Chapter 669 - 116: The True Celestial Ship

Lu Tianchou let out a faint sigh. Gazing at the Celestial Ship, of which only a corner remained, he said in a low voice, "I wasn’t the only one abducted. All the cultivators present were captured by those Blood Demons, either openly or in secret.

There were Celestial Artisans, Array Masters, and Artifact Refiners, all with Hundred Arts Realms at Tier Two or higher.

This group of Blood Demons got their hands on a dilapidated Celestial Ship from who knows where and forced us to repair it. Today, just as we’d repaired nearly half of it, those people suddenly burst in. Without a word, they destroyed the Celestial Ship.

Many of our fellow cultivators were still on the Celestial Ship making repairs. They were blown to bits, their bodies completely obliterated.

There were originally twenty-two of us here. Now..."

He glanced around, his expression turning somber.

Song Changsheng was momentarily speechless. Including Lu Tianchou, only twelve survivors remained. That meant ten people had perished here, never to leave.

Every single one of them had a Hundred Arts Cultivation at Tier Two. Losing ten such individuals at once was undoubtedly a tremendous loss for the Daqi Cultivation World.

’Truly depraved!’ Song Changsheng cursed inwardly, feeling he had let those Blood Demons off too easily.

Lu Tianchou hesitated for a moment before asking, "Clan Leader Song, have you by any chance seen my daughter?"

"Master Lu, please rest assured. Miss Lu is safe and sound. I’ve already arranged for her to be in a secure place."

"I am eternally grateful for your great kindness, Clan Leader Song." Lu Tianchou gave a deep bow, his heart filled with gratitude. He only had one daughter in his life, and he valued her more than his own life. Hearing that Lu Yuxiu was safe, the weight on his heart finally lifted.

"We too will never forget the debt of you saving our lives, Elder Song. Please, accept our bow of gratitude."

As his words fell, everyone bowed in unison to Song Changsheng.

"There is no need for this, everyone. I did not come alone. Cultivators from Luoxia City, the Golden Crow Sect, the Celestial Vein Sect, the Celestial Sword Sect, the Demon Suppression Hall, Hundred Herbs Hall, and the Huansha Sect have all come to assist.

They are fighting the Blood Demon Remnants at the front lines right now. Once the battle is over, I will escort you all out.

If any of you, like Master Lu, have friends or family trapped here, please step forward. I can use this opportunity to rescue them."

Hearing that so many factions had sent people to join the battle, the crowd’s anxieties were finally eased. They stepped forward one after another, pleading with Song Changsheng to rescue their friends and relatives.

Their stories were much the same as Lu Tianchou’s.

The Blood Demons had first targeted their friends and family, then used them as leverage to threaten them into cooperating. Under the dual threat of their own deaths and harm to their loved ones, they had no choice but to submit.

It took about an hour to rescue everyone who had been abducted. However, not all of them had survived to see the day.

More than ten Qi Cultivators among them had died, unable to withstand the extreme heat of this place.

While survival brought joy, the loss of their loved ones was agonizing.

After waiting for about an hour, the fluctuations of battle from the front lines gradually subsided.

By the time Song Changsheng led the group out, the battlefield had already been cleared. The Ling Province Squad Leader, Chen Gou; the Yang Province Squad Leader, Qu Heng; and the Ming Province Squad Leader, Lih Quan, had all been slain on the spot.

The Xiang Province Squad Leader, Mass, was grievously wounded but managed to escape using a Secret Technique.

The Guardian, Netherworld, chose to self-destruct, taking Zhang Quan of the Demon Suppression Hall and Bai Jue of the Golden Crow Sect with him to a mutual demise.

This battle could be described as the greatest victory the Righteous Powers of the Daqi Cultivation World had achieved against the Blood Demon Sect in centuries.

Not only had they slain four Purple Mansion Cultivators, but they had also wiped out the elite Blood Demons from the four commanderies in Ling Province, Xiang Province, Yang Province, and Ming Province.

They had annihilated at least a quarter, if not more, of the Blood Demon Sect’s total strength.

The only regret was that the Celestial Ship had been destroyed by the Blood Demon Sect.

In hindsight, however, this was a good thing. Had the Celestial Ship remained, the question of its ownership would have surely become a troublesome affair. It was better this way, to have it destroyed and avoid a potential conflict.

But while the Celestial Ship didn’t spark a conflict, the twelve people Song Changsheng led out became coveted targets. The major powers all extended olive branches, attempting to recruit them.

Most of them were Loose Cultivators. It wasn’t that they hadn’t received offers before; they had simply refused them, preferring a carefree and unrestrained life over being bound by a Sect’s rules and regulations.

However, after this kidnapping incident, many of them had a change of heart. Freedom was important, to be sure, but in this world, without a powerful backer, it was nothing more than a castle in the sky—an illusion.

Consequently, six of them immediately accepted offers from the three great Golden Core Influences. Another three seemed tempted but had yet to make a final decision.

Two others refused the offers from the Golden Core Influences, but their refusal wasn’t firm; it seemed they were holding out for a better offer.

Only Lu Tianchou, the most coveted of them all, unequivocally rejected their offers.

It wasn’t that he considered himself too lofty; he simply knew where he truly belonged.

Lu Tianchou glanced at the silent Song Changsheng, who looked back at him at the same moment. Their eyes met, and then, in unspoken agreement, they both looked away.

