[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-after-the-immortals-disappeared":3,"chapter-after-the-immortals-disappeared-after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-946":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},2284830,4468,"Chapter 946: The Net Worth of Yue Pinghe","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-946",946,"\u003Cp>The Soul-Absorbing Mirror clicked its tongue several times inside its master's chest. \"Tsk, he's showing off again!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Facing the threat of the man-eating Yin Serpents, the pirates who had fallen into the water had no choice but to swim toward the rocky beach. He Lingchuan’s men captured dozens of prisoners without the slightest effort. The pirate ship, which was gradually sinking, found itself at a dead end and lowered its flags to surrender shortly thereafter.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The condition for surrender that He Lingchuan offered them was that they must bind the Three-Path Master, Yue Pinghe, before the ship sank; otherwise, everyone would be buried with him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As soon as this condition was stated, the other side fell silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Soon, roars and curses erupted from the ship.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan couldn't be bothered to distinguish whose voice it was; he simply put away his flute and said to the people beside him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Alright, the battle is over.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>……\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before they sank, both ships were dragged onto the shore by the Yin Serpents.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The defeated pirates disembarked one by one and were forced to kneel on the rocky beach, too preoccupied to care about the stones digging into their feet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They knelt in five neat, albeit dejected, rows.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The first to be escorted down was the bruised and battered Yue Pinghe. He was covered in blood and bound tightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Hu pushed him before He Lingchuan and ordered him to kneel.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe gritted his teeth, unwilling to kneel, but Qiu Hu kicked him in the back of the knee, forcing him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, it was his turn to look up at this Island Master He, who was smiling with such a genial expression.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why!\" Yue Pinghe spat out a mouthful of blood. \"Why did you accept their surrender, but when it came to me, you... you launched a sneak attack!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Among the three pirate factions of the Yangshan Archipelago, his was certainly not the weakest. Why was Min Tianxi accepted, why was Huang Zhao treated with courtesy, yet he was ambushed?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe was filled with resentment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Just because of you,\" He Lingchuan said with a smile. \"Your reputation as the Three-Path Master is too poor. I asked quite a few people, and they all said you couldn't be trusted.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To be cautious, he had sent Rongshan disciples to gather intelligence at Blade Harbor, and the feedback was consistent: Yue Pinghe indeed had a poor character and lacked credibility. Even the pirates under Yue Pinghe’s command would complain about their boss’s lack of integrity after getting drunk at taverns.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Why keep someone who couldn't be trusted, someone who was two-faced?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If such a person were in his own camp, He Lingchuan would have to constantly watch his own back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fusheng emerged from the void, and He Lingchuan grabbed it, spinning the blade in a flourish.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Once the blade appeared, Yue Pinghe’s arrogance vanished. He gestured with his chin toward Huang Zhao and hurriedly argued, \"That’s slander! I’ve always had a grudge with him; he’s just making things up behind my back. You must not believe him.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When he was on the ship, he still had the courage to fight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After being bound and brought ashore, with his knees pressing against the pebbles, he knew courage was useless. Those who submit to circumstances are the wise.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Huang Zhao didn't refute him, only spat on the ground. He was standing while Yue Pinghe was kneeling; was there any need to refute such a person's words?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then what should I believe?\" He Lingchuan asked him. \"What will you use to show your sincerity?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe swallowed hard. \"I control three treasures. If Island Master He accepts me, those mountains of gold and silver will all be yours! From now on, I will certainly serve you faithfully and do my utmost!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You hid that much money?\" He Lingchuan asked curiously. \"How much exactly?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirty thousand—no, fifty thousand taels!\" Yue Pinghe heard the gentle tone in his voice and became even more earnest. \"It’s my savings from the past thirty years. I am willing to offer it all to Young Master He!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the rocky beach, the pirates looked at each other in dismay.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Holy crap! They all knew their boss saved money on the side, but they didn't know he had saved this much.