Yuan's initial recruitment of him and his current demeanor seemed too casual. If Lu Ye were in Zhu Yuan's position, responsible for transporting goods back to the realm, he wouldn't act so carelessly. Furthermore, even if there was a hurry, a few days wouldn't cause significant delays, especially for a journey that would take several months.

But for those hired, the employer was absolute; whatever he said went, leaving no room for rebuttal. Zhu Yuan conjured a star-boat, and the four boarded one after another. A short while later, the star-boat transformed into a streak of light and soared into the distance.

The journey was rather tedious. Zhu Yuan took charge of the array core to control the navigation, while Fan Yunhua occasionally took a sip from a wine jar. The young man Jia Yu closed his eyes, meditating. Having nothing else to do, Lu Ye continued to deduce his “Co-connected Spirit Pattern.” Of course, he didn't fully immerse himself in it, keeping part of his mind alert to his surroundings. Since he had already sensed that something was amiss, he naturally had to be extra vigilant.

The star-boat left the Myriad Manifestations Sea and soared into the depths of space. Looking back, Lu Ye once again witnessed the breathtaking stellar marvel. When deep within it, it felt immense, but observing it from afar made it appear even more magnificent.

Two days later, Fan Yunhua suddenly spoke up. “Patron, this direction isn't towards the Heavenly Derivation Star System’s wormhole. Where are we going?” Hearing this, Lu Ye took out his star map to verify, discovering that the direction was indeed slightly off course.

Jia Yu, who had been meditating with his eyes closed, slowly opened them and looked at Zhu Yuan.

“We’re going to receive the goods, of course,” Zhu Yuan explained. “This batch of items to be transported back isn’t with me at the moment.”

Lu Ye didn't understand his meaning, but Fan Yunhua let out a low chuckle. “It seems this batch of goods has some issues.” If there were no problems, the transaction could have been completed in the Myriad Manifestations Sea. Only problematic goods would be taken far from the Myriad Manifestations Sea, deep into space.

Zhu Yuan said nothing, merely silently piloting the spirit boat. Fan Yunhua also fell silent. He had merely made an offhand remark; how could he press further?

Another day later, the star-boat arrived at a barren planet. This planet was unusually harsh; not to mention mortals, even cultivators with lower cultivation levels couldn't venture deep into it. However, the four were at least Constellation realm cultivators, so their adaptability was quite strong. Zhu Yuan put away the star-boat and led the way.

Lu Ye and the other two followed closely. Upon arriving at this place, Lu Ye felt even more strongly that something was wrong. Even if Zhu Yuan intended to exchange goods with someone, he didn't necessarily have to choose such a location. The vast starry sky offered countless secluded spots, as long as there were no people nearby. This place was more suited for murder and robbery than for exchanging goods.

Of course, it could also be due to his cautious nature. Fan Yunhua and Jia Yu also seemed to realize this, exchanging glances and becoming vigilant. It was common for hired hands to scheme against their employers, but not all employers were good people either. Some notorious individuals liked to lure people to secluded places to attack them, leaving them to lose both their lives and possessions. Their spiritual senses quietly spread outwards, probing the surroundings, finding no abnormalities.

A moment later, Zhu Yuan led the three to the foot of a desolate mountain, where a dark, cavernous opening lay before them. His expression suddenly turned solemn as he stopped outside the cave entrance.

Behind him, Lu Ye and the other two felt their hairs stand on end, their expressions tense. The cave appeared empty, and their spiritual senses detected no abnormalities, yet inexplicably, all three felt a strange sensation, like a rabbit accidentally straying into a tiger's den. It was as if an ancient, ferocious beast, ready to erupt at any moment, lay dormant within the cave.

As they gazed, the dark cave wasn't merely dim from lack of light; it was genuinely filled with a black, flowing substance. Lu Ye slowly raised his hand and gripped the hilt of his Panshan Blade. To his left and right, Fan Yunhua and Jia Yu also silently activated their spiritual power, ready to strike!

Throughout the journey, Lu Ye had felt that something was amiss. Now, he finally confirmed one thing: Zhu Yuan was no good. Transporting goods back to the Heavenly Derivation Star System was a pretense; luring the three here was the real objective. As for the purpose, it was unknown, but most likely, it was a common scheme of murder and robbery.

However, one thing Lu Ye couldn't comprehend was that the entity they couldn't detect, even with their spiritual senses as Constellation realm cultivators, must be beyond the Moon Splendor realm—and not just any Moon Splendor realm cultivator. Would such a person be interested in Constellation realm cultivators? Robbing Constellation realm cultivators wouldn't yield much benefit, making the whole affair seem illogical.

Nevertheless, the three had indeed fallen into Zhu Yuan's trap. No wonder this guy didn't bother going to Zhongzheng Island before departure; it was simply unnecessary for his true plans. They had been careless. Ultimately, it was due to a lack of experience, and Lu Ye's eagerness to establish a good relationship with Zhu Yuan, as he needed someone to vouch for him to pass through Heavenly Derivation.

But life was like that; there were always unexpected twists and turns, impossible to guard against.

“Go!” Fan Yunhua suddenly let out a low cry. Activating some unknown secret technique, he transformed into a streak of blood-red light and fled to the left. At the same time, a sword hum resonated, and Jia Yu merged with a sword-light, fleeing to the right. Both clearly knew that they were no match for the powerful entity in the cave with their current strength. Moreover, they weren't close acquaintances, let alone partners capable of sincere cooperation. Fleeing to the left and right at this moment meant that no matter whom the cave's strong entity chose to pursue, the other had a high probability of escaping.