Chapter Twelve: The Resource Planet

Hua Shaojie and the others heard it too and wouldn’t let it go. After all, they now considered Liu Mingde a friend. Of course, if there was a fight, they’d join in together. The five nodded at each other and leapt up to the second floor of the tavern. Though their cultivation was only at the Spirit Tranquility stage and they couldn’t fly, short-distance leaps were a trivial matter. As soon as Liu Mingde’s group of six entered the fray, the battle shifted. Where before one person was forced into dodging blows, now the tables turned and their opponents couldn’t even fight back.

Hua Shaojie and his companions, using rings crafted by Tang Yi, released protective arrays, so they no longer bothered with defense, focusing entirely on attacking. The five opponents were all at the Spirit Tranquility stage, but now they faced seven, and six of them were utterly unafraid. They attacked with relentless force—talismans fluttered, blades and swords flashed. There was even a Black Gale Scarlet Tiger Beast that had grown in size; the moment it appeared, the five opponents surrendered immediately.

“Guozi, are you all right?” Liu Mingde asked Guo Shuiping with concern.

“They’re no match for me—just five petty fish!” Guo Shuiping snorted at the trapped five.

Those five, insulted, dared not retort; after all, they were caught, and a massive Black Gale Scarlet Tiger Beast was still eying them warily.

“What’s going on here? The owner has lodged a complaint with me. First, compensate for the damages to this establishment. Then, all of you, follow me to the Moon City Security Office for investigation.” The newcomer was the current security officer of Moon City, Guan Dekuan, whose cultivation was mid-stage Integration. In a place teeming with all sorts, a powerful presence was essential.

“Officer Guan, the damages to the tavern should indeed be compensated. I’ll cover the compensation,” Hua Shaojie respectfully addressed Guan Dekuan. “But going to the Security Office is a bit much. The matter is simple: these five ganged up on my friend. We happened to pass by, so we stepped in to help. Officer Guan, as there are no casualties, perhaps you’ll allow us to settle it ourselves.”

“Hmm. Owner, someone’s willing to pay for your damages. Come over!” Guan Dekuan called to the tavern owner, who had been cowering to the side. The owner accepted the spirit stones from Hua Shaojie and indicated he wouldn’t pursue the matter further, but he asked everyone to leave as he needed to tidy up and resume business.

Guan Dekuan questioned the parties on the street. It turned out that the five were drinking and chatting, and during conversation mentioned a beautiful woman. One of them, unable to win her affection, spoke ill of her. Unfortunately, she happened to be Guo Shuiping’s dream girl, and he overheard the slander. Enraged for the sake of his beloved, he struck out without further ado.

“All this fuss over such a trivial matter. There’s no deep hatred here. Let’s do this: each pays a fine of five superior-grade spirit stones. Hand them over!... All right, sixty superior-grade spirit stones, that’s correct. Don’t let it happen again! Now disperse.” Guan Dekuan shook the spirit stones in his hand and walked off with his hands behind his back.

Everyone was depressed; a simple brawl had cost each five superior-grade spirit stones. For cultivators at the Spirit Tranquility stage, that was half a year’s living expenses! The two groups parted ways.

Zhang Qiang and his companions walked for half a day, feeling something was amiss. Tang Yi was missing—could he have gone to eat ahead of them?

“Tang, where are you?” Hua Shaojie called out using his communication jade. After a while, Tang Yi replied, “I’m at the ancient teleportation array. You go ahead to Yuewang Pavilion and order food—I’ll join you soon.” But what was Tang Yi up to?

Tang Yi had originally been studying the streets, but somehow ended up at the ancient teleportation array and switched to studying it instead. He was crouched by the control console, baffling the attendants guarding the array.

Two days later—

“Now, team leaders, please begin roll call!” The chief stood suspended above the ancient teleportation array. After ten minutes, “All teams are present. Activate the teleportation array!” With that, the chief descended.

The ancient teleportation array activated, a white glow flashed, and four hundred thirty elite candidates plus their leaders and others—nearly five hundred people—were teleported away. At the same time, the teleportation array connecting Mars and the Moon lit up, and the group appeared on Mars.

Tang Yi discovered that this ancient teleportation array was far superior to those built later: not only was its structure stable, but it didn’t cause dizziness. “Just as I thought—the current arrays are simplified versions of the ancient one. Absolutely right. But why are there two ancient teleportation arrays on Mars? Let me check!” During a rest break, Tang Yi resumed his study of the array. Teleportation consumed spiritual energy, so they needed to rest and meditate to recover.

After the break, another teleportation brought them to Jupiter’s first moon. There were no ancient arrays on Jupiter’s resource moons—only five newer arrays capable of teleporting twenty-five people each, requiring multiple batches.

When Tang Yi stepped onto one of these arrays, his brows furrowed. The teleportation light flashed, and he was whisked away.

“Ugh...” Tang Yi was vomiting again. But this time, he quickly forgot his nausea, mesmerized by the scene before him.

The planet known as Jupiter’s second moon was a world of ice and snow. Before his eyes stretched a crystalline glacier, breathtaking and serene.

Tang Yi stood amid a row of buildings surrounded by a cluster of teleportation arrays, which made him dizzy all over again. An idea surfaced in his mind: he had to improve these arrays someday.

All the buildings were enveloped by a massive formation. Behind them lay a vast botanical field, filled with medicinal herbs and refining materials. Nearby was a rich vein of spirit stones. There were seven such veins on this planet, plus many smaller ones.

Places like this always had cultivators stationed for protection, and most of the buildings housed these personnel. Tang Yi’s squad was assigned to Room 177, thirty people including Lin Jiang, Hua Shaojie, Lu Zhengyang, Ding Pengfei, and Gu Zhenzhen—Tang Yi’s doing, of course. Along with Tang Yi, Zhang Qiang, Liu Mingde, and Guo Shuiping. These squad rooms were suites: small from the outside, yet spacious within. Originally, thirty plus one leader fit perfectly; now, with Tang Yi’s three friends, they’d have to squeeze.

The chief had already announced that everyone should rest well tonight. Tomorrow morning, battle armor would be distributed, providing full protection and enabling Spirit Tranquility cultivators to survive in the void. In the afternoon, they would depart for the battlefield.

“All right, those joining the fight, pick a room and rest up,” Tang Yi said to everyone. He turned to his three friends behind him, “Qiang, Mingde, Guozi—you three aren’t participating in this decade-long war, so squeeze in with me!”