[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-immortals-disappeared":3,"chapter-after-the-immortals-disappeared-after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-939":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"chinese","After the Immortals Disappeared",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},2284823,4468,"Chapter 939: The More Peaceful Intelligence","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-939",939,"\u003Cp>At sunset, Centipede Island, the old lair of the Third Path pirates. A volcanic eruption from who knows how many years ago left this island with naturally magnificent terraced hills. As the tide receded, the setting sun gilded the small crabs and mudskippers crawling across the puddles.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A small boat sailed in from the sea.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pirates patrolling the shore grew alert, just about to brandish their weapons and step forward, when they realized the newcomers were their own people.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Not long after, a scout, soaked to the bone, stood before Yue Pinghe to report what he had seen and heard at Blade Harbor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You mean to say, Min Tianxi acted as a go-between for that new island master to recruit Huang Zhao?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, they sat together and talked for a long time. The Second Path Master and the First Path Master were both very respectful to the one surnamed He, nodding and bowing.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It seems Min Tianxi has truly surrendered. He usually puts on airs with me, yet he was so docile in front of that He fellow?\" Yue Pinghe muttered to himself before asking, \"What exactly did they discuss?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scout quickly said, \"The one surnamed He is recruiting Huang Zhao, saying he is currently most in need of manpower. Huang Zhao asked him what business he intends to run in the Yangshan Archipelago from now on.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The one surnamed He spoke at length about developing palm oil extraction on all the islands and doing other trades. The two path masters nodded several times, and he even asked them which one was more familiar with you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe snorted: \"That Huang fellow has never had any regard for me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Yes, Huang Zhao pushed it onto Min Tianxi, and Min Tianxi took the job, preparing to come find you on behalf of the one surnamed He.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"In the end, Huang Zhao toasted Island Master He, and they all stood up and left.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing that he had nothing more to say, Yue Pinghe waved for him to withdraw. He sat in his chair, brooding for a long time, before asking his confidant at his side:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is Min Tianxi really so willing to be someone's subordinate, even helping that He fellow recruit Huang Zhao?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I heard that although the one surnamed He doesn't have many men, every one of them has remarkable cultivation. He arranged to meet Min Tianxi at Fishbone Reef. The numbers were vastly different, but they beat the Second Path's men into submission, and even Min Tianxi was dragged onto the ship and taken along to Dragon Spine Island by the one surnamed He.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I know all that,\" Yue Pinghe said irritably. \"I heard Min Tianxi saw with his own eyes that he could collect the yin-evil from Dragon Spine Island, which is why he decided to follow him. Hmm, could this guy be faking his surrender, waiting for a chance to snatch that treasure capable of absorbing yin-evil when the one surnamed He isn't looking?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Has anyone seen that treasure?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Doesn't seem like it,\" the confidant replied. \"We found someone who went to the island with He and asked; the yin-evil disappeared as soon as it approached Island Master He. Wherever he goes, the yin-evil in the surrounding waters is sucked dry!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No wonder he wanted to buy the Yangshan Archipelago!\" Yue Pinghe clapped his hands. \"Once this gets out, Bailie is going to be laughed to death.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The confidant asked cautiously: \"Path Master, Min Tianxi is coming as a lobbyist; what do you intend to do?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe stroked his chin: \"That depends on what kind of terms this Island Master He offers me. Our two hundred-plus brothers need to eat and drink; if his offer is too thin, we certainly can't work for him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pirates nearby chimed in: \"Boss, you must demand the Banana Forest!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And White Gourd Island!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We don't want to be sent to the islands to pick fruit and press oil for that He fellow!\" another added. \"The blades in our hands are for settling scores, not for chopping down palm trees.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The pirates talked over one another, but the confidant was somewhat worried: \"Will he treat us the same way he treated Min Tianxi?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Min Tianxi is too stupid!\" Yue Pinghe sneered. \"The other side suggested meeting at Fishbone Reef, and he actually agreed? That's such a narrow place. The Second Path has over four hundred men, but Fishbone Reef can hold at most a few dozen. Look, he didn't use his numerical advantage; who can he blame?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When the time comes, we'll set the negotiation site on our Centipede Island and tell that He fellow he must show up; then we'll have a proper talk!\" Yue Pinghe laughed a few times. \"If the talk doesn't go well, they won't need to leave the island!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That night, the tawny owls on the island made strange, eerie sounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe tossed and turned, unable to sleep, so he simply got up and drafted the negotiation terms, point by point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>What kind of temper does the new owner of the Yangshan Archipelago have? The intelligence gathered so far is insufficient to say. To be safe, Yue Pinghe also drew up his bottom line; some conditions were decoys, while others were core interests that must be fought for.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>By the time he finished deliberating, it was almost dawn.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The next day, Min Tianxi did not come.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The third day, Min Tianxi still did not come. Instead, over forty pirates from the First and Second Paths came swarming over, saying there was no future in their old lairs and they wanted to defect to Path Master Yue's command.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"What are they playing at?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once Yue Pinghe asked, he learned that most of the men from the First and Second Paths had been transferred to the islands—some helping to pave roads and build houses, others putting down their blades and spears to pick up sickles to harvest palm fruit for oil—all under the command of Lei Ni! These dozens of pirates had life goals of raiding ships for wealth and doing business without capital, not doing hard labor on an island, so they defected to Yue Pinghe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe found it strange: Did Min Tianxi and Huang Zhao really intend to honestly serve as subordinates to a yellow-haired brat under twenty?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The defecting pirates also said that the one surnamed He had gone out to sea again today, taking the leaders of the First and Second Paths with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Where to?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Seems to be heading straight for Dragon Spine Island.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"When did they leave?\" Yue Pinghe also wanted to follow and see with his own eyes how Island Master He collected the evil energy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"They left early this morning; they should be on their way back by now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Time rewinds a few hours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was cloudy at sea with occasional light rain, leaving a cool touch on the face.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Min Tianxi and Huang Zhao each brought some of their men to head out to sea with He Lingchuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As they sailed into the depths of the archipelago, gray mist occasionally drifted over the sea, all rushing toward He Lingchuan, only to be calmly collected by him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was originally a forbidden zone for most life, a death trap that humans spoke of with terror, but with He Lingchuan standing at the bow, this sea route quickly became clear and pure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Min Tianxi was unfazed, but Huang Zhao and most of the pirates were deeply stunned by He Lingchuan's composed, indifferent demeanor in the face of the wind-evil.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Min Tianxi patted Huang Zhao on the shoulder: \"Well, I didn't lie to you, did I?\" Look at that ignorant expression of yours.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Zhao gave a thumbs up: \"Young Master He is a divine man.\" What kind of treasure could he possibly have to absorb endless evil energy? He Lingchuan smiled slightly, knowing that while they were shocked, it didn't yet amount to awe.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Over the past few days, whether in Blade Harbor or the pirate lairs, rumors had been circulating about Island Master He using the power of a treasure to break evil and dispel spirits.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This explanation was quite strange.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Distortion is the nature of rumor spreading; as the protagonist, it was fortunate He Lingchuan wasn't described as having a green face, fangs, and horns on his head. Instead, these rumors pointed out that the yin-evil wasn't broken by him personally, but sucked away by a treasure.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Being able to break the evil oneself versus breaking it by borrowing the power of a treasure—the latter was clearly less mysterious and less impressive than the former.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",1443,"2026-06-20T02:23:34.395Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","ec95e665dff403b3487731cb9ffcfa96a9dba748a7d6a113353ac6a252ddafe9","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-940","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-938",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-immortals-disappeared-cover.jpg"]