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty thousand taels! They had been robbing for years and might not have accumulated that much. How did this boss hoard wealth behind their backs? He Lingchuan pointed at them. \"Do your subordinates know?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The looks on everyone's faces were indescribable, making Yue Pinghe’s face go numb. He braced himself and said, \"No, they shouldn't... they shouldn't know.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Admitting to hoarding wealth in front of them would make it hard to lead these subordinates in the future. But for now, staying alive was the most important thing; he knew his priorities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Hmm—\" He Lingchuan nodded slowly, then took a turn. \"Not enough.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This bit of life-buying money was not enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe felt a chill in his heart and was about to beg again, but He Lingchuan pressed on his shoulder and whispered in his ear:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your people aren't important, and your money isn't important. But, you being gone is quite important.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fifty thousand taels? Ha, tell that to the ghosts.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yue Pinghe’s face turned pale in an instant.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan straightened up, patted his shoulder, and smiled at him in a friendly manner, then a flash of cold light appeared in his hand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most people hadn't even reacted, but Yue Pinghe’s expression froze, his eyes filled with disbelief.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Hu stood up straight.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't even seen He Lingchuan’s strike clearly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A few breaths later, the head rolled onto the rocky beach, and blood sprayed three feet high.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Three-Path Master, Yue Pinghe, perished right there on his own Centipede Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan leaned his blade on the ground and said word by word, \"Three-Path pirate leader Yue Pinghe, who killed and plundered, brought disaster to the region, and spread endless poison, has been executed by me on behalf of Heaven. From now on, no pirates shall stir up trouble or plunder ships in the Yangshan waters; otherwise, they shall meet the same fate as the thief Yue!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the last word was spoken, the blood on the blade finished dripping.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His gaze was like lightning, piercing straight into people's hearts. The pirates he swept over, whether they were Min’s men, Huang’s men, or the captives on the ground, all lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan used the aura of the killing to intimidate the entire scene, then ordered people to bury Yue Pinghe’s remains and had the Yin Serpents drag the two ships back to the dock in the mountain belly for major repairs.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As a lord, he didn't have many ships under his command yet; he couldn't afford to waste them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Qiu Hu specifically removed all the storage spaces from Yue Pinghe’s body and handed them over to He Lingchuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At this point, the Yin Serpents had completed their mission. They hissed a few times, splashed the sea, and swam back toward Dragon Spine Island without looking back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Yes, He Lingchuan had only just signed a pact with the King of the Yin Serpents, and in the blink of an eye, he urged it to fulfill its obligations by sending Yin Serpents to assist him in wiping out the pirates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Tonight, the Earthly Yin Veins were surging, and these creatures had come after absorbing plenty of baleful energy; they had plenty of strength, unlike the sickly state they were in a few days ago.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Min Tianxi and Huang Zhao looked at each other, both seeing the hidden fear in the other's eyes.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although He Lingchuan didn't mention it, it was obvious that these Yin Serpents were summoned by him to assist, and anyone with eyes here could see that.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That Island Master He could summon and dismiss the baleful stars of the Yangshan Archipelago at will—everyone was shocked and admired him to the point of prostration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the Yin Serpents assisting, who would dare to target the archipelago in the future? It was settled, everything was settled from now on.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan saw the change in everyone’s expressions with his own eyes, and when they called him \"Island Master He,\" it was finally sincere, so he knew his intended effect had been achieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When you have good cards in your hand, you should show a little to the other side at the right time.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After a fierce battle, it was time for the segment the pirates loved most—\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Looting the spoils of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In fact, the Three-Path pirates originally had two lairs. The other one was raided by Yin Serpents not long ago, so Yue Pinghe gathered all his men on Centipede Island, only to be wiped out in one go by He Lingchuan.