In that brief moment, the two had already reached a tacit understanding.

After clearing the battlefield and distributing the spoils of war, the various parties went their separate ways at Blazing Flame Mountain.

Lu Tianchou and his daughter left with Shen Qingxiu, Song Changsheng, and their group.

Along the way, Song Changsheng explained the origins and full course of the incident in detail.

When Lu Tianchou learned that Li Anmin had tampered with the earrings he had given Lu Yuxiu, he became furious. But when Song Changsheng explained that it was precisely because of those earrings that they had been able to find them, Lu Tianchou fell silent once more.

"Father, about the earrings... Senior Brother didn’t hide it from me. I knew about it," Lu Yuxiu said cautiously, nestling close to Lu Tianchou.

Hearing this, Lu Tianchou glanced at her and asked in a deep voice, "Is that true?"

"I swear it. Senior Brother has never hidden anything from me or deceived me. He was just worried about my safety."

"I see. It seems I misjudged Anmin, then." Lu Tianchou’s expression softened slightly.

Song Changsheng smiled faintly at the sight. ’Fathers have always been this way with their daughters,’ he thought, ’always afraid their precious girl will be taken advantage of. Even a man like Lu Tianchou is no exception.’

He rose to his feet, gave Lu Tianchou a deep bow, and said with utmost sincerity, "Master Lu, I know you dislike being shackled by rigid rules and regulations, and you certainly don’t want to become a mere tool in another’s hands.

But I also know that building a powerful Celestial Ship is the lifelong pursuit of most Celestial Artisans.

You once said yourself that the greatest regret of your life was never having built a true Celestial Ship.

If you would consider it, Master Lu, the Song Clan would like to retain you as a clan Tributor. We are prepared to do everything in our power to help you build a true Celestial Ship!"

Looking at Song Changsheng, who remained in his deep bow, Lu Tianchou sighed heavily. He reached out to help him up and said, "Clan Leader Song, you have shown me and my daughter a great kindness. The [Black Star Ship] is my life’s work. Given your sincere invitation, how could I possibly refuse?"

Hearing this, Song Changsheng was overjoyed. With Lu Tianchou on board, the Song Clan’s overall strength was certain to reach a new level, and the [Black Star Ship] now had a chance of becoming a true Celestial Ship!

After returning to Vast Mist Peak, Song Changsheng held a grand ceremony within the Song Clan for Lu Tianchou, formally retaining him as the clan’s Tributor and granting him immense authority to mobilize resources.

He was also given carte blanche with manpower; the clan’s Array Masters and Artifact Refiners were at his disposal at all times.

Watching the [Black Star Ship] being gradually dismantled, Lu Tianchou’s eyes filled with nostalgia. It was, after all, the culmination of the better part of his life’s work.

"I once believed the [Black Star Ship] was only a single step away from being a true Celestial Ship. But only after seeing a real one this time did I realize how naive I was.

Faced with a true Celestial Ship, it wouldn’t last a quarter of an hour. More likely, it would be destroyed in the very first clash."

"Across the entire Daqi Cultivation World, you can count the number of true Celestial Ships on one hand. You, having never even seen one, managed to build the [Black Star Ship] to this state. That alone marks you as a genius of extraordinary talent."

"Clan Leader, there’s no need to comfort me. I’m just speaking my thoughts aloud. As long as I have sufficient resources and manpower, I am absolutely confident I can forge the [Black Star Ship] into a true Celestial Ship!"

Lu Tianchou was full of vigor and ambition. He felt as if a part of him that had died long ago had suddenly sprung back to life.

"Master Lu, I look forward to that day."

"As do I, Clan Leader."

————

Watching Mass kneel and tremble on the floor, Soul Slayer felt a stifling tightness in her chest.

She rose slowly and descended the high dais, one step at a time. Each footfall landed like a hammer blow on Mass’s heart.

"The Celestial Ship is destroyed.

Chen Gou is dead.

Qu Heng is dead.

Lih Quan is dead.

Netherworld is dead.

All thirty-six elites from the four commanderies are dead."

Soul Slayer’s voice was calm, but every word struck Mass’s ears like a peal of thunder. He knew this was merely the calm before the storm.

As Soul Slayer drew relentlessly closer, Mass’s body began to tremble uncontrollably. If he could, he would have curled into a ball.

The tips of Soul Slayer’s shoes appeared in his line of sight. Even without looking up, he could picture her icy expression.

"Why didn’t you die?!"

Soul Slayer suddenly shrieked, lashing out with a kick to Mass’s shoulder. He was sent flying, crashing heavily into a wall.

He coughed up a large mouthful of blood.

"Why didn’t you die?! How dare you show your face to me again!"

Soul Slayer trembled with rage.

The battle at Blazing Flame Mountain had annihilated over a quarter of the Sect’s strength. It was a disastrous defeat, the likes of which hadn’t been seen in centuries. And the only one who returned was her own direct subordinate.

Her position in the Sect was already unstable. After this battle, the voices of dissent would surely grow louder. How could Soul Slayer not be enraged?

Mass trembled like a leaf, not daring to utter a single word in his own defense.

Just then, a man in a blood-red robe and an Evil Ghost mask walked in. He ignored the kneeling Mass and went straight to Soul Slayer’s side. "Sect Leader," he said softly, "there’s trouble in Meng Province."

...