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Three-Path pirates did have a treasury, located in a cave deep within the stronghold. It wasn't exactly impenetrable, but it wasn't easy to break through the layers of defenses to get in.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just that this time, He Lingchuan led his men to attack under the cover of night, breaking the stronghold so quickly that Yue Pinghe didn't even have time to pack up the treasury before fleeing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan called over Yue Pinghe’s confidants and opened the treasury in full view of everyone.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Inside, there were indeed gold, silver, jewelry, and various magic treasures, but they didn't even cover half the floor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were dozens of Three-Path pirates present, and at a glance, there was some commotion—not because of greed, but because the amount of treasure was far less than expected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So little?\" He Lingchuan stroked his chin. \"It seems Yue Pinghe built a private rat hole and was always lining his own pockets.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He walked into the treasure cave and used Fusheng to draw a line on the ground.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The treasure outside the line will be the reward for all personnel involved in tonight’s operation. As for how to distribute it—\" He glanced at Qiu Hu and the two path masters, \"you can discuss it and report back to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoa, the three highest piles of treasure were set aside; everyone’s faces beamed with joy.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fighting to the death, wasn't it just to make a living? The new boss wasn't stingy, so everyone felt relieved.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Afterward, the group escorted the prisoners back, while Ding Zuodong, who had come with the ships, brought two newly recruited stewards to count the remaining wealth in the treasury and calculate the value of the assets on Centipede Island.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Before He Lingchuan rewarded his men, the total value of the items in the treasury was less than thirty thousand taels, not even matching Yue Pinghe’s claimed personal assets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>However, Ding Zuodong discovered over a dozen land deeds and commercial contracts in an inconspicuous box, corresponding to real estate and shops in the Mou Kingdom, Qing Kingdom, Blade Harbor, and several other small countries.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Pirates usually liked gold and silver jewelry when looting, followed by goods, and these contracts were the least desirable. The risk of selling them was high, the cycle was long, and trading was inconvenient.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But none of these were problems for He Lingchuan; he could just hand them over to Ding Zuodong to manage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In addition, the buildings on Centipede Island weren't worth much, but in the mountain-belly dock, there were seven intact main ships, thirteen small ships, and some dinghies and fishing boats.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although they weren't all cargo ships, these were all things He Lingchuan needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The future business and transportation of the Yangshan Archipelago relied on ships; how could they function without these basic means of transport? Ding Zuodong looked at these things, grinning from ear to ear. \"The remaining treasure in the treasury should be over seventeen thousand taels; these land deeds and shops—\" Ding Zuodong hesitated; he wasn't very familiar with the prices in the Mou Kingdom and other small countries, \"let's conservatively estimate nine thousand taels.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan gave a hum. Buying the Yangshan Archipelago cost eighty thousand taels, and wiping out Yue Pinghe brought back twenty-six thousand; this was a deal worth making.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, he had over two hundred and forty thousand taels in his hands again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"And these ships...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He Lingchuan laughed. \"No need to count the ships; they’re all useful, don't sell them.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Furthermore, there was an unexpected bonus to wiping out Yue Pinghe this time. Min Tianxi specifically reminded He Lingchuan that there were many shipwrights and craftsmen on Centipede Island whose skills in shipbuilding and repair were exceptionally exquisite, famous throughout Blade Harbor.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Since the Three-Path pirates were destroyed, these people naturally became He Lingchuan’s spoils of war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>These were exactly the talents He Lingchuan urgently needed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was an Island Master, after all; he needed a fleet. The more ships, the better, and the larger the ships, the better.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There were actually many tools for extracting palm oil on the island, and seven or eight hundred barrels of refined oil were stored in another cave in the stronghold. The quality was quite good, and he heard they were supposed to be delivered in five days.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>(End of chapter)\u003C\u002Fp>",2200,"2026-06-20T02:23:34.395Z",1,"Gemini 3.1 Flash Lite","c89e3e9e1d9af89d46d82402e6e1637380ab27017731c4b41796f4bdbc8a2f85","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-947","after-the-immortals-disappeared-chapter-945",1000,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fafter-the-immortals-disappeared-cover.jpg"]